Through Ultan’s Door

Through Ultan’s Door is an old school adventure fanzine. I’d say this would be suitable for Old School Essentials, Swords and Wizardry, and most of the other Old School Renaissance RPGs. This might work, with some effort, for new old school games like Dungeon Crawl Classics.

It’s a 30 room dungeon spread across 36 pages. The monsters are unique. There are no orcs and goblins here. Instead there are giggling white swine with the hands of children, oneiric puddings, evil shadow puppets, and more. Billed as an adventure for 3 to 5 characters levels 1 to 2.

The Book

As stated, the book is 36 pages. The cover is detached and has the map printed on the inside. There is a single page card labeled “Encounter Table” that has a list of 8 wandering monsters, their “spoor”, description, and stat blocks.

There are a few illustrations. The cover is a standout with some strange figures riding the back of a giant slug, with dream city in the background, It’s very psychedelic.

Content

The table contents shows:

• Introduction
• Ultan’s Door
• Ruins of the Inquisitor’s Theater
• Bestiary
• Spells
• Champions

Introduction provides a two page background describing Zyan, cursed city of dreamlands. Zyan is perched at the top of a rocky peak. The description implies that Zyan exists on a massive chunk of land, 3 by 7 miles, that is floating in the air.

Ultan’s Door is four pages including a Rumors table and Adventure hooks. The overarching concept is that Ultan, a printmaker, has discovered a door under his steps, which wasn’t there the day before, he claims the door leads to the sewers of Zyan the infamous floating city of wishery. It’s a good high fantasy setup.

What isn’t clear to me is if the adventure is starting in the city of Zyan, or if the adventure starts elsewhere and the door opens into the city of Zyan. Either way, Ultan is charging 10 gold for anyone who wants to enter the door. Rumors suggest the door has appeared before and people have gone through and returned with fabulous treasures.

The adventure hooks include many setting specific ideas. Such as, you are Circus Performers, and Troubadours who wish to learn rare arts from the dream world, you are devotees of the slumbering god who hold the dreaming city holy, and a few more.

Ruins of the Inquisitor’s Theater describes Ultan’s Shop, passing through Ultan’s door, 30 locations keyed locations on the map, and a list random encounters.

This section begins with two pages of background, notes on factions, and description of white swine and the Weaver of Shadows. Monster that can be encountered.

There are three factions: the Guildless, the White Swine, and the Weaver of Shadows. The first are a sort of human cult made up of people who have committed shameful crimes in Zyan and have been banished to the sewers. The second are anthropomorphic swine who protect and care for their queen mother. The last is a sort of demon spider with the torso of a man, it plays the strands of its web like a harp and exudes shadow puppets. It’s all very abstract, if the description intrigues you can probably work with this.

There is an encounter table, which says roll a d8 and there is an encounter on a 1 or 2. On 2 the encounter is with the creatures “spoor” as an indication that the monster is nearby. The next roll of a 1 or 2 is with the creature. This is a good idea that can add some interest to dungeon exploration.

The rest described 30 numbered locations. The locations can be pretty interesting and evoke the setting. To run this you’ll to buy into this setting. Typical elves and dwarves might feel a little out of place here. The general vibe I get a gothic with a little steampunk.

For example the “The Temple of The Holy puppets” has an 8′ tall costumed figure with a bird mask and elaborate robes, fashioned with a glorious sash dripping with gold and jewels. There are two more figures in alcoves to either side. One a 6′ with the mask of a young woman, holding a parasol. The other is 10′ tall on stilts with the mask of a smirking gentleman. These are elaborate mechanical constructs. The descriptions are more detailed but the vibe feels victorian, which might work for some groups but might be hard to reconcile for others.

Bestiary contains two unique monsters: Ravens of Perjury, and Oneiric Pudding. The first is a tangle of conjoined birds wings surrounding a single unblinking eye. The second is the residue of dreams that gather is rivulets.

These descriptions are very evocative of dreams and the environment of dreams. The ideas are good, but the making this work every campaign might present some continuity issues. Again if this gets your creative ideas flowing it might be good for you.

Spells include Testify and Chain of Evidence.

Testify is a spell that when cast yourself causes the caster to vomit a raven of perjury if they reply with a known falsehood. It’s very flavorful for the setting but not a spell that would get much use in play. If you could cast it on someone else players might be more encouraged to choose it.

I like stuff like this but in my opinion this its a little self absorbed. A greta tool if you were writing a novel but in the realm of RPG play I doubt it will find a home.

This is a 3rd level spell which makes it

Chain of Evidence when cast on an object reveals the identity of the sequence of individuals who have touched the object in the last 1 day per caster level.

This is a spell that could find some game play. It could also be useful as a plot device or as part of a story arc.

Both spells are listed as only granted to clerics of the Archon Azmarane, which makes them setting specific.

Considering it is a 4th level spell, I think it’s a little weak. It’s in the power level of speak with plants but far more situational than cure serious wounds or protection from evil 10′ radius.

Conclusions

It’s a nice zine. I think you get your moneys worth in an interesting 30 rooms of dungeon crawl.

The adventure has a very strong vibe that you’ll either love or not. There is a little background but not a lot. If you think you can work with I think you’ll like this adventure.

Would I run this? I might but at the moment probably not. The dreamlands intrigued me but the setting is a little too strong for the group I play with. It might be good as a sort of dream interlude that might be incorporated at some point.