Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game, Talagaad Adventures by Cubicle 7

Seth Stauffer

There is no better way to understand a game than playing it. Thus, modules like those in Cubicle 7’s Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game, Talagaad Adventures, serve not only to explore the world, but to show how it should work. This supplement contains five standalone modules that present a variety of challenges and settings and are intended to be playable for any group. From politics to fisticuffs, this book covers it all. 

All five standalone adventures are structured somewhere between an open sandbox and a linear, point-to-point plot. Players can solve a murder mystery, defuse a political feud before disaster strikes, protect a river merchant under extremely dubious circumstances, protect a village during a seasonal festival, or try to survive a siege.

Each module has checkpoints, but they can vary depending on how players work through them. Choices can matter, and the advice on using those outcomes can suggest future adventures. Anger a powerful baron, and their foe becomes your ally. Embarrass a veteran soldier, and risk losing his confidence. Yet, the opposite is also possible. Gamers will have options before them, as well as material to extend what’s provided in this book for further sessions.

While the modules should excite newcomers and veterans alike, newer game masters will likely find this book intimidating. There will be a lot of situations where players will need the GM to take the lead to provide clues, nudge the group forward to keep the game moving, or improvise answers based on whatever circumstances players find themselves in. What’s more, the modules demonstrate in concrete terms how the game could be run, and what’s evident is that there is a strong push towards a ‘theatre of the mind’ approach to gaming. This isn’t a problem, but it’s abstract, so less experienced GMs may struggle. A few more visual aids, or downloadable handouts, would have helped GMs.

If you’re looking for a campaign, you’ll be disappointed, but if you want compelling one-shots, this is a solid book. I don’t think I read a single module I didn’t like. These may be a bit much for a rookie GM, but otherwise, I agree with Cubicle 7 on this one; all of these would be a good fit for just about any player, no matter their experience. The modules’ scope is very impressive. Talagaad Adventures isn’t a series of dungeon crawls, but a set of opportunities to push a group’s limits.