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Hello traveler, pull up a chair and listen, I have story to tell. Some say it's too good to be true and others call it a DM’s best friend. I'm talking, of course, about the Local Legends Tavern Kit, by Steamforged Games.
A tale of two pints
Thanks to this kit, I'll never find myself introducing a tavern with the whole "you enter a generic tavern” spiel. Every tavern door is the gateway to a whole new world with the local legends tavern kit.
In this review, I'll be guiding you through what to expect when you open this box and give you a flavour of the magic it's capable of.
If you've played DnD, you'll know that anything can happen in a tavern. For those that have yet to experience it, this kit makes that a constant reality as it's variety of components combine to create a seemingly endless amount of possibilities.
Personally, I love the way that it has every element covered, for moments where you need a quick character, interaction or challenge to spice things up.
What's inside?
The box is absolutely brimming with resources and components for DM’s and players to use for their encounters. But just what exactly do you get?
First up we have the Inncounter book, featuring a complete how-to guide to running epic tavern inncounters. Inside you'll find everything you need to know about getting started.
Next up we have the Tavern book, which is where the magic happens. This book contains 10 unique fantasy taverns, bursting with plot hooks, interactions and exciting games to try your hand at.
But what is a tavern without it's patrons? The NPC book and cards feature 60 fully-statted NPC’s for you to utilise as you wish. Each comes with it's own portraits, backstory, and adventure hooks to help bring them to life.
Finally we have 20 beautifully designed playmats 10 of which are detailed tavern maps which feature unique illustrations to bring each environment to life. Where as the other 10 playmats are for the exciting tavern games that I mentioned earlier; meaning that each tavern has it's very own game for players to experience.
Game on
One of my favourite features of this kit is the mini games that are included. Each one accompanies a tavern and serves as the gambling game that patrons play alongside a few brews.
Each mini game is simple and utilises components that you already have on the table. Ask the right questions to the right people and you might find yourself in a round of "Goblin's Toe" or "Dragonchess. Just find the game sheet included in the kit and use dice or your natural luck to bag some extra gold for the journey ahead.
Everything a DM needs
Whether you're a seasoned GM or just starting out, the Local Legends Tavern Kit is an invaluable tool. It takes the pressure off prepping intricate tavern encounters, allowing you to focus on storytelling and player interaction. It's a fantastic investment that will elevate your games and provide endless hours of entertainment.
To give this kit a proper try out, I held a one shot session at the end of a campaign I ran and called it the ‘ultimate tavern crawl’. In this sessions, players had to make it through as many taverns as they could whilst staying sober. Health points became sobriety points and if depleted, the character would pass out for a good nap whilst they sobered up.
Something for the players
Please don't think that this kit only serves the DM’s though. There's plenty inside the box to help players along the way. From pre-generated ready to play characters, to backstory inspiration and more.
There's some great ideas in there for one shot playthroughs and combinations you'd never dream of that could open a world of possibilities in the right situations.
Final thoughts
Using this kit as both a DM and a player, I found myself astounded by the way it opens up potential for each adventure. With tips on creating dynamic events, memorable NPCs, it encourages you to use the environment to its fullest.
Where this version of the kit only includes the base version, other versions include scenery, miniatures and more; so be sure pick those up if you want to add even more to your campaign.
But even with the base set, all the elements are there to add some real magic to every adventure you create.
Nonetheless, it goes without saying that I emplore every DM to pick up a copy of this kit if you want to make every Inn-counter as memorable as the last.
