A quick word about the rule system: To my mind, the RPG Rêve is unique. Within its pages you will find no maps of its countries, treatises on religions or documented histories yet the world conjured by the rules is rich with atmosphere and as evocative of a low-fantasy world as any A-list trilogy-writer might create.
However the system itself may not be for everyone. The game uses a skill mechanic, which requires cross-referencing a table (printed on the character sheet) before the chance of success is determined. The magic system requires an investment of time and energy by both players and Dream Master (DM) – but the payoff is certainly worth the effort. Combat is deadly and generally the rules are ‘crunchy’ yet elegant. Importantly, they work perfectly.
Back to the matter at hand. A Unicorn Dream differs slightly from some of the other stories available for Rêve. It appears to be an encounter designed to be slotted into an on-going campaign, indeed the scenario opens with the characters gathering supplies from the wilds – a common theme for Rêve – offering no suggestions as to why they might be there other than the fact that they are Journeyers.
The characters gain a clue to the task ahead of them through a shared dream (another common theme) concerning a meeting with a mythical unicorn.
Following the dream, the characters find themselves in the village of Mott. Like many of Rêve’s settlements, Mott is a tiny isolated community convincingly described by the text in a manner, which the DM will find easy to relate to his or her players.
After meeting a few of the locals the players are called upon to find the village bull known as ‘the unicorn’ as part of one of its horns is missing. Lead by the dream the players find the bull; in turn, the bull leads them to a more interesting find. A long-lost key.
Not wishing to give away anymore of the scenario’s secrets I’ll leave the story there.
A Unicorn Dream will likely serve a small group well for one session. There are opportunities for combat but they are entirely optional – a good thing given the nature of battle.
As a stand-alone scenario, this package falls short when compared with some of the other releases available for Rêve. However, as a tool for setting exactly the right tone for this unique role-playing game, it excels admirably. Players are offered mysterious dreams, a curious settlement with a forgotten history, an ancient ruin – seemingly impenetrable, a secret chamber and (possibly) a grim guardian. For the DM, you have an example of a settlement, which could be used as a base – a nicely presented map is included, a neat link to the game’s magic system and a glimmer of what the rest of Rêve has to offer.
At 99 cents the package is certainly worth the asking price to any Rêve player. For players of other systems, it still represents solid value as the material can be effortlessly converted to any low-magic environment. However, as RPG NOW has a minimum order value of $4.95 you will need to add this to your shopping cart and pick it up when you’re ready to make other purchases.
Despite having acquired dozens of PDF products, I am still coming to terms with the medium’s shortcomings. In this example, the scenario features a stylish cover page which serves little purpose other than to increase download times and I doubt that any ink-wise reader would concern themselves with printing out that cover either… Perhaps I’m just old fashioned? Perhaps I just like the idea of holding a nice book that I’ve purchased from my local hobby shop?
Final Score: Style: 3 – functional easy print layout (except for the cover) with atmospheric hand drawn maps. Substance: 4 – five pages without the cover but it’s only 99 cents, you can’t go wrong!
