Scrollworks surprised me. First, it is a nice quality zine. I was expecting something a little more rag tag. The material inside is 32 pages (not counting the cover). Each page is actually half-letter size, but the text comes in a simple two column format with perfect sized text. Great artwork, by Christoffer Saar, adorns the cover and is scattered throughout the text. There are also a couple of excellent maps drawn by David Hamilton. The paper is excellent quality, and the print job (done on a personal laser printer I believe) is fantastic.
Second, I thought the issue would have a half-baked adventure or a couple of statted out PCs. Instead, I found myself reading a curious, engaging description of a town called Corriston. Founded by a group of strange adventurers (including a female mongrelman), the group helped Corriston turn into a haven for the despised and dispossessed. It is a town on the edge between civilization and villainy. Beyond Corriston, adventurers will find Villit, a village of agrarian goblins, who spend their time minding their own business. Other places of interest around Corriston include the Gray Hills, a nesting ground for nasty bulettes (who like goblins), and the Thornward, a network of dense, magical brambles which hide tunnels leading deep below. Finally, a character suitable as an adventure hook is provided, either as a villain or bumbling explorer that might lead a party into the area. In all, the material was unique and engaging -- I loved enough of the ideas to want to use these characters and locales in my ongoing campaign.
Overall, this is a great little zine to get in the mail. The quality is top notch, the content is engaging, and the small press factor makes it a lot of fun. As soon as I finish this review, I am going to buy a few more copies.
Furthermore, Christian Walker has taken his knowledge of small press zines and offered to take other want-to-be zine publishers under his wings. You can check out that and buy your own copy of Scrollworks Issue 31 at: http://www.scrollworkspress.com/
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