Horrors: An Earthdawn Sourcebook Horror Book Review

This book is the first sourcebook for the Earthdawn game detailing the chief enemies of the players.  Or, more accurately, all who live.  The horrors in Earthdawn are bad guys done RIGHT:  They hide in shadows, they plot the corruption and demise of people everywhere, and they have the power to back up their ambitions.


The book contains all sorts of horrors and their constructs, allowing for challenges for new characters and experienced ones.  Be warned though, the Named horrors listed are often so powerful that only the most experienced and most prepared have a chance of surviving an ecounter with the horror, let alone defeating it.  Often the horrors listed will have powers that do not directly influence combat.  These are extremely dangerous beings that hide safely away from those that they torment and feed off their fear and pain (literally).


While the stats listed for each horror or horror construct are for the Earthdawn game, the real meat is the descriptions of the horrors themselves.  Reading about them the first time gave me chills, as these things are unquestionably evil (the entry for Chantrel’s Horror especially).  The entries themselves are set up as if the reader was perusing an actual tome within the setting.


The horrors themselves could be modified for other games, so long as you recognize that any players that run afoul of them could be killed or worse with incredible ease.  The entries can inspire GM’s to create their own horrors, with their own terrible powers and appetites.


The Horrors sourcebook is an exceptional book, one that can be read just for the short stories with each entry.  Combined with the stats to back up their power, the horrors live up to their name.


IMHO, Horrors: An Earthdawn Sourcebook is one of, if not THE, best creature/enemy sourcebook ever written.