The fantastic world of The Dark Eye has been evolving for
more than thirty years. Explorers have even discovered a
few new continents, but Aventuria was where it all started,
and Aventuria remains the centerpiece of the game. Now
that the Core Rules of The Dark Eye is in its fifth edition, we
wanted to publish an updated description of the world of
Aventuria in a new volume.
This book is intended as a classic setting guide designed
to help new players get their bearings in Aventuria.
Experienced players can browse it quickly for updates
on current affairs and rediscover a long-cherished game
setting. I wish to thank all the enthusiastic players and
authors who lovingly crafted Aventuria and the cosmology
of The Dark Eye. We wish you lucky die rolls and hope that
your heroes prevail time and time again in Aventuria.
Daniel Simon Richter (for the editorial team),
Oberhausen, on a warm summer day in August, 2015
A Short Introduction
Welcome to the world of The Dark Eye! The Aventuria
Almanac expands upon the material introduced in the Core
Rules by taking a closer look at life on the continent of
Aventuria. Upcoming sourcebooks explore specific regions
in even greater depth.
This book gives your role playing group a common starting
point for the game world, and is designed for game masters
and players alike. With one exception, players may read
freely without fear of ruining their gaming experience. In
other words, this book contains few spoilers.
Where Do I Begin?
We suggest you start at the beginning. The Aventuria
Almanac covers everything from the big picture to certain
finer details, and most chapters begin with an overview
of basic concepts. Experienced players may use the Table
of Contents (see page 4), the Index (see page 258), and the
enclosed map of Aventurian regions to skip directly to
sections of interest.
GM Information
Spoiler alert: Chapter 11: Mystery And Arcana (see
page 231) contains information intended only
for the GM. Players who do not wish to spoil their enjoyment
of the game should avoid reading Chapter 11, as it reveals many secrets concerning the world, important NPCs, and
events. We mark such secrets with a page reference and a
symbol. The Index omits all references to these secrets
to prevent players from accidentally learning something
they later wish they hadn’t seen.
Level of Detail
Players familiar with the Regional Setting Guides of
previous editions won’t find as much detail in this volume,
but then again, this book could contain more than 1,000
pages and still not come close to those earlier efforts.
Instead, we condensed the sheer abundance of information
in a clear and readable way. Let this book serve as a
foundation for your campaign, a springboard from which
to create adventures. For example, Chapter 3: Land and
People (see page 29) presents descriptions and adventure
hooks for many fascinating regions. A region is much more
than its geographical description, as you shall discover. To
explore this concept further, see Locations and Settings, on
page 29.
Point of View
This book is told from the point of view of someone steeped
in the traditions and interpretations of events according
to the Twelvegods, as this is the most common belief
system in Aventuria (and the one that is most familiar to
the existing player base). This does not mean that other
perspectives are less important or less true. We intend
merely to emphasize the idea of a unified world. But worry
not, as the Aventuria Almanac also states things from the
perspective of different races, peoples, and cultures. As
with the Core Rules, this book is of necessity limited. If your
group is interested in exploring a specific region, world
view, or cultural mannerism in greater detail, watch for
the upcoming Regional Setting Guides, which expand on
the topics introduced in the Almanac.
What Does My Hero Know?
This book is intended mainly for players, as most
inhabitants of Aventuria know only a fraction of what
has been collected in the Aventuria Almanac. Even great
scholars and well-traveled adventurers may garner only
a few of the facts and rumors presented here during the
course of their entire lives. Naturally, heroes (and even
more so their players) should be well-informed about their
homelands and neighboring regions, but this does not
mean they can freely use all the information presented in
this volume. Be sure to discuss it with your players.
