Paragon of Light (Playthrough of Call to Adventure)

Fenwick was just a lowly settler when he first came to this land, gifted with just a little bit of constitution and intelligence. The only thing that set him apart from others like him was his thirst for knowledge. As he read and studied in the local library, he learned about the virtues of purity and goodness and honest. He strove to be an example of living for others. 

Before he set off for this new land, his parents confessed to poor Fenwick that he was not born of their flesh and blood. They had found him, abandoned and floating in a river. Of course, the couldn't leave him to die, so they took him in and raised him as their own. They never did discover where he had come from. It was this knowledge that fed Fen's thirst for knowledge, as he tried to find out some scrap of information about his past.

The more he read and learned, the more it became obvious that he was from a far off land, one that dabbled in magic. He had a knack of learning spells and incantations and the temptation for selfish gain was strong. But he resisted.

Using his newfound powers, Fen began hunting down the bad element in the city. One criminal, known for being one of the masterminds of the city's seedy underbelly, was brought to justice by Fen's actions. He also delved into a deep, dark cave, finding many secrets and treasures that he shared with his people. He became an inspiration to them.

Not content with merely catching the obvious criminals, Fenwick began to focus his attention on the real opressors - the merchants guild. Gathering a party to his cause, Fen went Robin Hood on them and robbed their caravans to feed the poor. As he grew in arcane power, the merchants were loathe to confront him. 

Then, one terrible and dark knight, a ravenous wolf attack the farms on the outskirts of town. For almost a week, it pulled livestock and farmers into the woods, never to be seen again. The people, merchants included, begged Fenwick to help. He entered into battle with the terrifying adversary, ultimately dispatching it with a fireball (wolves burn quite easily). The people rejoiced - they had finally found a paragon of light to believe in!

*****

If you're looking for a "game," then you've come to the wrong place. Call to Adventure is not very strategic, not very difficult, and not very long (at least for a solo game and probably in a multiplayer game where everyone knew the rules). If you want a game with lots of depth, then I have many other suggestions for you.

Call to Adventure is a story with a few minor game elements that encourage you to choose certain paths over others. The artwork is beautifully showcased on the larger-than-usual cards. The different choices you can make are thematically appropriate and build into the storytelling of the game.

I'll be honest with you. I mainly bought this game because there is a Brandon Sanderson written expansion coming out later this year and I cannot wait to play through the Stormlight world. I knew from the outset that there wasn't much game here and after one solo play and one multiplayer play, that doesn't both me. If I want to hurt my brain then I can pull out Gloomhaven or Spirit Island. This is just thematic, immersive, storyelling fun. And for under $40 Canadian, it's hard to beat the price.