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Since it’s release in early 2024, Robert J. Schwalb’s Shadow of the Weird Wizard has continued to earn a reputation as one of the most unique and criminally overlooked fantasy RPGs in the modern era, offering a D20 system that’s more streamlined and intuitive than D&D 5e and other crunchier rulesets.
Now, a new supplement entitled Mysteries of the Old Gods: The Pale Lady has been released, offering new lore and mechanics that expand the world of SotWW. In particular, the book explores a dreaded goddess of disease and the bizarre cultists who worship her. The book is available now for $3.99 USD as a PDF on DriveThruRPG.
So is the Pale Lady as sick as she sounds? Below, we contract all the details.
What is the Shadow of the Weird Wizard RPG?
Shadow of the Weird Wizard is a fantasy tabletop RPG created by veteran game writer Robert J. Schwalb, who is best known for his work as a lead designer on D&D 5th edition, as well as his contributions to games including Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Numenera, among other systems.
First launched via Kickstarter in late 2023, Shadow of the Weird Wizard is a spiritual successor to Schwalb’s critically acclaimed Shadow of the Demon Lord, moving away from the latter’s violent, grimdark vibes in favor of a tone that’s more heroic fantasy in nature.
Mechanically, Shadow of the Weird Wizard uses the “Demon Lord System”; D20-based ruleset that emphasizes speed over crunch. Checks are determined by rolling a d20 and applying modifiers to meet or exceed a target number (typically 10). An additional Boon and Bane system lets players roll a d6 and either add or subtract the result (essentially making it a less swingier version of D&D 5e’s Advantage/Disadvantage system).
Characters are defined by four core attributes (Strength, Agility, Intellect and Will) and advance through a three-tier path (Novice, Expert, and Master) chosen at levels 1, 3, 7, and 10 (the latter being maximum level you can reach). Combat is extremely fast, featuring fixed Health and the magic system is extremely intuitive, relying on castings per rest rather than spell slots or mana.
What’s Included in Mysteries of the Old Gods: The Pale Lady
The book is the third entry in the Mysteries of the Old Gods series, (following the release of Hate, God of War and Lord of Death), each of which is focused on a particular deity within the lore of Shadow of the Weird Wizard. The new 18-page supplement includes:
- New deity lore: Profiling the Pale Lady, also known as the Mother of Plagues, a powerful goddess who spreads pestilence and disease wherever she goes. The book includes a full stat block for her as well as potential adventure hooks.
- Four cult factions: Disciples of Otemepius (ascetic healers and plague wardens), Exquisite Decay (necromantic extremists seeking to overthrow Death himself), Pale Ones (scarred survivors who distract the goddess through ritual filth) and Plaguists (fanatics who actively spread disease as holy work).
- Player-facing options: Each cult includes membership benefits, professions, altered priest abilities and roleplaying hooks.
- Divine servants & monsters: New angels, undead and horrors such as Foul Ones, Chainbound, Plague Mothers and Broken Ones, all of which contain detailed stat blocks, background and adventure hooks.
- Magic, rites and spells: A full spell list tied specifically to the Pale Lady, including plague-based afflictions, sacrificial rites and catastrophic master-level magic capable of wiping out entire communities.
- Items and relics: Consumables, trinkets and powerful artifacts such as the Green Cauldron and the Stone of Caltofay, each capable of driving entire adventures or campaigns.
Is “Mysteries of the Old Gods: The Pale Lady Worth” Picking Up?
Pros
- Thematically unique: Every monster, spell, items and NPC reinforces the horror of the Pale Lady.
- Flexible content: The book is a solid mix of lore and mechanics that can be dropped into just about any adventure.
- Meaningful player choices: Cult membership isn’t cosmetic and meaningfully alters abilities, ethics and story direction.
- High-impact adversaries: The monsters and divine servants are memorable and mechanically distinct.
Cons
- A little too short: At just 18-pages, the book feels like it’s only just scratching the surface.
- Niche focus: If you’re not interested in plague-centric stories, much of the material may go unused.
- High lethality: Some spells and monsters may quickly overwhelm unprepared players.
- Needs other books: It does requite some knowledge of SotWW lore, so isn’t quite a standalone work.
Final Thoughts & Review Score
While The Pale Lady is definitely a slim supplement, it’s also a masterclass in focused RPG design, committing fully to its theme and offering a surprising amount of lore and rules in just a handful of pages. While it’s thematic exploration of magical disease and pestilence may not be for everyone, if you’re a fan of Shadow of the Weird Wizard, it’s definitely worth picking up.
Final Review Score: 19 out of 20
You can purchase a PDF of Mysteries of the Old Gods: The Pale Lady now for $3.99 USD on DriveThruRPG.