From: Frederic Moll <fmoll@cix.compulink.co.uk>
Subject: Review: Les Portes du Paradis
System: Hawkmoon

Les Portes du Paradis
ISBN : 2-906897-45-0
128pp, 144 French francs
published by ORIFLAM (132 rue de Marly, 57158 MONTIGNY LES METZ, FRANCE)

"Les Portes du Paradis" is the fourth original supplement published in French by ORIFLAM for HAWKMOON. It's a 128 pages softcover book with a nice cover illustration by Alain Gassner. It contains two scenarios and a campaign with black and white illustrations and maps inside. All are set in France (which is also the subject of a sourcebook published by ORIFLAM).

"Un danger venu d'ailleurs" is the first scenario, which is 26 pages long. It starts in Provence at Mazeille, as an investigation in the high society. Then, after the discovery of remnants of ancient technology, it continues with a discovery of the Bretanne area (a chaotic region). Inside live stange peoples, even one called Merlin (in fact, it came from the Young Kingdoms).

This is a scenario for players loving action, intrigue and strange situations.

"Echec a la Reine" is a 16 page scenerio set in Loreine. It is about a plot prepared by influent members of a church. As usual, players must thwart it before it is to late....

"Les portes du Paradis" is the biggest part of this book (78 pages). It is a campaign that can be played before, during or after the coming of the Grand-Bretons. It is divided in four parts. At the beginning, players act as bodyguards of a VIP seeking four stones.

The adventure starts in Parye with the discovery of a mutant race and continues in the Hautes Terres (with mutants again...), then in the Iles du Feu and ends in the Monts de Pyrain.

Players can travel a lot inside France and encounters, information and rumours are given (more can be added if the sourcebook LA FRANCE is
used).

The six (!) possible endings that are included are definitely a nice idea. According to the GM mood, the ending can be heroic, chaotic or may result in encountering famous people of the multiverse.

Overall, Philip Benz, Pierre Henri Pevel and Eric Simon have done excellent work on Les Portes du Paradis. It's a must have for all who like to play in the HAWKMOON universe. Let us hope that ORIFLAM will continue to publish original supplements for HAWKMOON while we wait for a hypothetic CHAOSIUM publication....

Frederic