On Wednesdays, we wear purple.

The Black Sun Rises is a one-shot adventure crafted by Vassilis Tsipopoulos, a Greek creator like Nameia’s Laboratory, which we previously reviewed. It is designed for 2nd-level parties consisting of 4 to 6 players, featuring a short and dark story.

Disclaimer: We were provided with a free digital copy of this product.

The scenario

The scene opens at a small mining village where your party gets caught up in an argument between the father of a missing girl and her boyfriend, only to discover that many teenagers have gone missing. A charismatic young man named Ascalaphus is the mastermind behind the disappearances, creating a cult that favours a dark god and likes to wear purple. The story unfolds in a three-act arc starting from the village where the investigation takes place, moving to a cabin in the forest where the setting shifts from mystery to supernatural and then to the mines, a dungeon delve as the finale. It includes multiple possible outcomes, as the ending is shaped by the party’s actions, ensuring that player choices do matter.

Encounters

If your party seeks good fights with atmosphere, then this adventure is perfect for you. A forest ogre serves as the forest-themed ambush to keep the adventure dangerous and make sure that your players understand early on that nowhere is safe. In the cabin, the players confront the ghost of a missing teenager, who is then willing to share everything he knows about the situation. Inside the mine, traps, secrets and fitting encounters with cultists and undead await you until the final battle with the cult leader, Ascalaphus, and his zombie-parents (surprise). What I especially appreciate is that diplomacy plays a key role in the story. This means that you can shift the balance and reduce the number of fights with clever choices and negotiation, rather than brute-forcing your way into the dungeon.

Layout & Art

The layout is clean and professional, making it easy to bring to any table. From maps to NPC design and presentation, the supplement feels high-quality. Read aloud text separates the info that gets to the party from the GM-only notes, while vibrant illustrations set the mood without cluttering the pages.
The maps, all created by the adventure’s designer, are detailed and well-labelled for smooth navigation, available in both gridded and non-gridded versions and NPCs are well organised in the appendix, reducing the extra page flipping during the game.

Extras

The adventure is not short on extra content. Beyond the map variations already mentioned above, it includes four custom NPC stat blocks, thoughtfully tailored to the plot, and a unique ritual that lies in the heart of the dark cult. Moreover, rules for a village game of darts add charm and immersion, providing a playful touch that lightens the mood of an overall dark story.

Final Thoughts

Overall, The Black Sun Rises is a compact adventure around necromancy and cults. I believe that you could easily drop it into an ongoing campaign as a nice side quest. It is also a great introduction to new players, being a straightforward mix of investigation, combat and roleplay.

Stay crafty and purple,
Your new favourite author.

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