The second chapter, "Traveling the Realms," delves into the intricate art of moving from one place to another. It covers navigation, transportation methods, including mounts, vehicles, and magical items, and the importance of rest during your journeys, whether in cozy inns, waystations, or camping under the stars. And, when you're not near inns or waystations, finding food along the way, be it through foraging or hunting, can be an adventure in itself. Along your path, you'll encounter a myriad of characters, from potential allies to dangerous foes. This chapter touches on all of these aspects of travel and concludes with insights on mapping your route, a valuable skill when you need to backtrack in a hurry.
The book offers high-level overviews of three distinct realms in the first, third, and fourth chapters: "The Forgotten Realms," "The Mirror Worlds," and "Spelljammer." These realms represent the richly developed world of the Forgotten Realms, the enigmatic Mirror Worlds, which include the Astral Plane, Ethereal Plane, Feywild, and Shadowfell, and the wondrous world of Spelljammer, where magic fuels space travel through wildspace and the Astral Sea.
What makes these chapters truly invaluable is that they provide essential insights into these complex environments without revealing too much. As a Dungeon Master, you may wish to keep your players in the dark about what they might encounter. Places & Portals delivers the perfect balance of information without spoiling the surprise. For just $13.99 USD, it's a wise investment to offer your players before embarking on epic quests where this knowledge can prove priceless.
And, speaking of Dungeon Masters, for DMs seeking to craft their own realms, the final chapter, "A Realm of Your Own," offers guidance on everything from map-making and realm-building to populating lairs with creatures that feel both intriguing and realistic. It even explores the concept of travel as a central element of adventure and how to make it engaging.
Throughout the book, you'll find one-page Encounter stories that vividly illustrate the concepts discussed in each chapter. These stories are brought to life with striking full-page illustrations, providing a visual narrative that enhances your understanding. Periodically, you'll also encounter creatures that inhabit the various locations discussed in the chapters, offering a touch of "local knowledge" without spoiling the excitement. They don't give the game mechanics on how these creatures attack, but have a very simplified "threat level" indicated and a few general recommendations on what to do when you encounter such a beast*.
I found Places & Portals to be an enjoyable and informative addition to the Young Adventurer's Guide series. If you're a Dungeon Master planning epic adventures (or if you are in an adventuring party and your DM is starting to stress the importance of Survival and Knowledge: Nature), this book could prove a valuable companion.
* If you think someone telling you to simply punch a shark in the nose if they attack you, or to play dead if you encounter a bear just ruined it for you, taking all of the danger away... well, okay, maybe for you this would spoil the game. For the rest of us, it's just a nice way to add a touch of "local knowledge" that you might have overheard in a tavern, anyway.
