Gloom of Kilforth: A Campaign Variant and All the Teeth
Find out more about a mysterious realm filled with beauty and gathering darkness as a hero emerges in Gloom of Kilforth.
With a renewed love of an old favorite, it felt like a crime not to journey through Gloom of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game just once more. I even maintained the same character to keep the story going and find out if a modified campaign variant might work out! The story potential was grand right from the start, and I happily set out across this gorgeous world!
Game Overview
Game Name: Gloom of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game
Publication Year: 2017
Designer: Tristan Hall
Artist: Ania Kryczkowska
Publisher: Hall or Nothing Productions
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Time ticks down as darkness descends, adding dangers. A hero starts off with little more than mere rumors and whispers… Yet through exploration and a bit of luck, a final showdown with the Ancient offers an exciting ending! There is always lots to see, and all kinds of stories to tell.
First Play
April 24, 2019
Complexity
3
Latest Play
October 27, 2025
Expansions
1
Setup Time
10 Minutes
Lifetime Plays
12
Play Time
2 Hours
High Score
N/A
Game Area
44" x 28"
Low Score
N/A
My, What Big Teeth…
Tae, my dwarf soldier, remained in play. There is a way to string together multiple plays into a campaign, and I changed this slightly to simply choose my starting rumor.
Not to get too far off-track, but I still think a single play is the best way to enjoy a character’s full journey.
Needless to say, Tae was up against the Deacon of Betrayal this time. Her sword was being repaired, and as she entered the Misty Fens, a rampaging monster hunted her… A lich!
Talk about all the teeth in the world. I briefly considered changing her into a dwarf dentist… Demand was high. Ha!
Of Bandits and Magic
With so much unrest throughout Kilforth, it was no surprise when more bandits tore through the badlands. Tae pursued them into the mountains, insistent on halting their plans.
Darkness shrouded even the pleasant stops along Tae’s journey. Beautiful sights were tinged with uneasiness and fear. She knew the feeling… Another Ancient lurked.
Her first adventure was quite lonely. To fight back the encroaching gloom, an ally seemed like a wise choice.
And so it was that Tae began to travel with a Dark Mage, eerily close to her initial ties to the Dark Arts and demons.
An Upgraded Steed
Thundering throughout the realm on an elephant was a most exciting conclusion to the brief reign of the Marquis of Pain, but Tae knew she had to seek out a different steed.
Still with the insistence of leaning into a toothy theme, luck shined upon the dwarf soldier when she heard a rumor about a tame dragon seeking a new companion. A friend!
Tae began to tear through the skies, landing heavily on the outskirts of town and being forced to do a lot of explaining.
Her Ring of Influence mysteriously crushed any dissent, and there were whispers that the darkness was all too close.
Threatened by Betrayal
Tae moved through the realm, in search of everything… And maybe even herself. The Deacon of Betrayal had his claws (and teeth) everywhere. It was impossible to ignore him.
Her saga felt different, as though she knew the darkness all too well. There were few lighthearted moments, even in the welcoming villages of the lands untouched by the gloom.
Yet for all of her struggles, Tae became known as an enemy of the undead. She fought them back, starting with the lich.
However, time was impossibly short. The Deacon of Betrayal had a clear path to victory. Kilforth could fall.
Distilling a Lengthy Campaign Into a Single Play
I haven’t played a lot of solo campaign games recently, although I certainly have some fond memories of some! As I’ve been playing more lately, I’m finding that the feeling of being overwhelmed by components and rules has been a bit of a deterrent. I like to learn, but I don’t like to feel like I’m tied to a single game for many, many sessions. That’s a lot!
This is why I love this one so much: Play time usually falls under 2 hours for me, and I know the rules after playing for many years. The stories keep me coming back for more, and it really feels like I start off with a character who can’t do much of anything… And then suddenly, I’m looking at someone who’s endured it all and can take on the Ancient. Alone.
It’s so cool! I played with a modified ongoing campaign variant, which I have mixed feelings about. I loved continuing Tae’s story, but this could have just as easily been the new tale of another character. Pretty sure that’s why a single play is the best way to enjoy a character’s journey. And after this experience, I know this first volume will be one I continue to love!
Hope, Close at Hand
To break the story for just a second, Tae had her trusty sword with her almost from the very beginning. This had carried over from my first play, so it had a bit of history.
I don’t look ahead to the saga keyword requirements, as I like to be surprised. In this instance, after all the hopeless wandering and encroaching darkness, hope quickly rose.
Tae stayed on a mostly solitary path, yet she met a healer whose skills went beyond typical mending and patching.
She pointed to Tae’s worn sword, which held the hidden power to bring the realm back together. But was there time?
A Grand Finale
When all the world seemed steeped in gloom, Tae rose. Battered and worn down by her journey, she found his lair.
The Deacon of Betrayal turned to her, teeth glinting in the low light. His lack of eyes was unsettling, as was the static expression that kept his lips peeled back. Tae shuddered.
It was a harrowing battle where her strength slowly melted. What began as a surefire victory wavered. She faltered.
Yet at the last moment, with a surge, Tae struck out at the Ancient, shattering his teeth and ending his reign! Barely alive, she lay there, watching sunlight return to Kilforth.
One Last Look
Tae did it! As much as I expected to be let down after such an exciting previous play, this one was just as awesome.
I don’t always showcase what the main play area looks like after setup, but this is how I have the cards standing up in standee bases. It can be messy, yet I can see everything!
This one was technically a little less of a close call since I had a single day remaining… But it was a 50% chance that it would grant the Deacon of Betrayal another ability. Nope!
This volume is my favorite in the series, and I was so focused on the stories, big and small. Completely immersed!
So Many Dice to Roll!
One thing I should make clear is that a lot of gameplay boils down to rolling dice. A 5 or 6 is a success, although there are a few abilities or cards that can help out in some ways.
This means that a lot of elements come down to luck, but I still enjoy the process. It just feels important to save up the limited ways to add successes in a slightly strategic way.
Is it frustrating at times? So much! Even rolling upwards of 7 or 8 dice can still result in 0 successes for some tests.
But that’s part of what makes the game work for me: I feel like I overcome the odds sometimes, and victory is difficult!
Session Overview
Play Number: 12
Expansion: Encounters Expansion Pack
Accessory: Deluxe Upgrades Expansion Pack
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Play Details: Bloodbath Difficulty Level
Outcome: Win
The only thing I use from the other volumes are the randomizer tokens for the night cards and rumors. Nothing is predictable in this way, and I just love how the game works! This is so wonderful, and I’m thrilled that I had a chance to spend some more time with it. Hurray for Tae!
%
10 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
10
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
7
Quality
Components & Rules
9
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
9
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
10
+ Pros (Positives)
- Stories naturally emerge from play and often tie together different cards in unexpected and surprising ways.
- A single play feels like a full campaign as a character grows from no one into a solitary hero capable of saving the day.
- The difficulty level can be adjusted in several ways to tailor the experience in order to get the most out of the world.
- All of the artwork is amazing, and cards include tendrils of flavor text that invite an imagination to fill in the blanks.
- Tons of variety exists within the decks, as each play can feel extremely different depending on what cards come out.
- Turning rumors into assets is an interesting mechanic that leans into exploration and storytelling in a fun way.
– Cons (Negatives)
- Dice rolls can be very frustrating at times, as they can go poorly even when the odds of success seem to be high.
- There are a lot of cards to keep track of, and even with some clever organization, the play area is prone to being messy.
- Although the card artwork is amazing, the tokens seem a little basic and sort of stand out in an unthematic way.
- Hunting for keywords can feel impossible at times since it’s very much a case of finding the right cards in the decks.
Victory Conditions
Defeat the Ancient
- Overall Goal Progress 75%
Goals and Milestones
Win at least 1 game against the Abbess of Penance.
Win at least 1 game against the Deacon of Betrayal.
Win at least 1 game against the Marquis of Pain.
Win at least 1 game against the Prince of Ruin.
Continue the Conversation
What are some of your favorite moments from Gloom of Kilforth: A Fantasy Quest Game? Have you tried any variants? I liked keeping my character the same, yet I still think a single play offers up a full campaign-like experience. Such a great time with this one! Pretty sure Tae is now retired as either a dwarf dentist or dwarf detective after her journeys. Ha ha!
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