I just found online a copy of "The Black Manse" by Micah Anderson at an incredibly low price, so as an impulse purchase, it is already being shipped to me.

I looked online for reviews or comments about it and found a few shops that sell it, but only this review, which provides no helpful information about it:

https://comicon.com/2023/05/06/the-black-manse-ttrpg-feels-like-a-high-five-from-the-abyss/


I also looked for information from Micah Anderson and found that he has published some other adventures, most notably this review from a different adventure at teenfootpole:

https://tenfootpole.org/ironspike/?p=7274

This is a description I found on a website:
 
"He was once a paladin under the Gungish Papacy, sworn to a noble purpose and sent to besiege Hell itself.  Their forces were effortlessly rebuffed, and those that survived were permanently tainted by Hell's foul magics.  After clawing his way through rock and soil with his soot-stained armor now fused permanently to his skin, the Papacy "rewarded" him for his efforts with a domain on the outter rim of the Empire - as far away from the eyes of untainted civilians as possible. 
Corrupted by years of scorn, he has amassed a cult following and now seeks to expand his influence beyond these outskirts to the rest of the world.  Will you stand between the Dark Paladin and world domination... or join him?

The Black Manse by Micah Anderson is a gothic horror RPG created for Bastards, but can be adapted to most systems.  Players can choose whether they want to fight or support the anti-paladin, steal tomes full of forbidden ancient knowledge, explore a gothic manor full of secrets, and enjoy the classic spooky-house-on-the-hill-with-a-terrible-history setting!

WARNING: This RPG is intended for MATURE AUDIENCES!  It contains themes of gore, violence, and some religious trauma."


Have you heard about this book? Can you tell me anything about it or its author?

I could not find any helpful information or reviews of this book, and nobody seems to know it. I received and read it, so here is my review:

It is a thin, hardcover book, size A5, with 40 pages. The physical quality of the book is nice, and it has good printing on both the covers and the inner pages. The cover art is nice, but the images in the inner pages fail to evoke the hellish landscape promised in the blurb. The text on each page is easy to read. The maps are uninteresting but functional.

The content itself describes only a manor. There are five levels, each with a map, and 6 to 35 areas to explore. Each location is described briefly. Although this book is supposed to be horrific and dark, the descriptions are mild.

The book is mentioned as being written for Bastards (I have never heard that game) but is ¨easily adapted to any OSRish system¨. That seems easy enough, as the book's game system part is almost nonexistent.
 
There is a list of 11 wandering monsters, and the author suggests getting the monster's information from other sources (like Monster Manuals). The book also has no stat blocks or other useful details for the BBEG (the "Death Knight") or any of the few NPCs named. In some cases, the text mentions the damage caused by some traps and poisons.
 
The background information provided is only one very short paragraph. The descriptions of the areas have some flavor but very little. There is no plot or story. No reason to care for the manor or the villain is provided.

A willing, experienced GM may provide all the additional work and content needed to make this location enjoyable. A novice GM will not find enough information in this book to run this location efficiently.

The back cover shows $30.00. Is this the suggested retail price? It doesn't mention currency. While 30.00 pesos may be acceptable, 30.00 dollars would be ridiculous for this book.

My rate? ** (two stars). I want my money back.

I recommend skipping this one; it is very easy to find better alternatives.