Review of "Shadizar - City of Wcikedness"

This four piece boxed set from Mongoose details a lot of information on a little explored area of Conan's world - The City of Shadizar - also known as "The City of Wickedness".  This set is meant for the GM's eyes only!

Coming in four pieces - Book I - "Games Master Guide", Book II - "Secrets of the Streets", Book III - "Dark Dens of Iniquity", and a large fold out map.

Book I - The largest of the three, in its 86 pages are four major sections. 1 - "Into the City", 2 - "Districts of Depravity", 3 - "The Nature of the Beast", and 4 - "Venturing Abroad".  There are also pages for the Credits, an Introduction, and the usual OGL.

In Section One, "Into the City", a very large group of crafts and professions (no less than 108 different), then my personal favorite section of this booklet, comes nine different tables of sample NPC's your characters could meet in this city.  This is a very well fleshed out section that details some of the flavor. 

In Section Two, "Districts of Depravity", we look at the geography of Shadizar and the many districts within.  From the City Gates to areas near the city, this section is chock full of good info for GM"s.

In Section Three is a very well thought out part about Game Mastering Shadizar, its natures and campaigns, its conflicts, plots, religions, and deals.

In Section Four, is a very small set of adventures in and near the city.  Laws and crimes, Political intrigues, Dark Mysteries, and some sample starting scenarios and adventures.

Book II - Secrets of the Streets" is a smaller, 32 page booklet about potential foes, secrets to discover, a small bestiary, and a nice NPC prestige class ("The Professional"), and one new race ("Kezankian Hillman").

Book III - "Dark Dens of Iniquity" is a 32 page booklet of mostly small adventures using Shadizar as a location.  "Dark Dens of Debauchery in Shadizar", "A Tavern of Merchants", "The Noblewoman's Estate", "Into the Tunnels", "The Guild Hall", "The Temple of Bel", "The Inn of the Three Crowns", and two major NPC's.

In my upcoming "Primeval Thule" campaign, I can't think of another product that has set the bar higher for the largest and almost certainly, most evil, city in my world.  If you are a GM and would love a evil city for your players to visit, live in, and perhaps even rule, this is it.