About the Flag of the Confederacy

History books, the media, the school systems, etc., abound in falsehoods and inaccuracies of Confederate and Southern history. This fact sheet will help to clarify and dispel some of these rampant inaccuracies.

MYTH - The War of 1861 - 1865 was fought over slavery.

FACT - Terribly untrue. The North fought the war over money. Plain and simple. When the South started Secession, Lincoln was asked, "Why not let the South go in peace?" To which he replied, "I can't let them go. Who would pay for the government?" Sensing total financial ruin for the North, Lincoln waged war on the South. The South fought the War to repel Northern aggression and invasion.

MYTH - Only Southerners owned slaves.

FACT - Entirely untrue. Many Northern civilians owned slaves. Prior to, during and even after the War Of Northern Aggression.

Surprisingly, to many history impaired individuals, most Union Generals and staff had slaves to serve them! William T. Sherman had many slaves that served him until well after the war was over and did not free them until late in 1865.

U.S. Grant also had several slaves, who were only freed after the 13th amendment in December of 1865. When asked why he didn't free his slaves earlier, Grant stated "Good help is so hard to come by these days."

Contrarily, Confederate General Robert E. Lee freed his slaves (which he never purchased - they were inherited) in 1862!!! Lee freed his slaves several years before the war was over, and considerably earlier than his Northern counterparts. And during the fierce early days of the war when the South was obliterating the Yankee armies!

Lastly, and most importantly, why did NORTHERN States outlaw slavery only AFTER the war was over? The so-called "Emancipation Proclamation" of Lincoln only gave freedom to slaves in the SOUTH! NOT in the North! This pecksniffery even went so far as to find the state of Delaware rejecting the 13th Amendment in December of 1865 and did not ratify it (13th Amendment / free the slaves) until 1901!

MYTH - The Confederate Battle Flag was flown on slave ships.

FACT - NONE of the flags of the Confederacy or Southern Nation ever flew over a slave ship. Nor did the South own or operate any slaves ships. The English, the Dutch and the Portuguese brought slaves to this country, not the Southern Nation.

BUT, even more monumental, it is also very important to know and understand that Federal, Yankee, Union ships brought slaves to America! These ships were from the New England states, and their hypocrisy is atrocious.

These Federals were ones that ended up crying the loudest about slavery. But without their ships, many of the slaves would have never arrived here. They made countless fortunes on the delivery of slaves as well as the products made from raw materials such as cotton and tobacco in the South.

This is the problem with Yankee history History is overwhelmingly portrayed incorrectly by most of the Federal & Yankee books and media.

MYTH - The Confederate Battle Flag represented the Southern Nation.

FACT - Not true. While the Southern Battle flag was carried into battle, the Southern Nation had 3 different National flags during the course of the war.

The First National flag was changed due to a resemblance of the US flag.

The Second National flag was subsequently modified due to the similarity to a flag of truce.

The Third National flag was the adopted flag of the Confederacy.

The Confederate Battle Flag was never a National Flag of the Confederacy. It was carried into battle by several armies such as the Army Of Northern Virginia and the Army of Tennessee. Was also used as a Naval Jack by the Confederate Navy.

MYTH - The Confederate Battle Flag is known as the "Stars & Bars".

FACT - A common misconception. The First National Confederate Flag is correctly known as the "Stars & Bars". The Confederate Battle Flag is known as the "Southern Cross".

MYTH - The Confederate Battle Flag represents racism today.

FACT - The Confederate Battle Flag today finds itself in the center of much controversy and hoopla going on in several states. The cry to take this flag down is unjustified. It is very important to keep in mind that the Confederate Battle Flag was simply just that. A battle flag. It was never even a National flag, so how could it have flown over a slave nation or represented slavery or racism? This myth is continued by lack of education and ignorance. Those that vilify the Confederate Battle Flag are very confused about history and have jumped upon a bandwagon with loose wheels.

MYTH - The United States Flag represented freedom.

FACT - No chance. The US flag flew over a slave nation for over 85 years! The North tolerated slavery and acknowledged it as a Division Of Labor. The North made a vast fortune on slavery and it's commodities. It wasn't until the South decided to leave the Union that the North objected. The North knew it could not survive without the Southern money. That is the true definition of hypocrisy.

MYTH - Abraham Lincoln was the Great Emancipator.

FACT - While Lincoln has went down in history as the Great Emancipator, many would not care to hear his real thoughts on people of color. Martyred President Abraham Lincoln was fervently making plans to send all freed slaves to the jungles of Central America once the war was over. Knowing that African society would never allow the slaves to return back to Africa, Lincoln also did not want the slaves in the US. He thought the jungles of Central America would be the best solution and conducive to the freed slaves best interest. The only thing that kept this from happening, was his assassination.

MYTH - The South revered slavery.

FACT - A very interesting fact on slavery is that at the time the War of 1861 -1865 officially commenced, the Southern States were actually in the process of freeing all slaves in the South. Russia had freed it's servants in 1859, and the South took great note of this. Had military intervention not been forced upon the South, a very different America would have been realized then as well as now.

MYTH - The Confederate Army was comprised of rich slave owners.

FACT - Very far from true. The vast majority of soldiers in the Confederate Army were simple men of meager income. Most of which were hard working farmers and common men. Then, as now, very few rich men ever fight a war.

MYTH - Only the North had men of color in their ranks.

FACT - Quite simply a major falsehood of history. Many blacks, both free and of their own will, joined the Confederate Army to fight for their beloved Southern home. Additionally, men of other ethnic extraction fought as well. Oriental, Mexican & Spanish men as well as Native American Indians fought with pride for the South.

Today, many men of color are members in the heritage group SCV - Sons Of Confederate Veterans. These men of color and pride rejoice in their heritage. The continued attacks on the Southern Nation, The Confederacy, and her symbols are a terrible outrage to these fine people. These attacks should be denounced with as much fervor as those who denounce the South.

MYTH - The Confederate Flags are an authorized symbol of Aryan, the KKK, and other hate groups.

FACT - Quite the contrary. These despicable organizations such as the KKK and Aryans have taken a hallowed piece of history, and have plagued good Southern folks and the memories of fine Confederate Soldiers that fought under the flag with their perverse agenda. IN NO WAY does the Confederate Flag represent hate or violence. Heritage groups such as the SCV battle daily the damage done to a proud nation by these hate groups. The SCV denounces all hate groups, and pridefully boast HERITAGE - NOT HATE.

MYTH - The SCV - Sons Of Confederate Veterans are a racist, hate group.

FACT - This is a blatant attack on one of the finest heritage groups ever. The SCV - Sons Of Confederate Veterans are a historical, patriotic and non-political organization comprised of descendents of Confederate Soldiers and sailors dedicated to insuring that a true history of the 1861 -1865 period is preserved and presented to the public. The SCV continues to educate the public of the memory and reputation of the Confederate soldier as well as the motives for his suffering and sacrifice.

The SCV - Sons Of Confederate Veterans are in NO WAY affiliated with, nor does it recognize or condone the terrible legacy of hate groups such as the KKK.

The Lost Nordic Colony

"Greenland Sage: The Lost Norse Colony" by Various
Published and distributed by Avalanche Press
ISBN = 0-9707961-2-9 - 48 pages

Table of Contents
Part 1 - Greenland Background
Part 2 - The Mission
Part 3 - The Voyage
Part 4 - Greenland

This is a D20 booklet for version 3.0 of "The World's Greatest Roleplaying System".

Basically, this is a module that will allow player characters to discover the fate of the Greenland Settlers.

There are a number of text boxes throughout this booklet that provide good info on the module. 

Near the center of the booklet are four pages of maps that GM's can use.

My favorite section in the Greenland backgrounds the info on hunting, wildlife, Magic, food sources, livestock, personal hygiene, language, life & war, clothing, the economy, trade, and finally the Unipods, all have at least a paragraph or two to help flesh out Greenland - even from a historical viewpoint. 

Another good idea is to use this book as a module for Avalanche Press' "Ragnarok" setting.  Greenland was settled by Nordic people, and one of the Norse Gods could send low level lesser Gods to find out why there is no more worship coming from Greenland.  If you decide to use this module for that purpose, just throw out all the references to the Christian religion.

One of the things I really hate is the cover.  It has another titillating almost naked female displayed in the center.  If I had judged a book totally by its cover alone, I probably would not have bought this booklet.

Although I may use some of the info from this book in my own campaign in the Nordic-like areas, if you are planning to use this book, I can't recommend it - especially for newer GM's.

No Mythic China here....

"Jade and Steel: Roleplaying in Mythic China" by Various
Published and distributed by Avalanche Press
ISBN = 097079613-7 - 48 pages

Table of Contents
Part 1 - Life and Times in the Three Kingdoms
Part 2 - Characters
Part 3 - For Love or Money

This is a D20 booklet for version 3.0 of "The World's Greatest Roleplaying System".

Part One includes info on mythical history (some of which has elements of truth), Magic, Philosophy and Religion, and Crime and Punishment.  Although small, this part provides a good, but simple, overview of a China deeply rooted in mysticism.

Part Two allows players to create characters for use in a mythic China setting,  Included are the new classes of Alchemist, Dim Mak Practitioner, Diviner, Geometer, Iron Hand Disciple, and Sword Saint.  Nine new feats allow for customization of characters.

But, most of this booklet is a module called "For Love or Money".  A play in four acts: Act One: Pai-San, Act Two: On the Road, Act Three: A Forest Encounter, and Act Four: Battle for Pai-San.

One of the things I really hate is the cover.  It has another titillating almost naked female displayed in the center.  If I had judged a book totally by its cover alone, I probably would not have bought this booklet.

Because so much of this booklet is devoted to what amounts to a module, it has very scanty information on Mythic China as a setting.  If looking for a book that allows you to have a truly Mythic China, my suggestion is to look somewhere else.  GM's with a good central Mythic China setting or campaign may find the module useful.

Add Aztecs to your campaign

"Aztecs: Empire of the Dying Sun" by Various
Published and distributed by Avalanche Press
ISBN = 193209102-5 - 64 pages

Table of Contents
Part 1 - Aztec Culture
Part 2 - Empire of the Dying Sun
Part 3 - Magic, Religion, and Faith
Part 4 - Aztec Characters
Part 5 - Outfitting the Character
Part 6 - Aztec Creatures
Part 7 - Aztec Adventures

This is a D20 booklet for version 3.0 of "The World's Greatest Roleplaying System".

Of the ones I have, this is certainly the most useful.  There's a great overview of the savage Aztec culture, including a look at their behavior, their death ceremonies, their weddings, how they conducted war, their education of citizens, and, believe it or not, dancing.

There's also a look at their empire, and the city-states within it.

The part about magic includes a description of their strange calendar, a look at their definition of the Thirteen Heavens and the Nine Hells, and three types of magic users - Priests, Shamans, and Sorcerers.

One of the things I really hate is the cover.  It has another titillating almost naked female displayed in the center.  If I had judged a book totally by its cover alone, I probably would not have bought this booklet.

There are two new character classes, two new Prestige Classes, eight new monsters, and eight adventure seeds.

I've got to admit, that until I had a copy of Aztecs in hand, I never had any part of my world that was dedicated to any Mezo-American culture.  But Aztecs changed my mind.  Although, once again, there is a somewhat scantily clad female on the cover, I quickly came to ignore it.  This is one that might be worth a look if you want to add an Aztec themed section to your world.

More for Ragnarok

"Doom of Odin: Tales of the Norse Gods" by Various
Published and distributed by Avalanche Press
ISBN = 097079616-1 - 64 pages

Table of Contents
Part 1 - Character and Campaign
Part 2 - Setting
Part 3 - The Bride of Grivensir

This booklet is a continuation of Avalanche Press' "Ragnarok!" campaign setting.  It is a D20 booklet for version 3.0 of "The World's Greatest Roleplaying System".

Two new Prestige Classes, two new skills, three new feats, five new monsters, and two new magic items add to your Ragnarok campaign. 

There is a section on Jotunheim that includes more details on that realm then were in the first book.  There are also a couple of pages on Nidavellir.

If you are using Ragnarok, then one of the sections you will really like is the large module called "The Bride of Grivensir".  It takes up the lion's share of this booklet.  Even the relatively high level characters created using Ragnarok may find this module difficult.  A character that just plows in will probably end up dead.  About 34 of the 64 pages make up the module.  The module is a great compliment to the earlier Ragnarok book.

If you do not already own the Ragnarok book (and you should, if you want to use this booklet successfully) the great section on Nordic Runic Magic is re-printed.

One of the things I really like is the inclusion of Valkyries as player characters.  Although they are not lesser gods, as the characters or Ragnarok are, they are very playable.  If I were to run a campaign using this series, I'd be =very= tempted to get =all= players to run Valkyries.

One of the things I really hate is the cover.  It has another titillating almost naked female displayed in the center.  If I had judged a book totally by its cover alone, I probably would not have bought this booklet.

Although I may use some of the info from this book in my own campaign in the Nordic-like areas, if you are planning to use this book, I can't recommend it - especially for newer GM's.

They should have waited for Ragnarok...

"Ragnarok! Tales of the Norse Gods" by Various
Published and distributed by Avalanche Press
ISBN = 097079611-0 - 48 pages

Table of Contents
Intro
The Race of Lesser Gods
The Campaign
The Gods

Ragnarok!, a D20 booklet for version 3.0 of "The World's Greatest Roleplaying System". It is meant to be a whole campaign by itself - an adventure module for high level characters.

When they say "High Level Characters" they mean it.  Players take the roles of lesser Gods in the Nordic Pantheon.  Although this means that they cannot play Gods such as Thor, Loki, or Odin, the player's roles are so powerful that the 5th to 8th level lesser gods that they run are actually equivalent to about a minimum of 12th to 14th level "regular" characters. 

The booklet really shines when describing the Nine Worlds of Yggdrasil.  There is good info here about Alfheim, Svartalfheim, Nidavellir, Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Nifleheim, Asgard, Vanaheim, and, of course, a large section on Midgard.

One of the things I really like is the small section in the center of the booklet on Runic Magic.  The 24 Nordic Runes have a possible beneficial or a possible baleful effect.  This small section could be used in any campaign that includes Nordic backgrounds.

One of the things I really hate is the cover.  It has a titillating almost naked female displayed in the center.  The booklet states inside that this is a representation of Aesa Lokisdottir who prefers to wear "armor" that will totally distract her usually male opponents.  If I had judged a book totally by its cover alone, I probably would not have bought this booklet.

Although I may use some of the info from this book in my own campaign in the Nordic-like areas, if you are planning to use this book as a stand alone campaign, I can't recommend it - especially for newer GM's.

More for your Rogue...

"Player's Advantage: Rogue" by Charles W Plemons III
Published and distributed by Mystic Eye Games
ISBN = 1-932374-03-5 - 104 pages

Note: I do not see any references to Mystic Eye's "Hunt: Rise of Evil" campaign, but this could fit into it very nicely.

Basically, this is a collection of Rogue types and Rogue sub-types.  The nine chapters deal with:

1 - Archetypes
2 - Classes
3 - Prestige Classes
4 - Killer Combos
5 - Feats
6 - Equipment
7 - Powers, spells, and magic items
8 - Monsters
9 - NPC's

There are 8 new archetypes, 7 new classes, 6 new prestige classes, 18 "Killer Combos", about 50 new Feats, a few new pieces of equipment, a couple new spells and magic items, 6 new critters, and 9 great NPC's.  Considering that this book is only slightly more than 100 pages, they packed plenty of info in it. 

GM's - this would make a very welcome addition to one of the more underused characters.  It's been a =long= time since I've had anyone wanting to be a thief.  Take a look if the price is right.

A host of new Prestige Classes

"Librum Equitis" by M Jason Parent
Published by Ambient and distributed by Mystic Eye Games
ISBN = 0-9719238-2-5 - 64 pages

This short booklet contains only 23 new Prestige Classes and 11 new Feats.  Prestige Classes range from the Bounty Hunter to the Zombie Master.  Although the subtitle says: "Volume 1", I can't see any references online to other volumes.

GM's - if you're putting together a new D20 type campaign, then this book deserves a look.  Although I, personally, would not allow players to use these Prestige Classes, they are darned near perfect as NPC's.  There's even an entry for an NPC for every new class, making the GM's job much easier.  This booklet does not seem to be part of Mystic Eye's "Hunt: Rise of Evil" campaign, although it easily could be. 

My favorite possible NPC in this book would have to be the Psycho Pyretic.  Imagine, if you will, combining a Psychotic character with a character able to use =all= PSIonic abilities and you'll have a good idea of what this class can do.  D20 GM's should look at this book for great possibilities for NPC's.

Add Mystic Warriors

"Mystic Warriors" by Various
Published and distributed by Mystic Eye Games
ISBN = 0-9713241-5-8 - 144 pages

This is part of their "The Hunt: Rise of Evil" series.

This D20 supplement includes:

Intro
How to use this book
Mystic Warrior Rules
Congulair
Crimson Cloak
Dancing Knife
Gogiyo
Harvester
Holy Knights of St Bathipus
Iron Fist Academy
Infernal Sons
Order of the Leech
Order of the Lone Wolf
Cult of Madness
School of Many Eyes
Brotherhood of Moving Stone
Novus Ordo Somnium
Revenant Guard
Shiva's Chosen
Brotherhood of the Sparrow Hawk
Stone Soldiers
Totem Warrior
Warrior-Soldier School
School of Wind
Sisterhood of Xan-Rhea
Playing Without Vitus
Techniques
Feats
Special Items

and others...

The lion's share of the book is about the new secondary classes available to Warriors.  There are 18 all together, from a Nordic Fighter type to a group of Amazon-like female warriors.  There are over 50 new techniques available to these secondary classes. 

The art is black and white, and varies in quality.  I found these new fighter types to be very refreshing.  Although they are meant to be part of "The Hunt: Rise of Evil" campaign, almost anything out of this book could be dropped into any D20 campaign.  Especially if you mix and match - you do not have to use them all... 

Personally, I moved virtually directly from the "Vitus" chapter (basically a system for using Mana) to the chapter about playing without Vitus.  I liked the "Stone Soldiers" the best - after completing training as a warrior, they transfer their "essence" into a Golem-like body.  I know I'll be using this book in my campaigns from now on.

Adventuring in the Dry Lands...

"Dry Land: Empires of the Dragon Sands" by Becky Glenn
Published and distributed by Mystic Eye Games
ISBN = 0-9713241-5-8 - 144 pages

Although this does not appear to be part of their "The Hunt" series, it easily could be. 

This D20 supplement includes:

Intro and Overview
01 - No Man's Land
02 - Granite Kingdom
03 - Burning Sands
04 - The Dragori Empire

and a host of appendixes:

01 - NPC's
02 - Hazards
03 - Arid Regions
04 - Classes
05 - Creatures
06 - Equipment
07 - Feats
08 - Languages
09 - Magic Items
10 - Races
11 - Spells
12 - Skills

There are a few maps, and =many= Places of Interest, and peppered with quite a few creatures and NPC's, the art is black and white, and good, and compliments the text well.  The Classes appendix has both PC and NPC types.  For instance, I almost always include some type of Shaman into my campaigns as a PC, and this one would be very acceptable.  The 14 new monsters would make great additions to a desert environment.  There's even both a Table of Contents and an index.  If you are thinking of running a desert campaign, or even an adventure, I think this book would be worth your while. 

Different Strokes for Different Folks...

"The Year's Best D20 Volume One" by Monte Cook
Published by Sword and Sorcery and distributed by White Wolf
ISBN = 1-58846-798-8 - 96 pages

Generally, when I see the name "Monte Cook", I know I'm getting a good RPG product, but I think this book is a mixed bag of stuff from at least 18 other D20 books.

Chapters include:

Intro
1 - Character Classes
2 - Feats and Skills
3 - Magic
4 - Monsters
5 - Variant Rules
Appendix

In chapter one - Classes, we find seven new ones - the Arcane Warrior, the Cosmographer, the Gemcaster, the Knight of Tears, the Reliquarian, the Urban Ranger, and the Yogi.  I, personally, didn't find these as appealing as I have come to expect from Monte Cook, however, they would make great NPC's.

Next, within the Feats and Skills section, there are 16 new player abilities.  I'm not going to list them all,, but I again found about half to be useful to me.

The Magic chapter primarily contains 27 new spells.  Once again, about half were usable by me.  The "Awaken Tome" could serve useful for enchanting a spellbook before the players discover it.  There are even a couple wondrous items. 

There are 23 new monsters, everything from the Arcanoplasm to the Warding Visage.  Most, if not all of these creatures would make a great one-shot adventure focus.

There are only eight new variant rules, Although short, I liked the Combat Defense maneuver.  The pages about Incantation would make your villains memorable. 

The text for all of these entries is reproduced from at least 18 different sources, and I believe that this caused the book to become a mixed bag for me.  My suggestion is that if you find a copy of this book, you should scan it to see if it would be useful enough to buy it.

Wish there had been more...

"DM's Idea Pipeline: 2004 Collection" by Michael Hammes and Philip Reed
Published and distributed by Ronin Arts
ISBN = unknown -72 pages

Ronin Arts obviously meant this booklet to be the beginning of a line of idea pipeline selections, but as for as I know, there were no books either before or after this one.

The ten chapters include a host of new feats, new classes, new spells, new treasures, rumors, new contacts and NPC's, locations, events, and monsters.  I particularly liked the Specialty Priests, and loved the Elemental Priests.  There are four new Prestige Classes, but I, personally, found them to be uninteresting.  The Spells and Treasures are a mixed bag of good and not-so-good.  But, I use rumors quite a bit to start new adventurers for campaigns.  There are only nine of them, but the small amount of basic info provided makes a great jumping off place.  I also use NPC's for the same purpose, and the fifteen provided here have good info to give to players.  The ten locations are good in a city setting, and the five Events include some really good ones.  The four monsters, and one unique monster (you have to see it), have a place in many D20 campaigns. 

GM's may want to scan this book to see if the info is useful to them or not.  Personally, although I liked it, I thought it was generally a mixed bag of varying quality. 

Add realistic guilds to your campaigns!

"Guilds and Adventurers" by Various
Published and distributed by Mystic Eye Games
ISBN = 0-9708265-6-7  128 pages

This older book was supposed to be part of Mystic Eye's "The Hunt: Rise of Evil" campaign.  In its 44 small chapters, are details for 30 different guilds.  There's also a section on other groups. 

The Prestige Class presented is better off used as an NPC.  But where this book really shines is in the descriptions of the 30 guilds presented.  Everything from an Adventurer's Guild to a Weaponcrafters Guild has at least a couple good pages of design notes.  Although the art is black and white, it is good, and complements the text nicely.  About 70 pages of the 128 pages are devoted to guilds.  The remaining pages give details on Associations, Societies, and Specialty Groups. 

Every guild presented also has an icon associated with it which could be useful when in a strange city with a strange language.  The crests are universal to the guilds.  There are also tables and charts scattered throughout the book in places where they relate to a specific guild.  New feats, new skills, new items, even a new monster or two, and new spells are also included. 

I could not find anything in this book that could not be used in almost any campaign, although the book is designed for D20.  It's too bad Mystic Eye Studios is no more.  So far, I've come to really enjoy almost everything they produced.  GM's - even if you're running, say, Pathfinder, you will probably find this book to be incredibly useful.  Highly recommended even just for campaign city flavor.

Too bad there were no more...

"Sun and Scale: The Gryphon's Legacy" by Wolfgamg Baur
Published and distributed by Gaslight Press
ISBN = 0-9713526-0-7  48 pages

Generally, when you see the name "Wolfgang Baur", you can pretty much guarantee that this Role Playing Game product is gonna be a good one!

The Gryphon's Legacy was to be a start for Wolfgang's Sun and Scale world. 

At only 48 pages, plus coded maps on the inside front and inside back pages, this is basically a module for the D20 system. 

It includes:

1 - The World of Sun and Scale
2 - Adventure Intro
3 - The Gryphon's Legacy
4 - Conclusion

There are three Appendixes:

1 - Quick References
2 - New Items and New Spells
3 - The usual License Agreement

Most of the meat of this module takes place in a small castle with a tower.  The series of maps, which includes the main floor, the tower cellar, the three upper floors of the tower, and the two crypts, are keyed to the text.  There are 56 keyed areas.  This would provide for one very long session, or a small series of smaller adventures. 

As usual, Baur does not disappoint, and this is a worthy mod for anyone still using the D20 system. 

Second Storehouse of Treasures

"Adventurer's Vault 2" by Various
Published and distributed by Wizards of the Coast
ISBN = 978-0-7869-5204-5  160 pages

Adventurer's Vault 2 provides some more treasures for your D&D 4th Edition campaign. 

Broken down, it looks like this:

In the 1st chapter, Magic Items, you find: Armor, Weapons, Ammo, Holy Symbols, Orbs, Rods, Staffs, Tomes, Totems, Wands, Arms Slot Items, Feet Slot Items, Hands Slot Items, Head Slot Items, Neck Slot Items, Rings, Waist Slot Items, Wondrous Items (including Wondrous Lair Items...), Tattoos, and Consumables.

Next, the 2nd Chapter, Item Sets, has sets of weapons and armor grouped by Heroic, Paragon, Epic, and Group sets.

The appendix has an Item Table.

I was hoping that there was more to treasures than what was in the Core Rulebooks.  This provides at least part of the answer.  There's also a first "Adventurer's Guide" with even more...

The Item Sets portion of this book was my favorite part.  I can see players scattering alll over the world trying to find that one last part... :-)

Although players can use this book, it is, of course, primarily for Game Masters.  It contains literally thousands of new items for adding to 4th Edition.  Thank the maker that someone had the idea to group the Master Table by Item Level, and sub-grouped by type.  If you want to still DM using the 4th Edition, I'd say this was a no-brainer.  GM's should try to limit player access to this book.  If you're running 4th Edition, it has my recommendation.

The first storehouse of treasures

"Adventurer's Vault" by Various
Published and distributed by Wizards of the Coast
ISBN = 978-0-7869-4978-6  224 pages

Adventurer's Vault (1) provides some sorely needed treasures for your D&D 4th Edition campaign. 

Broken Down, it looks like this:

In the 1st chapter, Equipment, you find: Masterwork Armor, Masterwork Weapons, Vehicles, and Alchemy.  There are lots of charts for all of these.

Next, in the 2nd Chapter, Magic Items, you find Magic Armor, Magic Weapons, Implements, Arm Slot Items, Companion Items, Feet Slot Items, Hand Slot Items, Head Slot Items, Neck Slot Items, Rings, Waist Slot Items, Wondrous Items, and Consumables.  Yes, more charts here.

Appendix 1 deals with Unique Items, Item Level, and Enchanting Items.  Some good higher level info here.

Appendix 2 is simply a huge chart (called a "master table") for all Magic Items in this book. 

There are only about 16 pages dedicated to Equipment.  However, at least 150 pages for Magic Items.  There are only about 28 pages for both appendixes. 

I was hoping that there was more to treasures than what was in the Core Rulebooks.  This provides at least part of the answer.  There's also a "Adventurer's Guide 2" with even more...

Although players can use this book, it is, of course, primarily for the Game Master.  It contains literally thousands of new items for adding to 4th Edition.  Thank the maker that someone had the idea to group the Master Table by Item Level.  If you want to still DM using the 4th Edition, I'd say this was a no-brainer.  GM's should try to limit player access to this book.  If you're running 4th Edition, it has my recommendation.

The best Dungeon Master's Guide ever...

"Premium Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master's Guide" by Various
Published and distributed by Wizards of the Coast
ISBN = 978-0-7869-6245-7  320 pages

This is often called "Core Rulebook 2 v.3.5".  Within its pages are the closest thing to perfection that the 3.5 rulebooks have ever had.  In this Premium edition, all errata has been removed, if possible, and entries have been slightly altered to make rulings clearer.

There are eight major chapters in this volume:
     1) Running the Game
     2) Using the Rules
     3) Adventures
     4) NPC's
     5) Campaigns
     6) Characters
     7) Magic Items
     8) Glossary

I'm not going to bore you with long descriptions of the chapters.  But I will say that the Premium volume, with its semi-metallic cover, really stands out in my bookcases.  The art is great, as usual for WotC, and is rarely out of place.  The basics of what might be called "the ultimate D&D" are all included.  In the back of the book are several small maps and map templates, and some color floor tiles.  There's also a removable map of a dungeon.

There is a really good Table of Contents and a good index.  There's also a list of all pertinent tables, which was a nice touch - it makes the specific info you are looking for easier to find.

Folks, if you play =any= 3.5 or D20 game, you should have a copy of this book.  The DMG contains many great hints and tips for running a campaign or adventure.    Highly recommended.

Simply put, the best Monster Manual ever.

"Premium Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual" by Various
Published and distributed by Wizards of the Coast
ISBN = 978-0-7869-6144-0  320 pages

This is often called "Core Rulebook 3 v.3.5".  Within its pages are the closest thing to perfection that the 3.5 rulebooks have ever had.  In this Premium edition, all errata has been removed, if possible, and entries have been slightly altered to make rulings clearer.

There are seven major chapters in this volume:
     1) Monsters A to Z
     2) Animals
     3) Vermin
     4) Improving Monsters
     5) Making Monsters
     6) Monster Skills and Feats
     7) Glossary

I'm not going to bore you with long descriptions of the chapters.  But I will say that the Premium volume, with its semi-metallic cover, really stands out in my bookcases.  The art is great, as usual for WotC, and is rarely out of place.  The basics of what might be called "the ultimate D&D" are all included.  In the back of the book are two pages of Monsters sorted by Challenge Rating.  There is a really good Table of Contents, making it vary easy to find the creature you want.

Folks, if you play =any= 3.5 or D20 game, you should have a copy of this book.  The Monster Manual contains the stats for all of the basic monsters - from the Aboleth to Zombies.  Don't forget that things like cats and dogs are considered 'animals' and not monsters, and things like ants are considered 'vermin'.  If you're a GM, you gotta love the monster creating chapters.  Highly recommended.

Quite Frankly, the best D&D 3.5 Player's Handbook

"Premium Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook" by Various
Published and distributed by Wizards of the Coast
ISBN = 978-0-7869-6146-4  320 pages

This is often called "Core Rulebook 1 v.3.5".  Within its pages are the closest thing to perfection that the 3.5 rulebook has ever had.  In this Premium edition, all errata has been removed, if possible, and entries have been slightly altered to make rulings clearer.

There are eleven major chapters in this volume:
     1) Abilities
     2) Races
     3) Classes
     4) Skills
     5) Feats
     6) Descriptions
     7) Equipment
     8) Combat
     9) Adventuring
     10) Magic
     11) Spells

I'm not going to bore you with long descriptions of the chapters.  But I will say that the Premium volume, with its semi-metallic cover, really stands out in my bookcases.  The art is great, as usual for WotC, and is rarely out of place.  The basics of what might be called "the ultimate D&D" are all included.  In the back of the book is a small section of general guidelines and a glossary.  At the rear of the book is a character sheet.

There is a really good Table of Contents and a good index.  There's also a list of all pertinent tables, which was a nice touch - it makes the specific info you are looking for easier to find.

Folks, if you play =any= 3.5 or D20 game, you should have a copy of this book.  I don't know of a single case where a 3.5/D20 book does not require the Player's Handbook in addition to whatever book you're reading.  And if you're going to need one, you may as well buy the best you can buy.  This is, quite simply, the best.  As a long time player of D&D and D20 games, I find this volume indispensable.  I think you will, too.  Highly recommended.

The Stars are slowly dying...

"Fading Suns" by Bill Bridges and Andrew Greenberg
Published and distributed by Holistic Designs
ISBN = 1-888906-18-9  FS 202

Here is one of the more unique and unusual science fiction role playing games I have ever encountered.  In its 312 pages are details of a galactic civilization in decline for one major reason - the suns are slowly dying. 

This book was originally conceived by developers of White Wolf's World of Darkness, and thus has more than a bit of angst.  Psychic powers are called "occult" by the church, and are generally frowned upon on civilized worlds.

There are nine chapters in this volume:
     1) The Universe
     2) Rules
     3) Characters
     4) Traits
     5) Occult
     6) Combat
     7) Technology
     8) Gamemastering
     9) Planets
and a small appendix.

Far into the future, a few major "houses" and several minor "houses" battle over the remnants of the universe.  There are five major houses: the Hawkwood, the Decados, the Hazat, the Li Halan, and the al-Malik.  In addition, a huge church-like group also has its tendrils everywhere.  Also, there is a mercantile guild that has almost a stranglehold on shipping.  This is not to mention the alien races, and the enigmatic Anunnaki.  There are "jump gates" originally created by the Anunnaki that make system-to-system travel possible. 

There is a very small table of contents, and a good index.  There are two pages of additional products for the game, and a character sheet.  There's also a D20 edition, and the newly invigorated FASA has printed a third edition of the Player's Handbook and the Game Masters Guide.  I look for more from FASA for the new third edition of Fading Suns. 

I would like to take this short opportunity to tell you that I use this game for an adaptation of "Dune".  Although I have eliminated the references to the suns going out, the Spice provides just as much, if not more, reasons to use this material.  I believe this game is just about tailor made for "Dune".  If you are looking for a different setting for a sci-fi game, look no further.

The Age of Exploration for D20

"Twin Crowns" by John Faugno and Steven Novella
Published and distributed by Living Imagination
ISBN = 0-9712145-0-6

"Twin Crowns" bills itself as "Age of Exploration Fantasy" and it delivers a nice mesh of quasi-Victorian and semi-Renaissance feel to the world of D20.

There are 304 pages, broken down into three "books" - The Player's Section, the World, and the GM's section.

In Book 1 - in the Player's section lie nine chapters:
     1) Races - there are a total of ten playable races
     2) Classes - there are 16 classes - some old and some new
     3) Skills - some dealing with rituals and some with professions
     4) Feats - Feats new to D20
     5) Equipment - including gunpowder weapons
     6) Naval Adventuring - rules for ships
     7) Religion and Magic - much on the unique religious system
     8) Spells
     9) Rituals

Book 2 - The World in four parts:
     1) History
     2) The Northern Empire
     3) The Southern Empire
     4) Other Lands

Book 3 - The GM's Section covers:
     1) Adventuring
     2) Magic Items
     3) Monsters

There's also a small appendix with maps and tables.

Right now, I can't think of a better book for Naval adventures.  Although there are only 20 pages here, it provides detailed info on ships, ship-to-ship combat, and other naval hazards.  The religious chapter has a unique take on the Gods and Goddesses of the world.  The spells included are in addition to what is normally available in D20.  The new "Rituals" section has some rather interesting additions to your D20 collection.  GM's may want to limit PC access to rituals, as they can be rather powerful.  One of the more interesting additions are the gunpowder weapons, and how they are created so as to not unbalance a campaign.  This book includes a small Table of Contents, =and= an index, a rarity to find both in a single game book. 

My take on this book is simple - should you want to move ahead in time to at least the Renaissance, if not to the Victorian age, you should highly consider this book.

Review of "More Guns"

"More Guns" by Greg Porter,
Published and distributed by BTRC.
ISBN = 0-943891-26-4  BTRC # 4002

More Guns is Greg Porter's expansion to his highly popular "Guns, Guns, Guns".  Within its 232 pages is even more info on firearms and ammo then was included with the first book. 

There are three major sections - Archaic Weapons, Modern Weapons, and The Future.  There's also a chapter on guns that never were.  Near the back are the conversion parts for Time Lords, CORPS, GURPS, Torg, Hero, Traveller, Twilight 2000, and Cyberpunk 2020. 

Within the chapter on archaic weapons are Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns, and Heavy Weaponry.  Within the chapter on modern weapons are: more Civilian Pistols, Machine Pistols, Civilian Rifles, Military Rifles, Shotguns, Machine Guns, and heavy weapons.  Inside the Future are: even more Civilian Pistols, Machine Pistols, Civilian Rifles, Military Rifles, Shotguns, Machine Guns, and more heavy weapons.  Included with the "Guns that Never Were" are, of course, Civilian Pistols, Machine Pistols, Civilian Rifles, Military Rifles, Shotguns, Machine Guns, and even more heavy weapons.  If these categories seem familiar, they are.  But the separation into the types make it easier to find that little detail you knew you missed.

Although there is no index, the Table of Contents should allow readers to quickly access the info they want.  If you already own Guns, Guns, Guns ("3G3") and like it, you owe it to yourself to get a copy of More Guns.

Review of "Guns, Guns, Guns"

"Guns, Guns, Guns" by Greg Porter,
Published and distributed by BTRC.
ISBN = 0-943891-19-1  BTRC # 4001

3G3, as it is affectionately known to its fans, provides weapon and ammo statistics for role playing games such as CORPS (Greg Porter's own game), Cyberpunk 2020, GURPS, Hero, Traveller, Time Lords, Torg, and Twilight 2000.  In its about 136 pages lie hundreds or even thousands of firearms and ammo.  Remember, this is =far= before the advent of the Open Gaming Licence. 

It starts with a section on basic terminology, and moves from that beginning to a section on conventional weapons.  This is the meat-and-potatoes for people wanting to use this book's highly accurate statistics for running games other than the ones included.  Fade that into a section on Lasers, followed by sections on: Particle Beams, Railguns, and melee weapons. 

Then starts the games sections with conversions to: Time Lords, CORPS, GURPS, Master Book, Hero, two flavors of Traveller, Cyberpunk 2020, Battlelords of the 23rd Century, Nexus, and Heavy Gear.

Although it has no table of contents, the index is good.  In the back of the book are charts for ammunition, and design sheets for several types of weapons and ammo. 

Although this does not include ay D20 Modern conversions, the info on the weapons and ammunition are easily converted into almost any game system.  I would recommend this book (even now!) to GM's who want to add more than a dash of realism to their modern campaigns. 

Review of The Book of Fiends

"The Book of Fiends" by various,
published and distributed by Green Ronin.
ISBN = 1-932442-09-X  GRR # 1025

Although the Book of Fiends is an older book, I think it is one well worth considering.  Here are some details.

There are a total of nine chapters in this volume, which I will look at in four sections.

The first four chapters deal with "The Armies of the Abyss" - a section based on Green Ronin's earlier book, "Armies of the Abyss", but it has been revised and expanded for this book, and has some new material as well.  Some of the more important features of this section are the new Thaumaturge class (which I only recommend for NPC's), and the denizens of the Abyss, including some info on the rulers of the Abyss and detailed info on the creatures of the Abyss - namely Demons.  There are 21 entries for the rulers of the Abyss, and 43 various creatures of the Abyss.

The next two chapters are concerned with the never before seen "Hordes of Gehenna" and its residents - the Daemons.  There are entries for 44 totally new monsters that you can perplex players with.  There's also info about the plane of Gehenna, its rulers, and inhabitants.

The next two chapters deal with the "Legions of Hell" - material formerly presented in Green Ronin's "Legions of Hell" book, and once again it has been revised and updated for this volume and includes some new material.  There are 51 more residents detailed. 

The final section deals with the appendices, including three new Prestige classes (better off left to NPC's). info on Angelic choirs, the most useful section - info on the Unholy Warrior (think "Anti-Paladin"), two fiendish cities, and monsters ranked by challenge rating - all the way from 1/2 to (believe it or not) 40!

There's a useful Table of Contents, =and= an equally useful index.  Altogether, there's over 130 various Devils, Daemons, and Demons.  The black-and-white art is a bit put-offish, but I think that it is put to good use to illustrate things in this volume.  I think this is a very good book for details on the Underworld races and rules.  Although 3.5 is a little out of date nowadays, it can be converted easily to other systems. My recommendation to GMs - buy it.

It's been a =long= time since I posted here, but I'm rebooting my 13th Age campaign on Sunday Dec 14 2014 at the Dragon's Horde in Staunton VA at about 12 noonish.  I have pre-gens and blank sheets for new players, and plan on using this as a springboard for Pelgrane's Organized Play scenarios.  If you need directions, please do not hesitate to ask.  The only thing that might get in my way is a storm, so keep the Shenandoah Valley in mind when traveling. 

Judges Guild is back!

Yes, for all of you old school games, Judges Guild is making a restart on Kickstarter.



Come on and pledge for one of the best, if not =the= best, Old School gaming settings!

Bruce

Linwood Whitsel passed away a few days ago, and his wife and friends are having a Celebration of Linwood Whitsel Party at American National University on Country Club Rd on Saturday March 22, at 2pm.  Many friends and family are attending.  If you cared in any way about my good friend, I suggest you try to be there.

Lost our cat today...

We had to put down our cat just a couple hours ago - giant tumor in it's intestines.  Just too much money to fix - and that's if the tumor was benign.  His name was Smokey and he was only three.  Please send positive thoughts to me and my daughter as we deal with this tragedy......

Birthday Blast!

Hi!  It's my birthday this Sunday February 2!  I'm planning a get-together and gaming session probably with the new Pathfinder Card Game (Rise of the Runelords).  C'mon out and have a good time at the Dragon's Hoard, 17 East Johnson St, Staunton, VA 24401.  I plan on getting there at about noon.  I may bring some other treats. 

13th Age at Comic Toast in Harrisonburg VA

I'll be trying to get a group up for 13th Age tomorrow, Tues 19 Nove at 5:30 pm. Anyone availablr is invited. I hae dice and blank character sheets, as well as some pre-gens if you want to go that way. 13th Age is sort of a D&D clone with lots of dieeference.

Burning Suns - Looks Like a Great Board Wargame...

 

 http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/suntzugames/burning-suns?ref=category

Burning Suns is an intense tactical science fiction game set in an expansive universe, where you'll be competing for supremacy through technology, diplomacy, exploitation, and destruction.

Tactical 4X thematic action > Burning Suns is not a traditional 4X game. It takes the 4X actions and gives you complete tactical control. This means you'll have to adapt and improvise on the way to victory.

A strategy can only take you this far, in the meantime you'll have to rely on your abilities to analyse the situation and calculate the best possible moves ahead of you.

Being able to force, trick, and outmanoeuvre your opponents is key to success. Seize opportunities as they arise and don't wait for the perfect moment - because it doesn't exist! It's about being proactive and reactive according to your chances and the risk you're willing to take!

Create an Empire > You'll be able to create no less than 343 possible empires, using the 3 elements of Ideology, Race, and Structure. All with unique strengths and weaknesses.

Galaxies in motion > Galaxies can be created just as you see them fit. And they might evolve during a game.

Immediate actions > The order in which actions are executed will change every turn. All actions in Burning Suns are carried out immediately and players are therefore involved throughout the game - bringing downtime to a minimum.

Your empire, your strategy > In Burning Suns there are many ways to victory. Depending upon your empire, how you use abilities, leaders and agents, whether you choose to ally or conquer worlds and how you choose to engage your opponents with the many various units.

Probably one of the better board wargames with miniatures I've ever had the chance to look at.  Pledged enough to get a copy, and, since it's already funded, can't wait to see it in person.  Feel free to add your name to the list of supporters even though it's already funded.  Looks like a lot of fun...

...and another good author leaves us

Sad news...

Boing Boing is reporting that Author Ann Crispin has died. Ann, one of the founders of Writer Beware who published 23 novels writing as A.C. Crispin, is perhaps best known for her Starbridge series of science fiction novels, as well as several Star Wars novels (The Han Solo Trilogy) and Star Trek novels (Yesterday's Son). She also wrote 2 books in the Witch World series (Gryphon's Eyrie and Songsmith).

One of my favorite authors is getting ready for the final leap...

Ann Crispin is saying goodbye, farewell and thank you. The acclaimed author of her own, original StarBridge series and novels set in the Star Wars, V, Alien and Pirates of the Caribbean universes, as well as, of course, such beloved and bestselling Star Trek tales as Yesterday’s Son, Sarek and Time for Yesterday, has revealed that she’s nearing the end of a protracted battle against cancer.

“I've been hesitant to make this post, but it's time,” Crispin – whose pen name is A.C. Crispin -- wrote today on her Facebook page. “I want to thank you all for your good wishes and prayers. I fear my condition is deteriorating. I am doing the best I can to be positive but I probably don't have an awful lot of time left. I want you all to know that I am receiving excellent care and am surrounded by family and friends.

“I wish all aspiring writers the will to finish and a good contract. Please continue to monitor Writer Beware and be careful who you sign with. Victoria Strauss and Richard White are there to help.
“I've asked Michael to collect and read me your messages. As I don't know how things will proceed, I don't know if I'll have the strength to post on Facebook again.”

Giant Equipment List for Pathfinder

"Ultimate Equipment" by Jason Bulmahn and others,
published and distributed by Paizo Publishing.
ISBN = 978-1-60125-449-8.  PZO # 1123.

Quick Look-see:
01) Arms and Armor
02) Gear
03) Magic Arms and Armor
04) Rings, Rods, and Staves
05) Wondrous Items
06) Artifacts
07) Appendices
08) Index
09) OGL

Detailed Look:

Part 01 - Arms and Armor.  Covers Armor, Weapons, and Special Materials.

Part 02 - Gear.  Sections about Adventuring Gear, Tools, Animals and their gear, Clothing, Entertainment, Food and Drink, Lodging, Alchemical remedies, Alchemical Tools, Alchemical Weapons, and Poisons.

Part 03 - Magic Arms and Armor.  Armor Special Abilities, Specific Magic Armor and Shields, Weapon Special Abilities, and Specific Magic Weapons.

Part 04 - Rings, Rods, and Staves.  Sections about many rings, rods, and staves.

Part 05 - Wondrous Items.  Belts, Body, Chest, Eyes, Feet, Hands, Head, Headband, Neck, Shoulders, Wrists, and slotless items.

Part 06 - Artifacts and others.  Artifacts, cursed items, and intelligent items.

Part 07 - Appendices.  Section 1 - Treasure Generator, Section 2 - Gems and Jewelry, and Section 3 - Art.

Part 08 - Index.  A decent index for the book.

Part 09 - OGL.  The usual Open Gaming Licenses.

This is probably one of the best and most thorough collections of items for PC's and NPC's alike available.  It includes a section on firearms should you want to include them in your campaign.  The small drawings throughout, I believe, helps you visualize your tools of the trade.  No less than eight tables of slotless equipment - four pages of random item generation.  Altogether, 400 pages of crunch for both players and GM's.  There are almost too many to count pages of random items.  Each section includes a table of items and costs.  The book includes both a good Table of Contents and a comprehensive index.

This is another hardcover book from Paizo that should be indispensable for GM's, and close to indispensable for players.  One of my higher recommendations.

Not just about campaigns...

"Ultimate Campaigns" by Jason Bulmahn and others,
published and distributed by Paizo Publishing.
ISBN = 978-1-60125-498-6.  PZO # 1125.

Quick Look-see:

01) Character Background
02) Downtime
03) Campaign Systems
04) Kingdoms and War
05) Index
06) OGL

Detailed Look:

Part 01 - Character Background.  Everything from creating a background for your character, to Story Feats.  My favorite part in this chapter is the random background generator.

Part 02 - Downtime.  What =is= your character doing when they are not being currently played?  My favorite part in this chapter is the buildings and organizations section.

Part 03 - Campaign Systems. Covers a bunch of ideas including everything from your character's alignment to younger characters.  My favorite part in this chapter is the Magic Item Creator.

Part 04 - Kingdoms and War.  The two sub-sections are: Kingdom Building and Mass Combat.  My favorite part in this chapter is the whole section on mass combat.

Part 05 - Index.  A decent two page index to the book.

Part 06 - OGL.  The usual Open Gaming Licences.

My major unusual "complaint" about this book is that it spends 195 pages of its 254 pages for character development.  Although characters are a vital, nay, indispensable, part of any campaign, DM's that pick up this book were probably looking for less about character development, and more about campaign development.  This info probably should have been in an "Ultimate Characters" book. 

"Character Development" is the area where GM's should consider putting things that link the character to their campaign world.  This should become an idea factory for things that can crop up during your campaign that affect a single character while providing adventures for all your other characters.

"Downtime" includes stuff like repairing and maintaining equipment, and resting to name two.  It even starts by going into building a single building, hiring managers to run your business while you are adventuring, and some ideas on random events that can occur in the city.

The "Campaign Systems" section has a lot that I don't consider part of campaign systems, as it is about single campaign development.  This is where I would like to have had more about building a world.  One of the better parts of this section is the "Companions" part.  There's also a really good section about purposely losing skills that you don't want anymore, and retraining that now empty slot for another skill, with ideas for all character classes. 

The "Kingdoms and War" section includes a really good part about building kingdoms, although it seems to me to be geared towards PC use.  But, it still is a really good idea factory for GM kingdom development.  But, for sheer usefulness to GM's, you can't beat the mass combat section.  There's a lot of info about building a single building and what they cost.  Buried in the K&W section is a great part about special abilities. 

Even including all that, though, this is another hardcover book from Paizo that should almost be indispensable for GM's, and close to indispensable for players.  One of my higher recommendations.

Dangerous Denizens

"Blackdirge's Dungeon Denizens" by Aeryn Rudel, published and distributed by Goodman Games.

ISBN = 978-0-9816663-8-9  GAG # 5224

This 144 page book includes many new monsters from the Goodman Games line of Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure modules up to slightly over DCC 50.  There are tables for monsters by keyword, monsters by type, and monsters by origin.  There are 64 different types of monsters, many of which have at least one, if not more, variants. The back of the book lists racial traits and monsters by level.  The monsters by level chart reveals creatures from the ordinary level ones all the way to level 30 (!).  Although there are a couple pages of advertisements, the vast bulk of the book consists of creatures that even jaded players have never encountered.  There's a short Preface and Intro, both of which are a single page. 

Although I generally do not use 4th Edition, the chance to pick up a bunch of new critters was hard to resist.  There were pictures for almost every monster.  Personally I'd usually rather convert these monsters into, well, let's just call it "3.75".  I found the stat blocks from each creature easy to read, and the creatures that exceed level 20 a good match for an well experienced party.  There are only 13 of these upper level creatures, including the evilest dragon I've ever seen.  I can't wait to pull a few of these monsters out of my hat to plague my players.  I recommend this book to GM's looking to spice up a campaign.

Finally! A "Cities of Fantasy" done right!

"Sheoloth" by Sam Witt, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.
ISBN = 1-9034577-20-2.  MAP # 5005.

Quick Look-see:
01) History
02) Overview
03) Life in Sheoloth
04) Powers of Sheoloth
05) Magic of the Drow
06) Darkness and Heresy
07) Ward Descriptions
08) Ashen Bulwark
09) The Blood Tithe
10) Burning Pit
11) Cabal Hold
12) Charred Gate
13) Crystalspine
14) Ebon Dock
15) The Foreign Ward
16) The Fungus Pits
17) The Glory Crypt
18) Granite Circle
19) The Hordes
20) The Leviathan Shield
21) Night Seal
22) The Noble Labyrinth
23) Outland Thieves
24) Roaring Gate
25) Rusted Vein
26) Shrieking Hive
27) Silver Street
28) Sun Gate
29) The Vault of Tombs
30) The Wailing Way
31) Web of the Dark Mother
32) Witch Daggers
33) Ward Summary
34) OGL

Part 01 - History.  Includes info on the Schism, The Benighted Age, The Reign of Karzai, The Nobles Rebellion, the War of Vengeance, Tears of Stone, The Second War of the Elves, The Coming of the Dark Mother, the War of Terror, and the Reconstruction.

Part 02 - Overview.  Layout of the City, including a cross-section map, Building Materials, Food and Water, The Powers of the City, and the Merchant Guilds.

Part 03 - Life in Sheoloth.  Disposable Slaves, Valued Slaves, the Fleshcrafted Slave, the Outsider, the Commoner, the Merchant, the Drow Noble, Clergy of the Drow, a look at Air, Food, Light, Waste, and Water, Law and Order, the Economy, the Military and Defences, and Holidays and Customs.

Part 04 - Powers of Sheoloth.  Religion, the Nobility, Criminals, Arcanists, and Merchants.

Part 05 - Magic of the Drow.  Necromantic Domination, the Secret of Domination, the Process of Domination, Fleshbuilding, and Virurgy.

Part 06 - Darkness and Heresy.  The Incabulos Heresy, and the Woven Mothers.

Part 07 - Ward Descriptions.  A quick look at how each ward is discussed, Building Types, and Business Types.

Part 08 - Ashen Bulwark.  A quick look at the Ashen Bulwark Ward, including four locations.

Part 09 - The Blood Tithe.  A quick look at the Blood Tithe Ward, including four locations.

Part 10 - The Burning Pit.  A quick look at the Burning Pit Ward, including three locations.

Part 11 - Cabal Hold.  A quick look at the Cabal Hold Ward, including two locations.

Part 12 - Charred Gate.  A quick look at the Charred Gate Ward, including two locations.

Part 13 - Crystalspine.  A quick look at the Crystalspine Ward.

Part 14 - Ebon Dock.  A quick look at the Ebon Dock Ward, including two locations.

Part 15 - The Foreign Ward.  A quick look at the Foreign Ward, including a location.

Part 16 - The Fungus Pits.  A quick look at the Fungus Pits Ward.

Part 17 - The Glory Crypt.  A quick look at the Glory Pit Ward, including two locations.

Part 18 - Granite Circle.  A quick look at the Granite Circle Ward, including two locations.

Part 19 - The Hordes.  A quick look at the The Hordes Ward.

Part 20 - The Leviathan Shield.  A quick look at the Leviathan Shield Ward, including two locations.

Part 21 - Night Seal.  A quick look at the Night Seal Ward, including two locations.

Part 22 - The Noble Labyrinth.  A through look at the Noble Labyrinth Ward, including several locations.

Part 23 - Outland Thieves.  A quick look at the Outland Thieves Ward, including three locations.

Part 24 - Roaring Gate.  A quick look at the Roaring Gate Ward, including two locations.

Part 25 - Rusted Vein.  A quick look at the Rusted Vein Ward, including two locations.

Part 26 - Shrieking Hive.  A quick look at the Shrieking Hive Ward, including a location.

Part 27 - Silver Street.  A quick look at the Silver Street Ward, including two locations.

Part 28 - Sun Gate.  A quick look at the Sun Gate Ward, including four locations.

Part 29 - Vault of Tombs.  A quick look at the Vault of Tombs Ward, including three locations.

Part 30 - The Wailing Way.  A quick look at the Wailing Way Ward.

Part 31 - Web of the Dark Mother.  A quick look at the Web of the Dark Mother Ward.

Part 32 - Witch Daggers.  A quick look at the Witch Daggers Ward, including two locations.

Part 33 - Ward Summary.  Tables of merchants present in each ward.

Part 34 - OGL.  The usual Open Gaming Licenses.

This is the fifth and last in a short series from Mongoose called "Cities of Fantasy", although the Cities of Fantasy logo is not present.

Now, =this= is a city book.  In previous Cities of Fantasy, there was a shortage of material that covered the city.  But here we have a city book (Hardcover!) that has 256 pages of info for creative GM's.  This is the first of the series that I consider almost ready to "just drop" into a campaign.  The look at each ward within the city provides jumping off points for many adventures.  There are over 45 encounter locations, and it would be easy to add more. 

Although maps are present, and well done, it was hard to consolidate them all and really see what Sheoloth might look like.  But, despite the shortcomings, I'm giving it a strong four stars and might have gone to five stars if a really good map of Sheoloth was available.  Great for enterprising GM's that want to add a living Drow City to their world.  It has my recommendation for any GM - but not for players.

Complete Content an Illusion?

"Stonebridge" by Patrick Younts, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.
ISBN = 1-903980-82-8.  MGP # 5004.

Quick Look-see:

01) Introduction
02) History and the Present Day
03) Palazzo, Piazzo, and Sandstone Streets
04) Vineyard, Farm, and Villa
05) Dragons, Dreamers, and Builders
06) Stonebridge Adventures
07) Beasts, Magic, and Wondrous Machines
08) OGL

Part 01 - Introduction.  The intro includes a one page short story, and a short intro to the book.

Part 02 - History and the Present Day.  A good timeline, info on the citizens, Apprentices, Masters, and pursuit of genius, Science in Service, Guilds, Religion, Government and the Law, Military Service, and the Cycle of the Seasons.

Part 03 - Palazzo, Piazzo, and Sandstone Streets.  Stonebridge at a glance, Landmarks, the First Terzo, Ponte Sofferenza and the River Canyon, the Second Terzo, and the Third Terzo.

Part 04 - Vineyard, Farm, and Villa.  The River Canyon, its north side and south side, and several locations.

Part 05 - Dragons, Dreamers, and Builders.  Five important NPC's, four dragons (!), and a bit about the city watch.

Part 06 - Stonebridge Adventures.  Nine adventure seeds set beginning in Stonebridge.

Part 07 - Beasts, Magic, and Wondrous Machines.  One new critter, one new Prestige Class, six new Feats, seven new Spells, and eight new Magic Items.

Part 08 - OGL.  The usual open gaming licence.

This is the fourth in a short series from Mongoose called "Cities of Fantasy".  Mongoose has used almost every open space in this book for info on Stonebridge.  The map of Stonebridge is on the inside front cover, but on the inside back cover are advertisements from Mongoose.

Stonebridge suffers from the same 64 page limitations as its earlier predecessors, "Skraag", "Stormhaven" and "Highthrone".  I thought all of it could use a little bit more fleshing out - maybe even enough for a 128 page book.  There just doesn't seem to be enough info to "just drop" this city into your campaign. 

Having said that, though, I still think enterprising GM's could supply this city with enough detail to last a hundred adventures.  Only three stars from me, although I =might= have given it four if it had been even 80 pages.  Not for Players.

Doesn't Quite Reach the Clouds

"Highthrone" by Alejandro Melchor, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.
ISBN = 1-903980-43-7.  MGP # 5003.

Quick Look-see:

01) Introduction
02) Highthrone - Overview
03) Lay of the City
04) Valley of Crowns
05) The Terraces
06) The Mines and the Floating Islands
07) Factions and Players
08) Running Highthrone Adventures
09) Creatures of the Peaks
10) Magic and Secrets
11) OGL

Part 01 - Introduction.  The intro includes a one page short story, and a short intro to the book.

Part 02 - Highthrone - Overview.  Looks at the history of Highthrone.  There's a look at The Long Walk, the Voice of the Wind, the First Invasion, Unearthing Windsteel, the Second Invasion, the Coming of the Assembly, the Stormbreaker, Commercial Dominance, the Giant's War, the Growing City, the Mountainside, the Valley of Crowns, Flora and Fauna, Natural Resources, Weather, and Trade and Relations.

Part 03 - Lay of the City.  Government, the Armed Forces, Life Above the Clouds, Law and Order, and Religion.

Part 04 - Valley of Crowns.  Market Square, Forest of Sun and Wind, Ossuary, Shipyards, Warehouses, Longhaven, Arms Plaza, Condor Trail, and the Plazas.

Part 05 - The Terraces.  Terrace Features and Neighbourhoods.

Part 06 - The Mines and the Floating Islands.  The Mines and Clan Thorbrindas Holdings, a small map of Thorbrindas Holdings, and details on the various floating islands.

Part 07 - Factions and Players.  Six organisations, five well-wrote-up NPC's, and some generic city defenders.

Part 08 - Running Highthrone Adventures.  Details on using Highthrone in a campaign, including plots and story hooks, Altitude Sickness, Terraces, the Flying Ships, Skyships, and other flying devices.

Part 09 - Creatures of the Peaks.  Three new critters.

Part 10 - Magic and Secrets.  Three new feats, two new divine forces, and a description of Windsteel.

Part 11 - OGL.  THe usual Open Gaming License.

This is the third in a short series from Mongoose called "Cities of Fantasy".  Mongoose has used almost every open space in this book for info on Highthrone.  The map of Highthrone is on the inside front cover, but on the inside back cover are advertisements from Mongoose.

Highthrone suffers from the same 64 page limitations as its earlier predecessors, "Skraag", and "Stormhaven".  I thought all of it could use a little bit more fleshing out - maybe even enough for a 128 page book.  There just doesn't seem to be enough info to "just drop" this city into your campaign. 

Having said that, though, I still think enterprising GM's could supply this city with enough detail to last a hundred adventures.  Only three stars from me, although I =might= have given it four if it had been even 80 pages.  Not for Players.

Stormhaven - A city needing more info...

"Stormhaven" by Patrick Younts, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.

ISBN = 1-903980-22-4.  MGP # 5002.

Quick Look-see:
01) Introduction
02) Stormhaven - Overview
03) Upside - Castles in the Sky
04) Driftdowns - Pillars of Broken Dreams
05) Sailors, Soldiers, and Scoundrels
06) Sailor's Tales
07) OGL

Part 01 - Introduction.  The intro includes a one page short story, and a short intro to the book.

Part 02 - Stormhaven - Overview.  Looks at the history of Stormhaven, but leaves important background info for the GM to play with - if they want to.  There's a look at Stormhaven today, including local government, outside nations, the military, festivals, religion, and magic.

Part 03 - Upside.  A term sometimes used for Upside is "Castles in the Sky".  Upside includes a look at the "World Disk", "The Black Crown" - a place where scholars of the arcane of all types meet, The Staircase District, the Noble's Quarter, the Warehouse District, the Government District, and The Rat's Nest.

Part 04 - Driftdowns.  Far below the World Disk, lies the Driftdowns, a collection of less-fortunate souls.  Important Neighborhoods include: The Central Piers, the Dockyards, the Sailor's Sleep quarter, the Driftwood Kingdoms, and the Underdocks.

Part 05 - Sailors, Soldiers, and Scoundrels.  A few important NPC's are here, as well as five organizations, and some short info on Driftdown area guards.

Part 06 - Sailor's Tales.  This is a very short section on various rumors and legends, as well as 2 new feats, 2 new spells, and 3 new magic items.

Part 07 - OGL.  The usual Open Gaming License.

This is the second in a fairly short series from Mongoose called "Cities of Fantasy".  Mongoose has used almost every open space for info on Stormhaven.  The rather basic maps of both Upside and Driftdowns is on the inside front cover, and on the inside back cover are basic diagrams of Rat's Nest Rowhouses. an Embassy, a typical pub, a typical Driftdown Apartment building, a typical Driftwatch Storefront, a look at a basic rendering of a Fire Tower, and a diagram of Driftwatch Station. 

When they say in the intro that Stormhaven is "ripe for a game master's customization", they aren't kidding.  Stormhaven suffers from the same 64 page limitations as its earlier predecessor, "Skraag".  Some thought appears to have been given for this, but the solutions Mongoose found just aren't big enough for a book detailing a whole city.  I thought all of it could use a little more fleshing out - maybe even enough for a 128 page book.  There just doesn't seem to be enough info to "just drop" this city into your campaign.  Having said that, though, I still think enterprising GM's could supply this city with enough to last a hundred adventures.  Only three stars from me, although I =might= have given it four if it had been even 80 pages.  Not for Players.

Skraag - City of Orcs

"Skraag" by Wil Upchurch, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.
ISBN = 1-903980-15-1.  MGP # 5001.

Quick Look-see:
01) Introduction
02) City History
03) Government
04) Ecology
05) Daily Life
06) Commerce
07) Religion
08) Defences
09) City Tour
10) Movers and Shakers
11) Skraag in your Campaign
12) OGL

Part 01 - Introduction.  The intro includes a one page short story, and a short intro to the book.

Part 02 - History.  A look at the former inhabitants of Skraag, how they were driven out, rebuilding Skraag, what happened after the first rebuilding, and the present day.

Part 03 - Government.  The current leaders of Skraag, their opposition, a new Prestige Class, and penalties for various crimes.

Part 04 - Ecology.  Food and water supplies, and shelter.

Part 05 - Daily Life.  One new Feat, and a two page summary of daily life.

Part 06 - Commerce.  A one page summary of Skraag commerce.

Part 07 - Skraag Religion.  Including one church, one cult, two new Prestige Classes, one new creature, one new spell, and the former High Shaman of Skraag.

Part 08 - Defences.  The Orc Horde, and factions within it, four Skraag siege weapons, four new spells, and the Skraag guard forces.

Part 09 - Tour of the City.  12 major city attractions, two new creatures, and a generic map of Skraag.

Part 10 - Movers and Shakers.  Nine major NPC's, a look at the opposition forces, a few other NPC's, and another new Prestige Class.

Part 11 - Skraag in Your Campaign.  Campaign and scenario ideas, including a couple example scenarios.

Part 12 - OGL.  The usual Open Gaming Licence,

This is the first in a fairly short series from Mongoose called "Cities of Fantasy". Life is short and not very precious in Skraag.  This 64 page book is nowhere near big enough to squeeze in what probably needed to be there.  I felt that all of the sections could have been fleshed out a little better.  They really needed a better map of Skraag (look at what passes for a map on page 45). Putting Skraag in your campaign may require a little bit more tweaking.  However, there are some really good ideas on how a Orc city would operate without tearing each other limb from limb.  GM's should at least look at this book if possible, Players don't really need it.  Only three stars this time - I =might= have given it four if it had a much better map of Skraag.

"Undead" by various, published and distributed by Alderac Entertainment Group.

ISBN = 1-887953-39-6  AEG # 8504

Quick Look-see:

Introduction

Part 1 - That Which Cannot Live
01) The Land Beyond Death
02) Why Seek Undeath
03) The Hammer of Faith
04) Controlling the World

Part 2 - Hunters of the Dead
05) New Skill
06) New Uses for Old Skills
07) New Feats
08) 14 New Prestige Classes
09) Undead Hunter's Kit

Part 3 - Beyond the Flesh
10) Worshipping Death
11) Lords of Death
12) New Domains
13) New Spells
14) New Magic Items
15) New Artifacts

Part 4 - More than Flesh
16) Undead Archetypes

Part 5 - Beyond the Pale
17) Undead Campaigns

Part 6 - Secrets of Undeath
18) Liches
19) Mummies

Part 7 - OGL
20) OGL

The intro is a one page short story.

In Part One, is an overview of undeath, a few pages about why some seek undeath, a look at faith among the undead, and a couple pages about how to control the world from beyond the grave.

In Part Two, there is one new skill, Craft (Autopsy), and a few new uses for old skills. There are 14 new prestige classes, including Wastelands Druid, Unbeating Heart, Sacred Theurgist, Risen, Raider, Puppet, Paladin of the Pale, Knight of the Eternal Eye, Hunter of the Fallen, Faith Hunter, Exorcist, Dying, Chirurgeon, and Champion of the Dead. There's also a description of a basic undead hunter's kit.

In Part Three, there are two pages about the soul's journey and worshipping the dead, a bit about the Lords of Death, including the domains available from those deities, 13 domains and the spells available from each domain, 19 new spells, 12 new magic items, and 7 new artifacts.

In Part Four, there are 8 new archetypes, including The Avenging, Free Ghouls, Ghostly Advisors, Guardian Mummies, Mad Wraiths, Power Hungry Liches, Vampires, and Zombie Servitors.

In Part Five, this book looks at the possibility of having an entire campaign based solely of undead PC's.

In Part Six, there are many details of Liches and many details of Mummies.

In Part Seven, there is nothing except the usual Open Game License.

This 128 page book is jam-packed with info about many types of undead, and how to add them to a campaign.  With the exception of the 10 pages of unusual ideas about a PC based undead campaign, this book can serve up really detailed undead of various types.  The fourteen new Prestige Classes give quite a bit of flexibility to GM's hungry for more than the basic info on undead, and since most of the new Prestige Classes are meant to be monsters at worst, or evil NPC's at best, the section of new Prestige Classes gives many ways to beef up the usual horde of skeletons.  The larger section of info about Liches is very useful, as is the larger section on Mummies.  There are illustrations throughout the book.  All in all, I'd say that this is another great effort by Alderac - I bought one, and GM's should at least take a good look at it.  Four Star recommendation.

"Gladiators" by Matthew Sprange, published and distributed by Mongoose Publishing.

ISBN = 1-903980-05-4  MGP # 2001

Quick Look-see:

Introduction

Part 1 - Arenas and Campaigns
01) Overview of the Arena
02) Races of the Spectacle
03) The Arenas
04) The Gladiator Campaign

Part 2 - Gladiatorial Combat
05) Characters of the Arena
06) Gladiatorial Feats
07) Types of Matches
08) Fame, Mercy, and the Crowd
09) Chariots
10) Exotic Weaponry
11) Dirty Tricks of the Sands

Part 3 - Sands of Death
12) Sands of Death
13) Sample Gladiators
14) Designer's Notes
15) OGL
16) Rules Summary

The intro is a two page short story and a short bit about the book.

In Part One, they have an overview of the arena in general, another bit about why they are built, a few paragraphs about gladiators in general, another short section on Stable Masters (the controllers of the slaves), a very short look at managers and contracts, some info on the crew of the arena, another section on the crowd, and a bit about smaller arenas. Races of the Spectacle include: Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Gnomes, Halflings, Goblinoids, Orcs, Half-Orcs, and other races.  Arenas include Pit Fights as well as larger outdoor arenas.  Outdoor arenas are split up into smaller and larger venues.  Finally, in The Gladiator Campaign section, there are thoughts about a gladiatorial based campaign, including a few plot hooks. 

In Part Two, they look at characters of the arena, including a new character class of Slave, the Gladiatorial Champion character class, the Beast Handler character class, and the Charioteer character class. Then there are new feats, info on types of matches, Sacrificial Games, blind fighting, and mounted entertainment, including Chariots and Jousts.  There's also a short section devoted to fame and mercy.  In addition, there are a few pages devoted to Chariots and how they operate, another couple of pages on exotic weaponry, and finally some dirty tricks Gladiators need to watch out for - or use.

In Part Three, they create a whole mini-game to use either in a regular role playing game campaign, or, believe it or not, as a stand alone product. There are rules for running "The Sands of Death", including some sample Gladiators. If you've ever had the desire to portray a "Stable Master", with gladiators under your control, this is the section for you. Finally there's the usual OGL, a rules summary, and a sample Stable Master's record sheet.

Although this is an 80 page book, I found the section on "The Sands of Death" almost useless, and it takes up 15 pages, including the inside back cover.  However, the sample Gladiators, of which there are 15, might be useful as either PC's or NPC's.  In addition, there are no diagrams or maps of any type of arena.  These two flaws, which I consider major, are the reason I'm only awarding this book three stars.  Had there been, maybe, even one good diagram/map of an arena, I =might= have give it four.  In this case, I'd say to stay away unless you =really= want to add Gladiators to your campaign.

What's =your= fate?

Hi!

Those of you who know me well, know that I usually do not accept advertising for my blog.  I'm just here to have fun and tell people about my adventures in the Gamers Circus.  But this time, I have a cause to parrot.  Evil Hat Productions, the current holder of the "FATE" rules for RPG's (a sub-set of the FUDGE rules)  is doing two Kickstarter programs for their company.  The first is to eventually release a hardcover book for the FATE core rules.  This Kickstarter has already completed, with an initial goal of only $3,000 and exceeded its goal by having $433,365 pledged.  With that kind of support, they went ahead and started a second Kickstarter for FATE dice.  The FATE dice Kickstarter is still going on (at this writing only 61 hours left!).  Although they have successfully exceeded their initial goal, two "stretch" goals remain, both of which I would like to own.  At this time, they are at $56,407, and need to get to $60K to "unlock" the "Leather and Brass" set, and need to get to $70K to got to the "Eldritch" set.  I would especially like them to reach both of these goals.  If you would like to pledge to this cause please use the following URL (=none= of which goes to me!):

Fate Dice™: Dice For Your Fate & Fudge Games

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/evilhat/fate-dicetm-dice-for-your-fate-and-fudge-games

Please, if you use either FATE or FUDGE, consider pledging enough to buy a set (or two...).  And with FATE Core coming out "real soon now", if you don't use FATE or FUDGE, you'll have a chance to look at it in the stores.  Then you'll have a reason to buy a set (or three...). 

Bruce Gray

Could this be the best RPG Atlas ever?

"Kingdoms of Kalamar Atlas" by various, published and distributed by Kenzer and Company.
ISBN = 1-889182-63-X  K&C # 1005

Quick Look-see:

Introduction
1) Brandobia
2) Kalamar
3) The Young Kingdoms
4) The Wild Lands
5) Reanaaria Bay
6) Svimohzia
Appendix A: Geographical Abstracts
Appendix B: Pronunciation Guide
Appendix C: Land Types
Appendix D: Languages
Appendix E: Geographic Features
Appendix F: Primary Population Centers

Introduction: Features of the book, a map reference, and a map symbol key.

Chapter 1: Brandobia: From page 7 to page 36, nothing but maps of the Brandobian area. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Chapter 2: Kalamar: From page 37 to page 58, nothing but maps of the Kalamar Kingdom area. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Chapter 3: The Young Kingdoms: From page 59 to page 76, nothing but maps of the Young Kingdoms. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Chapter 4: The Wild Lands: From page 77 to page 94, nothing but maps of the Wild Lands. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Chapter 5: Reanaaria Bay: From page 95 to page 114, nothing but maps of the Reanaaria Bay area. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Chapter 6: Svimohzia: From page 115 to page 146, nothing but maps of the Island of Svimozia and surrounding area. Also includes a small stat block for each map.

Appendix A: Geographical Abstracts: A look at Trade Routes, Ocean Currents, Wind Currents, Precious Metal Deposits, Utilitarian Metal Deposits, Industry, Fishing Herding and Ranching, Grain Production, Military Deployments, and a strange map of the continent.

Appendix B: Pronunciation Guide: How to pronounce the weird names found in this book.

Appendix C: Land Types: Everything from mountains, to prairies, to tropical forests.

Appendix D: Languages: A complete list of languages spoken on the planet, an untranslated word, and the translation.

Appendix E: Geographic Features: A list of geographical features in the kingdom, and where they are, both in the Atlas and in the book(s) they appear in.

Appendix F: Primary Population Centers: In alphabetical order by town name. This reference chart shows the population, the country, the Atlas page number, and the latitude and longitude.  THis is the longest of the appendixes, as it covers even smaller villages.

Folks, here is almost a master work of Atlases.  240 pages of the entire Kingdom of Kalamar, and there's enough blank areas to fulfil any GM's desires for customization.  I use Kingdoms of Kalamar reference materials for my campaign.  (P.S.: Geanavue and Loona are on page 45. :-).  The map stat blocks provide names of included cities and population.  The trade route section shows both sea routes and land routes.  There's even some small pictures of the various land types.  If you play using Kingdom of Kalamar info, then you should at least look at the Atlas.  If you are a Kingdoms of Kalamar GM, this book is almost indispensable.  I don't give out 5 star reviews often, but this one deserves it.  One of my highest recommendations.

It's a feat just to have this many Feats

"Feats" by Jim Pinto, published and distributed by Alderac Entertainment Group.

ISBN = 1-887953-73-6  AEG # 8515

Quick Look-see:

Introduction
1) Background Feats
2) General Feats
3) Infernal Pacts
4) Magic Feats
5) Quest Feats
Appendix

Introduction: A single page overview for how to use this book, and why these feats were chosen.

Chapter 1: Background Feats: Covers feats from Academy through Wealth.  Includes many 'Bloodgift' feats which should only be given out one per player.

Chapter 2: General Feats: Covers such feats as Acrobatics through Zen Swordsmanship.  The largest section in this book.

Chapter 3: Infernal Pacts: These feats, covering a small range from Claws/Fangs to Wishes, are only made by making the infamous 'pact with the devil'.  Most are fairly powerful and should be limited, if used at all.

Chapter 4: Magic Feats: From 'Above the Law' (which isn't what you think), through Wyld Transformation, most of these are for various types of spellcasters.  Metamagic, Item Creation, and others are in this section.

Chapter 5: Quest Feats: These powerful feats should only be awarded at the end of a difficult quest.  These skulls include some from Absolute Faith to Weapon of Pride.

Appendix: There's only about half-a-dozen weird feats here, use only for a good laugh..... :-)

This compendium includes well over 1,000 feats, over 200 of which are brand new to this book.  As an example, there's over 100 feats just for spellcasters.  The Background, and especially the Bloodgift Feats can really help to flesh out character creation.  The large General Feats category does not have many class or race distinctions.  Some of the Infernal Pacts even require an XP cost to the player.  The Magic Feats category is the aforementioned one for spellcasters.  Quest Feats may even give a creative GM new ideas for further adventures.  Altogether, quite a reference source for any GM.

An Expert Look at Experts

"Experts 3.5" by various, published and distributed by Skirmisher Publishing.
ISBN = 0-9722511-9-7  SKP # 0502

Quick Look-see:

Forward by Gary Gygax
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1) Craftsmen
2) Entertainers
3) Professionals
4) Scholars
5) Tradesmen
Appendixes

Here, purports to be a through look at the often neglected Expert class, which is only briefly described in the DMG.  Let's open the book and see what we discover.

Forward: A two page praise for what Skirmisher has done with this book.

Acknowledgments: A two page list of thank yous for people helping with the book.

Introduction: A 10 page overview for how to use this book, including a new PC class: The Specialist.

Chapter 1: Craftsmen: Various details about Craftsmen, including: Armorer, Blacksmith, Brewer, Jeweler, Sculptor, Shipwright, Stonemason, Taxidermist, and Weaponmaker.  Many good facts about the craft-related jobs included.

Chapter 2: Entertainers: Various details about entertainers such as: Minstrels, Actors, Acrobats, Clowns, Courtesans, Opera Divas, Balladeers, Mimes, Skalds, Jongleurs, Poets, and Storytellers.  Specifics only given on Acrobat, Actor, and Courtesan, but there's a page detailing other types of performances.

Chapter 3: Professionals: Various details about Professionals such as: Barristers, Cartographer, Engineers, Architects, Navigators, and Physicians.  Engineers and Architects are grouped together.  There's also a short list of Medicinal Compounds.

Chapter 4: Scholars: Various details about Scholars such as: Alchemist, Archaeologist, Astronomer, Sage, and Scribe.  There's also a section on Alchemical Elixirs.

Chapter 5: Tradesmen: Various details about Tradesmen such as: Animal Trainers, Exterminators, Guides, Merchants, Millers, Miners, Sailors, Slavers, and Undertakers.  There's also a chart for value of slaves. 

Appendix 1: Prestige Classes: New Prestige classes for players include the Guildmaster, the Militia Leader, and the Spellcrafter.  The usual tables are given for each.

Appendix 2: New Skills: A large number of new skills, primarily intended for the Experts within this book.

Appendix 3: New Feats: A couple pages of new Feats, primarily intended for the Experts within this book.

Appendix 4: Sample Characters: 30 new people to populate your campaign with.

Appendix 5: New Magic Items: 21 new magic items, some of which might be found in the possession of an expert.

Appendix 6: Guilds: Some tables for local guilds and a short guide to guilds in game.

Appendix 7: Costs: A very general guide to costs, and a random cost table.

Appendix 8: Expert XP: One page guide to awarding NPC's some XP.

Appendix 9: Expert Work Areas: Some great ideas on where Experts would
work.

Appendix 10: Open Game License

This list isn't anywhere near as comprehensive as it could be.  Yes, there are a =lot= of appendixes.  There is a lot of material in the 10 appendixes that compliments the main material.  A good GM could also derive even more experts than the ones in the book.  Since this is the first book to expand upon the limited info in the DMG, I, for one, was glad to see this 176 page tome.  The New Skills appendix really helped me flesh out major NPC's.  It also could serve as a way to show newer GM's that their NPC's deserve XP, too.  The fully fleshed out NPC Characters show what would happen if somebody utilized the new Expert abilities.  Appendix 9 even has a couple maps that could be used in a campaign.  Altogether, a very worthwhile purchase for any GM.