DarkQuest Games
City Guide: Coffer of Coins
61 page, pdf download from RPGNow, $5.95 (currently on special at $5.00) -- although in reality, it's only 59 pages including the OGL, because I guess someone forgot to erase the two superfluous blank pages at the back before creating the pdf!)
Coffer of Coins is the third volume of the City Guide series from DarkQuest games, though confusingly Vol. 2 has not yet been released, though apparently "Nautical Necessities" is also due in June 2002.
"One of the dangers of having PCs go into a town for rest an relaxation is that the majority of the time you have no idea what should be there. Many PCs of course just want to go to the latest and greatest tavern for a barfight. But there are those out there that want to go shopping. Those are the ones that will ask the dreaded phrase "Whats on the shelves?"
This is the basic premise behind the City Guide series. You're running your own homebrew campaign or adventure, or perhaps even a bought version, but suddenly your players want to stop off in a village/town or, indeed, city to stock up on supplies. Where to send them? Or they've completely failed their Knowledge/Profession/Craft checks on some new magic item, or the worth of some piece of jewellery. Where to ask? This series provides the answer.
The first volume detailed a great many potions, scrolls, taverns and the like, and that has been reviewed elsewhere on this site. This volume turns its attention to the metal makers, the jewellery specialists, the smiths and gem merchants.
The tone is pleasantly light throughout, and although they take the risk of trying to make jokes in some of the text, it happens to be very much my sense of humour, so I can't really complain. "Abren Mauler was not having a very good day. In fact, on a scale of days from one to ten, this ranked right up there with minus seventeen..."
Wait a moment, I hear you cry, that sounds awfully like something from a novel, not something you'd find in a description box to read out to players. Well, very true, but this short story is almost like a freebie novellette at the start of the whole book, and gives the volume its title, the Coffer of Coins. I won't spoil it for you by telling you anything about it, however.
After the storytelling introduction, the book turns to the nitty gritty of what it is actually about. Although not numbered as chapters, they might as well be, for each is a self-contained description of a merchant's stall or trader's shop in a typical D&Desque city. At least, this is a single pdf file, unlike their first release, which at least in the version I got, was 13 quite unconnected, difficult to navigate, separate pdf files of about 4-6 pages each, coupled with extra license files, covers and other bits. This is a much more satisfactory system, with sensible use of PDF bookmarks to aid navigation even more.
These chapters are:
"A Circle of Stones" -- a lapidary, or rather a gem merchant
"Affordable Notions" -- "Drottor Dornkirk, Master Coppersmith"
"Overflowing Cheer" -- Chalices, goblets, cups and steins (have to look that one up? I did. But that's one of the beauties of this book, it's written by medieval enthusiasts, so from that point of view, highly educational!)
"Smithing Guild"
"Kearik Stonetear's Gems" -- another gem cutter, but one that never really gets as far as the jewellery stage...
"Strongaxe Silversmithery" -- "Gundar Strongaxe, Master Silversmith, Affordable Plating and Coating."
"Smith of Rare Metals" -- "Sven Stronganvil, Master Smith of Rare Metals, Custom Forging available."
"Andora's Quality Inlays" -- and engraver or inlayer of weapons, shields, etc.
"Beads and Prayers" -- a religious trinket shop run by Melvick Davin --a handsome halfling with great religious knowledge, and a delicious old gossip to boot...
"Sargasso Ring Emporium" -- non-magical ring supplies, valuations, etc.
"Crecmair Fine Pewterware" -- well, that says it all, really, doesn't it.
"Uriel's Usuries" -- "Usury, Moneychanger, Appraisal, Pawn, Coiner, Minter"
"Karapan Ringsmith" -- magical ring supplier
Then, there is a two page index, which although not hyperlinked, is still very useful, particularly if you're going to print the whole product out. To be honest, it's *only* really useful if you print the product out, because in the pdf world, having added the cover, every single content or index page number is out by a factor of 1. Not the end of the world, but a little frustrating. Incidentally, for those fainting at the prospect of having to print out 59 pages on an inkjet, this is not as terrifying a prospect as you might think, because after the extremely beautiful cover artwork by "Kallen", there is no further colour in the product.
Each location, although not supplied with maps (some sample ones are supplied free of charge at the DarkQuest website) -- is broken down into areas such as kitchen, workshop, bedroom, and treated just though it were part of a fully written-up adventure.
The various employers and employees are all given extensive backgrounds, and full stats and possessions, and many supplied with some very good, detailed and atmospheric pen portraits by Gillian Pearce (though I never realized that it must be illegal for an elf to have short hair! ;-)
My biggest problem with the work was its clunky feel on the layout front. Now, admittedly, this is my business, so I'm probably considerably fussier than most, but there are examples where the font changes mid sentence for no apparent reason, from a serif to a sans, and back again. Some of the text in boxes has managed to become exported as graphics, and because the resolution is typically low (as it should be) for the pdf download this has meant that there's a real danger of it becoming illegible. Furthermore, the boxes are so tight and thick round some texts, that they are in danger of obliterating the tips of the letters, tabbing is all over the shop (no pun intended!), and the page numbers have a nasty habit of jumping off the page and belabouring you around the face into submission. In spite of all this, the English is very good, proofing high at a verbal level, and, I know, from experience, much of what irks me, is less likely to be a problem for others. However, I think it's a shame, because work of this quality deserves much better treatment. But then for many, of course, the content of the Bible is significantly more important than the way it looks, and many would be happy reading a hotel Gideon, rather than the Book of Kells. Not me, of course, but that's just the way I am!
However, none of my criticisms can affect the fact that I consider this product to be of inordinate value, and with the number of plot hooks contained inside, this slender tome could be the starting point for a thousand adventures. But, what to score it? That is the question. Sometimes I feel this 5 point system is simply not sufficient. In an ideal world I'd like to give it 4.5, docking a little for poor presentation, as I would an essay in college. But, for goodness sake -- it's $5. That is almost nothing for the amount of material contained within. But on the other hand, that's only half the cost of the Banewarrens, and that is double the length, and looks completely gorgeous too. An unfair comparison? Perhaps. Were it not for the fact that the look has taken a distinct turn for the worse since City Guilds I, I might have plumped for the five, but in the end I'll stick by my 4.5, and hope someone else comes along later and ups the average for me. Still, I hope the recommendation shines through. A great and useful volume -- no regrets buying it whatsoever.
