Judges Guild setting

[PatrickLawinger]

Is there a reason given why any cleric didn't take the afternoon off, and Wind Walk to see whats there?

Um, yeah, those that did, often didn't come back.

The Wilderlands, is, well, the Wilderlands. It is deadly out there.
I don't know the best way to describe it. Several of the descriptions here are quite good.

Let's see. Most settings have a beautiful face, you know the outline of the area, the politics, etc. Unfortunately, the skeleton is a bit hidden, you have to make up most of the villages, lairs, and monsters on the way. You might have a name, but little else.

The Wilderlands and CSIO (City State of the Invincible Overlord) are very different. You could say that we give you the skeleton, you cover it with the skin you like. It is very much a DM tool. These products are specifically designed to be modified by the DM, and we try to create them in a way that gives the DM plenty of details for running things, but yet leaves all the "larger" details of the world to the DM. I like to think of it as handing you a toolbox to create whatever setting/campaign with that you want. A friend of mine has used the original CSIO as a city in an "Arabian" setting, as a "European" style city, and as something completely different from either one. In all honesty, even a beginning DM should find these products easy to modify to their own desires.

The Revised CSIO is going to include all of the Dungeons presented in a CSIO "supplement" called "Wraith Overlord." So, not only do we give you a massive city, we also give you the sewers and dungeons beneath it. While we couldn't include absolutely everything from the original CSIO (some things will have to be downloads), we added Wraith overlord to it and made a huge product that can be used over and over again. I am incredibly biased, having worked on the Revised CSIO, but I think the Wilderlands Player's Guide, CSIO, and the Wilderlands Boxed Set are going to be absolutely astounding products. If the Player's Guide looks as good in print as it did in the proofs it is an absolutely fantastic book and everyone should go out right now and buy 10 copies. Hey, I do have to pump our stuff at least a little bit (now pre-order 20 copies of CSIO ).

Patrick
edit: yeesh, I think I need to go to bed ...

 

[WayneLigon]

Ah, yes. I've been looking forward to it's release. The City State still boasts one of the best city maps ever done, with twisting streets, mazy alleys, broad avenues, buildings crammed on top of each other and bleeding over into the next one.. I still remember getting the first edition of it; had to mail order off for it and it was the astoundingly high price of $12.00.

I used that thing for a long time until some guys at school got hold of the GM map with all the names and building details, drew all over it and scribbled on it, then taped it to my locker. It was some time before I could get another one.

I have a number of the GM City maps now, actually, still in mint condition. They were being sold seperately at a con some years back for about a dollar each, so I picked up 10 or so, in case I wanted to copy and cut up a couple to make a different-looking city.

 

[Hunter]

Judge's Guild is Great!
I possess both the City State of the Invincible Overlord and the City State of the World Emperor books from 1976-77.

The City State of the Invincible Overlord seems like it was inspired from Fritz Lieber's Fahfrd and Grey Mouser's Lankhmar: City of the Black Togas.
The Plaza of Profuse Pleasures and the Overlord (title itself) taken from those books. If you ever read The Cloud of Hate, and Issac of the Jug two short stories that describe the city well have remarkable similiarities to the Judges Guild Citystates (at least the copies I possess).
There is no Umber Hulk barmaids in my copy but there are two troll barmaids in the Tangle bones Tavern. Also Waxrik the Magnificient is a Troll Tax Collector who has the personal favor of the Overlord (portrait of him and Overlord in his home).

It is a great supplement, probably the best map ever designed and created for Fantasy Role Playing. My book (1976) has two maps one for players (just showing streets) another for the DM with the entire shops, keeps, buildings keyed with type.
So if your looking for the Tangle bones tavern you just look on the map and its there written down next to the building. Also the rooms are delineated in the map key so you see rooms and stairs in the city map. Its very detailed. You would have to key your own second floors, basement, extra rooms and so on though.

Also my book has a map of 5 dungeon levels (not keyed or populated) that you can put in whatever nasty you want that lie beneath the city.
As well as 4 dungeon levels for the Sunstone Caverns (Gem Mine) and a Dwarven Castle Surface map of the fortress Thunderhold.
This is all in addition to the descriptions of the shops, keeps, stores inside the City itself.
It is one of the best products ever created. It was made not for commercial success (quickly and cheaply done and greatly promoted/marketed) but it was done by writers and designers who just love to play and design role playing games.
Alot of love was put into this and it shows. It has integrity. Even if you don't agree with a Norse God walking around in one of the shops, its very easy to just write him out of the City altogether if you wish.
All the stats of the people and places are there there but none of them affect the City if you write them out of your game.
For the map alone I highly recommend this product!

I am going to buy the latest print of this especially if it is updated to 3.0-3.5 Edition.

A sample description(from the 1976 printed book):

The Overlord himself is Lawful Evil leaning toward Good, and employs all alignment types in his efforts to maintain a firm power base. Only the Highly Lawful types have attempted organized resistance in the past; the attempts have always resulted in a larger following for the Overlord.The strict enforcement (though the Judicial system often provides incommensurate penalties for the level of crime committed) of laws and lack fo religous bigotry (the Overlord donates half of all emergency taxes to the Temple) has widened the Overlord's Power.
Overlord (AD&D rules 1976) Level 20 fighter:;HP 69, AC 2 (Bracers), Scintillating Robe, 4 Ioun Stones, Rod of Commanding, +2 Vorpal Blade, Crown of Telepathy, Ring of Regeneration, and Necklace of 9 Missiles. It is rumored the Mighty Servant of Leuk-o (Old D&D artifact) guards the Treasure Rooms. Personal Bodyguards include: a Mind Flayer, a Beholder, a Balor, 2 Mymidon Dwarves and 3 Hell Hounds. An Iron Golem guards the throne room at all times, and a Stone Golem guards the harem. The Summer Palace is guarded by Lawful Good alignment Creatures.

Finally a work of art from the Sunestone Caverns (dungeon) section of the book:

The Tribunal of Chaos:
This Court is the stage of many quizical paradoxes. It supposedly metes out justice to various Chaotic factions which supply Judges, Guards and Executioners. In fact, it always depends on the dominant (most powerful) faction at the time of trial which verdict is voted.

While decisions are binding, actual punishment is often overlooked to avoid open war between factions. Since there are always three Judges, the verdict is never undecided, However a Judge may elect to 'sell' his title at any time, and often does to the faction fo the defendant. The position of the Judge can be sold only for a greater amount than orginally paid, each being worth about 5000GP. The factions desiring the trial pay each of 3 Judges 50 GP per day, which considerably lengthens the trial.

The factions include Orcs, Wererats, Wereboars, Trolls and Ogres. Executioners are always Trolls, while Guards are primarily Orcs and Ogres. The Wererats always have a Judgeship pocketed. Wereboars frequently carry messages, and are generally the most influential (most feared).