Endzeitgeist
First Post
This pdf consists of 60 pages. 1 page front cover, 1 page back cover, 1 page advertisement for SGG books and 1 page credits.
That leaves 56 pages product, describing/shops 5 locations ready to drop into any CoC game, including extensive notes on how to convert any of the locations to the Gaslight and Modern eras.
The pdf starts with an explanation (written by Stan!) of what this book is and suggestions on how to implement the locations presented within the book. This chapter consists of 9 pages. I found it moderately useful. Mostly for novice keepers.
After that, we get the locations. All of them have in common that they provide the BRP-stats of notable persons and feature beautiful, full-color pictures of the main persons to show to your players. Nice!
The first shop is the "Biblioporium" (by Thomas M. Reid), ye olde Cthulhu-book shop, including a proprietor associated with a secret society. 9 pages, including 6 adventure hooks.
The next is "Fixx's Fixxit" (by Jeff Grub), a clockwork/mechanic's shop/weapon dealer/delver in strange technology. 9 pages + 12 hooks organized in 4 sets of hooks.
Then, we get "Healing Herbs" (by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel), basically your eastern+western alchemist's/shaman's store run by a strange, yet very cool couple, including extensive rules on elixirs and herbs they provide. My favorite chapter in the book, it is 10 pages long and provides 4 adventure hooks.
The last shop of the pentad is "Húbert's Fine Arts"(by John D. Rateliff), an avant-garde art gallery/dealer with a mythos twist. 10 pages + 3 detailed hooks.
Finally, we get "The Sleipnir Club" (by Jeff Quick), an upper-class investigator's club that features the coolest character in the pentad. 9 pages + 5 hooks.
Conclusion:
The sourcebook succeeds at what it attempts and provides useful allies and places for investigators. The art is beautiful and the content top-notch. However, while I think it has been a conscious design-decision, I really think the product would have profited from maps of the stores or at least of the main rooms of the respective locations. The lack of maps costs one star and is the only major flaw of this otherwise great product.
That leaves 56 pages product, describing/shops 5 locations ready to drop into any CoC game, including extensive notes on how to convert any of the locations to the Gaslight and Modern eras.
The pdf starts with an explanation (written by Stan!) of what this book is and suggestions on how to implement the locations presented within the book. This chapter consists of 9 pages. I found it moderately useful. Mostly for novice keepers.
After that, we get the locations. All of them have in common that they provide the BRP-stats of notable persons and feature beautiful, full-color pictures of the main persons to show to your players. Nice!
The first shop is the "Biblioporium" (by Thomas M. Reid), ye olde Cthulhu-book shop, including a proprietor associated with a secret society. 9 pages, including 6 adventure hooks.
The next is "Fixx's Fixxit" (by Jeff Grub), a clockwork/mechanic's shop/weapon dealer/delver in strange technology. 9 pages + 12 hooks organized in 4 sets of hooks.
Then, we get "Healing Herbs" (by Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel), basically your eastern+western alchemist's/shaman's store run by a strange, yet very cool couple, including extensive rules on elixirs and herbs they provide. My favorite chapter in the book, it is 10 pages long and provides 4 adventure hooks.
The last shop of the pentad is "Húbert's Fine Arts"(by John D. Rateliff), an avant-garde art gallery/dealer with a mythos twist. 10 pages + 3 detailed hooks.
Finally, we get "The Sleipnir Club" (by Jeff Quick), an upper-class investigator's club that features the coolest character in the pentad. 9 pages + 5 hooks.
Conclusion:
The sourcebook succeeds at what it attempts and provides useful allies and places for investigators. The art is beautiful and the content top-notch. However, while I think it has been a conscious design-decision, I really think the product would have profited from maps of the stores or at least of the main rooms of the respective locations. The lack of maps costs one star and is the only major flaw of this otherwise great product.