Before we review this supplement devoted to memorable locations, I want to thank Kabouter Games for sending us a physical copy of Legendary Locations.
If after reading this article you would like to purchase the product, you can find it directly on the publisher’s store at just under $10 (about 10 euros) for the digital version.
The product is a system-neutral supplement and can be easily adapted to all well-known fantasy-setting game systems. It results from years of ideas now collected in a single volume.
The locations in Legendary Locations are villages, taverns and places of worship populated by dozens of NPCs. Maps, gossip, adventure ideas, clues and engaging descriptions accompany them.
Project Concept
This interesting handbook has a peculiar origin. The publishing house had its genesis precisely by producing short supplements describing places where adventurers can interact with people and their surroundings. Over the years, these places have become so many that seems fitting to collect them into a single volume. Although each place can be used as a stand-alone item, Kabouter Games created a city to unite all the places in the fictional Barony of Renlaek.
So let’s take a peek at some of these places that can easily fit into any adventure or campaign of your favourite fantasy role-playing game.
Review of Legendary Locations Content
As we said at the beginning of the review, this approximately 120-page volume presents a list of locations perfect for any fantasy RPG. It includes stores, taverns, inns and villages to consider when planning a campaign or even a short adventure.
For each place in the volume, there is a map, description, many details about its history and gossip from the adventurers who frequent it. To not miss something, however, the authors have also included the NPCs of the place. When it comes to a store, we also find the items sold there.
An interesting note, in my opinion, is that they did not include (in the case, precisely, of products for sale) an indication of costs. Since some role-playing games use less specific economic systems than others for things like accommodation, equipment, food and drink, in a very clever way the authors decided to let the game group determine the prices according to the reference system used.
17 Places to Visit
Legendary Location offers a total of 17 locations to include in your stories. I was most pleased to discover that they all give the impression of being vivid and believable. The descriptions are accurate and (thanks also to the fine illustrations of the locations and the portraits of the NPCs involved) turn words into a perfect narrative element.
This particularity makes the volume perfect for those who have little time or few ideas for introducing elements into their campaign, but also for those who need to improvise a side quest when someone is missing at the gaming table and does not want to give up their favourite pastime.
The division between city, shop and natural environments is well thought out, making its versatility a definite strength.
Inns, Shops and Town Centres
Among the many proposals included in the Legendary Locations volume, there are some that, in my opinion, deserve special attention.
I found the village of Dellerwood very interesting. On the four pages dedicated, not only the places of interest but also the lifestyle of its inhabitants are listed in a precise and accurate manner. There are even suggestions for names to be given to other NPCs in addition to those already listed. To complete the description, we find a table with a series of clues that can be given freely to the characters or that can be chosen randomly.
The Last Bridge Inn stands out among inns. The rooms are comfortable, the food is excellent and the facilities are the best to find a day’s journey in any direction. Most interesting, however, are the foundations and cellars of this inn. What lies beneath, however, the characters will have to find out.
Tamsin Grenfell owns The House of Wonders, a museum full of wonders and treasures she has found over the years as an adventurer. The architecture is eclectic and, despite being newly built, conveys a vintage and exotic feel. Suspended above the entrance is a large skeleton of a draconic-looking creature; in short, the perfect place for an afternoon of fun!
Aesthetics Review of Legendary Locations
The volume is in A4 format, consists of 117 pages with a flexible cover and features a decidedly sturdy collated binding. The two-column layout is very classical, embellished with flowery Gothic-style capitals. All the text is well distributed in paragraphs and perfectly managed by a detailed index at the beginning of the volume. The text is particularly readable thanks to the font free of artifice and frills. Less immediate is the reading of the tables, which have a smaller font, probably to integrate them organically into the layout.
The illustrations, all in black and white, not only present the faces of the NPCs of the places listed in the volume but also provide numerous suggestions for painting the places mentioned. The style is not always homogeneous, entrusted to several artists (all of whom are worthy of note), but it is extremely interesting and well conveys the mood of the volume.
Le mappe, inserite con sapienza, non sono mai ridondanti e sono facilmente trasportabili direttamente al tavolo da gioco.
Legendary Locations Review’s Conclusions
From my point of view, Legendary Locations is a valuable project; the care in implementation is undoubted and the usability is excellent. The value for money plays another point in favour of the purchase. Having a digital copy is undoubtedly useful for those who do not have much space in their library or who want a good and versatile product.
The chosen terminology and the ease of reading make it easy to use even for those who may not be proficient in English. In short, Legendary Locations is a product that can find a place in your library because each proposed location will easily fit into your fantasy campaign.
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