The Freecity of Haldane by Christian Walker

I was surprised and delighted to receive Christian’s “Freecity of Haldane, A Supplement for Labyrinth Lord” in the mail today. A twenty page, digest sized urban setting resource, Halbane “can be used as a base of operations for adventurers. Its inns, temples and other services could be very useful between expeditions into the nearby swamps or mountains. The city’s politics and other dangers could also provide excitement.”

Although he’d posted a brief note that he’d intended to ship this out to current members of the Lincoln Middle School D&D Club, I confess to having forgotten about this until receiving it today. Herein is a reprint of material previously appearing in Christian’s Iridia Zone zine. Sections include: Introduction, Haldane’s Wards (including the Trades Ward, Market Square, Riverwalk, The Warrens, Compass Street, and the North Gate, among other sites of interest), as well as a section on Factions and Societies, and a write up of Aurumvorax, the gold dragon and current elected ruler of the Freecity of Haldane.

There’s nothing about this production that doesn’t endear me to it - starting with the low key way in which Christian released it, crystallizing in his Forward wherein he succinctly states “Somewhere along the way, things got too damn complicated”, and finally in the details illustrated in the simple and utilitarian map and descriptions of the towns inhabitants and ruler. If you’re looking for quirks or eccentric personalities to introduce to your campaign, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a small city-state you can easily introduce to your campaign that’s taken the work out of faction creation and introduces some very quickly usable NPCs and environs, this will fill the bill nicely. Easily adaptable to OD&D/S&W or OSRIC/1E, DM’s strapped for time will find this a welcome resource.

The author has stated that this will become available also as a PDF, having been limited to a first run of a couple dozen or so copies. Personally, I hope Christian makes a few bucks off of it and buys a Maui Wowee cocktail or two with the proceeds, before or after a surf. Cheers!