Today we look at The Vale of the Mage Gazetteer by Rick “Duicarthan” Miller. This is a 73 page pdf with color interior art, bookmarks (yay!), and a nice two-column format. Per the foreword to the book, this is an attempt to give the Vale of the Mage a complete overhaul, from the disappointing 2E-era WG12 The Vale of the Mage by Jean Rabe, through the Living Greyhawk era, the Oerth Journal 18 fan overhaul, and now into the 5E 2024 rules and CY 591 era. There’s a minor formatting issue with the first couple of sections that impacts the ToC and bookmarks, but it’s very minor and can be easily worked around.
The book contains sections on the Exalted Lairdship of the Mage, the different races found there, the towns, villages, and hamlets, major personages, intrigues, and notable locations. That this is an overhaul and not a full replacement is a good thing, in my opinion; there are a few minor changes to location names (Vinestrong becomes Vinesong), but the structure remains the same; you’ll find Jason Krimeah, Tysiln San, and other familiar faces. There are rules for Valley elves, cooshee dogs, and a number of new creatures. On the whole it’s very well done, adds to and improves on what has gone before, and is useful for both 5E players and players of other systems as well. Definitely worth the $9.99.
You can purchase the book here.
