Bundle of Holding

"I own all the original CityBooks, and they are among some of the best gaming supplements ever made. They are a must-own for anyone running an urban campaign or a campaign that spends significant amounts of time in urban environments." -- Shadowdancer, ENworld

"Each volume presents generic businesses, locations, and organizations for a fantasy city. The books aim to keep assumptions about the nature and form of fantasy pretty generic. Even when it deals with the cosmology of the magic, it maintains an open and adaptable approach. While the books are written without specific system mechanics, they offer guidelines for important details. Fighting, magic, and so on are ranked to give the GM a clear sense of relative power. Each entry is usually at least three pages, usually more. Most include clear maps and layouts with clear icons. An entry usually includes a basic description, layouts, NPC details and, most usefully, a set of scenario suggestions. NPC writeups focus on personalities and plot elements. Each book usually offers a set of links and threads to make it easy for the GM to connect different establishments and create larger stories. These can easily be used or ignored. [...]
"As the first volume of the series, CityBook I takes the most general approach. It present classic businesses and services most commonly appearing in FRPGs. [...]

• • Lodging & Entertainment: The Diamond Spider Tavern; The Grey Minstrel Inn
• • Personal Services: Korbo's Transport; Skywhite's House of Lavation; Gillian's Fantasies in Wax; Larkspur the Leech; Kolat's Emporium of Miracles; Professor Fyber's Taxidermy and Museum; The House of Thelesha Moonscry; Sleaz's Tattoo Parlor
• • Hardware Services: Bron Arvo's Armory; Blades by Tor; Trueshaft's Bowery; Red Earth Leatherworks; Findar's Stable and Smithy
• • Food Services: Widow Rohls Bakeshop; Rumpchunk's Butchery; Slimon's Strolling Salmagundi Wagon
• • Community Services: Crunge's Clocktower; The Bellmen's Guild
• • Spiritual Services: The Temple of Putrexia; The Palace of Peaceful Repose; McKinley Cemetery
• • Security Services: Skilfin Barracks; Bummingham Jail

"The CityBook series remains one of my favorites, and one that gets better as it goes along. [...] Reading through CityBook I, you'll find great ideas for city stories and a hugely useful resource for any GM. Most important, the book reduces the assumptions about the game world, making it easy to cut and paste. Rather than building your city for you, CityBook I provides a way to do excellent finishing to your rough creation." -- Lowell Francis, RPGgeek

CityBook I: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker contributors: Deborah Cady, Niki Canotas, Brandon Corey, Steven S. Crompton, Liz Danforth, Larry DiTillio, Ashley Morton, Paul Ryan O'Connor, Jason Sato, Michael A. Stackpole.
CityBook II: Port o' Call contributors: Dave Arneson, Stuart Bute, Liz Danforth, Lee Duigon, Janrae Frank, Greg Gorden, Bob Greenwade, Dave Helber, Stefan Jones, Rudy Kraft, Charles de Lint, Rick Loomis, Stephan Peregrine, Jim "Bear" Peters, Glenn Rahman, Tom Rushford, Michael A. Stackpole, Hank Stine, Allen Wold, Debora L. Wykle (AKA Debora Kerr and Wynn Mercere).
CityBook III: Deadly Nightside contributors: Ed Andrews, Brandon Corey, Liz Danforth, Greg Gorden, Jeff Halsey, Scott Haring, Jennell Jaquays, Stefan Jones, Dennis L. McKiernan, Mark O'Green, James Peters, T.L. Riseden, Jennifer Roberson, Warren Spector, Michael A. Stackpole, Allen Varney.

CityBook I: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker copyright © 1982, CityBook II: Port o' Call copyright © 1984, and CityBook III: Deadly Nightside copyright © 1987 Flying Buffalo Inc.

Treasure Vault copyright © 1984 Flying Buffalo Inc.

"The Grimtooth's Traps series has been around since 1981. Each book contains dozens of traps usable for whatever gaming system you prefer. Sure, being a systemless collection means the DM has a little bit of work to do to make the trap fit the mechanics they are using, but the Grimtooth's series is generally as fun (and funny) to read as it is to drop some of its traps into your campaign. [...] Grimtooth Trap's Too contains 101 traps for DMs to unleash on their unsuspecting players, all of which are sure to hurt, maim, or murder all but the most paranoid characters. Every page is tinged with dark humor though, so don't be looking for a book that takes its macabre mayhem too seriously. Grimtooth the troll is a wonderful narrator, in the style of EC Comics' Crypt Keeper and other comically evil characters. [...]
"All in all, Grimtooth's Traps Too still holds up 32 years later, which is pretty impressive for a systemless piece. Even gamers who feel they have seen it all, trap-wise, will be surprised or foiled by some of the traps in this book. Best of all, there are several other books out there along the same line bearing the Grimtooth name, so if you love this one, you'll want to start picking up the others as well." -- Alex Lucard, Diehard Gamefan

Grimtooth's Traps copyright © 1981 and Grimtooth's Traps Too copyright © 1982 Flying Buffalo Inc.

"A superb game for pulp and mystery fans with excellent GM advice and a very playable system derived from Tunnels & Trolls." -- BigJackBrass, RPG.net Game Index

"MSPE is an old-school RPG, but not from the old school that most newer gamers are familiar with. It's a derivative of Tunnels & Trolls, and has that game's simplicity, but builds on T&T's structure, using a skill system instead of T&T's classes. First published in 1983, and then republished in 1986, it has very good production values for an RPG of that time. [...] Characters have seven main stats: Strength, Luck, Dexterity, Intelligence, Constitution, Charisma, and Speed. As was standard for games of the time, the stats are generated randomly; however, it would be easy to put in a point system. Stat generation is slightly unusual -- roll 3d6, and if the roll comes up triples, add in an extra 2d6. [...] Skills are purchased with skill points. Each character starts with a number of skill points equal to his/her IQ (the abbreviation used for the Intelligence attribute). Each skill has a minimum IQ level needed to buy it, and costs a number of IQ points. Some 'skills' are really advantages -- for example, 'Secret ID/Double Agent,' 'Title' (the character has a noble title), and several psychic talents are listed as 'skills.' Skills are either binary or have levels. If a skill has levels, the character can buy up the level at character creation by spending extra skill points on it. Some skills have side effects -- for example, a character who has a Hereditary Title automatically gets +2 to Charisma and the skill 'Chic.' [...]
"The basic mechanic for doing things is the 'saving throw.' Saving throws come in multiple levels. To make a saving throw, the player takes an appropriate attribute (given by the rules or chosen by the GM), adds the levels of any appropriate skills, and rolls 2d6 and adds them to the total. This is then compared to a number -- either 15+ (5x saving throw level) for 'regular' saving throws, or another character's attribute and skill total. Any roll of less than 5 always fails; if doubles are rolled on the dice, the player rolls again and adds, continuing until a non-doubles roll comes up. It's a simple system, and is used for everything in the game except melee combat. [...] Each character has Hand-to-Hand Combat Adds -- these are determined by the character's attributes. The character rolls dice depending on the weapon he/she is using, add his/her HTH Combat Adds, and the total is his/her Combat Total. This is then compared to the opponent's Combat Total, and whoever has the lower total takes the difference in damage. Damage is taken off Constitution. If CON drops to zero, the character is unconscious, or possibly dead. [...]
"The basic rules [are] simple, allowing a great deal of room for GM improvisation while still giving a framework for combat and skill use. The system as it stands is semi-cinematic -- it's meant to model the sort of gritty but larger-than-life feel of film noir, pulp adventure, and the James Bond books (which are a lot more 'realistic' than the movies)." -- Travis Casey, RPG.net

Mercenaries, Spies, & Private Eyes and Adventure of the Jade Jaguar copyright © 1983 Flying Buffalo Inc.

"[CityBook VII: King's River Bridge] is one of my personal favorite CityBooks. The location is a huge bridge leading from the country side of the river to the city side. Several establishments have set up shop on either end of the bridge. It really provides a self-contained, original, and fun setting for city-style adventures." -- grubman, RPG.net

CityBook IV: On the Road contributors: Grant S. Boucher, William W. Connors, Liz Danforth, Panda England, Jennell Jaquays, Dennis L. McKiernan, Shawn Moore, John Nephew, Richard Shaffstall, Lester Smith, Michael A. Stackpole, Lisa Stevens, B. Dennis Sustare, Allen Varney.
CityBook V: Sideshow contributors: Norma Blair, Kevin Crossman, Liz Danforth, Panda England, Bruce Jaquays, Thomas M. Kane, J.D. Kirkland-Revels, Randy Kuipers, John Merkel, Shawn Moore, John Nephew, Mark O'Green, Bill Paley, Bear Peters, Michael A. Stackpole, B. Dennis Sustare, John J. Terra, Lawrence Watt-Evans.
CityBook VI: Up Town contributors: Kevin Crossman, Liz Danforth, Panda England, Bob Greenwade, Ed Heil, Jennell Jaquays, Thomas M. Kane, J. D. Kirkland-Revels, Randall G. Kuipers, Bill Paley, Jim "Bear" Peters, Tim Taylor, Don Webb.
CityBook VII: King's River Bridge contributors: Norma Blair, Deborah Teramis Christian, Kevin Crossman, Joe Formichella, Beth Hannan-Rimmels, Mike Keller, William Kerr, Seng Mah, Anita Martinez, Jim "Bear" Peters, S. John Ross, Richard Shaffstall, Brent Stroh, Lisa Walker, James L. Walker, Don Webb, Wayne West.

CityBook IV: On the Road copyright © 1990, CityBook V: Sideshow copyright © 1991, CityBook VI: Up Town copyright © 1992, and CityBook VII: King's River Bridge copyright © 1997 Flying Buffalo Inc.

"Grimtooth's Traps Fore is a bit of a misnomer, but if it keeps your players needlessly searching for a mythical third book, one they shouldn't have, then I guess that is a trap in and of itself.
"This book details a series of 101 user-submitted traps. The traps range from insanely difficult to insanely absurd and all manner in between. The traps are loosely organized by function: room traps, corridor traps, door traps, item traps, and 'thing' traps. Sprinkled throughout the book are humorous illustrations. When I design a trap, I try to make ones that seem feasible given the restraints of the system and setting. A lot of these traps seem to be an exercise in hitting the party sideways, and anyone using them is likely to be labeled a Killer GM. There are a lot of great ideas, though, and even these 'bad' traps have some potential with GM tweaks." -- Christopher Stogdill, Diehard Gamefan

Grimtooth's Traps Fore Second Edition copyright © 1990 and Grimtooth's Traps Ate 1989 Flying Buffalo Inc.