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Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue
At last! Complete in one catalog, all the finest merchandise Faerun has to offer is presented by that enterprising entepreneur, Aurora the Eclectic.
Useful for players in any AD&D® fantasy campaign (and other role-playing games, too!), this is a handy listing of items and goods of all kinds, from farming tools to scribes' pens, from imported Shou Lung silks to Maztican cotton, from wines and ales to breads and cheeses. Prices are given in the gold-piece standard, for simple conversion. Players' "shopping trips" will never be the same!
It is our hope that players and DMs will find this Catalogue both useful and enjoyable. Aurora is not above editorializing about her wares, but we think her opinions will be informative as well as entertaining.
Contents
Designer's Notes ... 4
A Word from Our Founder ... 5
Rangers' Field ... 7
Theives' Corner ... 13
Bards' Emporium ... 21
Priests' Alcove ... 31
Wizards' Laboratory ... 39
Laborers' List ... 51
Inn and Tavern ... 65
Scribes' Desk ... 67
Storage Items ... 71
General Hardware ... 73
Tailors' Corner ... 75
Clothes and Shoes ... 77
Boom's Garden ... 90
Jewelry ... 94
Household Accoutrements ... 97
Personal Supplies ... 100
Illuminations ... 103
Diversions ... 109
Aurora's Larder ... 116
Breads ... 119
Cheese Shop ... 124
Wines and Ales ... 128
Exotics ... 131
Wilderness Gear ... 134
Priest in a Poke ... 141
DaRoni's Workshop ... 146
Useful for players in any AD&D® fantasy campaign (and other role-playing games, too!), this is a handy listing of items and goods of all kinds, from farming tools to scribes' pens, from imported Shou Lung silks to Maztican cotton, from wines and ales to breads and cheeses. Prices are given in the gold-piece standard, for simple conversion. Players' "shopping trips" will never be the same!
It is our hope that players and DMs will find this Catalogue both useful and enjoyable. Aurora is not above editorializing about her wares, but we think her opinions will be informative as well as entertaining.
Contents
Designer's Notes ... 4
A Word from Our Founder ... 5
Rangers' Field ... 7
Theives' Corner ... 13
Bards' Emporium ... 21
Priests' Alcove ... 31
Wizards' Laboratory ... 39
Laborers' List ... 51
Inn and Tavern ... 65
Scribes' Desk ... 67
Storage Items ... 71
General Hardware ... 73
Tailors' Corner ... 75
Clothes and Shoes ... 77
Boom's Garden ... 90
Jewelry ... 94
Household Accoutrements ... 97
Personal Supplies ... 100
Illuminations ... 103
Diversions ... 109
Aurora's Larder ... 116
Breads ... 119
Cheese Shop ... 124
Wines and Ales ... 128
Exotics ... 131
Wilderness Gear ... 134
Priest in a Poke ... 141
DaRoni's Workshop ... 146
159 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1992
34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 11, 2020
Famously one of the most beloved supplements for AD&D 2nd edition, I'd argue this book is still useful both for play of any edition (though you might have to alter costs or mechanical effects) and even for fantasy authors or people doing their own fantasy world building -- it has a lot of cool ideas of things people might have available in some standard "fantasy careers" like thief, wizard, or cleric.
This book is essentially the combination of a Sears Catalog and the Whole Earth Catalog, written in a combination of both styles, with heavy editorial commentary by sorceress and business entrepreneur Aurora. It's funny, pretty, and incredibly good for world building.
Want to know if the Realms has chocolate? Coffee? Bandages, and what they're made of? Want to know what goes into "rations" and have some idea what your characters are eating? What kind of cheeses might be available? Wonder how rogues go about their business (finger razors, ear razors, climbing wedges built into boots)? What kind of religious altars or censers can be packed up and brought with you on a quest? What sort of musical instruments might a bard have available? What sort of drugs? Toys? In what way might someone scouting out in the wilderness be able to sit comfortably in a tree for hours? If you don't have a magical healer, what sort of items might you want to bring because they're rumored to be effective (whether they are or not)?
Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog answers this and many other questions with witty descriptions and suggested game effects (may need some tweaks for other editions or non-D&D settings, but they're brief enough to easily come up with an equivalent). It's FULL of little plot hooks you can easily work in -- want to know how a rogue could escape hanging so you can run or write a little mystery? There's suggestions in here! Build in some flavor about how a priest can give himself an evenly shaved tonsure? Aurora has the cap and blade combo for you.
In addition, it's full of tongue and cheek little references to existing d&d art (such as the joke about the 'drow swimsuit'), high fantasy proclivities (the Boom's Garden armored lingerie section), and mechanical developments (a section that references a fantasy version of Da Vinci). There's even nods to things from our worlds -- keep an eye out for the "bricksman's catalogue" entry in the laborer's section.
Extremely well arranged, charming, and just full of good ideas for building setting and mood. It can be hard to find print copies of it these days, but WOTC sells a pdf version of it through the DMsguild - https://www.dmsguild.com/product/1683...
This book is essentially the combination of a Sears Catalog and the Whole Earth Catalog, written in a combination of both styles, with heavy editorial commentary by sorceress and business entrepreneur Aurora. It's funny, pretty, and incredibly good for world building.
Want to know if the Realms has chocolate? Coffee? Bandages, and what they're made of? Want to know what goes into "rations" and have some idea what your characters are eating? What kind of cheeses might be available? Wonder how rogues go about their business (finger razors, ear razors, climbing wedges built into boots)? What kind of religious altars or censers can be packed up and brought with you on a quest? What sort of musical instruments might a bard have available? What sort of drugs? Toys? In what way might someone scouting out in the wilderness be able to sit comfortably in a tree for hours? If you don't have a magical healer, what sort of items might you want to bring because they're rumored to be effective (whether they are or not)?
Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog answers this and many other questions with witty descriptions and suggested game effects (may need some tweaks for other editions or non-D&D settings, but they're brief enough to easily come up with an equivalent). It's FULL of little plot hooks you can easily work in -- want to know how a rogue could escape hanging so you can run or write a little mystery? There's suggestions in here! Build in some flavor about how a priest can give himself an evenly shaved tonsure? Aurora has the cap and blade combo for you.
In addition, it's full of tongue and cheek little references to existing d&d art (such as the joke about the 'drow swimsuit'), high fantasy proclivities (the Boom's Garden armored lingerie section), and mechanical developments (a section that references a fantasy version of Da Vinci). There's even nods to things from our worlds -- keep an eye out for the "bricksman's catalogue" entry in the laborer's section.
Extremely well arranged, charming, and just full of good ideas for building setting and mood. It can be hard to find print copies of it these days, but WOTC sells a pdf version of it through the DMsguild - https://www.dmsguild.com/product/1683...
March 9, 2023
Apparently this is supposed to be one of the most loved 2nd edition AD&D supplements. Unfortunately I didn’t see the attraction or the usefulness of this catalogue in gaming.
October 16, 2008
lovely book
December 31, 2015
One of my all time favorite AD&D accessory books.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews