Here is a description of seven different communities of various sizes, from a small thorp to a large city. Each locale is described in a way that makes it dynamically alive and ready for use. The history of each community is richly described through its founders and current inhabitants.
The first chapter of the book gives a general description of how communities of all sizes exist, their attitudes towards law depending on the power center's alignment, their law enforcing mechanisms and trade. A table suggests what kind of characters of different levels and classes can be found in a community depending on its size. A section describes the multiple hazards a community faces such as pestilence, fire, war and other catastrophes. The book includes a thorp (less than 100 inhabitants), a hamlet (300 inhabitants), a village (about 800 inhabitants), a small town (around 1,900 inhabitants), a large town (4,600 inhabitants), a small city (11,000 inhabitants) and a large city (30,000 inhabitants).
While the thorp is completely described, each subsequent and bigger community is given as much attention but a little less depth. Each description of a community draws from the previous ones; for example, a tannery is described only once, in the thorp, but one is placed in each community. Each community serves as the building blocks for the larger ones. In a sense, it's as if you had one community that could easily be modified to seven different sizes, and seven different background histories and power structures reflecting communities of different sizes.
The descriptions of these towns and cities make them outstanding places that can very effectively decorate a campaign setting. The power centers and various institutions are described through the people who run them, taking their motivations and particularities into account. Churches and temple are described by using generic gods, i.e. the god of valor, the goddess of earth, etc. Many interesting characters are detailed, as are their activities. Each locale includes some plot hooks that turn the story-telling gears that are already installed through the community's description.
The book includes such places as an arena, town and city halls, an opera house, a few jails and barracks, inns and taverns, a music shop, druid groves, an arcane college, market places, a stadium, stables and the people who run these places described within these communities. Most of these locations are illustrated with a little map or drawing.
This book is an obvious winner as far as I am concerned and an immediately useful addition to my campaign tools. The communities described here can very easily be adapted to most campaigns. They can be broken down into their components, to either take pieces of each as they seem useful or use them as is.
