Ranking the Gazetteers of the Known D&D world (Mystara)

The Known D&D world (later named Mystara) is made up of a bunch of countries that were defined in 1981 in the module X1- Isle of Dread.  Each country was given a short description.  Starting in 1987, a group of publications called Gazetteers were produced based on the short description of each country.  Each Gazetteer detailed one country on the map.  The Gazetteers are between 64 and 96 pages long (each).  They provide an overview of the history, culture, geography, and special rules for each country.  They are not fully compatible with each other in that there are contradictions and continuity errors that are unresolved.  (Nothing major).  Often but not always the continuity errors relate to descriptions of Gazetteers yet-to-be-published at the time of writing.  The Gazetteers were outsourced to freelance writers although the person responsible for hiring freelance writers (Bruce Heard) wrote two of the Gazetteers (Thar and Glantri).

Ranking the Gazetteers from best to worst:

Great: Interesting Setting, Good adventure ideas, Good Execution (of ideas), Fun, Makes you want to go there

Good: 4 out of 5 of the above traits

Ok: 3 out of 5

Poor: 2 out 5

Awful: 1 out of 5

Or- Has a negative trait (or two) that cancels a positive trait

Negative traits:  Too much fluff-empty banal text that adds nothing; Weak on rules; Logical error(s)-it is fantasy but some of the rationale for why/how is suspect; Tries to accommodate all races and classes when this doesn't make sense based on the setting-Minrothad Guilds is the most flagrant violator; "My gazetteer is indestructible syndrome"-the better ones clearly aren't indestructible; too much blank canvas- too much detail in a particular area is left for the DM which somewhat defeats the purpose of buying a gazetteer in the first place.

 

GREAT

Principalities of Glantri (Gaz. 3)

Orcs of Thar (Gaz. 10)

Golden Khan of Ethengar (Gaz. 12)

Elves of Alfheim (Gaz. 5)

 

GOOD

Kingdom of Ierendi (Gaz. 4)

Dwarves of Rockhome (Gaz. 6)

Grand Duchy of Karameikos (Gaz. 1)

Northern Reaches (Gaz. 7)

Hollow World Boxed Set (an Edgar Rice Burroughs type of land underneath Mystara)

Voyage of the Princess Ark boxed set (based on the Dragon Magazine column of the same name- details an India-like setting, a sub-Saharan Africa type setting, and rules for similar ships)

 

OK

Shadow Elves (Gaz. 13)

Dawn of the Empires (Boxed Set about Thyatis and Alphatia)

Emirates of Ylaruam (Gaz. 2)

Top Ballista (Silly rules for gnomish flying city complete with magical WW1-style aircraft

Tall Tales of the Wee Folk (The Faerie Kingdom near Alfheim with rules for playing pixies and sprites, etc)

The Sea People (Rules for playing undersea characters)

Night Howlers (A valley full of werewolves)

Five Shires (Gaz. 8)

 

POOR

Minrothad Guilds (Gaz. 9)

 

AWFUL

Atruaghin Clans (Gaz. 14)

Republic of Darokin (Gaz. 11)

Note: I intend to Review each of the Gazetteers on this blog.