A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Evocative City Sites: Kavit M. Tor’s Emporium of Collectible Curiosities

Evocative City Sites: Kavit M. Tor’s Emporium of Collectible Curiosities by Jonathan McAnulty and T.H. Gulliver is a role playing game supplement published by Rite Publishing for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License with some parts considered to be Open Game Content as a result.

This is a 23 page PDF that is available from DriveThruRPG for $2.96 but was purchased at a greatly reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover, one the front matter, one page the Open Game License and one page is an ad.

First up is a map of the shop followed by the standard in-character description, inserted into which are a number of secrets. This shop appears from the outside as a simple door but inside is far more expansive. And has windows, none of which are visible from the outside. This is because the shop is actually in a different location – Hell, as it happens. There are two exits; one leads to Hell and the other to wherever the shopkeeper chooses. The owner cannot leave the shop and is rumoured to have made a deal with a devil. The owner only rarely buys goods, instead preferring to trade for them with his existing stock. All of which has problems, some being cursed. Finally in this section there are some adventure seeds.

Next are stats for three NPCs; the owner, his pet monkey (not what it seems) and gargoyle servitor.

Following this is 10 Cursed Curiosities and Other Objectionable Objects – examples of the sort of items the shop stocks. One of them, the dagger of many unhappy returns, is mentioned in the earlier text and was sold as a dagger which returns once thrown. Which it does – at speed and with intent to harm.

10 Colorful Curses is a selection of curses – the owner can lift curses, but at a cost.

The final six pages of content are a black and white map suitable for miniatures.

Evocative City Sites: Kavit M. Tor’s Emporium of Collectible Curiosities in Review

The PDF is decently bookmarked with the major sections linked. Navigation is okay. The text maintains a two column black and white format and appeared to be almost free of errors. There are a number of stock black and white illustrations as well as the map. Presentation is okay.

Sadly, the miniatures map is marked with the various locations. Normally such would have been removed. This shop might, in theory, be located in the publisher’s setting of Questhaven, but seeing as the owner can have the entrance door anywhere he wishes, this is only theory and it’s easy to drop the shop anywhere. The owner’s name, Kavit M. Tor, looks as if it’s got meaning – and it has. Caveat emptor – buyer beware. And the buyer should definitely be beware.

Travelling shops of one type or another are hardly unknown in fantasy. This is definitely an interesting one. With the extra content in the form of curses and dubious items, this is perhaps one of the best in this series. Evocative City Sites: Kavit M. Tor’s Emporium of Collectible Curiosities is definitely recommended and can be found by clicking here.