Salt Route by Joe Adams is a role playing game supplement published by Columbia Games Inc. for use with HârnMaster, although it lacks any game stats.
The supplement is available from DriveThruRPG as a ten-page PDF for $7.98, although it was purchased at a reduced price due to a special offer.
The first page explains that salt is important and Thardic rock salt is the most prized. It is traded by caravan from Coranan in the Thardic Republic and Tashal in the Kingdom of Kaldor, and large, well-defended caravans use the dangerous route twice per year. Smaller caravans go at other times, with increased danger from barbarians. A sidebar gives the details of the Salt Route, its distance, time and relevant atlas maps, and what it costs to tag along.
The second page gives a history of the route, which was also used in the Salt War, and a proposed expansion, including a port. A sidebar covers guarding the caravan.
The third page is on preparing for the caravan’s departure, and a sidebar covers the smaller caravans that use the route during the year.
The route itself is then covered in stages. Coranan to Moleryn is the first stage, and is in the civilised areas. A sidebar covers the daily routine. Moleryn to Taztos is more dangerous, with the sidebar covering a hazardous tribe. Taztos to Trobridge is still in the wilderness, and another tribe is covered in the sidebar. Trobridge to Tashal is still dangerous, and a tribe is covered once again in the sidebar. Finally, Tashal is the endpoint, and the return journey is briefly covered, along with the Summer Fair held when the caravan arrives.
Camps Along the Salt Route has a map of a sample camp, a former legion post from the Salt War.
Finally, Salt Route NPCs has details of eight NPCs that could be encountered in a caravan.
Salt Route in Review
The PDF lacks bookmarks and is short enough that they aren’t needed but would have been appreciated. Navigation is okay. Most of the text follows a single column with sidebar format, although the last two pages are two columns, and appeared to be free of errors. There are a number of black and white illustrations, plus a colour illustration on the front page as well as colour maps depicting the Salt Route and the legion post. Presentation is decent.
This supplement provides what is really quite a detailed explanation of a major trade route that characters could end up using. There are many dangers, and therefore potential adventure hooks, and even the largest, twice-yearly caravans aren’t totally safe. The supplement itself, even at the reduced price, is still quite expensive, but this is hardly uncommon for Hârn supplements. Salt Route provides a lot of detail for the trade route and it can be found by clicking here.
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