Scaldcrow put a LOT of work into this product, the descriptions of the town, NPCs, social and laws, are outstanding. It's reminiscent of the old Judge's Guild work, the sort of loving quality that you just don't see very often any more, especially not in a 'generic system' product.

On the downside, and the reason I took 2 stars from this otherwise really good work, the map of the town is rudimentary at best. It looks like something drawn with a Commodore 64 (yeah, that old), everything is rigidly layed out in obvious grid-limited design and stamped object items repeat all over the place. Really, it's embarrassing.

I'm a map-guy. I want grids, I want scales, I want an intelligent design that shows proper development, and ideally, I want a GM map and a Player map. I love a good map, I demand a good map from a product that's based on the map. Like a town. I bought this, I love the detailed descriptions, but if I decide to use it, I'll re-draw the map myself.

Scaldcrow Games has made perhaps one of the best generic supplements I have ever read.

“The Town of Hokum” is mad brilliant. Let me break it down for you…

For starters this is a town that can be used in any game setting or any system. True, Scaldcrow Games has its own rule system, but this supplement is generic and converts to any system you like. As a GM I have to say that finding a product like a city or book of NPCs that I want to use in my game is hard. Most supplements out there are built solely for their own system and unless you want to play that system you’re out of luck. Hokum is a standalone town with NPCs that can be used in ANY game and the conversion is easy. If you can do something as difficult as buying a product on-line, you can convert this supplement to your gaming system, I promise.

You gotta love the maps! Clean, neat, clearly labeled and my favorite feature, a few places left to my imagination. The houses look like houses and the trees look like trees. I don’t have to stare at anything and try to figure out what it is, what direction it’s facing or what all those crazy lines are like maps in other games. Clean maps that are easy to read. A few of the buildings are unmarked so as a GM I can make them whatever I need for my own game, and the back of the book has a page for me to make notes on what I added to the town. Everything all in one place.

The overview of the town gives exactly the right amount of information. I hate it when the time line starts with simple cell division and marks every event that happened every year for the towns first 800 years up until the very moment the PCs enter town. How many times do you ever need that information? Hokum breaks down the government, economy, laws and major holidays in like half a page. Its what you need to run the town.

Additionally, the major establishments like the town inn and bar are described as well as the NPCs that are attached to each. Again, exactly the right amount of information is given--costs of stuff and descriptions. I feel as if I know and have used this supplement and its NPCs.

All good supplements have a monster or creature in it and Hokum being a great supplement has two— BLOODY BONES and a vampire beast. Bloody Bones is one creepy thing that goes bump in the night. The vampire beast is so kewl that PCs are gonna wanna go to Hokum just to hunt the thing for sport or get one to tame up or have as a familiar.

Secret Societies – Hokum has six fully written up. Each one neater than the next and all appropriate for the setting. But I also thought the home grown Militia groups were an interesting twist. I can imagine there is great rivalry between them and the plot hook for these two aspects alone just write themselves. And there is a section for those too, plot hooks I mean. A bunch of story seed ideas are there and they all happen right there in Hokem, So again, no matter the system you are in you can use the plot hooks.

I also have to take a moment to point out the art. I like it. It was not over done and everywhere. It was there to compliment the text. And it was rendered very well. I hate that style of art where you have to stare at the picture like it’s some kind of magic eye painting to see what the heck you’re looking at. The Hokum art was clean and very printer friendly.

Hokum is a freaking awesome supplement. I could not believe it was so inexpensive, its easily worth twice the asking price. Best feature of all – it is a printable number of pages. I don’t order a lot of stuff cause by the time I print the book out it cost more than a hardback gaming book. This is under 30 pages, simple art and like no color to speak of. I can see me using the town of Hokum in a lot.

Bravo Scaldcrow games!

Lomax Lamat

Well worth the $6! Several amazingly useful locations, well balanced townies, easily convertable into any system. I would strongly reccomend this product. This book is a must have for any self respecting GM's library!!!