Commentary On 'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' By Janet Trautvetter, Kerry Lloyd, Kevin Hardwick, and Richard Meyer For The Thieves World Rpg Setting

 “The more I see of what you call civilization, the more highly I think of what you call savagery!”

― Robert E. Howard, King Kull

"In this second volume of the Haven city series, GMs will find detailed descriptions of over 120 shops, taverns and residences, numerous random encounters, and hundreds of NPCs, creating an ever-changing tapestry of events, personalities, conflict and intrigue."

"Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth" is one of those rare box sets that has only come across my table a couple of times. "Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth" published by Gamelords back in 1983 it clocks in at  80 pages, with 10 pages of maps stapled to center of book of the box set. Recently DM Steve ordered a copy from Different Worlds.com & the box set came in today. And the bottomline is that I'd love to have a copy of it. And I will be coming up because let's face facts gamers are nothing if not completists. So why is "Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth" so good?! Because it feels like it came out of '83 and reads like a Sword & Sorcery novel's setting book.  This blog picks right up from way back here. 

Why is  'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' still important & usable today in our OSR scene?! Haven set's the city of the same name & 'the Labyrinth' is one the most  infamous sections of the fantasy city. A section with 120 businesses that in one way or another are connected with the Thieves guild.And this underground world of crime translates into hard core underworld politic & danger if the player's PC's are not careful. 

Now let's take 'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' totally different direction & that is as a destination point for the campaign setting of the Hyperborea rpg. If Haven is a city that comes alive during the Spring months of Hyperborea. Then it would stand to reason that this region of crime, fencing, trade, vice, and worse would be geared perfectly for pirates & sea dogs as well as normal thieves.  
Remember we're dealing with Hyperborea here and since the Green Death there are literally miles & miles of ruins, forgotten tombs, dungeons, and the underworld.So it stands to reason that 'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' is also going to be cattering to tomb robbers, artifact sellers, and worse. Haven is one step away from being a completely black market city on the maps in Hyperborea. 

 'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' is also useful for Castles & Crusades as an alternative system for the Thieves PC class & as a clandestine system for the other classes that are interested in leading a life crime.  'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' is the perfect urban underworld campaign setting to get into the seadier aspects of Castles & Crusades. Haven is perfectly pitched as an Elizabethian era shady setting where the player's PC's can unload all that ill gotten gain. And perhaps blow off some stream among the sleazier & shader aspects of Haven. 

Haven can also offer the PC's oppertunities for adventure if they happen to climb into the ranks of a thieves guild. There are plenty parts for wizards, illusionists,warriors, even knights to play in a city of thieves. The guild can come at the party with plenty of jobs. And because  'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth'  is from 1983 it's a good bet that there's plenty to deal with in Haven. 

 'Haven 2 Secrets of the Labyrinth' By Janet Trautvetter, Kerry Lloyd, Kevin Hardwick, and Richard Meyer For The Thieves World Rpg Setting Is Available Right Over Here. 

Outlaw Nations & Thieves Armies in OSR games & Sword & Sorcery Old School Campaigns

  

“My characters are more like men than these real men are, see. They're rough and rude, they got hands and they got bellies. They hate and they lust; break the skin of civilization and you find the ape, roaring and red-handed.”
― Robert E. Howard"



Thieves & adventurers are always along the same civilized lines, the same class, & cut from the same cloth. Reading through Gamelords Thieves Guild is like reading through some Sword & Sorcery obsessed DM's campaign notes from Nineteen Eighty Four. The neat thing is that the adventures, missions, etc. are all centered around the idea of a criminal empire or underworld. 


My question becomes where could Thieves World be used today?! Answer, is with Swords & Wizardry or as a part of the upcoming release of the Astonishing Swordmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea rpg third edtion. The following is speculation on my part but over the last couple of days reading through some of my Nineties campaign notes. The idea of a Sword & Sorcery Thieves Guild focused campaign appeals on many levels.

 The idea of the Thieves Guild be a mechanism of stability has lots of appeal for a Sword & Sorcery world half frozen most of the year. There are some basics in Thieves Guild that seem bit more detailed then the average supplement especially when it comes to the following; "Basic Thieving Abilities • Thievish Combat Tactics • Disguises and Diversions • Tailing and Surveillance • Poisons and Venoms • Fencing Stolen Goods • Medieval Justice • Ransoming Prisoners • Underworld Organizations • And Much More!"Many scarcity of resources, food, shelter,etc in areas of Hyperborea means that in some areas that the outlaw life style maybe a way of life. That's right there may be enitre outlaw nations! These nations might be supplying mercenary armies to various parts of Hyperborea. This means that the royalty of Hyperborea has quite a few of these armies of thieves on the pay roll. This means its the perfect time to add in Haven The Free City as the capital of such a mercenary nation or set of nations. 

These outlaw nations are most likely in areas of stability on Hyperborea. These nations are areas of some of the most dangerous mercenaries & warrior forces. This is only a thumb nail sketch of ideas here & things to come!