Tancred (Judges Guild)

Tancred, in the context of Judges Guild publications for tabletop role-playing games, primarily refers to a specific geographical location, most notably a city and surrounding region, frequently appearing in their early adventures and campaign settings, particularly those designed for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). Tancred is not a character but rather a place.

The city of Tancred and its associated barony or region were recurring elements that provided a home base or point of origin for adventuring parties. Judges Guild utilized Tancred across multiple modules and world settings, creating a degree of interconnectedness and familiarity for players. While details could vary slightly depending on the specific module or supplement, generally Tancred presented as a medium-sized, established city with its own local governance, laws, and power dynamics.

The significance of Tancred lies in its frequent use as a central location where players could resupply, seek quests, interact with non-player characters (NPCs), and begin or end their adventures. It served as a cornerstone for many Judges Guild campaigns, offering a consistent and relatively detailed locale for Dungeon Masters (DMs) to build upon. The availability of a ready-made, albeit somewhat generic, urban center like Tancred allowed DMs to quickly incorporate a populated area into their games without requiring extensive world-building from scratch.

Judges Guild's Tancred is remembered as a prominent example of their pragmatic approach to providing useful and adaptable gaming materials for the early D&D community. It was a reoccurring, named location that aided in consistent campaign play and provided a memorable, if somewhat undefined, setting.