The Serpent River
The Serpent River is a 1996 fantasy role-playing game supplement published by FASA for Earthdawn. It provides a detailed guide to the Serpent River, a 2,000-mile waterway that winds through Barsaive. The river is more than a trade route; it drives commerce, politics, and intrigue, especially among the t’skrang trading houses. It’s designed as a campaign setting, not just a path between places.
The book is divided into four sections—South Reach, Coil River, Mid Reach, and North Reach—each with its own trading houses, communities, and notable figures. It offers legends, myths, and regional customs to help gamemasters create faction-driven stories and add local flavor. Political maneuvering, economic rivalries, and traditional adventures provide rich material for campaigns.
The later chapters focus on mechanics: statistics and descriptions for common river vessels, a streamlined naval combat system, more than 20 creatures (including exotic flora), and a catalog of magical treasures to find or buy along the river.
Andy Butcher reviewed The Serpent River for Arcane magazine, giving it 8 out of 10. He called it a solid, well-written sourcebook packed with information, ideas, and inspiration, easy to read and largely useful to referees. He noted it’s especially helpful for campaigns where a merchant vessel sails the river.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 14:20 (CET).