Citybook III: Deadly Nightside

Like previous books in the Citybook series, this book details prototypical medieval urban businesses that can be used by referees to flesh out a fantasy role-playing adventure or campaign. This book deals with the seamier side of the city. As critic Steve Jones noted, "Book III concentrates on the dirty side of town, where even the muggers will not go without a bodyguard."^[1]

Eighteen businesses are described, such as a temple, a slave-trading market, a drug den, a brothel, a court of law, a club for gambling, and a school which trains fighters. Each includes detailed floor plans, notable personalities associated with it, and assorted story hooks that can draw characters into an adventure.^[2]

Citybook III: Deadly Nightside is a 96-page softcover book, part of Flying Buffalo's Catalyst series of universal role-playing game supplements that can be adapted to any role-playing game system. It was edited by Michael A. Stackpole, with contributions by Greg Gorden, Warren Spector, Allen Varney, Scott Haring, Jennell Jaquays,^[a] Jennifer Roberson, Dennis L. McKiernan, and Ed Andrews, and artwork by Liz Danforth.^[2]

Flying Buffalo had ceased most of its role-playing publications in 1985, but had continued to provide Task Force Games with materials to be distributed under license, including Citybook III: Deadly Nightside. As Shannon Applecline commented in the 2014 book Dungeons & Designers: The '70s, "The Catalyst line was given much more attention by Flying Buffalo, even when it was licensed out. Task Force Games reprinted several out-of-print books while Flying Buffalo prepared new releases for them including Grimtooth's Traps Fore (1986), Citybook III: Deadly Nightshade (1987), a new comic book-based Catalyst series called Lejentia Campaigns (1989), and Grimtooth's Traps Ate (1990)."^[3]: 129