Tradegate map-a-week

The write-up on the indeps in Complete Scoundrel is actually really good. I was afraid it'd be brief and generic, but it's neither. It's far more detailed than any of the factions in the Planar Handbook. The section contains most of the information in the Factol's Manifesto (not the in-character parts or the NPC write-ups, or anything on the Great Bazaar - okay, there's a lot in The Factol's Manifesto that isn't in Complete Scoundrel, but there's still an awful lot) and more, actually making them a more interesting faction than they were before, with more on the Free League perspective and personality than the Planescape books had. They do deemphasize the role of the plague that depopulated their numbers, mentioning it only offhand.

There's not much detail on Tradegate other than the map, but they don't shy away from the fact that they're a planar organization originally based in Sigil, now based in the gate-town of Tradegate in the Outlands (but they're still in Sigil too, minus their symbols). They describe the complete history of the faction, from before the Great Upheaval to after the Faction War. Bria Tomay is mentioned a few times (she's still mazed). They take the position that the Free League are now spreading throughout the Material Plane as well, so they can appear in non-planar campaigns. There are several plot hooks and so forth - I particularly liked the idea that the Indeps were running an "underground railroad" helping to get people out of despotic regimes into other planes of existence.

There's no prestige class. They're done as an affiliation. That's very appropriate, I think.

It's not the Complete Indep, of course, so I wouldn't buy the book for the Free League material alone.