Review & OSR Review of 'These Stars Are Ours' Interstellar campaign by Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, & Josh Peters For The Cepheus Engine rpg system

 "These Stars Are Ours is a space-opera setting for the Cepheus Engine Core Rules and other 2D6 OGL SciFi games.  Set in 2260 AD - two years after the Terrans took Keid and forced the Reticulan Empire to capitulate the book it introduces the player characters to the immediate aftermath of the Terran victory in the Terran Liberation War against the mighty Reticulan Empire and its many thralls. For their part, the upstart Terrans, bolstered by their victory against their old masters, now move to become a power to be reckoned with in interstellar affairs. Against this background of espionage, maneuvering, and saber-rattling, and on the new interstellar frontiers, the player characters can forge a destiny of heroes or villains of the new United Terran Republic. The book provides all the astrography and background necessary to set a sci-fi campaign in the exciting times of the 23rd century.

It is two years after we won the War against our old Reticulan masters. We - the children of Mother Terra - are now free to forge our destiny and put our mark on the stars. These stars are ours! This is a time for bold men and women to step up and claim the universe. We need intrepid explorers to discover the riches of our far frontiers; enterprising merchants to open new trade routes with far-away alien stars; cunning spies and agents to protect us from any alien plot against our hard-won independence; and of course - daring soldiers and spacemen to protect our borders and push back those who would enslave us again.

We are not alone - brave Cicek warriors and even Reticulan and Ssesslessian defectors fought along our side against the Reticulan legions. Against this mighty alliance, stand our many enemies - both internal and external. Corrupt politicians and crime-lords plot to turn our glorious Republic into their own plaything at our expense. Ruthless pirates and raiders rob far-flung colonies, heedless of the opening they give to our greater enemy. In the shadows, House Thiragin - the Reticulan noble house which once ruled Terra with an iron fist - plots and plans for its ultimate revenge on us upstart “barbarians”. For all of this - children of the Earth – Mother Terra needs you!"

Between work & my gaming group its been a wild two days of writing, reviewing, & revamping These Stars Are Ours review for this blog. This is a great supplement & setting campaign material for the Cepheus Engine rpg system.  

This is a complete interstellar  campaign setting in every sense of the word, this thing is bloody huge with a history, background, setting material, empires, factions, planetary information etc.  These Stars Are Ours feels like a mix of Space Above & Beyond & 'The High Chaparral' with a wiley sense of the 'Brown Coats' from 'the Serenity' TV show. There are elements of the Expanse here but they are few & far between. This book has the classic Traveller three black rpg books feel to it & that's done on purpose by authors  Omer Golan-Joel, Richard Hazlewood, & Josh Peters

The  Reticulan Empire is a nasty piece of with expansive holdings & all kinds of dangerous bits & pieces lurking at the edges of the works The military of the humans have an extensive array of alien allies that are available for PC options. The book presents a huge pethora of PC options, ships, & even forces all presented with the history,deep background, & even powers behind the scenes. 

Is These Stars Are Ours  worth the price of admission?! Yes, its campaign setting  as deep as Greyhawk & The Wilderlands of High Fantasy. This is part of the background of the interstellar high wheeling space opera feel of These Stars Are Ours . 

The deeper part of the background dives into the reasons for the politics, placement, & even possible future warfare within the setting all at the fingertips of the DM. Its a nice little gem of a space opera setting from which we've just freed ourselves from the old Reticulan masters!

 

The Greys are actually available as a PC option with all kinds of options & they are completely viable as a table top possiblity. They are fully fleshed out, & there's a full range of government bodies, rebels, star ships,etc. all for these dangerous & utterly ruthless aliens of popculture. 

The star ship diagrams & plans  of 'These Stars Are Ours ' perfect for handouts for the players. I love 'These Stars Are Ours '& its gonna be one of the choices for a complete interstellar campaign settings that I'll be using at the table top level. If you get a chance definitely pick up 'These Stars Are Ours '! 

Grey alien By Yasir999 - Own work not in 'These Stars Are Ours' Interstellar campaign but this piece of artwork fits the dangerous authoriterian alien bastards!