OSR Review & Commentary on The Rifter® #21 From Palladium Books For All Palladium Rpg Games

 "The Rifter is a vehicle to numerous Palladium role-playing worlds. It is a tool for Game Masters and players alike. A place to showcase new talent and exchange ideas for the entire Palladium Megaverse. Every issue, unique and informative." 

Rifter Issue number 21 is packed with news and coming attractions as well as exicting material for Palladium Fantasy, Heroes Unlimited and Rifts.

• A giant, 40 page adventure fot eh Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, 2nd Ed., plus Hook, Line & Sinker adventures.
• Heroes Unlimited Motherframe: Apowerful type of psionic augmentarion and the agents who use it.
• P.P.E. Channeling for all Palladium game settings.
• Rifts: Strange and unusual familiars found on Rifts Earth.
• Rifts: The form and function of Techn-Wizardry.
• Rifts: Hammer of the Forge (fiction) - cliffhanger ending.
• News, what's coming from Palladium, and more." 

The Rifter issue #21 is one of those tricky little sourcebook/housezines from Palladium Games  and because its the Rifter its definitely Palladium games rpg line of books. This includes the inhouse fiction Hammer of the Forge cliff hanger. But is the Rifter still even relevant at this point?! Rifter Issue number 21 starts with 'From the Desk of Kevin Siembieda' & as an editiorial it really gives the perspective of Palladlum Games in 2003. Including why Palladium didn't dive into the D20 glut of that year. 

Kevin Siembieda has mangaded to dodge, pick himself as well as his company off the ground a multiplicity of times. Let the chips fall where they may on that issue. The article on 'P.P.E. Channeling' by Apollo Okamura Jason Richards n all of the Palladium rpg systems is interesting & has its place within campaigns. P.P.E. is a quick & solid article.  The Motherframe by Joseph Larsen  Brendan Smith  is whole cloth other matter for the Info. Junkie R.C.C. and its about psionice aumentation technologies through A.I. and its heady stuff for Heroes Unlimited and other Palladium Rpg's. Familiars of Rifts Earth by C. N. Constantin &  Apollo Okamura is a solid addition for the Rifts magic users & for Chaos Earth rpg mages. The detail here adds depth to PC familars. But the price for such a familiar is pretty high.

Techno Wizardry Form & Function By   Brian Manning &  Shawn Therrien is another essential article for Rifts especially Rifts Wild West or any of the West of the Mississippi Rifts America campaign setting information.

Hammer of the Forge is inhouse Rift's Phaseworld fiction by  James Cannon  & Apollo Okamura, honest to God I have no idea if this is cannon at this point. But it was a fun read through.  The real star of the Rifter issue #21 has got to be "The Long Forgotten Quest" By Kent Burles & Andrew Rusling 'The Long Forgotten Quest' is an amazing adventure a tour & adventuring tear across the Paladium Fantasy continent. If I was running an old school Palladium Fantasy rpg campaign this is the adventure I'd deal with. There are several factors here that allow the tricks, traps, etc. to be very deadly so pay attention to those before running the 'The Long Forgotten Quest'.  And finally we get a glimpse into the Palladium Fantasy series. Rifter issue #21 came out in '03 and its a solid alternative to other fantasy & Sci fi rpg zines of the time. Because the industry was changing very rapidly and those changes are reflected here. D20 was on its way out & yet Palladium Games kept their own identity through it all.  The Rifter® #21 From Palladium Books For All Palladium Rpg Games Is Available Here