Review & Commentary On The Clement Sector Core Setting Book By John Watts From Independence Games For The Cephius Engine Rpg & The Original Edition Traveller Rpg

" In 2210, scientists discovered a wormhole allowing travel to the opposite side of the Milky Way galaxy.  Once across, exploration teams discovered worlds far more suited to human habitation than those in star systems nearer to Earth.  Were they terraformed by some unknown race?  Are they just a coincidence in the vast diversity of the universe?

Over the ensuing years humans left Earth and began to colonize these worlds.  Nation-backed colonies.  Corporate colonies.  People who simply no longer felt compelled to remain on Earth.  The best and brightest.

In 2331, the unthinkable happened.  The wormhole collapsed leaving those in Clement Sector cut off from Earth.  Now these new worlds and new civilizations must stand on their own.

The year is 2342.  Adventure awaits!" 

So a friend gave me a pdf of The Clement Sector Core Setting Book and this is a high science fictional sector book for the The Cephius Engine Rpg or old school Traveller rpg campaigns. This setting book ties all of Independence Games other supplement books together into an interstellar  campaign. 

 The Clement Sector Core Setting Book  is a full set up book for a space opera campaign. This book is a God sent for the Cepheus rpg dungeon master & it works well because of the intersteller scene that the book presents. The introduction of the Zim drive which makes the whole cloth of the sector book not only accessible but well thought out. The star ship are awesome especially; " Clement Sector also details the Zimm Drive, the method of stellar travel in this setting, and showcases five commonly seen starships.  Deckplans, art, and statistics are provided for the Rucker-class merchant ship, Luxury-class yacht, Trailblazer-class scout, Atlas-class freighter, and Farragut-class destroyer.  

The second edition of our core setting book, this edition also contains information from our popular Player's Guide, Career Companion, and Career Tracks." The Clement Sector Core Setting Book  has all of the material from the older edition of the supplement The Clement Sector Core Setting Book. There's a lot of material in this supplement & a ton of it is thrown into the interstellar scene that  Independence Games' science fiction universe. 
This is a very tight campaign & well laid out. There is a lot happening within the Independence Games' science fiction universe and the interstellar scene is a very busy place. Busy enough to get the PC's into a ton of trouble & then some.  But this is a very easy setting to insert game adventures into so that the interstellar stage works as a whole cloth gaming universe. 
If it was me that was using Clement Sector Core Setting Book then I grab a copy of Cepheus: Faster Than Light! to get the PC's in on the adventure hooks that are present within the sector books to get things rolling right away. 

 The Clement Sector Core Setting Book  is an excellent starting point to the Independence Games' science fiction universe. And it takes the PC's deep into the interstellar scene with lots of dangerous & lethal wars to gets into. The alien races are well thought out & with lots of potential for trade, economy,  adventures, & the tie in with the star ship technologies. There's a real hands on feel to The Clement Sector Core Setting Book. 

The Clement Sector Core Setting Book  is a perfect slide in for the original Traveller rpg box set. The mysteries presented in the sector book fit right into the Traveller setting universe without upsetting the whole cloth campaign works at all. 

The Clement Sector Core Setting Book  is a great addition to the Cepheus Engine rpg scene & I'm so glad that I've gotten it as a Christmas present from my friend Chris. Thanks pal much appreciated. 

Review & Commentary On The TSAO: Signal 99 Adventure By Richard Hazlewood From Stellagama Publishing For The Cepheus Engine RPG & The Classic Traveller Rpg

" In this adventure, the characters are crew members or passengers on a starship. As they emerge from jump in the remote system of Parvati and begin moving towards the mainworld, they pick up a distress signal, a Reticulan (grey alien!) “Signal 99”, from a nearby ship. The ship is in danger and in need of rescue.

As the characters race to save the dying ship, they discover the true nature of the Reticulan vessel. However, there are other parties interested in the fate of the stricken vessel, and not necessarily interested in helping…

The damaged ship is a dreaded Reticulan Abductor. The hated Reticulan Empire used these large vessels to capture subjects for their nefarious experiments. As the characters explore the ship, they will discover that there are many human subjects aboard the ship in low berths – what the Reticulans planned to do with them is the subject of horror stories. This should be especially disturbing to the characters, as the Reticulan Empire recently signed a treaty with the human United Terran Republic that specifically outlaws abduction and experimentation on humans. There are a number of Reticulan survivors as well. Also aboard the Abductor are a group of insect-like Zhuzzh, known throughout the galaxy as hard-nosed scavengers and pirates. The characters will discover the Zhuzzh as they are removing the frozen humans from the Abductor and transferring them aboard their ship. Their ultimate purpose is unknown, but the Zhuzzh do not want to share their “salvage” with others.

The characters will have to make some tough decisions. Will they try to save the surviving Reticulans, including children, or let them die and save just the humans? Will they go after the Zhuzzh vessel when the salvagers flee or stay and save more survivors from the ship? There are no ideal answers to these dilemmas. Driving this tension and action is the impending explosion of the Abductor’s damaged power plant. No matter what they do, the characters will not be able to save everyone – they will have to save as many as they can and then flee for their lives."


Claustrophobic, tight, dangerous, & very horrifying are not things that reviewers tpyically write about when their reviewing an adventure.But that's exactly the sort of adjectives that one can use for TSAO: Signal 99 by Richard Hazlewood.  TSAO: Signal 99 seems like a pretty straight forward adventure believe me its not & its a pain in the arse. I mean this in the best possible sense of the word for a table top rpg adventure.  TSAO: Signal 99 for the Celpheus Engine rpg is going to test the players to their absolute limits if played right. This is not an adventure for the unwary or the easily frustrated. The adventure itself isn't difficult but its adventure elements are! 
Take your average Sixties or Seventies action film with tight locations, add in elements of a savagely hated empire, mix in a whole lot of suspense and you've got  TSAO: Signal 99 

via GIPHY

So why is  TSAO: Signal 99 so nasty & dangerous?! Because  TSAO: Signal 99 is about choices & having PC's live with the consquences. The  insect-like Zhuzzh who are notorious pirates, scavengers, & smugglers are right in the thick of things inside what turns out to be a a badly damaged Reticulan Abductor. And that's only a quarter of what's happening. There's a ton of lever pulling, & button smashing in this adventure & its easy to see when & where PC's are gonna die. There is a ton of water under the bridge between the humans & the Reticulan Empire. If you want a really nice primer for your games of the TSAO universe with a nice slice of its history then I suggest the TSAO: A Primer to These Stars Are Ours!. Its free & it contains everything needed to started down the deep rabbit hole that is the TSAO setting. 
But for anyone wanting to run or DM  TSAO: Signal 99 don't skim go for the whole  burrito  with the These Stars Are Ours sourcebook. There's a lot going on in TSAO: Signal 99. The best way of handling  TSAO: Signal 99  is to be prepared for many of the eventualities that could arise from things going sideways in this adventure. 

 TSAO: Signal 99 is a good adventure & infact excellent but its not one for the inexperienced DM at all. This is a solid adventure in fact for the original Traveller rpg. Why?! It actually not only touches on many of the themes of the original Traveller rpg but it does so with style. But  TSAO: Signal 99 takes its adventure 'P''s & 'Q''s from both war films & action flicks with a lot of gerne promises form these sources. In other words  TSAO: Signal 99 is a module for experienced Traveller or Cephues Engine rpg players only. Both in its run & what it does. What it does is take the full measure of the players & then  shoves them through the adventure gaunlet. There's lots of problem solving, old war issues, & more that need the expert touch. Can I see running this with a merc outfit or a group of military veterans who are on vacation?! Absolutely! 
Would   TSAO: Signal 99 make a good campaign rider adventure?! Abosolutely!  TSAO: Signal 99 make a good beginning adventure? Possibly for the sort of Traveller rpg or Celpheus rpg players who have ton of experience under their belt! Would I run  TSAO: Signal 99? And buy it?! Absolutely! Solidly written very well done, and a top brass spit & polish add on to the Celpheus Engine Rpg..  TSAO: Signal 99 is a great adventure that I've had the pleasure of reviewing! 

Review & Commentary On The Liberty Ship Supplement By Omer Golan-Joel and Richard Hazlewood From Stellagama Publishing For The Cepheus Engine RPG & The Classic Traveller Rpg

" Necessity is the mother of invention, and war brings about many necessities. In the 2230's, Humanity fought a war for its liberty and survival against the mighty Reticulan Empire. Faced with a numerically superior, technologically advanced foe, Terran forces required highly efficient logistics to fuel their war effort and turn back the tide. Such logistics necessitated simple, cheap, efficient freighters and troop ships to carry war materials and troops between the stars. Hence, the L’Ouverture-Class Liberty Ship was born – an economic wartime freighter. It lacks any frills or bells and whistles. It comes to work, to carry freight and troops. That's it.

Once the War ended, the Terran Merchant Marine sold many of these ships – no longer required for military logistics due to widespread demobilization – on the civilian markets. Many serve as independent or corporate merchants. However, a few star-pirate gangs acquired such ships for cheap and modified them to serve as their bases of operation.

This booklet details five variants of the Liberty Ship – a 1,000-ton freighter intended for use with the Cepheus Engine rules and other Sci-Fi 2D6 SRD-compatible rules."

There are days when fulfilling the social contract weighs heavy on my mind, the idea of the unspoken agreement between a publisher & a reviewer. Well there are times when putting a game down such as Celpheus Engine allows me push it to the back of the lizard brain. And this is where the Celpheus Engine rpg's These Stars Are Ours campaign setting is for me. The setting is at the back of my lizard brain, why?! Because its something that I've played in a million times especially back in the days of the 90's original Traveller rpg & the star ships like the  TSAO Liberty Ship were our home in the deep darkest cold of space. 
Back when television shows like Space Above & Beyond were on we were playing game campaigns set in some very edge of space backwater where our PC's were party of the military of some small speck in the vastness of the Traveller universe. And products like the  TSAO Liberty Ship were what kept us coming back to the table again & again. But there in lays the problem there were no products like the  TSAO Liberty Ship. 
There weren't any products like this one, this book goes out on a limb to provide an in universe cut of the pirates, scum, and the militaries that hunt them. 
This is a universe that has recently within its history escaped the grasp of the Reticulans. The wounds of that history are still fresh under the scabs of those who serve aboard the Liberty & ships like her. 

If you want a really nice primer for your games of the TSAO universe with a nice slice of its history then I suggest the TSAO: A Primer to These Stars Are Ours!. Its free & it contains everything needed to started down the deep rabbit hole that is the TSAO setting. 

The  TSAO Liberty Ship contains everything that you need to run a complete fleet action style campaign using the infamous Celpheus Engine rpg & the stellar ship. I say infamous because it has it all of the death of PC's that the original Traveller rpg had. We get not one but three variations of the TSAO Liberty Ship. And what is it about the Liberty that I love?! The damn ship looks like a  ‘U.S.S. Saratoga’, from the TV show Space Above & Beyond as well as something that might have dropped outta of the clasic Aliens film. Remember when Traveller seemed totally aligned with the movie Aliens?! This is a retired warship & as such you'll have to buy one from the second hand governmental local bodies, or perhaps even find one floating in space. You get not one but three variants of the class plus access to high definition plans for the TSAO Liberty Ship. 

 I'm in love with these ship class & there are several reasons for this! One these ships are perfect overlaps for the SPACE PATROL from the TSAO universe & as perfect pirate bases capable of moving along the edges of the universe to pray on unsuspecting caravans or fleets of trade ships. 
There's something utterly satisfying about contemplating the kinds of mayhem & weirdness that one can put the TSAO Liberty Ship supplement. And this dear readers is one of the hallmarks of a great supplement. 

Could the TSAO Liberty Ship supplement be used with Cepheus Light rpg system?! In heart beat answer? Yes! That makes the ulility of the the TSAO Liberty Ship supplement worth the four dollar price tag! 

The TSAO Liberty Ship book & materials have all of the hallmarks of a classic! Easily readable, solid production values, nice cartography, good writing, & the damn supplement is incredibly useful! Five outta of five stars! 

Review & Commentary On The Free Abbernoth campaign setting By Ian R Craig For Castles & Crusades

"The driving concept in the creation of The Abbernoth Campaign Setting has been what I have come to refer to as understated fantasy, the idea that magick isn’t overt or common and that heroes and villains are believable characters who are exceptional not necessarily for their preternatural strength or abilities, but rather for their actions and their deeds. My goal has been to present a high fantasy setting in a recognizable and relatable way in a world that is wholly believable and internally consistent. I sincerely hope that this humble work is well received and that the Westerlands will be enjoyed by you, dear reader, as much as it is for this humble author. So welcome to Abbernoth and may the sun shine down upon you as you travel its roads, and my the shadows be forever kept at bay…"


I'm  used to Rifts & Gamma World style game campaigns but Abbernoth Campaign Setting is a whole cloth different ball game. The Abbernoth Campaign Setting is a seriously good high fantasy campaign setting for forth edition Castles & Crusades that now includes Updated campaign setting document, new Gazetteer for the land of Calderland and a new large map of the Westerlands.
Believe me when I say that the Abbernoth Campaign Setting has what I'm looking for in spades; a completely workable & solidly customizable setting, a cast of great NPC's, solid drumming of the setting adventure hooks & places, good pacing for easy reading, & a very approachable setting for adventures.
Take a look for example the Half Troll race ;
"Half Trolls: 

  Half trolls are perhaps the most pitiable race in all of Abbernoth. They are creatures descended from both humans and trolls, most often a forced union imposed upon a human slave, though others are born from rape. In either case these poor offspring are forced to live on the edge of society, little cared for by humans, trolls, or anyone else. In the Westerlands half trolls find themselves afforded varying degrees of acceptance, from cautious suspicion by the folk of the Abberlands, to persecution and outright hatred by the folk of Calderland. Those half trolls who are raised in Xax-Gro-Mar, the ancestral lands of the trolls, find their lives aren’t much easier; to trolls these half breed offspring are not as strong, skilled, or courageous as a full blooded troll and find themselves constantly needing to prove their worth to their warlord and clans in order to survive. In either case half trolls tend to be a dispirited and bitter lot, who keep to themselves and are often prone to violent and intense mood swings. Half trolls typically keep few friends or allies and live in constant fear and suspicion of those around them. The social stigma encountered throughout their lives coupled with the might and bellicosity of trolls and the competitiveness of humans make half trolls audacious and relentless combatants.  Physically half trolls are massive creatures by human standards standing between 6 ½ and 7 ½ feet tall with the strength and resilience granted to them by the troll blood in their veins.  Regardless their size and impressive physique half trolls combine the worst physical traits of both men and trolls, often having thick necks and large hooking noses, rough cracking flesh, massive jawlines, and deep, receded brows. Their bodies are more often than not covered in thick wiry fur and most male half trolls tend to wear gruff, gnarly beards to better hide their wholly unpleasant features.  Half troll flesh varies a great deal, with some having skin that closely resembles their human parent; albeit dry and leathery to the touch. Others will have the mottled complexion typical to full blood trolls. Like their flesh tone, half troll eyes run the gamut from the natural colours common to men all the way to the sanguine, wine coloured eyes that trolls possess. Half trolls who are closer to their human lineage typically do not possess true claws though their nails are exceptionally thick and grow swiftly, nor do they grow horns typical to full blood trolls. Half trolls whose blood runs in line with their troll lineage do however grow claws sufficient enough to use as weapons as well as minor horns, though nothing like those grown by their full blooded kin.  All half trolls possess, to some degree, a preternatural regeneration rate and are able to suffer gruesome wounds that would kill a lesser creature or in some cases even regrow lost limbs.  

Racial Traits and Abilities:  The mixed lineage of half trolls affects the specific traits that a half troll inherits; Players choose to have either their human or troll ancestry to be dominant. Racial abilities and modifiers are based on the chosen lineage. 

All half trolls possess the following two abilities: 

Darkvision: In a similar manner to dwarves, half trolls can see in complete darkness up to 60 feet. Darkvision produces images that are in shades of grey, but it is otherwise like normal sight. Half trolls can function well with no light at all. Bright lights, such as from a lantern or other light source, spoil darkvision. A half troll requires one turn to adjust his or her eyes when a light source is extinguished before gaining for use of darkvision.  Enhanced Sense of Smell: This ability allows half trolls to detect the presence, but not specific location, of creatures within 30 feet or within 60 feet if the creature is upwind. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice those ranges. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk, can be detected at three times these ranges. If a half troll becomes familiar with an individual, he can learn the individual’s scent and recognize it. It should further be noted that false, powerful odours can easily mask other scents and completely spoil this ability.  
 Half trolls of human lineage possess these abilities: 

Attribute Modification: +1 Constitution, +1 Strength, -2 Charisma Racial Stigma: Due to the natural distrust half trolls are afforded by other races they gain a -2 charisma modifier when dealing with other races which is increased to a -4 when dealing with humans. Regeneration: Half Trolls of human lineage possess a preternatural vitality which allows them to heal at a significantly increased rate. Half trolls regenerate at a rate of 1/2 hit point per turn, and will eventually regenerate lost limbs and organs. Half trolls must still make a constitution save if poisoned, as the poison will simply keep killing the half troll over and over again until the toxin is removed. This ability is continuously active. Subdual (non-lethal) damage heals at a rate of 1 point of damage every round. Acid, fire, or similar damage cannot be regenerated.  

Half trolls of troll lineage possess these abilities: 

Attribute Modification: +2 Constitution, +2 Strength, -4 Charisma  Claws: Half trolls of troll lineage are able to grow thick, sharp claws which may be used as a weapon in melee. A half troll’s claws deal 1d4 damage and the half troll and is considered proficient in their use and does not suffer the usual penalties for fighting with an offhand weapon. These advantages only apply if a half troll is fighting without a weapon in either hand, if a half troll wishes to use one of his claws while fighting with a single handed weapon the normal offhand penalties apply.  Racial Intolerance: Due to the intolerance and prejudice half trolls are afforded by other races they gain a -4 charisma modifier when dealing with members of other races which is reduced to a -2 charisma modifier when dealing with full blooded trolls.  Regeneration: Half Trolls of troll lineage possess a preternatural vitality which allows them to heal at a significantly increased rate even compared to half trolls of human lineage. Half trolls regenerate at a rate of 1 hit point per turn, and will eventually regenerate lost limbs and organs. Half trolls must still make a constitution save if poisoned, as the poison will simply keep killing the half troll over and over again until the toxin is removed. This ability is continuously active. Subdual (non-lethal) damage heals at a rate of 1 point of damage every round. Acid, fire, or similar damage cannot be regenerated.  Languages: Trader’s tongue, Troll Tongue, and any one of the following; Anglish, Nua Abber, Low Gothic, Slavlimba, or Chysgoda Balog  Size: Medium Movement: 30 feet Typical Classes: Fighter, Ranger, Rogue, Assassin, Cleric, Fighter/Assassin  Ranger Modifiers: +2 Track "

All of this style of high fantasy material is geared around the Westerlands. The solid flow the campaign world writing makes the Abbernoth Campaign Setting a snap to use. The material here is highly put together with some solid campaign add ons & additions. The new map I really like & it makes adding the Abbernoth Campaign Setting to an existing campaign a breeze.




The updated material really sings & cries out for a DM to take it too the next level of play. With  the Abbernoth Campaign Setting & the C&C Player's Guide at the Troll Lord Games stores  free then you are literally ready to go play! 
  I feel that the Abbernoth Campaign Setting is wort your time & efforts to down load & play. Its got everything that a DM needs to bring their own adventures to life in the Westerlands & the land of Calderlands!