Review & Commentary On The Pay What You Want ' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space' by Joseph Mohr For Cepheus Engine & 2d6 Science Fiction rpg's

 "This is a supplement for use with Cepheus Engine.

"The Frontiers of Space are filled with interesting, and sometimes dangerous personalities: Heroes, Villains, Discoverers, Inventors and many others inhabit these stars. Here is a list of a few of these personalities along with statistics for those who still live. There is a detailed biography of each individual."

" These individuals might well be met by travelers through the Sonora sector aboard passenger liners, in star ports or as patrons. News reports may cover the exploits of these individuals or they might be warning people to be on the lookout for the most dangerous ones."

There are 2 things that DM's can't have enough of one is monsters & the other is NPC's. And  ' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space' by Joseph Mohr is a great resource for NPC's of all kinds of descriptions for 2d6 related games especially Cepheus Engine, Hostile, and the Clement & Earth Sector rpg's. Why?! Because of the care & time the author has created within  ' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space' . 
Joseph Mohr does an excellent job of bringing these NPC's to life with background, history, etc. all at the DM's finger tips. Take for example his Nina Esposito: Enigmatic Enchantress;"
Nina Esposito: Enigmatic Enchantress Other A74587 Age 44 4 terms Skills: Brawling-1, Exotic Dancing-3, Prostitution-2 Armed with a well hidden body pistol. 

"Background: Nina's story begins on the captivating pleasure planet of Tronxa, a world renowned for its opulent entertainment and luxurious indulgences. Born into a lineage of performers and artists, Nina was destined for a life of captivating grace and alluring charm. Tronxa's vibrant and permissive culture shaped her into an exotic dancer whose performances transcended mere entertainment, leaving a lasting imprint on those fortunate enough to witness her art. Early Life and Training: From a young age, Nina was immersed in the world of dance and performance. Her parents, both esteemed dancers themselves, recognized her innate talent for movement and expression. Under their guidance, she received rigorous training in a variety of dance forms, from traditional to avant-garde. This diverse foundation allowed Nina to develop a unique style that seamlessly blended the elegance of classic dance with the captivating sensuality that Tronxa was known for. The Stage Debut: Nina's debut performance on one of Tronxa's most opulent stages marked the beginning of her meteoric rise. Her ethereal presence and the way she effortlessly commanded attention drew audiences from across the galaxy. With each dance, Nina wove stories of passion, mystery, and desire, leaving an indelible impression on those who witnessed her artistry. Beyond the Dance: Nina's allure extended far beyond her performances. She possessed a captivating aura that drew people to her like moths to a flame. She was known for her ability to make every individual feel seen and cherished, even in a crowd. As a result, she forged connections with patrons that went beyond the stage, creating a loyal following that adored both her art and her enigmatic personality. Mystique and Secrecy: Despite her public persona, Nina remained shrouded in an air of mystery. She seldom spoke about her personal life, leading to rumors and speculations about her origins and motivations. Some whispered that she possessed otherworldly abilities, allowing her to ensnare hearts with a mere glance or a fleeting touch. Her enigmatic aura only added to her allure, fueling the intrigue surrounding her. Rumors persist that she is not even human at all but some sort of alien shape shifter in disguise. "

"Cultural Icon: Over time, Nina became more than just a dancer; she became a cultural icon of Tronxa itself. Her image graced advertisements, holoscreens, and even fashion trends. Her influence extended beyond entertainment, inspiring artists, poets, and fashion designers to channel her elegance and sensuality into their own creations. Legacy and Continuation: As the years passed, Nina's performances evolved, incorporating technology, holography, and interactive elements that pushed the boundaries of what was possible on the stage. Despite her ever-changing routines, she retained the ability to evoke profound emotions with her movements, a testament to her timeless artistry." 
" Current Status: While Nina's ageless beauty remains, rumors persist that she is preparing for her final, grand performance—a farewell that will leave an indelible mark on Tronxa's cultural tapestry. Whether she disappears from the spotlight or chooses to embrace a new path, Nina's legacy as the enigmatic enchantress of Tronxa's pleasure realm will forever be etched into the annals of the galaxy's most alluring stories." 

Now with one NPC I can stick Nina straight into the backdrop of our Godstar/Clement sector rpg campaign without any problem & she becomes a pivotal NPC for the game campaign. The aging performer out on the frontier' is a well established tradition within Westerns and more so in 'Space Western fiction.  Nina could even be worked into our Hostile rpg game as well.  These characters become levers and pivots for the DM to move across the campaign setting without an issue. ' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space'  clocks in at forty four pages of solid NPC's with background, personality, stats, full adventure hooks, and more built in. Joseph Mohr's ' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space' . comes at a great time when within our campaign we're going to be needing more NPC's. 

' Personalities of the Frontiers of Space' . provides what it says on the can and more for almost any Cepheus Engine rpg campaign and it gives us a boat load of interesting NPC's. I could with a bit of work see using these NPC's in Stars Without Number or especially within Original Traveller quite easily. 

Review & Commentary The "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg " By Joe Coombs, & Miguel Ribeiro 'A pay What You Want Title' From The Red Room

" Wretched is an old-school role-playing game designed to play anti-hero characters in a cinematic setting. In Wretched Apocalypse, the genre is post-apocalyptic science fiction. This book can either be used as a standalone game or as a tool-set sourcebook for any Wretchedverse game, especially Wretched New Flesh, Wretchploitation and Wretched Space. You can just play it as a conventional post-apocalyptic sandbox or apply it to a space opera game universe."



"In the first case, the background could be Earth in the future; in the second case, there are plenty of options within colonised space. The setting included in this book issupposed to take place in post- apocalyptic Earth, but it can easily be adapted.War runs rife calling forth starvation, hunger, cannibalism, disease, scavenging and mutations. There are endless deserts populated with the remnants of humanity. Shanty towns are run by tyrannical regimes. Once, this world may have been overflowing with resources, but now it is a polluted hellhole. Nature is a resilient bitch, though, and somehow she finds a way to break through the decay, rot, and bleak landscapes of a world that would appear to be uninhabited. Could it be pockets of survivors banded together as they fight common enemies? "

"Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg " By Joe Coombs, & Miguel Ribeiro is a solid addition to the Wretchedverse. This is whole different take on the idea of the post apocalyptic universe sorta. The taps into all of the usual tropes of mankind's civilization cast into ruins. There's a ton of classes, the deadly sins post apocalytic version for PC's, a whole ran of PA equipment & weapons & more! All of this clocks in at one hundred & thirteen pages of post apocalytic goodness! This includes an actual set of post apocalytic car, and car chase rules, New Barbarians or 'Hell Comes To Frogtown' style campaign anyone?! 

Right and right here is where Wretched Bastards comes in really handy! Add your favorite pig faced orcs & trolls. Suddenly 'evil Thundarr The Barbarian' comes into sharp focus. 

The idea of mutants, orcs, etc in a Science Fantasy world isn't new. The idea of playing absolute 'opportunistic bastards' is. "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  taps deeply into that vein by bringing in the nasty side of the appocalpyse into view. There's no end Eighties Sci Fi post apocalyptic films that are available to the dungeon master especially of some of the Italian Mad Max rip off's. The "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  has all of the right rpg ingrediants to keep the players engaged & entertained at your table top. The variety of weapons, the availiability of solid PC classes, etc. and the cross copatability with other Wretchedverse games makes 
"Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  an easy option to expand at the table top. 

 



But is "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  any good?! That's a really good question & personally I think that the answer is yes. Here's why! There's everything that an enterprising DM needs for a weekend of fun & good times. The rules here are very well done. Even though "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  seems to have nothing for the experienced Wretchedverse DM there actually is. And that's the addition of a solid set of post apocalpytic rules to use with the rest of the Red Room's Wretched rpg's. Add the "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  to the 

Wretched Époque for a post apocalpytic age that turns into a time quake in Golden age 1900's Paris. 

The "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg "  PC's could play bastards throughout time & space able to move from one era of history to another in order to prevent their post apocalpytic wasteland of a world from ever coming into existence. And the posssibilities are pretty much limitless with what you can do with the "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg " . 

The "Wretched Apocalypse Quickstart rpg " By Joe Coombs, & Miguel Ribeiro 'A pay What You Want Title'  From The Red Room Is Available Here! 

OSR Commentary - Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings By Kai Pütz a.k.a. Gregorius21778 'A Pay What You Want' Title For Lamentations of the Flame Princess Rpg

 

"After I finished H.P. Lovecraft´s story “At the Mountains of Madness” the GM in me dreamed about an adventure that would be take place in some (other) subterranean ruins of the Elder Beings. Another city or outpost, perhaps smaller, or just the caverns that would lead to its entrance. An adventure about the strange creatures that could have developed there, based on some breeding stock the Elder Beings once kept. I thought about the Elder Beings attempting to slowly retake those places they left as they moved back into the oceans so long ago. I thought about a renewal of their conflict with the Mi-Go, one that is only at the beginning as Mi-Go recon parties try to locate and gauge the erstwhile settlements and strongholds of their rivals. And about what could happen when a party of (demi-)human adventurers would stumble upon all of this, on their search for riches or ancient wisdom."

"As I was not able to create a full-blown adventure out of my ideas, I rather created a set of 20 structured encounters. The difference to (completely) random encounters is that some of them are preliminary encounters that will trigger certain other encounters as a follow-up (or will be triggered instead of their follow-ups). In addition, a simple frame was given for the encounters and stats for six creatures and two strange items [all of whom are compatible with Lamentations of the Flame Princess(tm)]"

Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings By Kai Pütz a.k.a. Gregorius21778 'A Pay What You Want' Title clocks in a eleven pages for the Lamentations of the Flame Princess rpg. 

Is a pretty solid series of encounters with H.P. Lovecraft's Elder Things ala from the 'At The Mountains of Madness' novella. The Elder Things were one of the powerhouse races in the Mythos. And this series of encounters is very dangerous fitting within each other like pieces of a puzzle. Take for example #14; "14# A Lost Soul Somebody or something runs towards the characters in the dark. After a moment, a tall and lanky man comes into sight. He wears dirty but sturdy clothes, his eyes are bloodshot and he storms towards the nearest character (no matter what). Once in reach, he grabs him with his huge hands. If the characters do not slay him outright the maddened adventurer, whose name is Henry, will grab the character with shaky hands and hoarsely yell “we must flee! WE MUST FLEEEE!!” and try to drag the PC along. Henry is a Level 1 Fighter with 8 hit points, but unarmed and scared out of his wits. If he cannot convince the characters to flee with him (or drag one of them along) he will just run off into the darkness. He belonged to a small group of adventurers, not unlike that of the characters, who encountered a Rogue Shoggoth. He was the only one who was able to flee, and dropped everything he had with him while doing so. Everything he says is “all are dead!” and “we must flee!”. This will only change after 2d6 rounds or after he left this place. If the characters search him (after they restrained or killed him), they will find 2d6 sp, the empty scabbard of a saber, a length of rope slung around his torso, two metal keys and a small blade in his left boot. When the characters head into the direction Henry came from, use 15# A Carcass in the Darkness (The bodies of adventurers) as the over-next encounter." And it's the use of the laying of the encounters that makes Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings work very well in my opinion. Not to give too much of this pdf away. But where can it be used for LoFP & Other OSR titles?! 

First place that one can see using Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings is with a straight up Antarctica adventure using LoFP. But Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings could also be used with 

Geoffrey McKinney's Carcosa where the Elder Things are still active & alive. Carcosa remains one of the most dangerous areas for Elder Things because the serpent men's connection with them through Shubniggurath's continual rebirth of the species on the alien planet. Which means that they could be encountered anywhere there. 

Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings raises the stakes on these Lovecraftian horrors in three ways. One it brings a viable way to cross paths with them in LoFP. Two it brings the Elder Things works, alien agenda, and more into focus. And three it's very unlikely that PC's will be suriviving such an encounter not unlike other OSR games. For their are other Lovecraftian forces at work here. 

Gregorius21778: 20 Encounters in the Ruins of the Elder Beings By Kai Pütz a.k.a. Gregorius21778 'A Pay What You Want' Title For Lamentations of the Flame Princess Is Available Here