A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Alternate Origins

Alternate Origins by Bruce R. Cordell is a role playing game supplement published by Monte Cook Games for use with Cypher System and The Strange. This is part of the Glimmers range of short supplements.

The supplement is available as a 13-page PDF from DriveThruRPG for $2.99 but was purchased at a reduced price as part of a special bundle. One page is the front cover and one page is ads.

The opening paragraphs explain that The Strange allows characters to change their focus and their type, but the third key element, descriptor, isn’t so easily changed. This supplement allows players to take on a stronger racial attribute by changing their normal descriptor to a racial one. There are recursion-based descriptors and racial options.

The different descriptors then follow. Each follows a standard format, beginning with some introductory text, which explains the recursions the descriptors hail from, followed by new characteristics, extra equipment and four links to the starting adventure.

Ardenyic hail from Ardeyn, the Land of Myth. Crowan come from Crow Hollow. Dwarves, elves and halflings come from the Sword Realms. Fearless come from recursions where Magic breeds terrible threats. Greys come from New York Grey. Metaphysicals come from Atom Nocturne. Mutants come from Cataclyst. Rebels come from Rebel Galaxy. Rukians come from Ruk. Vampires and werewolves don’t come from a specific recursion. Wandering come from Ohunkakan.

Alternate Origins in Review

The PDF is well bookmarked with major and minor sections linked. Navigation is good. The text maintains a two column with sidebar format and appeared to be free of errors. The sidebars in this are references to where more details on the various recursions, or other relevant material, can be found. There are a number of colour illustrations. Presentation is good.

This supplement does what it’s supposed to do; it adds more options for customising characters, which is useful. Each new descriptor is described in detail, though it will be necessary to look up the various recursions referenced in other supplements. This therefore doesn’t stand on its own, or just with the core book; it needs quite a lot of others to fully utilise it. Alternate Origins has some nice new character options and it can be found by clicking here.