A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Gate

Gate by Joseph Mohr is a role playing game supplement published by Old School Role Playing for use with Cepheus Engine. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some parts are considered to be Open Game Content as a result.

The supplement is available as an 18 page Pay What You Want PDF from DriveThruRPG. Two pages are the front and rear covers, three the front matter and three the Open Game License.

The opening paragraphs explain that many alien artefacts have been discovered over the years in the Sonora sector – though not stated, the adventure is set in the Frontiers of Space – but rarely in space. Recently, a loop, large enough for a fairly substantial starship to fit through, has been discovered orbiting a gas giant. The characters are employed by a scientist who believes the structure is a stargate to investigate it.

Patron has some details on the scientist.

Complications are things that could go wrong or which aren’t known.

The Xexagailia System has some details on the system where the loop was found.

Olivia Pérez Theory explains that she thinks that the planet of Xexagailia, which is uninhabitable by humans, and the loop are linked.

The Hougons provides some details on the aliens who built the loop.

Xexagailia/Alien Structure has details on a structure on the planet.

The Star Gate has some details on the gate itself.

The Hougon Home System has details on the system at the other end of the gate.

Other Interested Parties has details on polities in the region who are interested in the gate.

The Sonoran Action League are terrorists who destroy alien items.

Stranded is what happens should the characters go through the gate without the item from the planet that has the coordinates for getting home.

Mission Completion Objectives are what’s needed to successfully complete the mission.

The final page of content is a map of the alien structure.

Gate in Review

The PDF lacks bookmarks and is long enough with enough different sections that these would have been useful. Navigation could be better. The text maintains a single column format and some minor errors were noticed. Bar the map and covers, there are no illustrations. Presentation is adequate.

This adventure has the possibility of marooning the characters in a distant section of space, one the GM may not have prepared anything for. So, going in, the GM should be prepared with a new section of space, make it so that the characters don’t travel to a distant region or have an easily used means of getting the details needed to get back. This is a potentiality that needs addressing before the adventure is run. Gate is an adventure with potentially campaign-changing consequences and it can be found by clicking here.