Red Tape 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 a 17 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 the world of Amura IV is a very bureaucratic world on the edge of the Sonora sector – the adventure is set in the Frontiers of Space – and travellers to it often get enmeshed in the tickets and fines and have difficulty leaving, making trading unprofitable, which is why small, independent traders are hired to take cargo there. The characters are offered a job taking cargo.
Patron has details on the employer.
Complications has the various things that are not known or which can go wrong.
The Cargo has details on it.
Amura IV has details on the planet.
The Amurans looks at the population.
Informers and Spies explains how the bureaucracy keeps tabs.
Bureaucratic Police briefly details these.
Red Tape explains that new regulations are constantly being created.
Typical Violations and Fees has a list of these.
Alternatives explains that as alternatives to paying fees and getting a ship impounded is to get a credit transfer or play a round of Zurok.
The Game explains how Zurok works.
The Rabbit details the robot opponent.
The Arena looks at this and the allowed weapons.
Constantly Changing Rules of the Game has a 2d6 table of changes that might take place during the game.
Other Hunting Teams has other players.
The Crowds at the Arena just briefly explains these.
Mission Completion Objectives explain this is to make the trade run and leave, though this may require a round of Zurok.
Red Tape 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 covers, there are no illustrations. Presentation is adequate.
This adventure’s aim is simple; the intention is to get the characters to take a job that will result in them racking up fines so that they play a game of Zurok. There are enough things stacked against them that this is very likely, unless they are willing to pay out more than the job pays. The players may end up not appreciating this. Red Tape can be found by clicking here.
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