A Review of the Role Playing Game Supplement Star Base

Star Base 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 36 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 star base is located in an asteroid belt on the edge of the Sonora sector – though not stated, the adventure is set in the Frontiers of Space. The base has two sections; a trading post and an agro dome. The characters are approached by a representative of the company that runs the base as one of their scientists was found murdered, and he wants the characters to investigate the matter.

Patron gives stats for the employer.

Complications are things that can go wrong, are not known or which are being withheld.

Key to Star Base X-17B details the locations in the base.

The Problem gives some details on how the murder was committed.

The Clues are the things that the characters can find out.

The Suspects are those with the most reason to kill the scientist; he was not popular.

The Plants gives some details on plants in the agro dome.

Random Base Personnel gives stats for base personnel.

Security Forces does the same for them.

Random Tavern Dwellers are visitors to the star base.

Random Base Visitors are more visitors to the star base.

Random Encounters has encounter tables for the different locations and for events.

Rumors Table is a list of rumours, both true and false, that the characters can hear.

Investigations are how the characters will go about solving the mystery.

Dealing with the Plants are how characters can deal with some plants in the agro dome.

Mission Completion Objectives is what’s needed to succeed.

The final page of content has a map of the base.

Star Base 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 the covers, there are no illustrations. Presentation is adequate.

The adventure suffers from a common problem in this series; far too many pages of NPC stats when a stat block or two and a list of names would have done for the majority of them. Apart from that, this is a different kind of adventure. It’s a locked room murder mystery with an unexpected killer that will not quickly come to mind. Th characters will need to investigate it properly, find the clues and work out how the murder happened. Star Base is an adventure with a bit of a twist and it can be found by clicking here.