Free Role Playing Game Supplement Review: GM’s Monthly Miscellany: September 2017

GM’s Monthly Miscellany: September 2017 is a free role playing game supplement published by Raging Swan Press for use with the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game. As such, it is covered by the Open Game License and some of it is considered to be Open Game Content as a result. This is one in a monthly series of supplements that consists of eleven regular issues and a twelfth, compilation, supplement that is also available as a print on demand softcover.

This is a thirteen page bookmarked PDF. Two pages are the publisher’s standard plain front and rear covers, one page is an ad for their Patreon campaign, one page an ad for their website, one page is the Contents and front matter, one page is the Foreword and one page is the Open Game License. The PDF comes in two versions, one optimised for screen and mobile and the other for desktop and print.

GM's Monthly Miscellany: September 20174 Reasons to Adventure Later in Life is an article from the publisher’s site and considers why, other than gaming the system for a stat boost, a character might choose to go adventuring in their middle to late years, rather than their youth.

Dawnmarsh At a Glance is taken from Village Backdrop: Dawnmarsh. Dawnmarsh is a village on the edge of a marsh whose primary inhabitants are unusually hospitable lizardfolk who act as intermediaries in trade between the lizardfolk of the marsh and the outside world. The village’s demographics, marketplace, lore, notable NPCs and locations are listed, as well as a d6 table of whispers & rumours and a map of the settlement.

Soulspur Inn At a Glance is from Places of Power: Soulspur Inn. This is an apparently pleasant inn, and inns are a staple of fantasy settings, that actually hides a dark secret. Listed are the inn’s demographics, marketplace, lore, notable NPCs and locations and whispers & rumours, as well as a layout of the inn’s floors.

1,000 Abnormal Kobolds is a set of three d10 tables, appearance, battle tactics and trinkets & treasure, that can be used to make encountered kobolds different from each other.

The PDF is decently bookmarked with the major sections linked. Navigation is as a result decent for a short supplement. The text maintains a two column format and no errors were noticed. Apart from the two maps, there are only a couple of pieces of black and white stock art as illustrations.

As always, this supplement is intended to promote Raging Swan’s products and, as always, it has use in and of itself. Both Dawnmarsh and Soulspur Inn can be used as is, although some stats on the primary NPC from the inn would need creating. Characters could easily get involved with this inn, perhaps as a regular stopping place until their suspicions are aroused. There are a few sources of conflict, and therefore adventure hooks, in the village as well.

The two articles are fairly interesting. The one on the kobolds is similar to others of its type; there aren’t really 1,000 possible kobolds, despite what the numbers say, as with only ten results on each table, the kobolds would become extremely repetitive – which is what the table is supposed to prevent. Still, it can be used to make a few more interesting.

GM’s Monthly Miscellany: September 2017 is another decent entry in this series and can be downloaded for free by clicking here.

 

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