The Makers 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 52 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 of the aliens in the Sonora sector – the adventure is set in the Frontiers of Space – have legends relating to gods, known as The Makers, visiting their worlds in the distant past. An archaeologist believes that aliens colonised this part of the galaxy leaving their DNA behind. She wants to hire the characters to help her explore a ruin found on a planet just outside the sector.
Patron has details on the archaeologist.
Complications are things that can go wrong or which aren’t known.
Ruins on Geriam has a full-page map of the ruins followed by descriptions of the various locations.
Sub-sector Adjacent to the Sonora Sector has a map of the subsector the planet the ruins are on is in, followed by brief descriptions of the various systems.
Unknown Sub-sector (Beyond the Wormhole) has another subsector map for a subsector reached through a wormhole and again brief details on the various systems.
Following this are seven pages of illustrations to use as handouts.
Thraex Ruins has a full-page map of the ruins on one of the worlds, that was home to the Makers, followed by descriptions of the locations.
Mission Completion details when it is finished.
New Creatures has various creatures encountered during the adventure.
New Items has some new technological items.
The Makers 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. The only illustrations are the covers, maps and handouts. Presentation is adequate.
This is an exploratory adventure, though that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous, especially as it involves visiting another part of the galaxy through a wormhole that may not be as stable as wished, leaving the potential of stranding the characters. As well as the primary adventure locations, there are a fair few new systems described, albeit not in much detail, that could be used to expand the adventure; the first subsector doesn’t have many systems but the second has plenty. It may be possible to drop the adventure into another setting by placing the first set of ruins on an existing world, and moving the wormhole; the second subsector can be used as is. The Makers can be found by clicking here.
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