The Palladium RPG Book 2: Old Ones

Last updated

Old Ones is a book written by Kevin Siembieda and published by Palladium Books in 1984 for the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game. The book outlines the Old Ones (sometimes referred to in Palladium Books publications as the "Great Old Ones" or the "Unnameable Beings"), a fictional race of Alien Intelligences within the megaverse setting of the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game system. After the second edition of the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game was published in 1996, an updated edition of Old Ones was released in 1997. [1]

Contents

The Old Ones

Writer Kevin Siembieda named the Old Ones as an homage to the fictional Elder Gods of H. P. Lovecraft.

Lessers

Some other beings are referred to as being possible "lesser" (rather than "greater") Old Ones, including Vampire Intelligences (in Rifts World Book 1: Vampire Kingdoms and Nightbane World Book 4: Shadows of Light), Nxla (in Rifts World Book 12; Psyscape), and Slyth (in Old Ones 2nd Edition).

Contents

Old Ones is a campaign setting sourcebook that details the town and castles of the Timiro Kingdom with 56 accompanying maps. The book comes with nine scenarios in which the player characters must save the world from the demonic Old Ones, and includes the new monk and illusionist character classes. [2]

Publication history

Palladium RPG Book II: Old Ones was written by Kevin Siembieda and was published by Palladium Books in 1984 as a 210-page book. [2]

Reception

In the December 1997 edition of Dragon (Issue 242), Rick Swan called the second edition of Old Ones "a terrific sourcebook". He noted that "The level of detail is staggering; a typical city entry pinpoints more than 100 different locations (temples, granaries, tax offices) and provides dozens of adventure hooks. It’s a grim, vividly evoked world that feels alive; you can smell the sweat at the Gladiator School, taste the elderberry wine at Splash Tavern, feel a pickpocket's blade in your back at the Charm Emporium." He gave the book an above-average rating of 5 out of 6, with the comment "True, Old Ones owes a heavy debt to H. P. Lovecraft, but it’s still a dazzler." [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Heroes Unlimited</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Heroes Unlimited is a superhero role-playing game written by Kevin Siembieda and first published by Palladium Books in 1984. The game is based upon the Palladium Books Megaversal system and is compatible with other games that use the Palladium system.

<i>Rifts</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop role-playing game

Rifts is a multi-genre role-playing game created by Kevin Siembieda in August 1990 and published continuously by Palladium Books since then. Rifts takes place in a post-apocalyptic future, deriving elements from cyberpunk, science fiction, fantasy, horror, western, mythology and many other genres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palladium Books</span> Game publisher

Palladium Books is a publisher of role-playing games (RPGs) best known for its Rifts series (1990–present). Palladium was founded April 1981 in Detroit, Michigan, by current president and lead game designer Kevin Siembieda, and is now based in Westland, Michigan. The company enjoys the support of a small but dedicated fanbase who praise its various game series for their innovative settings and ease of adaptability to various personal preferences, play styles, and power levels.

Erick A. Wujcik was an American designer of both pen-and-paper and computer role-playing games, and co-founder of Palladium Books.

<i>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness</i> Role-playing game based on the comics

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness is a role-playing game based on the comic book created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. The core rulebook was first published by Palladium Books in September 1985 – before the Turtles franchise achieved mass popularity – and featured original comic strips and illustrations by Eastman and Laird. The rules and gameplay are based on Palladium's Megaversal system.

<i>Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game</i> Tabletop fantasy role-playing game

The Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game is a fantasy role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ninjas & Superspies</span> Tabletop role-playing game

Ninjas & Superspies is a modern-day espionage role-playing game published in 1988 by Palladium Books that delves into martial arts as a form of combat.

Bill Coffin is a writer of novels and role-playing games in the fantasy and science fiction genres. Perhaps best known for his work at Palladium Books from July 1998 through May 2002, he made significant contributions to several of Palladium's game series, most notably Palladium Fantasy, but also Heroes Unlimited and Rifts, and created his own game, Systems Failure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nightbane</span> Tabletop role-playing game and campaign setting

Nightbane is a dark fantasy role-playing game and setting created by C. J. Carella and published by Palladium Books.

<i>Beyond the Supernatural</i> Horror role-playing game

Beyond the Supernatural is a horror role-playing game published by Palladium Books. It has seen two editions released, both of which have introduced innovations to Palladium's standard mechanics. A versatile horror-themed game, it lends itself well to wildly different play styles and narrative tones, from schlock splatter-horror to intense psychological horror, with an entire spectrum of terror in between. Beyond the Supernatural is implicitly set in the modern day, wherein magic and psychic powers are real and monsters and demonic cults exist, but out of the public eye. This, however, is not set in stone, and most of the character classes are flexible enough to account for variant settings or time periods.

<i>Robotech</i> (role-playing game) Tabletop anime role-playing game

The Robotech Role-Playing Game is a licensed science fiction role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 1986 that is based on the Robotech and Robotech II: The Sentinels anime television series, which were, in turn, based on the Japanese mecha anime television series Macross. A second edition of the game, based on Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles, was released in 2008.

<i>The Mechanoid Invasion</i> 1981 science fiction role-playing game

The Mechanoid Invasion was the first role-playing game from Palladium Books, published in 1981. The science fiction setting places human settlers at odds with a deadly cybernetic invasion force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Siembieda</span> Author, illustrator, game designer

Kevin Siembieda is an American artist, writer, designer and publisher of role-playing games.

Kevin Long is an American graphic artist best known for his airbrush paintings and black-and-white illustrations in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. He was a principal artist at Palladium Books from 1986 until 1995 and served as one of the original contributors to the Rifts role-playing game (RPG) series.

Old One, Old Ones, Great Old One or Great Old Ones may refer to:

<i>Macross II: The Role-Playing Game</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Macross II: The Role-Playing Game is a role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 1993. Based on the Macross II mecha OVA and manga series, the game is structured around Palladium's Megaversal damage system.

<i>Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Role-Playing Game</i> Tabletop anime role-playing game

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles Role-Playing Game is a role-playing game published by Palladium Books in 2008.

<i>Palladium Fantasy RPG Book 3: Adventures on the High Seas</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Palladium Fantasy RPG Book 3: Adventures on the High Seas is a role-playing game supplement for Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game published by Palladium Books in 1987. An updated edition was published in 1996.

<i>Dragons & Gods</i> 1996 role-playing game

Dragons & Gods is a 1996 role-playing game supplement for Palladium Fantasy published by Palladium Books.

References

  1. "Palladium Fantasy RPG Book 2: Old Ones". RPGnet RPG Game Index.
  2. 1 2 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 200. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  3. Swan, Rick (December 1997). "Roleplaying Reviews". Dragon (242). TSR, Inc.: 108–110.

Review [1]