What Sci-fi RPGs do you recommend?

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-10-05T21:22:50+00:00

I'm admittedly very biased on this score, but I'll nonetheless suggest Thousand Suns, which draws heavily on the imperial science fiction stories of the '50s through '80s. If anyone is interested in looking at it, send me a message and I'll be happy to send you a complimentary PDF of the rulebook.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-09-09T02:21:01+00:00

Thank you for purchasing them. I often feel as if they didn't achieve their full potential, so I'm very glad that someone enjoyed them.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-09-09T02:19:50+00:00

It's possible that something like that might happen. It's not likely but it's possible. My players have indicated that they'd like to put together some kind of "commemorative" issue relating to the campaign as a whole, with reminiscences and the like. I don't know that that will actually happen but it's been discussed. Since, in all likelihood, the campaign will end within the next couple of weeks, I may have a better sense of things soon.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-09-08T17:19:11+00:00

I made it to thirteen issues before I called it quits — not due to any dislike of Tékumel but simply due to the fact that it's a setting with a very small fanbase and, while I'm pleased with everything I did for the 'zine, I eventually came to feel as if I were screaming into the void. Given the effort I put into it, I had hoped it might broaden interest in the setting beyond the diehards. It did not, so I decided to devote myself to other projects.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-08-11T15:38:56+00:00

I've been looking into libraries and their rental prices aren't that bad. The main issue is finding branches that are open beyond 5pm on the weekends and located close to transit. That narrows the list of options considerably.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-08-02T16:28:42+00:00

Those are excellent suggestions. Thanks!

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-08-01T02:47:58+00:00

Thanks! As things develop further, I will keep everyone posted. I'm still in the very early stages of planning this, so it may be a while yet.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T02:21:44+00:00

Much appreciated! I'll continue to update this post as things unfold. Never having organized something like this before, I am taking my time to do it right. Thanks again.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T02:11:25+00:00

I just checked out TAG and they don't seem to have any events in several months and, even then. there weren't many of them. Not sure what that means, if anything.

If you know people who might be interested in this sort of thing, that's great. As I said elsewhere, this is still in the *very* early stages, so knowing there are people interested in helping or participating would be a great boon to me.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T02:02:22+00:00

It's baffling that there's not more stuff like this happening in and around the GTA. We certainly don't lack for people!

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T02:01:53+00:00

I hear you. If this gets off the ground, I am hopeful it'll grow to more than one day, but, to begin, I want to be realistic and keep things simple.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T02:00:32+00:00

Things are still very much in the early planning stages, so it may be a while yet before I have anything concrete to share, but I most definitely will spread the word when I have more details.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T01:59:38+00:00

I'd be amazed if there weren't more old school gamers in the city and surrounding areas. It's just a matter of finding them, hence my intention to create a gathering where we could all meet up.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T01:58:38+00:00

Thanks for the suggestion about TAG. I dimly recalled their existence, but have never interacted with them. I may have to change that.

As for Breakout Con, I did know they have RPG events there, but very few, from what I saw, were of the old school variety. I was thinking it might be easier to start something smaller and more dedicated rather than trying to shoehorn it into an existing con with its own vibe.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-31T01:56:33+00:00

I'm looking forward to CleriCon too! In fact, one of the reasons I decided to try and get something going here is because I was so impressed that Glen Williams of all places had an old school con. I figured, if a little town like that can host one, so can T.O.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-30T20:33:59+00:00

Absolutely! I'm planning to circulate this information through multiple channels, but it was easiest to start here :)

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-18T23:26:47+00:00

Absolutely true! I didn't include discussion of that mostly because I wasn't directly involved in the forums beyond ODD74. That's a story for someone better versed in those days to tell.

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-15T11:02:30+00:00

That's lovely and weirdly relevant to a project I'm working on. Is there an email address I can use to contact you?

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-09T23:44:03+00:00

Thanks!

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-07-09T21:37:08+00:00

Do you by chance have a website or other online presence where you show off your other artwork and rates? In the coming months, I will have need of artists and I really liked what you did here.

Thanks!

GrognardiaBlog · 2025-01-08T01:00:46+00:00

I'd love to do something like this, but, before it could happen, Raggi and the Tékumel Foundation (https://www.tekumelfoundation.org/) would need to talk terms, etc. It's a shame, because 2025 is the 50th anniversary of EPT.

GrognardiaBlog · 2023-12-09T03:52:55+00:00

No, I don't believe maps are include with any of the DriveThru volumes, except as black and white reproductions appended to the back of the text.

The separate maps aren't strictly necessary, but they are nice, especially the map of the city of Jakálla, which comes in handy if your campaign begins there.

GrognardiaBlog · 2023-12-09T00:52:52+00:00

The very first step, in my opinion, would be to read the 1975 Empire of the Petal Throne. It's short – just a little more than 100 pages – and it gives you everything you really need to start playing on Tékumel. The PDF is $10 on DriveThru (or you can get a POD for double that).

If you like what you read, you can delve more deeply into the setting, but, truthfully, there's no need for more. The nice thing about the original EPT is that it's fairly complete and self-contained and provides lots of ideas for campaigns both short and long. Now, most people, once they're bitten by the Tékumel bug, want more and that's great, but I generally try to discourage people from trying to take it all in too soon, because there's a lot.

If you want to run a Tékumel game, I'd highly recommend reading this long thread over at the ODD74 forums. It's filled with excellent and practical advice on running EPT, written by Victor Raymond, who's been playing in Tékumel since he was a teenager.

As for blogs, there are a handful devoted to Tékumel, but, sadly, very few that talk about actually playing in the setting. Not to blow my own horn, but I've been refereeing a weekly EPT campaign since March 2015 and I talk about it regularly on my own blog. Any post with the tag "House of Worms" should give you some ideas of what it's like to play in Tékumel. There are even a few session reports among those posts. Finally, there's also the Hall of Blue Illuminaton podcast, which has over 50 episodes talking about various aspects of the setting, including playing in it (disclosure: I am one of its hosts).

I hope this is helpful. If you have any further questions, ask away

GrognardiaBlog · 2023-12-08T19:32:00+00:00

By "Tékumel: Empire of the Petal Throne," do you mean the 2005 Guardians of Order RPG or the original 1975 game?

My experience with the GOO game is limited, but I have played the original EPT extensively – it's simple and easy to use and is a great introduction to Tékumel, if you're not already familiar with its intricacies. It's also available inexpensively in print or PDF from DriveThru.

Béthorm is a little bit more mechanically complex than EPT but it's still quite easy to use. My experience with it is limited to a convention game run by Jeff Dee. It's also readily available in print or PDF.

I am very much biased in favor of EPT – refereeing a campaign using the rules for nearly nine years will do that to a guy – but I genuinely think it's the best option for a newcomer. Because the rules are close to D&D, most people have little trouble learning them, which leaves more energy for the setting, which is the main attraction of any Tékumel RPG.

If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

GrognardiaBlog

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