Birthright - Player's Secret Ilien

The Birthright setting is one that came out when I was in the depth of my card flipper stage (Magic the Gathering) and as a result I did not even know that this existed until long after it was released. I came to my senses for a brief period of time and started picking these items up as I could find them in stores. To complete the tale of woe though in 1999 I fell into the trap that was Everquest and then Warcraft. There was almost a whole decade of role playing time lost.

I have said before that this comes in third, and at times maybe even second, in my favorite retail gaming settings. The first is Greyhawk, then Mystara and then Cerilia. I would not say the the Player's Secrets supplements are as detailed as those for Mystara but then they in turn allow a little more customization by the DM. In the end these can be picked up for a lot less making them a better value in my opinion.


Published: 1995
Pages: 32

From the Back of the Book:

The benevolent wizard Count Aglondier of Ilien is dead! He has left control of his realm to you, his trusted apprentice. With the considerable power of realm magic behind you, your task is to govern Ilien and defend it from those who wish to conquer your small domain.

This BIRTHRIGHT domain sourcebook is designed for players who want to take the role of the wizard king, or play a guild leader, a lieutenant, or a servant to the king.

BHAC1 Boot Hill Referee's Screen

There is not much that needs said about a GM Screen. It accomplishes the intended  purpose of providing the GM with necessary tables that allow the game to move along at a  quicker pace by eliminating the need to flip through a number of books to find countless  charts. It also serves a secondary purpose in preventing players with wandering eyes  from seeing parts of maps and other items they should not see. I am not sure if this was  the first of the TSR screens to include a small adventure but it became the norm for  quite sometime for TSR and even other companies. I have never played this module so I  can't speak to it.


Published: 1981
Pages: 4/8

From the front cover

Fast-paced gunslinging action will never bog down in a search for missing tables with  the BOOT HILL Referee's Screen handy. Fourteen of the most used tables from the BOOT  HILL rulebook are arranged on this durable playing aid. A special 8-page BOOT HILL  adventure, Shootout in Northfield and other Famous Gunfights lets players recreate the  famous gun battle that destroyed the Jesse James-Cole Younger gang, plus six other  famous showdowns.

BESM The Slayers

I have a few BESM (Big Eyes, Small Mouth) items. I have picked them up cheap when I have picked them up. I am not a fan of the gaming system, subject material or anime in general so I will most likely never use them. I have picked them up merely to mine for material of use in other systems or for adventure ideas. I have heard that The Slayers is fairly good anime but that is all second hand and please don't hold me accountable as again except for Akira (and I am not sure that is anime) and some episodes of Robotech (which I liked) I have a very limited experience with anime.

Published: 2003
Pages: 96

From Amazon:

The Slayers is a 78-episode fantasy anime series that follows the exploits of the beautiful teenage sorceress-supreme, Lina Inverse, and her mighty band of spellcasting, sword-wielding adventurers. This authorized reference guide and gaming supplement features detailed episode summaries, in-depth character profiles, setting and theme analysis, and role-playing character sheets for the popular Big Eyes, Small Mouth role-playing game. With hundreds of full-color images from the series, this book is the definitive English-language resource book for The Slayers. Covers episodes 1-26.

Battletech Technical Readout 3050

This is one of the technical readouts I mentioned yesterday. I really wish I had more to write about it but again I have not played all that much Battletech. For the life of me I thought that this was older than that but there may be some that are older than this. I know I sold off much of the material I owned at one time in an "hour of need" that I for the life of me can't recall what the need was now.


Published: 1996
Pages: 224

From Back Cover:

More than 250 years ago, Aleksandr Kerensky, Protector-General of the Star League, left known space. With him he took nearly half the Mechwarriors, Battlemechs and support personnel in the Inner Sphere. In the years that followed, the Inner Sphere's Successor States battled for supremacy, waging terrible wars that claimed millions of lives and crippled their technological knowledge and manufacturing capabilities. Now the descendants of Kerensky are returning, armed with superior 'Mechs and driven by one goal - Total domination of the Inner Sphere.

Battletech Technical Readout: 3050 provides illustrations, descriptions and game statistics for all state-of-the-art Inner Sphere Battlemechs and the Omnimechs used by the invading Clans. Technical Readout: 3050 also includes entries on rare Star League-era combat vehicles that have recently begun resurfacing in active duty.

BattleTech Tactical Handbook

BattleTech is a game that I have played probably less than ten times in my life. I had a  friend that was really into it and he insisted I try it. I own an amazing amount of the  stuff for not ever having played it all that much. I am a sucker for technical manuals  and much of what I own falls into or close to that category. That and I seem to be  willing to buy almost anything gaming related.

Published: 1994
Pages: 80

From the back of the book

The BattleTech Tactical Handbook is an advanced-rules supplement for the BattleTech game  universe. The Handbook provides advanced rules and equipment that enable players to add  new depth and intensity to their games. Guidelines for creating long-term campaigns and  double-blind games, formulas for calculating the combat values of all BattleTech combat  units, detailed descriptions of advanced weapon systems and more make the BattleTech  Handbook a necessity for the serious BattleTech player.

Battlesystem Miniatures Rules

I own the original edition of Battlesystems and normally would not have bothered to buy this but I found it really cheap online. I regret to say that I have never had call to use it though so I can't speak to it compared to the original. I am partial to having the rules in a book format as opposed to a box set so that is a plus regardless of the content.

Published: 1989
Pages: 128

From the back of the book:

This book, a full-scale revision and expansion of the rules in the original Battlesystem Fantasy Combat Supplement, gives you all the information you need to set up and play battles with miniature figures. These rules can be used without the AD&D game books, but you can also convert characters and creatures from an AD&D game campaign and use them in Battlesystem scenarios. Lavishly illustrated in full color, this book is an attractive addition to any game library.

Bastion of Faith

Bastion of Faith is in the same series as Den of Thieves that I have written about previously. The other supplement in the series is College of Wizardry. Of the three this is the one that I felt the least love for. It is still an excellent offering but I just found the other two more interesting but they are all very good source material. Even though it was written under the second edition I think this is something that can be used by fans of previous or later editions of the game.

Published: 1999
Pages: 96

From the back cover:

"Bastion of Faith presents a complete temple of priests and affiliates (holy warriors, devout rogues, and pious wizards) that can be placed into any campaign or adventure. Bastion of Faith follows the format of the popular Den of Thieves and College of Wizardry sourcebooks. This 96 page book contains:

A complete roster of the priests and affiliates of the temple called the Bastion of Faith, including detailed descriptions for the temples upper hierarchy.

Rules for incorporating nonpriest characters into the temple as affiliates.

Maps of the temple, its public spaces ... and the tainted catacombs beneath it.

New priest spells and new blessed magical items.

Four mini-adventures for priest or nonpriest characters.

The full story behind the Bastion's 'Secret Doctrine' and the consequences for the temple should the truth ever get out."