A review copy of “Captain N’ghathrod’s Tall Tales of Distant Stars” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.
Designed by: StickyHunter, Aaryan Balu, Dylan Bockelman, Erin Tierney, Frederic Walker (Kor-Artificer), Jesse Byrd, Jordan Carmichael, Kaleton Martinson, Leo Andrade, Matthew Campbell, Marco A. Torres, Michelle Churchill, Morten Greis, Nick Stefanski, Sean vas Terra
With Captain N’ghathrod’s Tall Tales of Distant Stars, I was expecting two things: a smug mind flayer space captain personality, and a collection of adventures. I was wrong on both counts!
Tall Tales of Distant Stars is a Spelljammer sourcebook with over a dozen detailed Wildspace star systems. It’s light on actual adventures, but should give DMs lots of fun ideas, NPCs, and locations to work with.
Each of the 15 new Wildspace systems includes noteworthy features, important characters, and a table of plothooks. The writing, organization, and art is top-notch. None of the systems are bogged down in boring history or massive lore dumps.
Ashakspace is a jungle planet dominated by a single megacorporation. Crimsonspace is an entire system stuck in a seven day time loop to avoid catastrophe. Nidumspace is the final nesting site and migration of giant space starfish (and popular with big game hunters and conservationists).
There are systems built around black holes and time dilation, war-torn systems with devil and celestial factions, creepy dead systems of abandoned shipyards, and a wandering icy comet with a maximum security space prison.
I love the particular focus (and amazing art!) on the important NPCs, whether it’s a griff CEO, a mind flayer druid, a grimlock crime lord, or a cyborg villain who may be the future-evil version of a haunted scavenger (hello, black hole system!).
The plothooks offer some fun ideas, but I was expecting more from a book that refers to “Tall Tales.” At least some encounters!
I was also annoyed at the lack of Captain N’ghathrod. The sourcebook makes the well-worn mistake of couching the book with a fun personality, and then completely forgetting about them after the brief blurb at the beginning. A missed opportunity for fun running commentary from a well-traveled NPC.
The book also includes over half a dozen new Spelljammer ships, all modeled after aquatic life, from small single seaters to larger manta rays and jellyfish. Very nice, through oddly lacking in the lovely color art that graces the star systems and NPCs.
Pros:
- 15 detailed wildspace locations, including prominent NPCs and plothooks
- 8 spelljamming ships
- Fabulous original character art.
- Professional layout and design.
Cons:
- Where’s Captain N’ghathrod?
- Only plot hooks, no encounters or adventures.
The Verdict: Though lacking in actual Tall Tales, Captain N’ghathrod’s Tall Tales of Distant Stars is an excellent, comprehensive sourcebook for a over a dozen interesting new Wildspace Systems.
A review copy of “Captain N’ghathrod’s Tall Tales of Distant Stars” was provided by the publisher. Find more DMs Guild Reviews on my website and YouTube channel.
Support my work by using my affiliate links and pledging via Patreon.
RogueWatson 