The Inside Scoop on Gaming

The Fate is the latest on Pagan Publishing's series of Delta Green Eyes Only sourcebooks, which are geared towards fleshing out even more the view of the world that was originally presented on the mind-blowing Delta Green. Unfortunately DGEOV2 doesn't quite rise to the DG name, or even to the level of DGEOV2: Machinations of the Mi-Go.

The chapbook, which is presented on the same format as DGEOV1, touches on almost every topic you could think about The Fate: The Fate and related groups, the NYC occult underground, tomes and artifacts that are on the hands of the group, their enemies, what information could be gleaned from investigating them and even a couple of pages on how to roleplay a Fate campaign. It also includes the mandatory new spells section and an useful little section on the police, military and other law enforcement presence in New York.

THE GOOD

The chapbook does a good job of detailing The Fate and its internal organization, from the kernel called The Fate itself down to the last acolyte. It also paints a clear picture of its evolution during time and how they relate to the rest of New York. This history section is the most entertaining part of the book and is well up to Pagan's usual standard. Most of the characters presented are also quite interesting and help flesh out the setting. Finally, if you and your players are mad enough I'm sure that you'll love the section on roleplaying within The Fate.

THE BAD

The detail level, however, sometimes drags the chapbook down. There are also several pages of superfluous information. Do we really need to know the lyrics of the Charnel Dreams album? Or have 14 pages of tomes? Don't get me wrong: having the detail around is nice and you can always skip over it if you don't like it, but as we'll see ahead the authors should have focused on more pressing issues.

Another unfortunate casualty was that DGEOV2 lost something that is characteristic of Pagan's products: the humanity and realism of their characters, whether they are stark raving mad like Walker in the Wastes' Reinhold Blair or a sad excuse for a human being like DG's Jorge Ram'rez. In fact, Ram'rez may be the prime example as he is mentioned in both DG and this volume. His description on the chapbook just makes him look like a poor slob with his sanity slipping, while the treatment on the DG sourcebook made you feel genuinely sorry for him. This drier tone pervades throughout the book. Looking back it was also present on DGEOV1, but that isn't a problem on a chapbook dealing with an inhuman race lacking of emotions. Alas, for a tome dealing with human characters going insane it just won't do.

But for all my rants, the main problem with DGEOV2 may be that it doesn't actually add that much useful information to The Fate. There is maybe a thirty percent of the book that I couldn't live without like roleplaying The Fate, their history and the short information on NY law enforcement; but the rest, like the tour of the lower levels of Club Apocalypse, are just elaborations on what was already known about them from DG.

THE SANITY-DAMAGING

Oh dear, I never thought that I would point this sort of thing out in a Pagan product.

There are several contradictions throughout the book.

First there are problems with what is explained about Lieutenant Jorge Ram'rez on this sourcebook and what is said about him on the main Delta Green book. Some of these may be caused by DGEOV2 being placed sometime later in time than events on the DG sourcebook, but others like the result of Ram'rez' trip abroad (as to protect the information from players) to gather information about Belial are more jarring.

Even more worrying is the clash between information contained in the sourcebook itself. For example, on page 38 it is mentioned that Alem Keightly sends the instructions to the Neophytes who write them down in their own hand, which doesn't leave any trace back to Keightly or the lords. Then on page 100 we are told that it is Roger Yul who gives these orders and that the orders are written in Yul's own handwriting. That and the fact that Keightly is once referred to as "Roger" gives you the idea that the authors weren't quite sure who did what within the Lords before the final version and that the book wasn't properly proofread.

WRAPPING IT UP

Unfortunately there are not two ways about it. I still worship the ground on which Pagan's guys walk, but I can't feel wholly satisfied about The Fate. I keep feeling that the book could have been so much better if it was shorter and the authors had been able to focus more on solving its more serious problems. I'd also trade you Alzis stats and background for an explanation of why is "Glaaki's most powerful servant" worshiping Nyarlathotep.

It may well be that I've already been spoiled by Pagan's usual quality, and this book isn't really their best. Just be sure that you really need to know how The Fate acquired their tomes and don't go into it expecting the Delta Green Epiphany all over again.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Delta Green Eyes Only Volume Two: The Fate
Author: Dennis Detwiller with Shane Ivey Category: game Company/Publisher: Pagan Publishing Cost: $15 Page count: 108 Capsule Review by Ricardo J. Méndez on 02/10/99. Genre tags: Modern_day Horror Conspiracy	The Fate is the latest on Pagan Publishing's series of Delta Green Eyes Only sourcebooks, which are geared towards fleshing out even more the view of the world that was originally presented on the mind-blowing Delta Green. Unfortunately DGEOV2 doesn't quite rise to the DG name, or even to the level of DGEOV2: Machinations of the Mi-Go. The chapbook, which is presented on the same format as DGEOV1, touches on almost every topic you could think about The Fate: The Fate and related groups, the NYC occult underground, tomes and artifacts that are on the hands of the group, their enemies, what information could be gleaned from investigating them and even a couple of pages on how to roleplay a Fate campaign. It also includes the mandatory new spells section and an useful little section on the police, military and other law enforcement presence in New York. THE GOOD The chapbook does a good job of detailing The Fate and its internal organization, from the kernel called The Fate itself down to the last acolyte. It also paints a clear picture of its evolution during time and how they relate to the rest of New York. This history section is the most entertaining part of the book and is well up to Pagan's usual standard. Most of the characters presented are also quite interesting and help flesh out the setting. Finally, if you and your players are mad enough I'm sure that you'll love the section on roleplaying within The Fate. THE BAD The detail level, however, sometimes drags the chapbook down. There are also several pages of superfluous information. Do we really need to know the lyrics of the Charnel Dreams album? Or have 14 pages of tomes? Don't get me wrong: having the detail around is nice and you can always skip over it if you don't like it, but as we'll see ahead the authors should have focused on more pressing issues. Another unfortunate casualty was that DGEOV2 lost something that is characteristic of Pagan's products: the humanity and realism of their characters, whether they are stark raving mad like Walker in the Wastes' Reinhold Blair or a sad excuse for a human being like DG's Jorge Ram'rez. In fact, Ram'rez may be the prime example as he is mentioned in both DG and this volume. His description on the chapbook just makes him look like a poor slob with his sanity slipping, while the treatment on the DG sourcebook made you feel genuinely sorry for him. This drier tone pervades throughout the book. Looking back it was also present on DGEOV1, but that isn't a problem on a chapbook dealing with an inhuman race lacking of emotions. Alas, for a tome dealing with human characters going insane it just won't do. But for all my rants, the main problem with DGEOV2 may be that it doesn't actually add that much useful information to The Fate. There is maybe a thirty percent of the book that I couldn't live without like roleplaying The Fate, their history and the short information on NY law enforcement; but the rest, like the tour of the lower levels of Club Apocalypse, are just elaborations on what was already known about them from DG. THE SANITY-DAMAGING Oh dear, I never thought that I would point this sort of thing out in a Pagan product. There are several contradictions throughout the book. First there are problems with what is explained about Lieutenant Jorge Ram'rez on this sourcebook and what is said about him on the main Delta Green book. Some of these may be caused by DGEOV2 being placed sometime later in time than events on the DG sourcebook, but others like the result of Ram'rez' trip abroad (as to protect the information from players) to gather information about Belial are more jarring. Even more worrying is the clash between information contained in the sourcebook itself. For example, on page 38 it is mentioned that Alem Keightly sends the instructions to the Neophytes who write them down in their own hand, which doesn't leave any trace back to Keightly or the lords. Then on page 100 we are told that it is Roger Yul who gives these orders and that the orders are written in Yul's own handwriting. That and the fact that Keightly is once referred to as "Roger" gives you the idea that the authors weren't quite sure who did what within the Lords before the final version and that the book wasn't properly proofread. WRAPPING IT UP Unfortunately there are not two ways about it. I still worship the ground on which Pagan's guys walk, but I can't feel wholly satisfied about The Fate. I keep feeling that the book could have been so much better if it was shorter and the authors had been able to focus more on solving its more serious problems. I'd also trade you Alzis stats and background for an explanation of why is "Glaaki's most powerful servant" worshiping Nyarlathotep. It may well be that I've already been spoiled by Pagan's usual quality, and this book isn't really their best. Just be sure that you really need to know how The Fate acquired their tomes and don't go into it expecting the Delta Green Epiphany all over again. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average)

Delta Green Eyes Only Volume Two: The Fate