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Worlds of the Realm is a sourcebook collecting the “Imperial Survey” books with an additional survey for the imperial worlds. It also includes extra d20 creatures, prestige classes, and items. It is a collection detailing over half the worlds in the “Known Worlds” jump web including the worlds of the Hawkwood, Decados, Hazat, Li Halen, Al-Malik and The Imperium.
What is inside?
Inside the book you will find details of the different planets of the Known Worlds from the point of view of a different Questing Knight originated from the House’s planets. So, a Hazat Questing Knight covers the Hazat worlds. About six to seven pages is dedicated to each planet and most of this is text. Each planet is broken down like this:
Introduction – about a paragraph of information giving you the general idea and feel of the planet
History – A detailed history of the planet from when it was discovered by humans to current time.
Solar System – a breakdown of the planets within the solar system.
People & Places – the main part of the survey that details the regions, cities, rulers, and conflicts of the city.
Also included is a traits breakdown of each planet with such information as tech level, capital, population, and exports. A map of each planet simply details the location of continents, cities, conflicts, and geographic elements plus a linear solar system that includes the distance from the sun of each planet (in AU). Finally we are given some stats on possible creatures that inhabit the planet.
Here is a list of all the planets that are covered:
Hawkwood – Delphi, Ravenna, Leminkainen, Gwynneth
Al Malik – Criticorum, Shaprut, Aylon, Istakhr
Hazat – Sutek, Aragon, Vera Cruz, Hira
Li Halen – Kish, Icon, Midian, Rampart
Decados – Severus, Cadavus, Malignatius, Cadiz
Imperial Fiefs – Byzantium Secondus, Tethys, Stigmata (partially), Nowhere
Also spread throughout the book is extra d20 rules for Fading Suns.
What I think of the Book
The “Imperial Surveys” for Fading Suns were some of the best books put out for the game and the fact that they collected them into one big book is great. The information on the planets is just enough to give you a good idea of what the planet is like but allows for you to come up with your own ideas and details. Each planet is ripe with adventure seeds and includes elements that can be seen in all the Fading Suns sourcebooks.
The book has a few problems including the d20 information is scattered throughout the book usually in between chapters. I think this is a result of combining five different books into one but it is still annoying. An index would have also been nice but the book needs to be redesigned as it keeps its page numbers from the original Imperial Surveys. I would also liked to have seen a reprint of the Jumpweb from the corebook as I am constantly referencing the Jumpweb to see where planets are in relation to each other.
The extra d20 rules are nice including prestige classes, new feats, additional items, extra rules for diplomacy, autofire guns, and poisons.
Who should buy this book:
If you don’t own any of the Imperial Surveys, or use Fading Suns d20 than go out and buy this book. It is one of the most essential books for Fading Suns giving you information on the planets, plus aliens, nobles, the Annanuki, Vau, the church and just about everything Fading Suns incorporates.
If you own one or two of the Imperial Surveys than the price “for Worlds of the Realm” is less or equal to buying 3 Imperial Surveys.
If you own three or more Imperial Surveys and use the Victory Point System then I recommend purchasing the other two surveys and downloading the Imperial World from the Fading Suns Website.
Extra Stuff:
RPG.net review on individual Imperial Surveys
Li Halen Fiefs
Al Malik Fiefs
Download the Imperial Worlds and see for yourself
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