Deadlands: Lost Colony.

[Defender]

Some love Deadlands, some hate it. I've always fit into the former category myself. The blend of genres; from the Western/Horror/Fantasy of Deadlands: The Weird West to the Post-apocalyptic heroism of Deadlands: Hell on Earth, I've been taken by the ability of Pinnacle Entertainment to not only create a game where you can play badass characters, but to meld that to a storyline that's interesting and entertaining for Marshalls (GMs) and Posses (players) alike. Of course, some argue that Deadlands is little more than Rifts for the over-16 RPG crowd, but we're not talking about them.  

Deadlands: Lost Colony is the third in the Deadlands Trilogy of game settings. I remember seeing the add for LC in the back of HOE when I first purchased it. . .in 1998. Promised to come out in the summer of 2000, it took awhile for Pinnacle to get around to making it. Gremlins run amuck in their offices I suppose. In any case, when I heard it was due to be released, I placed the setting high on my must get list.

The first thing that struck me is the format. Soft cover, which is a bit off-putting because the prior two Deadlands games have traditionally been hardcover. The next is even more disquieting; Lost Colony isn't a Core Rulebook for it's own line as WW and HOE are, but rather a setting book for Hell on Earth. You need that book to play, and if you want to play the d20 system provided in the game, you need HOE D20 and the Player's Handbook. All in all, a lot to ask of new gamers who might just want a game like Lost Colony on it's own terms, and might not want to pay for another book or two.

Opening the book, I was heartened to see the opening dedication was to Pinnacle's "patient" fans. Aww. . .butterin' me up before I review is always a good way to go. I then began reading. The 184-page volume breaks down into five chapters, each packed with loads of information:

Chapter One: Lost Colony details the history and background of the world of Banshee, a planet in the midst of some serious deep trouble. The Last War closed the Tunnel from the Faraway system back to Earth, leaving Banshee cut off from home for 13 years. In that span of time the colonists of Banshee and the nearby orbital stations and planets have been left to the tender mercies of corporate greed, military incompetence, and fierce fighting with the natives of Banshee, the Anouks; a race of near-reptillian aliens who suffered at the hands of humanity and were looking for some payback. All that changed however, with a massive ecological disaster called the Worldstorm, which literally scoured the planet near-barren, killing hundreds of thousands on both sides of the conflict. Now, the tattered survivors, human and anouk, are struggling to survive and rebuild even as old enemies and new horrors rear their heads. Banshee is a battered world in need of heroes. Think you're up for it?

Chapter Two: Lost Colonists details just how you can create characters for this brave new world. From the rough and ready lawmen of the Colonial Rangers to soldiers serving in EXFOR (The United Nations Expeditionary Force, the remnants of an army sent to Banshee to "pacify" the anouks and their human sympathizers), to Mutes (the new Arcane Background for Lost Colony, men and women who can work miracles with nanotechnology) and all points in between. Listed are new skills like piloting, and adapting to zero gravity conditions (ie: what to do when your ship's artificial gravity conks out). Rules are provided for Deadlands Classic and d20, one after the other for ease of reference. A solid chapter of game mechanics, with intriguing archetypes provided.

Chapter 3: Restless Natives provides rules and information for playing the other side of the coin on Banshee; the anouk natives. This chapter really had me thinking John Carter of Mars for some reason.  There are rules here for creating a native character, from clan to class (Warrior or Shaman), as well as detailing the innate abilities of the anouk people. It seems they have a kind of symbiotic bond with the planet to greater and lesser degree. Warriors can utilize the native Tannis rock to form weapons and even charge them with spiritual energy, allowing mere "savages" the raw power to cut through power armor with their Chakatl (a cross between a battleaxe and a longsword), while Shamans can use their powers to commune with the planet and use their spiritual energy for potent spells. Warriors can be of either gender, though Shamans tend more often to be female than male. . .curious. Also detailed are the great riding beasts of the anouk. From the lizard/lion mix of the Chanouk to the pure lizard of the barouka, the anouk ride in style. I found this chapter to be very interesting indeed, flashing to classic Sword and Sorcery in my head even as I was reading. Weapons and armor besides Chakatl are also provided in. . .

Chapter 4: Gear Up lists all the goodies of Lost Colony. From the weapons and armor of EXFOR marines to the weapons of the Colonial Rangers and anouks. Also included are stats for vehicles, up to and including ATVs, Armored Personell Carriers, dirt bikes, aircraft and spaceships. Extensive listings with useful stats, as well as notes to include weapons, armor, and vehicles from Hell on Earth as well.

Chapter 5: Banshee Dawn is the Marshall's Only section of the book, detailing the real situation in Banshee, the secrets of that planet as well as just what every faction in the game is really up to. Of all the chapters, this one impressed me the most. Lost Colony might seem to the untrained eye as merely an attempt by Pinnacle to tap the SF market, but that's far from the case. LC is as much Fantasy/Horror/Western as either of the prior Deadlands games, and unlike those, Lost Colony is where the epic trilogy could very well end. . .but whether that ending is for good or evil is largely up to you and your players. Also, fans of the Harrowed might well find some competition in the form of. . .well, that'd be telling. But there are surprises to be found in Lost Colony.

As a game I've been waiting for four years, Lost Colony is a mixed bag. It has strengths and weaknesses, but overall it's a great setting and an awesome way to bring the Deadlands Trilogy full circle. Still, the fact that it's not a stand-alone game, the softcover format and it's reliance on prior sourcebooks and material are definite strikes against total enjoyment for newcomers. Overall, I give Deadlands: Lost Colony a 7.5/10. It's good, very good, but it could have been great.  ???

-Defender.