The latest printing of this game is staple bound, 49 pages of rules, 15 of adventures and 2, four panel GM screens. The art is very well done black and white except the cover. The campaign is the 17th century of legend, the France of the 3 Musketeers, it is historical yet cinematic, "the France that might have been". Players take the roles of swashbuckling Frenchmen in the romantic world of 17th century Europe.
Characters are defined by standard AD&D attributes, 3-18, with Luck replacing Wisdom. Players choose a background which is loosely a class and defines the skills available to their character with social class in mind: Rogue, Gentleman, Soldier, Nobleman. The skills are purchased with skill points, skills from outside backgrounds cost more or work less efficiently.
Further detail is provided by Social Status and Group Affiliations (fraternities, clubs, orders, guilds) and any titles the character may hold. The PC's profession then adds another layer of information; military branch and rank, clergy and position, bureaucrat, member of court, merchant, magistrate/lawyer, royal minister, nobility. A great deal of background into the appropriate behavior, compensation and duties of a character is provided by the detail gathered above.
Combat is highly detailed but appropriate to a swashbuckling, fencing simulation. Skill level, weapon, defenses and situational factors modify attack, counter attack, parry or defense rolls. The system is coherent, complete and easily replaced, scaled down or expanded to meet the needs of the GM. It is within the style of this game that the flourishing of a hat is considered a combat move.
This rule book is a tremendous campaign resource. Military, clergy, royal and merchant backgrounds are available for use with PCs or NPCs. French and European politics, locations and events are discussed. Details of Paris are provided as are two adventures and encounter tables. AD&D players especially will find this a usable campaign book and rules supplement, but any gamer can use it as a sourcebook.
In addition, supplemental information is provided on; exotic items (cloths, weapons, entertainment and more), a guide to Paris and places of interest there, and a rumor table that is among the best I've seen.
High Seas
This book takes the game to the New World. New characters include: colonists, Navy, Marine, gentlemen of fortune, pirates and privateers. The same level of background detail is provided here for the colonies of the New World and maritime adventuring. Ship building, equipping, trade/merchant ventures and ship combat are covered in the rules additions. Four solid adventures are provided in the new setting of the colonies.
If you want to swashbuckle, you would do well to do it with these rules or without them but still using these books for background and source material. En garde!
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© Copyright 2001 by Rolfe Hedges
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