This looks like a fun one. Lion and Dragon is sort of a pseudo-historical recreation of medieval times using the OSR rules. I saw this one and it grabbed my interest instantly since I am a history buff and love when rules are written to enhance the setting.
I have a shelf full of generic RPGs from FATE, GURPS, Genesys, and a lot of "kitchen sink fantasy" D&D clones along with D&D itself. There is a weakness to kitchen sink fantasy like a modded version of Skyrim with too many lore breaking mods. Oh, here are goblins and all sorts of fantasy monsters added to the game! Are they anywhere in the lore of the world? No, but they are cool to have! Pretty soon the world just feels like a lore-less, same-everywhere freeway for a billion unconnected ideas. Everything is here, but nothing has any history together nor any place in the world.
This is why I play Aftermath! over a post-apoc GURPS game. Is GURPS a more-modern, supported, and workable rules set? Certainly, and it can do tons more. Is Aftermath! written to create an iconic, focused experience? Yes, and even though it fails in many areas, it still is the game I go-to and the one remember the most. Same here, this is a setting and rules inspired by a historical setting, and I would be hard-pressed to find something similar (other than buying a history book and slotting in B/X, but that work is done here for me).
Play it Your Way
The game also makes allowances for deviating from the historical norm for inclusion's sake, and it does not specifically bar any race or sex from any social position or profession. It mentions "things were this way" and then leaves it up to you to decide "how they really are" in your game. That is a plus.
I would never be a crappy GM and use the game and history against a player just because they wanted to be something outside the envelope, but the discussion would be started with the players and we could play this as everyday or as extraordinary as the group wanted it to be. I feel that is a fear some have of historical games like this, that they will get into a game and see the book rolled up into a cudgel and used against them. I honestly feel this is more a problem with refereeing and the players than it is with a game or the rules in the book.
Once you buy the book it is yours to play how you want. Your group also needs to talk to each other and be clear about expectations. Some may be okay with playing in a historically accurate setting, and others may want a couple tweaks. How ruthless and brutal are the royals? Is challenging them allowed? How historically accurate are we going to be in regards to topics X, Y, and Z? Ironing these things out rather than using them as gotchas is going to be key for a game where everyone knows what to expect and have fun.
I am used to playing in a Paranoia game, so I am used to a world that isn't always inviting and accepting. I do not see limitations and reflections of period-accurate setting guidelines as limitations. These are things to work within or fight against. The royals may just be the bad guys in a game, should my players choose to be rebellious. If that happens, there is going to be a lot of backstabbing, drama, and the supposed "limitations" of the setting will turn into incredible fodder for villainy and the plot of the game. What is Star Wars without the Empire?
But also, this is a game with the fantastic - dragons, fae, trolls, and elves. If a player wanted to be something outside the realm of this era and historical experience I would embrace it and make it happen for them.
Other Books
Also worth noting are the older OSR setting book for Dark Albion: The Rose war, and a book on evil cults. Both of these look to be excellent resources for the game (even though the setting book was written previously and is more OSR than Lion and Dragon). I am going to pick these up as well to enjoy them. Looking forward to diving into this as a hard copy, and enjoying the PDF. More soon!
No comments:
Post a Comment