19 April 2012

Age of Treason Reviews and Blog

Age of Treason: The Iron Simulacrum -- Mongoose's new setting for its Legend FRPG (formerly RuneQuest II) -- looks quite promising, judging by this review from the RPG Pundit (who generally writes informative and helpful reviews, I think, despite being otherwise quite unhinged) and this review at the 'Roll for Initiative' Blog.

It turns out that the author, Jonathan Drake, has a blog for the setting. Here is the description of the book from that blog:
Used with the Legend/RuneQuest II rules, the Age of Treason book provides everything you need to create Adventurers equipped to do their bit for Empire or to slip into the shadows and pursue whatever personal goals their treasonous hearts desire. Choose from dozens of new professions, learn new skills, make pacts with gods and demons and deploy the arts of sorcery in new ways. An extended campaign for beginning level adventurers is included to get you started.

Setting – Hugely detailed and believable world constructed over many years of development and play

Adventurer Creation – Over 50 Adventurer professions for civilised characters

Social Status – a new Characteristic to help define your Adventurer

New Skills – 6 new skills including Brawl and Fast Talk, plus Education – a new Advanced Skill for literate Adventurers

New Cults – 9 new cults including Emperor Worship, as well as guidelines for creating many more, and even for founding a cult of your own.

New Magic – more than 30 new spells as well as new magical skills such as Craft (Enchantment) and Craft (Alchemy)

Advanced Enchanting – create bespoke magic items

Spirit Magic – rules for spirits that can manifest in the material world

Bribery and Corruption – rules to give your Influence skills a boost by greasing palms

Creatures – demonic sorcerer’s assistants, wraiths, golem servants and vampires

Adventures – an episodic campaign in which even the most humble citizen has the chance to prove his mettle in the Emperor’s service.
The map of the 'Taskan Empire' is available here, and looks rather nice.

I had been debating whether to get this book for several months now, but the Age of Treason setting simply sounds too cool not to investigate further. There aren't many 'classical' fantasy settings around, unfortunately, and I am excited to read more about this one!

2 comments:

  1. Phersv20 April, 2012 05:59

    There are many cool things in Age of Treason. The author gives good guidelines and advices for a campaign in his setting. The world is not too generic. The default assumption is that you play Legionnaires for the Iron Simulacrum (there used to be also a Marble Simulacrum). If you like a low-magic, human-only setting with a Roman/Mesopotamian/Parthian flavor, it's really nice.

    I'm really tempted to run it. But in spite of all those qualities, I think I would still prefer a high-magic Dara Happan/Carmanian campaign in Glorantha or maybe a historical Zenobia/43AD.

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  2. Akrasia29 April, 2012 23:06

    Your description, Persv, has convinced me to order a copy once I have a few coppers to spare. :)

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