Keltia and Yggdrasil

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I've become quite a big fan of French publishers Le 7eme Cercle's historical-fantasy RPGs, Yggdrasil (focusing on Viking-age Scandinavia) and Keltia (focusing on Post-Romanm Britain and King Arthur), which were translated into English by Cubicle7. I really dig the massive amount of historical research they do for the games, illustrating what daily life was like in these places, and writing a magic system that actually looks like it could come out of the belief systems of these times, and could reasonably be mistaken for coincidences and superstition (Was that mist actually conjured by the ritual, or was the ritual just conveniently timed performance before the mist rolled in? The average onlooker won't know or care, it's magic to them!). It feels a lot like Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Stories and Warlord Chronicles, which I greatly enjoy as well.

Lately, though, it seems that Cubicle7 stopped translating 7eme Cercle's books, which has left me, an American whose French reading comprehension skills are rusty, a little frustrated. Is anyone picking up 7eme Cercle's games and translating the rest of them? Or would I need to brush up on my French in order to read the remaining books they've published for Keltia and Yggdrasil?

[Anonymouswizard]

I'm in the same boat as you, although I couldn't get Yggdrassil. Really want it though.

They also did Qin: the Warring States, which is a really good 'low wuxia' game (as in it's still recognisably Wuxia, but characters need a lot of experience to reach 'mooks are meaningless', if you use the Art of War stats for soldiers they are actually pretty equal to a beginning character).

I will note that the systems are average, although I do very much prefer them to D&D-likes. Qin is probably the stongest system, with it's five elemental stats being roughly Fighting/Physique/Intelligence/Charisma/Spirit and inclusion of superpowered warriors.

I will note that the games are definitely meant to be explicitly fantasy, although the amount of 'believable magic' has gone up since Qin, mainly because back then almost every PC would have access to Taos or magic (although you could theoretically just buy combat techniques). It's just much lower powered compared to many of the offerings, with an attempt to make the magic systems feel authentic. I mean Yggdrassil has three different magic systems based on Norse Mythology, Keltia brings it down to one because Celtic myths don't seem to have as varied magic (although the spell list is still very good), and Qin has five, including one that only works against certain beings and two different forms of alchemy! Plus the historical information in the books are very good, it's kind of why I recommend Qin over Legends of the Wulin as somebody's first Wuxia game.

Annoyingly, as a Brit who had his heart broken by a French girl a few months back, I'm too petty to learn the French required to use the other books

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I think my store has a copy of Qin too. I'll need to pick that up next time I'm there!

[avalkauskas]

If you want an RPG game system and line that is constantly putting out new books and is heavily steeped in historical and mythological accuracy, you should check out "Fate of the Norns" overon DriveThruRPG. The setting is the 10th century of the Viking age right after the death of King Harald Fairhair. Ragnarok has begun and the players must face Fimbulwinter. The system uses futhark runes for all game mechanics. There are half a dozen books out already.

[Anonymouswizard]

If you want an RPG game system and line that is constantly putting out new books and is heavily steeped in historical and mythological accuracy, you should check out "Fate of the Norns" overon DriveThruRPG. The setting is the 10th century of the Viking age right after the death of King Harald Fairhair. Ragnarok has begun and the players must face Fimbulwinter. The system uses futhark runes for all game mechanics. There are half a dozen books out already.

Part of the great thing about the Le 7eme Cercle games is the eras chosen. Warring States China* and roughly 4-5th century Norsemen and Britons are great ideas for settings, but not really done. The fact that Ragnarok has not happened in Yggdrassil is also one of the reasons I'm interested in it, I find the idea of Norsemen interesting enough without having to have the apocalypse occur.

* I actually really, really like that they chose this exact period. About 200BC and warriors are still assumed to fight with weapons with unarmed combat being very much a fallback, while most Wuxia seems to go for about 1200-1600AD.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I wholeheartedly agree! It scratches an RPG itch that games like Pendragon and stuff can't.

Sadly, it appears someone bought the copy of Qin at my local store.

I'll have to check it out on DriveThruRPG then!