[Devil’s Workshop] D20 Shakespeare: Henry V at RPGNow.com

[lmpjr007]

[Devil’s Workshop] D20 Shakespeare: Henry V at RPGNow.com

Devil’s Workshop has released D20 Shakespeare: Henry V at exclusively at RPGNow.com. Here is information on these products:

D20 Shakespeare: Henry V
Henry the Fifth, or The Life of King Henry the Fifth as it is officially titled, is one of Shakespeare's histories of the English monarchy. Written and first performed in 1599, during a time of strife and unrest, Henry the Fifth is a classic work of patriotic propaganda. Queen Elizabeth I had ruled for forty years without ever taking a husband or getting an heir, and was well beyond child-bearing years; this led to a sense of uncertainty for the future. A rebellion in Ireland was gaining success against royal forces. Would this inspire the irascible Scots to launch a revolt of their own? And what of the Welsh, who had bent knees to the Norman kings longer than any? The ever-present twin threats of Spain and France loomed large in the minds of all Englishmen and women when set against such circumstances. England needed a hero. Shakespeare gave it one. This RPG sourcebook focus on the history and setting of this well known Shakespeare piece and how to integrate it into your regular local gaming session. This 12-page sourcebook also comes with several adventures seed with different endings to this classic play. You have read the dramatic piece; now play the adventure. Written by Jason J. McCuiston. Available at http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3945

Also available:
D20 Shakespeare: Macbeth -- http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=3827&SRC=EnWorld
Libellus Magnus 1: Metamagic & Counterspells Feats -- http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2950&SRC=EnWorld
Libellus Magnus 2: New Spells and Feats -- http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2884&SRC=EnWorld
Overcasting: D20 Magic Variant -- http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=2825&SRC=EnWorld
Image Portfolio 1.04 Fantasy -- http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?cPath=334_336&products_id=1857&SRC=EnWorld

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

Picked up d20 Shakespeare: Henry V as soon as it became available, and finished reading it a few minutes ago. Very cool. There were some minor but marked improvements over d20 Shakespeare: Macbeth that really made this a more cohesive gaming product.

Kudos to LPJ for this series; I'm enjoying it a lot, and look forward to more releases.

 

[Great Mastiff Games]

D20 Shakespeare? Interesting!

 

[HalWhitewyrm]

Yeah. Check it out, it's pretty cool. The only thing I am not crazy about is the Summary part. I understand the need to summarize the play for those who may not be familiar with it, but it feels too Cliff's Notes-ish for me. (As a side note, do let me say that the summary is actually VERY well done. It encapsualtes the important points of the play, uses quotes to underscore certain themes, is written in a "this is your buddy telling you about Shakespeare" voice," and while lenghty, it doesn't drag.) If I see room for improvement, is in making the Summary more game product-oriented, less LPJ's Notes, which is how it felt for Macbeth.

That said, in Henry V, they did exactly this, using the Summary's text to highlight game uses of certain parts of the play, such as (as one would expect of this play) the "Once more unto the breach" speech, and the very famous St. Crispian's Day speech. I am very satisfied with the improvement seen from Macbeth to Henry V, and I eagerly look forward to further releases. For an Elizabethan Lit geek as myself, this series is just heaven-sent.

And just because I like it so much, here's the St. Crispian's Day speech (Henry V, Act IV, Scene 3, 25-72):

If we are mark’d to die, we are now
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me,
For the best hope I have. O! do not wish one more:
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call’d the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say, ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
​

I LOVE this part!

We few, we happy few, we band of brother;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England, now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
​

Rousing. Simply rousing. Now THAT is what it means to Inspire Courage.

 

[Great Mastiff Games]

Yes, that's a rousing speech, all right, even if I don't "kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string ... love the lovely bully."

I'm going to have to check some of those out ... after all, I've read all of the Bard's plays except for Cymbeline and Two Gentlemen of Verona.