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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Crothian" data-source="post: 2541120" data-attributes="member: 232">[imager]http://www.rpgobjects.com/images/RPO4200.jpg[/imager]    The dark ages in European history are an interesting time after the fall of Rome.  There are not enough historical aimed RPG products on the market these days, not that there really has been ever for my tastes.  So, I was pleased when RPGObjects asked me to review this for them and to receive it a bit before it got released to the public.  It is hard to get a review that comes out about the same time as the book.      Legends of the Dark Ages is the latest book by RPGObjects.  These guys have had some serious good books with their Legend of the Samurai series, Legend of Excalibur and their great Darwin’s World books.  This seventy eight page books has a tight lay out, some really good art, and some lovely maps.  There are not a lot of maps in the book, but the full page ones they have are full color and look like wall hangings.  These maps are really that good.    The book starts with a really good explanation of the Dark Ages.  This chapter covers why they are considered dark, what different people thing of them and covers what was going on in the time period.  Then they start off with the fall of Rome and and it covers the basics and important events and people in the time period.  It has a very nice side par the lists all the popes and kings important in this time allowing for a starting point for people to do their own research.      The book starts of with a good tone and really getting across the feel of the Dark Ages.  The nice thing as we move to the mechanics of the book is that the feel stays the same.  Characters start with determining their bloodlines which is basically the background of the character.  RPGObjects has used this basic mechanic in their books before always to a really good effect.  A character can be a slave, a barbarian, a serf, a lesser noble, or even royalty.  While a DM might not offer all these different choices in their game is is always good for the book to offer more then the DM wants.  That is much better then not getting enough.  Each background starts with a good description of what the back ground means in the game.  It covers the look of the character, basic attitudes toward religions, personality, relations with others, and lands.  For the nobles there is actually a mechanic to determine his deeds and personal values.  It is a very nice section that really shows what is expected from royalty and what they can and cannot do according to the rules of society.  This is very similar to the honor system that Legends of the Samurai uses.      There are a lot of new classes in here.  There are no prestige classes in this book, just good old twenty level base classes.  With the backgrounds and classes here it gives people a wide range of character possibilities.  I’ll start off with a quick list of the classes: Charlatan, Hermit, Marauder, Mercenary, Monk, Noble, Nomad, Priest, Seer, Skald, Soldier, and Thief.  That’s twelve new classes all of them well built and really fitting for a game set in the Dark Ages.      The magic system of the book though is really interesting.  They have developed a really nice point base system.  They have redone all the meta magic feats so they work with a spell point system not the preparation magic system of the standard game.  One nice thing is the characters gain access to higher levels spells faster but they are very costly.  It costs a lot of spell points to do so but also automatically fatigues or exhausts the caster.  For instance a seventh level caster can potentially cast a single fifth level spell something usually a ninth level caster is needed to do.  But in doing so, it will be pretty much the only spell the person casts that day.  It givers the players a lot more options and control over their magical ability and I really like that.      Legends of the Dark Ages is a very good d20 book, but can also be used for other games.  Obviously the d20 rules will be of little use in other game systems but the tone and information on the Dark Ages can be used for such games like Call of Chuthulu Dark Ages and Vampire Dark Ages.  And those books can really add some interesting ideas to someone basing a game around Legends of the Dark Ages.      Legends of the Dark Ages is another great book expanding the realm of fantasy into our own history.  It sets a solid tone and has a good understanding on what the Dark Ages were.  It has a great understanding on the d20 rules creating interesting new classes and options for players and DMs alike.  The spell system is really nice and easy to use.  The one thing the book is missing is adventure ideas and a frame work for structuring a campaign.  Sometimes playing in a semi historic setting makes the adventures a little tougher for people to come up with.</blockquote>

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