Hi guys,
It has arrived at the warehouse, will ship to distributors this week, and be on the shelves of your local store next week - the Minbari Federation Fact Book is finally here!
This is a 200 page full colour hardback written by Babylon 5 fanatic August Hahn, and forms a companion to the Earth Alliance Fact Book. It is also possibly the most complete sourcebook we have done to date. Jam-packed with information, if there is something you want to know about the Minbari, it is in this book. . .
Kicking off, we have dedicated half a page to a summary of the Minbari racial traits, so players will have everything they need in just one book. You will also be introduced to a series of letters to Ambassador Sinclair that run throughout the book, helping him acclimatise to his new post - all signed by 'A Friend'.
The first chapter, Minbari Biology, separates this race from the humans they bear at least some physical similarity too, and contains excerpts from the notes of Doctor Steven Franklin (yes, _those_ notes). Their anatomy, capabilities, sensory capacities and life cycles are all covered, as well as the effects of ageing (both in the body text and as d20 rules). August also gives us a full list of the daily dietary requirements for the average Minbari male, and the food and drink they use to intake these vital resources. Diseases and congenital ailments are given in incredible detail and the chapter winds up with what will likely be its most popular section - the three, incredibly rare, Minbari sub-races, comprising the Star Born, the Kira Zhe and the dreaded Shadowsouled. . .
The Psychology and Sociology chapter fleshes out the actual lives of the Minbari, defining what is important to them and how. Covered here are customs, rituals, names, schooling, love, marriage, and attitudes towards the elderly and death. The three Minbari languages of Vik, Lennan and Adrenato are detailed, as well as how they are actually used in society and how Minbari are often forced to switch between them out of custom and respect - there is a superb example of a Worker caste technician speaking to his Warrior caste leader. It also points out the problems other races may face in terms of diplomacy if they know only one of the Minbari languages. . .
Castes of the Minbari takes the society of the previous chapter and shows how it is split into three, as well as providing detail on each of the castes. The Religious caste is first and their adherence to the Eight Paths of Light and Darkness are covered, providing a great deal of depth to any Religious caste character and the beliefs they are known to hold. However, this chapter also covers the organisation of the Religious caste, the offices their members hold in Minbari society, and their sacred days. Next up is the Warrior caste (possibly the most popular choice in the RPG?), who have their own Warrior's Code to live by - however, each clan among the Warrior caste has its own intepretation of the Code, as defined by their traditional role in the Minbari military. The Moon Shields, for example, believe it is their duty to protect all Minbari while the Wind Swords, well. . . they tend to be a little more aggressive in their reading of the Code. Their various martial styles are detailed, along with traditions and the Rituals of War. Last, but by no means least (as Delenn understood all too well) is the Worker caste, the true force behind everything the Minbari race has ever accomplished. In contrast to the complex dynamics of the other castes, they follow just Three Laws, handed to them by Valen himself. Here you will find various insignias of the Workers and the actual structure of the caste, divided into Gales, Craftsmen, Administrata and Taskmasters. Then we come to the Casteless, those few Minbari who either desire or are forced to reject the entire caste system. Though most leave Minbar and the Federation, even they can have a place in Minbari society.
Next up is Minbari Organisations, a chapter that pries still deeper into the motivations and goals of this race. First up - the Grey Council. Here we are introduced to their powers, aims, the members themselves and how they are chosen. Also listed are the specific faces of the Satai from 2257 onwards as well as guidelines on what each intended as they represented their caste and people. The Minbari Military receives attention, as I am sure the Warrior caste is of great interest to many B5 fans. Divided between the various clans, this section looks at the effect of rank within the military (from Galrins to War Leaders) and what comprises typical Minbari forces. For example, a standard Assault Group for the Minbari (and they do like their traditions. . .) will be formed by 2 Sharlin war cruisers, a full complement of 48 Nial fighters, 3 Tinashi frigates and 1 Neshatan Gunship. A ready made force for GMs to quickly and realistically insert into their games (as well as scare the hell out of any race the Assault Group goes anywhere near). The same is done for grounds forces. Other organisations studied include the Storm Blades (the legacy of the Wind Swords) and the Followers of the First Ones.
What is past is also sometimes the future - we could not let a book like this go out without a study of The History of Minbari Civilisation, spanning the records drawn from the Minbari archives (it is true, we sent August to Minbar to get this information - that is why Point of No Return will be a little late. . .). Starting with the prehistory of Minbar, this is a record that traces the development of both the world and what would become its dominant species, highlighting such events as the Fall of Kanatai, the industrialisation of the world and the Dark Century - if you are into seriously roleplaying a Minbari, just memorise one or two of these and you will be able to stun the other players with your character's detailed and comprehensive heritage.
Worlds of the Minbari Federation follows a similar format of that in its sister book detailing the Earth Alliance and, once again, we have beautifully rendered pictures global maps of each world, as well as relevant data. The means of travel throughout the Federation is also covered, along with the worlds of the Minbari Protectorate (no, we had not forgotten about that!) and the Shen'Tan space station. We also have maps of Tuzanor the City of Sorrows and Yedor - you can actually walk round these places as characters. How cool is that? Incidentally, at first glance (this fooled me too) the maps on p122 and p123 may seem to be an error. They are not, but I am not going to tell you why
There will be some players, inevitably, who turn straight to the next two chapters - but hey, as Minbari Technology is first up, who could blame them? There are some _serious_ toys for players to get their hands on here. Or for GMs to torment them with, depending on the style of the campaign. . .
This chapter looks at the technological achievements of the Minbari, which are considerable, but also their process of invention and marketplaces actually function. We also have the list of new equipment, natch - everything from Black Blades and Sha'nar fusion rifles to Crystalmesh breathers the flight suits of the Fire Wings. As for the heavy weapons of the Minbari, well, let's just say you do not want to go to war with them. Vehicles are inspected next, including the Minbari versions of ground cars (Deshen) and trade frigates, to scout flyers, Shyriech main battle tanks, various aquatic forces and, of course, the spacecraft. For the latter, we have some beautiful renderings you will not have seen before and we have the full works here - from the Neshatan gunship and Morshin carrier to the Shargoti heavy battlecruiser (you think a Sharlin is bad!) and the base model of the White Star. There is also a full page deck plan of the Sharlin.
The Penultimate chapter, Minbari Characters fleshes out what is truly most important in a game of Babylon 5. There are Minbari-specific uses of skills (deciphering religious text, endure hardship, etc. . .) and some new feats - added to the latter are the concept of Traits, which allow a player to further define his character. The Warrior caste also gain access to Combat Style feats, allowing them to specialise in various forms of combat, from the Denn'bok Master to the Firesong, which grants extra abilities when fighting from the cockpit of a fighter. Then follows the prestige classes, all specifically chosen to highlight an aspect of Minbari society - here you have the Lorecrafter, High Foreman, Alyt, Devotee of Valen, Grand Telepath, Stalker, and Rider of the Song.
The last chapter, Minbari Campaigns, shows Games Masters how to put all of this together in one grand epic that can cover their existing story arcs. Details are given on how to combine Minbari from different castes into one group, and even how they may react when alone among other races. A few sample story arcs are given to help kick off your Minbari-related scenarios and a checklist is provided to help you remember the most important traits to keep in mind when roleplaying a Minbari. Finally, there is a listing of Minbari NPCs, from the humble (adept-telepath and priest) to the great (Delenn, Neroon, Shakiri, among others).
The Minbari Federation Fact Book is a 200 page full colour hardback, retailing at $34.95, and will be available from your local stores in about 10 days or so.
It has arrived at the warehouse, will ship to distributors this week, and be on the shelves of your local store next week - the Minbari Federation Fact Book is finally here!
This is a 200 page full colour hardback written by Babylon 5 fanatic August Hahn, and forms a companion to the Earth Alliance Fact Book. It is also possibly the most complete sourcebook we have done to date. Jam-packed with information, if there is something you want to know about the Minbari, it is in this book. . .
Kicking off, we have dedicated half a page to a summary of the Minbari racial traits, so players will have everything they need in just one book. You will also be introduced to a series of letters to Ambassador Sinclair that run throughout the book, helping him acclimatise to his new post - all signed by 'A Friend'.
The first chapter, Minbari Biology, separates this race from the humans they bear at least some physical similarity too, and contains excerpts from the notes of Doctor Steven Franklin (yes, _those_ notes). Their anatomy, capabilities, sensory capacities and life cycles are all covered, as well as the effects of ageing (both in the body text and as d20 rules). August also gives us a full list of the daily dietary requirements for the average Minbari male, and the food and drink they use to intake these vital resources. Diseases and congenital ailments are given in incredible detail and the chapter winds up with what will likely be its most popular section - the three, incredibly rare, Minbari sub-races, comprising the Star Born, the Kira Zhe and the dreaded Shadowsouled. . .
The Psychology and Sociology chapter fleshes out the actual lives of the Minbari, defining what is important to them and how. Covered here are customs, rituals, names, schooling, love, marriage, and attitudes towards the elderly and death. The three Minbari languages of Vik, Lennan and Adrenato are detailed, as well as how they are actually used in society and how Minbari are often forced to switch between them out of custom and respect - there is a superb example of a Worker caste technician speaking to his Warrior caste leader. It also points out the problems other races may face in terms of diplomacy if they know only one of the Minbari languages. . .
Castes of the Minbari takes the society of the previous chapter and shows how it is split into three, as well as providing detail on each of the castes. The Religious caste is first and their adherence to the Eight Paths of Light and Darkness are covered, providing a great deal of depth to any Religious caste character and the beliefs they are known to hold. However, this chapter also covers the organisation of the Religious caste, the offices their members hold in Minbari society, and their sacred days. Next up is the Warrior caste (possibly the most popular choice in the RPG?), who have their own Warrior's Code to live by - however, each clan among the Warrior caste has its own intepretation of the Code, as defined by their traditional role in the Minbari military. The Moon Shields, for example, believe it is their duty to protect all Minbari while the Wind Swords, well. . . they tend to be a little more aggressive in their reading of the Code. Their various martial styles are detailed, along with traditions and the Rituals of War. Last, but by no means least (as Delenn understood all too well) is the Worker caste, the true force behind everything the Minbari race has ever accomplished. In contrast to the complex dynamics of the other castes, they follow just Three Laws, handed to them by Valen himself. Here you will find various insignias of the Workers and the actual structure of the caste, divided into Gales, Craftsmen, Administrata and Taskmasters. Then we come to the Casteless, those few Minbari who either desire or are forced to reject the entire caste system. Though most leave Minbar and the Federation, even they can have a place in Minbari society.
Next up is Minbari Organisations, a chapter that pries still deeper into the motivations and goals of this race. First up - the Grey Council. Here we are introduced to their powers, aims, the members themselves and how they are chosen. Also listed are the specific faces of the Satai from 2257 onwards as well as guidelines on what each intended as they represented their caste and people. The Minbari Military receives attention, as I am sure the Warrior caste is of great interest to many B5 fans. Divided between the various clans, this section looks at the effect of rank within the military (from Galrins to War Leaders) and what comprises typical Minbari forces. For example, a standard Assault Group for the Minbari (and they do like their traditions. . .) will be formed by 2 Sharlin war cruisers, a full complement of 48 Nial fighters, 3 Tinashi frigates and 1 Neshatan Gunship. A ready made force for GMs to quickly and realistically insert into their games (as well as scare the hell out of any race the Assault Group goes anywhere near). The same is done for grounds forces. Other organisations studied include the Storm Blades (the legacy of the Wind Swords) and the Followers of the First Ones.
What is past is also sometimes the future - we could not let a book like this go out without a study of The History of Minbari Civilisation, spanning the records drawn from the Minbari archives (it is true, we sent August to Minbar to get this information - that is why Point of No Return will be a little late. . .). Starting with the prehistory of Minbar, this is a record that traces the development of both the world and what would become its dominant species, highlighting such events as the Fall of Kanatai, the industrialisation of the world and the Dark Century - if you are into seriously roleplaying a Minbari, just memorise one or two of these and you will be able to stun the other players with your character's detailed and comprehensive heritage.
Worlds of the Minbari Federation follows a similar format of that in its sister book detailing the Earth Alliance and, once again, we have beautifully rendered pictures global maps of each world, as well as relevant data. The means of travel throughout the Federation is also covered, along with the worlds of the Minbari Protectorate (no, we had not forgotten about that!) and the Shen'Tan space station. We also have maps of Tuzanor the City of Sorrows and Yedor - you can actually walk round these places as characters. How cool is that? Incidentally, at first glance (this fooled me too) the maps on p122 and p123 may seem to be an error. They are not, but I am not going to tell you why
There will be some players, inevitably, who turn straight to the next two chapters - but hey, as Minbari Technology is first up, who could blame them? There are some _serious_ toys for players to get their hands on here. Or for GMs to torment them with, depending on the style of the campaign. . .
This chapter looks at the technological achievements of the Minbari, which are considerable, but also their process of invention and marketplaces actually function. We also have the list of new equipment, natch - everything from Black Blades and Sha'nar fusion rifles to Crystalmesh breathers the flight suits of the Fire Wings. As for the heavy weapons of the Minbari, well, let's just say you do not want to go to war with them. Vehicles are inspected next, including the Minbari versions of ground cars (Deshen) and trade frigates, to scout flyers, Shyriech main battle tanks, various aquatic forces and, of course, the spacecraft. For the latter, we have some beautiful renderings you will not have seen before and we have the full works here - from the Neshatan gunship and Morshin carrier to the Shargoti heavy battlecruiser (you think a Sharlin is bad!) and the base model of the White Star. There is also a full page deck plan of the Sharlin.
The Penultimate chapter, Minbari Characters fleshes out what is truly most important in a game of Babylon 5. There are Minbari-specific uses of skills (deciphering religious text, endure hardship, etc. . .) and some new feats - added to the latter are the concept of Traits, which allow a player to further define his character. The Warrior caste also gain access to Combat Style feats, allowing them to specialise in various forms of combat, from the Denn'bok Master to the Firesong, which grants extra abilities when fighting from the cockpit of a fighter. Then follows the prestige classes, all specifically chosen to highlight an aspect of Minbari society - here you have the Lorecrafter, High Foreman, Alyt, Devotee of Valen, Grand Telepath, Stalker, and Rider of the Song.
The last chapter, Minbari Campaigns, shows Games Masters how to put all of this together in one grand epic that can cover their existing story arcs. Details are given on how to combine Minbari from different castes into one group, and even how they may react when alone among other races. A few sample story arcs are given to help kick off your Minbari-related scenarios and a checklist is provided to help you remember the most important traits to keep in mind when roleplaying a Minbari. Finally, there is a listing of Minbari NPCs, from the humble (adept-telepath and priest) to the great (Delenn, Neroon, Shakiri, among others).
The Minbari Federation Fact Book is a 200 page full colour hardback, retailing at $34.95, and will be available from your local stores in about 10 days or so.
