[PR] Blood and Relics: d20 Modern Campaign Model

[PosterBoy]

Charles Rice is putting the finishing touches on Blood and Relics, an occult themed d20 Modern campaign model. Cover art coming soon!

http://www.rpgobjects.com/index.php?page=pro&product_id=20

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Blood and Relics is an occult d20 Modern Campaign Model that brings gothic conspiracy in the modern world to life! Blood and Relics focuses on Europe, and the Blood War between the servants of light, the Sang Real, and those who serve Shadow, the butchering Caeder. A war fought since the dawn of the time that continues unnoticed by the bulk of humanity. A war not only over lost artifacts of power, but over knowledge, and the soul itself.

Blood and Relics gives you everything you need to bring the Blood War to life: 6 new advanced classes with a dark mystical slant, a Timeline of the secret history of the world, 22 Feats of Profane and Sacred Ritual Magic, and lost Artifacts and Relics of Power pulled from religious and mythological sources.
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If you got any questions, post them here as I'm sure Charles will answer them.

 

[Vigilance]

Hi all

Just wanted to say I think this game is going to knock your socks off. I love the magic in the modern world aspect of d20 modern, and tried to make a "King Arthur meets X Files" game of Gnostic and Vatican conspiracies offering blood sacrifices to the dark gods.

Now if that isn't a fun evening of gaming I don't know what is.

 

[trancejeremy]

Ahem, as a Gnostic, let me point out that we don't offer "blood sacrifices to the dark gods". (Can't speak for the Vatican though).

For a good explanation of what a Gnostic really is:

http://www.gnosis.org/whatisgnostic.htm

 

[PosterBoy]

Ahem, as a Gnostic, let me point out that we don't offer "blood sacrifices to the dark gods". (Can't speak for the Vatican though).

For a good explanation of what a Gnostic really is:

http://www.gnosis.org/whatisgnostic.htm

Note that these is a "twisted" occult version of some religions. Not meant to be realistic by any means. Several "Conspiracies" have added to various religions.

I'm sure Charles can explain more... but nothing should be taken as an attempt to offend anyone.

 

[Vigilance]

Actually Jeremy, the Gnostics are the good guys

That said, this might be a time to roll out the disclaimer from the book's introduction.

"No disrespect is intended by this work toward the billions of people who draw comfort from faith. This work is a fantasy, and is meant only for entertainment purposes, not to attack or espouse a religious view of any kind. Some of the subjects dealt with in Blood and Relics may strike a nerve: the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ; the Inquisition; the Holocaust. These real events have been twisted, and cast in the light of fantasy, conspiracy, and whimsy in a fashion meant to be enjoyable to everyone. Wherever possible, care has been taken to be fair to all the world’s religions. Heroes in Blood and Relics come from all religions, venerating many different Higher Powers. Catholic Priests, Islamic Sufi, and Jewish Kabbalists walk side by side in the light."

And to that list, let me add, the Gnostics!

Blood and Relics is based, in part, on what I like to call "Gnostic Conspiracy Theory", the idea that Christ had children, and that those children became the great kings of Europe, from Charlemagne to King Arthur and so on.

However, this is only a game, meant only to be viewed as light hearted fun.

 

[jaerdaph]

Note that these is a "twisted" occult version of some religions. Not meant to be realistic by any means. Several "Conspiracies" have added to various religions.

I'm sure Charles can explain more... but nothing should be taken as an attempt to offend anyone.

While I do believe you when you say that, and I'm sure this will be a fine product that you have every right to print, I feel I have to say that as both a Catholic and an RPG consumer, I find the whole "Catholic Church as Evil Villain" thing a bit played out. It seems if the first villains that come to mind aren't Nazis, then they're living in the Vatican. I won't say more than that because these boards do have a No Politics/No Religion rule, but I felt I had to say it.

I encourage you to include Catholic characters that fight on the side of good and from within the Vatican, if you haven't thought of this already.

Best of luck - it sounds intriguing nonetheless.

 

[jaerdaph]

"Heroes in Blood and Relics come from all religions, venerating many different Higher Powers. Catholic Priests, Islamic Sufi, and Jewish Kabbalists walk side by side in the light."

That's good enough for me.

 

[Vigilance]

Well this hasn't taken long at all!

Ok guys and dolls lol.

The Gnostics aren't the bad guys.

The Catholics aren't the bad guys either!

This is funny.

The two most heroic organizations in the entire game are based in Gnostic and Catholic faiths lol.

So, everyone take a deep breath and say it with me: Blood and Relics does not bash any major world religion, except for blood sacrificing child-flesh eating demon cults!

Lol.

I know I just offended a ton of people by calling blook sacrificing child-flesh eating demon cults a "major world religion", but I am really laughing as I write this.

I expected people to read the book, and THEN get offended!

 

[trancejeremy]

Okay, sounds good to me.

This sounds like you've done your research, at least on conspiracies. I had guessed that when you mentioned "Sang Real" in the press release.*

But I was bit a exasperated when I saw that "dark gods" bit here.
A couple other d20 products portray Gnostics either inaccurately, or in a bad light (and one really takes some cheap shots, IMHO, not only was it based on anti-Gnostic propaganda, the author seemed to deliberately stretch logic to put us in a bad light and imply we're evil), so I thought "Ack, not again".





* Though I always thought that was more a holy grail conspiracy, not really gnostic. Most of us do tend to agree with the theory about Jesus being married to Mary Magdalene, as that's heavily implied in gnostic literature. But most gnostics don't care about Jesus's bloodline, other than those like me, who just happen to like conspiracy theories.

 

[Vigilance]

Well, I did do quite a bit of research on the game, and you're right, the Sang Real is more of a Holy Grail reference, but I have blended together theories and conspiracy theories about the Knights Templar, the Catharist Heresy, the Holy Grail, King Arthur, and lots of others into a jumbalaya that I hope everyone finds dark and weird and entertaining.