Stormbringer

[Shadowlord]

I found out about Stormbringer RPG by Chaosium, which uses their BRP system. I didn't find out though what the setting is all about since I didn't read any of the Elric novels which SB is based on. It's dark fantasy as far as I know. So do we get to see the classic knights & sorcerers, elves & dwarves, undead & necromancy...?

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I found out about Stormbringer RPG by Chaosium, which uses their BRP system. I didn't find out though what the setting is all about since I didn't read any of the Elric novels which SB is based on. It's dark fantasy as far as I know. So do we get to see the classic knights & sorcerers, elves & dwarves, undead & necromancy...?

IN a nutshell: the world once was ruled by Elric's people, the Melniboneans. They've become withdrawn, however, and only rule their own island now, though they still are the most powerful wizards in the world, and have Dragons to use as mounts (though the dragons sleep most of the time, and haven't been woken in ages).

The Young Kingdoms are made up of various lands that are trying to make their own way now, and are jealous of Melnibone, and occasionally try to invade it, failing miserably each time. Som in Melnibone want to reclaim their empire, but most are too busy overindulging in every vice imaginable to care much.

Definitely dark fantasy. No classic knights, elves, or dwarves. The magic is more related to demonology and elementalism than undeath - I can't recall anything that could be considered undead off the top of my head.

Sorcerors and Wizards are in abundance, there is little in the way of clerics of any sort. A lot of planar travel, to alternate worlds and lands of chaos.

 

[Purkle-chan]

Re: Re: Stormbringer

Definitely dark fantasy. No classic knights, elves, or dwarves. The magic is more related to demonology and elementalism than undeath - I can't recall anything that could be considered undead off the top of my head.

Well, it could be said that the closest thing to elves in the setting are the Melniboneans themselves. They're clearly not as human as the people n the Young Kingdoms, and one of the books goes into this.

As far as undead are concerned, nothing definate exists in the Elric books, but the gods of chaos can do pretty much anything they wish, which would include creating undead.

Sorcerors and Wizards are in abundance, there is little in the way of clerics of any sort. A lot of planar travel, to alternate worlds and lands of chaos.

The sorveror/wizard/cleric divide is more one of job title than actual function. Though there are a few people who could class as clerics in the D&D sense, working for the various gods.

Best thing to do would be either buy the books and reaed them, or failing that try and pick up a cheap copy of the game on e-bay or somewhere similar, as that does have a good overview of what the setting is like. There's also the D20 version available.

 

[trancejeremy]

The Melniboneans are elves. Moorcock flat out says it in one of the Corum books, IIRC. But closer to real-world elves, not Tolkien-ish.

Planar Travel really isn't covered in the Stormbringer RPG, for some reason. Which is quite weird, really, as Elric does that a lot. A whole lot. He probably spends more time on other planes in the various novels (especially the later ones) than his home plane.

Anyway, more than anything, the novels (all of Moorcock's novels) are about the struggle between Chaos and Law and the Balance.

The early Elric books were dark fantasy, the later ones are more high fantasy. The latest one has Elric battling Nazis.

 

[Purkle-chan]

Planar Travel really isn't covered in the Stormbringer RPG, for some reason. Which is quite weird, really, as Elric does that a lot. A whole lot. He probably spends more time on other planes in the various novels (especially the later ones) than his home plane.

I think that's leftover from the Runequest days, back in the early 80's when Stormbringer was new, and published/printed/something-or-other by GW. That version gives you a few basics in the demons section and then tells you to go look at the Runequest stuff for a little more detail. Where as that seems to have been removed by 4th ed, and even if nothing replaces it in the main rulebook, one of the adventures that Chaosium put out 'Rogue Mistress', does give some fairly good ideas about planar travel. Shouldn't be too dificult to bring those upto 5th ed standards.

 

[Tewligan]

The latest one has Elric battling Nazis.

"Elric at the Gates of Castle Wolfenstein"

 

[hong]

"Elric at the Gates of Castle Wolfenstein"

"Elric and the Last Crusade"

 

[blackshirt5]

I had the same reaction to "Elric vs. the Nazis" but it actually turned out quite well.

 

[Shadowlord]

Ha, thanks! Does Chaosium make other fantasy RPGs ?

Can I find a free download of their basic RPing system, like the SRD ? How does this system work (in a nutchel) ?

 

[Neowolf]

The early Elric books were dark fantasy, the later ones are more high fantasy. The latest one has Elric battling Nazis.

Is it just me, or is that a ridiculous concept? I haven't read that particular book (despite the fact that I'm a huge Elric fan), but somehow the idea of Elric fighting in WWII makes me cringe.