Tell me about Blue Rose

[Emiricol]

And yet, other people have fully-baked opinions based on actually reading it, and some people even post because they are joining a discussion on a particular topic, with little expectation of glory. As for me, I want to rule the world and I expect my posting to accomplish that in the next, oh, week or so.

 

[Skywalker]

From reading the comments and reviews on this board, I get the impression that Aldis is too flat and one-dimentional, even for a romantic fantasy setting. To me, Romantic fantasy is like diskworld: It's not a place where the problems of opression, bigotry, and stupidity don't exist, It's just a place where some enterprising hero can overcome those problems. Whether that hero is a spunky girl on a white horse or a film noir parody with a boyscout for a sidekick.

The setting of Blue Rose matches your description of Valdemar. It is not flat and one-dimensional. There is recognition in the book of bigotry, corruption, greed, racial, demon worship and religious tension, inside of the borders of Aldis and especially without. The base PCs are Sovereign's Finest who are tasked to overcome these issues and they are very busy people.

It is important to note that the setting is covered in around 40 pages. A lot of that space covers the basics (Sovereign's Finest, the Queen) and the book does leave a lot for the GM to fill in. It seems that many people have chosen to fill that with "gooey goodness" despite the various "darknesses" presented and made available in the book.

My advice is don't judge it until you have read it.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Hmmm, the system sounds very good.

The setting... sounds like something that would make this a very good game to give some nongaming fantasy readers that I know, perhaps to run a game or two for them, but not something that I would want to run a lengthy campaign in. I don't hate romantic fantasy, but I suspect that I would not be that good with it.

Another movie possibilty - The Bride.

The AUld Grump

 

[Skywalker]

The setting... sounds like something that would make this a very good game to give some nongaming fantasy readers that I know, perhaps to run a game or two for them,

As I have mentioned elsewhere, the one thing I really like about BR is that it comes across as an RPG designed to tell stories like those found in various fantasy novels, romantic fantasy or otherwise. I find most fantasy RPGs tend to feel like RPGs to designed to RPG in. I hope that makes sense

From that point of view, BR would make a great option to present to newbies.

 

[Teflon Billy]

After giving it some more thought, I think the ruleset would be awesome for a game based on Robert Adams' Horseclans series.

And they are pretty Macho

 

[Crothian]

After giving it some more thought, I think the ruleset would be awesome for a game based on Robert Adams' Horseclans series.

And they are pretty Macho

And there is so pretty f'ed up stuff in those books as well. GURPS I think had a supplement for them once upon a time.

 

[Gentlegamer]

Sounds like the rules are terrific! The setting and source material, though . . .

I prefer to draw upon sources in the tradition of the well-wrought tale, rather than the 20th century "socially conscious" style that the description of romantic fantasy seems to embody.

 

[WayneLigon]

And there is so pretty f'ed up stuff in those books as well. GURPS I think had a supplement for them once upon a time.

It might be pretty darn good for Horseclans. I have that GURPS book, and it does indeed rock. One of their better world books, but then they had a great series to work with.

 

[takyris]

I prefer to draw upon sources in the tradition of the well-wrought tale, rather than the 20th century "socially conscious" style that the description of romantic fantasy seems to embody.

If you don't mind me asking, what defines "the well-wrought tale" for you as a sub-genre? I initially read your post and thought that you were making a judgment, but on a second read, you seem to be referring to a specific style that works or does not work for you. The second read is the infinitely preferable one for me, so I'm just going to assume that that's right and that I don't have to explain the difference between a genre and a level of quality, and how there can be good romantic fantasy and bad romantic fantasy, just like any other genre.

 

[Gentlegamer]

If you don't mind me asking, what defines "the well-wrought tale" for you as a sub-genre? I initially read your post and thought that you were making a judgment, but on a second read, you seem to be referring to a specific style that works or does not work for you. The second read is the infinitely preferable one for me, so I'm just going to assume that that's right and that I don't have to explain the difference between a genre and a level of quality, and how there can be good romantic fantasy and bad romantic fantasy, just like any other genre.

You are correct; the term well-wrought tale is a type of fiction not a judgement of quaility on a work.

The best description of this genre was written by Lin Carter. Essentially, the genre of the well-wrought tale is storytelling for entertainment without concern for being "socially relevant" or "politically correct."

For example: Twentieth century critics of Tolkien predicated their dislike of his work on prevailing 20th century assumptions that social relevance, etc is neccessary for a serious work. Thus the search for allegory and real-world parallels in The Lord of the Rings. To such, Tolkien's writing was nearly incomprehensible and they couldn't believe his assertion that the story is neither topical nor allegorical.

Examples of authors of the well-wrought tale style are Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, Lin Carter, Sprague de Camp . . . pretty much every author ever listed as inspiration for D&D.