Announcing Aquelarre, the "best RPG not available in English", now available in English

[MOB]

A Classic Roleplaying Game

Aquelarre ("Coven") has been described as the "best RPG not available in English". And now, almost 25 years since it was first released in Spain, Aquelarre is available for English-speaking gamers! 

Originally from Spanish publisher Nosolorol, Chaosium is distributing Aquelarre after Nocturnal Media's successful Kickstarter. The English edition is a gloriously illustrated complete roleplaying game, which comes with a selection of supplements and gaming aids for long-term play. 

Game and Setting

Aquelarre offers everything you expect to find in a fantasy RPG: character creation, game system and magic system. It also includes detailed information about the medieval Iberian setting, the cosmology of angels and demons, and a bestiary.

Player characters in Aquelarre begin life in one of five kingdoms that dominated the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages—Castilla, Aragón, Granada, Navarra, or Portugal. Based on their region, characters may be of various cultures—Arabian, Basque, Castilian, Catalan, Jewish, Muslim, and many more. Social position (from nobility to slave) and father’s occupation affect their capabilities, including profession. Of course, personal characteristics play their part, too. One such is the Rationality/Irrationality rating, which determines how attuned a character is with the Irrational world, how capable with magic, and how susceptible to it. Rituals of faith depend upon a high Rationality instead. Advantages and Disadvantages help to round characters out.

The game system itself relies mainly on percentile rolls against either characteristic ratings or skills based on those (and on character experience). As might be expected from a game that has thrived for several decades now, rules for combat, weapons, and healing are all nicely detailed, with options to suit a variety of playing styles.

Aquelarre also includes considerable detail about medieval life in Iberia, from daily business to social mores to fairy tales, besides the expected focus on angels and demons.

The Aquelarre Line

Experience one of the finest European roleplaying games ever published and treat your play group to a different, darker fantasy campaign. Available now from Chaosium.com.

In print (comes with PDF as part of the purchase price):

• Aquelarre Core Rules - available from Chaosium's USA & UK warehouses
• Aquelarre Brevarium (Players Book) - available from Chaosium's USA & UK warehouses
• Aquelarre GM Screen - available from Chaosium's USA & UK warehouses
• In PDF:
• Aquelarre Core Rules - PDF
• Aqualarre Brevarium (Players Book) - PDF
• Asturies Medievalia - PDF
• Fatum Sperantia - PDF
• Aquelarre Character Sheet - PDF (free)
• Aquelarre Introduction - PDF (free)

[AJ The Ronin]

Auto buy!

 

Questions:

Asturies Medievila y Fatum Sperantia will get physical book releases?

Will you give the game its own sub-forum?

[klecser]

What another spectacular surprise. I had been considering Aquelarre for months. As soon as I saw Chaosium distributing, it was a must-buy. Initial reaction to the PDF: Dang, this thing is DEEP. And looks like it will be solid inspiration for CoC, CoC Dark Ages and probably Invictus too!

[Runeblogger]

Great news!
I find it amazing and ironic the fact that the author wrote the 1st edition of the rules drawing heavily from RQ3, and now, 30 years later, his game is sold by Chaosium. Full circle.

[MOB]

5 hours ago, ajtheronin said:

Questions:

Asturies Medievila y Fatum Sperantia will get physical book releases?

Will you give the game its own sub-forum?

No, sorry only available in PDF

Yes.

 

[SilverSeraph]

Will the rest of the line be translated and brought over?

[Sid Vicarious]

 

I already have core book on drivethrurpg, having backed kickstarter. Is the Chaosium version any different, and if so will the drivethrurpg versions be updated?

Also, are there plans to further develop the line with scenarios and the like?

 

[MOB]

6 hours ago, SilverSeraph said:

Will the rest of the line be translated and brought over?

It already is, on Nocturnal Media's page at DriveThruRPG.

1 hour ago, Sid Vicarious said:

I already have core book on drivethrurpg, having backed kickstarter. Is the Chaosium version any different, and if so will the drivethrurpg versions be updated?

The core rulebook we are distributing has been offset printed, rather than POD. Other than that we understand it is the same as the Nocturnal Media version on DriveThruRPG. 

1 hour ago, Sid Vicarious said:

Also, are there plans to further develop the line with scenarios and the like?

That would ultimately be up to Nolosrol, and Nocturnal Media. 

[SilverSeraph]

15 hours ago, MOB said:

It already is, on Nocturnal Media's page at DriveThruRPG.

I was referring to things like Ars Maleifica, Dracs, Bestiarium Hispaniae, etc. that are part of Nosorol's line, but haven't been translated to English and brought over.

I suppose the only answer to that question is, as you said to Sid, "That would ultimately be up to Nolosrol, and Nocturnal Media", but if that's the case I don't see anything else coming over.

 

[Sid Vicarious]

On 5/31/2020 at 10:50 AM, SilverSeraph said:

"...but if that's the case I don't see anything else coming over."

 

That is a terrible shame. I really like Aquelarre, but my Spanish is limited to a single first year unit at Uni, and a lost weekend in San Sebastian in 1989. 😐

[klecser]

Check out my unboxing of Aquelarre!

 

[Guest Vile Traveller]

I like the illuminated interior, but that cover looks a bit D&D 3E ... surprised that it didn't get some matching cover art.

[Mugen]

On 5/29/2020 at 7:40 AM, MOB said:

Aquelarre ("Coven") has been described as the "best RPG not available in English".

I think people will have different opinions on this matter.

Edited June 4, 2020 by Mugen

[rsanford]

On 5/29/2020 at 2:24 PM, ajtheronin said:

Auto buy!

 

Questions:

Asturies Medievila y Fatum Sperantia will get physical book releases?

Will you give the game its own sub-forum?

You can get these now, in English, on DriveThruRPG. I picked up both in hard cover.

[AJ The Ronin]

I just got my copy. Beautiful book. Love the paper quality.

 

Now to dive to 14 century Spain/Portugal.

[AlonsoAguilurk]

I see there no longer are any copies  of the Core book in the US warehouse. Will they be restocked eventually?

[MOB]

On 12/28/2020 at 2:05 PM, AlonsoAguilurk said:

I see there no longer are any copies  of the Core book in the US warehouse. Will they be restocked eventually?

There is no plan to do a restock of the offset printed version in the US. However, you can order the otherwise identical POD version via Nocturnal Media at DriveThruRPG.