RQ II Vikings

[HierophantX]

Pete,

Got my copy about a week ago. I am quite satisfied. Of course, the maps could've been better but I am impossible to please on that score.

It's a well put together supplement. The special treatment for magic was a good and needed touch and is key for maintaining the tone of the setting (in my opinion). The art is the best I've seen in the current generation of RQ publications and also improves the quality of the work overall.

Considering that you had RQ: Vikings from AH and GURPS Vikings already in print, I imagine it gets difficult to write something and still feel both original and true to your own voice. I think you succeeded.

I think it's a very approachable supplement, especially for the non-Viking-nerd gamer to get players into the feel of the setting.

I might've expanded the bib slightly, (Orkneyinga Saga, Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Chronicles), and I would've tried to do a version of the Homeland Table, but I am admittedly heavily influenced by Harn, Pendragon and the AH edition of Vikings.

However, I am quite pleased with my purchase. You've given me all that I require to convert my Harn/Harbaal campaign into RQII.

Well Done Sir!

[Pete Nash]

Thanks for the praise Heirophant, I'm glad you found it a worthwhile purchase. It was a tough book to write, because I only had a month to complete it. As always I wish I could have focussed on particular regions and periods in greater detail... but in the end you need to keep the setting generic for flexibility and allow GMs to do the further research for their personal campaigns.

I hope you have fun with MRQII. Combat should be a blast!

Edited October 19, 2010 by Pete Nash

[Thalaba]

Can either of you describe the magic in more detail - how is it related or different from MRQ2?

Two years ago I never would have touched an MRQ book for a number of reasons, but I'm reading the MRQ2 core book now and I'm pretty impressed. Furthermore, I was flipping through the new Elric book in the FLGS last week and liked what I saw. Gone are the irritating watermarks - the layout, editing, graphics, and physical quality are much improved, the ideas are interesting, and the overall execution better than what I saw in the first edition MRQ stuff. I don't know how much of this is down to the influences of Lawrence and Pete, but my impression is that somebody who 'gets' RQ is finally in charge - and that's the long-winded way of saying I think I might pick up the Mongoose Vikings book sight unseen - something I never would have had the confidence to do before.

[Pete Nash]

Can either of you describe the magic in more detail - how is it related or different from MRQ2?

To take a quote from the book:

To greatly simplify things, Viking magic in this book has been roughly grouped into the following five categories.

• Rune Carving: Invoking the runes by carving them into enduring physical charms.

• Seidr: The verbal incantation of runes either by chanting or singing.

• Shape-shifting: Physically changing form with the use of animal skins.

• Spa: Prophesy using personal intuition, casting runes or questioning the dead.

• Spirit Magic: Shamanistic summoning and propitiating the spirits of nature for aid.

Both Rune Carving and Seidr are similar to common magic, but have casting times and durations more in keeping with the sagas. The incantations (charms/spells) they use are based on magic actually described in eddas/sagas.

Shape shifting is self explanatory. Mechanistically each shape-shifting skill is limited to one type of transformation and it costs MPs to change form.

Spa is a form of divination magic, allowing questions to be asked of the past, present or future in exchange for MPs. Whilst lacking in the flash-bang department, it can be a very powerful tool in the hands of a PC.

Shamanism is almost the same as RQII Spirit Magic, but with a few tweaks to reflect Viking cultural differences... for example, Spirit Combat can only occur when a victim is sleeping. It concatenates the Spirit Walking and Spirit Binding skills together.

Two years ago I never would have touched an MRQ book for a number of reasons, but I'm reading the MRQ2 core book now and I'm pretty impressed. Furthermore, I was flipping through the new Elric book in the FLGS last week and liked what I saw. Gone are the irritating watermarks - the layout, editing, graphics, and physical quality are much improved, the ideas are interesting, and the overall execution better than what I saw in the first edition MRQ stuff. I don't know how much of this is down to the influences of Lawrence and Pete, but my impression is that somebody who 'gets' RQ is finally in charge - and that's the long-winded way of saying I think I might pick up the Mongoose Vikings book sight unseen - something I never would have had the confidence to do before.

Thus far its been pretty much only Loz and I who have written the MRQII books. It is always an advantage to have the authors of the rules system write the settings for it. As for layout etc, I think Mongoose is paying attention to criticisms and trying to improve the presentation and layout of the line.

As for whether Vikings is a worthwhile purchase, only those who comment here can give you an unbiased opinion. But I'll just say that even if it cannot equal the heady heights of Rome, it is still a worthwhile investment.

[Puck]

I received a copy of Vikings this weekend and I am just beginning to dig into it. I am certainly not disappointed. The reading so far has got me digging through Project Gutenberg to find some good sagas to download.

[Stonewyvern]

Folks,

Just picked up the Fantasy Grounds program and as a fan of the old RQ game, the first thing I bought was the BRP rules. Now, I also am a huge fan of the old Vikings rules and would love to find that again, if available for BRP.

Since I'm still learning how this all works, as opposed to table top games, is the viking rules available for Fantasy Grounds?

Thanks...

[wbcreighton]

I'm not an expert on FG2 but have had a chance to play 3 sessions in the Search for the Trollslayer module. We had a group of 2 UK gamers, 2 New Jersey gamers, and myself. The GM has an Ultimate license so I haven't bought a copy of FG myself (yet).

I think that either you will need to make modifications to the BRP ruleset yourself or find someone to make the modifications for you. I would think the best thing to do though is to have a few sessions with the ruleset before you start modifying it.

Take a read on this thread:

http://basicroleplaying.com/showthread.php/1902-Basic-Roleplaying-released-for-Fantasy-Grounds-II?highlight=fantasy+grounds

There is a decent discussion of FG2 and mention of BRP ruleset mods for Stormbringer and Elric!.