Chaosium has announced Age of Vikings for 2025!

[smiorgan]

I'm in tears. Of  joy 😹!

 

Edited January 9 by smiorgan

[Medramerek]

I wonder if it's slated for release around the same time as the other two books I'm waiting for: the Gamemaster's Handbook and The Gods of Fire and Sky. Can Chaosium provide any insight on this?

[Jens]

2 hours ago, Medramerek said:

 Can Chaosium provide any insight on this?

Based on past experience we're unlikely to hear more until Chaosium employees have personally verified the books have arrived at all (or at least most) of their distribution warehouses. They may all be part of the same print run and shipment, but I wouldn't make that assumption and in any case, given how many strange things have happened with the last few books, we'll likely hear about each book independently shortly before release day.

[Jason D]

There will be some extremely interesting announcements about this product coming soon, and I can (hopefully) safely say that even though it is in the queue for release, my work as line editor hasn't even come close to stopping.

[Jape_Vicho]

I'm very excited for this. I LOVE the cover. The name, though, I preferred the old one, but it's not important.

[smiorgan]

14 hours ago, Jape_Vicho said:

I'm very excited for this. I LOVE the cover. The name, though, I preferred the old one, but it's not important.

 Vikings sell. They are like Ninjas (think of the RQ3 supplement). Plus, "Mythic X" is being systematically used by the Design Mechanism for Mythras.

Also, Age of Vikings is correct. "The Viking Age" is a historically correct term.

So, I liked Mythic Iceland, but the new title is fine.

 

[Agentorange]

perhaps they could do one for Byzantium called.....

....Age of Empires ? 😄

[jkallan]

44 minutes ago, Agentorange said:

perhaps they could do one for Byzantium called.....

....Age of Empires ? 😄

I know you're meming but there already is a BRP based Byzantium setting

[Agentorange]

2 hours ago, jkallan said:

I know you're meming but there already is a BRP based Byzantium setting

I keep looking at it but haven't bought as yet.

 

[Joerg]

Byzantium is an appropriate setting for a Viking game. Harald Hardrada gained his wealth in the Varangian Guard there before forcing himself as co-regent of Magnus Olafsson.

I seem to recall plans for at least three major books for this game, including material on Vinland and on encounters with Christian Europe. Byzantium could be an extension of that, as would a visit to the Caspian Sea.

[TrippyHippy]

This was actually a surprise announcement, but the old Mythic Iceland was one something of an unknown masterpiece and this update should be good. I do agree that the title shift will probably give it broader scope and appeal (anything with Vikings!).  

If they wanted to make a series of BRP-based historical supplements, then the one that is being cried out for is Ancient Greece, surely?

 

[Jakob]

I've been giving a hard pass to everything viking for a long time, simply because I think its the most done-to-death trope next to Yog-Sothothry in RPGs.

But, to my own surprise, I think I'm on board with this ... the good reputation of Mythic Iceland is certainly part of the reason. I expect this will certainly be something different from the millionth "Fantasy Vikings" rpg out there.

Edited January 12 by Jakob

[Nozbat]

3 hours ago, Jakob said:

I've been giving a hard pass to everything viking for a long time, simply because I think its the most done-to-death trope next to Yog-Sothothry in RPGs.

I have to agree with that statement totally.. @Jakob .. I have much the same feeling. I the last few years I ran games where the players were the other side.. making them play Anglo-saxons rather than Scandinavians (or Anglo-saxons rather than Romano-British) just to upset the balance. Making the players make moral choices about how they act brings in a completely different level to the game. I would recommend anyone wanting to run a 'Viking' campaign to read The saga of Burnt Njál to give an interesting favour to any campaign.

But sometimes it is difficult to get players away from the idea that it's all about raids, vendettas, killing etc which is why my recent campaigns have been set in the Early Modern period where I can introduce levels of subtlety and betrayal and promoting non-combat skills.

Having said that, I will absolutely buy The Age of the Vikings, but not sure that I will run it. The Early Modern period has captured my attention because of the vast range of so many different cultures interacting through the melting pot of trade, politics, economics, wars, etc

[smiorgan]

4 hours ago, Jakob said:

I've been giving a hard pass to everything viking for a long time, simply because I think its the most done-to-death trope next to Yog-Sothothry in RPGs.

But, to my own surprise, I think I'm on board with this ... the good reputation of Mythic Iceland is certainly part of the reason. I expect this will certainly be something different from the millionth "Fantasy Vikings" rpg out there.

If "Mythic Iceland" is any indication, you won't be disappointed. The book was rooted in deep understanding of Icelandic culture and history and mechanically very well designed.

 

[Nozbat]

On 1/11/2025 at 9:26 AM, Joerg said:

Byzantium is an appropriate setting for a Viking game. Harald Hardrada gained his wealth in the Varangian Guard there before forcing himself as co-regent of Magnus Olafsson.

I seem to recall plans for at least three major books for this game, including material on Vinland and on encounters with Christian Europe. Byzantium could be an extension of that, as would a visit to the Caspian Sea.

Byzantium would be an excellent setting for a Vikings supplement. I must admit to having Mythic Constantinople but have never paid too much attention to it having limited time to do stuff. 🫠

[jkallan]

6 hours ago, Jakob said:

I've been giving a hard pass to everything viking for a long time, simply because I think its the most done-to-death trope next to Yog-Sothothry in RPGs.

I have to slightly disagree because while many RPGs go the skyrim route of "Viking vibes in fantasy world" there are actually very few authentic norse TTRPGs, and interestingly enough, most of the good ones are in the d100 family. that being said, i would like more Age of settings. A Celts of Legend set in Ireland changing runes for Ogham could be excellent.

Edited January 12 by jkallan

[jkallan]

1 hour ago, Nozbat said:

Byzantium would be an excellent setting for a Vikings supplement. I must admit to having Mythic Constantinople but have never paid too much attention to it having limited time to do stuff. 🫠

I highly recommend the adventures they have put out for it!

[Nozbat]

1 hour ago, jkallan said:

A Celts of Legend set in Ireland changing runes for Ogham could be excellent.

I started to do that at one point using Robert Graves’ White Goddess .. there’s a chapter near the start on the language of the trees (I’ve forgotten which chapter but it’s fairly obvious if you have the book). Ogham is the secret language of the druids and could be communicated using the fingers of the hand. It is also related to the trees, with each type of tree having characteristics eg Ash gives protection and healing. 
Equally, in Norse mythology trees have characteristics too..and the Elder Futhark runes could be easily transcribed from RQ Runes 

 

[jkallan]

2 hours ago, Nozbat said:

started to do that at one point using Robert Graves’ White Goddess

Alas the white goddess version is pretty dubious but there are quite a few ogham tracts that explain the different symbolic symphathies ogham scripts have which would work perfectly with Mythic Iceland way of using runes to create spells - could be great!

[Nozbat]

It may be dubious, but nevertheless interesting. Graves was a poet and interpreted everything in allegory, which is fine with me. YV(ikings)MV!

It could also be said that attempting to interpret seiðr magic or the magic of inscribing runes on swords, armour, shields, horse's heads etc or the sympathetic magic of wearing animal skins to gain power ... from the historical scraps we have, is also dubious. Most of it was written by monks who wanted to attribute it to the works of the Devil. There are few primary sources, Egil's Saga being one that springs to mind.

What we know of Druids and Celtic magic or worship derives from the Roman historians who weren't exactly sympathetic to the Celts who they feared and justified their harsh response by writing of them as demon worshippers and headhunters. 

I'm looking forward to seeing how Age of the Vikings interprets magic and how it incorporates it into an Early Middle Ages world. I ran and enjoyed running RQ3 Vikings but the magic system was a straight RQ3 variety with a few specialised Rune spells, but for me never rang true 

[jkallan]

7 hours ago, Nozbat said:

t could also be said that attempting to interpret seiðr magic or the magic of inscribing runes on swords, armour, shields, horse's heads etc or the sympathetic magic of wearing animal skins to gain power ... from the historical scraps we have, is also dubious. Most of it was written by monks who wanted to attribute it to the works of the Devil. There are few primary sources, Egil's Saga being one that springs to mind.

its a large difference in kind as Graves interpretation of Ogham has been completely rejected by the scholarly community whereas Odins quest for Runelore is a very well documented part of Norse mythology, and the rules presented here are the closest any ttrpg has come to the archaelogical evidence mixed with what we know from the eddas and sagas, which is part of why id hesitate to use something so lambasted as incorrect as Graves Ogham theory in a companion piece - Hes an awesome writer though, I love I, Claudius!

 

ETA - this it’s the second edition of mythic Iceland just renamed - the pdf of the first b edition is still available - it is nothing like runequest runic magic, that is closer to deity affiliations 

Edited January 13 by jkallan