Where I read Aquelarre

Best Selling RPGs - Available Now @ DriveThruRPG.com
Fair enough, but even if people stop believing in Angels, they can still intrude. It’s weird. The best way for God to get rid of Satan is to make everyone no longer believe in God.
Yeah it still doesn't fully make sense as you say. Like the division into logic/order/mundane/human and magical/chaotic/night is medieval, but it was more that different creatures existed in both realms, nothing really to do with belief. I mean you could repel demons with your faith or trust in God, not your absence of belief in the demons.
 
Yeah it still doesn't fully make sense as you say. Like the division into logic/order/mundane/human and magical/chaotic/night is medieval, but it was more that different creatures existed in both realms, nothing really to do with belief. I mean you could repel demons with your faith or trust in God, not your absence of belief in the demons.
Well, if you don't believe in demons, that stranger is a crazy, so you should have no belief in demons and a sharp blade:shade:.
 
Here's the explanation in one of the older Spanish editions, if it adds anything:

In the world of AQUELARRE there is a clash between two realities: On the one side there is the Rational world Human beings, science, logic, the day are part of it ... But there is another world. A world of which night, madness, fantasy, legendary creatures and magic are a part. It's the irrational world. For the Irrational World to have a place in the Rational World, people have to believe in its existence.

Thanks. There is still language of this type in the English translation. As CRKrueger CRKrueger said, though, it seems like a borrowing from Mage. I can't think of anything in pre-1600 writing on the supernatural that would support it, at least on the level of belief. You can find arguments that (basically) human invitations are necessary before demons can exert their powers, but this is a question of divine permission for the demons to act. People don't need to believe in the demons for them to exist, and a pious person would and should believe in demons.

For medieval Catholic theology, God is supremely rational in and of Himself; difficulties our minds have with Him are not signs of Him being irrational or illogical in any way, but in the weakness of those minds, especially after the damage done by Adam and Eve's sin. Looking at it from a clear and objective viewpoint, sin and evil are fundamentally irrational--the choice of lesser goods at the expense of the infinitely greater. This is why theologians speak of the 'mystery of iniquity'--sin simply doesn't make sense when looked at from a 'big-picture' point of view.

From what's being said here, it seems Aquelarre has the basic principles down--one recent theologian has described demons as "allergic to reality," which has stuck with me--but the Rationality/Irrationality system seems to be trying to cover allegiance, CoC-esque Sanity, and possibly 'taint' mechanics all at the same time, and thus falling between the stools.

I understand your point, I think, but it seems to me to rest on one particular approach to thinking about God and rationality--basically a Thomistic one. There was of course an alternative tradition, particularly in the 1300s (when Aquelarre is set) that treated reason as essentially a human construct: the rules of right reasoning for human minds. God was seen as completely above human rationality, only really approachable through revelation, negative theology (saying what God is not), or by mystical experience of divinity.

Along these lines, it is remarkable that Aquelarre increases your Rationality score for witnessing a miracle, when even Aquinas would have agreed that miracles represent a divine abrogation of the usual course of nature. If natural law is being followed, there is no miracle. Yet according to the rulebook:
The Rationality rating represents a logical view of life, a belief in a reasonable world — ordered, scientific, historical, and human. It assumes that everything surrounding a person can be measured using the senses and essential truth is what we can touch, the mundane world... (p. 152)
On those grounds, you'd expect seeing a miracle would lead to a lowering of Rationality, since one demonstrates well that 'essential truth' is not 'what we can touch, the mundane world.'

Your interesting point about sin being irrational also calls into question another element of Aquelarre's treatment of Rationality/Irrationality--they are not at all connected to good and evil, or to the behavior of characters:
Finally, let us warn the reader that in none of this have we spoken of absolute notions of Good and Evil. Rationality and Irrationality have nothing to do with them. Not all adherents to Rationality are saints, nor are all who follow the path of Irrationality wicked and evil people. Good and evil lie in the actions of players’ characters and can’t be measured with numbers or other such characteristics.
I can see why the rules might want to state this, to fit better with modern sensibilities and to avoid limiting the actions of player characters. But this stance makes no sense that I can see from the standpoint of any of the three monotheistic religions in the game. All were very sure that God was good and that human goodness could be reached by following divine precept. So a high Rationality rating should make one more moral.
 
TI understand your point, I think, but it seems to me to rest on one particular approach to thinking about God and rationality--basically a Thomistic one. There was of course an alternative tradition, particularly in the 1300s (when Aquelarre is set) that treated reason as essentially a human construct: the rules of right reasoning for human minds. God was seen as completely above human rationality, only really approachable through revelation, negative theology (saying what God is not), or by mystical experience of divinity.
Guilty as charged; I'm a Thomist and was oversimplifying a bit there. There is the nominalist/voluntarist approach that comes in only shortly afterwards, as well as the mystical approach and the Lollard reaction against scholasticism as a whole.
I can see why the rules might want to state this, to fit better with modern sensibilities and to avoid limiting the actions of player characters. But this stance makes no sense that I can see from the standpoint of any of the three monotheistic religions in the game. All were very sure that God was good and that human goodness could be reached by following divine precept. So a high Rationality rating should make one more moral.

Also, if you're going to highlight Rationality as aligned with the divine, you're probably going to be working from a natural law theory of ethics rather than a divine command one, which means that the basics of virtuous action are knowable by reason (not necessarily achievable by fallen man, of course, but knowable).
 
Last edited:
Also, if you're going to highlight Rationality as aligned with the divine, you're probably going to be working from a natural law theory of ethics rather than a divine command one.
That's a good point. In this case, they both should point in the same direction, though--characters with a high Rationality rating should act morally.
 
So, the long overdue explanation...why do I say that believing in God existing doesn't mean you should believe in Satan as well? Which is, yes, a modern viewpoint - not that it didn't exist back then, but that it wasn't a dominant paradigm.
(Nowadays, you can have a movie where the Devil tells a guy "what you believe in doesn't matter, Satan believes in you". Back then that would have got you in trouble on so many levels...)
Because Christianity, in most variants anyway (those certainly include Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity) isn't a dualist religion. That was a heresy, BTW. And a Crusade put an end to it:devil:.
Dualist religions assume there are separate forces, Good and Evil, that clash.
In Christianity, the only real power comes from God.
God's essence and God's energies, whether you see them as distinct - which in itself is a contentious topic, so let's not go there - only come from one source. In terribly layman terms: the closer you are to that Source, the more of them rubs off of you...:grin:
What follows is that those that are furthest would have little of it. (As a note, that's why "Evil is uncreative" in Tolkien's world, and that's why orcs are created as a corruption of elves - because without Illuvatar's energies and essence, there's no creation, just corrupting the essence that was already put in living elves. That's also why the Elves are more lithe and more long-living than Man, and why Tom Bombadil can afford to do stuff that would make everyone else gasp, like handling The One Ring like a toy. Remember: Evil was unable to create in those times we're talking about, too! That's why the incubus and succubus is actually the same demon...check for details if you want, but hint: the demon can't create new life without the help of both a man and a woman).
So, to this point of view, the fallen angels or whatever shouldn't be able to affect the religious people. And of course you'd see yourself as a God-fearing person, everyone back then did...it was part and parcel of being part of society.
Thus, seeing a powerful demon and witnessing its sorceries is an awful transgression of how the world is supposed to work. How come this thing has actual power? It's not supposed to! (Also see: not part of God's plan!)

...And of course, that's part of the reason why demons usually work via witches and other intermediaries, AFAIK. But let's not go there, either, it can easily get controversial.
 
So, the long overdue explanation...why do I say that believing in God existing doesn't mean you should believe in Satan as well? Which is, yes, a modern viewpoint - not that it didn't exist back then, but that it wasn't a dominant paradigm.
(Nowadays, you can have a movie where the Devil tells a guy "what you believe in doesn't matter, Satan believes in you". Back then that would have got you in trouble on so many levels...)
Because Christianity, in most variants anyway (those certainly include Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity) isn't a dualist religion. That was a heresy, BTW. And a Crusade put an end to it:devil:.
Dualist religions assume there are separate forces, Good and Evil, that clash.
In Christianity, the only real power comes from God.
God's essence and God's energies, whether you see them as distinct - which in itself is a contentious topic, so let's not go there - only come from one source. In terribly layman terms: the closer you are to that Source, the more of them rubs off of you...:grin:
So, to this point of view, the fallen angels or whatever shouldn't be able to affect the religious people. And of course you'd see yourself as a God-fearing person, everyone back then did...it was part and parcel of being part of society.
Thus, seeing a powerful demon and witnessing its sorceries is an awful transgression of how the world is supposed to work. How come this thing has actual power? It's not supposed to! (Also see: not part of God's plan!)

...And of course, that's part of the reason why demons usually work via witches and other intermediaries, AFAIK. But let's not go there, either, it can easily get controversial.

I fear I cannot agree with this. It may have some philosophical validity, but it is historically just wrong. Christianity in the 1300s (Aquelarre's era) was not a religion centered on an abstract divine principle, but on a specific God who had interacted with the cosmos in particular ways.

Long before the 1300s, it had become Christian dogma that, at some time before Adam and Eve, a very powerful angel referred to as Lucifer or Satan had launched a rebellion against God, joined by other rebel angels. Divine forces had struck them down into Hell, where they now tormented the souls of sinners, and--with God's permission, of course--interfered with the life of the living. Satan and his demonic hordes had, as angels, powers and knowledge far exceeding that of human beings, and they kept these after their fall. They cannot create things, but then, neither can angels or human beings--only God can do that.

This is standard teaching of time. It doesn't make Christianity dualist--God created everything, including Satan, and all power and existence has its ultimate source in the divine. But it does mean that, from the standpoint of the church in the 1300s, Satan is very much out there. You should believe in his existence and encountering him or his agents should not shake your faith, if you are pious. In fact, one of the standard answers to the question of 'why does God allow demons to possess human beings?' is that this provides a witness to the truth of Christianity. It shows waverers that there are demons out there, that they may claim your soul after death, and that you should therefore turn to God.

I also don't think it is valid to say that 'fallen angels can't affect religious people.' Saints' lives are full of demonic attacks on saints, as the forces of Hell try to tempt or destroy these paragons of faith. The 'obsession' (to use a technical term) of St. Anthony was one of the most famous, often depicted in art, though never better than by Martin Schongauer in c. 1475:

800px-Schongauer_Anthony.jpg

I realize that you have no particular reason to take my word for this, so here is what a 14th century theologian, Jacopo Passavanti, had to say about the power of demons in his Mirror of True Penitence (c. 1350; spoilered for length). It's clear that that power is great, although it also has very distinct limits.
The first kind of diabolical knowledge is that by which the devil knows what he knows, and this knowledge is very great because the devil, although having sinned and lost grace and glory, did not lose his natural knowledge, which God the creator placed in the angelic nature… So he did not lose any of his natural knowledge, by virtue of which he is most excellently … competent in all of the sciences and the arts, having the clearest understanding and insight, not only in general, but specifically and singularly in all things natural, spiritual, and corporeal. Hence the devil knows from God only that which natural understanding knows without the illumination of divine grace. He knows … the angels and their substance, their natural properties, their orders, and their offices and virtue and extent of their natural powers. He knows the stars and planets and their places, spheres, and circles, their heights and quantities, their differences and properties … as well as their influences, virtues, inclinations, and varieties.

He also knows the nature and substance of the soul … both its proper operations independent of the body, and those that are performed in conjunction with the body. The devil also knows the nature and properties of the elements, the composition of bodies, the nature and species of fishes, of birds and beasts, of trees, of nature, the qualities of the virtues of herbs, and of precious stones, the manners of gold and of silver and of other metals, and to put it briefly, he knows everything that it is possible to know, whether it is to be known naturally or by the exercise of any human intellect.

The doctors [i.e. learned theologians], considering his vast knowledge, have asked whether he knows the thoughts of the human heart, and whether he knows those things that will come to pass in the future… The devil cannot know the thoughts and will of the human heart except in such a way as can be perceived by act or sign, or something else that manifests itself externally. And from this it follows that the devil knows all that many say, and all that men do, and all that which men practice in whatever place and at whatever time, and in what way. And is also follows from this that the devil knows what men fantasize and imagine, and what they dream, insofar as the actions of imagination and dream are not closed within the human intellect or will … and can be perceived by external signs.

Concerning the devil’s knowledge of things which have not yet happened but will happen in the future, the doctors say that he is able to know this in two ways. One way is by knowing their causes, and in this way the devil knows by a certain knowledge events that will happen in the future to the extent that they follow from necessity, and will occur, as that the sun will rise tomorrow… But when those things which are to occur in the future do not follow from necessity, these things cannot be known with certainty, but by conjecture and sharp thought, as does the physician who … can know and predict the future health of the sick patient. But when events which are to come follow from unique causes, these things cannot be known. These are such things that happen at random or through chance or contingency… The devil does not have an understanding of random events. But sometimes his predictions about these things come true, and this is not because he has any particular understanding of them, but by some guessing … as could be possible in the case of a man…

From the great understanding and knowledge on the part of the devil it follows that he has vast power and many abilities; that, as the doctors say, all of the nature of corporeal things is subject to good angels and to bad as well, who have a natural ability to move a thing from one place to another. Whence there is not great body, nor city, nor castle, nor mountain that the devil cannot move, and move quickly. And this is true also of other things, both major and minor. And because he knows every science and every art, he is able to join one thing to another, because all things must obey him, as far as concerns … motion. And he is able to do and to simulate marvelous things. I do not say, of course, that the devil is able to perform true miracles, but marvelous things, understanding by true miracles properly those things which we know to be above or outside of the true order of nature, such as raising a dead man or creating something out of nothing, or restoring sight to the blind, and things like these. And such miracles God alone can perform.

But I call marvels certain things which men do not understand and are unable to perform themselves, so that when men see them done, they marvel at them, because they do not understand their causes and the methods of doing them. And the devil can certainly perform many of these things; for example, he can quickly make many serpents appear, not because he has created them out of nothing, but because he can move them from some forest where they are, or from some other place. He can raise up tempests at sea and in the air. And he can cure a sick person, not instantly and without medicine, which would be a true miracle, but with appropriate medicines, the kind that he can make far better than any physician… Or he can cure an illness that he himself has inflicted, by removing the causes that have brought about the disease, and thus he can make the sick person well so that it appears as if he has cured him.

But with all of his knowledge and all of his power, of which Scripture says, “There is nothing like it upon the earth,” the devil cannot change the will of a human, concerning which … the devil has no rule and no force, properly speaking. Whence he cannot put a thought into the human heart, nor a desire, that the human does not already wish to have. Whence he cannot enter or work in the human heart or mind unless a man opens up his heart and mind to him, so that he is able to enter it. For if he could insert whatever he wishes into a human heart, considering his great malice and his obstinate will toward evil and the hateful envy that he bears toward humans, no one would be able to survive his attacks…

The devil can transform the imagination and fantasy [i.e. the mental power of making images] and can make a sleeping man dream and he can make apparitions appear and make the sleeping man imagine figures, impressions, likenesses to certain fearful things, delights, terrible things, or even true things, or things that might be true…

The devil cannot change one thing substantively [i.e., in substance] into another, transforming the nature of things, or creating something out of nothing, which is proper only to God, although he can make things appear to change…
 
When I was younger I heard both views, i.e.:
Demons are active evil agents
and
Demons are powerless since they are "living lies", i.e. going against God's natural order and impossible in the natural world

Similarly I heard that they could directly torment people in many saintly stories, but also that they use Witches for the reason AsenRG mentioned.

Is this a doctrinal difference on demons going back to the Middle Ages?
 
Demons retain the powers of their nature, which is far above ours, but are only permitted to act insofar as God permits, are opposed by the faithful angels and the saints, and appear to operate under certain rules of which we know but little. God permits them to molest holy men and women (Job, St. Anthony, the Cure de Ars) on some occasions, but in other cases, their power over others is triggered by those who have 'let them in' in some way.
 
When I was younger I heard both views, i.e.:
Demons are active evil agents
and
Demons are powerless since they are "living lies", i.e. going against God's natural order and impossible in the natural world

Similarly I heard that they could directly torment people in many saintly stories, but also that they use Witches for the reason AsenRG mentioned.

Is this a doctrinal difference on demons going back to the Middle Ages?

Demons retain the powers of their nature, which is far above ours, but are only permitted to act insofar as God permits, are opposed by the faithful angels and the saints, and appear to operate under certain rules of which we know but little. God permits them to molest holy men and women (Job, St. Anthony, the Cure de Ars) on some occasions, but in other cases, their power over others is triggered by those who have 'let them in' in some way.

I'll admit to knowing nothing about modern (that is, post-1700) theological views on demons. What Armchair Gamer Armchair Gamer says captures my understanding of the medieval view, which remains pretty mainstream in the Early Modern period as well.

As to the origin of the idea that demons are powerless, I really ought to go back and re-read sections of Stuart Clark's Thinking with Demons. Off the top of my head, I would associate that view with a strand of Protestant (and originally Lutheran) thought about the devil. That's kind of ironic, given that Luther himself was convinced of Satan's power and frequent intervention in the world. But Tübingen theologians in the later 1500s-1600s stressed limits on demonic power as part of their emphasis on divine sovereignty. This trend reached its acme in the Dutch Calvinist Balthasar Bekker, who c. 1695 denied the devil any ability to affect the physical world at all. Though Bekker was himself censured by more mainstream Calvinists for going to extremes in his views of the impotence of demons; he ultimately was expelled from his ministry by the leaders of the Reformed Church.

Philosophical trends of the 1600s come into play here too; Bekker was Cartesian in outlook, and accepted Descartes' mechanical outlook and sharp division of matter and spirit. Hobbes' mechanistic outlook similarly led him to view most received ideas about demons as people mistaking their fantasies for real entities and to deny the possibility of incorporeal spirits and of possession.
 
First, an apology for the lengthy absence. We have had some difficult and emotional family stuff to deal with, so a lot of stuff was put on hold. However, here we go again...

I'm continuing the Ars Magica Chapter, where we are moving on to Casting Spells.

In the context of action in the game, you declare that you want to cast a spell using initiative, and using both actions in the round. Casting is an extended action - but it's only the spell activation (using the hand gestures, drinking the potion, reciting the words etc) but not the prior preparations...

When it comes to your turn to act you have to calculate and spend the Concentration Points required for the spell. The CPs are spent regardless of whether the casting succeeds. The number of CPs needed is based on the Spell's vis - 1 CP for a Prima or Secunda, 2 CP for a Tertia, 3 for Quarta, 5 for Quinta and Sexta and a whopping 10 for Septima.

The Casting Chance starts at a base equal to the character's IRR which is then modified by armour worn, any loss of concentration, and the spell's vis. Without going into huge detail, some of the penalties are pretty large - for example the modifier for the spell's vis varies from -0% for Prima, through -50% for Quarta and -150% for Septima.... Creatures with IRR over 100% also impose a penalty of -1% per point of IRR above 100.

A successful result produces the spell's effect(s) but direct effects can be resisted by the target with an RR roll with a penalty equal to the number of IRR points the mage has above 100%. In the event of a critical success the target's RR is halved for the purpose of resistance. A failure loses to CPs and the dose of any potion or unguent. A blunder produces the opposite effects to those desired.

There is provision for a non-mage being coached in how to use a potion/unguent/talisman based spell etc - but they will have the same penalty as anyone else for casting the spell using their own CP, IRR etc.

The next section is the Grimoire itself. There are a lot of spells, and I don't propose going through them all!

What they are is flavourful and interesting, and many of them are (thank goodness) completely outside the range of effects that the average D&D player would expect.

A few examples:

Constraints of the Eunuch: a vis 2 Potion based spell that kills sexual desire in the victim.
Jonah's Blessing: a vis 4 Amulet based spell that allows a ship to sail without damage or wreck
Strigiles Curse: a vis 5 Curse based spell (and black magic to boot) that causes the victim to wake every morning beset with thorns, and die on the sixth day...

After the detailed list and descriptions of the spells there is a section on Magic Components. This deals with locating/obtaining components (with modifiers to the relevant roll depending on the usefulness of the component, the ease of locating it, its malign potential, where the mage is looking and the mage's skill in Commerce.

Searching for components can lead to Suspicion of Sorcery, again requiring a roll with modifiers for Social Position.

There follows a couple of pages of "Profiles of Witches and Magicians" essentially listing what spells a particular type of spell-user has/is likely to have.

This whole section is kind of one of the main points of the game. To be honest it didn't disappoint me. Whilst some spells are fairly utilitarian form and adventuring viewpoint, most are much more flavourful and interesting. Many of them immediately raise interesting plot points in my mind which would definitely drive the story in directions away from a classic "fantasy/fantastic" rpg.

Good stuff.

The next chapter is Ars Theologica which I'll take a look at, hopefully tomorrow.
 
The magic really reminded of the tv series Robin of Sherwood. And this system / game would be perfect for running it
 
What a great suggestion!.... Hmmm.

I did co-author OneDice Robin Hood, and wrote the skin on the Old Gods/Spirits and magic for it and looking back on it some of the themes in that are a bit similar to Aquelarre, except I took the stance that spirits/the Old Gods were not simply devices of the Devil/Satan. I would probably want to tinker with Aquelarre to more closely align with that, but fundamentally it does all the heavy lifting...
 
What a great suggestion!.... Hmmm.

I did co-author OneDice Robin Hood, and wrote the skin on the Old Gods/Spirits and magic for it and looking back on it some of the themes in that are a bit similar to Aquelarre, except I took the stance that spirits/the Old Gods were not simply devices of the Devil/Satan. I would probably want to tinker with Aquelarre to more closely align with that, but fundamentally it does all the heavy lifting...
Well Aquelarre has Elohim statted up I belive, so old gods are already sorted. You just vary to as needed
 
Another hiatus while my little granddaughter has been in hospital....

Ars Theologica deals with Rituals of Faith - which allow religious characters with strong enough belief to work wonders/miracles. The author makes it clear that this chapter mostly draws on the Christian viewpoint, with some brief comments about other viewpoints.

The first section is "God's Chosen". To use Rituals of Faith the character must have a minimum of 50% in Rationality and 50% in Theology based on their own religion. They must also have been ordained as priests or similar in their religion - essentially this means they must belong to one of the following professions: cleric, dervish, ghazi, goliardo, knight of a military order, monk, rabbi, priest or ulema.

You may be able to gain access to Ritual later (even if you don't qualify for them to start with) - of course you would have to raise your Rationality/Theology to a minimum of 50%. Oh, and you can't have sold your soul, have had dealings with the devil, or know any black magic. Then you have to get ordained, and join an ecclesiastical profession. Phew!

A sidebar deals with the question of "women and religion" - they generally aren't allowed entry into the upper echelons of church hierarchy, and only a few of the relevant professions are open to them. Within these restrictions, they can gain access to most Rituals, with the exception of a few which imply a direct relationship with an ecclesiastical superior.

There are also guidelines for how a character might aspire to sainthood, though the requirements are pretty rigorous and include having "no interaction with those who make violence a way of life, except to convert and remove them from the path of evil". Rules out most of the adventuring groups I have known!

Faith Points (see previously) measure the strength of a character's belief and are equal to 20% of the character's Rationality, rounded up. Unlike Concentration Points however, you don't spend them to perform Rituals - you just have to have them at the necessary level, but they aren't "used up" in the process. For example you must have at least 10 Faith Points to use a ritual of the Primus Ordo, but they don't cost 10 Points when you activate them.

Rituals fall into five Ordines (effectively levels) and the Rituals a character knows at the start of the game depends on the level of their Theology skill. For example if your Theology is 50-70% you know all the Rituals of Primus Ordo.

As Theology increases characters can study the next Ordo once their skill is high enough, and a successful RR roll after the relevant study period will allow them to perform all the Rituals from the new Ordo. The Ordines must be learned in ascending order - you can't skip Seconds Ordo and go straight to Terius Ordo, even if your theology is high enough.

Each Ritual is associated with a ceremony which has to be carried out to activate the ritual. Each ceremony is different, and they take varying lengths of time etc to perform.

After the ceremony has been performed the percentage chance to perform the ritual is calculated. The starting point is the character's Theology rating, but this is modified by various facets including using reduced gestures, whispering the words etc as well as the ritual level. Once you have the final percentage a standard roll is made.

Targets of a ritual may be able to resist it using an IRR roll (with penalties for higher order rituals).

The next section deals with the rituals themselves and I'll take a look tomorrow.
 
Thank you - she's OK in herself but it looks like she may have juvenile arthritis in her knee (she's not 2 yet) which we hope is going to settle down.
Aww man, I didn’t know there was such a thing. Prayers for your granddaughter.
 
Thank you - she's OK in herself but it looks like she may have juvenile arthritis in her knee (she's not 2 yet) which we hope is going to settle down.
I didn’t know this was a thing, either. I don't really pray for personal reasons, but here's hoping that it would settle down!
 
thank you for the good wishes - much appreciated.

So, the Rituals.

There aren't as many of these as there are spells (I kind of expected this). Many of them are the sort of things you would expect form a religion (rather than a roleplaying game) so Absolution, Baptism and Matrimony for example. All have mechanical effects - if you receive Absolution you get a 25% bonus to Pray to the Saints (see later) and Matrimony gives a bonus to resist magical effects aimed at breaking the marriage, such as a spell of demonic power.

Other Rituals make it more difficult to use a deceased's body for nefarious purposes and some are more like classical "clerical" effects, for example Alleviate Illness (self explanatory), Benediction (blesses a specific object - a blessed weapon can hurt otherwise invulnerable evil creatures for example). Evil creatures can be cursed, and Exorcism can expel - or even destroy them.

Procession (where the priest leads a procession of at least 200 people) can alleviate bad weather, help overcome epidemics or boost morale prior to battle. Purge can remove impurities such as diseases or poisons from food or drink.

Excommunication should be mentioned - a victim who fails to resist the effect can no longer use Rituals of Faith or Pray to the Saints and are considered malevolent creatures and can be affected by Rituals of Faith used against them. An excommunicated ruler forfeits his divine right to govern his vassals who are now (at least in theory) free men.

At the higher levels Rituals may call on the help of the archangels, protect themselves from black/infernal magic, avoid death though invoking their Guardian Angel, call on Divine Aid, make themselves temporarily immune to all physical damage, perform miraculous healing, and ultimately call for a Miracle (which could include raising a person from the dead, turn a person into a statue of salt, rain manna from heaven and other documented biblical miracles).


The next part deals with Sin and Penance. Essentially a character can lose Faith Points through committing a "sin" and potentially recover them by receiving Absolution and performing Penance. Minor sins cause the character to lose small amounts of Faith - eg -1 for not attending Mass regularly or for Sloth, Gluttony etc. Lust loses 3 Faith Points, Stealing 4, killing 10. Practicing any form of magic loses all Faith Points, and if they practice Black Magic they can never regain the ability to use Rituals of Faith.

Penances include things like performing Restitution, Praying, Paying a fine or giving Alms, Physical Mortification and making a Pilgrimage.

Vows and Promises - if you break a promise made in the name of God you lose all Faith Points - get ready for some serious Penance. Vows are taken by certain groups. They are promises with two participants - the "priest" and the divine. They may be Public or Private. Mechanically each public or private view gives a bonus when performing certain rituals. Breaking a public vow results in loss of all Faith Points, breaking a private vow causes a loss of 8 FP. Again, serious penance, here we come...

Praying to the Saints

Any more or less pious person can request the intercession of the saints. First you have to figure out which Saint you need to pray to - this requires a Theology roll. Then you have to pray with faith and devotion. This requires an RR roll, for which you can't use Luck. If the Intercession is gained, then you get a bonus to the next roll you make based on the saint you prayed to - usually n greater than +10% or 15%.

There follows a (non-exhaustive) list of Christian saints - eg Saint Anthony Abad, patron saint of amputees, monks and those suffering from skin diseases...

Finally there is a list of the Popes from 1294 through to 1502.

The next section is cosmography and chapter 8 is Rerum Demoni (About The Demons)

I'll take a look tomorrow all things permitting
 
The section starts with another short piece of fiction continuing the story from the earlier pieces.

We then have a section dealing with the Devil - the Hebrew Devil, the Christian Devil the Islamic Devil and the Medieval Devil and the similarities and differences between them - and in the latter case the different between the beliefs of the educated/noble/urban folk and the peasants. Then there's a short section on hell and purgatory.

Next we have a section on The Higher Demons. These are described as "the rulers of Hell". They are given description, but no game stats - they are of course well beyond the capabilities of any player character. A footnote explains that the information is drawn mainly from the works of Collin de Plancy, Eliphas Levi, Berbiguier and various apocryphal gospels and different Hebrew traditions.

There are descriptions of Lucifer, Belzebuth, Astaroth, Agaliaretph (Demon of Black Magic), Frimost, Guland, Masabakes (Demon of Lust), Silcharde and Surgat (Demon of Wealth).

We then have a section on Minor/Lesser Demons - there are 10 pages of these, and some are given game stats. These are described as being any entity sitting hierarchically between the Higher Demons and demon elementals and Hellspawn.

As we might expect, most of these are tough in game terms, and have a variety of powers and spells at their disposal as well. Where skills are listed, they are often over 100% and may go as high as 600%.

Then we have 12 pages of Hellspawn - these are creatures born in the pits of Hell, which sometimes appear on Earth accompanying a minor or elemental demon, serving some Devil worshipper or just lurking around places that have been damned. These are quite a mixed bunch, including things like the souls of those murdered or killed in combat (Alibantes) who seek revenge on their killers), Blemys (headless humanoids with eyes, nose and mouth in the centre of their chests) - even Dragons and the Kraken.

Appropriate games stats are provided and these are very variable as the creatures are extremely variable in capacities (including size).

The section finishes with a short section on Demon Elementals, described as "the last rung" of the demonic hierarchy. They are derived from the four classic elements (earth, air, fire & water), to which "lust and magic have been added".

Essentially they resemble Elementals as portrayed in other rpgs, with powers to match, but also include the Incubus and Sucubos (elemental entities of desire and lust) and Sombras (entities of darkness that take on the form of great, dark shadows)

Next up is Angelicum Natura - The Nature of Angels.
 
Very long gap I'm afraid, again due to family stuff.

Angelicum Natura also begins with a short fiction section - I think I will comment on the fiction as a whole at the end of the read-through.

We start with a short, interesting section on the history of angels and their worship - I'm no scholar of this type of thing so I can't speak as to it's accuracy, but it certainly has a ring of truth about it I think. I was interested to learn that the cherubim (Kerub) were originally described as monstrous beasts - and that belief in actual angels diminished in the 16th century, at the same time as belief in demons was on the rise...

The next section deals with the classical Archangels. Seven are described: Micheal, Anael, Rafael, Gabriel, Cassiel, Sachiel and Samael. Each has several paragraphs of description, and all of them can use all the rituals of faith in their entirety, including the Sextus Order (the most powerful rituals of faith). Each Archangel also has their own particular enemy in Hell, and brief details on how they are likely to intervene in the world.

There follows a section on the Heavenly Hierarchy: The Superior Triad (Serafines, Querubines, Thrones), The Intermediate Triad (Dominions, Virtues, Powers) and the Lower Triad (Principalities, Archangels and Angels). Stats are given for Principalities and Guardian Angels.

The Angelic Host covers Angels of Punishment, Creatures of Abaddon (who seem to play both sides of the fence, although they are creatures of extreme Irrationality), Hayyoth, Jauria de Dios (Hounds of God) and Malachi Habbalah.

Minor Servants deals with Ababil, Angels of Hell (a trio of angels who act as celestial ambassadors and supervise the punishments inflicted on the condemned on behalf of Heaven - weird!), Arbatel, Birds of Paradise, Burak, Hodniel, Layla, Mastema, Metatron, Righteous Men and (in a sidebar) The Olympic Angels (who execute destiny and administer fateful events).

We then have a section called The Cursed Order and its Offspring. These were once the ninth Angelic Order, the so-called Watchers, who defected long ago. They seem pretty much to be terrifying monsters - Anakim, Bene ha'Elohim, Grigori, Lilim and Nephilim. Some can use spells, others have special abilities (and weaknesses).

Finally, there is Traitor Angels and Rebels - Lucianel, Nisroc, Sariel and Zefon.

A sidebar contains a list of Angelic names to be used if the Game Director needs to name a specific Angel.

Overall a reasonable section - lots of names here are familiar (Lilim, Nephilim, Metatron etc) while others weren't (Lucianel, Nisroc, Hayyoth). It's a lot for a GM or a player to take in though!
 
Chapter 10 is an extensive Bestiary. This is 56 pages long and divided into several parts - I'll look at a couple of parts this afternoon.

This section is called Numen and deals with creatures with a degree of Irrationality, most of which are immortal - if it has a body, which dies, it will be reborn as strong as before (how long would this take I wonder??) and they gain IRR like other Irrational Creatures.

The list is a fascinating selection of strange, unique creatures - a couple of examples will suffice:

Ahasvero (The Wandering Jew): condemned to immortality when he refused to allow Jesus to rest on his doorstep when he was bearing the cross, he wanders the Peninsula hoping to find someone who will agree to replace him. In the meantime he automatically (and involuntarily) regenerates all wounds and injuries

Basajuan (The Lord of the Woods): a burly, forest-dwelling giant who warns shepherds of approaching storms and protects herds from predators. He has a number of spells, and can control animals and plants

Gaueko: a Basque genie of the night and Lord of Black Magic

The Wolf of Santiago: a gaunt, immortal wolf with white fur that protects pilgrims on the Santiago road - he also protects the pure of heart from evil schemes, and especially from the Gaueko.


The next part is Races and Peoples. These are described as "certain peoples, races or families possessing extraordinary powers". They are irrational creatures from birth - again a few examples:

Agotes: these are strong, fair-haired folk, born with leprosy. Apparently originally a Visigothic tribe, they were cursed centuries ago by Samael. They are malevolent and cruel and can weird spells, gaining +35% with black magic spells

Esmolets: strong, mysterious wandering blacksmiths (carrying their anvils with them) they appear strong and ageless. They are immune to all damage from metal objects or weapons, and can imbue spells into weapons they forge (always given away to those it believes worthy)

Mouros: magical creatures capable of transforming into giant snakes, and unable to touch any metal object (except gold) without suffering extreme, paralysing pain.

OK, on to Animas and Specters next time
 
I will add, if I may, my point of view about the RR/IRR debate, given that I have been playing and running this game since 1991 (and I wrote the first adventure in the current GM screen). I don't say this to brag about anything, but to show that this is something being debated since the beginning. This is what I got from conversations with Ricard, the author, who lives nearby and is a long time friend.

As Ricard (the author) told me, what RR and IRR mean to represent is which side you deem stronger. If you have high RR, you are convinced that the natural laws (as designed by God) and the divine will are going to prevail always, and that magic is damned to loose to them. In some way, that belief may shield you from magic and demonic influences.

If you have IRR you believe that reality can be molded by magic, that its influence is everywhere and the Devil is a force as strong as God. By that belief you can wield very powerful magic, because if you doubt that it will be effective, then it won't be. So, the more convinced you are that magic and the supernatural is as strong as the natural law, the more you can use it.

Hope it helps.
 
Animas & Specters: These are all irrational creatures belonging to the spirit world that mostly have no physical body (except for any that they are possessing). Also includes all the dead resurrected by magic.

There are quite a lot of these, and some are unusual - An Abrazamozos is an anima/ghost of unknown origin that takes the form of an extraordinarily beautiful young woman who will target a womaniser or seducer and turn into a horrid skeleton in his embrace. They "attack" by forcing a Temperance roll on the victim, with success causing unconsciousness, and failure causing death! A Canouro is an evil Amina in the form of a large, black, red-eyed wild dog, the bite of which can cause debilitating nightmares, which may ultimately lead to death. Others include possessing amina such as the Dibbuk, possessing and draining amima like the Elohim, various forms of ghosts/spirits of the dead who linger for different reasons (seeking revenge on their murderers, seek gin to purge their sins, etc).

I was interested in the Goul - the anima of a woman who has been wicked in life and is punished by having to walk the earth naked, exposing their backsides, which resembles that of a donkey, as well as the Upiro, which strongly resembles the classic "vampire" with its ability to transform into a wolf or mist, and its vulnerabilities to blessed ground or concerted objects, and to sunlight.

Finally the Encanto - a sentient treasure pile of precious metals and gems that is able to think and to charm a guardian - the combination of treasure pile and guardian is the Encanto.

I especially liked the story hooks that just seemed to ooze from this section. Very evocative and interesting.


The Little People: Also called the People of the Woods, The Good Folk etc, these are subject to considerable discussion as to whether or not they are demons.

Their numbers include: Amilamias - essentially friendly lamias, they are affable and benevolent, but it's easy for mortals to fall in love with them and refuse to leave their caves. Duendes - tiny human-like creatures who may protect you home (if they like you) or try to drive you out (if they don't!) - a variation is the Duendes Martin, who (despite their size) have great powers of seduction and are able to please a woman in bed - a number of The Little People seem to have unusual sexual proclivities (and abilities). Joanets are tiny pixie-like creatures with wings, who live in forests and play tricks on humans (who they dislike). Finally I will mention the Mandragora - either born from a seed buried by an adult Mandragora, or from earth fertilised by the semen of a hanged man, these are strong, tall humanoid plants with rough white bark-like skin, unruly green hair and extraordinarily large sexual organs. They are carnivorous and will happily eat human flesh.

Like the previous section, I found this interestingly "different" and full of potential story hooks.


Fantastical Animals: This is a bit of a mixed bag, some of which could almost be mundane creatures (for example, venomous snakes or insects). Others are clearly "fantastical" of course. The Afreit is here a winged creature that can be used as a mount by certain demons and ifrits and has venomous breath. Some are fairly familiar - the Basilisco is the familiar basilisk and the Caballo Volador is a winged horse. Others less so - the Colacho has the body of a hairy man, the claws and beak of an eagle, but no arms, although it can become invisible and has a hypnotic song.

An interesting mix, but mire useful for wilderness/countryside adventures I think.


Finally we have Other Creatures: again a bit of mixed bunch. Cermenos - usually in the form of beetles or mice, they use magic to serve their master and are often entrusted to acolytes by the Devil or a powerful goetic magician; each knows a single spell that it can cast if its owner asks it to - as long as it doesn't receive a counter-order from some infernal entity. Djinns/Ifrits - pretty much identical in their abilities to change shape, become smoke and grant wishes, the Djinns are subject to divine law (though many hod grudges against humans) and Ifrits abjure Allah - invoking the name of Allah will cause a Djinn to leave peacefully, but drive an Ifrit into a rabid attack. Gul - the classic dead-eating creature, but able to assume human form (normally a woman) by day and to paralyse by circling a creature three times. Lobisome - hairy, strong men of few words, usually living alone in the forests, they have been bewitched by Gaueko or one of his worshippers, and are essentially a form a werewolf, prone to fits of murderous insanity, some of them are able to transform into wolves. Tartalo - a single-eyed man-eater that is said to kidnap young men to devour them and possessed of a terrifying appearance.

Again an interesting bunch with lots of possibilities.


This section finishes with completely mundane natural animals and I'm not going to comment one these.


It is worth saying that throughout the book there is no attempt (as far as I know) at the sanitisation that gamers will be used to (D&D springs to mind...

As an example take the Sacamantecas. This evil creature that live in the mountains of Malaga looks like a large man with thin, dark hair and a well-kept beard. It has a song that can charm and attracts young women (or sometimes boys) and then imprisons, rapes murders and dismembers them, devouring their brains (not necessarily in that order). Gruesome, but kind of refreshing to see the actors not recoiling from the darker parts of myth and legend.

Next up is Medieval Things which I will tackle tonight as I wan to finish this read before Christmas!
 
Medieval Things

This is a 14 page section giving the history of the peninsular kingdoms in the 14th and 15th centuries - there is a separate section for Castile, Aragon, Granada, Navarre and Portugal, and a chronology from 1301 (Fernando IV of Castile declared of legal age and Muhammad III becoming King of Granada) through to 1500 (Carlos, future king and emperor of Spain born in Ghent).

Without going into detail, suffice it to say that the period is turbulent and full of events - wars, rebellions, famine, disease etc - enough to give a pretty detailed backdrop to a historically accurate campaign setting - Granada seems especially turbulent with no fewer than 32 kings recorded between 1300 and 1492...


Customs

Another chapter of background material, this time dealing with topics such as The Elite (Nobility and Clergy) and the others - Burghers, townsmen, peasants and slaves, as well as sections on Knights, Convents, Universities and students, cities, towns, villages and hamlets, trade and travel by road and sea, peasant life, how and where folk lived, marriage and kinship, women, sin, food, medicine and surgery, clothes and leisure.

There is a nice section on the role of the tavern, as well as on bandits, crime and punishment, and finishing with a piece on death (the great leveller)...

This is a lengthy section, full of interest, although a little overwhelming for the casual GM or player. If you're going to play authentically though, I think this is a section that has to be read (or at lest skimmed) by both GM and players. It's full of little gems, like monks getting around the bar on meat during Lent by throwing a pig in the river, then "fishing" it out...

Travel is clearly risky, with travellers being advised not to carry weapons in case they are mistaken for bandits and attacked by soldiers - but also therefore not being able to protect themselves unless accompanied by soldiers (whose expenses the travellers must cover of course). Lodging can be had at an inn (on a major route) or perhaps at a monastery.

Peasant life is of course a bit grim, as might be the fate of anyone falling into the hands of medics or surgeons - if you have to, better hope it's an Arabic or Jewish physician, as they are more advanced and hygienic!

Medieval justice is similarly grim - a master who mistreats an apprentice who subsequently dies is not guilty of murder if the master proves he had nothing against him - it's merely and accident. Homosexuality is punishable by castration (there is no similar offence for females as such a thing is literally inconceivable...).

There's also some detail on the dreaded Black Death which arrived in the area in 1347 - Valencia suffered 20,000 deaths, Barcelona around 24,000 (two thirds of its population)...
 
Societies

This chapter deals with a number of organisations - some historical and some fictional.

The Inquisition: Obviously no-one expected them... This gives a history of the Inquisition in France, and in the Iberian Peninsula - especially in Aragon. This includes details on how the Inquisition operates, and details on some of their tortures, and public punishments - Auto-Da-Fe.

Military Orders: This covers the Lirios (Lilies), Hospitallers, Templars (naturally) and others. Most are given fairly short write-ups of one or two paragraphs, but enough to whet the appetite.

The Fraternitas Vera Lutis: The Fraternity of Truth Light, founded by Hugh de Molay, the organisation originally worked in secret to attack the Devil by any means. For a while allied to The Anatema Brotherhood, they later changed their approach and became the enemy of all facets of the Irrational in general, and magic in particular...

The Anatema Brotherhood: Essentially a brotherhood of scholars, clergy and others using preserved knowledge (especially white magic) to protect themselves and their knowledge and fight against evil. Famous brethren include Albertus Magnus, Pierre Abelard, Michael Servetus, Galileo Galilei and Fray Luis de Leon.

Berit ha Minian: A group of ten Kabbalists scattered across the peninsula who work to prevent knowledge (and abuse) of the Kabbalah by unbelievers, safeguard the treasures of the People of Israel and protect the People of Israel from the adversary.

The Magisteruelo Sect: A demonic cult that adores Lucifer in all his manifestations, and encouraging magical study amongst its acolytes (not just black spells).

The Travelers: A loose eclectic group of wanderers who hunt down and destroy monsters, and rescue their victims for a variety of personal reasons.

Obviously a lot of story hooks for adventurers here, as well as adversaries.


The Dramatic Arts

This is a moderately lengthy chapter with GM tips about running the game, setting the tone etc. It includes a commentary on the rules, the world, adventures and atmosphere.

It includes a list of various publications about the game (sadly most in Spanish and/or out of print) and a filmography (including 1492: Conquest of Paradise, The Name of the Rose, The Seventh Seal, HamletJoan of Arc and Robin and Marian).

There then follows a number of commentaries from long time players, GMs etc of the game, giving their views and impressions which makes for an interesting read.
 
I will add, if I may, my point of view about the RR/IRR debate, given that I have been playing and running this game since 1991 (and I wrote the first adventure in the current GM screen). I don't say this to brag about anything, but to show that this is something being debated since the beginning. This is what I got from conversations with Ricard, the author, who lives nearby and is a long time friend.

As Ricard (the author) told me, what RR and IRR mean to represent is which side you deem stronger. If you have high RR, you are convinced that the natural laws (as designed by God) and the divine will are going to prevail always, and that magic is damned to loose to them. In some way, that belief may shield you from magic and demonic influences.

If you have IRR you believe that reality can be molded by magic, that its influence is everywhere and the Devil is a force as strong as God. By that belief you can wield very powerful magic, because if you doubt that it will be effective, then it won't be. So, the more convinced you are that magic and the supernatural is as strong as the natural law, the more you can use it.

Hope it helps.
By that account I've been running this game since the 1999, when I started roleplaying...because that's always been my personal opinion, even though I learned about the game existing from Kickstarter:shade:!

Next goal: I want a hardcopy of Aquelarre, and maybe a spare one...:thumbsup:

Very long gap I'm afraid, again due to family stuff.

Angelicum Natura also begins with a short fiction section - I think I will comment on the fiction as a whole at the end of the read-through.

We start with a short, interesting section on the history of angels and their worship - I'm no scholar of this type of thing so I can't speak as to it's accuracy, but it certainly has a ring of truth about it I think. I was interested to learn that the cherubim (Kerub) were originally described as monstrous beasts - and that belief in actual angels diminished in the 16th century, at the same time as belief in demons was on the rise...

The next section deals with the classical Archangels. Seven are described: Micheal, Anael, Rafael, Gabriel, Cassiel, Sachiel and Samael. Each has several paragraphs of description, and all of them can use all the rituals of faith in their entirety, including the Sextus Order (the most powerful rituals of faith). Each Archangel also has their own particular enemy in Hell, and brief details on how they are likely to intervene in the world.
My favourite section so far, BTW:shade:!

Also, I want to thank you for doing the Let's Read thread for the benefit of the Pub!

as well as the Upiro, which strongly resembles the classic "vampire" with its ability to transform into a wolf or mist, and its vulnerabilities to blessed ground or concerted objects, and to sunlight.
You know, they probably are. Though I'd love to know the etymology of this name...:devil:!

Why? Because vampires are literally from my region - we have various tales about them. We also have various names for them: those include vampire (pronounced closer to vamp-i-r, with the i being read as the "i" in "Spanish"), as well as vuhpir - sorry, there's no letter for the sound, so I'm choosing to replace it by "uh", but it's closer to the "u" in "tuck/suck" - and vapir, vuhper, dracos and upir (which is actually one of the more popular ones, I just saved it for last).
Again, the letters in "upir" should be read exactly as in Spanish, unless my memory of Spanish is really faulty. (In fact, it's much easier to transliterate Bulgarian words using Spanish orthography - my name, for example, could be read erroneously in English or French, but a Spanish speaker would get it right, in all likelihood:gunslinger:).


Medieval Things

This is a 14 page section giving the history of the peninsular kingdoms in the 14th and 15th centuries - there is a separate section for Castile, Aragon, Granada, Navarre and Portugal, and a chronology from 1301 (Fernando IV of Castile declared of legal age and Muhammad III becoming King of Granada) through to 1500 (Carlos, future king and emperor of Spain born in Ghent).

Without going into detail, suffice it to say that the period is turbulent and full of events - wars, rebellions, famine, disease etc - enough to give a pretty detailed backdrop to a historically accurate campaign setting - Granada seems especially turbulent with no fewer than 32 kings recorded between 1300 and 1492...


Customs

Another chapter of background material, this time dealing with topics such as The Elite (Nobility and Clergy) and the others - Burghers, townsmen, peasants and slaves, as well as sections on Knights, Convents, Universities and students, cities, towns, villages and hamlets, trade and travel by road and sea, peasant life, how and where folk lived, marriage and kinship, women, sin, food, medicine and surgery, clothes and leisure.

There is a nice section on the role of the tavern, as well as on bandits, crime and punishment, and finishing with a piece on death (the great leveller)...

This is a lengthy section, full of interest, although a little overwhelming for the casual GM or player. If you're going to play authentically though, I think this is a section that has to be read (or at lest skimmed) by both GM and players. It's full of little gems, like monks getting around the bar on meat during Lent by throwing a pig in the river, then "fishing" it out...

Travel is clearly risky, with travellers being advised not to carry weapons in case they are mistaken for bandits and attacked by soldiers - but also therefore not being able to protect themselves unless accompanied by soldiers (whose expenses the travellers must cover of course). Lodging can be had at an inn (on a major route) or perhaps at a monastery.

Peasant life is of course a bit grim, as might be the fate of anyone falling into the hands of medics or surgeons - if you have to, better hope it's an Arabic or Jewish physician, as they are more advanced and hygienic!

Medieval justice is similarly grim - a master who mistreats an apprentice who subsequently dies is not guilty of murder if the master proves he had nothing against him - it's merely and accident. Homosexuality is punishable by castration (there is no similar offence for females as such a thing is literally inconceivable...).

There's also some detail on the dreaded Black Death which arrived in the area in 1347 - Valencia suffered 20,000 deaths, Barcelona around 24,000 (two thirds of its population)...
Incidentally, I think both of those sections are great for the GM, especially the latter. But then all the chapters are useful so far (though I admit I haven't read the Refereeing advice yet).
 
Thanks for this. I got the POD version of this plus the Bestiary and Asturias book. I read them and, not finding the time or a group, shelved them. Your 'read' has inspired me to take them off the shelf and try for an online group to play.
 
Thanks for this. I got the POD version of this plus the Bestiary and Asturias book. I read them and, not finding the time or a group, shelved them. Your 'read' has inspired me to take them off the shelf and try for an online group to play.
cool - I'm heading that way myself once I get through The Two Headed Serpent (Pulp Cthulhu) using Broken Compass rules
 
Thanks for this. I got the POD version of this plus the Bestiary and Asturias book. I read them and, not finding the time or a group, shelved them. Your 'read' has inspired me to take them off the shelf and try for an online group to play.

Aquelarre would be perfect for a Robin of Sherwood type game, if you remember the old 1980's series?
 
You know, they probably are. Though I'd love to know the etymology of this name...:devil:!

Why? Because vampires are literally from my region - we have various tales about them. We also have various names for them: those include vampire (pronounced closer to vamp-i-r, with the i being read as the "i" in "Spanish"), as well as vuhpir - sorry, there's no letter for the sound, so I'm choosing to replace it by "uh", but it's closer to the "u" in "tuck/suck" - and vapir, vuhper, dracos and upir (which is actually one of the more popular ones, I just saved it for last).
Again, the letters in "upir" should be read exactly as in Spanish, unless my memory of Spanish is really faulty. (In fact, it's much easier to transliterate Bulgarian words using Spanish orthography - my name, for example, could be read erroneously in English or French, but a Spanish speaker would get it right, in all likelihood:gunslinger:).
I'll admit that I'm dubious if the 'upiro' is a Spanish creature at all. As you note, the name is pretty clearly just Slavic 'upir' and in a little initial poking I've not found any reference to an 'upir' in Spain except for:
  • A recent horror movie Upiro and
  • A fantasy work entitled Medievo Oscuro (2015) by Manel Flores which looks like an Aquelarre-based novel.
 
Tales

This is the adventure section. The first part is a solo adventure using the traditional numbered paragraph system. It is designed for character without magical abilities. On a read-through it does a reasonable job of presenting the setting, with oppressed peasants, a murder mystery and a supernatural menace. There are a couple of potentially lethal combat scenes, some interaction scenes, ad a nice depiction of the game's "atmosphere". It especially flags up that the PCs aren't necessarily "shining knights", and that a degree of deception, and hiding the supernatural from the general population is often a good thing.
 
I'll admit that I'm dubious if the 'upiro' is a Spanish creature at all. As you note, the name is pretty clearly just Slavic 'upir' and in a little initial poking I've not found any reference to an 'upir' in Spain except for:
  • A recent horror movie Upiro and
  • A fantasy work entitled Medievo Oscuro (2015) by Manel Flores which looks like an Aquelarre-based novel.
Well, some of those creatures are kinda borrowed, but usually from closer sources, like Basque. So maybe there is an "upiro" in Spain? I don't know, though I've never heard about it, either:thumbsup:.
I mean, it could still be a borrowed creature/name, but it might have been borrowed centuries earlier:shade:.
 
So, I didn't say much about the solo adventure, but the next section is a short multiplayer adventure, and I will say a bit more about it - so POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT!

The adventure is titled "Tale of Shadows" and takes place in/near the town of Bullas in Murcia. The blurb states this is for an inexperienced GM (or GD as they term it).

It starts with a short local tale about a supposedly haunted Roman Tower called La Torre Ciega (The Blind Tower).

The introduction for the players sets the scene of them arriving at Bullas for indeterminate reasons - though it gives a number of suggestions for different character "types".

Approached by a young lad, they are invited for a little wine at his master's Manor House, to discuss a business proposal that they may "find agreeable".

At the manor they are introduced to Master Manuel, and his business proposition revolves around his plans to build a mill on the site of the old Roman tower - he has permission from the Order of Santiago (who own the land), but only after making a substantial donation. He then discovered that the locals regarded the tower with superstition, and were unlikely to work in the mill, or sell him grain, or buy flour ground there. He wants some strangers, unmoved by local superstition, to demonstrate to the locals that the superstition is false, and commissions the PCs to undertake this. As you might expect, he's not necessarily completely open with the characters,

Asking around town (with suitable rolls if necessary) picks up some local gossip - in particular, the locals didn't really pay that much heed to the old legends until recently one of their number, Pedro Ramales, swore that the legends were true and that he himself had seen the phantasms. This seemed to paint matters in different light for the townsfolk.

Following this up leads to Pedro's house. Pedro is halfway to cornering the local wool market, making yarn to sell to local weavers. He is supported in this by his beautiful daughter (Ines) and a young lad (Angel). Pedro is sick in bed following his experiences, and by careful questioning (or other means) the PCs are likely to discover that the "phantasms" were a put up job by Angel and Ines, who wish to wed but could not obtain Pedro's consent. They knew one of Pedro's obsessions was to regularly visit the ruined tower looking for a legendary "Moor's Treasure" that was supposed to be there, and took full advantage of this to thoroughly spook him. Pedro's current condition was unintended and unexpected and the lovers are feeling very guilty about it.

The interference of the PCs is likely to bring about Pedro's recovery, and (probably) a major family row. Manuel however, will not be satisfied until the PCs have thoroughly "dealt with" the tower itself, so an on the spot investigation is necessary. This is slightly unfortunate, as the tower is currently used by a small group of bandits, who have done their best to encourage the local superstitions, and there is an inevitable confrontation and violence.

It's a pretty slight plot (but I always like that in rags - a simple story is frequently a good one), but it serves to introduce the setting (with a number of pieces of local colour, including being able to tell from his style of dress that Manuel is a Christian, and form the lack of a coat of arms above his manor's door, that he is not a nobleman) and the rule system (with the exception of overt magic).

One thing I found odd, is just why Angel and Ines thought spooking Pedro in the old tower might get him to change his mind about their betrothal. But there you go.

Finally there is a short paragraph by way of an epilogue (for the GM), where the PCs' patron, Manuel, sacrifices the young lad from the beginning of the scenario in order to summon Lord Gland, Prince of Hell. It seems clear that intends that the grain and flour from his mill shall be contaminated with ergot with which the locals will be poisoned and suffer St Anthony's Fire (Ergotism). I think this prepares the ground quite nicely for all sorts of nasty stuff when the characters pay a return visit.

A criticism though - there is a section on ergotism, and this is clearly meant to be the "disease" in question, but the GM Epilogue refers to "leprosy" which looks as though it is an error. The section on ergotism describes the ergot fungus as containing "a significant amount of LSD" which I think is also technically not quite right - as far as I understand it ergot contains a variety of alkaloids which are related to (and some are precursors of) LSD, but doesn't;t actually contain LSD. A minor point I know, but it caught my eye.

Next up will be the final (longer) adventure from the book - appropriately called "Love Letter to a Book".
 
So, I didn't say much about the solo adventure, but the next section is a short multiplayer adventure, and I will say a bit more about it - so POTENTIAL SPOILER ALERT!
Thanks, I'm going to skip reading that post, for now:thumbsup:! I like solo adventures:shade:!
 
Love Letter to a Book

I am going to cover each part of this scenario in a bit of detail, then make some comments. So once again - SPOILER ALERT.

This is described as "a module for a minimum of four PCs, if possible old, old warriors"

Part one is entitled "Preparing is also part of the trip", and it begins with some flavour text, setting the scene. Essentially this involves an old alchemist to whom the PCs owe "many favours". He is concerned about his book of magic? spells? - it is a little vague, but he seems to feel the book itself is somehow "getting old".

As an aside the book is described as containing "...not only the list and powers of all creatures and spells that exist, but of those that are allowed to come into existence. He who has it knows; and he who knows, is victorious. The power of the book is infinite: if a creature were to be erased form it, not only would it cease to exist, but it would never have come into existence at all. Likewise, if a creature is written into it, it will not only be created, it will always have existed..."

The PCs are asked to take the book to "the most powerful witches on Earth" - Birutia, Indarr & Sorguinak of Aralar.

So off they trot.

The suggestion is to put them through a bit of an environmental wringer on the lengthy journey (on foot) before they arrive at the gates of San Miguel de Aralar. The villagers can only point vaguely up the mountain so the PCs have to trek up towards the shrine. As they approach this turns out to be a monastery (?) and they encounter Father Atarrabi on the road. He is armed with a walking stick that is described as being "blessed with the Rod of Justice Spell". There is no such spell in the book, but reading on we are told this is simply the name for a weapon treated with Unbreakable Weapon ointment, a Talisman of Invincible Weapon, and a Talisman of Alacrity. We are given no stats for the father - he is simply treated as an impassable obstacle for the players until they play his "riddle" with him.

The riddle is a choosing game, where the PCs have to choose form two bags (which he holds behind his back) trying to get a white ball instead of a black one. The PCs also get to choose how many balls of each type (5 white, 5 black) go in each bag. There is a discussion about the optimum way of divvying the balls up to maximise their chance of randomly drawing a white one....

They carry on their way, and encounter a hamlet below the monastery. This seems to be San Miguel de Aralar, even though we seem to have already been there? In any event they meet the witches and are told they will need to find a "young book" which has yet to have a soul and that there are rumours that the Polo Party - a group of Andalusian adventurers has just such a book. Without more ado they are despatched to Zaragoza to seek them out.

Meanwhile the Vera Lucis have caught wind of things (?) and despatch a party to ambush and kill the PCs...

Incidentally, should the players decide to use the book in some way we are told to screw them over - eg if they ask that a spell disappear, make all magic disappear - it "fulfils their desire to the letter, but completely the opposite to what the players would have wanted. And when it stops being fun, have everything return to normal"

This concludes part one.

Comments: I was a bit taken aback by the start of this scenario - using veteran characters seems a bit odd for one of the two GM scenarios in the rulebook. I was also a bit taken aback by the maguffin, and by the "magic walking stick" which felt very rail-roady and out of place with how I had envisaged the game. These elements feel to me as though they would be more at home in a high fantasy game... especially given the description of the book and its powers. I mean, how did the alchemist get it? Why hasn't it been stolen? How come it apparently usurps the creative and destructive powers of God??

I also was surprised that the PCs are apparently expected to simply ask around for the witches - I would have thought this might mark them out as dangerous folk to be avoided, or even driven out of town??

Oh, and how the Vera Lucis become aware of what is going on is a complete mystery....

Part Two later.
 
Part Two - Travellers

The PCs are allowed as they leave the witches (and can find this out wit a Discovery roll). It is the Vera Lucis group - but also a second group who will appear shortly.

The PCs are ambushed by Vera Lucis - and the PCs will be outnumbered three to one! After the PCs have taken a "few lumps", another group come to their rescue, led by the bishop of Palencia, wielding a huge cross like a gigantic Warhammer...

The bishop has been expelled from his diocese because "..of his contacts with people (and other beings) of blasphemous and impious beliefs, followed by his faithful sacristans, the bishop has joined the Anatema Brotherhood and patrols the roads in defense of those teachings that shouldn’t be lost."

Apparently the witches warned him and his sacristans of the PCs' mission... The PCs are taken to the monastery of Peidra - or rather its basement entered via a hidden cave behind a waterfall. Here the PCs are given a new travelling companion, Perra - a woman's body containing the soul of a bitch mastiff. She is (mostly) covered by a cloak, but otherwise only wears a thick, barbed leather collar. Oh dear...

Before setting off again for Zaragoza the PCs are taught "the warrior's prayer" which will summon the bishop and his sacristans to their aid (though they travel by mundane means and it may take a while for help to arrive).

The rest of the trip contains a number of suggestions for encounters - wolves, bandits or the Vera Lucis.

Comments: This seems a bit hackneyed to me - it almost feels like Warhammer rather than a semi-serious medieval rpg, and the introduction of Perra seems problematical. I don't think I would want "comic relief" in this story, and if played completely straight her presence seems like its bound to cause trouble. Apart form anything else, does she sniff at the medieval equivalent of a lamppost? Cock a leg up and wee on things??


Part Three: The City

Arriving in Zaragoza there are some suggestions as to how Perra's behaviour can spark incidents (mostly ending with them fleeing though the city streets). Ultimately Perra leads them to a building where a fight is clearly going on. Entering the building the PCs will have to engage in combat with the Vera Lucis who are ganging up on a man with a leather scroll tube on his back. The PCs are obviously meant to be victorious, but the man is badly wounded and unable to speak.

The owner of the house - Hqiqiy’yun Nur - says the two groups burst into his house and that he does not know them. He offers the services of a doctor.

To cut a long story short, Nur is essentially a fake, and the wounded man's scroll tube contains the "book without a soul". Nur's "doctor" is nothing of the sort and will try to finish off the wounded man (Antonio de Polo). Nur will also offer the PCs accommodation for the night.

It's not clear how the PCs are supposed to save de Polo and still end up staying overnight, but in any event, Nur will try to have them murdered in their sleep - either by being knifed, or by the building being set on fire... in either case Perra will alert them and they are likely to escape.

Having survived the attempt on their lives, de Polo wakes up and asks about his book - which has now been taken by Nur. This presumably means Polo has to survive the ministrations of the "doctor" above - which does raise other questions of course.

Polo's survival is even more important as he then tells the PCs to go to “The inn... the inn of Aker and Txio!” before falling unconscious again.

Arriving at the inn it turns out to be a hidden-hole for the Anatema where they can lick their wounds. De Polo looks at the old grimoire and announces that it is just what he needs - a book with a soul. Now they need to find Nur and the missing new book.

Fortunately for them, Nur needs both books - He must destroy both at the same time in a ritual, because either of them is enough to repair all magic.

So he sends robbers to steal the grimoire in a simulated street assault. One way or another Nur ends up with both books - with the old book - with the old book and a prisoner (who? how??)

Luckily Aker and Trio have contacts, and Perra can track (by smell - don't ask) and they track Nur down to a fort in Sinhaya (the Muslim Quarter). They PCs are likely to want to arrange some kind of raid/assault or other caper.

Once everyone (and the books) are together, hey presto Nur produces the Travel Powder spell and whisks everyone away to a "primordial moor". Here he summons Bileto, Prince of Hell who promptly banishes Nur to Hell and offers the players another of the strange "ball-choosing" games we saw earlier in the scenario. If the PCs try to fight, Bileto promptly summons eighty demon legions (blimey!).

In a convoluted ending I struggled to follow hopefully the new book ends up with the should of the old book and Bileto sends everyone back to San Miguel de Aralar (some may have died I guess).

We then have stats for the NPCs. These include stats for the witches (who are only interacted with verbally) but none for Father Atarrabi, whom the players may attack (though they are doomed to fail - see above).

Overall comments: I'm sorry, but I think this scenario stinks. It feels like it was written over 30 years ago, and for a high magic/high fantasy gonzo game. It's full of blatant rail-roading, invincible NPCs etc and a Maguffin that seems way over-powered, and just doesn't make sense to me. The whole tone just jars with the rest of the book.

Whilst I might be able to re-purpose the NPCs, I couldn't see me ever using this without a complete re-write.
 
Banner: The best cosmic horror & Cthulhu Mythos @ DriveThruRPG.com
Back
Top