#1 Knights of the Grail for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay
Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 2:49 am
The supplement deals with the nation of Bretonnia (pseudo high medieval-France). The authors have a big challenge ahead, how to reconcile to the two different images of Bretonnia that have been present in previous Warhammer editions: corrupt nobles infamously exploiting their peasants and the King Arthuresque order of noble knights. They succeed by accepting both.
The King may always be a Grail Knight, a noble individual who has succeeded in the Grail Quest and been rewarded with a sip from the Grail, but most of Bretonnia's nobility is not. While there are some good apples nobles have so much power and society enforces such a complete divide that corruption and abuse of power are common place. Even Grail Knights, although righteous, do not believe in such radical and ridiculous notions that men are equal or that women have a higher calling than the breeding or heirs or being attractive ornaments. Even by the less than perfectly enlightened standards of the Empire, the divide of class and gender is strong in Bretonnia and colours the whole nation.
Bretonnia's society is described in considerable detail, as well as its legal system. How peasants relate to nobles, areas of conflict, peasant strategies of dealing with nobles and troublesome bailiffs, and the consequences thereof are particularily good. The society feels real. The writing practically drip with adventure hooks.
The book goes further to deal with peasant rebellions, Robin Hood figures, the Fay ( the Wood Elves of Athel Loren, big surprise), merchants, and how enterprising peasants and women had slip out of the strictures Bretonnia (sometimes through built in loop holes [Carcossone "sheppards" for example], sometimes through disguise) to be playable as adventurers while not mutilating the setting.
The Religion section goes into some detail about the Lady and the Grail cult, as well as detailing peasant religious practices. Enough is explained or alluded too that the Gamemaster and observant players will be able to make educated guesses about what is really going on while enough is left blank that the mystery is preserved.
The book then describes each of the Duchies in detail, including pithy sayings, local personalities, places of interest, and more adventure hooks.
Game mechanics are found in side bars or in the back of the book, which also includes an adventure.
Art: Excellent and appropriate, which is typical of the line.
Layout: Good, again typical of the line. Fluff in front, organized in chapters, good index and table of contents, game mechanics mostly at the back.
Overall: Excellent. It was better than I was expecting.
The King may always be a Grail Knight, a noble individual who has succeeded in the Grail Quest and been rewarded with a sip from the Grail, but most of Bretonnia's nobility is not. While there are some good apples nobles have so much power and society enforces such a complete divide that corruption and abuse of power are common place. Even Grail Knights, although righteous, do not believe in such radical and ridiculous notions that men are equal or that women have a higher calling than the breeding or heirs or being attractive ornaments. Even by the less than perfectly enlightened standards of the Empire, the divide of class and gender is strong in Bretonnia and colours the whole nation.
Bretonnia's society is described in considerable detail, as well as its legal system. How peasants relate to nobles, areas of conflict, peasant strategies of dealing with nobles and troublesome bailiffs, and the consequences thereof are particularily good. The society feels real. The writing practically drip with adventure hooks.
The book goes further to deal with peasant rebellions, Robin Hood figures, the Fay ( the Wood Elves of Athel Loren, big surprise), merchants, and how enterprising peasants and women had slip out of the strictures Bretonnia (sometimes through built in loop holes [Carcossone "sheppards" for example], sometimes through disguise) to be playable as adventurers while not mutilating the setting.
The Religion section goes into some detail about the Lady and the Grail cult, as well as detailing peasant religious practices. Enough is explained or alluded too that the Gamemaster and observant players will be able to make educated guesses about what is really going on while enough is left blank that the mystery is preserved.
The book then describes each of the Duchies in detail, including pithy sayings, local personalities, places of interest, and more adventure hooks.
Game mechanics are found in side bars or in the back of the book, which also includes an adventure.
Art: Excellent and appropriate, which is typical of the line.
Layout: Good, again typical of the line. Fluff in front, organized in chapters, good index and table of contents, game mechanics mostly at the back.
Overall: Excellent. It was better than I was expecting.