Monday, April 8, 2013

[Q&A] Andrew Peregrine (Kuro, Qin, Yggdrasill, Keltia)

[19:02] <+AndrewPeregrine> I’m a freelance RPG writer, who has been extraordinarily lucky to work on some amazing projects. These have included working for AEG (Seventh Sea), Eden Studios (Buffy/Angel), Margaret Weis Productions (Serenity, Leverage) and White Wolf (Changeling). Most of my work has been with Cubicle 7 though. I built the second edition of Victoriana, and developed the l
[19:03] <+AndrewPeregrine> which was too long
[19:03] <+AndrewPeregrine> . I currently also look after our translation projects, which are all games by the amazing French company 7th Circle. These being Qin: the Warring States, Yggdrasill, Kuro and the forthcoming Keltia. I also write games under my own imprint 'Corone Design'.
[19:03] <+AndrewPeregrine> Basically I have freelanced for a few companies, but now work specifically with Cubicle 7 bringing 7th Circle games inot English
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[19:04] <+AndrewPeregrine> For a real job I work in the theatre as a lighting tech
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[19:04] <~Dan> (Howdy, Seraioli, Catseye! Q&A in progress!)
[19:04] <+AndrewPeregrine> Hiya
[19:04] <~Dan> (#rpgnet2 open for general chat, as usual! :) )
[19:06] <+AndrewPeregrine> I should probably add some detail about the 7th circle games we are working on
[19:06] <+AndrewPeregrine> First there is Qin -  (pronounced ‘Chin’ by the way) is a beautiful game inspired by ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’. It mixes a detailed historical background with martial arts action and elegant spiritual power.
[19:06] <+AndrewPeregrine> Then we have Yggdrasill another historical game, this time set in the lands of the Norse sagas. The world of Yggdrasill is the world the old Norse believed it to be. So while there are no horned helmets there are giants, Gods and monsters to be found among the ice laden fjords.
[19:07] <+Silverlion> Thank heavans, no horned helmets.
[19:07] <+AndrewPeregrine> Next is Kuro a very different game. Set in a near future it mixes ‘Blade Runner’ with ‘The Ring’. Japan is under an international blockade, closed off from the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the spirit world is rising in the shadows
[19:07] <+AndrewPeregrine> Absolutly, there is even a paragraph about it in the book
[19:07] <+AndrewPeregrine> We are also working on Keltia once more a historical game, but this time set in the UK! It is an Arthurian game, but not the Pendragon romance of Malory. Instead this is a game of Celtic warlords, forgotten magic and rain drenched battlefields. It uses the same system as Yggdrasill.
[19:07] <+Silverlion> Now I need Yggdrasill...
[19:08] <+AndrewPeregrine> You do!
[19:08] <+AndrewPeregrine> Neko and the team did a fine job, if you like Qin you won't be dissapointed
[19:09] <+DCAnsell> Yeah, I see a lot of 7e/Cubicle 7 purchases in my future...
[19:09] <+Neko7c> Thanks Andy ! :)
[19:09] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its even more frustrating for me, I have enough French to see how interesting the books are but can't quite read them
[19:10] <+Neko7c> We wanted to show that Northmen were'nt barbarians
[19:10] <~Dan> (Just give us a "(done)" when you're ready for questions, Andy. :) )
[19:10] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its the cultural detail that really makes Yggdrasill shine
[19:10] <+AndrewPeregrine> ah, done!
[19:10] <~Dan> ( ;) )
[19:11] <~Dan> Thanks Andrew!
[19:11] <~Dan> Would anyone like to start us off?
[19:11] <+Silverlion> What kind of system does Yggdrasill use?
[19:11] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its very simple but complicates nicely
[19:12] <+AndrewPeregrine> Basically you roll a pool of D10s equal to an attribute (Strength)
[19:12] <+AndrewPeregrine> Then you take the best 2 results and add that to your skill level
[19:12] <+AndrewPeregrine> Did you beat a difficulty number?
[19:12] <+Silverlion> Cool.
[19:13] <+AndrewPeregrine> 10's roll again so there is an advantage in having a high attribute but not a game breaking one
[19:13] <+AndrewPeregrine> Keltia uses the same system, but Qin and Kuro are different
[19:13] <+Silverlion> Is there magic?
[19:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> However, Kuro has a lot of similarities, albeit with D6s
[19:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is magic, 3 in fact
[19:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> Siegr magic is the magic of spells
[19:14] <+Neko7c> Sejdr is a kind of witchcraft
[19:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is Galdr magic that grants you an ability you can manipulate, like illusion or charm
[19:15] <+Silverlion> Awesome.
[19:15] <+Neko7c> Galdr use voice
[19:15] <+AndrewPeregrine> So you choose how many, how long for or what senses are affected with the illusion and the difficulty raises
[19:15] <+AndrewPeregrine> Finally there is also Rune magic, of course!
[19:16] <+AndrewPeregrine> Galdr is usually the Bard's magic, but the nice thing s that character creation is so open you cna mix and matchm although specialism is the better option
[19:17] <~Dan> Yes, about that: one review I saw mentioned that the players all felt like they had to be highly specialized to be effective. Any thoughts on the subject?
[19:17] <+AndrewPeregrine> I think thats true of any game to a degree, andthe options you pick
[19:17] <+AndrewPeregrine> I remember playing Mage and power levels being dependant on the sphere options you picked not hteir levels
[19:18] <~Dan> To some degree, certainly. I've played in some games, though, in which broad-based characters really ended up hating life. :)
[19:18] <+AndrewPeregrine> It is certainly best to specialise rather than try and do everything in Yggdrasill, few legandry heroes are good at everything after all
[19:18] <+Neko7c> In fact, I think they only rely on numbers. You can be effective because you solve problems with creativity
[19:18] * ~Dan nods
[19:18] <+Neko7c> Social interaction is very important too
[19:19] <+Neko7c> In France some wanted to play a team of berserk. Bad idea.. :)
[19:19] * ~Dan chuckles
[19:19] <+AndrewPeregrine> That would be messy very quickly
[19:19] <+Neko7c> They are powerful, but when they get tired
[19:20] <+AndrewPeregrine> Certainly the initial character creation rules give you solid heroes, but don;t start you as legendary
[19:20] <+Neko7c> They are very easy to fight
[19:20] <+DCAnsell> You've mentioned the basic resolution system, is combat run on the same system, or is there something different? How does weapon and armor choice effect matters?
[19:20] <+AndrewPeregrine> Yup, everything comes from the basic system, magic too, but with a few more bells and whistles
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[19:20] <+AndrewPeregrine> Each weapon has a base damage, to which you add how well you hit.
[19:21] <+Neko7c> Furor too is important
[19:21] <+AndrewPeregrine> Defence rating are based on skill, and armour removes some of the damage
[19:21] <+AndrewPeregrine> Yes, Furor
[19:21] <~Dan> Does strength add to that base damage in melee attacks?
[19:21] <+AndrewPeregrine> !These are the points you can add to improve rolls, very useful in combat
[19:22] <+Neko7c> Furor points are not only for berserkir
[19:22] <+AndrewPeregrine> Strangth does indeed add to damage, but there are 3 modes of attack, so you can use dexterity instead, or try for a more precise blow
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[19:22] <+Neko7c> Furor dice I should say
[19:22] <+Silverlion> So Kuro is Ghost in the Shell+ Horror.
[19:22] <+AndrewPeregrine> Furor is a great mechanic, on one hand giving you 'hero/story/brownie points
[19:22] <+AndrewPeregrine> but it is also very viking.
[19:23] <+AndrewPeregrine> I usually describe it as how much our character 'rocks'
[19:23] <+AndrewPeregrine> It isn't jsut how powerful they are but how stylish, charismatic, legendary and an all round amazing they are
[19:24] <+Neko7c> Like in sagas
[19:24] <+AndrewPeregrine> So the Bards ahve the same oppotunity as the Berzerkers
[19:24] <~Dan> Cool, re: using dexterity as an alternative to strength for damage.
[19:24] <~Dan> I like options, but I tend to like the "basics" in place, if you follow me.
[19:24] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thats the groovy thing, combat has a lot of options, but you don't have ot use them all
[19:25] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thats the one
[19:25] <+AndrewPeregrine> Sorry, just seem the Kuro note lost above
[19:25] <+AndrewPeregrine> Ghost in the Shell is indeed very Kuro
[19:26] <+AndrewPeregrine> The horror is very interesting as its Japanese horror, with many important differences to western horror
[19:26] <~Dan> How high tech is the setting?
[19:26] <+AndrewPeregrine> Often it isn't a horror to be fought and beaten, sometimes mere survival is a win
[19:26] <+Neko7c> It's a futuristic setting
[19:26] <+Neko7c> Not cyberpunk
[19:26] <+AndrewPeregrine> Quite high tech, but nothing we might not see in the next twenty years
[19:26] <~Dan> (And if you'd prefer us not to jump back and forth like this between games, just let me know. We can focus on one at a time if you prefer. :) )
[19:27] <~Dan> So no man-portable energy weapons, for example?
[19:27] <+AndrewPeregrine> as long as everyone else is ok I'm cool :)
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[19:27] <+GamerBoy> What suplements are in the works for Yigdracill?
[19:27] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are some taser devices, and some powerful energy weapons, but it isn't DOOM :)
[19:28] <+AndrewPeregrine> Our next is Nine Worlds which covers the other worlds of Yggdrasill and some of the gods and monsters therein
[19:28] <~Dan> (Oh, and GamerBoy, you can set your nick with the "/nick" command if you like. :) )
[19:28] <+AndrewPeregrine> We have 'kings of the Sea' in translation which is a naval sourcebook
[19:29] <+Neko7c> Each sourcebook come with a part of the campaign and a one-shot scenario
[19:29] <~Dan> Ah, that brings up a previously-submitted question...
[19:29] <+AndrewPeregrine> After that is Uppsala, detailing the ancient city of the sorcerer kings and Sos of Halfdan that finishes the main campaign
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[19:29] <*Thanaeon*> As I understand, rules using ships are in an Yggdrasil supplement? Is this true and if so, aren't they sort of central to a game about vikings?
[19:29] <+AndrewPeregrine> I beleive there is one more Nek hasn't produced yet that finishes the line
[19:29] <+Neko7c> After Sons of Halfdan, you will have Horlf Kraki but it's 20 years later and the end of the gameline
[19:30] <+Neko7c> Hrolf Kraki
[19:30] <+AndrewPeregrine> The naval book gives them the full detail, but the corebook isn't absent on ship detail
[19:30] <~Dan> (Halfdan? I'm twice as good as that guy!)
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[19:30] <+Neko7c> You will play your characters first in Hrolf Kraki and then your character's heir
[19:30] <+Silverlion> Any crossover with other cultures?
[19:30] <+AndrewPeregrine> The central aspect of Yggdrasill is mainly the politics between the various kingdoms.
[19:31] <+Neko7c> Funny :)
[19:31] <+DCAnsell> Is generational play present throughout the game?
[19:31] <~Dan> :D
[19:31] <+AndrewPeregrine> I'll grab those one at a time
[19:31] <+Neko7c> Well, in tha campaign, the characters are quite young
[19:31] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a crossover with other Scandia cultures, but not outside that area.
[19:31] <+Neko7c> In Yggdrasill, you're a men at 12 years old
[19:31] <+Neko7c> So they are around 16 years old
[19:32] <+Silverlion> *nods* probably for the best.
[19:32] <+Neko7c> So at the end of the campaign, usually they are married and have heirs
[19:32] <+AndrewPeregrine> I beleive the last book will add an element of generational play
[19:32] <+Silverlion> Cultural crossover can be cool, but not always
[19:32] <+Neko7c> We put some little twists in the campaign about that but no spoilers here I suppose...:)
[19:32] <+Silverlion> 'BRB
[19:33] <~Dan> What sorts of monsters are in the core Yggdrasill book?
[19:33] <+Neko7c> Yes, we will add some generational play in Hrolf Kraki
[19:33] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are details of giants, dragons, wolves and other beaties
[19:33] <+Neko7c> Kraken too... Love krakens
[19:33] <~Dan> Any trolls?
[19:33] <+AndrewPeregrine> Along with a series of details on npcs
[19:34] <+Neko7c> Trolls and giants
[19:34] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a KRaken, but you don't want to meet it
[19:34] <+Neko7c> But giants are mainly in the 9 worlds
[19:34] <+AndrewPeregrine> there are more beaties and strange folk in nine worlds
[19:34] <+Neko7c> Giants are primordial gods
[19:34] <+Neko7c> Some are on Midgard, our earth, some are in their realms
[19:34] <~Dan> Ah, that brings up another pre-submitted question...
[19:35] <*Thanaeon*> How does Yggdrasil treat the gods? Are they presented eg. as concrete beings, active meddlers in the affairs of mortals, abstract concepts or as entities that may or may not exist at all?
[19:35] <+AndrewPeregrine> I had an answer for that one
[19:35] <+AndrewPeregrine> A little bit of both. The gods are real and take a hand in mortal affairs when it suits them. Sure, Thor isn’t going to drop from the sky and start smashing giants around. However, that one eyed sailor who just gave you the weapon you need to fight the local witch, could it have been Odin?
[19:36] <+AndrewPeregrine> Rather than godsm, it is the hand of fate and destiny that is most important in Yggdrasill
[19:36] <+Neko7c> Destiny is over the gods themselves
[19:37] <+Neko7c> The gods themselves are doomed.
[19:37] <~Dan> Puts me in mind of the original Clash of the Titans a bit.
[19:37] <~Dan> Except, you know, Norse. :)
[19:37] <+AndrewPeregrine> You could go that way, and it would be epic
[19:38] <+AndrewPeregrine> yuor character s just might not live through it
[19:38] * ~Dan nods
[19:38] <+AndrewPeregrine> :)
[19:38] <+Neko7c> Characters are human beings
[19:38] <+DCAnsell> The best of heroes often don't.
[19:38] <+AndrewPeregrine> Having said that, they are human beings with the hand of fate on heir shoulder
[19:39] <+Neko7c> Even if we talked about half-alfars in 9Worlds
[19:39] <~Dan> What are the attributes in Yggdrasill, and how broad are the skills?
[19:39] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thee are nine attributes in 3 areas, mind, body and soul
[19:39] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are about twenty skills, covering a broad range
[19:40] <+AndrewPeregrine> They cover the sort of areas you'd expect, Long weapons, Sagas, Crafting, Theft
[19:41] <+AndrewPeregrine> Generally they cover the sort of range you're used to from most rpgs
[19:41] <~Dan> Is there any equivalent to d20 Feats or the like?
[19:41] <+AndrewPeregrine> Ah yes, we have Combat feats
[19:42] <+AndrewPeregrine> While the mages have 3 forms of magic, the warriors can pick various special abilities, like sheild blow or crushing blow
[19:42] <+DCAnsell> Is there any thing akin to the Qin advanced martial arts?
[19:42] <+AndrewPeregrine> The combat feats come in 4 levels, so there are similar abilities, btu not quite as supernatural as Qin
[19:43] <+AndrewPeregrine> Yggdraill combat has a little less elegance to it than Qin :)
[19:43] <+Neko7c> Qin was a very advanced and sophisticated civilization.
[19:43] <~Dan> And that leads us to another pre-submitted question! :)
[19:43] <*Thanaeon*> I know that Yggdrasil uses a different dice mechanic from Qin: The Warring States. How different or similiar is the mechanical paradigm between the two games? Is Yggdrasil, say, more narrative in its mechanics, does it have major differences in its assumptions of how combat works (other than, obviously, the lack of taos) and so on?
[19:44] <+Neko7c> Qin was made to emulate (?) chinese movies moves
[19:44] <+Neko7c> So we invented Taos
[19:44] <+Neko7c> Nothing magical, only the result of a perfect balance
[19:45] <+AndrewPeregrine> I've noticed geenrally 7th Circle focus on the setting, and make the rules work for that setting
[19:45] <+Neko7c> Nothing like that in Yggdrasill.
[19:45] <+Neko7c> Exactly
[19:45] <+Neko7c> In Qin we wanted characters able to run on bamboos and make 5 actions in a round like in movies
[19:46] <+AndrewPeregrine> Their simplicity is also deceiving, a lot of very clever tweaks come to light when you start playing them
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[19:46] <+Neko7c> True...
[19:46] <+AndrewPeregrine> While we're on feats I should also mention Kuro
[19:46] <~Dan> I take it there are no supernatural creatures in Qin, given the lack of magic?
[19:47] <+Neko7c> There is magic in Qin
[19:47] <+AndrewPeregrine> Kuro has 'Gimmiku' which can attach to any skill
[19:47] <+Neko7c> And supernatural creatures.. a LOT !
[19:47] <+AndrewPeregrine> Lots of magic in Qin
[19:47] <+Neko7c> Exorcism, Alchemy, Divination....etc
[19:47] <+AndrewPeregrine> but a sublte enchantment rather than gandalf vs the balrog
[19:47] <+DCAnsell> Ghosts rock in Qin...in my opinion.
[19:48] <+AndrewPeregrine> Unless you ar facing one!
[19:48] <+Neko7c> Ghost are very important in asian cultures
[19:48] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are a lot of hungry spirits in Kuro, a lot...
[19:48] <~Dan> Ah... so you just meant that wuxia moves aren't supernatural in the context of the setting?
[19:48] <+Neko7c> No they are not.
[19:49] <~Dan> Understood.
[19:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> They ultimatly come from extreme training
[19:49] <+Neko7c> They are natural and a use of a perfect balance between the elements
[19:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> What is great about qin is that you can unbolt a lot of the systems
[19:49] <~Dan> Yes, about Kuro... Are all of the monsters Ring-style ghosts? Or is there more to that?
[19:49] <+Neko7c> And body and soul
[19:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> If you want to run a pure historical game with martial arts you can just unbolt Tao
[19:50] <+Neko7c> Yes
[19:50] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are a lot of nasties in Kuro
[19:50] <~Dan> Are they all spiritual in nature?
[19:50] <+AndrewPeregrine> Ghosts are a big part, but also Tengu, Oni and a truly horrific spider creature
[19:50] <+AndrewPeregrine> Basically the spirit world has found a way to creep into ours.
[19:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> So there are spirit battles that have slid into our world in a way
[19:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> So most monsters have a spiritual component, but there are several human organisations that work with them
[19:52] <~Dan> Is it possible to defeat any of them in physical combat?
[19:52] <+AndrewPeregrine> Some, but not all...
[19:53] <+Silverlion> You have to upset the spirits to make them leave...
[19:53] <~Dan> Just Oni or two?
[19:53] <+Silverlion> Maybe?
[19:53] <+Neko7c> Shinto magic is useful...:)
[19:53] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is no just about Oni :)
[19:53] <~Dan> :)
[19:53] <+Silverlion> He's punning again
[19:54] <+AndrewPeregrine> Really ,fighting the beasties directly is part of Kuro Tensei the third book
[19:54] <+Neko7c> :)
[19:54] <+Neko7c> Kuro was created like a novel trilogy
[19:54] <+AndrewPeregrine> :)
[19:54] <+Neko7c> The third book is quite different
[19:55] <~Dan> What is the bleeding edge of technology in Kuro?
[19:55] <~Dan> (You can give examples in several areas, if you like.)
[19:55] <+AndrewPeregrine> Swapping out your body for a bioenhanced new one is pretty high
[19:56] <+AndrewPeregrine> The real good stuff is Ocultech though
[19:56] <+AndrewPeregrine> These are items of tech merged with charms to gain spirit power
[19:56] <+Neko7c> We loved mixing technology and magic
[19:57] <~Dan> You crazy guys!
[19:57] <+AndrewPeregrine> Occultech items are even legendary, but even the smallest has a story to tell
[19:57] <+Silverlion> and likely dangerous..
[19:57] <+Neko7c> Of course....:)
[19:58] <~Dan> How high tech is the tech that's commonly available?
[19:58] <+AndrewPeregrine> Depends who you are
[19:59] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are several layers in socity, and many of the devisions depend on the tech you can access
[19:59] <+AndrewPeregrine> Most people have advanced smartphones capable of holographic display
[19:59] <+AndrewPeregrine> The internet is also layered everywhere if you have ht right glasses
[19:59] <~Dan> Are there flying cars? :)
[20:00] <+AndrewPeregrine> Not for most people, but the bikes are really cool
[20:00] <+AndrewPeregrine> :)
[20:00] <+Neko7c> There is a lot of cool gadgets too
[20:00] <+Neko7c> Oh bikes ! well, if you remember Akira...:)
[20:00] <+AndrewPeregrine> Robots are a big feature too, doing most of the heavy lifting and housework
[20:00] <~Dan> So they leave tracers? :D
[20:01] <+DCAnsell> Giant robots? With laser eyes? :)
[20:01] <+AndrewPeregrine> Tokyo isn't going to flatten itself!
[20:01] <+Neko7c> :)
[20:02] <~Dan> Another pre-gen question:
[20:03] <+Neko7c> A lot of clones and what we called synthetics in the french version (don't remember how you called them in the english one
[20:03] <*Ovid*> What are the plans for the Tian Xia campaign? (Legends had the prologue, and that's been out for some time...)
[20:03] <+AndrewPeregrine> Ah, Neko can best answer that, although it continues in all the books, and the next release is the official part 1
[20:04] <+Neko7c> I think they asked for the translation ?
[20:04] <+Neko7c> When will it be translated, no ?
[20:04] <+AndrewPeregrine> The next Qin book is Xangyang, detailing the capital of Qin, and also the adventure that begins the unification of 'All under heaven' that concludes in the next supplement
[20:04] <~Dan> Your guess is as good as mine. I'm just passing along the question. :)
[20:05] <+AndrewPeregrine> Well, Xangyang is certainly the next book.
[20:05] <+AndrewPeregrine> It is in translation but its a big one so it could be a while.
[20:05] <+Neko7c> The campaign is just HUGE
[20:05] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a lot of densely packed politics and npcs in it
[20:05] <+Neko7c> 20 years of the characters life
[20:06] <~Dan> Not much of a segue, but there's the last of the pre-gen questions:
[20:06] <*Thanaeon*> Qin: The Warring States was possibly the most beautiful RPG I've read. Stylistically, there's obviously going to be differences, but what does Yggdrasil's art look like?
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[20:06] <+AndrewPeregrine> Easily as good as Qin is th simple answer
[20:07] <+AndrewPeregrine> Honestly, I don't know where Neko finds these amazing artists!
[20:07] <+Neko7c> The cover was made by Marc Simonetti who did some interior art for Qin and the screen, so the art is good too
[20:07] <+Neko7c> Well, they just mail me.. :)
[20:08] <+Neko7c> Paul Bourne is a GREAT illustrator too. So Kuro is beautiful too
[20:08] <+Silverlion> Awesine,
[20:08] <+Silverlion> Awesome
[20:08] <+Silverlion> rather
[20:08] <~Dan> Do you have any links to examples?
[20:08] <+AndrewPeregrine> Generally, the quality of 7th Circle products is one of the reasons Cubicle 7 was drawn to them, and its a quality they maintain across all their lines
[20:09] <+AndrewPeregrine> The 7th circle website features a lot of art, I shall find a link
[20:09] <+Neko7c> (Link: http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=Inf)http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=Inf
[20:09] <+AndrewPeregrine> Ah, there you go
[20:09] <+Neko7c> (Link: http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=LdB)http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=LdB
[20:10] <+Neko7c> (Link: http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=RdM)http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/yggdrasill.php?page=RdM
[20:10] <~Dan> Cool giant!
[20:10] <+AndrewPeregrine> If you click the box no the right you'll go to the 'picture viewer' for more art
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[20:11] <+AndrewPeregrine> The one you might be looking at will be the screen, which is superb
[20:11] <+Neko7c> I love king of the seas too...
[20:12] <~Dan> Mind if we turn to Keltia for a bit?
[20:12] <+AndrewPeregrine> By all means
[20:13] <~Dan> Does it take place in the same "universe" as Yggdrasill?
[20:13] <+Neko7c> I think you will love Keltia too :(Link: http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/keltia_art/keltia_Gallery/index.html)http://www.7emecercle.com/7cercle/jdr/keltia_art/keltia_Gallery/index.html
[20:13] <+Neko7c> It's the Vth century
[20:13] <+AndrewPeregrine> In a way, becasue it is our universe, but the timeline is rather different
[20:13] <+AndrewPeregrine> If you arn't a history major you might happily mix them
[20:14] <+Neko7c> In fact, if you don't play the campaign, some norsemen teams can visit Ynis Prydein (Great Britain)
[20:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> It follows the same design concept as Yggdrasill, a solid historical background with mythic elements
[20:14] <+Neko7c> But it's far before Dane invasion
[20:14] <~Dan> So it's more munDane?
[20:14] <+AndrewPeregrine> I should also add it uses the same system
[20:15] <+AndrewPeregrine> 2 more points of pun damage
[20:15] <~Dan> :D
[20:15] <+Neko7c> Yes....:)
[20:15] <+Neko7c> I'm giving tools...:)
[20:15] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is magic in Keltia, the Ogham power of the Druids and hedge mages
[20:15] <~Dan> How would you describe the differences between Keltia and the "traditional" Arthurian setting?
[20:15] <+DCAnsell> Damage mounting...but awesomely beautiful art. Almost enough to buy both lines just for the art alone. Much like Qin, hehe.
[20:15] <+Neko7c> Magic comes from Ancient blood
[20:15] <+AndrewPeregrine> There are also the mythic beasts and monsters
[20:16] <~Dan> Here there be dragons?
[20:16] <+AndrewPeregrine> To a certain degree thats asking the differences with Pendragon, and there are many
[20:16] <+Neko7c> It is traditionnal arthurian setting
[20:16] <+AndrewPeregrine> Keltia is more a game of celtic warriors than romantic knights
[20:16] <+Neko7c> Well, yeah, dragons...but hushhhhh
[20:16] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is probably a lot more rain too
[20:17] <+Neko7c> In fact, it's not the arthurian romance
[20:17] <+Neko7c> The french one for Chretien de Troyes.
[20:17] <+Neko7c> No knights in shining armour, no courtly love
[20:17] <+AndrewPeregrine> Life is hard for those left in the isles with no Roman legions to hold the peace together
[20:17] <+Neko7c> Warriors
[20:17] <+Neko7c> We used the welsh legends about Arthur
[20:18] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a lot of detail in the book about the various sources Neko used
[20:18] <+Silverlion> Indeed.
[20:18] <~Dan> So this is more like... what was that post-Roman Arthurian movie? "King Arthur"?
[20:18] <+Neko7c> When we started to make researches we foudn out something in the British museum about a welsh Arthur
[20:18] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thats the closest I suspect
[20:18] <~Dan> But with mythic elements?
[20:19] <+AndrewPeregrine> Certainly not 'first Knight'
[20:19] <+Neko7c> Well, I don't like this movie but it's more King Arthur thanExcalibur
[20:19] <~Dan> Oh, please, God, no.
[20:19] <+AndrewPeregrine> Yup, again, as with Yggdrasill, what they thought was real, actually is
[20:19] <~Dan> re: First Knight
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[20:19] <+Neko7c> Yes, mythic elements but welsh ones
[20:19] <+Neko7c> Waht we foudn in the first legends
[20:19] <+Neko7c> Wow it's late and a lot of typos... Sorry
[20:20] <~Dan> I forgive you. :)
[20:20] <+Neko7c> I mean, in the VIth century, Arthur was already a legend
[20:20] <+Neko7c> Thanks a lot :)
[20:20] <+AndrewPeregrine> I'm surprised you're still awake, you're an hour ahead of me!
[20:21] <+Neko7c> I slept two hours before, to be sure to be there
[20:21] <~Dan> Speaking of God... What is the cosmology of Keltia? Christianity? Celtic gods? Some combination?
[20:21] <+Neko7c> Celtic gods
[20:21] <+AndrewPeregrine> I beleive Christianity is making an impact though, so there is a certain amount of religious tension
[20:21] <+Neko7c> Welsh gods : House of Don, Beli Mawr, Arianrhod, Gwyddion
[20:21] <+Neko7c> Christianity is not yet really settled
[20:21] <+Neko7c> And they are "heretics"
[20:21] <+Neko7c> Pelegianism
[20:22] <+Neko7c> So there is tension but not so much
[20:22] <~Dan> What is Pelegianism?
[20:22] <+Neko7c> Christianity is in their mind, still the Roman religion
[20:22] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its very much a game about the old ways
[20:22] <+DCAnsell> Could you theoretically bring a character from Yggdrasil into Keltia, or vice versa?
[20:23] <+AndrewPeregrine> The system would work, so quite easily, although the timeline is different
[20:23] <+Neko7c> It's an heresy, roughly saying that God will forgive you anyway and you don't need sacrements
[20:23] <+Neko7c> But if you don't play aboslutely historical you can make crossovers
[20:23] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its very interesting historically how much Christianity has changed from its modern variants
[20:23] <~Dan> Ah... so Christianity is present, just not a major force yet?
[20:24] <+Neko7c> Yes, and Bishops from Gaul were very pissed off by this heresy
[20:24] <+Neko7c> It's not a major force.
[20:24] <+Neko7c> It was more powerful in towns
[20:24] <+Silverlion> Hrms
[20:25] <+Neko7c> But in the countryside, they are mostly  heathen
[20:25] <~Dan> Do the Tuatha du Danaan (sp?) exist?
[20:25] <+Neko7c> Towns were a lot abndoned when Romans left
[20:25] <+Neko7c> Yes but they are Irish
[20:25] <~Dan> Ah, right.
[20:25] <+Neko7c> Don in welsh is Dana in irish
[20:25] <+Neko7c> So Tribe of don (Dana)
[20:26] <+Neko7c> They are the Tylwyth teg
[20:26] <+Neko7c> The beautiful People living in the Other Wordl
[20:26] <~Dan> How extensive is the Keltia bestiary?
[20:26] <+Neko7c> Faeries, ancient gods
[20:26] <+DCAnsell> So long as I'm not called upon to correctly pronounce all this stuff at the gaming table, all is well. :)
[20:26] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a guide so don't panic :)
[20:26] <+Neko7c> You'not obliged..:)
[20:27] <~Dan> DCAnsell: IRC gaming for the win!
[20:27] <+Silverlion> Yeah, I don't blame you.
[20:27] <+Silverlion> :D
[20:27] <+Neko7c> My welsh prononciation is awful....:)
[20:27] <+AndrewPeregrine> The adversaries chapter is as extensive as the one in Yggdrasill
[20:27] <+Silverlion> JUst go with what sounds good is my opinion.
[20:27] <+AndrewPeregrine> I beleive the Avalon supplement might ahve a few more though?
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[20:27] <~Dan> (Howdy, Joe!)
[20:27] <+Neko7c> Exactly, Avalon is about Annwyn (the Other World)
[20:28] <+AWOLJoe> (hello!)
[20:28] <+AndrewPeregrine> Heya
[20:28] <+Neko7c> Hi !
[20:28] <+Neko7c> Many awful monsters in Welsh mythology
[20:28] <~Dan> Can you give some examples?
[20:29] <+Neko7c> The afanc
[20:29] <+AndrewPeregrine> Great Wild boars
[20:29] <+Neko7c> Looks like a giant beaver mixed with a fish
[20:30] <+AndrewPeregrine> and certain reptilian beasties
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[20:30] <~Dan> (brb)
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[20:31] <+AndrewPeregrine> The groovy thing about the monsters is that they arenot just there as monsters, they each have a story to set in motion
[20:31] <+Neko7c> I like the little creatures who hear everything so you have to whisper all the time. Corianaids
[20:32] <+Neko7c> Nasties
[20:32] <+Neko7c> And a giant cat.. :)
[20:32] <+Neko7c> Cath Palud
[20:32] <+AndrewPeregrine> How did I know you'd add a cat Neko? :)
[20:32] <+Neko7c> And dragons...:)
[20:32] <+Neko7c> :D
[20:33] <+Neko7c> Do you know all the authors are in Qin ?
[20:33] <+Neko7c> As NPCs ?
[20:33] <+AndrewPeregrine> LOL, I hadn't seen that
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[20:34] <+Neko7c> I'm the chief of a huge library and I whip the authors to make them write more... In Handan I think, a cat woman of course
[20:34] <+AndrewPeregrine> of course
[20:34] <~Dan> Are there hags? Please tell me there are hags.
[20:34] <+Neko7c> A LOT ! :)
[20:34] <~Dan> Hooray!!
[20:34] <+Neko7c> Many hags.
[20:35] <~Dan> Hags are awesome. :)
[20:35] <+Neko7c> With nasty welsh names too
[20:35] <+Neko7c> :)
[20:35] <+Neko7c> We wrote about Brittany too
[20:35] <+DCAnsell> Excellent, that was my next question.
[20:35] <+Neko7c> And they have strange ghosts there
[20:35] <~Dan> Oh, I don't care about pop singers.
[20:35] <+Neko7c> :D
[20:35] <+AndrewPeregrine> Hit him, one more time! :)
[20:36] <~Dan> :D
[20:36] <+Neko7c> Wow !! :)
[20:36] <+Neko7c> We wrote about Ker Is, a city who is supposed to be now under the sea
[20:36] <~Dan> Do hags have their own powers, or do they use Druidic or hedge magic?
[20:36] <+Neko7c> Monsters have their own powers
[20:37] <+AndrewPeregrine> In both Keltia nad Yggdaill there is an NPC systme to make the stats simpler for hte GM
[20:37] <+Neko7c> There is an awful power : the sit on a sleeper's chest to kill by suffocation
[20:37] <+DCAnsell> Is Ker Is the same that gets called Ys sometimes?
[20:37] <+Neko7c> yes
[20:37] <+Neko7c> Ker Is is Ys in french
[20:37] <+Silverlion> Yeah.
[20:37] <+Neko7c> Is is Ys... Great.. :)
[20:38] <+Neko7c> Some legends said it was a phenician town
[20:38] <~Dan> What is magic like in Keltia? You mentioned the types, but I don't think we covered the sorts of things they can do.
[20:38] <+DCAnsell> Awesome....thinking of stealing bits from Cornwell's Arthur books for this.
[20:39] <+AndrewPeregrine> It follows most of the same rules as Seidr magic in Yggdrasill but with a lot more spells
[20:39] <+Neko7c> Exactly
[20:39] <+Silverlion> Hrms
[20:39] <+AndrewPeregrine> Only the one type in this game though, I think 7th cicle are slacking :)
[20:39] <~Dan> Oh? So the only difference between Druid magic and hedge magic is the spells?
[20:39] <+Neko7c> We add some more in Avalon (for priestresses and druids)
[20:40] <+AndrewPeregrine> You'll find some of the same spells, but 'Anwen' has  lot more variety
[20:40] <+Neko7c> No, Hedge magic is limited. Because druid studies last longer
[20:40] <~Dan> Is Merlin a druid?
[20:40] <+Neko7c> Yes
[20:40] <+Neko7c> He is the arch druid of Britain
[20:41] <+Neko7c> We have Morgana too
[20:41] <+Neko7c> She is not nasty
[20:41] <+Neko7c> Morgana is Arthur half sister and High priestess in Avalon
[20:41] <~Dan> Is there a Round Table?
[20:42] <+Neko7c> No, it was invented for Henry II Plantagenet
[20:42] <+Neko7c> But Arthur has knights around him
[20:42] <+Neko7c> Cymbrogi, it was welsh cavalry
[20:42] <+Silverlion> Hrms
[20:43] <+DCAnsell> Ah, yeah, one of the art pieces shows them.
[20:43] <+Neko7c> Some added rules for cavalry in Keltia
[20:43] <~Dan> My brain wanted to read that as "Cyborg".
[20:43] <+AndrewPeregrine> There is a lot about cavalry in the book that isn't in Yggdrasill too
[20:43] <+Neko7c> No Cyborg in Keltia...:D
[20:43] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thats Kuro!
[20:43] <~Dan> :D
[20:43] <+Neko7c> Yeah !
[20:43] <+Neko7c> Cavalry is very important
[20:44] <+Neko7c> There are a lot of knights you will recognize in Keltia
[20:44] <+Neko7c> Gawaine, Gereint, Agravain but they are not the same
[20:44] <+Neko7c> No Lancelet and no Perceval
[20:44] <+AndrewPeregrine> But only if you recognise them by heir Welsh names
[20:45] <+Neko7c> We used easy to read names
[20:45] <~Dan> Is there a Galahad?
[20:45] <+DCAnsell> Ah...delayed brain explosion....Ker Is = Caer Ys?
[20:45] <+Neko7c> Gawaine's real name is not easy to pronounce
[20:45] <+Neko7c> No Galahad
[20:45] <+Neko7c> Yes.. Ker is for Caer in french breton
[20:46] <+Silverlion> Nope. That's all later invented for stories
[20:46] <~Dan> When is Keltia due out?
[20:46] <+Neko7c> Galahad is like the Grail, a later invention
[20:46] <+DCAnsell> Please say soon!
[20:46] <~Dan> :)
[20:46] <+AndrewPeregrine> This is always our translation problem, which bits are French, which are Welsh
[20:46] <+AndrewPeregrine> Its still in translation at the moment
[20:46] <+Neko7c> You don't keep welsh ?
[20:47] <+AndrewPeregrine> Oh yes, but we have to recognise it to remember ot keep it!
[20:47] <+Neko7c> Ask Dominic :)
[20:47] <+Neko7c> We are working on a cool trailer for th english release
[20:47] <+AndrewPeregrine> :)
[20:47] <+Silverlion> I so need money.
[20:48] <+AndrewPeregrine> We have a lot of the book done, and obviously the art and layout are easier.
[20:48] <+AndrewPeregrine> We are also running the game at Gen-Con
[20:48] <+DCAnsell> I'm with you, Silverlion...so many wonderful things coming, so little excess cash to get them all!
[20:48] <~Dan> We have just over 10 minutes left it "regular" time... Is there anything you'd like to cover that hasn't come up so far?
[20:48] <+DCAnsell> Worse, with these, the pdf will just not do. Must have the real book in hand.
[20:48] <+AndrewPeregrine> Our initial plan was Gen-Con release but I don't think we're going to get there.
[20:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> But with luck we will see it before the end of the year at the least
[20:49] <+Silverlion> Indeed.
[20:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> Wat we do with pdfs, is put them up as soon as we have th eboo kready
[20:49] <+Neko7c> We're very happy to get our games translated by our friends of C7 and they make a great job
[20:49] <+AndrewPeregrine> Then its just waiting for the print copies to come back by boat
[20:50] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thanks Neko, they are amazing games! :)
[20:50] <+Neko7c> You made them better
[20:50] <+AndrewPeregrine> Impossible! :)
[20:50] <+Neko7c> The double page explaining the character sheet is not in the french version
[20:50] <+Neko7c> It's a great idea !
[20:51] <~Dan> Does Kuro work like Yggdrasill, except with d6s?
[20:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> We were really pleased with that too. I think it was Dom's idea
[20:51] <+Neko7c> French people are jealous because of Kuro's new cover
[20:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> We certainly plan to add it to Keltia too
[20:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> Yay, I shall pass that on to Paul
[20:51] <+AndrewPeregrine> To a certain degree Kuro is a proto-Yggdrasill system
<Neko7c>: Kuro system is close but as it is a different setting (technological), many things are different <Neko7c>: 4 is a bad number on dice
<Neko7c>: Because in japanese it means death too
<AndrewPeregrine>: You roll your stat in D6s and add the result to your skill level, to beat a difficulty level
<AndrewPeregrine>: You also have gimmiku that let you roll up or add a bonus.
<DCAnsell>: Is there a likelihood of a pdf+book deal on Yggdrasil, Keltia, and/or Kuro? <AndrewPeregrine>: hey can attach to any skill, so become instant feats for any skill you might have
<AndrewPeregrine>: cubicle 7 is all about the deal!
<AndrewPeregrine>: I beleive we always offer a free pdf for preorders
<AndrewPeregrine>: We've got inot a systme now of not offering preoreders until we have a book ready too <DCAnsell>: Good deal, I'll keep watching the site, then.
<AndrewPeregrine>: We may offer the pdf with web orders directly from the store, and we are signed up to the bricks and mortar system that lets retailers take advantage of that too
[20:55] <+AndrewPeregrine> It being 3:00 over here, I might have to think about going to bed soon :)
[20:56] <+AndrewPeregrine> Any more questions before I go?
[20:56] <+DCAnsell> Thanks both of you for staying up so late...or early, I guess.
[20:56] <~Dan> Whoops... computer came unplugged.
[20:56] <+Neko7c> Yeah, It's 4 am in France. It was very nice to chat with you all here
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[20:56] <~Dan> Yes, thanks very much, guys! It's been great fun. :)
[20:56] <+AndrewPeregrine> Thanks to Neko too from me, been great having you to explain the details
[20:56] <~Dan> I'll have the log posted momentarily and will get you the link, Andrew!
[20:57] <+Neko7c> Thanks to you all for such nice welcome
[20:57] <+AndrewPeregrine> Cheers Dan, top work.
[20:57] <~Dan> Certainly! Please come by any time. :)
[20:57] <+Neko7c> Thanks Andy ! Cheers !
[20:57] <+Silverlion> Glad to have y'all
[20:57] <+AndrewPeregrine> Will do, but maybe not quite so late
[20:57] <+Neko7c> :)
[20:57] <~Dan> Heh. :)
[20:57] <+AndrewPeregrine> :)
[20:57] <~Dan> Sleep well. :)
[20:58] <+Neko7c> Bye guys !
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[20:58] <+AndrewPeregrine> Good night one and all!
[20:58] <+DCAnsell> Take care
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