Samurai and Slaine, reviews?

[One Star Under Heaven]

Has anybody here purchased or looked through the Land of the Samurai and MRQ Slaine books? I am having difficulty finding info on them, and they are my "make or break" regarding using MRQ for some of my gaming. The one review of MRQ Slaine I found did not have that much useful detail (to me) and any reviews of Land of the Samurai just complain about it requiring the MRQ main books.
Thanks for any thoughts and opinions on these sourcebooks.

 

[soltakss]

Samurai, without a doubt.

Samurai is very good. Slaine isn't. Samurai is set in a relatively historical setting. Slaine isn't. Samurai is well written. Slaine isn't.

 

[The King]

Samurai, without a doubt.

Samurai is very good. Slaine isn't. Samurai is set in a relatively historical setting. Slaine isn't. Samurai is well written. Slaine isn't.

May be you don't like Slaine but a campaign is scheduled for this setting toward the end of the year while I doubt there will be any new material for Land of the Samurai.

 

[Osentalka]

LAND OF THE SAMURAI is actually a really well written book (not my kind of setting - i don´t like eastern mythology and culture... also dislike Gloranthas Kralorela - but a REALLY well written book indeed).

SLAINE is... well... not SO good (I would hate to call it bad, because it isn´t , in my opinion... but hey, maybe it´s only me).

And for the campaign: Better a good one shot book without a campaign, than a unremakable book acompanied by a campaign, EXCEPT the campaign will be THAT GOOD that it raises the combined book package (Slaine and campaign) to very good (that would require a campaign as good as Dara Happa Stirs, for instance).

The positive thing of SLAINE:
It isn´t D20 anymore, and that is a 100% gain, no matter how unexceptionial it otherwise may be.

 

[Loz]

Samurai, without a doubt.

I doubt there will be any new material for Land of the Samurai.

We've a plan for a Land of Samurai campaign book sometime in the next year or so. No specifics available yet, but there will be a campaign to support, and possibly some S&P articles and short scenarios too.

 

[The King]

We've a plan for a Land of Samurai campaign book sometime in the next year or so. No specifics available yet, but there will be a campaign to support, and possibly some S&P articles and short scenarios too.

What a surprise! I thought initially that Mongoose would publish historical settings (like this was already the case for Runequest) but without any other connected/related material.
Your affirmation is thus an excellent news. 8)

I just wonder which historical setting is scheduled next.

 

[The King]

SLAINE is... well... not SO good (I would hate to call it bad, because it isn´t , in my opinion... but hey, maybe it´s only me).

And for the campaign: Better a good one shot book without a campaign, than a unremakable book acompanied by a campaign, EXCEPT the campaign will be THAT GOOD that it raises the combined book package (Slaine and campaign) to very good (that would require a campaign as good as Dara Happa Stirs, for instance).

The positive thing of SLAINE:
It isn´t D20 anymore, and that is a 100% gain, no matter how unexceptionial it otherwise may be.

Well, I don't have MRQ Slaine yet, only owning the d20 version. It seems the problem is that the RQ Slaine book is rather an adaptation from the d20 than just a new work created from scratch which would have been better IMO.
Indeed, there are feats in D20 which are not easily translated under RQ rules but which enable gaming to be quite epic (even if more difficult) while it is harder to run something likewise with RQ rules (unless reaching a very experienced level).

 

[Loz]

We've a plan for a Land of Samurai campaign book sometime in the next year or so. No specifics available yet, but there will be a campaign to support, and possibly some S&P articles and short scenarios too.

What a surprise! I thought initially that Mongoose would publish historical settings (like this was already the case for Runequest) but without any other connected/related material.
Your affirmation is thus an excellent news. 8)

I just wonder which historical setting is scheduled next.

Each of the historicals will get a campaugn book to supplement it. As to the next historical; not entirely sure what it will be yet.

 

[Utgardloki]

I've read the Slaine book and have contemplated running a game in that setting, except that there are a lot of cultural issues that maybe I'd rather not use, such as the fact that you can trade three cows for a slave that you can sell or use for a "Blood Eagle Sacrifice" to gain more power.

Problem is, I've known players who actually would do something like that if they could. I was thinking of using Slaine for my Runequest "demo game", but decided that I didn't want to be responsible for introducing a book with that kind of mature content.

But I found it full of ideas I could use for my Atlantis game. I like the setting and the rules seem decent, although I am not familiar with Runequest to be able to give them a "virtual test drive". I am quite ready to change things I don't like, so imperfections are not a problem as long as there is a good base to work from.

Also, reading the book got me interested in running a game set maybe ten or fifteen thousand years before Slaine, before some of the cultural evolutions I object to took place and without some of the "high-tech" like flying stones. I probably will never get time to do it, unless I run some sort of time travelling campaign, but certainly the book is a winner in terms of giving me ideas.

I'd be curious to see what people see as problems with the Slaine book. I can see that D&D feats are always difficult to translate into Runequest terms.

 

[soltakss]

Well, I don't have MRQ Slaine yet, only owning the d20 version.

I wouldn't bother with the RQ version, unless you really have to play RQ Slaine. Save your pennies or cents for something else instead. Get Pirates rather than Slaine, any day.

It seems the problem is that the RQ Slaine book is rather an adaptation from the d20 than just a new work created from scratch which would have been better IMO.

Is it? I didn't know that, not owning any D20 books. It doesn't read like an adaptation of a different system, it does read like a RQ supplement. If you take the spells, skills, Legendary Abilities, magic and Standing Stones then it isn't half bad. Once you add in the turgid text, pages and pages of dull background and so on, that's what drags it down.

Apologies to the author, but it's only my opinion and what do I know?

Indeed, there are feats in D20 which are not easily translated under RQ rules but which enable gaming to be quite epic (even if more difficult) while it is harder to run something likewise with RQ rules (unless reaching a very experienced level).

Maybe, but I didn't see that. The RQ stuff wasn't that bad and is pretty usable in, say, a Celtic Irish game.

 

[soltakss]

Each of the historicals will get a campaugn book to supplement it. As to the next historical; not entirely sure what it will be yet.

So, there's definitely going to be more historical supplements?

Excellent news.

 

[soltakss]

I've read the Slaine book and have contemplated running a game in that setting, except that there are a lot of cultural issues that maybe I'd rather not use, such as the fact that you can trade three cows for a slave that you can sell or use for a "Blood Eagle Sacrifice" to gain more power.

The best thing about Slaine is that a female slave is the basic unit of currency.

I'd be curious to see what people see as problems with the Slaine book. I can see that D&D feats are always difficult to translate into Runequest terms.

I did a review at BRP Central, and perhaps even on the Mongoose Forum, which explains why I didn't like it. D20/D&D has nothing to do with it.

 

[The King]

Maybe, but I didn't see that. The RQ stuff wasn't that bad and is pretty usable in, say, a Celtic Irish game.

The "problem" is that it is not really an historical Celtic game. Slaine is more like mythic Greece, with the gods being very present and active. In fact you can play warrior of the ancient race ("touched by the goddess") which can mutate like Cuchulain (sorry for the spelling) did in the legend. This ability improves with experience and such a warrior becomes something very like Hulk.

There are other feats which enables warriors to spring above their opponent's shields or others kind of non-wizard magic ritual where warriors use the brain of their foes to create special missiles and magically enhance their slings abilities.
There are thus a lot of small magical abilities which are easier (IMO) translated with the D20 rules because this system allows naturally for supernatural feats.

 

[The King]

I've read the Slaine book and have contemplated running a game in that setting, except that there are a lot of cultural issues that maybe I'd rather not use, such as the fact that you can trade three cows for a slave that you can sell or use for a "Blood Eagle Sacrifice" to gain more power.

The best thing about Slaine is that a female slave is the basic unit of currency.

Yes, but beware she isn't a witch warrior which would serve males genitals at diners and use it to enhance their power.

 

[The King]

Problem is, I've known players who actually would do something like that if they could. I was thinking of using Slaine for my Runequest "demo game", but decided that I didn't want to be responsible for introducing a book with that kind of mature content.

We played an online campaign on this site sometimes ago - http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=18 - and this was restricted by the GM with sacrifices limited to foes.
I played a druid but for the sake of the campaign he was deemed a good guy and couldn't use summoning spells dealing with underworld creatures qualified as evil, said creatures being the troops of opponents (Fomorians and Drune lords). This didn't prevent to evolve in a great campaign (which lasted some 3 years).

 

[The King]

By the way those interested in or playing MRQ Slaine are advised to go to the 2000AD RPGs forum (slighlyt beneath this one) where they'll find excellent gaming material (some dating back to 2003) on:

- favourite minor and major geases at http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1117

- named weapons in slaine at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1789

- insults 3 son of,bride of insults (but please ONLY before a battle) at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=192

- slaine resource curses at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13843

- tootys collection of slaine bits at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6787

- Titles for heroes at
http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21888&highlight=titles+heroes

and many other useful things. :wink:

 

[Utgardloki]

Well, I don't have MRQ Slaine yet, only owning the d20 version.

I wouldn't bother with the RQ version, unless you really have to play RQ Slaine. Save your pennies or cents for something else instead. Get Pirates rather than Slaine, any day.

I think the RQ version is worth it for all the RQ rules, which can be used in other RQ games. Otherwise you'd have to translate all the D20 stuff into RQ yourself or else play it in D20.

I have not seen the D20 version, but since I play both games, it would be worth it for me to have them both. (Well, I think about playing both games. I have to do something about the actually playing part...)

It seems the problem is that the RQ Slaine book is rather an adaptation from the d20 than just a new work created from scratch which would have been better IMO.

Is it? I didn't know that, not owning any D20 books. It doesn't read like an adaptation of a different system, it does read like a RQ supplement. If you take the spells, skills, Legendary Abilities, magic and Standing Stones then it isn't half bad. Once you add in the turgid text, pages and pages of dull background and so on, that's what drags it down.

Apologies to the author, but it's only my opinion and what do I know?

I liked the "turgid" text. It really felt like this would be, albiet loosely, based on the kind of Celtic mythology that I studied in that college literature course I took. Then again, that stuff is very weird to modern readers, so I can see why it might not appeal to some people.

I think this would probably work best as part of a time travel game. Then again, the Slaine setting itself supports time travel concepts.

My opinion is that the "turgid" text made this book worth buying. (Well, maybe not the actual "turgidity", but I didn't find it too painful to read.)

Indeed, there are feats in D20 which are not easily translated under RQ rules but which enable gaming to be quite epic (even if more difficult) while it is harder to run something likewise with RQ rules (unless reaching a very experienced level).

Maybe, but I didn't see that. The RQ stuff wasn't that bad and is pretty usable in, say, a Celtic Irish game.

If you want to run a game based in the British Isles, then Slaine is a very good resource, even if you aren't planning on basing it on the Slaine comic (which I've never read.)

 

[GianniVacca]

We've a plan for a Land of Samurai campaign book sometime in the next year or so. No specifics available yet, but there will be a campaign to support, and possibly some S&P articles and short scenarios too.

Excellent piece of news. If you need a playtester (even via pbem) just let me know!

 

[yojimbo]

I didn't think RQ Slaine was that bad. I think it's worth mentioning that this is an adaptation of the background from the 2000AD comic strip which is loosely based on the Cu Chulainn cycle of stories. When I say loosely, I mean very loose, as the comics are set before the post Ice Age melt that separates Britain from mainland Europe a time long before the age of the Celts. In addition, Pat Mills' sometimes overbearing New Age beliefs colour his portrayal of tribal pagan Celtic society more than archeological evidence.

However, as a fantasy setting inspired by Celtic myth I think it's pretty good. Slaine is set in the mythical past recorded by Book of Invasions as just before the Milesians invade Ireland.

My gripes with this product were mainly rules based. Most of the new skills such as Salmon Leap introduced seemed like they should be Legendary Abilities rather than skills.

To sum up, if you want to run a Slaine game using RQ this looks a good buy. If you want to run an RQ game in Celtic Ireland then you will find some use from this book but you might be better served by looking for Pendragon's Pagan Shore supplement.

As for Land of the Samurai, I thought it was a good book on an interesting period of Japanese history (the Heian era) which until recently has been neglected in favour of the Sengoku period. Well worth buying if you have an interest in Japan.

Jim.

 

[klingsor]

One of our group has been looking for a system/game suitable for a proper Irish setting for years, maybe two decades, Runequest is as close as he has come to one. I am interested but I simply do not know enough about the subject. I lent him my copy of Slaine for Runequest so it will be interesting to hear what he makes of it.