Publisher: Troll Lord Games
Introduction
Castles & Crusades is a fantasy role-playing game that combines the classic feel of old-school games with the modern rules and design. It is a game of swords and sorcery, where heroes explore ancient ruins, fight evil monsters, and uncover hidden treasures. It is also a game of gods and monsters, where the characters can interact with the divine forces that shape the world and face the legendary creatures that inhabit it.
In this review, I will take a look at one of the latest books for Castles & Crusades: Of Gods & Monsters. This book is a comprehensive guide to the mythology and magic of various cultures and civilizations, and how to use them in your game. It is written by James M. Ward, a veteran game designer who has worked on many classic titles such as Metamorphosis Alpha, Gamma World, and Deities and Demigods. The book is compatible with the Castles & Crusades game system, but can also be adapted to other fantasy games.
Content
The book contains 16 chapters, each covering a different pantheon of gods and their avatars, as well as their associated monsters, spells, magic items, rituals, and ceremonies. The pantheons include Norse, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Celtic, Babylonian, American Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Aihrdian (the original setting of Castles & Crusades), Inzaen (a dark and twisted version of Aihrdian), Demi-Human (elves, dwarves, halflings, gnomes, orcs, etc.), Elemental (fire, water, earth, air), Planar (heavenly and infernal beings), Cthulhu (the cosmic horrors of H.P. Lovecraft), and Star Trek (the aliens and entities from the popular sci-fi franchise).
The book is rich in detail and lore, providing a lot of information and inspiration for both players and Castle Keepers (the term for game masters in Castles & Crusades). The avatars are designed to be playable versions of the gods, but not the gods themselves. They can be used as allies, enemies, or quest givers for the characters. The book also offers guidelines on how to create your own pantheons and avatars, as well as how to handle divine intervention and conflicts between different deities.
Presentation
The book is well-written and illustrated, with a beautiful cover by Peter Bradley and interior art by Jason Walton. The layout is clear and easy to read, with tables and charts for quick reference. The book is available in both hardcover and digest versions. The hardcover version has 164 pages, while the digest version has 144 pages. The digest version is smaller and cheaper, but has less art and some minor editing differences.
Conclusion
Castles & Crusades Of Gods & Monsters is a great addition to any fantasy role-playing game library. It offers a wealth of material for creating epic adventures involving gods and monsters. It is especially useful for fans of Castles & Crusades, but can also be enjoyed by anyone who loves mythology and fantasy. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to add some divine spark to their game.
Castles & Crusades Of Gods & Monsters on DrivethruRpg
