BRP Imperial China

[GianniVacca]

I had published a rolegame set in Imperial China (roughly 618 AD-1911 AD) in French on my website:
BaSIC Chine Impériale
but it was based on the French version of the BRP that had been published by Casus Belli about 12 yrs ago.

I am now busy translating it to English, adapting it to the new BRP, and adding setting- rather than game mechanics-related information. I am modelling the chapters' content and order on Pete's most excellent BRP Rome.

I am curious as to what may be of interest to the members of this forum, so that I may address it.

The current, tentative title is 天下 [Tiān Xià] -- see Tianxia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers

[KjetilKverndokken]

It would be great to have a good rpg book on that era so thumbs up from me.

[dragonewt]

The current, tentative title is 天下 [Tiān Xià]

How about 天下大亂 [Tiān Xià Da Luan] - "Chaos Everywhere"?

[GianniVacca]

How about 天下大亂 [Tiān Xià Da Luan] - "Chaos Everywhere"?

Actually, the book's emphasis is on those periods of Chinese history where the government's power is strong and characters are outlaws (à la Water Margin) or constables (à la Judge Dee). Chaotic periods of time (Taiping rebellion, inter-dynastic troubles...) are rife in Chinese history, but each of them would need their own source book since the setting would be so much more different every time!

[soltakss]

As a huge fan of the Water Margin, I'd be interested in buying this.

As to what we would like to see, I'd like a solid BRP-style setting, with good character generation, chinese professions rather than generic ones, name lists, good background material, examples of the laws of the time and special rules for the Mythic elements (Taoist sorcerers, shamans, magical swords and other weapons and rules for over the top things such as Chi, Kung Fu and martial art fighting). I'm not particularly in to the modern chinese films style Kung Fu, I preferred the type of stuff in the Water Margin and Empress Wu - low level, almost believable but still breathtakingly awesome.

Oh yeah, you need to have rules that allow someone to be cut in two lengthwise with a sword - that was one scene in the Water Margin that blew my mind as a kid.

Isn't there a supplement coming out from Alephtar Games covering Chinese Kung Fu? Maybe you could tap into some of that. Yours would be a solid setting rather than just being generic rules.

[GianniVacca]

As a huge fan of the Water Margin, I'd be interested in buying this.

As to what we would like to see, I'd like a solid BRP-style setting, with good character generation, chinese professions rather than generic ones, name lists, good background material, examples of the laws of the time and special rules for the Mythic elements (Taoist sorcerers, shamans, magical swords and other weapons and rules for over the top things such as Chi, Kung Fu and martial art fighting).

Those are exactly the elements I have in mind (the Water Margin is my all-time favourite book).
Chinese shamans are out by 618 AD, but there will be rules for Barbarian shamans.

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

[rust]

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

I love that one. If you manage to get both the feeling of the Outlaws
of the Water Margin and the Chinese Ghost Story across, you definitely
have one more customer.

[Charles Green]

Isn't there a supplement coming out from Alephtar Games covering Chinese Kung Fu? Maybe you could tap into some of that. Yours would be a solid setting rather than just being generic rules.

The book I'm working on for Alephtar is not a generic rulebook for Kung Fu. It's a fleshed out setting similar to what you've described, with some additional rules for porting over the Martial Arts system to other BRP games.

Otherwise, I'm very glad BRP Imperial China is getting an English translation. I've wanted to read it for years, but my grasp of French is lacking (read: non-existent).

[Al.]

Have you seen A Chinese Ghost Story?

Did someone say Diamond Sutra?

[Pete Nash]

You know I'm in favour of it. I can't wait!