DLing Codex Germania!

[Treebore]

Still in a pre print condition, but still I have been eager to see the content on this one, so glad to finally get a look at it!

[Treebore]

As usual for these books, it is dripping with lore to use to give your games a rather unique flavor! From the new monsters, or monsters, such as the dragons and trolls, that are rewritten to exude the "flavor" of the Germanic Lore, to all kinds of Charms, Runes, etc... all written to exude the lore and feel of this Mythos. I think fans of the previous books are going to like this one equally as well. My only complaint, and this may simply be from reading from a PDF rather than a physical copy, is the book ends too soon. It comes in at 113 pages, with the last few pages giving 3 short adventure scenarios. I think its because it seems to me that more could have been done with more unique "classes" for the Germanic people, plus outside of the charms, runes, etc... given, there were no spells that I noticed for this mythos. However, with the number of Charms, Runes, etc... given, he may have simply saw no need to add spells to the mix.

[Celticgamer]

Sadly, the enchantments and spells in all Germanic myths and pagan lore that has come down to us are few, and those we do have are now already embodied in the existing spells in the game, just under another name. To have other more obscure ones would require some intensive research beyond the norm, but...I will do so and find them and someday place them into another related publication.

Don't worry, I looked and searched those sources for them and found only what we had already to much disappointment. There are others out there and I WILL get them for us and have them for you all! Until then prepare for the books to come....

[Treebore]

Yeah, don't get me wrong, I like what is there, it just got in my head that there seemed to be less of certain things, but then there was more of other stuff. So while the content is the usual intensely historically loaded material that just oozes flavor, I was just wondering why there wasn't more classes, etc... So if the historical material simply doesn't support it, then thats a good reason.

BTW, do you know of a website that gives guidance on how to pronounce the words, for all of the Codex's, let alone this one?

[Captain_K]

I second the odd spellings and pronunciations. Flavor and authenticity is nice, but if you write the book on the Greeks in ancient Grecian then it does us no good.

Loved the Norse Codex by the way.

[Celticgamer]

The Codex Classicum does have many of the spellings in its original Greek yes, but I made the effort to place them into the Latin alphabet for everyone, so don't worry! So indirectly, this handles the pronunciation as well. The Greco-Roman Codex is the largest in the series too by the way, by an extra 30,000 words of content, and I had to hold back...

It is a massive book of stuff. We just lack the finer detailed information in the Germanic world to make extra classes beyond what I have added except adding what is already included in the Norse Codex (don't forget the Early Germanic world does include both the Continent and Scandinavia). Both books do work as a pair together. The 2nd Edition Codex Celtarum will do the same for the Celts on the Continent and those in the British Isles too, as was intended the first time around.

The Codex Slavorum I think will blow some minds....

[Captain_K]

Does it have the guy with the hammer (Chernobog ??) who plays chess for a favor and his favor is to bash your skull in with a hammer???

[Celticgamer]

Does it have the guy with the hammer (Chernobog ??) who plays chess for a favor and his favor is to bash your skull in with a hammer???

Yes, most definitely! The ancient Slavonic feud between the divine brothers Czernobog and Svarog are a major part of the book since that was apparently the fundamental theological ideals of their beliefs! I had to reconstruct their story and rebuild it from many fragmented sources and put it, for the most part, together. It is there!

[Captain_K]

Have you read American Gods by N. Gaiman... he's one OK but nasty bastard.. but then so is "Mr. Wednesday".

[Celticgamer]

Nope, I have been told about it by many people and know the basics about it. The Slavonic Pre-Christian religion, although it had a pantheon, a large one, did had an emphasis on the Light and Dark or Good/Evil conflict, and it is thought by scholars derived from an Eastern influence (Mesopotamia, the Hittites, etc). I didn't so much let the actual vagueries of the Nordic/Germanic and Celtic pagan religions show through as much in the codices, it would have confused people, who are so used to thinking in the 'Good vs. Evil' mentality.

[Captain_K]

But absolute good and evil likely do not exist, not facing the facts of life that our forefathers knew and understood and enshrined in their beliefs and gods themselves gives proof that it is not beyond humanity,,, just modern folks who are too simple for such truths in life? Do not make more "opiate for the masses" please be true to the history and the cultures. All of CnC is quite light on "alignment", as IMHO it should be, for the very reason we're discussing. Whenever someone tries hard to be just one thing, "pure" it typically backfires. History is wrought by "ethical pure saviors" who are anything but to the common man.

[Celticgamer]

But absolute good and evil likely do not exist, not facing the facts of life that our forefathers knew and understood and enshrined in their beliefs and gods themselves gives proof that it is not beyond humanity,,, just modern folks who are too simple for such truths in life? Do not make more "opiate for the masses" please be true to the history and the cultures. All of CnC is quite light on "alignment", as IMHO it should be, for the very reason we're discussing. Whenever someone tries hard to be just one thing, "pure" it typically backfires. History is wrought by "ethical pure saviors" who are anything but to the common man.

I don't think you have to worry about 'accuracy' and my ability to portray it, this is what I do academically, and as a thirty-year gamer. This has nothing to to do with my own, or others' beliefs today, (or lack thereof) but those I am embodying in these Codices. Not only am I a scholar of the Ancient World, but a professor and teacher and am about to start earning my PhD, so please don't lecture me about the do's and don't in these. I know exactly what to do and how to approach it in regards to which culture. You only have to worry about gaming it all and portraying it in your own games the way you wish! The Slavonic peoples believed in the concept of Good and Evil amid their plethora of deities while the Germanic and Celtic peoples' pre-Christian religions were a little more vague in that direction, especially considering their predilection towards Metempsychosis. I think you are missing the point in what I was making earlier here....

I do not know what previous examples you are referring to that backfired when someone tried to go 'pure', but I am a gamer and scholar, hand in hand. Lay your worry to rest and just game! Where C & C is light on basic Alighnment portrayal, this is based on the real world, the Ancient World, and these civilizations were not, and their entire way of life was centered around their perception and beliefs. Unless you understand it, you don't 'get it'. It is my job to help everyone peer into that universe and be able to game it. Every Ancient culture/civilization perceived the universe different, and these Codices give gamers a brief glimpse into their cosmic reality. For you to know what you getting with these cultures, purist driven or not, you have to first understand the histories, myths and other facts about them, and the question is - do you Captain K?

[Captain_K]

No offense was meant, I thought I had read in your message that you had to soft peddle the alignment issue because folks don't like ambiguity. So, I just wanted you to portray as they and their people were. Your efforts in this field are impressive and your work useful to the game. I and many others enjoy it. Please excuse my suggestion, it was not meant to offend or criticize, just suggest.

PS I'll see your 30 years and raise you six. I'll further see your "ABD" and raise a full PhD with 12 years experience "post doc"... albeit NOT in your field.

[Celticgamer]

No offense was meant, I thought I had read in your message that you had to soft peddle the alignment issue because folks don't like ambiguity. So, I just wanted you to portray as they and their people were. Your efforts in this field are impressive and your work useful to the game. I and many others enjoy it. Please excuse my suggestion, it was not meant to offend or criticize, just suggest.

PS I'll see your 30 years and raise you six. I'll further see your "ABD" and raise a full PhD with 12 years experience "post doc"... albeit NOT in your field.

No problem, my PhD will be in Celtic Studies, when I get it from Y Drindod Dewi Sant, and more specifically the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (CAWCS). I already have a Masters in Arthurian Studies from the University of Wales Lampeter (2007) and my Bachelors in History long before that. I wanted some other unrelated degrees in Paleontology and maybe something else but just getting my PhD is fine enough for now after the struggle. I am all about accuracy and telling it as it is whether people like it not, I am not a PC person and never will be. Ancient societies were not either, and so I won't budge on the facts, however uncomfortable they might be to modern people and their frail sensibilities. The Codex Classicum will shake people up because it disregards the 'Greeks are the profound thinkers of the Ancient World' idea and grounds them back who they were with their necromancy, human and animal sacrifice and savagery. I think it is an amazing book.

You can insert the philosophers and the rest on your own, I didn't have room for it in the massive book already. It has the warriors, Pelasgoi, orgiastic god worship and more in it as it was, not the Romanticized ideals from later times.

[Captain_K]

I know the struggle, hang in there, 15 years of grad school at Case while working full time and raising a young family... keep plugging along. There's a Shakespeare quote, which I'll butcher, that applies, "The path forward is as blood as the path back." Might as well keep walking on.. something like that too when it comes to walking through hell. ;}

[Captain_K]

Should have travelled with you on this summer's two weeks in Ireland!

[Celticgamer]

I know the struggle, hang in there, 15 years of grad school at Case while working full time and raising a young family... keep plugging along. There's a Shakespeare quote, which I'll butcher, that applies, "The path forward is as blood as the path back." Might as well keep walking on.. something like that too when it comes to walking through hell. ;}

I am have been very efficient in getting in and done with my schooling each time, but this time, trying to set up and prepare for this last degree had so many set backs that were out of my control. Once started, it will only take me about 2-3 years, and I will be finished. In that time, I will have the other Codices completed as well: the Asian, Americas and any additional ones along the way. So by the time I finally called 'Doctor', there will be about ten of the books in the series.

[Treebore]

... and I will own all of them.

[Celticgamer]

... and I will own all of them.

Hahahaha, proudly I will be so happy to have them too, and be able to use them in my games as a resource also. I am plotting out maybe writing an Atlantian/Lemurian themed Codex as well to wrap it up, simply because I was unable to include each of these 'lost lands' thus so far. It is a homage to Robert E. Howard and Lovecraft, and to the roleplaying game that I still run from Bard Games, the classic 'Arcanum' set based on Atlantis, etc.

...and maybe even one on pirates too...

[Captain_K]

Is it the Fins who are linguistically so unique? Their culture could be really cool.. here's a field trip for you, do the Sami (aka Lapps), you need to do some post doc work and some field studies bringing truly new material to light that has yet not been written?

[Celticgamer]

Is it the Fins who are linguistically so unique? Their culture could be really cool.. here's a field trip for you, do the Sami (aka Lapps), you need to do some post doc work and some field studies bringing truly new material to light that has yet not been written?

Yes, they are linguistically and genetically separate from the other Europeans (except the Basques - who do match to some extent with the extant Celtic speaking peoples of Western Europe today, and those regions in Central and Western Europe that used to be Celtic speaking in Antiquity). They have shared and adopted much of the Swedish/Scandinavian beliefs over the many millennia yet still have their own take on things. Tolkien noticed how odd and unusual their lore was, embodied in the Kalevala, and took a lot from it for his stories and elfin languages...so he was ahead of me a little.

But...I have an edge he didn't and a few others with regards to the Druids and their philosophies and teachings after decades of research that I will hopefully reveal in my Doctoral thesis, and by some degree in the 2nd edition of the Codex Celtarum (it never made it in the first version of the book!). It has been a life's work really and I have a store of tales of my own I hope to see published if I can write them competently as an author someday....

[serleran]

If there are two cultures / things that does not seem to get the treatment it desperately needs, it is both Australia and the practitioners of Voodoo. That is something, with a fact-based approach to fantasy, that I think could be quite interesting. Of course, most will want the curse-slinging, zombie-making, cultist... alas. Not likely to ever exist in proper form.

[jeff]

If you can find it, GURPS Voodoo is a more realistic view of voodoo.

[serleran]

Of course. I should have remembered GURPS has a book for almost everything.

Thanks.