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Castle Falkenstein: The Black Lady of Brodick Castle: An Adventure Entertainment
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/06/2018 09:40:55

The Black Lady of Brodick Castle is the third official Adventure Entertainment for Castle Falkenstein written by Lady Jennifer R. Povey

A mystery plot centred around discovering the true nature of the being known as “The Black Lady” and her motives. Set on the Isle of Arran, in Scotland, this story is short but well-structured

The final outcome of this adventure has several options laid out and has been crafted to hinge entirely upon the actions of the Dramatic Characters. A few ideas for follow up scenarios are included.

Another well-explained and straightforward adventure which is well suited for Dramatic Characters whose Abilities are not orientated towards combat. It can be used for most types of character, but I feel that Lower Class characters may struggle a little due to their lack of Social Graces.

This short book has six pre-generated Dramatic Characters, however, four of them were previously published in “Firearms & Margarine” .

This mystery-filled adventure gets a four out of five.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Black Lady of Brodick Castle: An Adventure Entertainment
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Castle Falkenstein: Babbage’s Engine
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/06/2018 09:38:43

The Babbage Engine, the second official Adventure Entertainment for Castle Falkenstein wrritten by Grandmaster Stephen Kenson and Mister J. Gray.

Players in this story have the opportunity to take a trip on the World’s First train controlled by an Analytical Engine - What could possibly go wrong? I am sure that dastardly villains will not take an interest in this Technological Marvel!

As it stands,this beautifully illustrated adventure would make a nice introduction for a new Host or new players. The plot and any Feats (actions) required are well explained. If the Host (GM) has some experience, either with Castle Falkenstein or running other RPGs, they can easily expand the plot with the useful suggestions included by Grandmaster Kenson. The epilogue provides more leads for future fun following the conclusion of this adventure.

Again, this short book has six pre-generated Dramatic Characters, however, four of them were in the previously published “Firearms & Margarine” adventure.

The slight railroading involved in the plot and the re-use of sample characters means that this action-filled adventure only gets a four out of five.



Rating:
[4 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: Babbage’s Engine
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Castle Falkenstein: Firearms & Margarine: An Adventure Entertainment
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 09/05/2018 13:30:59

Firearms and Margarine is the first published official Adventure Entertainment (scenario) for Castle Falkenstein written by Mr. J Gray.

It is a fine Murder Mystery set in the city of Paris. The underlying plot premise is based on the point of view of Brownies, a nice touch to bring out the Faerie side of the Falkenstein Universe.

The story opens with a murder at a labour protest which the characters then investigate. The search for the culprit involves dealing with the Upper, Middle and the Working Classes and their appropriate prejudices. There are enough suspects and red herrings to keep the characters guessing. When the players have found the probable murderer, there are hints on adjusting the final denouement to suit your on campaign style.

The introduction has ideas on how to involve most types of Dramatic Characters in the storyline.

The plot line allows for different paths of inquiry, giving the players a range of freedom in their actions. Any aspects of the case that are unique to the Castle Falkenstein setting are clearly explained.

There are several sub-plots mentioned during the narrative and these are expanded upon in the last section of the supplement giving a Host (GM) the opportunity to extend the adventure or to trigger new ones.

Lavishly illustrated with six pre-generated Dramatic Characters to get you started, this excellent product is well worth the price.

If you haven’t tried Castle Falkenstein, get the core rulebook and this supplement.

Not only do you gain a fun adventure, it gives plenty of guidance on play that is useful for new

Hosts. Also, the layout of the book can act as a framework for building your own Adventure

Entertainments if you have just started to play the Great Game.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: Firearms & Margarine: An Adventure Entertainment
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Castle Falkenstein: The Six-Sided Variations
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 05/13/2018 13:09:53

The Six-sided Variations

The fifth in Mr J Gray’s series on Castle Falkenstein rules variations, a shocking move for purist players as it involves the use of DICE!

In brief, there is a pot of chits representing the four card suits and jokers. Players draw four chits and then play a chit (or more) to carry out a Feat (action). If the chit is the same suit as the Ability it provides 2D6 and if it doesn’t match, it provides one point. Jokers are wild and automatically give a score of twelve! The dice are rolled and the score added to the Ability score as in normal play. There are, as in all of the Falkenstein Variations, a range of additional tweaks included in the booklet. These allow you to adapt the Six-sided variations to your own campaign style.

We decided to try it out in our group. I will admit that I was a little concerned that it might change the flavour of the game slightly.

It did not.

The Variation was quickly understood and actually speeded up play. Those who were less confident with the game’s card system made chit & dice roll decisions more quickly than they did with cards, allowing us to get on with the action.

The Six-sided Variation has been well thought out to produce similar results to the existing card rules, making them fully interchangeable. So in future games, I, as Host (GM), will allow each of my players to choose to use cards or dice according to their own preference (as long as they stick to their choice for the whole adventure).

Another useful and clearly explained set of optional rules for Castle Falkenstein. It can speed up your game and will be of particular use with existing gamers who are trying Falkenstein for the first time. As it has enhanced our game playing experience, I have to give it a full five stars.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Six-Sided Variations
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Castle Falkenstein: The Feat Variations
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 04/30/2018 11:48:21

The Fourth in Mr J Gray’s series on Castle Falkenstein rules variations, this booklet deals with both the use of the cards in your hand to achieve success in Feats (actions) and the range of difficulty that can be set for any particular Feat.

“The Hard Limit Variation” which helps stop “Hand Dumping” where some players always use all of their cards on one Feat.

“The Half-Off Variation” which allows more cards in your hand to give more points towards a Feat. Over use of this variation can be countered by the “Ability Harmonics Option” in which the Host (GM) can apply slightly negative effects on players who use unaligned cards

Finally, “The Dwarfish Requirement Variation” increases the range of difficulty levels the Host has available to assign to a Feat. This means that the Host can get away without having to play cards from their hand purely to make a Feat trickier. The most useful part of this section of the booklet is a list of all the Abilities with examples of the sort of result that might be achieved at each level.

As always, there are options within each Variation to adapt the new rules should you wish to.

We are using all three of these variations. The “Ability Harmonics Option” has led to some enjoyable, random sub-plots appearing based upon the results. With “The Dwarfish Requirement Variation”, I have found that as I no longer need to use my Host hand on general Feats, I now keep it purely to apply to Host Characters (NPCs) who can think about where to apply their actions. This has sped up the play. The list of examples by Ability is really helpful and the table provided makes quick reference easy.

Yet another handy addition to Castle Falkenstein and as we use all three Variations, it’s a five out of five, thank you, Mister Gray.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Feat Variations
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Castle Falkenstein: The Second Tarot Variation
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/29/2017 15:24:21

The Second in Mr J Gray’s series on Castle Falkenstein rules variations, once again ,covers the use of Tarot cards instead of an ordinary pack of cards but this time as the general Fortune Cards pack rather than one for Magicians only. There is a very useful page of discussion about the effects on game balance that using a Tarot-based Fortune pack produces and suggestions of a variety of ways this can be balanced or used to enhance the wild card nature of the Major Arcana cards. Just like the previous Tarot Variation, the Minor Arcana cards simply act like slightly altered normal pack of cards. The Major Arcana produce a range of quite powerful negative and positive, but always interesting, outcomes on play.

From my strictly personal view, I won’t be using this Variation in my campaign. simply because I really like the idea of the Tarot pack being a Special Set of cards just for magical purposes (as in the first Variation) and since Magick gives great power to a Dramatic Character, I love the idea of Magicians having less control over the outcome that the Major Arcana cards bring to the game system.

That said, what I will do is make a small Host’s pack made up of just Major Arcana cards and use Mr.Gray’s excellent ideas as wild card effects. So, when a joker comes up in the mundane pack, I, as the Host can draw a card from my little pack and gain inspiration for the outcome the players receive.

As ever, this Fat Goblin’s Games product is beautifully laid out with clear text. Even though I am not making use of all of it myself, it scores 5/5 as this is a quality product that many Hosts of “The Great Game” will like.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Second Tarot Variation
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Castle Falkenstein: The Ability Variations
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 08/29/2017 15:19:55

The Third in Mr J Gray’s series on Castle Falkenstein rules variations, this Variation deals with Ability specialisations, varying the suit of Fortune Cards played for an action and Ability improvement points.

Firstly, the Specialisations Variation allows players to gain an advantage in a specified area covered by an Ability. Secondly, the Divorce Variation gives the opportunity to apply the value of a Fortune Card of a different suit to the one normally used with that Ability, under certain circumstances. Thirdly, the Improvement Variation finally gives a clear format for acquiring new Specialisations and increasing existing Abilities with a choice of mechanics for short or long term campaigns.

In my opinion, this is the best of the variation series yet produced. The other two were nice tweaks but this one makes actual play easier. Unlike the original Castle Falkenstein books (much as I love them), Mr Gray’s personal Great Ability seems to be in the succinct and clear explanation of rules. These Variations fit very well into the mechanics and spirit of the game. They also clarify and improve the existing rules.

As stated in all the Variation series, the new rules are optional for each Host’s campaign, but I will definitely be opting in with these.I;d give a score of 6 out of 5 for this one if I could!



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Ability Variations
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Castle Falkenstein: The Tarot Variation
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/13/2016 12:17:21

I like this variation, it helps to make magick seem less mundane in the game.

As magick no longer uses an ordinary pack of cards, it is separated from making common actions in the game and so adds to the mystique of those who have ‘the Talent’. The way the 22 Major Arcana are dealt with to provide extra benefits or problems to the spell cast (or spell caster) fits well into the way I think of how Falkensteinian magick works, as a sort of struggle of willpower trying to exert control and form over a random natural flow of Thaumatic Energy. Plus, it adds about 10% more Thaumatic Energy to draw on in a region - What could possibly go wrong?



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: The Tarot Variation
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Castle Falkenstein: Curious Creatures
Publisher: Fat Goblin Games
by Nick M. [Verified Purchaser]
Date Added: 10/13/2016 12:13:16

This book is beautifully illustrated and the text, pictures and mix of fiction, ‘fact’ and rules in its content are nicely done in a style that is consistent with the original series of books.

The first part clarifies several issues with animals in the original rules and describes how abilities work for slightly differently for creatures. It adds new abilities for creatures and Dramatic Characters, along with rules for creating your own creatures.

The next part covers Intelligent animals (some suitable for playing as Dramatic Characters) and magickal familiars. We are introduced to Sphinxes and True Unicorns as allies & adversaries.

The story continues by detailing the kingdom of Kongo, Moreau’s beastmen and Dinosaurs, though you will have to design your own T-Rex. Following this is a bestiary of magickal creatures, each with an an adventure seed, and a section on common animals.

The book is finished with a list of Host Characters drawn from our history and fiction who exist in the Falkenstein world and a range of new roles for Dramatic Characters.

This book is a Great Addition to the Castle Falkenstein range. For the Host, the whole book is scattered with useful adventure seeds and improved, well explained rules additions. I really like the background for Sphinxes and will definitely be adding them to my campaign.

For players, it widens the range of species and careers available, as well as expanding the number of dire enemies and helpful allies they may find in creature form.

I certainly hope that Fat Goblin Games will continue to produce new material for the Great Game, especially when it is of this high standard.



Rating:
[5 of 5 Stars!]
Castle Falkenstein: Curious Creatures
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