Castles & Crusades Castle Keepers Guide – 2nd Printing by Davis Chenault and Stephen Chenault is a role playing game supplement published by Troll Lord Games. This is one of the core rulebooks for Castles & Crusades and, as such, is covered by the Open Game License with some parts considered to be Open Game Content as a result.
The 4th printing is available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG for $26.99 and in printed form from sites such as Amazon; this reviews the 2nd printing which has some differences, though not significant ones. The PDF has 354 pages with two being the front and rear covers, one being the front matter, one the Table of Contents, one the Acknowledgements, eight the Index, one is an ad and one the Open Game License.
The Rules We Live By is a single page that essentially says the rules are guidelines, not fixed in stone, but that this is also a book of rules.
The Introduction explains that the Siege Engine is the foundation of Castles & Crusades, but that it doesn’t cover every element of the game. The Castle Keepers Guide provides new tools for use by both Castle Keepers and players, and that each chapter adds new options to a specific part of the game.
Part One: The Character starts with Chapter 1: Expanding Characters. This has five new ways of generating attributes other than those in the Players Handbook, as well as considering the average attribute range of common folk. Each method will affect the attributes in different ways, and some will result in noticeably more powerful characters. The power level can be modified again by using some alternative attribute modifiers. Attribute options are then covered, such as attributes and character age, attribute levels out of the normal range and their effects and a look at a new option, beauty.
Epic level adventures are considered, with character levels being higher than the standard range; normally, they stop at 13th level. The section covers going up to 24th level for each of the classes from the Players Handbook. Racial height and weight, starting age and effects of aging are looked at as well as languages. It then looks at expanding the character races from those in the Players Handbook, though it is opposed to the idea of making monsters in player characters is not advised due to all the problems it can cause to game balance and other things, as they have different rules they use, and is also opposed to creating strange races such as half-dragons. It then looks at the process of creating new races, with examples, and how to work it through. In general, it seems to be this is considered to be a difficult process that shouldn’t be lightly undertaken.
Chapter 2: Magic covers various things related to magic, starting with spellbooks and looking at their cost, how many spells can be in them, different types of spellbooks and casting spells from them. Following this are tables for randomly generating 0 and 1st level starting spells for wizards and illusionists. The five different types of spell components from the Players Handbook are then looked at in detail, including different qualities, costs and availabilities of some types; there is a complete list of costs for the material components of every spell that has them. It also looks at selling material components and playing without them in order to make play easier. Following on from using no material components, it then looks at using wands and holy symbols as receptacles of power, including placing the materials in the wand or holy symbol through a ritual and casting spells using such. Details are given on buying and trading spells and gaining experience for learning new spells.
It then looks at several optional magic systems that can be implemented in the game. It starts with divine magic. Clerics can cast spells on holy ground with increased benefits, and these, as well as how to create holy ground, are looked at. Clerics are also good at healing, but that doesn’t mean they will heal everyone. Religions in C&C are generally pantheistic which generally do not proselytise; also, a pantheistic cleric isn’t necessarily restricted to worshipping one deity in the pantheon. Finally, holy water, its cost, use and an aspergillum, or holy water sprinkler, are looked at.
Next it looks at illusionist magic, which is treated a bit differently in C&C than in other systems. It looks at the different types of illusions, illusionist healing, which is a unique approach, and using illusionist spells on the mindless. It also explains that there is mechanic in the system for disbelieving illusions, as there’s no justification or reason for such, as anything is possible.
Following this is a section covering a number of spells that need more explanation as to their effects.
Next are some alternative spellcasting systems. The first is mana-based, where characters get mana points that can be used to cast spells. Spell slots is similar to the normal system, in that spellusers can cast specific numbers of spells of different levels per day; the difference is they don’t preselect the spells, instead choosing on casting. An advanced version of this is spell points. Another option is a Quick Charge, sacrificing attributes temporarily in exchange for more spells. Finally, pulp sorcery is the type of magic seen in pulp fiction, where spellcasting was not limited to spellusers. An option is given for non-casters to cast spells from a scroll and finally giving out spellcasting loot is looked at.
Chapter 3: Expanding Equipment starts by looking at how equipment can be role played, with examples that show how selecting it can help define a character. Following this it looks at room and board, covering different qualities of rations to those in the Players Handbook and the cost of meals, lodging and provisions. Next, the carrying capacities of different containers, animals and vehicles is given, with some general equipment and equipment maintenance.
Chapter 4: Non-Player Characters, after an explanation as to what NPCs are, looks at the difference between class-based and non-class-based NPCs. The former are like characters and are created the same way; the latter are not and may play only a minor role. It then explains that the rules when it comes to running NPCs are less important than keeping the game flowing, and gives several tips on how to make running them easier, including notes and noticeable differences.
Adherents are spell users created and played entirely by the Castle Keeper and have only limited stats. There’s a list of various different adherents, which cover a variety of professions on either side of the law; some may be useful for characters, others obstacles. The list of adherent types is followed by explanations as to what each is. Adherents can be developed further; one who only has a brief appearance doesn’t need much doing for them, but one who plays a bigger and recurring role needs more development. There are rules on how to locate adherents; the bigger the population centre, the easier it is to find them, and a big enough metropolis means they can automatically be found. Once an adherent is found, they need to be hired, and as many are hired for certain skills, how long it will take them to do various tasks they are skilled at is looked at. Adherents only have situational loyalty and may end up leaving.
Henchman are class-based NPCs hired to augment a party. Again, there are details on creating henchmen, developing them, locating them in different ways and how to hire them, along with payment schedules. Characters will often have to equip henchmen as well as pay them, and successfully hiring one depends on various factors that adjust the roll. Henchmen are more loyal than adherents, but they also have to be treated well enough to remain loyal. Morale is a separate factor from loyalty.
Hirelings are non-class-based NPCs who are hired to do specific tasks; in many ways they have similarities to adherents, and are created and developed the same way. Again, there is information on locating, hiring and supplying hirelings, retaining their loyalty and their morale.
Following this are rules on creatures, which includes class-based and non-class-based monsters, deities and magic items. These are created differently, but again have rules on locating, hiring and supplying them, their morale and their background.
Finally, it looks at how not to use NPCs – they shouldn’t overshadow the characters – and what if the characters themselves become hireling; caravan guard, for example, is a very common way of getting low-level characters into an adventure.
Part 2: Worlds of Adventure starts with Chapter 5: The World. This starts by looking at the geography of the world, and that most fantasy worlds bear similarities to Earth. It looks at day and year length, tectonic plates, different kinds of weathering, climate, biomes and terrain, each of which looks at the various different types and explanations of them, with some tables to generate random ones if required. Weather and weather patterns are next, followed by moving across land and how movement is affected by terrain. The standard fantasy setting and different ages are covered, with details on what is available in each and the sorts of settlements around.
Chapter 6: The City starts by looking at some basics when it comes to cities, which are less to do with the city themselves than the culture in which it exists. It then looks at how some of the greatest science fiction and fantasy works, and how their backdrop is a believable world. To make a city believable, it can be important to create the background in which it exists. A history can be created for the world, but not in too great a level of detail. Different forms of structure and governance are looked at and how to go into constructing a government. Different types of economic systems and their features are considered, with a consideration of economics in the game world and the purchasing power of different classes. There are different tiers of trade, which are explained. Tier One is foodstuffs, essentials, clothing and local trade. Tier Two is luxury items and raw industrial material as well as short-medium distance trade. Tier Three is processed goods, luxury items and long-distance trade. Tier Four is speciality and rare items and long-distance trade. Tier Five is magic items and services. The impact of adventure on an economy is also looked at; a group of adventurers can easily destabilise a small local economy.
Money starts by looking at what this is, as it can take different forms, and how coins would be made and used in a fantasy setting with no central bank. However, much of the world would function through the trade and sale of agricultural goods and much of this would be barter. It also looks at the disparity of cost that can occur with some items in some areas, with a chart for the price difference caused by commonality of an item, and even some brief, and simple, rules on inflation. It also looks at the different categories of goods that are found, trade routes and the imposition of taxes, duties and fees; Castle Keepers are warned that taxation can bog down the game and likely result in players trying to cause a revolution with their characters.
Different kinds of social stratification are then looked at and how they work, as well as different kinds of inequality, which may exist for a variety of reasons but playing them in game is difficult and not recommended. Religion, including different kinds is next, and how cultures express differences through their art and architecture. Value systems are important, and alignment is a basic one, but it can be affected by cultural norms. There are suggestions on how to build a culture, which can be easier than expected, as most fantasy games have a pseudo-medieval, pseudo-European setting. This also looks at language.
Urban communities, their location and population density, along with the size of different urban centres and the militia size they would have are next, along with settlements. A range of settlements, from a single dwelling to a metropolis are looked at, with the populations of such, how common they would be and the occupations of inhabitants, are covered. Following this, fortresses of different kinds are given a similar treatment, with purposes, size and garrison sizes. Next is some terminology for fortifications.
After this there are lists of occupations and businesses with brief descriptions. The first list has common ones that would be found in villages, towns and sometimes hamlets. The second has ones that would be found mostly in larger cities. Finally, there is a list of building types that could be found.
Constructing buildings is looked at, with different types of building materials and descriptions of them, then some tables for determining the cost of building things depending on complexity and location, as well as the costs of tradesmen, both wages and food and shelter, and construction time.
Finally, crime and punishment are looked at, dividing these into misdemeanours, felonies and high crimes, with tables for the crimes and the punishment, which varies depending on whether the person convicted is of low or high social standing.
Chapter 7 – Dungeons explains that dungeons and caverns are common in adventures and that this section provides a brief overview of natural caverns and dungeons. It starts by looking at the conditions underground, namely light, temperature, humidity and movement, before looking at different kinds of caves, how they differ from each other and terminology related to them.
It then looks at dungeons and some different purposes for which they might be built. Some common room types are given as well as terminology related to dungeons and details on doors and walls, including the damage needed to destroy different kinds of wall.
Following this are some details on cave ecology, dividing it up into different zones, then it takes a look at creating a fantasy underground ecology, which can be substantially different from real world ecology.
What types of adventures can be had underground is next, with some brief details on different kinds. It then looks at action underground, including hearing distances, and that monsters can hear too, and combat underground, as many weapon types are either unusable or greatly impaired in cramped spaces.
Following this are details on building a dungeon so that it makes sense, looking at its original purpose, who built, or made, it, and where it is built. There are also some details on tunnelling and mining and rates of doing such.
Finally, there’s a look at the dangers of gasses, and different kinds of traps and their purposes, with sample traps for rooms and hallways, doors and containers, spell traps and advanced traps, including one very complex one.
Chapter 8 – Air and Water Adventure explains that these kinds of adventures can be challenging, especially as it can be harder for players to relate to the experience. Random encounters will be less common in such settings and NPCs, such as a ship’s crew and especially the officers, should have a greater role. Weather should also be tracked more carefully, as it poses a greater threat than it does on land.
Different kinds of water adventures are looked at; deep water, shallow water, ship and lake. Movement on the water is covered, with a table for ship movement. Canoe travel and swimming are also covered, as are drowning, damage to ships and becoming lost.
Another kind of water adventure is underwater, which has its own challenges, starting with not drowning. Visibility is reduced, ranged weapons, if not designed for underwater use, are ineffective and melee attacks by beings that are neither aquatic nor amphibious suffer a penalty to attack and suffer reduced damage. Spells are also affected, and there is a general overview, a list of how specific ones are changed and a list of those that never work underwater.
Aerial adventures need not just take place in the air; there are extra-planar regions where similar rules apply. Visibility is unaffected, nor is ranged combat, though melee combat is different. There are rules for easy aerial combat, then more detailed ones for aerial combat with manoeuvres, including various kinds of manoeuvres and the Aerial Combat Rating, with ACRs for creatures from Monsters & Treasures. Magic is unaffected by an aerial adventure, though extra-planar ones can change the effects of magic.
Chapter 9 – Equipment Wastage starts by explaining that equipment plays a major role in a game and can become associated with a character’s identity. Watching equipment erode can be as painful as losing hit points. It looks at how the cost of goods can change depending on where they are bought, especially if they are custom, and they may not even be available. There are suggestions for adventures based on a character’s need for new equipment, which can be affected by the person they need to buy from.
Equipment can wear out, or be damaged, and the Castle Keeper can introduce that in descriptions, leading to characters buying replacement gear, or even making it necessary to go on an adventure to replace damaged equipment. Equipment wears out over time, from normal wear and tear, as well as from weathering and combat, and some simple rules are given for combat wastage, as well as tracking equipment usage, and a table for weathering and combat wastage, with descriptions of the different kinds of damage from weather and creatures.
Finally, there’s a note on expert equipment, which is better quality gear, mostly made by accident originally; such expert equipment is rarely found for sale and may well be legendary.
This all seems a bit complex for what is essentially a fairly lightweight game.
Chapter 10 – Land as Treasure looks at how granting land to characters can result in their greater involvement in the setting and how it evolves, though ensuring that it fits with both the game being run and what the players want. Different kinds of land ownership are defined, along with how titles are gained, along with noble ranks. Tables give the ranks of the hierarchy with the expected levels of the NPCs holding them, as well as the size of fiefs, land yields and obligations. Following this it looks at land as treasure for each class, each of which has a table and a description. For some classes, land will be land; for others, it can be guild and organisational positions. Finally, there is a look at creating a feudal model, with an example drawn from the World of Aihrde, and problems that may come from using land, primarily getting too involved in the minutiae to the degree that it’s more of a game about accounting.
Chapter 11 – Going to War looks at war in the game; the SIEGE Engine mechanics can also handle this. It looks at roleplaying war, then large-scale combat, with the different kind of units that can be involved. Movement on the battlefield and the effects of terrain, as well as the actions units can do are covered, then resolving combat itself, including initiative, commanding units and morale, and what happens when morale checks are failed. There are different kinds of actions that can be done between units, and an example of how they are done.
Sieges are also a part of war, and running these is looked at with stats and costs for various different siege engines, along with special ammunition, assaulting structures, normal and magical means of attacking structures and what helps with defence.
Sea battles are also covered, with the different actions that can be performed and the different kinds of ammunition and weapons that can be used. There are also ships, with a brief number of sample ones described. Aerial combat is briefly mentioned. Finally, how units might forage or acquire provisions during times of war is looked at, with tables for this.
Chapter 12 – Monster Ecology starts by looking at the monsters themselves, and understanding that they are not a battering ram for either the CK or players, but creatures in and of themselves with habits evolved for the environment. The background of a monster should be read first, though, given the nature of the game, many creatures are evil, mad or magical creations. Next it looks at monster attributes and how they are not done in the same manner as character attributes, because they are not player characters and the monsters in Monsters & Treasure should not be used as such because monsters are not designed to be used that way and doing so causes problems with game balance, given they already have abilities. It looks at how there can be variations of monsters, how they should be roleplayed, what they will do with magic items and treasure and their alignment.
Next it looks at the ecology of monsters, how creatures should be placed in particular biomes, the differences between the different types of creatures, various geologic niches that can be occupied, how the CK should consider a creature’s habits and lifestyles when developing them, how there can be variations on creatures in specific areas and handling monster ecology. A range of creatures are then covered individually, looking at their ecology and where they can be found.
Finally, there are encounter tables and some tips for using them, which includes not always rolling randomly for the number of creatures encountered and that the supplied tables should be modified to make sense for a particular game world.
Chapter 13 – Expanding the Genre starts by looking at using magic and technology, then covers various different ages of technology set after the typical fantasy era, including futuristic, and at some specific genres, pulp noir and horror. It looks at a few class variants, as altered by technology, how technology could be enchanted, and a variety of weapons from different technological periods, laid out in the normal equipment manner, along with armour. Technological weapons also require some new ways of using them, such as the doubt tap and burst fire, which are covered. Grenades, rockets and explosives also require new rules, including what happens when they go wrong.
Part Three: The Siege Engine starts with Chapter 14: Advancing the Game. This starts at looking at starting the game and how many people might play, the different types of adventures at different levels, how to plot adventures and different types from one-shots to ongoing campaigns. There are some example adventure hooks for getting characters involved and a look at the creatures three core different kinds of adventure. How to balance encounters and whether you should is followed by a brief sample adventure.
Different moods of play are followed by a look at balance at the different groups of levels and the tools that the Castle Keeper can use to enact balance; the tools change as the characters become more powerful. It explains that you should expect that players do unexpected things and how experience should be awarded and how it can be used to balance the characters. There are some suggestions as to how play can be made smoother, part of which is that the characters are not the GM’s enemies that they have to beat. It looks at some different tools that can be used to enhance the game and finally has some trackers.
Chapter 15: The SIEGE Engine looks at the game mechanism that underlies the game itself, the different ways it is used, attribute checks and difficulty levels, different options for different parts of the game and how the game can be tinkered with, as well as why you should be careful when tinkering with it.
Chapter 16: Treasure looks at treasure, including magic items. It starts at explaining how more treasure can be given out in a one-shot than a long campaign, as in the latter case large amounts of treasure can build up to sill values. It also looks at how much to give out and indicators of too much being given, as well as how in some settings buying magic items may be impossible. It also considers how items may be a backdrop or the centrepiece of a major quest, and how characters can sell treasure for a lot, but still well under its true value, unbeknownst to them.
Next it looks at coins, with some specific examples related to Aihrde, and what they weigh, followed by tables of some extraordinary items and jewellery from different peoples. Next gems are considered with different types of stones in different conditions. Certain types of arms and armour are worth more than the average as well. Magic items, and how common they are in various levels of setting are looked at, and how they are used, including class-based items and recharging them.
How holy water, spells, potions and scrolls are crafted, as well as silvering weapons, and the costs for getting a third party to do this are considered; characters will rarely want to spend the time and, in some cases, may lack the skills. Purchasing and, finally, destroying magic items is looked at, and some items, when destroyed, can have a significant explosion factor.
Chapter 17: Iron & Sulfur: Combat explains that this can be the most important element of a game. It starts off by considering how to balance encounters then how to play them, including describing combat as more than just the loss of hit points and giving players limited time to react so combat doesn’t drag and how to combat round functions. There are then options on critical hits, with descriptions and the long-term consequences of such. Attribute checks are looked at, especially natural 20s, and saves, with whatever the outcome of a save roll is remaining. Subduing opponents is another option.
Things such as terrain and line of sight can have an effect on combat, there are various combat manoeuvres and ranged combat. Endurance in combat and blows randomly landing on parts of the body as well as how damage can be reduced thanks to armour, and the effects of surprise and what can affect a character’s likelihood of being surprised are looked at. Hit points are looked at in more detail, as these are an abstract, not physical damage, followed by a way of making damage more physical with wounds and what they can do. The wounds and critical hits in this chapter can make combat more dangerous.
Chapter 18: Skill Packages starts by explaining that the SIEGE Engine is drive by the participants not pre-defined skills, which tend to limit the players’ actions. However, the chapter does include three approaches to adding skills to characters, and there are examples of how these are used.
The first is role playing, in which a desired ability is accommodated through game play, from a bonus to an attribute check. Some suggestions are given for advancing such abilities too. The second approach is 24 different trade-based skills, which each have an associated attribute and a description of what that skill encompasses. The third approach is a more modern system, with a variety of advantages, which are abilities divided by species, combat, magical and general. Each is named, given any prerequisites, a description and their benefit.
These three approaches are all optional; they can be ignored, built on, used separately and used together.
Chapter 19: Character Death and Fates starts by looking at the impact of negative hit points, including the loss of limbs. It then looks at various different kinds of disease, covering them in general terms rather than specific ones, followed by insanity. Various forms of divine intervention are then covered. First is Fate Points, which allow characters to affect the game in small but significant ways; surviving -10 hp, rerolling a die, adding another die to a d20 roll, making saving throws, gaining a plot break, avoiding an attack that would have hit and moving faster. Fate Point spends can require more than one point. Luck Points and Hero Points are similar; Luck Points cover mundane bonuses influencing rolls and Hero Points the more spectacular feats. Finally, it looks at death and dying, and how to handle it so that it can happen, the game is still dangerous but CKs and players don’t accidentally get a character killed by not thinking things through.
Castles & Crusades Castle Keepers Guide – 2nd Printing in Review
The PDF is bookmarked but only covers the chapters. The Table of Contents is to a greater level of depth and is hyperlinked. The Index is more thorough. Navigation could be a lot better. The text maintains a two-column format and some minor errors were noticed. There are a variety of colour illustrations, up to full page in size. Presentation is good.
Though this is one of the core books for Castles & Crusades, it is not an essential one like the Players Handbook or Monsters & Treasure; this provides additional options but the game could be played without it. It does have a lot of advice for the GameMaster, or Castle Keeper, as well as providing many options for expanding the game and playing in new areas. The rules additions are optional, and a CK can pick and choose what they use; the biggest piece of advice is to not do things that have unexpected consequences that result in the system breaking down the line. The supplement is a useful addition to the game, even if it is not necessary to have it, and it can be mined for ideas to improve the game as a whole. Castles & Crusades Castle Keepers Guide can be found by clicking here.
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