I just got this one in the mail, in near-mint condition. Flipping through it makes me think that this one is actually looks like a really nice setting, with clear drawings of towns and buildings. A bit more hefty than the Vikings module which is also not bad BTW. Not much use of magic rules, but then I did not expect that either (perhaps nuns can have memorized prayers that in game terms function like low level healing spells or something). Have you used this module, or something based around a similar theme? (Robin Hood or RH-ish)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54467670800_62b463a5f2_c.jpg)
I got that around 10 years ago and still haven't had the chance to run it. Which sucks because it's such a good book and it's Robin Hood...not exactly a hard sell.
I never even knew it existed until now. Robin Hood is one of my favorite classic characters, and I have thought about doing a Robin Hood campaign before. I'll have to track it down. Maybe I'll use it if I ever get around to running Maelstrom: Domesday.
Quote from: ForgottenF on April 21, 2025, 10:00:43 PMI never even knew it existed until now. Robin Hood is one of my favorite classic characters, and I have thought about doing a Robin Hood campaign before. I'll have to track it down. Maybe I'll use it if I ever get around to running Maelstrom: Domesday.
There are a few copies on eBay for about $50, my suggestion is to buy one ASAP.
I didn't even know that existed, but very glad to see it. Just last year I re-read Howard Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood for the ?th (I've lost count) time. Never used Robin Hood in a game, but I did stat him out once (using BRP rules) with the idea that players might magically summon him into their own campaign world.
Quote from: I on April 21, 2025, 10:46:32 PMI didn't even know that existed, but very glad to see it. Just last year I re-read Howard Pyle's The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood for the ?th (I've lost count) time. Never used Robin Hood in a game, but I did stat him out once (using BRP rules) with the idea that players might magically summon him into their own campaign world.
Another book for my reading list.
Had that many years ago. It is excellent. Never got around to using it though. They did a few books in that series - a Western Hero one, a Vikings one and I think a Greek Hero one. Maybe others too?
Quote from: Trond on April 21, 2025, 08:45:48 PMI just got this one in the mail, in near-mint condition. Flipping through it makes me think that this one is actually looks like a really nice setting, with clear drawings of towns and buildings. A bit more hefty than the Vikings module which is also not bad BTW. Not much use of magic rules, but then I did not expect that either (perhaps nuns can have memorized prayers that in game terms function like low level healing spells or something). Have you used this module, or something based around a similar theme? (Robin Hood or RH-ish)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54467670800_62b463a5f2_c.jpg)
I never used it, but I remember being intrigued -- but a little put off by the detail-intensive approach of ICE modules that I felt sometimes missed the forest for the trees. (I did run a long vikings campaign where I looked over the ICE Vikings module, but I thought other viking sourcebooks were better.)
In the case of Robin Hood, the intriguing part is the very different style of adventure. Robin Hood is pro-active in that he wanted to change the status quo - in his case, by robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.
I've played in only a handful of pro-active criminal games, usually short campaigns. It asks for more flexibility from the GM and the players, because it can be more up to the players to decide what the adventure is.
I thought the ICE Robin Hood sourcebook seemed like it missed a bit on laying out fun swashbuckling action and heists which I'd expect for a Robin Hood campaign. My impression was it had lots of historical and literary detail, but less on how to get Robin-Hood-ish action. It's been an age, though, so take that with a grain of salt.
Quote from: Simon W on April 22, 2025, 05:37:00 PMHad that many years ago. It is excellent. Never got around to using it though. They did a few books in that series - a Western Hero one, a Vikings one and I think a Greek Hero one. Maybe others too?
I had the Greek one. Almost got a Hero System campaign going with it, but it never got beyond starting characters and a short intro adventure. It was a time that had a lot of disruption in our gaming group, and then I lost that book in a move shortly thereafter. I thought they did a reasonably good job of capturing the themes of Greek myth, with at least the Hero System rules stacking up well. I didn't know Rolemaster well enough to say how it translated.
Quote from: Steven Mitchell on April 22, 2025, 05:58:20 PMQuote from: Simon W on April 22, 2025, 05:37:00 PMHad that many years ago. It is excellent. Never got around to using it though. They did a few books in that series - a Western Hero one, a Vikings one and I think a Greek Hero one. Maybe others too?
I had the Greek one. Almost got a Hero System campaign going with it, but it never got beyond starting characters and a short intro adventure. It was a time that had a lot of disruption in our gaming group, and then I lost that book in a move shortly thereafter. I thought they did a reasonably good job of capturing the themes of Greek myth, with at least the Hero System rules stacking up well. I didn't know Rolemaster well enough to say how it translated.
A bit off topic, but next time I run a swords and sandals game I'll find that one. But here's another interesting book that I think could add to a Greek Campaign: the Bloodfeud of Altheus, which is actually an old solo-adventure fighting fantasy type of book. It's remarkably well researched.
Quote from: jhkim on April 22, 2025, 05:43:58 PMQuote from: Trond on April 21, 2025, 08:45:48 PMI just got this one in the mail, in near-mint condition. Flipping through it makes me think that this one is actually looks like a really nice setting, with clear drawings of towns and buildings. A bit more hefty than the Vikings module which is also not bad BTW. Not much use of magic rules, but then I did not expect that either (perhaps nuns can have memorized prayers that in game terms function like low level healing spells or something). Have you used this module, or something based around a similar theme? (Robin Hood or RH-ish)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54467670800_62b463a5f2_c.jpg)
I never used it, but I remember being intrigued -- but a little put off by the detail-intensive approach of ICE modules that I felt sometimes missed the forest for the trees. (I did run a long vikings campaign where I looked over the ICE Vikings module, but I thought other viking sourcebooks were better.)
In the case of Robin Hood, the intriguing part is the very different style of adventure. Robin Hood is pro-active in that he wanted to change the status quo - in his case, by robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.
I've played in only a handful of pro-active criminal games, usually short campaigns. It asks for more flexibility from the GM and the players, because it can be more up to the players to decide what the adventure is.
I thought the ICE Robin Hood sourcebook seemed like it missed a bit on laying out fun swashbuckling action and heists which I'd expect for a Robin Hood campaign. My impression was it had lots of historical and literary detail, but less on how to get Robin-Hood-ish action. It's been an age, though, so take that with a grain of salt.
Yes, there's tons of historical information. It gets deeper into how to run a campaign of outlaws on page 58 (of 160), and I actually think it looks pretty good, and much more hefty in that department than the Vikings module. It gives some useful info on how various characters end up as outlaws, typical encounters that fit campaigns, very nice layouts of castles and forts etc.
The more general historical reason why "heroes" are outlaws is also outlined nicely; it all has to do with Norman rule. Not only are the Norman aristocrats and sheriffs excessive in their taxation and draconian laws; they look down upon Anglo-Saxons and other Brits. Some of this I think is easily communicated by throwing in some "snooty" French terms whenever a Norman is speaking.
Quote from: Trond on April 22, 2025, 06:36:44 PMQuote from: Steven Mitchell on April 22, 2025, 05:58:20 PMQuote from: Simon W on April 22, 2025, 05:37:00 PMHad that many years ago. It is excellent. Never got around to using it though. They did a few books in that series - a Western Hero one, a Vikings one and I think a Greek Hero one. Maybe others too?
I had the Greek one. Almost got a Hero System campaign going with it, but it never got beyond starting characters and a short intro adventure. It was a time that had a lot of disruption in our gaming group, and then I lost that book in a move shortly thereafter. I thought they did a reasonably good job of capturing the themes of Greek myth, with at least the Hero System rules stacking up well. I didn't know Rolemaster well enough to say how it translated.
A bit off topic, but next time I run a swords and sandals game I'll find that one. But here's another interesting book that I think could add to a Greek Campaign: the Bloodfeud of Altheus, which is actually an old solo-adventure fighting fantasy type of book. It's remarkably well researched.
The I.C.E. books were generally well-researched and included a ton of detail on the setting, but they sometimes felt like encyclopedic infodumps rather than playable gaming material. They had Mythic Egypt, Mythic Greece, Pirates, and Vikings along with Robin Hood.
I played in a Renaissance Italy campaign using Rolemaster, and had two other campaigns using Rolemaster in custom fantasy settings (non-historical). Especially, the class-based magic system was difficult to adapt to settings. I've favored systems like RuneQuest or Savage Worlds or HERO or GURPS for historical or semi-historical settings.
Speaking of which, there is a Sherwood campaign from Battlefield Press that was originally D20 but has a Savage Worlds adaptation (along with Pathfinder, Swords & Wizardry, and 5E).
(https://d1vzi28wh99zvq.cloudfront.net/images/62/236870.webp)
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/236870/sherwood-the-legend-of-robin-hood-2e-savage-worlds-deluxe-edition
https://rlyehreviews.blogspot.com/2021/02/savage-sherwood.html
EDITED TO ADD: I have no knowledge of the Sherwood campaign - I just saw it listed as a Savage Worlds setting. Anyone know anything about it?
Darkwood (http://rpg.deals/darkwood) is also about Robin Hood, or more specifically creating your own legends of Robin Hood style heroes. I was recently told it was "probably the best in its genre..."
(DTRPG: https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/32/Precis-Intermedia/subcategory/126_29996/Darkwood )
Just to continue my praise a bit here, the illustartions within are good too, probably among the best of ICE products.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54469874936_580b2775c3_c.jpg)
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54470140688_85c4b51b36_c.jpg)
Several compelling recommendations here. Sadly, I'm on an RPG spending freeze for the moment, so I suppose I'll have to wishlist things and hope they're still around later.
Greetings!
Trond, I have Robin Hood, by I.C.E. The campaign supplement is, in my view, excellent. Lots of fine maps, drawings and diagrams, and advice on running and developing a campaign.
As for specifically getting into a "Robin Hoodish" campaign, well, there is an absolute treasure trove right there within the history and literature itself. Understanding how the Normans conquered and ruled, Britain. Characters can become involved in opposing tax collectors, fighting evil, maniacal sheriffs, rescuing good peasant women from evil Norman nobles, competing in local faires and tournaments, espionage, helping Saxon clergy resist the Norman oppression, and on and on.
Robin Hood is an excellent resource and supplement.
Semper Fidelis,
SHARK
Just saw the Errol Flynn Robin Hood, which has all the ingredients of a 30s classic. A bit of a color overload perhaps but I guess they really wanted to show off that technicolor. And newer medieval movies have a tendency to be too dark and grim, so there's that.
Wanted to check out the Russell Crowe film from 2010 but then I read this: In the new Robin Hood, Russell Crowe's iconic medieval hero wears no tights, shows little interest in redistribution of wealth, scarcely bothers with the Sheriff of Nottingham, fights alongside Maid — sorry, Lady Marion and all but forces King John to sign the Magna Carta. In other words, director Ridley Scott and his producers were so determined this would not be your father's Robin Hood that a checklist of familiar incidents and legendary exploits to avoid must have been handed to writers Brian Helgeland (story and screenplay), Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris (story).
I also seem to remember that I was less impressed with Kevin Costner's Robin Hood than most people. I remember thinking he had the worst "medieval" costume I had ever seen. Costner also doesn't really come across as "merry". But a lot of people seem to like it, so maybe I'll give it a second chance.
Not sure why there's a need to subvert old stories. What's next? A black female Robin Hood? Oh shit. (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt20918756/)
I remember The Legend of Robin Hood (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072532/) from 1975 when it was shown in the US on Once Upon a Classic, hosted by Bill Bixby of The Hulk fame. I found a terrible quality copy of it on YouTube recently to rewatch it. Oh, those old, low-budget BBC shows were cheesy, but it was still a fun bit of reminiscing for me. And I can watch the Errol Flynn version over and over (and have).
Quote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMI also seem to remember that I was less impressed with Kevin Costner's Robin Hood than most people. I remember thinking he had the worst "medieval" costume I had ever seen. Costner also doesn't really come across as "merry". But a lot of people seem to like it, so maybe I'll give it a second chance.
I thought it was really bad, and it even managed to make Alan Rickman bad - which takes real effort.
However, it does have one of my favorite movie quotes, which is Robin of Loxley saying: "The Sheriff calls us outlaws, but I say we are free. And one free man defending his home is more powerful than ten hired soldiers. The Crusades taught me that."
Quote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMNot sure why there's a need to subvert old stories. What's next? A black female Robin Hood? Oh shit. (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt20918756/)
Most of the "classics" are subversions of older stories. I don't know as much about the context of the 1938 Robin Hood movie, but (for example) the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie was a complete subversion of the original story from 1900.
Quote from: jhkim on April 25, 2025, 11:43:35 AMQuote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMI also seem to remember that I was less impressed with Kevin Costner's Robin Hood than most people. I remember thinking he had the worst "medieval" costume I had ever seen. Costner also doesn't really come across as "merry". But a lot of people seem to like it, so maybe I'll give it a second chance.
I thought it was really bad, and it even managed to make Alan Rickman bad - which takes real effort.
However, it does have one of my favorite movie quotes, which is Robin of Loxley saying: "The Sheriff calls us outlaws, but I say we are free. And one free man defending his home is more powerful than ten hired soldiers. The Crusades taught me that."
Quote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMNot sure why there's a need to subvert old stories. What's next? A black female Robin Hood? Oh shit. (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt20918756/)
Most of the "classics" are subversions of older stories. I don't know as much about the context of the 1938 Robin Hood movie, but (for example) the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie was a complete subversion of the original story from 1900.
Not sure about "most" but some certainly do. In many cases I still wonder why.
I think Robin Hood was pretty close to the sources. I've even read some of the 15th century stuff, which some said was "totally different" and found that it really isn't. Some of the things that may seem a bit odd in the movie, like inviting the "victims" of his robberies to dinner, are actually straight from the old ballads. The main exception being that the older Robin Hood stories emphasize what a good Catholic he is, and his chivalrous treatment of women is sort of an extension of his love for the Virgin Mary. I guess that Hollywood realized that this might not work in America.
Quote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMJust saw the Errol Flynn Robin Hood, which has all the ingredients of a 30s classic. A bit of a color overload perhaps but I guess they really wanted to show off that technicolor. And newer medieval movies have a tendency to be too dark and grim, so there's that.
Wanted to check out the Russell Crowe film from 2010 but then I read this: In the new Robin Hood, Russell Crowe's iconic medieval hero wears no tights, shows little interest in redistribution of wealth, scarcely bothers with the Sheriff of Nottingham, fights alongside Maid — sorry, Lady Marion and all but forces King John to sign the Magna Carta. In other words, director Ridley Scott and his producers were so determined this would not be your father's Robin Hood that a checklist of familiar incidents and legendary exploits to avoid must have been handed to writers Brian Helgeland (story and screenplay), Ethan Reiff and Cyrus Voris (story).
I also seem to remember that I was less impressed with Kevin Costner's Robin Hood than most people. I remember thinking he had the worst "medieval" costume I had ever seen. Costner also doesn't really come across as "merry". But a lot of people seem to like it, so maybe I'll give it a second chance.
Oh shit. (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt20918756/)
You might find this video interesting:
The narrator's a bit of a lefty, but the video includes an interesting run-through of the history of Robin Hood cinema and a lament of the turn towards grim-darking the story.
The Errol Flynn Robin Hood is a childhood favorite of mine and I still watch it at least once a year. I agree with the guy in that video that it nails the spirit of the story better than any other screen adaptation. Robin Hood is an important character in
Ivanhoe(1952), which is also well worth a watch.
Quote from: jhkim on April 25, 2025, 11:43:35 AMQuote from: Trond on April 25, 2025, 10:13:07 AMNot sure why there's a need to subvert old stories. What's next? A black female Robin Hood? Oh shit. (https://m.imdb.com/title/tt20918756/)
Most of the "classics" are subversions of older stories. I don't know as much about the context of the 1938 Robin Hood movie, but (for example) the 1939 Wizard of Oz movie was a complete subversion of the original story from 1900.
People sometimes mix up "subversion" and "interpretation". Robin Hood is like King Arthur. It grows out of a narrative tradition where modification, re-interpretation, and "re-mixing" of the core elements is routine and expected. In the oldest stories, Robin Hood isn't a dispossessed aristocrat, he doesn't live in Sherwood Forest, it's not set during the reign of John I, and so on. He isn't even named "Robin Hood" in every version of the story.
In that kind of story, subversion only really occurs when a new interpretation tries invert the message or spirit of the tale, or deconstruct the characters. the 1930s Robin Hood certainly doesn't do that. You could argue either way whether the Russel Crowe one does.
One of my players was really into Role-Master and had that book. It is very detailed and personally I like to combine it with Furry Outlaws which is a historical RPG disguised as Disney animal people. Both books cover aspects the other does not. And Robin Hood sports more maps and examples of buildings which the other is sorely lacking.
Polyhedron in its waning years also did a 3e conversion for running a Robin Hood historical campaign.
The Role-Master version to me seems the better due to having more maps and examples.