Nobilis - The Game of Sovereign Powers
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Ein neues - und langerwartetes - Rollenspiel kommt nun von Hogshead¸ dem Verleger von Warhammer FRP. Diesmal handelt es sich mit 'Nobilis' um ein preisgekröntes System (Grog d'Or) in einer sehr edlen Aufmachung. Das Spiel ist sehr kreativ angelegt¸ die Spieler übernehmen die Rollen von 'mächtigen Wesen'¸ also einer Art Götter die einen Teil der Realität darstellen: Nacht¸ Straße¸ etc. Ich hatte kürzlich Gelegenheit mal in den Band reinzuschauen: Das ganze wirkt eher wie ein Museums oder Künstlerband. Das quadratische Cover wird das ein oder andere Regal in Unordnung bringen. Der Inhalt präsentiert sich sehr textlastig¸ d.h. alle Illustrationen sind ganzseitig und fallen alle 10 bis 20 Seiten rechtsseitig plaziert ins blätternde Auge. Für einen Eindruck vom Inhalt war es aber zu wenig Zeit - okay¸ wenn Dirk Remmecke begeistert ist¸ heißt das für mich persönlich nicht sonderlich viel¸ aber ein Grundinteresse für die Thematik weckt es auch bei mir.
Bei Nobilis geht es um Meta-Wesen¸ die sich um die Kontrolle von Kreation und Realität bekriegen. Spieler übernehmen die Rolle eines in seinen Mächten einzigartigen Menschen¸ der für den Imperator auszieht¸ um das Gleichgewicht zu bewahren und manchmal auch zu zerstören. Geplant ist ein Hardcover mit etwa 160-200 Seiten¸ zum Preis von ca. $25 oder weniger. Das englische Rollenspiel von R. Sean Borgstrom wird nun unter Lizenz von Hogshead Publishing veröffentlicht. Die aktuelle Version von Pharos Press wird bald aus dem Druck genommen. Im August soll dann die erweiterte und korrigierte Version des Regelwerks samt Erweiterungen und Quellenbänden erscheinen.
A game of theological conflict¸ where the characters are Powers each set to defend some aspect of reality (like Joy¸ or Duels¸ or Calenders Days¸ etc.). They are fighting ""Excrucians"" who are trying to destroy all of the larger reality¸ of which our world is only a small part. It uses a diceless system where players spend ""miracle points"" to accomplish their actions. The second edition greatly expands the text with examples of play and GM advice. - A description from https://darkshire.net/jhkim/rpg/encyclopedia/ with kind permission of John H. Kim"
Nobilis¸ a role-playing game by R. Sean Borgstrom¸ originally published by Pharos Press¸ has been completely revised and substantially expanded for the new Hogshead edition. Nobilis will be a large format¸ heavily illustrated 'coffee table' style book. It is scheduled for release in April 2002.
In Nobilis¸ players take on the roles of the Sovereign Powers¸ each the personification of one single aspect of reality: perhaps Greed¸ or Roads¸ or Fire¸ or Murderers. Once human¸ each character has been forever twisted and changed by the addition of a single soul-fragment from their Lord or Lady Imperator: giving them awesome power and terrible responsibility. Heaven and Hell¸ Yggdrasil the World-Ash¸ the Angels and Devils¸ the Giants and the Old Gods¸ all are real; each with aeon-old plots and rivalries. All are united in the Great War against the Excrucians¸ whose goal is to destroy all Creation¸ but divided by their own rivalries and feuds.
'We're also talking about other games in the same background¸ and possibly even fiction¸' said James Wallis¸ director of Hogshead Publishing. 'This may seem premature¸ but Nobilis is the most stunningly original and brilliant game I've seen in many years. If it's not a huge success then the RPG market has no taste.'
'It's been wonderful watching the product develop¸' said R. Sean Borgstrom¸ the creator of Nobilis¸ 'I've had the opportunity to polish and improve the game mechanics and setting; to put in substantial new material; and to incorporate the feedback of a legion of great playtesters. Bruce Baugh did a marvellous job editing the result. The art¸ layout¸ and presentation look to be positively glorious. I said the last time a press release came around that I was looking for miracles and wonders in terms of product design¸ promotion¸ and overall line direction; they seem to have arrived.'
Bruce Baugh is the line-editor for Nobilis. Baugh¸ a long-time industry professional best known for his work for White Wolf on projects such as Wraith: the Great War¸ Hunter: the Reckoning and Trinity¸ has worked closely with Borgstrom on revising and expanding the original rulebook.
The Hogshead edition of Nobilis is a hard-cover book of around 304 pages (exact page count TBD)¸ retailing for $42.95. The unusual format (11' x 11') is complemented by a stunning cover image of the Sphinx Mysterieux by Art Nouveau master Charles van der Tappen¸ and beautiful full-page interior art by major fantasy artists including Bryan Talbot¸ Michael Kaluta¸ Martin McKenna¸ Denise Garner¸ Lee Moyer¸ among others.
Hogshead will be regularly supporting the Nobilis line with three supplements each year¸ the first of which¸ A Society of Flowers¸ is to be released later this year.
In 2002¸ James Wallis and Hogshead Publishing Ltd. brought Nobilis: the Game of Sovereign Powers into the world-a diceless RPG that gave each character control over an elemental aspect of reality. Designed as a boutique-quality coffee table book¸ it sold through its first printing in a flash and received a suite of positive reviews. The second printing fell into the hands of a malfeasant distributor and vanished. The third printi.