I found it quite a coincidence that having just finished the draft of my piece for Brave New Complex, which includes reference to the Knights Templar, they should appear in the news. A very round 700 years after Pope Clement V ordered the disbandment of the order, the Chinon parchment has revealed he did not find the order guilty of heresy, of which they had been accused by King Philip IV of France. You can have a look at the truth yourself for a little under £4,000, as the Vatican has made a limited edition of 800 numbered copies available.
If you start digging into the whole affair, it gets even more confusing as one scholar (the name and book title escapes me) suggests that the Templars had foreknowledge of the accusations and many made good their escape as a result… but that’s for another day and another bog, I should think. In the meantime, I should expect when it hits the shelves, ‘Brave New Complex’ will provide you with a chance to play as a member of the Knights Templar as one of man Secret Orders at odds with the rule of Avignon Papacy… and it won’t set you back the cost of a secondhand car.
‘Brave New Complex’ opens up the world of PARANOIA to new interpretation. I’m certain diehard fans understand, but for the casual gamer – having a dozen new supplements churned out each month for a game does not guarantee flexibility… it suggests an interest in the bottom-line.
OK, the d20 system – for example – can apply a baseline ruleset to almost any setting… but maybe you’re comfortable with your existing setting and want something more from that. You’re used to running around in a dungeon, completing quests, ever-watchful of the minions of the evil overlord and his struggle to crush the ragtag resistance of the Order of the Virtuous… so, why would a d20 supplement on espionage or superheroes help you? New rules and a setting utterly at odds with what you’re used to?
‘Brave New Complex’ provide a wealth of ideas on using PARANOIA rules in new settings, which nevertheless continue to espouse the same ideas of back-stabbing, in-fighting, secret orders and hidden enemies. You can experience a new flavour without having to stop eating the same old Cold Fun you’re comfortable with (and reasonably allergy tolerant to).
Thing is, you’re going to have to wait a bit – but, you can be safe in the knowledge that ‘BNC’ will expand the possibilities of your PARANOIA gaming experience for sure!
I spent the last two months writing a new piece for an upcoming book, briefly mentioned on the Mongoose Upcoming Releases, but there no more. Good PARANOIA comes to those who wait.
‘Brave New Complex’ is a collection of alternate Alpha Complex settings and variant PARANOIA settings in other genres, which I am sure will have something for everyone. My contribution, the ‘Avignon Papacy’, sees the characters take on the role of Papal Investigators seeking out treachery and intrigue along the stone corridors and seedy back streets of Avignon in the late 14th Century. The Church has elected two separate Popes – and that means trouble for everyone. You live for trouble – even though sometimes you might get stabbed, burnt, damned, imprisoned, poisoned, drowned and defiled in the process. Long live Pope Benedict XIII… down with the Roman anti-pope!
PARANOIA: The Underplex provides a world of hurt, wrapped up in a bunch of accidents, natural hazards and big, dark caves. When Troubleshooters enter the underworld, stuff happens. People disappear; evidence vanishes; traitors get away. Occasionally, the final entry on a table might just suffer spontaneous massive existence failure as well. It happens…
For those that have already picked up a copy of The Underplex, the following represents a minor errata. Very minor. I think it has something to do with a natural aversion to rolling 20s. It never bodes well. For those that have yet to purchase a copy, do not delay – get out there, pick up a copy and just stick a printed copy of the following notes somewhere near the back of the book.
