Pick #9: Alatriste as an RPG

Seventeenth century hero Alatriste has not only made it to film, he has also made it into role playing. In Spanish.

Juego de Rol del Alatriste. And it's a good game, according to critics. The rules resemble those of GURPS, but are lighter and with less fluff. And the rule book is full of historical background information about the Spanish Empire and the 17^th century. The century that Catholics and Protestants clashed violently. The century of the three musketeers. The century of colonies in the Americas. The century of swashbuckling and captain Alatriste.

Unfortunately, if you don't read much Spanish, the book is probably not for you. The makers promised to do an English translation somewhere in 2005, but as that time long passed, the deal is probably off. If you do understand Spanish, or are just plain stubborn, you might order your copy here. Or have a look at some fanzines to get a taste.

Alatriste is a cool hero. If you haven't picked up the movie yet, read last week's review, and consider again. And if you did see the movie, and liked it, then start learning Spanish. Maybe you can teach the game to me.