Another bundle - Elephant and Macaw

[ffutures]

A fantasy RPG set in a mythic version of 16th century Brazil with "muskets, magic, and many, many monsters" based on a series of novels by Christopher Kastensmidt.

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Elephant

This all-new Elephant and Macaw Bundle offer presents The Elephant & Macaw Banner FRPG of adventure in a magical 16th-Century Brazil from Porcupine Publishing. Set in early colonial Brazil in 1576, Christopher Kastensmidt's Elephant & Macaw Banner fiction series (2015-2018) chronicles the adventures of the Dutchman Gerard van Oost and the Yoruba Oludara in well-researched novelettes based on Brazilian history and folklore. In this licensed EAMB RPG your characters -- adventurers from any of a dozen indigenous cultures, as well as recent arrivals from Europe and Africa -- explore the Brazilian wilderness and protect its many peoples from threats both human and supernatural. This distinct and flavorful South American fantasy world has muskets, magic, and many, many monsters. It's a Brazilian Witcher.

In 1576 Brazil, at the start of Portugal's colonization, cultures converge and settlers face a vast, unknown territory. Portuguese authorities permit exploration only by approved mercenary companies who carry an emblematic banner. In The Elephant & Macaw Banner RPG the player characters belong to such a company. Or at least that's what you tell the authorities.

Venturing ever deeper into the Amazonian jungle, you'll discover new communities, weird magical creatures, probably some Portuguese soldiers, and (almost certainly) pirates. The simple task resolution system uses a 3D6+skill roll against a target difficulty to determine a binary succeed/fail outcome. Characters have Passive and Active Defense, and some characters have an Energy score to fuel supernatural powers. Often the unique and terrifying monsters of Brazilian folklore menace innocent people. An easy yet engrossing skill-based combat system, plus three kinds of magical and miraculous powers, help adventurers slay or drive off the threat.

We provide each title complete in .PDF. Like all Bundle of Holding titles, these ebooks have NO DRM (Digital Restrictions Management), and our customers are entitled to move them freely among all their devices.

Ten percent of each purchase (after gateway fees) goes to this offer's pandemic-related charity, Direct Relief. Direct Relief sends protective gear and critical care medications to health workers, with emergency deliveries to medical facilities across the US and to regional response agencies across the world.

The total retail value of the titles in this offer is US$68. Customers who pay just US$14.95 get all five titles in our Banner Collection (retail value $68) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete Elephant & Macaw Banner RPG rulebook (retail price $25); the location sourcebook The Royal Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro (retail $12); and three adventures of exploration: The Legend of the Golden Condor (retail $10), The Curse of Ipaúna (retail $11), and The Mysterious Demesne of Dom Perestrelo (retail $10).

I'm always a little worried about accuracy in RPGs based on real history and events, especially something as contentious as colonialism.

My problem here is that I know very little about the setting, the book series, or the real-world history. It looks to be well-presented, but even without the magic and monsters I have no idea if it is presenting an accurate view of colonial history or one that is deeply flawed. The system itself looks playable, the material is nicely presented, and it doesn't seem to be very expensive, so it might be worth a look.

Comments

[joseph_teller]

My knowledge of that period of Brazil is hazy at best... Extra Credits on Youtube is in the process of doing a series on 'The Empire of Brazil' which deals with a later period (1807 onward):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzUNfnVnIkw

The colonial period of Brazil starts in the 1500s, but there were indigenous people there long before that (as far back as the stone age).

Pre-Colonial Brazil seems to have had two dominant groups, one which built permanent settlements and one which was more mobile, and which also spoke different languages from each other. A short synopsis paper on it:
https://www.zum.de/whkmla/sp/0910/hersheys/hersheys3.html

Note that there is little evidence that the cannibalisms claim by the Tupi has been shown and may have been an excuse by Westerners for violence, suppression and enslavement.

Actually from a gamer point of view, with so limited amount of information about pre-Empire Brazil, it does make it a fertile location for turning into a fantasy setting.

[ffutures]

Like I said, another example of history mostly written by the winners.

[joseph_teller]

Indeed.