Another two bundles - Blue Rose

[ffutures]

Two bundles for Blue Rose, an RPG published by Green Ronin. One's a repeat from 2021, the other all-new.

Blue Rose

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/BlueRose2023

This revived March 2020 Blue Rose Bundle once again presents the 2017 Second Edition of Blue Rose, the RPG of romantic fantasy from Green Ronin Publishing. Inspired by authors like Mercedes Lackey, Diane Duane, Tamora Pierce, and many more, Blue Rose makes you an envoy in service to the Sovereign of the peaceful and prosperous kingdom of Aldea. As much problem-solvers and diplomats as warriors, envoys uphold civilization's ideals and protect ordinary people from danger. Aided by the rhydan – your psychic animal allies – you and your companions guard your homeland from aggressive neighbors, ancient monsters and artifacts, and a resurgent Shadow.

This March 2020 revival has the core Blue Rose AGE rulebook and essential supplements, plus fiction and play aids; if you're new to Blue Rose, start here. This revival has an all-new companion, Blue Rose Aldean Adventures, adds recent campaigns and adventures.

Funded in a successful June 2015 Kickstarter campaign, the 2017 edition of Blue Rose uses Green Ronin's Adventure Game Engine (AGE), the popular rules that power the Fantasy AGE, Dragon Age, and The Expanse RPGs. The game and setting emphasized gender equality and inclusion, along with themes of cooperation and individuality. In "Controversial RPG Blue Rose Returns With More Intrigue, Psychic Powers" (Gizmodo, July 2015), Ed Grabianowski interviewed Blue Rose co-designer Steve Kenson (ICONS) about the "romantic fantasy" label. "'Romantic' refers to a style and a point of view that's generally positive, hopeful, and cooperative," Kenson said. "Good people can make a difference, true love can and does win in the end, we can make the world better, people of good conscience can work together (and even disagree) but still coexist peacefully, and, ultimately, there is good in the world and it's something worth fighting for. That romance often includes interpersonal relationships, from boon comrades to passionate love, and such things are both the reasons why characters take action and the rewards they receive for their efforts.

"In this day and age, even mature adult gamers won't blink at games and stories that model the most terrible forms of violence, but become sheepish and embarrassed by stories modeling love and friendship and family. [This] powerful story element has been missing from games aimed at telling legendary or mythological stories: the notion that love and connection are powers as great, if not greater, than any magic, any battle-prowess, or any cunning scheme."

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) of these two Blue Rose offers goes to the charity designated by Green Ronin owner Chris Pramas, Pride Foundation. Pride Foundation is building a better, safer, and more equitable world for LGBTQ+ people and their families in the American Northwest.

The total retail value of the titles in this revived March 2020 Blue Rose Bundle is US$83. Customers who pay just US$7.95 get all four titles in this revival's Starter Collection (retail value $38) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete full-color, 384-page Blue Rose (retail price $20); the novel Shadowtide by Joseph D. Carriker Jr. (plus its novella-length sequel Pit of Vipers and the free Shadowtide: Recipes from Aldea, total retail $11); and the 14-story anthology Sovereigns of the Blue Rose (retail $7).

Those who pay more than the threshold (average) price, which is set at $19.95 to start, also get this revival's entire Bonus Collection with five more titles worth an additional $45, including the massive city sourcebook Aldis: City of the Blue Rose (retail $17.50), the adventure collection Six of Swords (retail $13.50), and the Blue Rose Narrator's Kit (retail price $6) – plus two more short stories: Of Shadow and Light and Heartsong (retail $2 apiece, total $4).

 

 

 

Aldean Adventures

https://bundleofholding.com/presents/Aldean

This Blue Rose Aldean Adventures is one of two offers in progress that feature the 2017 Second Edition of Blue Rose, the RPG of romantic fantasy from Green Ronin Publishing. The revived March 2020 Blue Rose Bundle has the core rulebook (2017) and essential supplements; if you're new to the game, start there. This all-new Aldean Adventures companion offer adds recent campaigns and adventures set in the land of Aldea.

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) of these two Blue Rose offers goes to the charity designated by Green Ronin owner Chris Pramas, Pride Foundation. Pride Foundation is building a better, safer, and more equitable world for LGBTQ+ people and their families in the American Northwest.

The total retail value of the titles in this Blue Rose Aldean Adventures offer is US$48. Customers who pay just US$9.95 get all four titles in our Aldean Collection (retail value $48) as DRM-free ebooks, including the scenario collection Six of Cups (retail price $18); the full-length campaign Envoys to the Mount (retail $21), plus the free Pregenerated Characters; and two short Adventures in Aldea: Nightmare Rider (retail $4) and Flight of the Snow Pearl (retail $5).
 

Last time I said "I think that this is an interesting idea, but some players and referees may be put off by some of the subject matter - for example, the first adventure I looked at involves investigating the murder of several children, and suggests a trigger warning for players - and by the emphasis on not being a combination killing machine and treasure hunter. I personally think it's an interesting change of pace, but given some of the players out there I'm not surprised that some regard it as controversial. Recommended, but as usual YMMV."

I don't see any reason to change that.