Glen Cook's, The Black Company, any experience as a GM or player anyone?

I tried running a game of this via play by post/digital pics a couple years ago, but after a couple months and one large scale battle, thats as far as we got. Thoughts and experiences with this anyone, please feel more than free to post up here, yep, LOVED the book series needless to say!! LOL Tom

Well I figured as much, but I thought I might as well check and see. Cheers Tom

I do not know the books, Have the RPG hehe. I didn't get to play yet, though, am thinking maybe I need to read the books first but then, I do not usually read books belonging to an RPG world.

Thanks for the post Agnes (I had almost lost hope by now) I think in this case you are really missing out on a good thing with this series, most people love the books, but some don't, but I would highly recommend them!! I know you have this but others might be interested in this, and the RPG game here we are talking about. Cheers, you almost have to read some of the books to get the full "flavor" of what this RPG could offer to enterprising GM's, and players!! Tom

Ok sounds like something I definitely want to read... if not for all the books I still need to read... sigh. But placed on my list.

What other ones do you have on your list? I'd still say pick up the first book and see what you think, then go for, or not, for the rest of the series Agnes! Tom

Hi Tom I have read them quite a while back, they are very good, a clever twist on the fantasy theme

Thanks for the reply Saul, I can't wait until he finishs off his latest series and gets back to the final two books to finish off The Black Company story in full. I wonder if poor Croaker is still that god like being and keeping a watchfull eye on Lady (as well as supplying her with magic), and The Black Company? Man I really hope to GM or be a PC in their world one day, sooner or later!! But just to much other gaming here going on with me. :) Tom

I had read at least some of the black company books. Loved them. I have the rig book. Never played it. But I have implemented its magic system into my campaign a few times.

I have a whole bunch of German fantasy sitting on my shelves . Very slow with reading right now as I'd need new glasses.

Thanks for the post Josh, how did that magic system work out for you, lots of prep work I suspect but was it fun and interesting to play/run or is the good old D&D?Pathfinder a lot easier to deal with? Myself I love the concept of some kind of Merc Company PC's can join up in as well as some mass combat between basic party fights in a story line Campaign. I almost think having a GM who has read the whole series and players not having a clue what is in store for them, IF you go for the same tyep of story line per the books could be quite fun and rewarding for all, but the prep work......... YIKES!!! Agnes How are those German books, hav'nt read any myself, any good ones you would recommend here? Cheers Tom

I've read the 1st 3 novels in the series and really enjoyed them. I've read another of Glen Cook's books that isn't set in the BC world and enjoyed it as well. I also have the Mytic Vista's campaign book and Green Ronin's True Sorcery book which was spun out of it and makes the Magic system available for any D&D 3.x and True20 setting. As much as I really like the BC campaign book, I much prefer True20 as a system to run the setting in. I consider BC more of a Sword & Sorcery than high or dark fantasy setting, and for S&S I prefer something less class based/restricting, which True20 provides.

Thanks Don, sounds like you might want a game of this in the future here, now go pick up those other books and start reading ASAP, LOL I don't draw such sharp lines between them myself but I understand where you are coming from, have you ever run or played in any mass combat situations in any RPG game situation by chance? (That goes out to anyone as well) Cheers Tom

Hey Tom, those books are pretty good, but i think i know an author that surpasses Glen Cook in the "soldiers in the magic world" type of genre. when your done with Glen, and you should totally finish reading his books before you move on, check out Stephen Erickson. His Tales of the Malazan Empire are in my opinion the absolute pinnacle of this genre, for me he is the closest to modern day Tolkien in his worldbuilding and i feel he surpasses him when it comes to character building. take a look at it when you get the chance, you will not be disappointed. as far as roll playing the series i have implmented lots of things from his books in my campaigns but of course there is no game out there that can come close.

Ah yes, the Malaz Books of the Dead, Still like Cook better overall but I'd put Erichson up there next to him. His various detailed Characters in his great world setting has a lot going for it. But at times I really think he sort of bit off more than he could chew and some of the character story arcs could have been a bit tighter, and perhaps have a few less of them. So he could really not have each book so sprawling, but a bit more focused. I'd love to see a Malaz RPG going on here at some point as well as Cook's, when you have time can you get into what you pulled into your RPGs from these two book series Yankell? Tom