Red Book (C&S)

Chivalry & Sorcery

Designer(s)	Edward E. Simbalist, Wilf K. Backhaus
Publisher(s)	Gamestuff Inc
Publication date	2000, RedBook (Gamestuff) 2009, RedBook Phoenix edition 2011, RedBook Chimera edition 2012, RedBook Gorgon edition 2013, RedBook Manticore edition 2014, RedBook Hydra edition
Genre(s)	Fantasy
System(s)	Custom

The Red Book is a trade mark of Gamestuff Inc^[1] and is the unauthorized edition of Chivalry & Sorcery (C&S) role playing game. Its name was given by the red cover of the 1st official edition. All successive Red Book editions took the same design; especially the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th editions, also known respectively as Phoenix, Chimera, Gorgon, Manticore and Hydra versions, which have the same cover and font typing. C&S was originally created by Edward E. Simbalist and Wilf K. Backhaus in 1977 and first published by Fantasy Games Unlimited^[2] (FGU), an American editor. The 2nd official edition was also published by FGU (1983), the 3rd by Highlander Designs^[3] (1996) and the 4th by Brittannia Game Designs (2000).^[4]

C&S: the Red Book

Published in 2000 by Wilf Backhaus and Hugh Tyreman. This free download pdf was published by Gamestuff Inc, a gaming company based in Camerose, Alberta.^[5] C&S Red Book was a reprinting of the original 1977 edition of C&S with a bigger font and some minor additions.^[6] This e-book was produced with a distinctive red cover and was produced under license from Wilf K. Backhaus, Maple Leaf Games Ltd^[7] (the game company of Ed. Simbalist who died in March 2005) and Brittannia Game Designs Ltd^[8] (BGD) by Gamestuff Inc. At that time Simbalist and Backhaus parted since Wilf Backhaus did not take part in the writing of C&S4: the Rebirth.^[9] This edition is the only authorized version. All successive editions are unofficial and have the same cover than the first edition published by FGU in 1977^[10] (see image above).

C&S RedBook 2: Phoenix

Published in 2009, another Red Book version of C&S was released online. This version, referred by some as 1.5 edition, appears to be an update of the Red Book of 227 pages (C&S1 was 122 pages with the same typo). The many references to Middle Earth's Tolkien universe and the Black Magick spells that disappeared since the 3rd edition^[11] show obviously that the authors wanted to get back to the basic roots of the spirit of the original edition. The cover is a copy of the original 1st Book edition cover art emphasizes the will to stuck back to C&S1.^[12]

Changes made from the original C&S RedBook:

• 3 new classes (Spy, Inquisitor, Dark Knight)
• new clerical fighting orders
• plagues & diseases
• new weapons for monsters
• new drugs & poisons
• the inquisition
• the Opus Dei
• Druidism
• Druidic cults & Deities
• Elves, Dwarves & Hobbits lifestyles
• new spells & Black Magick
• the magicians part 3
• new magic weapons & armors
• new magic items
• extended monsters descriptions
• new monsters
• designing monsters
• Archaeron

C&S RedBook 3: Chimera

In 2011, another unofficial edition of 338 pages was released as a free downloadable pdf. This version, thus referred as 1.6 edition, contains the last writings of Wilf Backhaus who died in October 2009^[13] and the full supplement "Arden", one of the nations in the Archaeron campaign of the designers of Chivalry & Sorcery that was first published by FGU in 1979.^[14] This edition kept the original game's mechanic but focused on background stuff such as Demonology. At that time, the official 5th edition was still in development. The relationship was so tensed between the C&S trademark owners and the players who enjoyed the supposed latest work of Wilf Backhaus that an entire topic dedicated to this Red Book edition on the C&S fans forum was deleted.^[15] When C&S Chimera was issued, BDG was very upset and tried to protect its trademarks.^[16]

Changes made from C&S RB Phoenix:

• new elven races (Noldor: High elves, Sindar: Grey Elves and Nandor: Wood Elves)
• 2 new religions: paganism and wotanism
• the place a women in the feudal society
• the free companies
• the exorcist, new character class
• the saints
• churches of Evil for Dark Knights
• the Summoner, a new type of magician
• occult books
• backfire table
• symbols of guard
• circles of power and summoning
• spells of summoning
• Demonology: infernal origin, hierarchy in hell, the Watchers, possessions, Cardinal pacts
• Angelology: angelic hierarchy, angelic appearance, archangels, powers of angels
• the medieval cities
• new monsters
• the full supplement of Arden with original maps

C&S RedBook 4: Gorgon

One year after the release of C&S6, a new unofficial edition of 489 pages was launched on the internet as a free downloadable pdf. This version was renamed C&S Red Book 4th to avoid any confusion with the future official 5th edition to come.^[17] As usual, this edition kept the original game's mechanic and contains old/unpublished writings and articles of Ed. Simbalist, who die in March 2005, and Wes Ives,^[18] a major contributor to the first edition of C&S. The full supplement "Saurians", the world of intelligent dinosaurs that was published by FGU in 1979,^[19] had been included in the appendix.

Changes made from C&S RB Chimera:

• the Nephilims: a new race
• skills
• the medieval castle
• crimes & punishments
• torture during the Middle age
• the Herald
• Fighting orders organization
• a Warrior Monk Day Planner
• Holy relics
• The Blessings of the Valar
• Ogham
• White Magick
• Witchcraft Organisation
• Demon weapons & Demon armors
• creating a medieval world
• customs of feudal society
• playing evil
• the full supplement Saurians

C&S RedBook 5: Manticore

In June 2013, a new version of 666 pages was released as usual as a free downloadable pdf. Like the boxed set of the official second edition of Chivalry & Sorcery published by FGU, this version is divided into three core rulebooks^[20] followed with appendices.

Book 1 discusses character creation, skills, virtues and flaws, experience and advancement.

Book 2 discusses combat, feudal age, tournaments, castles, warfare and monsters.

Book 3 discusses magick, magical combat, demons, angels and pantheon of Middle Earth.

The appendices contain expansions, modules and supplements published by FGU. Despite the fact that all redbook editions are bearing the logo of FGU, Scott Bizar, the CEO of the company claims he has nothing to do with this and since Backhaus' death in 2009, the editors remain anonymous.^[21] However, some people on Google+ who call themselves the "Loyal Order of Chivalry & Sorcery Revival Team" in tribute to Ed. Simbalist and Wilf Backhaus, are very aware of the guidelines of the next unofficial editions and have already announced the codename of the 6th release to come.^[22]

Changes made from C&S RB Gorgon:

• a new race: the Half-elven
• the Nordic Barbarians
• Paladins & Dark knights
• the agricultural year
• heraldry for monsters
• seals
• army organisation
• how to play a vampire
• the Nordic magick users
• the ancient runes
• new spells
• The DragonLord and The Songsmith: 2 modules for C&S^[23]

C&S RedBook 6: Hydra

Published in may 2014 this new version of 864 pages was released on the internet and is divided into 9 books:^[24]

• book 1: the great campaign (180 pages)
• book 2: the book of chivalry (158 pages)
• book 3: the book of sorcery (146 pages)
• book 4: warfare (34 pages)
• book 5: crusaders (80 pages)
• book 6: king Arthur (86 pages)
• book 7: Saurians (66 pages)
• book 8: the campaign book (80 pages)
• book 9: the appendices (22 pages)

References

External links

• C&S 1st Edition review
• Gamestuff Inc. homepage