This is a very different fantasy game. It has a very unique setting, magic system, and a rule system that encourages teamwork and detailed description. Pirates, swashbucklers, magic users, and explorers are main character themes. Lots of sword fighting and ship combat but it doesn't take place on the high seas but rather in the skies.
The setting is unique in that the world is sorta like a snow globe and emphasizes adventuring on skyships. The bottom layer is a mysterious blue liquid that objects and islands pass back and forth through but no person is known to have even come back from the other side. The very center of the word is a fire tornado that is nearly impossible to pass through but it can be done. The world has six layers of skies (seven including the bottom blue layer) with alternating directions of winds. Also each layer has six seasonal winds (seven including the fire center) with different flora, fauna, and obstacles for skyships to travel through. Within the sky are where precious materials for trading and selling can be found. Floating islands are suspended in each layer of sky shielded by a barrier clouds and fog. Skyships cannot float within this barrier and have to either dock on the edge of the islands or land in the water. From there skyships act like regular ships until they leave the barrier again.
There are seven major island nations each unique in culture and development. Trading and feuding between the nations is common so there will be a lot of travelling back and forth between some and trying to avoid ships from others. Pirate gangs also exist and are a powerful force themselves.
Each culture will give players a different Motivation in character creation and influence their rolls and character's drive. This really helps make people of different nationalities be unique. Another part of character creation is a foible, which is a character flaw. This is something to have fun with. While it may negatively effect a character it is rewarded when played out properly. Next is a Past quality giving each character a little bit of backstory that influences them in the present. Swashbuckling Forte is next and it's sorta like a character's super ability. What they're best at, a bit like a character class but not exactly.
Then each player gets five trait points. They can be attached to a quality to reduce their price but can only be used with that quality they're attached to. They influence the quality they're attached to for a bonus and help make using a quality a little different than last time for variations when used.
The core rule system is very neat and simple to use. It's a variation of the PDQ system called PDQ# Based on 2d6 for a regular challenge the player simply roles the dice, add any appropriate attributes, and tries to get over a target number. The harder the challenge the higher the target number. Another type of challenge is called a duel. Two opposing sides roles three dice (more if certain qualities give them bonus dice) to determine their attack and defense. If the defender wins they avoid the attack and get to attack next round and if they attacker wins they get to deal damage. Maneuvering, dodging, and and special moves also influence dice rolls. What I like about this system is it isn't just for physical combat. It works for mental, verbal, ships, magic, any time there's two people facing off head to head. Players get more bonuses for a challenge or duel if they can be descriptive enough to explain as to why a quality or trait helps them out each round. So players have to be toughtful in their moves and be engaging.
Ship maneuvering is a bit different though in that a captain gives each player a task as crew members and bonuses and dice are combined for the ship as a whole. This helps make each player feel like a team, each influencing their ship. Magic is called Gifts and is also different in that spell casting is open. Basically the GM determines the difficulty level for what magic spell the character is attempting to cast. It's a bit vague but basically the bigger or influential a spell the higher the difficulty. Kinda wish there was more details to actual spell casting but it isn't by no means unusable or broken.
Overall I think this is a great game with a cool setting and simple rules system. While the rules are light they cover enough to satisfy most players and don't bog down the high action and high adventure setting. It has plenty of examples and sample NPCs. While it doesn't have an index the table of contents at the beginning is laid out in such a way that it isn't necessary. If you're looking for a good pirate or swashbuckling game try this one out!
For more information about this game visit the publisher's website here.
