Crossed Swords

From Chill


Cover art by Ben Otero, 1984

Crossed Swords is an adventure published by Pacesetter Ltd in 1984 for the fantasy time-travel role-playing game Timemaster.

Crossed Swords-b.jpg

Plot summary[edit | edit source]

The Time Corps agents are sent back in time to investigate strange events involving the Three Musketeers. Like the novels of Alexandre Dumas, the players have to contend with the rival guards of Cardinal Richelieu as well as the political intrigue of the court of Louis XIV at Versailles.[1]

The buzz of musket balls still rings in your ears, a constant reminder that the Cardinal's Guard is never far behind. But it is the heat that will kill you. The air is thick and murky as a marsh, and the sun hot as a smith's forge. A hundred and twenty miles of mud-choked road lie ahead, and already the horse stumbles every third step. The trip from Paris to London is never easy; when it must be done in three sleepless days, with the Cardinal's Guard in close pursuit, it's impossible.

And when the future of Parallel M-1 is at stake, the Time Corps demands the impossible. Your prospects are grim, for the master of intrigue and trickery, Cardinal Richelieu is allied with a Demorean even more clever than he. They will do anything to stop you. Around every corner lurks treachery and suspense: in every inn looms a swashbuckling brawl! With the help of the Three Musketeers, you must reach London in time to redeem the Queen's honor-and prevent King Louis XIII from declaring war on England!

Publication history[edit | edit source]

The small game company Pacesetter was founded by former employees of TSR who had left the company because they felt that in terms of role-playing games, it was headed in the wrong direction.[2] One of Pacesetter's products was Timemaster, in which player characters are agents of the Time Corps, which is defending the timeline against attacks by an insidious enemy. The agents are sent to various important events in history, including fictional history.

The first adventure for Timemaster was Crossed Swords,[3] a 32-page book written by Carl Smith, with a cover by Ben Otero and illustrations by Jim Roslof and Stephen Sullivan.[1]

Reception[edit | edit source]

In the January 1985 edition of White Dwarf (Issue #61), Steve Norledge called this scenario "refreshingly light-hearted in feel and there are profuse opportunities for amusing role-playing." Norledge liked the potential for creative play, saying, "It is a scenario for role-playing - hardly a sterile dungeon crawl of the sort that some companies persist in putting out." He concluded by giving the scenario an average rating of 7 out of 10, commenting, "though this one does have its flaws it's a good start from a new company. Now if you'll excuse me I have a certain Cardinal Richelieu to deal with . . ."[3]

Other recognition[edit | edit source]

A copy of Crossed Swords is held in the collection of the Strong National Museum of Play (Object ID: 117.492).[2]

Other reviews[edit | edit source]

  • Different Worlds #39 (May/June, 1985)

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 350. ISBN 0-87975-653-5. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Game: Timemaster Crossed Swords". Google Arts & Culture. Retrieved 2020-07-23. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Norledge, Steve (January 1985). "Open Box". White Dwarf (Games Workshop) (Issue 61): 8-9.