History TabletopGame / BlueRose

''Blue Rose'' is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game published by Creator/GreenRonin in 2004. Its innovative mechanics, based on a revised version of the UsefulNotes/D20System, formed the basis of Green Ronin's generic [=True20=] system.

* HasTwoMommies: Entirely unremarkable in Aldis. ''Caria'' couples are able to adopt children relatively easily if they are found to be suitable parents by the Sovereign's Finest.

* TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask: Queen Jaellin is actually rather shy and bookish, but she's determined to be a good queen, and if that means spending her time at boring political and social functions, so be it.
** As of Second Edition, Jaellin has grown much more comfortably into her role after [[spoiler: surviving Sayvin's treachery, nearly losing control of the Kingdom to another Kernish invasion, leading the attack on the Lich King's throne room, and marrying one of the leaders of LaResistance in Kern.]]

* GayAesop: The sourcebooks make it quite clear that Aldis' acceptance of love between any two (or more) consenting adults is to be considered a Good Thing in the game's BlackAndWhiteMorality.

* TheHighQueen: Jaellin. While she started out bookish and shy, has grown to such a leader that she thwarted betrayal and invasion, and spearheaded the attack that killed the Lich King. People may be grumbling about her government policy now, but no one can question her capability or kindness.

* LightIsNotGood: The Church of the Pure Light is not ''evil'', but they're a hotbed of misguided, bigoted [[KnightTemplar Knights Templar]]. Every evil thing they do comes from a misguided need to survive their inhospitable land and their own Mordor-like Shadow Barrens on their southern border.
* MadGod: While looking for an edge over the other three primordials Anwaren, god of autumn, bit off more than he could chew when he was {{mind rape}}d and driven quite mad by [[DarkIsEvil the Shadow]] which resulted in the creation of [[SevenDeadlySins the Seven Exarchs]]. He was eventually saved by [[ActionGirl Aulora]] and [[TheSmartGuy Goia]] (the goddesses of justice and prudence, respectively) and nursed back to health. Because of this he is often sought for guidance when someone goes crazy.

* BalefulPolymorph: A common form of BlackMagic, known as Flesh Shaping. VoluntaryShapeshifting exists but is much more difficult.

* GreenAesop: Respect for nature is similarly a Good Thing in Aldis. An entire Kingdom has been devoted to this in Second Edition: The Kingdom of Wyss. Its people grow their homes from trees and live in such harmony with nature, even the Aldins [[UpToEleven find it a little weird.]]

* TheLostWoods: The Pavin Weald. Its people are reclusive and distrustful of outsiders- even those from their rulers in Aldis. Most Kernish spies and invasions come stomping through them first, so their suspicion is justified.

* GodCouple: Two god couples actually. The summer goddess Maurenna and the family god Leonoth serve as a model for heterosexual love, marriage and faithfulness while the gods [[YaoiGuys Braniel and Hiathas]] represent same-sex couples. Anwaren, Goia, and Aulora count in as a [[{{Polyamory}} poly]] godly relationship.

* YaoiGuys: The gods Braniel and Hiathas (gods of spring and hope, respectively) represent passionate romance. Gays and lesbians are called ''caria daunen''[[labelnote:♥]]"lovers of the dawn"[[/labelnote]] because of them.

* CureYourGays: As of Second Edition, the Theocracy of Jarzon is running "emendating camps" in an attempt to "save" young [[{{Transgender}} laevvel]] from their non-gender-conforming ways.

* {{Transgender}}: Gets a cursory mention in the First Edition as a possible character option. In the second edition they are given considerably more space, as ''laevvel bran'maur''[[labelnote:♥]] "beyond the loom of Braniel and Maurenna" -- a catch-all term for people with atypical gender identities[[/labelnote]] are believed (rightly or wrongly) by many people in-setting to possess souls that are close to enlightenment and to have a special relationship with the spirits because of it. Also, in Second Edition, [[GenderBender gender-reassignment magic]] is no longer [[BlackMagic sorcery]].

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The setting explicitly defines what is right and wrong, [[WhiteAndGreyMorality but...]]]

* BlackAndWhiteMorality: The setting explicitly defines what is right and wrong, but...

* SoiledCityOnAHill: The original homeland of the Roamer people, Faenaria, once rivaled the power of the Old Kingdom itself. As the Shadow Wars and the Great Rebellion raged and consumed the world, their politics became corrupted with shadow magic and covert assassinations, all to keep their nation's borders closed and secure. Some fled the bloodshed by foot, taking only what they could carry and became the first Roamers. The loyalists fell in line behind their Empress even as she used Shadowgate portals to summon armies of Darkfiends to hold on to her power and repel the other Sorcerer Kings. When the armies of the Great Rebellion arrived on Faenaria's doorstep, she used the Shadowgates to try and create a barrier that would kill any living thing that entered her territory. [[ExactWords It went]] [[ReducedToDust as planned.]]

** Interestingly the position is filled not by one, but by ''[[TheOldGods four]]'' gods who share the responsability of running the world, which is represented by the passing of the four seasons. MadGod Anwaren's desire to be THE Top God actually led to the creation of the Exarchs of Shadow, i.e. the creation of evil in the world, reinforcing the idea that tyranny is bad.

** 2nd Edition includes special stunts called [[ThePrincessBride "As You Wish"]] and "PrepareToDie".

* TheHighQueen: Jaellin. While she started out bookish and shy, has grown to such a leader that she thwarted betrayal, invasion, and spearheaded the attack that killed the Lich King. People may be grumbling about her government policy now, but no one can question her capability or kindness.

** Lord Sayvin of Aldis, whom everyone expected to be chosen as the next king; he was increasingly put out about being very publicly passed over by the Golden Hart. In Second Edition. [[spoiler:Sayvin lets the Lich King's forces into Aldis, then is forced to flee to Kern when his gambit for the crown fails]].

* TheFairFolk: Make their debut in universe in Second Edition. They serve as a different sort of Elemental, in opposition to the Undead (so much so, their artwork in 2E is a Mirror image of the Undeads' a few pages later). They are not usually hostile to Aldins, but they can be distrustful, reclusive, and capricious.

** ''Envoys to the Mount'', an upcoming epic campaign book set in the Shadow Barrens of Jarzon and Mt. Oritaun (home of the last True Vata). It will also expand upon the lives of the psychic Rhydan and the Sovereign's Finest.

* OnlyThePureOfHeart: Only the pure of heart get to rhy-bond with Unicorns or become nobles in Aldis (and there's a magical artifact that makes sure... though nothing stops them from turning evil ''after'' they've passed its test).

* OnlyThePureOfHeart: Only the pure of heart get to rhy-bond with Unicorns or become nobles in Aldis (and there's a magical artifact that makes sure...though nothing stops them from turning evil ''after'' they've passed its test).

* WhiteAndGreyMorality: Compared to a lot of other fantasy settings, Aldis has very few people who are outright ''evil''. There are ''monsters'' who are inherently evil, the Exarchs of Shadow and their demonic minions (the game book literally says meeting a "good" Shadowspawn is a reality changing event). People, meanwhile, are most often either misguided or simply very selfish, and few are beyond redemption. Sayvin may secretly detest Jaellin but this due to a combination of honestly believing he would have made a better King for Aldis and plain, old, all-too-human jealousy.

* OurElvesAreBetter: The vatazin, a [[{{Precursors}} super-magical race that was destroyed by genocide long before the game takes place]]. [[spoiler: A small community survived, hiding in a mountain in the heart of the Shadow Barrens.]]

* TheDarkSideWillMakeYouForget: TheCorruption means that, even if you're performing sorcery for the noblest of reasons, you'll either die from rotting your body and mind, or turn to the Shadow and lose the very virtues that drove you to take that shortcut.

* BandOfBrothels: A legal organization throughout Aldis. Called "The Guild of Intimates," the pillow-trade is regulated by the Kingdom, though said regulation usually boils down to "Are you doing this of your own free will?" and "Have you had your regular health checkups?"

* AristocratsAreEvil: Generally averted in Aldis -- because despite government officials being ''called'' Nobles, Aldis' government is actually a meritocracy, ''not'' a hereditary aristocracy.

** WhiteAndGreyMorality: Aside from the Lich King and his agents, most antagonists are actually [[AntiVillain Anti-Villains]], [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well-Intentioned Extremists]] and similarly misguided types.
* BlackKnight: Kern's elite, the Knights of the Skull. If your party encounters one, always remember that [[DontAskJustRun discretion is the better part of valor.]]

** Historically, there's also all the other [[SorcerousOverlord sorcerer-kings]], especially [[TheEmperor Delsha Artanis]], whose coup d'etat ended the utopian Old Kingdom.
** [[spoiler: With Jarek's defeat in Second Edition, there are now SEVEN [[EvilOverlord Evil Overlords]] in Kern competing for his job, all undermining Aldis]].

* HealingHands: A common power.
* HellHound: Or, "Shadow Mastiffs."

** Unicorns and Gryphons are explicitly listed as incorruptible- just as players will never find a good Demon, they will never find an evil Unicorn.

** There's also the vata'sha, which are more like half-[[TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms Drow]] or [[VideoGame/{{Warcraft}} Night Elves]], having been the result of genetic experiments to create nocturnal vata'an. They're less accepted than their diurnal cousins.

* OurLichesAreDifferent / OurVampiresAreDifferent: They're actually two different varieties of the same kind of [[TheUndead undead]]; specifically, people who decided to embrace TheCorruption and eventually died from its overuse, with non-casters rising as vampires and mages rising as liches.

* PoliticallyIncorrectVillain: Averted (surprisingly, given the game's liberal stance). The Theocracy of Jarzon is a bigoted, sexist, homophobic society...but they're explicitly not evil so much as a bunch of misguided [[WellIntentionedExtremist Well Intentioned Extremists]] who are still capable of doing a lot of good in the world despite their problems. [[BigBad Jarek the Lich King]], on the other hand, ''mostly'' does not care about race or gender -- [[EqualOpportunityEvil he wants to oppress everybody pretty much equally]]. The only exception is that vata'an born in Kern are dead meat.
** In regards to Jarzon, the game appears to take its cues from one of its inspirations, Mercedes Lackey's ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' series, where Valdemar's rival country Karse is portrayed with sympathetic aspects (in Karse's case, its problems came from a CorruptChurch). In Jarzon's, they've been at war with the demons of the Shadow Barrens since the Great Rebellion, while Aldis has had long periods of peace to rebuild.

* RedemptionEarnsLife: In this setting, mercy towards one's enemies is a Good Thing, except for creatures that are [[AlwaysChaoticEvil irredeemably part of the Shadow]] (and even then, a case can be made for trying). Aldis has no death penalty, and the book advises players not to kill when redemption is an option.
** Invoked in the Sourcebook ''Aldis: City of the Blue Rose''. One of the pillow-houses in Aldis is run by Julinn the Masqueless, a mysterious [[HighClassCallGirl High Class Call Person]] who works alongside a troupe of other prostitutes. Julinn has the uncanny ability to change body features, sex, and any minute detail of their appearance from day to day to meet the needs and wants of their clients. Their coworkers think Julinn is a master of flesh shaping arcana using it to ply the world's oldest profession. The truth is considerably darker: [[spoiler: Julinn is actually a ''Whisperer'', a demon of lust, that has found redemption through being shown true love. Their lover died freeing Julinn from their summoner's hold and Julinn now spends their time trying to share the experience of healthy, kind, physical love with as many people as possible.]] Needless to say, were the truth to ever come out, it would generate considerable scandal, isolate Julinn from their coworkers, and potentially even create a TorchesAndPitchforks situation in a realm where Torches and Pitchforks ''does not happen''.

* ShipperOnDeck: In Aldea, it's expected that everyone will eventually marry someone (or [[{{Polyamory}} someones]], as the case may be), so when two people meet up and seem like they like each other, everyone around them starts matchmaking.

* SomethingAboutARose

* TopGod: Interestingly the position is filled not by one, but by ''[[TheOldGods four]]'' gods who share the responsability of running the world, which is represented by the passing of the four seasons. MadGod Anwaren's desire to be THE Top God actually led to the creation of the Exarchs of Shadow, i.e. the creation of evil in the world, reinforcing the idea that tyranny is bad.
** In contrast, the Church of Pure Light teaches that Leonoth is the greatest of the gods and should be worshiped above the rest of them.
* {{Transgender}}: Gets a cursory mention in the First Edition as a possible character option. In the second edition they are given considerably more space, as ''laevvel bran'maur''[[labelnote:♥]] "beyond the loom of Braniel and Maurenna" - a catch-all term for people with atypical gender identities[[/labelnote]] are believed (rightly or wrongly) by many people in-setting to possess souls that are close to enlightenment and to have a special relationship with the spirits because of it. Also, in Second Edition, [[GenderBender gender-reassignment magic]] is no longer [[BlackMagic sorcery]].

* VowOfCelibacy: Jarzoni [[WhiteMagicianGirl Hospitaler matrons]] are required to be celibate. This is unique in the Jarzoni faith - Jarzoni are religiously expected to marry and have children, but their society [[NoWomansLand doesn't quite know how to handle women with arcane powers]].

* EasySexChange: Averted. Aldin magic and science can be and is used to alter the physical sex of people who feel that it does not correspond to their mental sex, but the process is as long and complicated as it is in the real world.

* SevenDeadlySins: The result of the autumn god's {{mind rape}} and the first evil beings in existence, the [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Exarchs of]] [[DarkIsEvil Shadow]] fully [[EmbodimentOfVice embody a deadly sin]] each: Gravicarius (pride), Tyrexxus (wrath), Ulasta (envy), In'nassi (lust), Viasta (sloth), Yungo (gluttony) and Mytaxx (greed).