Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies (or S7S) is part of the PDQ# system (the Prose Descriptive Qualities Sharp system), which focuses more on roleplaying and description over dice and rules. This means that S7S is more focused on story and the “rule of cool” than on making a perfectly balance character or party. Coupled with a fantasy setting that adapts well to both more traditional fantasy and steampunk, S7S is an interesting alternative to many of the better known systems.
Sail the sky
S7S, as befits PDQ#, focuses first on setting rather than system. The world of S7S is inherently very different from what is thought of as a “normal world.” Life in S7S is centered around aerial islands in a hemispherical sky, rather than a terrestrial sphere. The seasons come as a result of air movements rather than solar ones; these rotating seasonal areas form the titular seven skies of the game. While the world defies standard understandings of physics, S7S’s setting is intriguing and full of places to explore. There are a number of places to discover; the different skies provide moving, seasonless, habitats and the cloud-islands past which the skies flow provide still other environments which are more like those of the normal word.
The races of S7S are mostly human, avian, insect, and fish-like. Enormous parrots and flying sharks can terrorize sailors and are much more present threats than the mythical dragons rumored to live in the sky of fire. With terrible sky pirates, magical floating wood, fantastic lost islands, and much-feared phantoms, the seven skies are filled with adventure and mystery. While some would think that having only half a world might limit players, the vastness of the sky, coupled with the many environmental settings, opens a number of potential stories and settings to players.
Span the world
In S7S, characters select Fortes, specialties which represent their ability to perform tasks. An interesting facet of Fortes is that having overlapping or similar Fortes can actually limit a characters ability to perform, rather than providing a character a “redundancy system” as it would in some other games. This encourages players to branch out more in their Fortes, hopefully creating more well-rounded characters. Similarly, characters are given Swashbuckling Fortes, a particular skill at which they are best and most capable of performing dashing and heroic deeds. Foibles work as the opposite of Fortes, defining those things at which the character is particularly uncapable.
Players may earn style dice, which are awarded by the GM, last until the end of a session and add bonuses to any rolls they may have to make. Furthermore, the player with the most style dice wins initiative. Acclaim dice work similarly, but inst of being provided by the GM, they are awarded by fellow players. Players can spend their dice for roles and bonuses, but also to take control of plot aspects, introducing scenery or characters into the story. While S7S has no direct leveling system, it is possible to spend training points awarded for completing tasks to improve or develop new Fortes and Foibles.
There’s much more about Swashbucklers of the 7 Skies than could be covered here. It’s an interesting game because of the setting, which is full of mysteries which seem to half-acknowledge that the physics of the game world aren’t necessarily as they should be expected to be. However, the system is also a fascinating one, as well. Because it relies on joint narration between players and GM, it definitely requires a group which is willing to participate. If you’ve got such a group, S7S is definitely worth a look.
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