Martin Seeger

I love the English term "Throwing the book at them".

If a player, in a #TTRPG gets uppity, you throw the (rule)book at them.

Unluckily the D&D rulebook does at most D4 damage. Much too lightweight.

The German #Midgard #RPG rules are significantly more massive (the core rules are well above a 1.000 pages). But for affordability they have split them up into multiple books.

But I wanted a "Grimoire" version of the rule book as a present. So I went to the local bookbinder and bound them into a single opus:

Dec 7 at 6:37pmWeb
Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7
We included the original covers of the volumes as separator. This makes it easy to find them.
Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7
At the back we have a small pouch for the world map (or your current adventure).
Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7

What is Midgard?

Midgard is Germany’s oldest fantasy roleplaying system, first published in the 1980s, with a tone rooted more in grounded myth and medieval authenticity than in high-fantasy spectacle.

While Dungeons & Dragons embraces cinematic heroics, fast power growth and a world shaped by larger-than-life figures, Midgard focuses on believable characters, slower advancement and a setting where the supernatural feels rare and mysterious.

Both games follow the same fundamental idea – players take on roles of adventurers exploring dangerous worlds – but differ in emphasis:

  • Tone and Style Midgard leans toward realism with folklore influences, while D&D tends toward epic fantasy with bold, superheroic action.

  • Progression Heroes in Midgard grow gradually and must earn every improvement, whereas D&D characters often become dramatically more powerful over a few levels.

  • Magic Magic in Midgard feels costly and constrained, tied to cultural traditions. D&D’s magic is usually more flashy and abundant.

  • Worldbuilding Midgard’s settings are strongly inspired by real historical cultures, giving them a grounded, sometimes low-fantasy feel. D&D settings are usually more exaggerated, full of exotic races, spectacular monsters and world-altering magic.

  • Play Experience Midgard encourages careful planning, diplomacy and problem-solving where even minor threats can be dangerous. D&D often rewards boldness, improvisation and heroic moments.

Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7

Midgard is currently in a transition. The new owner wants to make it more newbie-friendly. The result is much closer to D&D as before. I will stay the 5th Edition (M5) and not switch to the new one (M6).

Most of my players are like me: playing Midgard for 40+ years now and they don't like such a big change.

But: Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis. So we will see.

Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7
The new binding of the rule books was done in one of the oldest bookbindery in existence. Tomorrow they celebrate their 225th anniversary: https://www.instagram.com/buchbinderei_castagne/
Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7
Ping @Thebratdragon
Show threadEstarriol, Terrorist DragonDec 7
@masek thank you. Looks very interesting, and your bound edition looks fabulous.
Show threadSandzwergDec 7
@masek very impressive. But did they reprint the books content or did you sacrifice original rule books?
Show threadMartin SeegerDec 8
@sandzwerg We tore up original rulebooks. You may remember a few months back when I asked here if someone had spare ones 😏.
Show threadshimst3rDec 7
@masek marvelous :O how expensive was the binding and how long took it?
Show threadMartin SeegerDec 7
@shimst3r 3 weeks discussing on how to do it. 2 weeks till the first one was ready. A bit more than 700€ per book.