I'm going to start up a Dark Albion game soon, hypothetically using Chivalry and Sorcery as the game system. One of the players had been telling me about Dark Lands for about 15 years now, and how he liked playing it when he was a kid. So, it's essentially 15th century Germany if you're unfamiliar with the game, but I didn't want to use the continent as the basis, so Dark Albion fits pretty much perfectly as an alternative. C&S for the game system because why the fuck not; if we're going to do that time period, seems like we might as well go balls out.

Anyway, what would be appropriate for a "player's guide" to give the players? I'm obviously going to change stuff from the DA book, but not that much, but don't want to just hand them the whole damn thing and say "read this" before we start playing. What is a minimum amount of background that works, ASSuming we're talking about mostly dudes who have a fairly decent grasp of history?

Be sure to reinforce the idea that social class means something. There will be PCs and NPCs who, because of their backgrounds, expect deference and, less often, obedience. That doesn't mean that they are evil or even unkind; it's the way the society works.

If it was me ... I'd want a basic run down of how skills worked.
I'd want to know where I was and how dangerous it was there.
I'd want to know who would be willing to help me get on my feet and get some income started.
I'd want to know who would be trying to thwart me from being successful.
I'd want to know where I could cash in any loot or rewards and what I could do with it.

I'd be nice to have a feel for the current trends and local history so I could get a feel for what to expect if I was just to get a steady job and settle down.

Off track a hair, but which C&S version?

Quote from: Jason Coplen;1115583Off track a hair, but which C&S version?

1st edition, but using Piety from 2nd instead of Alignment.

Why not use Lion & Dragon as the rule-set?

Quote from: dkabq;1115672Why not use Lion & Dragon as the rule-set?

Because I don't want to.

Quote from: Brad;1115703Because I don't want to.

Fair enough.

Read them (or have them read) the introduction, with its list of points of how Albion is different from most D&D settings they may have played before.