Maelstrom is a role-playing game by Alexander Scott, published in 1984 by Puffin Books as a single soft cover book. The book provided a wealth of information for role-playing in a 16th century or 17th century European setting although the rules could be easily adapted to any time period or location. Firearms (readily available in Europe at this time) are conspicuously absent from the setting. The game provided a very realistic combat system (especially with all of the advanced rules incorporated), and innovative game mechanics to cover wounds/healing, experience, aging, professions and magic. Maelstrom has maintained a small but loyal following since it was originally printed in part because of the depth of background and information presented, and because of the innovative game mechanics. The herbal pharmacopoeia present at the end of the book, representing herbal knowledge of the time, has become legendary in roleplaying circles and is believed to have been a major source document for many subsequent RPG herbals (only some of which credit Maelstrom). Maelstrom has been republished as a PDF in 2008 by Arion Games, under license from Puffin Books.