The time of the Romans is over, the land has no high king. Old quarrels and old wounds tear the land apart. Then as if drawn to the smell of chaos they came from across the sea. Like wolves they come, upon their ships bearing steel and death.
Our kingdom lays on the edge of destruction, our queen wounded, life waining. Enemies arriving on the shore every moon, and old alliances begin to crumble under the weight of human greed.
In these desperate times, three must undergo a quest. To enter the otherworld, a perilous task to receive a cauldron and a lance to which our kingdoms fate may be saved.
Game description:
Genre: Magical Historical Fiction
Sub Genres: adventure, drama.
Tone: Magical surrealism, Psychological, atmospheric.
Brief overview:
Set in post-Roman Britain as the Angle and Saxon invasions begin. Players will be part of a minor fictional kingdom in the North East of Britain near the area of Gododdin (north of Hadrian’s wall).
The story will follow three chosen by fate to journey into the Celtic Otherworld, to retrieve magical artifacts to save their people.
The world will be a low magical one, with creatures such as Fae, Wyrms, trolls, etc, but not commonplace. Magic is mystical, strange and subtle in its ways.
The story while having action and adventure instead will focus primarily upon the characters and their personal journies and changes upon their quest.
While the game will aim for historical elements it will not by any means be ruled by them, as most of the game will take place in the Otherworld.
Setting info
- Roman rule ended in Britain three generations ago. The country is divided into small quarrelling kingdoms.
- Britain is threatened by invaders. The Saxons (and Angles and Jutes) attack to the East and the Gaels from Hibernia to the West. All of these groups have settled in some coastal areas and islands.
- A king is not an absolute ruler. Instead he is first amongst the nobles and warriors of a kingdom. One major duty of a king is hospitality, even to enemies. Fighting within a king’s hall is a gross breach of the laws of hospitality and is severely punished.
- Warriors are the elite soldiers, leading the people in battle.
- The key Roman virtues are honesty, bravery and industriousness. The mind-set values self-control and seriousness of purpose. The key Celtic virtues are bravery generosity and loyalty. They place no particular value in self-restraint.
- Personal honour is sometimes more important than life itself. Honour is as much how one is perceived as how one acts. Oaths are sacred before both God or gods and men.
Media Examples: Some examples of media for tone.
- Valhalla Rising (movie): The surreal psychological atmosphere is a great example of what the Otherworld could feel like at times.
- The Secret of Kells(movie): The magical world elements, and how the Vikings are great examples of the tone of the invaders and fantasy elements.
- The Last Kingdom (show): while several hundred years into the future. The tone is great for world-building.
- The Book Of Conquests(Book) by Jim Fritzpatrick: Oozing with the fantastical atmosphere and beautiful art.
- The High Kings (Book) by Joy Chant A series of stories telling the mythic history of the celtic peoples’ arrival to Britian. Great look at the kind of fantasy we would be playing.
Hosted and narrated by:
Rowansfloyd
Started 03/29/20.
Scenes played: 2
License: Community License
