Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles keep me running to Wikipedia.
Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles keep me running to Wikipedia. I know the term “dark ages” is out of fashion, but it really seems to apply in Britain from the time the Romans leave until about 300 years later.
Arthur is said to have defeated the Saxons at Mount Badon. Was the saxon leader Aelle? Cerdic? Neither or both? Was Arthur real? Was the battle?
In D&D terms, this time and place is ripe for attainment of name-level, the building of strongholds, and attraction of followers and men-at-arms.
The third book Excalibur has a great description of the main character traveling into the Saxon lands of the east and being amazed that the towns are prosperous and trade is active. The land isn’t conquered it is settled. No longer part of Britain, but now Angle-land.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%86lle_of_Sussex
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerdic_of_Wessex
Stephen Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle is a wonderful take on this.
ReplyDeleteThose books made me think about and write a big post about shieldwall fighting and fighters with a class ability of gaining warrior followers.
ReplyDeleteDo you have a link to that post, Gus?
ReplyDeleteThis shit is exceptionally cool. If you could incorporate this conceit into a system that flowed seamlessly into a Mount & Blade -esque wargame and keep rpg elements...
ReplyDeleteAwesome!
If you like these books I recommend Rosemary Sutcliffe's Roman Britain Trilogy:
ReplyDeleteEagle of the Ninth (the book the movie is based on), The Silver Branch, and Lantern Bearers really lay the foundation for the final days of Rome in Britain and foreshadowing what was to come.
For the full experience I'd book end that trilogy with first Song for a Dark Queen which features the rebellion of Boadicea and ties into the trilogy by featuring the Ninth Legion as one of the Legions that gets nearly destroyed.
Then I'd finish with a Sword at Sunset which is also a dark ages flavored retelling of the Arthur cycle, and one of my all time favorites.
I’m also going to have to reread David Drake’s Robert E. Howard pastiche, The Dragon Lord. Arthur is a dick, Lancelot a Roman with anger issues, and Merlin is powerful but doesn’t really understand the forces he’s messing with. Also has loch monsters, an unkillable zombie, and of course a dragon.
ReplyDeleteen.wikipedia.org - The Dragon Lord - Wikipedia
Casey G.
ReplyDeletedungeonofsigns.blogspot.com - Thoughts on running a Viking Game
This is exactly the tone and setting of Ron Edwards ' Circle of Hands, and I illustrated the weapons, armor from textiles, materials and tools found in Saxon gravesites and historian recreation. So. That's its bonafides.
ReplyDelete(I could not live in this setting because they had not quiiiiiite figured out knit socks yet and I hate having to step on shifting layers of fabric, dainty Caifornian that I am)
It's a perfect setting for ACKS. Uhtred's desire for land, building his warband, building his reputation. Having to swear vassalage upland, deal with enemy forces, random bands of vikings.
ReplyDeleteMythras Mythic Britain, Logres and the Ships and Shield Walls supplement would give you all you need to run games in this period from PC skirmishes to full on battles like Badon..
ReplyDelete