tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post6244004558295313823..comments2024-03-27T22:32:17.055-05:00Comments on Jeffs Gameblog: A Surfeit of LampreysJeff Rientshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17493878980535235896noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-88679026462428658792010-11-15T22:37:04.163-06:002010-11-15T22:37:04.163-06:00I also recommend the Cadfael books by Ellis Peters...I also recommend the Cadfael books by Ellis Peters (21 books in the series) as well as the videos with Derek Jacobi.Matthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05530280529499677331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-81277563737522851652010-11-09T16:28:46.297-06:002010-11-09T16:28:46.297-06:00Also set in the Anarchy are the historical murder ...Also set in the Anarchy are the historical murder mystery novels, Cadfael.<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadfael<br /><br />I confess I haven't read them! But I have watched a couple of seasons of the BBC series. The Anarchy does enter and complicate the plots of several of the stories, even though I've heard that the TV series is lighter on history than the novels themselves.<br /><br />At any rate, the series would be great for visualizing the period. In one episode there was a funeral procession, which included an odd fellow with a green mask on a pole, which he would present to people and grunt!redbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04600098550347299095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-5028488381803638622010-11-04T11:11:48.112-05:002010-11-04T11:11:48.112-05:00What do you imagine the characters doing? Fighting...What do you imagine the characters doing? Fighting in the political struggle, dungeon exploration, or something entirely different?cr0mhttp://redvan.wikidot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-91780797331997012912010-11-04T04:29:06.705-05:002010-11-04T04:29:06.705-05:00If you're not wedded to D&D, Chivalry &...If you're not wedded to D&D, Chivalry & Sorcery/C&S II does this period very well - lots of material for generating manses and fiefs, if you want to go down that road.<br /><br />And the Orcs will kick ass big-time.<br /><br />Sharon Penman wrote several historical novels set around this period (Simon de Montfort period from memory), which were very good reads.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14192928573798426693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-62471752890442469852010-11-03T22:38:07.524-05:002010-11-03T22:38:07.524-05:00Thomas Hardy's D&D? I never thought I wou...Thomas Hardy's D&D? I never thought I woudl see that or want to play it. :)Matthew Slepinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04056247825064943944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-14858047581923541092010-11-03T21:38:28.219-05:002010-11-03T21:38:28.219-05:00Do yourself a favor and read Dorothy dunnett, llym...Do yourself a favor and read Dorothy dunnett, llymond chronicles, about a band of mercenaries roaming Europe around the 16th century. <br /><br />Llymond--the (anti-ish) hero is a bad mother...shut yo mouth, and would be really inspiring. Dunnett hews quite close to historical accurate as well. The last book has him in malta. <br /><br />Really worth the read.UWS guyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01277557128674527225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-44477605312827987362010-11-03T19:48:22.746-05:002010-11-03T19:48:22.746-05:00If you haven't checked it out, Pendragon has a...If you haven't checked it out, Pendragon has alot about running campaigns were the history is already there (in this case, Arthurian England.)<br /><br />The Boy King supplement in particular dealt with it.<br /><br />OK, I like Pendragon. It is my favorite game I never played.BiffTheYoungerhttp://argentlake.wiki-site.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-23614026213377505022010-11-03T19:46:07.651-05:002010-11-03T19:46:07.651-05:00Awesome idea and great choice on the time period, ...Awesome idea and great choice on the time period, Be sure to include a ruins of Worminghall dungeon from the older period of King Giles of the Little Kingdom-Tolkien sort of covered a similar geographic area, and I think that would be cool.arcadianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12607653187812032790noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-49650646460799978122010-11-03T17:03:56.628-05:002010-11-03T17:03:56.628-05:00Sounds like an awesome game of Ars Magica. As D&am...Sounds like an awesome game of Ars Magica. As D&D...not sure. I suppose it could work but D&D's magic system and the execution of its monsters would through me off a bit.<br /><br />Curious to hear how it goes.Adam Dicksteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04840144928096089178noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-33018489524616207502010-11-03T16:12:07.044-05:002010-11-03T16:12:07.044-05:00Yup, I'd bring my dice to that table.Yup, I'd bring my dice to that table.Haraldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09864029225698561023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-32696933051107711892010-11-03T12:43:08.215-05:002010-11-03T12:43:08.215-05:00One of the grimmest and most enjoyable historical ...One of the grimmest and most enjoyable historical novels I have ever read, Knights in Anarchy (the title alone makes me want to jump into a mosh pit), was set in this period. A third of the way into the book the protagonist fights a desperate siege of his little wooden motte and bailey and loses dreadfully. <br /><br />Bad guys castrate him no less (oucha) and then he goes on to be a revenge machine bouncing from the Battle of the Standard to all the major conflicts of the Civil War. <br /><br />Good fun.Chris Kutalikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01414743509426875792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-75068701201489031272010-11-03T12:06:14.442-05:002010-11-03T12:06:14.442-05:00And you should totally drop a heady number of vamp...And you should totally drop a heady number of vampires into the mix.<br /><br />Y'know, because of the campaign title...Jaysonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03652611193354218021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-31107757712664278782010-11-03T11:25:57.465-05:002010-11-03T11:25:57.465-05:00At one point I had a similar idea for a campaign b...At one point I had a similar idea for a campaign based on the Brother Cadfael mystery novels by Ellis Peters, which take place at an abbey near the Welsh border during the anarchy. Aside from the notional mysteries, they contain a great deal of background political events that the characters are peripherally attached to and occasionally become entangled in, as well as the threat of possible incursions from Wales.<br /><br />It seemed ideally suited to name level play, when characters would set up strongholds, but I'm sure that less experienced characters could do fine as well.Skydyrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12547022250810401131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-77769589659073713782010-11-03T11:18:38.196-05:002010-11-03T11:18:38.196-05:00This sounds like big fun, Jeff. I've only occ...This sounds like big fun, Jeff. I've only occasionally felt the pull of this era and the idea of approaching it semi-realistically (reading Pillars triggered that though a few years back), but you make it sound damned enjoyable. And the idea of using Hardy's proto-Yoknapatawpha is gold, man. Enjoy those lampreys!the venomous paohttp://strangestones.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-89033268303163211282010-11-03T11:14:29.270-05:002010-11-03T11:14:29.270-05:00Pillars of the Earth covers the Anarchy well.
I ...Pillars of the Earth covers the Anarchy well. <br /><br />I recommend Robin Hood from I.C.E<br /><br />http://www.nobleknight.com/ProductDetailSearch.asp_Q_ProductID_E_6083_A_InventoryID_E_2147621608<br /><br />It has two settings and the Forest of Dean. The Forest of Dean is useful for the Anarchy time period.<br /><br />I also recommend Columbia Games Lionheart which is a exhaustive gazetteer of Medieval England.<br /><br />http://www.columbiagames.com/cgi-bin/query/cfg/zoom.cfg?product_id=7001Robert Conleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03863009007381185340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7652921.post-86054385077715153152010-11-03T10:38:02.873-05:002010-11-03T10:38:02.873-05:00British TV is currently screening an excellent ada...British TV is currently screening an excellent adaptation of Ken Follett's <b> Pillars Of The Earth </b>which deals with this period of history. And it struct me as very D&D-worthy!<br /><br />http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-pillars-of-the-earth<br /><br />At school, when we were charged with learning the life story of a king (or queen) of England, I chose Stephen as he had the shortest rein (I believe).Tim Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03845783872464372488noreply@blogger.com