My group is going to start up a "historical" campaign for Riddle of Steel, and were' looking for any advice on how to run it. Have there been previous threads here that discussed this?

We haven't nailed down a time and place. I'm looking at something like the end of the Second Crusade -- so around 1150 in and around France and Normandy, perhaps.

Does anyone have other suggestions for different times/places that would be more suitable?

We want the game to have some dark, supernatural undertones. I considered setting the campaign in the actual Dark Ages (anywhere from Scandanavia to Byzantium), but that would preclude some interesting technologies (weapons & armor), and maybe certain character concepts ("traditional" knights or even templars, for example).

Obviously, the more fuel for SAs the better -- things like loyalty to the church, faith, love, vengeance, all that good stuff!

Please take a look at the following thread
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/viewtopic.php?t=6105

Our group just finished what was hopefully the first chapter of a TROS campaign set on the Prussian Front of the Holy Roman Empire.

Hey,

I am setting up a campaign in the Renaissance to be up and running this summer. The first thing you have to do is a LOT of research on the time period and the immediately preceding time period to get a feel for the big picture. Once you have the picture you can address how TRoS fits within the chosen period. Of course the way the world was is always a good guideline.

The magic user in the party will have to be very careful as the reformation of the church has caused the inquisition to go a little haywire and if he's not careful (which he usually is), his friends will be bringing marshmallows to his demise.

In my case I chose the Renaissance due to the massive amount of opportunity and options available to the players from that time.

Things to consider include the locale they are in, what is the culture like? The method of Government? What is the economy? What kind of exchange system do they use? Is thier currency accepted abroad? What is the exchange rate? What level of technology was available? How is magic viewed? Do the Fae have a problem with procreation? And whatever other questions you need answered for your campaign. By the way, the Crusades will be a great setting, if I may say so.

Get one of those honkin' big historical table books and pencil in the things you want to add, it is a huge help. Also, if the players are worried they will change history or something remember that things aren't always as they seem. Maybe their actions caused the history we have now... just one of many options.

Thanks Gary and Salamander.

Gary -- how did you find some of the "color" bits -- banners, etc.? Any web site links?

Salamander wrote: Hey,

Get one of those honkin' big historical table books and pencil in the things you want to add, it is a huge help. Also, if the players are worried they will change history or something remember that things aren't always as they seem. Maybe their actions caused the history we have now... just one of many options.

Matt, actually I was a player in this game.

However one of my favourite content sources is
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.html

Matt Snyder wrote:
We haven't nailed down a time and place. I'm looking at something like the end of the Second Crusade -- so around 1150 in and around France and Normandy, perhaps.

Yeah, French history as a whole (i.e. the big picture) I've generally found pretty boring.

But the history of the individual historical provinces that make up France is pretty cool. Auvergne and Nivernais are a couple of my favorites...so much so that the city in my next project is names Auvernais.

I'd push towards rennaisance as far as possible, but not so far as you'd have to get rules for guns. So, depending on where you were, that would probably put you in the 14th to 15th centuries. Guns were present, but not at all widely used, and not suitable for "adventurers" (gotta carry around some big thing on a stick...basically battlefield weapons).

A really good game could be centered around the War of the Roses in England (see the boardgame Kingmaker for details). More political intrigue than you can shake a stick at. Factions composed of tiny armies led by nobles running around and taking control of towns and castles. Only some unreliable artillery for guns. Fun, fun.

Here's a wargaming page that would help with getting set up in the era along with some history, should you think that the suggestion has merit.
http://www.inisfail.com/~ancients/wotr-list-v3.html

Mike

Another interesting time period would be the second half of lthe 1100's in France/England. There were lots of civil wars between Henry II and his sons Henry the Young King, Richar I, and John as well was wars between Henry II and the King of France (Louis?). It was also a time when knighthood was at its peak and tournaments were important. There were also lots of little regional disputes in the south of france.

For a good background you could read both Elanor and the 4 Kings and the biography of William Marsha. Elanor of Aquitane was married first to the King of France, went on Crusade, then divorced the king of france and married Henry II (father of Richard the Lionheart etc).

William Marshal started out as a landless younger son, but made it big on the tournament circuit, becoming tudor in arms to Henry the Young King, and eventually Earl of Pembroke and Regent for Henry III. A real rags to riches story...probably a bit destinty SA for old William....

BTW, Richard was famous for using mercenaries (esp crossbowmen) so not every one would have to be a knight....NT

toli wrote: Another interesting time period would be the second half of lthe 1100's in France/England. There were lots of civil wars between Henry II and his sons Henry the Young King, Richar I, and John as well was wars between Henry II and the King of France (Louis?). It was also a time when knighthood was at its peak and tournaments were important. There were also lots of little regional disputes in the south of france.

BTW, Richard was famous for using mercenaries (esp crossbowmen) so not every one would have to be a knight....NT

Also, this might be of some assistance: aedificium.org

Personally, I find I prefer early medieval time periods the best, since they bear a strking resemblance to my beloved Hârn. They have a certain grittiness that I feel is lacking in Renaissance time periods. Just don't tell Salamander... I'm playing in his upcoming TROS campaign! ;)

-Mark

Matt if this time period floats your boat, I have a whole game supplement called (not surprisingly) Lionheart (or something thereto). Its got tons of cool stuff in it.

I picked it up off ebay. Let me know and I'll get you the full info on it and maybe you can find a copy.

Valamir wrote: Matt if this time period floats your boat, I have a whole game supplement called (not surprisingly) Lionheart

Yup, that is indeed the one. I was thinking it was connected to my Harn stuff but couldn't remember the details. Actually I, didn't even realize it was still in print (I only paid $10 off of Ebay instead of the $30 its going for on the site fortuneately).

But I will vouch for its usefullness as a sourcebook, even if $30 bucks seems a little outrageous for a 96 page softcover.

Mike Holmes wrote: I'd push towards rennaisance as far as possible, but not so far as you'd have to get rules for guns. So, depending on where you were, that would probably put you in the 14th to 15th centuries. Guns were present, but not at all widely used, and not suitable for "adventurers" (gotta carry around some big thing on a stick...basically battlefield weapons).

A really good game could be centered around the War of the Roses in England (see the boardgame Kingmaker for details). More political intrigue than you can shake a stick at. Factions composed of tiny armies led by nobles running around and taking control of towns and castles. Only some unreliable artillery for guns. Fun, fun.



Mike

Spartan wrote: Also, this might be of some assistance: aedificium.org

Personally, I find I prefer early medieval time periods the best, since they bear a strking resemblance to my beloved Hârn. They have a certain grittiness that I feel is lacking in Renaissance time periods. Just don't tell Salamander... I'm playing in his upcoming TROS campaign! ;)

-Mark

Valamir wrote: Yup, that is indeed the one. I was thinking it was connected to my Harn stuff but couldn't remember the details. Actually I, didn't even realize it was still in print (I only paid $10 off of Ebay instead of the $30 its going for on the site fortuneately).

But I will vouch for its usefullness as a sourcebook, even if $30 bucks seems a little outrageous for a 96 page softcover.

If you want to run a sort of Knight Errant campaign, I suggest reading:

William Marshal: Court, Career and Chivalry in the Angevin Empire 1147-1219 (Medieval World) by David Crouch

It is a good read.

NT

A good scource for just about any period of warfare are the multitude of books by the Osprey Publishing company.

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/index.php

Wargamers (like myself) often find these takes on the military history to be a great resource with the colour plates of period costumes that are included in these books, along with all the titbits of historical events make a good introduction to events of the period.

Seriously, you can blow loads of money on these.

There are also lots of regional books for Ars Magica. AM is set in the late 13th century (1250+, IIRC). It's official world description was "Mythic Europe", and I always enjoyed the "Europe the way the inhabitants believed it to be" mindset in AM. You might try picking one up (they show up in my local used bookstore all the time) and seeing if there's enough historical value in there for you given that the period is sorta early.

And yes, a Timetables of History is indespensible for all sorts of things. Plus, it's fun to read.

Oh, and who doesn't love http://www.hyperhistory.com?