Dyfed ca 480 AD (Celtic Myth/Camelot/Infinite Worlds)

[Icelander]

For the past months, I ran what was conceived as a one-shot Weird War II adventure, initially set in 1945 Berlin as the last strongpoints of the Nazi higher-ups crumbled under a Soviet onslaught, but eventually taking the PCs through Amber Room -powered world conveyors and a climb through the World Tree to reach an alternate world version of the Wewelsburg Castle, filled with the grim Black Knights of the SS, some of them even undead.

The adventure concluded with the surviving heroes tapping the magical power of the Amber Room to allow their field occultist, Lizzie St. Clair, an upper-class academic with a double first from Oxford in Celtic Studies and Anthropology, to open a 'fairy road' to the inside of Pentre Ifan in Wales, theoretically at least a safer place to be than the Wewelsburg Castle once the explosives that the PCs rigged in the Amber Room started to go off.

Of course, given that there was no time to investigate the nature of the multiverse, the PCs have to accept that success just means reaching a Pentre Ifan. Outside the one they reached, there is not Wales, as such. More a Wales-ish place, a fantastic analogue of the petty kingdom of Dyfed ca 480 AD/CE.

There are analogues to Gaels, Britons, Saxons and Picts around, but the minor linguistic and cultural differences of our world have been exaggerated for fantasy adventuring purposes. The cultures have different 'racial' Templates and different access to supernatural gifts, with some of them probably using different magic systems. There are Saxon Dragonlords and Herewulvos; Briton Bards and Dyn(es) Husbys; and Gael Filid; among other things.

Seven legendary heroes (the PCs) emerge from circle of sacred stones in a kingdom in need of heroes...

If the players vote to continue playing the same characters and the one-shot adventure turns into a campaign, I thought that for the next adventure, the heroes might receive a bit of a Celtic Myth power-up, and if they want to reach home, set out on an old-fashioned 'historical'+ Camelot-style Grail/Cauldron Quest.

What I want to do is to be able to steal from any Arthurian source that takes my fancy, as well as drawing on inspirations from Bernard Cornwell's excellent Warlord Chronicles. That includes presenting not just Angle/Jutes/Saxons vs. Britons vs. Gaels vs. Picts conflicts, but also Christians vs. Germanic pagans vs. 'the Old Faith'.

To that end, I'd like the PCs to be perceived as servants of the Old Faith, even if they don't neccessarily see themselves that way. There will be a faction of anti-Christian pagans who see the arrival of the PCs as a response to their own prayers or rituals and the manner of their arrival will length weight to that argument. As will the fact that the PCs will have supernatural gifts that suggest blessings from Celtic gods or incarnations of Celtic heroes.

I've got a few questions for the hive-mind and I welcome suggestions about stuff I haven't asked, but might like to think about before starting play.

1) What would be a good Celtic/Brythonic term for the people of a fantasy analogue of the Roman Empire?

I don't want to use familiar modern names for too many things. No Merlins, Lancelots, Camelots. Not even King Arthur, Round Table, Britain or Britons, if I can avoid it.

I want to call the Saxons 'Dragonlords', to begin with, and have the locals refer to themselves as Cymry. But from that, it seems jarring to speak of 'Romans'. Any suggestions for alternatives? Maybe a Common Brittonic term for Romans?

2) Are there any knights or other characters in the Arthurian mythos that might be purely Brythonic inhabitants of Dyfed? That is, not mixed Irish-Brythonic and not Romano-British to the extent that they use Latin names and titles.

I'd like the first people the PCs meet to be the representative of a sept/noble family who prided themselves on keeping the 'Old Ways' during Roman occupation. In other roles, I'll have analogues of Sir Ector (Cynyr Ceinfarfog), Sir Kay (Cei ap Cynyr) and plenty of representatives of the Romanised Irish warrior aristocracy who married into the aristocracy of Brittonic Demetia, but I want these people to be their first contact in the world.

3) An unforeseen consequence of the PCs' travel through a 'fairy road' that brought them to a magic circle of stones where self-proclaimed 'druids' have been praying for the Old Gods to come again was that something came with them in spirit...

I'd thought I'd give each player a choice of two or three power packages that suit their characters.

As an example, here are some of the notes for a power I'm pondering as an offering for Jock Sweeney, the former marine engineer and current explosives expert:

Blessing of Gofannon. Will include at least 4 levels of a Talent that covers crafting and smithing; several Craft Secret Perks like Crucible Steel, Graceful Blade, Masterwork Blade and perhaps more.*
One suggested build:
Gofannon's Favour (Armoury; Carousing; Engineering; Metallurgy; Professional Skill: Brewing; Smith) Talent 5 [25].
+ Strength of the Smith [8] {Arm ST +1 [5]; Lifting ST +1 [3]}.
+ The Riddle of Steel [17] {Craft Secret Perks (Crucible Steel, Graceful Blade, Masterwork Blade) [3]; Higher Purpose (Work Iron) [5]; Single-Minded (Aspected; Crafting -20%; Environmental: Iron -20%) [3]; Visualization (Aspected; Crafting -20%; Environmental: Iron -20%) [6]}.

Other ideas I have are:

Son of Sucellus: Happy Hammerer (Axe/Mace; Carousing; Erotic Art; Sex Appeal; Thrown Weapon (Axe/Mace); Two-Handed Axe/Mace) Talent 3 [15].
+ Master of Feasts [-1] {Charisma 1 [5]; Chummy [-5]; Compulsive Carousing (SC 12) [-5]; Drunken Fighting Perk [1]; Gluttony (SC 12) [-5]; Higher Purpose (Feast and Celebrate) [5]; Serendipity (Accessibility: Only to discover food and drink -60%; Aspected: Feasts (doesn't work unless found bounty is shared with a group in a convival atmosphere) -20%) 1 [3]}.
+ Hearty [36] {Alcohol Tolerance Perk [1]; Extra HT +2 [20]; Extra ST +2 [20]; Resistant (+3) to Poison [5]; Increased Consumption [-10]}.

Warrior of Belatucadros:
Bright-Killer's Regard [35] {Extra Attack 1 [25]; Striking ST +2 [10]}.
+ Battle-Spasm [30] {Damage Resistance (Berserk Only -40%; Tough Skin -40%) 3 [3]; Extra Action Points (Berserk Only -40%) 5 [6]; Extra Attack +1 (Berserk Only -40%) [15]; Striking ST +2 (Berserk Only -40%) [6].
+ Love of Slaughter [-15] {Berserk (SC 15) [-5]; Bloodlust (SC 15) [-5]; Compulsive Behaviour: Melee Combat (SC 12) [-5]}.

Gwydion's Get: Born Entertainer Talent (G:PU3 p. 6) 1 [5]; Extra DX +1 [20]; Extra IQ +1 [20]; Higher Purpose (Break Enchantments) [5]; Impersonator Talent (G:PU3 p. 11) 2 [10]; Stalker Talent (G:PU3 p. 15) 1 [5]; Trickster (SC -12) [-15].

Seán** of the Skilful Hand (Lugh/Lleu): Higher Purpose (Show Off) [5]; Luck [15]; Perk: Flourish [1]; Versatile [5]; Visualization (Reduced Time +140%, {not included is Reliable +50%}) [24].***

Brigid's Gifts: Bard Talent (G:PU3 p. 6) 2 [10]; Gifted Artist Talent [+Smith; -1 Photography] (G:PU3 p. 10) 2 [10]; Healer Talent [+Herb Lore] (G:PU3 p. 11) 2 [20]; Higher Purpose (Tradition: Healing) 2 [10].

Daughter of Rhiannon (Epona): Animal Empathy (Equines -40%) [3]; Animal Friend Talent 3 [15]; Equitae Talent (Acrobatics; Animal Handling (Equines); Broadsword; Riding; Shield; Spear; Tactics (Cavalry) and Throw (Spear); as well as Leadership, Operations (Land) and Teaching when commanding or training cavalry) 2 [20]; Striking ST (Only While Mounted on Equines -40%) +1 [3]; Higher Purpose (Female Empowerment) [5]; Increased Move (Granted to Mount +0%; Equines Only -20%) 1 [4].

Touched by Ceridwen: Insight Talent (Pyramid #3/66 p. 19) 2 [10]; Magery 2 [20]; Occultist Talent (G:PU3 p. 14) 1 [10]; Poet Talent (G:PU3 p. 14) 2 [10].

Comments? Other suggested power packages?

*Technically, in Irish mythology at least, Goibniu is one of three craftsman gods and specifically represents blacksmithing, with the other two being a goldsmith/silversmith (and bronze) and a carpenter. That may end up being too specialised, though. If not, I'll allow a choice of specialising in one aspect or taking fewer levels of Talent that includes all the potential skills.
**Dyfed Irish equivalent to the name of a PC, Jean-Marie.
***On checking it, adding ten levels of Reliable to Visualization with Reduced Time 7 is a shameful munchkin exploit and the sort of thing up with which I will not put.

[Anaraxes]

Google Translate gives me "Rhufeinig" as the (modern) Welsh for "Roman".

Anything the Romans called themselves would probably still be pretty recognizable (Romanus/um, Italiae, etc). So you'd probably want the Dark Ages Welsh exonym for them.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Google Translate gives me "Rhufeinig" as the (modern) Welsh for "Roman".

Does anyone have the first clue how to "de-evolve" that back to Common Brittonic? In case I can't find a historically attested ethnonym which fits... Edit: 'Rufeinig' seems good enough.

Should I fail to find anything better or want to use more than one term ('Rufeinig' is good as the Common Brittonic term), I might resort to the fictional 'Rúmhoth', of Tolkien. Rationalised as being what the 'Old People'/'Wise Folk'/'Wild Ones' called the Romans.

Presumably, there are different ethnonyms in use. Civitas-dwelling Romano-Britons will speak of 'The Empire' (Empire is 'Ymerodraeth' in modern Welsh, does anyone have a suggestion for a Common Brittonic term?), or the equivalent, but fiercely independent country-dwelling people who make a point of retaining 'Old Ways' are more likely to use an exonym that should sound slightly exotic to modern players.

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Anything the Romans called themselves would probably still be pretty recognizable (Romanus/um, Italiae, etc). So you'd probably want the Dark Ages Welsh exonym for them.

I do indeed. In fact, I would like to be able to use Common Brittonic ethnonyms that distinguish between the mainstream society of Romano-Britons*, actual Roman citizens who still attempt to cling to the insitutions of the vanished Empire** and an entirely fictional substratum of pagan Brythonic-speakers in remote (mostly forested) areas of Ynys Pritanī, who pride themselves on having resisted assimilation during Roman rule.***

Apparently 'Powys' is considered by linguists likely to be a Celticised loanword, derived from Latin 'Pagus' ('countryside' and the origin of the word 'pagan'). If I only knew enough Common Brittonic grammar to be able to construct a non-risible ethnonym from a geographic designator.

*I'll probably use a variation of Cymry, altered for better 5th century fit if I can.
**Very likely to be the same as the ethnonym used for historical Romans, as 6th century Britons writing in Latin appear to have refered to Romano-British magistrates living in villas and still concerned with the civitas system, as well as their immediate families, as Roman.
***The fictional part is not that there were unassimilated Brythonic-speakers in rural areas. The fiction lies in that there is no evidence that such status had any political or religious connotations and it is highly unlikely that anyone, either rural Pritanī or others, saw such 'yokels' as any kind of cultural, political or religious bloc.

[Icelander]

No comments on power packages inspired by Celtic myths or suggestions for Welsh Arthurian knights from Dyfed?

[johndallman]

You've dug into this way beyond my expertise. One thing you probably do want is the commonplace derogatory terms for Romans, and the Romano-British. Indeed, the characters may well encounter those before they learn the proper terms.

[Anaraxes]

Seems like a pretty hardcore academic question, certainly way beyond anything I've read. Kenneth H. Jackson seems to have been an expert in the field; perhaps "Language and History in Early Britain".

[Rigil_Kent]

Question: In the real world, the Roman legions withdrew from England in 410. As that's 70 years earlier, how will that affect this? Did the legions stay longer in this world?

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Rigil_Kent

Question: In the real world, the Roman legions withdrew from England in 410. As that's 70 years earlier, how will that affect this? Did the legions stay longer in this world?

No, the legions are gone. There are still, however, surviving people who grew up in Roman towns, under Roman institutions and laws. The hereditary rulers of historical Demetia/Dyfed had Latin titles well into the 6th century and the current ruler at the time of play is Protectoris Acricola Lawhir, the son of Tribunus Valerian Farfog, first Protectoris of Dyfed.

Romano-British society wasn't just Celtic. Britain after the end of Roman rule is called sub-Roman (rather than 'post-Roman') Britain among academics for a reason. Many among the Brittonic elite were educated like any provincial Roman. They were Latin-speaking and probably had a fairly Roman worldview. Even those aristocrats who weren't totally Romanised would still recognise Roman institutions, titles and trappings.

For more than a century after the legions left, petroglyph evidence indicates that there were bilingual Goidelic/Brythonic settlers in Dyfed who used Latin script to write their Brythonic and Ogham for their Goidelic. And their leaders appear to have been granted (or taken) Latin titles, like Protectoris, Tribunus, Tovisace or Praefectus.

[Rigil_Kent]

Cool.

Not sure if you're already using/aware of this, but Dark Age Britannia might be of some use.

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by johndallman

You've dug into this way beyond my expertise. One thing you probably do want is the commonplace derogatory terms for Romans, and the Romano-British. Indeed, the characters may well encounter those before they learn the proper terms.

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Seems like a pretty hardcore academic question, certainly way beyond anything I've read. Kenneth H. Jackson seems to have been an expert in the field; perhaps "Language and History in Early Britain".

I'll grant that the linguistic questions may be fairly esoteric.

You might have suggestions about suitable early companions of young Arthur in Welsh mythology, however.

Or, more generically, suggestions about 50-point power packages / metatraits that reflect the favour or attention of something with the characteristics of a Celtic divinity.

I know the Warrior of Belatucadros one has errors. Berserk Only is officially only -20%. I think that's awful pricing, but I mean to rework that metatrait anyway.

What about the others? Are they balanced? Cool? Fun? Evocative?

What others should I offer?