Renaissance Inspired Fantasy Setting

[020.92]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

I really wouldn't mind starting that game up again at some point. I certainly thought it was one of your more promising endeavors. Of course, being terribly partial to the era and the setting might have something to do with that...

Good. I put a lot of thought into it. I wouldn't mind a "relaunch" if we can find the right group.

Otherwise I always felt the "rough wooing" provided the feel I wanted for the Borders (ala Lymond of course). I've been reading Empires of the Sea and corsairs are cool....but I still prefer a setting more reminiscent of the mid 16th century with play into "Gloriana" and the full on Northern Renaissance (with a survival of the Cathars, Constantinople, the Caliph of Baghdad and etc...).

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by 020.92

Good. I put a lot of thought into it. I wouldn't mind a "relaunch" if we can find the right group.

Otherwise I always felt the "rough wooing" provided the feel I wanted for the Borders (ala Lymond of course). I've been reading Empires of the Sea and corsairs are cool....but I still prefer a setting more reminiscent of the mid 16th century with play into "Gloriana" and the full on Northern Renaissance (with a survival of the Cathars, Constantinople, the Caliph of Baghdad and etc...).

The Rough Wooing is definitely the era for a border reiver game with the PCs originating north of the border. If you want English characters then the 1580s is a pretty good era.

Strangely, I'm currently reading Empires of the Sea AND Game of Kings. I'll heartily endorse both for anyone interested in gaming based on the period.

I'd love to relaunch that setting. I'll start thinking on players.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

The Rough Wooing is definitely the era for a border reiver game with the PCs originating north of the border. If you want English characters then the 1580s is a pretty good era.

Strangely, I'm currently reading Empires of the Sea AND Game of Kings. I'll heartily endorse both for anyone interested in gaming based on the period.

I'd love to relaunch that setting. I'll start thinking on players.

I have Steel Bonnets and have always loved it. I would like somebody to do a similar piece on the Highlands. I found Fitzroy Macleans "Highlanders" and it was well enough, but didn't compare to Steel Bonnets.

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

I have Steel Bonnets and have always loved it. I would like somebody to do a similar piece on the Highlands. I found Fitzroy Macleans "Highlanders" and it was well enough, but didn't compare to Steel Bonnets.

I'd second that regarding the Highlands- especially for the 16th century. I also have the Maclean book. It is decent, but not exactly what I was looking for. If anyone knows of anything stellar please chime in.

If you liked Steel Bonnets, Border Fury: England and Scotland at War 1296-1568 by John Sadler is worthwhile. It's not a classic like Steel Bonnets, but it does have some good information and is a pretty good read.

[macphersonrants]

Allistair Moffat's The Highland Clans might be worth a look. His Border Reiver book was pretty good.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

Allistair Moffat's The Highland Clans might be worth a look. His Border Reiver book was pretty good.

Now on order from library. Thank you.

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Now on order from library. Thank you.

When you made your initial post I was looking for material on the Borders and Moffat's book on the reivers was up on Amazon under 'people who purchased this book also bought' for Steel Bonnets. I clicked on that (which I already own) and the highland clans book came up under the same field on that page. I hadn't thought to order it from the library at the time, but when you mentioned you had done so I gave it a try in our local system. Strangely, I already had it on hold from an earlier search I had done for this project. It is a small world...

His The Reivers was useful in a pop history/survey sort of way and reinforced MacDonald Fraser and some of the other reiver material I had read. If the clans book is similar and just a bit better it would be really great.

[macphersonrants]

I got the Moffat book today and was a little disappointed. It looks to be a reasonable read and it has lots of nice illustrations like a small coffee table book. What it definitely is not is a MacDonald Fraser style treatment of Highland culture. I was hoping for something like that because his reiver book is like that- a systematic approach to the various aspects of Border culture very useful to a gamer. This book looks okay, but definitely isn't that.

[Sir Tifyable]

Originally Posted by macphersonrants

Elizabeth I is simply too central to renaissance Britain...

I have toyed with something more radically alternate... making military embroilment in Europe likely to take on greater prominence.

Suggestions are welcome.

How about a plot which keeps Elizabeth in place, but makes her more inclined to European involvement? First thing that comes to mind is that an ambassador (of suitable rank, of course: a Spanish Prince or whatever) brings along a sorcerer who successfully casts a love spell on her/slips her a love potion, and she's very close to casting away her Virgin Queen status and the whole Protestant religion to be with him when she's saved by some Court Magician (possibly Dee, possibly someone else, mayhap e'en a PC).

Rather narked at this plot, Gloriana wants revenge...

Remember that the example of Mary proves that she can overcome her natural reluctance to take action that might upset people when confronted by sufficient evidence of plotting.

[macphersonrants]

Originally Posted by Sir Tifyable

How about a plot which keeps Elizabeth in place, but makes her more inclined to European involvement? First thing that comes to mind is that an ambassador (of suitable rank, of course: a Spanish Prince or whatever) brings along a sorcerer who successfully casts a love spell on her/slips her a love potion, and she's very close to casting away her Virgin Queen status and the whole Protestant religion to be with him when she's saved by some Court Magician (possibly Dee, possibly someone else, mayhap e'en a PC).

Rather narked at this plot, Gloriana wants revenge...

Remember that the example of Mary proves that she can overcome her natural reluctance to take action that might upset people when confronted by sufficient evidence of plotting.

You might just shuffle around the leadership of expedition to the Netherlands or make Dudley a cunning military commander. Success against the Spanish might have been reinforced. Perhaps a courtier in favor might have been allowed to assume leadership of the Dutch when offered.