Roleplaying games from historical research
A quick bonus episode: a story from Lord Dunsany to celebrate Halloween. There are no plot hooks here, but I love this shaggy dog story, and it’s a perfect little Mystery Cult. Happy Hallowe’en! *** In the Hall of the Ancient Company of Milkmen round the great fireplace at the end, when the winter logs…
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This chapter is mostly worthless: what a disappointment. Hunt does mention some places that need fleshed out for a gazeteer. The places are: Sacrificing Rock at Carn Brae Main (or Men) Rock in Constantine The altar rocks in Treen and Rokestall The Garrick Zans (“Holy Rock”) in Ecols – a local family is cursed, after…
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Nozick’s Utility Monster is a thought experiment designed to poke a hole in the worldview of utilitarians, but it is adaptable to roleplaying games. As is becoming customary for these posts based on philosophy, I need to begin by oversimplifying a basic concept. Let’s talk about utility and cake. Imagine there is a cake. How…
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The oldest variety of biscuit in Britain appears in the historical record just after the game start date. The Aberffraw biscuit comes from Anglesey, that hothouse of Druidic magic, so what uses can it be put to in Ars Magica campaigns. This biscuit was developed near the town which bears its name. In 1220, Aberffraw was the capital of one of the Welsh kingdoms. It is said that the queen was walking on the shore and found a scallop shell. The king ordered biscuits to be made that had the shape of…
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The Adventures of Captain Shard are three interlinked stories by Lord Dunsany. They are so hugely long that I hope you’ll accept them as a PDF, rather than a more conventional post. Thank you again to all of my supporters who have made the podcast possible. Thanks to the Patreons, and the reviewers.
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When researching a new work, you collect bits of trivia until eventually they click into a structure. I think this chapter is the one which draws Hunt’s work together for roleplayers. I can’t detail it here, more research is required, but this is the chapter about Lyonesse, and for us, Lyonesse is the low hanging…
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1228 The magi of Qus have discovered a type of mite which eat vis. They were swarming about a mummy they uncovered in a freshly opened tomb. I am carrying samples of the magicophages to the magi of Alexandria. *** 1229 Andrea of Bonisagus notes that the triops mites have several fascinating properties. She first…
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As I was watching older seasons of the Great British Bake Off, I learned of a custom I hope magi emulate: the sending of funereal biscuits. We know little of the funerals of magi. Tremere practice cremation, then pour your ashes into a hole that leads to Twilight. Criamon magi sometimes kill themselves, or fade…
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Let us continue the conceit that the works of Lord Dunsany are the reminiscences of a retired redcap. This time, we have a queen, a quest for her hand, a hero, his servant, and a monster. What could better suit our purpose? My comments are in blue. Apologies for formatting errors: I need to change my work processes to stop this happening again. *** Sylvia, Queen of the Woods, in her woodland palace, held court, and made a mockery of her suitors. She would sing to them, she said, she would give them banquets,…
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Games From Folktales 