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Dark Ages
CY 725
Scope
The motivation behind building Dark Ages
Dark Ages was inspired by a belief that a "real world" setting could better contain the wealth of classes, races, and monsters one typically encounters in a D&D setting. Instead of having such creatures and classes in every land and every clime, wouldn't it be interesting to have each monster, race, character class in its "natural" home? Halflings to be found in the pleasant hills of Albion, dwarves in the mountainous heights of the Scandinavian peninsula, paladins as the chosen knights of Charlemagne or King Arthur? Mummies could be found in Egypt or the Near East, wights in Germanic barrows, the grugach or wild elves in the highlands of Caledonia.
From a design standpoint, Dark Ages is more or less pure 1st edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. The most immediate inspiration for the world's content were drawn from the legendary Greyhawk campaign by Gary Gygax and the less epic but equally memorable Old World of 1st edition Warhammer RPG. Some of the gods and principle characters are here included, but they have a Dark Ages slant.
In designing Dark Ages, my goal was to have a "real world" fantasy setting, but I was interested in basing that setting around a time or period about which few facts were known and few substantial histories written. So I chose the early 8th century, a time after the dust had settled on post-Roman Britain and the migrations of the great pagan tribes (Huns, Goths, Angles and Saxons, etc.) had already occurred. The time was doubly fortuitous in that it preceded the Viking era, and the age of Charlemagne. I wanted a few facts about the time to be readily available to those players eager enough to research them but open enough that players would not feel constrained by the "inevitability" of history.
Indeed, such inevitability was exactly what I wanted to avoid. Part of my goal is to see what could happen in a parallel fantasy-driven version of our own world when the players began to interact with it. But I was also eager to create a world that was both full of realistic cultural detail yet devoid of those prejudices that have shaped our own world. In Dark Ages, women can pursue adventuring careers just as men can. There is a natural distrust, but not a racially motivated antipathy, between the followers of Amon, Lord of Light, in the West and the disciples of Al' Akbar in the East. Political rivalry, even hostility, does not prevent commercial and cultural interchange. The trade ships of the Caliph can be found in every western port of any size, and the merchants care for only two colors-silver and gold.
Thus Dark Ages is a more tolerant fantasy version of our common past. Such tolerance does not make life in the world any less deadly. But the monsters are of a sort that true heroes can vanquish-ettins and ogres and trolls, vile sorcerers, and evil priests-not those monsters embedded in the human heart.
The goal of the project
Dark Ages will be seen, no doubt, as part of the Old School Revival. The truth is that there is nothing really to revive. I have been running campaigns using the 1st edition AD&D system for well over 40 years and I've never left it. I have incorporated, or so I hope, some of the better ideas in later editions. But the feel of the whole campaign is, for lack of a better term, Gygaxian.
The D&D system has changed so much over those years that it would be foolish to expect anyone to be really conversant with the rules. When we meet in person, rulebooks are provided. There are online versions of the same readily available from a number of sources. For that reason, those who join the campaign begin with new, 1st-level characters. They learn the rules from playing. The only difference between the rules of our table and the 1st edition is that we use progressive armor classes and a base attack bonus (BAB) that is a direct reflection of the combat tables found in the DMG.
Just as I play by the rules of 1st edition, most of my outlook has been changed by classic adventure module design. I do not play with an overarching story in mind (although if players decide to retire for weeks, months, or even years, the world does go on), but rather with the idea of situations that present challenges players can address with their skills and wits. There is no "narrative arc" dependent on the presence of any individual player, and within the game, each player is afforded the maximum freedom to act that the game allows. No alignments are forbidden, and players are free to act as they feel their characters would-within, of course, the limits of decorum and good taste.
Because the campaigns run in Dark Ages are not dependent on any PC, death is an ever-present possibility. Encounters are not especially designed for survivability. In some cases, PCs may find that negotiation, even avoidance or flight, are better choices than direct engagement and fighting. Players may survive encounters with large bandit forces lighter or purse, but still alive. Once they have gained more experience, they may be able to turn the tables on their early adversaries.
Knowledge is perhaps the most valuable commodity players can find when preparing for an adventure in the Dark Ages setting. Such knowledge can be gained by talking with the right NPCs, perhaps crossing a few palms with silver, but it is available. I hope to cultivate a style of play that encourages thinking and creativity over excessive combat, but also encourages players to know when to fight-and fight hard.
In short, my goal is not to "revive" an "old school" way of playing, but to foster an "ideal" of play using the 1st edition rules. All are welcome to enjoy!
Dark Ages's Unique Selling point
What makes Dark Ages unique is the richness and specificity of its cultural heritage. In some ways, it might be considered unnecessary to include orcs and halflings and elves as the world itself is full of Saxons and Mercians, Cymbrians and Danes, Franks, Lombards, Burgundians, not to mention the diverse population of the lands of Araby. Because the real world is so diverse, even a Cymbrian of Gwent traveling to the neighboring Kingdom of Wessex will encounter customs as different as, say, an elf visiting a dwarfish hold.
Nonetheless, there are orcs and halflings and elves in the world of Dark Ages. And that is another unique aspect of the world. Most fantasy campaigns with a "real world" inspiration attempt to recreate the feel of the original mythologies that inspire the setting-kobolds or dwarves are more the sort one would find in Germanic or Scandinavian folklore than in a roleplaying game. In the case of Dark Ages, however, I have endeavored to create a "real-world setting" that is still recognizably D&D. One can encounter the Holds of the Dwarf League in the Isle of Albion. The forests of the Myrkwood on Ereba are home to scattered bands of elves, clans of goblins, and occasionally sleeping dragons. The mountains of the Skanni Kingdoms are infested with ogres, giants, trolls, and worse. The world is recognizably "real," but the inhabitants are recognizably fantasy.
Finally, not every corner of the world is already inhabited with high-level NPCs "hiring" the party and then asking them to move on when they have accomplished their tasks. Kingdoms are available for the taking, and the PCs can then become the movers of the world.
Theme
Genre
Dark Ages is a campaign setting compatible with many different fantasy roleplaying systems. It combines historical, dark, and low fantasy with select elements of epic fantasy and swords and sorcery. It is set in a fantasy version of 8th-century Earth that includes elves, dwarves, goblins, and other mythical races from literature and legend. But it differs from other mythical approaches to real world settings in that the monsters and fantastic races contained herein have retained their classic rpg character; their lairs and domains are located in the world. Thus, the Pictish kingdoms can attempt to ally with the dwarves in fighting off the incursions of Dal Riada, while invading Avar tribesmen can make common cause with the hobgoblins of the Carpathian Mountains when attempting to fall upon the vulnerable former imperial provinces to the west.
The landmasses on the maps will be familiar to most players. The map included here is obviously one of Europe, called Ereba. To the north is the Scandinavian peninsula, here called the lands of the Skanni. To the west are the two large islands of Britain and Ireland, called Albion and Eriu respectively. Inspired by medieval Europe, the religion of Ereba is one we might call a structured, moral pantheism. The greatest of the gods, Amon, is honored throughout the "civilized" portions of this land as the Lord of Light and Fountain of Righteousness. The Church centers around the worship of Amon, but includes some allied gods like Twrog the Wanderer, Nienna of the Meadows, and Sulis of the Springs, as well as a number of widely revered saints like Cadoc, Columbar, Cuthbert, and Illtyd, all with powers of lesser gods. There are numberous local saints as well, with the powers of demigods. These gods are held together by the power of Amon, sharing his commitment to weal, dedicated to making the world a place that promotes the happiness of the creatures who dwell therein.
Working against the gods of weal are the gods of evil, those beings who manifest in certain primal powers and demand appeasement rather than the moral behavior of their worshippers. These are gods of plague, vengeance, madness, war, and death. They expect their worshippers to either sacrifice to them to avert their wrath, or to embody the powers they themselves command. They are not named here for to even utter their name is to invite destruction.
Character classes are archetypal but with a historical feel, including traditional classes like fighter, cleric, and magic-user, but with other classes specific to the Dark Ages setting like bard, berserker, and scout. Specific abilities and skills depend on the character's background-Saxons are strong foot soldiers, for instance, while Franks are fair horsemen. The berserker class is limited to those of Skanni and Saxon background (the Saxons having some vestiges of paganism still), while the bard class is strongly connected to Gallic ancestry.
Unlike many fantasy settings, Dark Ages does not feature world mobility-campaigns are localized to particular areas. This is not to say that PCs cannot travel to other lands-but it does mean that an adventuring party consisting of a Cymbrian Scout, a Magic-User from Araby, a Frankish Fighter, a Skanni Berserker, and a Thief from Byzantios is not likely to be assembled. Rather, adventuring parties are confined to those classes and backgrounds specific to the area of the campaign. Characters are predominately human, though demihuman characters are possible. Most commonly, demihuman characters will be halflings, with dwarves being uncommon while gnomes and elves are exceedingly rare.
The landmasses on the maps will be familiar to most players. The map included here is obviously one of Europe, called Ereba. To the north is the Scandinavian peninsula, here called the lands of the Skanni. To the west are the two large islands of Britain and Ireland, called Albion and Eriu respectively. Inspired by medieval Europe, the religion of Ereba is one we might call a structured, moral pantheism. The greatest of the gods, Amon, is honored throughout the "civilized" portions of this land as the Lord of Light and Fountain of Righteousness. The Church centers around the worship of Amon, but includes some allied gods like Twrog the Wanderer, Nienna of the Meadows, and Sulis of the Springs, as well as a number of widely revered saints like Cadoc, Columbar, Cuthbert, and Illtyd, all with powers of lesser gods. There are numberous local saints as well, with the powers of demigods. These gods are held together by the power of Amon, sharing his commitment to weal, dedicated to making the world a place that promotes the happiness of the creatures who dwell therein.
Working against the gods of weal are the gods of evil, those beings who manifest in certain primal powers and demand appeasement rather than the moral behavior of their worshippers. These are gods of plague, vengeance, madness, war, and death. They expect their worshippers to either sacrifice to them to avert their wrath, or to embody the powers they themselves command. They are not named here for to even utter their name is to invite destruction.
Character classes are archetypal but with a historical feel, including traditional classes like fighter, cleric, and magic-user, but with other classes specific to the Dark Ages setting like bard, berserker, and scout. Specific abilities and skills depend on the character's background-Saxons are strong foot soldiers, for instance, while Franks are fair horsemen. The berserker class is limited to those of Skanni and Saxon background (the Saxons having some vestiges of paganism still), while the bard class is strongly connected to Gallic ancestry.
Unlike many fantasy settings, Dark Ages does not feature world mobility-campaigns are localized to particular areas. This is not to say that PCs cannot travel to other lands-but it does mean that an adventuring party consisting of a Cymbrian Scout, a Magic-User from Araby, a Frankish Fighter, a Skanni Berserker, and a Thief from Byzantios is not likely to be assembled. Rather, adventuring parties are confined to those classes and backgrounds specific to the area of the campaign. Characters are predominately human, though demihuman characters are possible. Most commonly, demihuman characters will be halflings, with dwarves being uncommon while gnomes and elves are exceedingly rare.
The feel of Dark Ages, in other words, is more evocative of the sword-and-sorcery tales by Robert E. Howard or Fritz Leiber than it is of the sort of high-magic superheroism that is the legacy of the Marvel universe and the computer game industry. Low-level technology exists side-by-side crowded, rough-hewn cities and the ruins of ancient civilizations powered by a magic undreamed of in the present.
Reader Experience
Players entering Dark Ages will experience a world of rough barbaric order. Communities of lawful bent, however rude in shape, are clustered together amidst a wilderness of danger and chaos. Great civilizations and cities still exist, but they are few and only shadows of what they once were. An aura of mystery hangs over the past. Knowledge can only really be gained by exploration and adventure.
This is a low-magic world. Wizards are not uncommon, but truly powerful spellcasters are exceptionally rare. The population is, in general, healthier and more affluent than people in the historical Dark Ages, due in no small part to magic. There are no "magic shops" or powerful items for sale; those who crave magic must find it through exploration and often take it by force.
Reader Tone
As its name would imply, the world can be a dark one. Most people work hard to live, huddle together in the winters to fend off the cold, and enjoy only the simplest of pleasures. Even the greatest of cities, although they have their plazas and fountains and gardens, are surrounded by dilapidated buildings and oppressive alleyways. Great lords ensure the loyalty of their followers by building warm halls lit by hearth fires and filled with the sounds of the harpers and the clanking of mead cups. Those who keep good taverns are regarded as princes in their towns and farmers are eager to entertain visitors with the best boards they can produce.
Recurring Themes
The three most common motifs one will find in a Dark Ages adventure are:
- The discovery of lost or forgotten magic
- The threat of savagery from the denizens of the uncivilized world
- The secret practice of forbidden rituals
Character Agency
Although Dark Ages is a world steeped in local traditions and lawful communities, powerful PCs can have a deep impact on it. There is nothing preventing industrious and powerful players from carving out their own kingdoms-should they wish to take time away from adventuring to do so!
Players are welcome to bring their own knowledge of history to the campaign, but they should bear in mind two important differences between the Dark Ages setting and the real world setting on which it is based. First is that the Dark Ages setting is replete with fantastic elements, including magic, monsters, and fabulous treasures; some of the characters may be the same as those that can be found in history textbooks, but they dwell in a world very different from ours. Second is that the actions of the players have a real impact on events in the world-PCs may interact with such NPCs as Charles Martel, King Aethelbald of Mercia, the Emperor Leo the Isaurian, or the Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. In interacting with these NPCs, the players may find themselves in a position to alter history as we know it.
Drama
The Cymbrian Kingdoms have been torn apart by civil war, as the Dragon Queen of Gwynedd seeks to bring all under her control. Many have flocked to her banners because she offers them a fantasy of Cymbrian independence and power.
The Pictish Kingdom is at war with the Kingdom of Dalriada. The latter is believed to be employing humanoid mercenaries, just as it buys slaves from the humanoid clans. The Dwarf League is about to intervene in this conflict, sending its armies against the humanoids both for revenge for the slaughter of the dwarfs at Gleann Comhann and for the recovery of the lost dwarf hold under Bidean nam Beann.