Ancient Stones. Setting for Legend RPG

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

I seriously recommend that you read Bernard Cornwell's 'Stonehenge'.

Good recommendation! Bernard Cornwell is one of my favorite authors....

Based on your recommendations, I have bought this book also. I noticed that Amazon only gave it 3.5 stars, but $10 of my hard earned money was spent based on your recommendations...

[Loz]

Based on your recommendations, I have bought this book also. I noticed that Amazon only gave it 3.5 stars, but $10 of my hard earned money was spent based on your recommendations...

Cornwell can be relied upon for excellent storytelling, memorable characters and impeccable historical research. All reviews are relative and subjective. If this novel didn't have a lot to recommend it, and be absolutely applicable to the OP's campaign, I wouldn't have made mention of it. I re-read it myself a few months ago and thoroughly enjoyed it (again).

I do hope you enjoy it too, irrespective of Amazon's rating.

[Rikki Tikki Traveller]

Thanks Loz,

I have never read any of his stuff, so I am very interested in it.

Sorry if the post came across a bit snarky, I was just having some fun. I could care less what Amazon rates the book, I have found their reviews to be a very mixed bag. There are some that got low reviews that I LOVED and some that got 5 stars that I couldn't even finish.

I look forward to discovering a new writer!

[Prime_Evil]

Thanks Loz,

I have never read any of his stuff, so I am very interested in it.

Sorry if the post came across a bit snarky, I was just having some fun. I could care less what Amazon rates the book, I have found their reviews to be a very mixed bag. There are some that got low reviews that I LOVED and some that got 5 stars that I couldn't even finish.

I look forward to discovering a new writer!

I liked Stonehenge, but my favorite books by Cornwell are his Grail Quest series - starting with the outstanding Harlequin. This novel provides an unflinching look at medieval warfare from the perspective of a common archer. Set during the fourteenth century, it follows the progress of the Hundred Years War up to the Battle of Crecy. It's gripping stuff and contains a number of elements that can easily be used in a game of Legend with a medieval flavour. There are some supernatural elements in this book, but they remain in the background for the most part. Bernard Cornwell later returned to the same era with his novel about the Battle of Agincourt, but this work wasn't nearly as successful in my opinion.

As King Alfred the Great is a personal hero of mine, I also rather enjoyed his Saxon novels covering the period of Alfred's life.

[Loz]

Thanks Loz,

I have never read any of his stuff, so I am very interested in it.

Sorry if the post came across a bit snarky, I was just having some fun. I could care less what Amazon rates the book, I have found their reviews to be a very mixed bag. There are some that got low reviews that I LOVED and some that got 5 stars that I couldn't even finish.

I look forward to discovering a new writer!

No problem. And, if you like Stonehenge, do, as Prime-Evil suggests, look at the Grailquest books. But I'd also highly recommend the Warlord Chronicles too, which are, IMHO, his very best stories, dealing with a Arthur in a very different and gritty way to the usual romantic view. Superb works.

[Bifford]

As you have probably worked out I have used some of what I've read of the book so far (I'm up to chapter 4) in my tale. Specifically the giant wooden posts used in ovals for a tribe's holy place, and single posts on a mound as a focus point.

er, actually that is about it so far lol....but more will come to me as I read no doubt.

Any comments on the Legend game so far anyone?


Sam

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

Thanks Loz,

I have never read any of his stuff, so I am very interested in it.

Sorry if the post came across a bit snarky, I was just having some fun. I could care less what Amazon rates the book, I have found their reviews to be a very mixed bag. There are some that got low reviews that I LOVED and some that got 5 stars that I couldn't even finish.

I look forward to discovering a new writer!

No problem. And, if you like Stonehenge, do, as Prime-Evil suggests, look at the Grailquest books. But I'd also highly recommend the Warlord Chronicles too, which are, IMHO, his very best stories, dealing with a Arthur in a very different and gritty way to the usual romantic view. Superb works.

I'd second that. His current Anglo-Saxon series is very good too.

[Bifford]

Last tuesday had to be missed due to my daughter being ill, but this Tuesday (just gone) went well with a totally non-combat session (there would have been some if the players hadn't totally fallen for the bad guy NPC's diversionary tactics.... but more on that in the write up).

Anyway, I shall get the write-up done sometime this weekend.

For now I wanted to say that thanks to the Avvenuci thread I've been to RPOL, joined, and set up a game of Ancient Stones.

Now I do plan to start things identically to the above session report so i'm hoping that any of you who join the game will "Golden rule" things and take no notice of what you read there. naturally as my RL players game progresses it will no doubt take a different route to the PBF version!!

The game is under Legend: Ancient Stones (what else would it be under lol) and go to the "Players Wanted" forum to find it

Sam / Bifford

[Prime_Evil]

Just a quick thought - if you want some ideas for a game that features megalithic monuments with strange powers, you could do a lot worse than track down the old 1970's British TV series Children of the Stones.

I remember seeing it as a child and thinking that it was one of the most frightening things that I'd ever seen - it gave me nightmares for weeks! (I distinctly remember thinking how much more scary it was than Ridley Scott's Alien).

Somebody has posted the opening of the first episode up on YouTube if you want to check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLpcr7KTi9I&hd=1

Judging from this sample, the show looks like stands up fairly well. From memory, the atmosphere becomes increasingly creepy as the story progresses. It's a bit strange seeing a young Gareth Thomas from the days before Blake's 7 though

[Bifford]

Most interesting!

Considering I live but 20 minutes from Avebury.... will aim to get this sometime Thanks

[Prime_Evil]

Considering I live but 20 minutes from Avebury.... will aim to get this sometime Thanks

You're lucky - you're right in the middle of the Wessex superhenge region

[Bifford]

Considering I live but 20 minutes from Avebury.... will aim to get this sometime Thanks

You're lucky - you're right in the middle of the Wessex superhenge region

What do you think inspired my Legend setting? LOL.

[Prime_Evil]

What do you think inspired my Legend setting? LOL.

I still remember the Legend of the Standing Stones of Oi from the Goodies...

Apparently if you stand naked in the middle of the circle at dawn on midsummer's morning, a strange oi man armed with a shotgun will appear and say "Oi! What's your game then?"

[Bifford]

It's been a while since I posted to my own thread!

My game on RPOL is going well, with a three player version of the original F2F game running. It's now time to bring in a new scenario for a new group of people.

Over on RPG Geek we are gearing up for the 2014 PbF Newbie Initiative, which is open to anyone who has never played by forum ON THE GEEK before. Doesn't matter if you've played RPGs anywhere else, as long as you've not really done so on the Geek.

And so I'm going to run a mini-scenario I've thought up based in the same Ancient Stones setting as the previous/current game. The aim is to keep the game to 3 or 4 months. Here's my pitch:


Legend: Ancient Stones
Ancient Wiltshire's Horse Tribes needs Legendary help.



"What history there is lies in carvings. In stone, in wood, in the earth itself, in some cases. Ours is an insular culture where oral histories and religions take precedence.

We praise the Gods of the stream, of the trees, that rock over there. We call on the deities of the Eagles, of the otters, the bears and the salmon for help and guidance. We revere nature in all of its forms and thank them for their bountiful harvest and for allowing us to feed off of them.

The Nomad Horse-Breeders roam the Wiltshire country, but have the sacred area of Avebury, Silbury, Kennet and Woodhenge as their main grounds. Recently they have become insular, more paranoid, and traders have noticed a marked drop in their herd numbers.

The God, Hors (pronounced Horse) is troubled by his herds depletion and the growing strength of certain other darker cults.

As believers in the God Hors, or members of the Hors Cult you have been asked by your Elder to find the Nomads and see if you can help in any way."



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Legend: Ancient Stones is my own homebrew setting wrapped around the Legend ruleset.

You don't need anything to join my game, however if you wish to buy the core rulebook then Legend is still available on DrivethruRPG for just $1 / 61pence : http://goo.gl/Lq7t3u

Ancient Stones is set in ancient Wiltshire in a time where both Divine and personal job-based magic is available and cults both good and bad abound. Take the Apache Indians way of living and praising the Gods and combine with other cultures such as the ancient Britains and you get the idea behind my culture.

I am after between 3 and 5 players to join my game and play in the wondrous world that is pre-historic Britain (but with a magical twist).

I will generate characters for you based on your wishes and thoughts for a character, though if you have the core rulebook I am happy to hand-hold you through the process.

This game will NOT include massive amounts of fighting, though any there is can be brutal and life-changing. It WILL use your intellect, cunning, writing skills and imagination! I would appreciate posts every couple of days, but am not looking for works of art here: your posts do not have to rival Shakespeare or Dante, but must help forward the story!

The Legend system is a fairly simple D100 (percentile) based system and I shall be happy to teach you everything you need to know as we play. I look forward to meeting you in my version of history!

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So, what do you guys think? I won't reveal my plans for the players in case any of you fancy popping over and playing! http://rpggeek.com/geeklist/169513/item ... tem3070015 Unless you want me to that is!!