style of slaine games

[toothill man]

was just wondering how others play there campains I tend to do dark and there is much play on the goddess angle sometimes a mother other times a scheming lover.Humor is of the locker room and gallows type with insults flying and thats just within the pc party.was wondering how others play it.

 

[Ravelli]

It sounds like you run the sort of game I'd like to play in, toothill. Wait a minute - I am playing in one of your games! :? No, I mean it'd be great to play with you at the same table. The tyranny of distance ...

I tend to run pretty dark games, too; livened up with the same sorts of humour you favour. Between trusted companions (ie other players, close NPCs) there are a fair number of good natured insults traded, along the lines of Slaine and Ukko's relationship.

However, I really play up the deadly earnest of a true insult directed at a stranger, rival or foe. "In Slaine's time insults were valued like swords" and wounded honour stings as much as wounded flesh. The PC's really get into crafting great Slaine-worthy taunts and I reward them with bonuses for particularly appropriate ones. The straight Charisma plus BAB taunt check is a little too random for my liking, so the bonuses help out there.

The players really love unsettling a foe with words to gain a tactical advantage in combat or using them to gain the upper hand outside of it. However they're all aware how deadly a contest of taunts can become and hate when they end up maddened themselves. :twisted:

A bit of humour really is important, though. I like to populate the game with all sorts of oddball characters: outcasts, witches, druids, dwarves and the like. People removed from the tribal system to a degree, like Ukko, who can interact with a slightly different, almost more modern sensibility. They can help to highlight the darkly humorous absurdities of the age.

Sometimes campaigns are small, village-based affairs, dealing with cattle raids, local magical sites etc, other times focused on wanderers finding their way in the Land of the Young. As far as atmposphere goes, my favourite Slaine vibe is the gritty, "lower powered" early black and white days of Kincaid, Bellardinelli and McMahon where the focus tended to be on more "mortal" concerns.

There's still plenty of emphasis on the magical nature of the land and the closeness of the Goddess in my game but I haven't branched into the higher powered concepts with my players yet. No sign of the Cythrons and no "warrior through time" stuff for the moment. :wink:

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

I too like to delve in the darkness of the world and give it a very 13th Warrior/Conan feel if I was to use movie references. Heck maybe even a bit of Clan of the Cavebear feel. I also like to have the gods play roles within my games as they are pretty important for the time period.

I don't let the gods get too heavily involved but will make their presence known from time to time. through visions,dreams.....leaving signs what not. Also love to get that mass combat feel of muck and grime and blood. Taking from references of Braveheart,Rob Roy,Roman Polanski's Macbeth and even Excalibur.

Either way I draw from different mediums for the type of game I want to immerse(sp) my players in.

 

[toothill man]

the 13th warrior has been a main part of the way I play slaine too the feel of combat and horror. :twisted:

 

[Ravelli]

Very cool influences! I love all the movies you guys mentioned. I've only seen the 13th Warrior once, some time ago, but remember it had an intense atmosphere. Doesn't it have stone age primitives in caves and stuff at the end, too?

There's something about the almost stone age level in Slaine that gives everything a real immediacy and danger. Everything is so personal, yet so mythic - honour, status, magic, gods, battle, nature. It all feels very intense. You certainly can't go wrong with the mud, blood, horror and grime thing in Slaine. These guys are headhunters after all. :twisted:

Do you guys know of any other prehistoric/ stone age/ celtic-type movies that are any good?

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

Well let see some movies you can draw influence from are the following that I feel have some elements that are useful....

-Braveheart
-Rob Roy
-The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)Directed by Roman Polanski
-Warrior Queen (aka Boudica) (Masterpiece Theatre)
-The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986)
-Quest for Fire
-King Arthur: Directors Cut (2004)
-Excalibur(1981)
-The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984)
-Conan The Barbarian
-Conan The Destroyer
-Conan Tv Series
-Kull the Conqueror (1997)

These are just a few there are more but some work and other not so much but have elements that can be used to inspire a game. If anyone has others please post them.

 

[toothill man]

one of my favourite is the mini series robin of sherwood with a very dark doom laden celtic feel its sound track is also brilliant slaine mood music 8) will put my head togeather to think of some others

 

[Anvil]

See if you get your hands on a copy of 'Alfred the Great'. It's pretty old film & though it's not centered on Celts or Scots as such, it does have Vikings fighting Normans & some of the battle scenes are good.

David Hemmings is Alfred. Michael York is the Viking Chieftain and Ian Mckellan is one of the other guys as well. Theres also I character that looks abit like Slaine, but he's one of the Viking Warriors.

 

[toothill man]

another great film is the vikings got that on DVD and the feel and the music are awesome for slaine any one else got any other favourite movies

 

[toothill man]

anyone else got favourite tv or books that can be added to the list,come on dont be shy 8)

 

[toothill man]

intreasted so worth a bump

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

Some books.....

The People of the Sea
by David Thomson.

Basic Books. Imagine a place where "the people of the sea" are torn between land and their ocean kingdom. There's love, loss, rescue, return, and more... The legends of the selchies come to life with these colorful tales.

Irish Myths and Stories
by Benedict Flynn (Editor). Naxos Audiobooks Ltd.

Listen to the tales of heroes, gods and other cunning characters. This audiobook includes: "The Tale of Cu Chulainn," "The Children of Lir," and "The Tale of Finn Mac Cool."

Irish Myths & Legends
by Lady Gregory. Running Press Book Publishers.

This book starts with "The Gods," and goes through "The Coming of Tuantha de Danaan," "Lugh of the Long Hand," "The Coming of the Gael," "The Ever-Living Living Ones," "Huntings and Enchantments," and more.

Treasury of Irish Myth, Legend & Folklore
by William Butler Yeats. Random House.

This book brings together Yeats's collection of more than 60 Irish tales, "Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry," with Lady Gregory's work, "Cuchulain of Muirthemne."

Traditional Irish Fairy Tales
by James Stephens and Arthur Rakham (Illustrator). Dover.

Stephens collects "time-honored tales," including: "The Story of Tuan mac Cairill," "The Boyhood of Fionn," "The Birth of Bran," "Oisin's Mother," "The Enchanted Cave of Cesh Corran," and more.

Fairy and Folk Tales of Irish Peasantry
by William Butler Yeats (Editor).

From the publisher: "Treasury of 64 tales invites readers into the shadowy, twilight world of Celtic myth and legend. Mischievous fairy people, murderous giants, priests, devils, druidic spells and more. Stories include 'The Soul Cages,' 'The Kildare Pooka,' 'The Black Lamb,' 'The Horned Women,' 'The Phantom Isle,' 'King O'Toole and His Goose,' many more."

Irish Tales of Fairies & the Ghost World
by Jeremiah Curtin. Dover.

This book collects 30 stories of ghosts, wraiths, and more. Stories include "Tom Connors and the Dead Girl," "Maurice Griffin and the Fairy Doctor," "The Ghost of Sneem," "Tom Moore and the Seal Woman," "The Blood-Drawing Ghost," and more.

Murder Most Celtic: Tall Tales of Irish Mayheim
by Martin H. Greenberg. Cumberland House Publishing.

The stories collected in this anthology include: "A book of Kells," "Celtic Noir," "The Wearing of Green," "Stealing the Dark," "Murder in Kilcurry," and more.

Definately some idears and inspiration in some of these books. Just adding to the limitless possibilities for adventure in the Land of the Young!

 

[toothill man]

brilliant books anyone else got some fav source materials 8)

 

[Yogah of Yag]

The Ancient Celts, by Barry Cunliffe (Penguin, ISBN 0140254226)

 

[The King]

The Mythology of the British Islands
by Charles Squire
An introduction to Celtic Myth, Legend, Poetry and Roman

 

[toothill man]

beowulf is a must read for atmosphere alone it is untouchable 8)

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

Check this out then Tooth.....

http://www.beowulf-movie.com/

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

Here is a trailer for it as well...

http://www.beowulfandgrendel.com/trailer.html

 

[toothill man]

it looks good 8) shame they didnt do the dragon as well :evil:

 

[Daithi O'an tSionnaigh]

Yeah but still it looks promising, it seems it was to be released in 2005 but then I read somewhere else that had only recently been shown in Toronto Canada. Dunno I hope this makes it to DVD atleast would love to see it.