Jerusalem is easy to find, go to where the men speak Italian, then continue until they speak something else.
Some of you may remember the thread over on odd74 http://odd74.proboards.com/thread/8424/ ... e-crusades that I began about running a semi-historical campaign set in this time period. Tho' that thread meandered into "less than useful" territory, some of the suggestions were helpful.
I also have been talking with Ways about some new character classes that fit the milieu a little better (e.g. no elves, dwarves, or halflings so I want to add some more options other than human fighter, cleric, mage, or thief).
Left to right: Godfrey, Tancred, Raymond, Bohemund. Bonus points to anyone who can figure out where Tancred's horse is.
Plus, I just watched Kingdom of Heaven last night
and it energized me toward wrapping up my prep and getting the game in motion. I figure the more I talk about it with other folks, the more it will force me to make it happen.
No helmet means lots of critical hit chances!
The game would be a sandbox environment so the party would be free to pursue any endeavor. Conflict with the Saracens to the north or south, protecting pilgrims from Europe, trade with Cathay, exploring old ruins from Roman, Jewish, or Arab times, recovering relics of the Faith, fighting monsters and abominations of an earlier Age, or being typical D&D murder hobos, everything's on the table. I will warn you that there will be consequences for certain actions undertaken. The Jews are weak and the Saracens are disorganized but neither are powerless.
The only thing I will say is that I'm not interested in pursuing any angles involving religious strife, slavery, or wanton harm done to innocents like women and children. Yes, the Christians slaughtered a lot of Jews and Muslims. That's not what this campaign is about. I'll be perfectly frank with you about it: I'm ignoring that aspect of the history. If you have a problem with that, this is not the campaign for you.
You're the good guys... err, girls.... uh, you get the idea.
I haven't chosen the exact date for when the campaign will begin but it will be during a time when the Saracen opposition to the Latin Kingdoms was disorganized, there was a lot of trade between Saracens and Christians, and in some cases, factions of Saracens allied with the Christians in order to defeat other Saracen factions. I like the concept of shifting alliances, versus the later times when Saladin united the Saracen forces and ejected the Christians from Jerusalem.
Anyway, who's up for it? If there's a lot of interest, I'll accelerate my prep timeline.
Posting rate should be a little faster than Hinterlands but not too much. Twice or three times a week at best.
