CruelDespot
01-17-2010, 11:38 AM
I recently came across this book, which is a recent translation of a German book written in 1876, titled "Ein Kampf um Rom."
It is a romantic adventure story set in the 6th century in Italy, about the war between the Ostrogoths and the Byzantine Empire.
The spirit and style of the book are very much in the vein of the Arthurian stories. I just started the book, but as I am reading it, I can't help putting everything in the book in terms of Pendragon rules.
For example:
"During such times people become soft and pious. They forget what is here on earth, and instead they seek something beyond this life and beyond death. I cannot do that, and I believe that many among us, including you here, cannot do it either. I love the earth, the mountains, the forest, the meadow, and the bubbling stream. I love the life here on this earth with its fierce hatreds and enduring love, with its violent anger and silent pride. Of the airy life hereafter up in the clouds, about which the Christian priests teach us, I know nothing and I want no part of it."
Translation: Worldly trait 16+
"What is it that burns under this white beard, that gives me courage and purpose to drive me out on a wild night like this, like a young man? I'll tell you what it is. It is that deep urge which is for ever in our blood, the pull towards my and our people. It is a mighty and enduring love to everything that is Gothic, to all those who speak the beautiful tongue of my parents and who live and feel as I do. It alone remains, this love of my people, like a fire which goes on burning in my heart long after no other glow is left."
Translation: Passion of Love (Goths)
Here is that passion in use:
"And then an envoy came to us from the Emperor, offering us our lives, freedom, bread, wine, and meat with only one condition. We were to be scattered in groups of four throughout the Roman Empire. We were never again to wed a Gothic woman. We were never again to teach our children the Gothic language or Gothic customs. Even the very name and character of us Goths were to vanish, and we were to become Romans. When he heard that, our King leapt to his feet and called us together. In an unforgettable passionate speech he put the enemy proposal to us, and then he asked us to choose. Would we rather give up the language, customs, and traditions of our people, or would we rather die with him? And his words swept through the hundreds, the thousands, and the hundreds of thousands, like a forest fire through dry twigs. A great cry arose from those fine men, like a roaring sea, and with swords flashing they stormed that pass! The enemy were swept away as if they had never been there, and we were victorious and free."
Translation: +10 bonus from Passion of Love (Goths)
How could one use this book for Pendragon? I see two ways:
#1, as an alternate setting. One could run a campaign set entirely in Italy, with the story of Goths vs Byzantines instead of Celts vs Saxons. Maybe you have already played the GPC, and want a new story.
#2, One could modify the GPC to incorporate the Goths vs Byzantines. The war in "The Struggle for Rome" takes from 526 to 553AD. The Expedition against Rome in GPC takes place in 526-527. Either characters could stay behind in (or be sent back to) Italy to defend Arthur's new title of Emperor of the W. Roman Empire against an invasion from the E. Roman Empire, or you could change the timeline of the GPC, so that Arthur doesn't conduct his continental campaign until later. Instead of answering the demand for tribute from a fictional Western Roman emperor, perhaps he sets forth to assist the Ostrogoths in defending Rome against the Byzantines. This would allow for an epic clash of titans with Arthur vs Belisarius.
At any rate, even if you don't use it in your campaign, you may enjoy reading it if you like Arthurian-style heroic epics.
It is a romantic adventure story set in the 6th century in Italy, about the war between the Ostrogoths and the Byzantine Empire.
The spirit and style of the book are very much in the vein of the Arthurian stories. I just started the book, but as I am reading it, I can't help putting everything in the book in terms of Pendragon rules.
For example:
"During such times people become soft and pious. They forget what is here on earth, and instead they seek something beyond this life and beyond death. I cannot do that, and I believe that many among us, including you here, cannot do it either. I love the earth, the mountains, the forest, the meadow, and the bubbling stream. I love the life here on this earth with its fierce hatreds and enduring love, with its violent anger and silent pride. Of the airy life hereafter up in the clouds, about which the Christian priests teach us, I know nothing and I want no part of it."
Translation: Worldly trait 16+
"What is it that burns under this white beard, that gives me courage and purpose to drive me out on a wild night like this, like a young man? I'll tell you what it is. It is that deep urge which is for ever in our blood, the pull towards my and our people. It is a mighty and enduring love to everything that is Gothic, to all those who speak the beautiful tongue of my parents and who live and feel as I do. It alone remains, this love of my people, like a fire which goes on burning in my heart long after no other glow is left."
Translation: Passion of Love (Goths)
Here is that passion in use:
"And then an envoy came to us from the Emperor, offering us our lives, freedom, bread, wine, and meat with only one condition. We were to be scattered in groups of four throughout the Roman Empire. We were never again to wed a Gothic woman. We were never again to teach our children the Gothic language or Gothic customs. Even the very name and character of us Goths were to vanish, and we were to become Romans. When he heard that, our King leapt to his feet and called us together. In an unforgettable passionate speech he put the enemy proposal to us, and then he asked us to choose. Would we rather give up the language, customs, and traditions of our people, or would we rather die with him? And his words swept through the hundreds, the thousands, and the hundreds of thousands, like a forest fire through dry twigs. A great cry arose from those fine men, like a roaring sea, and with swords flashing they stormed that pass! The enemy were swept away as if they had never been there, and we were victorious and free."
Translation: +10 bonus from Passion of Love (Goths)
How could one use this book for Pendragon? I see two ways:
#1, as an alternate setting. One could run a campaign set entirely in Italy, with the story of Goths vs Byzantines instead of Celts vs Saxons. Maybe you have already played the GPC, and want a new story.
#2, One could modify the GPC to incorporate the Goths vs Byzantines. The war in "The Struggle for Rome" takes from 526 to 553AD. The Expedition against Rome in GPC takes place in 526-527. Either characters could stay behind in (or be sent back to) Italy to defend Arthur's new title of Emperor of the W. Roman Empire against an invasion from the E. Roman Empire, or you could change the timeline of the GPC, so that Arthur doesn't conduct his continental campaign until later. Instead of answering the demand for tribute from a fictional Western Roman emperor, perhaps he sets forth to assist the Ostrogoths in defending Rome against the Byzantines. This would allow for an epic clash of titans with Arthur vs Belisarius.
At any rate, even if you don't use it in your campaign, you may enjoy reading it if you like Arthurian-style heroic epics.