The Free Company Tavern & "OOC" Thread: Book VI

[Valdemar]

LD, I'd say read the intos to Phalanx settings, that should give you an idea of the tupe of Chars likely to turn up

Tigana, Song for Arbionne (which for some reason I cannot get beyong page 30 in) Sailing to Sarantium (which I have not yet read) and Al rassan all take place European like setting between medieval and Renesaince IIRC

If I am to venture guesses:

Tigana Ren. Italy
Al Rassan Spain in Reconquista
Sarantium, Byzantium
Arbonne, Provence, possibly the Cathars or earlier

But I'm digressing, I agree wiht Crusade, and suggst the thrid, since it will offer politics for those so inclined, alternatively, one of those with the established KofJ to offer court policies

V

 

[Valdemar]

Oh and ofc count me in

V

 

[Storey]

I would consider writing again. My take on the project is a clean slate of characters in a location we haven't been to yet. That leaves out North Africa, France, Italy, the Balkans, Cyprus. Have I missed any place? I don't have a specific time frame in mind but sometime in the 1600s might be interesting or as to location you might consider England in the age of exploration. Certainly would open up a great deal of the world to go to.

Joe

 

[stnylan]

Tigana, Song for Arbionne (which for some reason I cannot get beyong page 30 in) Sailing to Sarantium (which I have not yet read) and Al rassan all take place European like setting between medieval and Renesaince IIRC

If I am to venture guesses:

Tigana Ren. Italy
Al Rassan Spain in Reconquista
Sarantium, Byzantium
Arbonne, Provence, possibly the Cathars or earlier

There is a definite progression. Song for Arbonne + Tigana are set in separate worlds, but clearly one based upon our own. Lions of Al-Rassan, the Sarantine books, and Last Light of the sun are all set in the same world-setting, though at different times and in different places. In that one the parallels with europe are more explicit also.

The Albigensian crusade is the analogy for Arbonne, as opposed to the Cathars. If you do get into it you'll see why I draw the distinction. I have no idea V why you cannot get beyond page 30, tis an excellent book. Indeed, I think it is the point where he stops writing simple quests (like most fantasy) and starts writing more - well, more historical for want of another term.

Alas I have yet to read Last Light - it's onthe 'to do' list.

 

[Amric]

I'm in, of course. Crusades, eh? Interesting...

 

[The_Hawk]

If it needs to be said, you can count me in.

 

[Valdemar]

Stnylan, I find the paralles to our world equally obvious in Rassan and Armbonne, actully it was only in Tigana with its obvious use of magic I had to be told it was there,

I do not know the story of the Albegensians, so you may well be right, i only knew of the cathars in that region, but they are a tad too late in time anyhow to truly match..

As to stopping at apge 30 it is more like an expectation thing, I need ot hold on to so many started plotline, and having read his other work (apart from sarantium) I sort of anticipate things, so its like a kid on xmas, i know its gonna be good, but I also "fear" it.

V

 

[redwolf]

Wow, how about this for a welcome surprise. I step in here for the first time in a long while and I see plans for a new story.

I am in for whatever you have in mind LD. My personel wish is something in the far east but anything is fine by me. Already looking forward to writing with you guys again!

 

[LordLeto]

I tried to move it in that direction. What can I say, I guess we're a bunch of West-Centrists.

Though just curious, where/when would you suggest in the Far East?

 

[Lord Durham]

The main reason I don't want to move it to a far eastern setting is one of laziness. I just don't know enough about the history of the lands to produce a decent plotline. And I don't really have the time on my hands at the moment to do the proper reading. Sorry.

Joe, your idea is quite intriguing. Care to PM me with some of your thoughts on how you'd make it work?

 

[CatKnight]

I'm definitely up for this. :decides he doesn't need time to eat and sleep: I'd be curious about the Crusades myself,, Third or Fourth I'm thinking, though anything works.

 

[stnylan]

I did have an errant thought about the Anarchy of Stephen in England since it has pretty much all the needed elements, but I'm not sure how that would work game-wise (I'm pretty sure it wouldn't).

 

[unmerged(10971)]

Hm... that England idea would be interesting. I'd especially like the idea of taking part in the war between Puritans and Royalists,* and dealing with the consequences thereof.

But, we could move it out of Europe without going east... I'd rather like the idea of going west, to America, perhaps hiring ourselves out as conquistadores or the like?

But barring all that, Crusades would be great. Heck, I'm up for anything.
________
*I was going to just say "English Civil War", but I realized that England has had enough civil wars to satisfy several countries...

 

[coz1]

I hesitate to give the full out OK before I know the specific project, but I would be very interested in joining up if the particulars were right. Placing something in the crusades certainly gives the needed element, but for me it would require a bit more research than I may be willing/able to do. Besides, it was tried already in the CK area and never really got off the ground (for whatever reason - I know I hit a real time snag myself.)

I like Joe's idea somewhat - perhaps something in NA - a fledgling colony or some such, having to deal with the French, Spanish and those already there (presuming it would be a primarily English perspective) - maybe not as exciting, but certainly rich territory to pursue. Anything in the 16th and 17th century will be better for me as I know more about the period, personally. But I will wait and see what happens here and if it looks like something I can contribute to, I'd love to.

 

[Lord Durham]

From the preceeding posts, I've attempted to collect and organise the many ideas put forth. To date we have about 15 writers either committed, or on the bubble. That's not bad at all.

Here's a breakdown, per writer. Note that I've tried to glean the suggestions as best I can, so please don't shoot the messenger if I missed something obvious.


Valdemar - CK during 3rd Crusade or EUII in Italy or Netherlands.

Craig Ashley - CK & The Horde

Stroph1- EUII circa the 1600s (maybe Middle East), or Italian Politics circa late 1400s

LordLeto- EUII - Ottoman Conquests

Phalanx - go with the flow

Amric - FC or a CK based theme - Iberia or Crusades

Judas Maccabeus - CK: Crusades or EUII: English Civil War

Coz1 - EUII - Religious Wars in France, or Age of Exploration

stnylan - CK in Iberia

Norgesvenn - go with the flow

Storey - EUII - England in the 1600s - Age of Exploration

The_Hawk - EUII - 200 years after Book VI, CK: the crusades

Redwolf - Far East

CatKnight - CK - 3rd Crusade


Breaking this down further, we have approximately 6 opting for CK and 7 opting for EUII (in some cases suggestions from one person covers both games)

Finally, I've done a rough tally of possible scenarios:

Crusades - 5
AoE - 2
Iberia - 2
Mid/Far East - 3
1600s - 5 (includes AoE)
FC based - 2

I think the consensus is to step away from the FC for this effort, which is fine by me. It doesn't mean they will never return.

So the way I read it, the Crusades or something to do with the 1600s and the Age of Exploration appear dominant.

Let me toss out these two potential variables:

1) If we go with the Crusades (say the 3rd), then it will be a military/political affair. It so happens I have lots of info/books/maps on the Levant, so that's not too much of a problem. The big problem here will be to make sure we don't create too many cookie-cutter super soldiers.

2) If we go with the 1600s and the AoE, it will be more of a mercentile empire/exploration/military/political scenario. This could prove exciting, but my big fear will be committment. Scenario 2 will likely require more key characters. And given past experience, key characters tend to disappear at the worst of times.

Scenario one could be done more by the numbers.

I'm by no means endorsing one or the other. If someone has another alternative, then by all means share it. I want to make sure we can come to some kind of concensus that will not turn any potential writer away.

LD

EDIT: Added T_H's alternate choice.

 

[The_Hawk]

To clarify my own position, I would prefer a tie-in to the previous FC books if we were to be jumping a century or two later. Something fresh in that period would be OK, too, but I would rate it equally with something fresh in the Crusades era. So I might be better classified as a 'go with the flow'. I didn't get a chance to contribute to Phalanx's CK tale, though, so the Crusades would certainly be OK by me.

 

[Lord Durham]

Hmm. I've spent a good part of the evening reading Phalanx's excellent take on the 3rd Crusade. It's a shame the story filtered out.

That said, if we do another crusade story, I want to steer clear of territory covered. So I would suggest the 1st Crusade. There were so many dominent rulers and warriors from that era that it could provide for some great entertainment.

But that means I'm not shooting down any of the other scenarios in my previous post.

 

[Storey]

.

Joe, your idea is quite intriguing. Care to PM me with some of your thoughts on how you'd make it work?

I'll PM you but I'll list a few things here also. I don't have a strong leaning on time or place if we do this next chapter in the FC but I'm intrigued with the 1500-1600 time frame. My focus on England is simple because I feel more comfortable in putting my mind into someone from that part of the world. All my characters have been English except for one Frenchman and one Ottoman. This era allows us to place our company anywhere we want to in the world. The English in the 1500 era were attacking the Spanish in the new world. Entire cities were attacked in central America. It was a period that created opportunities for enterprising and bold men. It also allows for odd members to join. In the last FC book I thought it strange when redwolf introduced the Chinese to the FC. However his contribution was an asset and I probably got more inspiration from his characters than any other. The English were a rather energetic group of rascals during this time and domestic and foreign intrigue are fascinating. Besides I always wanted to meet Queen Elisabeth.

Joe

 

[Amric]

Well, I am open to doing whatever the consensus is in the end. But it doesn't matter where we are as long as we are all together. As for 1600's AoE, it could be a FC descendent. Obviously not the same characters, of course. But as the time of mercenary companies fades the FC might turn to mercantile pursuits and opening new areas to exploration/conquest.

 

[Storey]

Well, I am open to doing whatever the consensus is in the end. But it doesn't matter where we are as long as we are all together. As for 1600's AoE, it could be a FC descendent. Obviously not the same characters, of course. But as the time of mercenary companies fades the FC might turn to mercantile pursuits and opening new areas to exploration/conquest.

True but if its the 1500s it still isn't the same characters but there could be a connection.

Joe