More rambling about a game setting.

[gridlore]

There's a reason why I'm so fixated on running a game set in the 13th century in the area of the Novgorod Republic. There's several, actually.

I've often gone off on the idea that a good game setting needs to be on a frontier, away from civilization's controls. Howard's Conan lived in a world of widely separated city-states with barbarian tribes and hidden lairs, with real civilization off somewhere in the distance. This describes the period in Russia perfectly. The Novgorod Republic was an alliance of city-states that formed in the wake of the decline of the Kievan Rus' empire. Threatened by marauding Finno-Ugrik tribes and the constant threat of Swedish and Teutonic invasion, the cities banded together, but remained independent, acknowledging Novgorod the city as Gosudar' Gospodin Velikiy Novgorod (Sovereign Lord Novgorod the Great.) Still a lot of intriguing going on. And a lot of empty space on most sides to expand into.

Then there's the unique cultural milieu. We've done pseudo-western feudalism to death, frankly. Medieval Russia was a bit looser. You had the Boyars, who were a close as you could come to nobility, but tended to hold the title not through tradition, but through wealth and force of arms. There was a strong Athenian democratic tradition in the towns, with the Veche, a public assembly were all citizens of a town could discuss and vote on matters. Like appointing a prince if one was needed. This is not a setting with sneering nobles in high castles, but rather one were guile and intelligence win the day!

Finally, there's the time period. The 13th century is an exciting time in northwestern Russia. The disintegration of the Kievan Rus' in the face of internal dissent and the minor fact that in 1223 the Golden Horde comes knocking is a strong plot point. You want adventure? Imagine being a Covenant of mages charged with protecting a town from a thousand Keshiks! Maybe you could hide the town in a lake...

But yeah, really like this approach. You;ve got Mongols, Byzantines, Teutonic knights, and plotting petty nobility. Who could ask for anything more!

Comments

[melchar.livejournal.com]

Now -that- would be a neat place to set a 'Spark' campaign. ^_^

[dalen-talas.livejournal.com]

Go through the Russian fairy tales, if you haven't done so yet. Lots of cultural stuff you can get out of those.

BTW, if you end up running this, do you intend to do the bad Russian accents?

[kshandra]

The politics are one of the big reasons I'd love to have you read Kushiel's Dart (only not right now, 'cause I've started it again...), 'cause I think you would absolutely eat it up. You're not going to get Turtledove levels of accuracy, but the main character's mentor earns the nickname the Whoremaster of Spies, and the machinations are impressive as hell.

[fusijui.livejournal.com]

I was already sold on the setting/milieu -- but your summary is double-plus good and kind of re-sells me on it all over again.

Definitely, take some Russian if you get a chance! Of all the languages I've studied or known, I definitely can't say it's a favorite, but it's somehow a... comfortable? Cozy? Familiar like a pair of old jeans? I dunno. "Satisfying" one, maybe.