“1. The surrounding and blockading of a city, town, or fortress by an army.
2. A prolonged period of woe.
3. A seat, especially a throne.”
The year is 840 Anno Domini. About seventy years ago, when your grandfather was alive, the Supreme Collegium or High Council of Francia chose a native leader, known as The Lord Protector Doruet, to rule the land in the absence of a High King. He reigned well in difficult times, and in 800 AD his child Raimond succeeded him.
The whole nation suffers greatly now; The Realm Regent himself became a figure head, under the thumb of a Pict-Irish-Anglo-Saxon military mob, who run the nation to satisfy their own desires and amusements. Help from within is unorganized and unfocused, with small bands of vigilantes and rebels sticking to the countryside. Help from without does not seem possible; the forces of Rome, Byzantium, England and Daneland are embroiled in their own devices and unlikely to assist the Franks on their own accord.
Against this backdrop, our story begins in Lesse-Sur-Fortu. A well-sized Frank township along the river of the same name, overlooked by the old, sturdy castle Chataeu Diot. It is divided, as most towns are, into wards. Each has a name that makes it easily recognizable to those who live and make their lives there. There is the trading hub of Market Garden, which shares space with the both the Church grounds of Bishop's Mile and the red-light district Coldsprawl. At the mouth of the river Fortue, mills and lumber yards of Waterdown meld with the fisheries of Noondock. And to the center of all of this is main living quarters of Three Crossings. You are fair, young lad or lass. Perhaps you are a member of this town, a wandering rover, a refugee from another less fortunate town, or any number of curious origins. Whatever path you've been walking, you soon come to stop at the town tavern where upon you see a surprisingly festive message board proclaiming a grand tournament. With challenges of intellect, guile, strength, speed and virtue, there seems to be something for everyone to try their exercise their natural talent. The rewards are just as wide ranging -- all attached to a title. Hedge-knight. As you are likely not a member of the aristocracy, a chance to enter even the lowest, unlanded rank of nobility is an opportunity that only a loon would pass up.
Of course, no one is twisting your arm! You can choose to play spectator to the tournament spectacle, or avoid the entire affair entirely. There is much to get into in the town of Lesse, and Fate promises to keep things most interesting. Rumor has it after all, that the large Saxon detachment has been riding through the neighboring townships, raising all kinds of hell -- as those drunk on the power and authority are want to do. Perhaps you'll find a reason to do something about this? Or, would you see them as a likely group to throw your lot in with, and join in?
Welcome to SEIGE. A pet project of mine that is inspired from tabletop RPGs, Arthurian myth literature, and events set across the Middle Ages. Mainly in Europe, but I am open to all sources of inspiration within the time period. This is story of medieval man; magic may exist, as might dragons. You most likely won't be traveling among the company of elves and dwarfs, but you will have heard of them from Uncle Athelwold, whose great-great-grandfather was once a hedge knight and slayed a troll. We will be relying less on outright supernatural, and more myth and mysticism. Time is long, as is the central story, which takes place over three generations. It is recommended therefore, that at the start of play, players have one PC completed and two on the drawing board. It is my hope that this story will lend itself to being played across three generations: grandparents, parents and offspring. It's a big place. With all this time, it is encouraged for players to think of their characters own desires, and fashion them into bucket list of personal quests.These, along with GM designed side-quests, will be the bricks that build the structure for pursuing the central story; and plus, it's just plain fun to get side tracked! But we’re short on seats. As a matter of fact, I would like to start with four players, who feel very motivated and wish to stick this out for as long as it's fun. I do not require rapid activity or posts every day, but I do wish for a slow-burn of enthusiasm. This is more of a marathon, with small sprints in between.