Resources for Medieval Baltic RPG Campaigns

Note: While I take inspiration from the real history of the Northern Crusades, I am ultimately just playing a game and nothing you read on this blog should be taken as factual. Neither should anything I write here be taken as an endorsement of what happened during this time period. I'm giving myself permission to explore history but will change or add whatever I want in order to make it interesting to me.

After finishing my 6 Mile Hex Map of the Baltic Area I've started thinking about running a solo game in this area.

I initially became interested in this setting through the source books: The Medieval Baltic, Volume I and The Medieval Baltic, Volume II but since then I also discovered the RPG Baptism of Fire (set in 11th Century Poland) and the Basic Role Playing campaign setting Crusaders of the Amber Coast. At the moment the early Middle Ages is more interesting to me because I don't want to deal with firearms and cannons. 

The Crusaders of the Amber Coast book contains a full campaign set in the early 1200s and I also found a novel (The Sword Brothers (Crusader Chronicles Book 1) that takes place precisely in this time period, starting a couple of decades before the campaign in the source book. It's about a character that is seeking a new life in by joining the the Livionian Brothers of the Sword and that so happens to be a character concept I had been thinking about already. See the character details here: Character Creation: Baltic Crusades Solo RPG Game

I'll collect relevant resources for this campaign here.

Article: Crusaders on the Baltic Shore

Wikipedia: Northern Crusades

Wikipedia: Livonian Brothers of the Sword

Wikipedia: Livonian Order

Wikipedia: Curonians

Wikipedia: Fearsome pirates of the Baltic

Pinterest: Crusaders of the Amber Coast

Documentary: Curonians (Latvian with English Sub-Titles)

A short overview of the Baltic Crusades and the Livonian Brothers of the Sword.


Another about the Brotherhood

 

The Livonian Crusade


There is an "Adventure Documentary" about precisely this period of time that follows a Danish trader travelling amongst the people of the area. It's definitely for 18+ only (violence, nudity etc.)

Trailer for Baltic Tribes.


The full movie for free.


Baltic Crusades tactics (XI-XIII century)


Medieval Battle warfare (XI-XIV century): a very short introduction

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The One Ring 2e: Darkening of Mirkwood Campaign - Solo Game

Image
I've been playing a solo game of The One Ring 2e over the past year using the material published for the 1st edition game based in Rhovanion / Wilderland. The campaign is specifically based around the books: The Tales from the Wilderland, The Heart of the Wild and The Darkening of Mirkwood . I'm using a combination of these official adventures and source books orginally published by Cubicle 7 for TOR 1e as well as fan made material. I also create scenarios and adventures using random tables, old MERP modules and whatever else I find useful. I'm playing with two player characters that I created using the standard rules found in the core rule book and the People's of Wilderland supplement, except I've calculated the Target Numbers by subtracting the Attribute score from 18 in stead of 20 following the Strider Mode rules. Also the Fellowship score is 3 in stead of 1 per character. Other than that I follow the standard game rules (no Skirmish stance etc.) Resources I u...
Read more

The Marsh Bell - Darkening of Mirkwood - TOR 2e - Solo Game

Image
Darkening of Mirkwood - Campaign Overview The Player Characters Hallas: Elf of Mirkwood, Captain Sigibert: Woodman, Champion Hallas and Sigibert have both been sent to Laketown in order to forge friendships and alliances with the free people of Rhovanion. There they met and have decided to help each other to fulfil the mission given to them by their people. The Marsh Bell (TOR 1e Core Rule Book) Photo Source 2946: 15th of April Adventure Phase Rumours in Esgaroth / Laketown are that some Dwarves have gone missing. Gloin puts out a request for anyone to help find the Dwarves. The meeting with Gloin ( Council ) doesn't go well, Hallas and Sigibert come across as inexperienced and inept. But they have enough information to start searching. The party reaches the marshes after a couple of days of Travel  to the South of Laketown where they encounter som Elves. Their leader Galion says they were tracking the Dwarves but they have disappeared. Galion is Persuaded  by Hallas to...
Read more

The Wolves of Rosfen - Darkening of Mirkwood - TOR 2e - Solo Game

Image
The Wolves of Rosfen  (Original adventure, randomly generated) The Player Characters Hallas: Elf of Mirkwood, Captain Sigibert: Woodman, Champion Photo Source 2946: 23rd of June Adventure Phase The Abrélind tell the Fellowship how to get to the Old Dwarf Road which will bring us to Rosfen and Lach Celduin so that they can continue on their mission. Note: When undertaking a journey I set the travel roles as follows: Sigibert: Guide and Hunter Hallas: Scout and Look-ou t Hallas and Sigibert follow the Old Dwarf Road and travel swiftly through a landscape of grasslands and sparse forests and and low rolling hills. On the 28th of June Sigibert awkwardly slips when dismounting his horse and twists his ankle. He will need a couple of days rest to fully recuperate. On the 30th of June Hallas finds is having difficulty hunting for food. The land seems strangely bereft of animals and it weighs heavy on Hallas' mind. They arrive at the village of Rosfen where about 500 people live. There are...
Read more