[Scenario Seed] The Treasures of Britain and Ireland.
Feb 17, 2022 13:59:08 GMT
tampahawke and drinkplentyofmalk like this
Post by Catsmate on Feb 17, 2022 13:59:08 GMT
Some assorted notes from a recent burst of activity. They're part of the distant background for a long campaign idea that's been churning around the back of my head for a couple of years; basically a time traveller/temporally displaced person fails to save the Roman Empire and heads off into the barbarian wilderness (i.e. Britain) and creates the legend of Arthur.
Yes, I've borrowed this from a Certain Film.
Over the next years their actions create the legend of Arthur, including the bittersweet ending; they are doomed to fail (at least in this universe). The Round Table is sundered and Arthur will die in his final battle, killed by his own son, Mordred.
But the legend will live on. And influence subsequent events.
One aspect is the replacement of the magic in the usual accounts of the legends with some alien technology. Which bring us to this piece, I'm attempting to recreate the legendary treasures of Britain and Ireland with suitable gadgets.
Comments and ideas are most welcome.
The Legendary Treasures of Britain and Ireland.
According to legend, mainly from the Celtic/Saxon period, there are thirteen treasures of Britain and Four of Ireland. Though the number and nature of them varies quite a bit. The British treasures are generally taken from the legend of Myrddin and the Horn of Brân Galed.
1. White-Hilt
The Sword of Rhydderch Hael: "if a well-born man drew it himself, it burst into flame from its hilt to its tip. And everyone who used to ask for it would receive; but because of this peculiarity everyone used to reject it. And therefore he was called Rhydderch the Generous". Also known as Dyrnwyn in Welsh the weapon is said to be a powerful sword belonging to Rhydderch Hael, one of the Three Generous Men of Britain.
When drawn by a worthy or well-born man, the entire blade would blaze with fire. Rhydderch was never reluctant to hand the weapon to anyone, hence his nickname Hael meaning "the Generous", but the recipients, as soon as they had learned of its peculiar properties, always rejected the sword.
2. The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir
Food for one man would be put in it, and when it was opened, food for a hundred men would be found in it.
3. The Horn of Brân Galed
Whatever drink might be wished for was found in it.
Brân Galed was a, probably legendary, northern nobleman.
4. The Chariot of Morgan Mwynfawr
If a man went in it, he might wish to be wherever he would, and he would be there quickly.
The chariot belonging to Morgan Mwynfawr ("the Wealthy") is described as a magical vehicle which would quickly reach whatever destination one might wish to go to.
5. The Halter of Clydno Eiddyn
Which was fixed to a staple at the foot of his bed: whatever horse he might wish for, he would find in the halter.
6. The Knife of Llawfrodedd Farchog
Which would serve for twenty-four men to eat at table.
Llawfrodedd occurs among the rheroes of Arthur's court (in the Mabinogion)
7. The Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant.
If meat for a coward were put in it to boil, it would never boil; but if meat for a brave man were put in it, it would boil quickly (and thus the brave could be distinguished from the cowardly).
8. The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd
If a brave man sharpened his sword on the whetstone, then the sword would certainly kill any man from whom it drew blood. If a cowardly man used the whetstone, though, his sword would refuse to draw blood at all.
9. The Coat of Padarn Beisrudd
If a well-born man put it on, it would be the right size for him; if a churl, it would not go upon him.
Some historical sources suggest Padarn Beisrudd ap Tegid was a Romano-British official who had been placed in command of troops stationed in what's now Scotland around the 380sCE. Others suggest he may have been a frontier chieftain who was granted Roman military rank. His red coat was said to perfectly fit a well-born man, regardless of his size. It would not, however, fit a common person.
10. The Crock and the Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric
Whatever food might be wished for in them, it would be found.
11. The Chessboard of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio
If the pieces were set, they would play by themselves. The board was of gold, and the men of silver.
A rather large chess board with pieces of silver and crystal and the board made of gold. The pieces only play by themselves if all the pieces are set up correctly.
12. The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall
Whoever was under it could not be seen, and he could see everyone.
13. The Mantle of Tegau Eurfon
Tegau Gold-Breast (Tegau Eurfron, wife of Caradoc) was a Welsh heroine. Her mantle would not serve for any woman who had violated her marriage or her virginity. It would reach to the ground when worn by a faithful woman but would only hang down to the lap of an unfaithful wife.
14. Eluned's Stone and Ring.
A ring of invisibility, possessed by Merlin this item for a while. The stone itself may have been the 'active' device, set into a ring.
15. The Stone of Fál
It would cry out beneath the king who took the sovereignty of Ireland. It was supposedly located near the Hill of Tara in County Meath.
16. Spear of Lugh
No battle was ever sustained against it, or against the man who held it.
17. The Sword of Light
No one ever escaped from it once it was drawn from its sheath, and no one could resist it.
The sword is also described in the Táin legend as "Nuadu's Cainnel", a brightly glowing torch.
18. Cauldron of the Dagda
No company ever went away from it unsatisfied.
Ideas? Comments? Suggestions?
On 31OCT0475, at the age of about fifteen, Flavius Romulus Augustulus, was proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. He will reign, though in fact a figurehead for his father Orestes, until he is deposed by Odoacer less than a year later on 04SEP0476 and the formal end of the Roman Empire.
He is generally considered to have been utterly inept as emperor, and was derisively nicknamed Augustulus ("Little Augustus") and Momyllus ("little disgrace"), though almost all of the factors that ended Rome were outside his control.
Stories that he, and a loyal Roman cadre, fled Ravenna (then the capital) and travelled to Britain, later inspiring the Arthurian legends, are almost certainly not true.
He is generally considered to have been utterly inept as emperor, and was derisively nicknamed Augustulus ("Little Augustus") and Momyllus ("little disgrace"), though almost all of the factors that ended Rome were outside his control.
Stories that he, and a loyal Roman cadre, fled Ravenna (then the capital) and travelled to Britain, later inspiring the Arthurian legends, are almost certainly not true.
Over the next years their actions create the legend of Arthur, including the bittersweet ending; they are doomed to fail (at least in this universe). The Round Table is sundered and Arthur will die in his final battle, killed by his own son, Mordred.
But the legend will live on. And influence subsequent events.
One aspect is the replacement of the magic in the usual accounts of the legends with some alien technology. Which bring us to this piece, I'm attempting to recreate the legendary treasures of Britain and Ireland with suitable gadgets.
Comments and ideas are most welcome.
The Legendary Treasures of Britain and Ireland.
According to legend, mainly from the Celtic/Saxon period, there are thirteen treasures of Britain and Four of Ireland. Though the number and nature of them varies quite a bit. The British treasures are generally taken from the legend of Myrddin and the Horn of Brân Galed.
- Which, interestingly for my plot idea, he locks away in his 'Glass House' or invisible fortress. There's a side-plot for a modern day Torchwood/UNIT/Misfit Mob scenario or campaign; find the sixteen century old analogue for the Black Archive....
1. White-Hilt
The Sword of Rhydderch Hael: "if a well-born man drew it himself, it burst into flame from its hilt to its tip. And everyone who used to ask for it would receive; but because of this peculiarity everyone used to reject it. And therefore he was called Rhydderch the Generous". Also known as Dyrnwyn in Welsh the weapon is said to be a powerful sword belonging to Rhydderch Hael, one of the Three Generous Men of Britain.
When drawn by a worthy or well-born man, the entire blade would blaze with fire. Rhydderch was never reluctant to hand the weapon to anyone, hence his nickname Hael meaning "the Generous", but the recipients, as soon as they had learned of its peculiar properties, always rejected the sword.
- Presumably some sort of enhanced sword, perhaps a plasma blade. The "well-born" may be a cultural addition, or a real limitation enforced by the sword’s AI when it links telepathically with the wielder.
2. The Hamper of Gwyddno Garanhir
Food for one man would be put in it, and when it was opened, food for a hundred men would be found in it.
- A food fabricator of some sort, perhaps using nanotech to turn any material containing suitable atoms into food. Perhaps part of the survival kit of an alien visitor or time traveller.
3. The Horn of Brân Galed
Whatever drink might be wished for was found in it.
Brân Galed was a, probably legendary, northern nobleman.
- Another food machine, this one mentally controlled. Doesn't require any material but either a glitch or a programmed feature, limits it to liquids.
4. The Chariot of Morgan Mwynfawr
If a man went in it, he might wish to be wherever he would, and he would be there quickly.
The chariot belonging to Morgan Mwynfawr ("the Wealthy") is described as a magical vehicle which would quickly reach whatever destination one might wish to go to.
- Some sort of flying craft, perhaps a counter-gravity platform with a neural or telepathic interface.
5. The Halter of Clydno Eiddyn
Which was fixed to a staple at the foot of his bed: whatever horse he might wish for, he would find in the halter.
- Tricky. Does it keep a robotic, shape-shifting, horse in a pocket dimension? And can it create other methods of transport?
6. The Knife of Llawfrodedd Farchog
Which would serve for twenty-four men to eat at table.
Llawfrodedd occurs among the rheroes of Arthur's court (in the Mabinogion)
- This is a bit vague. presumably it could also produce food somehow. It was also a deadly battlefield weapon.
7. The Cauldron of Dyrnwch the Giant.
If meat for a coward were put in it to boil, it would never boil; but if meat for a brave man were put in it, it would boil quickly (and thus the brave could be distinguished from the cowardly).
- This could be exaggerated greatly; maybe it's a simple heating device, perhaps re-purposed greatly from it’s original purpose, and the ability to detect bravery a bardic addition?
8. The Whetstone of Tudwal Tudglyd
If a brave man sharpened his sword on the whetstone, then the sword would certainly kill any man from whom it drew blood. If a cowardly man used the whetstone, though, his sword would refuse to draw blood at all.
- The ‘brave man’ limitation may be a cultural addition; perhaps the device itself creates a (temporary and unstable) enhanced edge, perhaps down to molecular level.
9. The Coat of Padarn Beisrudd
If a well-born man put it on, it would be the right size for him; if a churl, it would not go upon him.
Some historical sources suggest Padarn Beisrudd ap Tegid was a Romano-British official who had been placed in command of troops stationed in what's now Scotland around the 380sCE. Others suggest he may have been a frontier chieftain who was granted Roman military rank. His red coat was said to perfectly fit a well-born man, regardless of his size. It would not, however, fit a common person.
- Some sort of shape changing clothing, perhaps another fragment from a survival kit.
10. The Crock and the Dish of Rhygenydd the Cleric
Whatever food might be wished for in them, it would be found.
- Another food-fabber/cornucopia machine.
- It's interesting how many of the treasures relate to food, rather than the usual RPG emphasis on weaponry.
11. The Chessboard of Gwenddoleu ap Ceidio
If the pieces were set, they would play by themselves. The board was of gold, and the men of silver.
A rather large chess board with pieces of silver and crystal and the board made of gold. The pieces only play by themselves if all the pieces are set up correctly.
- An amusement or novelty. Perhaps a holographic game board?
- Probably not actually a 'chess' board at all, given the game was unknown in Northern Europe until the twelfth century but rather a board for Fidchell/gwyddbwyll/latrunculi or some earlier game.
12. The Mantle of Arthur in Cornwall
Whoever was under it could not be seen, and he could see everyone.
- Your basic 'cloak of invisibility', in fact perhaps the first such.Could be coated with light distorying materials.
13. The Mantle of Tegau Eurfon
Tegau Gold-Breast (Tegau Eurfron, wife of Caradoc) was a Welsh heroine. Her mantle would not serve for any woman who had violated her marriage or her virginity. It would reach to the ground when worn by a faithful woman but would only hang down to the lap of an unfaithful wife.
- An oddity. Doesn't appears on many of the lists of the 'Thirteen Treasures'.
14. Eluned's Stone and Ring.
A ring of invisibility, possessed by Merlin this item for a while. The stone itself may have been the 'active' device, set into a ring.
- Some form of light distorting force field generator.
15. The Stone of Fál
It would cry out beneath the king who took the sovereignty of Ireland. It was supposedly located near the Hill of Tara in County Meath.
- Maybe a detection device? Intended to test for imposters, shape-changing aliens, robot duplicates or mind control. Could be quite useful...
16. Spear of Lugh
No battle was ever sustained against it, or against the man who held it.
- An interestingly powerful device, an "unstoppable fiery spear" that never missed it's target and returned to the thrower. Also able to throw bolts of lightning (link to Mjölnir?). It was also self-aware and "roared and struggled against its thongs [and] fire flashed from it". Once loosed it "tore through the ranks of the enemy..... never tired of slaying". Perhaps something like the 'force-lance' from Andromeda? An autonomous, flying, impact weapon (like a knife missile) with and integral energy projector. Also self-aware and dangerous.
17. The Sword of Light
No one ever escaped from it once it was drawn from its sheath, and no one could resist it.
The sword is also described in the Táin legend as "Nuadu's Cainnel", a brightly glowing torch.
- Sounds like a force blade/lightsaber type weapon?
18. Cauldron of the Dagda
No company ever went away from it unsatisfied.
- Another food machine.
Ideas? Comments? Suggestions?
