ruleslawyer
Registered User
Wow. That is precisely the opposite of how I feel about The Once and Future King; it was one of my favorite childhood reads, and I've picked it up at least twice as an adult.King_Stannis said:
As for tone: I believe in going with the fantastic wherever possible, since IMHO, it's more fun to play a game with giants, witches, fairies, dragons, demons, and wizards, as well as lots of heavy armor, jousting, and magical swords, than a sparse historical re-enaction. But that's me. As for campaign ideas: I'd suggest starting the PCs off as squires, villeins (NOT villains) or prentices to a witch or conjurer in the days immediately preceding the drawing of the Sword from the Stone. They can find out about the drawing in your first session, and be drawn to Arthur's location through sheer curiosity, only to find themselves plunged into a seething mass of chaos as the barons and knights of the land take sides for and against Arthur. They can end up fighting either for the aspirant king (as loyal allies) or even against him (as honorable foes) and end up, upon either their victory or defeat, as appropriate, signing on as the King's agents when Arthur takes his throne. Future adventures can see them carrying messages to the far corners of Britain, fighting in battles on the King's behalf, conducting the usual tasks given to wandering knights-errant (rescuing fair maidens, slaying monsters, helping those in need, etc.), or even traveling far beyond the Isles to the mysterious lands south and east (Spain, Italy, the Middle East, Asia), which have never been heavily detailed in the legends and thus would be great places for DM-original adventures. Finally, as they rise in levels (maybe to about 13th or so), they (or at least the fighter-types in the group) could be nominated to join the Round Table.
My counsel for you when running adventures based on powerful story archetypes: Play fast and loose with the story, or players will feel like they can't actually accomplish anything truly world-shattering. For instance, while Galahad is the one who actually finds the Grail, the legends differ on what kind of help he had. Likewise, while the "black knight" who appears to save Guinevere from her trial and execution is usually considered to have been Lancelot, it's not necessary that it actually have been he. You could even kill off important characters if you feel like it. Remember, your game, your story; the outcome of your campaign isn't going to extend back through the centuries to rewrite the legends themselves. Enjoy!
