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Message: <blockquote data-quote="A2Z" data-source="post: 1871024" data-attributes="member: 244">Thanks to everyone who’s recommended some sources already.Okay, I’ve been thinking about what I’d direction I’d like to take a Dark Ages campaign should I get the chance to run one. Keep in mind that I’m looking to run a fairly normal D&D game. I’m not looking to tweak the rules too much. I would include elves, dwarves and some other humanoids, although probably not as player characters right away. I’m also not going to restrict classes. If someone wanted to play a monk or a paladin I’d find some way to accommodate them.I’d set the campaign in or shortly before the year 800CE during the height of the Carolingians rule. The initial campaign would be set along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea however. So I’m going to need more info on the Slavic tribes of that era as well as their neighbors, the Finns, Eurasians and Franks. I realize there isn’t going to be one source for all the information I need so if anyone could recommend any good books with information on any of these cultures during the early middle-ages (Preferably with lots of maps);Slavs and the peoples east of the Franks stretching from the Black Sea to the Baltic, Finns, Scandinavians and the lands north of the North Sea and Baltic, Franks and the Frankish Empire. While I’m at it I may as well throw in England and Great Britain.Now for a run down of the campaign. The main antagonist is somewhat your typical evil D&D wizard seeking to take over the world. Merovius II true king of the Franks and heir to the Holy Roman Empire. Born Dagobert IV he is the son of the late King Theodoric IV and heir of the Merovingians. I haven’t yet figured out why he wouldn’t have inherited the throne after his father died, however I found a note that Theodoric was a puppet under Charles Martel so that works well with Merovius’ history. I figure he’ll have fled when the Carolingians came to power.Eventually he ended up in the North (somewhere in modern Finland) and, long story short, ended up making a pact with your typical evil god of undeath. I’ve got ideas for this god and how he/she/it will tie into Christianity but I won’t go into it right now. So, after taking the name Merovius the new king set about, with the help of undead lieutenants, carving a kingdom in the north.Just a note, Merovius actually believes he is the heir of Christ. I like the idea that the Merovingians are descended from Jesus and want to use that. This evil god he’s in league with is using Merovius’ beliefs to control him. I also want to incorporate Merovius’ search for three holy relics of the church. I read somewhere that the Merovingians were supposed to be the keepers of the Holy Grail, while Charlemagne was supposed to have the Lance that pierced Jesus on the cross. I’m going to assume that the Grail was lost and Merovius’ is seeking both the Grail and the Lance as well as a third artifact. What that third artifact is I’m not sure just yet and could use some ideas. A couple possibilities include the crown of thorns or the shroud of Turin (by another name during this era of course).Now, I’m not entirely sure of how the characters will become involved. In order to threaten the Frankish Empire Merovius’ armies would have to pass through the PCs homelands. However I may also want to have the PCs recruited by one of the pagan gods. I’m thinking of using the Horned One, or his Slavic equivalent, in this capacity. The players should come in conflict with the undead lieutenants first as they search for the holy relics. Eventually though they should head north to threaten Merovius in his own lands.Well, I’ll leave it there for now. Any ideas are welcome as I’m just brain storming right now.</blockquote>

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