Resurrection City

[Andrew D. Gable]

(Trevor)
[sblock]Some notes on what you know about Walsingham and the area. First, as I said, a forest called Oak Wood is near the manor. Tradition has it that the fabled castle of the Green Knight lies somewhere in this forest.

There is also a rumor that one of your ancestors, Sir James Macallister, was cursed. Sir James was a witch-hunter, a sort of mercenary employed by the Inquisition to root out blasphemers and witches back in Scotland. You don't know the details of that story, though.

Finally, the carriage of Lord Townsend doesn't mean much of anything. The macallisters and Townsends have a good relationship; the servants take care of the place while you're away, and every so often Lord Townsend checks in on them to make sure everything's alright. Just giving you an opportunity to hobnob with some other nobility. Even though he lives in Raynham Hall, I'm not bringing in the Brown Lady (the ghost of Raynham). Though you could mention it for detail and flavor. [/sblock]

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Andrew — I'm wicked impressed with your historical knowledge; you know your stuff cold. Is there a history on the 1890s/turn of the century that you'd recommend? Because I was studying Dickens, most of my Victorian knowledge skitters back into the mid-Victorian period (and I'm still trying to sort a lot of that out).

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Unfortunately, I'm really more of a "tidbit knower" than a real student -- that is, a good deal on Jack the Ripper and the Golden Dawn and general weirdness, but not so much of a general overview of the Victorian era. In fact, until yesterday I didn't even know when Queen Victoria reigned -- technically, the Victorian era is from 1837-1901. That's a long reign...

Most of what passes for knowledge in the game really comes from just watching old British horror movies and reading Victorian ghost stories and Sherlock Holmes.

 

[JimAde]

Unfortunately, I'm really more of a "tidbit knower" than a real student -- that is, a good deal on Jack the Ripper and the Golden Dawn and general weirdness, but not so much of a general overview of the Victorian era. In fact, until yesterday I didn't even know when Queen Victoria reigned -- technically, the Victorian era is from 1837-1901. That's a long reign...

Most of what passes for knowledge in the game really comes from just watching old British horror movies and reading Victorian ghost stories and Sherlock Holmes.

But that's what we're after, I think. Most gamers don't want the nitty-gritty unpleasantness of 19th-century life. They want to capture the feel of Sherlock Holmes (or maybe Dracula).

I'm having a blast in this game. Real post coming soon (I'm home with a sick kid today, so no guarantees. )

 

[Old Fezziwig]

That's a good point, Jim. Games need to have the feel of realism, without being oppressively real.

technically, the Victorian era is from 1837-1901. That's a long reign...

That's a sick long reign. And the Victorian era in literature is said to have started in, IIRC, 1832 with Carlyle's Sartor Resartus or Past and Present — can't remember which one at the moment. That's a wicked long time for a literary period (at least post-Renaissance). When it really gets scary is when you think of the amount of writing the Victorians did during that period — I had a professor at UNC that believed that it outweighed the amount of writing we do today, but, with the advent of the Internet and e-books and small press/alternative media, I find that a bit hard to believe. It could be true in a per capita sense, though.

Nick

 

[JimAde]

Cool factoid on Walsingham:

The pilgrimage revival began in the late 19th century, with the first modern pilgrimage taking place on 20th August 1897 to the Slipper Chapel at Houghton St. Giles, now the Roman Catholic Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham. The Anglican Shrine was built by Fr. Alfred Hope Patten in 1933-37. Since the 1930's Walsingham has once again become a flourishing Pilgrimage and Visitor Centre.

So pilgrimages are just starting up again during the game. Very cool.

 

[JimAde]

Andrew, are you still around? Did I miss a hiatus announcement?

Just want to make sure nobody's waiting for me.

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

Still here, Jim. Actually, I was just going to post about why I'm not on as much.

Two main factors -- basically, between writing this up for Chaosium is taking up time, and a bigger factor is that I now have a girlfriend, which I didn't before, and of course they take up time as well. Basically I just don't have as much free time anymore -- never fear, this game will continue. I'm not relegating it to the same death before its time that is the fate of so many other PbP games.

So I'll still be posting, just not as much as I was earlier, which was about every day. I'll be shooting for every few days.

Hope I didn't anger anyone unduly.

BTW, this game's been going on for nearly a year. Making it by far the longest-lasting PbP I've had. Thanks, guys.

 

[Old Fezziwig]

Thank you. It's a great game.

 

[JimAde]

Still here, Jim. Actually, I was just going to post about why I'm not on as much.

Two main factors -- basically, between writing this up for Chaosium is taking up time, and a bigger factor is that I now have a girlfriend, which I didn't before, and of course they take up time as well. Basically I just don't have as much free time anymore -- never fear, this game will continue. I'm not relegating it to the same death before its time that is the fate of so many other PbP games.

So I'll still be posting, just not as much as I was earlier, which was about every day. I'll be shooting for every few days.

Hope I didn't anger anyone unduly.

BTW, this game's been going on for nearly a year. Making it by far the longest-lasting PbP I've had. Thanks, guys.

No problem at all, Andrew. I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed something. This is a great game. I can't believe it's been running that long, though. It seems like we just got started!

BTW: If I ever catch you neglecting your new girlfriend to post on a forum I will personally smack you in the head.