Iron Age Celtic Society - as a setting for Pathfinder RPG

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Re: Your fey, possible other inspirations

1. Have you read Grimm's Fairy Tales
2. Have you read Gogol's Village Evenings Near Dianka (Not necessarily fey, but it'll set you on a good path)
3. Have you read the Red and Green fairy books by Andrew Lang... he wrote about many cultures types of faeries.

I have read Grimm's Fairy Tales, though its been years since I've done so - worth doing it again, I'm sure.

Gogol's Village - never heard of it, but I will look it up.

I have actually read portions of many of Andrew Lang's series of color fairy books.

I've heard the Erotic Book of Fairy, is a great resource for fey knowledge, and that should arrive in a couple weeks. Resource material will be critical for this publication, thanks all.

GP

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My source material so far:

D&D 2e Celtic Resource Guide
GURPS: Celtic Myth (just ordered, hadn't received yet.)
The Celts - a History, by Peter Berresford Ellis
The Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogies and Other Supernatural Creatures, by Katherine Briggs
The Erotic Book of Fairy, by Maureen Duffy (ordered, not received yet.)
Bastion Press, Fairies sourcebook
Andrew Lang's Color Fairy books - http://www.mythfolklore.net/andrewlang/
La Tene Chronology site - http://www.gallicobelgae.org/la_tene_chronology.htm
Celtic Britain online source - http://www.britainexpress.com/History/Celtic_Britain.htm
Ogham Alphabet site - http://www.uponreflection.co.uk/ogham/
The Faerie Realm site - http://faerymists.tripod.com/index.htm
Celtic Europe - http://www.watson.org/~leigh/celts.html
Celtic Weapon - http://www.scottishmist.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=48&Itemid=63
Celtic Mythology - http://www.timelessmyths.com/celtic/objects.html
Celtic Brehon Laws:  http://www.danann.org/library/law/breh.html

I think I have some material to work with...

GP

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Keld Law: (Draft 1)

This serves as the Code of Conduct required by all members of Clan society.

Using the Brehon Laws as a reference, but requiring a simpler code of conduct for Keld society this is my first attempt. (Note until further notice, the setting is now called Keld - Iron Age Celtic Clans setting)

First Law - Restitution for all Infractions: capital punishment for crimes and infractions is prohibited, the law requires review by neutral arbitrators and judgement by king or clan chief with payment of restitution in the form of cattle and property called Honor-Price to the wronged party, based on status and levels of material wealth.

[A table of offenses and restitution scaled to social rank will eventually be created.]

Second Law - Trial by Combat: Arbitration and judgement can be set aside if both parties in a legal dispute agree to a trial by combat, between chosen champions or themselves fighting until pre-agreed terms of defeat have been achieved. While most disputes arise between two individuals, trial by combat can escalate to clan versus clan feuds which still technically qualify as trial by combat. Feuds by tribes and regions are considered wars and also fall under this category. In any case, neutral arbitrators can interceed at any time for a temporary truce to try and achieve equitable settlement between disputed parties.

Third Law - Clan Division, Rights and Priviledges: all clans of Keld from top to bottom are divided between rulers, nobility, landowners, commoners, the poor, immigrants, slaves and criminals and have varying degrees of rights and priviledges due based on clan status and levels of material wealth, as well as additional unique rights granted by the Ri.

King or Clan Chief (Ri) - as an elected leader of the clan or tribe, the Ri is the final judge on all matters. Through majority vote by the nobility and landowners, the Ri can be removed from office if considered unworthy for any reason. The Ri is entitled to lands and property to support his governorship in addition to his own material wealth, granted a warband of clan warriors, and a support staff of druids, artisans and servants.

Nobles (Nemedh) - priviledged members and their immediate families of clan society are the primary landholders and wealthy property owners who serve official offices as members of the court of the Ri. All clan warrior's of the warband, all members of the druid caste, wardens (rangers) and scouts (rogues), as well as the most skilled and wealthiest clan artisans comprise the noble caste. Through majority vote by the Ri, noble caste members and landowners, a noble caste member can be downgraded to lower status or removed from clan altogether due to acts of infamy or failure to pay restitution and considered an outlaw. The nobles are entitled to their own land and properties, a vote in government.

Upper Middle Class (Aire) - wealthy non-noble landowners including rich farmers, herders or fisherman with more than a one ship - almost consider lesser nobles have many of the rights and priviledges of the noble caste, though less material wealth. With the acquisition of enough wealth, the aire are the only non-noble social caste that can be elevated to noble status, conversely with the loss of enough wealth due to circumstance, restitution or fortune aire can be downgraded to Ceile or lower status. The aire have a vote in government and can bear witness against the Ri and the noble caste.

Middle Class (Ceile) - comprised of rent-paying land holders, skilled craftsmen, farmers, herders, tradesmen - the bulk of clan society. The ceile do not have a vote in government, but can bear witness against someone higher rank than their own. Like the aire through gains and loss of fortune, their status can move one caste level up or down, unless failure to pay restitution which relegates all to criminal status.

Non Free Castes:

Bathach (poor, unskilled, wasteland squatters) - having almost no material wealth, they survive at the good graces of the upper castes for employment. Having almost no rights, like the Ceile they can bear witness against those with higher rank than themselves. Though difficult to achieve the bathach can achieve Ceile status with the acquisition of enough wealth or aquiring more skills.

Saer-Fuirdir (immigrants) - immigrants, both non-local Keld tribe members and non-Keld have come to the territory voluntarily and on general good terms with the authorities may pay rents for land to provide work and a place to live. They have no voice in government and cannot bear witness. With enough acquisition of wealth saer-fuidir can elevate themselves to near ceile status, but cannot gain the rights to bear witness at any time.

Daer-Fuirdir (criminals and slaves) - criminals (those who fail to pay restitution for offenses committed) and slaves (war captives) cannot hold material wealth, have no voice in government, cannot bear witness and live at the good graces of their jailers and owners. Emancipation is the goal of Keld Law and through restitution payment, proven skill and trust can be elevated to Ceile status. Outlaws (those ousted from clan and/or tribal membership for gravest offenses and lack of restitution payment) and escaped criminals are considered the lowest members of society. Only through extreme circumstance and atonement can they return to clan society, at ceile or higher status.

[A table describing levels of wealth and corresponding social rank will be created.]

[PCs in a typical campaign are all members of the Nemedh noble caste, the lower caste levels serve as the bulk of the clan NPCs, or as a lowered status placed onto PCs due to misfortune and circumstance. Non standard campaigns can begin at any level of clan society as appropriate.]

Fourth Law - Druid caste guarantees: as neutral advisors, educators and arbitrators, druid caste members are proscribed from taking sides in a dispute, unless if they are one of the parties in dispute, and must remain neutral to arbitrate disputes when appropriate, doing so for all clan issues, and with the best interest of both parties. If their arbitration proves false, contrived or with prejudice, they are liable for the restitution of the offense. They cannot participate in non-druid challenges, combat or agression between parties, though they can prepare warriors for combat and aid them afterward. This applies to disputes between Keld clan members, clans, tribes and nations (Keld and foreign).

[This means that druids can adventure and fight monsters, fey and natural beasts, but cannot direct participate in combat between members of Keld society, rather they can buff their allies and debuff opponents prior to the start of combat, but cannot otherwise engage in combat directly.]

Consequently members of Keld society are proscribed from willfully harming or slaying a member of the Druid caste under any circumstance. Under extreme circumstances such as a druid's assault on an innocent, the Ri or directly, illegally participating in combat between two Keld parties, may be prevented (even killed) by another druid caste member only - though restitution will still be required for the harm, loss or death of that individual.

Fifth Law - your word is your contract: in a society without written contracts, oral contracts are binding as long as conditions of duress, fear, ignorance or drunkeness between two agreeing parties do not exist. Contract discrepancies have a 10 day grace period to make alterations for unfair agreements made, after which is binding and irreverseable. Failure to transact the contract by either party may be subject to arbitration and penalties for contract default with restitution paid to the wronged party. A person's only point of honor is their word, and giving false witness (lying) is considered the most despicable breach of social conduct, and grounds for expulsion from clan and tribe.

[Note: exageration is considered poetic and not giving false witness.]

GP

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Hybreni - my Ireland analog, a work-in-progress map. Will be doing all the British Isles/Gaul/Celtiberia analogs in the greater map.

GP

 

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Here's the finished map used as an inset into a map depicting a neolithic menhir stone circle for this month's challenge at the CG - map a locus of ley lines forming a power nexus, show structures that harness it and support buildings, any genre.

So I chose to go with the Celtic theme, and created the following. I might put in a scale bar and that's about it.

GP

Link to larger file:  Menhir Dance of Ui'iliad

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Commissioned some art for this project, while I still had some money. Both are works by Alex Tooth, a UK based illustrator. The first is supposed to be the cover design, but I think its too dark and may become an interior piece, thoughts? The second one is an interior piece, but a very nice look to it, not even considering the semi-nude fey woman in front of the fey portal!

Thought I'd post some art for my upcoming published setting.

GP

 

 

[Ghostman]

Nice art, although the warrior's sword in the first picture looks pretty odd.

Here's a few things that you might already be aware of but I thought to suggest as additions to the setting:

* Magical

Gwyddbwyll game boards. Gwyddbwyll is the Welsh name for a Briton/Irish board game that also appears in some old tales, often given magical attributes. For example there's a (satirical) medieval story about king Arthur playing Gwyddbwyll with Owain which coincides/causes their servants attacking each other. Some Gwyddbwyll boards were able to play on their own, the pieces moving as if picked by invisible hands.
* Magical boars. For example the famed Twrch Trwyth, which was a human king transformed by god into a wild boar (twrch) that was incredibly dangerous; it destroyed 1/5th of Ireland and killed many heroes in Arthur's service when they hunted him all across Britain.
* The colors red and white were associated with magic and the otherworld. If you saw an animal of either or a combination of these colors (eg. a pure white deer with red ears) it was a sign that this was no ordinary beast - perhaps something out of Annwn.
[/list]

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The sword is supposed to be a falcata, which is a Celtiberian sword style from spain, but is authentically Celtic.

The 'wereboar' sounds interesting for a development.

That board game and to some degree chess figures prominently in Celtic lore as well.

The other points you mention, I am aware of, thanks.

Michael

[Mason]

Nice artwork.

Did you choose those two scenes? Did the artist read your work and then come up with the scenes? Was it a collaboration?
 

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I gave the artist a description of the scene I was looking for, and he did two to three pencil rough sketches to see which I preferred, or to suggest a different direction on them. The scene with the ogre and the fighter is more loose in description.

The scene with the fey woman, I gave him very specific detailed request: nudish fey woman right of center in front of a fey portal comprised of two trees whose intertwined branches create a natural archway. A menhir (henge) verticle stone with runes on it, with a waterfall to one side. Daytime forest scene.

So I think he matched up my desired description very well.

GP