(Did you know? Last week marked our first full year of putting up new content every single day in our columns. That’s fifty-two straight weeks without missing a day! We look forward to bringing you another fifty-two at least, and we hope you enjoy what we’ve done so far!)

---

Five forms of power–resources, we call them–grant special, extra-normal abilities to those who wield them. Putting supernatural and technological abilities into neat categories is an aspect of “gamist” philosophy–shifting the storytelling of the universe to accommodate external, game-design-related needs. While the resources were certainly made with game-design needs in mind, they also do serve a storytelling purpose.
(more…)

We’ve gone on and on at length about what what magic in the Ingressa can do and what its limitations are. But really, I think what would better serve everyone is if we narrow down what magic can’t do to a few pretty basic rules.

So here they are. No, there aren’t five, but there are five sections, as per usual. Special thanks this week to Team RA for helping me avoid breaking canon with my first draft and in largely writing the fourth law for me.

---

(more…)

Clydno is, as things turn out, descended from Old King Cole, the merry old soul, and I wonder why Cole’s Pipe isn’t among the list of treasures of the isle of Britain. Perhaps it was lost; its music broken forever.

But we’re not here to talk about Coel Hen, but about his descendant. We can tell stories about fiddlers and pipers another day.
(more…)

Morgan, son of Athrwys, was called “the Wealthy” or “the Benefactor.” Well, except that it’s a bit more like being called by just one word that means both those things. I suppose most benefactors are wealthy, at least compared to the recipients of their largesse, but I always find it interesting when the words so obviously overlap.
(more…)

Bran the Stingy is apparently not the same guy as Bran the Blessed, which is good because I don’t really want to think overmuch about connections between a drinking horn and a talking severed head. The images just aren’t pretty.

Instead, Bran the Stingy is more generous than the three most generous men in Britain, or so Taliesin said. I’m not aware of any particular commentary, but one can assume that there was once a joke along these lines involved in his byname: He’s so stingy that when asked for a horse, he only gives twelve.

But maybe not.
(more…)

I’m a sucker for a good magic item. Heck, I’m a sucker for bad magic items, when we get down to it. Magic items can be the best part of a roleplaying game, or the worst. And as you’ve undoubtedly figured out by now, I’m also a sucker for a good mythic history, where one is likely to find a variety of interesting magic items.

And so, this week I’m starting an ongoing series about the Thirteen Treasures of the Island of Britain. For the time being, I’m going to ignore the bit where Myrddin may have run off with all of them, and just play with the items themselves, but I promise I’ll get back around to Myrddin, his twin sister, and the Glass House.

I’m not starting with my favorite, the white sword, because then I’ll try to get out of writing the rest. So instead, let’s start with Gwyddno Garanhir’s Picnic Basket.
(more…)

Smallest of the factions by population, the Derinam Corps nonetheless exerts considerable influence throughout the Ingressa thanks to its close ties with Sanctuary (the city). Many people, including most of the other factions, consider Derinam to be pesky meddlers, but those who live within the city frequently consider them heroes. Here are five things everyone in the Ingressa (and now you!) know about the Derinam…
(more…)

Friday again, and nearly over already! Come in, come in, and see what we have for you this week! More from the cloverites, no less!

(more…)