“On the death of Uther, King of the Britons, his son Arthur succeeded to the kingdom by the contrivance of certain men. Nonetheless it was not lawfully his due, but rather belonged to his sister, Anna, or her children. For she was begotten of lawful wedlock, and married to Lot, Lord of Lothian. And of her Lot begat two sons, the noble Gawain and Mordred - who some relate, though without foundation, to have had another origin.” - John of Fordun, Chronicle of the Scottish Nation, 1360
Anyone up for another Arthurian story?
This one sees the player enter stage left, and step into Mordred’s spiky black boots for an oath-breaking, back-stabbing regicidal romp which is sure to shake the feudal order to its very foundations.
Will you be a tragic hero or an outright villain? A victim of fate, or a wilful traitor.
Choose wisely, and remember: all roads lead to Camlann.
WIP: https://dashingdon.com/go/1785
What is the premise of this game?
You’re playing Mordred, from the Arthurian legends. Chapter 1 covers the end of Mordred’s boyhood in Lothian. Future chapters will detail his escapades as a Knight of the Round Table and an eventual rise to power.
Map
What genre is it?
Low fantasy with strong historical influences, and maybe a dash of horror thrown in.
How many chapters will there be?
Five, plus a prologue and a range of epilogues.
Update History
10/09/2017: Prologue and the beginning of Chapter 1 currently up. Glossary and character reference pages added to stat screen.
12/09/2017: Update with a few edits, an expanded scene with King Lot and the start of a new scene with Gawain.
13/09/2017: Update to flesh out the wastrel background. Added a bit more to the scene with Gawain. Bug fix and a bit more editing.
14/09/2017: Update to the scene with Gawain with a few more interactions for the warrior background.
16/09/2017: Added some new material to the scene with Gawain, and made a few more edits.
19/09/2017: Fleshed out the description of Mordred’s choices for the evening before the battle. Added a new scene with Morganna and Urien. Made a few more edits.
21/09/2017: Added another update, with the build-up to the battle against the Picts. Chapter 1 is now about 50% complete.
22/09/2017: Scholar background now added, and a small teaser for Chapter 2.
02/10/2017: Update with the fight against the Pictish champion.
04/10/2017: Update with the first tranche of the battle if you fancy fighting on foot. We’re definitely getting there!
07/10/2017: Update to the shield-wall path for the Scholar and Wastrel backgrounds and a possible conclusion to the battle. Also added quick-start options.
12/10/2017: Update to the feast with the option to start a brawl, and an exposition scene with Queen Anna.
16/10/2017: Minor update to move things forward a little if you manage to break the Picts and decide to pursue them. Also made a few more edits elsewhere in the text.
17/10/2017: Update with another option if you choose to pull a knife on Gawain’s friends, and most of the fight at the banquet.
18/10/2017: Finished the scene with Gawain, and the fight at the banquet.
03/11/2017: Added a new scene with Mordred’s departure from Gododdin. Made a few more edits.
07/11/2017: Added a bit more of the battle.
11/11/2017: Update with another couple of choices if Mordred allows the Picts to surrender. The game now tracks your sword and horse as well.
20/11/2017: Added the first section of the night raid.
21/11/2017: Added a bit more of the night raid, and made a few more edits elsewhere.
28/11/2017: Filled in another path through the night raid, and added some introductory text for Chapter 2.
18/12/2017: Update to the battle and night raid, including the beginning of a scene with the Pictish prophetess.
15/01/2018: Update to flesh out the scene with the Pictish prophetess.
03/03/2018: Finished the night raid, and the scene with the Pictish prophetess.
07/04/2018: Finished Mordred’s paths through the battle if he chooses to fight from the back of the shield-wall, and made some edits elsewhere in the text.
30/05/2018: Minor update with the conclusion to the battle.
Will there be romance options?
Yes, probably five or six in total.
How do the stats work?
Mordred has two primary attributes - Bloodshed and Guile. Bloodshed represents your abilities as a warrior and a warleader. Guile reflects your cunning and ability to manipulate or influence people.
Mordred starts with one of these attributes at 2 and the other at 1 in Chapter 1, depending on which background you’ve chosen. You’ll have the opportunity to increase them further in subsequent chapters.
I’ll also be tracking your personality using three axes (Passionate - Calculating, Chivalry - Cynicism and Compassion - Cruelty). These will unlock different options in play, and may also influence how other characters react to you.
Finally, there are Bile, Renown and Wealth. Bile is a measure of Mordred’s vindictiveness, spite and inner turmoil. Renown reflects his reputation. Wealth is the value of his disposable assets.
How do the backgrounds work?
You’ll chose a background for your Mordred in Chapter 1 (Scholar, Warrior or Wastrel).
This will determine your starting attributes, and will also influence certain events in play.