The Cadfael session

[lynnlefey]

First, I have to confess to having never read the original books, but I recently saw the entire Derek Jacobi 'Cadfael' series on DVD.

 

So, of course, tonight's adventure started with the PCs finding a dead body floating in the stream by the mill.

[Curufea]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

Heh.

Ellis Peters. I've got many of the books and DVDs.

[Thag13]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

The books on tape(or cd/mp3) are excellent.

 

Check your local library

[EvilDrPuma]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

The series is pretty good--Derek Jacobi was a great casting choice--but it suffers from the running time permitted each episode. The books allow much more detail, and give you a wonderful sampling of recurring characters around Shrewsbury that could inspire any decent GM to run a campaign in a "static" setting.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

And thanks to Leah Watts and Michael "Susano" Surbrook, here's Brother Cadfael HEROfied.

[Curufea]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

That is a nice writeup.

[EvilDrPuma]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

That is a nice writeup.

 

It really is. I remembered having a difference of opinion with it, but as I look at it now I can't see what that might have been.

[lynnlefey]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

Very nice write-up.

 

I'm kind of glad that I brought this up. I think the character illuminates the idea of forensics in Medieval times, at least giving me a clear understanding of how someone might acquire and apply such skills.

 

Still, I found it quite amusing the number of bodies they fished from river near the Mill in the BBC Series.

[EvilDrPuma]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

Very nice write-up.

 

I'm kind of glad that I brought this up. I think the character illuminates the idea of forensics in Medieval times, at least giving me a clear understanding of how someone might acquire and apply such skills.

 

Still, I found it quite amusing the number of bodies they fished from river near the Mill in the BBC Series.

 

In the books, too, but the site does seem a reasonable place to ditch a murder victim.

 

You're right about the medieval forensics, too. The series is a virtual guidebook to how to do criminology in a pre-industrial society.

[Curufea]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

The river was the best way to dispose of bodies.

 

Personally, I find the TV and book series to be great insights into day to day life at the time. Things we take for granted are what life hinged on - respect of authority and the church, everyone knowing everyone else, the full social lives of basically, peasants in general.

[Yansuf]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

The river was the best way to dispose of bodies.

 

Personally, I find the TV and book series to be great insights into day to day life at the time. Things we take for granted are what life hinged on - respect of authority and the church, everyone knowing everyone else, the full social lives of basically, peasants in general.

 

Actually, the TV/movie series are considerably more historically accurate than the books. Ellis Peter had (she is dead) some expertise on a much later period of English history, and didn't realize that the period of Cadfael was very different.

[Curufea]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

Actually' date=' the TV/movie series are considerably more historically accurate than the books. Ellis Peter had (she is dead) some expertise on a much later period of English history, and didn't realize that the period of Cadfael was very different.[/quote']

 

Really? I'm missing a few of the DVD series - I should fill those blanks then.

[lynnlefey]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

In that regard, I found the episode where a woman owned a wool business very interesting, just seeing the equipment and methods used in the process.

 

I've noticed props in the background that I couldn't figure out what they were. One of them I recently discovered was a grain cradle. Very neat stuff.

[Gadodel]

Re: The Cadfael session

 

 

I'm kind of glad that I brought this up. I think the character illuminates the idea of forensics in Medieval times, at least giving me a clear understanding of how someone might acquire and apply such skills.

.

It leaves room for a tangent within the story: academic intrigue. Akin to modern corporate espionage, knowledge in forensics in that era was both shunned and sought. Cadfael-like characters might have to defend themselves while bartering their knowledge for this or that favor, knowledge or resource. Their could even be a battle within the church.

 

Cadfael, as Surbrook wrote him up; could likely defend himself quite well-but not all monks could say the same. They might have to hire some muscle. That may lead to another tangent into the world of mercenaries, which might be more exciting to the entire adventuring group.

 

Call it 'Nerds and Nunchucks'....