Susano Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 The Time Traveler's Guide To Medieval England: A Handbook for Visitors to the Fourteenth Century by Ian Mortimer A very fun read that does a great job of breaking down life, fashion, culture, and so on from 1300-1400. Useful for fantasy GMs as it gives you an idea of what pre-industrial society can be like, as a look at food, clothing, religion, laws, and so on. While not for everyone, it does give GMs an interesting look at town, village, and even lordly life in the 14th C. One of the best parts deals with tolls and laws. Want to separate PCs from their amassed wealth? Hit them with tolls for crossing a bridge, bringing horses across a bridge, carts, and so on. Also, the material on market and trade should be of great use when setting up your world. Oh, and the section on required arms and armor for all men of certain classes is interesting as well. Best yet, the book is very, very readable and not boring in the slightest (IMO). BTW -- if you're squeamish, you might want to skip the section on medical care.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs BTW -- if you're squeamish' date=' you might want to skip the section on medical care....[/quote'] Squeamisk, shmeamish! I love that stuff! I'll have to see if I have the budget for this book ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs On historical lithotomy (operating for bladder stones), from here: The method used by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Arabians was described by Celsus, who lived from 25 B.C. to A.D. 50. In England it became known as ' Cutting on the Gripe '. It was to be used only in the spring and only between the ages of 9 and 14. After some days' preparation the patient was treated in this way: 'A strong and intelligent person being seated on a high stool, lays hold of the patient in a supine posture, with his back towards him, and his hips being placed on his knees, with his legs drawn backwards he orders the patient to seize his own hams with his hands, and to draw them towards his body with all his power, and at the same time he secures them in that position. ' Then the physician, having carefullv pared his nails, introduces his index and middle fingers of the left hand, first the one gently, afterwards the other into the anus, and places the finger of his right hand lightly on the lower part of the abdomen.... First of all the stone must be sought for about the neck of the bladder ... and when it has been brought into that position... a lunated incision must be made through the integuments immediately over and extending to the neck of the bladder near the anus, with the horns a little inclined towards the ischia; then a second incision is to be made in the transverse form in the convex part of the wound so as to open the neck of the bladder.' The stone was then extracted with the finger or a hook. The original transverse incision was altered later to a vertical one, the breadth of a grain of wheat to the left of the median raphe. Firm pressure from above was an essential and painful part of the operation and was generally done by an assistant. Persistent haemorrhage after operation was treated by sitting the patient in strong vinegar and salt. The rectum was sometimes damaged and post-operative incontinence of urine was common. Nevertheless this operation, without a staff, remained in use until the middle of the 16th century, at least for children. The greater operation In about 1520 a new method of perineal lithotomy was devised by Joannes de Romanis of Cremona; it was first published by his disciple Marianus Sanctus Barolitanus in 1522 and became known as the Marian operation and later as ' Cutting on the Staff' (Fig. 2). For the first time a grooved staff was passed along the urethra to guide subsequent instruments into the bladder. A vertical incision two to four inches long was made with a sharp-pointed deep-bellied knife, and the tissues divided down to the neck of the bladder. A gorget was passed along the groove and followed by two conductors, female and male; these were curved bars of iron which were separated to dilate the wound. They were followed by Pare's dilator (aperiens) guided by the button and then the forceps of either the duck-bill or crow's-beak type. The dilator tore through the prostate and bladder neck. [page break] small it was held open by the latera. Forceps with two, three or four blades were used. A stone still too large to be delivered could be crushed with a large forceps and the fragments removed by the scoop or crochet. The wound was left open. Marianus described these instruments of torture with vicious symbolism; he was proud of them: 'Look but to the aperiens, how it gapes with desire when the conductors have made way for its approaching, and, seizing the stone, it rages like the ferocious soldier ready [for illustrations, see linked article] to enter the breach in the walls of the besieged city. Next come the voracious and vociferous forceps themselves, which often, when their morsel is too large for them to devour, cry out for the aid of their two supporters, or latera, which are then laid side by side with the forceps.' The lesser operation was not entirely abandoned and was still considered preferable for boys. But the Marian operation was adopted by many lithotomists and in particular by the Collots, who were famous lithotomists in France for eight generations. It may have had some [page break] advantages over the lesser operation; it could be used for adults, the transverse perineal muscle was not cut and the ischio-rectal fossa not opened, but the trauma to the prostate and bladder neck was intense, haemorrhage was severe, the extraction of a large stone through the narrow prostatic urethra was very painful; and incontinence, fistula and impotence were frequent sequelae. Tolet (1708) illustrates the use of the dilators and gives some notes on the pre-operative preparation by diet, bloodletting, clysters and purges under the guidance of a physician. After a day's rest from this preparation the patient was put on the special chair and bound hands to ankles; four assistants were usually required, each with different duties. He says: ' It were better to have but few spectators, because a great many may inconvenience the operator, frighten the patient, and put a wrong construction upon the accidents that sometimes accompany the operation. It is fitting as much as conveniently may be that a Churchman should be present to talk now and then to the patient, as it may help to divert his pain and increase his patience during the operation.' The mortality was high but the itinerant lithotomists were held responsible for their bad results and punished accordingly; their motto was evidently ' Cut and run '. The Marian operation remained in vogue until towards the end of the 17th century. It was used by Ambroise Pare, who said ' that which is cut is neither so speedily nor easily healed up as that which is torne '. Celsus had said that it was safer to cut than to dilate, an axiom followed later by Frere Jacques and Cheselden (1723). Civiale (1827) described the Marian operation as one of the most terrible in surgery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs We've come a loo-oong way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs I think the only thing I found that seemed off to me was the section on the joust and tournaments. It didn't match up with several other books I've read on the same subject. Although some of what he mentions was interesting in its own right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs ... No melee? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs ... No melee? According to the book, melee was earlier, but this isn't true, as King Rene's tourney book so clearly shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Whatsisname, Guillaume le Mareshal, when did he live? The 1200s? He was a devil for those melees ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Whatsisname' date=' Guillaume le Mareshal, when did he live? The 1200s? He was a devil for those melees ...[/quote'] Sir William (the) Marshall was early 1200, yes. And he was apparently unstoppable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs He wuz Tankin'! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted January 6, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs He wuz Tankin'! Well, it was a case of hit them until they fell over or withdrew. And to give you an idea how tough Sir William was, he was once late to the awarding of the prizes because the smith was undenting William's helm so he could get it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 6, 2012 Report Share Posted January 6, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs I heard that one. Must've made the following hangover seem like a relief. ^^ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Certainly puts getting a teeny little needle in perspective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markdoc Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Well' date=' it [u']was[/u] a case of hit them until they fell over or withdrew. And to give you an idea how tough Sir William was, he was once late to the awarding of the prizes because the smith was undenting William's helm so he could get it off. For me, his toughness is illustrated is illustrated by the fact that he led the charge at the battle of Lincoln, reputedly taking several high-ranked prisoners .... at the age of 70. Tough mofo, no question. cheers, Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 10, 2012 Report Share Posted January 10, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Leading an active lifestyle does that. I wonder if he ate yoghurt ... ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted January 11, 2012 Report Share Posted January 11, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Leading an active lifestyle does that. I wonder if he ate yoghurt ... ? Just enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narf the Mouse Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Leading an active lifestyle does that. I wonder if he ate yoghurt ... ? Well, he certainly kept up with his iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Onassiss Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs For me, his toughness is illustrated is illustrated by the fact that he led the charge at the battle of Lincoln, reputedly taking several high-ranked prisoners .... at the age of 70. Tough mofo, no question. cheers, Mark Back in those days it wasn't easy to plan for retirement.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted January 14, 2012 Report Share Posted January 14, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Naw. "Have son that carries on, take it easy until death." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barwickian Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs William Marshal's active tourneying days, the ones that began his legend, were probably in the 1170s, maybe late 1160s (I'm going from memory here, so am being a little vague). By the 1180s he'd made his name, become the Marshal and been rewarded with the hand of a widow in marriage. I'm just in the process of creating a border castle/town as a base for my FH campaign. I'm using the Marshal's castle of Striguil (Chepstow) as my inspiration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadowsoul Posted January 16, 2012 Report Share Posted January 16, 2012 Re: Recommended Book for Fantasy GMs Naw. "Have son that carries on' date=' take it easy until death."[/quote'] Sounds to me like you've played Pendragon at some point. It would be fun to use Pendragon to create a Wars of the Roses style campaign. Perhaps with some supernatural elements to spice it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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