Game Over

With yet another round of player turnover, not to mention some serious GMing mistakes on my part, things have come to an end.

There won't be any further episodes on this feed. Thanks for your interest!

Worry not...

...as the Byzantine Game will be returning soon.

I've been tied up with some writing projects, but with one looking like it's out of the way, I should be able to get back to this soon. Look for the remainder of Session 2 after this weekend.

The Byzantine Game Episode 3: To The Church On Time (2:02:25)

Session 2, Part 1: The group approaches London, and finds the church they were sent to under assault by zombies...

Carlson as Coedwig Plentyn, Welsh Halfling Druid
Clay as Dakarai, Human Vandal Fighter/Monk
John as Iona, Elven Cleric of Uller
Just Mike as Saladin al Basra, Human Arabic Fighter/Rogue
Kaleb as Andagus, Human Nordic Barbarian
Stasia as Xialahlanna Liadon, Elven Sorcerer

GM: Mark Kinney

Promo: International Detective Dragons from Outer Space

Download the mp3 here (56.1 MB)

The Byzantine Game Episode 2: First Battle (1:47:07)

Session 1, Part 2: Wherein Merlin distributes special items to the party, and sends them on their way. They encounter a band of Bugbears on the road to London, making for interesting times...

Carlson as Coedwig Plentyn, Welsh Halfling Druid
Clay as Dakarai, Human Vandal Fighter/Monk
Just Mike as Saladin al Basra, Human Arabic Fighter/Rogue
Kaleb as Andagus, Human Nordic Barbarian
Stasia as Xialahlanna Liadon, Elven Sorcerer

GM: Mark Kinney

Promo: Weather Child

Download the mp3 here (49.0 MB)

The Byzantine Game Episode 1: The Test (1:46:30)

Session 1, Part 1: Wherein Merlin gathers four wandering heroes for a trial by combat. This leads them to Camelot, to a new party member, and to a mission from no less than King Arthur himself -- discover the truth behind rumors of foul doings in the Eastern Roman Empire!

(In short, we have one combat encounter, the mission, and a late player, so this segment is a bit heavy on the banter. Think of it as a chance to get to know the group.)

Carlson as Coedwig Plentyn, Welsh Halfling Druid
Clay as Dakarai, Human Vandal Fighter/Monk
Just Mike as Saladin al Basra, Human Arabic Fighter/Rogue
Kaleb as Andagus, Human Nordic Barbarian
Stasia as Xialahlanna Liadon, Elven Sorcerer

GM: Mark Kinney

Download the mp3 here (48.8 MB)

Introducing the Byzantine Game...

Greetings all...

Years ago, I purchased the first collection of Ken Hite's Pyramid column, Suppressed Transmission. Therein, you will find an article called "Justinian and Arthur: High Historical Fantasy."

Now, let me just say now that I already regarded Suppressed Transmission to be required reading for aspiring game masters -- it's full of weird and funky ideas that, frankly, make me incredibly jealous of the author. Anyway, this article, which put together a campaign idea combining Arthurian legend (and an offhand mention of a battle on Britain's border with the Roman Empire) with a document published by a secretary to Belisarius, who when he wasn't praising Justinian in his official histories, slandered him with accusations of demonic influence and evil conspiracies in another. I'd tried running it before, using D&D 3.0, but some people issues sidetracked it. Now, I attempt it again in 3.5, with all the world as an audience.

And so, in 550 AD, a motley group of adventurers are gathered by Merlin to perform a secret mission for King Arthur -- make their way across the continent to Byzantium, discover the truth behind rumors of war, plague, and evil influence in the remnant of the Roman Empire, and report their news back to Camelot. Merlin cannot scry into the area, and even the Pope, in having to deal with the Monophysite heresy so popular in the Eastern Empire, has been drawn into the web.

So join an Elven emissary, a Nordic barbarian, a Welsh Halfling druid, a North African fighter/monk (rules representative only), an Arabic rogue, and soon a cleric in their quest for the truth of the Byzantine Game...