House Strongshield Motto: "Shields of the Vale" is a Small House dwelling in a massive nearly unassailable fortress began in the days of the Andals above high cliffs. A small town below. The local river winding through grassy hills generates income from fishing and tolls. it is a valley ringed on three sides by mountains...so it is isolated. The family history includes a King's Guard and much favorable history...except Lord Arthur Strongshield (NPC) was wounded in battle in the leg. Not as mobile as he once was. He's a kind, smart man. Last year was a huge blow to the house's power when plague swept through the Castle of Quentin's Keep, and Keeptown, Leaving a trained Garrison of 100 and 100 new infantry recruits, just young men who responded to a general call up. But the Master of arms has been working with them. They aren't just a peasant levy. Because the castle is employing anyone that has need of work, crime is little more than petty theft, or a pilfered animal. House Blackfort is their Banner house. Nearly equal in power in the next valley over, they are beset by highwaymen and thugs living in caves and forest camps. Their lands are nearly lawless and their small keep is in danger. Heir Ryon Strongshield is 18. Ambitious, wants to learn to lead. Ryon's younger fraternal twin sister Alyssa? by minutes fancies herself as a spymistress. Both of those will be played by teenage males from Wales. There are two American players with no characters or concepts yet. One female UK player considering it. We've just started getting ideas two days ago. It will be low fantasy... one of those plyers has played before under a different DM. The rest are new..but show fans. House intrigues. Narrative style. Cool maps. Lots of NPC characters from the keep and other nearby houses. See if the house can survive and hold on to it's new small house status...and grow over time. The mood will be somber, craggy mountains, fog. windswept hills. High altitude logging camps... little more than a lightly settled frontier with a few small thorps, a market town near the fortress and a tiny village downstream. lots of player character agency. As the scope grows...we will add in more Arryn and King's Landing and larger House on House politics. I have run two short campaigns of this some years ago. Since we have younger players... I am not going to go very graphic. I will engineer a formal social contract document before the game that all players and GM will negotiate then agree to abide by. I am 51. Retired American military, living in Thailand. I have been a GM for 40 years. I have done acting, and independant film production. The absolute must is player harmony is key... even if characters conflict. Not power / dominance games. Thanks for your interest.
