Every fortnight my gaming group gathers to play Mythic Bastionland by the talented Chris McDowall, a game about wandering knights defending their realm from strange myths and ancient dangers.
If you imagine the sweeping, generational storytelling of Pendragon, but loosen the strict expectations of chivalric codes, you are somewhere close to the spirit of the game. The knights of Bastionland are not bound to an exact interpretation of honour. Instead, they roam the realm keeping to their oaths: Seek the Myths, Honour the Seers, Protect the Realm. In doing so they confront mysterious forces that threaten the realm, shaping its fate through their deeds.
And it has been an absolute blast to run.
The Knights of the Realm
Our current band of defenders is a wonderfully strange mix of personalities and mythic archetypes:
- Ser Steele, the Cosmic Knight, who has a fascination with the stars and enormous ambition.
- Lady Faun, the Snare Knight, at one with nature, preferring the wilds to the slowly burgeoning civilisation.
- Ser Aegen, the Salt Knight, hardened by sea winds and coastal hardships.
- Ser Whynn, the Iron Knight, steadfast, laughs in the face of danger with a mead in hand.
- Ser Perceval, the Temple Knight, devoted to sacred duty and the protection/creation of holy places.
Together they wander the realm confronting the myths that threaten the fragile stability of civilisation.
Creating characters is easy, 1D12 +1D6 for three virtues Vigour, Clarity and Spirit, roll or choose a knight and you’re off.
Creating the Realm of Caer Senara
As the games master, one of the joys of Mythic Bastionland is how easily it helps you create a living world. Rather than meticulously designing everything in advance, I generated most of the setting using the book’s random tables.
The result was the realm of Caer Senara, centred around Stillharbour, the coastal port and Seat of Power. Around it lie several holdings:
- Mistfields – a valley of lakes and vineyards, ruled by a drunken lord with a sinister senechal pulling strings in the background
- Faecairn – Watchtower where the boundary to the fey is thinner
- Silvergard – Home of the Praetorians and taciturn and well trained military force
- Brightbridge – Foodbowl of the realm with seas of wheat and hotbed of rebellion
To give the realm immediate tension, I also generated four myths lurking within its borders, along with a number of strange landmarks including the Sea Kings throne, a ruined monastery and a deranged alchemist. What emerged surprised me. The random tables didn’t create chaos. Instead they produced something that felt layered, mysterious, and alive.
The bones of the world came together over a couple of afternoons. However, the real magic began once the dice started rolling.
When the Realm Comes Alive
Over the first ten sessions, the knights have already shaped the fate of Caer Senara in dramatic ways.
- The company won a grand tourney against knights forged from clockwork
- A tidal wave once threatened to devastate the realm, forming in the mountains instead of the sea.
- A giant boar roamed the countryside, leaving destruction in its wake.
- Political tensions simmered among the noble houses resulting in a rebellion erupting within the realm itself.
None of these stories felt forced. They grew naturally out of the myths, locations, and the decisions of the knights. I feel that I am discovering the plot at the same time as the players.
Entering the Second Age
Now, after ten sessions, the campaign has reached an important milestone.
We are entering the Second Age of the realm.
Time moves forward in Mythic Bastionland, and the passage of years is part of the story. The knights themselves are growing older, as they do their stats initially improve, but as they enter old age they begin to decline. Marriages have been arranged and the key holdings are now run by the players. Successors have been appointed. The political landscape has completely shifted.
New challenges loom on the horizon.
This movement of time gives the campaign an epic quality. It feels like a chronicle of a realm slowly changing across generations.
A Breath of Fresh Air
Another reason I enjoy this game so much is its simplicity.
Running a campaign that isn’t Dungeons & Dragons has been surprisingly refreshing. The rules are lighter, record keeping is minimal, and the style of play is very different. Players rely more on their wits than an array of powerful abilities.
Less bookkeeping means more time for story, strange myths, and the unpredictable decisions of wandering knights.
Sharing the Realm
I’ll be making my original scrappy realm notes for Caer Senara available for anyone who is interested. You might use them as the starting point for your own campaign, or simply as an example of what a randomly generated realm can look like. Either way, they show how a few tables, a handful of myths, and a group of players can quickly grow into a living world.
And who knows. Perhaps your knights will one day ride through the misty fields of Caer Senara as well.
