The Song of Taliesin: Wars of the Old North
Welcome to second preview of Land of Eternal Youth! As you probably figured it out from our latest posts, I have changed period and general concept for mod. Now it's starting in year 580 AD. As you noticed, the name has also changed. Before I can show you preview stuff, a short historical note:
The strong kingdom of famous king Artur has fallen. Arthur was a warlord from Dyfneint, who united the southern Britons against Saxons and Angles. He won a series of victories against Picts, Angles and Saxons across all Britain, to his final victory of Badon Hill, probably in 496 AD. This victory stopped the Saxon advance in Western Britain for around 50 years, though the Saxons and Angles took some major cities in East and South Britain, leading to another civil war and the battle of Camlann, possibly fought in 532 AD, where Arthur was killed by his nephew and rival Medrawt. This was the end of a united Britain.
In the northern Britain a new millitary power is rising. In the beginning Rheged was a strong kingdom, but generally very similiar to other petty monarchies. Homever, under powerful kings like Cynfarch Oer and Urien it became one of the most significant kingdoms in Britain. Urien is one of the most well-known kings of dark ages Britain, and he probably rose to the status of High-King. In the first decades of his reign, he raided his briton neighboors, extanding his power from Alcluyd to Powys. He was a great patron of arts, and his bard Taliesin, is as famous as him.
Around 580 AD, Ebrauc fell to Deiran Angles. Urien was the first to react to this. He set up a campaign against the Angles of Deira and Bernicia, leading the coalition of the northern kingdoms, gathering Rydderch Hael of Alcluyd, Gwallawc Marchawc Trin of Elmet, Morcant Bulc of Bryneich but also Aeddan mac Gabran of Dal Riada and other gaelic allies. The Britons won a series of victories, Gwen Ystrad, Berwyn, and Argoed Llywfein where Owein, Urien's son, is supposed to have killed Theodoric, the Angle king. Urien claimed the area around Cathraeth, modern Catterick. Around 590 AD, the Angles were pushed back to the sea edge, and besieged by the Britons at Ynis Metcaut (Lindisfarne). But one of Urien's allies, Morcant of Bryneich, was jealous of his sucess and ordered his assassination. Urien was killed and the british coalition disolved.
In Song of Taliesin, player will be able to join one of six kingdoms: Rheged, Alcluyd, Gododdin, Bernicia, Dal Riata and Fortriu, and decide about fate of Northern Britain.
In this preview, we'll show you some progress on models and some other things.
MusicWe are also preparing an optional soundtrack for mod, which will be avaiable for download after mod's first release. Listen to preview pieces, by clicking on pictures, representing cultures.
Armors
Helmets
Weapons
Shields
Banners
The Future PlansWe hope you have enjoyed this preview from Song of Taliesin which will be available to download in the near future! I am planning to show you another preview in July - covering all mod kingdoms' soldiers and strategical map. In August we'll be focusing on settlement scenes, storyline and fixing all bugs. In September, I am going to release first playable version of Song of Taliesin. Note that this date is not sure, because some things can change.
