One of the joys of being retired is to do something a little different. I have started taking a weekly short course at the University of Edinburgh. Here l am at home reading the notes we are given-
This term l am looking at Medieval Manuscripts and illumination. It is a fascinating course with an excellent lecturer and people willing to discuss whilst sharing their insights. This week the theme was about the process of manuscript production. I learned a great deal about the practicalities of medieval life and art. Fascinating indeed.
One of my wargaming projects l am working on is using “Song of Shadows and Dust” by Ganesha Games to depict small scale conflict between different factions in a late medieval town. There will be inter guild rivalry, the Night Watch and other parties. The rules were first published in 2013 and l have long wanted to use them. Well worth checking out for gaming the “break down in civil order which plagued the great cities of the Mediterranean in the first century BC, these rules are suitable for any pre modern setting from Babylon to Bruges “ as the blurb on the back says. They are based on the “Songs of Blades and Heroes “ system. I hope to use the knowledge gained from my course to add flavour to both factions and scenarios.
Come Spring l will being doing a course on the art of fifteenth century Burgundy,can’t wait.
Studying or even just looking at medieval manuscript marginallia makes you realize just how difficult it is to understand the thought process of our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest sometimes l feel more attuned to the medieval mind than the modern one...
DeleteOur medieval ancestors certainly seem to have had a more open and honest approach to life than we do, for all of our vaunted 'progress'.
DeleteGrounded far more than us in both the horizontal and vertical relationships of life as communities.
DeleteTradgardmastare,
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend part of your retirement! Stimulating your brain and keeping it active is a surefire way to both occupy your time and to keep aging at bay. I know far you many people who retired ... and then did nothing with the abundant free time they had. They seemed to age very quickly.
All the best,
Bob
Thanks Bob.
DeleteAn excellent course to be involved in. I envy you. Song of Shadows and Dust sounds intriguing. It could be used for the era when Henry IV usurped the throne of Richard II. Factions loyal to both sides battled in the streets of England.
ReplyDeleteWorth buying AJ, l would seriously consider it if l were you.
DeleteYour current course, as well as the upcoming one, sound fascinating.
ReplyDeleteBest Regards,
Stokes
It certainly is and l would recommend it to anyone.
ReplyDeleteRetirement is great! I like to think one thing that keeps me "young" is my miniatures and gaming hobbies.
ReplyDeleteThe art courses sound interesting and cool! (have you come across any rabbit marginalia (or other odd marginalia) in that illumination course?) :)
I wish we had classes like those here.
Glad you’re enjoying retirement. l agree re the hobby. I am most fortunate to have the university and its short courses. There is so much marginalia out there. I have started looking at manuscripts on the British Library website. You can flick through them ,as it were, zooming in and out as you go. Well worth a look.
ReplyDeleteI am going to use the kickstarter rabbits with Dragon Rampant l think to oppose medieval knights,archers etc,
Song of Shadows and Dust has intrigued me for a while. I have several Ganesha Games rules, but not that one. I might have to give it a look.
ReplyDelete