Al'Andalus 1166

My wife and I have been talking about moving to Spain for some time now, more precisely to the Granada region, and it looks like it might actually happen by the end of the decade.  By then the stars should be aligned, with us owning a significant portion of our home, having developped skills that can be transferred to another European country, me becoming Mr Os d'Hiver and thus acquiring European citizenship (again...), and most importantly, the girls having both chosen to fly from the nest and, we presume, being sorted out as far as their University studies are concerned.  Leaving it to the end of the decade gives them time to find their path in life while ensuring we are fully able to support them.

Anyhow, I don't speak a word of the lingo, so I'd better get on with that.  I'm not a big fan of the Spanish language, but it is for a good cause after all, and I certainly cannot imagine living in a country without speaking the native tongue.  

More importantly from the viewpoint of my wargaming passion, it seems like a wonderful occasion to fire up a new project, which will be firmly rooted in the history and legends of the Spain.  Which means learning all about said history and legends, of course !  The idea also being that I can travel around Spain, in narrower or wider circles, visiting the places where adventures will take place, or collecting information, whilst simultaneously admiring the remains of Spanish history.  I got that particular urge  after spending a day at the amazing Neolithic site of Antequera.

Back to the project, I decided it would be about a group of multi-faith adventurers, with divine help (yesss, angels !) that are gathering together artefacts scattered across the ages over the Spanish peninsula, sometimes travelling through time as well as space.  Their aim is to protect them from misuse, by some sort of rising evil (yesss, demons !).  Since we hope to be living a few miles from the extraordinary Alhambra, I wanted to write that into the idea.  I thought of it as a stronghold being designed and built, with the blessing of some enlightened monarchs and potentates from all faiths, specifically to house and protect said artefacts.

I've been looking at a time frame to set the project in.  At first I thought of 1250, since the Alhambra was mostly built by then, but I have to admit it is not the period of history that excites me the most.  After a bit of indecision - 1215 came up as another date - I have finally decided on 1166.

There are plenty of reasons for this choice.  The second half of the 12th century happens to be my preferred period of Medieval history.  In Spain, it more or less coincides with the arrival of the intolerant Almohades (1147), the resistance of the Taifa of Murcia with Christian help (up until 1172), of which Granada is bang on the frontier, the growth of the Cathar movement on the other side of the Pyrenees (first Council in 1167), the foundation of the first Spanish Military Order (the Knights of Calatrava, 1164) , and the birth and/or presence in Spain of such key figures as Averroes and Maimonides, to name but two.  Close to Spain, such fascinating characters as Alienor of Aquitaine are out and about in the world.  It is also a period of intense cultural activity.  My entirely layman's view - or more accurately, and my current level of ignorance, "feel" - of this period, is of one where the sterner aspects of Christianity and Islam have not yet killed off all romanticism, but harmoniously coexist with it.  Even if I learn it is not the case, I will stick to that ideal as a foundation for the project itself.

As a side note, I believe that in 1166, there was only a fortress on the Alhambra site, but I can entirely imagine that plans have been laid - the site being chosen for some supernatural reason which I will come up with - and been set back by recent events.  Perhaps the group of adventurers have set up home there anyway, and can travel forward in time to see the Alhambra as it will become.

There are plenty of colourful figures available, so that will not be a problem.  As I learn more about the history and begin to gather ideas for the background, I will start up a blog.  I've been thinking about a rules set, and Badgers & Burrows has cropped up as an interesting option (typically me, of course, to play a non-anthropomorphic world with a set of anthropomorphic rules, and vice versa...).

I also of course have plenty of "supporting figures" thanks to an extensive collection of armies built for the Third Crusade.  I could even use them to figure some pitched battles, why not.

So fun times ahead !