The Second Blood War: Prologue

(This is the campaign that I started. I'm using the Generic Universal Role-Playing System or GURPS so as not to offend the sensibilities of my Christian players)
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Chronicles of the Second Blood War

Twenty-fifth day of the sixth moon, five hundred fifteenth anno.

I, Martius, Royal Scribe to his Majesty Cirio, King of Sorma, set forth these chronicles that future generations may know of the events that befell the realm of Sorma and the city that bears its name during these dark and terrible days.

May El have mercy on us.

Fifty years have passed since the end of the First Blood War, with the fall of the last sanguinary at Eschenburg and the death of the accursed vampyr lord Mircea von Eschenwien. This land has been cleansed by the noble Paladins of the holy order of Machaira Agios, and King Dario had defenses built on Hohen Eschenburg that overlooks the Sea of Cordonia to the west. Peace has come upon the land with El’s blessing.

But treachery is afoot, and serpents have come unmasked in these last days. Three strangers came and undid the Sormacian defenses at Hohen Eschenburg. These vile traitors opened the door for Asperian ships to land on our blessed shores. Legions of Asperian sanguinari, better known as vampyr, overran Eschenburg and drove away the lord of that land, Baron Krieg von Eschenwien. From here, the Asperian General Jaskom, rumored to be a warrior mage, sent emissaries to our King demanding the unconditional surrender of all of Sorma. Our valiant King Cirio defied Jaskom and drew back all citizens into the city of Sorma.

Jaskom advanced, pillaging and occupying all lands in his path. The Odosian ministers failed to do anything against the demonic Asperian onslaught. The best they can do is encourage the Sormacian citizens besieged behind the walls of Sorma. Agion Paladins have fallen in great numbers, and no more than two hosts are here with us in the city, together with five hosts of Sormacian knights. The city is besieged.

King Cirio has sent riders to the Hall of Archons in Astheniel to ask for aid from the other cities, while the High Bishop Ireneus has called for continuous prayer and fasting from his sanctuary in the Great Odosian Temple of El.

By surrender or by Asperian fang and sword, Sorma will fall in days.

Living in two worlds

After coming from church today, I wasn't feeling too good. I slept it off after lunch and still felt a little lousy afterwards. Nevertheless I faced what needed to be faced and  sat down and watched the first two episodes of Voltes V and, after dinner, GI Joe: The Pyramid of Darkness.

And then it hits me: I want to game.

Yeah, currently I'm building a medieval fantasy campaign using GURPS, but I'd like to play, not GM. And besides, there's no one to play with where I am,  so the matter is moot.

But I am nonetheless glad I'm into RPGs. It sounds escapist, but I like living in two worlds: this contemporary one, and the fantasy world where I can be whoever and whatever I choose to be, within context of course. It's like when the contemporary world gets too much on my nerves, I go to the fantasy world. After I get psychologically and emotionally recharged in the fantasy world, I can go back to the contemporary world and more powerfully deal with the issues, dilemmas and duties that await me.

I can't help seeing the parallelism of what I do to taking a vacation. A vacation may be set in the contemporary world, but it is no less a fantasy, living for a short while a life that is far more removed from your own.

In similar fashion, it is like coming into the presence of God, where all else pale in comparison to the awesome reality that is God. And then we find rest and recharge.

I do all three, depending on what the situation requires and/or allows. And no, I do not see it as escapism. I believe it is more like a tactical retreat to regroup and recoup resources. I think it is healthy to see this contemporary world as not being the only world. Living with one foot in one world and another in another is beneficial to live a fuller life.

Which reminds me, I need to go into the Presence now.

(postscript: you may have noticed that I avoided using the term "the real world." That was deliberate. I will talk about that in a later blog.)