Heroic Dreams - All Things Medieval

I bought a copy of the new Dragon Age Origins game on the day it was released and have been thoroughly enjoying it ever since. If you love the Epic Fantasy, Dungeons, Castles, and Knights genre of video games this is a great addition to the realm.  These games used to be a bit more popular and they don’t come out now as often as they used to . The gaming industry is very heavy in a lot of different genres and the military game is very popular right now. Anyway, I am glad this game came out. Some other great games in this genre are The Elder Scrolls. Gothic and Dungeon Siege.

About the game

This is a very complex game. It took BioWare five years to develop this game and it shows. There is an awful lot of stuff in it.  And most of this stuff is what is expected. There is plenty of battling and plenty of world to explore. And it is a party oriented game so if you have played Dungeon Siege or World of Warcraft you are very familiar with the style of game play. As you adventure through and explore the world you pick up party members that will fight with you. And you have to put together a complimentary set of members. You need a balance. If you are a warrior you are going to need a mage for healing and a rogue for lockpicking etc. It’s a nice way to explore a lot of different roles in the game.

 What character do I play? I always play a big muscle bound two handed sword wielding warrior!

Ok, where this game gets different

There are some very interesting things about this game that set it apart from other games in the genre. First off, there are a lot of moral and ethical choices that you have to make during the game. Will you steal from others? Will you make sacrifices for the greater good? And these choices affect what happens in the game. For example: Will you kill the evil king who has been wreaking havoc? If you do then his daughter will not marry you. This ruins your chances to become the new king - if that’s what you seek. Or how about this: When battling the evil bloodmage you have the choice of making a deal with him. Will you spare his life in order to get a permanant boost to your constitution stat? If you do this then some of your party members will disapprove. Bad Karma! And it has an effect on the game. Party members will get upset with you and leave the party permanently!

Not for kids

This game is definitely not for kids. There is quite a bit of very realistic bloodshed and you have killing blows that will actually decapitate your foes. And, there are lots of cut scenes after battles where you and your party members are spattered with very realistic looking blood. And….

You can actually woo and seduce other members of your party through gift-giving, conversations, and good karma actions. It is an interesting concept and if your seductions, which take time to develop, are successful you will be rewarded with an animated cut scene of the actuall nuptials (PG rated).

Some of the minuses of the game

I got the collectors edition with all the extras which include a special character, some special armor, and another realm with quests to explore. But the game doesn’t come with a storage chest! Yikes, no place for your party to store all their stuff? Wow, all you can do is carry a limited number of things in your backpack and when it gets full you have to sell the stuff to vendors.

Well, seeing as this game is very quest oriented (There are hundreds of quests) you never know what stuff you are going to need to complete a quest. And, I love to accumulate all kinds of armor, weapons, gems and things. It is a fun part of the game for me. So this is definitely a minus for me.

But they do offer a solution. You can buy and download the an add on quest that gives you a whole new area to explore and a party chest to store your goods. This downloadable costs seven dollars but is worth it for the chest and the extra game play. And it’s a seamless download. You can get it through the game screen which means no worries about extracting files. You pay for it and click it and the game does the rest. In a few minutes the new game area shows up on your world map.

Crafting is a bit weak - Crafting is a big part of many online games and other epic fantasy rpg’s. In this game you can do some crafting like make potions and traps but this is definitely weak in the game. There are not a whole lot of options for this and materials tend to be scarce. I really like the crafting aspects of games and usually do a lot of it but there is not a whole lot of it in this game. Definitely a minus for me.

Political intrigue

I am not really sure if this is a negative but in the games I play and the epic fantasy books I read I tend to not be too interested in all the political intrigue. You know, this is where the various houses, lords, and barons are all struggling for power. In this game there is a lot of this and the decisions you make during game play have an effect. As you are trying to conquer the blight that is set upon the land you have to drum up support from the various houses and factions. The moral and ethical decisions you make do matter. And the quests you complete are a factor too.

Extra stuff

There is some real fun stuff about this game. The developers really took a good look at combat and there are lots of great sword and weapon moves that your character makes and there are some great mini animations. Sometimes when you fell a large creature like an ogre your character will actually jump right up on its face and issue the killing blow. The combat is pretty good!

So, should you buy it?

This genre used to be the norm for video games but these kinds of games don’t come out too often anymore. So if you like the genre then you definitely should get it. You won’t be disappointed. It delivers what it promises.

I got the deluxe version which comes with a cloth map, lots of extra materials, a bonus character and more quests. Dragon Age: Originws: Collectors Edition But this is pretty pricey and you can get the regular version which is more than adequate: Dragon Age: Origins Neither version comes with the party chest for storing goods so if you want this you are going to have to spend another 7 dollars for the download which is worth it.

I say you get the regular version and then spring for the download.

And, because the game is so very complex I highly recommend you buy yourself a game guide. I bought this one: Dragon Age: Origins: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides) It is absolutely necessary if you want to find all the secrets and make your way successfully through the complexity of the game.

It is what is expected from the genre; You are set in a medieval world and expected to save it from the forces of evil. Along the way you get lots of political intrigue, battles with monsters and lots of opportunities for adventure.

In closing: Are there dragons? Oh yes!

I am very much into medieval Europe and have a complete fascination with the period and the place, castles, weapons, chivalry and the whole area. But lately, I have been getting exposed to some wonderful stuff about the same period of time in Asia and in particular in Japan. It’s, of course a fascinating place and period of time and the parallels between Medieval Japan and Medieval Europe are striking when it comes to many things such as castles and swords.

Well anyway, with my upcoming trip to Japan I have been learning a lot about the country, customs and of course the castles and the swords. And when I get back I will have a lot of great stuff for you, and I may even post to my blog while I am there. 

But I want to share with you a few of the things I am experiencing with the help of some wonderful people.

Somebody mailed me an issue of a magazine called “Okinawa Living” particularly because it has a great article about a castle called “Shuri Castle” which was originally built around 1453 and is considered to be the crown jewel of the Ryukyu Kingdom. Chances are good that I will be visiting this castle so I will post some pictures and thoughts about it.

Somebody also sent me a web link to a Martial Arts store that sells a lot of Samurai Swords. (Ippon-do Martial Arts) And I am definitely visiting this store because I am without a doubt going to purchase a sword and bring it back home with me. And this brought up a whole bunch of new questions which people have been kind enough to help me with.

I got a great email from Elaine at esprittravel.com. She sent me a wonderful e-brochure about tours in Japan and it shows some really remarkable places that fit the bill exactly for what I am looking to do while I am there. Esprit travel specializes in creating individually crafted journeys focusing on the arts, crafts, history, culture and cuisine of Asia. Which is absolutely beautiful and exactly what I want to do while I am in Japan. My thanks to Elaine for the wonderful brochure and if you are looking for a special travel agency for a trip to Asia I recommend you check Esprit travel out.

Now, About Samurai Swords!

I am a big fan of swords but know very little about Samurai Swords but some people have been very helpful in answering my questions about them. In particular, I will be buying one while I am in Japan but had questions about customs, fees, travel and flying with a Samurai Sword! Well, its pretty obvious I won’t be able to carry one on the plane but a call to my airline verified that I can put swords in my checked baggage. As far as customs goes there are some rules when it comes to the value of the sword and the heritage of it. And my thanks to David W. for his guidance in this matter. He outlined a couple of important things I need to know. Generally if the cost of something is under 800 dollars there is no worry about customs or taxes. And under this price I will be able to get myself a nice sword. And this is what I am looking to get. Something of good quality that is a spiritual and symbolic token of my trip. He has also told me some interesting things about Japanese swords. The Japanese are very serious about their swords and they can be considered National Treasures - and rightfully so. So there are rules. If I want to get a “Real” Japanese sword of exceptional quality it can run me upward of 1500 dollars and will come with a certificate of authenticity. This kind of sword, generally, cannot just be taken out of the country. You have to fill out paper work and get permission to have it shipped out of the country which the seller of the sword will complete for you.

There is also, as David points out, a higher echelon of Japanese swords that are considered National Treasures. These swords can run 10k to 75k or more depending on their pedigree (i.e. if it was owned by a famous Samurai). And something like this is taken very seriously. It can take as much as six months to get approval for it to be shipped out of the country.

I have to give another thank you to a webmaster that I have exchanged links with. It is not related to Japan or Japanese swords yet it is still very relevant. The site is Chinese-swords-guide.com and there is a lot of great information about chinese swords, collecting them, fighting with them, cutting with them, restoring them,and much more. It’s a great site if you are interested in this type of sword, its use and history.

I received, by UPS, my Two handed Landsknecht Sword yesterday and today I spent some time with it. Looking at it, examining it and wielding it. Here are some pictures and some thoughts about it.

About the shipping. The sword came double wrapped in tape and bubble wrap and was double boxed so it was in perfect shape when it arrived. And I was stunned by how fast they got it to me. Overall a great experience. I am still waiting for the little wall hangers to come in from another company! You figure they would come faster.

 My initial impression was that this sword is fantastic. It looks great and feels solid and will really look good mounted on the wall. The blade is stainless steel and the handle and Ricasso grips are real leather sewn tightly. It has a nice shine and will no doubt keep its shine with minimum maintenance.

Now, this sword is definitely not a combat ready or a larping sword. It is a display sword but it is more than durable enough to take it down from the wall, show it to friends and heft it around a bit. The point of this sword is the unique look and the large size. It’s a collectors piece and according to all the manufacturers information about it it is an duplicated design from an actual piece that is now in a private collection.

Dimensions: Length: 49.5 inches, handguard: 10 inches

Weight: Just a tad over 3 1/2 pounds (on my unofficial produce scale)

Here are a couple of pictures with me and the sword so you can get an idea of the size of it. I am six foot two. The first picture shows me with a traditional two handed grip on the sword. The second picture shows me choking up on the Ricasso. This leather covered part of the blade (ricasso) was meant to be used when the fighting go in close. It gave more control over such a large weapon.

My online sword buying experience: I spent quite a bit of time looking specifically for a big two hander and it can be tough to buy one online because you cannot really be sure of what you are getting. I stuck to websites that I knew were reputable and around for a while and eventually I bought this one from Amazon.com - yup.  Because I knew amazon would back it and make it trouble free if there was some kind of problem or if I wasn’t satisfied. And because I knew my credit card is secure with them.

About owning a sword

I believe that every man should own at least one sword! And it should reflect a bit of his personality. Now this rule might not apply if you have little children in the house! Me, I am an empty nester so no worries for me.

So, if you are interested in this sword here is a page on amazon.com with several options from different vendors. You are going to be surprised by the low price. Two Handed Flamberges on Amazon.com 

And if you want to see more pictures of this flamberge and close-up pictures I have posted a bunch of them to my website here: More about this Flamberge on my Medieval Swords website

About the term Landsknecht: This is a very old german term that has found itself also being used in the english vocabulary. A literal translation of it is Land = Country + Knecht = Servant. So a servant of the land. But a closer and more accurate meaning is that of a mercenary soldier in the 15th to 16th century. Mostly coming from Germany and surrounding countries but eventually they came from all over Europe.

The internet is slowly changing as far as the sales of Mead goes and there are some great small Meaderies that are making their products available to online customers. Selling across the US can be difficult because each state has its own liquor laws and requirements. But things are improving and the meadery I talk about in this blogpost currently ships online to about 13 states. You can see a list of these states on their website (Hidden Valley Winery). It is too late to get some mead for Christmas but you may be able to get some for the new years celebration.

Anyway, about this meadery. They are located in Montana, which in my opinion is a very good place for a meadery to be located because the most important thing about mead making is the quality of ingredients you use and you know out in Montana they are just simply going to have the best honey, elderberries, huckleberry and more.

What they Make:

six different meads and a dandelion wine.

• Pure Honey Mead
  Hidden Legend Pure Honey Mead is a tastefully contemporary version of man’s oldest wine. Crafted in the style of a semi-dry table wine….
• Dark Mead A direct descendant of our most popular mead, this robust yet semi-dry wine is made from a darkened honey that produces rich tones and clearly defined layers of flavor….
• Wild Elderberry Mead
  This delicious elderberry mead has the mouth feel and texture of a red wine, together with the taste of honey….
• Spiced Mead has a special place in the history of many cultures…..
• Huckleberry Mead
  Purely seasonal, purely dependent on good berry years, and purely delightful….
• Chokecherry Mead
  Chokecherry mead is a true Montana wine and the winner of our first gold medal…..

If you never tried mead before and are curious about it I recommend you start with their Pure Honey Mead. It will give you a great first taste into the world of mead. They also have variety packs (at a discount) if you want to do some sampling.

About their bottles of Mead

I simply love their mascot (The Viking seen above) and their bottles are beautifully designed. These are the kinds of bottles that you either save when done or remove the labels from to add to your label collection.

Here is a sample of a label:

Resources to More Mead stuff:

• Hidden Legend Winery Direct link to their website
• More information about Hidden Legend on my Mead website
• Lots more Mead information and mead making tutorials on my website here: The Joy of Mead

Christmas, and the end of the year are just around the corner and it has me looking for gifts, stocking stuffers and some things for myself. I have been going through the fantasy calendars on Amazon.com trying to find one for myself and I thought I would put up a bunch of them for you to look at.  There are lots of great ones including of course a new Boris & Julie, Tolkien, Luis Royo, Medieval castles, Dragons and more. 

The selections I have made include a first ever calendar from the George R.R. Martin Song of Ice and Fire Series and other calendars based on fantasy books such as The Wheel of Time.

Here is the link to the page I created on my site of 2009 Fantasy and Medieval Calendars