The recent thread on unusual settings had some mention of Spain/Spanish influenced cultures being underrepresented in fantasy worlds. I'm running a game where my players got involved in some pirate hunting/revolutionary activity in the setting's version of the Mediterranean, and making a detour into the Spain equivalent is a distinct possibility. This go me thinking about how to best do a fantasy Spain.

The setting is build up as a fictional version of early-to-mid 1600s Europe, the romantic time of Dumas' adventure books and Errol Flynn's best movies. This world also has the equivalent of the Catholic Pope, the Holy Matriarch, residing in not-Spain, so that should add some interesting religious conflicts too.  

I want 'my' Spain to be inspired by the golden age of the Spanish Empire - treasure galleons, Toledo steel, theater, poetry, intrigue and inquisition all rolled up in one. I'm currently reading Arturo Pérez-Reverte to kind of get in the mood.

What elements 'should' such a world contain?

Are there any interesting conflicts, great men and women, I should be aware of and draw inspiration from?

What kind of setting details and trappings shuold be included?

Any advice is appreciated.

This was the era of expansion across not just the New World but also Asia. Imagine all of the weird cargoes which would be being shipped back to fantasy Spain from the fantasy Americas and fantasy Far East, and the effects those cargoes might have on society. Plenty of grist for the adventuring mill there: a couatl on the loose having been abducted from its home; new and powerful forms of Eastern magic taking over; the spread of a mystery Ro-langs zombie plague... etc. etc.

Spain has a lot of interesting mythology. It was originally a Celtic country (at least partly, and possibly the source of the Irish, at least according to legend) so it has a lot of fairy like creatures. Xana, who are basically elves, Duende who are goblins, dragons called Cuelebre.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asturias#Mythology

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantabrian_mythology

And then you had the Basque stuff too, which is completely different

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_mythology

Quote from: noisms;835881TPlenty of grist for the adventuring mill there: a couatl on the loose having been abducted from its home; new and powerful forms of Eastern magic taking over; the spread of a mystery Ro-langs zombie plague... etc. etc.

That's a good line to go down. Maybe this is the time to use some of the weird, magic teas from 'Yoon-Suin'?

Quote from: JeremyR;835885Spain has a lot of interesting mythology. It was originally a Celtic country (at least partly, and possibly the source of the Irish, at least according to legend) so it has a lot of fairy like creatures.

The whole 'Pan's Labyrinth' feel was something I toyed with, though I'm not sure how much is bound to actual fairy tales and what's just del Toro's own inventions. In general I'm not too fond of Wikipedia, though its sources are sometimes good. Thanks for finding the links.

Quote from: Battle Mad Ronin;835888That's a good line to go down. Maybe this is the time to use some of the weird, magic teas from 'Yoon-Suin'?

Stop giving me ideas. I have enough campaigns I want to run as it is!

I just remembered this. It won't be of much use, but I will tell anyway:

More than 40 years ago I watched a TV series (I don't remember its name, and it has forever disappeared anyway) set in Renaissance Spain.

So there was this extremely proud "hidalgo" (the central character) who wanted to travel to some city, and asked a taverner the shortest route to it. The bartender answered he would only tell of the longest road, since the short road was too scary and dangerous. The hidalgo was offended that the taverner might suggest he may be a coward, and nearly killed him, then was told the short itinerary. So as the story begins, we learn that the hidalgo is a duelist who is only afraid that his honor might be put into question.

Hence, the hidalgo takes the way across the desert where he has a few adventures. Of course I don't remember them all. At some point he spends the night in a small cavern with a hermit. During the night a few demons in the guise of prostitutes beg if they can enter the cavern. As the hermit does not let them in, they suggest that they (the hermit and hidalgo) don't because they are too afraid. Of course this infuriates the hidalgo who thus wants to open the door for the demons. The hermit barely convinces him of not doing so.

Later, the hidalgo finds the entrance to a bandit's lair that is through the illusion of a water well. Can't remember what happens there however, except for the presence of a sorceress.

Finally, the hidalgo reaches a (beautiful) castle, which is the fortress of the Duchess of Avilla. At some point the woman enters behind the hidalgo's back, so he can only see her face in a small mirror on the wall. The duchess explains the hidalgo that she is naked, and if the hidalgo turns and looks at her, she will have her soldiers torture and kill him; but if he doesn't, she will let him live, though she will tell everywhere that the hidalgo is a coward. Of course the hidalgo sneers at the prospect of a gruesome death and turns to look at the duchess. But she is clothed (in beautiful garb), and she won't kill him.

That's all I remember, but at the time this film made a high impression on the small boy I was...

Perez-Reverte has a lot of information on the culture of the period.

Some things that strike me as central or emblematic from my various readings...

Gold, Taxes, Debt, and Spain's Economy
The treasures from the New World were frequently frittered away by the nobles and the crown on luxuries or in helping to finance the expensive 80 Years War with the Dutch Republic. If your fantasy not-Spain doesn't have a fantasy not-Holland than that will allow a lot more blood and treasure to be spent on something else.

Spain's economy sucked. Perez-Reverte has some firm ideas on why that was that seem reasonable, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to dispute or comment.

What does seem clear is that despite the gold flowing into Spain, and crippling taxes on the commoners, the crown and the state ran up so much debt that it defaulted more than once in this period. To manage the debt in between defaults, the state borrowed heavily from various lenders - some Jewish, some Genoese IIR. You could get some possible adventure ideas from politicking over which bankers get to make loans as well as the potential fall of banking houses if the state defaults.

Relics of the Reconquista
The Inquisition is a big cultural element for Spain. It seems that a lot of what the Spanish Inquisition was about was looking at heresy from converts who relapsed or never truly converted. Perez-Reverte deals with this in particular in The Purity of the Blood. Spain, even more than other countries in this period, seems to have an obsession with ancestry especially the purity of one's ancestry. Ancestors who were Jews or Moors were considered a terrible thing and great lengths seem to have been gone to so as to hide that in the genealogical record. The movie, Day of Wrath, with Christopher Lambert has ancestry as the central focus and secret of the film, which is set in the late 16th century. Definitely reasons for adventures there either hiding or uncovering the true ancestry of important persons or even of PCs.

War and the Spanish Tercios
At the beginning of the 17th Century, the Spanish Tercios are (arguably) the greatest fighting force in the world. Their armies and conquistadores have fought and conquered across more than half the world. The prowess, ferocity, and pride of the Spanish soldiers is an important feature.

Dueling
Inigo Montoya anyone? Dueling is a part of the pride and ferocity bit. You can't have a not-Spain without duels.

Plays and Poetry
This period in Spain is the equal (Spaniards might add an "at least" after "equal") of the Elizabethan period in England for plays and poetry. The theatre is a huge feature and one not to skip.

Horses
Spanish horses are famous and the fiery Spanish steed is a period trope. Certain select breeds were seldom seen outside of Spain other than as royal gifts.

Quote from: Turanil;835900That's all I remember, but at the time this film made a high impression on the small boy I was...

Now I want to see that film.

Quote from: Bren;835901Perez-Reverte has a lot of information on the culture of the period.

Some things that strike me as central or emblematic from my various readings...

All good stuff, very nice to have some leads to go on.

I will have to find some good Toledo steel substitute. The Reconquista relics sound like a fun idea, and the not-Spain of this setting even happens to have been one of the oldest provinces of the long fallen not-Roman Empire. Lots of forbidden knowledge and ancient artifacts for everyone...

Quote from: Bren;835901Gold, Taxes, Debt, and Spain's Economy

This I've read about before; apparently the Spanish kings imported so much gold and silver it vastly inflated and eventually almost collapsed the European markets for precious metals. Not understanding the concept of inflation very well, their solution was to import ever more gold and silver. Eventually the riches were spent on the many wars, and what was left had little value.

Quote from: Turanil;835900I just remembered this. It won't be of much use, but I will tell anyway

Tons of good ideas there! Will have to try and track down that movie now...

Quote from: Bren;835901Now I want to see that film.

Quote from: Battle Mad Ronin;835908Tons of good ideas there! Will have to try and track down that movie now...

Believe me, I would like it too. However, it's a French TV film from the early seventies or late sixties. So it's totally impossible to find in any shape.

The historical Spanish rapier school of the turn of the 17th century or just before - Destreza - was all about the geometry of the fight. Most of the Princess Bride dueling quotes were Italian or other continental masters, if I recall correctly. A fight between two practitioners of Destreza would feel *very* different.

I've often thought that the circle / geometry / truth obsession would go well with some sort of esoteric magery.

Quote from: Turanil;835918Believe me, I would like it too. However, it's a French TV film from the early seventies or late sixties. So it's totally impossible to find in any shape.

:rotfl:
I cannot believe it! It has been released in DVD*! I immediately ordered a copy! 40 years later I can eventually see this movie that made a so strong impression when I was a 10 year old!

Mind you, critics say it's a cheesy seventies movies badly played. Yet, I didn't hesitate and ordered it immediately. It's in French though, and probably of the wrong "region" (as far as DVD's reading goes) for you. But here is the amazon page:

http://www.amazon.fr/Duchesse-dAvila-Jean-Blaise/dp/B008BLSP4I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1433953579&sr=8-1&keywords=la+duchesse+d%27avila

Some sort of esoteric mechanical magic derived from Ramon Lull - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramon_Llull - would fit in nicely.

Quote from: Turanil;835927:rotfl:
I cannot believe it! It has been released in DVD*!

:eek: :eek: :eek: I MUST HAVE IT!!! Looks exactly like the kind of weird inspiration tat translates excellently into roleplaying scenarios. I live in Denmark, should be the same zone as France, hopefully it can be found with English subtitles

The info on the Destreza and Ramon Lull's magic is brilliant - I will have to read up on both in order to present some interesting fencing and magic variants.

Quote from: Naburimannu;835922The historical Spanish rapier school of the turn of the 17th century or just before - Destreza - was all about the geometry of the fight. Most of the Princess Bride dueling quotes were Italian or other continental masters, if I recall correctly. A fight between two practitioners of Destreza would feel *very* different.

I've often thought that the circle / geometry / truth obsession would go well with some sort of esoteric magery.

Honor+Intrigue includes La Verdadera Destreza.

QuoteThe Spanish Style
Also known as "La Verdadera Destreza" (the True Art), this style emphasizes footwork and keeping your blade always pointed at your enemy. Fencers of this style train within a circle filled with geometric patterns, which are used to teach students lines of attack, footwork, and defense. Stepping to the side as you make an attack (or defense) is a hallmark of this style. This style teaches the swordsman to cut as well as thrust with the rapier. While you are armed with a rapier and keep your off-hand behind your back you may spend 1 Fortune Point for +2 to your Defense against a Melee attack.

Re: the movie, the bigger issue is language not region. If you have an extra DVD capable computer you can change the region to European so that you can read those DVDs. I believe there is a limit to the number of times you can change the region, so you want to do this with a spare computer. One of these days we will do that so we can play the DVDs we bought when we were in England.

Thanks for that tip. I think I have the Honor+Intrigue pdf, will have to check it out in full.

Quote from: Bren;835949Re: the movie, the bigger issue is language not region.

Luckily I'm Danish, so the region code should work anyways. Still, language is gonna be hard. Oh well, time to practice my french