In many ways, Nethergate was a very foolhardy project. First, it was set in an actual historical period. Second, it involves two groups of people (Romans and Celts) that are very well known and about which a lot of people are very passionate. Third, it then puts a good, thick layer of magic and mysticism on top of it.
I predict a lot of irritated E-mail.
I formally apologize for any historical mistakes. I did my best to make things make sense, but I am sure that I made some errors. I will try to correct the more egregious problems in later revisions. I have included a bibliography below, so that you can see the sources for my wrongheadedness.
A few other notes.
Female Warriors
In my games, I normally like to give the player the option to have female characters. I honestly believe that not allowing female characters is generally a really bad idea. However, there were no women in the Roman army, and only very thin historical justification for female Celtic warriors. After a good deal of thought and torment, I decided to split the difference. It's possible to have an all-female Celtic party, but Roman warriors have to be male. In addition, half of the characters who join you in Vanarium are women.
I apologize to anyone who is (probably quite rightly) irked by the omission of female Roman characters, and I plan to make amends in the next game.
Building Shape
Buildings constructed by Britannian natives were round, not rectangular. The buildings in Nethergate are rectangular because the game engine did not lend itself well to round buildings.
Celtic Mythology
People have many different ideas about the religious beliefs and practices of the druids. The truth is that we really have no idea exactly what they believed and how they practiced their religion. We have some good guesses and Roman sources, but that's about it.
In creating Nethergate, I read a number of different viewpoints about their mythology, and then ran with it from there. Nethergate's take on what the druids did and believed in should not be taken as in any way reflecting what they actually believed. On the other hand, unless you're a scholar of ancient history, my guess is likely to be as good as yours.
The Term "Celtic"
As mentioned in the introduction, the term "Celtic" to refer to the people of the ancient world is a recent invention. That is why the characters in the game refer to the Brigantes as natives or savages or tribesmen, but never "Celts."
Life Expectancy
There is actually some controversy about how long the Romans and Celts tended to live. Some recent research indicates that they may have lived longer than we suspected. Nethergate is written from the low life expectancy point of view.
Game Balance Considerations
Some things in Nethergate are not entirely realistic, but were written that way for reasons of gameplay and balance. For example, in ancient times, people did use a spear and shield and the same time. Wealthier Celts sometimes wore armor, although most native warriors fought while wearing very little (or nothing at all). People aren't exactly sure what the Celts used to paint themselves blue, and what, if any, effect the dyes had on them.
Also, there is minimal historical evidence indicating that any of the druids had magical powers.
In closing, I had a great time researching and writing Nethergate. The people of the ancient world were truly fascinating. It was a hard world, and they dealt with it in amazing ways. I can only hope that, in some tiny way, I did them justice.
Bibliography
Matthews, John and Caitlin , British and Irish Mythology, Diamond Books, England, 1995
Goodman, M., The Roman World: 44 BC - AD 180, Routledge, London and New York, 1997
Peddie, J., Conquest: The Roman Invasion of Britain, St. Martin's Press, New York, 1987
(A very enjoyable read.)
Salway, P., A History of Roman Britain, Oxford University Press, Oxford & New York, 1997
Adkins, L. & Adkins, R., Handbook to Life in Ancient Rome, Facts On File, New York, 1994
(A fantastic collection of details about the mundane day to day life of the Romans.)
James, S., The World of the Celts, Thames and Hudson, London, 1993
(Very interesting introductory text. Great quotes.)
Rees, A. & Rees, B., Celtic Heritage, Thames and Hudson, London, 1990
A.J. Marks & G.I.F. Tingay, The Romans, Usborne Publishing, London 1990
Martell, H., The Celts, Penguin, New York, 1996
(These last two are books aimed at children, primarily used for art references.)
