2020-05-08 08:26
Finished up the new season of The Last Kingdom on Netflix yesterday. It's a show that I got into more the longer it was on (I think it got better as it went on, not sure if that was related to a change of who was running/writing the show or what). It's based on a series of novels (and based on the plot summaries, seems to be moving through them very quickly) that take place in 9th/10th century England about attempts to unify the country's kingdoms and the ongoing conflicts between Saxons and Danes (i.e. Vikings). The production values are high and the writing is effective in portraying the milieu it is set in: politics, religion, and war in a turbulent conflict filled period. This latest season also did a great job at showcasing a variety of interesting female characters in different roles (something historical series don't always do well). The protagonist's daughter in this series has a great scene where she's basically scoffing at the conflicts around her because they are all based on ancestral rivalry and revenge. She's the new generation, and they are ready for integration, which seems to speak towards the (actual) future of what happened.
Lots of animal sightings this week. I saw the groundhog in our yard munching on a bunch of greens. Two catbirds built a nest right outside our kitchen window. Two baby doves were waddling around the driveway. Three separate rabbits on my walk the other morning. The two ducks were back in the creek. Gold finches at the bird feeder. Various fox appearances, sunning on our back deck, or out hunting. And a red bellied woodpecker just hammered on the house right near me (and then quickly flew off, thankfully).
I'm going to run Mausritter for the first time on Sunday. I still need to spend some time working up an adventure I'm making (the small dungeon part is done, but I need some setup and encounters). I also grabbed a small adventure the author just released this week, so I can give the players some options.