Lightbridge in Second Life is a medieval roleplaying sim set in the year 1529 in a part of English controlled France. Now before you think, you’ve seen this all before, this isn’t a place for Elves, Dwarves, Orcs (seriously, no Orcs!) etc. This is a sim that prides itself on a degree of histrorical accuracy and encourages free form human character roleplay without the use of a meter.
On the Lightbridge website description we are told :
Set in the fictional city of Pont de Lumière in English-controlled France, the town is a secondary trading port and a garrison supporting the defense of Calais. Get to know the city by reading our lore. Come January 1, it will be the year 1529 in our roleplay. If you enjoy the Tudor Era, this might be for you!
What makes us special? We’ve done a good bit of research into English-Controlled Calais and we’ve picked a time and space that are unlike anything else in the SL rp community. RL events of the time will affect our roleplay, including the many RL feast days scattered throughout the year. And although our focus isn’t on physical combat, our combat dice bonus system is also designed to reduce the absurdities of dice play.
What makes this interesting to me is the work done on Lore and trying to make this a historical rather than fantasy sim. Their lore page makes for some very interesting reading :
Like Calais, Pont de Lumière is an important nexus of trade between England and the European continent. Its harbor is not as suitable for larger trading ships, as the continental shelf is higher here and the water is shallower. Still, smaller ships make the journey between Dover and Pont de Lumière, facilitating trade of important commodities, food, and materials. Pont de Lumière actually predates Calais, having been settled in the 7th century and given a charter in the 10th Century. The town fell and was captured just before Edward III laid siege to Calais in 1346, after the Battle of Crécy, to stop French interference with English trade to the markets in the neighboring low country (Flanders, modern day Belgium).
As foreign territories, Calais and Pont de Lumière are expensive protectorates. They are heavily fortified garrisons, as the French continually have their eyes on reclaiming the land. From time to time, the French will test the town’s mettle. When Calais eventually falls back into French control in 1558 under Queen Mary I, Pont de Lumière will likewise fall before it.
There’s more, a lot more covering economy, politics government etc.
Continue reading “Lightbridge – A Medieval Roleplay Sim For Humans Rather Than Fantasy Characters”
