Taking a step towards a future series....
Mythic Devon Concept
The first rough gamebook draft I wrote up (in 2023) was the core concepts of a series I'm calling "Mythic Devon". I finished the really rough draft and realised that it would be a project that had to wait until my gamebook skills and ideas were more developed.
The setting would be loosely based on the region of Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset in England, a few years after the Roman legions withdrew.
I grew up in rural Dorset and have lived most of my life in Devon so it's where I call home. These counties also have a rich history and folklore to tap into.
In the setting , a large powerful presence has withdrawn (like the Roman Empire did), leaving the locals to fend for themselves. But there are settlers and raiders (like we had Saxons, Jutes, Angles, Frisians, Irish) active and many challenges to overcome. Many were also migrating abroad (like the Bretons)
But it's also a time where urban settlements were abandoned, hill forts reoccupied and new social structures emerged. There was conflict between those trying to keep the old ways going, others reaching further back, and people coming in from further afield.
A time of opportunity for the right person...
Themes of Fantasy
Mythic Devon will be fantasy, but when I wrote my first draft I was unsure of the type of fantasy.
I know that it will be an open-world series, with books covering different regions. What exactly those would be can wait until nearer the time of the project. It would have elements tied to folklore from the Westcountry, such as giants, things from the moors and possibly the tale of Tristan and Iseult . And chalk figures because I love those!
In the last six months I've played two games which both have elements of fantasy I'd love to include.
The first game is Mythic Bastionland, where you play knights of the realm seeking to confront the Myths that disturb the land. The Myths are unique creatures and concepts such as the Goblin, the Underworld, the Mist and the Wyvern.
One thing I wanted to avoid was leaning into King Arthur, as that's been done in so many ways. But Mythic Bastionland has a way that is true to the feel of King Arthur, but taking out the religious bits and making it have a very "Mythic" feel. I'd love to replicate some of that feel in Mythic Devon.
The second game is Dolmenwood, which I've played solo and running for my rpg group. It's a setting and rpg based in a fantasy wood, full of ruined shrines, scheming factions and a large variety of strange creatures. Based on much of British folklore
Some of the content is of interest, such as fungi, dolmens, faerie and ancient lore. But it's more of the tone, as Dolmenwood has a mix of whimsy, wonder and eeriness I'd love to replicate.
Basics Summary
So my basics are an open-world gamebook series based on a fantasy version of the area of South-west England, soon after the Romans leave. The fantasy elements would take heavily from the region's folklore and have strong mythic beings active, with mysterious seers and a mix of eeriness, whimsy and wonder...
How the knights of Mythic Bastionland would fit in, I'm not sure...
Finishing Up
Mythic Devon exists mostly as an idea in my projects backlog and my mind. But it's one that I'd love to realise once I've got a few gamebooks published and have the process all worked out.
