Thanks everyone, for your help. I'll purchase the Orbaal kingdom module for my campaign there.

Very good ideas, except that my PCs now want to conquer Orbaal for fame and glory. They aren't going to be on either side at the beginning. They might get smart and play off both sides until they get an advantage.

Every conqueror had to start small and build a following and forge alliances. Read the "Lion of Ireland" by Morgan Llywelyn. This historical fiction chronicles the rise legendary Irish king Brian Boru, from a young warrior to the High King who united Ireland in the 10th century against Viking invaders, but died in the last battle (taking Dublin). After your done you wish to lend it to your party leader.

PS playing both sides is a good way to be seen as untrustworthy and lose your followers.

Very good ideas, except that my PCs now want to conquer Orbaal for fame and glory. They aren't going to be on either side at the beginning. They might get smart and play off both sides until they get an advantage.

My group has interest in adventuring in Orbaal. Aside from being an Ivinian kingdom, or colony; do you suggest I buy the Orbaal hardcover? Vikings aside, and yes they had wonderful swords. Anyway, anyone running campaigns here at the moment? The whole Ivinian repressing the Jarin and revolt thing seems to be the only angle here. Oh, my Pendragon RPG expansion Land of Giants is helpful here.

My group wants to help the Jarin in their plight. So, I'm starting them out at first level. I probably won't have the full scale revolt until they are level 5 or so. Are there any adventures on Lythia.com you can recommend?

Sounds like a D&D based campaign? (Levels art a thing on Harnmaster)

Adventures:
1) Barbarian Raid: PC live in one of the Jarin control regions OR Ivivian that is more tolerant. A group of rival Ivinian decides that to go "a Viking". PC's village in in the way. (I would wait to 4th or 5th here) Maybe this starts a Orbaal civil war: two feuding lord escalates into civil war.

2) Mystery: (who killed the Ivinian bailiff) Find the culprit or the over lord will sell the whole village into slavery: after torturing to death the PC families. Can do at 1st level.

3) Refugees: Ivinian lord decides that one or more of the PC is a rebel. Warned they have to flee into the wilderness. Lots of survival encounters, dealing with barbarians (make friends or become enemy trespassers). Can be any level and many adventures.

4) Emissaries: A Jarin Lord is looking for allies with the Barbarians: have top look at barbarians of Harn but there are two tribes that have less than good relations with the Ivinian of Orbaal. Good wilderness encounters, great opportunity for a Bard character.

5) Treasure Hunt: There are several Jarin legionary heroes that meet tragic ends. The PC are task at finding one of the heroes legendary weapons to rally the Jarin people behind (like Attala's "Sword of Destiny") The item does not have to be powerful just hold symbolic power.

The latest version of Minarsas has this as the location description for [18] Town Watch:
"The security-conscious earl maintains a town watch separate from the garrison of Caer Minarsas. The watchmen are commanded by Eredos of Lothlar and quick to administer a public thrashing to those breaching the peace."

An earlier version has the following:
"The security-conscious earl maintains a separate town watch in Minarsas, headquartered in this three-building complex, and commanded by Eredos of Lothlar."

The position of the location number on the GM Local Map is nearly identical between the 2 versions: either the number 18 could refer to the group of 3 buildings, or to just the small one in the middle.
Minarsas[18]TownWatch.png


Was it decided that the town watch doesn't really need 3 buildings, and that bit dropped intentionally?
I agree that 3 buildings seems excessive, unless they include lodging for the watchmen and their families.
Does that sound likely, or would we expect that no such accommodations would be offered, and that watchmen and their families would have to figure out their own living situations, like anyone else in town?

My group has interest in adventuring in Orbaal. Aside from being an Ivinian kingdom, or colony; do you suggest I buy the Orbaal hardcover? Vikings aside, and yes they had wonderful swords. Anyway, anyone running campaigns here at the moment? The whole Ivinian repressing the Jarin and revolt thing seems to be the only angle here. Oh, my Pendragon RPG expansion Land of Giants is helpful here.

My group wants to help the Jarin in their plight. So, I'm starting them out at first level. I probably won't have the full scale revolt until they are level 5 or so. Are there any adventures on Lythia.com you can recommend?

Okay, I might pick up the Barbarians book, but bear with me.

How many of you based the barbarians of Harn on the Picts or the Celts? I mean, stripping naked, picking up six foot swords, and hollering up a storm to scare knights on foot or on horseback? After reading my HarnDex (for 2nd Edition), I felt that the barbarians could be interpreted in various ways. Including stripping naked, painting woad on one self, spiking their hair, picking up their six foot sword, and go fight!

If that is not the way you think the barbarians should be interpreted, feel free to say so. However, I do have Beyond the Wall for King Arthur Pendragon -- and I can use the book to give the Barbarians a spiritual dimension based on the Heathenism described in that book. So, what do you think? Giving the barbarians of Harn more of a Pict or Celt character a good idea? If not, should I pick up the Barbarians book anyhow?

I suppose you could get some of it from HarnManor in terms of crops grown (Manor 29), or from the Food & Cooking section (Manor 7).

There's also this old bit of fanon (author unknown):

Cookery.pdf

And while it may not be particularly accurate to canon, making the Ymodi into your Pictish analogue I think would work. But note: mcammer is very protective of the Ymodi and may be along to offer his own critique.

I am going to ignore this obvious flame bait and try to be helpful to OP.

First of all, Elton, I think it is worthwhile to have the Kingdom module. It will save you the effort of making up the environment your players are operating in. You'll know who is where, how they're allied, etc. At the very least, you won't have to make up so many names. Below that, do whatever you want. It is more important to have a campaign that your players find exciting than to keep it consistent with the vast body of published work. The campaign should be internally consistent, though, and that's where the Kingdom module gives you a big start.

There are a lot of ways to start your players out and let them grow the skills and connections they will need to conquer all of Orbaal. They could be part of the warband for one Ivinian clan and rise in service as it comes to dominate other clans. Marby would be my choice here.

They could be Jarin malcontents who rally the people behind the dream of liberating Jara. The rebel groups are so fractious that your characters could dominate any one of them (or start their own). The Aenghysa at Gedan (in the east) or the Wolves of Jara at Pethwys (in the west) are solid choices.

They could be mercenaries or caravan guards who turn on their employer and become rapacious warlords.

They could start outside Orbaal and see it as easy pickings. Or they could be halfway through their own conquest and then have to fight off an external threat.

Any of the themes mentioned in other posts would be a good sideplot to the main campaign arc. IMO, the neighboring barbarian tribes are more likely to be used as pawns by the more organized factions than pose a threat to take over Orbaal themselves. But if you need the Ymodi to be reskinned Picts, go ahead. Or you could rebrand the Kubora or Anoa to serve that role. They start off Ugly already.

Pedants and purists like me will argue this stuff up, down and sideways. Ignore it if it doesn't fit your game. I wouldn't listen to anyone who names himself after the nightmare card of tarot. Players want a fun story, not canonical exactitude.

-----edited to add-----
Oh good grief, now I see there's a whole other thread arguing this very issue...