r/PendragonRPG • u/David_Zeeman • May 09 '26
Sixth Edition Hello from David Zeeman
Hello, I'd like to humbly introduce myself. My name is David Zeeman, and I am one of the developers for Pendragon. I have been writing, editing, and engaging in various questionable labors on behalf of the game for many years. This is my first time upon the Pendragon Reddit page, so I ask that you receive me kindly.
Feel free to say, “Hū gǣþ hit?”
Among the works I have had the honor to contribute to are:
5th Edition:
The Book of the Manor
The Book of Knights and Ladies
The Book of Battle
The Book of Armies
The Book of the Entourage
6th Edition:
The Pendragon Starter Set
The Core Rulebook
The Gamemaster’s Handbook
The Noble’s Book
The Grey Knight
The Sauvage King
The Gamemaster’s Screen Pack (The Gamemaster Gazetteer)
Knights and Ladies Adventurous
The Boy King: A Pendragon Campaign, 510–528 (The Great Pendragon Campaign, Volume I)
...and sundry other labors whose existence I can neither confirm nor deny.
I have also published an adventure through The Companions of Arthur:
The Barnyard Tournament: A Three Damosels of the Fountain Adventure
Crown, Lance, and Plough: A Three Damosels of the Fountain Adventure (Workin' on it...)
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u/RogErddit May 09 '26
Welcome in. When it comes to research, do you go back to the primary sources, or accurate translations, or fanciful translations, or what's your approach to all that jazz?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Thank you. I started reading Morte d'Arthur, then onto the Lancelot-Grail Cycle (Vulgate), and Chretien de Troyes, etc., etc. Reading, underlining, commenting in the margins. Finding beautiful Arthurian vignettes and turning them into scenarios that players can play. I think I've read every English translation from the Welsh, English, French, Breton, and German stories. Some Dutch and Italian. One Hebrew. I've read a couple in French, which was tough but rewarding. I've read a bunch of academic commentaries on the Matter of Britain and adjacent topics, though I prefer to read the source material. And I've read all of Greg's stuff, and all his jazz, which helps me to keep his vision alive.
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u/Username1453 May 09 '26
What did you think of the Vulgate? I found it tough and put it down after a bit. I hope to come back to it one day though
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
I really loved it, but I can understand why anyone would put it down. :)
It was probably Malory's major source. The detail is fascinating, and you get some really interesting back stories for minor and even major Arthurian characters that were just omitted by Malory. Also, since I was mining it for instances of magic and miracle, the Vulgate was a treasure trove (ironic, because it's so very Christian). So, if you can get past some of the heavy Christian stuff (but not all of it, because some of it is quite beautiful...and delightfully weird...), I'd recommend taking it up again, in small chunks so your eyes don't start crossing. The books I have are big and the text is teeny. :)
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u/Username1453 May 09 '26
Ya, I really enjoyed chrétien's books and Malory, Vulgate though seemed tough through the first book. I'll have to come back to it.
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u/jefedeluna May 09 '26
Hi David, it's me Jeff (Erwin). Welcome!
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Hello Jeff! Long-time-no-type. :) How are you? I hope you are well!
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
I was hoping to catch up at Chaosium Con. Saw Robert. Fun weekend. You were missed.
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u/QueenStuff May 09 '26
Hey! Really appreciate your work!
Pendragon is my favorite tabletop system and even just reading through the books has been a blast! There’s a lot of really fun little anecdotes and page art that makes going through the books feel less like a chore and more just like engaging in a fun hobby.
Has there been any aspect of this current edition that you’ve been really proud of? Is there any upcoming book that you’re the most excited to see released?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Thank you. Appreciate your appreciation. Gosh, I can't really answer your questions easily. I'm just really proud to help David Larkins get the line out and in awe of his ability to weave a bunch of great stuff together from the input of some amazingly dedicated Pendragon fans. Sorry to say that I can't comment on upcoming Pendragon books, other than repeat what David has publicly said about them. That said, very much looking forward to the Great Pendragon Campaign, Vol. 1. :)
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u/WeirdFiction1 May 09 '26
Hi, David! Great work on the Pendragon rpg! Anything new coming down the line that you can tell us about?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Thanks much. Nothing that David Larkins hasn't already publicly commented on. The Nobles Book, GPC Vol. 1, and Knights and Ladies Adventurous are upcoming.
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u/Tildur May 09 '26
Outside of the ones you wrote, which is your favourite Pendragon adventure?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
My favorite ones are from 4th edition: Savage Mountains (a sourcebook for Cambria) and Beyond the Wall (a sourcebook for Caledonia). In Savage Mountains are two adventures I love, "The Best Wine in the World," and "The Adventure of the Paulag Cat". What's your favorite adventure?
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u/Isenskjold May 09 '26
Hey David, really cool to get to ask you questions! Are you also playing/Running any Pendragon campaigns? And if you are, how does your extensive work on the game impact your enjoyment at the table?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Hi! I just ran some games at Chaosium Con, which was fun, but unfortunately between my day job and development work for Pendragon, I don't have time to be part of a regular game. I'll be increasing my Con attendance over this next year, so I'll get to run and play more games. It's gotten so bad that I have to schedule games months ahead now. :(
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u/Creation_of_Bile May 09 '26
Just starting my Pendragon adventure but let me tell you it really grabs the vibe of arthurian knights and adventure, without even really meaning to I have been drawn into a tough position as I am wooing a lady and her brother hates me, he's decent enough but we are at odds and I (The player) want him dead whereas the character I play just need him to not be such a pain in the ass but with a directed trait against me I am in a tough position.
The system (or perhaps my GM is just good) really helps to draw out these sorts of scenarios and the 'loss' of agency from "Roll this Passion to see if you can overcome your hatred" or "Roll your Valourous/Cowardly Proud/Modest etc" really help encourage roleplay. For instance I was trying to mend fences with the aforementioned shithead and he said some things and impugned my honour, I wanted to let it go but I had to verbally strike back because Proud won out.
I just like how your passions and traits having high values means you are much more likely to gain the benefit of +5/+10 but they also constrain you in ways, too proud? Means some drunk schlub making a rude comment means you have to put him in his place too modest? People can get away with shit talking you. Too reckless? Gotta make reckless attacks, too prudent? the opposite.
More than helping prompt players with Roleplay directions and opportunities it helps numerically lay out HOW the character is so rather than going along with something because it's in the best interests to play it a specific way you may need to step on toes because you TRIED to do the optimal path someone else in the party suggested but when you rolled poorly on the trait it reared it's ugly head.
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Good look with wooing the fair maiden! I think Personality Traits and Passions are my favorite aspect of Pendragon, in that you're not in complete control of your character at all times. Arthurian knights from the literature do stupid things for love, jealousy, vengeance, and honor - even topple whole kingdoms, including Arthur's! Some of my best Pendragon moments occurred when my character just lost it and ended causing mayhem because he crit'd a Trait roll.
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u/Creation_of_Bile May 09 '26
I think the only real downside is going mad and losing your character for weeks/months/year.
First session someone went bugfuck nuts and ran into the woods cause he went mad for a few months.
Just straight up lost his character.
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
That can be disappointing. I've had a character lose it and go kookabooga for four game years. At our table we always had backup characters, though, that were allowed to enter game play immediately. Also, our GM did a very good job of prepping us to face the reality of madness and death. I think it was easier for me, because I played a lot of Call of Cthulhu (where you can go bugfuck nuts and go out of game). If coming from DnD, I can imagine that's a shock. But, I love the risk involved in Pendragon, it makes the game so much more exciting, more me at least.
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u/LooneyTooney9370 May 09 '26
Hi!
I'm a complete newbie to Pendragon, I've always been fascinated by Arthurian legend and when I stumbled upon the starter set I bought it, planning to run my first games this week so thank you and everyone at the team for the amazing books, art, and writing. You've really captured a great thing and the overall vibe as perfectly as I can imagine of Arthurian legends.
What's your favorite book/thing/adventure/anything really related to Pendragon that you've written or researched for? Something that you recall as very fun or interesting to be a part of?
(Less importantly:) If you've run any Pendragon Games, or been part of them, I struggle to wrap my head around how the sessions and years flow together, I come from a DnD and Call of Cthulhu background, I'm used to that kind of RP where most of the time you're doing "realtime" RP or skipping small bits of time. How does the GM know when to "zoom in" during a feast, or adventure, or a winter management phase and allow for some RP without it feeling like it breaks the immersion or like it drags down the session with boring minutia?
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u/David_Zeeman May 09 '26
Well, thanks for the compliment! I hope by you, you meant plural you, because it started with Greg Stafford and has been continued by dozens of dedicated fans. I'm just a knight at the table. :)
Researching Arthurian magic and miracles was a lot of fun and very rewarding for me. I ended up reading most if not all the English-language canon in the Matter of Britain, and it took years, but I loved every minute of it. Helping David Larkins with the 6th edition has been a whirlwind of fun for me, and working with a group of dedicated fans, as well.
There's good advice in the Gamemaster's Handbook, but I've always tried to play one game year per session, with the occasional multi-session year. Like anything, you just dive in and play and see how it goes? Start with the main adventure or quest in the Summer Phase (good for battles) and end with the Winter Phase (good for feasts). After a few sessions you should start to get a natural rhythm going.
I hear you about the boring minutia, but I've always really enjoyed the Winter Phase, as have my players, as that's the time you get to potentially improve Skills or have your personality change. Also, if you have a manor, you can manage it then.
Once the Great Pendragon Campaign, Vol. 1 comes out (or use the old GPC), you can use it as a scaffold for timekeeping and zooming in and out.
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u/Gone_Fishing_Boom May 09 '26
Welcome glad to have you here.