By Joshua Raynack
In our first Forging the Crown article, Reshaping the Feudal Lords Campaign Setting, we introduced the idea of envisioning an American mythology in the same distinctive quality of the lore master, J.R.R. Tolkien. We further revealed the foundation of the Feudal Lords Setting began with the discovery of the personal writings of Jonathan van der Maarten: a small collection of journals nearly two and a half centuries old.
We begin our journey and seek to unhinge the secret pathway of Jonathan van der Maarten with an excerpt from the unpublished musings, A World from the Sun.
Many surmise Diedrich Knickerbocker as no more than a mere fabrication of Geoffrey Crayon, the pseudonym for the illustrious Washington Irving. With the utmost fidelity, I attest that Diedrich Knickerbocker once roamed the old Dutch settlements of New York. Furthermore, I attest to the meeting between us and recall it with great detail; far beyond the brief and scoffing anecdote, Rip Van Winkle. Diedrich did not behold a very venerable old man as cited in his stead by the incredulous Irving nor did any call me by the name, Rip Van Winkle.
I am Jonathan van der Maarten and should you wish to discover the truth behind the legend, then read further, take courage, and allow yourself to envision a world of sword and sorcery; of dungeons and dragons; of fantasy and feudal lords; imagine another world beyond the veil of ghostly realms - a world from the sun.
It began with an ancient coin. It was thick with a raised edge. Its face worn and oiled to a bright sheen from the many thumbs and forefingers to caress its surface prior to my discovery. I knew it to be from another age for the head it bore with pride did not have a likeness of old Farmer George nor of his father, the Fighter.
More importantly, it was gold.
Jonathan van der Maarten, A World from the Sun