This page gives some background information on what life is like in fantasy Europe, 1007 AD. For players that don't have any idea what the early 11th century is like, this will help them get into character, and may even help them come up with character ideas. This section is divided into four parts:
Europe in 1007 AD
is the largest part of this section. It has information about all kinds of aspects of the setting. Here, you can learn about daily life, towns, religion, laws, and other aspects of Europe in the early 11th century.Women
has information on the life of women, both ordinary NPCs and exceptional women that become player characters. Playing a female character in this setting is hard, because the setting represents a very male-dominated society. This section is to help players of female characters make a character that will work despite the disadvantages that society inflicts on women.Magic in Fantasy Wargaming
explains what magic is like in FW. Since this is a historically-based setting, views of magic are a bit different that they would be in other fantasy games. Players of magic-using characters should definitely read this.Languages of Europe
offers a brief summary of some of the languages spoken in west, north, and central Europe in 1007.Off-site Links:
For those interested in the political geography of 1007, there are two avaialble maps: one of Europe in 1000 AD and one of the eastern hemisphere in 1025AD
Characters will, of course, need names. There are a number of web sites that may help. I recommend the Medieval Names Archive ,which was designed for the SCA, and takes itself way too seriously; or Kate Monk's Onomastikon, which has been the go-to source for roleplayers for some time now.