In this episode, Mac & Zoe host Sandra Hindman and Jacky Yao from Les Enluminures to discuss the craft and trade of manuscript illumination and creation in the Middle Ages, as well as the influence and popularity of the courtly romance Roman de la Rose.

Point of correction: Sandra is not currently serving as chair of art history at Northwestern, but was previously.

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Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system here!

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Bluesky

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Citations & References:

• Les Enluminures

website

• Jacky Yao, Embodied Encounters with Roman de la Rose Manuscripts lecture (

Youtube

)

• Read the Roman de la Rose

here

or

here

• Les Enluminures, Video on the Sidrak and Bokkus manuscript (

Dropbox

)

Terminology & Spelling for Reference:

• autograph

• biocodicology

• ekphrasis

• Ge’ez

• Guillaume de Lorris

• Jean de Meun

• Jeanne Montbaston

• missal

• Ormulum

• palimpsest

This episode, Zoe and Mac begin a new series diving into life in medieval villages. This guide for world builders, writers, and game masters will introduce you to how life in medieval villages operated, from terminology to geography, laws and customs, and daily life -- and how to build one for your TTRPG or story.

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Support us on patreon!

Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re!

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Bluesky

Instagram

Facebook

Citations & References:

• Gies, Frances & Joseph. Life in a Medieval Village. Harper & Row, 1990.

• “Medieval Settlements.” Historic England. A great PDF introduction.

Link

.

• Ellis, Penny. “Medieval Thoralby.” Thoralby Through Time.

Link

.

• Ray, T.J. “Manorial Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric.

Link

.

• Ray, T.J. “Feudal Language.” T.J. Ray: The Eclectic Eccentric.

Link

.

• The Middle English Compendium. (Note: this site often goes down.)

Link

.

Terminology:

• abada

• æðeling

• champion country

• cottage

• croft

• dovecote

• furlong

• green

• longhouse

• meadow

• pinfold / punfold

• sheepfold

• solar

• toft

• villein

• virgate

• wattle & daub

This week, we adapt three more medieval "morality" tales from the Gesta Romanorum, adapting them into unique puzzles, adventures, and scenarios for your tabletop campaign. Would YOUR party help you hide a body?

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Support us on patreon!

Get your copy of Marginal Worlds, a deck of 50 magic items pulled directly from medieval manuscripts, built for any TTRPG system he¡re!

Socials:

Tumblr

Website

Bluesky

Instagram

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Citations & References:

• Swan, Charles, translator. Gesta Romanorum: or, Entertaining Moral Stories. Edited by Wynnard Hooper, Dover Publications, 1959.

• N.B.: the “woman from Tumblr” briefly & obscurely referred to in the end segment is rabies educator @raccoonmilf, if anyone was wondering.