Could there be a more perfect date?
I was able to, with no real stretch, fit the Fourth Crusade, the Albigensian Crusade (most notably the Sack of Constantinople,) the (supposed) Children's Crusades, AND the Fifth Crusade into my character's backgrounds.
Of course, he happened to intensely dislike the entire experience...
Still, what other dates would make for good starting points for different eras?
Don't forget that 1220 is also the date that Rabbits were introduced to the Isle of Wight. You see, it was a Creo experiment gone horriably, tragically wrong.
Actually, anyu date is good for starting a campaign. Some people prefer to enter into a battlefield straight away. Sompe prefer to build their characters for 10-20ish years before major crises in the mundane or magical setting, some prefer to play in periods of mundane and hermetic calm, etc etc. No period is better than another, just different and tends to encourage certain tyypes of adventures depending on your taking on mundane history.
Dude, a guy experimenting that many crusades must be a zealot or a guy touched by Murphy Almighty.
Cheers,
Xavi
Naaah, he's just seriously unlucky. Father sold everything and took his son along to the 4th, master brought him to the Albigensian to look for artifacts while the Cathars were burning, then to the Children's Crusades to pick out the Gifted ones, then they were on their way back from the Serengeti in a failed attempt to find Prestor John's kingdom when they ran into the Fifth.
I think I might move it back 20 years, give the players a chance to look at all the Crusades going on if they choose, or at least make some benefit/stories from them.