- Richard, Duke of Gloucester

The War of the Roses is coming to an end. For decades, the royal houses of Lancaster and York have been locked in a civil war, vying for the throne of England. At the moment, King Edward IV of York has obtained the crown, however, the relative peace brought on by his rule may soon come to an end.

Richard, Duke of Gloucester, fellow York and brother to Edward, lurks not far off in the shadows of the king’s court. Envious of the king and despised by the queen, Richard bides his time for a chance at the crown. In wait, he plots a master plan to put himself upon the throne – a course of actions that will showcase his piety, mask his villainy, and deal with other potential contenders by any means necessary.

If Richard’s plan comes to fruition, many fear it may only further darken the clouds that hang over the royal house of York. That being so, a mighty hero may be required to remove the crown from Richard’s head by force.

It would appear that this jockeying for power and internal feuding is not limited to the royal throne and its houses. Echoed within the numerous towns of medieval Somerset, one may see that different stages of such a story are being played out across the countryside and amongst its local inhabitants. Through interacting with these townsfolk and learning their accounts of recent events, one may gain insight into Richard’s plan, the infighting of the house of York, and the close of the royal War of the Roses.

Arden has yet to become the world that we have envisioned. What is available here in the current version is only a small prototype of what we believe Arden could eventually become. Richard III and The War of the Roses have provided a small starting template for what we hope you will help us improve. The works of Shakespeare are vast and provide us as developers with rich settings into which we can continue to expand the content of Arden. However, we can only do this with your help. So, if you have ever wanted to dabble in game design now is the chance. The Neverwinter Nights Toolset is robust and easy to learn. Download the Arden module and help us update the content. Together we can create a world where Hermia or Falstaff and Harry Hotspur can continue their adventures.

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