The Winter Phase & Other Pendragon Materials

The Winter Phase:

1. Roll for Experience Checks
2. Check for Aging (if applicable) [KAP 107]
3. Check Landholding System (including Fortune, Harvest, Income) [Book of the Manor 48] 
1. Remove Hate (Landlord) mechanic: just deal with effects in game narratively
4. Make Stable & Childbirth Rolls [KAP 108]
5. Make Family & Local Events Rolls [Expanded Family Events Table]
1. 1-2 No Event, 3-6 Local Event (roll again), 7-20 Family Event (odd or even)
2. alternative system for family events in KAP if too cumbersome
6.  Training & Practice [KAP 111]
7. Compute Glory & Glory Bonuses [KAP 112]
8. Deal with Events at Local Court & Make Investments
1. decide if peasants or other nobles come to court beyond the rolls in the Book of the Manor

The Adventuring Phase
After the Winter Phase is dealt with, dealing with the local events around the knights' own manors, then comes time to be summoned for duty at the Liege's (Count's) Court, where the main adventures can occur. Here the knights can hear distant rumors of the king's court, might be summoned there instead, attempt to woo ladies with the liege lord's permission, or forget about it and get straight to killing or performing the lord's own duties. Of course, the knights can interact with each other using messenger birds or undertake their own actions either before or after their yearly service.

Other Resources:
Feasts - Random Feast Tables
Travel in Countryside: Random Encounter Tables from [Blood and Lust 17]

Pendragon!

(pic from here: http://pictishscout.deviantart.com/gallery/#)


So I've been in love with Pendragon for about a year now, and after our D&D TPK I've been plotting running a campaign. But I have two huge glaring worries about it as a game because I dislike railroads. They bore me. I have more fun when the players can try new things. Pendragon has two features that worry me about running a campaign. Further, last time we played Pendragon my players weren't that into it, and I wasn't feeling it either. So I'm dealing with two concerns:

1. Railroady plots in published adventures/the Grand Pendragon Campaign. This is not just a "feature" for me, it's a bug. I don't mind structure: hearing about main NPCs off screen, being assigned missions by the liege lord. I just don't like limiting the players' choices once an adventure is kicked off. I'm planning to fix this by going with the flow and asking lots of questions about what PCs do, and not worrying if they mess up the timeline. I endorse  that PCs are there to kick ass and take names (or die trying) and your NPCs are the grist beneath their mailed boots. I'm also planning way more random tables for feasts, yearly events, etc.

2. Encouraging the pursuit of power/giving a shit about Pendragon: I think my D&D crew who I've played with before didn't really understand what they're supposed to be doing. Pendragon is not as clear as D&D, because its goals are alittle off kilter. I also like intrigue and gathering power stories, in addition to tales of moral choice and heroism (blah romance). I intend therefore to try and get PCs first into warfare and combat, and get used to interacting with NPCs with really STRONG personalities. Then I want them to inherit some land and use the Book of the Manor to really build up little personal fiefs.

Anyone have experiences or suggestions with running Pendragon to not be railroady? To maximize intrigue and power grabs?