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Concept - Classical Era Fantasy World - P.E.A.C.H.

Weltall_BR

Acolyte
have worked for a few weeks on a campaign setting based on the Germanic sagas (Beowulf, the Eddas, etc.), but after reading some stuff on homebrewed campaign settings I decided to go for something more original. As someone who really appreciates Classical Greece (having read more than a couple of books by Aristotle as well as the Iliad, the Odyssey and a couple of Greek plays), I decided to create a campaign based on the Mediterranean 4th world (okay, I know it is not that much original...)

The idea is to have the campaign centred on the Greek part of the world, but picture also the proto-Celtic barbarians tribes in the north, the decaying Egyptian dynasty across the Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Empire in the peaks of its power to the East. The Greeks would be organized in city-states, naturally. Some Arabian barbarians could be included as well.

The existence of the gods would be subject to speculation. Magic would be kind of low, because studying it would be hard (more XPs to level up) and subject to restrictions (high education fees, exclusivity of a certain caste, lack of appropriate conditions in wilder lands, etc.)

I know there are a few systems with a proposal similar to this one (Agon, Warlords of Alexander, Mazes and Minotaurs, etc.). I am checking those, but I was thinking about adapting a retro-clone like Labyrinth Lord or Sword and Wizardry to do the trick, maybe adding skills. This is because I would appreciate using a system that is free (so my players don't have to buy a book to play) and familiar to everyone, so no one will have to learn a completely new game to play. On the other hand, it would also be harder to give the game a 'classical' feel. I don't know.

I would really appreciate to receive comments on my ideas, thoughts and doubts. Please evaluate and comment honestly. :)
 

Gurkhal

Auror
So, are building a world to write in or a setting for an RPG? Because I'm not sure.

I do like the idea about a Classical Greece inspired setting and it sounds like you are going to write Historical Fantasy setting to me.
 

A. E. Lowan

Forum Mom
Leadership
Looks like an RPG to me... threw me, too. Sweetie, I think you wanted to put this into the "Games" forum.
 
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Weltall_BR

Acolyte
Indeed it is an idea for an RPG. Nonetheless, for me it is above all an idea for a fantasy world. A fantasy novel and an RPG campaign have different demands, of course, but I think that at least in general lines a good setting for a campaign is a good setting for a fantasy novel: both need to be consistent, provide a rich background, opportunities for an interesting plot, etc. Do you think the fact that my world is not designed with a novel in mind, but an RPG campaign, prevents you from expressing an opinion on my idea?
 

ThinkerX

Myth Weaver
Years ago, TSR came out with a series of supplements for a sort of 'historical fantasy earth' for AD&D. Classical Greece was one of them; Rome was another. The Celts had a rulebook as well. (Also Vikings, Crusades, Charlegmagnes era, and early enlightement). The bookd give descriptions of the cultures, currencies, common names, monsters, and magic. Monsters and magic got matched up against their AD&D counterparts, and a lot of common fantasy monsters were deemed not appropriate, along with most of the spells.

I used these books as a rough starting point for my own world, and still make use of them for the names and a couple other things.
 

Weltall_BR

Acolyte
Years ago, TSR came out with a series of supplements for a sort of 'historical fantasy earth' for AD&D. Classical Greece was one of them; Rome was another. The Celts had a rulebook as well. (Also Vikings, Crusades, Charlegmagnes era, and early enlightement). The bookd give descriptions of the cultures, currencies, common names, monsters, and magic. Monsters and magic got matched up against their AD&D counterparts, and a lot of common fantasy monsters were deemed not appropriate, along with most of the spells.

I used these books as a rough starting point for my own world, and still make use of them for the names and a couple other things.

That was a great reference. I have checked both books and they gave me a lot of ideas. I will post an update of the concept soon.
 

Saigonnus

Auror
If you are considering it, I would think "magic" would simply be a polyglot of herbalism, alchemy and chemistry as opposed to the "wave your hands for a fireball" type. Magic often enough is simply technology that most people don't understand, lending it a sort of mysticism. I had fun with AD&D, but used the rules books as a guide rather than the end all be all of the game. I often changed things in the rulebook because they didn't work well with the world I created. Many of the smaller communities far from the cities were exceptionally superstitious over even something as basic as alchemym but used herbalism for healing without that sense of awe. It would seriously depend on the society how things would be recieved. :)
 

ThinkerX

Myth Weaver
If you are considering it, I would think "magic" would simply be a polyglot of herbalism, alchemy and chemistry as opposed to the "wave your hands for a fireball" type. Magic often enough is simply technology that most people don't understand, lending it a sort of mysticism. I had fun with AD&D, but used the rules books as a guide rather than the end all be all of the game. I often changed things in the rulebook because they didn't work well with the world I created. Many of the smaller communities far from the cities were exceptionally superstitious over even something as basic as alchemym but used herbalism for healing without that sense of awe. It would seriously depend on the society how things would be recieved.

TSR did something with their 'Historical Earth' handbooks. Usually, as far as magic went, they made three recommendations:

1) Straight historical, with little or no actual magic - about like whats in the above quote;

2) Legendary campaign, little magic and few spellcasters, lots of 'standard' AD&D spells gone, and very strongly recommending 'kits' for magic users and priests conforming to the way those people percieved magic;

3) Fantasy campaign, magic much more abundant, but *STILL* recommending little or no use of entire catagories of spells.

I spent a lot of time playing around with the lists of permitted spells and the 'recommended wizard kits', and did a fair bit of research on my own. Then I went and chucked most of it in favor of my current, much simpler system: 'magic' is 'enhanced PSI abilities' - things like ESP, Clairvoyance, Levitation, Pyrokinesis, Telekinesis and a couple similiar things - mostly 'parlour trick' type stuff, or maybe a notch or two above that. I tossed in some rituals and runes to act as 'cheats' if necessary. To this I added an old concept from classical magic - that of the 'spirit' or 'demon'. Many of ye olde classical magicians were obessessed with learning the 'true name' of such an entity, thus granting them a measure of control over it. Except in my case, most of these spirits are straight out of Lovecraft.
 

Weltall_BR

Acolyte
I took a step back and am reviewing my guidelines and fundamental concepts. I will share it with you as soon as I have something new. But I may do it in the game area, instead of in this thread, yielding to what a few of you pointed out. Thank you guys.
 

Legendary Sidekick

The HAM'ster
Moderator
[thread moved at Weltall's request]

@Weltall_BR, good luck with the game concept. I've dabbled in that sort of thing myself, and even now, I picture how my WIP might work as a game. (Board game, video game, RPG...) I'll check this thread out some more when you update it.
 
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