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Post by The Archivist on Mar 7, 2015 13:38:27 GMT -5
Consider the following as the basis for the setting for a D&D campaign world, which would interest you the most and why? This is to be considered separate from culture, that is a different topic. 1. Sub-saharan African Kingdoms 2. Southeast Asian Kingdoms 3. Feudal Japan Bushido, Sengokou, Usagi Yojimbo 4. Ancient China 5. Mongolia - Ghengis Khan style 6. Elizabethan England remember no gunpowder 7. Early or mid-Dark Ages Europe/western Asia 8. 12th-16th century Korea 9. Pre-Sengoku Japan - Heian-kyo, Nara, Asuka, Yamato 10. Byzantine Empire 11. Roman Empire - first 500 years 12. Roman Empire - second 500 years 13. Mesopotamian Empire 14. Like the Barbary coast in the Middle Ages 15. The Last Ice Age 16. Viking 800-1100 AD 17. Polynesia in its heyday of colonization 18. Egypt 19. The Iroquois Nation 20. Easter Island 21. Mu/Lemuria 22. Atlantis 23. The Zulu Nation 24. Mogul India 25. Eskimo 26. The Irish 27. The Scots 28. The Welsh 29. Persia 30. Central and South American Indians A. Aztec B. Maya C. Olmec D. Toltec E. Zapotec civilization F. Tarascan state G. Tlapanec people H. K'iche' Kingdom of Q'umarkaj I. Tlaxcala (Nahua state) 31. Plains Indians w/horses 32. Huns 33. Ancient Greeks 34. Ottoman Empire 35. Phoenician 36. One is the Hellenistic Age, between Alexander's death and the rise of Rome, when you had the Seleukids in the East, the Ptolomies in Egypt and the Antiochids in the Near East. Greek is a common language, you have a lot of the elements you want from Greece but in a very expansive Mediterranean world, where characters can go to Tyre, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, as well as Corinth or even Carthage and Rome. It has a lot going for it in terms of "adventurer" potential, and the kingdoms feel like the ones in Conan, just the personal domains of powerful warlords. You get to use Greek gods, plus Egyptian religion, Persian deities, and even old Babylonian religions. There's so much to explore, and so many possibilities for PCs. 37. The other is late antiquity in the Western Roman Empire, roughly from the fall of Romulus Augustulus to the crowning of Charlemagne. France and Spain and Italy are all still Latin speaking, and you have the various Gothic tribes that move through, and the Franks slowly coming to power in Gaul and Burgundy and all those areas. You can also go to Britain and have quasi-Arthurian leaders. It's a very wild and open period, and lets you mix up Germanic and Roman characters. You get Christianity as the dominant religion, which is good or bad asylum own preference goes. (Even the barabarians were Christian heretics, mostly Arians who believed Jesus was subordinate to God the Father.) Both have a "the world is open" feel to them, as transitional periods between great empires, and I think that's what you need in D&D more than anything. The Hellenistic world is in the shadow of Alexander, late antiquity in the shadow of Rome. 38. I like not only the Mespotamians but that whole bunch around there, the Hittites, the Sumerians, the Indus Valley bods ... ancient civilisations just get my adventuring blood up, all that mystery and great unknown out beyond the walls. 39. Aksum (or Axum) 40. Kush 41. Yam 42. The Xiongnu Empire 43. Greco-Bactria 44. Yuezhi 45. The Mitanni Kingdom 46. Tuwana 47. Phrygian empires 48. Assyrian empires 49. Babylonian Empire 50. Ancient Ireland 51. Mauryan Empire 52. Indo-Greeks 53. Ancient Japan 54. Ancient France 55. Ancient Turkey 56. Ottoman Empire 57. Ancient Armenia 58. Indus Valley 59. Ancient Australia (Aboriginal) 60. Minoan Civilization 61. Carthage 62. Andean civilizations A. Chimor B. Kingdom of Cusco/Inca C. Aymara D. Muisca 63. Moinamato Civilization 64. Numidia 65. Nok 66. Nairi 67. Urartu 68. Moundbuilder and Puebla civilizations A. Ancient Pueblo peoples B. Caddoan Mississippian culture C. Coles Creek culture D. Fort Ancient E. Hohokam F. Mogollon culture G. Oneota H. Patayan I. Plaquemine culture 69. African civilizations A. Wagadou B. Mali Empire C. Songhai Empire D. Ashanti Empire E. Abyssinia F. Benin Empire 70. Southeast Asia A. Funan, Chenla, Champa, Anghor Cambodia B. Dvaravati, Hariphunchai, Sukhothai, Ayutthaya Kingdom, pre Modern Thailand C. Pagan Burma D. Philippine Classical Period E. Sri Vijaya, Sailendra, Mataram and Majapahit 71. Uiger Civilization 72. Osirian Civilization 73. Transylvania at the turn of the 17th century- 1590 to the thirty years war. 74. TSR historical supplements 9322 HR1 Vikings Campaign Sourcebook 9323 HR2 Charlemagne’s Paladins Campaign Sourcebook 9376 HR3 Celts Campaign Sourcebook 9370 HR4 A Mighty Fortress Campaign Sourcebook 9425 HR5 The Glory of Rome Campaign Sourcebook 9408 (HR6) Age of Heroes Campaign Sourcebook 9469 (HR7) The Crusades Campaign Sourcebook Green Ronin Publishing has quite a few historical campaign settings as well... Some of which are: Testament :Roleplaying in the Biblical Era The Trojan War Sidewinder: Recoiled (The Wild, Wild, West) Skull and Bones (The Pirate era) Eternal Rome Fantasy Games Unlimited's Bushido.
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Post by cadriel on Mar 7, 2015 14:35:24 GMT -5
Ancient China has some awesome potential; not one but several rich mythologies, tons of history and recognizable culture from clothing to martial arts. I think you could pick any of the four great classic novels (Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, Journey to the West, or Red Chamber) and use them as a background for an accessible high adventure campaign.
i am not sure why you specify no gunpowder for Elizabethan period. LotFP basically does this already, though you'd have more back swords than rapiers, and there would still be some armor in use. Gunpowder was rocking the world, I can't imagine an Elizabethan period without it. The AD&D 2e book A Mighty Fortress is a great resource.
Now, I'm a bit biased for the Byzantines because I spent a lot of time studying Byzantine history in college (I minored in history and half my classes were on this period). The Byzantium of the early Crusades would be particularly good as a gaming choice, lots of admixture between the East Romans, the Crusaders, the various Muslim armies.
I'm curious why you split Rome into 500 year periods. Most of the first 500 years AUC are semi-legendary, while the period from the Punic Wars on has several interesting periods - the expanding Republic up to the Gracchi, the decades of civil strife, the triumvirates, and the Principate that finally ended shortly before Philip II celebrated the 1000 year anniversary.
The Vikings were loads of fun, unless you were an Anglo-Saxon farmer or something. I think the current History Channel show gives a good flavor for what could be done, synthesizing the Icelandic sagas with what we know of history.
Polynesia could be lots of fun, I could think of some interesting adventures to be had within the pre-unification Hawaiian societies. Menehune and kahunas and that beautiful countryside.
Atlantis I like, but it's more fun after it fell. Same with Mu.
Persia is a huge undertaking, because it's got such a long history. Achaemenid Persia is really going to require a devotion to the Bronze Age. Maybe setting something in the Seleukid ruled Persia of the Hellenistic period, or the Parthians? Or, something in Greco-Persian Bactria might be neat, when you had Greek speaking Buddhists in what is today Afghanistan.
I'm not too big on the Americas, anything post-Colombus is late for D&D type fantasy while beforehand you lack even horses.
The ancient Greeks were a very compact civilization both in time and space. Their cities were small and they flourished in a brief period that doesn't lend to a lot of open adventure.
Personally, I come down strongly in favor of two historical periods, neither of which you mention.
One is the Hellenistic Age, between Alexander's death and the rise of Rome, when you had the Seleukids in the East, the Ptolomies in Egypt and the Antiochids in the Near East. Greek is a common language, you have a lot of the elements you want from Greece but in a very expansive Mediterranean world, where characters can go to Tyre, Jerusalem, and Alexandria, as well as Corinth or even Carthage and Rome. It has a lot going for it in terms of "adventurer" potential, and the kingdoms feel like the ones in Conan, just the personal domains of powerful warlords. You get to use Greek gods, plus Egyptian religion, Persian deities, and even old Babylonian religions. There's so much to explore, and so many possibilities for PCs.
The other is late antiquity in the Western Roman Empire, roughly from the fall of Romulus Augustulus to the crowning of Charlemagne. France and Spain and Italy are all still Latin speaking, and you have the various Gothic tribes that move through, and the Franks slowly coming to power in Gaul and Burgundy and all those areas. You can also go to Britain and have quasi-Arthurian leaders. It's a very wild and open period, and lets you mix up Germanic and Roman characters. You get Christianity as the dominant religion, which is good or bad asylum own preference goes. (Even the barabarians were Christian heretics, mostly Arians who believed Jesus was subordinate to God the Father.)
Both have a "the world is open" feel to them, as transitional periods between great empires, and I think that's what you need in D&D more than anything. The Hellenistic world is in the shadow of Alexander, late antiquity in the shadow of Rome.
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Post by Necromancer on Mar 13, 2015 7:12:16 GMT -5
I wouldn't use any of those as they are (or perhaps I should write were since we're talking history here!) but I pretty much always turn to real world sources of inspiration when it comes to creating fantasy nations and cultures, but then I try to tweak them to get that "familiar yet strange" factor that I like to use. There's so much interesting stuff to choose from, as seen in that list you posted, The Archivist. Vikings, celts, mongols, romans, aztecs, sumerians... Great post!
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Post by Von on Mar 29, 2015 2:39:34 GMT -5
Consider the following as the basis for the setting for a D&D campaign world, which would interest you the most and why? This is to be considered separate from culture, that is a different topic. 6. Elizabethan England remember no gunpowder 7. Early or mid-Dark Ages Europe/western Asia 10. Byzantine Empire 11. Roman Empire - first 500 years 12. Roman Empire - second 500 years 15. The Last Ice Age 16. Viking 800-1100 AD 18. Egypt 21. Mu 22. Atlantis 28. The WelshI have eliminated the ones which I would be most concerned about Getting Wrong. Once you introduce real history I am often paralysed by a lack of knowledge/insight concerning the period in question and reluctant to engage. I am happy to admit my ignorance but not to indulge it when it might compromise the Fun of others. I have bolded The Welsh because I am intrinsically interested in playing as the underdog Welsh, encircled and driven back to the fringe by the English. Real Llewelyn the Last stuff.
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Post by Vile Traveller on Mar 29, 2015 10:42:36 GMT -5
I like not only the Mespotamians but that whole bunch around there, the Hittites, the Sumerians, the Indus Valley bods ... ancient civilisations just get my adventuring blood up, all that mystery and great unknown out beyond the walls. Years of RuneQuest probably have something to do with it, too.
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 1, 2015 8:51:31 GMT -5
I have eliminated the ones which I would be most concerned about Getting Wrong. Once you introduce real history I am often paralysed by a lack of knowledge/insight concerning the period in question and reluctant to engage. I am happy to admit my ignorance but not to indulge it when it might compromise the Fun of others. I have bolded The Welsh because I am intrinsically interested in playing as the underdog Welsh, encircled and driven back to the fringe by the English. Real Llewelyn the Last stuff. I understand what you mean, there are many that I would not attempt at all. Only a few people are widely read enough to pull off almost anything and I am not one of them.
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 1, 2015 9:52:47 GMT -5
Thank you all for your comments. While you could of course use them exactly as they were there is no reason you can not tweak them, for instance you can imagine an alternate history were there were always horses in the Americas.
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 1, 2015 11:01:16 GMT -5
Greatly expanded the first post. Please list anything you can think of to add.
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Post by Admin Pete on Apr 1, 2015 13:17:38 GMT -5
That is quite a list! Now if there was a description to go with each.
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Post by scottanderson on Apr 4, 2015 19:29:54 GMT -5
Transylvania at the turn of the 17th century- 1590 to the thirty years war.
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 12:02:56 GMT -5
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 12:03:47 GMT -5
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 12:16:53 GMT -5
Geoffrey of Carcosa fame posted this over at DF back in 2005 in regards to AD&D but it can easily be applied to OD&D. This brilliant post is presented here:
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 12:21:57 GMT -5
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 12:55:10 GMT -5
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 13:19:19 GMT -5
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Post by The Archivist on Apr 15, 2015 13:30:17 GMT -5
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 15:56:48 GMT -5
1. Sub-saharan African Kingdoms
A. Kush
B. Axum
C. Egypt
D. Mali
E. Equatorial rain forests (Pygmies)
F. The towering Masai herdsmen found in Kenya and Tanzania
G. The San (aka Bushmen) of the Kalahari desert
H. Zulu who challenged the British Empire in the nineteenth-century in South Africa.
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 15:57:20 GMT -5
Here is a little bit of info that comes into play IMC.
Historically, most African peoples believed that the gods existed everywhere in nature. They also believed that things like the sun, moon, oceans, rivers and mountains contained spirits or deities. Generally there was no focus on an afterlife, African religions tended to be focus more on everyday life.
In many African traditions there is a supreme creator god who is omnipresent and omniscient but is often gone from the scene due to displeasure with mankind. Even though the creator god has removed himself from the scene, there is still a whole pantheon of active gods who can be called on through various methods. One religion still practiced in Africa has 1,700 divinities called orishas.
Many Africans have beliefs similar to other ancestor worshiping cultures such as the Chinese and others. They believe that the souls of their deceased ancestors can be looked upon as guardians and sources of wisdom for the living.
As is common in many native traditions around the world, there is the mythic character of the trickster.
Magic as used by priests/medicine men is prominent in their religions.
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 15:57:38 GMT -5
Some Creator Gods of Africa:
Amma who is worshipped by the Dogon of Mali in western Africa.
Bumba who is worshipped by the Bushongo of the Congo.
Mbombo who is worshipped by the Kuba of the rain forests of Zaire.
Cagn who is worshipped by the San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari Desert region in Southern Africa.
Dxui who is worshipped by the San (Bushmen) of the Kalahari Desert region in Southern Africa.
Chuku who is worshipped by the Ibo or Igbo of Eastern Nigeria.
Imana who is worshipped by the Banyarwanda of Rwanda in central Africa.
Kalumba who is worshipped by the Luba of Zaire.
Leza who is worshipped by the Kaonde of southern Africa.
Mawu and Liza the twin creator gods who are worshipped by the Fon of Benin in western Africa. Mawu and Liza are born from an older creator god Nana-Buluku and Aido-Hwedo.
'Ngai who is worshipped by the Masai of southeastern Africa.
Nyame who is worshipped by the Ashanti of Ghana.
Unkulunkulu who is worshipped by the Zulu and Xhosa of southern Africa.
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 15:59:23 GMT -5
Another setting that you could add to that list would be India. You have the caste system, tigers, elephants, cobras, mulitple religions a massively huge pantheon etc.
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:01:34 GMT -5
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:03:15 GMT -5
19. The Iroquois Nation A. Mohawk B. Onondaga C. Seneca D. Oneida E. Cayuga f. later the Tuscaroras
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:03:36 GMT -5
26. The Irish Fomorians Fomhóire Partholonians Nemedians Fir Bholg Firbolgs - three tribes -Domnu, Gaillion, Bolg Tuatha De Danann Laigain Milesians Irish Celts Picts aka Cruithni Glasraighe Laigin (Leinster) Osraige (Ossory) Ui Bairrche Ui Chennselaig Ui Maile Ui Laoighis Ua bhFailghe Hy-Regan Fotharta Seven Septs of Laois (sept or clan) - O'Moore, O'Kelly, O'Deevy, O'Doran, O'Lalor, O'Dowling and McEvoy Connacht Luigne Gailenga Ui Maine Ui Briuin Ui Fiachrach Siol Murray - (O'Conors, MacDermots, O'Beirnes, O'Flanagans, MacManuses, O'Brenans, O'Monahans, MacGeraghtys, O'Flynns and others) Breifne Conmaicne Rein Conmaicne Mara Tribes of Galway - (Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne, D'Arcy, Ffont (or De Fuente), Ffrench, Joyes (or Joyce), Kirwan, Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerrett.) Ulster Dal Fiatach Dal nAraide Dal Riata Fir Manach Cineal Fógartaígh Airgialla (Oriel) Ui Cremthainne Erainn Decies Deise Ciannachta Eile Desmond Corca Luighe Eoghanacht Corca Duibhne Thomond Dal gCais Ui Neill Cenel nEoghain Cenel Conaill Cineal Chonaill Mide (Meath) Brega Southern Ui Neill Four Tribes of Tara
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:04:20 GMT -5
74. Southeast, Northeast, Woodlands and Great Lakes Indians (see Iroquois Nation above) Hurons Micmac Maliseet Pequot Mohegan Narragansett Passamaquoddy Penobscot Tuscarora Wampanoag Nipigon Ojibwa Michipicoten Mattagami Timagami Dokis Nipissing Eastern Ojibwa Mississauga Golden Lake Southern Ojibwa or Chippewa Ottawa Mascouten Potawatomi Illinois Fox Kickapoo Kaskaskia Moingwena Illini Tamaroa Cahokia Michigamea Peoria Potawatomi Miami Wea Piankashaw Shawnee Masapelea Miami Timiskaming Algonkin Manouane Maniwaki Malecite Penobscot Passamaquoddy Western Abenaki Eastern Abenaki Pennacook Pocumtuc Nipmuc Massachusett Nauset Wampanoag Pokanoke Narraganset Tunxis Mohegan Paugusset Metoac (Montauk, Shinnecock, Poosepatuck) Mahican Wappinger Musee Rockaway Delaware Unami Piscataway Nanticoke Choptank Conoy Powhatan Chickahominy Mattapony Nansemond Pamunkey Potomac Rappahannock Weapemeac Chowanoc Roanoke Machapunga Pamlico Secotan Hatteras Bear River Neusiak Coree Peun or Tobacco Nations Huron Wenro Wyandot Tuscarora Susquehannock Erie Mingo Winnebago Five Civilized Tribes of the Southeast (the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole also later the Tuscaroras) Natchez
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:04:40 GMT -5
75. Pacific Northwest Indians Achomawi Indians Chemakum Indians Chukchansi Indians Clayoquot Indians Coast Salish Indians Cowichan Indians Haida Indians Hupa Indians Hesquiat Indians Karok Indians Klamath Indians Koskimo Indians Kwakiutl Indians Lummi Indians Makah Indians Nootka Indians Puget Sound Salish Indians Quileute Indians Quinault Indians Shasta Indians Skokomish Indians Tolowa Indians Tututni Indians Willapa Indians Wiyot Indians Yurok Indians
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:07:31 GMT -5
76. Southwest Indians Acoma Indians Apache Indians Cochiti Indians Havasupai Indians Hopi Indians Hualapai Indians Isleta Indians Jemez Indians Jicarilla Indians Keresan Indians Laguna Indians Maricopa Indians Mohave Indians Navajo Indians Pima Indians Qahatika Indians Taos Indians Tewa Indians Tigua Indians Tohono O'Odham Indians Yuma Indians White Mountain Apache Indian Tribe Yavapai Indians Zuñi Indians
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:08:08 GMT -5
77. Great Basin Indians Cahuilla Indians Chemehuevi Indians Comanche Indians Cupeño Indians Diegueño Indians Mono Indians Northern Paiute Indians Shoshonean Indians Washo Indians
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:08:38 GMT -5
78. Great Plains Indians Arapaho Indians Arikara Indians Assiniboine Indians Atsina Indians Brule Indians Cheyenne Indians Chipewyan Indians Cree Indians Crow Indians Dakota Indians Hidatsa Indians Kainah Indians Mandan Indians Oglala Indians Osage Indians Oto Indians Piegan Indians Ponca Indians Quapaw Indians Sarsi Indians Siksika Indians Teton Indians Wichita Indians Yanktonai Indians
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Post by Crimhthan The Great on Apr 15, 2015 16:09:01 GMT -5
79. Northwest Plateau Indians Cayuse Indians Chinookan Indians Kalispel Indians Klikitat Indians Kutenai Indians Nespelim Indians Nez Perce Indians Salish Indians Salishan Indians Spokane Indians Tlakluit Indians Umatilla Indians Walla Walla Indians Yakama Indians
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