I'm a big fan of Olympian mythology and Greek history, and I have run a few one-shot adventures set in ancient and classical Greece. I have a bunch of notes that I'd like to publish as a free "mini-campaign setting" PDF, but I'm wondering what time period folks would find most interesting: ancient or classical?
Both campaigns would use standard D&D rules, with a few class and equipment options removed to preserve the setting's flavor. Neither campaign would have non-human races. In both campaigns, the extraordinary quality that sets characters with PC classes apart from characters with NPC classes is a connection to the gods. The characters are mortal, but are related to or favored by one of the primary Olympian gods or goddesses. In either setting, players will be exploring war-torn cities or crumbling temples, fighting hydras and gorgons, and generally facing mythic challenges. The reappearance of mythic monsters is part of a plot by the Titans to take back their divine power from the Olympian gods.
Ancient Greece: This setting would take place during the Archaic period, around 750 B.C. The Trojan War has been fought and, but the Persian Wars are centuries off. The famous Greek city-states are just achieving prominencem, and most are still monarchies. This setting is a bit more like "classic" D&D, in that the world is unexplored wilderness punctuated by isolated civilization. There is significantly less exposure to other cultures, and belief in the gods is still strong. This setting gives players the chance to continue the traditions established by the heroes of myth.
Classical Greece: This setting would take place immediately after the Persian Wars, during the founding of the Delian League, around 475 B.C. Many of the Greek city-states are democracies, Pericles is the guiding hand of Athens, and culture is thriving. Greece has more contact with Northern Africa and the Near East. Persians and barbarians are still a threat, and Spartan/Athenian tension is slowly building to the Pelopponessian War. There are significantly more historical resources available for the time period, which could create a more fleshed-out setting. Belief in the gods is not strong and a more scientific/philosophical paradigm is favored by intellectuals. Characters in this setting have the chance to be a second generation of mythic heroes, participating in a divine war that represents the last big hurrah of the Olympian gods.
I've used both, and both are fun. The first works well for simple monster-bashing, while the second adds more possibilities for conflict with other humans. I've got a bit more material for classical Greece, simply because there's more history available to convert into game terms. But fantastic adventures fit a bit more naturally into ancient Greece. I definitely want to pick one or the other. Your thoughts?
Both campaigns would use standard D&D rules, with a few class and equipment options removed to preserve the setting's flavor. Neither campaign would have non-human races. In both campaigns, the extraordinary quality that sets characters with PC classes apart from characters with NPC classes is a connection to the gods. The characters are mortal, but are related to or favored by one of the primary Olympian gods or goddesses. In either setting, players will be exploring war-torn cities or crumbling temples, fighting hydras and gorgons, and generally facing mythic challenges. The reappearance of mythic monsters is part of a plot by the Titans to take back their divine power from the Olympian gods.
Ancient Greece: This setting would take place during the Archaic period, around 750 B.C. The Trojan War has been fought and, but the Persian Wars are centuries off. The famous Greek city-states are just achieving prominencem, and most are still monarchies. This setting is a bit more like "classic" D&D, in that the world is unexplored wilderness punctuated by isolated civilization. There is significantly less exposure to other cultures, and belief in the gods is still strong. This setting gives players the chance to continue the traditions established by the heroes of myth.
Classical Greece: This setting would take place immediately after the Persian Wars, during the founding of the Delian League, around 475 B.C. Many of the Greek city-states are democracies, Pericles is the guiding hand of Athens, and culture is thriving. Greece has more contact with Northern Africa and the Near East. Persians and barbarians are still a threat, and Spartan/Athenian tension is slowly building to the Pelopponessian War. There are significantly more historical resources available for the time period, which could create a more fleshed-out setting. Belief in the gods is not strong and a more scientific/philosophical paradigm is favored by intellectuals. Characters in this setting have the chance to be a second generation of mythic heroes, participating in a divine war that represents the last big hurrah of the Olympian gods.
I've used both, and both are fun. The first works well for simple monster-bashing, while the second adds more possibilities for conflict with other humans. I've got a bit more material for classical Greece, simply because there's more history available to convert into game terms. But fantastic adventures fit a bit more naturally into ancient Greece. I definitely want to pick one or the other. Your thoughts?
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IMHO, it's more important to get the 'feel,'right, and if you compose an entire sea, it's probably not too hard to have philosophers pondering logos while Homer is writing mythos, really. 
