Selan- A SE Asian campaign (Critical rebuilding)

[questing gm]

Now then...

Islam in Southeast Asia

I was wondering when Islam came to the South East? This is out of personal interest to myself... I probably will not include that particular element in my campaign. However, the idea of religious conflict is an excellent idea. I'm glad to say I had no illusions of religious unity in the region!

Complements with my usual disclaimer that you would probably need to verify some the stuff here for yourself, they may not be entirely accurate...

History of Islam in Southeast Asia : Unlike their northern counterparts, the southern part of southeast asia that are mainly comprised of maritime states and kingdoms (Malaya, Indonesia and Temasik or Singapore, today). These maritime states have been very famous for trade and exposed to many different cultures. The first few traders to arrive were the Indians and the Chinese (they were the ones that brough their religion with them). But later around in the 13th century, traders from the Arab countries also started visiting these parts. Trade was commonplace between the Arabs and the Maritime states and together with the Arabs came the religion of Islam.

Since the Arabs mainly came to the maritime states, the religion began to have pockets of worshippers amongst the maritime states and never really spread to the northern region(although parts of southern Thailand are actually Islamic where unrest and insurgence is happening today). However, the religion would gain its prominence from several key factors. One of them was due to marriage.

The story goes is when Malacca (Melaka, in malay) was a trade powerhouse and controlled the strait which was a key route from east to west to traders travelling by sea. With Indians, Arabs (and later the Europeans) from the west and China from the east, Malacca was a prosperous entreport. During the reign of one of the kings of Malacca(i coulnd't remember the name and exact year), he married a Persian (if i'm not mistaken) princess. According to Islamic laws, anyone who marries an Islam is required to embrace the religion (which is still practiced today in modern Malaysia). Therefore, after the king converted to Islam (presumably from Hinduism) and changed his title from 'raja' (king) to 'sultan' (also king but in arab).

The first sultan declared Islam to be the official religion of Malacca and many nobles adopted it. With the influence of Malacca as a trade powerhouse, the religion found its way into the general populace of the Malaya peninsula, Indonesia, Brunei and sometimes to traders along the way.

 

[Sound of Azure]

You're a Godsend!

Huw

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can find someone in the local network who might have such a magazine (tho I don't like my chances). Was it an international magazine? I'll also look online, perhaps someone has a copy on ebay...hmmm

I'm starting to see that I an have a lot of different cultural types present in my campaign, due to its nature as a trade hub (which is great for adventurers).

Questing DM--

Accuracy... well, I'm probably going to be horribly inaccurate anyway, so don't worry too much. Improvisation is what I do best!

Okay, more of a hands-off stye of religion. I've got a good article in an old dragon magazine for old taboos and rules for good a poor fortune. This seems like good thing to use, and will really give a lot of texture to my setting! Having a blend will be interesting indeed. Thanks again for your insight.

Garuda vs Naga check! I'll do some more research into that, and come back with my ideas on this. I found an interesting story of how Garuda became the enemy of serpents in the encyclopedia mythica.

Raptorians.... that would.... give me the excuse I need to go buy the book... I'm of two minds whether to include them as a PC race (which would make them less fantastic and mysterious).

Y'know, it might be good to have a monotheistic faith just establishing itself in the setting, and see where it goes, and if it takes hold. And, I guess, whether the PCs go crazy about it!

You're really helping me form a more realistic cultural backdrop. Now all I have to do is come up with a bunch of regional feats and such!

Sorry this isn't a big response to everything you have post. I can assure you it will all be put to good use!

 

[Turanil]

An Angkor Vat like place in the jungle filled with ruined temples haunted by spirits and what not, is a must for this campaign.

 

[Sound of Azure]

Ankor

I've got some amazing site plans for Ankor wat and Ankor Thom, looking at finding as many as I can. For now, I've been wanting to use them for the Naga to inhabit.

cheers!

 

[Huw]

Huw

Thanks for the info. I'll see if I can find someone in the local network who might have such a magazine (tho I don't like my chances). Was it an international magazine? I'll also look online, perhaps someone has a copy on ebay...hmmm

Published by TSR UK. I don't know if they had much circulation outside of the UK.

 

[questing gm]

I was wondering if a correlation could be made to, say, Rashemen in the Forgotten Realms with their place magic, or to the shaman class from the Oriental adventures book

I would say that the shanman class in OA represents the animism practices of the southeast asian region much better than the place magic like the Ethrans of Rashemen.

I'm coming up with animism practices in southeast asia but i think it is only applicable to the muslims countries so i'm not sure would it benefit your campaign. I'm also roughly translating the malay wiki on malaysian ghosts.

Let me know if you want these information so i can post it up for you (and everyone keeping a close eye on this thread)

 

[Nyaricus]

I know just the book for further reseach on monsters, critters and beasties of all kinds from southeast asia, and indeed many places in the world.

Actually, two books.

Both are by Carol Rose, and are excellent cursary encyclopedias of monstrers of all periods of human civilization from all over the world. The first is entitled Giants, Monsters and Dragons and the second is Spirits, Faries, Leprechauns and Goblins and they are excellent resources. I highly recommend them, they are just fabulous, with a few B&W drawings mixed in, and very easy-to-read entires. Also has cross-references to similar/subject related monsters in the entries (example: the Garuda - see also Alkonost, Angka, Harpy, Khrut, Naga, Parthenope, Podarge, Ptitsi-Siriny, Simurgh, Siren, Sirin, Solovei Rakhmatich, Unnati, Zagh).

They are soft cover ( :\ ) but are fairly cheap at 25 bucks Cdn each, approximately.

 

[Aikuchi]

I would have almost nothing to add.

Such great response and suffused posts of information about the South East Asian culture.

Being South East myself but on the peninsula just south of Thailand and its neighbours, I have a few thoughts but I wondered. Its much like asking anyone really what theu ascribe to their culture. A lot may be shared feeling of common knowledge but mostly you'll get much varying degrees of belief and perception.

Its hard enough building an adventure based on a different culture, much less geography,style and ambience - but to try and capture most aspects of it is difficult enough. You and your players have to share common knowledges, cultural beliefs, reactions and habits that are natural to the culture.

I wish you the very best of luck. And I'm sure me and a few others are very interested to hear how it goes.

Its being with mindset, beyond geography and physical shaping.
The monsters are treated much differently that they are in most western folklore. Much of the south east asian culture still (out in rural regions) still practice much of their lives with the 'living' spirits whether with ancestral belief or obligatory practice.

Perhaps when you have a framework of sorts, we could go through it and emphasize on how and the firection your adventures take in a culture patterned (inspired) by South East ASian real world settings. How far do you want to go into or involve, spiritualism, religion and the daily infusion of cultural practices for the people? how much of it has a mechanical effect (rather than ambient) on the games mechanics ?

I believe one of the strongest disparities of eastern and western culture a number of years back was the concept of "face". In south east asia - you're talking about something else almost entirely with that respect. A complex "melting pot" that stems from influences from Western concepts and origins of the local complexities of society blend - from ancestral to modern takes on the elusive definition and act of "giving face".

Amazing - I wrote than I thought I might.
My apologies. I don't think I've quite addressed your original enquiries.

Perhaps, if I knew more about what you've decided - I could be of more assistance

Thank you.

 

[Aikuchi]

Oh, well, for those who understand it.

Imagine the Feat [Culture}: Kiasu-ism.

Wow ....
(giggles)

 

[Sound of Azure]

Aikuchi

Thanks for the good luck. I think I will need it!

That's a very good point on culture. Within my own gaming group we seldom agree on traits of our (Australian) culture, because we too are a (much younger, and western based) melting pot culture.

As far as immersion in spiritualism and religion go, the NPCs at least will pay attention to spirits and revere them, legends are a part of everyday life, as are the attendant rituals.
For the PCs? Well, I won't force them to do all these things. There will be some regional feats to help ground them in the setting, and other rewards for good role playing. But if they don't choose to, it's no biggie.
Obviously, with Shamans(the class), there is a strong emphasis on belief and a mechanical aspect to that belief.
I've decided to include Wu Jen (I need a new name! Any ideas?). They gain their powers through pacts with spirits.

I guess it'll mostly be ambiance, especially at the beginning of the campaign. Hopefully, the players will catch on.

On "Monsters". Yeah. It's such a tricky word, isn't it? In this case I used it as in the game term. There will be the occasional angry spirit, and more than likely a number of bound spirits(forced to attack). Mostly the action would occur against other humans, and against the yuan-ti (the principle "evil empire")

I'll post again showing some of the details I've planned out so far.


Nyaricus

Cool beans! There's a really good bookstore nearby I may be able to get those from. In fact... the second title is definitely ringing some bells. May have seen it there before (tho this was last year).