A Mythic Earth

[Bilharzia]

The Graham Staplehurst Robin Hood ICE campaign book is pretty good, from memory I think he tried to get the licence for the (Michael Praed) Robin of Sherwood series but it didn't happen, although I might be mixing that up with something else. The historical setting is pretty much locked down (12th century Sherwood and Forest of Dean) but the myth and magic is there as well.

 

[Fenris-77]

So more like a cross between the Dresdenverse and American Gods, but with heroes too? I'm just trying to get a feel what level of fantasy you're envisioning.

 

[Morrus]

So more like a cross between the Dresdenverse and American Gods, but with heroes too? I'm just trying to get a feel what level of fantasy you're envisioning.

I’ve not read either of those. I mean, I’m not 100% sure what I’m after either. There’s no wrong answers, just some answers that strike a chord with me!

 

[Fenris-77]

Hmm. The Dresden Files is urban fantasy where wizards, vampires, the fae, dragons and some gods are all real, but occluded from common knowledge by the disbelief of man. The main character is a Wizard private eye and the whole series has a wisecracking noir kind of flair. One of my favorite series of all time.

American Gods is similar in that the Gods are all real, but doesn't extend too far into beasts and creatures. It is a fascinating treatment of fading ancient gods in a modern context and the power of belief. A lot of Gaiman's stuff works on the premise the mythic exists, hidden, but woven into and around the common everyday world.

Both worlds focus on the mythical existing side by side with the real. From what you've said I think these would both be valuable settings to check out and mine for ideas. There's TV versions of both, but I'd recommend books, the Dresden series and American Gods unreservedly. Rivers of London is a series set in England that would also recommend in the same vein.

 

[Tonguez]

One of my worlds was based inspired by Solomon Kane with a big Fae/Sidhe theme

1 Albion (England) - during the English Civil War in 1648 Oliver Cromwell first came up against a Fey-Pact Warlock in Wales. Although driven back, Cromwell survived the encounter and turned to Divine Providence for aid. Gaining the support of the Scottish Witch Finders they soon discover that those of True faith have better defence against the fey and this helps them to push back into Wales and then Ireland.

However at the seige of Clonmel a witch coven summons the Faerie Queen Melancthe, which causes the lost land of Lyonnes to rise up from the sea opening portals to the Feywild and creating a land bridge (Doggerland) across the English Channel. With the portals open all kinds of Fey and giants return to claim Lyonnes, some expanding into Ireland (which Cromwell is thus unable to subdue) and others heading to other parts of the world.

The Lord Protector squirms as Old Shuck once more terrorizes the moors and goblins infest the sewers of Manchester. Cromwell does claim Doggerland and looks to Belgium and the other Low Countries to form a broader Protestant alliance against the fae. Robert Cromwell becomes the Second Lord Protector of the Commonwealth a Puritan tyrant following in the footsteps of his father to ruthlessly enforce the law against scorcery in the regions of Albion and Doggerland.

As Fey and Witch-finder forces clash in the Protectorate Lands, Witches and lesser beings flee into Europe.

2 In southern Europe the Grand Inquisitor Torquemada has risen to become the Primus of the High Church and pushing up to claim France for the Church declares a holy war begins a campaign of genocide against all non-human races and those he declares in league with Hellspawn. At the same time Candida Torquemada former wife of Torquemada whom he had imprisoned in an Monastery due to her insanity takes over the asylum and makes a pack with the Hellspawn Nemesis by whom she has birthed two hellspawn children Barbossa and Murcalla

3 Central Europe/Black Forest was inspired by Fairytales so think Disneys version of Snow White or Beauty and the Beast, and of course the darker sexier versions of Red Riding Hood and the Werewolf

4 beyond the Carpathians Rugeivit The Howler, a Lycanthrope Warlord of the Western Slavs musters his forces, vying against the Vampire Boyars, offering a refuge to those accused of witchcraft and dealing with Baba Yaga and the other old gods who begin to stir.

5 Further south Amcazade Pasha Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Technocrats leads clockwork armies, flying carpets and griffins to occupy the Balkans and menace Venice.

6. In Afrika, Egypt has faded but the Sahel is prominent due to the fabulous wealth of Timbuktu, Mali, Tu-Anziko*, Gondar and further south the Towers of Great Zimbabwe are still occupied.(I took lots of inspiration from the Epic of Sundiata Keita)
* Tu-Anziko was my fantasy African kingdom, inspired by Burroughs/Phillip Jose Farmers “Ancient Opar” (ie the Congo Basin is an Inland Sea)

7 India I mainly focussed on the Mughals but didnt develop it much further and Khitai was set during thre 3 Kingdoms period.

8 The Naga-Khmer and Champa occupy SE Asia and Majahapit Empire across Malay and Indonesia.

9 I’ve got an entire Polynesian campaign (Legends of Hawaiki) based on Polynesian myth

10 Also had Bucaneers and Voodoo in the Carribean, whereas South America (An-Huacan) was a contient island dominated by Maztica and seperate from Tolton (a narrow island that replaced North America but was far smaller until it merged with the Arctic)

 

[Sepulchrave II]

In Roman Judaea, a miracle-working apocalyptic preacher is causing all kinds of upset. Lots of cults are forming around him, but nobody can agree on what he is trying to say.

In the Arabian Hejaz, a prophet who claims that an angel talks to him is instigating a holy war which will sweep the world.

Somewhere near Bihar in eastern India, a man sits under a fig tree and claims to know everything; lots of people seem to take him at his word. He also has powerful magical abilities.

In Iran, a mountain nomad has revealed that the world is locked in a battle between good and evil, and we must strive to purify ourselves. He recommends that keeping a fire burning is a good start.

A scholar in the royal court of Zhou has written a book claiming to solve all of your problems. He is now immortal.


I was going to include a huckster who discovered some magical golden tablets in upstate New York, but then remembered that we were taking about mythology.

 

[Eltab]

The area we call Wisconsin and Minnesota has legends of a folk hero named Hiawatha (and a few relics too). He lived before the coming of the Europeans but early pioneers learned his story from the native tribes.
Longfellow was an amateur historian, not a poet.

The city of Jerusalem has a powerful vortex of Divine power which nobody of any faith can tap or control or use for any purpose. For as long as anybody knows, it has simply existed there, as if waiting for the right time to fully come.

The temples of Ankhor Wat (Cambodia) and the myths depicted carved on the surface should feature as a place 'scientists greatly want to explore' but the impenetrable jungle has so far defeated them. The ones who expeditioned but did not return, did find it and were taken to a new reality where they witness the Churning of Ambrosia.

'Lost Land of Atlantis' authors claim the Java Sea was dry during the Ice Age and was the home of this fabled land. Get Jacques Cousteau's Calypso (sank in Singapore Harbor) and a submersible; go take a look. If you succeed, the ocean recedes - for you - to reveal ancient secrets. But if you find the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, tidal waves inundate the land from all directions and you return to the normal world (hope you can swim).

 

[atanakar]

Looking at my Penguin Atlas of Ancient History I find the era around 560 (before Christ) interesting. Use of metal has spread very far. The Greeks have spread far and wide. The Babylonians control all of Turkey and the fertile lands (not yet the Persian Empire). The Medes have a large empire North of the Babylonians. The Egyptians (26th Dyn.) are still a power. Carthage as little empire. The Berber control part of North of Africa. The Etrusques are not yet the Romains. In Spain you have the Iberians and Tartessians. Up North you have the Celtes, Scythes, Germains, Baltes, Slaves and Finns.

Overall I find it is a good mix of cultures and none of them completely dominate the Med. Sea area like in later years.

---------------------------------------------------

The era around 528 (after death) is also interesting. Only the Oriental part of the Roman Empire remains.The Franc Kingdom has risen. The Ostrogoths control Italy. The Wisogoths control Spain. Carthage is now called the Vandals. Berber still control North of Africa. The Persian Empire is held in check by the Huns and Alains in the North, and by the Arabs in the South. The Huns are dwindling. England has the Anglo-Saxons, Britons and Picts. The Norwegians, Swedes, Danish and Finns are up North with the Baltes. The Slaves control all of Eastern Europe and part of Russia.

Again everything is fractured. The Roman Oriental Empire is poised to make a reconquest of the Eastern Empire over the next 38 years.

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Having to choose I would go with Ancient Era 560 BC because it is polytheist. I could use the AD&D1e Deities & Demi-Gods with 5e pretty easily. I've been wanting to do a Sword & Sandal campaign for ever.

 

[Dioltach]

How about two mirror worlds for each region/country? An idealised Golden Age and Dark Age as different sides of the same coin. Not sure exactly how it would work, or how you move between the two - voluntarily or randomly? - or even whether both sides would be the same era. For example, England could have its Dark Age set around the time of the Viking invasions, and its Golden Age in the reign of Charles II. France's Dark Age could be its Wars of Religion, and its Golden Age could be the time of Charlemagne. And so on.

 

[Eltab]

French Golden Age, alternative:
Louis XIV has built Versailles and "invited" all the aristocrats to join him. Cardinal Richelieu is cooperating with the King (for the time being) in foreign affairs and major domestic policies but not minor ones. In the countryside, cue the Three Musketeers.