D&D General Non-European Campaigns?

atanakar

Hero
Looking at the Deities & Demi-Gods and I'm wondering if any of you have ever made a campaign based around other regions of the globe? I always wanted to do a sword & sandals* campaign but never got around to do it. I'm a big fan if the old Sinbad, Clash of Titans and Greek mythology movies. Every time I asked the players didn't get the vibe. They just want to do the classic D&D LOTR European fantasy.

(*Greece, Egypt, Rome, Carthage, Babylonia, Celts, Huns)

Disclaimer, I am aware that Runequest exists. Bought Mythras by Design Mechanism a few years ago but no one wants to play.
 

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Odysseus

Explorer
I've Dm'd a few Egypt themed campaigns, and Conan. And played in one with Romans.
Generally players, especially my current group as you said don't get the vibe. The problem seems to be with technology and social issues. I could probably make it work better if I make the setting my modern.
 

the Jester

Legend
My setting uses its own cultures and deities, so while I haven't used (f'rex) a campaign featuring the Japanese mythos, I have built (again, f'rex) a pantheon of gods who are abstract beings that each represent idealized behavioral norms, another that consists of three gods (of the sea, sky, and land) who promote the consumption of fallen foes as a sign of respect and a way to gain their power, a pantheon that is a family arranged in a strict hierarchy based on age (Old Grandmother is boss) that is reflected by the political system of the area it is from, etc.

I strive not to be too Eurocentric in my design. In the case of cultures, I try to make each somewhat unique, even if and when I draw on existing cultures for ideas. For example, Peshan culture- the one with the arranged-by-age pantheon- had a political system where the eldest member of the royal family got to be in charge, leading to a system where lots of assassination and underhanded behavior became normalized, but also one with (at least on the surface) significant reverence for the old. It was heavily mercantile and ocean-based (as an island with great natural resources), and sought to extend its political will through trade and financial aid, rather than warfare. It was also sexually "liberated" (from their own point of view) or an oversexed mass of perversion (from the perspective of many other cultures), including normalized pederasty similar to the steroetype of Classical Greek pederasty, full of weird herbs, drugs, and poison, and known for secret guilds of assassins, ninja, and magic dancers. Veils and scarves are a major cultural thing; the way you wear your scarf can advertise social standing, sexual interest, profession, etc. So Peshan culture is a mix of a lot of things, not all of them represented in the real world.
 


Voadam

Legend
Ancient World Mediterranean base is a pretty strong influence on D&D as well, from Conan to Greek and Egyptian and Mesopotamian influences. How many adventures fit better with Conan than Frodo? A lot of the monsters are Greek and a decent number are from non Tolkein/medieval european origins. A lot of D&D mines the Greek aspects more than tolkein, for instance the Greek Gods and Titans are closer to D&D's pantheons of Gods than Tolkein's powers.
 

eyeheartawk

#1 Enworld Jerk™
Played in a fair amount of L5R campaigns and a couple non European based fantasy games. I think the biggest problem is an unfamiliarity with other culture's mores and the like. In L5R's case they have to devote a not insubstantial amount of space informing player characters of how society is structured, what you can and cannot do etc.

Most people in the west are broadly familiar enough with the European medieval default premise to engage with it without having to do any additional reading. And, it's always easier to get players recruited and engaged if you don't ask them to do additional work.
 


Tonguez

A suffusion of yellow
I’ve Played in a setting based on Vietnam using Mahasarpa rules (3e) and have played a street theif who became a pirate in Al-Qadim.

Ive done a setting based on the Sahel Kingdoms of Africa, another set in Mythic Polynesia and another in Pictish (Conanesque) Ireland (The Land of Nemed).
Also does Slavic Russia count as non-European :)?
 


Tonguez

A suffusion of yellow
We played some Rokugan back in the days of 3e, but it's pretty much that. The homebrew campaign I'm preparing to replace either of the two I'm running right now is heavily inspired by the book The Devil to Pay in the Backlands. This will be my first try at a game inspired by Literature from my home region, but I'm not 100% sure my players will "grasp" it. I hope they do.

That sounds really interesting, I know nothing about Brazilian culture so have no reference points but would love to read about it in a Storyhour :)
 

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