A Sherwood Forest campaign - input needed

[mfrench]

I have been kicking around a Sherwood Forest campaign for years: not as the main characters, but as members of the Merry Men who must do the real work.

My interest in it has flared up again recently, but I don't have time to run it. I was hoping that some discussion here would be fruitful and also scratch that particular itch for me until I get a chance to run it. So the main point of the thread:

In a Sherwood 3.5 D&D campaign, what rules changes would you use? How would you set the table for swashbuckling adventures in Sherwood?

 

[Jorunkun]

In a Sherwood 3.5 D&D campaign, what rules changes would you use? How would you set the table for swashbuckling adventures in Sherwood?

Depends on how close to the literary original you want to be. If the answer is "very", the result would be a low level (E6?), very low magic, humans-only campaign, with fighters, rangers/scouts and rogues as the main classes.

Depending on how much you make of the celtic "Herne" elements and Friar Tuck, you might also allow toned-down (pagan) druids and (christian) clerics, and possibly some fey-like beings, but that's it for magic or elements of the fantastic.

Consider basing it off the TV series "Robin of Sherwood" - they have taken some liberties with the original story, but expanded the fantasy elements such as Nasir and the whole crusades/asassin background, sorcery (ie. the Sheriff's brother something de Belem sp?), black knights, Robin's second coming etc.

In terms of plot, I'd say the setting's main strength is the outlaw angle. PCs are outdoors a lot and are usually on the run, so pacing and lead-ins to adventures are not a problem.

The main issue is the lack of variety in terms of adversaries: You basically wind up battling Norman warriors of various levels every session. Also, how do you wind up such a campaign? There's no way the PCs can conceivably "win" and drive the Normans out of England, can they?

Btw, there used to be an excellent "Robin Hood" sourcebook out, I think it was for GURPs or Rolemaster.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

This site

http://www.aedificium.org/Maps/LocalMaps.html

has Harn-style maps of real 12th century english villages. Most are in Nottinghamshire.

 

[Walt C]

Battlefield Press has a PDF of Sherwood: the Legend of Robin Hood for d20 3.5.

Walt C

 

[Phlebas]

If you're going to base it on real maps then be warned, the forest is relatively small IRL compared to most fantasy settings and could get a little claustrophobic / restrictive as you don't have a lot of options.

My advice would be to take the Robin Hood concept and just apply it to a large forest in a published / home brew setting - have the goal be to overthrow an evil local noble / replace him with the true ruler / gain a pardon and then you're off with a lot more freedom than trying to make a historically accurate story.

If you do go for historically 'accurate' then try and remember the underlying story for walter scott was norman vs saxon conflict and the birth of an english nation. ie nothing like 'prince of thieves' (hate that film with a passion....)

as for other options:
"Oh merry men.....
We rob from the rich and give to the needy
(We keep a little bit but we're not greedy)....."

 

[Klaus]

I have been kicking around a Sherwood Forest campaign for years: not as the main characters, but as members of the Merry Men who must do the real work.

My interest in it has flared up again recently, but I don't have time to run it. I was hoping that some discussion here would be fruitful and also scratch that particular itch for me until I get a chance to run it. So the main point of the thread:

In a Sherwood 3.5 D&D campaign, what rules changes would you use? How would you set the table for swashbuckling adventures in Sherwood?

The very first 3e Dragon had a Sherwood campaign in it, including two versions of Robin (Ranger and Fighter)

 

[mfrench]

The very first 3e Dragon had a Sherwood campaign in it, including two versions of Robin (Ranger and Fighter)

This is what got the idea in my head all those years ago. I just dug up that issue last night after I posted this. I also have the GURPS supplement, which is great.

In terms of the rules, I had an interesting idea today: what about Iron Heroes? If I'm going to be removing most spells, why not have it built into the rules.

Thanks for the links, and the advice about the size of the Real World locations.

 

[Steel_Wind]

ICE published a Robin Hood Campaign setting book for RM and Fantasy Hero in the late 80s. It sounds like exactly the thing you are looking for.

http://www.icewebring.com/ICE_Products/RM2/RM2_1010_Robin_Hood.php

 

[S'mon]

It's impossible to be historically accurate as the myth is a mish-mash of 12th to 15th century sources, plus Victorian and later acretions. For instance you have Norman men-at-arms in chainmail, who in the 12th century would have all been 'knights' and elite warriors, fighting Saxon (or in the more recent 20th c version, Celtic*) rebels armed with 15th c longbows - in the 12th century longbows didn't exist.

*IRL the Celts backed the Norman invasion against their hated Saxon foes. At Hastings the Celtic Bretons formed the left flank of the Norman army. The Arthurian myth, being Celtic in origin, was developed under the Normans to justify their suppression of the Saxon ruling class.

 

[Klaus]

This is what got the idea in my head all those years ago. I just dug up that issue last night after I posted this. I also have the GURPS supplement, which is great.

In terms of the rules, I had an interesting idea today: what about Iron Heroes? If I'm going to be removing most spells, why not have it built into the rules.

Thanks for the links, and the advice about the size of the Real World locations.

After reading that article, I pitched an Egypt mini-setting, but that didn't follow through. It would be Egypt during the reign of Ramses II (influenced not only by History, but also by the Ramses book series by egyptologist Christian Jacq).

Oh, and the Dragon issue just prior to the Sherwood one? The last 2e one? My article, in there.