Biblically-Inspired Campaign Setting

[I'm A Banana]

What 'sup, peeps?

I just got this flash of inspiration, and I realized something. I want to do a setting inspired by Biblical/Hebrew lore. Something Mid-East-y, something brimming with firey monotheism and the very real presence of EEEEEEVIL!

So I came over here and started this thread. And now I want to see who wants to help me work on it. I could use any and all advice you want to give, or if you'd like to do something bigger, we could do that to.

What've I got so far? Well, just a handful of obscure biblical research at my disposal.

So, I wanna include stuff inspired by Dante's stuff, details on mythical beasts and critters from the Mid East, Eden guarded by a cherub with a flaming sword, an impending apocalypse, Romans, sand, and other things Cradle-of-Civilization-y.

Anyhoo, I'll start with the idea and ponder it more as time passes. But I wanted to throw it out there and see if anyone wants to assist me in my endeavor. I could probably dedicate a section of my website to this, with pdf's and everything, if it starts to get movin'.

Anyhoo, what do people think? Whatcha got for me?

 

[Crothian]

Okay, is this going to be old testament or new testament?

Are you just going to have god and devil, or are you going to have other gods as well?

 

[I'm A Banana]

I kinda want to focus on the OT. There's more mythic-level-ness in it, I think. New Testament would be a good peroid to adventure in, though, but seeing as most of the people interacted with during the NT travels (at least the Gospels) are going to be heavily influenced by the stuff in the OT. So if we focus on that, then we can expand it to include the NT, eventually.

I dunno. Call it the catholic schoolboy within, but I'm jazzed about this idea.

 

[Tonguez]

Abraham was a prince of Ur who set out into the deserts at the command of his god.

Best inspiration 1- the story of Abraham (a Merchant-Prince who is called by an unknown god to abandon his life and set out as a nomad)

ie An unknown/forgotten God directly involved in mortal affairs, a nomad tribe survivng amidst ancient civilisations - and their gods(Chaldea, Egypt, later Babylon). The mysterious Melchizedek (an immortal priest of God) The decadent hedonism of Sodom and Gomorrah, visits by angels and massive explosions!

Best inspiration 2- Moses and the Exodus from Egypt

Best inspiration 3- the age of the Judges. Divinely gifted heroes (Samson, Joshua, the PCs) leading a war against enemy aggressors. Magic Items: Jericho Trumpet, Jawbone of the Ass.

Best inspiration 4 - the Prophets (Daniel, Elisha, Jeremiah) all powerful clerics stirring up their people.

Best inspiration 5- Solomon (and his father Daoud)

The NT can be fun if you cast PCs as members of the early church 9ie after Jesus has been crucified and risen) trying to maintain their faith and survive against religious persecution.

IMC I created the Esharite Saga about a Boy named Eshar who was sent by the Angel Asmera to unite the Warring Tribes of Indehan beneath the banner of El' (the True God) whilst being opposed by the powerful, civilised Aramites, their god Baal and his minions

 

[I'm A Banana]

Sweet ideas, all...and I want 'em!

What kind of monsters would inhabit a pseodo-realistic eastern mediterranian world, me wonders....what domains does The God offer?

O'course, in a continued effort not to offend anyone, this is done in theory only. *as if* the Good Books were quite literal and not as interprative as they could be. *As If* this happened in a fantasy universe where miricles and spellcasters happened.

Perhaps the PC's can be guarding the people of Moses as they journey to the Promised Land, against the ravages of your typical fantasy desert. Perhaps they can be these divine figures themselves, even, in a fantasy world.

 

[CRGreathouse]

Best inspiration 3- the age of the Judges. Divinely gifted heroes (Samson, Joshua, the PCs) leading a war against enemy aggressors. Magic Items: Jericho Trumpet, Jawbone of the Ass.

This one looks best to me. Don't forget Judith!

 

[Tonguez]

what domains does The God offer

All of them, the thing about monotheisitc gods is that they are the God of Everything. You could link a name to a particular Name of God and say that Clerics are dedicated to that particular ‘aspect’ (if you want to take this path), the 'Patron Archangel' tangent is similar to the Names of God one but more suited to psudoCatholicism. You could just allow clerics to choose (my favourite)

From the Standard List I would divide them thus (as based on my interpretation of the biblical God)

Favoured Domains (These are the True Priests of God and of the higher priesthood (Aaronic Priests if you like))
Air, Animal, Destruction, Good, Healing, Knowledge, Law, Protection, Strength, War

Neutral Domains (These Clerics are minor priests (like the OT Levites))
Earth, Fire, Luck, Plant, Sun, Travel, Trickery, Water
*NB Trickery is marginal and could be banned.

Banned Domains (These are Evil Clerics serving demonic powers)
Chaos, Death, Evil, Magic
*NB According to Biblical Teaching withery (see Witch of Endor) and use of Magic is evil, however the Wisemen who attened Jesus' birth were Magi (Wizard/Priests-Astrologers)

What kind of monsters would inhabit a pseodo-realistic eastern mediterranian world

Specifically mentioned in the bible are Leviathan and Behemoth and as these are not described they could be presented as any Huge/Colossal creature.
Behemoth is however connected to the Sumerian Bahamut and in a DnD world you could present Behemoth as a mega-dragon or maybe even a Tarrasque.

Dragons are also mentioned in Revelations and in the Apocrypha in association with Daniel (of the Lion Den fame) -–this dragon is an aquatic type and you could easily incorporate them.

Goliath could easily be defined as a giant of some sort and of course ANY monster in the MM can be recast as a ‘demonic beast’. Remember in a biblical campaign ALL monsters are either servants of god (Angels, Angelic Beings or Blessed creatures (the Talking Donkey), Demonic Pawns of the Devil or Mundane animals

Other dangerous Creatures mentioned in the bible are Lions, Snakes, Scorpions and Eagles “I have given you the power to walk amongst lions and scorpions” (Luke) and these should be used extensively.
Presenting Giant forms of these adds that extra element and also suggests other monsters – eg Griphons (animal), Scorpion-Men and Snake-men (demons),.Lammusa, and Sphinx (angels)

NB* Seraphim (Angels) are described as having the faces of Four Beasts – Lion, Eagle, Bull, Man. Babylonian Myth mentions the griphon like Azul as a Guardian of the Divine Bathhouse and the Bull of Heaven was sent to Earth by Babylonian gods and is very similar to the DnD Gorgon (a huge form)

Anyway you should take a look at Sumerian/Babylonian myth (Bahamut and Tiamat for one), Arabic pre-Islamic Myth (lots of Djinn and Efreets, Talking Fish and Flying horses), and Hebrew Myth (Lilitu – the Daughters of Lilith are a kind of succubus, the Golem)

Of course for purely human(oid) opposition you have Phillistine warlords with hill giant mercenaries in tow, Babylonian scorcerers, Egyptian Clerics and any manner of Desert Bandit....