Campaign Brainstorm - Adventures in Ancient Greece.

[doghead]

Introduction

Helen, wife of Menelaus but known to history as Helen of Troy, has been taken from her husband by Paris of Troy. Menelaus, supported by his brother Agamemnon King of Mycenae, has called upon on all Helen's former suitors to fulfil the oath they swore before Tyndareus to defend Helen's chosen husband against any who harmed him. So the greatest Achaeans heros and lords have gathered together their warriors and pushed their ships off the white sandy beaches to cross the flashing blue seas and join Agamemnon's mighty fleet at Aulis.

Left behind to tend the crops, watch over the animals, tend the fires and await the return of their sons, husbands and brothers are women and children, and the men too old and boys to young to fight. Among them Penelope and Telemachus, the wife and infant son of your lord Odysseus the Cunning.

Background

I grew up on greek myths and legends. I think it would be an interesting setting for a game. But unfortunately I am not in the position to start a new game at the moment. So I think the next best thing would be to design a campaign, hopefully with a bunch of likeminded people here on the boards.

I picked up SKR's The New Argonauts recently. Its a nice little 3.5 Edition hack. If I were to run this I would probably do so as an Epic 6 Grim'n'Gritty version of The New Argonauts. But for the sake of this exercise the system is not really important. For the purpose of this thread, we can keep the design system neutral.

The Nuts and Bolts

The idea behind the game is that the PC's are those left behind when the ships sail for Troy. They are not the usual heros. But it will fall to them to protect their homes while the 'warriors' are away. It seems like an interesting way to throw a variety of problems and monsters at the party, allowing the party to use a range of skills and abilities, and rewarding creative problem solving.

thotd

 

[Herobizkit]

My only thought for this game would be to run a "commoner" campaign. Use only the 3.5 NPC classes (Warrior, Adept, Expert [and Aristocrat and Commoner if you so desire]) and minimalize accessibility of PC spells and magic items.

You may want to beef up skill allocation to the next highest progression (experts get 8+Int skills; warriors get 4+Int; keep Adepts at 2+Int if you allow them full access to spells as per Clerics, or 4+Int if you make them learn spells like Wizards.)

 

[doghead]

Its definitely an option.

One of my first, perhaps it was my first, PBP game started as a 'commoner' game. I think if I went down this route, I would allow the characters to gestalt into the PC classes after a period of time, reflecting their evolution from commoner to hero as they take up the burdens of defending their community. One of the advantages of gestalt in E6 games is it doubles the number of level progressions available if you advance sequentially rather than simultaneously.

thotd

 

[doghead]

Threat Vectors

I am not sure why, but the idea of thinking of the elements of the game as vectors rather than encounters popped into my head and got stuck there. What I like is that it makes them seem dynamic rather than static - vectors can be blocked, or deflected or terminated at the source. Or at least, thinking about the encounters this way seems to help creating an encounter more potential for creative solutions.

Pirates/Raiders

These seems like the ideal recurring enemy for the game. With so many of the men-folk away fighting at Troy, it would seem like an ideal opportunity for those who prefer stealing to working. Starting perhaps with small raids, the intensity would build.

This one seems to offer a lot of opportunities. Diplomatic effort to build an alliance against the raiders. Perhaps a quest to acquire the services of a ship-wright capable of building a vessel suitable for taking the fight to the raiders.

If memory serves me correct, taking slaves was not unknown during the period. The act of which be the impetuous for launching a raid on the pirates base in order to rescue those taken.

Greek mythology is rich with monsters and creatures, some well known, some not so. I usually tend to steer clear of the big iconic monsters. But I think this is an ideal opportunity to introduce some of them, as well as some of the lessor known entities.

Monsters and Creatures

* Centaurs - SKR has a small adventure revolving around a wedding, and the presence of some unwanted Centaur guests. It would seem to be a waste not to make use of it.

* Erinyes and/or Harpies- in this situation, the solution may be one of resolving the crime for which the victim is being punished. Or finding some form of suitable absolution. Or even identifying the perpetrator if his identity is unknown.

* Kobalos - "impudent, thieving, droll, idle, mischievous, gnome-dwarfs". Whats not to like.

* Manticore - This one seems like an opportunity for good straight up fight.

OK. Its all still a very general at the moment. I think I need some maps next. I love maps, they always seem to fire the imagination!

thotd

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Use only the 3.5 NPC classes (Warrior, Adept, Expert [and Aristocrat and Commoner if you so desire]

Nice, flavorful thought, but I'd use that as the starting point, only. Let them continue to use those classes as they wish, but after 1st, let them multiclass into normal PC classes.

...from a DM pre-approved list. You might even steal a couple classes from some of the 3.X clones. For example, I might replace the Monk with the Arcana Evolved Oathsworn. And paladins are a very Judeo-Christian take on the holy warrior- instead, use Green Ronin's The Book of the Righteous to make holy warriors more in line with a Greco-Roman setting.

The more "Greek" you want it, the more humano-centric you'll need to make the race list, though you might include certain near-humans in the mix- satyrs, maenads, centaurs & minotaurs, for instance.

Women and children (use your age mods!) might be more typical PCs than average, given that they're going to be the bulk of those left behind.

I'd also consider reworking some of the classes' initial/bonus feats, especially the martial ones. Since things like plate & chain & crossbows aren't available in Ancient Greece, replace heavy armor and orher proficiencies with other, setting appropriate martial feats. Maybe even boost HD size.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

This thread may also be of use to you.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?17348-Greece-Campaign-Questions

 

[doghead]

[MENTION=19675]Dannyalcatraz[/MENTION] There are a number of interesting alternatives. SKR has done a 3.5ed setting for Ancient Greece that is quite good. It uses a reduced core-class list, modified somewhat for the setting. The magic using classes are replaced by the Sorceress, IIRC.

I agree that the age mods have a roll to play. While I haven'y looked into the mechanics as yet, I am thinking along the lines of some sort of trade off between age and experience (levels).

This thread may also be of use to you.
http://www.enworld.org/forum/showthread.php?17348-Greece-Campaign-Questions

Cheers. Thanks. The forum throws up a collection of Similar Threads at the bottom of each page. Some of them have been interesting reading with good material.

thotd

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Heh-never noticed the suggestions.