"Conspiracy" Fantasy: have you ever done it?

[Wraith Form]

I think you'll also find it hard to keep a campaign "low magic." If any is present, it usually gets out of your control quickly. Just my $0.02.

First & foremost, I'll take your $0.02 any day. I'm very open to ideas (since I've never tried this before), so please please don't hesitate to offer something. All suggestions will be considered!

I remember reading something very similar to the first part of your post, and I agree....the PCs need to be interested in conspiracy (that'll be tricky, I only have 1 player that I'm aware of right now that even wants to play D&D; at least he's cool with conspiracy), the conspiracy needs to "break" (i.e players put pieces together) occasionally to keep interest up, and it has to be "close to home". Gotcha.

As far as low magic, it doesn't seem like it would spiral out of control or something. Our own world passed intact through a Renaissance period--rife with conspiracies, if you're paranoid like me!--with no magic. I don't see why my campaign wouldn't. (If you know why, please enlighten me.)

Wouldn't it be in the best interest to have the BBEGs trying to hoard all magic items, including scrolls and spellbooks? That could be part of the plot--the shadow government (and/or church) tries to nab the PCs' spellbook(s). Spells and magic are being suppressed. I'd cannibalize the CoCd20 or Grim Tales or Ravenloft (or Unearthed Arcana, or.....the list goes on....) options for low magic as far as rules & spell lists. Heck, I might even disallow magic altogether & use the Pychic's HB (Green Ronin) in place of spellcasting!

God, so many options, so many choices....my brain is practically splitting with the size of this thing....I want to do so *many* things, but don't know how to get the "bird off the ground". What's first? Know what type of PCs my players want? Create my bad guys first? Come up with a low-key plot hook to draw the players in first? Create a locale for the players, or use a campaign setting? Zoiks.

 

[scipio]

As far as low magic, it doesn't seem like it would spiral out of control or something. Our own world passed intact through a Renaissance period--rife with conspiracies, if you're paranoid like me!--with no magic. I don't see why my campaign wouldn't. (If you know why, please enlighten me.)

All I meant was that having a little magic in the campaign follows the old axiom - give an inch and they'll take a yard. You can hold the reigns pretty tightly on spells and what not, but if their opponents are getting equipment from Illithids or some other conspiracy-based ally, the party will soon get their hands on those items. You just need to decide on your magic system in advance and warn the players. You don't want to surprise them with the limitations you have established. My personal preference when designing a game is to create villains - not with stats or anything, but just character sketches.

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

All I meant was that having a little magic in the campaign follows the old axiom - give an inch and they'll take a yard. You can hold the reigns pretty tightly on spells and what not, but if their opponents are getting equipment from Illithids or some other conspiracy-based ally, the party will soon get their hands on those items. You just need to decide on your magic system in advance and warn the players. You don't want to surprise them with the limitations you have established. My personal preference when designing a game is to create villains - not with stats or anything, but just character sketches.

The way around this is simple. The church/government frowns on arcane magic, and severly regulates it's use. For example, you could require that characters buy a permit to legally cast certain spells. Of course they are still able to cast spells without a permit. As long as there a no church informants to witness it they would be fine. Which brings us back to the "who can the PC's trust" issue.


"If spells are illegal, only criminals will have spells"

 

[nopantsyet]

Yeah, magic gives you lots of fun options. There are just so many political ramifications of a magical society. I've got a city with a powerful group of politically-neutral magisters who have been granted authority over all magical law. They offer training classes in a few very basic and very safe spells. Passing this instruction grants a waiver for the spells trained in, which must be furnished upon request of one is discovered using magic. Beyond that, the spellcasting prohibition is rigidly enforced.

This benefits the government by reducing potential threats to its stability, and it benefits the magisters by keeping their art exclusive, valuable, and powerful. Rumor has it that they maintain this monopoly through a clandestine agreement with the government in which a tactical arm of the magisters was formed to serve at the behest of the government. Some rumors go so far as to say they are for hire to anyone willing to pay.

But nobody really knows. There's no proof they even exist. Why would there be?

 

[Wraith Form]

But nobody really knows. There's no proof they even exist. Why would there be?

Nice 'n' conspiracy-ey. Thank you for the contribution!

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

I'd make the country a church-run theocracy. The ruler is (apparently) divinely mandated to rule the country, there are several religious schisms in the true church (each of which wants different things), and there are several other churches struggling for control. There is also the deposed royalty that was thrown down when the church took over; they're supposedly all dead, but no one really believes that.

To build on this idea.

"The Church" origionated in a neighboring country. Fourty years ago the Overlord was a harsh ruler who forbid ALL religion. Followers of "The Old Ways" (Druids) began to meet in secret. They formed a resistance movement. In time the resistance began meeting with Missionaries of "The Church", who agreed to help free the people from the "Evil Overlord". Once The overlord was removed, "The Church" took over. The followers of "The Old Ways" realized they were betrayed, and went back into hiding. Waiting for the chance to rise again.


Others believe that The "Evil Overlord" was not of "The True Line", and that there is a decendant of "The True Line" somewhere who will throw out the oppressive theocracy when "The Time is Right".