d20 B.C.
- Thread starter xplsn
- Start date
Things were often very different in prehistoric times. In Mesopotamia as late as the time of Tiglath Pilesar of Assysria the land was still veldt and lions hunted gazelle and springbok. Just a few thousand years before giraffe roamed the land, and the marshes of the lower Tigris and Euphrates were home to a unique species of crocodile. The Iraq of today, with her wastelands and desert where once streams flowed through lush grassland, would shock Gilgamesh of Uruk.
Nyeshet
First Post
Exactly how far back are you looking? 10k BC? 5k BC? 2k BC? 1 BC? To say it makes a big difference would be an understatement.
10k BC and you are looking at the end of the Ice Age, pottery, the rise of the first metallurgy (in the form of copper, mostly), the start of horticulture (but not yet - quite - agriculture), and so forth. Flint axes, spear points, and arrow heads are still common, and semi-nomadic lifestyles are also common. The first cities (towns, really) are soon to rise but have not yet done so, as without true farming / agriculture such a life style is somewhat difficult.
5k BC and you have a solid bronze age on your hands. The first "cities" (towns) are rising, agriculture is blooming, metal has all but replaced stone for many tools and most weapons. Old Kingdom Egypt and Sumer and Akkad are either rising or solidly in place. The first writing has not yet arrived, but it is not all that far off either. Smiths are considered somewhat magical for their ability to mix different metals and come up with "new" metals (alloys) that sometimes have different properties (colors, hardness, etc) from the original metals used.
2k BC and you have Babalon, Middle Kingdom Egypt, the introduction of Iron (although it is still quite rare - mostly located in Anatolia with the Hittites, if I recall correctly). Writting is common amongst the elite and the religious, although not too well known elsewhere. All sorts of huge monuments, etc are being raised (usually for religious reasons). Chariots are in use by now, I am mostly certain. I'm mostly certain they were not in use in 5k BC, although I could be wrong.
1 BC is more advanced yet. Iron is common. Ancient Greece has been around for a few hundred years and has begun to be overshadowed by Rome, Rome itself has recently risen to major prominence but has not yet reached its maximum size, the New Kingdom Egypt is just starting to wane. Iron has all but totally replaced Bronze in many places. If you want a bronze age equivalent location for this period you should look to the ancient celts and germanic peoples - although some of them are starting to pick up iron working from their Roman neighbors.
Really, we need to know more about when your setting exists than just "B.C.". It could be anywhere from paleolithic 'yet to discover fire' to nearly the height of the Roman Empire.
10k BC and you are looking at the end of the Ice Age, pottery, the rise of the first metallurgy (in the form of copper, mostly), the start of horticulture (but not yet - quite - agriculture), and so forth. Flint axes, spear points, and arrow heads are still common, and semi-nomadic lifestyles are also common. The first cities (towns, really) are soon to rise but have not yet done so, as without true farming / agriculture such a life style is somewhat difficult.
5k BC and you have a solid bronze age on your hands. The first "cities" (towns) are rising, agriculture is blooming, metal has all but replaced stone for many tools and most weapons. Old Kingdom Egypt and Sumer and Akkad are either rising or solidly in place. The first writing has not yet arrived, but it is not all that far off either. Smiths are considered somewhat magical for their ability to mix different metals and come up with "new" metals (alloys) that sometimes have different properties (colors, hardness, etc) from the original metals used.
2k BC and you have Babalon, Middle Kingdom Egypt, the introduction of Iron (although it is still quite rare - mostly located in Anatolia with the Hittites, if I recall correctly). Writting is common amongst the elite and the religious, although not too well known elsewhere. All sorts of huge monuments, etc are being raised (usually for religious reasons). Chariots are in use by now, I am mostly certain. I'm mostly certain they were not in use in 5k BC, although I could be wrong.
1 BC is more advanced yet. Iron is common. Ancient Greece has been around for a few hundred years and has begun to be overshadowed by Rome, Rome itself has recently risen to major prominence but has not yet reached its maximum size, the New Kingdom Egypt is just starting to wane. Iron has all but totally replaced Bronze in many places. If you want a bronze age equivalent location for this period you should look to the ancient celts and germanic peoples - although some of them are starting to pick up iron working from their Roman neighbors.
Really, we need to know more about when your setting exists than just "B.C.". It could be anywhere from paleolithic 'yet to discover fire' to nearly the height of the Roman Empire.
Well, material on almost any of the eras mentioned would be helpful, but the period between and around 10k to 5k is my main point of interest.
And actually, the concept I have right now could span the ages, conceivably from 10k to 2k or even 1 BC. Of course, somewhere along the line, all I'm really gonna need is the core books, but anything is a big help at the moment.
And actually, the concept I have right now could span the ages, conceivably from 10k to 2k or even 1 BC. Of course, somewhere along the line, all I'm really gonna need is the core books, but anything is a big help at the moment.
Grimstaff
Explorer
There's plenty of preshistoric stuff in the Core books, if you don't mind cut-n-pasting it together. Characters would be Barbarians, Rangers, or Druids, and monsters are plentiful from Diplodocus to Sabretooth. Limit weapons to spears, knives, and clubs, maybe a bow or flint sword here and there, and the rest is all fluff, which you can get from any generic website on prehistoric lifestyles, climates, and cultures.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
The discussion comes up every now and then and at one point Gez had a prehistoric story hour. I suspect the former discussions are lost in the system but they were fun
Anyway I think
1. Use the NPC classes as the base classes for the game
2. Have the PC classes available as Prestige roles
3. Remove Arcane Magic and only allow 'Spirit Magic'
4. Tie the PCs to a community and have them be 'champions of the community'
The Cave Wizard is attached to one of the sacred Painted Caves where they must meditate each morning in order to gain power over their environment. Cave Wizards are not suitable as explorers due to their tie to their cave.
Anyway I think
1. Use the NPC classes as the base classes for the game
2. Have the PC classes available as Prestige roles
3. Remove Arcane Magic and only allow 'Spirit Magic'
4. Tie the PCs to a community and have them be 'champions of the community'
The Cave Wizard is attached to one of the sacred Painted Caves where they must meditate each morning in order to gain power over their environment. Cave Wizards are not suitable as explorers due to their tie to their cave.
Ralif Redhammer
Legend
There was. I have it at home, but can't remember the issue number either. It did have a snowy landscape on the cover with a dragon, and was pre-#100.
Also, Frost & Fur has details on running Ice Age and Innuit-style campaigns that would be useful. It also has a lot of other details related to cold and snowy environments, and is an all-around great product.
Also, Frost & Fur has details on running Ice Age and Innuit-style campaigns that would be useful. It also has a lot of other details related to cold and snowy environments, and is an all-around great product.
Alzrius said:I could swear I once read an article on this in an old Dragon magazine.... I can't recall what issue it's in now, though, and I've looked a lot.
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