Generic Fantasy or Fantasy Roman Africa?

[Pyske]

What's the downside to using Roman Africa? I don't see any problem there.

The more specific the setting, the easier it is for players to get engrossed. A "typical, generic" setting is going to be just that -- generic. That is to say, bland. Put em in Roman Africa. Make it as authentic as you like.

Just DON'T expect them to do any research. Do it for them. Provide them with the key things they need to know.

Well, to answer that, let me point out some of the problems I ran into in my last campaign (with experienced players, set in Rokugan).

I always like to put my PCs in positions of authority or prestige, where they have the opportunity to make real changes in the world around them (big fish in a small pond). In this particular campaign, the PCs were magistrates, which are a combination of judge and police officer.

The problems I encountered were mostly cultural. Although I did provide a great deal of guidance ("Ninjas are a myth. Honest."), they were not comfortable with a lot of the cultural differences. Some example places where it came up would be bribes, treatment of the lower classes, insulting people (and the line between "safe" insults and "fighting words"), etc.

Don't get me wrong, none of these were game-wrecking problems. But I could tell that we slowed down, the players got a lot more tentative and uncomfortable making decisions, and the occasional "this is the response you're about to get, is that what you intended" conversation detracted a bit from the feeling of being competent and in control.

You can probably see where I'm going with this, which is that these things are already problems for people who are new to the game. New players already tend to clam up and not want to make any decisions for fear of being wrong. I'm just concerned that dealing with an unfamiliar setting will raise that learning curve. I want the experience to be confidence building and comfortable for my new players, so they get hooked and I maintain my pizza and soda supply.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Darklone]

My players come back because I provide the drinks

How do you plan to play the interaction of the empire with the small town? I'm just thinking about aerial cavalry in case the PCs can manage an alliange with the flying beasts (what about avariel) on the island?

I wouldn't expect the empire to show up more than once or twice before the town starts to be a trading mekka, just the occasional war galley who wants to get food and water and check out whether the village is a pirate hideout.

Swamps: These scream for caijuns ? Swamp adventures are always nice. A little tribe of cannibalistic halflings there?

Riveradventures: The river might be pretty interesting for trade... Imagine some mining towns (old secretive civilisations, you know) in the mountains which can usually only be reached by caravans through the desert... and traders tell tales of unseen riches and golden roofs. Then enter a greedy fat old merchant with a crazy cartograph who insist on knowing for sure that the river through the village of the PCs starts at these towns... but on the way there is a dangerous jungle where strange monstrosities and other ungodly beings dwell. Mapping the river and finding places for one or two bases on the way will get paid pretty nicely...

 

[Pyske]

How do you plan to play the interaction of the empire with the small town?

At the beginning of the campaign, Rome has little interest in the town, as long as tribute is duly paid. I figure the mayor and some of the wealthy citizens will be Roman, with a handful of active soldiers, and some retired veterans. The mayor, while Roman, was probably born in the province. Discipline is generally a bit lax with a small-town "everyone knows everyone" feel. Think Kyndalyn and company from Rel and Old One's story hours, or the sherrif from Company of the Random Encounter.

Once money starts flowing, and Rome's wars start requiring more bodies and support, the demands will increase and the amount of interference and micro-management will also increase. Someone of higher rank will probably be sent to town, with the mayor in the role of mediator, trying to keep both sides happy. One of the major NPCs (the town healer, who will also offer the PCs free healing from the start) is also the head of the local resistance, and the resistance start to get more serious.

I'm just thinking about aerial cavalry in case the PCs can manage an alliange with the flying beasts (what about avariel) on the island?

Clever idea. If the PCs manage this, it will give them a huge advantage, whichever side of a confilct they apply them on. No-one else will have units of competing air power, although summoned creatures and archery will still be a risk.

However, this is somewhat unlikely. The creatures there are mostly aberrations: originally planned to be manticores, chimera, wyverns, etc. They are created by corrupted dragon's blood. More on dragon's blood below.

Swamps: These scream for caijuns ? Swamp adventures are always nice. A little tribe of cannibalistic halflings there?

If I go with the Roman version, the swamps will become floodplain, which is not quite the same. But yeah, savage goblins was the original plan. Not sure what that will convert to.

Riveradventures: The river might be pretty interesting for trade... Imagine some mining towns (old secretive civilisations, you know) in the mountains which can usually only be reached by caravans through the desert... and traders tell tales of unseen riches and golden roofs. Then enter a greedy fat old merchant with a crazy cartograph who insist on knowing for sure that the river through the village of the PCs starts at these towns... but on the way there is a dangerous jungle where strange monstrosities and other ungodly beings dwell. Mapping the river and finding places for one or two bases on the way will get paid pretty nicely...

Sounds like a good / interesting scenario. I'd probably make it a bit more altruistic (defending the town from poisonous mine tailings, or something), but fun overall.

Darn work keeps distracting me from this post. I'll come back later.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Darklone]

Manticores, Chimeras and Wyverns? Woah. That's a lot of firepower if the PCs can ask them for help now and then.

Once money starts flowing, and Rome's wars start requiring more bodies and support, the demands will increase and the amount of interference and micro-management will also increase. Someone of higher rank will probably be sent to town, with the mayor in the role of mediator, trying to keep both sides happy. One of the major NPCs (the town healer, who will also offer the PCs free healing from the start) is also the head of the local resistance, and the resistance start to get more serious.

Consider some ratbastard trick I really like though I wasn't evil enough by myself to use it more often: Make that healer NPC buddy the big BBEG.

 

[barsoomcore]

I always like to put my PCs in positions of authority or prestige, where they have the opportunity to make real changes in the world around them

Aha. I've got nothing against that principle, in principle, but that's why you had the problems you did. If you can give them a smaller sandbox to play in, where the effects of their actions aren't so significant, they'll probably be more willing to try things out and learn.

They can always acquire more influence later on, as they gain levels.

But it sounds like you have things pretty well sorted out.

 

[Pyske]

Manticores, Chimeras and Wyverns? Woah. That's a lot of firepower if the PCs can ask them for help now and then.

Did I mention a handful of dragons?

OK, so here's the story with the island, for those who are interested:

Dragon blood is a magical substance which retains emotion and "attitude" for lack of a better word. It also doesn't decay, but when it becomes part of a creature, it warps that creature to be more magical, as well as affecting its emotions. This is where creatures like manticores come from. Dragons have a strange sort of reincarnation, in that a dragon born from their blood inherits the temperment they had at the time. Dragons can only be born from sufficiently concentrated dragonblood.

The dragons of the area have set up the island as a sort of "wildlife refuge", a place to gather all the creatures they find which have dragonblood in them. This gets the blood concentrated in a smaller area, and lets them shepherd the creatures to make their lives as pleasant as possible (to avoid further corrupting the dragonblood with negative emotions).

Trivia: Dragons colors are determined by their overall "nature" and attitude. Dragons can and do change colors during their lives, as their outlooks change. This change takes a while, as the dragonsblood gives their feelings some "inertia". Evil dragons don't want to be evil (since that also implies unhappiness and negative emotions), but are prone to black moods, violent tempers, etc.

The point is, that the manticores and such aren't likely to be cooperative, but even if they want to be, putting them in unpleasant situations (like a war) may just generate more nasty critters in the future.

Consider some ratbastard trick I really like though I wasn't evil enough by myself to use it more often: Make that healer NPC buddy the big BBEG.

She's one of several main movers. I'd describe her as the BBMAG (MA = "morally ambiguous"). Depending on the PCs agenda, she may be a major ally (if they are hostile to Rome), an opponent (if they are Roman "opressors"), or just a resource (if they say neutral or loyal to the town over it's factions). Then of course there's personal opinion, as well. She's not entirely ruled by her politics.

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[the Jester]

Sounds like a cool campaign! I like Roman North Africa, and think it would be a kick to rp in, personally.

 

[Pyske]

Hmm. Anger management support groups for dragons... I wonder how that would work out...

. . . . . . . -- Eric

 

[Darklone]

Dragon anger management? Depends on the trainer. Some will tell you to burn a city down ...

 

[Turanil]

Myself I wanted to run an exotic campaign that would be set in a world reminiscing of Africa (I had bought Nymabe for that), in which I wanted to add an Egyptian culture (I had bought Egyptian Gods for that), plus an Arabian like culture (using a free netbook of Al Qadim conversion), and finally some Dark Sun flavor (using the free netbook of Dark-Sun conversion).

ALAS! I made a poll among my group of players and people I know who play DnD. It appeared that only one of them was interested in this concept; the others simply didn't like it, and preferred something reminding of LotR and Thomas Covenant. As such, exit the exotic setting, and I have run a "Highlands" campaign setting.

As such my suggestion is to have the players being medieval types who begin in a medieval city akin to Carthage. Then, they go out in the wild beyond the city walls and discover this exotic wold.

A second suggestion: If you have Arcana Unearthed, the Lithorian and Sibbecai race look really suited to such a seting, much more than halflings and elves IMO.