Hawaii, Polynesia, or Chief of War RPGs?

[haakon1]

So far as I can tell, there’s slim to none use of Hawaii or Polynesia as RPG settings.

Watching Jason Mamoa’s “Chief of War” on Apple TV, I think that’s a shame.

All I can find is Razor Coast, which seems to pirates but with a hint of Hawaiian content, and this one apparently indy publication for PF1:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/193467/heroes-of-the-waves-a-polynesian-sourcebook

Does anyone know of other sources? Anyone a fan of the show and what it’s about?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Yeah, it's surprising and disappointing that we don't seem to have anything like that.

There is this Oceania bestiary currently on Kickstarter, but that's about it.

 

[Libertad]

There's a 5e adventure path with a setting based on Hawaii called the Sunken Isles. I did an in-depth review for it back in 2023.

As for my overall thoughts, it's...okay. It has the potential to be a cool campaign, but it has a lot of things holding it back.

 

[haakon1]

There's a 5e adventure path with a setting based on Hawaii called the Sunken Isles. I did an in-depth review for it back in 2023.

As for my overall thoughts, it's...okay. It has the potential to be a cool campaign, but it has a lot of things holding it back.

Thanks. I missed that. I’ll have to go read your Let’s Read in its entirety.

 

[Jahydin]

Christopher Johnstone wrote a small free one available for free here (with his blessing).

Looks pretty cool!

 

[haakon1]

Christopher Johnstone wrote a small free one available for free here (with his blessing).

Looks pretty cool!

It looks pretty close to what I was thinking.

E.g., info about Captain Cook barely European contact era to the “Chief of War” era rise of King Kamehameha , including weapons, mana, kahuna, chiefs and other castes, agriculture, trade, religion and prophecy, etc.

I don’t know that I’d ever run a campaign there, but maybe a visit in another campaign, plus it’s just a fun thing to learn about if it’s accurate history, sociology, and mythology.

 

[bedir than]

Islands of Sina Una

sinauna.com

Is more Melanesia than Polynesia, but since those groupings can be ambiguous is likely useful

 

[Tonguez]

Islands of Sina Una

sinauna.com

Is more Melanesia than Polynesia, but since those groupings can be ambiguous is likely useful

Sina Una is Phillipines not Melanesia, still helpful though.

The best system I found was in french Legendes de Tahitiennes iirc

 

[haakon1]

Sina Una is Phillipines not Melanesia, still helpful though.

If I recall correctly, the collective term for what’s now the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia etc. is Austronesia.

Along with Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, maybe it’s all Oceania? But I guess for historical connection reasons, Austronesia and the rest of the First Island Chain are usually called Asia.

In one episode of Chief of War, which is based on a real person, he goes to Zamboanga, Spanish East Indies (Philippines) and the location of Cook's Islands (Hawaii) is a valuable secret, useful for trade and for fresh water stops on the fur trade trips between Alaska and Asia.

This despite the fact that a kanaka (native Hawaiian) woman has been living there for decades - with no other Hawaiians around, nobody noticed or cared until a Chief of Maui showed up in ceremonial grab and she said in Hawaiian "what are you doing here".

Inspiring stuff for me, as a history major and a worldbuilding DM.

 

[Tonguez]

Austronesia covers Taiwan, SE Asia, Oceania and Madagascar - its the region over which the Austronesian Languages are spoken.

The Asian parts of Austronesia are generally those that were formerly influenced by Malay Thalassocracys like the Langkasuka, Srivijaya and Majapahit Empires and thus had Indian and Chinese (primarily Tang, Song and Yuan) influence. Oceania was outside the 'Asian' influence area.