Mythic Arabia/Persia for D&D 3.5?

[Razuur]

I have been patiently waiting for an arabian, meso-american, and/or Indian (hindu) settings for some time. I would like a native american one too.

I now have planty of celtic, egyptian, mesopotamian, testamenty, viking goodness.

Razuur

 

[DMH]

There are 4 regions of the world I never seen used for RPGs- Polynesia outside of Hawaii, Central Asia (the Stannic nations and other former Soviet states), precontact South America outside Peru, and far eastern Sibera- which, along with Japan, has a race of man small in number (Ainu).

I want to see them all for GURPS, or if that is not possible, d20.

 

[I'm A Banana]

Well, there are reasons that many of these cultures haven't been done: most game writers are totally blank on what to think when they think of, say, a Stannic nation. They wouldn't know a Mamluk from a Knight, and ask them to point to where a Bactrian cammel comes from on a map, they'll just say "Bactria!" and run away crying.

I'd say it's pretty ditto with Polynesia, South America, and Siberia. The Far East at least has cool cinema and anime that the people can draw on. What to the Maya who still live today have? Textiles? The Stans are all poppy fields and ex-Commies...it's just a big blank area of knowledge.

I wish some publisher was listening, 'cuz I've had all these influences in my campaigns. I'm a Cultural Anthropology student, so bringing in real-world inspiration is fun for me. I've created Inca/Maya/Aztec settings where human sacrifice was as important as it was for them. I've got Polynesias/South Asias/Aulstralias/Carribians (though I think there's been some more specialized work done by other board members on the island cultures). I'm freakin' graduating as a Muslimist, so I know that history and development better probably than some Muslims do. Siberian shamans and Russian culture and "What ever happened to Atilla's Descendants?" have formed big components of my research...

And honestly, publisher, if you were to do it, this would stop me from having to.

I've been surprised that there hasn't been a "monotheism d20," using as inspiration real-world religions and their fantastic tales: Milton and Dante and Jinn and Golems, Babylon and Leviathan, actual hell and actual heaven....okay, true, it's got a lot of that "irk the over-sensitive" quality, but so does calling things in the MM "Angels," and I don't see mass protests in the street.

If any publisher has plans for this, let me know, since I'm writing the setting full cloth, and it'd be nice to know someone else would back me up.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I would kill for Polynesia to receive the "Nyambe" treatment. Given the large oceanic areas in most game worlds, it seems to me something like that would be even more portable than "Nyambe" was. And hey, the art is pretty much guaranteed to be pretty great.

 

[TerraDave]

I've been surprised that there hasn't been a "monotheism d20," using as inspiration real-world religions and their fantastic tales: Milton and Dante and Jinn and Golems, Babylon and Leviathan, actual hell and actual heaven....okay, true, it's got a lot of that "irk the over-sensitive" quality, but so does calling things in the MM "Angels," and I don't see mass protests in the street.

If any publisher has plans for this, let me know, since I'm writing the setting full cloth, and it'd be nice to know someone else would back me up.

Isn't that game called "Dungeons and Dragons"...there are so many elements of that already in it, and the polythiesm part is the part that has been tacked on. Only 3.0 really came to terms with the multi god idea and fully integrated it.

For more direct comparisons, there are Green Ronin's Testament and Medieval Players Handbook, and Malhavocs Anger of Angles.

Now back to the topic: Arabian Adventures would be great, Al-Qadim was. Actually I would prefer if Green Ronin or another 3rd party publisher would do it under the OGL...it would be easier to assimilate...

 

[Benben]

I would kill for Polynesia to receive the "Nyambe" treatment. Given the large oceanic areas in most game worlds, it seems to me something like that would be even more portable than "Nyambe" was. And hey, the art is pretty much guaranteed to be pretty great.

I've been grafting Polynesian elements onto Githzerai and Githyanki for ages. I would love, love, love to have a in depth cultural and mythological sourcebook for the Polynesian cultures.

 

[Nisarg]

precontact South America outside Peru, I want to see them all for GURPS, or if that is not possible, d20.

Nevermind Pre-contact South America; what about later South America?

What about the Bolivarean wars? The War of triple alliance, the English invasions of Buenos Aires and Montevideo, the Guerra Grande?

And in the 20th century, what about the 60s/70s... want to run a morally ambiguous Spycraft/modern campaign? Have your pcs as US agents in south america, working to destroy democratically elected governments and replace them with totalitarian military dictatorships. Or the opposite.. what about running a band of insurgents in Brazil, Ecuador, Uruguay, or Argentina? The hope and idealism, followed by the terrible tradgedy and loss, all with a guest appearance by Che Guevara!

I think its very underexploited territory for RP.

Nisarg

 

[DMH]

Nevermind Pre-contact South America; what about later South America?

I don't want to see more European anything- I want reall world cultures that don't have that influence. That being said

I think its very underexploited territory for RP.

I agree with you. Too bad the South Americans that are roleplayers don't write up their continent for D20 M or Past (after it comes out).

 

[der_kluge]

I want something published with pretty pictures and real game balance.

You ask too much, my friend!

 

[Nisarg]

I agree with you. Too bad the South Americans that are roleplayers don't write up their continent for D20 M or Past (after it comes out).

I would do it if I thought I could find someone to publish it.

For D20 past the 19th century wars in South America kick ass. They make the wild west or the napoleonic wars seem tame by comparison. Uruguay, where I live now (and nowadays its a very very peaceful place) was basically a huge warzone filled with caudillos (warlords) making their own laws and struggling with each other from about 1830-1900.

Nisarg