Mythic India?

[Ibram]

So now my party has found their way into the India area of my campaign world...

But I have been having a hard time finding RPG information of an India type setting. Things I have been looking for are information on the types of weapons used in India as well as the names of people and places within a midievil India setting.

does anyone know where I could find more information?

 

[Laundreu]

A good first question would be 'Where in India'? Remember, India's almost a continent, with the diversity of culture and religion implied in that.

In terms of weapons, they had a variety of weapons. Bows were famous, often 'noble' weapons in many of the myths. Early India used chariots, later on they used elephants. A war elephant would be wearing barding (usually) and carrying a large platform called a howdah. Archers would usually be up there.

While many Indian cultures did have cavalry, it didn't rise to the preeminence it did in Europe. They tended to be more lightly armed and armored than their Western counterparts. Armor was usually scale or lamellar (either splint or banded would do for lamellar, unless you've a book that has real stats for it), and swords were usually curved scimitars (commonly called tulwars, but different cultures probably had different names). Then there's things like the chakram, unarmed combat, the katar (punching daggers - hell, they sometimes went up to punching swords), and up north, the khukuri/kukri/khukri (depends on who you ask, really).

Hope that helps, and in regards to names - any Google search for 'Hindu names' or 'Indian names' will get you long lists, often with the meanings behind the name also listed.

 

[Garnfellow]

I believe Steve Jackson Games had a GURPS India book in playtest at one point. But I'm not sure if the book has seen the light of day. GURPS books, if you haven't used one before, are great resources for any system.

I've always thought that mythic India would be a great setting for a FRPG.

 

[tarchon]

Feat
Bollywoodsmanship

Prerequisites: 15 Cha, Bardic Music

With this feat, the character can spontaneously launch into a musical number during an encounter, and all other characters in the encounter must save vs. DC 15 plus the character's Cha modifier or be compelled to sing and dance in time, as well as to grab any nearby objects and use them as improvised musical instruments, which mysteriously will sound exactly like normal instruments such as sitars and tablas. This effect persists until a Western audience would become antsy and restless, plus 1d5 minutes. At the end of the duration, all participants will be aware that the encounter has been resolved somehow, but onlookers will be at a loss as to say what happened exactly.

 

[Ibram]

A good first question would be 'Where in India'? Remember, India's almost a continent, with the diversity of culture and religion implied in that.

right now they are on the Eastern coast of "India" near the mouth of the "Gangies"

In terms of weapons, they had a variety of weapons. Bows were famous, often 'noble' weapons in many of the myths. Early India used chariots, later on they used elephants. A war elephant would be wearing barding (usually) and carrying a large platform called a howdah. Archers would usually be up there.

While many Indian cultures did have cavalry, it didn't rise to the preeminence it did in Europe. They tended to be more lightly armed and armored than their Western counterparts. Armor was usually scale or lamellar (either splint or banded would do for lamellar, unless you've a book that has real stats for it), and swords were usually curved scimitars (commonly called tulwars, but different cultures probably had different names). Then there's things like the chakram, unarmed combat, the katar (punching daggers - hell, they sometimes went up to punching swords), and up north, the khukuri/kukri/khukri (depends on who you ask, really).

very helpful, thank you.

Hope that helps, and in regards to names - any Google search for 'Hindu names' or 'Indian names' will get you long lists, often with the meanings behind the name also listed.

More along the lines of geographical and political names. I could fudge it while they were within Cathay (China) but Indian names throw me for a loop...

 

[Capellan]

Green Ronin's "Mindshadows" is a darn fine setting book that describes a mythic India.

 

[Dogbrain]

A good first question would be 'Where in India'?

And when in India? Is it the Vedic era? Is it the era of the Moguls? Is it Tamerlane's realm? Is it the time of the Muslim invasion?

 

[Dogbrain]

right now they are on the Eastern coast of "India" near the mouth of the "Gangies"

Can't help much. I'm more familiar with the Western coast--the home of India's indigenous Christian population.

 

[SALADIN THE JUST]

Hi Ibram,

I have started drafting a setting to be inserted into the Endless Waste region of my FR campaign world. This is still a work in progress, but there might be something in it that might help u craft your own....

SALADIN, THE JUST.

 

[Psion]

Feat
Bollywoodsmanship

Anyway, I'll second Mindshadows and also point you toward the old OA web enhancement, Mahasarpa:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/we/we20011019a