opinions? advice? thoughts?

[Chiaroscuro]

the world i'm in the midde of creating and currently running features an Orc empire loosely based upon the Rome, at least in so far as vassal kingdoms are concerned.

the empire was established when Orc tribes united under the banner of their strongest tribe, fearing the threat of genocide at the hands of a united human/dwarven front. and it grew and evolved as it adapted and learned from the ways of its subjugated kingdoms.

i made the empire to create a background for half-orc and even full-orc PCs in my world.

anyway. the story for the game as it is thus far is that i hooked the PCs into the plot by using a string of kidnappings as bait. this led to the discovery of an illegal slave trade which is apparently a source of funds for a growing cult to a foreign god. an orc god unlike the gods of the empire detailed above...

i know where i want to take this. but i was curious to see what sort of input i can get like criticisms or different ideas for where to go...

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

So the chararcters are already in the lands of the orc empire?

Are the characters orcs? Is the empire largely evil?

How do the orcs treat other races? Are they slaves?

Do they feed the elves to lions? heh

It sounds like you could have an interesting setting for a gladitorial campeign.

Maybe this new orc cult could be the dopple-counterpart to christianity in rome- the worship of an orc child which beckons the end of the empire and the time for orcs to return to their less civilized ways.

FD

 

[Chiaroscuro]

the PCs aren't at the empire yet. it's still a ways, but they may well find themselves there...

one of the PCs is an orc.

the empire was aggressive, but not necessarily evil. that was part of what i wanted to do with the orcs - to give their society more depth and allow for more alignment options. the race tends towards evil for their aggressive ways, but individuals certainly need not necessarily be so. now, the empire is more neutral, having calmed down to enjoy its wealth and power. the leaders aren't necesarily evil or aggressive either. they've become more political in order to maintain power among the members of such a large populace. they've learned that tyrannical might isn't always the way...

the gladiatorial idea is cool. could work it in a bit...

 

[Furn_Darkside]

Salutations,

Hmm. Well, the roman empire had constant problem from barbarian-like organizations of people attacking. Sometimes in such force that they needed to be bought instead of fought.

Is there a race you have not used or used much? You could turn them barbaric (elves sounds fun)- and have a large war building between the barbarian elves and the roman orcs.

Is there an equivilant to rome? You could have an orc senator become a patron of the characters and get them involved in the chaos of the senate- political fighting and dealing with insane emporers.

FD

Edit: Another thought- Caesar became emporer by proving his military might and causing the senate to cower (iirc, there was no emporer for sometime before caesar came about). He did so by going out and taking over more land for rome- and by building a larger and larger military loyal to him. You have an agressive orc general begin to conquer nearby lands and have the players getting caught up in a "join us or be enslaved by us" military- either way, they would make their way further geographically into the empire.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

cool. thanks for the ideas...