(OT)???Egypt and Greece Classes???

[mmadsen]

IMHO, you are better off getting rid of elves, dwarves and halflings than trying to shorehorn them into a setting where they don't fit. The biggest component of the PC races are the cultural baggage which they carry: elves are long-lived, artistic, beautiful, nature-loving, etc. Dwarves are grubby, practical, axe-and-hammer wielding, etc. If these conceptions don't fit into your campaign, don't force them in. You are much better off "custom-designing" your own races from scratch (the trade-offs and balances are fairly well understood; there is even a section in the DMG); or if that is too much work, just adapt a different standard race without all the typical D&D cultural baggage, e.g. lizardmen.

I agree completely. Why carry over all the races, classes, spells, etc., when a new campaign in a new setting is a great opportunity to try something with a different flavor?

 

[mmadsen]

Whether or not or keep demihuman races in an Egyptian campaign is entirely up to a DM.

Of course, but why stay tethered to Tolkienesque roots when you don't want a Tolkienesque campaign?

Egyptian mythology does not specifically address dwarves and elves per se.

Most cultures have some kind of wilderness spirit-men, something like elves. I don't know what Egypt had that might've been elf-like (or dwarf-like).

 

[Gez]

D&D dwarves are from norse myths (like most D&D giants), and D&D elves are from norse and celt myths.

Halflings are not tied to a particular myth: they're just little and nimble men.

Gnome could fit in a greek campaign without too much problem (actually, the "gnome" word comes from the greek word "gnosis", which mean "knowledge"). They would be natural followers and servants of Hermes Trismegist (the Thrice Great).

 

[CRG]

Joshua, the difference between Ares and Mars is striking. (Indeed, most Roman legionaires would frown on a soldier who acted like Ares.) Also, while I did not know about the incident concerning Julius Caesar, I am not surprised. The Romans seemed to portray themselves as superior to the Greeks morally and in terms of military might. I suppose a love-hate relationship is not too surprising.

The Romans were well known for conquering an area and then doing a very good job assimilating the population. They did this in a few key ways, one of which was basically "god swapping".

Let's say the Romans take over your country, CRG-land.
Roman: "Hey check you out - you worship CRG, like all good people do."
Local: "What? You've heard of CRG? I thought you were a heathen!"
Roman: "Hell no! CRG is just another name for Janus. Check this out, CRG is all kinds of (describe similarities, discussion ensues). We've got no problems with you continuing to worship CRG."
Local: "Really?"
Roman: "Sure, as long as you remember that we're the army here and we destroyed your temple to CRG when we moved in. That said, we're also the government now and will be building a new temple as part of the imperial cult. You'll keep going there, just like you did for CRG right? I mean, you want us to like you, right? You want to worship our...er...I mean your god, don't you?"

(Temple is built, has a mix of inconography showing Janus and CRG images, etc. This and other assimiliation projects ensure that various other differences are smoothed out. Time passes, Janus and CRG are now functionally equated.)

They did a number of other things to ensure loyalty and the like. Another favorite was when people volunteered / were conscripted into legionary service they were, as a rule, never stationed near their homes. Instead, you find Assyrians in the garrisons in Spain, etc.

When its all said and done, you've been Romanized.

 

[mmadsen]

One of the D&D writers, James Wyatt, has a full Imperial Rome campaign for D&D in his site: www.aquela.com

And he has a small page specifically for Aegyptus (Egypt).

 

[mmadsen]

(Temple is built, has a mix of inconography showing Janus and CRG images, etc. This and other assimiliation projects ensure that various other differences are smoothed out. Time passes, Janus and CRG are now functionally equated.)

I can't help but think of Roman Catholicism and all its Saints. They sure make it easy to integrate other cultures into the universal church. Presto! Your African gods are now minor Catholic Saints!

 

[William Ronald]

They definitely did it with several of the feast days. All Saints Day is the same date as the old Celtic feast of Samhain, marking the start of the new year. Also, the Irish Saint Brigit bears the name and many characteristics of the goddess Brigid.

Indeed, Christmas shares the date of Saturnalia, a Roman festival.

If you want to run a Roman campaign, you can find some good description of Roman festivals and rituals in The Golden Bough.

 

[wighair]

This is a nice site devoted to D20 Egypt

http://www.hallofhero.com/sand/

It has some Prestige Classes linked to it too.

Mel.

 

[Desdichado]

Christmas also shares the same date as the birthday of Mithras, who in the Zoroastrian tradition filled a role very similar to Christ in Christianity. Coincidence?

 

[William Ronald]

Probably not. Remember, the Mithraists gave the early Christians a good run for their money. So much so, that I believe Paul criticized some of his fellow Christians for not living up to the ethical standards of the Mithraists.