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Message: <blockquote data-quote="robconley" data-source="post: 3895382" data-attributes="member: 5636">I am a total history geek and one of the rare few who like making up king's lists, list upon list of dates, events, battles, etc. I also cared about the players I DMed and learned over the years how take my detail and translate into something that fun and generates adventure.Here is a paraphrased conversation about one aspect of my world. J: Rob how come mages just don't take over everywhere like they do in this city.Me: Well I thought about that. There is a couple of reasons.Me: First if you are talking about one of the cultures that went from barbarians tribes to civilization. Like my world's version of Egypt, Greece, Babylonia, etc. The mages are subordinate to the priesthood. The priests are the only ones that ever had the time and resources to study and learn. This goes back to the time of shamans.Me: I figured traditional D&D style mages rose when something happened to an existing civilization that caused the social structure to collapse. All of sudden you got a hierarchy of learned people without any structures. Some of them would take the knowledge of magic and use it to survive. Some would have alturistic motives and some not.Me: However if I guarentee you that during this "Time of troubles". That the fighters, surviving priests, etc would not like these mages at all.J: Why that, wouldn't they try to use them?Me: Sure some one, at first. But remember mages are more powerful. A fighter needs items, and who makes the items. The people who cast magic. Priest could counter them but in a "Time of Troubles" they have their own problems. Likely mages would be used at first, and then when a few took over, the rest of society would just try to kill them as a threat.Me: Remember mages have one big vulneribility they need time and resources to learn. Basically the same requirements for the priest. However unlike the priest there is not god providing them with an ideology or a religion to rally the people too. Who does a mage owe alliegence too? Not to a god? The fact the mage has the power and is a free agent makes him a threat.J: So how come we have mages at all.Me: Because not all mages are out for power and conquests. And the fact my world's history has gone on long enough that some have found ways of integrating into society. There are several ways mages done this but basically they agreed to abide by a few simple rules in exchange to be left alone to pursue their studies. In the case of this city-state. They were invited in by the city fathers and basically rule with a light hand. Also they are not overly expansionstic and in an area where there are a lot of small realms and kingdoms.  In most other lands it is the priesthood that provides the ultimate check against the mages. In my world god power trumps mage power everytime.--------------------------------By thinking things through like this I have several things that generate adventure. I have several limitations that even the most powerful mages have to overcome that aren't just a case of something powerful they need to kill. Plus it isn't a total bleak situation as the background gives PC mages several avenues to pursue if they want greater power in the campaign world. Do this for religion, culture, races, etc then you have a rich tapestry for your players to adventure in.Rob Conley</blockquote>

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