D&D 5E Walk Like An Egyptian

[Zardnaar]

For the Greeks, I think I'd shrink it down to only the most famous 3 independent citystates - Sparta, Troy and Athens , and have them constantly shift between being allies and enemies among each other.

I'd set your Roman city right smack in the middle of Augustus transforming the Republic into an Empire - and add in lots of Star Wars references for kicks. Use the clerics of the Roman gods like jedi, for example

I don't want to use historical names. I was thinking of Greece being a non human area that was over run with the Greeks in Crete or western Turkey (or the equivalent map I end up using).

The non humans also wondering where to put them. The Huns are going to be Orcs, Gnolls will be in the desert, Sumeria will be my equivalent of Netheril (and non human), wood elves Germany, high elves England, Halfling in France perhaps, Dwarves in Switzerland and/or Anatolia (Hill Dwarves Anatolia, Mountain Dwarves Switzerland?).

Africa can have the equivalent of Mali, Ethiopia, Great Zimbabwe with perhaps the Jungle areas like Congo doing the dark continent trope. Egypt will be a land of ruins, I want an equivalent of Alexandria under a governor perhaps with perhaps a narrow strip of land down the Nuria (100 miles perhaps) with the rest of the Kingdom in the hands of Gnolls, Jackal men etc.

It doesn't have to be historically accurate. Greek hoplites can have steel weapons or even things like longswords. If they are marching around in close formation they can have things like spellcasters to counterspell fireballs etc.

 

[Satyrn]

Hobgoblins would make a good choice for overrunning Greece, I'd say.

And the hobbits halflings are going into the English countryside, right?

 

[Satyrn]

Egypt will be a land of ruins, I want an equivalent of Alexandria under a governor perhaps with perhaps a narrow strip of land down the Nuria (100 miles perhaps) with the rest of the Kingdom in the hands of Gnolls, Jackal men etc.

And that sounds perfect.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

Some pop culture references that might be useful for inspiration:

Star Gate - movie

Star Gate SG-1 - TV series

Aladdin - animated movie

Star Wars - planet of Tatooine

The Prince of Egypt - animated movie

The Ten Commandments - old movie

Hatsune Miku - Sand Planet (music video)

Avatar the Last Airbender - the animated series had some desert episodes

Dune - 'nuff said

Bleach - anime - Hueco Mundo arc

Naruto - Village Hidden in the Sand

Lawrence of Arabia - old movie

 

[Zardnaar]

And that sounds perfect.

OK breaking out the Hollow World PDF.

Fantasy Egypt= Nithia
Fantasy Greece= Milenians

and from the Known world fnatsy Rome will be Thyatis. None of my players are that familiar with Mystara and I have used Thyatis and Heldannic Knights before for example.

Also found the 1E adventures that could be useful in dead tree format.

I1 Dwellers of the Forbidden city
I3 Pharoah
I4 Oasis of the White Palm
I5 Lost Tomb of Martek

I think Drow will be around but I might steal the idea of a Scorpion God from Eberron instead of Lolth.

Allowed Races

Dwarf
Human
Elf
Halfling

New races allowed.

Alseid
Centaur
Dragonkin
Dustgoblin
Gnoll
Kijani
Jinnborn
Lizardfolk
Minotaur
Ravenfolk
Trollkin
Werelion

 

[Zardnaar]

Some pop culture references that might be useful for inspiration:

Star Gate - movie

Star Gate SG-1 - TV series

Aladdin - animated movie

Star Wars - planet of Tatooine

The Prince of Egypt - animated movie

The Ten Commandments - old movie

Hatsune Miku - Sand Planet (music video)

Avatar the Last Airbender - the animated series had some desert episodes

Dune - 'nuff said

Bleach - anime - Hueco Mundo arc

Naruto - Village Hidden in the Sand

Lawrence of Arabia - old movie

I have seen most of that, there is a stargate which is more of a planar portal than the SG1 take on it.

 

[Zardnaar]

The world, the Hollow World pdf was useful for place names.

Nithia is a land of ancient forgotten Pharaohs situated along the River Nuria. It is an ancient land of desert, tomb and pyramids. Nitha was once a great Kingdom but has been reduced to a shadow of its former self. Its capital is Menkara a great port city renowned for its lighthousse and library in the Nuria delta while its ancient capital of Pet Bestat swelters to the south. The former great kingdom has been reduced to a strip of land barely 100 miles along the bank of the Nuria, its former domains swallowed by the sand and packs of Gnolls or worse in the deep desert.

To the North the Milenians trade out of the island of Amora while 3 city states dominate the Milenian homeland- Xarda, Corisa, and Pelai. Amora is the largest Milenian kingdom with its capital at Phardos.
Far to the west the former city state of Thyatis has taken it’s first steps towards imperial glory as the Republic has united the Thyatian peninsula under the control of the senate.

Bonus Feat.

All races start with a bonus feat. Variant humans get two. You may not select the following feats as the bonus feat: Healer, Great Weapon Master, Polearm Master, Resilient, Sharpshooter, Shieldmaster, Warcaster.

PHB Races

Dwarf
Human
Elf
Halfling

New races allowed (Midguard, Southland, Unlikley Heroes, Volos Guide to Monsters)

Aasimar
Alseid
Centaur
Dragonkin
Dustgoblin
Gnoll
Kenku
Kijani
Jinnborn
Lizardfolk
Minotaur
Ravenfolk
Tabaxi
Trollkin
Werelion

You may pick a deity from the following Pantheons in the PHB/SCAG.

Dwarf
Egyptian
Elf
Greek
Halfling

and from Of Gods and Monsters (Castles and Crusades)
Celtic
Roman

 

[Zardnaar]

Hobgoblins would make a good choice for overrunning Greece, I'd say.

And the hobbits halflings are going into the English countryside, right?

Could do but France was also a major agricultural area and Albion might be better off as an Elven area (or Ireland?).

 

[Zardnaar]

For the Greeks, I think I'd shrink it down to only the most famous 3 independent citystates - Sparta, Troy and Athens , and have them constantly shift between being allies and enemies among each other.

I'd set your Roman city right smack in the middle of Augustus transforming the Republic into an Empire - and add in lots of Star Wars references for kicks. Use the clerics of the Roman gods like jedi, for example

Took this idea and tweaked it. 3 city states+ Crete/Minoans. Changed a few names Sparta becomes Xarda.

 

[Zardnaar]

Hobgoblins would make a good choice for overrunning Greece, I'd say.

And the hobbits halflings are going into the English countryside, right?

Yoinked they can have most of Greece, fantasy Sparta, Athens, Troy and Crete+ the islands will be the Milenian areas.

Thyatians can be in Italia proper.