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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mseds99" data-source="post: 3318343" data-attributes="member: 5306">good threadMy campaigns are heavily infused with politics, so much of what inspires me during cmapign creation is non-fiction...some recent examples:The Life and Times of Grigorii Rasputin, Alex De Jonge, a biography about Rasputin and how he attained his power.  The main antagonist in the current campaign I run is inspired by him, or more accurately, how he is described in this book.World of the Maya, Victor Von Hagen, an archeolgical study of Maya cultureThe Age of the Gladiators, Rupert Mathews, a study of gladitorial games of Rome and the civilization surrounding the contestsA History of Civilizations, Fernand Braudel, a study of world history on a macro scale...displays how forces beyond borders influence the advancement of cultureLatin American Heroes, Jerome Adams, Liberators and Patriots from 1500 to the present...describes various "heroes" of the Latin American world...written by Latinos so the viewpoint is extremely different...Fidel Castro is regarded as a hero...it's a great book for creating unique and interesting charactersThe Americas, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, Describes how the Western Hemisphere has develped its own personality, besides that of the USAThe Face of Battle, John Keegan, an interesting look at battle from an assortment of viewpoints...adds a little bit more depth to combat in D and DBury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Dee Brown, just a fanatastic read, everyone should get this book.  About the fall of the American Indian as the USA expanded westward.  My orcs have souls and when their "barbaric" tribes are moved out by the encroachment off rival cultures, theres more to it than just "kill the bad guy".Conquests and Cultures, Thomas Sowell. As the back cover sayas..."{the book's} purpose has been to understand the role of cultural ddifferences within and between nations, today and over the centuries of history, in shaping the ecoonomic and social fates of peoples and whole civilizations."  Couldn't say it better myself.And lastly....The Tiwi of North Australia, C.W.M.Hart and Arnold Pilling, an athropological study of the Tiwi of Nrth Australia, a once-upon-a-time virtually isolated group of aboriginees who developed an EXTREMELY unique culture where the currency was women...yes...females.  Fascinating book, couldn't recommend it more.As far as fiction...1984 by George Orwwell probably single handedly inspired to create at least two campaign settings.  Another great read.Moby Dick, Herman Melville, if Captain Ahab can't inspire you to create a great character, nothing will.Another vote for Heart of Darkness by James Conrad.  This book was mentioned above, but is a brilliant look at contrast between between "civilized" man and the animal lurking within himself.And of of course....The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.  I don't think it even needs to be said.Addendum #1...Julias Caeser and Macbeth by ShakespearreBrave New World by Aldous HuxleyThe Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire by Alan PalmerThe Life and Times of Genghis Khan......i lost the book, author unknownThere are so many....i could just ramble on and on.Addendum #2EnWorld's own Blackdirge's creation.... Metamorphisis and An Assassin's Tale are great reads.</blockquote>

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