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13:22, 27th April 2024 (GMT+0)

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy.

Posted by airellian
airellian
member, 664 posts
Tue 21 Nov 2023
at 07:45
  • [deleted]
  • msg #1

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

This message was deleted by the user at 01:48, Tue 20 Feb.
DeeYin
member, 51 posts
Wed 22 Nov 2023
at 06:41
  • msg #2

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

It sounds fascinating on so many levels, although I do not think I can add another game at this time, unfortunately. :(

But one thought that came up reading the post was that if you do not have a system in mind already (you mentioned D&D, and they did have that Glory of Rome sourcebook for AD&D), you might want to look up at Mazes & Minotaurs, even if only to mine it for ideas, since you are considering something inspired by, instead of historically accurate.

And truly best of luck, since, again, this sounds amazing!
LuckyOne
member, 125 posts
Wed 22 Nov 2023
at 11:46
  • msg #3

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

Sounds really good.

Though when talking of sacrifices considering history, I would go so far as to openly clarify animal sacrifices, sounds pointless to point out till you remember other cultures eg. Aztec.

Staying on topic, Yes the concept of Oracles an Seers whose words that are actually valued by the other players/npcs in the game would be cool, so often the value of players with these powers is lost in game-play, whether it's a supernaturals game, superheros or historical, you rarely see players go to a shrine, or climb a mountain to see an Oracle or delve into a cave to see a hermit. If you could find a way to instill more value to that, it would be amazing.

Easiest way would be to just make heroes normal people with a will for adventure an tradition an belief.

If you could make the only way for players to gain these temporary powers/wisdom, by visiting Oracles, seers and supposed gods/priests, and of visiting shrines an making sacrifices.

That it is these oracle/seer people specifically where the TEMPORARY strengths these heroic feats are gained, or the where the clue to find this monster was, or the clue on how to best it.
-strength bonus from completing sacrifices
-Wisdom of the location of monsters
-Clues on how to beat a specific monster, eg. fire beats troll

Tv series Romulus has some good representations of visits to priests, where a woman visited a priest an underwent a series of Trials before she was even taken on for training in combat.
I think Vikings tv series did good representations of visiting priests/seers too (more in the sense of how important they were)

You could potentially make the 'wise' person character more valuable to a group by having them be the knowledge source of the rituals needed for these boons gained, Whether or not they are tangible 'powers'  *Breathes fire* or more pseudo powers like a really strong guy pushing himself further then thought he could, or a really smart person figures something out, but the credit is given to sacrifice or god or whatever.

Witcher 3 did pretty good with the shrines an quests to repair them/which could be built on.


Sorry abit rambling repeating myself, a great idea.

Bacchus for the win :P
This message was last edited by the user at 11:55, Wed 22 Nov 2023.
Zag24
supporter, 779 posts
Wed 22 Nov 2023
at 23:30
  • msg #4

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

What game system are you thinking of using?  I'm interested if it is something I'm familiar with.

This sounds somewhat like the game I was running a year ago.  I had based it in a fictional version of Greece if (thanks to its moderately active gods) it had remained in power until the time of the printing press.  It was intended to be essentially three solo adventures, with each player working as an apprentice to a Spymaster for one of the factions.
kark2
member, 309 posts
Thu 23 Nov 2023
at 04:53
  • msg #5

Re: IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

airellian:
The world is steeped in religion. People offer ritual sacrifices to the gods for their blessing. ....feared; where some can lay claim to godly heritage, possessing godlike abilities; and more.

In D&D 3.5 we have god-blooded people. Monster Manual IV or V. The Olympic Pantheon is also in Deities and Demigods.
About the sacrifices, don't forget that the clerics are people too. So, maybe 50% goes to the god in question and 50% goes to the cleric for maintenance of the temple.

airellian:
The songs of the ancestors, of ages long gone, of glories past and battles won and lost, ...up to the names of their ancestors? Great beasts and monsters roam the land, and heroes must rise up to slay them.

In Oriental Adventures the shaman class exists. It has the Hero, Ancestors and Community.
Also, bards for the win?

airellian:
A city-state is a lively place full of opportunities to advance along the cursus honorum, ...
.

Power of Faerim is your friend.

airellian:
And yet sometimes the trumpets of war must blow, and the gates of the city thrown open as the ...
.

Heroes of Battle is your friend too.

airellian:
I'd like to note that I'm not actually planning on running a historical game. Instead, I want to ...

Like in Forgotten Realms?


Don't forget. The Olimpyc Pantheon is not like the other ones. At most there are a handful of "nice" gods. All the others? You should hope not to know them.
kark2
member, 310 posts
Thu 23 Nov 2023
at 05:45
  • msg #6

Re: IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

Also remember the Sybil prestige class from Savage Species. It will help you to portray the "speaker of the gods" prophets. A human with the Insightful feat can enter.
Tudor
member, 3 posts
Tue 28 Nov 2023
at 14:25
  • msg #7

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

In reply to airellian (msg # 1):

Count me in, I would love to play in such world theme.
Arkyn
member, 741 posts
Tue 28 Nov 2023
at 15:02
  • msg #8

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

Interested.

Are you considering a traditional 'party of adventurers' or something less scripted?

btw, gurps has some great material for setting accuracy, if you're looking for that.
airellian
member, 666 posts
Wed 29 Nov 2023
at 02:53
  • msg #9

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

In reply to Arkyn (msg # 8):

Not a traditional party of adventurers, no. Such people lie outside of traditional society, and my aim is to explore traditional society within such a mythological world.
Arkyn
member, 743 posts
Thu 30 Nov 2023
at 23:06
  • msg #10

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

In reply to airellian (msg # 9):

Fantastic.  Considering solos?
airellian
member, 667 posts
Fri 1 Dec 2023
at 02:11
  • msg #11

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

That's certainly a possibility, though I prefer games that move at a fast clip, at least one post per day from Mondays through Fridays. If a solo player can't do that, it's better to have a group in that case, at least in my opinion. :)
jleland
member, 40 posts
Fri 8 Dec 2023
at 02:47
  • msg #12

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

I am very interested in this possibility. I have recently been reading several Classical epics -- Luca's Pharsalia, Statius' Thebiad, Silius Italicus's Punica -- so I am very much in the mood for this kind of setting.
serrasin
member, 48 posts
Fri 8 Dec 2023
at 02:54
  • msg #13

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

am intrigued by the initial concept and will certainly consider the game once its ready.
airellian
member, 668 posts
Fri 8 Dec 2023
at 08:46
  • msg #14

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

This is a pretty good response! I'm actually in the middle of writing up the campaign setting now, so I should be posting a link soonish. Sometime next week or the week after, depending on how busy my holidays are. :)
airellian
member, 670 posts
Wed 13 Dec 2023
at 21:11
  • msg #15

IC: Greco-Roman Inspired Fantasy

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