PDA

View Full Version : Indian Campaign setting



Fortinbras
2010-11-24, 01:52 PM
Name says it all, I need some advice for designing a campaign set in Medieval Northern India.

The Tygre
2010-11-24, 02:04 PM
Planewalker has a list of Indian deities for 3.5. It's pretty good, so I give it a thumbs up, though some gods are a little less detailed than others. Green Ronin printed an Indian-esque Campaign Setting, Mindshadows, which came complete with a supplementary psionic bestiary. And if all else fails, fall back on your friends the rakshasas and the naga for adventures.

AslanCross
2010-11-25, 08:42 AM
1. You might want to read up on the primary sources: epics like the Ramayana (of which there is a graphic novel adaptation) and Mahabharata can give you a lot of ideas on the common beliefs, style of combat, and story themes.

2. Oriental Adventures has a few Indian elements. The vanaras are the most significant; there are probably others that I forget at the moment.

Aside: Rakshasas in D&D are very different from the creatures they're based on. Nagas vary widely in their depictions; they're either large, sentient serpents or serpent-people.

http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/images/2008/10/13/ram_on_shoulder_hanurm_image2.jpg

I don't know about you, but I think this is a very evocative image that one could use in that campaign: the hero Rama standing on the monkey god Hanuman's shoulder.

Eldan
2010-11-25, 08:45 AM
Also noteworthy: neither Devas nor Asuras, as used in D&D, have anything to do with their mythological roots.

So, are their any Indian creatures actually represented accurately? Rakshasa aren't that far off, apart from having a true form that looks Tiger-like. They get shapeshifting and illusion magic.

AslanCross
2010-11-25, 08:58 AM
Also noteworthy: neither Devas nor Asuras, as used in D&D, have anything to do with their mythological roots.

So, are their any Indian creatures actually represented accurately? Rakshasa aren't that far off, apart from having a true form that looks Tiger-like. They get shapeshifting and illusion magic.

The Vanaras aren't represented completely accurately either. As far as I can remember, in the Ramayana they had the ability to shatter chariots with their fists and tackle elephants. I'm certain Hanuman at least had the ability to change his size, but the rank-and-file monkeys were pretty strong as well.

Xuc Xac
2010-11-25, 11:20 AM
Was anything in "Oriental Adventures" represented accurately? You're lucky if they get the name right. Anything beyond that is an added bonus.

Mojo_Rat
2010-11-25, 07:49 PM
for an Indian theme

Theres a Pathfinder modual coming out called Cult of the Ebon destroyer, Written by the winner of their rpg superstar from last year. the Outline for its availbile, I get the impression the guy did alot of Research and the thematic flavour based on the outline that won him the contest looks pretty good.

Though it isnt due out til january i believe.

The Rose Dragon
2010-11-25, 08:10 PM
Exalted steals wildly from Indian mythology, as it does from every other mythology out there. The raksha especially are heavily influenced by the rakshasa.

The Tygre
2010-11-25, 08:19 PM
True, the rakshasas in the MM don't really live up to their mythological counterparts, nor do the nagas, but take into consideration that original rakshasa covered a wide variety of being, from tiny little gnome creatures to staggering giants.

Urpriest
2010-11-25, 08:32 PM
Magic of Incarnum uses the word Chakra at least.

Swooper
2010-11-25, 08:45 PM
Uhm, guys? The OP didn't even specify a game system. :smallsigh:

AslanCross
2010-11-25, 08:51 PM
That's why my main suggestion was look up the primary source material.

SurlySeraph
2010-11-25, 09:08 PM
Uhm, guys? The OP didn't even specify a game system. :smallsigh:

Which is why most of the suggestions could be used in any system, and the others apply to DnDefault.

The Tygre
2010-11-26, 01:15 AM
Uhm, guys? The OP didn't even specify a game system. :smallsigh:

Campaign Setting generally implies some variation of D&D.

Zeta Kai
2010-11-26, 01:46 AM
For the record, the Hourglass of Zihaja campaign setting is partially based on Hindu mythology (the primary influence is 1,001 Nights, but we borrowed from many sources). The rakshasas feature as notable villains, & I wrote over 14 pages in Word about devas for the setting, so they get a nod. One of the setting's "gods" is Zaia the Star-Naga, so there's that, too. Check it out.

BobVosh
2010-11-26, 06:14 AM
I was all about to charge in to prop up Maztica, my favorite South American themed area then I learned wrong Indians.

Is Rakshasas seriously the only thing that is even close to the Indian myths? Seems weird that D&D didn't do a better job of shamelessly copying that mythology somewhere.

Yora
2010-11-27, 08:58 AM
I think Yuan-Ti are not that bad in playing the naga part. Mythological naga were not all evil, but except for that, yuan-ti are pretty close.

Tvtyrant
2010-11-27, 09:13 AM
Mariliths, Lothos (the elephant people), rakshasas, nagas, etc. I think the main thing you would have to do is make it more god-oriented, with gods living on the planet walking around Gandalf style. The Upanishads are full of human-god interactions (I'm looking at you Krishna!)

Eldan
2010-11-27, 09:44 AM
I think Yuan-Ti are not that bad in playing the naga part. Mythological naga were not all evil, but except for that, yuan-ti are pretty close.

Except when the Naga are dozens of metres long and have seven heads :smallwink: I liked those statues when I was in Thailand. They were damn impressive.

Tvtyrant
2010-11-27, 09:44 AM
Except when the Naga are dozens of metres long and have seven heads :smallwink: I liked those statues when I was in Thailand. They were damn impressive.

You mean a hydra :smallconfused:

Lhurgyof
2010-11-27, 09:45 AM
Hmmm, there's an old cartoon called Arabian Nights, that'd be worth a watch.

It's about a group of heroes in India. Quite fitting, actually.

Eldan
2010-11-27, 09:49 AM
You mean a hydra :smallconfused:

No, a naga. Sadly, I don't have my holiday pictures anymore, but Wiki has a few.

Let's see:
The naga sheltering Buddha with it's heads. (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/2006_0922_wat_phrathat_doi_suthep_buddha_mucalinda .JPG)
Naga on the stairs of a temple. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_Phra_Kaew_Naga.JPG)
And a very impressive one coming out of the mouth of a dragon. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phra_Maha_Chedi_Chai_Mongkol_Naga_emerging_fr om_mouth_of_Chinese_dragon.jpg)

Tvtyrant
2010-11-27, 09:51 AM
No, a naga. Sadly, I don't have my holiday pictures anymore, but Wiki has a few.

Let's see:
The naga sheltering Buddha with it's heads. (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/2006_0922_wat_phrathat_doi_suthep_buddha_mucalinda .JPG)
Naga on the stairs of a temple. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wat_Phra_Kaew_Naga.JPG)
And a very impressive one coming out of the mouth of a dragon. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Phra_Maha_Chedi_Chai_Mongkol_Naga_emerging_fr om_mouth_of_Chinese_dragon.jpg)

I'm not doubting that it is a Naga, I just don't see why you wouldn't just use a Hydra for stats. Maybe throw a half-celestial/fiendish template on it for the SLAs.

Yora
2010-11-27, 10:54 AM
Except when the Naga are dozens of metres long and have seven heads :smallwink: I liked those statues when I was in Thailand. They were damn impressive.

Naga appear in a very wide variety of shapes. The human body with a snakes tail for legs is also quite common in many images.

Eldan
2010-11-27, 11:04 AM
Of course. I was just mentioning the alternate shape, for which Yuan-ti aren't all that fitting.

Actually, now thinking about it: even without the multiple heads, does D&D have a creature which is just a gigantic, non-magical snake? Not for Nagas now, but just because they are such a staple of heroic fantasy.

The Rose Dragon
2010-11-27, 11:23 AM
Of course. I was just mentioning the alternate shape, for which Yuan-ti aren't all that fitting.

Y'know, there are yuan-ti that are dozens of meters long and have several heads. I forgot what their name was, but I'm sure they exist.

Yora
2010-11-27, 11:27 AM
But I think those still have arms.

Eldan
2010-11-27, 11:42 AM
Anathema, probably. I at least remember them as big.

Yes. They are in the Fiend Folio. Huge, six serpent heads, but still a humanoid torso in between.

Loren
2010-11-27, 01:07 PM
Oriental adventures might be able to help out with a list of arms and armour that one might find in India.

Also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Indian_m%C3%AAl%C3%A9e_weapons

By way of locations to work with, you'd have mountains (Himalayas, Hindu Kush), deserts, jungles, coastal, and urban.

The orient has often been associated with strange cults, mystism, and incarnate dieties, so these would be themes many players would expect.

Tvtyrant
2010-11-27, 06:02 PM
Of course. I was just mentioning the alternate shape, for which Yuan-ti aren't all that fitting.

Actually, now thinking about it: even without the multiple heads, does D&D have a creature which is just a gigantic, non-magical snake? Not for Nagas now, but just because they are such a staple of heroic fantasy.

Colossal viper or constrictor. A giant snake is essentially a bite attack and/or a constrict attack.

Yora
2010-11-27, 06:52 PM
One of the elder evils is snake themed.