Idhan
2012-02-29, 12:13 AM
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Coat_of_Arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_%281837-1952%29.svg/480px-Coat_of_Arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_%281837-1952%29.svg.png
This is probably a kind of silly idea for a campaign, but here is my rough setting concept: the Victorian era is not uncommon as a setting for RPGs, but Victorian-style settings are usually set in something like London. Of course, London is a very interesting place, and a lot can happen there, but the British Empire in that era was perhaps the most expansive empire in history so far.
So, to some extent, it seems to me like setting your Victorian-themed game in London is like having a game set during the reign of Genghis Khan and having your PCs putter around in the Mongolian heartland around Ulan Bator while the Mongol hordes sweep through China, Russia, Persia, and the rest. The action and excitement is on the frontiers!
For a D&D style setting, I'm thinking that it could be fun to link British colonial invasions with the traditional horde invasions of D&D campaigns. So the British Empire becomes the Pangoblin Empire -- an Empire dominated by hobgoblins, but with loyal goblin, bugbear, worg, and blue members (along with mercenary and auxiliary units of humans, orcs, halflings, ogres, and the rest, and of course some dissident goblinoids).
The heartlands of the Pangoblin Empire are rich and industrial -- a land rumored by some to be covered in black smoke, but said by others to be a fair an pleasant land -- but the Pangoblin heartlands are distant and illusory, a rumor. The game is set on the frontiers of the Pangoblin Empire. To be specific, it is set on the borders between a Pangoblin colony and a currently independent area ruled by the human natives, but which might become a Pangoblin colony in the near future.
This is pretty much just a rough sketch of some ideas. I doubt I'll actually run a campaign based on this idea.
Regions:
The Kingdom of Prasnesh: A human kingdom, with an affiliated relationship with some elf, halfling, and orc tribes, currently ruled by Queen Krisna III (regnal title; personal name is Supriya Denkar). It is noted for its weak central government and the power of local feudal lords. Fifty years ago, King Rama VI (a.k.a. Sudhir Rajan, or Sudhir the Tyrant) attempted to create a strong, centralized state, but in doing so he alienated the aristocracy and the common people alike. He was overthrown in a coup which placed his cousin on the throne.
The Protectorate of Sorpal: A former human kingdom, once a rival to Prasnesh, now a de facto colony of the hobgoblins, its king retaining a powerless titular position. Hobgoblin military outposts dot the border with Prasnesh, while the capital has been divided into goblinoid districts -- generally the wealthiest neighborhoods, where goblinoid businessmen, bureaucrats, engineers, and adventurers live, attended by human servants allowed within goblinoid neighborhoods if they have the proper paperwork -- and native districts where most humans (and, occassionally, dwarves and gnomes) live in squalor.
It is said that the king of Sorpal invited the Pangoblin Empire to set up bases in his kingdom on the understanding that they would then jointly attack Prasnesh. However, while the version of the treaty written in common only allowed the creation of military bases on land leased for 63 years and created a mutual defense pact against Prasnesh, the version of the treaty written in goblin also included provisions in which the king agreed to cede power over everything from policing to taxation to trading rights to the Pangoblin Empire. When the king disputed the treaty, the Pangoblins ruled that he was attempting to reneg on his treaty obligations and deposed him, leaving his nine-year old son on the throne, and handing all royal powers over to their own governor-general.
NPC Concepts:
Lord Reginald Gul'daar, Governor-General of Sorpal (LE Hobgoblin fighter 4/aristocrat 4)
"We cannot expect the humans, at their current stage of development, to show immediate gratitude for the superior level of culture we are bringing to them, but it is nonetheless both morally imperative and necessary for Pangoblin commercial interests that our civilizing efforts continue."
The current ruler of Sorpal, Reggie is a well-connected, disciplined hobgoblin who is as efficient at keeping order in an army at war as in subject territory at peace. He is somewhat pompous, and not particularly creative, but he is confident and quick on his feet in responding to any threat to Pangoblin interests.
Edward Surkl, Commander of the 14th Cavalry (NE goblin ranger 4/rogue 2)
"You can't wait for proper orders from home base when you're out in the bush facing twenty human savages. Sometimes you have to act, improvise, and hope that success will make the stuffed shirts too afraid of looking like fools to put you down."
A disreputable goblin adventurer whose achievements have partially obscured his dubious reputation and lowly birth, Edward is a creative commander who is adept at using magic, diversionary attacks, ambushes, and other tactics to make sure that he has the enemy at a disadvantage. He both respects and despises humans. on one hand, he believes that they are a far greater threat and are more militarily competent and adaptive than the Pangoblin authorities give them credit for. On the other, he regards them as wholly barbaric and depraved, innately incapable of being civilized.
Queen Krisna III, Queen of Prasnesh (NG human aristocrat 4)
"If my people want nothing but a warm body occupying the throne, they can have it. If they need a queen, though, I will be ready when that duty calls me."
Like all monarchs since the overthrow of Rama VI, she has little effective power. She is largely resigned to that fact, but she is nonetheless determined to see Prasnesh escape being colonized by the goblinoids if at all possible. She is a scholar by nature who admires some aspects of Pangoblin culture, and hopes that Prasnesh can adapt some aspects of their technology and organization to survive, while retaining its human autonomy.
Ananda Rajan, Pretender of Prasnesh (CN human aristocrat 2/barbarian 5)
"If I were to reclaim the throne that is mine by right, how would that make me the traitor? Why isn't Supriya the traitor for not rectifying the crime committed half a century ago, giving the throne to me, and forestalling the need to involve any external forces?"
Ananda is the great-grandson of Rama VI, the king overthrown 50 years ago for attempting to create a strong, centralized state in Prasnesh. Neither he nor any of his ancestors have ever renounced the claim to being the legitimate heirs to the throne of Prasnesh, as the directly lineal descendent of the king, but, while he is confident that he has every right to be king, he is less certain that he actually wants to be king. He has lived a life of adventure, and has worked with the goblinoids as a mercenary in other wars. Something of a wild-card in the coming conflict, he could continue to live his adventurous, independent life, or he could ally with the Pangoblins, providing a pretext for them to invade Prasnesh under the pretext of restoring Prasnesh's rightful king to the throne, or he could use his inner knowledge of Pangoblin tactics and strategy against them, reclaiming his throne by leading his country against the Pangoblins rather than being their puppet, while perhaps proving the worth of the idea of a strong, centralized Prasnesh that lead to the overthrow of his great-grandfather 50 years ago.
Technology:
Ideas here? I think that the goblinoids should generally have a technological edge over the humans, although I'm not exactly sure how. Maybe some sort of rapid-firing ranged weapon like a repeating crossbow that's worthwhile? Maybe a sort of repeating crossbow with a 200 foot range increment, 2d6 damage, and 18-20/x2 criticals? Along with some artillery, perhaps.)
This is probably a kind of silly idea for a campaign, but here is my rough setting concept: the Victorian era is not uncommon as a setting for RPGs, but Victorian-style settings are usually set in something like London. Of course, London is a very interesting place, and a lot can happen there, but the British Empire in that era was perhaps the most expansive empire in history so far.
So, to some extent, it seems to me like setting your Victorian-themed game in London is like having a game set during the reign of Genghis Khan and having your PCs putter around in the Mongolian heartland around Ulan Bator while the Mongol hordes sweep through China, Russia, Persia, and the rest. The action and excitement is on the frontiers!
For a D&D style setting, I'm thinking that it could be fun to link British colonial invasions with the traditional horde invasions of D&D campaigns. So the British Empire becomes the Pangoblin Empire -- an Empire dominated by hobgoblins, but with loyal goblin, bugbear, worg, and blue members (along with mercenary and auxiliary units of humans, orcs, halflings, ogres, and the rest, and of course some dissident goblinoids).
The heartlands of the Pangoblin Empire are rich and industrial -- a land rumored by some to be covered in black smoke, but said by others to be a fair an pleasant land -- but the Pangoblin heartlands are distant and illusory, a rumor. The game is set on the frontiers of the Pangoblin Empire. To be specific, it is set on the borders between a Pangoblin colony and a currently independent area ruled by the human natives, but which might become a Pangoblin colony in the near future.
This is pretty much just a rough sketch of some ideas. I doubt I'll actually run a campaign based on this idea.
Regions:
The Kingdom of Prasnesh: A human kingdom, with an affiliated relationship with some elf, halfling, and orc tribes, currently ruled by Queen Krisna III (regnal title; personal name is Supriya Denkar). It is noted for its weak central government and the power of local feudal lords. Fifty years ago, King Rama VI (a.k.a. Sudhir Rajan, or Sudhir the Tyrant) attempted to create a strong, centralized state, but in doing so he alienated the aristocracy and the common people alike. He was overthrown in a coup which placed his cousin on the throne.
The Protectorate of Sorpal: A former human kingdom, once a rival to Prasnesh, now a de facto colony of the hobgoblins, its king retaining a powerless titular position. Hobgoblin military outposts dot the border with Prasnesh, while the capital has been divided into goblinoid districts -- generally the wealthiest neighborhoods, where goblinoid businessmen, bureaucrats, engineers, and adventurers live, attended by human servants allowed within goblinoid neighborhoods if they have the proper paperwork -- and native districts where most humans (and, occassionally, dwarves and gnomes) live in squalor.
It is said that the king of Sorpal invited the Pangoblin Empire to set up bases in his kingdom on the understanding that they would then jointly attack Prasnesh. However, while the version of the treaty written in common only allowed the creation of military bases on land leased for 63 years and created a mutual defense pact against Prasnesh, the version of the treaty written in goblin also included provisions in which the king agreed to cede power over everything from policing to taxation to trading rights to the Pangoblin Empire. When the king disputed the treaty, the Pangoblins ruled that he was attempting to reneg on his treaty obligations and deposed him, leaving his nine-year old son on the throne, and handing all royal powers over to their own governor-general.
NPC Concepts:
Lord Reginald Gul'daar, Governor-General of Sorpal (LE Hobgoblin fighter 4/aristocrat 4)
"We cannot expect the humans, at their current stage of development, to show immediate gratitude for the superior level of culture we are bringing to them, but it is nonetheless both morally imperative and necessary for Pangoblin commercial interests that our civilizing efforts continue."
The current ruler of Sorpal, Reggie is a well-connected, disciplined hobgoblin who is as efficient at keeping order in an army at war as in subject territory at peace. He is somewhat pompous, and not particularly creative, but he is confident and quick on his feet in responding to any threat to Pangoblin interests.
Edward Surkl, Commander of the 14th Cavalry (NE goblin ranger 4/rogue 2)
"You can't wait for proper orders from home base when you're out in the bush facing twenty human savages. Sometimes you have to act, improvise, and hope that success will make the stuffed shirts too afraid of looking like fools to put you down."
A disreputable goblin adventurer whose achievements have partially obscured his dubious reputation and lowly birth, Edward is a creative commander who is adept at using magic, diversionary attacks, ambushes, and other tactics to make sure that he has the enemy at a disadvantage. He both respects and despises humans. on one hand, he believes that they are a far greater threat and are more militarily competent and adaptive than the Pangoblin authorities give them credit for. On the other, he regards them as wholly barbaric and depraved, innately incapable of being civilized.
Queen Krisna III, Queen of Prasnesh (NG human aristocrat 4)
"If my people want nothing but a warm body occupying the throne, they can have it. If they need a queen, though, I will be ready when that duty calls me."
Like all monarchs since the overthrow of Rama VI, she has little effective power. She is largely resigned to that fact, but she is nonetheless determined to see Prasnesh escape being colonized by the goblinoids if at all possible. She is a scholar by nature who admires some aspects of Pangoblin culture, and hopes that Prasnesh can adapt some aspects of their technology and organization to survive, while retaining its human autonomy.
Ananda Rajan, Pretender of Prasnesh (CN human aristocrat 2/barbarian 5)
"If I were to reclaim the throne that is mine by right, how would that make me the traitor? Why isn't Supriya the traitor for not rectifying the crime committed half a century ago, giving the throne to me, and forestalling the need to involve any external forces?"
Ananda is the great-grandson of Rama VI, the king overthrown 50 years ago for attempting to create a strong, centralized state in Prasnesh. Neither he nor any of his ancestors have ever renounced the claim to being the legitimate heirs to the throne of Prasnesh, as the directly lineal descendent of the king, but, while he is confident that he has every right to be king, he is less certain that he actually wants to be king. He has lived a life of adventure, and has worked with the goblinoids as a mercenary in other wars. Something of a wild-card in the coming conflict, he could continue to live his adventurous, independent life, or he could ally with the Pangoblins, providing a pretext for them to invade Prasnesh under the pretext of restoring Prasnesh's rightful king to the throne, or he could use his inner knowledge of Pangoblin tactics and strategy against them, reclaiming his throne by leading his country against the Pangoblins rather than being their puppet, while perhaps proving the worth of the idea of a strong, centralized Prasnesh that lead to the overthrow of his great-grandfather 50 years ago.
Technology:
Ideas here? I think that the goblinoids should generally have a technological edge over the humans, although I'm not exactly sure how. Maybe some sort of rapid-firing ranged weapon like a repeating crossbow that's worthwhile? Maybe a sort of repeating crossbow with a 200 foot range increment, 2d6 damage, and 18-20/x2 criticals? Along with some artillery, perhaps.)