Greek Campaign

[Slayer Lord]

So an off-hand comment that I made recently has taken root and I may wind up running a campaign based loosely off of Ancient Greece. This will be my second time DMing and I want this to be a pretty light-hearted game, with the initial plot based off of the idea of Hera trying to put a permanent end to Zeus' constant infidelity (players choose which side to join with), a conflict Hades is adding fire to with the intention of overthrowing Zeus.

This has kind of fallen into my lap out of the blue, so I thought I'd do some fishing for ideas here. Probably going to limit non-humanplayer races to elves and dwarves so that I can have an Age of Mythology-esque cultural interaction with this game world's equivalents to Scandanavia and Egypt (I'm going with an historical/Order of the Stick idea of regional/cultural pantheons rather than universal).

Being a history major, I'm something of a stickler for historical and mythological accuracy, and the biggest history buff in my group of friends. I really want to make this fun (especially since one of my players is a new comer and another has only ever played one campaign before), so I don't want to be overbearing with my historicalness (even more so since it's a fantasy world based on Greece, not actual ancient Greece itself). So, basically, what are some ways I can create an Ancient Greek-like setting that's fun for everyone. Also, any ideas to adjust the fluff for classes, the races I'm allowing and whatnot would be appreciated as well.

[Yora]

First is to limit races. Everyone is human is probably the easiest way.

Then limit classes: Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger, Rogue are all easy, as they fit everywhere. Clerics are probably also the best choice for priests. Then you only have to decide if you want to have arcane spellcasters. Since they don't play an important role in greek myth, I'd take only one, either wizards or sorcerers.

Very important is equipment: Take the list of weapons and armor and remove everything that wouldn't been found in ancient greece. Without being a specialist on that topic, I think that'd mean only padded, leather, studded leather, hide, scale, and breastplate armor as well as light and heavy shields.
With weapons, just take out everything that is obviously out of place: Crossbows, greatswords, bastard swords, halberds, glaives, guisarmes, and all the exotic weapons.

A major point will obviously be the Greek gods. There was a book called Deities and Demigods, that had information on all the greek gods in a 3rd Edition game, but if you can't get that, just take a list of all the gods and give them an allignment and three or four domains that fit them. You don't even need to take all the gods, just taking the most important ones like Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Hermes, and Aphrodite migh even be enough.

[Elemental]

I'm going to agree with Yora.
She seems to have hit the proverbial nail on the head.

To further her ideas:
Base classes:
The NPC classes should work fine.

As for Player's Handbook:
Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger and Rogue would fit in quite well.
Monks, obviously not.

Casters are a touch more difficult...
Bards, yes. (Greek legend abounds with awe-inspiring singers)
Cleric, probably. (I'm not too certain)
Go for Sorcerer over Wizard. (It fits better in my mind)
As for Druids? I'm not really sure...


No idea where Paladins go in all this... But you can probably just get rid of them.


So, in conclusion:
Barbarians, Bards, Clerics, Druids?, Fighters, Rangers, Rogues and Sorcerers.


And when it comes to deities, you only really need to worry about the main ones.
(Zeus, Hades, Demeter, Poseidon, Ares, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Hera, Hestia, Dionysius, Hermes, Haphaestus and Aphrodite)
I doubt one of your players is going to roll up a Cleric of Eos.

[Alleran]

Being a history major, I'm something of a stickler for historical and mythological accuracy, and the biggest history buff in my group of friends.
In which case, I'll point out that Hades was probably the nicest Greek god. Poseidon is a more likely target for the one stirring up trouble and attempting to overthrow his elder brother (although based on Zeus' commentary in the Iliad, the chances of the other gods being able to actually pull it off is a stone's throw from never-gonna-happen).

[Elemental]

In which case, I'll point out that Hades was probably the nicest Greek god. Poseidon is a more likely target for the one stirring up trouble and attempting to overthrow his elder brother (although based on Zeus' commentary in the Iliad, the chances of the other gods being able to actually pull it off is a stone's throw from never-gonna-happen).

Agreed concerning Hades. He was strict and a bit dreary, but he was always just and fair.


Also, if the case is that none currently alive can overthrow Zeus, perhaps the scheme involves a suitable deity conceiving a child with Thetis.

It is said that her son would be greater than his father.

[Malachei]

Being a history major, you'll probably be more experienced in the fluff aspects than most of us.

Mechanically, one aspect of such a campaign is probably the mythological creatures, which are easily found, IMO. Another is the specific fighting styles.

Although this thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41201) is about Romans, it may be worth a look, especially for the comments.

Then there's the Spartan Handbook. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=4963) You may not agree with the level they're set at, but this still provides a good list of the feats you'd have when using formation / phalanx fighting styles.

[Alleran]

Agreed concerning Hades. He was strict and a bit dreary, but he was always just and fair.
He also broke the rules occasionally as well, almost always for the benefit of mortals. Orpheus springs to mind - Hades wasn't supposed to let Eurydice go, but he did it anyway. It wasn't his fault Orpheus was impatient. I'll stop here before I go off on a mostly unrelated tangent about Hades being misunderstood, though.


It is said that her son would be greater than his father.
You'd have to get her (if she isn't dead) with child from Zeus, which is the problem. Short of Typhon (who he still defeated), I don't think any other god would have the necessary, erm, "essence" to produce a deity that could legitimately challenge him.

One plot hook you could try is the old "let's free the Titans!" gambit, or something along the lines of some of the Giants in the myths (who could not be slain by any immortal, which is why Herakles had to do the CDGs once they'd been brought down). It would explain why the gods are meddling in the lives of mortals - if the party is strong enough and can pass all the trials and tests confronting them, they could perhaps even help the gods fight the Giants, and deliver the final blows like Herakles once did.

[sol_kanar]

The Titan idea is not bad at all! It has been used several times (Hercules Disney Movie, Saint Seiya G) but they are probably the biggest threat to Zeus that you can have, following the "flavor" of the ancient myths.

Cronus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cronus), in particular, might be a badass BBEG able to mess with Time itself.

As for limiting character classes and races, I would first hear the players' PC concepts, and then speak with them about building what they would like to in way that adheres to the Greek flavor. For example, in an Ancient Greece flavored setting, the Far East and Far South could be very mysterious, and unusual combinations of race/class might come from there, maybe initially as slaves or merchants.

[Elemental]

You'd have to get her (if she isn't dead) with child from Zeus, which is the problem. Short of Typhon (who he still defeated), I don't think any other god would have the necessary, erm, "essence" to produce a deity that could legitimately challenge him.

Well, she was immortal, so she'd be unlikely to die.
And if you think about it, either of Zeus's brothers could probably fulfill that requirement. And anyway, it shouldn't be hard to trick Zeus into thinking Thetis is some other highly attractive woman.
He's not infallible after all.

[Alienist]

Play some Titan Quest - it's like Diablo II but with better graphics, and set in Greece, it may give you some ideas about monsters and so forth.

[Piggy Knowles]

Yeah, I would be careful about restricting too many classes right off the bat. Taking away options can make potential players bristle or feel like they aren't in control. Instead, I would look for ways to re-flavor the existing classes to match your setting.

Right off the bat, most magic users will probably either have some connection to the divine, or be considered "witches." The priesthood doesn't have to be solely clerics, though; a wizard could easily be a bookish priest, or even an oracle. You could have Druids be followers of Gaia, perhaps. Or druids could have a closer tie to the fey, and maybe even focus on tree-worship, gaining power from the dryads. You could even have druidic sects based on the type of tree (the oldest sect being the Ash sect, or the Meliai, with the Walnut sect supporting Artemis and the Apple tree being a more common protector).

For monks, maybe flavor them as Greek wrestlers? There's some cool things to be had there. Here's a snippet from the Wikipedia entry on Milo of Croton, one of the most famous wrestlers of Ancient Greece:


Legends say he carried his own bronze statue to its place at Olympia, and once carried a four-year-old bull on his shoulders before slaughtering, roasting, and devouring it in one day. He was said to have achieved the feat of lifting the bull by starting in childhood, lifting and carrying a newborn calf and repeating the feat daily as it grew to maturity...

One report says the wrestler was able to hold a pomegranate without damaging it while challengers tried to pry his fingers from it, and another report says he could burst a band fastened around his brow by inhaling air and causing the temple veins to swell. He was said to maintain his footing on an oiled discus while others tried to push him from it...

...one report says Milo held his arm outstretched and challengers were unable to bend his fingers...

[Alleran]

And if you think about it, either of Zeus's brothers could probably fulfill that requirement.
I don't know, his Iliad statement was pretty clear.

"Whomsoever I shall mark minded apart from the gods to go and bear aid either to Trojans or Danaans, smitten in no seemly wise shall he come back to Olympus, or I shall take and hurl him into murky Tartarus, far, far away, where is the deepest gulf beneath the earth, the gates whereof are of iron and the threshold of bronze, as far beneath Hades as heaven is above earth: then shall ye know how far the mightiest am I of all gods. Nay, come, make trial, ye gods, that ye all may know.

Make ye fast from heaven a chain of gold, and lay ye hold thereof, all ye gods and all goddesses; yet could ye not drag to earth from out of heaven Zeus the counsellor most high, not though ye laboured sore. But whenso I were minded to draw of a ready heart, then with earth itself should I draw you and with sea withal; and the rope should I thereafter bind about a peak of Olympus and all those things should hang in space. By so much am I above gods and above men.”

So spake he, and they all became hushed in silence, marvelling at his words; for full masterfully did he address their gathering. But at length there spake among them the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene: “Father of us all, thou son of Cronos, high above all lords, well know we of ourselves that thy might is unyielding, yet even so have we pity for the Danaan spearmen who now shall perish and fulfill an evil fate..."
I wasn't about to go to the trouble of translating it all myself, so I borrowed from another translation. It's at the beginning of the Iliad Book Eight, though.

Anyway, what does Slayer Lord think about other plots before leading up to the big god-conflict? I'd imagine that any plot thread that opens as a direct threat to the biggest and toughest god of them all (who would by his very nature probably have at least half a dozen other deities on his side as well if a war was about to start - the Olympians might argue and have petty jealousies where mortals suffer, but they usually stick together in the end, and one of the things Zeus doesn't tolerate is people messing with Hera, a case in point being Ixion) would be a fairly high-level one.

[Fatebreaker]

Slayer Lord, since you're a fan of the whole Greek myth vibe, why not subtly set up an option for the players up as the next pantheon? For those of you who aren't familiar with Greek myth, bear with me, but there are few running themes which would help make "overthrowing a pantheon" subtle.

Take your Hera vs. Zeus plot. You've given the players two options, but we all know players tend to invent their own... and the most obvious third option is to side with neither and/or fight both. Well, even if your players don't take it, having that option as a built-in possibility not only sets you up for success if they do take it, but it also contributes even if they don't. Check out this awesome list, complete with numbers and everything!

1) Grecian myths involve a lot of unconventional reproduction. Not only does Zeus has sex with the lady-types as a swan, a cloud, and other assorted things, but a variety of Grecian heroes and villains claimed unusual ancestry. Who doesn't know Achilles or Hercules? Letting your players claim gods or other supernatural beings somewhere on their family tree would be a nice way to differentiate your mythical Greece world from "D&D+hoplites," and in a game about deific infidelity, a good hook would be for one or more players to be god-blooded somewhere back in their lineage. It also conveniently sets up...

2) Grecian myths are big on folks suffering for their own actions. Doom and fate are major stars in mythical showbiz, and in a tale centered around a conflict between Hera & Zeus, making the main *ahem* thrust of the conflict also the origin of the consequences is a really Greek thing to do. You also have precedent because...

3) Grecian myths play up the whole "each pantheon is overthrown by its children" vibe. The Titans did it, the Olympians did it, and now your players can do it, too. Or maybe they won't, because...

4) All things change. If your players choose to side with either Zeus or Hera rather than overthrow the gods, one of the story rewards could be how they broke the mythical cycle which the world was built on, in the process freeing its inhabitants from the aforementioned doom and fate. With an unknown future ahead, the people of the world are free to forge their own lives.

So there you go! A way to include the possibility of overthrowing the pantheon in a way which also sets up your main story, and contributes to the whole Greek-myth feeling in the process. Use it, don't use it, go crazy, have fun!

--

Sidenote: whether you follow this or not, mechanical options for players to be children of gods and other supernatural critters is probably a good idea in a Greek game, given that a decent number of heroes and villains can claim unusual ancestry.

Sidenote the Second: This game sounds like a lot of fun. I'd love to hear how it turns out.

[Elemental]

I don't know, his Iliad statement was pretty clear.

"Whomsoever I shall mark minded apart from the gods to go and bear aid either to Trojans or Danaans, smitten in no seemly wise shall he come back to Olympus, or I shall take and hurl him into murky Tartarus, far, far away, where is the deepest gulf beneath the earth, the gates whereof are of iron and the threshold of bronze, as far beneath Hades as heaven is above earth: then shall ye know how far the mightiest am I of all gods. Nay, come, make trial, ye gods, that ye all may know.

Make ye fast from heaven a chain of gold, and lay ye hold thereof, all ye gods and all goddesses; yet could ye not drag to earth from out of heaven Zeus the counsellor most high, not though ye laboured sore. But whenso I were minded to draw of a ready heart, then with earth itself should I draw you and with sea withal; and the rope should I thereafter bind about a peak of Olympus and all those things should hang in space. By so much am I above gods and above men.”

So spake he, and they all became hushed in silence, marvelling at his words; for full masterfully did he address their gathering. But at length there spake among them the goddess, flashing-eyed Athene: “Father of us all, thou son of Cronos, high above all lords, well know we of ourselves that thy might is unyielding, yet even so have we pity for the Danaan spearmen who now shall perish and fulfill an evil fate..."
I wasn't about to go to the trouble of translating it all myself, so I borrowed from another translation. It's at the beginning of the Iliad Book Eight, though.

Anyway, what does Slayer Lord think about other plots before leading up to the big god-conflict? I'd imagine that any plot thread that opens as a direct threat to the biggest and toughest god of them all (who would by his very nature probably have at least half a dozen other deities on his side as well if a war was about to start - the Olympians might argue and have petty jealousies where mortals suffer, but they usually stick together in the end, and one of the things Zeus doesn't tolerate is people messing with Hera, a case in point being Ixion) would be a fairly high-level one.

I admit to not having read the Iliad.
But all I can say is, Greek Myth is really inconclusive on a number of points. It was after all, over two thousand years ago. There were all sorts of different stories running around, and older traditions, and such.
It's kind of impossible to say exactly what was the correct story at the end.

And also remember... The Iliad was written as a story to entertain, not as a theological text.

[NothingButCake]

On wizards or sorcerers, I think wizards fit better. Ancient Greek magic was ritualistic, applied through magic equipment or herbs, and learned.

I think there was considered theurgical magic, which is overseen by a priest and channels the gods or godly knowledge, and goetic, which is 'low' magic and associated with seduction or enchantment (like Circe).

I don't think inborn magic ability fits.

[nyarlathotep]

As for Player's Handbook:
Barbarian, Fighter, Ranger and Rogue would fit in quite well.
Monks, obviously not.
.

I would actually argue on behalf of ancient Greece being a good place to put monks in western mythology. Especially for a grappling wrestler type. Additionally when the Greeks depicted idealized fights they had unarmored men with few if any weapons taking on monsters single handedly. So some form of monk archetype could work well enough to depict that. Possibly chaos monk or one of the pathfinder archetypes.

[Alleran]

And also remember... The Iliad was written as a story to entertain, not as a theological text.
Oh, I'm aware. Still, Homer (setting aside the Homeric Question) would have drawn on oral tradition for the many stories that popped up in his work, and would also have based his material - which provides the oldest clear observation of the Olympians and other gods - on what he had access to, so I don't think it should be discounted by any stretch of the imagination.

[Otomodachi]

Maybe just musing, here, but as a rationalization for Hades throwing his chips on the table, to oppose Zeus...

Well, what if his end-game goal is to topple Zeus or get Zeus to go up against the rest of the Pantheon, seal them away as he did with the titans... so as to finally get the jerk-butt Greek gods out of the mortals hair? Because as mentioned, Hades WAS surprisingly sympathetic in some portrayels, and generally fair in others, and that's about his worst, as far as I recall.

It is a bit of a genius bonus for your players, too- they get to be part of this campaign that leads to, to put it politely, the modern world we know where whatever powers-might-be don't seem to be able to directly act in the world, and it adds a third faction to this spat between Hera and Zeus that your players will have to really DIG to find out about, and then they'll have to decide if their loyalty is to man or gods. Definitely devolving to rambling at this point. :P

Edit: Fatebreaker put his excellent post up while I was engaged in the lengthy process of trying to make my thoughts something that could be transmitted; he has some really good ideas, I feel like the main thrust of mine and the many, let's say, hooks he puts forth work together really, really well. Imagine if some, or all, of the PCs WERE god-blooded; how would that affect their final choice of who to side with in the three-way struggle I'm talking about?

[Yora]

For real greek myth, it has to end badly for everyone involved. :smallbiggrin:

[sol_kanar]

Also, I stumbled upon this [3.5] Greek Mythology Variant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192107) in the signature of the user HeadlessMermaid.

Check it out, it might be useful.

[Zale]

While there should be some type of divine caster, I'm not sure if the armored, undead turning, mace wielding Cleric is a good fit for a Greek Mythology themed Campaign.

The Greek Variant above looks good.

[Slayer Lord]

These are all great ideas, it's hard to choose.


1) Grecian myths involve a lot of unconventional reproduction. Not only does Zeus has sex with the lady-types as a swan, a cloud, and other assorted things, but a variety of Grecian heroes and villains claimed unusual ancestry. Who doesn't know Achilles or Hercules? Letting your players claim gods or other supernatural beings somewhere on their family tree would be a nice way to differentiate your mythical Greece world from "D&D+hoplites," and in a game about deific infidelity, a good hook would be for one or more players to be god-blooded somewhere back in their lineage. It also conveniently sets up...


I was actually thinking of doing this, selecting one (or perhaps more) of my characters at random and then have them find out about his/her/their godly heritage in the middle of the campaign. Hmm, but what sort of bonuses (if any) would work for a spawn of Zeus without totaly breaking the game?

[Otomodachi]

Hmm, but what sort of bonuses (if any) would work for a spawn of Zeus without totaly breaking the game?

A bonus to skills that run off Cha (I'd say +2 or +4) because he's booth a player AND regal.

Electricity resistance equivalent to levelx2 that caps at 30?

1/day disguise self?

Just a flat-out, "other deities cannot sense what you're doing with portfolio sense"?

Deities other than Zeus are unable to act on the PC with any of their divine abilities? (i.e., when dealing with the PC, they are just outsiders with level 20 in a class or two, I admit this one comes from what I remember of the Hercules: the Legendary Journeys tv show)

I'm just throwing ideas out there to be weeded through and cherry-picked.

[Fatebreaker]

Maybe just musing, here, but as a rationalization for Hades throwing his chips on the table, to oppose Zeus...

Well, what if his end-game goal is to topple Zeus or get Zeus to go up against the rest of the Pantheon, seal them away as he did with the titans... so as to finally get the jerk-butt Greek gods out of the mortals hair? Because as mentioned, Hades WAS surprisingly sympathetic in some portrayels, and generally fair in others, and that's about his worst, as far as I recall.

It is a bit of a genius bonus for your players, too- they get to be part of this campaign that leads to, to put it politely, the modern world we know where whatever powers-might-be don't seem to be able to directly act in the world, and it adds a third faction to this spat between Hera and Zeus that your players will have to really DIG to find out about, and then they'll have to decide if their loyalty is to man or gods. Definitely devolving to rambling at this point. :P

Edit: Fatebreaker put his excellent post up while I was engaged in the lengthy process of trying to make my thoughts something that could be transmitted; he has some really good ideas, I feel like the main thrust of mine and the many, let's say, hooks he puts forth work together really, really well. Imagine if some, or all, of the PCs WERE god-blooded; how would that affect their final choice of who to side with in the three-way struggle I'm talking about?

Dude, this is awesome stuff! Heck, take mine, take yours, and BAM! You set up the players so that they think it's all about Hera vs. Zeus, then Hades comes in to be the "third option," and all the while, you've got the "player pantheon" in your back pocket.

That, and I like Hades. He's a cool dude. 4th edition gave us the Raven Queen, but before her, I always liked my death clerics to have a Hades-like philosophy.


These are all great ideas, it's hard to choose.

-Fatebreaker stuff-

I was actually thinking of doing this, selecting one (or perhaps more) of my characters at random and then have them find out about his/her/their godly heritage in the middle of the campaign. Hmm, but what sort of bonuses (if any) would work for a spawn of Zeus without totaly breaking the game?


A bonus to skills that run off Cha (I'd say +2 or +4) because he's booth a player AND regal.

Electricity resistance equivalent to levelx2 that caps at 30?

1/day disguise self?

Just a flat-out, "other deities cannot sense what you're doing with portfolio sense"?

Deities other than Zeus are unable to act on the PC with any of their divine abilities? (i.e., when dealing with the PC, they are just outsiders with level 20 in a class or two, I admit this one comes from what I remember of the Hercules: the Legendary Journeys tv show)

I'm just throwing ideas out there to be weeded through and cherry-picked.

Something along the other deities cannot sense or smite the PCs is probably good. Make sure the players meet a Fate or something who either hints or outright tells him that they are invisible to the divine. That will help avoid the pesky "Why don't they just kill us?" question.

You could also have scaling bonuses that get better and better as the players level up. That way it's manageable at whatever level you start at and remains relevant all the way up.

If you're going to give one player that kind of heritage, I'd make it so that all players could pick some heritage. And for those who want to be awesome without having the blood of a god or a river-spirit or something, you offer them "Fated Mortal" instead (what does that do? I don't know, but I'll bet we will before the end of this thread!). But I'd definitely let them pick their heritage. It'll give them a greater sense of ownership. You might get some interesting combinations...

[Zale]

So I asked a friend of mine who's a mythology buff about this..

His response was:



But, um, yeah, I think he has basically everything covered.

Basically no weapons or classes or races outside of Greek culture (best to stick with the basics).

I would suggest he look at www.theoi.com (http://www.theoi.com) for specific ideas on races, if he wanted to go outside of human races. But for the most part, humans will likely do the trick. And if not, there's always the fabulous races (http://www.theoi.com/greek-mythology/fabulous-tribes.html).

As far as weapons, the generics would also work here; shield, club, sword, maybe mace or staff. For exotic weapons, axes, whips, knives/daggers, etc.

And creatures, naturally, you would also consult Theoi, because they has teh plenty.

Now, as for deities, however...There are gods much more suitable to causing mischief than Hades. Despite what people often associate him with (i.e. Underground = evil) he was actually very fair and honest, aside from the whole kidnapping Persephone thing... A bit on the dismal side, but not an insidious bone in his body. In fact, if you trace his name back... Hades (Latinized) > Haides (Anglicized) > Aides (Greek pronunciation). Aides means "Respected One" or "Venerable One".

Now, if this DM fellow really wants some mischief makers, I would suggest Ate (http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Ate.html). She is basically the Greek equivalent of Loki (though, admittedly, she had a much smaller role in the Greek mythos). Goddess of mischief, evil, delusion and ruin, she was able to tempt god and man alike into doing incredibly stupid things, that often led to them either getting in trouble, or getting killed. In fact, she even has a reason to grudge against Zeus.

For causing so much trouble on Mount Olympus (what with being the cause for many of Zeus' infidelities), she was snatched up by Zeus himself and hurled down to Earth, banished forever from the abode of the gods.

Now, imagine her ganging up with the likes of Dolos (http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Dolos.html), Apate (http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Apate.html), Phthonos (http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Phthonos.html), Eris (http://www.theoi.com/Daimon/Eris.html) and whatever other minor gods the DM wanted to include, in an insidious attempt to worm their way back onto Mount Olympus...

[sol_kanar]

If you're going to give one player that kind of heritage, I'd make it so that all players could pick some heritage. And for those who want to be awesome without having the blood of a god or a river-spirit or something, you offer them "Fated Mortal" instead (what does that do? I don't know, but I'll bet we will before the end of this thread!). But I'd definitely let them pick their heritage. It'll give them a greater sense of ownership. You might get some interesting combinations...

This, for great justice. Since the campaign will be Greek-flavored, it is actually very likely that ALL heroes have a "special" origin or are "destined to greatness" in some way. The mechanical reflection of this might be a set of small bonuses and/or spell-like abilities, maybe expandable through feats, if a character wants to invest a lot into the concept "I have a divine origin".

Just to support this idea: Achilles was the son of a Nymph; Asteropaios was the grandson of a God; Odysseus was the grandson of a God; Ajax was a descendant of Zeus himself ; Menelaus was the descendant of a Goddess; Diomedes was a chosen of Athena; and so on.

[Andorax]

First and foremost is getting your hands on the 3.0 Deities and Demigods book. Crucial source here. Not only does it give you a full 20 deities to draw on, it also gives you:

1) A modified cosmology to fit Greek myth...Olympus, Hadeas, Tartarus, Elysion, and the according modifiers to the ethereal, astral and shadow planes necessary.

2) New Olympian monsters (Cyclops lesser and greater, Fauns - also a playable race)

3) A chart of suggested other monsters that fit the setting.



I also strongly recommend looking over your options carefully. Not only are the players going to be limited, but you will be as well. Most of what the party will be facing will be other humans of the same sets of classes and with the same gear they have. Many monstrous "races" of D&D are singular creatures in Greek myth. Medusa, Minotaur, etc...there will be one, at most, of each in the campaign.



A lot of "monsters" of Greek myth were just enhanced regular creatures. Dire animals, Monsters "of Legend" (see MMII), and so forth are definately a source for legitimate foes. Also consider awarding XP for overcoming great obstacles without actual combat (see Hercules vs the Stables).



This is also a definitively LOW magic setting, so take care when you do introduce monsters, particularly those with unusual abilities and traits. Magic items are also quite rare and quite singular...might be worth considering the Weapons of Legacy book for an approach to making these unusual items sufficiently significant.



You're going to have to figure out how you want to deal with death. A simple Raise Dead spell just isn't going to do the theme justice at all. There are numerous threads discussing this issue, and I can review my own concept for making death more dramatic and significant if you're interested.



Might not hurt to pick up Heroes of Battle and brush up on your war-as-setting ideas. Greek myth has no shortage of massive armed conflicts, and putting the PCs into the thick of one or more wars might well suit to advance the tale.



"Pefected" versions of individuals seems to be another Greek concept. The various UA "Racial Paragon" classes might see regular use here, or the bloodlines, or both. Heck, I can even see the ELH's Paragon template representing a mortal child of one of the gods (or truly monstrous monster).



Dragon 357 (July 2007 issue)...Ecology of the Titan, complete with Chronos' stats and more Greek "flavor and fluff"...and even a potential Epic plotline.

[Slayer Lord]

Some nice ideas Andorax, though remember that two of my people have limited experience, and I don't think it's a good idea to start off with too much non-core stuff (beyond what is necessary for the Greek flavor, i.e. Deities and Demigods) with people still learning the rules.

[Andorax]

Just hitting you with the shotgun of ideas...culling what works for you is your job :smallsmile:

[Slayer Lord]

Just hitting you with the shotgun of ideas...culling what works for you is your job :smallsmile:

lol, true enough.