Neek
2007-04-04, 08:11 PM
As a result of a freak bomb accident, my last campaign has suddenly came to a standstill. Rather than go back to that, I decided to scrap and head off to my next campaign idea. Rome, but Fantasy.
I am wanting to run a campaign set in Ancient Rome, late Republic era. This means I will be using Earth as a setting and maps, with historical tools, equipment, and possibly economy. It will be using the D&D 3.5 ruleset as the basis for the mechanics, rather than a variety of the d20 Past for one main reason (and the twist): I want to incorporate the fantasy element present in D&D alongside the Roman religion and worldview. This means, there will be dwarves and elves and &c., and this means that I will have to create a distribution from where they are from, analogue existing cultures, and so on and so forth.
There will be some elements that I want to take liberties with.
Races
All the core races will be retained, and will contain relations to certain Roman gods. Selecting a race, plus a culture, grants certain skill bonuses or bonus ranks; the included ranks do not effect the maximum skill points per level, and are not considered bonuses since the character is effectively considered to be "trained."
Dwarves will be considered the chosen race of Vulcan; as such, they are reknowned for their smithing, stone cutting, and architecture. They are reserved and mountain-dwelling, for our world, they will inhabit only the mountain ranges. A string of community exists in the Alps, but they ultimately hail from the Himilayas from the east (their tales tell of a war with the Orcs who invaded, pushing a large population out). They at one point spoke their own language, which was soon reserved for ritual, but has been supplanted by a human tongue. Starting characters will speak the Etruscan language, though Church Dwarven will be a possible bonus language. Both of which are written in the Etruscan alphabet. Their prefered class will not change.
Alpine Dwarves starting package: An Alpine Dwarf receives a +2 Racial bonus on Craft (Armorsmith), Craft (Blacksmith), Craft (Weaponsmith), or Knowledge (Architecture) checks. They also receive 1 bonus rank in Knowledge (Local [Alpine Dwarves]).
Elves live in the deep sylvan areas of the world, but have been known to enjoy the mediterranian climate. They can come from Gaul or Germania, though some communities are fabled to lie deep in Brittania. Those who behold them note their difference in appearence, they are faired in skin and hair and eyes. These are the Gaulish, sometimes known as the Alban, Elves, Elves, and they speak Celtic. They do not have a written language per se, rather practicing a strong oral tradition. They leave epitaphs on tomes and burial mounds in an Iberian script, but that's the extent of their writing. Gaulish Elves receive as their starting package a +2 bonus on a Perform (Oratory) Check, 1 free rank in Knowledge (Local [Gaulish Elf]), and 1 free rank in Knowledge (Wilderness Lore); unlike their counterpart elves, the Gaulish Elves have Druid as their prestige class. Their favored god is Diana.
Elves have also hailed from the province of Asia, and integrated themselves early among the mediterranian cultures. They have footholds and communities among the Greeks, among the Phoenecians (and thereby, to a former extent, the Carthiginians). They have a well repute for being sailors and warriors, but also with their strange cults and magical connections. They are favored by Apollo, but also take part in the cults of Bacchus and to some lesser extent, Baal.
These are known better as the Aegean Elves, and start either speaking Greek or Phoenician. Their language is recorded by the respective alphabet. They receive a +2 bonus on any Profession (Sailor) check, and receive a free rank in Knowledge (Local [Aegean Elf]).
[Hold for other races]
Classes
I intend on keeping the core classes together with some modifications. Sorcerers will be more prolific, the access to spell libraries for a Wizard will be more limited. Barbarians will be favored by the Germanic cultures. Bards, Clerics, and Fighters, and Rogues will remain virtually untouched (though a cleric may receive a cut in BAB, and be given some metamagic feats. I don't know yet). Paladins will either be abolished, uprooted altogether, or be replaced with a prestige class for a more Martian (not the green kind :P) flavor.
I'm not entirely sure where to go from here. I would like some feedback regarding fleshing out the starting packages, however am not yet sure on how much they should provide. Also, anyone have any 3.0 or 3.5 diety portfolios for the Roman gods?
I am wanting to run a campaign set in Ancient Rome, late Republic era. This means I will be using Earth as a setting and maps, with historical tools, equipment, and possibly economy. It will be using the D&D 3.5 ruleset as the basis for the mechanics, rather than a variety of the d20 Past for one main reason (and the twist): I want to incorporate the fantasy element present in D&D alongside the Roman religion and worldview. This means, there will be dwarves and elves and &c., and this means that I will have to create a distribution from where they are from, analogue existing cultures, and so on and so forth.
There will be some elements that I want to take liberties with.
Races
All the core races will be retained, and will contain relations to certain Roman gods. Selecting a race, plus a culture, grants certain skill bonuses or bonus ranks; the included ranks do not effect the maximum skill points per level, and are not considered bonuses since the character is effectively considered to be "trained."
Dwarves will be considered the chosen race of Vulcan; as such, they are reknowned for their smithing, stone cutting, and architecture. They are reserved and mountain-dwelling, for our world, they will inhabit only the mountain ranges. A string of community exists in the Alps, but they ultimately hail from the Himilayas from the east (their tales tell of a war with the Orcs who invaded, pushing a large population out). They at one point spoke their own language, which was soon reserved for ritual, but has been supplanted by a human tongue. Starting characters will speak the Etruscan language, though Church Dwarven will be a possible bonus language. Both of which are written in the Etruscan alphabet. Their prefered class will not change.
Alpine Dwarves starting package: An Alpine Dwarf receives a +2 Racial bonus on Craft (Armorsmith), Craft (Blacksmith), Craft (Weaponsmith), or Knowledge (Architecture) checks. They also receive 1 bonus rank in Knowledge (Local [Alpine Dwarves]).
Elves live in the deep sylvan areas of the world, but have been known to enjoy the mediterranian climate. They can come from Gaul or Germania, though some communities are fabled to lie deep in Brittania. Those who behold them note their difference in appearence, they are faired in skin and hair and eyes. These are the Gaulish, sometimes known as the Alban, Elves, Elves, and they speak Celtic. They do not have a written language per se, rather practicing a strong oral tradition. They leave epitaphs on tomes and burial mounds in an Iberian script, but that's the extent of their writing. Gaulish Elves receive as their starting package a +2 bonus on a Perform (Oratory) Check, 1 free rank in Knowledge (Local [Gaulish Elf]), and 1 free rank in Knowledge (Wilderness Lore); unlike their counterpart elves, the Gaulish Elves have Druid as their prestige class. Their favored god is Diana.
Elves have also hailed from the province of Asia, and integrated themselves early among the mediterranian cultures. They have footholds and communities among the Greeks, among the Phoenecians (and thereby, to a former extent, the Carthiginians). They have a well repute for being sailors and warriors, but also with their strange cults and magical connections. They are favored by Apollo, but also take part in the cults of Bacchus and to some lesser extent, Baal.
These are known better as the Aegean Elves, and start either speaking Greek or Phoenician. Their language is recorded by the respective alphabet. They receive a +2 bonus on any Profession (Sailor) check, and receive a free rank in Knowledge (Local [Aegean Elf]).
[Hold for other races]
Classes
I intend on keeping the core classes together with some modifications. Sorcerers will be more prolific, the access to spell libraries for a Wizard will be more limited. Barbarians will be favored by the Germanic cultures. Bards, Clerics, and Fighters, and Rogues will remain virtually untouched (though a cleric may receive a cut in BAB, and be given some metamagic feats. I don't know yet). Paladins will either be abolished, uprooted altogether, or be replaced with a prestige class for a more Martian (not the green kind :P) flavor.
I'm not entirely sure where to go from here. I would like some feedback regarding fleshing out the starting packages, however am not yet sure on how much they should provide. Also, anyone have any 3.0 or 3.5 diety portfolios for the Roman gods?