campaign idea

[Agmundr]

I am thinking of making a campaign set in the mid 15th century Europe on earth. I would like to discuss how magic, monsters and items would have affected the world and how to make it a viable world to adventure in while keeping it at least kind of historically accurate.

[Naanomi]

Try to find the Classic video game Darklands; it was a great treatment of low-fantasy Europe in the 15th century. Should be findable on abandonware sites

[Mr.Moron]

I guess it depends, have the been around all along or is there some kind of sudden event that brings magic and monsters into the world? That really changes the shape of things. I personally think having it as a sudden introduction that takes place during the first session of the game is probably the more interesting one, but that's a matter of taste.

[Agmundr]

My personal preference would be that magic was always part of the world and be low fantasy. All of the pantheons are present but the existence of the gods can't be proven or disproven. Fantasy races are present as well.

[Naanomi]

15th century Europe is the last hurrah of the Holy Roman Empire, the church a powerful but often profit and influence driven entity.
I'd go with this model:
-arcane magic has always existed, but is the province of academics and pagans, not part of the regular person's experience
-divine magic is split: cleric magic from church sources (saints for different domains, and maybe satanic clerics); pagans get druid and warlock magic.
-main opponents for low-mid levels are humans and their servants (beasts, summoned demons as apporopriate, etc)
-monsters are rare and teriffying
-stick to 'folklore' monsters, avoid abberations and the like
-fantasy races exist, but seperate from European human society; either far removed (elves only in deep forest, dwarves underground) or as counterpart cultures for non-Europeans (like hobgoblin Mongols)

This would build a good foundation for 'fantasy' Europe but still have a real-world feel overall

[Mrmox42]

In the 15.th Century, religion were huge. The Christian Spaniards were pushing the Muslim Moors out of Spain, and the Jews were treated horribly. Old-style Paganism were still found in far away Communities and their religious Idols were commonly being burned at Christian festivals.

The Holy Roman Empire were a truly confusing place, consisting of literally hundreds of tiny states, bishopricks, free cities and so on, all nominally being rules by the emperor. It is a perfect place to adventure.

If you can find the old supplement "A Mighty Fortress" for advanced D&D, you will find excellent background material fitting for the age - and well into the 16.th and 17.th centuries.