Posted by Timbo Baggins  3/16/2023 6:41 pm | #1 |
So, I have an idea for a Hyperborea campaign kicking around and I'd love some advice for a setting and possibly some module to adapt.
Here's the hook, the King is only thing keeping his realm from descending into political chaos and he's dying with no heir apparent and many bastard and foreign claimants. The royal family has offered a reward for anyone who can save his life in the short term and a lordship for anyone who can restore him to his youth.
I'm going offer a sandbox of choices for the players to explore from questing for an elixir of longevity or ambrosia, to finding healers who can extend his life, to seeking deals with devils in exchange for immortality, or potentially undeath as a vampire or a lich.
Is there a great location in Hyperborea where would you set this type of campaign?
|
Posted by Caveman 3/17/2023 7:32 am | #2 |
I would say most areas in Hyperborea have a theme.
The Kelts in Gal Hill, The Vikings in Vikland or New Vinland, etc.
It depends on your idea for this king and his associated culture. Do you want to add a different feel, like Saxon kingdom or Sumerian perhaps?
Each region can vastly chance you perspective, if it a Viking Thane, does he have conflict with the other thanes and their ideas or a glorious death with a sword in hand, rather than live forever?
Kelt Chieftains would perhaps regard such necromancy as unworthy also?
To carve out a small section of Hyperborea and place this kingdom within it is a possible good idea, but where?
The Lizard Coast might work? It isolated, seems stocked with plenty of fir trees, hills and swamps, but it inhabited by Lizard-men, perhaps this culture you wish to use has carved out an niche there, far from other human settlements?
|
Posted by Blackadder23 3/17/2023 8:26 am | #3 |
If you want literal royalty, the most obvious choices would be one of the Amazon Queens (Pandoros or the City in the Clouds), the Pictish King, the Viking King, or even the Witch Queen of Yithorium.
For starting characters, it might be better to think smaller though: one of the "kings" of Brigand's Bay, or a "king" in the Gal Hills or New Vinland.
Michael Sipe 1979-2018
Rest in peace, brother.
|
Posted by Carnby 3/17/2023 9:04 pm | #4 |
Caveman wrote:
The Lizard Coast might work? It isolated, seems stocked with plenty of fir trees, hills and swamps, but it inhabited by Lizard-men, perhaps this culture you wish to use has carved out an niche there, far from other human settlements?
It's such a natural spot to place a small culture, it's where I went. One could also flip this idea a little bit, with the players trying to increase the lifespan of a lizard king, perhaps one with unusually decent relations with the human communities, something that isn't guaranteed with the king's successor.
In a similar vein of interacting with weird, non-human rulership, there's Kor, if you want to delve into ape-man spiritual beliefs. Calencia could be a good choice too, with plenty of Hyperborean ruins about.
|
Posted by Timbo Baggins 3/18/2023 1:02 am | #5 |
If you want literal royalty, the most obvious choices would be one of the Amazon Queens (Pandoros or the City in the Clouds), the Pictish King, the Viking King, or even the Witch Queen of Yithorium.
For starting characters, it might be better to think smaller though: one of the "kings" of Brigand's Bay, or a "king" in the Gal Hills or New Vinland.
I do mean royalty but it doesn't have to be part of a huge military power. Just enough to have marriage alliances and nobles vying control. I just need it to be big enough to have a monarchical crisis if the king should die without an heir.
I was thinking about creating a big city state on an island but The Gal Hills could definitely work. It's not terribly far from Khromarium and it won't lock the players in like an island might.
The Lizard Coast might work? It isolated, seems stocked with plenty of fir trees, hills and swamps, but it inhabited by Lizard-men, perhaps this culture you wish to use has carved out an niche there, far from other human settlements?
It's such a natural spot to place a small culture, it's where I went. One could also flip this idea a little bit, with the players trying to increase the lifespan of a lizard king, perhaps one with unusually decent relations with the human communities, something that isn't guaranteed with the king's successor.
In a similar vein of interacting with weird, non-human rulership, there's Kor, if you want to delve into ape-man spiritual beliefs. Calencia could be a good choice too, with plenty of Hyperborean ruins about.
I'm going to go with human on this one but having an adjacent species would add flavor and variety.
|
Posted by Caveman 3/18/2023 8:20 am | #6 |
The Lizard Coast might work? It isolated, seems stocked with plenty of fir trees, hills and swamps, but it inhabited by Lizard-men, perhaps this culture you wish to use has carved out an niche there, far from other human settlements?
It's such a natural spot to place a small culture, it's where I went. One could also flip this idea a little bit, with the players trying to increase the lifespan of a lizard king, perhaps one with unusually decent relations with the human communities, something that isn't guaranteed with the king's successor.
In a similar vein of interacting with weird, non-human rulership, there's Kor, if you want to delve into ape-man spiritual beliefs. Calencia could be a good choice too, with plenty of Hyperborean ruins about.
There is so few places to establish one own ideas sometimes, as you are chopping into another idea. I think most people on his forum have carved into every empty location they can find!? 
As for me Timbo, I needed more, not know if you seen my idea, I had to extend the land and also added my idea of Thule as an island that magically appears on Hyperborea. You could do the same thing. Add you own piece of land, a new island that has been transposed from another world, dimension or time?
https://hyperborea.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?pid=7337#p7337
Nova Grey Coast | Flickr
