Condensing History [Archive] - Wizards Community

Condensing History [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Ellanon
03-13-07, 08:51 PM I am trying to create a campaign world with many of the elements that made the Medieval period what it was. Aggressive and Non-Aggressive immigration from "barbarian" peoples (Scandinavian, German, Saxon, etc.), two powerful religions at odds (Islam and Christianity) and their inspired massive wars (Crusades), the remnants of two ancient and powerful empires (Greek and Roman), Universities, inquisition, urban growth, guilds and apprentices, banking and insurance... Am I missing anything?

What I want to do is basically take 600 years of history and have it actively going on in the campaign world at once. Any ideas?
yellowdingo
03-13-07, 09:42 PM I am trying to create a campaign world with many of the elements that made the Medieval period what it was. Aggressive and Non-Aggressive immigration from "barbarian" peoples (Scandinavian, German, Saxon, etc.), two powerful religions at odds (Islam and Christianity) and their inspired massive wars (Crusades), the remnants of two ancient and powerful empires (Greek and Roman), Universities, inquisition, urban growth, guilds and apprentices, banking and insurance... Am I missing anything?

What I want to do is basically take 600 years of history and have it actively going on in the campaign world at once. Any ideas?

Consider the Wic (pronounced WICE): They dominated the Baltic Basin, Scared the Vikings, and the Germanic Medieval Peoples such as the Saxons.
They had no fixed communities and burried their dead where they fell by weaving a wicker shell called a wickerman around the body.
Women dominated the culture and were strong (almost a matriarchy) This led to the rise of the concept of the witch in other male dominated cultures.
Witches and their "wickermen" were burned by those who found them.
They eventually developed the wicker technology into hut building (wattle and Daub) based on woven wicker huts. Wicker "longboats" allowed movement in waterways.

If you want a scary "darkage" give your "PC tribes" some witches to burn.

If you want the WIc to be a surviving culture they have villages of wickerbasket huts daubed in clay. Such huts will have that organic look to them like Yodas house on Degobah.
Their religion: Nature & The Mother
Their Government: Matriarchy
Their Knowledge: Wicker, swamp survival, poisons.
Their Weapons: Wooden Spears, and Bows, Stone Knives

Consider "THe THirteenth Warrior" with Antonio Banderas. The scary Barbarians attacking the viking outposts are Wic led by a woman.
taradusis
03-13-07, 10:11 PM The Black Death or Bubonic plague had a big effect on society too.
Darth Syntax
03-14-07, 12:05 AM Well let's see:

History is a slippery creature and it moves in ways that are confounding. I know this all to well as I have a degree in the accursed yet fascinating thing. It's probably best to keep in mind that events are connected, but often in lateral sorts of ways. Take for example the following possible events: 1. Agressive migrating peoples 2. non aggressive migrating peoples 3. trade routes 4. urbanization 5. spread of religion and 6. disease. They are all connected (or at least they were in Europe and Asia)

An example

An aggressive people begin to push into areas where they largely unknown. This invasion causes the locals to leave, and so they set off looking for greener pastures. Meanwhile, our aggressive friends seem to have cut off old trade routes, which causes the merchants to go and search for new routes and new markets. These merchants then bring wealth to a region that had previously been only moderately mercantile. In short order this new market region becomes wealthy, towns expand to accommodate the influx of people who come to do business. The towns quickly become cities and urbanization is in full swing. Now that the cities are full of merchants and wealth, foreigners who are not just merchants travel to the cities, bringing with them their customs and beliefs. Before long there are 31 flavors of religion, but just as in ice cream the real debate is between chocolate and vanilla (strawberry arriving in third place). So now you cities full of people from all over the where, bringing gods know what with them, and hey presto, disease pops up. People get worried, they start looking for some one to blame, and they find them in (insert group of your choice). Instant conflict. You also get great art, weird philosophies, and really crazy hats.

So thats (one) of the origins of the Renaissance in Italy for you.

Making the connections between events can really lead to an interesting and 'realistic' history.
Ellanon
03-19-07, 07:12 AM Well let's see:

History is a slippery creature and it moves in ways that are confounding. I know this all to well as I have a degree in the accursed yet fascinating thing. It's probably best to keep in mind that events are connected, but often in lateral sorts of ways. Take for example the following possible events: 1. Agressive migrating peoples 2. non aggressive migrating peoples 3. trade routes 4. urbanization 5. spread of religion and 6. disease. They are all connected (or at least they were in Europe and Asia)

An example

An aggressive people begin to push into areas where they largely unknown. This invasion causes the locals to leave, and so they set off looking for greener pastures. Meanwhile, our aggressive friends seem to have cut off old trade routes, which causes the merchants to go and search for new routes and new markets. These merchants then bring wealth to a region that had previously been only moderately mercantile. In short order this new market region becomes wealthy, towns expand to accommodate the influx of people who come to do business. The towns quickly become cities and urbanization is in full swing. Now that the cities are full of merchants and wealth, foreigners who are not just merchants travel to the cities, bringing with them their customs and beliefs. Before long there are 31 flavors of religion, but just as in ice cream the real debate is between chocolate and vanilla (strawberry arriving in third place). So now you cities full of people from all over the where, bringing gods know what with them, and hey presto, disease pops up. People get worried, they start looking for some one to blame, and they find them in (insert group of your choice). Instant conflict. You also get great art, weird philosophies, and really crazy hats.

So thats (one) of the origins of the Renaissance in Italy for you.

Making the connections between events can really lead to an interesting and 'realistic' history.

Very true! I'll have to speed up the pace of course. When the PC's return from their current adventure, they'll find things have 'moved' a bit. And each time they travel I can progress time by a chunk to increase the effect. Awesome!

On a side note: I love history and considered making that my focus in school. However, my wife noted that all I could do with it is teach and that thought shot it down cold. I have no patience and would make a horrible teacher.

The Black Death or Bubonic plague had a big effect on society too.

Damn, how could I forget that!! Thank you! They'll love their cleric by the time I am through.

Consider the Wic (pronounced WICE): They dominated the Baltic Basin, Scared the Vikings, and the Germanic Medieval Peoples such as the Saxons.
They had no fixed communities and burried their dead where they fell by weaving a wicker shell called a wickerman around the body.
Women dominated the culture and were strong (almost a matriarchy) This led to the rise of the concept of the witch in other male dominated cultures.
Witches and their "wickermen" were burned by those who found them.
They eventually developed the wicker technology into hut building (wattle and Daub) based on woven wicker huts. Wicker "longboats" allowed movement in waterways.

If you want a scary "darkage" give your "PC tribes" some witches to burn.

If you want the WIc to be a surviving culture they have villages of wickerbasket huts daubed in clay. Such huts will have that organic look to them like Yodas house on Degobah.
Their religion: Nature & The Mother
Their Government: Matriarchy
Their Knowledge: Wicker, swamp survival, poisons.
Their Weapons: Wooden Spears, and Bows, Stone Knives

Consider "THe THirteenth Warrior" with Antonio Banderas. The scary Barbarians attacking the viking outposts are Wic led by a woman.

I love it. I think I'll give them some witches...
taradusis
03-20-07, 04:52 PM Consider crop failures due to farmers displaced by war,disease and etc.Animal migrations occur as a result of overhunting.Many streams moved and ponds dried up due to beaver trapping.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Ellanon 03-13-07, 08:51 PM	I am trying to create a campaign world with many of the elements that made the Medieval period what it was. Aggressive and Non-Aggressive immigration from "barbarian" peoples (Scandinavian, German, Saxon, etc.), two powerful religions at odds (Islam and Christianity) and their inspired massive wars (Crusades), the remnants of two ancient and powerful empires (Greek and Roman), Universities, inquisition, urban growth, guilds and apprentices, banking and insurance... Am I missing anything? What I want to do is basically take 600 years of history and have it actively going on in the campaign world at once. Any ideas?
yellowdingo 03-13-07, 09:42 PM	I am trying to create a campaign world with many of the elements that made the Medieval period what it was. Aggressive and Non-Aggressive immigration from "barbarian" peoples (Scandinavian, German, Saxon, etc.), two powerful religions at odds (Islam and Christianity) and their inspired massive wars (Crusades), the remnants of two ancient and powerful empires (Greek and Roman), Universities, inquisition, urban growth, guilds and apprentices, banking and insurance... Am I missing anything? What I want to do is basically take 600 years of history and have it actively going on in the campaign world at once. Any ideas? Consider the Wic (pronounced WICE): They dominated the Baltic Basin, Scared the Vikings, and the Germanic Medieval Peoples such as the Saxons. They had no fixed communities and burried their dead where they fell by weaving a wicker shell called a wickerman around the body. Women dominated the culture and were strong (almost a matriarchy) This led to the rise of the concept of the witch in other male dominated cultures. Witches and their "wickermen" were burned by those who found them. They eventually developed the wicker technology into hut building (wattle and Daub) based on woven wicker huts. Wicker "longboats" allowed movement in waterways. If you want a scary "darkage" give your "PC tribes" some witches to burn. If you want the WIc to be a surviving culture they have villages of wickerbasket huts daubed in clay. Such huts will have that organic look to them like Yodas house on Degobah. Their religion: Nature & The Mother Their Government: Matriarchy Their Knowledge: Wicker, swamp survival, poisons. Their Weapons: Wooden Spears, and Bows, Stone Knives Consider "THe THirteenth Warrior" with Antonio Banderas. The scary Barbarians attacking the viking outposts are Wic led by a woman.
taradusis 03-13-07, 10:11 PM	The Black Death or Bubonic plague had a big effect on society too.
Darth Syntax 03-14-07, 12:05 AM	Well let's see: History is a slippery creature and it moves in ways that are confounding. I know this all to well as I have a degree in the accursed yet fascinating thing. It's probably best to keep in mind that events are connected, but often in lateral sorts of ways. Take for example the following possible events: 1. Agressive migrating peoples 2. non aggressive migrating peoples 3. trade routes 4. urbanization 5. spread of religion and 6. disease. They are all connected (or at least they were in Europe and Asia) An example An aggressive people begin to push into areas where they largely unknown. This invasion causes the locals to leave, and so they set off looking for greener pastures. Meanwhile, our aggressive friends seem to have cut off old trade routes, which causes the merchants to go and search for new routes and new markets. These merchants then bring wealth to a region that had previously been only moderately mercantile. In short order this new market region becomes wealthy, towns expand to accommodate the influx of people who come to do business. The towns quickly become cities and urbanization is in full swing. Now that the cities are full of merchants and wealth, foreigners who are not just merchants travel to the cities, bringing with them their customs and beliefs. Before long there are 31 flavors of religion, but just as in ice cream the real debate is between chocolate and vanilla (strawberry arriving in third place). So now you cities full of people from all over the where, bringing gods know what with them, and hey presto, disease pops up. People get worried, they start looking for some one to blame, and they find them in (insert group of your choice). Instant conflict. You also get great art, weird philosophies, and really crazy hats. So thats (one) of the origins of the Renaissance in Italy for you. Making the connections between events can really lead to an interesting and 'realistic' history.
Ellanon 03-19-07, 07:12 AM	Well let's see: History is a slippery creature and it moves in ways that are confounding. I know this all to well as I have a degree in the accursed yet fascinating thing. It's probably best to keep in mind that events are connected, but often in lateral sorts of ways. Take for example the following possible events: 1. Agressive migrating peoples 2. non aggressive migrating peoples 3. trade routes 4. urbanization 5. spread of religion and 6. disease. They are all connected (or at least they were in Europe and Asia) An example An aggressive people begin to push into areas where they largely unknown. This invasion causes the locals to leave, and so they set off looking for greener pastures. Meanwhile, our aggressive friends seem to have cut off old trade routes, which causes the merchants to go and search for new routes and new markets. These merchants then bring wealth to a region that had previously been only moderately mercantile. In short order this new market region becomes wealthy, towns expand to accommodate the influx of people who come to do business. The towns quickly become cities and urbanization is in full swing. Now that the cities are full of merchants and wealth, foreigners who are not just merchants travel to the cities, bringing with them their customs and beliefs. Before long there are 31 flavors of religion, but just as in ice cream the real debate is between chocolate and vanilla (strawberry arriving in third place). So now you cities full of people from all over the where, bringing gods know what with them, and hey presto, disease pops up. People get worried, they start looking for some one to blame, and they find them in (insert group of your choice). Instant conflict. You also get great art, weird philosophies, and really crazy hats. So thats (one) of the origins of the Renaissance in Italy for you. Making the connections between events can really lead to an interesting and 'realistic' history. Very true! I'll have to speed up the pace of course. When the PC's return from their current adventure, they'll find things have 'moved' a bit. And each time they travel I can progress time by a chunk to increase the effect. Awesome! On a side note: I love history and considered making that my focus in school. However, my wife noted that all I could do with it is teach and that thought shot it down cold. I have no patience and would make a horrible teacher. The Black Death or Bubonic plague had a big effect on society too. Damn, how could I forget that!! Thank you! They'll love their cleric by the time I am through. Consider the Wic (pronounced WICE): They dominated the Baltic Basin, Scared the Vikings, and the Germanic Medieval Peoples such as the Saxons. They had no fixed communities and burried their dead where they fell by weaving a wicker shell called a wickerman around the body. Women dominated the culture and were strong (almost a matriarchy) This led to the rise of the concept of the witch in other male dominated cultures. Witches and their "wickermen" were burned by those who found them. They eventually developed the wicker technology into hut building (wattle and Daub) based on woven wicker huts. Wicker "longboats" allowed movement in waterways. If you want a scary "darkage" give your "PC tribes" some witches to burn. If you want the WIc to be a surviving culture they have villages of wickerbasket huts daubed in clay. Such huts will have that organic look to them like Yodas house on Degobah. Their religion: Nature & The Mother Their Government: Matriarchy Their Knowledge: Wicker, swamp survival, poisons. Their Weapons: Wooden Spears, and Bows, Stone Knives Consider "THe THirteenth Warrior" with Antonio Banderas. The scary Barbarians attacking the viking outposts are Wic led by a woman. I love it. I think I'll give them some witches...
taradusis 03-20-07, 04:52 PM	Consider crop failures due to farmers displaced by war,disease and etc.Animal migrations occur as a result of overhunting.Many streams moved and ponds dried up due to beaver trapping.