Byzantine Empire [Archive] - Wizards Community

Byzantine Empire [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
magestar
05-08-07, 02:46 PM Hi everyone. I was wondering. Has anyone tried to create the Byzantines for a D20 setting? I got interested in them through the fantasy works of Harry Turtledove (the world of Videssos) , and thought it would be cool. Just wondering. :)
queenfange
05-11-07, 07:51 AM Not that I'm aware of... Try a product search on amazon for "Byzantine d20" or something like that. If you have the time, just make your own. In making my own campaign settings, I find that wikipedia is a very useful place to start. There's usually a lot of good information about culture and history which can spark ideas. Once you have a couple of plot ideas, some classes, and have determined basics such as magic (would it exist and if so, in what form), religion, and races (just humans or more), you will have enough to at least run a few trial adventures.
RedRory
05-26-07, 01:40 PM I don't have any rpg resources to suggest but since you mentioned Turtledove. I'd recommend Guy Gavriel Kay's The Sarantine Mosaic. It's made up of two Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors (? not sure on the 2nd name). Anyways excellent historical fantasy in a Byzantine setting. Kay's best.
spyone
05-28-07, 01:02 PM IIRC, Avalanche Press did a book about Constantinople for d20.

Hmmm.

here (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=67&products_id=3409) it is. It's on sale right now, too. :)
nimbusconflict
06-01-07, 12:48 AM I'd have to reread those books myself, but couldnt a low magic setting with races removed to just humans fit? and i think that was what....late iron age?
Mirandul
06-12-07, 11:00 AM late iron age???????
Byantine Empire ended with the conquest by the osman empire 1453.
think more of ancient world, greece and crusades (even renaissance).
magestar
06-14-07, 09:51 AM I'd have to reread those books myself, but couldnt a low magic setting with races removed to just humans fit? and i think that was what....late iron age?

It's good to know I am not the only one who has read those books. :D To be honest, it might work the way you descibed. From what I remember, magic was there only (IIRC) to find lost objects, or to counter someone else's magic. Except for the two Druid swords...they seemed to be more powerful.
Ryltar Thamior
06-29-07, 12:34 AM Hmm. What time-period're you looking at?

When it was still part of the Empire?
After teh Fall of the West?
When it was engaged in hostilities with the (Roman) Catholics?
The last few decades before the Fall?

At any rate, what i'd do, would be to use Constantinople's proximity to places where quite a few European monsters supposedly came from, and just let the PCs loose on missions like guarding caravans, purging the sewers of *odd* creatures and so forth. Once they get up to a higher level, you can start to have fun wiht monsters.

You could also have cults within the city seeking to bring it down from within; secret societies that want to hand the city to the Venetians/Barbarians/Turks/Whomever.

You might want to look into some of these books to get a feel or details. Constantinople By Night (never read it, heard it was good), White Wolf;(I think it's a download), Vilholn reach, Amn, Tethyr and that kind of stuff - trading cities around the Sea of Fallen Stars and rather exotic locations which you can just lift stuff from if need be.
20102000
07-03-07, 02:19 PM Hi everyone. I was wondering. Has anyone tried to create the Byzantines for a D20 setting? I got interested in them through the fantasy works of Harry Turtledove (the world of Videssos) , and thought it would be cool. Just wondering. :)

If I remember the books correctly. They are based around the roman empire 55 B.C.
atillac
07-05-07, 12:23 PM Something I can finally contribute to gaming!!!

Two years ago, I ran a campaign on Fall of Constantinople. It went really smooth, and I got great feedback. The feel was right there, my accent made it more real than ever. One problem was the limited magic which shafted my power gamer wizard. But he managed fine, we are still friends.

I found an adventure on line, poorly designed, but was a start: Last Days of Constantinople. Only thing I used from there was the map. Rest was my knowledge of the area and history, and time points where history could 'change' without too much impact on today, thus keeping palpable the sense of reality.

My next project is a campaign in Crusader era. There, I rely on Thomas Harlan's work as a start, but that is, again, only the begining.

Feel free to email me for further info. Don't want to clutter here, see... Atilla

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
magestar 05-08-07, 02:46 PM	Hi everyone. I was wondering. Has anyone tried to create the Byzantines for a D20 setting? I got interested in them through the fantasy works of Harry Turtledove (the world of Videssos) , and thought it would be cool. Just wondering. :)
queenfange 05-11-07, 07:51 AM	Not that I'm aware of... Try a product search on amazon for "Byzantine d20" or something like that. If you have the time, just make your own. In making my own campaign settings, I find that wikipedia is a very useful place to start. There's usually a lot of good information about culture and history which can spark ideas. Once you have a couple of plot ideas, some classes, and have determined basics such as magic (would it exist and if so, in what form), religion, and races (just humans or more), you will have enough to at least run a few trial adventures.
RedRory 05-26-07, 01:40 PM	I don't have any rpg resources to suggest but since you mentioned Turtledove. I'd recommend Guy Gavriel Kay's The Sarantine Mosaic. It's made up of two Sailing to Sarantium and Lord of Emperors (? not sure on the 2nd name). Anyways excellent historical fantasy in a Byzantine setting. Kay's best.
spyone 05-28-07, 01:02 PM	IIRC, Avalanche Press did a book about Constantinople for d20. Hmmm. here (http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=67&products_id=3409) it is. It's on sale right now, too. :)
nimbusconflict 06-01-07, 12:48 AM	I'd have to reread those books myself, but couldnt a low magic setting with races removed to just humans fit? and i think that was what....late iron age?
Mirandul 06-12-07, 11:00 AM	late iron age??????? Byantine Empire ended with the conquest by the osman empire 1453. think more of ancient world, greece and crusades (even renaissance).
magestar 06-14-07, 09:51 AM	I'd have to reread those books myself, but couldnt a low magic setting with races removed to just humans fit? and i think that was what....late iron age? It's good to know I am not the only one who has read those books. :D To be honest, it might work the way you descibed. From what I remember, magic was there only (IIRC) to find lost objects, or to counter someone else's magic. Except for the two Druid swords...they seemed to be more powerful.
Ryltar Thamior 06-29-07, 12:34 AM	Hmm. What time-period're you looking at? When it was still part of the Empire? After teh Fall of the West? When it was engaged in hostilities with the (Roman) Catholics? The last few decades before the Fall? At any rate, what i'd do, would be to use Constantinople's proximity to places where quite a few European monsters supposedly came from, and just let the PCs loose on missions like guarding caravans, purging the sewers of odd creatures and so forth. Once they get up to a higher level, you can start to have fun wiht monsters. You could also have cults within the city seeking to bring it down from within; secret societies that want to hand the city to the Venetians/Barbarians/Turks/Whomever. You might want to look into some of these books to get a feel or details. Constantinople By Night (never read it, heard it was good), White Wolf;(I think it's a download), Vilholn reach, Amn, Tethyr and that kind of stuff - trading cities around the Sea of Fallen Stars and rather exotic locations which you can just lift stuff from if need be.
20102000 07-03-07, 02:19 PM	Hi everyone. I was wondering. Has anyone tried to create the Byzantines for a D20 setting? I got interested in them through the fantasy works of Harry Turtledove (the world of Videssos) , and thought it would be cool. Just wondering. :) If I remember the books correctly. They are based around the roman empire 55 B.C.
atillac 07-05-07, 12:23 PM	Something I can finally contribute to gaming!!! Two years ago, I ran a campaign on Fall of Constantinople. It went really smooth, and I got great feedback. The feel was right there, my accent made it more real than ever. One problem was the limited magic which shafted my power gamer wizard. But he managed fine, we are still friends. I found an adventure on line, poorly designed, but was a start: Last Days of Constantinople. Only thing I used from there was the map. Rest was my knowledge of the area and history, and time points where history could 'change' without too much impact on today, thus keeping palpable the sense of reality. My next project is a campaign in Crusader era. There, I rely on Thomas Harlan's work as a start, but that is, again, only the begining. Feel free to email me for further info. Don't want to clutter here, see... Atilla