They Will Save Us? (world building, idea swapping primitive fantasy)

[IrishWolf]

So I've had an idea kicking around inside my skull recently. I've been craving some primitive fantasy and by that I mean a world filled with Pleistocene megafauna, dinosaurs, humans and subhumans (or elves and subelves, ect ect ect), where metal working in unknown or barely discovered, where culture has barely moved beyond hunter-gather. So, I've been thinking about a storyline with these elements and I believe that I might have figured something out, that would interest the rest of you.

On a world far removed from our own, life is a struggle to survive. No matter where you go, from ice capped mountains, to wide open plains, towering forests or steaming jungles, predators of all types lurk. Terrible lizards,with teeth as big as men or muscled cats with saber like canines. But not all struggles are the natural ones for food and mates. There is a darker struggle, war. For many generations, the Athnaki people have been contained within a ring of tall peaks, penned in with with primal, dawn people. However they have united under a powerful caste of priestess. The separate tribes of the Athnaki fell in line with their demands for sacrifices to dark deities and they even brought the dawn people unto the fold, until none were left to oppose them, creating a dilemma. With no enemies, they would have to offer their own tribemates to the knife, unless they find new foes.

Prayers were made and people of great worth offered themselves to the mightiest of deities, the Sun and the way was made clear. Passes throughhey raided and burned, carrying way the people of other people, to be given to their gods. Tribes banded together in confederations to fight back but were buried under the weight of zealot warriors. In desperation, twelve high priestess from the Nathga people gathered in a sacred grove, near to the last battles with the Athnaki, spending ten days and night in prayer, begging their Moon Goddess for aid. On the final night, a great storm rolled across the land, unnatural in it's ferocity and speed, it swept over the land, as all of the priestess collapsed, several dying and rest too weak to move. Those that could still speak, whispered to those that came to check on them, of answered prayers, of a band of great warriors, to be found less then a day's ride towards their enemies.

Now there are some important fact,which will set the most of the people of this world apart from those that may yet save them. Unlike our own Earth or the world from which these warriors came from, it is women who serve as warrior and ruler. There is a terribly low birthrate of male children and an even lower survival rate among those male babies. With this lack of males, they are seen as a valuable resource, to be protected and shared within the tribe. There are no marriages, no single unions between male and female or at least their not suppose to. There are always rumors about secret affairs or females attempting to keep a male all to themselves. Of course, the more socially acceptable pairbonds between females are common. 

The only difference from this norm, are the dawn people. Barely able to male tools and unable to speak in anything but grunts, the dawn people have a very high rate of male births and their males are their warriors. They are also slavishly obedient to the Athnaki priestess, child-like in their devotion to their whims and eager to shed blood when told too.

Of course, we shouldn't forget about the new warriors. They are mercenaries from a world rather like that of Renaissance Europe, low born men selling their skills with weapons to any who could pay. They are the Free Lion Company, commanded by a Captain Wilhelm Campborn, although many of them have not been with the company long. Originally, The Lion Company was made up of Doppelsöldners, men who made double pay to stand in the front rank of a pike formation, welding both pike and two handed sword. However, a recent and disastrous battle for their employers left the company decimated and in need of new recruits. The captain was able to absorb the survivors of other mercenary companies into his ranks, halberdiers and sword and buckler men, arquebusiers and pikemen. However, the company is still well under full strength, less then two hundred fighting men, when they are snatched away, to hopefully save the Nathga, with their weapons and armor and their skills. Captain Campborn could forge a proper fighting army to turn the tide, if the proud Nathga warriors will follow his harsh ways of teaching and leadership.



So, thats what I got. Spark any interest? Any suggestions? Does it look fine as is?
Now, I'm going to bombard you with primitive fantasy images to move the creative juices!

[Ixy]

I love the idea of a primitive setting... I wish I had more to offer as a reference other than something between Conan and 10,000 BC.  As with any game, it's going to come down to who takes part and what tone they're looking for.

It sounds like the visitors from the 'Renaissance-era' nation might skew things too heavily.  Perhaps something more like a dark-ages viking culture?

Also, doing this as a 'sandbox' game where everyone world-builds is, from what I've observed, a recipe for disaster.  There's no story or continuity in a game without a plot... it's a great concept, but most of us need a guide.

I rather doubt that this helps.  Just ideas.

[Vaulera]

I would agree on the dark ages viking-like culture, but those time periods are far too advanced. "Vikings" were wielding steel before anyone else, which basically made them swinging around lightsabers to everyone else's wiffle-bats. I think that it would have to be the "new world" conquerors. I'm curious, how would female players be incorporated?

[BlackestKnight]

I would agree on the dark ages viking-like culture, but those time periods are far too advanced. "Vikings" were wielding steel before anyone else, which basically made them swinging around lightsabers to everyone else's wiffle-bats. I think that it would have to be the "new world" conquerors. I'm curious, how would female players be incorporated?

The vikings were not the first to wield or forge steel.

Steel was known in antiquity, and may have been produced by managing bloomeries, or iron-smelting facilities, in which the bloom contained carbon.[15]
The earliest known production of steel is a piece of ironware excavated from an archaeological site in Anatolia (Kaman-Kalehoyuk) and is about 4,000 years old.[16] Other ancient steel comes from East Africa, dating back to 1400 BC.[17] In the 4th century BC steel weapons like the Falcata were produced in the Iberian Peninsula, while Noric steel was used by the Roman military.[18]
Steel was produced in large quantities in Sparta around 650BC.[19][20]
The Chinese of the Warring States (403–221 BC) had quench-hardened steel,[21] while Chinese of the Han Dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD) created steel by melting together wrought iron with cast iron, gaining an ultimate product of a carbon-intermediate steel by the 1st century AD.[22][23] The Haya people of East Africa invented a type of furnace they used to make carbon steel at 1,802 °C (3,276 °F) nearly 2,000 years ago.[24]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel

I don't know where people get that idea from.

[IrishWolf]

Huh, I did not know that the oldest steel came out of Africa, I always thought it was the Celts who first forged it. Thank you BlackestKnight, I learned something new today.

Now then, Ixy, I wasn't planning on this being sandbox, I'm not sure how you got that but the plan is (at least at this point), to have the visitors and natives meet, the latter being angry and confused, perhaps they go with the Nathga scouts right away, perhaps they try to strike out on their own and meet with a band of Athnaki raiders. Either way, they end up in the Nathga, with heavy amounts of culture shock for both sides, as they try to find away to work together, as hordes of the Athnaki gather to wipe them out. Follow that with a nice war, lots of battles and the like, maybe end the game with victory celebrations, maybe keep going on.

I do agree that 'Renaissance-era' tech might skew thing but I wanted to go with an era where soldiers, instead of warriors were the norm (although comparing Renaissance mercenaries to say, the Roman Legions, the former is more a undisciplined rabble then soldiers) but I also wanted to make them somewhat vulnerable. Compared with earlier soldiers, these men wouldn't be trained from childhood like Greek Hoplites or the fighting machine that was the Legion. They wouldn't be as heavily armored, as the early guns basically made armor worthless or outrageously expensive, nor would they be carrying big shields to protect themselves, most wouldn't even have a buckler. Most of these guys would have their weapon, a buff coat, a breastplate or a cuirass if they were lucky and a helmet.

Last but not least, Vaulera. Well, female characters would be native warriors, priestess and tribal leaders.

Now there are some important fact,which will set the most of the people of this world apart from those that may yet save them. Unlike our own Earth or the world from which these warriors came from, it is women who serve as warrior and ruler. There is a terribly low birthrate of male children and an even lower survival rate among those male babies. With this lack of males, they are seen as a valuable resource, to be protected and shared within the tribe. There are no marriages, no single unions between male and female or at least their not suppose to. There are always rumors about secret affairs or females attempting to keep a male all to themselves. Of course, the more socially acceptable pairbonds between females are common. 

[Vaulera]

Interesting! I suppose the misinformation is just wide-spread! I wonder how people did get thinking that. Interesting how fast that spreads. And ah! Leaders and priestesses, okay.

[Ixy]

Are you thinking about this as an adventure-centric game, with general collaboration between players?  Or do you think of it more as a fictional-history type roleplay?

As far as 'conquest vs. adventure'... there's probably a contingent on E that would enjoy playing the invaders.  You'll certainly get people asking, but that'd be a totally different game than a primitive world 'adventure'.

[MrBubbles]

I've got to agree with Ixy and Vaulera; a dark ages Viking-esque culture being the exotic invaders would certainly "feel" a lot better than some Italians in tights.

I would agree on the dark ages viking-like culture, but those time periods are far too advanced. "Vikings" were wielding steel before anyone else, which basically made them swinging around lightsabers to everyone else's wiffle-bats. I think that it would have to be the "new world" conquerors. I'm curious, how would female players be incorporated?

And men with guns, steel swords and steel armor aren't?

Look, I understand what you're trying to do; professional soldiers encountering uncivilized natives and all the mischief that results. Not to bash that idea, but it just seems... Kinda boring. I'm getting a really strong Conan vibe from this (either intentional or unintentional,) and if there's one thing I know about Conan, it's that the setting didn't have uniformed men drilling people on weapon maintenance and marching lines.

[IrishWolf]

You know, I hadn't thought of that last point Vaulera but thats why I'm looking for world building and idea swapping.

I was thinking of a more adventure-centric game, players vs NPCs, although if I get enough people, I could open up some slots to allow players to take the role of invading Athnaki.

And that has got me thinking that the males of Athnaki, Nathga and other peoples, they wouldn't be very "manly". Not being warriors or hunters, I don't see them as very muscular. It would be a big shock to the natives to find these visiting men to be so tough and strong, make them even more exotic to the people of this primitive world.

Truth be told MrBubbles, Italians made terrible soldiers during that period, they relied upon German Landsknechte and Swiss Reisläufer mercenaries but I understand what your saying and I agree, Viking, Frankish, Saxon, Gothic or any other Dark Age "barbarian" tribe would fit into this very Conanish world I'm working on crafting here. Too well in fact, or so I believe (but if thats really what the people want, I'll go for it, no problem). A viking, with mail armor and a big round shield, would be able to plow right through the cavegirl, amazon aztec warrior women I'm envisioning, without too much to fear from their weapons. Any critters with the invading host might give them trouble but I don't see much of a reason for vikings to ally or spent time training the natives. 

[Lucifia]

Lol now from your conversation, all I can think of is vikings riding raptors:P

[IrishWolf]

Ha! If I had any skill with the arts, I would totally draw that.

[IrishWolf]

So I've been thinking about culture for the natives.

I'm considering the Nathga living in a jungle, so its warm enough that what clothing they made is more for ornamentation then practical purposes. I'm a little torn between envisioning the more traditional fur bikini for our primitive fashion sense (gotta love the classic cavegirl look) or something more erotic, like dino hide and feathers. Although dino hide might be better saved for "armor" of sorts among them. Maybe they cure the hide and wrap it around their arms and torso, to help protect themselves from slashing blows? Thoughts and feelings about clothing?

And I was also thinking about tattoos and scarification. Both have been used since Neolithic times, so such body modifications would work well with primitives. Some of the oldest methods of tattooing are basically to cut designs into the skin and then rub these cuts with ink or dye or to take a sharp piece of bone, drip it in the ink and then tap it into the skin. I was thinking different marks for different events in one's life, like becoming an adult, how many times one had been with child, how many kills a warrior has made, rising to leadership or for disgrace, ect ect ect. I was thinking males only get two kinds of tattoos (or scars); adulthood and how many children they have sired. Thoughts on this?

[Lucifia]

Still slightly confused:P. I get that it's a Dino human crossover, but humans are still at Stone Age tech? Not a lot of interesting thugs to do back then. Would be really cool if it was medieval plus Dino's!