So, I was thinking about how to use Pavis/The Big Rubble as a non-Glorantha setting (or at least as inspiration for a non-Glorantha setting).
A quick summary, first, for non-Gloranthaphiles: Pavis is a city originally to seize giant cradles running down a river by an empire of magic-users as Robcradle. It was besieged and captured by giants and their nomad allies who built huge walls about it. Later, a hero named Pavis captured the city and later ascended to godhood. As the great magical empires of his age fell the city was conquered. Several hundred years later a new empire build a new city again (New Pavis) against the old walls. The two are described in Pavis (new city) and The Big Rubble (old city) and are classics of Runequest.
So, to duplicate this I need big ancient city ruins with a new city built adjacent to its walls a few hundred years later. Then it hit me: Troy.
The Romans built a city near Troy about 1200 years after the Trojan War would have happened. What if early classical greeks built one as well, right against the wall. If you have to justify the archeological record just say Schliemann destroyed it with his trench (he did damage significantly ruins of later cities than the one he declared Troy). The city could be roughly contemporaneous with Homer (circa 850 AD).
Troy's broken walls would be the boundary of a large "dungeon" with various places from myths as well as those of the GM's creation. Interesting items could be mined from the myths as well. Achilles's armor or sword would be a great find.
While Homer is an obvious source there are other ancient sources for the Trojan War.
I think this would also be a great place to
Thanks for the link! You may want to check out Black Ships by Jo Graham. She talks a bit about the multiple cities on the site of Troy in the afterward, plus it's just a neat story set in the Bronze Age.
ReplyDeleteMichael Woods "In Search of the Trojan War" is also a quick overview, if you can find it. As I recall, there were two Troys found at about the right time. One was a prosperous citadel that appears to have been felled by earthquake, and the second is a sort of post-apocalyptic ruin that appears to have suffered fire and possibly sacking.
I actually watched "In Search of the Trojan War" and own the book as well as his "In Search of the Dark Ages" which is an excellent book on England from the sub-Roman era through the Conquest.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely track down that Jo Graham book. After I floated my latest and greatest grand plan and sent out a campaign prospectus I thought this would be a great setting.