Quote:
Originally Posted by Simlasa
That sourcebook was okay but seemed more like an expanded encyclopedia entry than really being a game setting. It either didn't have enough detail or had way to much... but never really came to life. It gave me lots of facts but I didn't come away with any better an idea of what I'd do there... reading fiction based in the period seemed better for that.
|
That sums up the entire difficulty of writing
historical source-books. You need to pack in facts and details so that the GM can portray the atmosphere and culture correctly. Since it's impossible to comprehensively cover every aspect of an ancient culture, you must try to concentrate on those specific areas which will be fun to roleplay.
Bringing it to
life is the hardest part. In the fantasy or Sci-fi genre it is easier to instill a sense of wonder, and hook the reader. Doing the same thing with a historical setting is very difficult, requiring the author to find the most intriguing and exotic aspects of that period. This is why I'm including so many quotes from the Roman and Greek author's of the time... Their own words can do far more than I to fascinate or amuse the potential purchaser.
How can you beat something like “and they [the rebellious legionaries] killed a centurion, Lucilius, to whom, with soldiers' humour, they had given the name "Bring another," because when he had broken one vine-stick on a man's back, he would call in a loud voice for another and another.”
Tacitus - Annals
Or... “I must not omit here, in reference to painting, a celebrated story that is told about Lepidus. During the Triumvirate, when he was entertained by the magistrates of a certain place, he had lodgings given him in a house that was wholly surrounded with trees. The next day, he complained to them in a threatening tone, that he had been unable to sleep for the singing of the birds there. Accordingly, they had a dragon painted, on pieces of parchment of the greatest length that could possibly be obtained, and surrounded the grove with it; a thing that so terrified the birds, it is said, that they became silent at once; and hence it was that it first became known how this object could be attained.”
Pliny the Elder - Naturalis Historia
Or... “Weep, you girls. My penis has given you up. Now it penetrates men’s behinds. Goodbye, wondrous femininity!”
Anonymous Graffiti
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simlasa
I'm hoping BRP Rome will go right where the GURPS book went... the other way.
|
I hope so too! It'll be a book full of history... but hopefully
entertaining and
campaign inspiring history!
