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Author Topic: how would one make an osr system for playing in a bronze age authentic setting?  (Read 1014 times)

JonKinator

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I was thinking of GMing an OSR campaign in a setting akin to Dark Albion except it is based on the bronze age instead of medieval Europe, any tips?

Kyle Aaron

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One would use RuneQuest, since the default fantasy setting of Glorantha is bronze age.
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JonKinator

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oh, so I guess a historically authentic bronze age setting has been done?

*edit* not quite, I was thinking more based on the actual history/mythologies from back then
« Last Edit: October 31, 2021, 07:41:38 AM by JonKinator »

Godfather Punk

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If your French is good, and if you can find a copy, there was Légendes (later republished as a boxed set Légendes Celtiques), a simulationist rpg from the early 80's. It was historically pretty accurate but had some mythological elements. The system used d20 but was not D&D derived.



For a d20 system that came out during the 3rd edition glut, Mongoose published 'Slaine - the RPG of Celtic heroes' based on the comics.



Maybe these two can give you inspiration what to do (or which mistakes to avoid).

JonKinator

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I was thinking more centered around Egypt and Mesopotamia.

I was only using Dark Albion as an example for authenticity

also, would a modified Lion and Dragon work?
« Last Edit: November 01, 2021, 07:33:24 AM by JonKinator »

Godfather Punk

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Then you are in luck  ;) because there is also a Valley of the Kings version of Légendes.

For Mesopotamia, Green Ronin published an Old Testament  d20 supplement.  Not osr but D&D 3e.

JonKinator

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don't know French; How hard would it be to modify Lion and Dragon to suit this purpose?

rkhigdon

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There's Blood & bronze from Cyclopean Games. 

https://bloodandbronze.com/
https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/9554/Cyclopean-Games

Been a while since I played, but I recall enjoying the game while it lasted.  Unfortunately, it was an online group and several members just kind of vanished into the mist, so we never got a chance to continue long term.

Svenhelgrim

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Check out HR6: Age Of Heroes for D&D 2nd Edition, a sourcebook for roleplaying in ancient Greece.

GURPS probably has a suppliment, or several suppliments for Bronze Age as well.  GURPS Egypt comes to mind.

Dark Sun (AD&D) had rules for stone, and bronze weapons.

One thing you might want to consider is having rules for parrying and dodging attacks instead of D&D Armor Class, since a cient armor was not that great.  I believe the Chaosium systems have that.