Wargods of Aegyptus as an rpg setting?

[Moritz]

I've seen this miniature rulebook recently and it looked quite nice.

so... d20?!
(or as a question to those who know the mini game - is the setting worth trying an rpg adaptation?)

edit: typo

[pathstrider]

Yes!

I've toyed with the idea a few times. If you're thinking of a D20 conversion you should check out Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra by Green Ronin. You'd still have to add the races (And the Harbiringers, though that might cause balance problems) but it's a good start...

Mark

[Moritz]

Originally Posted by pathstrider

Yes!

I've toyed with the idea a few times. If you're thinking of a D20 conversion you should check out Egyptian Adventures: Hamunaptra by Green Ronin. You'd still have to add the races (And the Harbiringers, though that might cause balance problems) but it's a good start...

Mark

could you give me an overview of the setting and the races?

[pathstrider]

Of Aegyptus? Crocodile games actually do it mostly on their webpage - a lot of the book info is there.

Try:

http://www.crocodilegames.com/warbands.asp

That should help.

Mark

[San Dee Jota]

Not sure about the whole d20 thing, but other than that the setting has some potential for an RPG. The tricky part would be giving reasons for the different races to go from warring to banding together. IIRC the original setting was based around Harbingers of different races/gods killing one another, which is good enough for a wargame but not so good for an RPG.

Hmmm.... Perhaps when the Gods left and created the Harbingers, some (like the Nekharu, Sobeki, and Typhon) realized the power to be held by killing weaker Harbingers. The other races banded together to protect themselves from and fend off the Vicious Brothers (my "off the cuff" name for the three), and the undead. But by the time the other tribes could reach any consensus the Vicious Brothers and undead had grown in both power and number, slaying many of the others' Harbingers and devouring their Ka for themselves and their gods.

The PCs may be among the last Harbingers. If they can't slay the Harbingers of the Vicious Brothers, then all of Aegyptus may be lost. But if they can, then they may be able to return the stolen Ka, before the servants of death and Apophis devour all. And even among the few remaining Harbingers of the Allied Children, there are those who feel the PCs aren't worthy of the Ka they carry, and intend to claim it and put it to better use.

As for PC power levels.... Do you want all the PCs to be Harbingers, or would you rather have a mix of power levels? I'd recommend away from d20 if you're going for a mixed party, as one level of fighter should -not- be equal to a level of Harbinger. And, unless I'm wrong, the d20 is based around "one level of class X equals one level of class Y". But if everyone is to be a Harbinger, or not, then balance isn't an issue. Just allow players to pick up a new Harbinger power every other level.

True d20, as seen in Mutants and Masterminds, might work even better though; and the M&M rules could be used for all the spells and powers seen in Aegyptus.

Myself, I'm thinking that Savage Worlds might be perfect for a system. Players can take the Harbinger "Professional" Edge at character creation, with GMs approval natch. It allows them to purchase Harbinger edges and gives them the base powers and limitations of Harbingers listed in WGoA. The more Harbinger edges they buy, the more powerful their base powers become. They "level in Harbinger". This is important as upon defeat, their victor gains the stolen levels as edges to spend.

Granted, this is all "off the cuff" based on memories I have of two games, one of which I haven't read in over a year. Hopefully it helps.

[pathstrider]

Personally, having gone through the pain of GMing WarCasters in the Iron Kingdoms RPG, I'd adive making one person a Harbirnger, or none.

Preferably the latter. Hence the EAH recomendation with new races.

Mark

[Spinachcat]

I am planning on creating a Savage Wargods setting. I really enjoy the world info and it is the best choice for a Faux Egyptian Fantasy RPG that I have seen. Also, the artwork is really excellent and evocative.

I am choosing Savage Worlds because I want the PCs to play a Warband loyal to a Harbinger (maybe PC, maybe NPC) and I want to run big smashing minis combats with them.

This sounds rad!

[Scurrilous]

I'd think d20 could work, Harbringer basically becomes a paladin based prestige class for characters over 20th level.

I think thecore conflict can easily be avoided by working on the assumption that the common people have more in common than their leaders. There may even be a few cosmopolitan underground settlements and secret theive's cults.

Or, maybe there's an olympian invasion and everyone has to unite and stand against it.

[Spinachcat]

I own the first edition of Wargods so I cannot comment on how the core conflict is presented in the new edition. However, my book explains how warbands can have several races present because even though each race has their own god, not everyone in the race ties their fate to that diety exclusively.

There are a few caveats, of course, so you could not put deadly enemies in the same warband. Also, a group of adventurers can travel about the world weaving their way between the waring factions.