I've been thinking today, and it has taken me to a very dark place in my mind, the home of revolution. As usually happens when I think a lot, I second-guess my decisions for my campaign setting. So, today my thoughts have led me to rethink the technology level of my setting. In case you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a link (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?9334).
I thought it was neat being innovative and making a setting with a stone-age technology level and primitive cultures. Unfortunately, I have come to realize the many difficulties present in designing adventures for this world, and creating interesting stories. I guess what I'm asking is what the general opinion here is on increasing the technology level slightly. Perhaps making it so that advanced weapons, metallurgy, and crafts exist, but are not practiced by humans. Tribes would have to trade for goods, and many still live out in the wilderness with a primitive society.
I dunno really, I'm just playing around with ideas here. Any thoughts?
All I'll say is that in my opinion stories and adventure ideas are possible within any setting, regardless of technolgoy level.
However, the ideas of a having a few more advanced cultures that trade a few worked metal goods occasionaly does sound like fun.
Well, it seems to enable more adventure if I push a certain culture up to a primitive medieval technology level. That way, worked metal goods are rare and valuable, currency can be simpler to manage, and different equipment can be available. I'd still like to have the world keep it's gritty feel, struggling for survival, and therefore the magic level would still be extremely low.
thanks for the response Kindling.
Here's a few thoughts.
1. You can have a 'stone age' culture and still have it ready for innovation. For instance, look at Mesoamerica; they had a sophisticated society, a very good calendar, they wrote histories, they fought large scale wars, they had a complicated religion and mythology, and yet their principle weapons were either obsidian, copper or flint. There were efforts to have an effective metal weapon but an effective means of producing such items never really happened.
2. It might be an interesting way for you to have magical items in your game. Rather than determinedly follow other models, why not for instance have marvellous metal weapons that do not lose their edge easily, that shatter other weapons and cut through armor, that seem to make the warriors holding them invincible? Science that cannot be understood or explained is indistiguishable from magic.
Also I'm wondering about what exactly your concerns are. I think your original idea is a good one, and that perhaps you are thinking too much inside the box to readiily think how to make use of it.
It seems to me that you could make quite an interesting world that was culturally advanced but metal poor. Magic means the standard notion of tech levels is reasonably meaningless.
Imagine a world where inspiration and innovation and magic are all high, but the actual usable metal content is nigh on nil. A precious few crude metal objects would be your divine artifacts.
Quote from: Tybalt2. It might be an interesting way for you to have magical items in your game. Rather than determinedly follow other models, why not for instance have marvellous metal weapons that do not lose their edge easily, that shatter other weapons and cut through armor, that seem to make the warriors holding them invincible? Science that cannot be understood or explained is indistiguishable from magic.
Haha! I so called that one! I was talking with Crit JUST the other day and I suggested that if he were to have titans with metal than making steel have the stats of adamantine (for simplicity) might be a good way to go. XD
Then of course I think this whole thing is a way to try to find some interest in a stone-age setting. I personally find Neolithic cultures a broad, innovative framework for any campaign setting. But it does take a bit of thought. Like Tybalt said, Neolithic or early metal-age cultures can have cities, decent tech, wars, monsters and gods. Aztec society is probably your best bet for the most interesting Neolithic culture. Ancient China and Egypt can also be great resources for inspiration. Remember, just because they're prehistoric doesn't mean their not people with the same needs, fears and struggles.
P.S. I just thought of a fun exercise. Find or write a story set in any period. Then translate that story into the technology age that you desire. It's a challenge, but it's not impossible.
I'd say keep the stone age level of technology. Like people said before me, Aztec society is your best bet, but don't forget the Incans and Mayans. (Aztec society would be best for the leafwhisper tribe, IMO.) Keeping it stone age gave the setting a lot of charm: don't abandon it so easily. Plus, just because they don't use metal doesn't mean they can't have interesting tech. Ignoring all the real world examples, think what you could get with combining stone age technology and magic. There is alot of potential here, don't lose it! (I'll talk to you about more details over AIM.)
*Sigh* I wish I had AIM on vacation...
Ack, don't make the leafwhisper tribe aztec! Never EVER clone a culture. You can use it as a foundation, steal bits of it or take the theme but you'll loose a lot if you do a direct conversion. If that's what you meant Xathan, cool. I just wanted to emphasise that point. :)
You could always have a Neolithic world on the cusp of their Bronze Age. You could have a few tribes (human or not) start learning the art of metallurgy, which would slowly give them an advantage until in a few years the rest of the worl catches up.