Campaign idea: Immortal Priest-Kings of the ancient world

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

Another campaign idea I'm sharing just for the fun of it. But I'm not even sure GURPS can handle it well at the moment - Fantasy, City Stats and Mass Combat will hopefully do the job, but Social Engineering might be the missing link. Besides, this seems like a campaign where whswhs or RPK would be an ideal GM, not me.

The world is Earthlike, TL 1 to 2, vaguely inspired by Sword-and-Sandal myth. The PCs are immortal (Unkillable 3) priest-kings of the local city-states, (grand-)children of the gods (most of which are dead, weakened or absent by now). They are built on 250-500 points (in addition to their templates), and all start with one city of followers. Some rule through charisma, some through fear, some through wisdom etc., which has an effect on both their traits and their civilization's.

Note that not all local city-states are aligned with a priest-king, and that the PCs are not the only immortals. Also, war isn't ALWAYS the winning strategy.

[vicky_molokh]

PCs also have access to large-scale abilities like Control (Crops), Realm Magic (War) etc., but said abilities are powered by their individual heroism. So no sitting your whole campaign on your throne giving orders and doing nothing else. Thus, PCs are encouraged to perform mythic feats personally, and THEN call in their followers. Should an immortal die, s/he is resurrected/reincarnated in a thematically appropriate safe place near his/her main temple in a day or so; meanwhile, the followers suffer some sort of penalty. PCs get to choose the theme of resurrection - a statue turning into a person, a newborn growing up in the span of one day etc. Immortals may also opt to die any time should the need arise.

[hari]

A long time ago I had a vaguely similar idea. It wouldn't have been so high powered but instead going for ancient magic and strange secretive cults and priesthoods and stuff. Kind of a touching on the mystery of the dawn of civilization kind of an idea. If I revisited those ideas now though, they would be heavily informed by a lot of reading that has convinced me that the dawn of civilization is the source of all evil (well, that's approximate and something of a misrepresentation, but yeah, you get the idea). Anyways, I'd be more interested in it if it leaned not towards Supers but towards Horror, but that's just me. City Stats, Mass Combat and Social Engineering sound perfect though.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by hari

A long time ago I had a vaguely similar idea. It wouldn't have been so high powered but instead going for ancient magic and strange secretive cults and priesthoods and stuff. Kind of a touching on the mystery of the dawn of civilization kind of an idea. If I revisited those ideas now though, they would be heavily informed by a lot of reading that has convinced me that the dawn of civilization is the source of all evil (well, that's approximate and something of a misrepresentation, but yeah, you get the idea). Anyways, I'd be more interested in it if it leaned not towards Supers but towards Horror, but that's just me. City Stats, Mass Combat and Social Engineering sound perfect though.

Not exactly Supers. It has to be a mix of personal deeds and political group-based stuff.

[vicky_molokh]

Now that Social Engineering is out, how feasible do you think the idea is, for actually playing it?

[Refplace]

Feasable.
I would play it.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Feasable.
I would play it.

So would I, but I wonder about making the game-mechanics actually playable. SE has lots of stuff on actual politics, so I guess that's that. But what about the heroism-powered mythic magic?

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

So would I, but I wonder about making the game-mechanics actually playable. SE has lots of stuff on actual politics, so I guess that's that. But what about the heroism-powered mythic magic?

ER with special recharge :)
By the powers requiring FP that has to come from that ER and your good to go.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Now that Social Engineering is out, how feasible do you think the idea is, for actually playing it?

Does Social Engineering include rules for building and managing cities and/or civilizations?

I thought it was just about using social skills like Fast-Talk and Diplomacy.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by Sarge

Does Social Engineering include rules for building and managing cities and/or civilizations?

I thought it was just about using social skills like Fast-Talk and Diplomacy.

It covers politics and propaganda, some expansions for NPC loyalty, coercion, effects of Rank and Status etc. A diplomatic/political campaign definitely benefits from it. So does any campaign involving more personalized court intrigue.