Victorian World of Greyhawk

[gloriousbattle]

Been thinking about getting into a Victorian setting recently, but I wonder if it might be an interesting change from Victorian England, Second Empire France and Czarist Russia to set something with steamtech in the WOG.

Say that it is 300 years in the future, and Greyhawk has developed gunpowder and steam, Magic still works and is still powerful, and is in fact partially responsible for some of the crazier "technology" like Land Leviathans, Mole Machines and Ether Flyers.

Some changes:

1. Most demihumans and other monsters have become somewhat more powerful magically, but have receded into their own quasi-plane, which is contacted like Faery in medieval to Victorian Earth. They are still there, but no longer common, and even the dumbest, like orcs, can use some minor magics.

2. I'd want the various nations to parallel Earth to some extent, and thus give the players a frame of reference, so, starting in North Western Flannaess:

Perrenland: Develops a culture like fictional Zenda. A friendly land with both some English and some Eastern European characteristics. Still lawful-good, and a bulwark against Iuz. Perrelnad's fleets patrol Lake Quag.

Wolf Nomads: Develop into something like the Tartars (not much of a change, really). The Khan's horsemen spend a lot of time fighting Iuz and fighting and occasionally trading with Perrenland.

Iuz: The old villain is still around, but his land has developed into a rather dark and repressive version of the German Empire, with a lot of Dracula's version of Transylvania thrown in. Lots of factories gouting smoke, crazily conceived armored war machines, and grim armies, and a vampire nobility that Iuz rules with an iron fist. A few nations have tried to trade with Iuz for its magic technology, but have almost universally been sorry that they did.

Furyondy: Maybe like the British or French Empires? Good guys, like Perrenland, but perhaps a bit too convinced that they should be minding everyone else's business.

Ket: Like the Ottoman Empire, but somewhat darker and not as decadent, with the Sultan ever ready to move his Spahis and Janissaries into more peaceful lands.

Other areas I've thought about:

The Great Kingdom: Now completely broken up into a set of Balkanized, independent city states. Even three hundred years later, rumors of great magical artifacts from the Greyhawk Wars bring treasure seekers here.

Hepmonaland: What would a Victorian adventure campaign be without an analog of Africa? Hepmonaland is the fabled dark continent to which various adventurers and empire builders of the Flannaess have gone in search of death, wonder and glory.

Scarlet Brotherhood: Now more like the Free Masons, they claim to have learned from their past and are now a benevolent society with branches in many nations, seeking the common good of man. But can they be trusted?

I'd be interested in any additions.

Thanks

[Finarvyn]

I think this is a wonderful idea. I once played in a play-by-email game where the GM upgraded Conan's Hyboria to WWII era with planes and tanks and the like. This sounds just as fun!

You might look at Castle Falkenstein for inspriation about the steam era.

[jasmith]

I haven't read it yet, but there's a free (pdf) Steampunk setting supplement for LL, which you might find useful. Engines & Empires from Relative Entropy Games.

stores.lulu.com/relative-entropy

[irdaranger]

Engines & Empires looks interesting. Do you know anyone who's used or reviewed it?

[jasmith]

No, but you might check the Goblinoid Games forums.

[The Fiendish Dr. Samsara]

I haven't formally reviewed it, but said some things here that might be useful. I also posted a campaign idea on the blog.