Hey, Paizovians!
I have an article request prompted by my recent obsessive reading of all of Dan Brown's excellent books, especially Angels & Demons and The Da Vinci Code. While I would not describe myself as a conspiricy theorist, I do find the ideas and history facinating. I think that the actual history surrounding the Knights Templar/Illuminati/New World Order/etc. is very interesting stuff, and waiting to be mined into D&D game terms. Time it with the theatrical release of Da Vinci Code and you will have Periodical Gold! :)
There are several ways that I think you could do this, all good with me, FWIW. It could be Class Acts articles connecting the semi-historical lore with relevant classes, such as Paladins/Fighters, or Clerics, similar to past articles connecting Monks with other martial disciplines. It could be a larger Feature article focusing on the history (or even questionable historical accuracy of conspiricy theorists) like the Samauri article last year. Or, it could be a Feature article putting games rules onto the history- maybe even a Bizarre Bazaar about the Relics (capital R) tied to the Templars.
Heck, I could see this stuff being useful for a d20 Modern campaign, for that matter. Have Wolfgang Baur write it. 'Nuff said. :)
Wow... didn't *anybody* like Dan Brown's books? They are, like, international best sellers...
:)
(Bump)
Trust me, I've thought long about converting many real-world organizations into a prestige class or three. (I don't have two copies of A History of Secret Societies for nothin', or The International Encyclopedia of Secret Societies and Fraternal Orders.) Or numerous books on the Knights Templar, the Assassins, the Illuminati and other various groups.
I think it could be fun, given a sufficiently detailed "D&D origin" for them. Of course, the hard part would be to make them substantially different from any other prestige class out there.
Freemasons. :)
Wow... didn't *anybody* like Dan Brown's books? They are, like, international best sellers...
Despite their sales, I think few people conversant with their subject matter would agree that they're accurate or sophisticated.
If you are interested in the Templars and the holy grail, I would suggest Umberto Eco's "Foucault's Pendulum". Plus, "The Name of the Rose" is a great book as well.
Wow... didn't *anybody* like Dan Brown's books? They are, like, international best sellers...Despite their sales, I think few people conversant with their subject matter would agree that they're accurate or sophisticated.
LOL Whatever, dude... In case you missed it, I was asking for material translated for use in a *ROLE-PLAYING GAME* with *FIREBALLS* and *SPIKED CHAINS*. Historical accuracy or sophistication are not exactly prerequisites.
LOL Thanks for the chuckle. Your post was very (unintentionally?) amusing.
i think it was Good Morning America that did a series on organizations like this, this week. they mostly demystified them, i think.
however, when using one in an RPG, one can feel free to make a secret society as "out there" as possible. :D
I don't see a reason to design any new classes for a conspiracy game, you just need adventure and campaign hooks.
Adventurer -
The First Treasure - Its said that the very first adventuring party recovered a dragon's horde, but in the horde were a series of powerful and dangerous artifacts the dragon was tasked by the very gods to defend. The adventurers split the items up across the world and possibly event the planes to keep them out of the wrong hands. They formed a secret society, "The Veil of Truths", to keep watch over the artefacts for generations. But when the PCs unwittingly locate and use one of the artifacts on one of their own quests how far will the Veil of Truths go to retrieve the artifact and make sure the world forgets it exists?
Arcane -
The Lost Spells of Boccob - It is said that Boccob has every spell that does exist, ever existed or ever could exist in the multiverse, it is a library so extensive that it has forms of magic beyond even his comprehension. Yet what Boccob doesn't know is the power of a secret, or rather a god of secrets. A cult of Vecna has pledged to keep a series of spells out of the hands of Boccobites, and will stop at nothing to keep it that way. What are the lost spells of Boccob? And could it be that the god of secrets is for once doing something for Oerth's greater good?
Divine -
The Secret of St. Cuthbert: Before the man known as Cuthbert ascended to godhood, it is said that he knew a woman, in like the biblical sense. And Yea and verily did she produce a child, and so somewhere in the world the line of St. Cuthbert lives on, but the church has sworn to protect the line as a promise to St. Cuthbert. Will some sneaky group of fiends find the last scion of St. Cuthbert and would would the ramifications be if a Succubus was able to bear the child of Oerths holiest mortal?
Warrior -
Savages in Steel: A fundamental question exists, if Goblins, Orcs and other savage humanoids have no permanent homes being savage raiders and all how come they are so well equipped? Who is making their swords, armour and shields and worse still their numerous magic items. So far the world has just accepted this, but when the PCs come upon a weapons deal gone sour have they uncovered the tip of the iceberg. Have they discovered the secret weapons dealers that keep the savages in steel?
Psion -
Psionics ARE Different: Mages, Clerics, Druids and Bards have a fundamental place in the world, from the hedge wizard to the Archprelate of St. Cuthbert all of them know their place in the world and society. Psions on the other hand always seem to be outside the very fundamentals of reality. Is the mage-centric conspiracy keeping this status quo to protect magic users, or is something more sinister going on? If you thought Illithids were bad, wait until you find out the TRUE source of Psionics...
X-Files -
The Truth is In Here: Strange lights have been appearing in the sky for the past few years outside the sleepy village of Paddocks Rest, and nobody questioned it. T'is but the disco of the gods, spake the local priest dwell not on it. But why do animals and people go missing in the area with such startling regularity, and how come the ones that return don't remember anything about the disappearances? Who are those Paladins in Black armour who seem to possess mental as well as mystic might?
Cuckold's Nest: All over the world children are being switched, with Yuan-Ti young without anyones knowledge. When the young and inexperienced PCs notice little Timmy is acting strange, things take a terrible turn when they discover most of the town's youths to be serpentine terrors from the south!