Still, one would wonder whether or not the energy spent on powering both the cell towers and land lines would be worth it in such a scenario when resources must be closely regulated.
Two words: shocker lizards.
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Two words: shocker lizards.Still, one would wonder whether or not the energy spent on powering both the cell towers and land lines would be worth it in such a scenario when resources must be closely regulated.
Well, if that's the case, perhaps they could convert their powerplant into a huge capacitor and contract with a Bronze Dragon to recharge it regularly using its breath weapon. :P
Of course, this is all moot if the world this community is teleported to doesn't work with science and things such as Crossbows don't function due to physics, but because the gods simply said "arrows fly untill they don't". :D
I'm not going to fuss about how science works--it just does, that is all. On the other hand, so does magic.
Mikaze: I really like the idea of blending the worlds. Strange statues and buildings seeming to appear, on the other hand roads perhaps vanishing, bridges cut in two, bizarre things like that might add to the strangeness.
Religion would be interesting in this setting. I'm not sure if I would have a 'true faith' be effective or not for example--it brings up the interesting point of what if the supernatural works subtly or rarely in our world but more blatantly in this other? Any thoughts on this?
What I'm referring to for example is stuff like the effectiveness of meditation/spirit travel/exorcism/faith healing/fortune telling/etc. Because if the assumption is that it doesn't really work, then the D&D blended world will be utterly shocking to EVERYONE. On the other hand I may want to keep it subtle and avoid making any judgements, but have people (like the Crazy Lady from the Mist) saying "SEE!!!! I told you, but you fools wouldn't listen to me!"
The information about cellphones is really helpful. So in other words vehicle radios, walkie talkies, backpack radios and cellphones would still be viable. What I like is the idea of limited technology--not everything going back a couple of centuries but the number of people who can use it dwindling.
Regarding Aircraft:
I thought that one of the interesting things about having an airport around is that there wouldn't at first be much that you could do with it. I mean bigger planes while useful need a big runway, and need a lot of fuel just to get off the ground. On the other hand smaller planes or helicopters would be very useful.
I like the simple rule for mogas versus avgas suggested.
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Religion would be interesting in this setting. I'm not sure if I would have a 'true faith' be effective or not for example--it brings up the interesting point of what if the supernatural works subtly or rarely in our world but more blatantly in this other? Any thoughts on this?
The best source for this is in the d20 Modern book(if you don't have it, I'd suggest getting a copy, its great.).
Take things incrementally from the Shadow Chasers campaign type, where few people realize what's going on in the background(can realize the supernatural threat) and starts off as a horror campaign.
Then things progress into the Urban Arcana campaign type, where some more people can perceive beyond the veil of the transported human's "reality", but those who don't really understand explain that ogre they saw going around the corner as some rough & tough biker.
Eventually, you'll have important NPCs taking up a D&D base class to better adapt to this new world they're living in.
At least, that makes sense to me.
Yeah, keeping radio waves and other base physics working is a nice thing, since no doubt cell phones would be dying out first, and walkie-talkies would become a valuable resource...
I would also try to make it so that there aren't any major tech wizzes in the town, NPCs or PCs...people who can make basic repairs but nobody who could make new high-tech from scratch (oh yes, Internet would of course close so no Wikipedia or Google...the horror, the horror!)
Re: magic...it might indeed be fun to see some minor magical abilities popping up in population, starting of course from spontaneous casters (bards, sorcerers etc), maybe someone might start showing some beginner druidic capabilities (Can I play the town hippie? Please?), or cleric abilities (tied to causes and philosophies, not so much tied to gods...those and wizards would come later).
I'm considering this for a location--basically a sort of chunk of combined Maryland/Pennsylvania. Why? Largely because of George A. Romero--classic zombie location--but also it's fairly temperate, etc. Thoughts?
And what kind of stuff could be blended with the transported locations? What kind of stuff that would be mysterious and interesting but not obviously menacing or too blatantly 'fantasy'?
I think I'd make it possible for characters to learn magic, certainly, that would be cool.
About the tech thing--I would certainly make such npcs rare as hens' teeth, and the object of major quests or something. Thoughts?
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The night sky would look different...
Prime indication the PCs are not in Kansas (er... Maryland) anymore...
Perhaps a cemetery on the outskirts of town that was not there before (I seem to recall this idea already being suggested)...
Or a lone farmhouse (minus the farmers, but not the hot meal they were just about to sit down to) right outside of town...
As for tech...
Your fantasy world would make use of it more and more as the campaign progresses (such as orcs with m-16s as an EXTREME example), but at the same time, it would become scarcer and scarcer as the campaign progresses (to the point that even the PCs are having a tough time keeping tech functional)...
-That One Digitalelf Fellow-
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You could introduce arcane magic to the PCs by way of feats:
For example...
Sorcerer's/Wizard's Apprentice
You've learned just a little magic.
Prerequisite: Base Attack Bonus +1 or better, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +3 ranks or better.
Benefit: Choose three 0 level spells. Each day, you may cast three 0 level spells from this selection (one spell three times, each spell once, or one once and another twice).
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. It adds only one new 0 level spell, and one new spell per day casting each additional time it is taken.
Minor Spell Caster
You have some true magical ability.
Prerequisite: Base attack bonus +1 or better, Knowledge (Arcane Lore) +3 ranks or better, Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Benefit: Choose one 1st level spell. Each day, you may cast this spell once, taking 1 point of (temporary) Intelligence damage in the process.
Special: This feat may be taken more than once. It adds one new 1st level spell, and one new per day casting each additional time it is taken. You cannot take this feat more often tan you take Sorcerer's Apprentice.
Of course you (as GM) could go either way with these, choosing to use them as granting either innate ability as a sorcerer, or as a wizard (complete with spellbook)...
Wish I remembered where I got those from...
-That One Digitalelf Fellow-
Thanks for the new ideas. I agree that what I want is subtlety at first--perhaps more a perversion of the modern world (a la Silent Hill for example) than outright obvious invasion. So how to do this best? I'm thinking that by focusing on undead as opponents or perhaps the more perverse sorts of fae that this will help. But what about more benevolent or neutral creatures? What about player type races that are native?
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what about more benevolent or neutral creatures? What about player type races that are native?
To more easily answer these, what kind of fantasy setting do you plan on dropping the campaign in? Pure wilderness, Elven forest, dwarven mountains?
Nothing is wrong with using undead just for the sake of it, but why are they there? Who (or what) is controlling them (inquiring players might want to know)?
-That One Digitalelf Fellow-
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Also, to help with what's around the players, it might be a good idea to figure out the Progress Level of the surrounding world. Progress Level was introduced in the d20 Future suppliment for d20 Modern. If you don't have it, let me know, and I can list the information for it. It'll be kinda longish, but since I know that the players are coming from the modern era, I can skip everything after Progress Level 6(the Information Age).
I don't know precisely how the levels work, but the surrounding world is going to be a little like medieval Byzantium as far as how things look and feel.
My basic concept is this, more or less: these human lands have gradually been invaded by evil from another dimension/plane. This is why the dead are walking--and the evil spirits occupying the bodies vary in power, hence different kinds of undead. Along with these are more corporeal creatures gradually appearing as the evil legions gain strength in this world.
So there will be a limited variety of monsters. I'm not going to use everything from the manuals. Undead definitely; what else I'll use depends, though I may in fact make the other creatures constructs and outsiders. I also do want dragons as the former defenders of this world, that have in some cases become corrupt and in others remain true, in still others intend to withdraw elsewhere.
Where will the initial location be? I was planning to make it an area that long since was conquered and fell to wilderness. A few human settlements remain. There are ruins and remnants of a former civilization. I figure the timeline is only a few years, and that will be noticed--that the ruins are not decay but destruction and overgrowth.
I'm not sure about having demihumans in the campaign setting--sometimes I'm a little tired of them. The one thought I did have was perhaps making them a genuinely bygone civilization if any of them exist, that they might have been wiped out by the undead and few remain at all.
If you have ruins of an ancient civilization, you could have a degenerate race that has been corrupted after the fall of their civilization. Perhaps they even have something technological (constructs??) but have lost the knowledge to make and maintain it. Perhaps this is tied in with the reason the city teleported to the fantasy world.
An idea from Jericho: there was a CIA agent in the town hiding a nuclear missile from criminals. It was there all the wile in the town and nobody knew about it. Just an idea that you might use...
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Progress Levels, from d20 Future on pages 5 and 6, stopping after PL 5:
Progress Levels
Simply put, a Progress Level (PL) is an indication of the state of technology that exists in a particular society or civilization (which, in a science fiction setting, may be located on a planet other than Earth). This state of technological development generally pervades all aspects of a culture, particularly at higher levels (PL 5 and beyond) when long-range communication is virtually instantaneous. Even at lower levels, it's unlikely -but not impossible- for a group of humans (or other sentient beings) to be at one Progress Level in some respects and at another in other respects.
Progress Level may vary wildly from place to place on the same world or even the same continent. Consider the early 20th-Century explorers who finally penetrated the deepest reaches of the Congo or the Amazon jungle, encounter native tribes who still used Stone Age technology. In any science fiction or futuristic setting involving exploration, heroes may discover entire planets locked in their own Stone Age, Bronze age, or Middle Ages periods, despite the high level of technology that characterizes the civilization from which the heroes originated.
PL 0: Stone Age
The major achievements of a Stone Age society are the use of fire, the domestication of animals, and the invention of agriculture. An individual living in a Stone Age society is primitive, but he isn't necessarily gullible , stupid, or easily frightened by advanced technology.
Common weapons in a PL 0 civilization include the club, the dagger, the spear, and the bow. Armor made from hide or leather is possible, as are wicker shields. Communication beyond the local tribe or settlement doesn't exist. Travel is accomplished by foot or by simple rafts or canoes. Simple pottery, stoneworking, and woodworking are possible.
PL 1: Bronze/Iron Age
Early human civilizations began to work metal toward the end of the Stone Age. the malleability of copper led to its becoming the first metal to be "tamed". Adding tin to copper created a much stronger alloy: bronze. The advance allowed for the crafting of tools and great durability. In turn, those improved tools made possible the working of iron, which soon replaced bronze as the metal of choice for tools and weapons.
In a Bronze/Iron Age society, advances in pottery, construction, and agriculture allow for the concentration of populations into larger and larger groups, with a corresponding upswing in the accumulation and sharing of knowledge. The rise of nations, city-states, and empires begins in the Bronze Age. Organized efforts to improve communications allow regional societies to exist. Galleys and small sailing vessels are capable of relatively long voyages, and some cultures may build extensive road or canal networks to link distant places. Improvements in agricultural efficiency permit the rise of artisans, craftsmen, professional soldiers, and other occupations that are not directly concerned with gathering food.
The sword replaces the club and dagger as the preferred weapon of infantry. Chariots briefly dominate warfare before cavalry(aided by the introduction of the stirrup) renders chariots obsolete. The first true military forces or tactical systems appear. Armor can now be made from sewn plates or scales, metal links, or even forged breastplates, and a variety of metal melee weapons dominate the battlefield.
PL 2: Middle Ages
Maturing civilizations experience a period of turmoil and adjustment at this Progress Level. Developments continue in architecture, commerce, metallurgy, and mathematics. Wider dissemination of information becomes possible thanks to more advanced printing techniques. Sea communications dominate in the later part of this stage of development, and sturdy seafaring carracks and galleons open the door to the next Progress Level.
As populations increase and knowledge of agriculture evolves, an increasing percentage of the population relocates into growing cities and towns. Toward the end of this Progress Level, the feudal system, in which a small class of nobles rules a large population of agricultural workers, begins to collapse. Specialized crafts develop, universities appear, and the middle class is born. The first corporations emerge in the form of trade guilds. The evolution of strong systems of trade and finance tends to distribute a society's wealth more evenly among its members, diluting the power of the nobility.
Tools of warfare undergo a significant revolution. Sophisticated chain and plate armors protect warriors from harm, and elaborate fortifications become something of an art form. Toward the end of the Middle Ages, the introduction of simple gunpowder weapons signals the imminent end of knights, heavy armor, and organized armies of swordsmen.
Depending on how you choose to run things, you could take advantage of a region in Dark Ages to drop your fictional city into. Perhaps having several factions; three examples are the obvious Technophobes(typicaly a religion, possibly a theocracy), the "Heretics"(those who use technology, but no magic), and the Witches(any who use magic). These names are intentionally non-specific so as to get the general idea across.
PL 3: Age of Reason
The Age of Reason is an era in human history when the development of ideas and systems takes precedence over technological invention. The scientific method improves humankind's understanding of the world. Experimentation becomes the means by which the physical properties of nature are systematically examined. The study of the various scientific disciplines -chemistry, electromagnetics, medicine, biology, and astronomy- flourishes. Instruments such as microscopes and telescopes enable scientists to greatly extend the range of the observations.
The new reliance on science generates waves on all levels of society. Superstition falls away, and exploration of the world reaches its apex Society begins to experiment with new forms of organization, such as democracy. Corporations and economic alliance continue to evolve. Economically, this Progress Level is a transition from the cottage industries of the Middle Ages to industrialization.
The cannon becomes the dominant factor in naval warfare, while massed musket fire and horse pulled field pieces rule the battlefield. Even the reliable bow vanishes, replaced by the flintlock. Light melee weapons remain common.
PL 4: Industrial Age
In the fourth Progress Level, the theoretical knowledge of the previous era matures into widespread practical application. The harnessing of hydraulic, steam, and electric power creates an explosion of commerce and industry. Developments such as the telegraph, the telephone, and the radio make true global communication possible. Breakthroughs in manufacturing techniques allow the construction of heavy ironclad vessels, rail transportation, and architecture of previously unimaginable size. Pioneers venture high into the atmosphere and descend into the sea's depths.
Urbanization is complete as individuals gather in smaller environments where they can more easily exchange goods and information. Corporations expand in power, many establishing themselves throughout the explored world. Governments are based on political and economic factors.
The means of war change swiftly through the period. Aircraft and submersibles join the list of military assets. Reliable and accurate rifles, pistols, and machine guns become common. Mechanized war machines herald the first great change in the art of battle since the end of the knight.
PL 5: Information Age
The Industrial Age relied on chemical power, but in the Information Age, computer technology and electronics rule supreme. Satellite information systems and the Internet connect the globe digitally. This Progress Level also sees the introduction of fission power and weapons reducing the importance of fossil fuels. The automobile replaces the locomotive as the common form of travel. The first steps toward space travel involve massive chemical rockets, unmanned probes, and satellite, and short-term manned missions.
The technology of the era allows greater citizen participation in government. The emergence of international alliances begins to dissolve borders between nations. Corporations gather power and begin to threaten government authority. Technology has a greater effect on individual lifestyles than on society as a whole.
Most weapons at this time are refined versions of Industrial Age equipment. Rifles, machine guns, and heavy howitzers are still used by the world's soldiers. Computerized targeting systems and guided weapons make warfare much more precise and efficient. Strategic weapons, tested by never used, exhibit the species' power to exterminate itself in minutes.
Humanity experience its Information Age as anxious years full of minor crises. The tension gradually alleviates through the age, and as the era ends new superpowers form.
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That's it, PLs 0 through 5. Just to let you know what the rest are: PL 6 is the Fusion Age, where humanity truly harnesses Fusion power and begins to explore the Solar System; PL 7 is the Gravity Age, Humanity is now branching out further through the stars and discovers Gravity Induction; PL 8 is the Energy Age, projectile weapons finally disappear as power plants the size of marbles come into being; PL 9 and beyond are considered beyond reach or comprehension, they include the practical control of matter at the subatomic level, time travel, or the ability to fold space.
Hope this information helps.
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If you REALLY want to make things "real", a dark or middle age setting would have diseases that our fancy and ultra sanitized modern lifestyle would be susceptible to...
Does not even have to be some new “alien” disease, could be something “simple”…
Stuff we are immune to because of vaccinations or because we managed to kill it off/slow the spread of (like polio or plague)...
Could be a cool concept to introduce (or kill off a lot of those extra "bothersome townsfolk")...
Just something to think about...
-That One Digitalelf Fellow-
Thanks for all the feedback and help everyone.
WEATHER: I may have strange seasons--i was thinking of something like in a Song of Ice and Fire where there are perhaps only one or two seasons that last a long time for instance--perhaps even an indefinite time?
ANIMALS: I like the idea of local animals and plants coming into the area. I was thinking that I might have some interesting things happen like perhaps some city fauna taking over the landscape (like say pigeons or crows or rats or something) whereas some local ones might take the niche of other creatures altogether.
DECADENT CIVILIZATION: Any thoughts on what these could be? I was thinking of a reptilian race like troglodytes...
DISEASES: Now that's an interesting idea--one of the things that could work would be something right out of the Martian Chronicles--where perhaps the only humanoid race in the area gets almost wiped out by a disease from people they never met--so that the newly arrived humans find only mysteriously dead cities...
Thanks btw for posting the chart on technology, I really appreciate it.