Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Random Campaign Idea: Space Vikings

Thinking about Star Frontiers, Icelandic Sagas, and Space Cowboys recently congealed into an idea--

A SF campaign set (at first) on an outpost colony which is settled in a pattern roughly similar to that of Medieval Iceland in the Sagas.  Lots of scattered settlements in inhospitable but not uninhabitable terrain.  Semi-democratic government, in which each settlement has a leader who is pretty much king on his land, but with regional judge/priests who settle local disputes, and all landholders gather periodically (or conference by computer, since this is the future) to settle important matters.

Contact with the Frontier proper would be irregular and infrequent, and what few ships there are on the planet would be mostly engaged in some piracy in addition to commerce. 

I kinda like the feel of the setting idea, but players may balk.  Especially if they learn that certain items of equipment/weaponry/ammunition may not always be available due to the lack of regular contact with the more civilized worlds.  But it would give lots of opportunity for adventures.  Disputes and feuds between landholders, raiders from other worlds, raiding other worlds, exploring the hostile planet, etc.

6 comments:

  1. Two words: "Space Wolves". Check 'em out - should be good inspiration.

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  2. Space AND vikings? What could be better!?!

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  3. I have a lot of love for the H. Beam Piper book. Piracy, carnage and social philosophy all rolled into one cool little novel.

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  4. Take a look at the Fading Sun's setting. One of the many human "civilisations" in is an entire culture based on that very premise

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  5. Take a look at the Sword World'ers from the Original Traveller "Spinward Marches" setting.

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