RQ Rome

CruelDespot

Mongoose
I'm working on a long-term RQII game set in a mythical version of Republican Rome circa 300-250ish BC.

If anyone else has already invested effort into creating cults for ancient Greek, Celtic, or other pertinent cultures, I would greatly appreciate being able to use it. Otherwise, I have a lot of cults to create.

Here is my first hack at the most important cult for my game. Any critique is appreciated:

ROMAN STATE RELIGION

Runes: Fate, Law, Man

Ranks: Common Member (must be a Roman subject), Pious Member (must be a Roman citizen), Fervent Member (Augur, Sacris Faciundis, Epulone or Vestal Virgin), High Priest (Pontifex).

Skills:
Athletics, Commerce, Culture (Rome), Divination (Augury, available to Augurs only, works as per BRP Rome Int x2), Lore (Rome), Oratory, Persistence, Spear and Shield, Sword and Shield.

Common Magic:
Bearing Witness, Bladesharp, Countermagic, Demorilise, Extinguish, Fate, Golden tongue, Heal, Parry, Mason’s Boon, Pierce, Protection, Second Sight, Speedart, Spirit Bane, Strength, Vigour.

Divine Magic:
Bless crops, Blessing, Dismiss Magic, Excommunicate (Pontifex only), True Gladius.

Myths:
The Aeneid, resonance: 40%. Myth-Enforced Behavior: One must accept the workings of the gods; Tue Romans exhibit pietas- duty to the Gods, homeland, followers, and family.

The story of Romulus and Remus: resonance 75%. Myth-Enforced Behavior: Responsibility for the community should be placed above one’s own family; It is wise to compromise with foes, as Romulus compromised with the Sabines; Foreigners must never forcibly enter Rome (“so perish every one that shall hereafter leap over my wall.’); Patricians are the fathers of Rome.
 
The Aeneid wouldn't be an appropriate myth for 300BC. It's more about the reason why Tota Italia was the destiny of Rome under Augustus rather than just being a city state. I'm not sure to what extent the tale of Aeneas was a popular myth in the pre-Punic War era (my era is later Republican Rome). I suspect it wasn't.

I'd suggest the Expulsion of Tarquin in addition to the founding - myth behaviors could be pride is sinful, rule of one man is an affront to the gods, justice is essential.

You've also got a LOT of common magic there, but I'm glad you've chosen the Pantheon route. I'd make some common magic spells only available if the magic-user has a particular patron god. But YSPQRMV.
 
BRP is a nice piece of work, even jst for the reading sake. I've used the information a bit for my own game but I find it's actually good just for a read.
 
Mongoose Pete said:
CruelDespot said:
But how many RQII cults does it have stats for? I'll give you a hint: it's a round number...
Well there is a very good reason for that. :wink:

Yes, and being winked at by the genius who wrote both BRP Rome and RQII just makes the lack of Roman cults more aggravating.

...Unless the "very good reason" is some forthcoming RQII supplement of historical cults...

A RQII "Deities and Demigods" so to speak?
 
CruelDespot said:
Yes, and being winked at by the genius who wrote both BRP Rome and RQII just makes the lack of Roman cults more aggravating.

...Unless the "very good reason" is some forthcoming RQII supplement of historical cults...
I'm afraid not, although that sounds like fun.

No the reason there are no RQII cults in BRP Rome was that I wrote it as a BRP supplement for Chaosium. I actually finished and submitted in April 2008, then it vanished into limbo for close to a year before Paolo approached me about publishing it via Alephtar.

Loz and I didn't even start thinking about the design of RQII until about the same time I got my hands on the first printed copy of Rome. So its a bit of a chicken before egg situation. :)
 
I did it as a kind of make it as you go. At the moment I only have two fully designed that I made from scratch; The Cult of Mercury and Pictish/Celtic Druidism.
 
Mithras said:
Call your Roman State Religion, 'The Imperial Cult', it has a better ring to it!

Its what I do!
Not particularly appropriate for the middle republic, though.

I'd probably call it something like Mos Maiorum - the Way of our Ancestors.
 
BTW, love your games - I've wanted to play Zenobia for a while. If only I could get my old ancient history buddies back together.
 
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