Using pre-Columbian South American cultures for campaign background

[whydirt]

I'm thinking about trying something a little bit different for my next game and was considering using South American Indian cultures like the Mayans, Incas, and Oltecs as the starting point for my setting.

I'm planning on doing some research online and at my local library (I haven't studied these cultures much since elementary school), but I'd love to hear about good resources on the subject.

I know that Empire of the Petal Throne borrows a lot from these cultures, but are there other gaming-specific resources that deal with this topic? I also somewhat remember Maztica, but the name sounds like it's likely based more on the Aztecs than the other groups.

 

[Simulated Sanity]

Rad. I am all for anything that diverges from the norm. I have a Mesoamerican setting in stagnant development myself... well, a sorta Mesoamerican Renaissance mix. Venice meets Tenochtitlan. Anyway, the Mesoamerican and Pre-Columbian categories of Wikipedia are helpful. I'm not familiar with any game-related resources, though.

Good luck.

 

[Piratecat]

Fusangite's Gamma World game at GenCon was based on Aztec myth; it's worth talking to him about!

 

[Quickleaf]

Good luck with this! I know I saw a Mayan/Aztec-based adventure at the WotC site.

I am continually impressed by Fusangite's breadth and depth of cultural mythological knowledge!

 

[Klaus]

Nitpicking, since I'm South American:

Mayans were Mesoamericans (i.e. from Central America).

Incans were South Americans (their empire was between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean)

Olmecs are from Mystara. The Oltecs were a culture from ancient Mexico (also Mesoamericans).

If you're researching South American cultures, search for the Tupi, Guarani, Tupinamba, Xingu. This Wiki entry is mostly accurate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_in_Brazil

I am myself toying with the idea of creating a mini-setting that mimics a fantasy version of the 1500s Brazil.

 

[whydirt]

Oops! Sorry for my mistakes - I wasn't using any reference when writing my post and my memory is a bit rusty.

Klaus, as an artist yourself, do you have any good online resources for South American art. Heck, I'd love to see some of the DnD Iconics done in such a style if you're ever up for such a challenge.

 

[Sledge]

Klaus, if you do the setting I'd buy it.

 

[dvvega]

My campaign world is based on a Mayan background. It picks up when the Mayans "disappeared" from Earth to escape a disaster and landed on another planet (in another universe who knows).

I've done research into the astrology, calendar, myths, and so forth to form the basis of my world and its mythology. Of course it is beyond the standard stuff you find in books and the 'net' but it resonates with the Mayan culture.

I'd be happy to share some info if you would like.

 

[Nyaricus]

From Stone to Steel is a great resource on weapons and armour (with the Jaguar Knight and Eagle Warrior PrC's) which would greatly help this campaign's armoury - not to mention anything from the Stone Age to the Renaissance . Pick it up, in pdf or print, adn you won't be dissapointed.

I'm not affiliated with the book, I am just a fanboi of it