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Playing in Norsca

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 2:30 am
by Knight of the Lady
Slightly suicidal and somewhat mad, I've launched a project to my group to GM a campaign set i Norsca for 4e. I've gotten hold of the Norscan supplements from Jackdays wonderful site for some base material and I'm feeling ready to do this, including the vast ammount of conversion to 4e.

But before I get going with the details I decided to check here, and perhaps open an interesting discussion on the subject, on tips for playing in this region which will naturally be different in many ways from both Bretonnia and the Empire where the group has played before.

In regards to Chaos I was thinking of making them play relatively Chaos-free Norscans as in not having to convert all that stuff necessary for playing Chaos followers in addition to the Norscan stuff.

Re: Playing in Norsca

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:57 am
by Orin J.
i'd think the major differences are that norsca has little farming compared to the empire and bretonnia (they're fishers/whalers in addition to raiding as i understood it) and their beliefs are a tribal thing, so two tribes might worship entirely different pantheons of gods even though they're like a day or two away, or even some of the same gods but in wildly different trappings ("the deerlord" and the "old man forest" could be two different faces of Taalite worship for example).

so what i mean to say is that the day to day matters would revolve more around probably spending long times off hunting (or moving large parts of the tribe for hunts) with shortish off-seasons of finding something to do rather than long periods of hard farming one area with short selling seasons away from home, and that angering the gods, even your own, would be a lot easier by offending the local tribe and their traditions.

i'm sure that jack guy covers this, but that's just my view.

Re: Playing in Norsca

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:15 am
by Rangdo
It could be worse. You could've agreed to GM a Zweihänder campaign in the Kingdoms of Ind...

Re: Playing in Norsca

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 1:49 am
by Knight of the Lady
Orin J. wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:57 am i'd think the major differences are that norsca has little farming compared to the empire and bretonnia (they're fishers/whalers in addition to raiding as i understood it) and their beliefs are a tribal thing, so two tribes might worship entirely different pantheons of gods even though they're like a day or two away, or even some of the same gods but in wildly different trappings ("the deerlord" and the "old man forest" could be two different faces of Taalite worship for example).

so what i mean to say is that the day to day matters would revolve more around probably spending long times off hunting (or moving large parts of the tribe for hunts) with shortish off-seasons of finding something to do rather than long periods of hard farming one area with short selling seasons away from home, and that angering the gods, even your own, would be a lot easier by offending the local tribe and their traditions.

i'm sure that jack guy covers this, but that's just my view.
Food for thought, as I think they say and I agree with you. Still it will be interesting to run something in an enviroment which is very different from the standard places in the Old World.
Rangdo wrote: Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:15 am It could be worse. You could've agreed to GM a Zweihänder campaign in the Kingdoms of Ind...
So much is true. ;)

Re: Playing in Norsca

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 12:26 pm
by Jackdays
Always interested to talk about Norsca. And If I finally could finish new version about the region sourcebook I have, probably should do some additional WFRP4 rules there too. I have just waited little if Cubicle would eventually get to some Chaos sourcebook.

Official Norsca seem pretty much just Chaos. Norse view about Gods is just little different and their pantheon more open. Personally I like more idea about non-chaos Norse too (and even official material have featured Northmen living/adventuring in the Empire since WFRP1). But, after that - Norse culture (read Vikings) gives interesting possibilities. Do you want to play survival adventures in the Norsca? Or explorers/merchants in the high seas and far-away lands? Raiders and slavers (not just against the Empire)? Mercenaries/adventurers on other countries ? Politics, tribal problems, and even Gods can always cause wars inside Norsca. Also, any Viking related series or stories should give interesting possibilities for ideas (when you add also all types of nasty monsters, Chaos warrios...etc.).

Re: Playing in Norsca

Posted: Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:50 am
by habdankm
Jackdays: Thanks for the link to the awesome material (www.kalevalahammer.com). For me a combination of Norsmens and dwarfs is amazing. I've already mixed Thorgal stories to my games, but this will be even more gloomy ;-) I'll probably use Khorne vs Urlic as a nice element of "old vs new" dilemma (lol - like usa millennials ;-). Also, harsh conditions: freezing cold winter, starvation, being a slave will fit well to my deadly warhammer stories.