So I am planning some stuff for a new ancient rome campaign and Alexandria will play a big role. I am considering throwing in mummies as a major threat, but am concerned this may be too modern of a monster for my player's sensibilities and disrupt the setting for them. On the other hand, taking the undead mummy idea and applying it to Roman egypt could be lots of fun. Ay thoughts? About 80% sure it will go over well.

That's really Mummies in Ancient Egypt, isn't it?

I don't see where's the problem. Remember about the grave of Alexander the Great in Alexandria - perhaps he is not quite too happy about his generals' division of his empire and (quite likely) assassination of his son?

Quote from: Rincewind1;522702That's really Mummies in Ancient Egypt, isn't it?

Well, the threat would go beyond the province of Egypt.

QuoteI don't see where's the problem. Remember about the grave of Alexander the Great in Alexandria - perhaps he is not quite too happy about his generals' division of his empire and (quite likely) assassination of his son?

i was thinking of bringing back more recently deceased leaders like Mark Antony. But yes this is the idea I was going for.

I think it's a great idea. But I love genre mashups in the first place. Mummies in Rome is actually quite fitting, though, if you ask me. You could play up the Roman perspective--those creepy Egyptians and their decadent, foreign practices.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;522703i was thinking of bringing back more recently deceased leaders like Mark Antony. But yes this is the idea I was going for.

Oh man, I really like that.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;522703Well, the threat would go beyond the province of Egypt.



i was thinking of bringing back more recently deceased leaders like Mark Antony. But yes this is the idea I was going for.

How magical is the setting? An idea of Mark Anthony trying to raise all the mummies of Egypt as an army to which he'd try to lay ruin to Rome comes to my mind .

A mix between zombie apocalypse, good vs evil and politics.

Quote from: Rincewind1;522708How magical is the setting? An idea of Mark Anthony trying to raise all the mummies of Egypt as an army to which he'd try to lay ruin to Rome comes to my mind .

A mix between zombie apocalypse, good vs evil and politics.

Magic is feasible but not mear D&D levels. I am hoping to keep it at the major threat level, rather than go completely for the rome ending scenario. So Egypt being threatened as a possible consequence would work.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;522700So I am planning some stuff for a new ancient rome campaign and Alexandria will play a big role. I am considering throwing in mummies as a major threat, but am concerned this may be too modern of a monster for my player's sensibilities and disrupt the setting for them. On the other hand, taking the undead mummy idea and applying it to Roman egypt could be lots of fun. Ay thoughts? About 80% sure it will go over well.

Not a problem.  At all.  Not even a little bit.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;522710Magic is feasible but not mear D&D levels. I am hoping to keep it at the major threat level, rather than go completely for the rome ending scenario. So Egypt being threatened as a possible consequence would work.

So what's your plan then? Undead army, or perhaps a lone undead Mark Anthony performing revenge assassinations against his "former" enemies?

One'd place the characters as probably soldiers/refugees from the conflict, the other - investigation scenario.

And of course - the mummy army can be stopped. I was using Zombie Apocalypse rather metaphorically - as in, a mood quite similar to World War Z.

Quote from: Rincewind1;522713So what's your plan then? Undead army, or perhaps a lone undead Mark Anthony performing revenge assassinations against his "former" enemies?

One'd place the characters as probably soldiers/refugees from the conflict, the other - investigation scenario.

And of course - the mummy army can be stopped. I was using Zombie Apocalypse rather metaphorically - as in, a mood quite similar to World War Z.

I dont have a plan yet, still in the initial brainstorming phase. I want the mummies to be the center of a mystery. So this will be part of an investigation of unrest in Egypt.

Quote from: BedrockBrendan;522717I dont have a plan yet, still in the initial brainstorming phase. I want the mummies to be the center of a mystery. So this will be part of an investigation of unrest in Egypt.

I'd suggest the assassination angle - as time progress, more and more gruesome murder victims are found - yet nobody can tell what sort of a terrible weapon could tear a man to pieces like that - as if someone was a sheet of papyrus. First it's just the patricians, then, as the ranks of mummies swell (if they will - or even if they won't. Mark Anthony might just grow more bloodlusty), plebs starts to be found murdered. More and more rumours circulate, and few witnesses are found, occasionally - usually slaves, beggars or children, so not too reliable.

As more and more people are found dead, seemingly randomly, the people begin to scream for protection more and more, threatening a full - blown riots, if something isn't done.

In the time of Caligula, Marc Antony's remains are brought back from Egypt to be re-patriated and given a state burial. Cleopatra comes along with him and her unquiet spirit wants revenge on the Roman people.

In Rome, don't forget about those Etruscans, they had quite extensive burial rites and rituals with houses of the dead requently laid out in a type of Necropolis.  Not as classic as Egyptian mummies maybe, but can throw in a different type of ancient undead.

I think that mummies and Romans are a pretty good combination; again as some have said emphasizing the mistrust romans had for "decadent eastern ways" on the one hand, and sorcery (especially necromancy) on the other.

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