Background Generator for Mythic Greece

If you're stuck for an idea for your player character or an NPC, this background generator may provide a spark of illumination. Use these tables as directed, or ignore the dice rolls and choose whatever you want. All dice rolls are 3d6. No attempt was made to provide any kind of "realistic" probabilities; the GM is invited to change anything that does not suit him.

FATHER TABLE

03-04 An Olympian god:

3-4 Poseidon
5-8 Zeus
9-11 Apollo
12-14 Ares
15 Hephaestus
16-17 Dionysus
18 Hermes

Check to see how the god appeared to your mother on "Appears to Mother As:" table.

05-06 A non-Olympian god:

3-4 Boreas
5 Zephyrus
6 Eurus
7 Notus
8-10 Helios
11-12 Eros
13 Prometheus
14 Somnus
15-17 Pan
18 Triton

Check to see how the god appeared to your mother on "Father was a God" table.

07-16 A King or Prince (roll on Homelands table)
17-18 A Servant or Retainer (roll on Homelands table)

MOTHER TABLE

03-06 Goddess:

3-6 Aphrodite
7-10 Selene
11-14 Eos
15-18 a Muse (re-roll: 3-4 Calliope, 5 Urania, 6 Clio, 7-8 Euterpe,9-10 Thalia, 07-10 Melpomene, 12-13 Terpsichore, 14-16 Erato, 17-18 Polyhymnia) Note: re-roll if father is a god.
07-10 Nymph: 3-9 Wood Nymph, 10-16 Water Nymph, 17-18 Demigoddess (reroll for type of nymph, ignore 17-18 again)
11-12 Shepherdess or servant girl (roll on Homeland table)
13-18 Queen or Princess (roll for homeland)

FATHER WAS A GOD

Appeared to mother as:

03-06 Human form with divine attributes (clearly a god, but not the god's unbearably splendid true form)
07-10 Human male known to mother (spouse, lover, neighbor,etc.)
11-14 Human male unknown to mother (a foreigner, a real NPC, a Character's father, etc.)
15-18 Divine beast or magical manifestation (giant white bull, shower of gold, pounding surf, etc.)

MOTHER IS A MORTAL

Character's mother was:

03-05 Lawful spouse of Character's father (reroll if father was a god, unless the father's true identity was unknown to mother)
06-08 Had acknowledged, open affair with the father.
09-12 Casually seduced Character's father: 3-8 passing of the Character as one of her husband's child, 9-13 not disguising the Character's illegitemate origins, 14-18 exposing the Character at birth (see "Exposed at Birth" table).
13-15 Casually seduced by Character's father: 3-8 passing of the Character as one of her husband's child, 9-13 not disguising the Character's illegitemate origins, 14-18 exposing the Character at birth (see "Exposed at Birth" table)
16-18 Ravished by Character's father: 3-8 passing of the Character as her husband's child, 9-13 not disguising the Character's illegitemate origins, 14-18 exposing the Character at birth (see "Exposed at Birth" table)

Character EXPOSED AT BIRTH

Found and raised by:

03-06 Barren queen or princess
07-10 Merciful shepherd or servant girl
11-14 Nymph
15-17 She-wolf
18 No one; miraculously survived without aid.

MOTHER IS A NYMPH

03-06 Had lengthy affair with father (Character knows who father is).
07-10 Casually seduced by Character's father (Character has a few clues about father's identity).
11-14 Was casually seduced by Character's father (Character has a few clues about father's identity).
15-18 Was ravished by Character's father (Character has almost no clue to father's identity).

MOTHER IS A GODDESS

Casually seduced father in the form of:

03-06 A familiar person (spouse, neighbor, famous NPC, etc.).
07-10 A stranger (foreigner, noblewoman, shepherdhess, servant girl, huntress, etc.).
11-18 Herself, in human form, with divine attributes (not in her true, devastatingly awesome divine form).

Character was then raised by:

03-08 Character's father. Character has occasional contact with divine parent.
09-13 Mortal followers of the goddess (worshippers, priests, etc.). Character may not know mortal parent; divine parent will visit ccasionally.
14-18 Members of the goddes' retinue. Character has more contact with divine parent than mortal parent.

HOMELANDS

Hellas

03 ACHAEA: 3-10 Elis, 11-16 Thespiae, 17-18 Rural origins.
04 AETOLIA & Nearby Islands: 3-6 Calydon, 7-8 Leucas, 9-10 Ithaca, 11-12 Cephallania (Is), 13-14 Zacynthas (Is), 15-16 Acarnarnia (Is), 17-18 Corcyra (Is).
05 ARCADIA: rural background.
06-07 ARGOLIS: 3 Corinth, 4-5 Mycenae, 6-7 Tiryns, 8-9 Argos, 10 Stymphalos, 11 Nemea, 12 Midea, 13 Troezen, 14 Lerna, 15 Aegina (Is), 16 Phythia, 17 Hydraea, 18 Ephyra
08 ATTICA and Associated Cities: 3-10 Athens, 11-14 Eleusis, 15 Laurium, 16 Megara, 17 Pagae, 18 Phalerum
09 BOEOTIA: 3-8 Thebes, 9 Delphi, 10-14 Orchomenos, 15 Trachis, 16 Salamis, 17 Gla, 18 Rural origins
10 CYCLADES ISLANDS: 3 Andros or Tenos, 4 Ceos, 5 Myconos, 6 Delos, 7 Seriphos, 8 Siphnos, 9 Paros or Naxos, 10 Ios, 11 Amorgos, 12 Anaphe, 13 Astypylae, 14 Patmos, 15 Lebinthos, 16 Leros, 17 Cos, 18 Nisyros or Telos
11 EPIRUS: 03-06 Dodona, 07-18 Rural upbringing
12 EUBOEA: 3-6 Aegeae, 7-10 Sciathos (Is), 11-14 Preparethos (Is), 15-18 Icos (Is)
13 LACONIA & Southern Peloponessus: 3-8 Sparta, 9-12 Pylos, 13-15 Messenia, 16-17 Cythera (Is), 18 Helos (Is).
14 MACEDONIA: 3-6 Phlegra, 7-18 Rural upbringing
15 THESSALY: 3-12 Lapthae, 13-16 Iolcos, 17-18 Pherae
16-17 SPORADES ISLANDS: 3-5 Rhodes, 6-7 Scyros, 8-9 Samos, 10 Thasos, 11-12 Samothrace, 13-14 Lemnos, 15-16 Chios, 17 Icaria, 18 Imbros
18 REGIONS OF ACHAEAN INFLUENCE: 3-6 Pallantium (in Hesperia), 7-10 Sardinia, 11-14 Phaecia (Is), 15-18 Thrinacia (Is)

NON-ACHAEAN CULTURES

03-08 MINOAN: 3-6 Crete (Is), 7-10 Kalliste (Is), 11-14 Melos (Is), 15-18 Lycia (Is)
09-10 EGYPTIAN: Egypt
11-12 AMAZON: 3-8 Amazonia, 9-13 Hespera, 14-18 Saurmatia
13 EASTERN EUROPEAN TRIBES: 3-5 Scythia, 6-8 Tauris, 9-11 Thrace, 12-14 Slavs (Northern Wilderness), 15-18 Dorians (Northern Wilderness)
14 WESTERN EUROPEAN TRIBES: 3-6 Gaul, 7-10 Tartessus, 11-14 Albion, 15-18 Laurentium (Hesperia)
15 AFRICAN/MIDDLE EASTERN TRIBES: 3-8 Libya, 9-13 Arabia, 14-18 Ethiopia
16 PHOENICIA: 3-6 Carthage, 7-10 Gades, 11-14 Cyprus (Is), 15-18 Phoenicia
17 ASIA: 3-4 Troy (Ilium), 5-6 Dardania, 7-8 Lydia, 9-10 Lesbos (Is), 11-12 Mysia, 13-14 Caria, 15-16 Hittite Empire, 17-18 Phrygia
18 OTHER NATIONS: 3-12 Colchis, 13-17 Etruria (Hesperia), 18 Pharos (Is)

FANTASY HERO (tm) ARCHETYPES FOR ACHAEAN CHARACTERS

In my opinion, the following 2nd Edition FANTASY HERO (tm) archetypes fit the milieu of a typical Mythic Greece campaign with few modifications: Fighter, Swashbuckler, Knight, Leader, Duelist, Ranger, Scoundrel, Burglar, Sailor. Be sure to get your GM's permission before using these.

ARCHETYPES FOR NON-ACHAEAN CHARACTERS

As a general guide to those who wish to play characters from other lands, or who wish to open up the entire Mediterranean as a campaign background, the following Package Deals seem to be appropriate for the following cultures. The Package deals listed after the (FH) are found in the FANTASY HERO (tm) 2nd Edition rules.

MINOAN: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero, Amazon. Water Nymph, Wood Nymph, Satyr/Silenus, Sorceror; (FH) Fighter, Knight, Duelist, Wandering Priest, Village Priest, Monk, Witch/Druid, Scoundrel, Cutpurse, Burglar, Sage, and Sailor.

EGYPTIAN: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero;(FH) Fighter, Knight, Duelist, Wandering Priest, Village Priest, Monk, Scoundrel, Cutpurse, Burglar, Sage, Adventuring Wizard, Wizard for Hire, Adept, Apprentice, and Sailor.

AMAZON: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero, Amazon, Wood Nymph, Water Nymph, Centaur; (FH) Leader, Barbarian, Ranger, Witch/Druid, Witchdoctor.

ALL EUROPEAN BARBARIAN TRIBES: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero, Amazon, Wood Nymph, Water Nymph; (FH) Barbarian, Ranger, Witch/Druid, Witch Doctor, Wild Man.

AFRICAN TRIBES: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero; (FH) Barbarian, Barbarian Priest, Ranger, Leader, Wild Man.

ASIAN: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero; (FH) Fighter, Knight, Duelist, Wandering Priest, Village Priest, Scoundrel, Cutpurse, Burglar, Sage, Adventuring Wizard, Wizard for Hire, Adept, Apprentice, and Sailor.

PHOENICIAN: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero; (FH) Fighter, Knight, Duelist, Wandering Priest, Village Priest, Monk, Scoundrel, Cutpurse, Burglar, Sage, Adventuring Wizard, Wizard for Hire, Adept, Apprentice, and Sailor.

LATINIUM (HESPERIA): Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero; (FH) Fighter, Leader, Duelist, Ranger, Witch/Druid, Village Priest, Wandering Priest, Bard, Wild Man.

INDEPENDANT CIVILIZED NATIONS: Demigod, Greater Hero, Lesser Hero; (FH) virtually any package, subject to GM's approval.

by Guy Hoyle

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