Having avoided another couple of difficult themes by boring you all with basically diary updates of game sessions, I’m back with the #RPGaDAY2019.

So let’s jump straight in with today’s theme of…

This theme seems on the surface a softball. But that’s misleading. This is the #RPGaDAY2019 theme version of an iceberg.

For me this theme is synonymous with my first and current homebrew campaign.

I think as a DM and creating your own campaign it helps to generate ideas from as many sources as possible.

For instance my In the wake of Pytheas campaign has a big clue in a major influence for ideas I will be using in the campaign. Despite being a D&D Forgotten Realms campaign, I will be using not just ideas from the said Pytheas and his journeys. But also from other Greek mythology such as Jason and the Argonauts, Theseus and the Minotaur, and the epic poem Odyssey. Add in some fantasy inspired films like Clash of the Titans, the 1970’s and 80’s Sinbad movies.

But my misspent youth sat in front of a tv watching whatever tv series and movies I was deemed worthy to watch by the three tv channel gatekeepers, and later during the home video explosion. Is now paying off! Just not financially.

Other ideas I want to use inspired by movies I watched growing up that would fit in nicely with this nautical island hoping theme are Warlords of Atlantis (actually saw this at the cinema, and yes I’m that old), The Island at the Top of the World. More modern films such as Jurassic Park has also sparked an idea for an island. Although I spent the last post in this #RPGaDAY2019 criticising Lost, the theme is great for using in this campaign. The semi recent Kong Skull Island is also a great source of ideas. As is Wonder Woman. I like using the premise of Waterworld, if not the idea of having a floating humanoid/magic created floating island.

Krull is a movie from my teenage years which I’m definitely taking the plot from. It’s a variation of the Clash of the Titans plot. Taking the plots of films outside the fantasy genre is also a great idea. The Magnificent Seven, The Dirty Dozen/Inglorious Bastards, Kelly’s Heroes, great movies, great plots that can be transplanted into a campaign. Or keeping with the nautical ship based idea for the campaign The Poseidon Adventure and it’s sequel would make a great adventure.

I enjoy playing Magic the Gathering and I’ve also taken ideas from there. Especially the Ixalan block. Ixalan is an island that has dinosaurs, merfolk, pirates and vampires. And is a great rich source of ideas to also use. In fact I’m using a couple of Planeswalkers from these as antagonists for the campaign on the pirate side.

Treasure Island and Kidnapped are the main sources of ideas for me on the pirate front and the news about modern pirates.

From comics I like the idea of Ka-zar and the Savage Land. Which kind of crosses over with the Jurassic Park and Ixalan stuff. But there is plenty from there plot wise I can borrow.

I could also use other mythology other than Greek. For instance Arthurian Legend and the sword in the stone, Beowulf, Norse mythology, even Roman.

So as you can see by exploiting my wasted misspent youth, I have more than enough ideas to run a very very long campaign. And that’s without even touching any of the many source materials for D&D both official and unofficial.

The ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere. By breaking out of your comfort zone and usual media and genres you can find a rich vein of ideas for campaigns.