A Bit of History
The Paleolithic is divided into three phases. The lower Paleolithic begins when early hominids began using stone tools. The date for this keeps getting pushed back as new evidence of earlier tool use is found. Figure around two and half million years ago. The middle Paleolithic features advance in tool use, the appearance of Homo sapiens neanderthalis, the appearance of modern humans, and the development of complex culture (around 300,000 to 30,000 years ago). The most recent phase of the Paleolithic era was the Upper Paleolithic, which saw the disappearance of all hominid species save H. sapiens sapiens, the development of art, and lifeways that are easily recognizable to most modern humans.
The Upper Paleolithic offers the most material for gaming. The climate is different from today, the late Pleistocene being generally colder and drier. Great sheets of ice cover large amounts of territory around the poles and at higher elevations. Mammoths, cave bears, hyenas, lions, and other creatures from the Age of Mammals are still around (one theory is that the combination of predation by humans and climate change wiped out the mega fauna).
Living La Vida Paleolithic
Paleolithic man lived a very different life than what we are used to in a modern 21st century society. At least I assume that if you are reading this you are not a member of one of the few hunter-gatherer cultures left in the world. If so, you can skip this section and go on to the campaign seed below. Researchers and informants amongst the few surviving cultures have taught us a great deal about hunter-gather lifeways. First, let's just get rid of the old myths about "cavemen" and paleoman being less intelligent. Few people actually lived in caves, as these sites are not prime habitations (they are great at preserving artifacts, hence the emphasis). Most peoples lived in semi-permanent shelters made of natural materials. These have left ample evidence in the form of postholes and rain lines. As far as intelligence, beyond measurements of skull capacity and cerebral pathways, prehistoric humans survived in a complex and changing environment. If the humans of the past were less intelligent, they would have died out when the climate shifted at the end of the Pleistocene. Instead, they invented new tools, domesticated wild animals and plants, and learned to build complex societies.
Why, you may ask, didn't anyone think of these useful things before climate change forced them to? The simple answer is, why would they? Hunter-gather cultures spend, on average, four hours a day working to provide for their needs. Again, four hours a day, as opposed to the eight to ten most of us experience. The rest of the time, they engaged in a variety of entertaining activities. Decorating tools, clothes and other items was very common. Storytelling, religious observations, gaming (usually word or dice games), gossiping, and practicing important skills rounded out the day. Well, these activities and sex. Some researchers have theorized that hunter-gatherers engaged in sexual activity at an unparalleled level. This is especially true in environments with large amounts of resources. In poorer resource areas, a variety of sexual taboos developed to limit the amount of children born.
Unsurprisingly, Paleolithic technology is based around the creation and use of stone tools (paleo meaning old, lithic meaning tools). All adults would be skilled in the creation of simple tools, while those who need to produce specialized tools for their crafts could also make their own. As is often the case, a person may become exceptionally skilled at the crafting of specific items. Such a person's products would be in high demand. Other tools and items were made from wood, bone, and plant fibers.
Society would be based around small, closely linked groups. These groups would contain one or more related families. Several small bands might gather together into larger clans. These gatherings would occur for seasonal activities that benefitted from larger numbers. Mass hunts during animal migrations, major seed or nut harvests, or fish spawning. Such annual gatherings would provide opportunities for trade and the exchange of information (and "genetic material").
As mentioned earlier, the major economic activity was hunting and gathering. There are several misconceptions about this activity. The relative roles of hunting versus gathering have been hotly debated in academic circles. Earlier theories and popular culture placed emphasis on the hunting aspect, whereas more recent research has shown that hunting played second fiddle to gathering. In other words, the major caloric intake of hunter-gathers came from collected plants and animals. Hunting large game was an important activity, but one that was fraught with danger and disappointment. Large game animals were valuable not just for their meat, but also for their hides, bones, and tasty internal organs.
Social organization tended to follow kinship lines. Hierarchal stratifications were absent or poorly defined. One person in a band often did not possess material goods or access to resources that differed much from others. From known hunter-gatherer cultures, it can be inferred that authority tended to rest in elders. Gender divisions were also less distinct in the Paleolithic then they are in later eras. This applies equally well to concepts of sexuality and ethnicity. There is little to no data concerning Paleolithic approaches to sexuality, and extant analogous societies have shown a striking range in definition of sexuality and gender (some even having three or more defined genders).
With humanity scattered across the landscape in loose, nomadic to semi-nomadic bands, the concept of ethnicity (and by extension race) would be poorly developed if it existed at all. Outsiders not connected by strong bonds of blood or other relationship would be viewed with suspicion. This would be true even if the outsiders spoke the same language, shared cultural traits, and came from the same genetic stock. Strangers are strangers, and thus dangerous intruders and competitors. That's enough anthro-speak for one column, next month we will look at technology, religion, mindset, and how to integrate this into an RPG campaign. Now, on to the campaign seed!
The First Heroes
Your people have always feared the night. Predators abound, be they wolves, cave lions, or hyenas. Some folks have gotten lost in the darkness, and stumbled off cliffs or into bogs. It is far better to gather around the campfires and share stories with your friends and family. Now something else lurks beneath the trees and prowls across the steppe. Something unafraid of the firelight, nor wary of humans. Something that feeds on your people, snatching them from the edges of the camp, and carrying them screaming into the night.
The First Heroes is a prehistoric action horror setting. Imagine facing the horrors of the night armed not with chainsaws and shotguns, but stone tipped spears and warclubs. How do you take down a werewolf when the very idea of metal, much less silver, is thousands of years in the future? For this campaign, the PCs should be Average Joes (though Average Joes with weapon and survival skills). If you want to give the party an edge, let one be a young shaman with some limited magical abilities. Of course if shamanic magic works for the party, than evil shamans should definitely be entered into play.
Monsters should be classic types, were creatures, vampires, corrupt shamans, and evil spirits. Undead as well as some of the more fantastic baddies should be avoided. This isn't fearless monster stomping, it's more of a battle of wits against a supernaturally powerful foe. The occasional aged elder might have some ancient lore rattling around in her head (she lives as a crazy old hermit out beyond the Black Marshes). Mostly, the PCs are discovering how to combat these monsters as they go. In truth, they are the First, and all others will follow in their footsteps.
We'll be continuing our look at the upper Paleolithic next month, and following that with the Neolithic Revolution (agriculture, hierarchy, and megalithic architecture, oh my)! In the meantime, I would like to hear from my readers. What eras of history, tools for using history in gaming, or setting ideas would they like to hear about? Drop a message in the thread for this article, and I'll see what I can work in. Until next month, enjoy this first bit of pre-history.
