Post/Author/DateTime	Post
yeti1069 07-12-07, 05:04 PM	I've been throwing ideas for a new campaign setting around for a while now, asking friends to lend some input, but they've generally not been very helpful (too lazy to read/post anything). Therefore, I come to the wonderful folks here at Mortality. So far, I've got very little by way of solid foundation for everything...it's all still very mutable right now. Anyway, here are some of my ideas. (I'm terrible with naming, so all names are subject to change, and some of the descriptions are already in contradiction to ideas I've developed afterwards, but they mostly hold true, so I left them in). Margonis is a flat world. Viewed top-down (that is looking from space down at the landmass) it appears roughly squarish. From the side, it's somewhat flat on top, but jagged with the usual mountains and oceans and such, and tapers going down, like a wedge. But before it would form a point, there is a bulge, almost spherical. Margonis was once piece of a larger world, and broke off at some time in the distant past, and has been spinning through the cosmos ever since. I have yet to figure out how this happened, or if it is even important. The world of Margonis is mostly water, and has three known continents: Amnside to the east, Umbergaard (Greyland in dwarven) to the west, and Gran'ooldin to the south. The three major bodies of water are: The Falmagaer (wavy-sea in elven), which separates Amnside and Umbergaard; Mirrorsea, which lies in the southeast separating Amnside from Gran'ooldin, and L'alpang'niaous or The Edgefalls in The West (I want to switch these perhaps). Margonis is flat, and edged. The northern edge of the world becomes icy and, as far as the northern-most explorations have been able to tell, becomes a solid sheet of ice until it meets the sky. This ice-flow and sheet are known as Arkisdoom (Deathfrost in dwarven) The eastern edge drops off in the form of stepped waterfalls and pools of warm, golden waters known as the Laurielanthir (Golden Waterfalls in elven). Pilgrimages to Laurielanthir are common, for the golden waters are said to prolong life and cure illness . The continent of Gran'ooldin goes right up to the southern edge of the world, and it is rumored that there may be a gateway to another world somewhere along this edge, though there is no record of any success in finding one. No one knows what lies to the west, for the land and sea there are covered in a perpetual fog, too thick too navigate by land or sea. Some believe this may be the way to the land of the gods, while others speculate it may be to the land of the dead. None truly know. Amnside (pronounced Awin'shee'theh) represents the largest of the 3 continents having roughly the shape of the Eurasian landmass in our own world, though instead of Africa, there is a long spur of land that stretches from roughly where Italy would be, south nearly to the southern edge of the world. The land is unbroken, and forms the rim of the Mirrorsea, so named for its waveless, glassy waters. This spur of land is called the Southern Scythe for its shape. Much of Amnside is covered by temperate grasslands and forests, with lakes and small seas dotting the land. Mountain ranges criss-cross the land, making extensive overland travel somewhat difficult, but not impossible. The dense forests at the western end of Amnside are the birthplace of the elves, some tens of thousands of years ago. To this day, this area is settled primarily by elves, and is home to the grandest of the elven cities, Erinbar (Forest-home in elven). The city of Erinbar is the most beautiful in all of Margonis, though few non-elves have ever been permitted to lay eyes on its magnificent white towers or to sip the fine couvassenny (elvish wine made from both white and red grapes, blueberries, and several other fruits). The weather near Erinbar is always nearly ideal for the time of year, with 4 distinct seasons; when it rains it is neither cold nor windy, when it snows it always falls light and fluffy--never sleet, it is cool in the fall and never too hot in the summer. Erinbar is a center for learning, the arts, and especially the arcane arts. High and grey elves make up the majority of the population, though some wood and wild elves can be found within the city's magical walls. These later serve mainly as scouts, druids and rangers, with the occasional fighter, as the defense force of the city. More common, though, are high or grey elf wizards and druids, though there are some rogues and a rare sorcerer here and there. Strong magics both hide and protect the city from non-elves and drow. Any non-elf not given a special token of permission to enter the city must succeed on two DC 30 Will checks--the first to disbelieve the power illusions hiding the city, and the second to resist mind-wiping enchantment in the area. Any who fail the first save cannot walk towards the city, instead walking around it, though they are entirely unaware that they are doing so, and cannot be told otherwise for 1 day/point by which they failed their save. If the first save is failed by 5 or more this is instead 1 month/point failed. A remove enchantment spell may remove this effect if the caster succeeds on a caster level check against DC 35. If failed by 10 or more 1 year/point failed, and if failed by 15 or more, a creature may never approach Erinbar during their lifetime. Only a Wish or Miracle spell may remove these effects, and for the life-long duration, only if the caster succeeds on a caster level check against DC 35. Any who pass the first save, but fail the second suffer permanent memory loss or one week for each point by which they failed the save, and fall into a catatonic state if they lose more than 2 month's worth of memory. A Restoration spell can wake someone from the catatonia, but only a Wish or Miracle spell can restore a person's memory lost in this way. Umbergaard is the second most populated of the three known continents of The Edge'd World, though it is relatively unexplored. It stretched far to both the north and south, becoming a cold barren land of mountains and ice to the north and a vast desert in the south surrounded by high cliffs. The land between is temperate--mostly plains and rolling highlands with the one great river, The Kill Sidabras (Silver River), which divides the middle-lands in half east to west. The dwarves are believed to have originated from somewhere in the Ferrumrym (or Iron Mountains), though none are certain if this is the case. While dwarves, like elves, revere their ancestors, dwarves tend to pay more heed to great deeds and feats of valor, strength or endurance (often embellishing) rather than to strict histories and works of art. Most dwarves continue to live within the Ferrumrym, cleaving great cities out of the very stone, the most magnificent of which is Mauglemir, carved out under the mountain of Ygthros. Mauglemir, Under Ygthros, has been the center of a loosely connected-dwarven kingdom for many centuries, and has been the center of industry and trade in the West. The city consists of many miles of individual high-vaulted halls, most of which have shafts drilled through the stone ceilings to permit sunlight in, while others are pitch dark, or illuminated at times with thousands of burning torches, candles or by pits that drop away to the fiery depths of the earth. Most of the cavernous chambers are hewn from the solid, grey rock of the mountains, with tremendous thick pillars supporting the distant domed ceilings. The living halls all have apartments carved into facing walls, that go up and up, usually two to four stories high, and stretch for miles before coming to a passageway or stairs to another level. These areas are immediately reflective of the dwarvish bent toward utilitarianism, but there are other chambers, mined from huge crystal deposits, that attract travelers from all over Margonis that glitter in the torchlight with hues of every color. The city of Mauglemir is best known for its industry; the forges of the dwarves turn out armor and weapons of craftsmanship matched by only the greatest of elven or draconic smiths. Dwarves are the only people in all of Margonis to have discovered the art of crafting items from adamantine, and have become somewhat wealthy from this trade. Law, chivalry and honor are the focal points of society in the Ferrumrym. Dwarf knights, paladins and battle clerics are among the most revered members of the populace, and are often granted estate-like apartments and servants. The next most common sub-group is composed of craftsmen: whether mundane smiths or artificers who employ magic in their craftsmanship. Rangers and scouts patrol the undergrounds, with an occasional rogue, though they are often looked down upon for their sneaky behavior and tactics. Not much arcane magic is practiced by the dwarves in this region, though there are a few scattered throughout the kingdom who have gone abroad to learn the arts and returned. Sorcerers and druids are entirely unheard of in this society. The world is not orbited by a sun or moon. However, it is coterminus (connected to) 4 planes: the positive energy plane to the east, the negative energy plane to the west, the elemental plane of fire to the south, and either the elemental plane of water or air to the north. There is some sort of energy barrier around the planet (no clue what this actually is, or how it works) that blocks passage from this world/the material plane to the other planes, but it is not a solid, static effect. Rather, it fluctuates, much as Earth's magnetic field does, and as the strength of the barrier weakens in one place, it increases in another, causing a flux in the energies sweeping across the planet. The far east of the world ends in a series of stepped waterfalls, referred to as The Golden Falls, due to the bright illumination spilling for the positive energy plane. The waterfalls drop straight of the edge of the planet before actually reaching the coterminus plane here, so physical travel requires some means other than walking of getting to the plane. A portion of the land and sea to the far east is always minor positively dominant (fast healing and such) due to the energy spilling forth across the barrier. It is known to be a place of healing. The far west of the world drops off into an abyss, though there is a narrow bridge of land that extends many miles straight out from the world into the negative energy plane. Due to the negative power spilling forth, living creatures tend to shun the far west. The south is always warm (think the equatorial region of our own planet) and absolutely uninhabitable by most creatures where it meets the elemental plane of fire. The north is always cold, oppressively so where the land meets the elemental plane there. Night and day occur as the field blocking one plane weakens, permitting light to spill forth across the planet from the east, and then the field reverses gradually, cutting off the source of light and permitting a tangible darkness to creep across Margonis from the west. The first east is always light, and the far west cast in a never ending gloom. The seasons change in similar ways, as the field to the north and south shifts, permitting either cold water/air to flow from the north or heat to radiate from the south. However the fluctuation at the north and south occurs less regularly, though none of the flux in the field is entirely regular, and periods of long darkness or light, summer or winter have been known. This has some mechanical applications, as I see it: -during Midlight (the time where the light from the east is at its fullest), positive energy and light spells are at +1 caster level -during midnight, negative energy, darkness and shadow spells are at +1 caster level -undead are ACTUALLY stronger at night, and weaker during the day (how exactly I am not entirely certain) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I want to create an entire pantheon for this place, but am a bit stuck. The gods all decided that they wished to withdraw somewhat from the world. Why? I have yet to figure out, or when for that matter. Perhaps they were tired, or wanted to allow the mortals to guide themselves somewhat. In either case, most chose to go to sleep, to lay within the earth itself. Those deities who opposed this plan were imprisoned. All the greater deities are sleeping or imprisoned in special places, shringes, temples, tombs all over the world. Because their influence has dwindled with their rest, magic has waned in the world (more later). I only have vague ideas of the gods so far, or rather, what is represented by a deity. There is a theme, so far, of a major, impartial deity, and a less powerful, but more protective or human(oid) deity, that takes an active role in influencing mortals (usually by protecting them). So far I know that I want a goddess of Nature and Death (N), who is worshiped by the races in touch with nature or accepting of death (like elves), but feared by many of the short-lived races and those that have lost touch with nature (like humans). She is impartial, and embodies the circle of life theme. There would be a deity of the woodlands (NG); a protector of the forest and the races therein, who, while similar to the goddess of nature, has chosen not to sit by and allow things to occur as they will, but takes an active role in ensuring that evils do not befall the land or those he protects. I want a god of war (CN) to whom offerings are given before a large conflict, but who is unpredictable, reveling only in the chaos of war. Then there is the god or goddess of valor (LG), patron of champions, good warriors, and the like. He/she is all about discipline and protecting one's allies and the weak. A god of the seas (CN) who tosses sailors about, and his or her offshoot, a god/dess of merchants (LN) who guides vessels on their way. I want some evil gods and goddess. A deity of undeath, who is somewhat opposed by the goddess of nature, because undeath does not follow the natural order. Perhaps a pair of deities who were once lovers, and, one being spurned by the other, have split: a deity of love, and a deity of hate. (The Spell Compendium makes deities like this work by providing lots of flavorful domains) I know that I want more deities, but I don't know of what. I want to get the major and major sub-deities worked out. There should be deities for every race (many) but they would all be very minor, and I have no desire to get into them just yet. I want to flesh out a pantheon, and the history therein, what they all represent and how they are worshiped, fears, etc.... Most people (intelligent creatures) are religious, but unlike the norm in D&D, most people worship more than one deity (clerics included). Many worship three deities who either have some common ground (domains) or who represent multiple facets of their own lives. Irrespective of which deities are revered, most are paid homage by everyone periodically nonetheless. Only clerics would choose to never perform a rite to a god they did not draw power from. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Magic in the world is something I need comments on mostly from a mechanics standpoint. Because the gods are resting, their influence in the world has waned. One effect of this (of many) is that the power of magic has also lessened. I am considering different ways to manifest this difference. One that I like is the spell points system from Unearthed Arcana, with the vitalizing variant also from UA. Under this system, casters use spell points (like MP from video games) to cast their spells. Prepared casters instead choose what spells they have available for the day, and can cast any of those spells, just as spontaneous casters do. This obviously encroaches on the role of sorcerers, but they get more spell points (don't know if this is sufficient compensation). Spells do not naturally increase in power, but require expenditure of more SP (fireball does 5d6 all the time, unless you spend SP to increase it, with limits of course). The vitalizing variant, has casters becoming fatigued when they are below around half their total SP, and then exhausted when they've spent another fraction. Any effect that removes fatigue or exhaustion, such as resting, restores some portion of the caster's SP as well. The reverse is also true: effects that cause fatigue or exhaustion cause casters to lose SP as appropriate. This makes effects that cause or remove these conditions far more valuable. Now, arcane magic and divine magic are different in this setting, though linked somehow. Not sure how. While I do know that I want magic linked to the gods somehow, it doesn't necessarily have to be complete. Perhaps the magical energies from the 4 planes is what casters draw their power from? In either case, I'm fairly certain that I want divine casters and arcane casters to have a different mechanic of some kind. If spells are tied directly to the gods, then divine casters would be hampered a little more than arcane casters. THis could manifest in either a higher SP cost for their spells, or from an entirely different system. When I first played D&D, my DM misread spellcasting, and thought that a d20 roll was required to cast any spell. Something like a DC of 10+spell level, where the caster gained their casting stat as their bonus. In this way spells could fail (fizzle) or have odd effects (on a 20 or a 1). For clerics, maybe I could grant them 3 domains (since they typically would worship 3 deities), but reduce the power of the domains to reflect the situation? While I am not sure just how the spell points system actually effects casters, I do know that the rolling system makes casting VERY difficult at early levels, and fairly easy at high ones. One thing I would do if I used the rolling system, is to say that a failed roll by less than 5, does not use up the materials or the spell itself. SO it may be retried the next turn. These would not only give mechanical weight to it being a fairly low magic setting, but also to why there are so few (if any) high level casters: it's hard to get by when your spells are impeded. Not sure how I like it though. I want to reduce casting a bit without severely neutering casters. There would also be pockets of power where casting is enhanced: such as near the resting place of a deity, close to any of the coterminal planes, at midlight, midnight, and at certain focal points, where the elemental energies from the 4 planes come together forming a nexus of wild energies. I'd want to make resurrection a rare and impressive thing, probably using one of the ideas from this thread: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=854943 --------------------------------------------------------------------- My thoughts for elves, are that they were once very in touch with nature (mostly druids, rangers and such); they built their homes to resemble trees or even by influencing trees to grow in the ways they required over hundreds of years. They saw themselves as the protectors of the woods and lived a fairly communal lifestyle, where everyone was fairly self-sufficient, but no one in a community was ever left wanting for anything. These elves have always been very in touch with the sylvan folk, and many fey can be found living among elf society. Then the gods went to rest, and the powers granted by them diminished. After time, the ever inquisitive elves began studying arcane magic. Eventually, this study transformed from being one of the many pursuits an elf would undertake over the course of his or her life, to becoming a lifelong undertaking, often pushing out all other pursuits. This was obviously in contradiction to the self-reliant nature of elven culture, and a rift formed between the old way and the arcane. Elves studying magic began requiring others to build their homes, cook their meals and make their clothes, for they had no time or training. Services that were once performed by oneself or with the aid of a few others, and gradually a specialist culture began to evolve in Erinbar (probably will rename), the birthplace of the elves. Some elves that cleaved to the ways of nature left, but they were few. Instead, the druidic council finds itself increasingly at odds with that of the magrocracy over many issues: structure design no longer incorporating nature, hazardous waste, and the dabbling in necromancy that the wizards have been doing, among others. Necromancy has always been viewed as incredibly wrong, since it subverts nature, and because elves view death as an important part of life, a sacred event. The elves would be one of the most isolated races, rarely needing to trade because the woods provide almost all of what they require, and spellcasting gives most of the rest. The few who are encountered by other races always come across as very odd, almost alien. Mechanically, I'd want to alter the basic, high, grey, wood, and wild elves slightly to reflect their different focus. Grey elves are the arcane-centric ones, and would likely get a diminished bonus to their spot, listen and search, since they spend so much time at books, and not honing their other skills. Similarly they lose their weapon proficiencies. I'd say they would gain a bonus on knowledge: arcana, or spellcraft, or would gain a small number of minor spell-like abilities (detect or read magic, mage hand, something like that). High elves and wild elves would be more inclined to being druids, and I would want to change the wild elf traits to grant a bonus on Wisdom, but not sure what the penalty would be...perhaps Cha or Str? Elves would gain different proficiencies depending upon what subrace they are, but the more woodsy elves gain a bonus on survival and/or knowledge: nature. Additionally, the favored classes would all change; probably to wizard (grey), druid, wizard, or ranger (high, to reflect their position on the fence), druid (wild), ranger (wood). Maybe Cha penalties to some of the subraces since they are so isolated? ------------------------------------------------------------------ Dwarves are far more personable than their PHB form. The doors to their cities are nearly always open to travelers and merchants. Many dwarves serve as knights to their king or immediate lord, paladins or clerics to the gods they worship, or as fighters (sentinels to their cities and homes). Those dwarves who have moved beyond the mountains, and there are many, have erected tremendous castles, that are themselves akin to small mountains. Thus, even away from their homeland, dwarves live in much the same way as their people always have. Arcane magic is almost entirely unknown to the dwarves, only to be found in one with draconic blood (sorcerers...who often change over to warmages), or the random dwarf traveler who, on his journey, encountered and took up the study of the arcane. Despite the diminishing of divine powers, dwarves hold fast to their beliefs. <I had more, but cannot find it just now> I'd want to alter the dwarven racial traits to reflect this change in philosophy. The majority of dwarves would likely have -2 Dex, +2 Con, instead of a penalty to Cha, or perhaps a penalty to intelligence, since they cannot grasp or are wary of magic? Some would retain the base stats. Might want to have a subrace (s) with a bonus to either Str, Wis or Cha, but not sure what other changes I would make. There'd be a dwarf subrace with favored class cleric, another with favored class knight probably as well.
yeti1069 07-12-07, 05:09 PM	I'd appreciate feedback or further ideas on any of the following: -the magic system: have any of you played using either variant? how did it work out? -gods for the pantheon: I can, and will, write up histories and such, but I want more gods and goddesses, and I have no idea what they'd be -the physicality of the world: what do you think of the setting so far? -the races: are the elves and dwarves, as written, starting to be flavorful enough, yet slightly different from the standard? ideas for the other races...pretty sure i want humans and halflings to be of the same stock, and to be enslaved by many of the races and creatures of the world (with slavery meaning different things in different places).
yeti1069 07-14-07, 06:50 PM	Thoughts/advice anyone?
Forfeit 07-21-07, 02:22 PM	Yeti, Ill try to help you. First, I have not readed everything. But I want to help anyway. I guess the first reason why people havent been helping you is that you gave us TONS of information. It is much more than the average person here or player is willing to learn, or even take time reading. And worst, is that it isnt organized enough. First, there should be a map. It makes it easier for us to associate the information we are reading by using a visual aproach. Also, you should create topics and subtopics, using bold letters, because the way your post is right now is too chaotic, and the information is all mixed together. Its really hard to figure out how everything relates to each other. For example: REALMS OF MARGONIS - Elven Kingdom Broad description. Most important places. Broad description on culture, people and characteristics. Most important personalities. - Human Kingdom Broad description. Most important places. Broad description on culture, people and characteristics. Most important personalities. Also, you shouldnt give us so much information. Just give us the basics, and things you think you should improve. Dont give us everything. There is just too much stuff, and unless your world becomes really important, most people arent interested in it. Not even the players will be interested in. So, do some reworking, and then some people will be willing to help.
queenfange 07-24-07, 09:27 AM	Yeti, Ill try to help you. First, I have not readed everything. But I want to help anyway. I guess the first reason why people havent been helping you is that you gave us TONS of information. It is much more than the average person here or player is willing to learn, or even take time reading. And worst, is that it isnt organized enough. First, there should be a map. It makes it easier for us to associate the information we are reading by using a visual aproach. Also, you should create topics and subtopics, using bold letters, because the way your post is right now is too chaotic, and the information is all mixed together. Its really hard to figure out how everything relates to each other. For example: REALMS OF MARGONIS - Elven Kingdom Broad description. Most important places. Broad description on culture, people and characteristics. Most important personalities. - Human Kingdom Broad description. Most important places. Broad description on culture, people and characteristics. Most important personalities. Also, you shouldnt give us so much information. Just give us the basics, and things you think you should improve. Dont give us everything. There is just too much stuff, and unless your world becomes really important, most people arent interested in it. Not even the players will be interested in. So, do some reworking, and then some people will be willing to help. As Forfeit so kindly put it, organization is good. Throw in some HTML with bolds and italics to seperate sections, or divide it into a few posts. Concerning the amount of information, I think it's great you have so much developed already. Just because one person isn't interested in your work, that doesn't mean they speak for everyone. As I'm sure you know, don't give players all the information up front, but weave it into the campaign. Bare, bland campaigns without subraces or details may be great for kick-in-the-door style people or the grammatically challenged, but I myself love rich cultures and settings. If you feel up to it, you might consider looking for a website where you can post your different components and request feedback (www.eruvian.com is what I use), which can offer more organization than a forum. The only thing about your setting I personally don't care for is that the gods are fairly generic (something which I'm often guilty of as well). Otherwise, keep up the good work, and I hope to see more! :D