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Shiftkitty 02-01-08, 03:26 PM

Has anybody here ever taken the standard D&D life forms and moved them to a different environment altogether, something outside of the likes of Spelljammer, Red Steel, etc? Especially something not even close to medieval fantasy? We had an old world from a homebrew sci-fi game. The place was a planet of roughly Victorian-era technology that was known only as “West World” (yes, after the old Yul Brinner movie). The adventure was handled via our “Desperadoes” game. By the time the space-jockeys had infected the place with space contaminants and some escaped zoological specimens, it looked more like “Deadlands” and “Six Guns & Sorcery” (The “Castle Falkenstein” supplement). Anyway, the planet was put away for awhile until the players decided to visit it again for old times’ sake. Since the time they left, the environmental upheaval they left behind opened up a gate between West World and Toril. Among the first to take advantage of this gate were some lesser houses from Ched Nassad who I decided bailed before the place caved in. A good amount of commoner families also made a run for it, along with various other races who had no loyalty to the city and no interest in dying for their masters. They wound up on West World, plunged into the region most resembling the Old West. A dry desert baked beneath the sun sent the drow running for nearby caves and coping with things like scorpions, rattlesnakes, and tarantulas. Fearing that they would die from thirst and starvation if they didn’t do something, a commoner matron took the initiative and adapted herself to the sunlight (a tortuous process to be sure). She studied the humans she saw passing through the area to learn where they went and how they survived. She also learned that mavericks (stray calves) were a good source of food. After learning the ins and outs of the new environment, Matron Devrin took her knowledge back to the others and used it to boost her station considerably. To make a long story short, the drow matrons on West World style themselves “Baronesses”, and are quite active in the cattle/livestock industry. Baroness Devrin has eight daughters who handle the day-to-day administration of the ranch and serve as “regulators”. Males live in bunkhouses, and each sports a brand identifying him as belonging to the House. An unbranded male is called a maverick and may find himself being chased down by females on horseback to add to the stables. The duties of the males involve wrangling, breaking mustangs, farming for the ranch (a House must be self-sufficient, you know), and sometimes driving the cattle to market (under female supervision, of course), among other mundane tasks and, of course, for whatever the females may want them for;) . They are rarely allowed to go to town unescorted and may carry only derringers as firearms, if permitted by the Baroness. Otherwise, it’s bowie knives only. The locals are nervous about the Baronesses, who meet periodically to work out business matters, settle disputes, and handle things much like the Council of Matrons in Menzoberranzan (only with somewhat less backstabbing). They have the corner on livestock in the area, and work ruthlessly to crush any competitors. One or two Baronesses are getting interested in this “railroad” they’ve been hearing about, and the fear is that the Baronesses will eventually control all of the food and transportation concerns in the region. The Houses do fight amongst each other as each one jockeys for economic prominence, and sabotage and subterfuge, such as mysterious fires near the cattle pens, stampedes, Indian raids, etc. are used as the weapon of choice. House battles like those of Menzoberranzan just aren't practical and may draw headaches from the local "authorities". (The Baronesses consider the local law enforcement to be an annoyance. As their battles are kept among themselves, and no Baroness will go to the human law for help, the local sheriff is more likely to keep his nose out of things.) Clothing style is Old West Victorian with a Sarah Winchester-like obsession with spiders and webs in the design. While in town, the daughters will sport more practical clothing, such as chaps, pants, holsters with double-action revolvers, etc. The Baronesses almost never grace the town with their presences, but when they do, they're treated like feared royalty. "Can't you do nuthin' sheriff?" "Like what? They ain't actually broken any laws." They are tyrants of business and any merchant that falls from their favor will find himself wiped out economically. Other races have made their way to West World. Dwarven engineers build some of the safest copper and silver mines around, and damn if those little buckaroos don’t have a nose for gold veins! Orcs and goblinoids are divided between those who have found gainful employment and those who have scrambled for the deserts to continue their raiding and pillaging. “Look at these towns! They don’t even have city walls!” They are in constant skirmishes with the Indians, although about as much trade goes on. “At least an orc doesn’t have you sign a treaty before he stabs you in the back.” I haven’t thought about using any of the Eberron races yet. I was just now imagining a warforged asking a bunch of locals what town he’s in. “Don’t look now, Earl, but that coal cart just talked to you.” I imagine shifters might find themselves among the Indians quite readily. Changelings, as usual, would be mistrusted and run out of town or given a case of “hemp fever” by an unruly mob. Scene: Two of the party are listening to an Indian tell some of the locals about a nearby danger. He describes a big, red fire-breathing lizard. “Fire breathing?” laughed one of the party. “More like ‘fire-water’!” What followed at the cave could best be described as ‘carnage’. Apparently, the slugs from a Colt 45 Navy Revolver aren’t as effective as one might think when tangling with a Red Dragon. Has anybody else developed their own settings? (Well, aside from Hellcow, I mean. We all know about his setting!:) )