Post/Author/DateTime	Post
chris7476 06-21-04, 06:58 PM	I'm in a couple of groups (both playing and DM'ing) and will probably be DM'ing a new one relatively soon. Some of the players will be new to 3ed (but not to D&D) but I want to do something a little different with the campaign background and setting itself. The campaign world will be FR but I don't want to do the typical small medieval town setting. Here are some ideas I had: - jungle - seafaring/islands - desert - snow/artic - planar - planar Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions or maybe some comments on successful campaigns they have run based on one of these settings?
Shemeska the Marauder 06-21-04, 07:11 PM	Planescape. Run a planescape campaign. http://arcanofox.foxpaws.net/shemmycontract1.gif I've been running my own PS campaign for nearly two years now, with only a single week missed (Xmas one year), and a continuous metaplot slowly building to a head over that period. The PC's have been everywhere from the guilded streets and gutters of Sigil, to the mazes of the Lady of Pain in the deep ethereal, the heights of the World Tree Yggdrasil, the towers in the positive touched quasielemental planes, the raging battles of the Blood War across the 3 planes of conflict (Gehenna, Carceri, the Waste), and even stranger places. You can vary the tone of the campaign on the planes simply by hopping through a portal. Ultimate DM flexibility and a plethora of plot options for both short term adventures and long term, large scale plots. One example is my own campaign which you can peruse over in the link to my storyhour in my .sig.
Ack'noth Necrom 06-21-04, 07:13 PM	Yeah, first off toss the FR book away for this one. Then make your own setting, and make it interesting. Try something different like perhaps rather then medevil change the time period to prehistoric or renisance. Or just change the setting all together, ever wonder what lies under the oceans of the realms? What about a little planes walking? Doing something different is easy, just change the setting, the enviroment, or the time period and you have a very different game but dont be afraid to get your players input as well These are just a couple ideas, but I say throw the campaign setting away this time and do something that you made and can be proud of
gleep 06-21-04, 08:17 PM	Campaign settings can be handy. They give you some reference material and cut down on a lot of work. To make something unique, though, you just have to change a couple major elements (sometimes as few as one) or a few minor elements... and then think about the consequences. I occasionally run in FR as well, but to most players my Realms is hugely different from what they are used to... yet in many ways familiar. I never had the Time of Troubles, the Horde, etc, that were the hallmarks of the 2e-3e transitions. I start the players in a campaign area that isn't detailed in the maps (between the Amn and the Shining Empire (IMC)). They feel comfortable playing in the realms, but find something new and surprising almost every session ("there isn't a single gnoll for how far?") Like in writing sci-fi and fantasy, usually the best thing to do is take a familiar world and change just a few things. :D --gleep
Sildatorak 06-21-04, 08:24 PM	Originally posted by Shemeska the Marauder Planescape. Run a planescape campaign. http://arcanofox.foxpaws.net/shemmycontract1.gif Never trust a 'Loth. You can trust me though, Planescape is mindblowingly different. You can use almost all of the 2e material in a 3e campaign, and Planewalker.com (http://www.planewalker.com) is providing campaign material in version 3.0 for races, feats available only to faction members, and a summary of the situation in sigil after the faction war (if you are going to start a campaign, I would recommend pre-FW, myself, since all the OOP material is designed with that in mind).
Shemeska the Marauder 06-21-04, 09:53 PM	Originally posted by Sildatorak and a summary of the situation in sigil after the faction war (if you are going to start a campaign, I would recommend pre-FW, myself, since all the OOP material is designed with that in mind). I'd say a big -maybe- for starting pre or post Faction War. My own campaign started around 5 years post FW, and I'd never run a PS game before, ever. Maybe I'm an abberation from the norm though. I've ever so slowly been creeping faction influence back into The Cage though, starting with the Athar retaking the Shattered Temple, and just this past weekend with Alisohn Nilesia returning to Sigil w/ the intention of seizing control of the Sodkillers. (and considering that a few hundred people saw a yugoloth grown clone of her get flayed a year prior, her return was quite the shocker...). I would suggest reading and getting a good handle on the factions, if only for the flavor they give the setting, before running a post FW campaign.
primemover003 06-21-04, 10:50 PM	While I'm in the camp with Shemeska and Sildatorak... there's always the new Eberron setting. It seems interesting, and I thought it looked horrendous at first... *dodges thrown rotten fruit n' veggies!*
chris7476 06-21-04, 10:51 PM	Thanks for all the ideas so far. First off, I'm definitely not creating my own setting. I don't have the time for such a task. I like FR so it's going to stay. I pretty much use FR for the locations only; I adhere very loosely to the timelines and don't use the important characters or novels at all. Planescape is very intriguing but I don't know much about it and I wonder if it would be too much of a learning curve at this point t get started. Some of the players are also going to be somewhere new to 3ed so I don't want to add a confusing setting on top of learning rules. I will start doing some research into PS. Maybe I'll change my tune after doing some reading.
Autosponge 06-21-04, 10:56 PM	FR has several atypical settings within it. - Desert campaign in Anauroch or Calimshan - Frozen wastes near the Spine of the World - Seafaring on the Sea of Swords - Underground in the Underdark - (if you go back in time) Flying cities in the cities of Netheril - Large City setting in Waterdeep or Silverymoon - Jungles of Chult (setting for a new XBOX video game written by RAS) - Underwater campaign, probably near Waterdeep If you're not satisfied with those (all should have considerable 2nd ed. sources available) use one of the story arcs from FR to create your own setting like: The Shadovar succeed in their attempt to control the weather and rehydrate the deserts of their homeland, this creates violent storms in other areas, floods, drought, and high winds that change the face of the realms nearly overnight. Welcome to Waterworld!
krichaiushii 07-08-04, 01:07 AM	You might be able to graft Nyambe (http://www.atlas-games.com/nyambe/index.html) into the jungles and savannahs of the Forgotten Realms. It is certainly different.
Zilred 07-08-04, 01:34 AM	If you still want to use the Forgotten Realms setting, why not find some gap in the chronology and have the campaign in its past. My group recently decided to start a campaign that started about 10 years before our previous one. It was kind of interesting to be in Amn when their sailors discovered Maztica. Bane was still "dead". The Time of Troubles was still in recent memory. And we might have child versions of our old characters make cameos. :D You could go as little as 50 years back, or hundreds of years back, while there were still floating cities of mages in the realms (and no Elminster or Drizz't). It could be fun...
roll8dn 07-08-04, 12:04 PM	FR, hmmm... Well, if you want a jungle campaign, there is Chult. Simply rule that the metropolis down there has not yet revealed itself to the rest of the jungle. Then, you have a bunch of tribes who are pretty much self-sufficient and hostile (or at least indifferent) to outsiders. It includes dinosaurs, all of the possible jungle hazards, and (if you want) a strong religious theme, due to the door under the Peaks of Flame that guards the way to the underworld. Also, you could set a campaign in Luiren, where the Strongheart Halflings dwell. It is a hot place that could offer a different flavor, for most of the NPCs they meet are Halflings who do not act like the standard Halfling. If you want a seafaring campaign, as long as your PCs like playing elves, Evermeet would be a change from the norm. You live in a VERY high-magic area, and can set the campaign either before the invasion (thus allowing your characters to participate in the defense) or after it (thus allowing them to help in the rebuilding), or you could just rule that the invasion never happened. Otherwise, for a seafaring campaign, why not have your PCs live in Amn and be part of the trade with Maztica? They get to be the equivalent to Chris Colombus or the Vikings and discover new lands, but in a fantasy setting. If you are looking for a desert campaign, nothing beats Anaroch (sp?) right now. It offers both the problems of living in the desert and the political intrigue of having the city of Shade hanging over the PCs heads. Otherwise, why not put them in Raurin (or somewhere near it) -they could just be dungeon delvers into anceint Imaskari tombs. That, however, might be a little too conservative for your taste, though. As far as an arctic campaign goes, there always is Ten Towns. However, for my money, I'd start in the Silver Marches. The PCs could get a charter from Alustriel to clear land of danger and settle there as their own base of operations in the North. That might offer a change of pace for you (don't know how often you make your PCs land owners). Otherwise, you could tie your arctic campaign into Evermeet, after the invasion, for the youngest Moonflower has planted the Tree of Souls somewhere in The Sea of Moving Ice. Then, your players would not have to all be an elf to enjoy a really high magic setting, just good-aligned. You could introduce arctic dwarves, and many other dangers. For a planar campaign, I do not recommend the Realms. Its cosmology seems a bit, well, cluttered for my taste. If you want something that has ties to the Realms and a scale similar to a Planar campaign, Spelljammer might be a good idea. It was intended to be completely compatable with Forgotten Realms, and in fact has its own adapter (albiet in 2e): Realmspace. If you want a plains campaign, I recommend the Sharr. You have access to most of the "exotic" parts of the South, such as the Great Rift, Halruaa, and Luiren. It would be a nomadic campaign, and you could include non-core races, such as Wemics as characters if you wnated. Just a few thoughts...
PSchirf 07-08-04, 02:30 PM	Because you want to use the FR maps, but use a non-typical setting, have you considered Requiem for a God (http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=RFAG) and/or When The Sky Falls (http://www.enworld.org/reviews/index.php?sub=yes&where=currentprod&which=malh_skyfalls)? Requiem for a God "postulates that a major event has taken place in your campaign -- the death of a divine power." When The Sky Falls "serves as a guide for DMs and players whose world is struck, and struck hard, by a meteor."
danielinthewolvesden 07-08-04, 07:20 PM	Try the Egyptian area of FR with their own Pantheon. Mulhorandi (sp?) Or just do a different campaign idea. Here are a couple I used: The PC's are NPC classes. Their rich adventuring uncle/freind dies and leaves them each a powerful and unique magic item. (Intelligent weapons are great for this). Note that the PC's have only a 25 pt buy, and aren't very wealthy to start. They then have to dodge the "swordslingers" who would be out after them for those items. Or- the inheritance is a small haunted castle that when they clear it they get to be the local Lord. Or- they are henchmen. The "bosses" disappear in the middle of an adventure, leaving the PC's with a mystery and some interesting gear the bosses left behind. Myself, I despise Sigil and see no use for Eberron.:sad:
Rumil_Silverdawn 07-09-04, 07:03 AM	Hmmmm.... it sounds to me like ya just need a new spin on a comfortable thing. A few ideas that won't change things up too much but will still be "new" -- A friend of mine is playing a campaign where the characters are about to be executed for crimes commited and the whole campaign is done flashback style. I found that to be VERY interesting! Sure your players have been to dungeons and forests and mountains and everything... so take that typical setting and turn it upside down. Magic can do wonders! Take a normal forest and give it a magical effect... let's say flying! Even that is a little cliche but it could be fun. There could be an underwater city that is enclosed by force bubbles. You could have a castle/tower/dungeon that is magically protected in the middle of a volcano but they'd still have to fight the heat. Screw things up! And there's always illusioned terrain to confuse and decieve! ;) You could try to not changing the setting but the basics of the players... give them all a boon/curse where they have limited powers to see in the future or past. Maybe they run across a strange artifact that makes the players keep their personalites but switch bodies, and character sheets! That'll be fun to say the least. They could all be reincarnated heroes who are beginning to remember their pasts. Anyways... my creative juices just ran out. El fin !
Phist 07-09-04, 10:54 AM	I'm getting my hands on Eberron as soon as I can. I love that sort of thing. I've always been partial to urban campaigns. All you have to do is design a single city, but that leaves time for you to make the city very detailed. You can make various factions/ guilds, probably write up the characters for their leaders. Decide which faction hates which and why. Make a map of the city. Have some possible dungeons. (eg Dwarven mines to the north, haunted castle, sewer system, underground gang lair.) and make a basic campaign idea. That way, instead of almost pulling the PCs between town and dungeons, you leave them in on city and let them do what they want. You could almost make the city up without knowing the alignment of the PCs. Try it, you'll fine the very style of gameplay has changed.
Phrennzy 07-09-04, 11:07 AM	One Word: SpellJammer :ayyyy!: :cloud9: :king:
Tolstoy 07-09-04, 02:11 PM	hmm, how about a Roman campaign?
Loren Pechtel 07-09-04, 11:33 PM	Originally posted by chris7476 - seafaring/islands I'm designing a world based on a somewhat dryer version of the rocheworld from the novel of the same name, later expanded to Flight of the Dragonfly. Robert L. Forward as the author. Lots of islands around a central landmass. EXTREME tides--at their peak they blow a chunk of ocean right off the planet and onto it's twin world. This will be part of a solar system that's been altered by a very advanced civilization. I haven't decided what all weird worlds to put there, one I have in mind will be quite oblate. The poles will be normal (although the world will be warmer so they are habitable). The equator will stick out too much, though--right out of the atmosphere. (Note: I do not permit scry/teleport.))
DeWayne 07-10-04, 01:24 AM	Try to find some of the green 2nd ed. campaign setting books. I have the one for Rome, the Age of Heroes in Greece, and the Vikings. Rome wasn't too useful but the other 2 were. Or you can change to tech level of the campaign. Imagine a stone age setting - the only magic using class may be something like a shaman, much tighter limits on the kinds of weapons and armor that are available, etc. It could be 'caveman' style, or Native American (yes, I know some of the cultures did have some metal working, but nowhere near a standard D&D setting's level). I suggest you make VERY clear to the players what is and isn't available before you start the campaign. Until a couple of months ago I was running a game with a Dark Age tech level. Most of the players had no real problem with it (esp. since the monsters had even tighter limits - not as advanced as humans, elves, etc.), but from time to time we got some idiot (it was an open game at a gaming store) who would whine because he couldn't have every toy in every source book. Save yourself some headaches and tell everyone exactly what is and isn't available.
danielinthewolvesden 07-10-04, 05:13 AM	Guys- the OP was pretty clear- he is going to run a Forgotten realms campaign. Those are all very interesting ideas mind you, but lets try and give him what he wants, OK?
Kelanin 07-10-04, 02:19 PM	I have found a great deal of satisfaction from running modified games based on several old movies, the idea of creating a campaign, then writing scenarios within that setting seems like a lot of of work to me, I have found that as the players get older they have less time to play, more commitments and less motivation, so i tackle this with simple easy to run scenarios with a common link, for an area i get a hold of a modern day map and copy it editting out towns, major roads etc so you are left with contours, rivers, woods etc the sort of movie scenarios that have worked for me are typically westerns such as, Stagecoach, Magnicant Seven, The Cowboys(low level game) etc, by using these methods you have a familiar storyline with easily visualised maps, try it you might be surprised.
Skaboozh 07-10-04, 02:50 PM	Originally posted by chris7476 The campaign world will be FR but I don't want to do the typical small medieval town setting. Here are some ideas I had: - jungle - seafaring/islands - desert - snow/artic - planar - planar Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions or maybe some comments on successful campaigns they have run based on one of these settings? Use all of those settings. Have the PCs work for the Harpers. They are one of the select groups that get the more dangerous missions, venturing into environments not many others could go into and come out alive. For one mission, they might have to deal with the Shades in the Anauroch Desert. When they report back and get their reward and whatnot, they could be assigned to deal with frost giants in the arctic north, etc. etc. There's a great book by AEG called Wilds that would help immensely in something like this. It details six settings: the desert, mountains, forests, jungles, arctic, and marshes (I think). It gives rules for rock slides, avalanches, forest densities, etc. It's a great book to really help make the setting come out of the background of the campaign.