Wouldn't This Have Made A Great 4ed Setting? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Wouldn't This Have Made A Great 4ed Setting?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
trobon
Sep 25, 2008 19:53:02 I was reading my copy of Heroes of Horror and I noticed this passage on horror campaigns. I thought it would have made a brilliant 4th edition setting.

Obviously this could have never been the official 4th edition FR setting as it would be a much more major retcon than 4ed Realms even is. However, I was wondering what you all thought about it as a 4ed setting in general.

Heroes of Horror wrote:
#2
rinonalyrna_fathomlin
Sep 25, 2008 20:36:16 I suppose it could be a fine setting, but probably not one to my taste.
#3
lord_karsus
Sep 25, 2008 20:38:47 -What is this "Heroes of Horror"?
#4
oluevara
Sep 25, 2008 20:38:49 Sounds like what they tried to do with the spellplague but with a better backstory! For the moment i'm sticking with the 1370s, but i'd play a campaign in that world...
#5
trobon
Sep 25, 2008 20:47:05
-What is this "Heroes of Horror"?

Heroes of Horror is a 3.5 general supplement that gave DMs ideas on how to run horror encounters/Adventures/campaigns. This excerpt was from the campaign section under using horror in pre-existing campaigns. It also has other ideas, but this one seemed to fit the 4ed mindset better than it did the 3rd.
#6
lord_karsus
Sep 25, 2008 20:54:41 -So it's basically like a Book of Evil Darkness/Book of Exalted Deeds, but with horror as it's focus?
#7
trobon
Sep 25, 2008 20:59:26
-So it's basically like a Book of Evil Darkness/Book of Exalted Deeds, but with horror as it's focus?

Not exactly, but kind of...

There were two books in the series Heroes of Horror an Heroes of Battle. Each one started by giving DMs ideas on how to run encounter/adventures/campaigns using those themes. The second half had some crunch stuff though.

The BoED and BoVD game DMs an idea of what was vial and exalted, but didn't seem to go into how to make encounters or adventures focused around those themes. At least not in the same way these did.
#8
BadCatMan
Sep 25, 2008 21:00:27
In this vision of the Realms, the Time of Troubles had a very different ending. Few if any of the gods succeeded in regaining their rightful place in the heavens. Rather, the majority of the pantheon is now made up of risen mortals, most of whom have little notion of the powers they wield. They are beset from all sides by extraplanar and demonic forces seeking to take advantage of their inexperience, and they war with one another for dominance and control of overlapping domains. Toril itself has become a terrifying, desolate place, with wide regions of wild magic and taint where the power of the gods has either fled the world or become too concentrated. Churches and nations war with one another in desperate bids to hold on to the power they once wielded in the name of their gods, or for control over rapidly depleting resources. Nothing, from magic to weather to the turn of the seasons, works exactly as it should. Even monsters native to Toril are supplanted by terrors from other worlds, drawn by the collapsing natural laws.

Heck, that is 4th Edition Forgotten Realms! :D

(Just with more continuity and sense.)
#9
lord_karsus
Sep 25, 2008 21:01:17
Not exactly, but kind of...

There were two books in the series Heroes of Horror an Heroes of Battle. Each one started by giving DMs ideas on how to run encounter/adventures/campaigns using those themes. The second half had some crunch stuff though.

The BoED and BoVD game DMs an idea of what was vial and exalted, but didn't seem to go into how to make encounters or adventures focused around those themes. At least not in the same way these did.

-So then it's more like the Cityscape book.
#10
trobon
Sep 25, 2008 21:04:31
-So then it's more like the Cityscape book.

Yeah its closer to city/dungeon scapes. I would describe it as somewhere in between those books. I would also REALLY suggest getting a look at them if you can. The Heroes of series was my favorite series in 3.x's run and I would have loved to see more of them.
#11
lord_karsus
Sep 25, 2008 21:08:08 -Well, as I am sure you can tell, I've never even heard of it before.
#12
DreamStalker
Sep 26, 2008 6:24:44 The Heroes of ... series was similar to the ...scape and terrain sourcebooks. They are supplemental tool kits for building campaigns and characters around the stated theme. Heroes of Horror had some reprint and update from The Book of Vile Darkness and from the Shadowlands material from Oriental Adventures. Certainly the BoVD and Heroes of Horror have a lot of synergy. The focus of the book is for creating fantasy horror gaming.

I think that is an interesting alternate take on the Realms and makes for an interesting setting. Also, I believe it is exactly in the correct book for such an alternative. As for a replacement for 4E FR I think the focus would be a bit too dark.
#13
suin_bahhar_02
Sep 26, 2008 11:37:32 There were some good insights in Heroes of Horror which helped me create situations with suspence. It had taint based races, classes and feats and expanded on BoVD's taint spells aswell. One of my players has some taint from a warped imaskari ruin, enough to obtain a taint feat he likes to use...
#14
evil_weevil
Sep 26, 2008 23:02:30 Hopefully we will get a WoTC made Ravenloft setting in 4th edition. I just don't want them to 4th edition-it-up. Ravenloft is the standard horror setting, and it is very good provided you ignore any and all mechanics that sword & sorcery created in 3.5, which were dark times, ... ok darker times for Ravenloft.
#15
Dark_Wizard_02
Sep 27, 2008 1:11:32 Unfortunately, they're probably going to want to do something to it. Put their 4E mark on it. It's only natural I guess. Different people, different interpretation. The designers just have the fortune of being able to publish the official interpretation.

Luckily, the Dragonlance and Dark Sun boards seem to have the most activity of the unsupported settings. (Top number of threads for DL, and top number of posts for DS, second for threads) So Ravenloft has a few years before they fiddle with it.
#16
lykor
Sep 27, 2008 22:37:12 Yeah, Heroes of Horror was pretty low key. However, it, along with Libris Mortis, are two decent, if not good, source books dealing with Undead.

As for BOED/BOVD, they suck. Some of the fluff is ok, but the actual mechanics are either bad or stupidly broken. Skip them.
#17
obadaya
Oct 13, 2008 23:29:52 Whoa! Cool original poster idea.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 trobon Sep 25, 2008 19:53:02	I was reading my copy of Heroes of Horror and I noticed this passage on horror campaigns. I thought it would have made a brilliant 4th edition setting. Obviously this could have never been the official 4th edition FR setting as it would be a much more major retcon than 4ed Realms even is. However, I was wondering what you all thought about it as a 4ed setting in general. Heroes of Horror wrote:
#2 rinonalyrna_fathomlin Sep 25, 2008 20:36:16	I suppose it could be a fine setting, but probably not one to my taste.
#3 lord_karsus Sep 25, 2008 20:38:47	-What is this "Heroes of Horror"?
#4 oluevara Sep 25, 2008 20:38:49	Sounds like what they tried to do with the spellplague but with a better backstory! For the moment i'm sticking with the 1370s, but i'd play a campaign in that world...
#5 trobon Sep 25, 2008 20:47:05	-What is this "Heroes of Horror"? Heroes of Horror is a 3.5 general supplement that gave DMs ideas on how to run horror encounters/Adventures/campaigns. This excerpt was from the campaign section under using horror in pre-existing campaigns. It also has other ideas, but this one seemed to fit the 4ed mindset better than it did the 3rd.
#6 lord_karsus Sep 25, 2008 20:54:41	-So it's basically like a Book of Evil Darkness/Book of Exalted Deeds, but with horror as it's focus?
#7 trobon Sep 25, 2008 20:59:26	-So it's basically like a Book of Evil Darkness/Book of Exalted Deeds, but with horror as it's focus? Not exactly, but kind of... There were two books in the series Heroes of Horror an Heroes of Battle. Each one started by giving DMs ideas on how to run encounter/adventures/campaigns using those themes. The second half had some crunch stuff though. The BoED and BoVD game DMs an idea of what was vial and exalted, but didn't seem to go into how to make encounters or adventures focused around those themes. At least not in the same way these did.
#8 BadCatMan Sep 25, 2008 21:00:27	In this vision of the Realms, the Time of Troubles had a very different ending. Few if any of the gods succeeded in regaining their rightful place in the heavens. Rather, the majority of the pantheon is now made up of risen mortals, most of whom have little notion of the powers they wield. They are beset from all sides by extraplanar and demonic forces seeking to take advantage of their inexperience, and they war with one another for dominance and control of overlapping domains. Toril itself has become a terrifying, desolate place, with wide regions of wild magic and taint where the power of the gods has either fled the world or become too concentrated. Churches and nations war with one another in desperate bids to hold on to the power they once wielded in the name of their gods, or for control over rapidly depleting resources. Nothing, from magic to weather to the turn of the seasons, works exactly as it should. Even monsters native to Toril are supplanted by terrors from other worlds, drawn by the collapsing natural laws. Heck, that is 4th Edition Forgotten Realms! :D (Just with more continuity and sense.)
#9 lord_karsus Sep 25, 2008 21:01:17	Not exactly, but kind of... There were two books in the series Heroes of Horror an Heroes of Battle. Each one started by giving DMs ideas on how to run encounter/adventures/campaigns using those themes. The second half had some crunch stuff though. The BoED and BoVD game DMs an idea of what was vial and exalted, but didn't seem to go into how to make encounters or adventures focused around those themes. At least not in the same way these did. -So then it's more like the Cityscape book.
#10 trobon Sep 25, 2008 21:04:31	-So then it's more like the Cityscape book. Yeah its closer to city/dungeon scapes. I would describe it as somewhere in between those books. I would also REALLY suggest getting a look at them if you can. The Heroes of series was my favorite series in 3.x's run and I would have loved to see more of them.
#11 lord_karsus Sep 25, 2008 21:08:08	-Well, as I am sure you can tell, I've never even heard of it before.
#12 DreamStalker Sep 26, 2008 6:24:44	The Heroes of ... series was similar to the ...scape and terrain sourcebooks. They are supplemental tool kits for building campaigns and characters around the stated theme. Heroes of Horror had some reprint and update from The Book of Vile Darkness and from the Shadowlands material from Oriental Adventures. Certainly the BoVD and Heroes of Horror have a lot of synergy. The focus of the book is for creating fantasy horror gaming. I think that is an interesting alternate take on the Realms and makes for an interesting setting. Also, I believe it is exactly in the correct book for such an alternative. As for a replacement for 4E FR I think the focus would be a bit too dark.
#13 suin_bahhar_02 Sep 26, 2008 11:37:32	There were some good insights in Heroes of Horror which helped me create situations with suspence. It had taint based races, classes and feats and expanded on BoVD's taint spells aswell. One of my players has some taint from a warped imaskari ruin, enough to obtain a taint feat he likes to use...
#14 evil_weevil Sep 26, 2008 23:02:30	Hopefully we will get a WoTC made Ravenloft setting in 4th edition. I just don't want them to 4th edition-it-up. Ravenloft is the standard horror setting, and it is very good provided you ignore any and all mechanics that sword & sorcery created in 3.5, which were dark times, ... ok darker times for Ravenloft.
#15 Dark_Wizard_02 Sep 27, 2008 1:11:32	Unfortunately, they're probably going to want to do something to it. Put their 4E mark on it. It's only natural I guess. Different people, different interpretation. The designers just have the fortune of being able to publish the official interpretation. Luckily, the Dragonlance and Dark Sun boards seem to have the most activity of the unsupported settings. (Top number of threads for DL, and top number of posts for DS, second for threads) So Ravenloft has a few years before they fiddle with it.
#16 lykor Sep 27, 2008 22:37:12	Yeah, Heroes of Horror was pretty low key. However, it, along with Libris Mortis, are two decent, if not good, source books dealing with Undead. As for BOED/BOVD, they suck. Some of the fluff is ok, but the actual mechanics are either bad or stupidly broken. Skip them.
#17 obadaya Oct 13, 2008 23:29:52	Whoa! Cool original poster idea.