Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 poxwarmonger Jan 16, 2012 22:08:48	Alright, so I'm not new to DMing, or crafting my own homebrew worlds, but I am having trouble in deciding the direction of this new campaign setting. Basically, I want to adapt the Lorwyn and Shadowmoor story arc to D&D. For those who don't know, basically Lorwyn is an idyllic world with many races that form different tribes, like elementals, and Kithkin (sort of like Halflings). Anyway, these guys are relatively peaceful towards each other, although they prefer to stay amongst themselves.  But, annually there’s this even called an Aurora, where the sun, which never sets, darkens and lights appear in the sky, much like the aurora borealis. Anyway, something goes happens and the normally benign even doesn’t pass as usual, and it begins transforming the once idyllic world into a twisted a version of itself.   One facet I’m having trouble with, is that I’m not sure how to incorporate something for my players to do in the idyllic world. I want them to actually feel a sense of loss when the worlds changes, but also feel a challenge when the world is still in its idyllic form. I’m not entirely sure how to do that, without making bland enemies. I’d also like you guys to comment on my Shadowmoor style world. Basically, one of my plans is for ancient, evil races, like vampires and werewolves, to awaken again. I also want most of the civilized groups to becomes twisted versions of themselves. The humans, for example, once open and tolerant, become xenophobic and form two camps. Those that buy into fanatical religious groups and still practice magic, and those who forsake magic and attempt to develop technology. I also want war to be a constant looming force, as the world becomes darker and more dangerous. The elves, always haughty and perfectionist become fascist and hating of anything that doesn’t meet their ideals of beauty or worth. So, they begin to form raiding parties to rid the world of what they call “eyeblights.” Or ugly races. They divide themselves into camps, those who want the Sun to rise – the Ljosalfar – and those who derive power and glee from this sick and twisted world, the Svartalfar. The Svartalfar aren’t drow, though they are darker skinned – a little more like the Dunmer from the elder scrolls - but they’re also more deformed and changed by the new plane. As such, the Ljosalfar deem the Svartalfar to be “eyeblights” and send constant raids against them, while both groups suffer external pressure. Dwarves, normally a expansionist and trading empire, are falling on hard times, as a fungal parasite awakens inside their mines. This parasite consumes all their underground colonies, forcing many to become Dusters, or Dwarves that live above ground. Those that still live underground close their kingdoms and build massive golems to support their weakened army, for any who fall to that parasite are quickly raised as a “husk,” or a being under the control of the creatures. Merfolk, once brave scouts, playful, and always happy to help lost people who are near waterways, are twisted and become feral in many cases. They use their guile and magic rob travelers and sink any ships that dare enter the waterways that they inhabit. Moreover, the once pristine waters are dark, and brackish, and non-merfolk are able to see the bottoms. The rivers are also home to many new predators, as once delicious fish turn into hungry piranhas that can clean the meat off an unsuspecting victim in seconds. Alligators and water snakes grow massive and devour anyone who draws too close to their predator grounds. Goblins, once playful and more trickster-like than evil, are twisted into little demons, that are now under the thrall of the Matron – a colossal black dragon (hitherto, dragons were banished to another continent and were not supposed to bother the civilized races). Now under the guidance of powerful leader, the goblins wage constant war against the human tribes and duster villages that dot the once dormant, but now active volcanoes of the plane.   There’s some other races who I’ll add and change, but these are the most important changes. There’s also the Fay, who changed little, and their elusive queen, who knows the what’s truly happened. Thanks in advanced guys.
#2 TV_Casualty Jan 18, 2012 19:19:30	OK, I see what you're doing here. You're using the Aurora as a story hook without actually setting the campaign in the Lorwyn universe. I think that could work. Ironically enough, I've been penning up a Lorwyn/Shadowmoor universe campaign recently. Right away, I have to ask:  do the characters retain their memories between worlds? Because, in the Magic storyline, only a few creatures retain their memories of Lorwyn while in Shadowmoor. Also important:  how frequently does the transition occur in your game world? The easiest, probably most elegant solution to your problem is to have the transition between the "Lorwyn" world and "Shadowmoor" world (for lack of better terms) to happen only once, and have the character's mysteriously retain their memories while the rest of the world (or at least your average Farmer Joe) does not. They can spend the rest of the campaign trying to get back to the idyllic home that they know and love while uncovering the mystery of the Aurora. As for making them feel loss for the "Lorwyn" world, there's a number of ways you could do that. Maybe they're well-known heroes (or paragons...) in "Lorwyn" but they're nobodies in "Shadowmoor." If the players are an RP-heavy group, invite them to write a detailed back story, and incorporate their friends and family as NPCs. Include their history in the story itself. There's a number of ways you could convey how much better the "Lorwyn" world was, but the biggest and most effective way is displaying just how crappy this new "Shadowmoor" world is. Maybe combat is more challenging (roaming beasties, etc). Loot doesn't come as easily. Less places where the party is safe, and even less where they are welcome, that sort of thing. Maybe those friends and family they had in the other world are dead and gone here, or maybe they never even existed. One of the biggest traits of the plane of Shadowmoor in MTG is that everyday is a fight for survival. I dunno. Just throwing some ideas out there.