middlemonster
February 17th, 2010, 03:11
This is all from about 2-3 hours of brainstorming. With lots of distractions. I really need critiques and suggestions for me to decide whether or not to continue.
GONDORF
Setting: Dark Fantasy
Good People are very hard to find. The world inside cities is as savage as outside.
Gods are selfish and vengeful. There are 3 gods. Archon (god of order), Belia (goddess of chaos), and Genti (goddess of balance)
Rule number 1 in this world is everyman for himself.
There is one large Continent called Gardenfel.
The world is covered with harsh climates and dangerous environments. Nothing is safe.
Sentient races do not bicker about who is good or evil. They see everyone as a possible threat. Everything is about greed and surviving in a cruel relentless world. There is still blatant racism but not necessarily violent.
Magic is seen as normal. A wizard may be sought out by commoners to accomplish menial tasks yet most magic users (including priests, druids and warlocks) are easily bored by this and tend to become hermits.
Any organized governments are two weak and don't have a strong enough reach to control more than a small region of land because of how dangerous the wild is.
The wilderness is full of gigantic and violent creatures (a lot less magical creatures in this world)
Mostly prehistoric mammals and reptiles roam the land constantly attacking small villages and settlements while avoiding larger cities where walls and guards are protecting them.
A large city is much less a place of law and order and more of a giant meeting place for people to sell and buy wares and services, and build mercenary bands. There are few rules people follow. People turning up dead and missing is common place and people usually travel in large numbers to avoid such things. The largest of these cities is called Groth.
There is one large group of religious zealots who try and force law and order (not necessarily good) they follow Archon and hire the most elite of warriors(avengers) to pursue their need for creating order. They're major city and temple is called Arc. Archon plays a very active role with his main followers and communicates with them regularly. Archon's chosen races are Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Dragonborn, Halflings, Eladrin, and Gnomes
There is a dark secret cult that follows the teachings of the goddess Belia. They consist mainly of thieves and warlocks who live underground and in dark corners in the major cities using others to create chaos throughout the world. Their major city and underground temple is Groth. Belia only contacts her main priestess during moonless nights when instruction is required. Belia's chosen races are Drow, Orcs, Shadar-Kai, Goliaths, Minotaurs, Shifters, Gnolls, and Doppleganger's.
Genti does not organize her followers but creates them through immaculate conception and other supernatural means. These selected few tend to have strong supernatural powers, powers which are sacrificed by Genti herself. Many of her offspring are unaware of their connection living out their lives unknowingly guided by subtle signs from Genti. Genti does not have worshipers so her involvement in the shaping of the world is unknown to its inhabitants and the other cults. Genti is not prejiduce in which races she choses. Knowing that all races are equally able to carry out her miracles. Genti's "follower's" tend to be martyred once they accomplish their goals, this is how Genti retrieves her powers back from her chosen.
Just because a race isn't a chosen race doesn't mean that these factions do not accept other races. All races in this world are considered equals. The chosen races are only for roleplaying sake. The gods Archon and Belia have an understanding that no matter what your race, power is in numbers and accept all races. Also these gods do not discriminate based on whether you are good or evil, because these gods are selfish, and neither care how their wills are carried out, just that they are carried out.
Genti is completely different because she creates her own followers and does not contact individuals to do her bidding.
This campaign setting creates a much more open play style for open player's. No more restrictions in race or class because one race is prejudice against another, and characters are more welcome to be neutral than good or evil (based on the mythology)
Most people in the world do not care one way or the other. Gods to them are a just as savage and cruel as the rest of the world. They all just want to survive.
Play Style
Traditional DnD 4e adventures tend to discriminate on who the heroes are and who the bad guys are. This makes the world mostly black and white. The human-like races vs the beast-like races. Good Gods vs Evil Gods.
In my setting the wilderness is not riddled with goblin bands, orcish hordes, magical creatures scurrying out of sight creating wonderment. No, when you go into the wilderness you aren't afraid of bandits coming for your coin purse, or clearing a dungeon full of goblins and slimes. What you are worried about are savage wolves looking for their next meal. Or a rampaging dinosaur out on its daily killing spree. Animals tend to be much more wild and fearless, but also more cunning. The only species that survive are the strongest.
With the dangers of the wilderness taken into the cities this creates a sense of adventure everywhere, no longer are cities considered safe havens from the savagery of the wild. No longer will the threshold of an inn be considered where you will be greeted warmly by an attractive bar wench but a place where you need to watch your coin purse and your throat.
Instead of players banding together to ransack a dungeon or clear out a undead tomb, they will band together out of necessity to survive the wilderness when going from place to place, and to watch each others backs. You won't have time to worry about the fact that one of your companions just happens to be evil or your a elf paladin and he's a drow warlock. All you care about is survival.
In this way you can go on adventures to search ancient ruins in the jungle for mystical artifacts for an evil mage who is looking to kill a good mage. And he plans on paying you handsomely for doing so and may even ask you to participate in the attack, but only if you want. Also you don't have to worry about turning against the evil mage in the end because the good mage just happened to make you a better offer.
Player's aren't pressured to be good characters because no one in the world cares if you are good. Helping those in need may only get you noticed by the wrong people. There are no mayors asking you to do things out of kindness rather doing things that they need to survive, and then move on your way once your paid. This also makes people much stronger and more able to handle themselves. Its hard to find a damsel in distress because females tend to be as ruthless and paranoid as their counterparts. Children, being a very rare circumstance, are also much more hardened as well, but are also considered to be a valuable resource and many are either sold or stolen based on need for survival or just greed.
Wars are also not very likely as it is hard to convince people that its within their best interest to die for any cause (not including the 2 religious factions which are constantly, but they are much more subtle about it). Which brings to the table that the Archon's followers are just as inclined to hire bandits and assassins to do their bidding as the followers of Belia.
GONDORF
Setting: Dark Fantasy
Good People are very hard to find. The world inside cities is as savage as outside.
Gods are selfish and vengeful. There are 3 gods. Archon (god of order), Belia (goddess of chaos), and Genti (goddess of balance)
Rule number 1 in this world is everyman for himself.
There is one large Continent called Gardenfel.
The world is covered with harsh climates and dangerous environments. Nothing is safe.
Sentient races do not bicker about who is good or evil. They see everyone as a possible threat. Everything is about greed and surviving in a cruel relentless world. There is still blatant racism but not necessarily violent.
Magic is seen as normal. A wizard may be sought out by commoners to accomplish menial tasks yet most magic users (including priests, druids and warlocks) are easily bored by this and tend to become hermits.
Any organized governments are two weak and don't have a strong enough reach to control more than a small region of land because of how dangerous the wild is.
The wilderness is full of gigantic and violent creatures (a lot less magical creatures in this world)
Mostly prehistoric mammals and reptiles roam the land constantly attacking small villages and settlements while avoiding larger cities where walls and guards are protecting them.
A large city is much less a place of law and order and more of a giant meeting place for people to sell and buy wares and services, and build mercenary bands. There are few rules people follow. People turning up dead and missing is common place and people usually travel in large numbers to avoid such things. The largest of these cities is called Groth.
There is one large group of religious zealots who try and force law and order (not necessarily good) they follow Archon and hire the most elite of warriors(avengers) to pursue their need for creating order. They're major city and temple is called Arc. Archon plays a very active role with his main followers and communicates with them regularly. Archon's chosen races are Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Dragonborn, Halflings, Eladrin, and Gnomes
There is a dark secret cult that follows the teachings of the goddess Belia. They consist mainly of thieves and warlocks who live underground and in dark corners in the major cities using others to create chaos throughout the world. Their major city and underground temple is Groth. Belia only contacts her main priestess during moonless nights when instruction is required. Belia's chosen races are Drow, Orcs, Shadar-Kai, Goliaths, Minotaurs, Shifters, Gnolls, and Doppleganger's.
Genti does not organize her followers but creates them through immaculate conception and other supernatural means. These selected few tend to have strong supernatural powers, powers which are sacrificed by Genti herself. Many of her offspring are unaware of their connection living out their lives unknowingly guided by subtle signs from Genti. Genti does not have worshipers so her involvement in the shaping of the world is unknown to its inhabitants and the other cults. Genti is not prejiduce in which races she choses. Knowing that all races are equally able to carry out her miracles. Genti's "follower's" tend to be martyred once they accomplish their goals, this is how Genti retrieves her powers back from her chosen.
Just because a race isn't a chosen race doesn't mean that these factions do not accept other races. All races in this world are considered equals. The chosen races are only for roleplaying sake. The gods Archon and Belia have an understanding that no matter what your race, power is in numbers and accept all races. Also these gods do not discriminate based on whether you are good or evil, because these gods are selfish, and neither care how their wills are carried out, just that they are carried out.
Genti is completely different because she creates her own followers and does not contact individuals to do her bidding.
This campaign setting creates a much more open play style for open player's. No more restrictions in race or class because one race is prejudice against another, and characters are more welcome to be neutral than good or evil (based on the mythology)
Most people in the world do not care one way or the other. Gods to them are a just as savage and cruel as the rest of the world. They all just want to survive.
Play Style
Traditional DnD 4e adventures tend to discriminate on who the heroes are and who the bad guys are. This makes the world mostly black and white. The human-like races vs the beast-like races. Good Gods vs Evil Gods.
In my setting the wilderness is not riddled with goblin bands, orcish hordes, magical creatures scurrying out of sight creating wonderment. No, when you go into the wilderness you aren't afraid of bandits coming for your coin purse, or clearing a dungeon full of goblins and slimes. What you are worried about are savage wolves looking for their next meal. Or a rampaging dinosaur out on its daily killing spree. Animals tend to be much more wild and fearless, but also more cunning. The only species that survive are the strongest.
With the dangers of the wilderness taken into the cities this creates a sense of adventure everywhere, no longer are cities considered safe havens from the savagery of the wild. No longer will the threshold of an inn be considered where you will be greeted warmly by an attractive bar wench but a place where you need to watch your coin purse and your throat.
Instead of players banding together to ransack a dungeon or clear out a undead tomb, they will band together out of necessity to survive the wilderness when going from place to place, and to watch each others backs. You won't have time to worry about the fact that one of your companions just happens to be evil or your a elf paladin and he's a drow warlock. All you care about is survival.
In this way you can go on adventures to search ancient ruins in the jungle for mystical artifacts for an evil mage who is looking to kill a good mage. And he plans on paying you handsomely for doing so and may even ask you to participate in the attack, but only if you want. Also you don't have to worry about turning against the evil mage in the end because the good mage just happened to make you a better offer.
Player's aren't pressured to be good characters because no one in the world cares if you are good. Helping those in need may only get you noticed by the wrong people. There are no mayors asking you to do things out of kindness rather doing things that they need to survive, and then move on your way once your paid. This also makes people much stronger and more able to handle themselves. Its hard to find a damsel in distress because females tend to be as ruthless and paranoid as their counterparts. Children, being a very rare circumstance, are also much more hardened as well, but are also considered to be a valuable resource and many are either sold or stolen based on need for survival or just greed.
Wars are also not very likely as it is hard to convince people that its within their best interest to die for any cause (not including the 2 religious factions which are constantly, but they are much more subtle about it). Which brings to the table that the Archon's followers are just as inclined to hire bandits and assassins to do their bidding as the followers of Belia.