buzz
Adventurer
We often talk about the "implied" setting of D&D, i.e., those assumpitons made by the rules that reflect corresponding assumptions in the game world.
What published settings, if any, actually directly address the various "implied" elements of D&D? Is there a setting that provides an explanation for, say, why the alignment system exists? Or why wizards prepare spells the way they do? Or why there is such a prolific variety of monster species? Or why paladins are all lawful good?
I mean, the PHB does a lot of explaining *how* things work, but not a lot of *why*.
I've been thinking about this as I read through the 3.5e PHB and think about the attempts at world-building that I've made in the past. I'll often come up with various ideas or cool elements that I want to incorporate, and maybe some background on the various standard races... but I don't think I've ever made an attempt to incorporate explanations for why the D&D universe works the way it does.
Ergo, I thought it would be fun to try, and I was trying to think if any published settings had already done it, at least overtly. The only one I can think of is The Diamond Throne from Arcana Unearthed, but we know that Monte was being very purposeful in creating new "implied" setting elements as part of the concept for AU.
What published settings, if any, actually directly address the various "implied" elements of D&D? Is there a setting that provides an explanation for, say, why the alignment system exists? Or why wizards prepare spells the way they do? Or why there is such a prolific variety of monster species? Or why paladins are all lawful good?
I mean, the PHB does a lot of explaining *how* things work, but not a lot of *why*.
I've been thinking about this as I read through the 3.5e PHB and think about the attempts at world-building that I've made in the past. I'll often come up with various ideas or cool elements that I want to incorporate, and maybe some background on the various standard races... but I don't think I've ever made an attempt to incorporate explanations for why the D&D universe works the way it does.
Ergo, I thought it would be fun to try, and I was trying to think if any published settings had already done it, at least overtly. The only one I can think of is The Diamond Throne from Arcana Unearthed, but we know that Monte was being very purposeful in creating new "implied" setting elements as part of the concept for AU.