Homebrew worlds and "borrowing"...

[crazy_monkey1956]

Although I don't use published campaign settings, I borrow extensively from them to help me build my homebrew campaign setting.

For homebrew builders out there, do you do this also and what sources do you borrow from? Or do you operate under the hope that one day your homebrew will be the next Eberron or Forgotten Realms and therefore attempt to keep outside influences out of it?

 

[BenjErik]

Original Ideas

Every time I think of an original idea, it turns out that it has already been used or published in some other product... So, my homebrew pretty much borrows and adapts crunch, fluff, and tidbits from pretty much everywhere and meshes it all into a setting that I like to think is unique and has its own flavor. The trick is changing it up enough that your players don't recognize the source!

 

[pawsplay]

Although I don't use published campaign settings, I borrow extensively from them to help me build my homebrew campaign setting.

For homebrew builders out there, do you do this also and what sources do you borrow from? Or do you operate under the hope that one day your homebrew will be the next Eberron or Forgotten Realms and therefore attempt to keep outside influences out of it?

I'd like to point out that Eberron borrows heavily from pulp, steampulp, and urban fantasy sources as well as anime, while Forgotten Realms borrowed Lolth and the drow from Greyhawk.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I'm sure I'm influenced by other settings, but I've tried to keep direct ideas from published campaign settings out of it. Not because I have any aspirations to publish, but because once I start borrowing from a setting, there are other pieces that seem to make sense to also include, or it might not make sense not to include.

Honestly I would like to avoid my players saying "Oh, yeah, just like in Setting X," because it also might have them making incorrect assumptions about other things that are like that setting.

 

[EricNoah]

I borrow a lot of flavorful place names from books and other campaign settings.

I got a bunch of family and personal names and family trees from a GRRM MUSH site. http://www.westeros.org/BoD/Houses/

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I'd like to point out that Eberron borrows heavily from pulp, steampulp, and urban fantasy sources as well as anime, while Forgotten Realms borrowed Lolth and the drow from Greyhawk.

I was just throwing those out there as well known published settings.

 

[pawsplay]

I was just throwing those out there as well known published settings.

But with what aim? If your homebrewed setting were the "next Forgotten Realms," it would include a ton of borrowed material.

 

[EricNoah]

I think he means that if you really want to create the next Realms or Eberron, you're not going to borrow other people's trademarked/copyright-protected names, characters, etc.

If you're homebrewing with no aspirations to publish, such borrowing is no problem. If you're homebrewing with aspirations to publish you need original material (even if it is derivative).

 

[painandgreed]

I borrow as little as possible. I try to fit in things from the rule books such as races and classes, but not other campaigns. The only real overt thing I've borrowed is the 1E D&D non-humn dieties and I've changed them in pretty much everything but name and race.

No thoughts of being the next campaign setting.

 

[Rhun]

My homebrew is a mish-mash of originality and things borrowed from other sources. I don't plan on it ever beeing published, so no big deal.