Merged WotC setting search winners/losers thread

[AmerginLiath]

Cabera, Lands of Law and Chaos

Dang, and I liked mine...

CABERA
Lands of Law and Chaos

In a world bound by race and caste, a shackled humanity fights for its place in the fraying Empire of Cabera.

For millennia, war ravaged the four kingdoms. Elf and dwarf, and their allies the gnomes and halflings, battled one another, and mountains shook with crashes of sorcery and steel, fighting a conflict as old as the world itself. Two gods, Omud and Aran, stood for all that was - law and chaos - and their followers - the organized dwarves and the individualistic elves - strove to see their patron claim superiority. Finally, the cost was too much and the sides sued for peace, working up a new system to keep their races in check. The elven kingdom of Braan, the dwarf kingdom of Kashar, the gnomish kingdom of Wysien, and the halfling kingdom of Soedurn were united under one rule: a rule of four racial castes set up to balance order and chaos. Beneath the watchful eyes of elven wizards, dwarven warriors governed this united empire of Cabera, while gnomish merchants and halfling farmers stood beneath their betters. At the bottom of this hierarchy stood a people thought untouchable, the enslaved and despised plainsmen called humanity. Humans, loyal, not to Omud or Aran, but the natural symmetry of the world-serpent Ur-Boros, were shackled by their longer-lived neighbors to manage the routines of peace, and have lived in quiet tyranny for three thousand years. But the peace Braan and Kashar expected may be short-lived. Elven mages, discovering their connection to despised humanity, hear the call of chaos in their pointed ears. Likewise, the druid chiefs of man grower bolder with the aid of a third party to the east. The twelve tribes of Metirael, hobgoblin followers of the monotheistic god of law, Ahur-Omud, have united into the kingdom of Tokaern, swearing to destroy the followers of what they see as the arch-demon Aran, and all those who would ally with the demon’s children.

• In a society anchored in ancient roles, the place of heroes, men who would change what is, is difficult to ascertain. Clearest is the race of Man. For millennia, they stood by nature, until nature failed them and the other races seized their children for labor. Now, some fight both by sword and word to find a place within Cabera for their people, while others try to build a nation of Men in the open plains separating Cabera and Tokaern. And, while it is the lower classes of gnome and halfling that are most likely to give their servants a breath of freedom, some among the ruling classes of wizards and warriors see this system as breaking: dwarves who see the use of humans as chattel as a chaotic stand-in for uniting the races in Order, and elves who look at this Empire, and its rule of Man as the descent of all races into the tyranny and order. Surprisingly, it is the hobgoblins who gives Man his due -viewing Man like a thirteenth brother - seeming evil in the eyes of Cabera while trying to defend their own place in the world.
  
• These heroes serve many roles. Amidst the warrior caste, noble paladins urge the way of right to balance the way of order, while even the common fighter can see that mercy and order come hand in hand. Even with a philosophy of the individual, elven magic can united as well as separate. And lowest halfling farmer or human slave can see that wealth and power are not all that show a man’s worth in society. Likewise, to the west, human adventurers strike out to find ancient treasures and new opportunities, braving even the peaks of the mysterious Vreyhost Mountains, forbidden home to the east of giants and dragons.
  
• On the other side, the role of villain is played by many. Elven warlocks engineer the collapse of their forebears’ compromise to give the world unto Chaos, while some dwarven tyrants try to finally subdue the willful elves to the whim of the caste of Kashar. Meanwhile, gnomish merchant princes grow wealthier on the back of human labor, and some among them see this increase in mercantile wealth being the true basis for power. And on the outskirts of the empire, a group of human barbarians plot genocide as the only way of freeing their brethren from the yoke and returning to their place in nature. Beyond all these battles behind the scenes of Cabera lies still Tokaern, where for each paladin that arises from the tribes to celebrate Ahur-Omud’s name, there arises a dictator watching the empire to the west circling into disorder and making plans for the best time to strike in the name of law.
  
• The role of magic is different depending on type. Arcane magic is the domain, by tradition, of the wizardly caste of elves alone, from the highest Vizier in the capitol to the lowest wandering bard in the marches or ranger-wizard at the borders of the empire. Divine magic, though, is shared equally by all. Paladins and fighter-clerics of Omud lead the warrior caste of dwarves, and gnomish merchants, while often dabbling in the arcane arts reserved normally for elves, minister religion as well as wares. And among the great wizards of the elves stand the high priests of Aran, carrying his favor as a beacon of their primacy, while halfling priests wander among their brothers ministering this call of individual will from nation to nation. To the east, humanity’s old ways are that of the druid, worshipping Nature and its symbol, Ur-Boros. Yet, some, often secretly carrying whispers of elven - or far stranger - bloodlines practice forbidden sorcery or call upon dragons as gods on earth. Lastly, the divine is all that is allowed among the tribes of Tokaern, as paladins and blackguards alike fight the forces of chaos.
  
• Separating Cabera and its neighbors from other worlds is both this background conflict of order and chaos, rather than good and evil, that drive centuries of conflict. Likewise, this battle’s detante, the caste system set up as a compromise three thousand years ago, sets Cabera apart. The hands of dwarf and elf seem drawn, while the hands of man seem bound entirely, but it is this system and it necessary boundaries that drive heroes and villains alike to make a mark on the fabric of their world. Man himself is pulled to his lowest state yet, and it is his noble nature and ability to persevere that will bring him to his rightful place among his neighbors. And lastly, nothing is black and white. Supposed bastions of good keep men in chains and try to send their rival races to join them, while it is in the goblinoid hands of alleged evil that mankind may yet find its salvation, and a world in turmoil may find hope of freedom on order itself.

I tried to do something 'different' with mine, though I barely fit it onto one page!

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Sniffle...

I might post mine later, but right now I'm to depressed. Not that I expected anything, but the hope was nice.

Hey, Kreynolds, you got any crying smileies?

 

[RangerWickett]

What's sad is that the winner's can't even post that they've been selected yet. Maybe WotC will at least post a list of what ideas made it in, or perhaps even post the submissions themselves.

 

[Aaron L]

If anyone is interested...


"...for in the Outer Dark lurk things more terrible than any God."

Alterra is a world of conflict, where secret societies battle in hidden wars over the fate of the world, and all is overshadowed by the threat of an ancient evil that lies waiting to be released to rule the world once more.

In Alterra, heroes arise from all walks of life, though most are trained in academies or secret societies. Covert wars occur frequently across the world, and even spill into the Planes. The Eletec Houses of the Isle of Antire train wizards for unseen battles over dominance and position. The Militant Orders of the Medaens are Greco-Roman inspired warrior-philosophers, trained as psions, psychic warriors, and monks. The Zhen Tao produce knights and samurai style fighter/sorcerers. Fighters across the world are trained in academies that compete in friendly and not so friendly rivalries. Druids unknowingly serve hidden gods as soldiers in a great war, and the elves consider themselves to be among the ranks of angels.

Those who become heroes sometimes gain notoriety, but most who gain true power stay hidden to the public, and among adventurers another society has formed, one where status and fame are established through deeds. The Militant Orders wage a war in two worlds, one against an evil empire on Alterra, and one in the Astral Planes against alien demigods. Independent adventurers form companies to seek treasures from the ruins of ancient civilizations, and those that are lucky enough become secret societies themselves.

Lurking behind everything are the hidden evils of Abomination, an ancient demon god, who is said to be the true ruler of Alterra. Legend says that Abomination lies imprisoned behind the moon, chained, and is waiting to return to its world. Aruis of Warwec, an ancient fallen paladin, is the head of Abomination’s cult, and has legions of cultists and orcs seeking to free it. The Verandi, a once noble desert people who conquered the world but now have fallen into decadence, seek to reclaim their lost glory. Finally, the old gods of the druids wage a war against each other over dominance of a shattered Plane, fighting the Militant Orders of the Medaens when their battles threaten to spill onto Alterra itself.

Magic is the highest science, using advanced mathematics and logic developed over thousands of years. There is no one force that is magic, rather magic is a multitude of various processes and methods of manipulating different phenomena. Psionics arose from the philosophers of the Medaens, who delved deep into their beings seeking Truth, and discovered hidden powers waiting to be used. Magic was once widespread, as were psionics, but when the Verandi conquered the world, they declared arcane learning to be witchcraft, and destroyed it wherever they could using the divine magic of their clerics, who greatly outnumbered the arcane casters and psionicists of the other cultures. Libraries were burned and philosophical academies were destroyed, leaving most of this knowledge lost for ages. The Eletec Houses kept wizardry alive, and the Zhen Tao have a long tradition of sorcery, with most of their nobility being sorcerers of some power. Many psionicists went into hiding, and ran secret schools where psionics was still taught. Ever since the world spanning empire of the Verandi fell 200 years ago, magic and psionics are once again coming out into the open, but long years of being hunted have made the practitioners of these lost arts secretive, and most jealously guard their power.

Alterra has the benefit of having psionics built into the foundation without replacing magic, and provides sorcery with a cultural basis for its existence alongside wizardry. It includes a framework for epic level play built into the background, with characters gradually becoming involved in existing extra-planer wars and high-powered conflicts once high levels are reached. Western and Eastern style civilizations exist side by side with significant contact with each other. A single, unified culture once ruled much of the world, and gives a good reason for a common tongue and cultural interchange. Several eras of civilizations have left countless ruins to be explored. Different human and nonhuman cultures provide varied backgrounds for characters, and basis for conflict. Lastly, the Verandi religion is monotheistic and has become dominant throughout much of the world, but several religious systems exist, providing for many gods.

Aaron M. Litz

 

[mmadsen]

Re: Well, guess this means I did NOT make it...

The moral of this story: Perhaps one page was NOT enough...

Or perhaps spelling "lose" as "loose" -- repeatedly -- didn't impress the judges.

 

[jaldaen]

Here's mine, hope to do something with it one day... but first I have to finish my ultrasecret campaign setting (though if people have paid real close attention to the boards they might be able to piece a few things together... and it is not for WotC ;-):

Vast Horizons is a world of clashing empires and boundless exploration, where heroes seek wealth and glory in the name of emperors, gods, and themselves.

In the world of Vast Horizons heroes abound across the aged and entangled empires of Alderland to the fledgling and unfettered colonies of Niwerland. It is said that the common men of Alderland, dwarves and humans alike, have iron blood and that their heroes possess steely veins and adamant hearts to compliment their sterling helms and unyielding blades. The heroes of Alderland have long been the defenders of the realm, but now with the discovery of Niwerland a great opportunity has arisen and many who once would have stood guard upon the borders now sail over the horizon to uncharted shores. Those who come to the coast of Niwerland range from poor nobles in search of wealth to brave soldiers seeking glory to zealous missionaries spreading their faith to daring explorers in quest for adventure.

It is said amongst the Aldermen that many a man’s fate was sealed when the crow first sighted breaking waves off the far-flung shores of Niwerland. It was the crash of ocean against the rising rocks of an unknown land, a siren’s call, which would lead man and beast across the leagues to a land both strange and wondrous. All men have their reasons for passing over the vast ocean that lies between Alderland and Niwerland, but there is a common thread that binds those who set foot upon the distant coast. A strand of hope, oft times desperate, sometimes innocent in the prospect that a new and better life may be found just beyond the next horizon. Still there are many heroes who remain in Alderland, their sense of duty to ancient homelands more powerful than the urgings of the alluring sea. It is these heroes who man the aged battlements and gaze across the quite countryside of Alderland and it is they who will face the coming storm. For although there is a silence now, it is well known that every squall has a calm before it, an eerie instance when all seems well when it is not. The storm approaches and dark clouds gather and in the end many men of Alderland will drown beneath the tide of war.

Terrible tempests brew about the empires of Alderland at bow and stern, and the thunder of impending conflict can be heard. Old enmities flare over who shall taste the fruits of Niwerland and neighboring empires, long at peace, prepare to march against each other in hopes of settling their claim at the edge of a blade. Blinded by their avarice, many of the empires of Alderland strip the land and ignore the rights of the natives of Niwerland. They have begun to enslave halflings and elves, and force them into armed service. News of this has reached the Quechan, one of the many proud elven empires of Niwerland and they have resolved to make war against the Aldermen before they can do any more harm to the land or its people. Thus are the dangers arrayed that face the brave men of Alderland, crafted and cultivated by emperors and advisers who drink and eat in their courts while heroes sweat and bleed upon the battlefield.

Lo, the smell of arcane magic shall lay heavy upon the ground, mingling with the stench of fear and death, and the long peaceful ley-lines shall once again pulse with power fed upon the blood of fallen heroes. Then, at the throbbing rhythm of the earth’s arcane arteries, much that was asleep in the world shall awaken. Legendary beasts and monstrous races shall erupt from the very memories of the world. It is a blessing, indeed, that Aldermen have long been men of deep faith, for the healing touch of clerics shall be needed against the wounds of war and priestly aid shall be a boon against the arsenals of imperial war wizards and the mythical creatures alike.

Vast Horizons is a unique setting of epic adventure and exploration where heroes can play significant roles in the rise and fall of the empires of Alderland, found and protect the colonies of Niwerland from the Quechan and their allies, or seek out the unknown lands, the terra incognita, that lay just beyond the map’s edge, and all of these exploits upon the backdrop of a world that is reawakening to its mythical past.

Jaldaen

 

[Chroma]

What I'm waiting for is...

...someone to say, "Here's the twenty-seven I sent in."

 

[Lizard]

Re: Re: Well, guess this means I did NOT make it...

Or perhaps spelling "lose" as "loose" -- repeatedly -- didn't impress the judges.

This is why spellcheckers are NOT enough.

 

[AmerginLiath]

Gotta move down that feat chain to Grammar Check!

 

[kenjib]

Arg! I be postin' the first island submission...

Haalyr: Adventures in the Dream Seas

1. Core Ethos Sentence
Radiating out from the Old Kingdoms on the largest islands, innumerable smaller islands grow more and more strange the further one sails until at the most distant reaches of the seas it is said that the very fabric of dreams and reality collides.

2. Who are the heroes?
The Old Kingdoms, called the cradle of civilization, are embroiled in never ending conflict. The most recent great empire of man is in the process of collapse under the weight of rebellion, an unwieldy and utterly decadent bureaucracy, and the steady economic pressure brought to bear by the powerful ancient houses of the great elven merchant kings. For all recorded history, great kingdoms and empires have risen and fallen through the actions of determined heroes. Perhaps the most famous of all of Haalyr’s heroes, however, are the daring explorers and adventurers who take to ship and seek fame and fortune in the distant, uncharted, reaches of the seas. Those who have returned from distant travels have been among the most famous and influential people in all of Haalyr’s history.

3. What do they do?
Great battles waged on land and sea, secret political wars fought from the shadows, levies, mercenary armies, divine and arcane power, and the ruthless struggle to maintain economic supremacy are just some of the many tools used in the epic struggles of the Old Kingdoms. Those adventurers who prefer to avoid the perilous and convoluted intrigues of the Old Kingdoms, however, often take to the seas. The great seas of Haalyr are filled with remote islands, many still uncharted. Those who have traveled farthest have reported the most amazing sights and perilous enemies. They have also returned with the greatest wealth.

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains
The Old Kingdoms are filled with scheming nobles, treacherous outlaws, ruthless generals, and inscrutable people of all types. As one sails further from the Old Kingdoms, the nature of villains encountered changes: Reclusive wizards performing sacrilegious experiments on lonely islands, mad cults worshipping dark gods in the ruins of forgotten civilizations, ancient horrors sealed in warded crypts, and countless other dangers await.

5. Nature of magic
In Haalyr, magic is the ability to break through the barrier between dreams and reality. By manifesting the dream, one can exert one’s will upon the tangible world. Understanding that this barrier is only an illusion is the first step toward mastery. Dreams and reality, however, co-exist in a fragile and strained duality. The use of powerful magic runs the risk of upsetting this balance and destabilizing reality itself. In the end, there is little that a powerful practitioner of magic fears more than her own nightmares.

6. What’s new? What’s different?
The journey of the hero from the familiar to the unknown and back again is one of the oldest and most enduring motifs in myth and fantasy. The history of Haalyr has been shaped by countless generations of such heroes, who undertook epic journeys into the unknown and returned with great power to shape the course of history. At the center of Haalyr on the largest isles in the great seas lie the Old Kingdoms. Even with their constantly shifting allegiances and power centers, the Old Kingdoms are a bastion of stability in an otherwise wild and unpredictable world. From there the world of Haalyr expands, becoming less and less familiar.
The journey into the unknown sings a primal song that dances to the fierce rhythms of the beating hearts of great heroes. Once this ancient melody is heard, it drives the soul onward, unable to rest until it can claim the greatness of kings or the oblivion of an unmarked grave thousands of miles from home.

Ah well, it was worth a shot!