D&D (2024) Greyhawk Confirmed. Tell Me Why.

[Mecheon]

Or have them be from somewhere off the map.

I mean, Greyhawk has a Dragon Empire that's never been explored, only ever mentioned in like, one thing as "A dude went there and learnt to ride dragons"

"Dragonborn live in the Dragon Empire" seems like a small leap

 

[Chaosmancer]

I mean, Greyhawk has a Dragon Empire that's never been explored, only ever mentioned in like, one thing as "A dude went there and learnt to ride dragons"

"Dragonborn live in the Dragon Empire" seems like a small leap

Agree. Just offering a multitude of solutions

 

[pemerton]

"Dragonborn live in the Dragon Empire" seems like a small leap

Yet another reason not to link them to Wastri, who only ever performs large leaps!

 

[Hussar]

I mean, you don't even need to go that far.

There's some sort of Dragon Empire that exists in Greyhawk that's never been explored. Just, have Dragonborn live there

To be fair, Greyhawk actually doesn't have a lot of dragons. Dragons just don't feature that strongly in the setting. It's not like Forgotten Realms where you have ancient dragons all over the place. So, a "Dragon Empire" would be a pretty big tonal shift for the setting.

Certainly not impossible, of course.

Note, when I think of Greyhawk, I tend to stick within the main setting itself. All the extended lands that came later are a lot less detailed and not really something I personally consider canon. I mean, you could argue that the Isle of Dread is just to the south of Greyhawk as well, meaning that Tabaxi... I mean Rakasta come from there.

 

[pemerton]

To be fair, Greyhawk actually doesn't have a lot of dragons. Dragons just don't feature that strongly in the setting. It's not like Forgotten Realms where you have ancient dragons all over the place. So, a "Dragon Empire" would be a pretty big tonal shift for the setting.

Well, Greyhawk Adventures has The Pinnacles of Azor'alq. We are told (p 89) that "the Pinnacles are not more than 50 leagues from the mainland, somewhere in the angle of the Dramidj between Ekbir and Zeif" and also that "Whatever else dwells among the pinnacles, it is certain that dragons of all sorts and sizes make their home there, from tiny varieties that sport among the beautiful and unique birds of the forests to huge coiled reptiles."

To me, this is why it makes sense to link Dragonborn to this part of the world.

when I think of Greyhawk, I tend to stick within the main setting itself. All the extended lands that came later are a lot less detailed and not really something I personally consider canon. I mean, you could argue that the Isle of Dread is just to the south of Greyhawk as well, meaning that Tabaxi... I mean Rakasta come from there.

Well, a decade after Greyhawk Adventures, we got The Scarlet Brotherhood, which tells us that Tabaxi live in Hepmonaland. Which does not seem all that far-fetched!

 

[Pauln6]

You get a sad face, because I don't think it's very nice to Dragonborn to connect them like this to the Hopping Prophet and Foe of All Demi-humans. A bit beneath their dignity.

(Which you seem to implicitly concede in your post 1803).

Well I like my 4e lore.

While I hated the new look to the gnomes, and obviously ignored that part, I thought that formally making them fey was a genius move that made a lot of sense given their innate magical abilities. In a single stroke, the true difference between dwarves and gnomes made much more sense.

 

[Hussar]

Well, Greyhawk Adventures has The Pinnacles of Azor'alq. We are told (p 89) that "the Pinnacles are not more than 50 leagues from the mainland, somewhere in the angle of the Dramidj between Ekbir and Zeif" and also that "Whatever else dwells among the pinnacles, it is certain that dragons of all sorts and sizes make their home there, from tiny varieties that sport among the beautiful and unique birds of the forests to huge coiled reptiles."

To me, this is why it makes sense to link Dragonborn to this part of the world.

Well, a decade after Greyhawk Adventures, we got The Scarlet Brotherhood, which tells us that Tabaxi live in Hepmonaland. Which does not seem all that far-fetched!

Again, yes, I realize that they did do a bit on stuff that was largely outside of Greyhawk proper. Like I said, I largely ignore it as apocryphal since it actually ties into so little of what we actually have significant information about.

Sure, plunk down some land outside and have dragonborn come from there if it makes you happy. Me? I'd rather they were actually in the setting.

 

[pemerton]

Again, yes, I realize that they did do a bit on stuff that was largely outside of Greyhawk proper. Like I said, I largely ignore it as apocryphal since it actually ties into so little of what we actually have significant information about.

How is Greyhawk Adventures apocryphal? After the Gazetteer and the boxed set, it's the next thing TSR gave us on Greyhawk! (As best I recall, at least.)

 

[CapnZapp]

Anyway: why do YOU think they decided on Greyhawk for the example DMG setting?

I think it is because the sole parameter for WotC is "will this exclude somebody?"

They don't care whether a setting is interesting or intriguing or unique.

They care only for maximizing sales; that nobody can say their special character feels out of place.

They always go for the most generic vanilla kitchen sink setting. Which pretty much rules out everything except Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk.

That's my answer anyway.

 

[Remathilis]

I think it is because the sole parameter for WotC is "will this exclude somebody?"

They don't care whether a setting is interesting or intriguing or unique.

They care only for maximizing sales; that nobody can say their special character feels out of place.

They always go for the most generic vanilla kitchen sink setting. Which pretty much rules out everything except Forgotten Realms and Greyhawk.

That's my answer anyway.

Can I laugh at the absurdity of thinking they were going to put something like Dark Sun in the DMG? The idea that the sample setting was going to deviate from the norms in the rest of the Core? Even Eberron would need large amounts of page count to devote to "here is where the elves are different from the PHB" or "this is the stats for Dragon marks"