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Message: <blockquote data-quote="SHARK" data-source="post: 192201" data-attributes="member: 1131">Greetings!Hey there Joshua! You've been missed here recently!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Well, the thing is, I long ago designed my world, and the campaigns therein, to be big enough, and complex and flexible enough, to accomodate just about anything I or the crew is in the mood for.For example, if the group is in a "Urban" mode, I have cities of easily over one million people, with everything a dynamic metropolis could hope to offer. There are nobles to be allied with and opposed; Dark cults to be uncovered, and destroyed; Insidious crime-gangs and ruthless mercantile guilds that plot and gather their hand to any number of criminal activities; There are struggling masses, grinding away in working class slums, giving rise to civil discontent and occasional riots and outbursts of rebellion and anarchy; There are avenues of infiltration for Drow Elves, Ratmen, and Umber Hulk migrations, all seeking to enslave and conquer. Thus, cities have lots of action going on for urban adventures.In wilderness areas, there are the borders of the frontier, which need to be protected from invasion. My campaign is active and dynamic; Elves, while not as numerous as they once were, are on the rise; They are forming new communities and fortified cities in ancient lands long lost to the forces of Darkness. At the same time, the forces of Darkness, whether they be hordes of beastmen and monsters, who threaten to invade fringe provinces at any time, or formidable invasions of Hobgoblins, or Orcs, there is frequent military action. In the northern frontiers, there are also large confederations of enormous tribes of human barbarians. Some are allied, and some are ruthlessly expansionistic, and often send strong invasions into the Vallorean Empire. In the south, there is an array of ancient, sophisticated human kingdoms and empires, that at different times, have been enemies of Vallorea. Some are friends, while others are just as often trade competitors. From the west, there are amphibious invasions and seaborne attacks by Fomorians and other monsters to always be concerned about.Oftentimes, one or more of the characters in the group are members of the Vallorean Legions on special assignment, or Knights, or Templars, and so on. They often come into positions where they are needed in some military capacity, or they have found themselves to be in a particular position, either physically, or socially, where they can not only get involved, but also make a difference.The campaign is diverse and rich enough, for example, that you, as a player, could find yourself being from a border town somewhere on the back-side of an outlying province of the Vallorean Empire, living in total squallor that would make our own real-world 12th century Dark Ages town look like a resort! Very little magic, no Legions, no cool magical details, just mud, cold, tough pork, a few chicken eggs, and straw to sleep in. Sometimes the horses actually have it better!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />All joking aside, though, I also like some more historical/traditional kind of environments, where the incidence of magic and the fantastic can be easily controlled, and even concealed to a large degree. I can allow players to play in and develop in such areas, if they like, and never see any dramatic changes to those conditionals. They own circumstances, personal prestige, and personal power may all change greatly, but the environmental conditionals of creatures, magic items, and fantastic opponents can remain largely unchanged. A very low-magic, low-fantasy environment can be maintained thusly. However, should I or the group desire something more unusual and fantastic, that too, can seamlessly be accomodated!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Depending on the players social status and rank, as well as who they know, they can initially or ongoing, be simply a band of adventurers and mercenaries. Gradually, though, if they desire it, and if they work hard at it, and are aided by a bit of luck, they can rise to become renowned heroes of the land, great champions, even generals, or powerful nobles, with large lands and many different political, military, and economic concerns.Thus, I personally have interests in, and even needs to develop and maintain fresh ideas of low-fantasy, gritty environments, as well as magic-rich, high-fantasy environments. I hope I answered your questions!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> If not, feel free and I shall be happy to elaborate!<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />Semper Fidelis,SHARK</blockquote>

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