Creating a campaign setting

[Blue Sky]

So, I got this itch to create a new campaign setting. I'm not gonna be running a game for a while, but I'd like to have something set up when I do. Here are some guidelines for what I'm looking for.

1. It has to allow pretty much any race/class/etc. that's out there, so it has to be mostly unmapped. That way, when someone wants to bring in the race from Dragon, or whatever, I can fit it in without too much trouble.

2. I don't like gods. At least, not the "show up everyday, proclaim their godliness, heal the believers" type of god. I think that it diminishes the idea of faith to have a god able to show up at will. As such, powerful creatures, such as dragons, demons, angels, elemental lords, liches, etc., can grant a connection to the positive or negative energy plane, thus granting clerical abilities. Such creatures may pose as gods, and possibly even derive power from worship, they're just not gods, per se.

3. Kind of a continuation from #1, I'd like the rules to transparent. By that, I mean that no one, in the game, can say that this person is a Wizard, or this person a Fighter. That "wizard" the locals are talking about may be a Druid, Sorcerer, Adept, Magewright, Psion, or even a Rogue with Use Magic Device. Now, those who know alot about magic may be able to recognize a spellbook, and maybe that spellbook has a significance in game, but the class itself isn't immediately known.

Now, the old Dungeon craft articles reccomended picking a theme and three foci for the game. The foci are above, and the theme...

I got this idea while trying to think of a way for some one to gain the half-dragon template after character creation. And then, remorseless thief that I am, I decided to raid one of the best sci-fi shows around, Stargate SG-1. What if dragons were a symbiotic race, that joins with humanoids? Then, perhaps, the half-dragon template doesn't reflect a cross-breeding of dragon and man, but a gift that the dragons can bestow upon "worthy" humans, elves, and so on. This gave me the idea of a royalty of dragons, with half-dragons representing those "lesser beings" who have been enough use to the dragons that they were rewarded with a stronger form, forming the base of the nobility.

Whew, that was long-winded. Now comes the part where I ask you for help. I'm good at fleshing out ideas that catch my eye, but not too good at starting my own. So, gentlemen and ladies of enworld, I ask you to give me ideas, cool little snippets I could put into my world.

For example: Perhaps the dragons view those that naturally cast magic (sorcerers, spontaneous casters from Unearthed Arcana) as the rightful heirs to magic, while those that must prepare spells (wizards, normal clerics) are looked down upon, possibly even outlawed.

Well, enworld gurus, fire away!

 

[hellbender]

So, I got this itch to create a new campaign setting. I'm not gonna be running a game for a while, but I'd like to have something set up when I do. Here are some guidelines for what I'm looking for.


Well, enworld gurus, fire away!

If you want to look beyond EnWorld as well, you could check out this YahooGroup as well, which is very friendly and helpful to roleplayers and writers looking at world creation and helping flesh out campaign settings. (Yes, it is a shameless plug, I own it, but all of the members are very helpful and insightful whenever anyone poses a question).


http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/world-create/
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[xbrokenxswordx]

Build up two nations run by elves. Give one a pagan-esque feel, similar to the Celtic traditions. Lots of druids, real nature friendly, mainly with wood and stone. Give them elegant weapons like the Celts, swords that seem to flow more than anything else. The other nation, make it feudal and isolationist. For real world inspiration, look to Japan. Give them affinities as well, but with fire and water both. Have the two nations be on opposite sides of a continent. Oh, and they hate each other.

 

[Snoweel]

What if dragons were a symbiotic race, that joins with humanoids? Then, perhaps, the half-dragon template doesn't reflect a cross-breeding of dragon and man, but a gift that the dragons can bestow upon "worthy" humans, elves, and so on. This gave me the idea of a royalty of dragons, with half-dragons representing those "lesser beings" who have been enough use to the dragons that they were rewarded with a stronger form, forming the base of the nobility.

This is kind of how I've done it IMC (I've done religion similar to you too).

What people call 'dragons' are actually beings with the half-dragon template.

Dragons, as in the Monster Manual, don't exist, but are instead divine spirits (Gods, if you will). Half-Dragons are formed when dragon cultists perform a ceremony over a (usually unwilling) female creature who then becomes pregnant with the half-dragon offspring.

Though I'm still at the stage of working out WHY?

 

[random user]

Here are some ideas, in random order, mix and match, or ignore as you see fit:

- the symbiotes are like ing SG-1, they have a distinct personality and have long memories, though perhaps it's sort of hard to share them with the host. This would allow the characters to gain certain insights of knowledge long ago, though not perfectly (unless that's what you want to do).

This would also allow you to have more continuity than normal in case a character dies. The human may die, but the symbiote may (in some cases) still live and find a new host.

- There are people who oppose the symbiotes as they see they are unnatural. Thus, all half-dragons are hunted by these people.

- at some point maybe there is some disease that is causing the symbiotes to become sick (the party can temporarily lose their dragon powers, or maybe it just fades sometimes). The party needs to figure out what's going on and fix it.

- perhaps there are factions within the symbiotes (this is more ripping off sg-1). Some of them believe in co-existing with their hosts and share their knowledge with them. Others take control of their hosts, use up their life force then go on to inhabit another host. This might have some interesting effects on how people view folks that are half-dragon.

- perhaps while the symbiotes have dragon-like powers, they are something totally different. They may be friendly with dragons, or biding their time before they can overthrow and kill real dragons

- perhaps they require some sort of special food/mineral/magic to survive. The characters may have to eternally seek out something in order to keep their symbiote alive.

- perhaps a magical device has been created that can control some symbiotes and is wreaking havoc

- perhaps humans have been secretly breeding "laboratory" symbiotes... these symbiotes grant the humans who host them the powers but none of the other cultural stuff... these humans will try and wipe out the naturally occuring symbiotes.

Those are just some random ones. I bet if you look at a lot of the SG-1 episodes that concern the symbiotes you could get a lot more ideas (a few were ripped from or were twists on episodes I remember)

Just my 2cp

 

[Blue Sky]

- the symbiotes are like ing SG-1, they have a distinct personality and have long memories, though perhaps it's sort of hard to share them with the host. This would allow the characters to gain certain insights of knowledge long ago, though not perfectly (unless that's what you want to do).

This would also allow you to have more continuity than normal in case a character dies. The human may die, but the symbiote may (in some cases) still live and find a new host.

Cool idea. You know, this talk of the possesor sharing memories gave me an idea. What if the half-dragon gift isn't just a gift, but the shattered "souls" of full dragons that have "passed on"? Interesting way to keep players from having to fake not knowing what's going on. Next character just plays with the same half-dragon "shard".

Or even cooler, another piece.

- Some of them believe in co-existing with their hosts and share their knowledge with them. Others take control of their hosts, use up their life force then go on to inhabit another host...

...perhaps they require some sort of special food/mineral/magic to survive. The characters may have to eternally seek out something in order to keep their symbiote alive.

Hmmm, maybe the dragons can "feed" on the souls of those they posses? Deserves a little more thinking about...

- perhaps humans have been secretly breeding "laboratory" symbiotes... these symbiotes grant the humans who host them the powers but none of the other cultural stuff... these humans will try and wipe out the naturally occuring symbiotes.

And thus beget the Dragon Disciple class?

Build up two nations run by elves. Give one a pagan-esque feel, similar to the Celtic traditions. Lots of druids, real nature friendly, mainly with wood and stone. Give them elegant weapons like the Celts, swords that seem to flow more than anything else. The other nation, make it feudal and isolationist. For real world inspiration, look to Japan.

That gives me an idea. The woodsy, tree huggery elves are most like those in the PHB. They've remained free from the dragons by... staying in small tribes? Don't know, I'll have to think about it. The other elves, Japanese/Samaurai in tone, are those that "sold out" to the dragons. LE to the other's CG. Sounds like a perfect way to work in drow...

There's some great ideas here, guys. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Blue Sky]

Come on guys, don't let this die that early...