Creating a new World: Advices and Suggestions

[Commissar]

Hello everybody,

As the thread title suggest, I have started writing my own Setting/World. My goal is to initiate it and then distribute it for free, so it would continue expanding. Although, I am a bit lost since I do not know what people find interesting and what not.

Below there are some details and main aspects of the World:

• Right now, I am finishing the Theogony. The genealogy of the Primordials, Overgods, the Pantheon and Lesser Deities are based after studying Greek mythology. When I finish, I expect to have around 90 Deities (13 Primordials, 13 Aspects, 12 Titans, 14 Pantheon, 20 Lesser, 20 other entities). The majority will not be selectable, but imo they would be a cool inclusion in deity centric campaigns.
• According to my experience, sometimes the players' race is more important than the class to their RP. I decided to include around 6 new human races with lore, along with other new races. In total I have outlined 15 races (26 subraces/choices), including themed variants of our favorite races (elves, dwarves, halflings).
• I have created a Plane System resembling to the known Great Wheel. Thankfully, some known planes already derived from Greek Mythology (Elysian Fields, Ethereal Plane).
• I have implemented a time system that resembles Tolkien's Ages with a difference: Each Age has four acts that mortals often ignore; the acts resemble an ancient Drama i.e. A prologue/genesis (meta apocalyptic period), a stasima (development period), hubris (arrogance), and nemesis/catharsis (apocalypsis and cleansing). According the act, the technology levels and the rarity of magic items may vary. Between Ages, most of the knowledge and history are forgotten.
• I am planning to create factions and describe major locations and cities, but I believe it's better not to design my world in order to let some free space.

Personally, what do you prefer?

• Do you like the concept of a detailed Deity System, with Genealogy and many options or do you think its an overkill?
• Do you like the concept of many human races with different values and traits (such as Numenorian like humans, Reincarnations of a high technology Inka like Tribe, Psions through mutation) or would you like to include more non human races instead?
• I created my own planes and domains, but I tried to stick more or less to the standardised system (4 Elemental Planes, equivalent to Underdark, Ethereal Plane and so on). Would you prefer to stick with the original planes?
• I am not sure if my time system becomes too restrictive. Do you believe it is a good idea to be that specific? (Maybe include it as optional in Appendices?)
• What's your opinion about not designing a map?

If I was to give you a new World, what would be the first part you would check? What do you think is most important, cool, boring and so on?

Thank you in advance!

 

[aco175]

The most important piece is to make something you and your players want to play. Several other threads on these boards have good advise on how to set up things and what to plan and what players do not care about. I always plan on making as little a I have to to make the game fun and memorable.

It seems like you have a good greek theme which is good, and also done in 2e which you should be able to find online and borrow from. Players do not care about history and gods from from what I found. Anything more than a page or two of world detail is going to be wasted. If you are making it for yourself, that is good, but to make your players happy focus on character and magic items.

I like maps and would like to see them, it helps to see how countries and landforms interact between them.

 

[Jester David]

I've done a lengthy blog series on worldbuilding: http://www.5mwd.com/archives/190
That I turned into a book: http://drivethrurpg.com/product/131097/Jester-Davids-HowTo-Guide-to-Fantasy-Worldbuilding

Generally, I like a overview of the hook first in a world. A summary of what makes it unique and different. It's selling features and elevator pitch. Followed by a definition of terms that gives an idea of history and the current state of the world.

 

[Yes]

I'm not sure I understand the point of creating 90 gods inspired from Greek mythology, when the mythology is already there in history books.

I firmly believe the setting is only a tool for the story ( and the reason why I'm so into that new version of D&D is because their campaign books are following this principle). Write a few Greek Mythology inspired one-shots first. Then write a short campaign. You will sound find out that no world and no rpg table needs that many gods ever.

 

[AtomicPope]

There are things you MUST do for RPG settings to make them playable:
* Ruins
* Lost Empires
* Unexplored lands
* Evil domains
* Wild places
* Mysterious places
* Warring kingdoms

If you'll notice there are some common themes in that they demand intervention, exploration, and adventure. RPGs are places where people DO things and not just read about things other people have done. There's a tendency to make the campaign settings too clean, like a finished novel. A campaign setting is there to serve as a sandbox, a place where everyone meets each week to play. Leave room for players and DMs to explore and play with their own ideas. This is one of the reasons I despise Forgotten Realms. It's an RPG setting with innumerable settled events, DM PCs, and literature rather than modules. Contrast that with Dark Sun, Eberron or Greyhawk and it's easy to see FR is more like Middle Earth than an RPG setting.

 

[Hussar]

Scrap everything you've done.

Turn to the players, and get THEM to create 90% of your setting. That way they're actually informed about the setting without having to wade through page after page of setting exposition, which, frankly they don't care about and, this has the added bonus of actually investing them in the world.

 

[Commissar]

I'm not sure I understand the point of creating 90 gods inspired from Greek mythology, when the mythology is already there in history books.

I'm Greek and I have read a ton of inconsistencies and conflicts in Wikipedia. For example, Hades was included in the 12 Olympians for years, while he isn't. Wikipedia refers to Homeric tradition and Orphism as resources of equal weight as Hesiod's Theogony. Also, it's almost impossible to remember the names and attributes of the Deities without tables that give translations and the Latin equivalents. So, even if you are not Greek you will be able to find the God you want easily; for example, Chronos means Time in Greek. So, if you have trouble remembering a name, you can just refer to him as the God of Time.

The majority of the Gods are there as DM tools. For example,
I have included the three Fates and the Angels of Death in order to introduce artifacts related to them: Pandora's Box, Thread of Life, the Rod of Death and the Dagger of Fate. The Overgods (Primordials) are forbidden to be mentioned and they serve as Cult Patrons with blood rituals and so on. The Titans are sealed, so they could be a subject to a campaign equivalent to the Rise of Tiamat. Also, the Aspects (e.g. Nemesis) do not have a physical form and tend to consume mortals and dominate them; so, they can be in a thematic insanity table. I have also included Typhon, a creature equivalent to Tarrasque.

In short, the majority of Deities are there to be involved in plots, campaigns, artifact backgrounds, legendary places, monsters and the planes.

I've done a lengthy blog series on worldbuilding: http://www.5mwd.com/archives/190
That I turned into a book: http://drivethrurpg.com/product/131097/Jester-Davids-HowTo-Guide-to-Fantasy-Worldbuilding

I navigated through your blog and it is very interesting. I will definitely give the book a try when I get paid!

 

[Lanefan]

Scrap everything you've done.

Turn to the players, and get THEM to create 90% of your setting. That way they're actually informed about the setting without having to wade through page after page of setting exposition, which, frankly they don't care about and, this has the added bonus of actually investing them in the world.

Which is fine for that batch of players and that campaign, but if [MENTION=6811422]Commissar[/MENTION] is looking to create something that'll last longer than one campaign and-or be used by more than one batch of players (and by more than one DM?) he/she is better off just getting it all done before starting any campaign.

 

[Lanefan]

Just a few bits of advice here...

Right now, I am finishing the Theogony. The genealogy of the Primordials, Overgods, the Pantheon and Lesser Deities are based after studying Greek mythology. When I finish, I expect to have around 90 Deities (13 Primordials, 13 Aspects, 12 Titans, 14 Pantheon, 20 Lesser, 20 other entities). The majority will not be selectable, but imo they would be a cool inclusion in deity centric campaigns.

Focus first on whichever of these that will grant Cleric spells, as those are the ones most likely to become relevant and important in a campaign because players will want to play Clerics to them. Give these ones more detailed write-ups, then give passing mention to other non-spell-granting immortals

According to my experience, sometimes the players' race is more important than the class to their RP. I decided to include around 6 new human races with lore, along with other new races. In total I have outlined 15 races (26 subraces/choices), including themed variants of our favorite races (elves, dwarves, halflings).

Are these human races mechanically different e.g. are Numenorians more wise or intelligent than your Inkans? If yes, write 'em up. If no, then don't worry as much about deeply-detailed write-ups - just give a passing overview of what makes the culture tick.

I have created a Plane System resembling to the known Great Wheel. Thankfully, some known planes already derived from Greek Mythology (Elysian Fields, Ethereal Plane).

The Greek planes map out pretty easily. The heavy lifting comes when you try to include all the other D&D-isms (positive, negative, astral, ethereal, elemental planes, etc.).

I have implemented a time system that resembles Tolkien's Ages with a difference: Each Age has four acts that mortals often ignore; the acts resemble an ancient Drama i.e. A prologue/genesis (meta apocalyptic period), a stasima (development period), hubris (arrogance), and nemesis/catharsis (apocalypsis and cleansing). According the act, the technology levels and the rarity of magic items may vary. Between Ages, most of the knowledge and history are forgotten.

This has a lot of potential!

I am planning to create factions and describe major locations and cities, but I believe it's better not to design my world in order to let some free space.

Don't design the whole world but do design and map out the area where you plan to start the campaign. Obviously you're going Greek on this one, which means I can speak from experience as my current campaign did likewise.

What I suggest is map out your version of "Greece" and the surrounding realms/region in general detail*, leaving lots of blank space; and then map out "Greece" itself in considerably more detail as that's where the campaign will start and likely be based throughout.

* - at least enough to show where elves, dwarves, etc. would probably come from; as this is also something you'll need to know as soon as a player tries to play one.

Personally, what do you prefer?

Do you like the concept of a detailed Deity System, with Genealogy and many options or do you think its an overkill?

A detailed deity system is fine, but instead of worrying about their genealogy etc. I'd instead put that effort into your non-human pantheons, as you'll need those too.

Do you like the concept of many human races with different values and traits (such as Numenorian like humans, Reincarnations of a high technology Inka like Tribe, Psions through mutation) or would you like to include more non human races instead?

Several different and distinct human cultures is great but you need to be clear on whether there's just a flavour difference or an actual game-mechanical difference between them. Ditto for sub-races of others e.g. sub-elves, sub-dwarves, etc.

Personal preference is don't go overboard on the non-human PC races - I've never seen the need for much more than dwarf, elf, hobbit, part-orc and part-elf.

I created my own planes and domains, but I tried to stick more or less to the standardised system (4 Elemental Planes, equivalent to Underdark, Ethereal Plane and so on). Would you prefer to stick with the original planes?

Planes, truth be told, are largely something you can almost make up as and when you need them. Have the basics in place, and leave it there until the game requires something more esoteric.

I am not sure if my time system becomes too restrictive. Do you believe it is a good idea to be that specific? (Maybe include it as optional in Appendices?)

If, like Tolkein, the ages each span a few thousand years or more you'll have no problem at all. If you're thinking of having each age only cover a few centuries in total, that's too short.

What's your opinion about not designing a map?

You need a map. Not of the entire world, but of enough area that you (or any DM) can make something of it. Half a continent in general and the one "Greece" realm in specific ought to do.

If I was to give you a new World, what would be the first part you would check? What do you think is most important, cool, boring and so on?

Honestly, the first part of any setting I check is the map. If the map's done well and makes geological sense etc. then that tells me some thought's gone into it, and I'll get my hopes up in assumption the same holds true for the rest of it. But if the map is garbage then my expectations for the rest of the setting won't be very high.

The coolest thing you're on to here is your time idea - there's potential in that!

Lanefan

 

[delericho]

Below there are some details and main aspects of the World:

*snip*

Some really nice ideas here.

Do you like the concept of a detailed Deity System, with Genealogy and many options or do you think its an overkill?

I'm neutral on this one.

Do you like the concept of many human races with different values and traits (such as Numenorian like humans, Reincarnations of a high technology Inka like Tribe, Psions through mutation) or would you like to include more non human races instead?

I don't like mechanical differences between sub-groups of humans. Cultural differences are absolutely fine, as long as they're a tendency rather than a straight-jacket.

If you feel the need to be more restrictive, or to have mechanical differences, I would go with non-human races.

I created my own planes and domains, but I tried to stick more or less to the standardised system (4 Elemental Planes, equivalent to Underdark, Ethereal Plane and so on). Would you prefer to stick with the original planes?

If you have a good reason for doing something different, do something different.

I am not sure if my time system becomes too restrictive. Do you believe it is a good idea to be that specific? (Maybe include it as optional in Appendices?)

I really like it - it's probably the single thing I most liked from your list above.

What's your opinion about not designing a map?

Nope. IMO, the map is one of fairly few genuine must-haves for a world.

If I was to give you a new World, what would be the first part you would check?

The 3e Eberron Campaign Setting started with a list of 10 things that you should know about the setting. I found that this did a really good job of establishing the tone of the setting, and also in expressing how it was different from yet another Tolkien/FR/whatever knock-off. I would recommend any new setting come with something like that.