Frostmarrow
First Post
As much as I'd love to send the winning entry to Wizards and become the new Ed Greenwood of the role-playing community I know that's not going to happen. However, I really like the idea and thought that there should be a thread for shadow-submissions. A thread where semi-lazy people like myself can submit an entry just for the fun of it.
I'll go first.
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Fantasy Setting Proposal Template
1. Core Ethos Sentence. [A sentence that describes the core ethos of the world. For example, Forgotten Realms is a world of sword-and-sorcery adventure, where heroes battle monsters with magic.]
A world of sword-and-sandals adventure, where heroes battle evil with brawn and wits.
2. Who are the heroes? [Brief description of heroes central to the setting. This need not be a comprehensive list.]
Anyone with strength and courage can become a true hero. Famous heroes are often the head of their family or clan. Heroes are responsible people who wield considerable power. Part of being a true hero is making difficult decisions. Heroes become leaders rather than the other way around.
3. What do they do? [What are the main objectives of the heroes, and what steps do they take to achieve those objectives?]
Heroes protect the weak against those who would take advantage of them. Trusted heroes are often called upon to negotiate or settle disputes. Heroes are expected to handle any threat be they monstrous or political. Heroes without a position travel the world along the trade-routes in search of adventure. More intrepid adventurers venture into the white areas of the map to see what has not been seen before.
4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains [What is the main danger to the world, and from whom does it come?]
The greatest threats come from ambitious evildoers who wish to enslave others. There are evil rulers of city-states, warlords, sorcerers and still others who threaten the daily life of common people. A quick way to gain power for an ambitious evildoer is to strike a bargain with an extra-planar entity. Sorcerers will do absolutely vile things in order to "honor" their contracts. In return they learn to possess minds and summon monsters from beyond, to do their bidding.
Dragons aren't villains per se but self-serving and untrustworthy none the less. Arcane spellcasters and others who seek knowledge turn to the dragons. A dragon sometimes help out but typically they require something in return and they are not below changing their demands as they go along. Dragons aren't evil but the demands they make can be more than a handful.
It's a time of mass migration. Vast numbers of people travel continents in search of a better life. There are also settled areas with people who jealously guard their castles, citys or dungeons from strangers. Conflicts between large groups of people are commonplace.
There are lots of monsters who constantly threaten the population. Such monsters include dinosaurs and dire animals; larger, more viscious versions of common predators.
5. Nature of magic [What is the source of magic? How abundant/scarce is it?]
Magic is not something commoners see every day but it is there, it's everywhere. For those who appreciate the power of magic it's readily available, although always at a steep price. Magic can be bargained for with demons and devils. It can be traded or tricked from dragons or it can be granted by the good will of the Firstborn. The Fistborn is the good god to whom people turn in times of trouble.
6. What’s new? What’s different? [What makes this setting unique?]
The Firstborn is the only god. However, there are several other entities who almost rival the Firstborn in power. Such entities are referred to as demonprinces or archdevils and they can be found on other planes of existance. The dragons are the most powerful beings in the world and they attract worshippers much like the Firstborn do.
Mass migration makes the world a constantly changing place.
*
That's it. I'm glad I got it out of my system. I wonder, however, where I got the name "Firstborn". I can swear I have read it somewhere before. Well, it's just a work-in-progress-never-to-be-finished anyway.
I'll go first.
*
Fantasy Setting Proposal Template
1. Core Ethos Sentence. [A sentence that describes the core ethos of the world. For example, Forgotten Realms is a world of sword-and-sorcery adventure, where heroes battle monsters with magic.]
A world of sword-and-sandals adventure, where heroes battle evil with brawn and wits.
2. Who are the heroes? [Brief description of heroes central to the setting. This need not be a comprehensive list.]
Anyone with strength and courage can become a true hero. Famous heroes are often the head of their family or clan. Heroes are responsible people who wield considerable power. Part of being a true hero is making difficult decisions. Heroes become leaders rather than the other way around.
3. What do they do? [What are the main objectives of the heroes, and what steps do they take to achieve those objectives?]
Heroes protect the weak against those who would take advantage of them. Trusted heroes are often called upon to negotiate or settle disputes. Heroes are expected to handle any threat be they monstrous or political. Heroes without a position travel the world along the trade-routes in search of adventure. More intrepid adventurers venture into the white areas of the map to see what has not been seen before.
4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains [What is the main danger to the world, and from whom does it come?]
The greatest threats come from ambitious evildoers who wish to enslave others. There are evil rulers of city-states, warlords, sorcerers and still others who threaten the daily life of common people. A quick way to gain power for an ambitious evildoer is to strike a bargain with an extra-planar entity. Sorcerers will do absolutely vile things in order to "honor" their contracts. In return they learn to possess minds and summon monsters from beyond, to do their bidding.
Dragons aren't villains per se but self-serving and untrustworthy none the less. Arcane spellcasters and others who seek knowledge turn to the dragons. A dragon sometimes help out but typically they require something in return and they are not below changing their demands as they go along. Dragons aren't evil but the demands they make can be more than a handful.
It's a time of mass migration. Vast numbers of people travel continents in search of a better life. There are also settled areas with people who jealously guard their castles, citys or dungeons from strangers. Conflicts between large groups of people are commonplace.
There are lots of monsters who constantly threaten the population. Such monsters include dinosaurs and dire animals; larger, more viscious versions of common predators.
5. Nature of magic [What is the source of magic? How abundant/scarce is it?]
Magic is not something commoners see every day but it is there, it's everywhere. For those who appreciate the power of magic it's readily available, although always at a steep price. Magic can be bargained for with demons and devils. It can be traded or tricked from dragons or it can be granted by the good will of the Firstborn. The Fistborn is the good god to whom people turn in times of trouble.
6. What’s new? What’s different? [What makes this setting unique?]
The Firstborn is the only god. However, there are several other entities who almost rival the Firstborn in power. Such entities are referred to as demonprinces or archdevils and they can be found on other planes of existance. The dragons are the most powerful beings in the world and they attract worshippers much like the Firstborn do.
Mass migration makes the world a constantly changing place.
*
That's it. I'm glad I got it out of my system. I wonder, however, where I got the name "Firstborn". I can swear I have read it somewhere before. Well, it's just a work-in-progress-never-to-be-finished anyway.
