D&D 5E Fantasy Appalachia

[Shades of Eternity]

As a Western Canadian, I am learning a lot from this thread! My takeaway is that Appalachia is far larger and more complicated than I had thought, and would probably be a cool inspiration for a D&D setting.

I thought so too, but realized writing beyond compiling data on it runs into the same problem as writing for kara-tur and I already made that mistake.

However, I have done similar studies for gamifying western canada if you are interested in discussing it either in private or on another thread.

 

[Oofta]

A while back my wife and I were going to an old friends wedding in Massachusetts. This was in Worcester and we had no idea how to pronounce the name. I had always thought it was something along the lines of war-chest-er, but there's no "CH" so I figured that wasn't right.

We had stopped for lunch and, not wanting to offend our hosts when we got there, we decided that we would ask the gal behind the counter. When we asked her how she pronounced the name of the place we were in, she gave us an odd look and said "Bur-ger King".

 

[Bedrockgames]

Thankfully there has been a recent wave of Appalachian writers and designers out there producing new TTRPGs that use an Appalachian backdrop, such as Holler: An Appalachian Apocalypse for Savage Worlds by Tim Early (Rutherford, NC) and Old Gods of Appalachia for the Cypher System by Shanna Germain based on the podcast of the same name by Cam Collins and Steve Shell (Wise County, Virginia).

Ive been veery curious about Old Gods of Appalachia

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

Besides the fact that in my universe, the narrator of such a product would be Jim Cornette, he goes into this odd speech about the Woolyworm.

I honestly have never heard of such a thing, but so putting it in.

You accidentally gave me a hilarious idea to try: Corny, as a bard + The Brothers Grimm movie where they're con artists who fake monsters to 'save' villages from... until they do find a real monster. I'm not as deep in wrasslin' as Cornette and some are, but I love hearing him talk about the 'old days' of kayfabe and the lore and psychology of wrestling

 

[Bill Zebub]

NVM. Just saw mod note.

 

[Bill Zebub]

A while back my wife and I were going to an old friends wedding in Massachusetts. This was in Worcester and we had no idea how to pronounce the name. I had always thought it was something along the lines of war-chest-er, but there's no "CH" so I figured that wasn't right.

We had stopped for lunch and, not wanting to offend our hosts when we got there, we decided that we would ask the gal behind the counter. When we asked her how she pronounced the name of the place we were in, she gave us an odd look and said "Bur-ger King".

Lies.

I heard that joke years ago about Kissimmee, FL.

(And it's Wuh-stah, if you're from there. Wuh-ster, if you're not.)

 

[Oofta]

Lies.

I heard that joke years ago about Kissimmee, FL.

Ummm ... that's kind of how jokes work.

 

[Tutara]

Ive been veery curious about Old Gods of Appalachia

Me too. I love the idea of occult Americana. Unfortunately I am torn by the fact that I love the Cypher system but feel it is a rotten choice for this particular subject, the (in my opinion) weakness of Cook's ability to adapt his work to other uses (for reference, the 5E Numenera conversion which I was not a fan of, despite loving the setting) and the fact that I started to listen to the podcast and found it not to my taste. The lore, as I have read it, seems compelling and creepy, but the delivery did not work for me.

All the right ingredients, in theory, but for some reason the combination leaves me cold. I would love to have my snap decision be proven wrong, though.

 

[J-H]

Lies.

I heard that joke years ago about Kissimmee, FL.

(And it's Wuh-stah, if you're from there. Wuh-ster, if you're not.)

Why is it Wuh-stah, but worcestershire sauce is pronounced
war-chester-shire?

No, wait, I have the answer:

 

[Tutara]

Why is it Wuh-stah, but worcestershire sauce is pronounced
war-chester-shire?

It isn't (in the UK). Wuh-stuh-shuh.

 

[Umbran]

It isn't (in the UK). Wuh-stuh-shuh.

Now, this isn't even about Appalachia any more.

Folks, get on topic, please and thanks.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

You accidentally gave me a hilarious idea to try: Corny, as a bard + The Brothers Grimm movie where they're con artists who fake monsters to 'save' villages from... until they do find a real monster. I'm not as deep in wrasslin' as Cornette and some are, but I love hearing him talk about the 'old days' of kayfabe and the lore and psychology of wrestling

Jim Cornette is problematic and stodgy (and probably racist as well), but he is so intelligent, charismatic and entertaining that it's often easy to go along for the ride.

Plus he is incredibly pro animal (and the best way to set off that legendary Cornette temper is to do animal abuse in his presence).

And honestly, he lives in a family mansion that's called "Castle Cornette" so no way it wouldn't exist in any version of Fantasy Appalachia as a set piece (essentially this world's version of Castle Amber or Castle Greyhawk).

 

[Redwizard007]

How Appalachian are we trying to be? Technically, the mountain range extends into Scottland, and they pronounce it... ... nevermind. Definitely not worth the flack.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

kind of a silly question, but what the heck is a briar patch?

 

[Oofta]

kind of a silly question, but what the heck is a briar patch?

A dense thicket of thorny plants such has raspberries. Rabbits like it because they are smaller than most of their predators and can scurry underneath the worst of the thorns.

 

[Aldarc]

If one wanted to do "Fantasy Appalachia," IMHO, the Land itself should be treated as if it were a vital character rather than simply a backdrop, much in the same way that the Mists or the Demiplanes of Dread in Ravenloft have a certain "character" and life to them.

Me too. I love the idea of occult Americana. Unfortunately I am torn by the fact that I love the Cypher system but feel it is a rotten choice for this particular subject, the (in my opinion) weakness of Cook's ability to adapt his work to other uses (for reference, the 5E Numenera conversion which I was not a fan of, despite loving the setting) and the fact that I started to listen to the podcast and found it not to my taste. The lore, as I have read it, seems compelling and creepy, but the delivery did not work for me.

All the right ingredients, in theory, but for some reason the combination leaves me cold. I would love to have my snap decision be proven wrong, though.

Maybe, but Tammy Ryan (Monte Cook Games) is also from Wise County, Virginia, where the co-creators of Old Gods of Appalachia come from, so there was likely a connection there. IME, most people are convinced that their favorite system(s) would be the best choice for adapting anything. From what I could tell of the playtest document and quickstart, it does a serviceable job.

 

[Aldarc]

• Rolling mists and impenetrable fog, possibly coming from dragons slumbering in caves
• Treants, hill giants, and sentient dire beasts roaming virgin forests as custodians
• Hedge witches and druids providing mountain herbal remedies, curses, and wards against dark forces, such as hags and undead
• Bards preserving oral traditions through Appalachian stories, sayings, and folk music or delivering news between communities
• Isolated towns, villages, and communities as tiny points of light
• Decentralized, non-hierarchical (or at least hierarchical resistant) churches and clergy dedicated to the Light, focusing on pious individualistic spirituality and resisting the wicked temptations of devils

 

[Shades of Eternity]

Episode 529: More Cryptids Than It Can Consume Domestically

We start by whittling some polyhedrals in the Gaming Hut, as beloved Patreon backer Derrick Yates asks us to sketch out an Appalachian cryptid campaign. In The Business of Gaming we discuss another…

www.kenandrobintalkaboutstuff.com

The last Ken and Robin talk about stuff went nuts in West Virgina so adding it to the pile.

 

[Aldarc]

Also enjoy this documentary on the (Southern) Appalachian dialect focusing on North Carolina, as it's part of a project for cataloging the diverse linguistic dialects of North Carolina.

 

[Shades of Eternity]

The Biodiversity of Appalachia

Biodiversity - Appalachian corridor - Habitats, Vegetation, Fauna, Flora

Biodiversity - Forests cover more than 75% of the Appalachian corridor. Numerous species, many of them at risk, depend entirely on forest cover.

www.corridorappalachien.ca