D&D 5E Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks Would Like To Explore Kara-Tur

According to Reddit poster bwrusso, who was in a small group investor meeting with Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks last week, Hasbro's CEO (who was previously President of Wizards of the Coast before being promoted to his current position) currently plays in a Kara-Tur campaign and would personally like to see that setting explored further.

Kara-Tur is part of the Forgotten Realms, and is inspired by real-world East and Southeast Asia cultures, including China, Japan, Mongolia, and other regions. It was originally published in the 1985 book Oriental Adventures, and has since appeared in other formats including a boxed set in 1988. Eight adventure modules for the setting were published in the late 80s. In 2015's Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Kara-Tur is briefly described.

Cocks also touched on Spanish-language translations of D&D books in Latin America, and indicated that there were distribution issues with former licensing agreements in that region.

 

[MechaTarrasque]

As long as they have Gargantuas, all is good.

 

[CleverNickName]

As long as they have Gargantuas, all is good.

A kaiju by any other name...

 

[Queer Venger]

I think it's time we pay a visit to the other side of the Forgotten Realms; I support this plan.
And its time we get 5e stats for Godzilla and Mothra

 

[Werthead]

Genuine question. Maybe I'm just not as well-read with Faerun as I thought. Where is there a North African analog in the setting? I'm sincerely interested as my wife is Moroccan.

Turmish is somewhat North African in the sense it is home to dark-skinned people, but it doesn't seem to have Africa-specific analogues. It's the only pure democracy in Faerun, which was interesting but under-explored. The general idea is that the Shaar and the Shining South in general are somewhat Africa-like shading to India-like (there being no direct Africa-like continent, although Katashaka has elements of Africa and South America, but has never gotten its own sourcebook, and Zakhara's massive deserts at least a nod to the Sahara).

Mulhorand, famously, is Egypt with the serial numbers filed off.

I think Kara-Tur was meant to be in Oerth originally, but was brought to Toril once Forgotten Realms became more popular.

It was meant to be on Oerth, west of the Flanaess, but when Gygax was kicked out of TSR there was a decision to stop using Greyhawk. Gygax's departure did Not Go Down Well with the hardcore fans and people trying to carry on Greyhawk without Gygax would have likely elicited comments (they eventually did start doing stuff again with Greyhawk, but a few years later). When that happened, they needed another "mostly standard" D&D setting, as Dragonlance was both too small (literally, Ansalon is tiny) and too off-core (no orcs, no halflings etc) to fit the bell, and just happened to have Ed Greenwood contributing his Dragon magazine articles for a decade set in his own world that they could handily just buy off him (for $5K and an Apple II!). And away they went.

In the meantime Kara-Tur was briefly detailed in Oriental Adventures, but without any maps or firm info (as they weren't sure what was happening with it) and it just being its own setting. Then it got retro-bolted onto the Forgotten Realms when it came out (over Greenwood's mild objections).

 

[Demetrios1453]

Y'know, I think the Sundering would be a great option to divorce Kara-Tur from FR and put it on its own world, and then update Kara-Tur to meet modern sensitivities. Same with Maztica. (And we can go back to ignoring Horde?)

Anyone asks, WotC can say they used to be connected to FR, but that is no longer the case and anything left behind on FR is just a dead-end legacy.

Actually, Maztica did get put on its own world during 4e, but it was specifically stated to have returned in SCAG. Kara-tur was mentioned as well in that book.

But the thing is, it's been over 100 in-setting years, with two giant cataclysms, since they've been detailed. Maztica may indeed now look more like post-colonial Latin America (I mean, it would be hard for Amn and the rest to keep those colonies while the continent was on another planet!). Kara-Tur's various cultures could quite definitely have changed to something less questionable and insensitive. So if they do bring them back, they can make changes that are obvious evolutions from what they were like before, should WotC wish.

 

[Queer Venger]

Turmish is somewhat North African in the sense it is home to dark-skinned people, but it doesn't seem to have Africa-specific analogues. It's the only pure democracy in Faerun, which was interesting but under-explored. The general idea is that the Shaar and the Shining South in general are somewhat Africa-like shading to India-like (there being no direct Africa-like continent, although Katashaka has elements of Africa and South America, but has never gotten its own sourcebook, and Zakhara's massive deserts at least not to the Sahara).

Mulhorand, famously, is Egypt with the serial numbers filed off.


It was meant to be on Oerth, west of the Flanaess, but when Gygax was kicked out of TSR there was a decision to stop using Greyhawk. Gygax's departure did Not Go Down Well with the hardcore fans and people trying to carry on Greyhawk without Gygax would have likely elicited comments (they eventually did start doing stuff again with Greyhawk, but a few years later). When that happened, they needed another "mostly standard" D&D setting, as Dragonlance was both too small (literally, Ansalon is tiny) and too off-core (no orcs, no halflings etc) to fit the bell, and just happened to have Ed Greenwood contributing his Dragon magazine articles for a decade set in his own world that they could handily just buy off him (for $5K and an Apple II!). And away they went.

In the meantime Kara-Tur was briefly detailed in Oriental Adventures, but without any maps or firm info (as they weren't sure what was happening with it) and it just being its own setting. Then it got retro-bolted onto the Forgotten Realms when it came out (over Greenwood's mild objections).

Turmish near the Sea of Fallen Stars, also parts of Zhakhara (Al Qadim)

 

[Queer Venger]

Actually, Maztica did get put on its own world during 4e, but it was specifically stated to have returned in SCAG. Kara-tur was mentioned as well in that book.

But the thing is, it's been over 100 in-setting years, with two giant cataclysms, since they've been detailed. Maztica may indeed now look more like post-colonial Latin America (I mean, it would be hard for Amn and the rest to keep those colonies while the continent was on another planet!). Kara-Tur's various cultures could quite definitely have changed to something less questionable and insensitive. So if they do bring them back, they can make changes that are obvious evolutions from what they were like before, should WotC wish.

Maztica was pretty much the only creation that I just ignored; it felt problematic for me to just have a fantasy setting recreate the colonialist crap with Amn of our own history, I play fantasy to escape this stuff.

 

[Tonguez]

Anyone remember the Chinese-designed MtG set? Maybe get a similar team of Asian designers to come up with an authentic Asia source book

 

[Eyes of Nine]

Anyone remember the Chinese-designed MtG set? Maybe get a similar team of Asian designers to come up with an authentic Asia source book

Three Kingdoms? Remember? Barely... It wasn't tournament legal here in the states iirc

I'd buy Kamigawa, Tarkir, AND Kara-tur setting books, if done with cultural consultants and written by folks from those real-world cultures that inspired the settings. Same with Al-Qadim and, dare I say it... Arabian Nights?!? (Ok, maybe not Arabian Nights...)

 

[Tonguez]

Three Kingdoms? Remember? Barely... It wasn't tournament legal here in the states iirc

I'd buy Kamigawa, Tarkir, AND Kara-tur setting books, if done with cultural consultants and written by folks from those real-world cultures that inspired the settings. Same with Al-Qadim and, dare I say it... Arabian Nights?!? (Ok, maybe not Arabian Nights...)

I mainly remember it for the Boy and his magical dog planeswalker. Who also appeared in the Forgotten realms set where he got stats as a Druid.
Anyway after googling the boys name is Jiang Yanggu and Mowu the dog from Shenmeng The Plane of Mountains and Seas.

I agree Tarkir would make an awesome setting too