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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Big J Money" data-source="post: 8171179" data-attributes="member: 70533">This is an idea for a Campaign Setting I had, but I want to make sure it doesn't give people bad vibes before presenting it to the players like this.The PCs are refugees from the various Realms they come from, which were subjugated by the Overlord.  They are rescued to take refuge in a giant bazaar city called Lakk_Szatz'i (The Well of Worlds), which rests in the center of an unending but hidden desert Realm. Here they take an oath to become indentured Treasure Hunters to begin a new life.  The Well serves as a secret trade hub in time and space, connected to other Realms via portals; through which the PCs will explore and conduct treasure recovery expeditions [via dungeons and other adventures] back into The Well for their Patrons and themselves.(Think D&D meets Sliders or Dr. Who)One additional part I want to get feedback on is that the PCs (called Gari, which means servant) have a list of covenants as part of their oath. Things like "Gari shalt endeavor deaily to repay their Life-Debt to the Realm and the Kumpali [King]".  There are three in particular that I want to find out if people think this adds flavor to the role of the Gari, or is going too far into uncomfortable themes:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gari shalt not cover their Covenant Mark whilst in the Realm</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gari shalt not forge close relations with a Venzi [natives of the Well]</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gari shalt not speak with Szatz'Dinni [local citizens] unless spoken to, without first uttering the standard trade opening, 'I wish to conduct a most-favorable transaction'</li> </ul>I should state that the purpose for setting up this arrangement is to give PCs a built in motive to always be looking for treasure and opportunity so they can pay off their Life-Debt as soon as possible and be able to lose their mark and become an official citizen of The Well. Outside of the Gari Covenants, they have no master telling them what to do or how to do it. They have a Patron who takes a portion of their profits, and expects them to work (they can sell their patronage to another patron if they are unhappy) but they have no rights over the Gari beyond the right to be repaid. They are allowed to keep personal wealth as long as their Patron is paid. However it is complicated by the fact that they aren't allowed to own property inside The Well (but they can own property in any other Realm where the opportunity arises). I hope the feel is more akin to being an indentured Gladiator than a regular indentured servant.Also a reminder that the assumption behind the setting is that these refugees agreed to take these Oaths in order to be allowed to operate in The Well, but it's of course true to say they didn't have much choice because their home Realm was being subjugated by the Overlord.There's a lot more to this setting, but I'm just hitting on the parts I think might be contentious for some people (subject of an indentured servitude class) to see what the general feeling on EnWorld is.Edit for Clarity: "The Overlord" is in no way related to The Well. He's a being that possesses his own way to discover and travel to other Realms in order to subjugate them and increase his power. The Well of Worlds is an ancient Realm that remains hidden from him by the Kumpali's own power.</blockquote>

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