Is anyone running or playing in a Morningstar Campaign?

[RSKennan]

Hey everyone, it's been out for a while, and I've been rather quiet about it, so I guess there's no harm in asking- Are you playing Morningstar? I'm also trying to put out a feeler to see how visible the setting is, and whether it sounds interesting to those of you who don't have it yet. If this is the first you've heard of it, there are two related links in my sig. If you join the Yahoo group there are a few downloads available.


Also, if you see this thread, but don't like the setting, please don't be afraid to speak up, and tell me what I can do about it.

Thanks.

 

[pogre]

It's imaginative, well written, and yet it is just not my style. The metaplot goes against my gaming nature. I will continue to check out the releases though; and as I am usually the minority in gaming tastes, I see no reason why you would not have a run away hit.

Do you believe the nature of a gradually released plot is scaring some off? If I was going to run it I think I might want all of the books first.

BTW - I would not mind playing in this world I'm just not interested in running it - does that make sense?

 

[RSKennan]

It's imaginative, well written, and yet it is just not my style. The metaplot goes against my gaming nature. I will continue to check out the releases though; and as I am usually the minority in gaming tastes, I see no reason why you would not have a run away hit.

Do you believe the nature of a gradually released plot is scaring some off? If I was going to run it I think I might want all of the books first.

BTW - I would not mind playing in this world I'm just not interested in running it - does that make sense?

I can see what you say about the metaplot aspect, but I tried to make the world interesting enough to be run in it's own right. The Canticle is almost holographic, in that the part reflects and reveals the whole, so most developments will make anyone following the world go "Oh yeah... the clues were there all along" rather than "Well, my campaign's screwed."

The playing vs DMing statement makes perfect sense. Heck, I'm running my own Morningstar campaign, and sometimes I wish I could be a player (The PCs are doing a jail break in Wareen Prison right now). More seriously, there is a lot of info to assimilate, and the setting diverges from a lot of standard assumptions, so initially there's a bit of a learning curve for new GMs.

BTW, what did you mean by the metaplot running counter to your style? I'd like to know what people think about this kind of thing for future reference.

Anyway, thanks for the feedback!

 

[pogre]

BTW, what did you mean by the metaplot running counter to your style? I'd like to know what people think about this kind of thing for future reference.

At heart I'm a homebrewer, control-freak.

In a lot of ways that really helps me appreciate what you're doing. I do what I think a lot of homebrewers do - steal, steal, steal!

 

[Turjan]

I think I like a lot of ideas from this setting book, but I won't run a campaign in it. Looking at the map my first thought was "Oh, looks like Italy", but then I noticed the differences. Reading on, the parallels to the Roman Empire are too obvious to be ignored as far as I am concerned. The architecture in the idealized city map is doing the rest to round the picture.

As I have a strong dislike for pseudo-classical settings, whether Greek, Roman, Egyptian or whatsoever, this killed Morningstar for me. But still, as I said, there are lots of great ideas to steal from .

 

[RSKennan]

I think I like a lot of ideas from this setting book, but I won't run a campaign in it. Looking at the map my first thought was "Oh, looks like Italy", but then I noticed the differences. Reading on, the parallels to the Roman Empire are too obvious to be ignored as far as I am concerned. The architecture in the idealized city map is doing the rest to round the picture.

As I have a strong dislike for pseudo-classical settings, whether Greek, Roman, Egyptian or whatsoever, this killed Morningstar for me. But still, as I said, there are lots of great ideas to steal from .

Well, that's good. I'm glad both of you are able to use it, even just for theft ;D . I have to admit, aside from Dark Sun and games like Shadowrun- where the setting is bound to the rules, I've never been one to use settings as is. Like you both, I would adapt the best of my source materials. I collect settings just for the pleasure of reading them, and relating them to my own games (of course I was more original in writing Morningstar). What elements of the world are going to see use in your games? I've thought from the beginning that Spectrum (signature/countersignature) magic would be a natch for homebrewers.

 

[Turjan]

What elements of the world are going to see use in your games? I've thought from the beginning that Spectrum (signature/countersignature) magic would be a natch for homebrewers.

Yes, that is one of the things I wanted to use, though not for the material plane, but for my version of the Plane of Shadows/Fey Realm, where I think it's a nice feature to get it more interesting. Then I'm going to use some of the spells (Danse Macabre has this special Monty Python feeling to it ) and small thngs like the Spell Legality rules .

 

[Acid_crash]

Personally I like the world, but I was hoping for more description on the world and not just the one realm that it focuses on. I was reading the chapter on the overall geography of the world, and of all the kingdoms to focus on, to me the book focused on the most boring kingdom.

And the whole Canticle thing...cool idea, but after reading it I was more confused than anything else, and I felt that I needed more of the whole metaplot and more of the Canticle to actually give my player's something to work with...in other words, I felt like the book should have been bigger and the Canticle should have been expanded upon without having to purchase another product.

And don't take this personally, I don't like how the races were done.

 

[RSKennan]

This is good stuff. For good or bad, I deliberately chose the most 'common' Empire to focus on, in the hopes that it would allow the world to be more accessible. Even there, I turned things a few degrees off kilter.

As for the Canticle, maybe you're right. Maybe more detail and info would have helped... and though it doesn't solve the problem of having to get another book, "Whispers of the Prophecy" focuses a lot more on unravelling the mystery. I've learned a lot since the first book, and I realize that maybe I should have laid more of my cards out on the table. In addition, more detail will be given on the rest of the world, starting with Ynnidon and Kharkon.

As for the races, what didn't you like? I'm sure you've noticed something about the elves, and though it wasn't fair of me not to explain it, it will be made clear in Whispers.

 

[Argent Silvermage]

I like Morningstar a lot but it works better in my mind as an Epic level campaign. The setting is good and needs more information of the realms outside the main ealm. It also needs a Monster by territory section. that way a DM cam randomly roll for monsters and it will not be the D&D norm. Infact an entire beastiary would be great.