Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
More compatible with core rules (i.e. entirely so, although there's also lots of optional material) than the Black Company setting is another licensed setting by Green Ronin, Thieves World.
Looking for a unique setting
- Thread starter Savage Wombat
- Start date
I suggest looking at Arcanis: World of Shattered Empires by Paradigm Concepts, Inc.
From the back cover of the Codex Arcanis:
It’s like the end of the world.
In the north, the nation of Canceri begins to buckle from the weight of the theocracy’s oppressive rule- most pray for death, and the rest, for deliverance.
Enemies gather round the proud nation of Milandir, each eager to pull down its bright towers and humble it’s defenders. Fear gnaws at Milandir’s people, and they begin to lose hope.
To the south, the once mighty Coryani Empire sleeps under an indifferent ruler, while it’s greatest general bides his time, waiting to seize the throne for his own noble house. The Imperial Court looks on like a flock of carrion crows, ready to pick apart the corpse of the land.
The besieged Patriarch of Coryan works tirelessly to reconcile the beliefs of a dozen splinter sects, each one warring upon the others and poised to tear down the Mother Church itself. Everywhere the speakers for the gods look heavenward for guidance, and hear nothing… but silence.
The scions of the great noble houses harken to the blood of the ancient Valinor in their veins, blood that bids them to serve the gods by ruling the rest of humanity. Plots born from an ancient treachery begins to reach fruition in the present machinations of emperors and kings.
All over the continent of Onara, strife threatens to tear the nations of man apart.
It’s like the end of the world…
…And the beginning of a new.
Welcome to Arcanis, the World of Shattered Empires
Arcanis is a world of high fantasy, intrigue and suspense. Diplomacy, skill, and discretion will carry you as far or farther than skill at arms or in the arts of magic. Heroes come in a myriad of forms. Some are fantastic beings born with the blood of Valinor or the souls of elementals. Others are descendents of Celestial Giants who once roamed the stars as freely as a fish swims the sea. Many of the greatest heroes of Arcanis are simple mortals of mundane blood but lofty ideals. It is a world of heroes who stand between the common folk and destruction. You can be that hero. The power is in your hands; leave your mark upon the Shattered Empires.
Used with the express permission of Paradigm Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright Paradigm Concepts, Inc 2002, 2004
The Codex is not available on PDF yet, but can be ordered at your FLGS, or often found for a decent price on eBay.
The rest of their Arcanis titles are available at EN World Game Store here.
There are about 100 adventures avaialbe for free through the RPGA. Whe I play them at home I never worry about time constrants and just play it out as long as it takes. I reccomend Carnival of Sword and Bloody Sands of Sicaris as great introductions to Arcanis for non-RPGA gamers.
For more on Arcanis you can get it straight from Henry's mouth.
Respectfully,
Edward Kopp: Arcaniac at Large
From the back cover of the Codex Arcanis:
It’s like the end of the world.
In the north, the nation of Canceri begins to buckle from the weight of the theocracy’s oppressive rule- most pray for death, and the rest, for deliverance.
Enemies gather round the proud nation of Milandir, each eager to pull down its bright towers and humble it’s defenders. Fear gnaws at Milandir’s people, and they begin to lose hope.
To the south, the once mighty Coryani Empire sleeps under an indifferent ruler, while it’s greatest general bides his time, waiting to seize the throne for his own noble house. The Imperial Court looks on like a flock of carrion crows, ready to pick apart the corpse of the land.
The besieged Patriarch of Coryan works tirelessly to reconcile the beliefs of a dozen splinter sects, each one warring upon the others and poised to tear down the Mother Church itself. Everywhere the speakers for the gods look heavenward for guidance, and hear nothing… but silence.
The scions of the great noble houses harken to the blood of the ancient Valinor in their veins, blood that bids them to serve the gods by ruling the rest of humanity. Plots born from an ancient treachery begins to reach fruition in the present machinations of emperors and kings.
All over the continent of Onara, strife threatens to tear the nations of man apart.
It’s like the end of the world…
…And the beginning of a new.
Welcome to Arcanis, the World of Shattered Empires
Arcanis is a world of high fantasy, intrigue and suspense. Diplomacy, skill, and discretion will carry you as far or farther than skill at arms or in the arts of magic. Heroes come in a myriad of forms. Some are fantastic beings born with the blood of Valinor or the souls of elementals. Others are descendents of Celestial Giants who once roamed the stars as freely as a fish swims the sea. Many of the greatest heroes of Arcanis are simple mortals of mundane blood but lofty ideals. It is a world of heroes who stand between the common folk and destruction. You can be that hero. The power is in your hands; leave your mark upon the Shattered Empires.
Used with the express permission of Paradigm Concepts, Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright Paradigm Concepts, Inc 2002, 2004
The Codex is not available on PDF yet, but can be ordered at your FLGS, or often found for a decent price on eBay.
The rest of their Arcanis titles are available at EN World Game Store here.
There are about 100 adventures avaialbe for free through the RPGA. Whe I play them at home I never worry about time constrants and just play it out as long as it takes. I reccomend Carnival of Sword and Bloody Sands of Sicaris as great introductions to Arcanis for non-RPGA gamers.
For more on Arcanis you can get it straight from Henry's mouth.
Respectfully,
Edward Kopp: Arcaniac at Large
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TheYeti1775
Adventurer
Dawnforge - Fantasy Flight Games
(only 3 books total and one is a module and they sell all 3 as one book now).
Valus - Different World (written by our own Destan, Story Hour author for the Sins of our Fathers, and the DM for the Funeris's Story Hour of the Heroes of Marchford (in sig))
I've played both and love both as settings, is there any thing in particular you are looking for as far as different?
Yeti
(only 3 books total and one is a module and they sell all 3 as one book now).
Valus - Different World (written by our own Destan, Story Hour author for the Sins of our Fathers, and the DM for the Funeris's Story Hour of the Heroes of Marchford (in sig))
I've played both and love both as settings, is there any thing in particular you are looking for as far as different?
Yeti
TheYeti1775
Adventurer
And if Funeris would ever finish his and get it published at least to PDF I would recommend his world of Phoee as well. Now there is a gritty grim world.Funeris said:
Yeti
PS - Message to Funeris, meetings all day is it. Where's my update?
BigFreekinGoblinoid
First Post
Midnight is probably the best supported ongoing 3E setting. The naysayers will feel that the "evil has already won" theme extremely limits the campaign options, but after reading through over 10 of the supplements, I would disagree. If you like fluff with your crunch, this coul dbe the setting for you.
Some rule changes to keep a lower magic feel may take some getting used to, but they are really added for the flavor of the game, not just to add new bling.
Some rule changes to keep a lower magic feel may take some getting used to, but they are really added for the flavor of the game, not just to add new bling.
SteelDraco
First Post
Heh, are you implying that Eberron isn't interesting?
SteelDraco
First Post
And now, a few (serious this time!) thoughts from somebody in the group.
I've heard lots of good things about Iron Kingdoms, which might be a good way to play around with the Girl Genius steampunk elements that have been discussed. It might be a bit too similar to Eberron, though I really don't intend to play up the elements that are similar that much.
Scarred Lands is pretty good. It's darker than what we normally do in a lot of places, but there's a lot of nice ideas there. The titan/gods conflict is interesting, something that's in several real-world mythologies, but doesn't show up in games too often. I'm not a huge fan of some of the setting-specific mechanics, though. The monster books are great fun.
Wilderlands is supposed to be excellent. Everyone I've heard discussing it has seemed to really like it. You'd have to look at some reviews to figure it out, though - I've not really looked into it, since I'm a big Eberron fan, and intend to use that for most of my games for the foreseeable future.
Let's see here. What else is still in print?
Arcana Unearthed/Evolved is interesting, though the mechanics might be a little farther afield than what you were looking for. 'course, you already know that, since we've discussed the setting before. Just something to think about.
Kingdoms of Kalamar is a solid fantasy setting, though there's not a lot that makes it stand out from the "generic fantasy" mold, at least in my mind. It's always seemed to me like Greyhawk with a different map.
I really don't think this group would like Midnight all that much. That's just my personal opinion; they've liked Iron Heroes more than I expected, so maybe I'm mistaken. I just don't think people would like the unrelenting grimness.
I'll continue to swear by Rokugan for as long as I can. Then again, I love it. Not everybody does. I will run Thousand Years of Darkness again, dang it.
Hmmm. More later.
I've heard lots of good things about Iron Kingdoms, which might be a good way to play around with the Girl Genius steampunk elements that have been discussed. It might be a bit too similar to Eberron, though I really don't intend to play up the elements that are similar that much.
Scarred Lands is pretty good. It's darker than what we normally do in a lot of places, but there's a lot of nice ideas there. The titan/gods conflict is interesting, something that's in several real-world mythologies, but doesn't show up in games too often. I'm not a huge fan of some of the setting-specific mechanics, though. The monster books are great fun.
Wilderlands is supposed to be excellent. Everyone I've heard discussing it has seemed to really like it. You'd have to look at some reviews to figure it out, though - I've not really looked into it, since I'm a big Eberron fan, and intend to use that for most of my games for the foreseeable future.
Let's see here. What else is still in print?
Arcana Unearthed/Evolved is interesting, though the mechanics might be a little farther afield than what you were looking for. 'course, you already know that, since we've discussed the setting before. Just something to think about.
Kingdoms of Kalamar is a solid fantasy setting, though there's not a lot that makes it stand out from the "generic fantasy" mold, at least in my mind. It's always seemed to me like Greyhawk with a different map.
I really don't think this group would like Midnight all that much. That's just my personal opinion; they've liked Iron Heroes more than I expected, so maybe I'm mistaken. I just don't think people would like the unrelenting grimness.
I'll continue to swear by Rokugan for as long as I can. Then again, I love it. Not everybody does. I will run Thousand Years of Darkness again, dang it.
Hmmm. More later.
