Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="religon" data-source="post: 6762876" data-attributes="member: 89548">I would agree with Celebrim on all points save a need for too many answers up front.I start with common RPG tropes and practical stuff.Nature of dragons.Nature of goblin-kind.Non-human nations.Nature of Elves and similarity to Tolkien's version.Gates and portals... how they work and how pervasive/permanent.Identify a fulcrum nation... normally a human nation to serve as a standard and anchor for the campaign.How raise dead and a possible afterlife work.General considerations of druidism, knightly orders, secret cults societies, necromancy, elemental magic, lost civilizations, ranger/wizard circles, entropy cults, meddling wizards, etc.Ethnic strife.I think spellboooks, learning spells and sharing of scrolls and spellbooks needs to be addressed early.Secret monster ambitions/kingdoms.Is there a thriving Underdark?Do you want to work Lovecraft Mythos into the world?How do the gods interact with worshipers, the world and each other.Is there a fairy or spirit world?What about a hell or underworld?Paradise?Where are the blank spots in the map... lonely areas, uncharted swamps, dungeons too extensive to consider exploring, etc.Trade, agriculture and economic forces that may define conflict.Does magic work in any special ways?If you have lots of old dungeons/ruined towers, what civilizations were most likely responsible?If you present a strong, benevolent nation or race, they need a vulnerability or weakness if as a DM you need to destabilize the institution.Some secrets of my campaign...Probably 20 secret goblin alliances and many secret humanoid kingdoms.Three types of elves... a Tolkien-esque version, a RGP-trope version and Shadow Elves (Mystara).Gates and portals are rather common in the world. Generally only high-level wizards know how to leverage these.I use the Empire of Darokin, a corrupt nation of martial merchant and witch-hunters as my fulcrum. A secret: there is no Emperor. His ministers rule backed by a merchant & noble secret cabal.One progressive country is nearly embroiled in a civil war over ethnic differences.The northern lands are in total anarchy as they war among themselves. The traditional jarls continue to negotiate with the other nations as though they control their historic lands.The Old Ones dreamed the universe into being. They sleep beyond the Dimensional Void. If awakened, they seek to reclaim their nothingness... and bestow that blessing on others. Some of the evil gods are false. The clerical powers are channeled directly from the entropic Old One seeking destruction. Even the clerics do not realize they are deceived.The Underdark is much more connected that any surface nation realizes.Secret slaver rings and thieves guild alliances abound.The Nightmare Dimension (land of the undead) schemes to conquer the Prime Plane.One minor goblin tribe can summon Mythos horrors.The Pirate King exercises as much power as many smaller island kingdoms.One Lawful ruler is a hypocrite with regard to slavery. He profits from a secret goblin-kind salt mine as the prisoners are worked to death.Two surface kingdoms are overrun with dragons. Except for locals, few are aware of the dangers.The fairy world often merges with the Prime Plane in sylvan settings.Some schools of magic, and associated spells, are very exclusive with regard to practitioners.One large nation of traders (airships) are in the thrall of the Old Ones.The two 'monotheistic' faiths share a common source.Three overt goblin kingdoms have recently claimed surface kingdoms. Few suspect the extent.The dwarvish kingdoms are on the verge of collapse.There are many powerful underwater kingdoms and some invisible floating (in the air) islands of considerable power.The powerful Greco-Roman Emperor is a hedonist. He has many enemies despite his skill as a warrior. Et tu Black Dougal?Quite a few lords are secretly vampires or lycanthropes.One Lawful Church is infested with cultists to entropic powers.</blockquote>

Verification