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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ulrick" data-source="post: 235478" data-attributes="member: 775">One doesn't have to look far in history for a grim and gritty feel.  I got most of my ideas for my own campaign setting from the Dark Ages.Life just wasn't all that fun back then.I looked the Viking Culture--my what a pessimistic bunch with their gods dying someday and all.Then I take elements from Vampire the Dark Ages, Warhammer, Ravenloft, and Micheal Moorcock's books and mix it all together.While I am all for the grim and gritty feel, you have to counterbalance it with a little bit of hope.  Otherwise, the game will get depressing fast.Have safehavens and good NPCs here and there.  Though few and far between, these serve as becons of light in the darkness.  Just as in horror fiction, the innocent and good help enhance the corrupt and evil.Then, have bad guys kill and destroy them in the most revolting way possible.  That will get you're players wanting vengence.One example from my Greyhawk Campaign was a boatman named Burley.  He was a commoner who made a living taking people across and up and down the Jewel River.  He always swore that while the PCs where on his raft they were safe.Then one day an assassin slew Burley and his son simply to get at the PCs emotionally since they were too powerful to confront in person.Those PCs spent several session tracking that assassin down to kill him.  The plot almost took over the main plot of the campaign!Ulrick</blockquote>

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