Merged WotC setting search winners/losers thread

[Rand Holindale]

It was worth a shot, wasn't it?

This is my first post and I just wanted to congratulate those that are moving on in the 'contest'.

I also think everyone that submitted a proposal should be proud of themselves for taking a chance. I did and although I was not chosen, the opportunity did cause me to focus more on my ideas and perhaps got that novel going in the right direction!

I've enjoyed reading the settings that have been posted.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Preamble to my submission:
Don't anybody steal this! As this thread demonstrates, short descriptions of sketchy ideas are extremely rare and hard to come by, so respect my creativitay! Every letter of it is trademarked, copyrighted, classified, trade-secreted, all-rights-reserved, posted-no-hunting, and Arcane Marked to protect this valuable intellectual property, so don't mess with it people!

Thank you!!!

 

[Dormian]

1. Warstone is a world where the varying races have formed an alliance that uses a Council of the combined Races that tries to alleviate the political turmoil’s of the world.

2. The heroes of Warstone come from the varying races that make up the Council. The heroes either work for the advancement of their race, the desires of the Council, their own needs or the needs of their comrades. A hero can be the kobold diplomat who negotiated a peaceful settlement to an impending war or the human wizard who destroyed the dragon that was attacking the goblin homesteads.

3. Beyond the normal goals of the individual (Wealth, Power, & Fame) the heroes’ objective is to alleviate the turmoil that keeps the Council’s uneasy balance of power from dissolving. The means by which the hero accomplishes these goals is through good old fashion heroics, subterfuge, deceit, diplomacy, and sometimes warfare.

4. Based on the mindset of the individual; Villains come from every walk of race and alignment. The single largest threat to the campaign would be the collapse of the Council as that all races evil and good have found some level of prosperity under the joined rule. The necromancer trying to crush all living creatures that won’t bow to his rule and the fanatical paladin Hell bent to destroy all evil are equally dangerous to the Council.

5. The gods grant all magic. When a spell is invoked the accompanying God is called upon, the proper offering is made and the power is released. Not all spell casters are clerics but to cast a spell the proper invocation is required which includes calling upon the God that holds reign over the spell’s domain. A spell caster calling on several different gods to invoke the desired spells is the norm. All races and individuals with the desire to cast magic can do so.

6. The Council is made up of humans, demi-humans, and most of the humanoid races (orcs, goblins, kobolds, etc.) not all races belong to the Council i.e. Drow. The Council while allowing the Races to govern themselves in their homelands sets down the rules in which the Campaign is governed as a whole. Since the Council was formed some of the races have adapted quickly to the joined rule. Orcs have found a purpose for their existence and uphold the laws of the Council with a savage honor. Other races have also found their niche in the system. Races that normally could not adventure together are now battling foes side by side. This setting while providing the normal fantasy campaign background and adventures also provides a rich and in-depth political backdrop in which a campaign could be played for years.

 

[KeithBaker]

Re: Re: Hey, is it just me....

The idea of dream settings is not uncommon (I'm working on Jaldaen's Nevermore, right now, for instance), but usually they look at dreams from the outside in. That is, characters can enter dreams and they can leave them. What sets The Dream appart is that characters do not enter or leave ever-- they are part of The Dream.

I actually did some work on "outside in" dream adventuring in Atlas Games' Occult Lore -- but my submission was also an inside out approach, although with the caveat that the characters could be drawn in from our normal world... Just to put in the intro:

What if the next time you went to sleep, you couldn't wake up? What if you found yourself trapped in a world built from the dreams of men, monsters, and long-forgotten gods – a world where literally anything was possible?

... Again, a slightly different approach from The Dream... but nonetheless, you can see the kind of challenges facing the judges. Even if you submitted an extremely nifty, original, and well-written idea, it's always possible that someone else submitted a virtually identical idea and just happened to be 1% more original or well-written than you. Just how many plots ARE there? When you factor that into 11,000, well, it seems like a nightmare for the judges...

-KB

 

[AmerginLiath]

Thanks for the nod, Maverick

I've yet to fully read ALL of the submissions posted (I've read all the commenting, but I've only skimed some of the latter ones so far -- lots to go through in so little time!), but I love the ideas!

I've been working further on Cabera since I submitted and have done mapwork and mythology as well. I'd love if there was a forum for a longer format -- I like the notion of working up 10-page things of our own, as a sort of Netbook of Worlds...

 

[Corinth]

I'd just like to publicly thank Morrus for putting up a section for those of us who agreed to display our one-page submissions.

 

[KeithBaker]

In the interests of posting something...

My dream and patchwork world proposals don't really have anything to add over those that have gone before, but in the interests of posting SOMETHING, here's one of my others. It's a pretty basic light-vs-darkness thing and most of the more interesting ideas have turned up in other proposals, but here it is nonetheless.

-KB

-----------------------------------------------

The Long Night has begun again…

Nightfall

Core Ethos Statement
As their world enters five hundred years of darkness, the heroes must battle panic and the rising forces of evil to find a way to preserve the light through the Long Night.

Who Are the Heroes?
The world of Eos is a place of eternal sunlight. Ancient myths speak of a battle between the gods of light and shadow, and a truce that would cause Eos to pass between their domains. These tales speak of a time when the sun did not brighten the sky. For centuries, these tales have been dismissed as nonsense – until now. After five hundred years of peace and prosperity, the Long Night has finally come again. There were a few who the disaster coming. The elders of the isolated Solonar Elves saw the Last Dawn with their own eyes and recognized the signs of nightfall, while the astronomers of the Crescent saw the signs in the heavens. But most of the people of Eos have never known darkness, and panic has gripped the world. The Marble Republic has collapsed into chaos and disarray, while the Lords of Khesh have decided that the only way they can maintain their crops is to water the fields with the blood of their enemies. And with the returning power of darkness, ancient evils have begun to emerge from deep caverns below the earth. Now a band of heroes who have been touched by the power of the light must rise to stem this tide – to restore order, to protect the innocent, and to find a way to survive the Long Night.

What Do They Do?
The world of Nightfall is filled with danger and mystery. Civilizations are collapsing or turning on each other. The power of the dark gods is growing, and ancient monsters and forgotten races are emerging from the depths of the earth to claim a place on the surface. Players who are only interested in looking out for themselves can simply explore the changing world, seeking out the hidden treasures of the dark gods and exploring the ancient catacombs. Other challenges lie in store for those players who wish to take part in the larger story arc. These heroes can be lightbearers – living vessels for the last remaining power of the gods of Light. They have the power to bring light to the darkness, and to preserve civilization. But to unlock the secrets of this power, they must learn the true nature of the Long Night itself, and this will require a perilous journey across the darkened lands. Along the way, they must overcome shadowy demigods and their mortal servants, who desperately seek to destroy the lightbearers before they gain access to their full powers. Of course, heroes don't have to be lightbearers; they may be members of one of the forgotten races, or even beings touched by darkness who have nonetheless decided to fight on the side of the Sun.

Threats, Conflicts, and Villains
There are a number of different threats in Nightfall. First there are the people who have been driven mad with terror by the arrival of the great darkness. Many countries consider this to be a sign of the end of the world, and new religions and cults are springing up across Eos. The people of Khesh have turned to the worship of the Bloody Moon, while the Marble Republic has been shattered by insanity. The Shakorakin dwarves are preparing for a final battle against all other species. Characters who cross such areas will have to find a way to calm the terror of the night – or do battle with those who fear it.

Next there are the creatures that have been trapped below the earth for centuries. Some are ravenous beasts desperate to indulge centuries of hunger. Others are forgotten civilizations or ancient beings of tremendous power – creatures who may not be hostile if approached carefully, but who nonetheless believe it is their time to inherit the surface world.

Last and most deadly are the forces of the Gods of Darkness – the Emissaries of Night. These beings include powerful spirits and mortals who have been corrupted by the promise of power. Living conduits to the power of the night, these beings are the most dangerous opponents the heroes will face.

Nature of Magic
Only a few of the civilizations of Eos are adept at the use of magic. The Solonar Elves are the greatest practitioners of the art of wizardry, while the Priests of Kalain are renowned across the world for their piety and power. But to most of the people of Eos, Kalain and the Solonar are myths and legends. Ultimately, all magic is derived from either Light or Darkness. Wizards tap directly into these primal forces and shape them into spells; the nature of the force affects what can be done with it. Priests call upon the gods – sentient beings of pure light and shadow – and act as conduits for their power. With the fall of night, the power of the Light is fading while that of Darkness is growing. Shadow priests can channel tremendous forces, while the prayers of the priests of the Sun go unheard. Wizards can still perform feats of magic, but it is becoming more difficult and dangerous to try to reach the light. This is one of the greatest gifts of the heroes. As lightbearers, they have the ability to reach the hidden forces of Light, to continue to use its gifts even in the dark of night.

What's New? What's Different?
Nightfall is a very dark setting. It is a realm in the grip of a force that cannot be fought directly; its inhabitants believe that the end of the world is inevitable. In addition to fighting monsters and solving ancient mysteries, players must deal with this terror and with the other consequences of the Long Night – a challenge that will require military force, diplomatic skill, and plain common sense. Needless to say, this is not a battle that can be won; there will be five hundred years of darkness, so the story will not come to an end. But the players may be able to return order to a part of the world – to create a stronghold of reason within an ocean of terror. Tied to this is the fact that, as lightbearers or channels of darkness, the players have a unique role in the world. Even if there are NPCs who are more powerful or more knowledgeable, only the players have the primal connections that can alter the fate of Eos.

 

[Eosin the Red]

Adding to the great big heap of settings:


The Mabinogin
A Tale of Heroes

Core Ethos: In a biblical fall from grace, death has been made incarnate and is opposed only by those who are brave enough to dream of a return to Eden.

Who are the heroes: The heroes of the Mabinogin are the men and women who, by chance or fate, understand the peril that faces the world and are brave enough to oppose it. They come from all places and walks of life.

What do they do: The heroes take command of their destiny. They walk the middle path, trying to oppose evil without becoming pawns of the immortals. The Heroes are more successful if proactive rather than reactive, so they frequently bring the fight to the enemy.

Threats: The primary threat is the Ullwrathi or undead. Death has been brought into the world by the immortal Dheymos. Driven by pride, he broke the Edict and summoned the king from beyond the grave. What returned was not the king, but the great enemy himself. Like a plague, the Ullwrathi have spread across the land seeking to destroy for their master.
A secondary threat comes from the immortals. Their fight for survival has led them to become callous to the sacrifices they demand. While they fight against the Great Enemy, their success may be as costly for men as their failure.
A tertiary threat is in men who seek individual gain, unwilling to sacrifice comfort or power for a greater cause. These men no longer believe in the bogeymen of their ancestors.

Nature of magic: The immortals exposed humanity to the Muldedge, a crystal that contains the essence of magic. During one of the great battles of the past, the Muldedge was over-tapped and shattered. Mortal men who are exposed to the crystal(s) while in the womb become attuned to the use of magic. These crystals form the core ingredient for magic items.
Sorcerers all have some ancestry with the immortals. Their semi-divine nature allows them to tap into magic without the training and study needed by Wizards.

What’s new: A fractionalized but monolithic evil looms as an ever-present threat to life as it is known. Opposing the Great Enemy are the immortals. They take an active, if subtle, hand in manipulating mankind to face the enemy that they cannot defeat. They are not nebulous, omnipotent deities. They are powerful but flawed beings that walk the planet, willing to pay any price for survival. Their half-breed children live among men, neither as great as their immortal parents nor as free as the mortal. Finally, the players may pursue the dream of a return to paradise and the defeat of evil. However, realization of a dream is rarely what is imagined when starting the journey.
___________________________________________________

There you go.

 

[anarchy]

Random Encounters (not a dating service)

Hello. I've had great fun coming here the last couple of months and am now making my first post. Here is my setting:

The Monsters are loose...

Random Encounters


1. Core Ethos Sentence.

I propose a world of sword-and-sorcery adventure where heroes battle monsters--lots of monsters--with anything they can.

2. Who are the heroes?

The initial heroes are adventurers in the purest gaming sense. The realm has been stable for a long time and there are few frontiers left. Monsters start breaking their ancient bonds deep in the earth, revealing catacombs filled with treasure and strange artifacts. Some look at these incursions as an opportunity and a welcome change from a world that has become too tame.

With this threat comes professional monster hunters and protectors as well as historians, archeologists and--as always--more adventurers. There are even those who feel the monsters should be protected: creature conservationists.

3. What do they do?

The first objectives are survival and protection and monster hunters are hired and town-guards established. The cause of the incursions must be sought, and the larger backstory revealed.

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains.

Monster attacks are the main threat to the realm, giving a new sense to the term “random encounters.” Most of the monsters are animalistic, but more intelligent, evil monsters and even villainous races could be revealed as well. With the wealth and magical artifacts available in the catacombs, the balance of power will change and people will naturally come into conflict with each other.

5. Nature of magic.

There are lots of wizards, though few of them have faced threats before and are unprepared to deal with the influx of monsters. Forgotten spells may sometimes be uncovered in the catacombs, as well as ancient artifacts and magic weapons and equipment.

6. What’s new? What’s different?

This premise allows for everything old to feel new again. The existing setting is a well-explored world with lots of infrastructure and culturally distinct political unions, which holds many stories. Add to this the monsters and the catacombs containing relics from a more savage age and the potential exists to tell nearly any story germane to a medieval fantasy setting.

 

[Arsene Vulpin]

Here is my own loser yarn

Guess It wasn't such a good Idea after all .... ;°)

BTW, If anyone came with an idea similar to this, and is interrested in a merged work, for publishing as a campaign site, or even try out another publisher, I'd be happy to receive an email (you can find mine in my description...)

If the following really pukes, feel free to tell it also !!!

OBLIVION BLIGHTS

1. Core Ethos Sentence
OBLIVION BLIGHTS is an epic fantasy setting where tragic heroes fight desperate battles and undertake mystic initiation to unravel the dangerously loose threads of the entangled fabrics of Lore and Factuality…where it should.

2. Who are the heroes?
The heroes of OBLIVION BLIGHTS take part in the affairs of the world : they are rebel leaders, philosophers, or dutiful servants of clerical or lay authorities. Some may, possibly unbeknownst to them, be agents of reincarnated past powers (see below). A battle-hardened ork fighter, pondering over the sense behind War; a young human initiate blessed by one past, evil deity, wavering between breaking free or keeping the power of miracles; a gallant elven paladin, defender of the Ideal of one of the three great ecumenical nations, the grandeur of which is fading before its unearthed history; are all good examples of the epic, reflective and tragedy-bound characters to expect in the Core Campaign. As it is designed to span over a century, it will introduce children or disciples of some heroes, retired or slain, and new recruits who will pursue the quest for their heroic sires.

3. What do they do?
Many heroes in OBLIVION BLIGHTS will raise for the cause of their gods, culture, or nation, against other threatening nations, or mythical beasts thought past. In the Core Campaign, heroes will initiate gradually to the sore mystical threat behind all, and will eventually form a Cabal, the patrons, members and driving purpose of which will change during the various Acts. With increased Wisdom, they will challenge greater foes, and find often tragic solutions on an epic scale, thus gaining heroic status and returning hope to their peers. Until, they are old and wise enough to fix the cosmic calamity itself, and must choose by themselves if and when to use it, and what to preserve beyond the other Age…

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains
When Nations, Philosophies, and Gods struggle, the statu quo is maintained through an Historical Age, until, upon a conjunction of Ecliptic Planes, victors rule over the Factual, and the defeated remain only on the Mystical. This is how all things we know are revealed, change, or are forsaken to legends or utter oblivion. At the climax of the previous Age, the proud defeated Ashems found a way to endure silently through the present Œcumenical Age by messianic teaching, tampering with the Mystical Plane. A few decades ago, all of a sudden, the ecumenical tutelary victor of the Ashem burned out and collapsed, causing a great Void in Factuality. Because of the Tampering and the Void, a forced bogus conjunction occurred. So, along with Ashem Myths, Past Divinities, Mythic Monsters, Nations, and Philosophies, to some extent forgotten, started to haunt back the Astral, Shadow and Material planes, on various time and under diverse forms, according to their nature and power, sharing only Oblivion Blights: mystical wounds caused to one only remaining in the Mystic Plane, nearing Oblivion, which they bear and pass on.
Beyond the unavoidable struggles among factual and reborn Powers, mythic or mortal, monstrous or divine, gaining magnitude on par with the gradual invasion (during the Core Campaign), Good (Past potent philosophies lost are recovered, ancient arts also) and Bad altogether arise. People come to feel disillusioned about their world, as many once more proud nations discover a not so glorious past built upon victims, good philosophies unjustly debased, which now all claim vengeance, until everything seems equal to anything and mortal races slowly loose their sense of purpose in History…

5. Nature of magic
In OBLIVION BLIGHTS, Factuality (material or supernatural) is represented by two planes almost identical to the Core Astral and Material Planes, whereas all Thoughts, all Belief or Knowledge, divine or mortal, past or present, indeed exist on the transitive Mystical Plane. As the astral traveller journeys through the Divine or Essential Planes, the mystic wanderer reaches the Realms of Lore, Beliefs, Legends, Memories, Dreams, and even individual Mind-Realms. The Astral, Mystical, and Material Planes are the three coterminous Ecliptic Wheels of a Cosmic Astrolabe, the physics of which allows for conjunctions, precessions, attraction of sub-planes, and creation of bridges between them. The very narrow and elusive coexistent plane to all three is called “Truth”. These are the workings upon which Historical Ages described above are set, the representation of how Ideas and Facts meet and part. But also, the way bridges are created between the Ecliptic Planes, and the arts of travelling, predicting, creating or exploiting them weave Magic. Writing is a potent way to bind thoughts into the material world, even beyond conjunctions; composed properly, texts form Bridges, that Ancient Powers once used to create and rule the World, the remnants of which scarce Wizards compile and decipher. Few Clerics mystically venture far enough on their Canon Realm to reach their God’s Plane to work actual miracles. A Psion Mind-Realm is born so close to the common axes between the Ecliptic Planes, that it exists on all three. Similarly grounded explanations, yet subtly different, exist for the magic of Paladin, Bards, Druids, Rangers, and Sorcerers (or even Shamen and Monks).
Due to the dramatic events described above, abundance of magical powers is variable, on par with the advancement of the Core Campaign, being quite scarce at the beginning, to eventually become cyclically common, and perhaps widespread.

6. What’s new? What’s different?
OBLIVION BLIGHTS explores in depth the many Political, Religious, and Racial templates of D&D, up to and beyond the new expanded possibilities of 3rdEd. and focuses on how the diverse cultures and pantheons evolve and relate. Though strongly themed by its main spectral threat, it allows for infinite different plots, monsters, and challenges, from the Core Rules, or with new variations or creations. As the calamity is Neutral in essence, OBLIVION BLIGHTS emphasizes Tragedy, by forcing characters to ponder on what to save or forsake, including themselves, and the Quest for Wisdom, keeping it elusive and relative. The possibility to triumph over Dire challenges, so essential in fantasy, remains but becomes a challenge in itself. All of this should allow veteran gamers to find a Classic feel, yet it proposes them and to newcomers alike a new way to advance the game form fantasy roleplay to mythic campaign.