Merged WotC setting search winners/losers thread

[Maraxle]

This is easily the weakest of my three settings. I plan to further develop my two stronger settings, so I will not list them here. I never expected this one to win, but sent it as a flyer, in case they were looking for a new "crossover"-type world, like Ravenloft, where you can just add this to your existing campaign.

Please do not reproduce this in any form without my express written consent. It is copyrighted.

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**REMOVED BY AUTHOR**

 

[KeithBaker]

Judges' Challenge

Frankly, I can only begin to imagine how difficult it was for the judges to make their decisions. Two of my proposals were about a 90% match to Mosiac and The Dream (I'd post them, but, well, you wouldn't see a lot that you haven't seen before). So even if you do get an interesting idea, what do you do if you get five of the same one? Or fifty? I am seeing that first initial pass where they are just sorted into piles -- "Waterworld... post-apocalyptic... dimensional patchwork... anthropomorphic... gritty aquatic mind flayers..."
"What are you doing tonight, honey?"
"Oh, I have fifty proposals about subterranean kingdoms ruled by reptilian undead I need to review..."

-KB

 

[Soulmage]

Here's mine

The first rule of writing is write what you know, so I stuck to what I knew.

Not particularly original, but I wanted to be sure that if I was picked I could follow through with some good ideas.

I wasn't really expecting to win anyway, since my idea isn't too far off a "conventional" world. But I would have felt bad if I didn't at least stick my hat in. Here it is:

___________________________________________________

1. Core Ethos Sentence
Dark Empires is a setting of gritty fantasy where adventurers plumb the ruins of ancient civilizations for eldritch secrets and battle the minions of decadent regional warlords who rule the continent in the wake of the collapse of a mighty evil empire.

2. Who are the Heroes?
The PCs! The Githul-badar, (An organization of sorcerer/knights.), The dwarves of Hallowstone Hall, The Knights of the Emerald Crown, Khaz’Rad the Disciple

3. What do they do?
The Githul-badar. Also known as the Iron Mages of Githul Mountain, this group of sorcerer/knights defends the lands of the Githul Hegemony from the constant influx of outsiders brought to that realm by the Vortex.

The Dwarves of Hallowstone Hall. Scholars who seek to preserve the accumulated knowledge of the peoples of Soldinor - a world that is sinking once again into decay. They are defended by the Hammers of Durek, an order of Dwarven paladins who protect the runic libraries of Hallowstone Hall from the evils that lurk in the underdark and the plundering Overmancers of the surface kingdoms.

The Knights of the Emerald Crown were the elite bodyguards of the Lord of the Emerald Throne, ruler of the Old Kingdom. When the benevolent Lord of the Emerald Throne was supplanted by the Crimson King, the Knights of the Emerald Crown formed a resistance movement dedicated to restoring power to the Emerald Throne. After decades of struggle, they successfully engineered the death of the Crimson King, but were unprepared for the chaos that erupted afterward. The Knights now seek a leader who can find a way to reunite the Old Kingdom under the rule of the Emerald Throne.

Khaz’Rad the Disciple seeks followers to bring new life to the faiths of the benevolent gods of the Old Kingdom.

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains?
The Overmancers. Six powerful wizards who were once the minions of the Crimson King, ruler of the Empire. After the Crimson King was assassinated the Empire dissolved into a civil war that has lasted a hundred years. During this chaos these wizards, the most powerful and cunning followers of the Crimson King, have carved smaller kingdoms out of the former Empire . Some of the Overmancers seek to reestablish the Empire under their rule Others pursue their own arcane research or mysterious agendas. All are hungry for the knowledge that can be dredged from the ancient ruins of previous civilizations. The conflicting goals and territorial ambitions of the Overmancers have resulted in a land riven with conflict as the mighty achievements of the Empire slowly fade into dust.

Dunlock the Conqueror. A human warlord who has united the nomadic Uzrik-Natas: barbaric tribesmen from the plains to the South. Dunlock seeks to sweep away the last vestiges of the Empire that remain in the form of the regional Magocracies ruled by the Overmancers.

The Eternal. An unknown force that now rules much of the stone deeps (underdark) including the mindflayer and drow societies as well as legions of undead. Shrouded in mystery, it has eluded the best efforts of the Dwarves of Hallowstone Hall to ascertain its nature.

The Vortex. A mysterious phenomenon that draws in creatures from other planes and drops them near Githul Mountain in the heart of the Githul Hegemony. The Vortex traps them on the prime material plane until they can get far enough away from its influence to escape. Some outsiders choose to stay but are relentlessly hunted by the Githul-badar who have been trying to cleanse their realm of these “planar filth” for a thousand years.

5. The Nature of Magic
Almost unheard of elsewhere, sorcery is common amongst the people of the Githul Hegemony, where centuries of interaction with outsiders have left a magical heritage in their blood. Wizardry is a common diversion for the idle wealthy in the surface kingdoms, but few have the dedication for a serious pursuit. Most of those who do join one of the schools of Wizardry sponsored by the Overmancers for developing and indoctrinating new wizards into the status-quo. Ancient wizards had magic far beyond what is currently known and so adventurers and minions of the Overmancers are constantly seeking out old ruins to search for forgotten secrets.

6. What’s new? What’s Different?
Dark Empires is a darker setting than D&D has traditionally been set in. In this case, the former Empire was a mighty lawful evil bureaucracy. Brutal but effective, and generally preferable to the decay into which the world has fallen. Opportunities for both dungeon crawls and political intrigue abound and players will enjoy playing in a morally relative setting where good and evil are not absolutes.

 

[Abraxas]

Well, at least this interested the people I game with

EPHEMYR

1. Ephemyr is a land where the stuff of seven sleeping titans’ dreams, and nightmares, is made real.

2. There are two common forces that cause the inhabitants of Ephemyr to rise up and become heroes. The majority are heroes of circumstance, responding to any threats to the dreamscape. Less common are those with a drive to become real. They wish to be independent and separate from the subconscious forces of the sleeping titans.

3. The majority of heroes defend the dreamscape. They attempt to maintain a peaceful harmony free from the chaos of nightmares. Those few that wish to become independent of the titans’ dreams strive to find the key to this transformation. This quest pits them against the creatures of nightmare that can’t accept the loss of a single target for their fiendish torment.

4. The dark side of the titans’ collective subconscious threatens the world of Ephemyr. Nightmares are given form to terrorize the dreamscape. Beings that embody baser emotions, such as greed, lust, hate, and envy, arise and try to subjugate the inhabitants. Discord also arises when the dreaming desires of the titans are at odds. When the thoughts of two or more titans strive for conflicting ends disturbances in the dreamscape occur. These disturbances can result in the spontaneous birth of fiendish creatures. Then there are those who wish to disrupt the dreamscape for their own ends. Some of the seekers of reality take this path, turning to the power of nightmares in their attempts at transformation. Others simply exploit the dreamscape for power.

5. Magic infuses the land of Ephemyr; it is the stuff of dreams. Harnessing magic however, is dangerous. Everyone knows about the existence and use of magic, but the dangers inherent in its use restrict its abundance. Divine magic is the result of petitioning the titans themselves through prayer. Arcane magic is the result of imposing ones will on the dreamscape itself. Those wielding magic always run the risk of becoming like the nightmares that disrupt the dreamscape. The motive of a divine caster is always suspect. When motivated by personal gain divine casters risk disturbing the titans’ slumber. This can result in the failure of spells, the twisting of the caster’s form, or worse. Using arcane magic is, in and of itself, a risk. The very act of imposing their will on the dreamscape makes practitioners of the arcane a disturbance in the dreamscape. The greater the disturbance the more likely it is to attract the unconscious notice of the titans. As with divine casters, the titans’ notice can have dire consequences.

6. Ephemyr is a moderately low magic campaign. Small, enchanted items, such as potions and charms of limited duration, are more or less common. Magic items of greater power, and disruptive spells, are more limited. As such, many alternatives to the +3 sword and meteor swarm are implemented to combat this world’s fiends. Discovering these alternatives require research and interpretation of clues. For example, the sharpened spade used to bury the body of an Ephemyr vampire can be employed as an effective weapon against that vampire.

The non-human races are not the elder dying races. Humans, being creatures similar in likeness to the titans came first. It was only after centuries of dreaming did dwarves, elves and other non-human races arise. This changes their outlook on the world. They are expansionist in nature instead of retreating or trying to maintain a foothold.

The use of magic has consequences beyond those caused by its immediate effects on the surroundings. It is not simply fire and forget.
Ephemyr’s religion is monotheistic. Even though there are seven slumbering titans, religious teachings describe them as seven aspects of one being. The titans are not omniscient and their clergy are not restricted by alignment. This allows for the corruption of priests who must then be discovered by a process other than noticing their loss of spells.

Dwarves are the prolific race, producing many curious crossbreeds.

 

[derverdammte]

This is easily the weakest of my three settings. I plan to further develop my two stronger settings, so I will not list them here. I never expected this one to win, but sent it as a flyer, in case they were looking for a new "crossover"-type world, like Ravenloft, where you can just add this to your existing campaign.

Please do not reproduce this in any form without my express written consent. It is copyrighted.

---

Oceans Beneath

1. Core Ethos Sentence.
An exciting world of high-seas adventure where dashing swashbucklers and treacherous pirates struggle for control of the Oceans Beneath.

(I hope you don't mind me quoting this, in light of your copyright notice)

This is kinda cool. Is it a world with a watery core beneath the actual surface of the planet? That part didn't seem totally clear from your description. I like the idea, though.

 

[Maraxle]

This is kinda cool. Is it a world with a watery core beneath the actual surface of the planet? That part didn't seem totally clear from your description. I like the idea, though.

Yup, that's the premise. I clipped a little bit before I posted it, in order to keep a few ideas secret. But yes, basically a huge earthquake opens up a faultline that exposes the world's watery core. Enterprising kingdoms send a few expeditions down, and discover that there's an entire "inner world" of sorts, complete with islands, continents, and inhabitants. Now, kingdoms are racing to explore and lay claim to whatever they find in the Oceans Beneath. Of course, I'm sure that some of the inhabitants aren't too pleased with this development, and may even have the same idea about the land above.

As for the copyright notice, I just don't want to see it showing up in a book of losing entries without me knowing about it first. I once produced a shareware game, and was surprised when I found it on some compilation cds that had never bothered to contact me.

 

[derverdammte]

Yup, that's the premise. I clipped a little bit before I posted it, in order to keep a few ideas secret. But yes, basically a huge earthquake opens up a faultline that exposes the world's watery core. Enterprising kingdoms send a few expeditions down, and discover that there's an entire "inner world" of sorts, complete with islands, continents, and inhabitants. Now, kingdoms are racing to explore and lay claim to whatever they find in the Oceans Beneath. Of course, I'm sure that some of the inhabitants aren't too pleased with this development, and may even have the same idea about the land above.

That's a really interesting idea. I could definitely see a game about it, although I'd almost rather read about it in a novel.

In fact, I'm surprised they didn't pick that one, since I could see it as a movie, novel, game, etc. With the political aspect of it, you could even do a card game. Nice work!

 

[Maraxle]

That's a really interesting idea. I could definitely see a game about it, although I'd almost rather read about it in a novel.

In fact, I'm surprised they didn't pick that one, since I could see it as a movie, novel, game, etc. With the political aspect of it, you could even do a card game. Nice work!

Wow. Thank you so much. Your compliments mean a lot to me.

Maybe I'll enter it in that contest Morrus has been talking about, along with my other two.

 

[edbonny]

Primeval....

Yet another entry... high hopes dashed <snif, snif>

Primeval
1 – Core Ethos Statement: A verdant world of natural savagery and sorcery where the age-old dominion of nature is threatened by the dawn of civilization.

2 – Who are the heroes? Each hero respects and reveres all life as evidenced by a personal code of tolerance and honor. This code is shaped and defined by the hero’s society and culture.

3 – What do they do? Thrust into the conflicts of the world, heroes strive by sword, spell and wit to do what is good and right all the while coming to realize that in a changing world what is new may not necessarily be evil.

4 – Threats. Conflicts. Villains.
• Primeval’s conflicts focus on three central themes: the old ways versus the new, wilderness versus civilization, and nature versus the divine.
• Ceaseless struggles for territory and resources pit forest kingdoms and nomadic tribes against each other and against Primeval’s fledgling city-states.
• The independent city-states, replete with the trappings of urban life, are a new feature on the Primeval landscape. These powerhouses of arcane, technological, religious, political and social innovation serve as engines of dynamic change and are the cause of anxiety among their woodland neighbors.
• A deity has recently come to Primeval, becoming this world’s first and only deity. Her followers challenge the godless servants of nature for the soul of Primeval.
• Primeval is under the watchful stewardship of an ancient druidic order and their ranger-knights who work to maintain a balance in nature. The fractious druids are in disarray over the encroaching cities and their inexplicable deity.
• The villains of Primeval seethe with unbridled ambition, fear, loathing, rapaciousness, and other destructive qualities. They seize opportunities, connive, and manipulate events to suit their whims regardless of the cost.
• Survival is a battle fought daily where throngs of wilderness predators hunt travelers and threaten settled areas.

5 – Nature of Magic: Primeval’s abundance of life energy forms the foundation for all natural magic and was the sole source of magical energy for eons. This hegemony ended recently with the arrival of a deity from whom all divine and arcane magic flows. Magic on Primeval has a ubiquitous presence and its wielders vary by race, culture and profession.

6 – What’s new? What’s different?
• Primeval is a world swollen with a fantastic life force that not only powers magic but also infuses every living thing. This force, called ‘lifefire,’ empowers flora and fauna in countless ways great and small.
• Behold a majestic, wilderness world of lush forests, innumerable lakes, swamps and rivers – all populated with a dizzying diversity of living creatures. Oceans and deserts are notably absent. The planet’s few barren areas are found on the fringes and have slowly begun to spread.
• Primeval hosts a variety of wild and unique prehistoric beasts, monstrous plants, horrific insects and fey-blooded creatures. There are also strange nations of plant-men, insect-men and animal-men that rival the forest kingdoms of elves and humans in number, ability and achievement. The traditional fantasy races are fascinatingly redefined: savage drow nomads, cannibalistic dwarves, winged gnomes, fierce myconid warriors, and hairless, horned elves.
• The Circle of Life: A belief among the forest kingdoms holds that all life has equal value, and that all life and death processes are to be equally respected. Reincarnation of the dead, a central tenet of this philosophy, is a common practice.
• A Monotheistic World: Where once there were no gods, one now rules alone and unopposed. Her sudden appearance has shocked the world and her presence forever changes the meaning of worship, life and death.
• Arcane magic is in its infancy, and arcane research in the city-states begins to yield unprecedented results. Primeval has never encountered undead, outsiders, aberrations and constructs… but soon it will.

- Ed Bonny

 

[tarchon]

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!

1. Core Ethos Sentence. In the Chiasma, the struggle between Dream and Nightmare turns as easily on the shudder of a lidded eye as on the edge of a keen blade.

2. Who are the heroes? Among the most noteworthy types:
Marenjacks - Hunters of the manifold manifestations of Nightmare.
Soladers - Crusading knights of the Sun who make the perilous journey to fight in Outreciel.
Dreamhunters - Errant arcanists obsessed with understanding the link between magic and dreams, they have the means to vie with the Nightmare on its own turf.
The Bunting Band - A professional organization, primarily of itinerant bards, peddlers, and tinkers, which secretly seeks to influence collective thought to counter the Nightmare.

3. What do they do? The lands of the Chiasma are subject to disruptive manifestations of Nightmare, which can be as overt as an infestation of goblins or as subtle as the spontaneous debasement of the coin of the realm. Marenjacks make a hobby or even profession of coping with these. Dreamhunters often accompany Marenjacks so as to study the workings of the Nightmare up close, and they as well have the means to allow their allies to contend with the Nightmare from within a collective dream, the Intercubus.
Many of the sunlit lands worship the Sun, and the greater part of these cooperate loosely to conduct a holy war, known as the Solade, in Outreciel, the natives of which are blamed (wrongly) for the depredations of the Nightmare and (sometimes rightly) for various other misfortunes.

4. Threats, Conflicts, Villains. Among the chief threats to peoples of the Chiasma is the Nightmare. The Nightmare is popularly conceived to be disorder, decay, denial, death: the Adversary. This is apt in many ways, but the naive notion of the Nightmare as a single sentient entity itself is not quite on the mark. One only understands the Nightmare when one recognizes that it is the counterpart to mind and thought. Every dream, idea, thought or intention created in the mind, leaves a sort of void in the unconscious, and that is the Nightmare, by nature opposed to beliefs, desires, dreams, and aspirations. When thoughts take on a popular collective direction, they naturally tend to engender a massive current of Nightmare in reaction; this tendency often gives the manifestations of Nightmare an eerie semblance of design. The origin of the Nightmare lies in an ancient conflict forgotten by all but a few of the eldest gods.
A more tangible threat though comes from a place rather than a somewhat abstract force of nature. The world populated by humans and creatures like them is lit by the life giving Sun, which emanates from the heavenly region known as the Empyrean. Above the Empyrean, beyond the Sun, is a place known as Outreciel, a land of eternal night lit only by starshine. Its sky is dominated by the dark star Untungol, which many of the inhabitants worship. The Sunworld and Outreciel are connected by several isolated and perilous routes, which climb through the jade vault of the sky. These Viae constitute the strategic foci of the Solades, particularly the immense and often harrowing Via Galactica. Several less known and far stranger avenues between the worlds are often the focus of hidden but no less intense struggles.

5. Nature of magic. All creatures but the simplest touch magic in some way, though only those sorts possessing some faculty of thought understand this. Only the most disciplined (3E's wizards) or, ironically, least disciplined (3E's sorcerers) of thinking creatures though can shape magic towards some design through their own will. Magic is quite simply the influence of mind on form, on the shape of those things that are called "real." However, that portion of mind which is turned towards conscious thought spends its creative potential on the organization of thought itself. Only the swirling amorphous unconscious has the potential to shape the real directly, without the intermediary of sinew and bone through which conscious thought is constrained to act.

6. What's new? What's different? The setting is built around oppositions which give it a fruitful source of action. The nightmare/reality conflict touches on ideas which have been quite popular in recent speculative fiction (particularly anime and a number of RPG lines) but the world of the Chiasma treats this in a fresh way.