My kingdom for a setting

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Or should that be 'My setting for a kingdom'?

I've designed my campaign, now I'm looking for somewhere to set it. Normally I homebrew the geography, (secret) societies, organisations and so on. This time I'd like to use someone elses hard work.


What I'm looking for:

The theme of the first arc is [Lawful] running rampant. So nothing that disallows this.

Easy to include some standard outsiders: Devils, Celestials and Modrons.

A feudal feel - the PCs will be members or associates of an organisation - possibly a knightly order. Preferably part of a kingdom or empire. Euro centric is nice and familiar, but I'd consider something different if it's interesting. Viking? Oriental? Whatever?

Some nearby lawless area. The PCs will take over and run a building (keep?) in this area.

Orcs or some other nasty race that can have half-X offspring.

Not low magic.

A decent map and some funky organisations would be a bonus.


Any ideas?

 

[Cam Banks]

Dragonlance! Solamnia's a great place to drop your characters, it's been surrounded by goblins and dark knights in the past and therefore there's plenty of lawlessness, and the ogres are a threat in the east and this brings in half-ogres, who are a player race in DL campaigns. There's as much magic as you need, celestials and other outsiders are completely suited, and I'm sure you already know the setting a little from the books.

Cheers,
Cam

 

[Pants]

Or should that be 'My setting for a kingdom'?

I've designed my campaign, now I'm looking for somewhere to set it. Normally I homebrew the geography, (secret) societies, organisations and so on. This time I'd like to use someone elses hard work.
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.
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Any ideas?

Now, well I don't own the actual book so I can't say anything about its quality, you might want to try out Destan's Valus book, which was designed as a sort of modular setting. Take the island and slap it down somewhere.

Might want to ask someone more familiar with the actual setting than me, but I'm just throwing it out there.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Dragonlance certainly warrants a look - think I know someone with a copy. Have fond (but old!) memories of the books. Perhaps set it just after the War of the Lance? Heard about the No Gods or Chaos periods after that and they never quite did click with me...

Read the synopsis piece on Valus in the reviews bit. Certainly sounds interesting... Anyone know more?

 

[Voadam]

Feudal feel sounds standard fantasy world

Greyhawk Stadard D&D lots of feudal areas, relatively high normal D&D magic
Forgotten Realms Lots of areas and organizations high D&D magic, taken to extremes in some areas.
Kalamar detailed world with plenty of organizations and cultures
Arcanis? don't own but sounds standard fantasy
Hunt Rise of Evil? don't own but a bit horror tinged and lots of groups (mystic warriors has some)
Twin Crowns (a bit more renaissance exploration than feudal but there are king areas)
Oathbound high fantasy, high level, high magic, lots of lawlessness and powergroups.
Ravenloft, varying tech levels and politics, several feudal areas, not so high magic in most areas, dark horror based setting, tough to get in outsiders (they can't leave after entering).

Nyambe tribal fantasy Africa!


Valus has a very gritty feel (I haven't read the country sections yet) with a lot of lawlessness fitting in well. Modrons are a bit outside the cosmology but devils and celestials fit in well. It is and it isn't high magic, summonings can draw divine retribution in Valus but clerics get extra powers/detriments depending upon seasons.

 

[Scribe Ineti]

Eberron might be up your alley. One of the things I like a lot about it are the various organizations and religious orders sprinkled throughout the setting.

 

[Nightfall]

Scarred Lands!

 

[Crothian]

THere area lot of setting out there that can workm for this but Kalamar is actually the one that I think fits best.

 

[BlakeT]

Of the ones I'm familiar with I'd say that Dragonlance, Eberron and Forgotten Realms would work best. Though I have to say a lot of the ones others that mentioned I'm not that familiar with really.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Interesting ideas there. Thanks for the input!

Had a read of the Dragonlance setting. Overall - I rather like it, but it seems a little confusing - too many different timelines detailed. There are also a few things that don't quite 'feel right' for this campaign...

Hopefully borrowing the FRCS to have a look through, but a couple of my players are serious FR fanboys and I'm not sure I'd run it to their expectations. I'd rather not have that hanging over the campaign!

Scarred Lands - will have to have a hack through Ask the Sage and see what I think! Been meaning to do that for some time.

Eberron sounds interesting, but I'd rather like to play that instead of running it...

Is there a current Greyhawk setting book or is it a case of finding older materials for it?


Read the Kingdoms of Kalamar reviews and it sounds promising. Seem out of stock on Amazon. So will check out my local game shop and see if they've got it. Sounds worth a read, even if I don't end up using it. Anyone running a game in it?