My "New World" campaign... I'm stuck!

[Herobizkit]

I am currently DMing a solo homebrew campaign based loosely on a "New World" concept.

The PC is a member of a Viking-like group of people who travel the seas looking for new territory to loot and/or conquer. In their quest, the group comes upon a "new" continent, one that is tropical and, in appearance, largely uninhabited. They make a settlement, and eke out their existence for a time.

The PC began play as an adolescent commander of a military academy (he is also the king's adopted and only son). He has taken care of his community, and they are now ready to explore at large.

I have several races I am looking forward to springing on him, but I have created this new land as a sort of jungle/savage frontier populated by barbarians. I have also introduced a rumour of an all-mage society deep in said jungle.

Now, I seem to have run out of ideas for interesting settings/locales/points of interest to place in this savage jungle of mine. Can anyone fill in any kind of details, or help me get the ball rolling again?

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Well, I'd suggest Northern Crown: New World Adventures & Gazetteer books by Atlas games.

 

[BiggusGeekus]

Now, I seem to have run out of ideas for interesting settings/locales/points of interest to place in this savage jungle of mine. Can anyone fill in any kind of details, or help me get the ball rolling again?

Yeah, empty wilderness can be hard to fill up.

Have you tossed in some kind of forgotten temple? Might be a good excuse for a dungeon. That can soak up two or three game sessions while you come up with other stuff.

 

[Altalazar]

You can always have the players build their own civilization from scratch. Seriously. First, a town is founded, perhaps they found it, then they have to deal with protecting it from the wild beasts and barbarian tribes.

Perhaps trade can be negotiated. But then trade routes need protecting. Trade routes need to be scouted and cleared of monsters.

Other cities could be founded. Strange new minerals could be discovered. Now mining operations need to be protected. You can always throw in ancient ruins of a collapsed civilization here and there, perhaps building up the whole story of that civilization, and then having it intersect with everything else. Perhaps there are well-crafted roads already ready for use if they can only be recovered from the jungle.

And so on...

 

[VirgilCaine]

The Savage Coast campaign setting (see the Previous Editions downloads section at www.wizards.com ) is a little more advanced (there are human towns and settlements across the area, but they aren't large) than what you describe, it has different races and feel than other settings.

 

[LostSoul]

Hmm... what kind of a game do you want to run? Dungeon crawl, explore the unknown wilderness, character interaction between colonists and natives, political interaction between colonists, the old country, other old countries, and the natives, or any other of a million ideas?

I think that if you decide what you want to focus on playing, it'll be easier to narrow down what kind of things you need to come up with. That usually makes world creation easier (for me, at least), because you aren't overwhelmed by the range of options open to you. You say, "My group and I want to do some dungeon crawl. Better come up with a dungeon!"

 

[pogre]

Lost civilization ruins would be cool. A few Drow slavers might be fun too.

 

[ResurectedLlama]

How about some stunning landforms. Cliffs with cave networks where natives dwell and valleys that are always covered in mist. Lakes with islands covered in birds, giant trees, and waterfalls are good too.

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

I don't have it myself, but I think that the Explorer's Handbook from Eberron might be helpful. If I understand correctly, it's mostly about Xen'Drik, the vast jungle continent inhabited by the scattered remnants of an ancient giantish civilization. Can you say "cyclopean ruins?" It was partially written by Rich Burlew, the Giant in the Playground, so you know it's gonna be worth at least a chuckle

 

[EdL]

Forget the natives. Disease ought to wipe out one side or the other, if not both, pretty quick.