Points of Light Killed the Campaign Setting...

[S'mon]

Western and Arab scholars collected in places like the centres of learning in 6th/7th Century Ireland and this knowledge was re-introduced into the west through translations of Arabic texts into Latin.

Every maths course I have ever taken has stated this flatly as a FACT; Arabs were vital in the development of maths during the Dark Ages!

Arab scholars definitely did NOT collect in 6th-7th century Ireland!
I guess mathematicians are not historians.

Most of what Western Europe regards as 'Arab' mathematics (including use of 'zero') originated in India, which has a long mathematical tradition. The Islamic conquests of India created a transmission belt for Indian mathematics westwards, eventually reaching Europe.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

My wife is in the process of putting together something involving the PoL setting and I think she's pondering using mostly her own stuff, but maybe Ptolus will have to be our own Constantinople

As long as it doesn't turn out to be your personal Waterloo.

 

[AtomicPope]

A colonial frontier is another good example...

Consider a "Pirates of the Carribean"-ish setting: The major ports on the island chain, walled colonies on the mainland and friendly native villages constitute the safe haven Points of Light. The open ocean (which is rife with pirates and sea monsters), the unexplored wilderness on the mainland (jungles, deserts, mountains and forests frawling with wild animals and headhuntering natives), and any settlement controlled by pirates or hostile tribes would not.

Just so long as it's Pirates 1. Two and three are points of garbage

 

[AtomicPope]

...at least it did for me. Don't get me wrong, I loves me my campaign settings. I probably have material for every major D&D campaign setting ever published and quite a few 3rd-party ones. Thing is, I'm really digging the PoL's micro-to macrocosm approach. I can't help but feel constrained by limiting my campaign to one setting and having to shoehorn adventures and material into it. It really has me thinking of campaign planning in new ways. So, for example, if I want to have a campaign where the PC's have to defend Ptolus, last bastion of the ancient empire from the hordes of the recently rebuilt Temple of Elemental Evil by the forces of Mordain the Flesh-Weaver and his diabolical second-in-command, Bargle, by questing for the Rod of Seven Parts then I will; with many apologies to setting/canon lovers

I'm running a Greyhawk campaign and I've been struggling with the PoL as an approach to campaign setting changes. The solution I came up with was to use the 2e boxed supplement From the Ashes and go Old School. Recruiting new players, nations with hostile borders, and although the Wars are over the battles rage on.

 

[daddystabz]

I am trying to solve the problem with a new Goodman Games product called Points of Light. One of the reason Joseph Goodman went for is how I presented Points of Light and how it can be continued indefinitely if he chooses to make into a line of products.

http://www.goodman-games.com/4380preview.html

Basically Points of Light is a gazetteer for four lands. It is 48 pages and will sell for $12.99. Each land has a map with numbered hexes. I chose not because I have fetish for old school style but I feel that it is the most compact form for conveying a lot of information about an area.

Each area has a series of locales keyed to the number of hex grid. In addition any multi-hex geographical feature is listed along with any specialized entry unique to the area.

Each area is designed to drop into a referee's campaign with minimal work. Each area is designed so that it has useful material that fleshes out another area. So if you use just Borderlands the remaining 3 lands will have entries of use. However is not in the form of a campaign world but more that each area shares common concepts.

Like the God Sarrath appears in three area, the Bright Empire in a different set of three. This was done to maximize the use of 48 pages.

What stat there are are generic and usable for any edition of D&D and most fantasy RPGs. In a setting type product you don't have a lot of space for stats anyway.

Example Entry



The four areas

Each land is about 125 miles by 100 miles. They are provided with a minimal background to make it easy to add it to any referee's campaign.

The four lands presented are

Wildland: The fall of the Bright Empire left warring factions in its wake. As savage barbarians and wicked humanoids roam the land, the last bastions of civilization cower behind their crumbling city walls. A dark age has come, and none may live to tell the tale.

Southland: On the frontiers of the Great Kingdom, the nations of men, elves and dwarves join together against the wicked elves of Nighportal Keep and the Orcs of the Bloody Fist. A realm is yours for the taking, if you can carve it from the wilderness.

Borderland: Two factions clash over war-torn fields, battling for dominance in a civil war that that has torn a once-mighty empire in two. When brother strives against brother, and blood runs in the streets, who will emerge to unify the broken land -- and at what cost, peace?

The Swamps of Acheron: In the Outer Planes, amid fetid swamplands and ice-choked mountains, the fell god Sarrath holds court. In a realm where gods stalk the earth, will you dare to take a stand, or will you succumb to evil's siren song and take up the Serpent Banner?


A portion of one of the four maps. A fuller preview will posted closer to release

Hopefully my Points of Light won't kill the setting but give it a new rebirth by providing a multitude in a useful format.

Is that PoL book from Goodman Games available for purchase yet and is it going to be pdf only?

 

[robconley]

Is that PoL book from Goodman Games available for purchase yet and is it going to be pdf only?

Available in game stores in August. Like other Goodman Games products likely there will be a PDF at some point. Not sure as that is up to Joseph Goodman.


Rob Conley