I like it, @vincegetorix! But if I use it, I'd probably have it be a "First Experience" type thing for PCs. No rumors from people who came out insane. Just... -there-... waiting to be explored. Others have gone in...but never come out!
Level Up (A5E) Sins of the Scorpion Age, Sword and Sorcery Campaign Setting
- Thread starter Steampunkette
- Start date
Tales and Chronicles
Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
great idea.
I'm currently binge watching a lot of playthrough of Jrpgs instead of Netflix show, and I was inspired by a mix of the Wild Arms serie and the Ikana region of LoZ: Majora's Maqsk, with the whole curse of dersertification on a previously advanced kingdom.
I'm no expert of S&S; I've never seen (or read) a Conan product or things like that, so my comprehension might be off!
Your comprehension is -just- fine, Vince!
One of the core conceits of the Howardian Universe of Kull and Conan is that magic and other forms of "Strange Science" have been around forever. The Valusians, a group of serpent-men and the children of Yig, who became known as Set the Serpent God, once ruled the entire world and modified animals and plants to serve their ends. They mapped the stars and developed crazy technology before they pissed off the Gods by not -cloning- or -modifying- an animal, but creating one whole-cloth, usurping the power of the Gods. (Not that the gods were happy with them, anyhow, what with them wiping out their Frog-People neighbors in their world-conquest and using genetic modification to make all the other planetary inhabitants into serpenty things).
So the gods sent Dragons (Dinosaurs) to conquer the Earth and the Valusians retreated into the earth to hide for millions of years before the Dragons died out and Man found their ancient cities. Kull the Conqueror? He becomes king of Valusia, one of their major cities, millennia after early humans learn writing, language, magic, and more from the stoneworks the ancient Serpent-Men left behind.
And that's not even getting into the oftentimes Sci-Fi techiness of the Old Gods and their servants...
So having ancient highly advance cultures lost to time and meaning? Spot-On.
After giving it consideration: Every magic item that is in this book -should- be Unique rather than common/uncommon/rare/legendary. Both because it gives the item a stronger narrative impact to have it be tied to the world in a singular fashion, and the general distrust of Arcana in the setting.
Tales and Chronicles
Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
Yes, please, this x 1000!
With the less ''magical'' class option of L-U, I think it would be possible to keep the theme were the world is infused by latent magic, but spellcraft itself is mysterious and not meant to be understood by men.
GuyBoy
Hero
This is a key idea. I love standard D&D games, but a propensity of +1 swords, potions of healing and wands of magic missiles doesn’t really fit with the wonderful S&S setting you are creating.
Magic items should be unique, very rare and storied to the setting. I can only think of a few in Conan; the Phoenix on the Sword and the magical belt used against the Seers of Yimsha are examples. Great tomes of forbidden knowledge work well.
Idea: Change Pharoah to Phaoris for the same reason Naga becomes Naghese. Similar concept, slightly less baggage.
Am I changing for change's sake at this point, folks, or is Phaoris the cool gender-neutral ruler title that it feels like to me?
Am I changing for change's sake at this point, folks, or is Phaoris the cool gender-neutral ruler title that it feels like to me?
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Annnnd once again I put it in the wrong thread...
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