WayneLigon
Adventurer
I've played in settings like that in D&D and they worked fine, really. There is at least a fair chance that my next setting will be a homebrewed 'Fables' rip-off, or a very Fairy-Tale-like setting.
REALLY old school settings
- Thread starter Bohemian Ear-Spork
- Start date
davidschwartznz
First Post
Grimm is my favorite setting. No need to justify why there's an evil monarch in every town or a monster in every forest. And there's an embarrassment of story ideas already written for you.Crothian said:
ghul
Explorer
RSKennan said:
Excellent work. I enjoy this book and have utilized it in my campaign several times, despite not playing 3e. And Legend is indeed one of my favorites, as well. After watching the director's cut, I've often wondered what the original script entailed, as it was greatly reduced in content from what I recall. Anyway, a fine job. Cheers!
Hunter In Darkness
First Post
have the 2nd that great book
DrunkonDuty
he/him
Ars Magica does a nice job of this sort of thing. I liked their old (1st Ed Ars) Faeries book. Still have it somewhere. Lots of inspiration of the sort mentioned.
PS: I'm gonna have to yoink paying for things with "the memory of your true love's face" and a "siren's song". I was actually after something like this for my campaign a session or two ago. Better late than never.
PPS: Does a Bohemian Ear-Spork do lethal or subdual damage?
PS: I'm gonna have to yoink paying for things with "the memory of your true love's face" and a "siren's song". I was actually after something like this for my campaign a session or two ago. Better late than never.
PPS: Does a Bohemian Ear-Spork do lethal or subdual damage?
IceFractal
First Post
One thing that I think helps with this kind of setting is if the magic system is somewhat mysterious, even to the players. There was a great article about this, which I read a while ago, but can't remember the website.
The gist was that while having the magic system's underlying mechanics totally unknown to the players wasn't practical except for a totally homebrew game, you could simulate it by having (initially) unknown factors that had a subtle or strong effect on spellcasting. There's different types of factors possible:
Tied to Caster
Each caster is different, and most have at least one condition that modifies their spells.
Example: A mage born on the winter solstice might have slightly stronger spells during the winter months and slightly weaker spells during the summer, the effects peaking on the solstices.
Note: Most caster-linked factors are eventually discovered by the caster, and if someone was starting out as a mid-level mage they'd probably already know their existing factors. But new factors can be added in the course of the campaign. After being hit with the death-curse of an nymph, a mage's spells could be less effective in forested areas. Or after drinking a thousand-year-old dwarven funeral ale, their spells could last longer underground.
Tied to Location
Simple enough - some locations enhance, suppress, or warp certain types of spells.
Example: In the salt mountains, any spells that create or manipulate water last a very short time. Even permanent spells must make periodic checks to avoid dispelling.
Tied to Events
Some types of factors effect the whole world simultaneously. If the effect is strong enough, this can be a major campaign event.
Example: During a lunar eclipse, mind-affecting spells are weakened. Anyone under a compulsion or ongoing control, especially any insanity-type effect, gets another chance to break out. (Based on the belief that the moon caused insanity, hence luna-tic)
In addition to spellcasting, this works for magic items and creatures with supernatural powers as well. When you know what the factors are, it seems simple. But when your spells are acting strange, and you don't know the exact effects or what's causing them, it can make spellcasting quite a bit more unknown.
The gist was that while having the magic system's underlying mechanics totally unknown to the players wasn't practical except for a totally homebrew game, you could simulate it by having (initially) unknown factors that had a subtle or strong effect on spellcasting. There's different types of factors possible:
Tied to Caster
Each caster is different, and most have at least one condition that modifies their spells.
Example: A mage born on the winter solstice might have slightly stronger spells during the winter months and slightly weaker spells during the summer, the effects peaking on the solstices.
Note: Most caster-linked factors are eventually discovered by the caster, and if someone was starting out as a mid-level mage they'd probably already know their existing factors. But new factors can be added in the course of the campaign. After being hit with the death-curse of an nymph, a mage's spells could be less effective in forested areas. Or after drinking a thousand-year-old dwarven funeral ale, their spells could last longer underground.
Tied to Location
Simple enough - some locations enhance, suppress, or warp certain types of spells.
Example: In the salt mountains, any spells that create or manipulate water last a very short time. Even permanent spells must make periodic checks to avoid dispelling.
Tied to Events
Some types of factors effect the whole world simultaneously. If the effect is strong enough, this can be a major campaign event.
Example: During a lunar eclipse, mind-affecting spells are weakened. Anyone under a compulsion or ongoing control, especially any insanity-type effect, gets another chance to break out. (Based on the belief that the moon caused insanity, hence luna-tic)
In addition to spellcasting, this works for magic items and creatures with supernatural powers as well. When you know what the factors are, it seems simple. But when your spells are acting strange, and you don't know the exact effects or what's causing them, it can make spellcasting quite a bit more unknown.
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