Recommend a Campaign Setting Book

[Chauzu]

I would suggest buying Oriental Adventures and Rokugan. It definetly is a new roleplaying experience.

 

[Geoffrey]

I'd definitely go with Umbragia. It is a unique setting, not just another poor Tolkien knock-off. It's also free. Click here:

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/hosted/Jagged/umbragia/

 

[wizardoftheplains]

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There are certainly a lot of Scarred Lands fans here, and I like some of the things I have heard about the setting, but I doubt I will ever have time to play an actual Scarred Lands campaign. How portable are the crunchy bits?


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I really like the Scarred Lands setting...it's very deep. Chock full of content. Highly recommend. Lots of prestiege classes, though it's a bit dark. It has some good city states you could plunk down in your own setting. You could skip the setting and pick up the Burok Torm suppliment...dwarves under siege. You could plop this in your setting without much trouble. And I believe there's a necromancer city that rocks (forget the name.) SS is the best money I've spent this year.

As for KoK, it does read a little slow, and is not that out of the ordinary, but I really like the gods in KoK. And there are a few regions that have some interesting cultures/people, but you have to look to find them. Just my two cents.

 

[Glaurung]

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And I believe there's a necromancer city that rocks (forget the name.) SS is the best money I've spent this year.
[/B]

THe name of this supplement is Hollowfaust, and its a great book. I would also recommend the new Hornsaw book, and evil forest with a nascent elven civilization can fit unto any world.
Overall, I have to recommend Scarred Lands (and not just because I work for them ). Many of the books have spells and creatures that you could plug into your homebrew game, especially the Creature Collection series (I and II) and the Relics and Rituals books (I and II).
I loved the WoT book even before I read the novels, now its even better. Great magic system, classes, feats, etc. Unfortunately, I don't think it adds much to a homebrew game.

-Michael Gill

 

[Skade]

Yet another vote for Hunt:Rise of Evil. The only offsetting point to the book is the whole "dreaming world" aspect, which if done well add beautifully to the story. The included classes, and prestige classes are all well done. There is plenty of flavor, and loads of support.

If Privateer Press were a little quicker...grrr. I would suggest you check out the Iron Kingdoms. Getting the Witchfire Trilogy of adventures, and the Character Primer gets you well into a setting.

 

[Nightfall]

Well glad to see I was well represented. (Thanks also to my fellow SL author, Mike Gill for putting in his two cents. Btw DO pick up Player's Guide to Wizards, Bards and Sorcerers when it comes out later in June/July! )

Joe, to play an actual Scarred Lands campaign isn't that tough. Heck you can even just start them in another setting and bring them over to the Scarred Lands! But mainly if you're looking for some good stuff, there's plenty to be portable about, ranging from great villains and heroes (such as Duke Travik and Arninel from Wise and the Wicked) to wonderful locales, (Such as the aforementioned Hornsaw and Hollowfaust) to even just fun little spells, magic items and creatures (Relics and Rituals series and Creature Collections (though wait for the Creature Collection Revised book, as it's got a lot.)

But my own two cents, it's pretty easy to run a Scarred Lands campaign. Already I've taken plenty of novices in my online games and they've adjusted quite well. (Helps that I have files for them to peruse but still not that difficult.) All you need is arcane heat for sorcerers and wizards, druids not tied to nature deities, and oh yeah, LOTS and LOTS of creatures. (Low magic item count helps too. ) I mean how cool is to finally have a reason for half naked chics to be tattooed AND running around in the cold? Or perhaps you'd like something more esoteric, like say sorcererous bloodlines. Scions feats my friend! They really work. And that's not all. Of course you might want to wait until after 3.5's release as much of the good stuff got pushed back save Hornsaw, and probably Shelzar. (Dave Brohman the author has already chilled my marrow nicely and yet still sounds like a nice player friendly town! )

 

[Gothmog]

I'll second the Codex Arcanis setting- its a great low to mid magic level setting, very rich, with tons of history and backstory. Of all the published worlds I have seen over the years, it is the most believable and well thought out. Lots of portable bits too that are not too world specific.

I'm really waiting on Midnight from FFG. Its also supposed to be low magic, in a world where the BBEG won the final war (think what if Sauron won in LoTR). Everything I have read about it looks very impressive, and FFG does top-notch work. Its supposed to be out in mid-March, so not too long to wait!

 

[Skade]

I mean how cool is to finally have a reason for half naked chics to be tattooed AND running around in the cold?

He posts many fine and compelling points.
I currently own everything Scarred Lands. Relics and Rituals I, and II get the most use of any books on my shelf.

I guess it depends on the themes of the game you want to run. SL seems to lend itself to more dire circumstances. It is a world in the magical equivalent of post-apocalypse. It is not a pretty place. Civilization hangs on by a thread, and what does remain seems to be threatened by a very ambitious, conquesting king. My games run in the setting all seemed very anti-heroic. They fought because they had to, not for some overwhelming sense of good. Well, except for the Madrielite Paladin. Hunt: Rise of Evil lends itself to an ususual semi-historic feel. Every culture is recongizale for its historic antecedent, and it helps roleplay to some extent. When you place these altererd visions, several centuries apart next to one another, changed by fanatsy and gaming conventions, you end up with a very fluid world. I found that horror was easier to get across in this game world than certain others.

 

[Harlock]

SNIPPAGE
There are certainly a lot of Scarred Lands fans here, and I like some of the things I have heard about the setting, but I doubt I will ever have time to play an actual Scarred Lands campaign. How portable are the crunchy bits? </snippage>

I do not understand this statement. Running a Scarred Lands game doesn't take any more time for me than does running a Greyhawk or any hombrew campaign. You can honestly run one with a few books to start and homebrew the rest or whatever. It's not so hard. The setting has such a flavor and feel to it. To me it's not as dark as many others think it. Maybe I'm a glass half full person and I just think it makes heroes shine, I dunno. YMMV, but I think it is an excellent setting and honestly no more time is needed for it than any other campaign I have ever played. Less is usually because I homebrewed so much in the past...

 

[Nightfall]

He posts many fine and compelling points.

I do my best.

Har, He may just want to run the Realms. *shrugs* If that's so, so be it. I will say I agree with you. It's not that hard. Just pick up the SLCS:Ghelspad for yourself as the DM and the Ghelspad Gaz for the players and you're off. (Course it helps if you have the R&R books and CC books too! )