Scarred Lands

[Nightfall]

Scarred Lands is to be fair Junk, really big Junk.

At first glance it looks like an oke setting, loads of info and books, and in the begining it was most likly the best around. But now they have braught out a lot of books, and a pattern became clear.

1) Shiploads of eratta (almost a compleet book, for the 12 they braught out so far)

2) No details, yes they tell a nice story, and it all looks cool at a glance, but no real hard data, they first made a nice land description, then they worked out the cities (without real data). Oke you would think, now they go work the setting out in detail, right? WRONG, they just announced that they increase they're world with a factor 2, including some new gods/titans and stuff.

This means effectifly you still need to work out everything yourself, the only thing they did is given you a badly worked out background. So the fluff is wrong and all crunch got shiploads of eratta.

atm I got everything for sale, its not worth the cash to spend it on.

Laiyna

I think you're DEAD wrong on 2. There's PLENTY of data about the Gods AND details. Hard data? Look at the SLCS, there's PLENTY about the city states, the gods, and more. They HAVE made a complete work up of EVERYTHING you need in the SLCS:Ghelspad. The History, the culture, the laws, armed forces. What more do you need?

As for the errata, come on! WotC has JUST as much errata if not on occasion MORE so. I'm sorry but your arguements don't hold much water SINCE there is plenty of HARD, and revelent data out, ESPECIALLY with the release of the SLCS AND Relics and Rituals 2.

 

[Fevil]

This means effectifly you still need to work out everything yourself, the only thing they did is given you a badly worked out background. So the fluff is wrong and all crunch got shiploads of eratta.

Isnt making the Setting your own part of the fun though? Didnt you notice a trend after the first couple of sourcebooks?

I do not want, and never wanted spoonfed. I like to be able to introduce my own elements and be able to comfortably change things the way I want my campaign to go.

And if you find it so crap...why did you continue to buy the books?

 

[Nightfall]

I guess some people aren't too imaginative Fevil. Regardless, I think his/her comments are way off base and in any case, pointless since some people you just can't reach. But I AM glad I can make this world my own and STILL not lose the unique feel of the world.

 

[Lars Frehse]

I am a big Scarred Lands fan myself. Reading the sourcebooks is fun and the setting is very atmospheric.

When I read the Gazetteer for the first time, I saw adventure hooks on every page. I knew I had to run it. I can recommend it to all players who prefer atmosphere over statistics.

To give you an idea, I would like to compare it to the Forgotten Realms. And I intend no realms bashing here. When you read a Forgotten Realms sourcebook, you get a lot of numbers regarding population density, economy, etc. but you hardly get atmosphere. SL sourcebooks focus more on atmosphere and background then on statistics. There is a lot of material about the rulers and shakers and you get a lot of stories and inside information, while all the while you feel that the campaign is evolving: There are a lot of elements which indicate massive changes in the near future. Since the world is so young, PCs can make their mark.

[PIMP]Incidentally, you can also read my storyhour. That would give you one example what a Scarred Lands story hour can look like.

 

[Nightfall]

[PIMP]Incidentally, you can also read my storyhour. That would give you one example what a Scarred Lands story hour can look like.

Not to mention of the BEST Story hours I can think of! Besides my own...whenever I get back to updating it!

 

[Graf]

Uhm I didn't think I said that. I tend to follow what you have to say, Fevil. That the Slacerians are the SUPERIOR race and the Illithids/mind-flayers are servitor race for the Slacerians. I kind of felt they were the "book keepers" and "overseers" of the slaves, while the Slacerians did the other stuff.

Funny. I recall duking it out with you over this topic. To my (admittedly often poor) recolection you were pretty siked about having the Mind Flayers being the "real power behind the throne" with The Slacericans as their puppets.

On the other hand I wouldn't really want to be held to every single post I've ever made, either.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

OK, thanks to the praise on this thread, I went to a local gaming store today and bought the SRCS and Hollowfaust.

I hope you are all happy now.

 

[Graf]

Player based cities are rare.

Its a real problem. A huge chunk of games are based either in Mithril or Hollowfaust because lazy DMs (like me) would rather buy a 9 dollar book than quit their jobs and write for several months in a closet.

Honestly there is more of a demand for weird creepy places in the market I think. Most DMs (like Deadguy in the HF thread) would consider picking up a book filled with creepy necromancers to stick in their world as a travel destination. I think that a good country is just a harder sell.
I think that Mithril is kind of a good example (partially because they put about 8 versions of mid-level paladins in as various NPCs). For some reason people have difficulty fleshing out good places to the same level.

Otherwise:
You can also think of Vesh as a Sembia kind of situation...
You can make it whatever you want for your game, free from interference from the game writers.

When's the sourcebok on Vesh coming out? I could use another player friendly territory. I keep having people want to become vigils anyway so it'll be interesting to see how that goes.

Its a good question. A really good question. The Warrens of the Ratmen book has a smigin of info but that may be generious.

One of the things I've been having a hard time with though are the prestige classes. Not in the SL books mind you. I want to add some monstrous humanoids with PrCs but the requirements are often so high that the monsters would be 6th-8th level by the time they get into it whihc puts them way above most of the characters.
[/B]

OK. This may be me but if I see a PrC that needs to go with a monster to make my game good I squish first and as questions later. Skill and feat requirements are often so bizaar and arbitrary that its weird. You get a lot of perfectly good prestige classes that most people can't take because they don't have some weird tangentially related ability.
At some point I'll post some of my SL verisons of classes like that.

Hollowfaust isn't my cup of tea and I don't think it suits my campaign style well.

HF is a great city to force PCs to visit. Unless you're dragging your pcs around by the nose (plot wise) they will almost certainly try to get somewhere else though. There are more good places (the Gleaming Valley) or more free places (Shelzar) or easier acess to research places (Lokil) within traveling distance. Its best as a 'refugee' location that people are forced to go to.

Scarred Lands is to be fair Junk, really big Junk.

I feel better now. We haven't had anybody say anything bad, at all, about SL for too long. The paradox involved in a message board where everyone agrees was beinging to make the walls of my apartment warp and turn green.
Welcome Iaiyna!

 

[Nightfall]

I feel better now. We haven't had anybody say anything bad, at all, about SL for too long. The paradox involved in a message board where everyone agrees was beinging to make the walls of my apartment warp and turn green.
Welcome Iaiyna!

Sorry to hear about your walls then Graf.

Btw I DID have that theory but it was one of TWO theories Graff. One was the Illithids created the Slacerians. The OTHER was the Slacerians created the Illithids. Those are my two theories about the Slacerians. This way if I'm wrong, I at least have the other to fall back on. A good sage always keeps a backup theory.

 

[teitan]

Heh

Heh, I missed most of this thread as I have been very busy working on freelance artwork, writing etc for a few teensy weensy companies that may or may not pay me (I see it as a foot in a door to greater glory and fortune myself). I think I should now chime in...

What do I like about the Scarred Lands?

Well, I am NOT a fan of the Realms, though I have been running a campaign there for about a year now. I much prefer the darker feel of a Greyhawk, where PCs can start at first level and not get their asses handed to them. Then again Greyhawk lacks support and with so many neat locations that aren't being detailed in a major way and all the old stuff being out of print and/or way overpriced on Ebay etc, I decided I needed a new setting. Something that fit my more gothic sensibilities (I am an old Gothbaby, Cure listening, Bauhaus jamming, Joy Division nutjob that has spent too much time in the back room with Sisters of Mercy, Nine Inch Nails and Marylin Manson while bragging about how dead I am... I was nicknamed "Gothtrash" on the Cthulhu Boards over on the WOTC forums... heh).

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy the new look and darker feel of the Realms and all, but I just can't get the taste of plain jane out of my mouth when I run it. I also don't feel that inspired. Horror and darkness is my genre, though Superheroes are a very close second. My players are actually afraid during Cthulhu sessions and all my CDs feature darker tones than the traditional collection and I play background music. Heck the whole visual design of 3E just seems to be more "mature" than previous editions. Probably an influence from the fact that gamers are much older now than they were back in the ADnD heyday. With the popularity of Vampire etc as different gaming options and the fact that (at least five years ago) the visual style and maturity (ie horrific ideals) is what helped White Wolf seperate from the pack so to speak, I see the visual development of DnD from traditional chainmail bikini to Marylin Manson aesthetic to be a natural progression of the game. Hell, even comic books have gotten darker in design with Spawn, WItchblade, the Darkness, etc being top sellers in the last five years (Silvestri was da bombdiggety on Darkness, best work ever) and with movies also getting the sunglasses after dark feel a bit it is just a natural progression. DnD has become a darker, more brutal game. The Realms can not reflect this feel as well as Greyhawk or even Kalamar. It is not the same game anymore. Scarred Lands represents this evolutionary step more so than anything that WOTC could release.

Scarred Lands is very much a dark setting, full of grime and grit. The world is also quite rich and detailed, providing many a great adventure hook that has all thew best qualities... fun, interesting, horrifying and lethal. I like a setting where the monsters reach out and grab a body and imagery that makes my players drop their jaws in disbelief. Scarred Lands gives me that. It is just a cool, dark setting without being angsty or sad. I like my darkness Hellraiser like and not depressing like most Vampire movies. Scarred Lands does that. I want a campaign setting where I can use Coil, Manson, Hellraiser or even Cradle of Filth as my soundtrack without it falling apart. Scarred Lands has it.

This description might not sell the Scarred Lands to most people, but I was sold on it by the evocative imagery of Hollowfaust, the purity of Mithril and the villainy of the Titanspawn. The FOrsaken Races are just a good idea.

I discovered the Scarred Lands a few days after sending my Setting Proposal to WOTC... it was the Scarred Lands. Hmmm

Teitan