Strange Adventure Series Idea!

[Knightfall]

Ok, here's something that I just thought of... go ahead and blast it apart and put it back together again. It's a quick thought that I've been pondering for less then five minutes.

A series of linked adventures that starts in one d20 campaign setting and then moves on to another d20 campaign setting, then another, and another. The story would start out small and then increase to higher levels as the players work to prevent a horrible fate from consuming the separate worlds. Heroes would have to come together from multiple worlds and work together.

What does everyone think?

KF72

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

Nice idea, aside from the fact that it would either be forced into becoming a licensing nightmare for one publisher to do, or suffer the detriments of committee design if such a project were developed by a circle of publishers.

Right now, the best option for something like this to be done successfully would be one of the big publishers that already has a stable of game worlds under its belt, WotC being the most obvious candidate, thanks to ravenloft, forgotten realms, spelljammer, greyhawk, mystara, etc.

 

[trancejeremy]

It could work. For instance, Redhurst, Academy of Magic is linked to a bunch of different game worlds.

Sounds like some of the Michael Moorcock short stories. In which the Eternal Champion of several universes/planes team up. Happens in comics, too.

However, very very very few companies are making adventures anymore

 

[Knightfall]

I'd like to get some more thoughts on this. Anyone? Anyone at all?

 

[Dana_Jorgensen]

My next thought is... what worlds do you want or intend to see linked through something like this?

 

[astralpwka]

Well, it works for the comic book industry. DC Comics is always playing around with their Multiverse, not to mention crossing over with Marvel and Image a time or two (and maybe other companies... though I can't think of any off hand).

As far as a solo company project, something could be cool making a player's guide to dimension or plane jumping, though not necessarily focussing on any one company's setting.

 

[Knightfall]

More Opinions?

Now that the EN World crisis has been averted... bumpage.

 

[Arnwyn]

Not interested. I only have the time and inclination to work on and play in my one campaign setting.

Would such a series of adventures require the DM to have the book(s) of all the different campaign settings? If so, you'd be killing off a potential audience.

 

[Nellisir]

I could see it, BUT...

The settings would have to be noticeably different. Jumping from Greyhawk to the Forgotten Realms, (for instance) would be a big "so what". The variances would have to be conveyed immediately and easily. The players would have to be able to adapt quickly and easily.

 

[Stormborn]

Back to the Comic Book foundation: Exiles from Marvel is exactly what you have described. From that inspiration I have actually been thinking about this myself.

If you are serious about this, don't worry about the different settings. There are enough of those out there already, people can pick and choose for materials they already own. Although, a few (say a dozen or so) one page world descriptions would make the book self sufficient. I agree with Nellsir, each setting needs to be unique.

Instead of worrying about the worlds, establish a mechanism for travel to different campaign settings. The spells already exist, but think of an organization, a patron, classes, prestige classes, artifacts, enemies, etc.
If you want to start it at 1st level, a new core class or two might be needed. An item of magical or advanced tech will be needed, to relay info and allow communication. It really all depends on the deus ex machina. Why do people jump worlds? How do they jump worlds? What's the point?

I seem to have assumed that you were talking about fantasy worlds, using core d20 rules, and there are certainly a lot of those, but in some ways d20 Modern would work better, and then all the various Alternate Histories are wide open, as well as fantasy elements.

I'm willing to throw out more ideas at this, as I have time.