The default campaign world - new article

[Majoru Oakheart]

One can only hope.

As for the timeline, here's a quote from the author of "Grand
History of the Realms", Brian R James from a post he made over on the
Candlekeep Forums:

"Hours since the "Secrets of the Forgotten Realms" seminar and no
spoilers yet eh? Ok I'll go first. The 4E Forgotten Realms Campaign
Setting will be set in the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR (or about 10
years after the conclusion of most 3.5 Realms supplements).

Looking forward to eventually seeing all of you in the Realms!
Michael"

 

[king_ghidorah]

Not sure where people are getting the idea that this setting has NO cities and NO intrigue set in it. Reading the design article I see that there are many distant settlements, and they talk about small settlements as sites for adventure because they often fall out of contact with society. They say that monolithic states are rare, and that travel is rare, while the wilderness is dangerous.

In fact, Baker even notes "It might be safe enough within a day’s ride of a city or an hour’s walk of a village, but go beyond that and you are taking your life into your hands." Cities are specifically noted, but not large, stable, populous kingdoms. You know, less like a fantasy version of modern states and more a fantasy doppleganger for unstable medieval states. Crazy.

None of this even implies no cities, no intrigue. Just that cities and intrigue won't be the focus of 4e. And you know what? Wasn't the focus of 3.0 or 3.5. Remember the "return to the Dungeon" design focus. That was 3.x. Not a focus on cities or intrigues there, either.

But people did it with 3.x, and people will do it with 4.

 

[JanusDreamweaver]

Well actually, one of the core design ideas behind 3e was "back to the dungeon" and it seems quite obvious that also had its mechanical impact.

Besides, you can do political intrigue in D&D 3e/3.5 even though it really wasn't at the core of the development philosopy for 3e. I wouldn't worry to moo much about this really.

That said, this premise sounds lik the way I've been running D&D for years so I quite like it.

I haven't read every comment (yet), but I did want to say that the George R. R. Martin's world for the Song of Ice and Fire series was a world were it was mostly wilderness. Where travel was long and difficult and where bandits commonly ruled the roadways. No Orcs or Goblins and probably not as rough and tumble as the 4e world is sounding like. But in such a world political intrigue could certainly be found.

 

[Wik]

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but it seems like no one's mentioned the most interesting part about this:

1) Mearls writes a book (IRON HEROES) where the PCs live in a default setting that suggest civilizations are surrounded by dark wilderness.
2) Mearls starts working for Wotc, and, later, the 4e development process.
3) Suddenly, the default setting for D&D is very similar to that of Iron Heroes.

Personally, I think this new implied setting is the biggest sign of who is involved in the game's creation. It's almost like Mike left his own personal stamp on it.

I don't really care about it one way or the other, though. I think it'll be a fine read, and perhaps a bit better than the greyhawk info in the 3.5 PHB (though I liked the greyhawk deities in the PHB! I really like Wee Jas nowadays!). But I have no intention of actually using it, just like I never ran a game in Greyhawk when I play 3.5.

 

[Jer]

In fact, Baker even notes "It might be safe enough within a day’s ride of a city or an hour’s walk of a village, but go beyond that and you are taking your life into your hands." Cities are specifically noted, but not large, stable, populous kingdoms. You know, less like a fantasy version of modern states and more a fantasy doppleganger for unstable medieval states. Crazy.

So more like early Terry Pratchett books and less like more recent ones

My homebrew games often have had this feel - even with 3e. The main focus in my current campaign is an empire structured kind of like ancient China. There's a strong and powerful empire centered off on the coast to the east but the action is set in the hinterlands far to the west. There are governors (barons, actually) in the western baronies that answer to the emperor, and there are some large, very populous cities. But between the cities are vast swaths of hinterland populated mainly by bandits and monsters.

Most of my settings have been like this to some degree - it's only when I turn to published settings that I end up with something more along the lines of "modern countries in a fantasy world". Not that that's a horrible way to play - I enjoyed running a game in the Mystara setting for quite a while that had a more Rennaisance Europe feel to it than the post-"fall of Rome" feel that most of my games have had - but this type of setting framework lends itself well to starting a game at 1st level and growing it out to higher and higher levels.

 

[(contact)]

Of course, it's still early and all we have is a blurb to go on, so my indignation may turn out to be unfounded...

No, I think you hit the nail on the head. But I don't know if indignation is the right response-- the "default setting" is for groups who don't particularly care that much about "Teh Wyrld" outside of kicking monsters and leveling up.

For those groups, this assumption is perfect. Yes, there is constant fighting wherever you go, yes there are lots of dungeons, and no, we don't know what's seventy miles away.

 

[jasin]

Maybe I missed it somewhere, but it seems like no one's mentioned the most interesting part about this:

1) Mearls writes a book (IRON HEROES) where the PCs live in a default setting that suggest civilizations are surrounded by dark wilderness.
2) Mearls starts working for Wotc, and, later, the 4e development process.
3) Suddenly, the default setting for D&D is very similar to that of Iron Heroes.

I mentioned I was reminded of Iron Heroes, and this was precisely what I was thinking.

 

[Piratecat]

Personally, I think this new implied setting is the biggest sign of who is involved in the game's creation. It's almost like Mike left his own personal stamp on it.

Well, he is lead developer. I have no doubt that everyone who has worked on design and development has left their stamp. Some are just more identifiable than others.

 

[CrusaderX]

I haven't read every comment (yet), but I did want to say that the George R. R. Martin's world for the Song of Ice and Fire series was a world were it was mostly wilderness. Where travel was long and difficult and where bandits commonly ruled the roadways. No Orcs or Goblins and probably not as rough and tumble as the 4e world is sounding like. But in such a world political intrigue could certainly be found.

The description of the default setting definitely made me think of A Song of Ice and Fire and the uncivilized dangers found throughout much of Westeros. Throwing hordes of monsters into the mix makes everything much more dangerous and challenging - and fun!

 

[Sun Knight]

I have read the blurbs about Iron Heroes at Malhavoc's website. I didn't like the way it sounded.