The good old times (in settings). Or?

[Ahnehnois]

I used to run games in a time predicated on the decadence of the world and make reference to the ravages of war and the drive of entropy having essentially ruined what was once a great paradise.

Then I went back and started running games in an earlier time period that I refer to as the Golden Age. In many ways, my Golden Age is more like "classic" fantasy. Instead of disaffected and worn down leaders, we have great heroes and foul villains. Instead of a bureaucratic confederacy of nation states we have independent kingdoms. Instead of one cultural melting pot we have regionalism and diversity. Instead of perpetual wars and an oncoming apocalypse, we have peace a future to fight for.

There is still plenty of history that happened before the Golden Age, but I tend to dwell on it less. I like the feeling of playing in my world's best era. The PCs feel more mythical. It's generated new story possibilities.

 

[JamesonCourage]

My current campaign doesn't have some Great Empire time from the past, though it has an "Age of Dreams" from about a thousand years ago, but that was basically a bunch of powerful individuals popping up all at once and the first nation in this region forming out of it. So, the "Age of Dreams" was more about the founding of the first nation and the powerful people during that time, rather than "ancient civilization with better magic and artifacts."

Though, to be fair, there are some artifacts around (the Staff of Crel, from about 900-1,000 years ago), but this is also true from other bits of history (the spear that the God of War held 83 years ago). Though, the farther back you go, the more "fantastic" things become. In this region, there are no dragons, really, or many other mythical beasts. The Age of Dreams had many; dragons, sea monsters, elves, etc. Some of these exist in the current time, but they are few and far between.

I'm actually probably going to run a campaign in that setting relatively soon; probably within a month, I'm guessing. So, then there'd certainly be no "previous Great Empire" or the like, when I do that. I'm looking forward to it. As always, play what you like

 

[Razjah]

Steampunk? In most steampunk stuff I've seen now is awesome! Flying machines, steam engine galore, victorian fashion, increase literacy.

Iron Heroes, which Monte Cook published but was designed by Mike Mearls, is a "First Age" game. There are no ancient lands. The world is young and new. There is no old magicks, there are no magicks. The game has some awesome stuff and I really like the implied setting.

Mouse Guard doesn't really have this. Neither does Burning Wheel.

 

[steeldragons]

Hmmm. Interesting observation. I'm not sure if this will count or not, but for my homebrew World of Orea, there are those "great empires of the passed", along with ancient lost elvin castles and long-abandoned/forgotten dwarven strongholds, former cabals of liches thought destroyed, dragons born in the dawn of the world, etc...etc...and yes, there are some/certain magics and powers that have been "lost" to the bulk of the world...lots of places to find "good ole powerful/valuable stuff from the 'good ole days'"...

However, the world in its current present is, in fact, a better place than it has been for most of its recorded history. Nations/kingdoms borders are relatively set. Governments, from monarchies to independent city-states to tribal chieftains, are stable. Trade is abundant among most human and many non-human nations. Religions/temples exist with little friction (other than pretty much anyone wants to destroy cults and clerics of evil gods and cults/clerics of evil gods want nothing more than to destroy/disrupt good and neutral societies/peoples/gods). Cultural knowledge/exchange is fairly commonplace.

Magic is well distributed but also fairly well contained, policed and truly powerful [as in world-shaking or threatening] individuals and/or creations are few, while many mages are quite capable of crafting items of moderate power/usefulness for themselves or, rarely, others. Arcane research and studies (like astrology and alchemy, extra-planar knowledge/exploration, etc...) continue with "modest" results (compared to the alleged wizards of the past) and "breakthroughs" every now and again.

Evil/savage/threatening monsters and races have been in decline (or at least less apparent and disruptive) for some decades. Even to the point that certain humanoids, particularly goblinoids and lizardmen, have begun to be integrated into "civilized" societies in certain places. Everyone knows what an Ogre or an Orc is...but...

"Last orcs's been 'round here? Mmmm, 'bout 5 summers back, was it? Tweres a whole baker's dozen of 'em. Almost got 'way with Goodman Sheerer's whole flock afore the militia n' sheriff drove 'em off! Killed four of 'em if'n 'member right." the aging farmer drawls around his wood pipe.

"The innkeeper in Southfork told us there were orcs and ogres harassing this area. We had hoped to save your village and lands from this threat." the armored dwarf claimed. He fidgeted with his war hammer, as if he couldn't wait to have something to bury it in.

"And claim a bit of treasure along the way." smiled the small hairy-footed halfling from under the hood of his dark-grey traveling cloak.

"Ogre?! Hain't been one of' em round here since me pappy's day. S'posed t'be one in the caves o'er in them Crescent Hills, 'crosst the old north bridge. I heered, one time, it ate a merchant's horse in two bites...mmm...two springs that twere. Name o' Simonson if'n I 'member."

"The ogre's name is Simonson?" the enthusiastic young human warrior asked.

"The merchant! How'd I know wutta ogre's name s'posed t'be?" the local yokel looks at you like you've lost your mind.

All in all, "life is good" these days, in Orea. Most of those "old treasures" have been found or given up as lost for good. Adventure and treasure are found in ways your average dungeon-crawling adventurer might not expect, though dungeon-crawling sites [possibly even undiscovered] certainly do still exist, and "treasure" can come in forms beside forgotten caches of gold or "old empire magic."

When "life is good", just about anything that wants to change/disrupt that can become an adventure.

 

[Stormonu]

Doesn't Eberron forgoe the "ancient kingdoms of greatness" model?

Ravenloft I think also forgoes the "great kingdoms of bygone days" - but its also moldy and crumbling itself.

 

[Dragonwriter]

Doesn't Eberron forgoe the "ancient kingdoms of greatness" model?

Maybe half the world does...

The main expected setting-continent, Khorvaire, had an ancient, powerful goblinoid empire that fell into ruin. Then came the great Kingdom of Galifar which held together for centuries before the Last War broke the nation to pieces. On the other end way back in the distant past, Khorvaire (and the rest of the world) was supposedly an empire of powerful fiends before the dragons rose to great intelligence and power and destroyed them.

Xen'drik, the other big exploration continent, had at least the Empire of Giants, which was destroyed by some sort of cataclysmic magic to stop the war with the Quori.