Thoughts on my Campaign Setting?

[Trit One-Ear]

Trying to start my group on a new (hopefully long term) campaign soon. I've written them a small(ish) synopsis of the world they're a part of to help them create backgrounds that have ties to the world. I'm posting the basics of it here for anyone who would like to comment, criticize, give further ideas, or just react in any way. Thanks for those who take the time to read it and respond!

--------------

The kingdom in which this takes place is Norinland. It is ruled by a benevolent if distant King, of whom not much is known. He has appoint five Barons to rule the five Capitol cities. These Barons rule the cities, and are responsible for the surrounding lands. However, some Barons take less interest in the lands outside the immediate areas around their cities. This results in many small cities/towns/farms that are left to their own defenses. Thus much of the land between cities is wild and untamed. Aside from the Barons, there are the occasional heroes or nobles who are gifted a castle/keep with some surrounding lands. They are called a Dominus. The Prince's (one PC) father was a Dominus. There are strong representations of nearly all cultures and races within Norinland, so feel free to play what you wish. The following notes are specific to some races:
*Dragonborn - A large Dragonborn Empire rules the majority of your continent to the south of Norinland. Most Dragonborn are in some way related to this empire.
*Tiefling - Outcast from most areas, Tiefling tend only to live in large cities where discrimination is generally lower, or in the wild.
*Warforged - The Warforged exist in this world, but in this world were instead created by an ancient clan of Dwarves for the Dragonborn Empire. Most remain as servants and soldiers for The Empire but some have sought their freedom in other areas.

To the South of Norinland lies an empty space known as The Dead Plains. Very little is known about the area, but there are many rumors. Travelers and trade routes avoid this area at all costs, usually taking ships down the West Coast as an alternative. No life of any kind is rumored to live in The Dead Plains, and whispers of monstrous hordes roaming the lands are many.
Past The Dead Plains stretches the vast Dragonborn Empire, The Empire of the Scale. The largest power on this continent, The Empire of the Scale reaches across many of the large islands south of Norinland, and profits greatly from trade. While relations between Norinland and The Empire of the Scale are stable enough to encourage a large amount of trade, diplomatic relations are always strained, and many small conflicts have occurred between the two kingdoms.
To the West and North of Norinland lie water as far as the eye can see. Some scattered islands are known off both shores, due to the rocky barrier called The Kraken's Maw, ship travel out to many of these islands is incredibly rare.
To the East lies The Drymweld, a dark kingdom ruled by Lord Grayben. Drymweld has always been ruled by xenophobic humans. For generations they have mistreated, slaughtered and enslaved any other race that crosses their borders. The majority of their slave population is made up of Orcs, from the wild regions to their northwest. That area, called The Wilds, is where monstrous races of many kinds thrive. Norinland is very removed from the Wilds geographically, but occasional creatures find their way into Norinland either over the Black Lake (a large body of water separating the two lands) or through underground tunnels rumored to belong to a falling Dwarven kingdom.
-----------------
I've left large chunks of the story vague to make up as I go, but all thoughts and ideas are welcome. Thanks again for the comments all.

Trit

Trit

 

[S'mon]

Where do you see the main conflicts being that the PCs will get involved in?

 

[d2OKC]

The part I like the best is the "orcs as slaves" thing. I think that sets up an interesting situation where the PCs may have to free a bunch of orcs and ally with them against evil humans, instead of the other way around. That's cool.

How do other races fit into the setting? I assume it's a lot like they're described in the books. Are you allowing anything (genasi, bladelings, PHB3 races) or just the PHB+Warforged?

 

[Trit One-Ear]

Where do you see the main conflicts being that the PCs will get involved in?

My players asked for some personal stake that tied them to the world. After some discussion they decided on being friends/relatives/servants of a fallen lord, trying to return his son to glory. Currently several of them were old adventuring friends/allies/instructors of the fallen lord, who received a gift of some land and a keep to be lord over. When his lands and keep were sacked (by a foe I have yet to decide on. So many options) he charges several of his friends with the protection of his son. Once his son (another PC) is of age, they go about trying to unravel the mystery of his father's demise/betrayal and establish the son as a lord in his father's place.

The part I like the best is the "orcs as slaves" thing. I think that sets up an interesting situation where the PCs may have to free a bunch of orcs and ally with them against evil humans, instead of the other way around. That's cool.

I hadn't thought about that, but seeing as one of my PC's is planning on playing a Half-Orc it makes only too much sense. There's a lot of fun to be had there, thanks!

How do other races fit into the setting? I assume it's a lot like they're described in the books. Are you allowing anything (genasi, bladelings, PHB3 races) or just the PHB+Warforged?

As of now I'm allowing most everything. Genasi/bladelings etc could have a somewhat mysterious origin in the immediate lands of Norinland, but I've purposely left some lands unknown for now (especially the many many islands out beyond the Kraken's Maw) to have some place to add important story elements later. For example, one of my players is toying with being a Thri-Kreen, which I hadn't planned on at all. My idea for now is to have him be from The Dead Plains, which again I've left purposefully undefined for now.


Thanks so much for the initial feedback! I've been designing/planning this world for a while now, it's nice to get it out of my head for other people to look at.

Trit

 

[aco175]

Sounds like a good start. I guess to start small, like the Lord's lands and some surrounding wilderness. Determine what kind of geography and climate, although I guess you already know. I find the default of my playing is a more medieval England setting.

A few sites with some NPC's and evil groups and your set for a few weeks anyways.

What about a shadow group that set up the old lord and would assassinate the pc if they find out who he is, since he has a claim on the title. I tend to make these group names obvious, like The Blackjacks, or The Knights of Bel. Another group the pc's can get tangled up with can be trying to organize a rebellion or just remove the acting lord if he is evil, which makes the best kind. Call them The Hammers of Justice or The Lightbringers.

An encounter where they spy on a secret meeting in the woods near town leads them to some sewers or an old tower. This can be a secret meeting place for one of the groups. The cliche' of finding a note on a dead body or saving an important npc from ambush always works.

Be careful of using old friends of the one pc's father unless other pcs also have contacts like this. I once had a campaign where I made each character a map with the local area on it and each had a few details on theirs that the others did not have, which was cool for me as a dm when they all found out that theirs was slightly different. Not all tied in with how the adventures played out, but it was still cool. I also gave each pc a few contacts with a bit of information on each such as where they lived and how they would help out or what they could do. Some of the players would develop them more and others did nothing with them, but they were good for some things.

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6678017]Trit One-Ear[/MENTION]
You probably have done a ton of writing and prep for your campaign world, but what you've posted here IMO is antiseptic/emotionless. I couldn't grasp a *feel* of your campaign world from your post. It's probably something that your group takes for granted. What is the theme, the feel, the motif of your world? Is it generic pseudo-Medieval Western European D&D?

An initial observations..... The barons are called "Dominus" (a Roman reference) and then you have Norinland and Drymweld (more of a Germanic sound). Are you using any real-world reference for these cultures, like a Roman occupied Gaulish land? That would make sense, but the difference in the names as it stands is.....jarring.

I've run a very similar scenario, only with the heir coming of age as an NPC. That campaign lasted for a year, went from 1st to 10th level and had some very intricate political emerge as a consequence of the PCs' quest. It was a blast but required me to get into the details of the political landscape, peers of the realm, rights of king, and such.

 

[Grabuto138]

@Trit One-Ear
You probably have done a ton of writing and prep for your campaign world, but what you've posted here IMO is antiseptic/emotionless. I couldn't grasp a *feel* of your campaign world from your post. It's probably something that your group takes for granted. What is the theme, the feel, the motif of your world? Is it generic pseudo-Medieval Western European D&D?

An initial observations..... The barons are called "Dominus" (a Roman reference) and then you have Norinland and Drymweld (more of a Germanic sound). Are you using any real-world reference for these cultures, like a Roman occupied Gaulish land? That would make sense, but the difference in the names as it stands is.....jarring.

I've run a very similar scenario, only with the heir coming of age as an NPC. That campaign lasted for a year, went from 1st to 10th level and had some very intricate political emerge as a consequence of the PCs' quest. It was a blast but required me to get into the details of the political landscape, peers of the realm, rights of king, and such.

I don't want to give the impression of piling on but I agree with this.

You have what seems to be a very stable culture with a very distant king. Is this the ultimate thrust of the campaign? A god/demon/man behind the curtain? Are the five kingdoms set? For how long? Why? Does anyone want to consolidate or make a 6th? Does anyone else want to be king?

Why is very little known about the south? Too dangerous? Recent occurence? You have to assume there were previous adventurors, I imagine.

Norinland is isolated across all fronts. The closest trading partner is the Dragonborn country but the Dead Lands are in between. Why are relations strained? It is, at best, a distant trading partner of dubious consequence that poses no threat to the Dragonborn.

How do they come in contact? Why are they in conflict? As you said, the mostly unknown and unexplored Dead Plains are between them. Why are they even a meaningful source of trade?

You might be better off treating your land as an isolated 800AD Europe, isolated mostly because they are of no interest to anyone else and have little to offer. If the King is distant and the 5 kingdoms are settled give him a hook to explain his power, or make the kingdoms fractuos and introduce some politics.

 

[Riastlin]

I agree with Grabuto and [MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] that the description is a bit empty, but I also suspect that this is merely a result of you trying to keep it readable (i.e. short). Assuming you have already addressed those issues mentioned above, I think you have a pretty good start.

I thought I had, primarily because I love moral dilemmas, is to make the new lord (who overthrew the PC's father) actually be very much benevolent and a good lord. Then, as the campaign progresses, bring out more details about how the PC's father really was very morally grey. (Making dad be out and out evil is a bit of a cliche plus would be a bit jarring considering many of the PCs know him). The idea of course is that as the PCs learn more and more about the man (or woman) who overthrew Dad, they start to see that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Yet, they are also tied by both blood and friendship to a) protect the son (who maybe is dangerous is some fashion or another) and b) perhaps overthrow the new lord.

Basically, you take a fairly standard premise and twist it a little. A lot of this of course depends on how into the story and RP aspects of the game your players are. If they are more of a "Lets just bash some skulls, loot some bodies, and get some XPs" crowd then a standard story is probably better as the subtleties of the twist will likely be lost on them.

NOTE: This is not to say that there is anything wrong with the "Bash skulls!" playstyle.

 

[Trit One-Ear]

@Trit One-Ear
An initial observations..... The barons are called "Dominus" (a Roman reference) and then you have Norinland and Drymweld (more of a Germanic sound). Are you using any real-world reference for these cultures, like a Roman occupied Gaulish land? That would make sense, but the difference in the names as it stands is.....jarring.

You've actually called me out on something that's been bothering me for a bit now. I started writing this world a bit here and there roughly a year ago, just naming people and places as they came up. The names were more or less what I could come up with at the time. The past few months I've been reading the Song of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones etc). The way he basis his cultures and languages off real world cultures inspired me, but I didn't necessarily want to go back and rename/rework some of my designs. That being said, I did feel as if I should. And now I think I shall.

You have what seems to be a very stable culture with a very distant king. Is this the ultimate thrust of the campaign?

I plan on having several plot lines interwoven together. The main conflict that drags the PC's in will be the fate of the young Prince's father, and both trying to establish the son in his father's place, and to discover who/what betrayed his father.
The other plot that is somewhat the first "adventure" the PC's get involved in focuses on a Devil-worshiping cult infiltrating the political power-structure, in an attempt to gain power and influence. The first instance of this the PC's encounter is a succubus who has seduced a local Baron.

Norinland is isolated across all fronts. The closest trading partner is the Dragonborn country but the Dead Lands are in between. Why are relations strained? It is, at best, a distant trading partner of dubious consequence that poses no threat to the Dragonborn.

This is a good point... I think a nearby peaceful humanoid kingdom could be helpful and freeing. I can keep that kingdom simpler (i.e. basic feudal system) and it can explain how Norinland is able to maintain itself as a separate power.

I agree with Grabuto and @Quickleaf that the description is a bit empty, but I also suspect that this is merely a result of you trying to keep it readable (i.e. short).

Very true.

I thought I had, primarily because I love moral dilemmas, is to make the new lord (who overthrew the PC's father) actually be very much benevolent and a good lord. Then, as the campaign progresses, bring out more details about how the PC's father really was very morally grey. (Making dad be out and out evil is a bit of a cliche plus would be a bit jarring considering many of the PCs know him). The idea of course is that as the PCs learn more and more about the man (or woman) who overthrew Dad, they start to see that maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Yet, they are also tied by both blood and friendship to a) protect the son (who maybe is dangerous is some fashion or another) and b) perhaps overthrow the new lord.

This is an interesting idea. I may not use it full force, but I like the idea of the son having to separate himself from his father's legacy and becoming a hero in his own right. Fear not though, I have plenty of twists planned for my heroes (if we can ever schedule a gameday...)


Thanks again everyone for all the comments. You've been me a lot to think about and rework. It's great to get it out of my head and see how it holds up to other eyes before I unleash my players on it.

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6678017]Trit One-Ear[/MENTION]
I just stumbled across a page with a no nonsense list of European nobility titles. Might be relevant for you. Nobility Titles and Ranks in Medieval Europe | Sword Blog

I remember the setting search had a 5 question format for setting submittals that was actually pretty good, focusing on the bare essence of the setting. Obviously we all think differently and you can write your setting however you damn well please.
If I recall correctly the questions were (1) what makes it unique, (2) role of magic, (3) other planes, (4) what do adventurers do, and (5) major villains/conflicts.

Look forward to hearing with how your setting develops.