Unique and Original Campaign Settings

[D+1]

Can't believe you remembered Blackmoor but forgot the Wilderlands/City State of the Invincible Overlords.

The list is of "official" TSR/WOTC settings. CSIO/Wilderlands is 3rd party.

 

[Mach2.5]

That's interesting. I had heard that the original creator of the game, Andrew Leker, had been against it being commercialized in any way after the Alien Logic computer game

Now, I'm not 100% positive, but I'm almost certain that Chessex bought the rights to the Jorune line prior to publishing the 3rd edition of the game. But since Chessex is no longer producing games (focusing on accessories these days such as dice and counters), its doubtfull that we'll ever see another incarnation of the setting unless the I.P. switches hands. A real shame since this kind of setting (among others) would certainly be a real break from more typical RPGs.

Once again, I'm not quoting truth here, so correct me if I'm wrong, but City State of the Invicible Warlord was produced by Judges Guild innitially (who I'm sure worked with TSR in the 70's), then later on by Mayfair Games. Judges Guild vanished a long time back and Mayfair is working more on board games than RPGs (although the Chill sourcebooks from Mayfair are not too bad, and quite plentiful, so the company isn't entirely out of the RPG scene).

 

[Sholari]

Now, I'm not 100% positive, but I'm almost certain that Chessex bought the rights to the Jorune line prior to publishing the 3rd edition of the game. But since Chessex is no longer producing games (focusing on accessories these days such as dice and counters), its doubtfull that we'll ever see another incarnation of the setting unless the I.P. switches hands. A real shame since this kind of setting (among others) would certainly be a real break from more typical RPGs.

Cool, I wonder how much it would cost to buy the IP.

 

[Mach2.5]

Cool, I wonder how much it would cost to buy the IP.

I have no idea, but if you ever find out, let me know. I think I've got a few spare organs that I could do without to help raise money for it . . . who needs a spleen anyhow?

 

[PJ-Mason]

What can I say except WOW. Nice synopsis of a very interesting setting. I'm definately going to have to check this one out some more. Gawd, I never thought this thread would put me in debt.

Well good luck with that. I think that canadien company(XID Creative) went belly up about 6 minutes after the last day of GenCon 99 when i bought about 7 or 8 of their Providence gaming line.
Their website dragged on for a few months then just dissappeared. I saw Soulban's name once or twice over the years in gaming books (i'll damned if i have forgotten where!), so some of them survived the experience. You'll probably have to brush up on your scavenging skills to find these books.


Its too bad, i could never get my group to play the game and it was very good. That vexes me, i am greatly vexed.

 

[woodelf]

Well good luck with that. I think that Canadian company (XID Creative) went belly up about 6 minutes after the last day of GenCon 99 when i bought about 7 or 8 of their Providence gaming line.
Their website dragged on for a few months then just dissappeared. I saw Soulban's name once or twice over the years in gaming books (i'll damned if i have forgotten where!), so some of them survived the experience. You'll probably have to brush up on your scavenging skills to find these books.

Actually, the books are pretty easy to find. Chimera Hobby Shop ( http://www.chimerahobby.com/ ) has some of them, the local Frugal Muse has the two core books last i checked, and probably any decent online used-RPG retailer has some selection of them. The one thing that really disappointed me is that you pretty much have to get the Rule Book as well as the World Book--while the content is mostly split sensibly between them, such that you could use their setting with teh system of your choice, there's nothing on the superpowers in the world book. You have no idea what sorts of things supers should be able to do in the setting, without the rules book, so just using the setting book could end up with a very different feel from that intended. Conversely, the rule book is only mostly generic--it has elements that you have no need for in the Providence setting, but also has some stuff that is very much Providence-specific. Not to say that i don't love the game, only that its execution leaves something to be desired. Oh, also, there is a significant bug in the rules, relating to either damage/healing, or spending/recovery of power points--i forget now, but when we actually played it, the problem jumped out at us glaringly. Never did get around to looking for errata online...

Oh, as for the history of the company: they were acquired by/merged with Hubris Games, which have recently been mentioned in another thread as now defunct, but i don't know if that's true. Lucien Soulban has also done some stuff for other game companies--he was involved in Heaven & Earth 2nd ed, and i think he did some other stuff for GoO, but i quick look at the BESM books i have doesn't turn up his name. I think he's also written for other game companies since then, but i can't recall off the top of my head.

 

[Patman21967]

Glorantha

By that I mean the OLD GLORANTHA, by Greg Stafford. God, we played Runequest 2 ( chaosium ) for soooo long....

Cults of Prax
Pavis and the Big Rubble
Snakepipe Hollow
Sartar
Balazar
Griffon Mountain ( where I found the WindSword )

etc....

It is such a richly detailed world, and I guess my sentimental favorite, since it's the one I grew up gaming on.

 

[diaglo]

You mean

Greyhawk
Forgotten Realms, and subset campaign settings:
Maztica
The Horde
Netheril
Cormanthyr
Bloodstone Lands (?)
Al-Quadim
Kara-Tur (a.k.a. Oriental Adventures)
Ravenloft
Planescape
Mystara (The Known World), and subset settings:
Hollow World
Red Steel/Savage Baronies
Birthright
Dark Sun
Dragonlance
Time of the Dragon
Second Edition/War of the Lance/Age of Heroes/4th Age
SAGA/5th Age/Age of Mortals
Taladas
Spelljammer
Astromundi Cluster
Blackmoor
Lankhmar
Glory of Rome
Age of Heroes
A Mighty Fortress
Vikings
Charlemagnes Paladins
The Celts
The Crusades
Council of Wyrms
Diablo
Jakandor
Ghostwalk
Eberron
Hyperborea (Conan)
Tales of the Comet

is a short list?

also don't forget...

Harn (from columbia games) and the Wilderlands (from judges guild)

 

[Mach2.5]

Actually, the books are pretty easy to find.

Found and ordered a few of the Providence books to add to my collection (insert lame evil laughter here). Can't wait to tear into them.

By that I mean the OLD GLORANTHA

Mind sharing a bit more about what made Glorantha stand out? I was a bit young when much of it was comming out and my limited funds were all being chunked out on D&D so I never did delve into any of it.

Harn (from columbia games) and the Wilderlands (from judges guild)

So you mean don't forget these off D+1's list, or do you mean that they were original settings deserving mention? If the latter, then by all means, spill a little about them. If the former, really, there's no need to requote such a large list/post that has been quoted 3 other times already

Anyhow, another contribution is in order:

Shadow World
This is another setting that, if someone described it to me, I would normally have stayed away from it. Its a mixture of everything, including the kitchen sink. Its like Tolkien meets Lucas, who then go on to partner up with Heinlein, with editing done by someone into Japanese style fantasy. The planet itself is monsterously huge, with most regions only being glossed over (either because the line was cut several times, or for DMs to develope on their own). Heck, even the map itself in the box set was a 3'x4' map of the western hemisphere. There are gods, but they are strange and immaterial beings of great power that dwell on one of the planet's many moons. The planet itself is home to a strange energy called the Flow of Essence. Those who use 'magic' tap into the flow, but they must be wary because the flow is mutable and unpredictable; sometimes the flow can coalesce into powerful energy storms, wreaking havoc into those who use its power. There are ancient remains of a star-spanning empire ruled by the original inhabitants of the planet, who were powerful Lords of Essence, truly gods amongst men, but that empire had long since crumbled. There are fantasy races such as elves, dwarves, and dragons, but most of these had evolved from the original natives and had been altered by the planet's energies. And behind everything lies the Unlife, an intangible force that seeks to destroy and consume everything in its path, corrupting everything it touches. The lands and cultures are quite varied, as most of the continent sized island chains have spent 100,000 years isolated from one another and range from feudal lands ruled by elected monarchs living in floating cities to entire regions dominated by shapechanging dragon-tyrants who have been corrupted by the Unlife.

Shadow World is a bit of a hybrid setting, mixing all kinds of genres. The Unlife adds a touch of horror, there's sci-fi in the way that magic (and psionics) are presented with the Flow being almost a studied scientific phenomenon rather than magical, yet there are elves and sword swingers aplenty who don't seem 'out-of-sorts' with the rest of the setting. There's nearly 200,000 years of history to draw upon (the setting follows after the time of another I.C.E. setting called Space Master, one which unfortunately, I know nothing about) and plenty more campaign hooks and adventure seeds than you could want in a setting. I give the setting a total of four d6's for being unique.

 

[Droid101]

Wow, I can't belive I know a good one that nobody else listed. It's called Fading Suns. Maybe some of you know about it and didn't think it was worth listing. If that's the case, please don't flame me too bad.

I actually used a lot of the ideas from Fading Suns, a futuristic/Medieval setting, to create my homebrew D&D campaign world.

Fading Suns revolves around a central and very religious sect that sort of controls all the planets (which you get to through wormhole type thingys in space). However, each planet, the farther you get from the main system, has decreasing technology and stranger races. So you might be blasting some strange aliens with heat rays one day, and the next you're fighting off a barbarian with a stone axe. It's really great.

And the best part about it, is that it reflects how the actual Dark Ages were much better than any other game I've ever played. It wasn't as organized and "King/Lord/Serf" as it is portrayed in the history books.

I think it's worth a read.