what type of "fantasy" campaign do you play?

[Moe Ronalds]

My campaign tends to have the gods and creatures of the outer planes playing slightly more significant roles than usual. Also, due to some ancient calamity the world is in a state of seemingly perminent chaos, as well as an inability to advance much. Blood and Snow raining from the heavens on a psuedo-regular basis, the movement of the cosmos being irregular at best, areas with vastly different levels of technological advancement, etc... etc... etc...

 

[Sixchan]

Not playing currently, but working on a non-standard campaign which could best be described as "Steampunk and D&D meets Civilization 3"

 

[Desdichado]

Steampunk seems to be a popular variant (using a bit of it myself!) I'm curious where the "rules" for steampunk, to the extent that rules are needed, are being used. So far, I've borrowed a ton from Iron Kingdoms, and I'm really looking forward to FFG's steampunk book that's due this June.

 

[Carnifex]

Steampunk seems to be a popular variant (using a bit of it myself!) I'm curious where the "rules" for steampunk, to the extent that rules are needed, are being used. So far, I've borrowed a ton from Iron Kingdoms, and I'm really looking forward to FFG's steampunk book that's due this June.

Well, I create a load of my own steampunk rules for my Acrozatarim game in the first place, some of which (like steamwork armour) I've incorporated into Steam & Steel. Once that's released it should provide a good set of rules for steam technology as well as discussing the themes and ideas behind introducing steam power and steampunk into a fantasy world.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

I'm currently thinking about a new campaign world, tenatively titled "Athanatos", which I'd loosely describe as "transhumanist fantasy".

Basically, people in this world have a pretty good understanding of souls, and what happens after "death": Basically, the soul separates from the now disfunctional body, and slowly dissipates into astral space.

But in this world, mages have figured out how to attach a free-floating soul to a new body - not just a restored old one. The soul could also inhabit the body of a clone, a unique body with lots of alchemical enhancements, or even that of a golem. And it isn't required that your original body is dead...
Indeed, many people who can afford it maintain several bodies: "This one with the equisite facial features is the body I wear when I attend business occasions, this lean and muscular one I use for weekend parties, this arachnoid construction golem is for my day job in the mining industry, and this specially-bred eagle I use for recreational flying when I want to get away from it all...

Does that sound interesting?

Oh, and Urbis probably qualifies as "non-standard" fantasy as well - even though it's based partially on Europe, it's not based on medieval Europe, but on Europe in the Industrial Age...

 

[Carnifex]

I'm currently thinking about a new campaign world, tenatively titled "Athanatos", which I'd loosely describe as "transhumanist fantasy".

Basically, people in this world have a pretty good understanding of souls, and what happens after "death": Basically, the soul separates from the now disfunctional body, and slowly dissipates into astral space.

But in this world, mages have figured out how to attach a free-floating soul to a new body - not just a restored old one. The soul could also inhabit the body of a clone, a unique body with lots of alchemical enhancements, or even that of a golem. And it isn't required that your original body is dead...
Indeed, many people who can afford it maintain several bodies: "This one with the equisite facial features is the body I wear when I attend business occasions, this lean and muscular one I use for weekend parties, this arachnoid construction golem is for my day job in the mining industry, and this specially-bred eagle I use for recreational flying when I want to get away from it all...

Does that sound interesting?

Oh, and Urbis probably qualifies as "non-standard" fantasy as well - even though it's based partially on Europe, it's not based on medieval Europe, but on Europe in the Industrial Age...

Was that idea in any way inspired by the sci-fi books Altered Carbon and Broken Angels? (can't remember the name of the author right now )

If it *wasn't* I'd strongly suggest you go and read those books because they'll give you *loads* of ideas for your trans-humanist fantasy.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Was that idea in any way inspired by the sci-fi books Altered Carbon and Broken Angels? (can't remember the name of the author right now )

Richard K. Morgan for "Altered Carbon", according to Amazon. No idea about the other title, though...

Actually, I was mostly inspired by Steve Jackson Games' brilliant Transhuman Space, which everyone who's interested in SF gaming should check out. It also features things like switchable bodies for many character types, and lots of interesting philosophical questions about identity.

Then I started to wonder how this would work in a fantasy world and asked myself questions like "What's so bad about undeath?", and the rest somehow seems to fall in place...

If it *wasn't* I'd strongly suggest you go and read those books because they'll give you *loads* of ideas for your trans-humanist fantasy.

Thanks; I'll try to find it.

 

[Carnifex]

Richard K. Morgan for "Altered Carbon", according to Amazon. No idea about the other title, though...

Actually, I was mostly inspired by Steve Jackson Games' brilliant Transhuman Space, which everyone who's interested in SF gaming should check out. It also features things like switchable bodies for many character types, and lots of interesting philosophical questions about identity.

Then I started to wonder how this would work in a fantasy world and asked myself questions like "What's so bad about undeath?", and the rest somehow seems to fall in place...



Thanks; I'll try to find it.

yeah, Morgan wrote both books, and though sometimes a bit wierd they're very cool. Basically, in that setting the human mind can now be digitised and downloaded, and people refer to bodies as 'sleeves' because that's really all they are. Crimes are punished by having your mind put into digital storage for however many years are appropriate, while your body is loaned out to wealthy people who want a certain style of body at the time. When you get out, you either get the sleeve the resleeving agency gives you or if you have the cash you can buy your old body back... unfortunately many people don't have the cash, and it takes most people a while to get used to having to wear a different body to their original one, especially if they then see their real body being worn by someone else (not pleasant for those still attached to their old physical form).

 

[Arnwyn]

Based on your criteria above, I play standard fantasy - and only standard fantasy. Again, based on your strict definitions, I don't think I would even *consider* playing in anything non-standard.

 

[Seonaid]

I'm currently thinking about a new campaign world, tenatively titled "Athanatos", which I'd loosely describe as "transhumanist fantasy".

I *love* the name!

The campaign I'm currently (playing) in is home brew with a lot of Asian influences. Oriental Adventures is one of the allowed sourcebooks, but most of us use just the core 3E.