What world should I run? Hunt, K of K or SL?

[Nightfall]

Well ANYTHING is possible. But will it still be the Scarred Lands..I don't know. I'd say just give it a whirl. The FLUFF for me is what makes it. As long as you have fluff, you'll be fine.
In any case, It's your call my friend. I offer my hand and info as the Sage of the Scarred Lands. If you need to find a dwarf in Mithril, I know where one might be had. Passage to Trum in Darakenee, I know a guide. Legends and rumors of the Slacerians? I know of a man that has such knowledge. Want to meet a succubi? Well that's your own thing but I'm sure I can find a nice cleric of Vangal that can do that for you! Like I said, I think the Scarred Lands CAN be fun and different.

I offered Everquest since they'll still have the skills thing. Btw, does this mean you'll elminate feats as well?

It's only possible IF the guy spent time working on all four and they were within a level of each other.

 

[bloodymage]

No feats. I hate templates for PCs. I'm working on a classless system now. I didn't like "kits" in 2e, I don't like PrCs and feats to me are just mini-templates. Or maybe house rules from the Abyss. Each is a little (or big) tweak to the rules. Hundreds of exceptions. Kinda like multi-classing, I also don't like that suddenly someone can do something incredibly intricate today that he couldn't do yesterday. Bah!

My PCs can learn anything they want. If they want to duplicate a feat they just need to find the masters who can teach those techniques. Of course, some feats can't be duplicated that way. Oh well, I guess they're just not physically possible. Now magic, on the other hand... guess it's time to find the right wizard.

 

[Nightfall]

Right well. It's your game. I do think though you'll miss out on a few fun things but that's just me. In any event, regarding playing in the Scarred Lands, it's fun time for all in my book. I stand firm behind what I stated earlier. I also think if you give it a chance, it will grow on you.

 

[kenjib]

The Kalamar Campaign Setting book is just that -- a campaign setting book. There are almost no rules in the entire book so really it's compatible with most fantasy RPGs. In fact, Kalamar was originally designed as a generic, system independent, game world before 3e came out. I think it's easier to use than pretty much any other d20 campaign setting in this regard. An additional benefit is that this means that the Kalamar setting is very highly detailed since just about all of the page count goes directly into describing the setting itself.

I also find that it is a good fit for DM's who like to homebrew but don't have the time. The world is very diverse, with six very diverse human cultural groups alongside the demi-humans. You can run many different styles of campaign depending on where you choose to place it and what kind of spin you put on the cultures, including medieval chivalric, imperial roman, guerilla war for freedom, fighting evil slavers, epic wars against the humanoid menace (hobgoblins primarily), greek city state, african, meso-american, plains indian, egyptian, desert nomad, swashbuckling pirates and privateers, nordic barbarians, and more. Unlike in FR though, the way they are stitched together is very believable and consistent and the cultures feel very much alive.

Rather than a big over-arcing meta-plot, like Scarred Lands has, Kalamar seems designed to provide a great set of tools for the DM to find any style of campaign he wants amid a believable backdrop. This might sound like a contradiction, but it even has a big overarching metaplot (involving a ruthless, power hungry, emperor and a mythical heir to the lost true line of emperors) that you can choose to use or ignore at your leisure but has the potential of being truly epic in scope.

It's a very flexible setting, which I find to be one of it's greatest assets. This might not be what you're looking for though. I just wanted to point it out. A couple of caveats that might make you not like the setting:

1. Humanocentric: This is a world run by and for humans. The demi-humans are mostly backed into corners in parts of the world and under a lot of pressure. Demi-humans get significantly less coverage in the campaign setting book.

2. Lower magic: The greatest events that shape the world are wars, trade, and migrations, not archmagi (although that's not to say that there aren't some dangerous evil high priests and wizards and the like around and in very powerful positions -- they just aren't as ubiquitous as in most other d20 settings). It is possible to add more magic to the setting though (easier than removing it IMO). Like I said, it's very flexible, but if you like super high fantasy then Kalamar might not be for you.

3. Dry read: Some people say that the setting book is a dry read. I did not find this to be the case myself but it's definitely a factor judging from general consensus. I find that Kalamar tends to subtly suggest the most exciting ideas -- it seems to be the intentional design approach for the setting. This ultimately gives the DM the most flexibility but also requires that he work with the material creatively. There are TONS of exciting plot hooks and campaign ideas on every page, but they don't hit you over the head.

It sounds like you really want to homebrew though so I think you should go for it and wing it! Otherwise, I think that Kalamar is a good choice for people who want to homebrew deep down inside but want some of the work already done for them.

 

[bloodymage]

Great pitch, kenjib! Nightfall's gotta be gnashin' his teeth over that one! Now, all I need to hear is a herald for Hunt: Rise of Evil. The jury is not in yet. I'm still deciding.

 

[Teflon Billy]

Also, since no one's mentioned it yet and it seems to be the answer to every question posed on the boards lately:

Al Qa frickin' dim!

Joshua has the right of it: Al Qadim is the best setting 1 or 2E ever churned out.

If you want 3E though, my vote goes (and went ) to Scarred Lands.

 

[Wicht]

My best reasons I gave but I have more.

1. Different monsters. Things like the Dark Hag, the Danashee, an a sortment of hags, and creatures of Mormos brood like the Aassthi and the High Gorgons. Also the Feral, Blade Demons, the Unhallowed, and DEFINATELY the Slitheren/Ratmen. These guys are numerous, they fight well in groups and they also can make interesting PCs!

Is that the best ya got

I used a spined lizard just last night in my Kalamar game! The creature collection books are great - but one can use the monsters (most of em) in any campaign world. Hookwings are also going to soon be showing up.

2. Paladins and clerics aren't treated just as healers and do gooders. Some paladins might follow Madriel, or Hedrada, but most follow Corean since he IS the god of paladins (which is an important thing not like Torm whose just a lesser god. ). Even so, they can work together

The religions of the Kalamar campaign are far superior to the religions of the Scarred Lands campaign.

And each religion has far reaching inplications on the career of any adventuring cleric that might want to belong to that particular cleric. Want to be a Paladin or Cleric in service to the God of bravery? You aren't allowed to use ranged weapons of any sort. Want to be a druid or cleric in service to the goddess of nature? You must pick one of four elements to serve. Want to be a cleric int he home foundation? You must care for orphans, defend the homeland and preach the strengths of marriage. Want an evil cleric? The plague bringers are all infected with deadly diseases and must fanatically make converts or die from their disease. The clerics of the overlord must promote slavery. The clerics of the Prince of Terror must try to promote deadly fear in those around them, using drugs, magic or whatever is available. No cleric, played right, is going to be a carbon copy of another cleric from another religion.

3. The Horsemen of Vangal! Best damn horsemen out there and they know it. I mean come on Dual wielding battle axe god of destruction, earthquakes, volcanos, bloodlust and LOTS of meaty death! Trust me Talos would choke at Vangal's power.

You got me on the horsemen They are pretty cool.

4. It will be something your players might like. After all they can still right wrongs, do good deeds, find wealth and treasure from times long past...just as long as they are careful. Not to mention if one or two have a pentence for arcane learning, there are a number of places they can try. From the halls of Hollowfaust, to the Vault in Lokil, to the Phyaltric Vault in Darakeene, there is plenty of arcane lore to be learned.

Kalamar has Giilia, city of the bats, a city ruled over by a vampiress and built atop an endless maze of ghoul tunnels. It has Thygasha, a city in which two warring temples, one promoting peaceful sleep, the other promoting nightmares, war over the sleep/dream inducing drug, Silver Sand. Nearby is a desert, uncharted but filled with lost cities and mysterios lore. buried deep in the Vohven jungle is the original temple of the Founder, a temple built by the god himself and doubtlessly the home of many secrets.

Then when one is tired of hunting for buried arcane secrets one can travel to Kalamar and become involved in the depths of the great political intrigue or perhaps journey to the city of spies and try to make a living there. Kalamar has it all

5. TRUE RITUALS!! I know you read R&R, but THINK about the awe you could inspire with your players IF a cabal of wizards cast Lycanthropic plague. Or perhaps one is searching for a quick way to lichdom?

And like the monsters, why can't one import true rituals to other worlds?

6. Read Lars's Story Hour. Lars Frehse has his own story hour about the Scarred Lands. I'll post the link here: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12803

I think it's one of the better ones out there. Anyway hope that semi-helpful on that point.

Or you can read my Storyhour Servants of the Swift Sword, which I plan on updating today. Its just in its early stages but I forsee great things for it (provided the players don't get killed)

7. Running the Scarred Lands will be challenging. There's really no epic NPCs, no epic dragons, or even just epic creatures beyond those that serve the Titans or perhaps forces outside Scarn. Even so, it's a fun thing to see your players try to figure out just WHERE everything fits.

Ditto for Kalamar

I don't know if I can add much else other than RUN PLEASE! I need to fill my conversion quota for the month.

Aha! The true motive is shown at last. He has a quota. Of souls no doubt. Don't fall for it! Turn before it is too late. Take a look at Kalamar!

Seriously though, the Kalamar setting book is very non specific in what edition (or even what set of rules) one must have to use it. One could likely use Harnmaster, 1e or 3e equally well with it. The Players guide and the modules are more geared to 3e but even they could be pretty easily converted.

 

[bushfire]

Jumping in late here

Since you are an old 1E'er and have not only run a Homebrew in the past but it sounds like you are planning on straying a bit from "Core" 3E I have a suggestion.

Around the first of the year the Judges Guild Wilderlands is going to be released as a box set. Along with CSIO and CSWE. Necromancer Games has the license to update the the JG stuff.

After all who better than the company whose motto is "First Edition Feel, Third Edition Rules" to do Judges Guild.

The JG Wilderlands is perfect, great maps without all the pesky heavy settings and such. Just enough details and setting to get your imagination going without swamping you in worthless metaplots.

Plus, since it is JG, it will be easy to customize as you want for your campaign.

You can check it out on the Necromancer Games Forums
http://pub123.ezboard.com/bnecromancergames

The down side is it won't be released until after the first of the year.

 

[Desdichado]

Tweaked 1e, eh? Wow, you really are an old stick in the mud! I'll refrain from offering my opinion on 1e vs 3e and give you the benefit of the doubt as a houseruler, but I'll also point out the following:

Scarred Lands is a 3e setting through and through. The unique monsters and such are fairly important to the setting, as near as I can tell, and if you're not using 3e, then you've got a heck of a lot of conversion work ahead of you.

The Hunt also features a lot of unique monsters (the Nightmares) but you could probably just substitute something else there pretty easily, so I think that'd be easier. I think the Hunt also has a lot of unique rules, which make it perhaps less suitable for porting into another game system (although you'd have to talk to someone a little more familiar with the setting than me for that: has anyone pointed this thread out to the Mystic Eye Games folks so they can chime in?)

So, just from an ease of use standpoint, I think Kalamar is your best bet.

 

[Wolfen Priest]

Without having read the entire thread, I gotta chime in.

I voted for Scarred Lands. Escpecially considering you skipped right over 2e. To me, it's as if SL takes over right where 1e left off, albeit probably more unique and intriguing (it gives me the same sense of wonder that 1e D&D did, but 2e never quite managed to).

I'd say if you are looking for a more basic, 'run-of-the-mill' campaign though, I'd probably go with Kalamar. But to me you seem like the kind of guy who would get excited about SL. Of course, you'll need more than just R&R. I'd say at the very least get the Creature Collection 2, and the Ghelspad Gazeteer.

(I ordered the SL campaign sourcebook, gonna finally get it this weekend!)