WotC Why WotC SHOULD Make A New Setting

[Marc17]

All joined together by fantasy United Federation of Worlds.

More like a small Silk Road type city that blatantly exploits trade traffic in order to just survive. They canonically have no animal husbandry, and unless every tree shown on the map is some sort of magical cornucopia food tree, have no agriculture to speak of and must import the vast majority of their food. Most of the population is going to be city official once you consider cultural leaders, guards, mages, concord jewel pilots, other city officials, and their families. Flesh that out with 25-50% craftsmen and merchants. That just leaves the small segment of desperate people, who all live in one building and while treated very well, can't really serve any purpose but to replace city vacancies or be shuffled off to one of the other concord cultures worlds as cheap labor. Of course, this all was created and exists pretty much on the assumed reason that the cultures created it, but the true reason is probably only known by the jewel animals if anybody (maybe that dragon). Then there is that the entire thing is surrounded by a vortex of doom threatening to destroy it at any time.

 

[Tigris]

I still feel like the point is being missed. My fantasy city full of magic is New Crobuzon, yours is a fantasy version of Underground London like Neverwhere. Both exclusively use an urban setting as a backdrop. They typically explore the same themes of dystopia, urban blight, classism, etc.

I don’t understand what possible point can be made for saying Ptolus, a magical setting that is entirely based in a massive city is not urban fantasy versus a fantasy version of New York or London.

Because the point of Urban Fantasy is that you have Fantasy Elements added to a normal Urban environment.


Not having in a fantasy environment an Urban settling.

I fully agree from the name it is not clear at all, but I do like urban fantasy and I am glad to be able to differentiate it from fantasy in urban environments.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

They canonically have no animal husbandry

They have druids, who needs animal husbandry? Goodberries for everyone.

Then there is that the entire thing is surrounded by a vortex of doom threatening to destroy it at any time

It’s surrounded by a vast void of nothingness, it’s not threatening to destroy anything.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

More like a small Silk Road type city that blatantly exploits trade traffic in order to just survive.

Well, they're charging for a service. Little villages in the jungle that are hundreds or thousands of miles away (or perhaps on totally different planets) from their trading partners aren't going to be able to conduct that trade without the citadel. And that's assuming there are zero other cultural exchanges, like magical healing or science, which is almost certainly happening on most of the worlds.

Of course, this all was created and exists pretty much on the assumed reason that the cultures created it, but the true reason is probably only known by the jewel animals if anybody (maybe that dragon). Then there is that the entire thing is surrounded by a vortex of doom threatening to destroy it at any time.

Yeah, lots of potential drama.

It’s surrounded by a vast void of nothingness, it’s not threatening to destroy anything.

He's referring to the Keening Gloom, which definitely appears to be an existential threat.

 

[Reynard]

Well, they're charging for a service. Little villages in the jungle that are hundreds or thousands of miles away (or perhaps on totally different planets) from their trading partners aren't going to be able to conduct that trade without the citadel. And that's assuming there are zero other cultural exchanges, like magical healing or science, which is almost certainly happening on most of the worlds.

Yeah, lots of potential drama.

He's referring to the Keening Gloom, which definitely appears to be an existential threat.

See, now I feel like I need to know more.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

See, now I feel like I need to know more.

Not sure if this link still works, but WotC gave the setting chapter on the citadel itself (but not the individual adventures/gazetteers) away for free.

 

[Reynard]

Not sure if this link still works, but WotC gave the setting chapter on the citadel itself (but not the individual adventures/gazetteers) away for free.

Thanks for the attempt but the "promotion is no longer available."
I am sure some brave soul over at YouTube has a lore video on the Citadel, tho.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I am sure some brave soul over at YouTube has a lore video on the Citadel, tho.

Much like discussion of Blue Rose, you are going to get all sorts of strong feelings about the Radiant Citadel.

 

[Remathilis]

See, now I feel like I need to know more.

There is also Journey Beyond the Radiant Citadel, where several if the authors give additional information on their specific areas. It's not much, but it is more.

https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/403298/journeys-beyond-the-radiant-citadel

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

There is also Journey Beyond the Radiant Citadel, where several if the authors give additional information on their specific areas. It's not much, but it is more.

https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/403298/journeys-beyond-the-radiant-citadel

It gives enough additional info about San Citlan -- already arguably the star setting of the book -- to make a solid case for it becoming its own standalone setting, IMO. Worth picking up for that chapter alone.