World Building Blog
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MaxKaladin
First Post
How about this: The kingdoms on the other side of the mountain range are having a big war and simply cannot spare the resources to conquer or settle here. They can spare agents to try to convince the various strongmen here to align with them and oppose enemy agents trying to do the same.
You can make some of the settlers in the town be people trying to escape the war back across the mountains. This fits in nicely with the theme you see in a lot of westerns about someone trying to put their life back together after the civil war.
You can make some of the settlers in the town be people trying to escape the war back across the mountains. This fits in nicely with the theme you see in a lot of westerns about someone trying to put their life back together after the civil war.
synecdoche
First Post
Update!
I cross-posted my initial post to rec.games.frp.dnd and ENWorld and received some interesting replies.
On rec.games.frp.dnd, Tussock made a few suggestions: first and foremost, he had the idea that the land beyond the mountains was previously ruled by some sort of incredible power, such as a dragon or a demonlord. The creature was defeated recently, allowing for the sudden settlement of the lands. I like this one. I could combine it with my idea of the land being cursed by the gods; the creature could be part of the curse, or perhaps the guardian of the land. Maybe the land wasn't cursed by the gods, but some sort of demon or devil, who was worshiped as a deity. This creature could still be alive and kicking, and doing things to antagonize the new settlers (a possible explanation for the undead, and perhaps a high-level campaign hook should the game get that far).
Tussock also suggested using the humanoids as being analagous to Indians in the Old West, perhaps with a certain group of paladins who insist on enforcing the treaties made with these people. Good idea, as well. I had already been thinking of something along these lines, so that's gold, too. I don't know if Indians are a suitable parallel, as I really want these people to be fallen, but it is quite conceivable that they will receive the same kind of treatment that Indians received during the settlement of the West.
Based on that, I have the following antagonist groups:
1) Bandits
2) Humanoid "indians"
3) The Demon Lord and his undead legions
4) Foreign interlopers
That's a good start, I think. The other thing I will be doing to keep the Old West feel is using the ruins as pseudo-ghost towns. This was suggested by a few people, and also something I was thinking about, so I am going to have that going on, too.
Now, on ENWorld, amidst a great deal of discussion of treant cacti
Whisper72 suggested that the nations who are interested in settling the new expanse should be trying to deal with the local "self-styled warlords." This is also a good idea, and will provide plenty of adventure opportunity. It will also give me an excuse to intensify things like bandit and humanoid attacks.
Another suggestion I liked was MaxKaladin's. He had the idea that there should be some sort of war on the other side of the mountains. Another great idea: it reinforces the Western feel, and provides further explanation as to why the major nations haven't been able to do much about these settlers pouring in without any kind of national allegiance.
So far, I've had a lot of good suggestions, and the situation for the campaing is really starting to take shape. Thanks to all who contributed. Next time, I'll try to take a look at the local campaign area.
I cross-posted my initial post to rec.games.frp.dnd and ENWorld and received some interesting replies.
On rec.games.frp.dnd, Tussock made a few suggestions: first and foremost, he had the idea that the land beyond the mountains was previously ruled by some sort of incredible power, such as a dragon or a demonlord. The creature was defeated recently, allowing for the sudden settlement of the lands. I like this one. I could combine it with my idea of the land being cursed by the gods; the creature could be part of the curse, or perhaps the guardian of the land. Maybe the land wasn't cursed by the gods, but some sort of demon or devil, who was worshiped as a deity. This creature could still be alive and kicking, and doing things to antagonize the new settlers (a possible explanation for the undead, and perhaps a high-level campaign hook should the game get that far).
Tussock also suggested using the humanoids as being analagous to Indians in the Old West, perhaps with a certain group of paladins who insist on enforcing the treaties made with these people. Good idea, as well. I had already been thinking of something along these lines, so that's gold, too. I don't know if Indians are a suitable parallel, as I really want these people to be fallen, but it is quite conceivable that they will receive the same kind of treatment that Indians received during the settlement of the West.
Based on that, I have the following antagonist groups:
1) Bandits
2) Humanoid "indians"
3) The Demon Lord and his undead legions
4) Foreign interlopers
That's a good start, I think. The other thing I will be doing to keep the Old West feel is using the ruins as pseudo-ghost towns. This was suggested by a few people, and also something I was thinking about, so I am going to have that going on, too.
Now, on ENWorld, amidst a great deal of discussion of treant cacti
Whisper72 suggested that the nations who are interested in settling the new expanse should be trying to deal with the local "self-styled warlords." This is also a good idea, and will provide plenty of adventure opportunity. It will also give me an excuse to intensify things like bandit and humanoid attacks.Another suggestion I liked was MaxKaladin's. He had the idea that there should be some sort of war on the other side of the mountains. Another great idea: it reinforces the Western feel, and provides further explanation as to why the major nations haven't been able to do much about these settlers pouring in without any kind of national allegiance.
So far, I've had a lot of good suggestions, and the situation for the campaing is really starting to take shape. Thanks to all who contributed. Next time, I'll try to take a look at the local campaign area.
shady
Explorer
Several things occur:
- you might want to take a look at FantasyFlight's Horizon:Spellslinger setting/minigame, which is oriented towards this.
And - if you want to get the background for a "frontier"/old west setting, you need a way of throttling/slowing the sweep of the "civilised" races into the "uncivilised" areas. A combination of the following factors:
- a small invading force whose size is limited by a very difficult boundary (inn the case of america this was the Atlantic) but with considerable technological (or magical) advantages.
- competing colonial powers provide an additional brake on expansion. Removal of a colonial power (UK, then Spain and France) provides for rapid expansion bursts and establishment of new frontiers.
- factors that "pull" colonists into the space - escaping the mother country, riches and power to be gained
- colonies growing and moving outward faster than the rule of law and of colonial control. Colonies have to develop ways of protecting themselves from lawlessness, colonial rivals and indigenes.
- rapidly increasing technology capabilities for the colonising group move it relatively easy wealth back and forward to the colonies allowing rich picking for crime
- low spread of people and increasing ease of communication means a few very well known and romanticised heroes and villains. Massive reputations are built, wannabes come from miles around to challenge or follow them, desperate groups seek them out for protection or mercenary cover. Some of them go undercover, on the run from their own reputations.
- combination of factors means that indigenous races are permanently on the back foot and have no chance of winning. Become increasingly desperate in conflict and increasingly pessimistic in culture.
- you might want to take a look at FantasyFlight's Horizon:Spellslinger setting/minigame, which is oriented towards this.
And - if you want to get the background for a "frontier"/old west setting, you need a way of throttling/slowing the sweep of the "civilised" races into the "uncivilised" areas. A combination of the following factors:
- a small invading force whose size is limited by a very difficult boundary (inn the case of america this was the Atlantic) but with considerable technological (or magical) advantages.
- competing colonial powers provide an additional brake on expansion. Removal of a colonial power (UK, then Spain and France) provides for rapid expansion bursts and establishment of new frontiers.
- factors that "pull" colonists into the space - escaping the mother country, riches and power to be gained
- colonies growing and moving outward faster than the rule of law and of colonial control. Colonies have to develop ways of protecting themselves from lawlessness, colonial rivals and indigenes.
- rapidly increasing technology capabilities for the colonising group move it relatively easy wealth back and forward to the colonies allowing rich picking for crime
- low spread of people and increasing ease of communication means a few very well known and romanticised heroes and villains. Massive reputations are built, wannabes come from miles around to challenge or follow them, desperate groups seek them out for protection or mercenary cover. Some of them go undercover, on the run from their own reputations.
- combination of factors means that indigenous races are permanently on the back foot and have no chance of winning. Become increasingly desperate in conflict and increasingly pessimistic in culture.
shady
Explorer
After a little more thought ... if you are settled on the mountain range thing this may not work ...
For the Atlantic use a great desert, impossible to cross on foot, but the wizards of the civilised world have created vast construct creatures to carry relatively small numbers of citizens (say 100 a time) along specific routes (of magical power, to fuel the constructs).
At the other side of the desert they find a strange and fertile land, already settled by ancient settlers (who migrated across before the climates shifted to create the desert). In the intervening time great empires have risen and waned, and the ancients have fallen back into barbarism and internecine wars.
The civilised world, with its advanced weapons and powerful magic, gains initial footholds in this new continent, but can only move small numbers across the desert ... additionally the colonies are dependent on trade with the "old world", and so the initial spread is desertside. Different nations/races establish colonies according to their access to specific desert routes. The first few waves of colonists are assorted malcontents, merchants, slavers and pirates. As the colonies grow, it's clear where riches are to be had - new crops, slaves, pillaged riches from ancient ruins. Pirate bands and privateers haunt abandoned caravanserai along the desert roads. Colonial wars break out, dragging in both the colonising powers and the colonised nations, to pursue old tribal disputes through new means. Some of the colonising powers are driven out in this new stage.
A vast war breaks out in the old world. The balance of power tips in the new. After a brief period of stability, the remaining great powers call their legions home, and the remaining colonies strike for their own independence. In the absence of competition from the established powers, barriers to expansion are removed ... the only remaining barriers are the few competing or remaining colonies, and the trifling matter of the indigenous tribes. At the same time, vast waves of new colonists are travelling, away from the war and along the trade routes through the deserts. New, smaller constructs are created to carry colonists from desertside into the New Territories.
The various transportation mechanisms can emulate wagons, trains (and wagon trains) as well as ships. The geography provides its own barriers, but the world needs to have a way of mass transporting people to form new colonies faster than it can move its own infrastructure (eg law and order). The number of "kingdoms" needs to be relatively small, otherwise the "feudal feel" becomes invasive.
Resources: as well as the already mentioned Spellslinger, you might want to look at Arcana Unearthed (the totem warrior would be good for the natives), Monsternomicon (good on constructs, there are probably a bunch gone bad). Also Runequest (obviously not D20) uses native American civilisation as the basis for the tribes of Prax (mostly totem warriors and tribes, there is also a tribe of intelligent tapirs who herd degenerate humans for food).
Racial picks ...
- depends on the mix of "old world" nations
- bear in mind some colonisers have been and gone - the colonisers might be human + dwarves, say, but there are abandoned elven colonies and some remaining groups in particular niches (say, along a particular river)
- enslaved races may well have been brought from the old world also
- could use goblinoids as the natives, which might be interesting in terms of breaking traditional templates
- could raid dark sun if you want to make the desert more interesting ... bear in mind the desert itself can't contain anything particular attractive (eg large rich cities) as that would have made migration easier.
- to make a milieu interesting, throw in a "major" race which is unusual or unexpected ... so it doesn't feel like FR. Or modify one in an unexpected way. Unearthed Arcana has good rules for creating variant races, for example.
Also
- think of things that make small patches of territory worth fighting over, or worth starting a territory over. New crops that can only grow in certain lands, particular points on transport routes which are useful for trade, mines (which mine out and leave ghost towns), maybe magic can only be used in certain areas (need to make life difficult for the colonists).
A good basis for a campaign would be for the PCs to escort a train of settlers, like in the old "Wagon Train" TV show. You'd then have a regular group of NPCs, and a regular flow of new scenarios as they moved towards their eventual destination, through the native-infested badlands that exist between the just or not-quite forts and towns of the frontier.
Star Trek was originally pitched as "Wagon Train to the Stars" ... I guess you already knew that though.
For the Atlantic use a great desert, impossible to cross on foot, but the wizards of the civilised world have created vast construct creatures to carry relatively small numbers of citizens (say 100 a time) along specific routes (of magical power, to fuel the constructs).
At the other side of the desert they find a strange and fertile land, already settled by ancient settlers (who migrated across before the climates shifted to create the desert). In the intervening time great empires have risen and waned, and the ancients have fallen back into barbarism and internecine wars.
The civilised world, with its advanced weapons and powerful magic, gains initial footholds in this new continent, but can only move small numbers across the desert ... additionally the colonies are dependent on trade with the "old world", and so the initial spread is desertside. Different nations/races establish colonies according to their access to specific desert routes. The first few waves of colonists are assorted malcontents, merchants, slavers and pirates. As the colonies grow, it's clear where riches are to be had - new crops, slaves, pillaged riches from ancient ruins. Pirate bands and privateers haunt abandoned caravanserai along the desert roads. Colonial wars break out, dragging in both the colonising powers and the colonised nations, to pursue old tribal disputes through new means. Some of the colonising powers are driven out in this new stage.
A vast war breaks out in the old world. The balance of power tips in the new. After a brief period of stability, the remaining great powers call their legions home, and the remaining colonies strike for their own independence. In the absence of competition from the established powers, barriers to expansion are removed ... the only remaining barriers are the few competing or remaining colonies, and the trifling matter of the indigenous tribes. At the same time, vast waves of new colonists are travelling, away from the war and along the trade routes through the deserts. New, smaller constructs are created to carry colonists from desertside into the New Territories.
The various transportation mechanisms can emulate wagons, trains (and wagon trains) as well as ships. The geography provides its own barriers, but the world needs to have a way of mass transporting people to form new colonies faster than it can move its own infrastructure (eg law and order). The number of "kingdoms" needs to be relatively small, otherwise the "feudal feel" becomes invasive.
Resources: as well as the already mentioned Spellslinger, you might want to look at Arcana Unearthed (the totem warrior would be good for the natives), Monsternomicon (good on constructs, there are probably a bunch gone bad). Also Runequest (obviously not D20) uses native American civilisation as the basis for the tribes of Prax (mostly totem warriors and tribes, there is also a tribe of intelligent tapirs who herd degenerate humans for food).
Racial picks ...
- depends on the mix of "old world" nations
- bear in mind some colonisers have been and gone - the colonisers might be human + dwarves, say, but there are abandoned elven colonies and some remaining groups in particular niches (say, along a particular river)
- enslaved races may well have been brought from the old world also
- could use goblinoids as the natives, which might be interesting in terms of breaking traditional templates
- could raid dark sun if you want to make the desert more interesting ... bear in mind the desert itself can't contain anything particular attractive (eg large rich cities) as that would have made migration easier.
- to make a milieu interesting, throw in a "major" race which is unusual or unexpected ... so it doesn't feel like FR. Or modify one in an unexpected way. Unearthed Arcana has good rules for creating variant races, for example.
Also
- think of things that make small patches of territory worth fighting over, or worth starting a territory over. New crops that can only grow in certain lands, particular points on transport routes which are useful for trade, mines (which mine out and leave ghost towns), maybe magic can only be used in certain areas (need to make life difficult for the colonists).
A good basis for a campaign would be for the PCs to escort a train of settlers, like in the old "Wagon Train" TV show. You'd then have a regular group of NPCs, and a regular flow of new scenarios as they moved towards their eventual destination, through the native-infested badlands that exist between the just or not-quite forts and towns of the frontier.
Star Trek was originally pitched as "Wagon Train to the Stars" ... I guess you already knew that though.
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