Although I may use it for Tunnels & Trolls, or High Valor, or whatever rather than D&D, the aim was D&D. It is possible I'll use the D&D Cyclopedia for it, but we'll see.


Here it is so far (and, again)

Still needs lots of work! Make suggestions!

I like the maps. I don't know if I saw the whole thing: I read about the gods and several races. I like the mythology.

If I was a player I'd have two questions. What is the hook or what makes
Stormfall unique? Stormfall makes me think that terrible storms punish the lands, I see Vikings, and I imagine Thor. I want to play a storm cleric with a hammer or maybe a species in tune with the elements.

Second, what do I do? Why does Stormfall need me (an adventurer) and what will I be doing--not dungeoncrawling I'm assuming unless the terrible storms make everyone live in tunnels or dungeons underground which might be kind of cool. The dwarves could be in charge and elves second class citizens maybe with an underground movement (get it?!) to take back power.

I don't know why but I also like the idea of storm gnomes--a species attracted to lightning and thunder, working with elecricity and loud magic devices. They might be able to live in the storms that force everyone else underground with only an occasional mishap burning something down or infusing a gnome with the power of the storm (with mechanical benefit and penalty maybe).

Again, if I missed a description or something let me know. Not trying to step on your toes, I'm just typing out loud here.

If you put half as much energy into detailing what's happening Right Now in the setting instead of worrying about thousands of years of history no one else but you gives a shit about, the setting would be better for it . . . maybe.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;720632If you put half as much energy into detailing what's happening Right Now in the setting instead of worrying about thousands of years of history no one else but you gives a shit about, the setting would be better for it . . . maybe.

Don't worry that's coming. I needed a history to build within...so that when stuff does turn up (artifacts, dungeons) there is weight to it. Not some (entirely) random set of tunnels that serve no purpose.

Quote from: Silverlion;720636I needed a history to build within...so that when stuff does turn up (artifacts, dungeons) there is weight to it.

*yawn*

Wake me when you get to the part that matters to someone - anyone - other than you.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;720632If you put half as much energy into detailing what's happening Right Now in the setting instead of worrying about thousands of years of history no one else but you gives a shit about, the setting would be better for it . . . maybe.

I'm of much the same opinion, and this is a standard and maddening flaw of a lot of game settings: the set up of a vast sweep of history hundreds or thousands of years in the past, and the near-complete absence of what's happened in the last decade.

Seriously, folks: what historical events do we think of as shaping our culture and our beliefs, and with which we identify?  The Fall of Rome?  The Mongol conquest of Asia?  Or is it more likely (for Americans, by way of example) 9/11, the Vietnam War, the red/blue state cultural divide?  Not one American in fifty has any idea what the Quasi-War was, never mind what it was about or who was on the opposite side from us, but damn near all of us have opinions on al-Qaeda, Iraq and Afghanistan ... never mind those of us who are military veterans.

I'll drop a counter example: the historical overview I most recently revised seven years ago for new players, which I'll put in a separate post.  IMHO, that's what you should be putting together.

Beyond that, sorry: that list of gods looks like it was put together on one of Chaotic Shiny's random generators.

The Kingdom of Warwik is a large nation on the north coast of the great Pazidani peninsula.  Much of the land is hillcountry or mountains, forcing Warwik into prominence as a mercantilist and seafaring power.  The Kingdom is adjacent to the dwarven mountain realm of Vondaria; to the southeast is the large Empire of Vallia.  Warwik has strong ties, if not formal alliances, with the two realms.  Due south are the smaller kingdoms of Tarondor and Skandia, as well as several small independent domains.  Due west are another handful of independent lands, buffering between Warwik and the giant Empire of Avanar, the largest nation in the world.

Warwik has been involved in several conflicts in recent years.  Twenty years ago, Avanar launched a war of conquest against its age-old rival Vallia, on whose side Warwik and Thunderhold participated.  In the several years of conflict after the Serpent War (as it was called), the Kingdom conquered the adjacent kovnate of Orlush to the west.  Somewhat cannily, King Gadelen of Warwik ceded sections of Orlush territory to Thunderhold and the neighboring vadvarate of Bernost, but mistrust of Warwik's expansionist plans abide in the region.

To the north, the Kingdom and the nation of Valon vie for influence across the Winedark Sea and the scattered Pokrantil Isles.  Sometimes outright skirmishes come of this.  Eight years ago, a private army under the leadership of the legendary admiral Korak Dragonslayer, Vad of Kaldi, invaded the strategic island of Thrinakia, whose ruler had come under the influence of one of the Pariah Cults.  While this was not an official expedition of the Kingdom, and Vad Korak portrayed the assault as a crusade against the cultists, the Kingdom cheerfully accepted the lion's share of the spoils; the southern half of the now-partitioned island is a province directly held of the King.  Clashes continue to this day between Warwik, Valon and their proxies, and pirates find not only rich pickings in the numerous trade routes but shelter by officials of one or the other nations.

Across the sea to the east is the equally expansionist Kingdom of Menahem.  The "Bloody Menaheem" have fought several wars for territory, and are likewise increasingly aggressive on the seas.  Clashes with the Warwik navy have been rare up until three years ago, when Menahem launched a daring sea-based magical assault that resulted in five legions on Warwik soil.  The war was bitter but short, and thanks in part to the intervention of Warwik's Mostali allies and a commando raid knocking out Menahem's magical bridgehead and supply chain, the Kingdom stood victorious.

Internally, tensions are growing.  Before the Menaheem war, Gadelen had a secure grip on the throne, the succession was established, the energies of the nation were devoted to its new conquests and its mercantilist policies, and there were few issues of political contention.  Perhaps the major such tension is in that the Kingdom has had an influx of immigrants not only of non-humans but from the Mirolini and Lohvian lands to the far northwest and northeast, and nativist sentiment is beginning to mount.  Beyond that, the war took a heavy toll of the Royal Navy, shipping and the eastern provinces, and rebuilding is proving costly and contentious.

The land is currently extraneous.

The theosophy however is relatively fleshed out.

The pantheon details and factionalism can make for a fun alternative in an In Nomine game, where empowered alien servitors promote their god's ethos.

As settings go, most people fixate on the former and tend to gloss over the latter.

What's your priorities when making this setting? What can be quickly grokked? What is weird and takes more time?

Quote from: Ravenswing;720652I'm of much the same opinion, and this is a standard and maddening flaw of a lot of game settings: the set up of a vast sweep of history hundreds or thousands of years in the past, and the near-complete absence of what's happened in the last decade.


Beyond that, sorry: that list of gods looks like it was put together on one of Chaotic Shiny's random generators.

To be fair, I'm not TO the last decade yet, it is still under construction. As to the gods being from Chaotic Shiny--probably. It was a similar generator anyway, and I've been building onto that for the world slowly shaping cultures and elements from that and history.

Some important elements like "Why is the Witchlands of Koranyr" so feared by other nations? Well, lets see--magic has done some pretty horrid things in the past that have had a LONG term impact, but not recent enough to have people out to lynch mob the whole nation.

As for your stuff cool. None of that gives me a place to put the creation of the Emerald King, an ancient lich imprisoned in a giant Emerald, who can't escape but only plot. Or the Shards of Winter--the Shattered Crown of the deceased goddess of winter whose presence in the world is SLOWLY freezing it solid.

I'm writing stuff to build adventures on, epic stuff and history. Why people go to a dungeon/ruin/keep/whatever that has been haunted or overrun in the first places (beyond "money and XP") It isn't aimed to be "Reuters World News Feed."

History matters. Even if its only legends and folklore. Heck half the adventures out there are inspired by folkloric stories such as the Beast Husband/Bride or Culture Hero elements. (Conan interestingly enough is sort a version of the latter)

Not everything important happened yesterday after all.

I've built world by starting small with no sense of history and building out from a single town or country--I'm doing the inverse this time for fun.

I find your setting missing things that matter in an actual "D&D" adventure:  Stuff like "that's all great, but how does any of that tell me where to find the spell that will thwart the dragon Nightfire?  Or where is the Garden of Revered Ais which will let me resurrect my fallen comrade?

Quote from: Opaopajr;720658What's your priorities when making this setting? What can be quickly grokked? What is weird and takes more time?

My priorities are to take random bits--fit them together, and turn them into something playable, and fun with weight and depth. Right now I'm trying to get nations built. I've got rough bits added now, but they're pretty easy: This Kingdom hates that Kingdom.." its the why's that aren't always easy, but strange and historical or personal that I'm working on. For instance  the Elves of Athûndâl, are at war with the Elves of the Twilight Isles. Despite in the past having not only trade, but a lot of crossover in families/bloodlines.

Of course that goes into the corrupt Regent, and his handling of the governors, and why he's gone from a nice guy to utterly malign, but subtle. (He's possessed by the spirit of an ancient Athulzor "King") Of course the spirit is trying to tear both nations apart because he can.


On the other hand the Dwarf High King Ardurak is slowly edging to war with Sharess and Eralea, because he needs more seaports. Having only one of any real use on the Cradled Sea.

As to other stuff--my first campaign set in this world is located in Windmoor, a dragon comes out of the far reaches of the Dragontangle and attacks the Eastern (rather than the nearer) western countries. Of course there are reasons that go back to the early eras, and information that has to be gleaned to stop her, thwart or, or items to destroy her. Hence good reasons to poke around ruins, and such.


The important weird stuff is in locales, items, objects, ruins. Culture. Things that takes years to develop like in the Twilight Isles there is no moon. (For the Goddess of the Moon walks in the Twilight Isles), there are ruins with pictures of flying craft in pictographic script--those once existed and might be findable! Of course getting one to work? Well. Spirits, demons, magics, lore..all tied up to a semi-coherent history.

I like the background with the evil supermages creating demihumans and Dragons, that's always fun.

In my experience, the first question a setting answers is always - ALWAYS - 'What do the adventurers do here?' The answer to that question should leave open many pathways to explore deep history in the setting, but it is nonetheless the first question, and the most important question, ahead of all else.

Begin with the adventurers, and their place in the here and now, then build backwards.

Quote from: Black Vulmea;720678In my experience, the first question a setting answers is always - ALWAYS - 'What do the adventurers do here?' The answer to that question should leave open many pathways to explore deep history in the setting, but it is nonetheless the first question, and the most important question, ahead of all else.

Begin with the adventurers, and their place in the here and now, then build backwards.

Seconded.

I used to make these great big settings with complex pantheons, kingdoms that made sense etc...then was at a loss for what the PCs were to do in them. Once I shifted gears to "wilderness with scattered city-states" that got way easier.

Thirded - decide what the games are going to be about first..because if you set out all your history and mythology at a point when it isn't actually needed in play you are not creating a resource to draw on to populate your world, but actually creating a straightjacket into which you need to fit everything. So unless you are absolutely fixed on what the themes of the world because you want a very specific tone - produce what's needed to frame the next few of play sessions and let this stuff write itself later on.

And there's another thing - if your world is to survive beyond a year or so play your own ideas, mental pictures, notions and desires will change. a specific theme may get done with and you need a new one. Make it possible to change stuff. So when you describe a silvery god with a white war hammer I would be careful to say 'this is how he is depicted by the people of XXX' so that you are free to change his appearance and nature according to other people in your setting later on. Ambiguity is your friend.

Overall in my experience, for a setting that will stand up to the test of time  - big broad brush strokes, and only as much paint on the canvass as is needed to get things going.

I should have explained myself. Your priorities "random stuff mixed together and voilà!" isn't really anything; it is not a conscious motif, it is like making setting a la Jackson Pollock -- yet with far less intent. You will always get countries/organized societies having friction with each other.

You have not answered anything about the land, or the time, or even game structure; though somewhat touched on beliefs, it is otherwise a very empty place. I barely know this is fantasy from the assumption in the topic title referencing D&D.

I fourth Black Vulmea's recommendation: answer the question "why should my players care?"

What is this place, when and where is it, why are we there, and why would I want to be there. Then answer: what's familiar about it so I can pitch it fast and people get it and want to be in it. Finally answer: what's confusing about it, how can I clarify that, and would that weirdness be something players want to engage.

So, is this generic, late medieval, Western European fantasy #N with polysyllabic, multi-vowel, pseudo-Celtic proper names? And do the foisted histories even matter -- do we get to run countries and have dynasties, or are we just fetch-it spelunking mercenaries redux. This is the outline, the big picture, the sell, the thesis; skipping out on this leaves people confused and frustrated as to why they are bothering.

Define the place, but not with contextless fine details, define the broad stuff: the atmosphere, environs, tech level, duress, player's place in it, etc.