Quote from: Redcap On the other hand, we once had a bad DM who made us roll up a Forgotten Realms character, outfit them with all kinds of magic items -- and then dumped us through a gate, sans magic items, into Dark Sun.  We did not come back to that game.

Ragnarok does not blame you, nor would he ever do something like that.


It should be mentioned that in my world, while gnomes are heard of they are talked about in legend as no one has seen one in centuries due to a catastrophe involved magic gone awry and plague. They are considered to be extinct.

It would be more of a mysterious place stumbled into by happenstance or chasing down a plot hook and running into something that is not quite understood. I'm picturing something underground, preluded by a myst shrouded isle. The players come upon something that looks like natural vents in the rock belching out hot steam, investigating further they come upon a cave. Deep underground they hear the sound of clanking metal, the smell of grease and rust assaulting their nostrils....

I haven't got all the little details worked out but does that whole thing sound lame, or something as a player anyone would want to investigate?

Quote from: Ragnarok N RollThe players come upon something that looks like natural vents in the rock belching out hot steam, investigating further they come upon a cave. Deep underground they hear the sound of clanking metal, the smell of grease and rust assaulting their nostrils....

Your describing a drow festhall?  

The reasons technology does not spread can be more than just physical. The culture may be one that favors isolationism. The U.S. was (and some argue still) like that for a great chunk of its existance depending on the leanings of the government.

An interesting take might be to say that the Island once ruled much of the world (or just a chunk) then the isolationists came to power and they withdrew. No one knows what happened. The Isolationists are much more inclined towrds technology. They pursue and develop. Now things are swinging back towards the Expansionists and the party must help the poor downtrodden Isolationists back to power.

Good campaign there....

Bill

Quote from: KnightcrawlerYour describing a drow festhall?  

Kinky. I'll save that for another campaign..

Quote from: HinterWeltAn interesting take might be to say that the Island once ruled much of the world (or just a chunk) then the isolationists came to power and they withdrew. No one knows what happened. The Isolationists are much more inclined towrds technology. They pursue and develop. Now things are swinging back towards the Expansionists and the party must help the poor downtrodden Isolationists back to power.

Good campaign there....

Bill

Hmm, I like.

OK, let's look at a few reasons it can't be duplicated:

• Extremely rare metal. This could be from some kind of magical titanium that when slathered with BBQ sauce it's as easy to work as lead.
• Extremely rare fuel: Coal. Anthracite to be exact.
• Powered by a soul of a creature that is now extinct. Maybe what cursed the gnomes.
• Only powered near certian nexus'. Perhaps the island is on top of a nasty mineral that powers it. Without it, it gets weaker and weaker.
• Some way of assembly that doesn't work any more. Maybe they discovered how to make a magnetic paste.
• Failing power crystals.

It's doable. And don't ask the player's if it's OK. If they don't like it, let them walk. For all the bullshit that the players invest just as much effort and time, I don't see them working about 10 hours a week on this setting. If the experiment doesn't pan out, it doesn't pan out, and rather than throw a fit and stomp off, they can see how it goes.

Easiest way to do it: Have the ship arrive, drop anchor, and wait for the PC's to return.