starting a world from scratch

WizardLizard · April 12, 2015, 07:47:28 PM

Hi there! I wanted to share with the community the campaign setting I'm working on. I'm gaming with 2 groups on roll20.net and I started making my own campaign setting because i wanted the creative freedom to make the world fit my adventures better (and because i didn't want to learn an established setting). I've been working on this off and on for a few years and now i have a web site that i've created for the setting.

I'm currently playing Dungeons and Dragons 5e with it and we're having a lot of fun. My campaign is set in the kingdom of evermoor currently (standard kingdom setting) and will branch out into the world from there.

anyways, just wanted to share my site with the community. I'd love to hear your feedback.

http://legendsofshadowfall.com

RPGPundit · April 14, 2015, 03:28:02 PM

Welcome to theRPGsite, wizardlizard!

WizardLizard · April 23, 2015, 03:21:27 AM

Added some more maps recently and added play session log...

TheShadow · April 23, 2015, 04:37:41 AM

Nice site! I liked the maps and character artwork.

Ravenswing · April 23, 2015, 05:14:26 AM

Fair enough ... since you're looking for feedback:

* The materials you've posted have a good feel to them: archaic without having unreadable fonts and tons of clutter. (I especially like how you've got that 45 degree perspective of your maps, as if an onlooker was viewing them from an angle -- is that a function of mapping software?) That being said, your PDF could use a proofreader; there were a number of typos.

* Your timeline is extremely scanty, and it's pretty much worthless to anyone wanting background handles based on it. I wouldn't add anything to ancient history -- something that's a bugaboo of mine, with the widespread delusion amongst gamewriters that events of a thousand years before have much of a direct impact on people. Instead, toss in a bunch of key events from between five and fifty years ago. Those not only provide interesting background bits ("Yeah, I am Miressa Orcslayer's son -- a lot of folks tell me I look like her. I don't look young enough? Man, she was only fifteen at the Battle of Veredar Island, and she met my pa right after.") but adventure hooks as well.

* If you don't give a damn about verisimilitude, that's your choice. But from an economic standpoint ... look. You've got two small, isolated nations in the back of beyond. You don't mention any trade routes to the outside or civilization out there. It's been a tough claw back to civilization, and even with that there's an irredeemably hostile third kingdom, as well as orc raiders and all sorts of monsters.

This isn't the sort of setup where "most anything can be found ..." It's a permanent, isolated frontier. "Cities" will just be big towns, "towns" will be big hamlets. Especially given that the two realms will need disproportionately large armies to protect against the many threats, there just won't be enough surplus to generate much in the way of unproductive luxury items.

In such an environment, let's say the PCs do find riches. Great, there's a chest of gold and jewels from ancient times. What will there be to spend it on? How will it generate a surplus that isn't there? And what will stop the rulers from taxing it all away?

WizardLizard · April 23, 2015, 09:48:05 AM

Thanks for the feedback. I guess my world isn't about sheer realism in regards to trade routes, economy, and the like (i'm pretty sure the economy of vice city from grand theft auto doesn't add up either). just because something isn't explicitly listed or written about doesn't mean it doesn't exist in my world (two of my players wanted character options that aren't in the rulebooks but i accommodate them). The PDF is only the backbone of my campaign and its designed to be small and approachable to casual gamers.

Matt · April 23, 2015, 02:32:07 PM

Them's someone handsome maps there

trechriron · April 23, 2015, 02:44:17 PM

Site is nicely done. Maps are great. Artwork is nice.

The detail is light, but I imagine that's on purpose. You want to detail more as you go along. You might want to include and flesh out the dominate culture more, and possibly the races.

I look forward to seeing what you come up with!

WizardLizard · April 24, 2015, 04:21:32 AM

Thanks for the feedback! I'm just developing as I need my games are infrequent so I have lots of time to prepair

lacercorvex · May 08, 2017, 12:15:51 AM

You got the campaign setting building in color, good maps and art, just keep rolling with it , designing these fantasy Worlds can be a joy in of itself, it's all part of gaming, so pull out your sword and defend the beautiful princess from the Orcs of the Red claw! Game on my friend.