Many details about the campaign I'm going to keep secret until we actually play as a good magician does not reveal his magic tricks before the show. But I want to convey as much as I can in these series of blog posts in order to help you shape a character that you will feel fits within the setting.
Some of my inspirations have been the traditional Dark Sun campaign setting, the "Golden Age" of history where the Assyrian empire hired court sorcerers, and the God of War video games. It's not the stone age, but people are far from industry. People say "by the Gods" and blame demons and witches for their bad crops.
If I were to pick an artist to illustrate the storyboard for the campaign, it would be Frank Frazetta, hands down (with the assistance of Brom). The images of Conan the Barbarian wrestling with a giant snake or a wizard unleashing some demonic horror are fresh in my mind.
"Conans & Dragons" however is a limiting description. It's restraining to the imagination because the world is actually overly-fantastical in theme. What is overly-fantastical? Think Neverending Story, Zelda, Narnia, or Pan's Labyrinth. Instead of kings and armies, you've got ruling mages in spiraling towers. You may have noticed that some of my previous ideas have almost been like they came from a kid's storybook--much different than the historically based world of Conan.
Instead of some vast metropolis, the adventures will take place on the stage of hostile wilderness--a stonehenge druid altar of storms or a cave of dark priests of Lolth. While PCs will not be "planescaping", the planes will nonetheless play a major part in everything.
Matt had a "Golden Age" campaign that borrowed from Greek and Arabian Mythology and the like. I wouldn't say this is the same, as there are no vast empires or direct historical parallels.
I am also creating a few new races and classes that correspond with Scourge. Among them will probably be variations of tieflings, more monster hybrid races and more arcane classes (like a supplement for an Arcane Leader instead of a stupid Bard).
Besides these, psionic and shadow classes will be prevalent as they will most likely make an appearance come summer--about the time we start playing.
Now, these Towers aren't as blatantly themed as Raza was, i.e. a tower of Fire, a tower of Lightning, etc. While they will be unique in host, location, and purpose, the world is not as divided when it comes to race or class.
Truth be told, it's basically a traditional D&D campaign. The only real change is the story.
So, if you feel so eager, you may start brainstorming with me some sort of new character or you may wait until I post some more details.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Welcome to the Scourge
The New Campaign in a Nutshell:
General key words: points of light amongst harsh darkness, High Fantasy, Prevalent Magic, small cities, multiple mythologies, bizarre/otherworldly sites, the planes.
More specific key words: Towers, blighted landscape, dark sun (campaign setting), almost planescape, dark and weary.
The Story:
Upon the smitten Aerth, fortune smites the weak and favors to the bold. The chasmed plains are bleached rough from the Sun and her sister winds are like razors to the cracked ground.
Most believe the Benevolent Gods have forsaken the realm. They are they who call it “Scourge”. They are faithless to salvation and now bow to mystic Lords.
Some of these sovereigns sit upon high Arcane towers. Eboracum, Amalgoloth, and Mortari are just some of the citadel’s names. Though men may not call the Lords of these towers “master”, they know not to venture lightly into their proximity. Many Lords go unchallenged. It is as if the Gods favor them and have given them pedestals from which, at times, they have reigned down fear and sorrow.
The realm is a great expanse of Sword and Sorcery. It is a time where men are crippled by mysticism and tyranny. It is home to many pantheons, where obscure Gods are pled for favors, where innocents are sacrificed to appease them. In the name of malfeasance, men covenant with devils in the shadows, they appease demons to blight the lands of their enemies. The rampant suffering in the land is evidence that these methods are often effective.
Civilization is scarce. Technology is crude. Superstition has almost replaced religion. The worst monsters run rampant and are often worshipped.
Waking up in the world of Scourge is like waking up into a nightmare. At the fringes of chartered territory, the elemental chaos bleats through with the hisses of a thousand fears. The higher planes are also easily accessed, as shrines to deities are often gates to the heavens and hells. A grove of trees might actually be a pit-trap leading to the ferocity that is the Feywild, and behind a mirror may lie a gate to the Shadow.
As evidenced by the Towerlords and the vomit of the hostility of darkness, Scourge is a breeding ground for heroes and villains. As nature and life are ruled by survival of the fittest, men only last if they emerge from the fires of oppression. Scarred, but more powerful.
The rare person that keeps his wits and wills inevitably proves to be a fulcrum in the greater story being told.
General key words: points of light amongst harsh darkness, High Fantasy, Prevalent Magic, small cities, multiple mythologies, bizarre/otherworldly sites, the planes.
More specific key words: Towers, blighted landscape, dark sun (campaign setting), almost planescape, dark and weary.
The Story:
Upon the smitten Aerth, fortune smites the weak and favors to the bold. The chasmed plains are bleached rough from the Sun and her sister winds are like razors to the cracked ground.
Most believe the Benevolent Gods have forsaken the realm. They are they who call it “Scourge”. They are faithless to salvation and now bow to mystic Lords.
Some of these sovereigns sit upon high Arcane towers. Eboracum, Amalgoloth, and Mortari are just some of the citadel’s names. Though men may not call the Lords of these towers “master”, they know not to venture lightly into their proximity. Many Lords go unchallenged. It is as if the Gods favor them and have given them pedestals from which, at times, they have reigned down fear and sorrow.
The realm is a great expanse of Sword and Sorcery. It is a time where men are crippled by mysticism and tyranny. It is home to many pantheons, where obscure Gods are pled for favors, where innocents are sacrificed to appease them. In the name of malfeasance, men covenant with devils in the shadows, they appease demons to blight the lands of their enemies. The rampant suffering in the land is evidence that these methods are often effective.
Civilization is scarce. Technology is crude. Superstition has almost replaced religion. The worst monsters run rampant and are often worshipped.
Waking up in the world of Scourge is like waking up into a nightmare. At the fringes of chartered territory, the elemental chaos bleats through with the hisses of a thousand fears. The higher planes are also easily accessed, as shrines to deities are often gates to the heavens and hells. A grove of trees might actually be a pit-trap leading to the ferocity that is the Feywild, and behind a mirror may lie a gate to the Shadow.
As evidenced by the Towerlords and the vomit of the hostility of darkness, Scourge is a breeding ground for heroes and villains. As nature and life are ruled by survival of the fittest, men only last if they emerge from the fires of oppression. Scarred, but more powerful.
The rare person that keeps his wits and wills inevitably proves to be a fulcrum in the greater story being told.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Why A New Campaign?
We've had fun with Raza. The world was plenty robust, the player characters were memorable, the plot was plenty epic. You may be wondering why at the brink of Paragon adventures I would want to scrap everything. While there were no gaping problems, there are a few reasons for my desire to change.
First off, Raza has been the only world I've ever dungeon mastered with the 4.0 redesign (it was the same even back at 3.9 with "prototype" characters). To put in perspective, I've been running it for 2 years while Matt has started probably 5 or 6 worlds. Olucra, Grothkor, and corrupt Vector have always been my bad guys. Not only have these enemy sources begun to be exhausted, such heavy themes seem to overshadow the rest of the magnificent wealth of new ideas that D&D 4.0 offers. When you have a world that is as heavily themed as Raza, its like I have to home-brew everything--use my own ideas for monsters and new plot devices. I've been anxious to show off some new adventure ideas that simply don't fit in the Raza world. It's almost like I'm doing a disservice to everyone by not "opening the creative door" for more traditional fantasy things.
While people have enjoyed the steampunk elements, no main players have ever really embraced the technological aspects. Not that they should have; we've seen from experience (e.g. Tab Fizzbibble, rangers who use guns, etc.) that guns and bombs are a bit clunky when trying to fit them into the rules. The lack of "Technomancers" probably indicates that people get along just fine with what's in the published rulebooks. Characters may resonate better with a world that is more like them.
Raza was also ill-suited for long term gameplay (i.e. more than 3 times a year). Every adventure that we did fit perfectly with the 3 session allotment but such epic themes would probably seem over the top after a few story arcs. Not that I couldn't have toned down the subject matter. It's just difficult however for characters to swallow "stopping the roadside bandits" or "finding the stolen gem" after having thwarted an Atomic Bomb and killing a resurrected Sterling Mortlock.
Naturally, we could have dragged Raza on, but I have better ideas. I have awesome ideas. In Scourge, I won't let you down.
That is, unless you guys are just IN LOVE with Raza and your characters. I suppose then we'd just keep going with it.
The new campaign will be suited for my permanent return back home. First level characters, weekly sessions, non-forced increasing of level and epicness, and natural story unravelling will be reinstated.
First off, Raza has been the only world I've ever dungeon mastered with the 4.0 redesign (it was the same even back at 3.9 with "prototype" characters). To put in perspective, I've been running it for 2 years while Matt has started probably 5 or 6 worlds. Olucra, Grothkor, and corrupt Vector have always been my bad guys. Not only have these enemy sources begun to be exhausted, such heavy themes seem to overshadow the rest of the magnificent wealth of new ideas that D&D 4.0 offers. When you have a world that is as heavily themed as Raza, its like I have to home-brew everything--use my own ideas for monsters and new plot devices. I've been anxious to show off some new adventure ideas that simply don't fit in the Raza world. It's almost like I'm doing a disservice to everyone by not "opening the creative door" for more traditional fantasy things.
While people have enjoyed the steampunk elements, no main players have ever really embraced the technological aspects. Not that they should have; we've seen from experience (e.g. Tab Fizzbibble, rangers who use guns, etc.) that guns and bombs are a bit clunky when trying to fit them into the rules. The lack of "Technomancers" probably indicates that people get along just fine with what's in the published rulebooks. Characters may resonate better with a world that is more like them.
Raza was also ill-suited for long term gameplay (i.e. more than 3 times a year). Every adventure that we did fit perfectly with the 3 session allotment but such epic themes would probably seem over the top after a few story arcs. Not that I couldn't have toned down the subject matter. It's just difficult however for characters to swallow "stopping the roadside bandits" or "finding the stolen gem" after having thwarted an Atomic Bomb and killing a resurrected Sterling Mortlock.
Naturally, we could have dragged Raza on, but I have better ideas. I have awesome ideas. In Scourge, I won't let you down.
That is, unless you guys are just IN LOVE with Raza and your characters. I suppose then we'd just keep going with it.
The new campaign will be suited for my permanent return back home. First level characters, weekly sessions, non-forced increasing of level and epicness, and natural story unravelling will be reinstated.
Harvest of the Void--Defeated
Magic, reinforced by the blessing of steam.
Cavalry ride with men made of steel.
Shields deflected both arrow and bullet.
Rumors of conquest escaped the lips of corrupt politicians.
Six lands were in the state of cold war.
Advancement was the world's pursuit.
Greedy nations drained the realm of its lifeblood.
It cried out. . . there were few who could hear it.
This was Rasa. This was your home.
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