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View Full Version : Idea Collection! Best setting elements!



Tyndmyr
2011-08-24, 02:44 PM
So, I've been sort of collecting elements for a high-magic, high-tech(well, steampunk tech) setting, and would love further suggestions of possible awesomeness.

The world already contains:
Complex interstellar/planetary dynamics. The Crucible of Worlds is an actual place, with a perpetual hurricane between two deformed, close orbiting worlds.

Sky-battleships.

No kender. Anywhere.

Terrible, terrible gods, who are basically parasites upon humanity.

A goodish mind-flayer society that survives by feeding on a hydra. Lop off head, two more grow, chomp, rinse and repeat.

A neutralish society that uses undead to accomplish everything. The living live like kings atop the weight of the downtrodden undead.

Thoughts? Additions? What epic things should settings have?

Choco
2011-08-24, 03:04 PM
Don't forget a legion of self-replicating robots/golems/warforged.

Daer
2011-08-24, 04:10 PM
some how this made me think allods mmorpg.
astral ships. world scattered in multiple 'islands' floating on astral, undead androids and so on.

boomwolf
2011-08-24, 04:19 PM
A swarm-type PC race? (weird, but has potential?)

Knaight
2011-08-24, 04:24 PM
I'd throw in some massive, massive ocean going ships, each of which is basically a small nation. Maybe some of these in the air as well, for good measure, along with space stations and such.

The emergence of nanotech from some ancient society (maybe illithid or aboleth or something). Steam powered nanotech.

Tyndmyr
2011-08-24, 06:48 PM
I'd throw in some massive, massive ocean going ships, each of which is basically a small nation. Maybe some of these in the air as well, for good measure, along with space stations and such.

The emergence of nanotech from some ancient society (maybe illithid or aboleth or something). Steam powered nanotech.

This is so in. Certainly the massive floating ships, at least.

I feel like the steampunky nanotecho could explain a PC swarm/shapeshifter race.

And clearly, yes, We need robot legions. Bring on the warforged!

Dr paradox
2011-08-24, 07:23 PM
for (an) interplanetary dungeon(s), what about forgotten, derelict generation ships? the people/monsters onboard have no idea that there's anything outside of their massive metal home. it could be the "In space" version of the underdark!

alternatively, these are well known, but alo well defended via automated systems. nations mount raiding parties to try to steal away some of the generation ships' resources.

Shadowknight12
2011-08-24, 07:33 PM
It's a bit depressing that this sounds like a checklist for some misbegotten hybrid of WH40K and WH Fantasy.

Anyway, I'll go against the grain here and just suggest that there should be NO galactic/universal/interstellar threat. Let it be about different races/worlds/cultures/etc. Make them all unique and varied, not monodimensional and centred around a "hat." Imagine our world, with all the different people it has, different nations and minutiae, and multiply it by as many worlds as you feel like adding. Don't make them caricatures, give them true depth.

That's all.

Knaight
2011-08-24, 07:41 PM
Anyway, I'll go against the grain here and just suggest that there should be NO galactic/universal/interstellar threat. Let it be about different races/worlds/cultures/etc. Make them all unique and varied, not monodimensional and centred around a "hat." Imagine our world, with all the different people it has, different nations and minutiae, and multiply it by as many worlds as you feel like adding. Don't make them caricatures, give them true depth.
Nobody has even suggested a galactic/universal/interstellar threat, and there is no reason that a setting with a unique and striking technological aesthetic inherently lacks depth. Its merely that it is the aesthetic being worked on in this thread, and the necessity of developed cultures within which there are developed characters is merely an assumption that doesn't need discussion. On a similar note, we are having this conversation in English, on computers, for a role playing game. Sure, its not spelled out, but it is known.

Anyways, back to topic: I'd suggest that the boundary between sky and sea is a little less clear than it is in the real world. Gigantic sea currents get sucked into jet streams making moving rivers in the sky, currents burrow into the sea and leave massive air pockets, so on and so forth. The nation ships are one of the few things large enough to simply ignore the difference, and for small craft it is a massive hazard*.

*Where "massive hazard" means "interesting terrain for PCs" as a side note.

beyond reality
2011-08-24, 08:07 PM
The Clockwork Horrors (http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mm2_gallery/88268_620_19.jpg) might make good interplanetary swarm threats.

If you're doing interplanetary travel you certainly need a living planet. I always liked Neth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_%28Dungeons_%26_Dragons%29#Neth) as an example of that (living plane, not planet I suppose. but it all works).

JonRG
2011-08-24, 08:25 PM
Terrible, terrible gods, who are basically parasites upon humanity.

So, basically these guys? :smalltongue:


http://www.smbc-comics.com/comics/20100106.gif (http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=1752)

Tyndmyr
2011-08-25, 05:56 AM
Yes, but darker...think of it as more of a consuming sentience, much as a mindflayer does.

This makes Resurrections after a while problematic, obviously...Body is back, sure...but the mind? Well, depends how much is left.

Edit: Also, while I'm including a lot of high-fantasy elements, I'm playing them straight. There are no giant space-hamsters here.

dsmiles
2011-08-25, 07:00 AM
Pirates! Pirates are a must. So are ninjas.

DiBastet
2011-08-25, 08:04 PM
Now, I want to add something constructive for you, so: Rings around the planet. Yeah, rings. But instead of gas rings, rings of crystal, just like in eberron.

Why's that? because these rings can, and should rain down. It may not seem such a big deal, but if you play the Dragonshard eberron game, you'll see HOW AWESOME is the rain of dragonshards.

I use it in my games, it's awesome.

Silus
2011-08-25, 09:06 PM
There are no giant space-hamsters here.

What about miniature giant space-hamsters?

Tyndmyr
2011-08-26, 09:39 AM
Now, I want to add something constructive for you, so: Rings around the planet. Yeah, rings. But instead of gas rings, rings of crystal, just like in eberron.

Why's that? because these rings can, and should rain down. It may not seem such a big deal, but if you play the Dragonshard eberron game, you'll see HOW AWESOME is the rain of dragonshards.

I use it in my games, it's awesome.

Rings, eh? That's it, one of the planets totally has rings. Rings of horrible, horrible things.

And hell yeah, there has to be pirates. Sky-pirates, space-pirates....all of these things have to happen.

Your suggestion of miniature giant space hampsters is suspicious, though. Veeery suspicious.

QuidEst
2011-08-26, 11:16 AM
Heh… I would love seeing how long you could keep up a magical version of Aperture Science (Oculus Occult?) without your players working out what it's based on. You know, researching the potential for prolonged duration Dimension Doors, motto is "Accomplishing that which is Necessary on Account of our Ability", etc.

More generally, come up with a few trade corporations that specialize in various types of magical items. Maybe a few compete? Some might sell cheaper (but shoddier) versions of stuff with a certain failure rate. Have a few hucksters amongst the tradesmen. (Plus, it's a great chance to use "My name is John Wellington Wells, I'm a dealer in magic and spells…")

Concerning the society living off the work of the undead, perhaps throw in a few golems just for variety. Lets them have a wider variety of services. (I would presume at least part of their wealth comes from renting out cheap labor.)

No high-tech/fantasy world is complete without at least one mad scientist/wizard/inventor.

Morph Bark
2011-08-26, 12:25 PM
Rings, eh? That's it, one of the planets totally has rings. Rings of horrible, horrible things.

And hell yeah, there has to be pirates. Sky-pirates, space-pirates....all of these things have to happen.

Desert pirates. Iceplains pirates. LAVA PIRATES.

Honestly, my setting is all about pirates (currently focused on the desert pirate aspect), but now I am going to add lava pirates. JUST BECAUSE.

Otherwise, this sounds half like another setting I've used that will be re-used in my next, video game-based campaign. The other half sounds like stuff I should put in there, maybe.

Tyndmyr
2011-08-28, 09:03 AM
Heh… I would love seeing how long you could keep up a magical version of Aperture Science (Oculus Occult?) without your players working out what it's based on. You know, researching the potential for prolonged duration Dimension Doors, motto is "Accomplishing that which is Necessary on Account of our Ability", etc.

In my group? About ten seconds. I mean, at last fridays char building session, there was a plushie companion cube on the table. We also tend to pull similar versions of this game, like "see how long before my party finds out Im playing Optimus Prime."

QuidEst
2011-08-28, 06:45 PM
In my group? About ten seconds. I mean, at last fridays char building session, there was a plushie companion cube on the table. We also tend to pull similar versions of this game, like "see how long before my party finds out Im playing Optimus Prime."

Sounds like a good group! Well, I think Occulus Occult would still make for a fun corporation to include. XP Maybe for the highest-end gear, the stuff that involves weird house rules?

Jjeinn-tae
2011-08-28, 07:26 PM
Add Dwarves that want to bathe the world in blood and magma, with a secondary objective of conquering hell, or whatever infernal plane equivalent you want. They have extraordinary machinery that defies physics as the other races know it.