View Full Version : Brainstorming Just spitball a few ideas
NerdHut
2018-02-01, 12:43 AM
Hello, all. My settings thus far have suffered from boringness. All three campaigns have been based in probably the most generic possible western European style cities.
So after the current story arc, I'll be restructuring a bit. At that point I'll also talk to my players about what they'd like to see in the world. But until then, I'm trying to come up with ideas to make my setting feel more alive and some random details. Not all of them are going to necessarily be implemented, but I'm just coming up with ideas right now.
Some ideas I already had:
Trolls are hired to attend and collect tolls for bridges
Mystic's Guild controls a network of teleportation circles
A corrupted unicorn terrorizes a region within a forest
If you're inclined to do so, just throw out some ideas you've thought of for using in your own settings
johnbragg
2018-02-01, 10:10 AM
Greater Magicks
There are ways to tap the power of an entire society to create magical public works.
Have you ever stood in a crowd of thousands singing an anthem or chanting in unison and felt--something? Well, in a D&D verse that stirring is a power that can be tapped for crunch effects. (Note that most of our spectator sports would be impossible--a crowd of thousands trying desperately to will a ball into or out of a goal is going to succeed, so the home team will ALWAYS win. Hmm, gladiators should spend some ranks in Perform(Pro Wrestling Promo).)
What sort of public works? Well, think about the things kings and emperors did in real-life Bronze and IRon Age kingdoms. Irrigation, roads, temples, libraries, sewers, aqueducts, baths, law systems, coinage. (Also massive pyramids--societies built them for a REASON. Even if the reason turned out to be nonsense.)
I'm not talking about magitech/steampunk. I'm talking about what the world would be like if magic worked the way most Iron Age people usually thought it worked. Burning incense to the statue of the Divine Emperor was like paying taxes--it's a small contribution to the welfare of the society, and in return the Emperor (the Empire) provides peace, prosperity, the crops grow, the kingdom doesn't suffer plagues. This is also why undead-apocalypses just sort of don't happen, and why dragons and mega-CR threats stay way over there at the edges of the campaign world, or in the lower planes or wherever--rather than showing up and wrecking the Fair City of Porttown.
EDIT: Plot background--strife within the royal family. King is murdered by his uncle, which puts uncle's son on the throne. New king is innocent, but who's going to believe that? But without a king accepted by the people as legitimate, the Greater Magicks that keep the kingdom operating are in jeopardy.....now go to wikipedia and pick a war-of-succession and reskin it.
Some options:
The bastard son of the old king is well-beloved, but he's a PAladin, so he's not going to claim the crown--is he?
The king of the rival kingdom-next-door is a grandson of a king 2 or 3 back, but nobody wants to let those guys take over. (Hundred YEars War)
brian 333
2018-02-01, 03:49 PM
Boring, generic Western European settings are often the best place to begin because the players may be new to fantasy RPGs, but inundated with imagery from movies and literature which derive from these sources. Don't knock yourself out that your campaigns begin in familiar territory because the game itself is confusing enough to the unfamiliar.
That said, it is always good to acvance when you and your players are ready. Some ideas:
1) Take your party in a new direction. Sure, you've gone North, South, East, and West, and to some extent you've gone down. But have you gone up? The moon(s) of your lands are up in the sky waiting to be explored, but perhaps your players need a reason:
The Selenites, or Lunies, or whatever your moons' inhabitants are called raid your land to capyture slaves, one of whom is the heir to the kingdom. The king will pay whatever is needed to get hir back. Can you fly there on gryphons or pegasi? Spelljammer spacecraft? Magical teleportation? And how do you get back? This opens up new campaign worlds, including the various planets.
2) The exiled monarch of a distant land is going home to reclaim a lost throne upon the death of an usurper. Not only does this offer entry into a distant unfamiliar land and culture, it dumps the party into the center of a palace intrigue plot.
3) Portals can go anywhere and a cult devoted to their protection and maintenance as you suggest could need help defending one or more from a power interested in controlling them himself.
A note on the moons: so many tales have created a trope of moon maidens. I'd go with it, describing them as fragile, angelic appearing humanoids. But, what if they like humans because like digger wasps, they lay their eggs in a living host which the hatchling consumes from the inside out! Alien comes to mind, but instead of hideous monsters they are sweet and charming.
johnbragg
2018-02-01, 04:12 PM
A note on the moons: so many tales have created a trope of moon maidens. I'd go with it, describing them as fragile, angelic appearing humanoids. But, what if they like humans because like digger wasps, they lay their eggs in a living host which the hatchling consumes from the inside out! Alien comes to mind, but instead of hideous monsters they are sweet and charming.
...I'm stealing this for the other thread, about how to make succubi more horrifying.
They're biologically male--during coitus, their eggs travel into your body, snag some DNA, build a quick cyst/womb around themselves and start growing. Giving birth to....we'll figure that out later.
brian 333
2018-02-01, 04:29 PM
...I'm stealing this for the other thread, about how to make succubi more horrifying.
They're biologically male--during coitus, their eggs travel into your body, snag some DNA, build a quick cyst/womb around themselves and start growing. Giving birth to....we'll figure that out later.
Demonic dopplegangers which assume as their first form the host's identity.
Xalyz
2018-02-03, 12:18 PM
What about things like:
Sea Drow
-Not all Drow fled underground after their failed revolt, some fled to the ocean far from land. As they left they lost they culture but they gained a new understanding on what it means to be dominant. They live on a flotilla of lost ships and driftwood. With their new life they worship the chaotic nature of the sea; the sea gives and the sea takes. They also have learned to bond with other predators like sharks; through ritualistic magic and deep concentration they can become like one with them. Since they have been isolated for so long they forgot about other people and reacted violently when the first ships entered their territory.
Temple of Ibris’ Veil
-Ibris was the god of peace and tranquility; but after a drought caused the city around his temple to disappear he was quietly forgotten. Over a century passes before the town was rediscovered, the city was in shambles but the temple was untouched. It was then that they noticed how quiet the town was, the air was still, no animals could be seen or heard, and the closer they got to the temple the worse they felt. And when one poor fool tried to run to the entrance of the temple he vaporized before their eyes. They later brought a cleric to seek the will of Ibris, his paradoxical demands cause a massive swelling of followers. For one day his followers are allowed to enter his temple and present gifts and offerings, on all other days everyone is forbidden near the temple.
Xuc Xac
2018-02-04, 12:40 AM
Mystic's Guild controls a network of teleportation circles
More interesting would be a non-mystical guild controlling the teleportation circles for some long-forgotten reason.
You want to move your whole army to the capital city in less than 2 weeks? You can go next time they drive a herd of cattle there. Why does the Brotherhood of Butchers and Tanners control the teleportation gates? It's a mystery. Trust me: you don't want to know how the sausage is made and you definitely do NOT want to know how teleportation works. Just eat your bratwurst and only walk through the stone circle when it's glowing green.
Demidos
2018-02-04, 02:18 AM
I would pick only a few ideas or themes, and build to those ideas. That will make your setting interesting while also, importantly, keeping it coherent and consistent. Picking random monsters out of the monster manual, while fun, can result in a very kitchen sink feeling game, which is mostly generic. By reskinning monsters and focusing on particular themes, you can really give life to your setting.
For example, let us say that our themes are --
Steampunk is a key part of the setting.
Blood is power.
Birds are evil omens.
I want this set in 1700 or 1800s America.
From this, we get a dark dystopian world where the powerful intelligentsia, led by Edison, tinker with various forms of mechanical and bio-mechanical life forms. These forms often require blood to power, and the closer the blood is to that of the creator, the easier the control. Some of the most evil tinkerers slaughter their relatives or use them as little more than a steady supply of pumped blood. There are multiple bloodlines that provide unmatched power -- the most powerful tinkerers have small armies of servants at their beck and call. One brilliant set of tinker twins, Nicolo and Tesla, have started a campaign to provide their designs to all the people for free, and are upsetting the carefully maintained feudalistic balance of power. Meanwhile, the great evil that forced the first Americans to flee from their homes in the British Isles has continued festering, and has finally amassed the strength to begin an assault on american soil -- The Morrigan, an ancient goddess of death, birds and slaughter. Many people have reported that birds seem to watch them as they go around their daily business, and giant rocs and even feathered demons have been glimpsed in the sky. A young Steam-suit Knight named George Washington has been put in charge of the American defenses....
Mechanical Reskinning --
We have a very unique setting now, and we need to keep the themes going. Anything with feathers begins to fall under the purview of the Morrigan, and can be left as is. Be it Rocs, Angels or Demons, all winged things serve the Feathered Queen. However, we want to emphasize the bio-punk and steam punk parts of the setting. Undead become horrifying biopunk assassins -- a ghost may have flesh which semi-autonomously adapts to block those attacks directed at it by growing scales against heat or fur against cold (50% miss chance). Your players will be far more impressed and cautious around creatures whose abilities they do not instantly recognize from the monster manual. Perhaps the Drowned (an undead with an aura that causes drowning in those around it) is actually a guardian creature with a deadly airborne plague around it. Maybe elves' ears and appearance are the side effect of a commonly known cloning procedure, and indicate particularly low/high status within the society. Bloodlines will of course feature prominently, except they often hail from certain powerful families of inventors. Perhaps some mechanic will allow minor boosts by the sacrifice of large amounts of a relative's blood - make sure that regular healing spells do not replenish blood loss to prevent your players going crazy with this.
Above all, ensure that things have internal logic and you can explain why a certain encounter may or may not happen. Your setting does not have to have enough content for 10 years of playing in advance. Simply set up the internal mechanics of your world, and watch your players blunder through and discover them. And there you go. A unique setting where a few unique aspects change the face of the entire world.
jqavins
2018-02-12, 03:52 PM
Some "monsters" are accepted members of society. I'm thinking orcs and/or goblins. But it could be zombies, lycanthropes, lizard men, or whatever. Then think out what would have to be different in the society to enable this, and what differences this would cause.
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There's only one type of magic; the divine, arcane, and druid lists are combined, and all are available to any caster.
Wizards or sorcerers or whatever are likely to be studious types who like to stay in their ivory wizard's towers. Just a few go out on adventures.
Specialization offers very large bonuses to two schools of magic and steep penalties to all others.
Most (you might require all) who go out adventuring specialize.
Some specialize in combat (attack and defense) spells, some in healing, etc.
"Clerics" are ministers, and usually stay in their churches. Some ministers may also be wizards, but that just makes them ministers with magic or wizards who like to pray a lot. They are likely to have specialized in healing, maybe necromancy (which includes anti-necromancy).
OK, this isn't really different from a typical western Europe pseudo-medieval setting, but it's a big change from the typical D&D game.
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The setting is a society with no cities. Perhaps nomadic, perhaps stationary hunter-gatherers, but social groups - tribes, if you like - are just a few dozen to two hundred people.
Max_Killjoy
2018-02-12, 04:43 PM
2) The exiled monarch of a distant land is going home to reclaim a lost throne upon the death of an usurper. Not only does this offer entry into a distant unfamiliar land and culture, it dumps the party into the center of a palace intrigue plot.
I am so stealing that as a potential plot for the "4th BCE / Greco-Sumerian" setting I'm working on, it's perfect.
Bohandas
2018-02-18, 05:46 PM
A note on the moons: so many tales have created a trope of moon maidens. I'd go with it, describing them as fragile, angelic appearing humanoids. But, what if they like humans because like digger wasps, they lay their eggs in a living host which the hatchling consumes from the inside out! Alien comes to mind, but instead of hideous monsters they are sweet and charming.
Or what if the moon is a living being and they lay their eggs in it's skin
brian 333
2018-02-18, 07:56 PM
In ancient times the elves of land and sea were closer, trading and traveling in one another's societies. The schism between surface elves which lead to demon-worshiping dark elves was mirrored in a schism between the underwater dwellers as well. However, instead of demons, they turned to the Devil Of The Deep, (whatever its name may be in your campaign.) This creature adapted its worshippers to the great abbyssal planes of the central oceans.
The race of Sehaugin was formed, and bred to hate the sunlight elves which rule the shallow seas. Sehaugin society is composed of thirteen cities distributed among nine Dukes. Each city is in turn owed fealty by nine Lords who each have thirteen Knights. Their society is both repressive and orderly, with each member knowing its place.
Wampyr
2018-03-13, 05:29 PM
The surface dwellers rose to greatness and fell to ruin, but the dwarves are livin it up underground, unlike the humans and the elves who are fighting over the scarce food and water in the ashen desert of the surface world.
Marz1
2018-03-14, 07:20 PM
I am using a series of books by Gareth Nix to setup my world that we are playing in. It is based on the Abhorsen series of books specifically the old world. The mechanics, rules, stats, and other details will be using 5th ed with UA classes and special traits and sub-classes: which i term as clans:the Clayr,the Wallmakers, the Royal Family and the Abhorsen.
Here was a short overview of what i wrote to the players about the plot.
The Campaign is set in two neighbouring fictional countries: To the South lies Ancelstierre, which has a technology level and society similar to that of early-20th century Australia, and to the North lies the Old Kingdom, where both Free magic and Charter Magic exist (Please note in our campaign other magic is relevant as well, these are just names of the types of Magic)— a fact officially denied by the government of Ancelstierre and disbelieved by most of Ancelstierre's inhabitants. A wall separates the two countries. Near the border some magic crosses the Wall, especially on days when the wind is blowing out of the Old Kingdom. Since the fall of the Royal Family, dangerous entities roam, ranging from the undead to powerful sorcerers and Free Magic elementals.
These living Dead are raised by Necromancers, diviners of the dead who roam the Old Kingdom or live in Death, using Hands to do their bidding. To remedy the problem of dangerous living dead, a necromancer under the title of Abhorsen uses a bandolier of Bells and a sword to put the dead to rest. At the time of Sabriel, it is her father Terciel who has the job of putting the dead to rest in the Old Kingdom, especially difficult since a new evil is rising.
When the current Abhorsen is overcome by one such evil and beyond the Seventh Gate, he sends his bells (the primary tools of a necromancer and used in various ways to control the Dead) and sword to his daughter Sabriel via an undead messenger bound and under his control. Sabriel is at an Ancelstierre school for girls to remain out of reach of those who might try to strike at her father through her and end the Abhorsen bloodline. The bound undead is also attempting to speak, but she must enter death in order to make out the words. She is instructed by her father (speaking through the undead messenger in Death) to return to the Old Kingdom to take on the role of Abhorsen and stop Kerrigor's return to Life. While in Death obtaining her father's guidance, she narrowly avoids a fatal altercation with a Lesser Dead.
Our Role in this is how we choose it, We can pick a side in this story line to help the Abhorsen or to set them back this choice will affect our story line as a whole to which there is no turning back.
Subsequently if we choose the help the Abhorsen we can go down the road less traveled or choose to take the easy way out.
Same goes for setting the Abhorsen back.
Please note that the first role out will be greatly tied to the books so reading them would familiarize you with the lore.
Here is a short expert of what is in store.
A little expansion on the world,to make your character; to be honest it is what you make of it. You can choose to have technology in your build or not, you may choose magic or you may not, you may choose both or you may not.
Is there any drawbacks in your opinion of using this premise?I would see an issue with introducing Free Magic and Charter Magic as this is a world specific Magic type. In brief Charter Magic is similar holy Magic and/or Necormancy where you use Glyphs and signs to control the dead or banish them. Free Magic is basically a category in the story for all other forms of Magic.
Please Comment on probable loop holes, problems I might face, and so forth. I will explain more about the world if needed. Thanks in advance. =D
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