Setting Design: starting from the ground up.

So, where does someone begin when they make a setting for Pathfinder or for D&D (4e or any other edition)?  Everything every where begins as a idea.  Usually out of the Zeitgeist (there's that word again).  So you start with an idea.  Where do people get their ideas from?

Well, you can thank God that we don't live in a vacuum of human expression.  The Corporate World, however, demonize God because we don't live in a vacuum of human expression.  Nina Paley wrote on her essay "The Cult of Originality" this:

How peculiar, then, that Michelangelo's  works showed up in Europe in the 16th Century, rather than ancient Egypt or Sumeria or Persia, or in the Lascaux Caves?  How “original” was Michaelangelo? He used the language and techniques of his time. He carried ideas passed to him by his neighbors. He didn’t create in a vacuum. [1]


Neither does the Dungeon Master.  To say a setting like Glorion, or Eberron, is original is to be conceited.  Eberron has strong Steampunk roots.  Something you get from Gibson's writing about how Babbage's calculator machine had become common place, or Sony's Steam Boy. Glorion draws heavily on several tropes in the Genre.  Especially some Tolkien, making it an unremarkable setting for some (especially me).  I want to do something REMARKABLE, different, and . . . as I said in my previous Essay . . . obvious.

I've written on numerous occasions about orcs on this blog, and while they are all cool, I didn't pay enough attention to humans.  How can you get orcs and humans to interact and make humans interesting to play at the same time? (I'm currently playing a Worgen mage on World of Warcraft, and I've become sick of how clichéd the humans are).  I want something not a cliche for my humans.  With several tribes of orcs, all different, they don't need a culturally homogeneous human race to fight against.  Not every human nation needs to be a knock off of High Middle Ages England with American Accents.  In a sense, Tolkien has dominated American fantasy . . . with a few off shoots like Mar Barker or John Norman, for a very long time.  It's like we are in a dark age of American fantasy and dreams -- Tolkien, who is acclaimed as a genius, has been copied.  Copied! so many times that many of the things you see in a present day American Fantasy novel is full of clichés.  What happened to Edgar Rice Burroughs or Robert E. Howard?

 

Where does one turn to get ideas to set up a remarkable campaign setting?

to create interesting nations for the orcs to fight and contend with, I go by a few simple rules:

* Don't look at Tolkien.  Tolkien, while original in his day in creating a Myth for his time, has been copied so much that many of his work has become clichés in D&D settings the world over.  Tolkien can be admired for a source of inspiration, but not to take whole Cloth.  Like Disney did when they crossed out the Roman Portico for Atlantis, I have to cross out Tolkien.

* Look at Frank Frazetta's paintings.  While the OSR movement flocks around Frank Frazetta, not a lot of what he painted are clichés in the standard D&D campaign setting stuff.  And most of what he paints is American Fantasy.

* Look to the Sinbad movies.  Sinbad and the 1001 Arabian Nights in which the tales of Scheherazade is the inspiration of these movies.  Sinbad's voyages as told by Scheherazade are the inspiration for many movies set in Persia, Arabia, and Baghdad.  Some interesting links:
Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas




(Anything with Sinbad is good, even the T.V. series).

* Ray Harryhausen is the seminal inspiration for a generation of filmmakers.  He revolutionized the special effects industry until computer graphics dominated the scene.

Finally . . .

Ancient History and the Bible.

All of these used to contain clichés, but now not a lot of people know about them or read about them.  They are often locked up in stupid Copyrights that are jealously guarded by people who have either lost their talent, or they sit on their Grandfather's legacy and rip the rewards.  ( Copyright is a bad thing).

And the bible?  Hardly anyone makes movies from it anymore.  Despite historical accuracy; although Samson would be great to make a movie about (everyone loves an Anti-hero).

Ahem . . . 12 hooks, from different sources other than Tolkien.  NICE! :)

So, to create something remarkable you need to get off the beaten path.  Tolkien has been, to put it nicely, copied to death.  There's loads of literature to draw your ideas from -- the above is just the tip of the iceberg. To create your setting, you need a hook or an idea.  Stay away from what everyone else is doing and look at everything else no one else is looking at.  Even if it's a series about Gor (John Norman), Conan the Barbarian (John Howard), or Sinbad (1001 Arabian Nights).

Steal this Campaign Plot!!

This is a Campaign for Eberron

Notes: Not many people seem to like Eberron, and that's okay.  I like the setting, and it's the best setting I bought for 3.5.  As for 4e, I still don't have a copy of the game so sue me.

No Title Yet

Formula: The heroes deal with the machinations of the Dreaming Dark.
Tone: James Bond meets the Maltese Falcon meets 30's cliffhanger action serials
Premise: Battling the Dreaming Dark seems to be a bleak premise for the Kalashtar.  However, a man can change, but can a Quori?

Campaign Description: The heroes are based in Sharn (Sharn: City of Towers would be helpful). The adventure centers around intrigue and noir, but takes on James Bond and Cliffhanger qualities from time to time.  The heroes are expected to work for the Sentinels and/or the Kalashtar with some ties to the Houses.  Sharn's House Deneith enclave acts as the major and minor villains.  However, there are antagonists involved.

Given that this campaign is based on the T.V. series idea we have some interesting characters.

Savaran (LN male empty vessel Psychic Warrior 3): The son of Lord Kaltaresh, Savaran was banished from the Edgewalkers and tasked with an important task.  To find an artifact of Khalesh that has made its way to Sharn.  Savaran is a young psychic warrior that is driven to be accepted back into the Edgewalkers in order to protect Sarlona from the evil Adarans.  He views all Kalashtar as evil and are taught that they harbor traitorous spirits (the Kalashtar Quori).  The Artifact he is looking for is the golden egg of Khalesh.  But his feelings for the Kalashtar overrides his important duties and he will chase any Kalashtar to the "ends of the Earth."
Role: Anti-Hero.  Savaran is like Kaltaresh, someone who is generally not evil but feels that the Kalashtar are evil traitors who betrayed the Quori.  As an empty vessel and the son of Lord Kaltaresh, he is expected to "inherit" leadership of the Edgewalkers.  If it weren't that he were banished for speaking against his superior officer (which was possessed by the Dreaming Dark).  The DM should play him up as a complex young man.

Uncle Dalaskan (LG male Hashalaq Inspired Psychic Warrior 5/Seer 2): The brother of Lord Kaltaresh, Uncle Dalaskan is possessed of a Hashalaq quori that is Lawful Good and one of Kaltaresh's aides-de-camp.  He also believes that the Kalashtar are traitors who should be taken in and destroyed so that they will be reborn.  Dalaskan is supportive of Lord Kaltaresh and the Edgewalkers, and has volunteered to watch over Savaran on his journey to recover the Golden Egg of Khalesh.  He doesn't think that pursuing the Kalashtar is a good idea when the goal is to recover the Golden Egg.  His true motives, however, are to help Savaran realize his true destiny -- helping Kaltaresh become a Kalashtar for his own safety.

Role: Savaran's Guardian.  Dalaskan is actually very sympathetic to the Kalashtar cause.  However, what they did was inexcusable and he wants to see that the Kalashtar are brought to justice.  Dalaskan is a Hashalaq that is shielded by Kaltaresh in Dal Quor, but the Quori knows he can't hide forever.  If push comes to shove, Dalaskan might be forced to ask to bond to his host in the same way that the Kalashtar quori did to the Adaran monks.  But for now he is safe and he advises Savaran on his journey.


Lennora d'Deneith (NE Female Tsoreva Possessed Human Fighter 2/Rogue 3):  An agent of the Dreaming Dark in Sharn, Lennora is possessed of a female Tsoreva quori.  Although a Denieth and possesses a least Dragonmark of Sentinel, Lennora is a girl who is raised to gather information.  Lennora was trained to be seductive, and to use her feminine wiles to the best of her ability.  She can seduce, lie, and cheat to get information out of her men.

Role: Foil.

Gadson d'Deneith (CE Male Tsoreva Possessed human Fighter 3/Monk 4): Looking still in his early twenties, Gadson is incredibly vain.  He has a major mark of Sentinel, and relies on his Dragonmark more than he does on his armor.  He is typically seen in skimpy skin tight outfits as his Tsoreva quori is incredibly proud of his fighting prowess.  Gadson fights without armor and is very good at fighting without armor.  His only weakness is his incredible hubris which can be used against him by a good player.

Role: Antagonist.

Commander Kalashkarn (LE Male Du'ulora Inspired Psychic Warrior 2/Evoker 5): Savaran's Rival.  Kalashkarn is possessed by a Du'ulora quori spirit who is incredibly devious.  Kalashkarn has some psychic ability, but has turned his study to magic -- especially evocation magic.  As a wizard, Kalashkarn is mighty at fire throwing.  However, the Quori gets impatient a lot and has a reputation for being a loose cannon among the Dreaming Dark and the Quori in Dal Quor.  The evil Kalashkarn is generally self controlled except during battle where he uses his magic to strike like a blunderbuss against his opponents.  He seeks the Golden Egg of Khalesh for the glory of all Riedra and for self aggrandizement, versus Savaran's goal of returning to the Edgewalkers in honor.  Kalashkarn has a packmate homunculus as his familiar.

Role: Antagonist and Savaran's rival.

Well, how do you like it?  I wish had some players to play this.

Rolemaster Scenarios

The best thing about Rolemaster is that it was crafted for novel storytelling play (yes, I say novel as in Darkwalker on Moonshae or Hart's Hope or even A Darkness at Sethanon). Rolemaster characters are designed to be rich, strong, and alive. Whether it is Rolemaster Classic (1985-1989 edition); or Rolemaster the Standard System/Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplaying; you are participating in a living novel.

The combat system is as gritty as it gets because it is crafted for a Living Novel. So Rolemaster scenarios are actually the start of campaigns. Lets take a look at some to get our creativity flowing.

Invasion of the Orc Horde: simple, direct, and to the point. Take a horde of orcs and have it invade the Empire of Man. Orcs and Humans have been done in the Warcraft Universe. But if we take a look at the invasion through the eyes of characters and not through the eyes of a general ordering armies to march under the banner of the Humans or the Horde, you have lots of opportunities for roleplay. (In Lord of the Rings, Man was seen as a threat to the Dark Lord Sauron's power, so the Dark Lord mounted an army of orcs to destroy Gondor).

Lost City of Ophir: This is an Indiana Jones' type Scenario (Indiana Jones and the Lost City of Ophir!). The Player Characters are hired by an adventuring company to go explore a lost kingdom in the desert, jungle, or mountains and have them bring back any artifacts they find. The GM can go hog wild with this: competing adventuring companies (Belloque not withstanding), elaborate traps, hidden dangers, and monsters' lairs. Exploring an ancient ruin gives you an opportunity to relive the excitement of Indiana Jones, all seen through the eyes of a PC group!

Consequently, the scenario can be worked for Dungeons and Dragons, an Ancient Ruin is a dungeon after all. But it is the Roleplaying before you get the job, interviewing for the job, what the job is, getting there, meeting your competitors on the way, and finally getting in to get the Lost Gold Idol of Shakti or whatever. . . . and the consequences afterwords.

The D&D scenario usually starts like the beginning of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, get in, face the traps, get the idol, set off the traps in the process, get out, only to be accosted by a small army of gnolls and your competitor. And then lose your artifact to your competitor. "Alas, Doctor Jones, we see again that there is nothing you can get that I cannot take away."

Ladyhawke: This movie is a classic Werewolf story. By night, Nevaar is a wolf, and by day Isabel is a hawk. The two were damned by the Bishop of Aquilla to live as human beings either by day or by night, and as animals by day or by night. Although it too can be retooled for D&D, Rolemaster can be used to recreate the movie's passion. The player characters are represented by Nevarr and Mouse; with the NPCs as Isabel, the friar monk, the Bishop of Aquilla, and the captain of the Aquillan guard.

Tying the three together and you might get:

An Orc Horde is threatening the Empire of Tyrannus. The Empire of Tyrannus is ruled mostly by the Church, although the Kings ruled over small kingdoms in the Empire and were often competing with the Church for State power (this is often when nobles leave their lands to the Church or the State, and the Church would often use guilt to get what they want: while the State could use the lands to pass on to another feudal lord young and loyal to the State).

The Orc Horde are a bunch of barbaric neanderthals led by a competent leader. Their ancestral lands themselves are failing and the Empire of Tyrannus -- decadent, failing, decaying; is a source of gold, silver, and prosperity. The horde is Mid-Iron Age technology and they are going up against a kingdom of Crusades technology. But they have magic on their side: Shamanism, evil warlock magic, as well as axes and swords.

The City of Aquila is a city that is ruled mostly by the Bishop of Aquila. The bishop has his own guards and his own army. The City is a prime target for the barbarian Orc Horde and there were skirmishes and small battles between the armies of Tyrannus and the Orcs outside the city. However, in a twist of fate, the Bishop of Aquila had cursed the Captain with Lycanthropy and his lover (whom he had wanted) with therianropy (she changes into a Hawk). The captain his lover swore revenge and were never seen again.

With the Captain gone, Aquila doesn't have competent leadership. So the city hires a company of Adventurers to go to a lost ruin to find an artifact of great power, or a relic of faith to turn the tide against the invading heathen. The city hopes to use the artifact to turn the tide of battle, using firepower or faith to repel the Orc horde. The relic or artifact must be obtained before a competing kingdom, the City of Berlogue, obtains it since they are also facing invasion from an orc army.

That is where the PCs come in. :)