Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Oct 3, 2018 11:17:58 GMT -5
From my Campaign Setting document:
This thread will focus on the basic goals for the setting revision and what its inspirations are. I'll post more about these things in my future follow up posts here and go into greater depth in separate for focused threads; where I'll be discussions Realms, topographical features of note, monsters, PC races and the pantheons of the setting; among other related topics. Cheers,
Ebon
The World of Skârn version No.4
Introduction:
Welcome to my fourth (and hopefully final) version of ‘The World of Skârn’ campaign setting. In this revisioning of the setting I wanted to get back to the core of what inspired my initial take on the setting – prior to me tossing in everything and the kitchen sink into the mix. When I first created the foundation of this setting – the Wilds of Drûn, I wanted it to be a ‘Points of Light’ setting. For those not in the know, ‘Points of Light’ was a term I first heard with 4e “D&D” in describing the new default ‘Nentir Vale’ setting. It was basically an attempt at get back to basics – OD&D style setting, where there is a monster plagued wilderness that is dotted by small bastions of civilization.
Yet, things did not work out that way; after developing the Wilds of Drûn I had to know what was beyond it. Thus was born the monotheistic Kingdoms of the O’roon Vale to the east beyond the Crookedspine Mountains, to the north the Frozen Wastes of Gojira beyond the Crimfall Peaks & the dark Empire of Arkhon to the west of the Witchhammer Mountains. Outside the Wilds of Drûn & O’roon Vale, I drew from my love of extreme Metal music (both lyrics & bands) to name the main features.
As I continued developing I lost sight of my initial vision and kept adding more and more to this setting, often incorporating things from anime (not a bad thing), video games (Orcs of Skyrim – again not a bad thing) and my takes of 3.5 & 5e “D&D” races to fit my group and the 5e rules I was going to use. Eventually ‘The World of Skârn’ began to morph into a mutant child of 5e D&D, Talislanta and some anime LSD trip. Not that it was bad – I really liked it but got frustrated with how bloated it got, how unprepared for travel my group loved to do compared to Greyhawk where I had maps with movement scale listed and frankly it no longer spoke to me as a Referee & creator.
That all being said, at its core – the basic elements of the setting before it turned into a bloated mess that fused parts of two to three setting into a ill fitting whole still appeal to me. I’ll get rid of some of the names based on Metal bands, the more alien Talislanta inspired races and create a more unified setting. Will the ‘World of Skârn return to its ‘Points of Light’ origins? Maybe, maybe not – who knows. I’ll be trying to redevelop ‘Skârn’ in an organic fashion, mining my old ‘World of Skârn’ documents to create the foundation of the setting and add only new elements I feel fit where I see the setting going.
Matthew Seibel (AKA Ebon Hearted Soul, Lucifer Drake & Malîk-Rešef Tenebreous)
Introduction:
Welcome to my fourth (and hopefully final) version of ‘The World of Skârn’ campaign setting. In this revisioning of the setting I wanted to get back to the core of what inspired my initial take on the setting – prior to me tossing in everything and the kitchen sink into the mix. When I first created the foundation of this setting – the Wilds of Drûn, I wanted it to be a ‘Points of Light’ setting. For those not in the know, ‘Points of Light’ was a term I first heard with 4e “D&D” in describing the new default ‘Nentir Vale’ setting. It was basically an attempt at get back to basics – OD&D style setting, where there is a monster plagued wilderness that is dotted by small bastions of civilization.
Yet, things did not work out that way; after developing the Wilds of Drûn I had to know what was beyond it. Thus was born the monotheistic Kingdoms of the O’roon Vale to the east beyond the Crookedspine Mountains, to the north the Frozen Wastes of Gojira beyond the Crimfall Peaks & the dark Empire of Arkhon to the west of the Witchhammer Mountains. Outside the Wilds of Drûn & O’roon Vale, I drew from my love of extreme Metal music (both lyrics & bands) to name the main features.
As I continued developing I lost sight of my initial vision and kept adding more and more to this setting, often incorporating things from anime (not a bad thing), video games (Orcs of Skyrim – again not a bad thing) and my takes of 3.5 & 5e “D&D” races to fit my group and the 5e rules I was going to use. Eventually ‘The World of Skârn’ began to morph into a mutant child of 5e D&D, Talislanta and some anime LSD trip. Not that it was bad – I really liked it but got frustrated with how bloated it got, how unprepared for travel my group loved to do compared to Greyhawk where I had maps with movement scale listed and frankly it no longer spoke to me as a Referee & creator.
That all being said, at its core – the basic elements of the setting before it turned into a bloated mess that fused parts of two to three setting into a ill fitting whole still appeal to me. I’ll get rid of some of the names based on Metal bands, the more alien Talislanta inspired races and create a more unified setting. Will the ‘World of Skârn return to its ‘Points of Light’ origins? Maybe, maybe not – who knows. I’ll be trying to redevelop ‘Skârn’ in an organic fashion, mining my old ‘World of Skârn’ documents to create the foundation of the setting and add only new elements I feel fit where I see the setting going.
Matthew Seibel (AKA Ebon Hearted Soul, Lucifer Drake & Malîk-Rešef Tenebreous)
Ebon
. Outside the art I loved the Science Fantasy that the series embraced instead of the more traditional fantasy or D&D trope infused fantasy most fantasy comics put forth. Add the magical empowered technology & flying manta sharks - you got fantasy gold in my book.