Help Create a Campaign Setting

[Trogdor]

Also, the Ottomans might have a few Solomon bottles (the actual number is a state secret) each containing a powerful genie who was captured ages ago by king Solomon. Individually, they're incredibly powerful. But once used, they're pretty much gone forever (since no one in the modern day knows how to trap a genie).

[Trogdor]

Yeah I kind of wanted the gist of the campaign to be science vs sorcery with a healthy hybrid of both but no one more powerful than the other (i.e. a bullet in the head will keep you from casting all those pesky spells)

Are you thinking of pushing the characters into science or letting them be either?

Also, what will unify the group? Will they all be of the same nationality? Will they share some other tie (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, perhaps)?

Just curious.

[JohnnyWeird]

For now the tie looks largely political and intellectual. They'd most likely be men of rank or status, given the period; given the nationalistic feel of the time, membership in the same Alliance may prove enough to undergo adventures.

[Deadman]

Maybe a club of the notable and privileged coming together to Protect Earth Against Current Evils (P.E.A.C.E.)? A gentleman's society of movers and shakers hoping their international initiative can deal with the threats of the times, and act as example to others?

[JohnnyWeird]

Or a more ambiguous organization - a cadre of the wealthy and powerful in the spirit of the Hellfire Club, whose goals may be served by PROVOKING global conflict?

[Eanwulf]

In answer to Trogdor's question about allow players to be either science or sorcery or even the possibility of both...the answer is YES!

I want players to be free enough to choose their own path to take. I am using the generalizations of this or that country being predominantly science, magic, etc. to help players get a feel for what type of land they are exploring.

A perfect example of this would be that of the Un-United Kingdom of Great Britain. Since it is currently ruled by the beautifully wicked 'Queen Mab' and her fantasy-tech minions the land is predominantly a serf-like society where technological advances are restricted to those that need it - i.e. you will find the lands tilled by halfling and human peasants whereas the thriving metropolises will be heavily policed by goblin/ogre 'goon-squads' and all industrilization will be to benefit the evil Queen's will and usually oversought by vile gnome/spriggan advisors.

[Eanwulf]

As far as potential character tie-ins together go - I was thinking that initially everyone were already established in their own professions prior to the assassination of the Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and at one time or another growing up had been trained by the Duke's very own Jagermeister (huntsman master).

Players would then be thrust together through a series of events centered around a routine visit to their old jagermeister that would emerse them into a world of espionage, warfare and heroic exploration all in the name of the Fatherland.

This being said, players would generally have most commonly come from some sort of educated and thus upper caste way of life. That or from humble (near peasant) beginnings in which the jagermeister showed sympathy and helped those players out as he was generally a kind-hearted man. Think of Shepherd from Joss Whedon's Firefly - the former assassin badass that turned religious zealot trying to find redemption for his past sins.

Anything other than having the jagermeister as their tie-in is entirely up to the players. Just know that overall I wanted players to experience the German equivalent to playing in an equivalent of "Her Majesty's Service" type of adventure where they would go from place to place and do their best to help aide the Fatherland in the War that ensues.

[JohnnyWeird]

Sounds good to me. Pretty cool, even.

[Eanwulf]

Bah I've neglected this post...BAD Wulf!!!

Feel free to toss around some Race ideas and their roles...I would be primarily interested in PLAYER races first and then NONPLAYER races.

Standard Ideas include: Human, Elf, Changeling, Dwarf, Knockers (gnomes), Halflings/Hobbits.

Think Goblins and Trogs (neanderthals) will substitute for Orcs.

[JohnnyWeird]

Player races, to my mind, should be restricted to Human if we're playing on the Central Powers side. All the D&D refugess seem to be on the other side.