The Campaign Builder's Guild

I primarily lurk on the CBG, but I had to post just to say: I LOVE Dystopia!  At the risk of sounding like a sycophantic fanboy, Dystopia is the kewlest.  I've read the old Dystopia thread a few times, and I love the flavor of the setting.  Your writing definately captures the feeling of utter doom and the madness required to ignore it.  The sheer magnifience of this setting is awe-inspiring. (Oops, there I go being sycophantic.)

I want to hear about the conquering of Heaven, the IoValde (they rock), and the aquatic races (you have done an excellent job of portraying their alienness)!  Your new intro is awesome, definately supports the dark tone of the setting.  I am looking forward to more.

I've often considered doing something similar to this.  I would DEFINATELY use Mutants and Masterminds 2nd Edition.  It is an absolutely incredible system.

I'm a bit confused by option 1.  All superpowers are from the same source then?  Perhaps some type of mutation, magical or natural?  Mutants alongside mages and clerics?  This is interesting, although if sorcerors exist then mutants may seem a little underwhelming.  Sorcerors get their powers from birth but can do a whole lot of things.  Owlbearman just has a razor-sharp beak.

Option 2 is cool, but has been done already by many, many people.  However, everyone has their own approach and I'm sure you could make it interesting.

Option 3 is interesting too, but what type of future?  A dark one that utilizes evil megacorporations?  A bright one with legions of superhumans that defend humanity?

Option 4 seems like a huge amount of work.  Just taking a fantasy setting and moving it to the present day is difficult, now you have to account for the presence of superbeings?

I've always liked the idea of a fantasy setting being approached from a superheroic direction.  Evil wizards with magically augmented minions (mystic cybernetics) fighting demigods alongside well-trained mortals.  Maybe I'm taking this a different direction from you guys, but I wish you huge amounts of luck.  Maybe your setting(s) will inspire me to try and make mine too.

Wow, I'm glad to see so many people liked this idea.  It's just something I'm toying with, I don't have a group to play with or anything so I don't need to build a world or anything.  I've done a little research on Wikipedia about microorganisms, hoping that would help a lttile bit.

I definately DO NOT want to end up with Osmosis Jones d20 (I was actually fearing that it might end up that way myself).  I would much rather go with the intriguing journey into the world of science, with a some loony (without becoming cartoonish).  I'd also like it to be very different, not just Dungeons and Dragons with amoebas as a playable race.

QuoteMaybe the party as invading viruses attacking a more complex organism.  Similar to some weirdness in Dragon back in the early eighties.

This would probably be a really cool idea for an adventure arc in this "world".  A dungeon that fights back!  It might be cool if the players never really knew what kind of organism they were in.  (Human?  Cow?  Dragon?)

Some ideas:

Senses are really different.  Probably only touch, really.  Maybe some could have some kind of basic eyespot that would help give in-game bonuses.  Assume that the sentient organisms can use chemicals to communicate.  (If anyone has a better idea, suggestions are welcome of course)

Races seem easiest.  Like I posted earlier, some type with a long flaggelum, more cilia, larger nucleus (+2 int?), yadda yadda.

Classes.  Yeah, classes really need to be changed.  Maybe a "Consumer", kind of like a fighter.  Maybe a "Symbiote", which gains special abilities by bonding with the host creature.  I really don't know what else - a fast, roguish type?  Maybe d20 Modern would be the best way to go with this (I'm a Strong 3/ Fast 2 amoeba!), although if some cool, very fitting classes could be made I'd definately take that route.

Magic, I know, could seem really silly in this setting.  I don't know though - I can't shake the image of waving cilias and a burst of magic missile or something.

Equipment is a total blank for me.  Spears made of another creature's DNA or something?  Help here would be really appreciated.

From a fluff perspective, civilizations would be really different.  Asexual reproduction alone would change a lot.  There isn't agriculture or mining.  If the civilization is inside an organism they just feed off that, right?  Hmm...  A lot of thought is required to not be cheesy here.

I'm just kind of brainstorming right now, feeling this idea out.  Anyone inspired?  All ideas are appreciated!

Okay, I recently had a rather... odd idea.  This is kind of abstract and would probably require a lot of work but:

Unicellular Fantasy Heroes!

Basically, the characters would be creatures made up of only one cell.  Now, this is a fantasy world, so there would be civilizations of unicellular organisms (i.e. they are sentient).  The entire game "world" could be a puddle of water!

The races could just be different types of, well, bacteria.  Maybe one race has an extra thick cellular membrane (+2 constitution) or a strong flaggelum (a faster land speed).  Weapons and armor could be protein chains of some sort perhaps?  The monsters could range from world-destroying molds, evil eukaryotes, insidious viruses, and perhaps even some primitive multi-cellular creatures (probably just muscles and a digestive tract really, but "Huge" size or larger).  Magic could even exist in this world.  I have an image of amoeba's in a high white tower (a grain of sugar?) waving their cilia and erecting a microscopic wall of force.  Do unicellular organisms worship remotely similar gods?

Of course, the idea could easily take a turn for the absurd.  A paramecium paladin seems a little silly.  A lot of work would be required.  Equipment would be totally different and magic might have to be modified.

So, any suggestions or comments?  I'll take anything, even "you crazy lunatic that's the most moronic thing I've ever heard!".  Anyone interested in roleplaying in a microscopic world?

I've visited this site before and it has some of the funniest things I've ever seen.  The ones about breakfast cereals are hilarious.  Sadly, the guy who runs it only updates very, very rarely.

Well...  I guess it's time I say hello!  I've been lurking for like six weeks.  I haven't been an active member of any forum since the old glory days of the Thardferr boards...  Although I do lots of lurking.  I'm working on a setting that I promise I'll post eventually.  Some of the settings here are so good and detailed - it's a little bit intimidating.  Not that I'm complaining, I love reading about other worlds because it helps spark my own imagination.  Now where is my coconut-with-paper-umbrella?