The Campaign Builder's Guild

Here's a relaunch of my campaign setting; Primeval. The reason to a relaunch instead of simply continuing the other thread is that a lot in the setting has changed, so to make it less confusing I decided to make a new one.
Since my discovery of this fine community that is the CBG, I've had the chance the read many great stories and campaigns from other designers, which inspired me a lot. Also, many suggestions and questions directed to me or my setting made me realize that my setting wasn't as I wanted it to be and definitely far from being clear.
[note]It is important to note that everything is subject to change and there is more to be added, so make sure you check the thread once in a while to see if there's any added information, or modified ones![/note]

Welcome to the stone age!
Yes, Primeval is set in an era resembling our own stone age; primitive, natural and brutal. Although I mention natural, there are fantasy elements included in this campaign setting such as magic and mystical beasts.
In this campaign, it will become obvious to the reader that there is heavy emphasis on the human race. There are other 'playable' races, but they all originate from the human race and have, most of the time, been the result of ethereal manipulation.
Also, religious beliefs, or what I like to simply call beliefs, have a more shamanistic approach.

Naming Convention
It's important to make this clear as soon as possible. Names of places in this campaign setting might often use English words; like Jungle of Luminous Earth. This does not mean the people in the setting use English as their language (they use different dialects which I'm not, at this moment, going to create). There are two reasons for this; simplicity and aesthetics (at least from a personal point of view).

Mankind
Intelligent, enduring and enterprising, mankind has made a name for itself in this world. They hunt beasts much bigger, much stronger and/or much faster than them and learn all sorts of interesting things. Also, even though they're not the only ones, they can tap into the ether-world to create supernatural effects, making them dangerous neighbors to have. These strong characteristics don't come without weak ones though. The human is, after all, a mortal and fragile being. Even mundane mishaps can mean the end for them and this is definitely their greatest fear, which is also another weak point. There are many different human cultures as well as dialects.

Eidolons
Native to the Land of Whispers, eidolons are men who lost their material self due to a cataclysm of ethereal nature. These men have become entirely incorporeal, but are trapped within the material world. They are ageless and don't need to feed themselves or quench their thirst anymore. Eidolons can fly and pass through feet of solid matter, thanks to their etherealness.

It's important to note that they are not immune to all the side effects of the ether. Eidolons have increased chances to develop mental disorders. Also, since they're made of ether, they can't hold anything material. Another weakness of the eidolon would be their intolerance to cacophonic sounds/situations. When too many people talk too loud at the same time, the eidolon mind becomes extremely confused and suffers from an instantaneous migraine, one of the only sort of pain an eidolon can suffer from. It could turn the tides of a battle.

Needless to say, eidolons are usually spellcasters. Some of them will even constantly and dangerously push themselves to try and control vast amounts of ethereal energies in hopes of ending their immaterial lives. Following this statement, most eidolons don't have grand schemes like humans do and they tend to remain neutral in all things. They see the material world with a dose of nostalgia or something meaningless that can be lost instantly, but they understand humans and their attachment to the world.

Shifters
Native to the Jungle of Luminous Earth, they have since then spread over the world. Shifters are a mix between man and beast, be it dinosaur or animal. They are very much like their animal self, in terms of behavior, even when in human form, but are obviously also part humane in their attitude. When they are transformed, they look exactly like any other from the specimen, but under their human disguise, they have obvious (unless noted otherwise) beastly traits; small reptilian tail, sharp canine teeth, long sharp claws, cat eyes'¦ you name it.

Their strengths lie in their weaknesses, and vice-versa, but there is an added fact which could be considered as a weakness. Under some condition (specified by the player or GM) they will transform into the beast they are, also adopting the beast usual behavior and intelligence (which means the player could start attacking his friends, if he's got any). It cannot be reversed and is not controllable. If there is no end-condition specified, the curse is active for thirty minutes. Otherwise, the condition must be met in order to get back to normal.

Aside from when in the curse, a shifter can transform into his beast form and into human form at will. Total transformation takes about fifteen seconds. Obviously, they are natural born hunters.

[note]Examples of creatures might be included later.[/note]
Animals
The variety is probably as wide as in the real world, with maybe added, subtracted or modified characteristics.

Dinosaurs
These are not abundant anymore, but they used to be. Back then, they ruled the world with their mighty strength and extreme brutality. Some of them still roam the world, hunting delectable prey such as men or eating plants and earthen stuff. The reason dinosaurs are not as numerous as they once were remains a mystery.

The Scorn
The Scorn is the name given to a certain group of otherworldly creatures. These entities come from a chaotic world of ever-changing hostile environments that is led by maniacal tyrants who despise all but themselves. There is no existing 'norm' in their home realm and different philosophies, more gruesome and vile at times, take over ancient ones with newly installed rulers. These rulers attained such status by using brute force or being able to cast powerful magic and at times even simply by being extremely good manipulators. Although they rule vast domains of their homeland, or the entirety of it, these rulers are constantly being challenged by others of their kin.
There is only one way, at the moment, for the Scorn to enter the material world of Primeval. This method is by being summoned. The Scorn becomes smoky-ethereal when summoned into the material world and must quickly take possession of a host or return to their homeland. The host may be organic or not, it doesn't matter, but only an organic host, such as a human or a tree, can undertake a transformation and adopt the physical appearance of the Scorn. This is why the Scorn will almost always possess an organic host. The transformation is a lengthy process. In fact, it takes about an entire day for the host to completely transform into the Scorn desired appearance, unless there are only minor changes to be made, which can then take much less time.
When free to roam the lands of Primeval, which is rare, the Scorn will most likely scheme to take control of whatever he can and want. Needless to say, they become very problematic.
There is no actual template or example for the Scorn, they come in a variety of forms, intelligences and ambitions.
If you think they are super-creatures, you are right. They are as powerful as they are evil, which is saying a lot.

The Undying
The Undying are dead creatures that have been infused with dark energies in order to be reanimated. They become, most of the time, mindless peons of whoever (or whatever) raised them.

The Cursed
The Cursed are also sometimes guardians. They are entities composed of a single or a few elements and that wander about, most of the time mindlessly, to either protect something or destroy everything. They aren't malevolent beings, but are also not benevolent. They are completely neutral and live only to accomplish their goal. The Cursed, as they are called, will return to their true elemental nature only when they accomplish their goal or have been slain.

[ic=Edon]''¦The gift lies dormant within all things, but only a few are able to unlock its powers. Those few are the gifted. People consider them favored of omnipotent entities or beings with unnatural psychic abilities. The gifted draw energies from the ethereal world, which is a sort of extra-dimension within the material world. Its substance is as treacherous as it is powerful and only fools deny that. They deny it because they refuse to see that with age the ether will leave considerable sequels. Illness, mental disorders and physical weaknesses, these are but vague side effects of delving into the mystical arts.

My observation is that not all gifted transfer ethereal energies to the material world the same way. Some use material focuses and others make use of their senses. Let me tell you about some things I've seen that I consider truly miraculous.

In the Jamibian desert, men meditate on the burning sand and facing the bright, scorching sun for days without ever needing liquid or food and they finally stand up to face their brothers in a duel of physical might. Farther in the Jungle of Luminous Earth, people transform into wild animals, hunting their prey more easily. In the Land of Whispers, a cataclysm razed the jungles, leaving only a dark, barren landscape to observe and stripping the inhabitants of their material self.

The ethereal energies make even the unimaginable possible'¦'[/ic]

Magic
In this setting, everyone has some sort of connection with the ethereal realm. One has to awaken the gift inside him by opening his mind to the unknown and learning to channel the ether into the material world using a focus.

Focus
To transfer energies from the ethereal world into the material world, one has to use a focus. The focus comes under different forms; a wooden staff, clay figurine, skull mask, one own body, e.t.c. The player gets to choose his focus.

After-effects
Delving into the mystical arts of the ether also comes with its fair share of danger. After years of toying with the substance, or even by manipulating too much of it at once, one will develop side-effects. Physical incapacities and mental disorders, of every type, are the side-effects that will develop over time. Of course, many a gifted tried and still tries to counter or totally avoid those effects, but rare are those who succeed.

The Void
The void is not of ethereal nature and has only distant links with it, but its sporadic manifestations might seem as if it was the ethers doing. The void is, in fact, the primal essence of the cosmos from which all other substances and elements originate, including the ether. The truth is, far away in the ebony cosmos, a vortex permanently threatens to suck in all things and terminate existence itself. But with so much energy raging in its inside, it constantly pierces, letting its imprisoned energies flow out and spread in all directions, creating universes.

The void is random and incredibly powerful. Primeval is set in a far reaching region of the cosmos, where the gravitational pull of the void is not being felt, but it still manifests, reminding the people of its presence. It manifests under the form of black holes or simply, holes and at random times as well as random places. Matter, essence and elements are drawn in and extinguished forever, or until they are reborn when the vortex fissures. They create chasms and fissures on landscapes and diminish the water level if it hits the sea. Also, places hit by void holes become dead zones for magic until the ethereal energies spread over the place again.

Some beings that are gifted and aware of the void existence can reproduce void-like effects with ethereal energy.

Beliefs
I feel that, in Primeval, magic has a strong link with religious/spiritual beliefs. Because of its miraculous nature, people often think magic users as favored of divine entities or even their direct representative. Though, they don't necessarily have a name for such entities.

Jamibi - Desert Area to the North of the continent
Raptors Nest - The crater south of the desert region
Obsidian Plateau - The volcanic region east of the Raptors Nest
Jungle of Luminous Earth - Covers the region east of the Obsidian Plateau until a bit south of it
Land of Whispers - South-central part of the southernmost island, also where the Eidolons come from
Bog of the Wailing - Swamp area to the south of the continent.


*Map made by Kaptn'Lath

Events in order
A comet falls on the continent, leaving a huge crater which will be known as the Raptors Nest.

From the northern archipelago, men settle down in the coastal areas of the desert (north-western peninsula) and name the place Jamibi. From there, some of them spread in all directions, eventually covering the whole continent.

There's intense volcanic activity near the center of the continent and the surrounding jungle is burnt down, leaving only a barren landscape of obsidian earth around it.

The jungle east of the volcano becomes dotted with shining crystals of various color, its inhabitants call the area the Jungle of Luminous Earth.

Ethereal Cataclysm in the southern island; the lush greenery is disintegrated, leaving the area devoid of life. The inhabitants lose their corporeal form and will be known as Eidolons. Then, they spread everywhere, making friends with those open minded enough and becoming enemies of those who think them malicious beings.

A titanic tidal wave hits the southern part of the continent, turning the jungle into a damp swamp.

Men who inhabited the region hit by the tsunami and didn't die migrated northward, meeting with other tribes which some have a hard time welcoming them. The multiple tribes of the jungle enter an era of war.

Current Happenings
A survivor from the tsunami goes back to the south where the jungle became a swamp and performs dark rituals, awakening those slain by the great tidal wave.

Men from Jamibi, accompanied by an eidolon, are building a massive gate-like structure on the Obsidian Plateau.

The Jungle of Luminous Earth has become the arena for three powerful tribal warlords who claim ownership of the region.

I love the idea of Stone Age setting, and this looks promising with what you have posted already. A few thoughts:

I like your approach to naming, it fits the setting well. I would even go farther into primitive naming feel though. Shimmering Jungle is nice, but the word shimmering seems cosmopolitan in and of itself. what about something like the Jungle of Cawing Birds, or Swamp of Biting Gnats? The Mountain-That-Laughs?

It seems like you have a good idea of what kind of creatures and monsters you want, which is good, but they seem somewhat generic. I realize that your setting has yet to have it's own vibe, which will help. Its great to take things as inspiration, like satyrs and phoenixes, but make them your own. Hell, you don't have to even name them the same. Have a phoenix, but call it whatever you want. I find a problem with the names archetype monsters is that they have lots of baggage attached and immediately conjure an image in the readers mind, most likely something different than what you want. Dinosaurs is a good example. Have them, just rename them and tweak them in your own way.

Also, this may seem like gobely guk, but if you're making a Stone Age setting, think in a Stone Age setting. Dinosaurs probably wouldn't be called dinosaurs, let alone divided into neatly named species. I thought Eberron did a good - if somewhat uninspired - job of naming their dinosaurs things like Hook-Claws or whatever. Good names can go a long way in a setting.

QuoteI would even go farther into primitive naming feel though. Shimmering Jungle is nice, but the word shimmering seems cosmopolitan in and of itself. what about something like the Jungle of Cawing Birds, or Swamp of Biting Gnats? The Mountain-That-Laughs?

Its great to take things as inspiration, like satyrs and phoenixes, but make them your own. Hell, you don't have to even name them the same. Have a phoenix, but call it whatever you want. I find a problem with the names archetype monsters is that they have lots of baggage attached and immediately conjure an image in the readers mind, most likely something different than what you want.[/quote]Dinosaurs is a good example. Have them, just rename them and tweak them in your own way. [/quote]
At the start I wanted to name them Saurus, which I believe means lizard in greek.

Also, finishing with the naming part. I'm always in a sort of dilemma when I name the monsters, because I am both for having unique names for my monsters that don't sound generic, but also the generic ones because if they're so generic it means (and I can agree) that they work. They fit the "first impression".

About the generic feel to monsters... well you can hardly avoid that. That's my opinion... of course maybe I could dig up something new to everyone on this planet. It'll take some hard thinking though, give me a bit. :P

Thank you for the comment!

I think that the term 'dinosaurs' works, given that it's a stone-age setting, but Saurians, as you noted, may be even better.
I don't think it's a great idea to introduce needless complications into a fantasy world by renaming everything... eg: "Our Orcs are Meerps". The multiplicity of names gets confusing. Likewise, I personally dislike settings where there needs to be a chart: "X people call Y thing Z. A people call it B. D people call it C." Although Tolkien did this, it was tedious in 1950 and it's tedious now.

With respect to the "shimmering jungle"... I've read both sides of the argument and while both have merit--I think that from the reader's point of view, the reader wants to read something that evokes the feeling of the setting. Shimmering, like Leetz noted, seems too cosmopolitan. "The Glinting Leaves" or the "Jungle of the Glistening Rocks", while awkward to some degree, seem to have more of that stone-age feel of weight, of danger, of suffocation.

Shimmering just seems too bright and elfish.

Noted

Thanks for the input Light! :P

Edit: I changed the name to Jungle of Luminous Earth... Maybe that's better? At least it still sounds right to me.

That works(!)

Quote from: Magnus PymNoted

Thanks for the input Light! :P

Edit: I changed the name to Jungle of Luminous Earth... Maybe that's better? At least it still sounds right to me.

As long as it isn't the Jungle of Luminous Crayons

Added/Updated some information

Unfortunately the map is staying as it is now, but I hope to complete it soon, so stay tuned.

is luminous any less cosmo than shimmering? just sayin. Simple people have simple names. I am guessing names like ghaladreal would be a little out of place here.. enbrace your inner caveman. I want to see places like Grug's Winter Shack, Rain of Guano Cave, Fire Ant Rock, Screaming/Loud God River, Forest of old bones, or even Furk'lik creek (thats the sounds iit makes)ect. Simple words are perfect for your naming convention here... just my random 2 cents...

Noted!

I changed my warning in the first post, in hopes of solving the problems of names that don't sound caverny enough.

I'd also like to point this out while we're at it;

Quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CosmopolitanCosmopolitan[/url], I read some of them and wasn't able to learn what cosmopolitan meant, in the way you guys mean it. Anybody can help me out on this one?

P.S: I think it took me half an hour writing just that... bleh, quotes/delete/ranting/blabla... think I ended up deleting most of what I wrote.

Added the new colored map. It still misses some detail, but at least the terrain is there and will help for future reference.

Also, I changed the creatures a bit. I totally removed creature examples, keeping only short descriptions of the different creature types found in Primeval. This is simply because I am reworking them, but also to enable maximum customization for anyone who'd like to use this setting for play or writing. So it might also stay as it is... maybe.

Nice map. Can't wait to see how you flesh it out, eager to get a scale so I can see how large stuff is.