Campaign Possibilities

[Malachi Lemont]

I know the choices are a bit over-simplified for now, and I've got more ideas behind each one. I might end up trying to develop more than one of them into settings, but I just wanted to see which one sparked the most initial interest. Thanks!

[Seraph]

Well, I see a few settings, but the first is the only actual campaign I see.  I'd wonder what the actual motivation would be for this campaign, but it could potentially be a lot of fun.

The rest don't have enough information yet for me to say I'd be interested in playing in them.  What would the adventures be?  I mean, Imperialist Dwarves as the predominant race is something I've done before, so I like the idea, but without a conflict stemming from it, or an adventure where this becomes relevant, its just a detail that doesn't matter.  Same thing with the multiverses: are the heroes trying to STOP the gates from closing?  What do they stand to lose if they close?  Or perhaps there have been explorers in another 'verse, and the heroes have to mount a rescue mission to bring them back before they are all trapped in another dimension forever.  If you are asking whether we'd like to play them, there has to be something to PLAY.

[Malachi Lemont]

Well, I see a few settings, but the first is the only actual campaign I see.  I'd wonder what the actual motivation would be for this campaign, but it could potentially be a lot of fun.

The rest don't have enough information yet for me to say I'd be interested in playing in them.  What would the adventures be?  I mean, Imperialist Dwarves as the predominant race is something I've done before, so I like the idea, but without a conflict stemming from it, or an adventure where this becomes relevant, its just a detail that doesn't matter.  Same thing with the multiverses: are the heroes trying to STOP the gates from closing?  What do they stand to lose if they close?  Or perhaps there have been explorers in another 'verse, and the heroes have to mount a rescue mission to bring them back before they are all trapped in another dimension forever.  If you are asking whether we'd like to play them, there has to be something to PLAY.

A very good point. I should have called them settings, rather than campaigns. The reason the first one is the only true campaign idea is because that's the one I've given the most thought to. I tried to do some more brainstorming on the other topics, but I have to admit they were really just afterthoughts. If you don't like any of the ideas and you'd rather I started fresh, that's fine too, just let me know. But if you're interested in learning more about the first concept, here is:

"Back from Hell"
While you were still alive, someone tricked you out of your soul, and offered it to the Devil. How this happened is up to you. You didn't find out until you died and found yourself face to face with the Devil himself. But the Devil knows you really don't deserve to be in Hell, so he's giving you one chance to save yourself from eternal suffering. He wants you to return to Earth in the form of an undead being and hunt down some of the evil souls who have managed to escape Hell for far too long. In exchange, he will grant you  your freedom, and you will be able to rest in peace. But will the Devil keep his word? It seems like he's your only hope, but you don't exactly have to trust him. Meanwhile, with each moment you spend among the living world, your body decays more and more. If you don't find a solution, you will rot away into the dust.

[Humabout]

The forth would have been awesome, but I have to agree with SH in that the first is the only campaign concept.  The fourth is a great setting idea, though.

[Fortunato]

I like the second setting.  It made me think of a world where writing is magic.  Those that know how and have the talent can create or alter the world just by writing on things.  What you can write on you can change.  Graffiti could be a powerful thing.  It's strength linked to it's beauty.

It also made me think of that Twilight Zone with the tape recorder which is not a bad thing.

[Malachi Lemont]

I like the second setting.  It made me think of a world where writing is magic.  Those that know how and have the talent can create or alter the world just by writing on things.  What you can write on you can change.  Graffiti could be a powerful thing.  It's strength linked to it's beauty.

It also made me think of that Twilight Zone with the tape recorder which is not a bad thing.

Thanks, Fortuanto. About the second one - I did have some other setting ideas like having a band of mutant-like people who are called the Misspellings, because the names of their souls were misspelled at birth. There would be another group called the Nameless, who essentially have no souls and thus live in a zombie-like trance. People who have a strong faith in the Editor often defend the discrimination of Misspellings, while those who follow the Author adopt a more egalitarian attitude. More about the Gods: The Author is female and represents creativity, originality, but also the past. The Editor is male and represents order, justice, and the present day. The Publisher is neither male nor female, and represents the mysterious and unknown future. Many religious zealots refer to an apocalyptic event called the Publishing when everyone's fate will be sealed.

Actually, I could combine this with the fourth idea, the multiverse, by having people create entirely new worlds just by writing about them. But in order to do this, they have to be in the Library, which acts as a nexus, or metaverse, between the universes. In the library, every book not only represents a world, but actually contains a world. Books where every page has been filled represent worlds whose history has come to an end - dead worlds. Living worlds contain many blank pages - they are still being written. Needless to say, getting into the library is very difficult - simply by ripping out a page, you could erase a year of history - or even a century!

[Fortunato]

Very cool, you should see where that setting leads you :)

[SA]

Regarding the setting-as-book idea, here's something I posted a few years back. Very brief, hardly any content, but if it sparks inspiration you're welcome to it.

[Malachi Lemont]

I'm going to use this thread to toss around all my setting ideas that I'm not quite sure about. Here's one more:

A world where everyone is a shapeshifter. From birth until adolescence, you are fully human. As you come of age, you find out what your animal avatar is. At first, the transformation from human to animal is uncontrollable. As you mature, you learn how to manage it. Women lose their ability to shapeshift during pregnancy, but regain it after childbirth. Two people with the same animal avatar cannot marry - it is considered incest. People with dragon avatars are the most highly revered, and women who give birth to dragons become honorary dragons themselves. There are a few people in the world who cannot shapeshift - they are stuck in human or animal form. People stuck in human form are discriminated against - they are considered weak, fragile, without a soul. Those trapped in their animal avatars have an even worse fate - they are usually outcast from society altogether and live in the wilderness. Some true animals exist, who have no human intelligence whatsoever. But shapeshifted animals are always larger than true animals.

[HippopotamusDundee]

I'm going to use this thread to toss around all my setting ideas that I'm not quite sure about. Here's one more:

A world where everyone is a shapeshifter. From birth until adolescence, you are fully human. As you come of age, you find out what your animal avatar is. At first, the transformation from human to animal is uncontrollable. As you mature, you learn how to manage it. Women lose their ability to shapeshift during pregnancy, but regain it after childbirth. Two people with the same animal avatar cannot marry - it is considered incest. People with dragon avatars are the most highly revered, and women who give birth to dragons become honorary dragons themselves. There are a few people in the world who cannot shapeshift - they are stuck in human or animal form. People stuck in human form are discriminated against - they are considered weak, fragile, without a soul. Those trapped in their animal avatars have an even worse fate - they are usually outcast from society altogether and live in the wilderness. Some true animals exist, who have no human intelligence whatsoever. But shapeshifted animals are always larger than true animals.

I LIKE THIS VERY MUCH

[Seraph]

I'm going to use this thread to toss around all my setting ideas that I'm not quite sure about. Here's one more:

A world where everyone is a shapeshifter. From birth until adolescence, you are fully human. As you come of age, you find out what your animal avatar is. At first, the transformation from human to animal is uncontrollable. As you mature, you learn how to manage it. Women lose their ability to shapeshift during pregnancy, but regain it after childbirth. Two people with the same animal avatar cannot marry - it is considered incest. People with dragon avatars are the most highly revered, and women who give birth to dragons become honorary dragons themselves. There are a few people in the world who cannot shapeshift - they are stuck in human or animal form. People stuck in human form are discriminated against - they are considered weak, fragile, without a soul. Those trapped in their animal avatars have an even worse fate - they are usually outcast from society altogether and live in the wilderness. Some true animals exist, who have no human intelligence whatsoever. But shapeshifted animals are always larger than true animals.

I LIKE THIS VERY MUCH

I agree, this is pretty cool.  I am getting SOMETHING of an "animal vs. Animal" feel from this (ala Gregory MacGuire's Wicked).  In wicked a Goat, as contrasted with a simple goat, is capable of thought, speech, and emotions that are equal to that of a human.  Or perhaps you didn't want them to be able to communicate across forms. 

Still, this does lead to the possibility of encountering a pack of wolves lead by a Wolf avatar.  Which would be interesting on some level.

And there sounds like there would be a lot of cool implications of this society that I'd like to see fleshed out.

[Malachi Lemont]

So if your avatar is a Cow, you can eat pork, but not beef. And vice versa if your avatar is a Pig. This gives the Chick-fil-A cows a whole new level of awesomeness.

All the Avatar animals are roughly human-sized. A little larger, a little smaller. You'll never see a mouse or a lizard as an avatar. You might, however, see a panther, a crocodile, or an antelope avatar. Dragon avatars are large, but not enormous - around 7 to 8 feet tall on their hind legs. More like crocodiles with wings than the typical dragons of fantasy.

[Seraph]

So if your avatar is a Cow, you can eat pork, but not beef. And vice versa if your avatar is a Pig. This gives the Chick-fil-A cows a whole new level of awesomeness.

All the Avatar animals are roughly human-sized. A little larger, a little smaller. You'll never see a mouse or a lizard as an avatar. You might, however, see a panther, a crocodile, or an antelope avatar. Dragon avatars are large, but not enormous - around 7 to 8 feet tall on their hind legs. More like crocodiles with wings than the typical dragons of fantasy.

I have a question now: Is what animal avatar one has linked to their environment?  You mention panthers, crocodiles, and antelopes.  You wouldn't find a crocodile in frozen, windswept mountains; does this carry over to the Avatars? 

[LD]

Well I suppose you could eat beef if you were a cow... you'd just be at risk of mad cow disease- or in fantasy realm- you'd become a Werecow (!)

Good concept there Malachi :)

[Malachi Lemont]

The werecow idea is simply amazing!!!!!