This is essentially a consolidation project for my HEROic D&D posts and my Mining Mystara series of posts with a whiff of the filipino setting stuff I've been doing. I plan on building some stuff (weapons, characters, creatures, magic) and HERO has always been my go-to system for things like that.
Also, I guess I don't feel like misleading Mystara fans with posts about the setting that aren't really about canon Mystara -- though I will cite the references as often as I can.
Last reason: what's the point of mining if you don't use that ore for something yes?
Influences
I'm also looking at settings that sparked my interest for alternative campaigns: the Freeport setting, Thieves' World, Cthulhu-in-D&D setting and mini-settings, as well as deconstructive / back-to-the-origins analysis of D&D.
To complicate matters further, I also want to tap the filipino setting a bit -- already being done by the Nosfecatus and Hari Ragats of the world -- by creating a specific riff on the colonization of another culture in a fantasy setting.
There was a post in the blogosphere about how the art of D&D should reflect the Medieval European roots of the early pseudo-setting (which I'm a bit iffy about, but that's fodder for another post), and I was struck by the possibility of focusing on a High Middle Ages- to Late Middle Ages-inspired setting, with the clash of Christian and pagan religions, the activities of colonial powers, state-sponsored exploration of strange corners of the world, and so on.
Of course, as a history-challenged individual with precious little time available in day-to-day life, I'd prefer to just focus on one location rather than out-and-out world-building. Everything else can be shrouded by rumors, misinformation and mysteries.
Sounds interesting. Mystara is a cool setting. For me, it sort of gets a pass on some thing I probably wouldn't like if other settings did them--it just all hangs together so well. An infusion of things filipino is a neat idea too.
ReplyDeleteI'm interested in seeing what the final result looks like.
Thanks for the interest!
ReplyDeleteNaturally, like with many high-concept ideas it's the execution that matters.
But I have been inspired by work from you and others in the blogosphere (like the Hari Ragat blog and Fire in the Jungle blog and supplement) to try my hand at it at last.
Echoing Trey, this definitely sounds very interesting. Fusing together a new setting out of all of those different elements should produce something really cool. Also, I suspect its a challenge you'll enjoy, which is rather important. Good luck with it!
ReplyDelete