Campaign Questionnaire - Sandbox
From Toosigma
Contents |
COSMOLOGY
- Is this a new world? Is it a remade world? Is it a futuristic/past version of another campaign world? - This is a totally new amalgamation of ideas. Many of the individual ideas have sources in other worlds (real and imagined), but there is no primary source of inspiration.
- The world is young? Old? - The world is relatively old, in that civilizations have existed for many thousands of years. The physical world however still has many traits of an "untouched" or "unspoiled" world. The "erosion" of old civilizations and their eventual replacements still has not managed to taint the world.
- What is this world’s place in the cosmos? Is it wholly in the prime material? Is it in a demi-plane? Is it a plane of its own? - I'm using the new 4E cosmology, so the world inhabits the Material Plane, and there are reflections in both the Feywild and the Shadowfell. The Elemental Chaos and Astral Space are more remote. I'm also considering adding a "Plane of Dreams" - but haven't yet decided it's status/details.
- Are there other non-natives in the world? Is it only non-natives? - The dwarves, dragonborn, and humans are all native to the world. Elves/Eladrin/Drow and Goblins emigrated from the Feywild millenia ago. The halflings origin is unknown. The tieflings and half-elves are both products of the history of the world.
- Is planar travel possible? Is it common? - Planar travel to both the Shadowfell and the Feywild is known, and sometimes (often?) accidental. Gates to the Elemental Chaos are far more rare, and voyages to Astral Space are almost unheard of since the Demongate Wars.
RELIGION
- Are the gods uninvolved? Dead? Evil? Good? Psychotic? - I prefer non-interventionist deities as it makes faith more meaningful. There are many beings who claim to work for some divine superior, but none can really offer "proof" that the gods do exist.
- What and when was the creation? - The prime world was created by the Old One, forging it out of the raw stuff of creation from the Elemental Chaos. His servants (Primordials/Titans/Giants) filled it with all manner of non-living creations. It wasn't until the "gods" took an interest and started creating the "lesser" races. The Old One grew angry at their interference, and the Great Primordial War began - ultimately the Old One was cast down by the combined armies and his seething rage tore a whole in creation - the Abyss.
- What was the previous age?
- Is good or evil in charge? Neither? - I don't much care for the Good/Evil alignment axis, all creatures believe that they are "good," so good/evil distinctions become a matter of opinion. Depending on your definition of "good", the faction in charge could be anyone.
- What keeps the balance between good and evil, or what is it keeping good or evil in charge?
SCIENCE
- Is there anything unique about the physical earth? Plants? Air? Sky? Sun? moon? Stars? Water? Weather? - I haven't yet decided, but I may make the world a moon of a gas giant, making some pretty major changes to the standard astronomical events. To minimize cognitive distortion, most everything is Earth-normal, with only small variations for color.
- What does the typical human/elf/Eladrin/Halfling/gnome/dwarf/orc/goblin/tiefling look like in this world? - I don't have plans to change the default appearance of any standard race.
- What is the technological level? Is there gunpowder? Is there steel? Adamantite or other special metals? - Since the Demongate Wars ended a century ago, most technological and magical advancement has regressed. The basic technological level is about that of the Dark Ages and magic has been widely outlawed, but many items in the world were created at a time when technology was more advanced, opening the possibility for strange and unusual artifacts.
- What are the animals like? - Again, pretty much Earth-normal, with a few exceptions. Maybe the animals are larger, more intelligent?
HISTORY
- Is the world a future/past version of an existing campaign setting?
- How did the world get to this age, or this place in time?
- Were there major historical events that have shaped the world?
- Are there important racial histories? - The Giants once held the dwarves enslaved during the Primordial Wars, and the enmity persists to this day. Arkhosia (Dragonborn) and Bael Turath (Tiefling) were once mighty empires, before they destroyed each other in war. The Petran Empire (Human) grew out of Bael Turath's ashes and Tyrfyron (Elven/Eladrin) was a shining example of cooperation before both were ultimately brought down by the Demongate Wars. Many halflings were enslaved by Petra, and remain in servitude even after its fall.
MAGIC
- Does magic function as written in the core books? As another system? As purely elemental? As purely arcane? As purely sorcery? - I see most different types of magic originating from a single source - including both divine and arcane magic. There are different means of accessing the source (resulting in the different applications in the core books).
- How about psionics? - I do love psionics, but since the rules for them won't be published for some time, I may leave it for future introduction.
- How about other power sources? - The "single source" idea lends itself well to adding new sources as new means of access are discovered. Something achievable via unshakable faith may not be achievable via formulae, or via mental acumen.
SOCIOLOGY
- What is day-to-day life like in this world? For PCs? For good NPCs? For evil ones? For the rich/highest social or poor/lowest social?
- What is civilization like? Is there any? - Most of civilization was destroyed during the Demongate Wars - only small pockets of society still exist, and most at a very low level of subsistence. Some trade does exist, but it is highly dangerous given the threats in the world.
- Are there cities? How common are cities? Is most of the world rural or is it urban?
- What are the familial units like? Do they vary from race to race? - Family units vary. Dragonborn typically have no family, Dwarves are clannish with very large extended families. Elves/Eladrin are not strongly tied by blood, instead forming "Houses" based upon personality, as well as being more matriarchal than the other races. Halflings typically have large extended families, all descended from a single family head, while Humans have all more "Earth normal" groupings.
- What is the form of government? Hierarchical? Anarchy? Oligarchy? Aristocracy? Theocracy? - Elves/Eladrin tend towards Matriarchy, while the Dwarves are staunchly Monarchic. Neither the dragonborn nor the tieflings has had a strong racial government since Arkhosia/Bael Turath. Otherwise, the entire gamut of political structure can be found.
- Are there political factions? - Of course. :)
- What liberties do adventurers/commoners/aristocrats have? - Much depends on which legal system is in use - the Petran Code of Justice, the Tarnnish "Way of Truth", or something more localized.
- Are men/women/old/young the “favored” social status?
- What is used for currency? Is there only barter? Is possession illegal? - Many of the old Petran coinage still exists, and even older currencies can occasionally be found in circulation. Barter tends to be more used since the Demongate Wars with the collapse of society and trade. Systems of credit existed in many of the older empires, but they are almost unheard of today, given the extreme risks associated.
- Taxes (as in, how much; there are always taxes).
- How do magic items and services affect the world’s economy? Are they a regular commodity? Can they not be purchased at all? - Few magic items exist outside of private collections, and are probably rarely (if ever) bought and sold as commodities. Inheritance, whether by blood or by violence, is probably the only means to acquire items.
- What are the social stratifications? Are they economic? Are they social? Racial?
- What languages are there? One? Racial? Geographical? High and low? - The primary languages in use in the campaign area are Common (the halfling trade-tongue), Petran, and Tarrnish. The Eladrin/Elves/Drow all speak close dialects of Eliar (the root elven tongue), while Turathi and Petran eventually grew out of them. Tarrnish, Arkhosian, and Draconic all share cognates, while Dwarven and Giant are similar. I expect that people who speak one language will be able to communicate with someone who speaks a closely related language, but maybe only roughly.
GEOGRAPHY
- Are there multiple continents? - Yes, but I haven't detailed much outside the starting area
- Are there major bodies of water? - Again yes, I've been modeling the world loosely on Pegasia, a constructed world from Planetcopia.
- Are there important, large geographical features? (i.e. deserts, tundra, a gaping hole)
ANTHROPOLOGY
- Are all core races avialable? Some? Only humans? Only another? In what proportions? - Only three races have major population centers in the North - humans, elves, and dwarves. The Elven city of Tyrfyron was destroyed at the climax of the Demongate Wars, and many of the elves sought refuge in smaller villages or the settlements of other races. The Petran Empire and the Tarrnish Clans were the largest human settlements, and the humans far outnumber all the other races. The dwarven city of Moradukr went relatively unscathed in the Wars, though the dwarves remain staunchly isolationist. Many halflings, both slaves and wanderers, inhabit or travel between the human settlements. Dragonborn are typically itinerant sellswords or sailors, though a few families exist in the more remote Tarrnish Clans. There are no major concentrations of Tieflings, but the rare individual can be found.
- Do the 5 senses function as normal? Are any diminished? Accentuated? - I don't expect any changes in this area.
