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I thought we could use a thread to talk about 3rd party settings that are out there. Places that offer us new worlds to explore outside of Golarion. Personally I'm a big fan of world building and I love reading new settings. Each one lends themselves to their own style of adventure so I'm always interested in finding new ones.
At the moment I have 2 and I find both to be pretty good.
From LPJ Designs I have Neo-Exodus. To me it has the feel of a Fantasy version of Babylon 5. Great nations held together by a sort of United Nations style Senate, moving towards the brink of war. An Ancient evil lurking in the shadows manipulating events, a Black Clothed Psichic police force.
The other is John Wick's Wicked Fantasy. It's an excellent book that takes a new look at a lot of the classic races and reworks them to give each a new perspective. Not a huge amount of setting yet. 1 Kingdom ruled by humans, to which the other races have come for different reasons. The rest of the world is pretty open for homebrew at the moment. The big draw of the setting is it's unique perspective on the races. They have done an amazing job reinventing 10 classic races from both the core and the bestiary. A great choice if your tiered of the same-old Orcs, Dwarves, Goblins and Halflings.
Outside those two I've heard some good things about Midgarde but I haven't read anything myself and I am looking forward to the release of Obsidian Apocalypse (I do have the previous version and it's pretty cool but I'm biting my nails waiting for the new version. Think of it as Ravenloft meets Darksun)
Anyone else have opinions on these settings or other ones they would like to recommend?
Publisher, Raging Swan Press
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I feel compelled to bravely point out that Raging Swan Press has a free mini-campaign setting: The Lonely Coast.
"The furthest flung outpost of a mighty kingdom, turbulent waters and forbidding, trackless forests separate the folk of the Lonely Coast from the gaudy lights of civilisation. Pirates and slavers ply the southern storm-tossed waters while goblins and other foul things creep through the gloom of the Tangled Wood that seemingly chokes the forgotten holds and sacred places of the Old People. Deep within the forest, a narrow, rock-choked defile piled deep with shadow cuts through a nameless range of rugged, tree-shrouded hills birthing dark, fearsome legends of terrifying monsters and glittering, doom-laden treasures. The perils of the Lonely Coast are legion and thus there is always a need for those with stout hearts and skill with blade and spell or for those merely hungry for glory to defend humanity’s most tenuous enclave."
The Lonely Coast has picked up multiple five-star reviews and best of all - it's free!
You can download a copy at the Paizo store.
A couple of the PFRPG compatible settings I find intriguing or interesting are:
2. Amethyst. This setting goes into a lot of depth and meshes very different elements together to create a rich and varied world. This doesn't shy away more mature themes or politics, and is much stronger for its choices.
Awww, thanks.
Dot
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Apart from those already mentioned:
Headless Hydra Games' Mor Aldenn: City of Mages makes for a compelling city setting in a magocracy that can easily be inserted into larger realms. Unfortunately, HHG seems to have gone on hiatus/abandonned Pathfinder. Still, the setting book is a steal.
Rite Publishing's Kaidan (campaign setting book coming up, multiple adventures released) is Japanese Horror par excellence - what Asian Ravenloft should have been.
Finally, Rite's magical renaissance city-setting Questhaven counts among my more anticipated setting-books.
A non-human-centric high fantasy WuXia-book by Rite Publishing, Heroes of the Jade Oath also contains setting information. Not sure whether there'll be more Jade Oath-books, though.
Black Star Studios is working on the Shadowlands Campaign Setting. Not sure when it'll hit shelves.
Storm Bunny Studios has a unique setting as well, so far depicted in various small sourcebooks - Rhûne, a world blending electricity and industrial revolution with an impending doom. Think Arcanum meets Norse lore - Stormpunk.
There is a steampunk-setting called Terah, but I don't have the book.
Also rather awesome: Jon Brazer Enterprises' Shadowfall - essentially adventuring in the shadow plane.
From LPJ Designs I have Neo-Exodus. To me it has the feel of a Fantasy version of Babylon 5. Great nations held together by a sort of United Nations style Senate, moving towards the brink of war. An Ancient evil lurking in the shadows manipulating events, a Black Clothed Psichic police force.
Babylon 5 was exactly what feel were were going for with NeoExodus.
Outside those two I've heard some good things about Midgarde but I haven't read anything myself and I am looking forward to the release of Obsidian Apocalypse (I do have the previous version and it's pretty cool but I'm biting my nails waiting for the new version. Think of it as Ravenloft meets Darksun)
Just to keep you informed, we are just finishing up the last bits of Obsidian Apocalypse and I "hoped" to release it on Halloween, but it looks like 1st or 2nd week for the PDF release.
Black Star Studios is working on the Shadowlands Campaign Setting. Not sure when it'll hit shelves.
This is the one I am VERY interested in seeing. Loved the concept and can't wait to see more of it.
The Midgard Campaign Setting
The Imperial Gazetteer
The Tales of the Old Margreve (The aware forest ShadowcatX mentions)
Dwarves of the Ironcrags (d20)
Northlands
Sunken Empires (Lost empire information)
Streets of Zobeck
Dark Roads & Golden Hells (Planar aspects)
Zobeck Gazetteer
Journeys to the West (And the companion book, Pirates of the Western Seas)
Player's Guide to the Crossroads
Player's Guide to the Dragon Empire
Player's Guide to the Rothenian Plains
Player's Guide to the Seven Cities
Player's Guide to the Wasted West
Midgard Legends (Important legends and NPC information)
Midgard Bestiary (Collected campaign specific monsters)
Deep Magic isn't out yet, but it collects all of the campaign specific spells and traditions, while adding large chunks.
Lots of small bits in Kobold Quarterly, like airships, for instance, or duergar cities. There's also some bits in the Ecologies, but it's d20/4E.
The adventures from Kobold Press are all set in this world, so they provide additional details. There are currently ~50 adventures available for Midgard from 1st to 11th level (maybe 12th? I'm not 100% sure), including some convention adventures, and more if you count d20 or 4E ones. There are only 7 Open Design projects which were patron-only, and they both occasionally show up on ebay and have had much their setting material incorporated into later products. In fact, one was recently converted to Pathfinder and is supposed to be coming out with Realmworks. The Bestiary and the Campaign Setting have HeroLab files, and I *think* there's a set of 10 portfolios for campaign iconics available on Lone Wolf.
The only other settings with that much material are Golarion and Neoexodus (although LPJP has a lot of little files, so it's tough to say if it's more or not), possibly Questhaven, if you consider that all of the supplements Rite Publishing does are set in the world of Questhaven, we're just waiting on the primary setting book.
-Ben.
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I'd also point out that The Midgard Campaign Setting was recently nominated for an Ennie. What's more, the Midgard Campaign Setting is now in its second or third printing!
There's even a Midgard Campaign Setting FREE Preview!
Oh, and a quick comment about Deep Magic ... it's going to be an AMAZING, must have book for any Pathfinder player, whether or not you play in Midgard!
Regarding Wicked Fantasy: I don't have the hardcover compilation. I loved the concepts of the individual races-pdfs - and I shudder when thinking about the execution. Thought the Crunch in Oathbound Seven was bad?
Wicked Fantasy Elves and Gnolls (and to a lesser extent Roddun) were much, much worse and rank among the worst racial pdfs I've ever read. Superb fluff, horrid crunch. However, they may have fixed it in the final book, not sure since I don't have it.
My reviews of the unavailable racial pdfs:
Another thing about Oathbound - while I LOVE the setting, Eclipse has stopped supporting Pathfinder and is developing their own system, so no new books coming for Pathfinder Oathbound, I'm afraid.
Tricky Owlbear's Behind the Spells and Behind the Monsters series both operate in the same implied setting. The world has never been identified by name but it has gathered a robust history thus far with each passing issue. As a Forgotten Realms fan, I always envisioned this world being very similar in scope and composition. Maybe one day we'll produce a little world book if there is demand.
We released the Necropunk Campaign Setting + 2 follow up books (a Bestiary and a Welshen Source book) with 2 more source books and an adventure path coming.
We've also done 3 "Campaign Inspirations". They are mini campaign settings (like 5-20 pages) that give you the flavor, some mechanics, but leave a lot of it open ended. We did A Land Out Of Time (a dinosaur setting), Equinox (where everything is effected by the year long seasons), and Of Angels and Demons (a biblical "war in heaven" style setting).
I really enjoy Midgard. I describe it a bit as if Howard, Lovecraft, and Smith collobrated with the Brothers Grimm with some other influences thrown in for good measure. As Ben pointed out above, Midgard is very heavily supported with additional products besides the campaign guide. I grew up in the TSR days when there were a lot of settings with heavy support (even tie-in novels) and I really enjoyed that. Even if I wasn't getting to play in that setting, I could still read and learn more about that particular campaign world with new material which kept me interested and excited in it. So for me, as a customer, I tend to enjoy those campaign worlds more which get a lot of product support.
Lonely Coast is awesome, too, but I'm a little biased. Still, I'd love to see Raging Swan maybe do something like a Kickstarter for a megadungeon based on the Twisted Gorge.
One not mentioned that I liked a lot when I read it was Fat Goblin Games Shadows Over Vathak. It combines elements of classic Ravenloft with the Cthulhu mythos. I own a PDF of the original smaller release and someday, need to get myself a print copy of the updated, expanded campaign book.
Overall, there are a lot of great 3PP campaign worlds out there to choose from. I just wish I had more time to run campaigns in them all!
+1 to all these campaigns that are out! I love them!
One question though, for LMPJR, what is going to be new in the upcoming re-release of Obsidian Twilight? I'm a HUGE fan of the setting and I was curious as to what the changes would be.
+1 to all these campaigns that are out! I love them!
One question though, for LMPJR, what is going to be new in the upcoming re-release of Obsidian Twilight? I'm a HUGE fan of the setting and I was curious as to what the changes would be.
Obsidian Twilight is now Obsidian Apocalypse and we built in from the ground up. New artwork, new writers including JP Chapleau, Kalyna Conrad, Eric Hindley, Jeff Lee, Owen K.C. Stephens, Richard Pett, Rich Redman and myself; over 80 feats and over 95 spells; New material with four template campaigns that you can use in ANY Pathfinder setting. If you liked Obsidian Twilight with all it's issue and flaws, then you will absolutely LOVE Obsidian Apocalypse.
When does it come out and what's the price tag? I'm about to go crash before college in a few hours, but I'm going to check back later and find out so I can save up the cash to buy it! *Khymer form bubbles in anticipation*
When does it come out and what's the price tag? I'm about to go crash before college in a few hours, but I'm going to check back later and find out so I can save up the cash to buy it! *Khymer form bubbles in anticipation*
We were "hoping" to release it by Halloween, so I am now saying before Thanksgiving. The full book is going to be 200 pages and the PDF will be $10.99, while I am still not sure about he color POD version. I would like to think it would be $29.99 but don't hold that to me because it could be cheaper OR more expensive. We will see.
And the Khymer are the most interesting race EVER created for Pathfinder. Period. There is NO debate on this point. I will challenge any 3PP or Paizo to make a race and cool and bad ass as them. They ARE amazing and interesting and they fit perfectly for the Obsidian Apocalypse setting.
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And the Khymer are the most interesting race EVER created for Pathfinder. Period. There is NO debate on this point. I will challenge any 3PP or Paizo to make a race and cool and bad ass as them. They ARE amazing and interesting and they fit perfectly for the Obsidian Apocalypse setting.Quite the bold claim. How are you going to back it up?
the Khymer are Psychic body snatching sentient ooze
Looking forward to it LMPJR! Drat, there goes my b-day money from several people on the Bestiary 4, Obsidian Apocalypse, and Throne of Night book 1! Oh well, at least it'll be spent entertaining me and keeping me from slipping into boredom-induced madness, so it will be well spent!
Quite the bold claim. How are you going to back it up?
As my father would say: It ain't bragging if it is true...
But let me offer you this: Send me your email and I will send you a free copy of Adventure Path Iconics: Path of Undeath and you can get a look at the Khymer in action with the other six races from the upcoming Obsidian Apocalypse. If you don't like them well it did cost you anything. If you like them, you got a free product and you can support Obsidian Apocalypse when it comes out later this month. This is a perfect win-win. Does this sound reasonable to you?
ShadowcatX, you should take that deal!
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Also rather awesome: Jon Brazer Enterprises' Shadowfall - essentially adventuring in the shadow plane.
Thanks for the mention EZG. Yea, the Shadowsfall: Shadow Plane Player's Companion and the Book of Beasts: Monsters of the Shadow Plane are the two main books at the moment covering Shadowsfall. the setting works with any campaign setting, allowing you to plug-and-play (as it were) the setting right into your existing campaign setting. Several other supplement for Shadowsfall, as well as fiction, can be found here.
I will take you up on that.
Sent to you and I hope you enjoy.
I will take you up on that.Sent to you and I hope you enjoy.
Awesome deal, indeed. Make sure you post a review once you've absorbed the awesomeness the khymer (and friends) bring to the table!
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Rite's Coliseum Morpheon is a sort of mini setting for high level play in the plane of Dreams.