Continents...
North (Scandinavian): Vinmarden or Geltheim?
Eastern (Mediterranean): Grest or Anakletos?
Western (Menacing): Far Shadar or Sulshem?
Southern (Oriental/South American): Shangotl or Xathia?
North: I like Vinmarden, but I think Geltheim could work as either a country or more probably a city name.
Eastern: How about Anakletos with the big island as Grest?
Western: Far Shadar sounds right, it also means that there should be just Shadar somewhere as well. probably also not a nice place to be.
Southern: I think Shangotl.
Cool.
I can definitely see a continent called Vinmarden, with countries and regions like:
Country: Hjelm
Capital: Geltheim
Population: 60% Human, 30% Dwarf (Standard), 5% Elf (Storm), 5% Halfling (Darkling)
Hjelm is a country of deep fjords, surrounded by a vast forest known as the Sleepingmarch Wilds, a dark, unexplored region of werewolves and shadow fey.
Sound alright?
Cool.
I can definitely see a continent called Vinmarden, with countries and regions like:
Country: Hjelm
Capital: Geltheim
Population: 60% Human, 30% Dwarf (Standard), 5% Elf (Storm), 5% Halfling (Darkling)Hjelm is a country of deep fjords, surrounded by a vast forest known as the Sleepingmarch Wilds, a dark, unexplored region of werewolves and shadow fey.
Sound alright?
Perhaps the western edge of Vinmarden? I can add a mountain range along that coast.
Perhaps Old Shadar then?
... Which suggest a reason for the higher level magic disappearing. To isn't a lack of knowledge, but the spells invoked as those higher levels started invoking madness in their practitioners, more, the more they practiced - and they would go mad and ... Vanish. And no one of any sense practices anything but highly ritualized version of more powerful spells these days, even the evil and wicked - for anyone that goes down that path goes mad long before they get a chance to use it.
I saw it more in being connected to the Primal god of magic either dying or becoming disconnected from people when they arrived on this world. But perhaps the reasons could be linked or lost to myth.
So a line that says something to the effect of.
Some say that to use more powerful spells invites madness upon one's self, others that the first god of magic died and its influence is slowly waning. But the prevailing belief is that he merely turned his gaze away from the world. Regardless it is a fact that only those who learned magic in the godlands can safely perform such spells.
On another note later this week I will try to post that has all the latest information about the project in one place. Also we need a name for the world.
Perhaps the western edge of Vinmarden? I can add a mountain range along that coast.
Sounds good.
As far as the name Far Shadar vs. old Shadar...Well, I was just trying to add a bit of flavor. In my head, I could hear the denizens of one of the other continents talking about Far Shadar, off across the sea...
But I am not married to the concept.
Perhaps the western edge of Vinmarden? I can add a mountain range along that coast.Sounds good.
As far as the name Far Shadar vs. old Shadar...Well, I was just trying to add a bit of flavor. In my head, I could hear the denizens of one of the other continents talking about Far Shadar, off across the sea...
But I am not married to the concept.
It could also be interchangeable, with some regions proudly claiming to be descendants of Old Shadar, (as RDM42 mentioned) trying to tie their claims to history. While others speak of Far Shadar in little more than a wisper, as if speaking of it aloud will cause its horrors to be brought along with it.
Current plan for the map is to scan it at work tomorrow then add borders in paint and upload something other than a photo of a map tomorrow or Thursday night. I also have started on a second cleaner copy of the map.
I love this!
to be clear we are talking about the western continent which was devastated by always being the first area hit by a new wave of people arriving from the Godlands, which would be located on a separate plane (I think). Still there would have been groups that left Shadar for the lands to the east at various points in time, while it was still functional with multiple countries, when it is disfuctional by still inhabitable, and those abandoning the lands as unlivable.
to be clear we are talking about the western continent which was devastated by always being the first area hit by a new wave of people arriving from the Godlands, which would be located on a separate plane (I think). Still there would have been groups that left Shadar for the lands to the east at various points in time, while it was still functional with multiple countries, when it is disfuctional by still inhabitable, and those abandoning the lands as unlivable.Yah. And the earliest waves thought of it as a kingdom established when fleeing, which was felled by later interlopers ... And the later interlopers thought of it as an area of painful chaos and death.
Exactly, and while it has been abandoned by civilized peoples, it probably has a healthy population of things like orcs, trolls, ogres and other more mystical and mysterious beasts. Perhaps every few generations a chieftain manages to gather enough tribes under his banner and launch large scale attacks or raids against civilized nations? Imagine the horror of a fleet of ships appearing on the horizon and realizing that they are filled with orcs and worse coming to raid and pillage or possibly even stay. All you can do is pray to the gods that your death will be swift and relatively painless.
I now have a scan of the map instead of a picture, in both pdf and JPEG. Once I get home I can add borders to the map in paint. So there should be a better map up tonight.
The scans are in.
First is the map without borders and second is the one with borders
At this time no cities, ruins, wizard towers, etc have been placed on the map
Alright then. Now we're cooking. I will start figuring the major breakdowns of where races are predominately found or originate.
I am starting to put together a summary post, Should I start a new thread with it?
Also we need a setting name.
A new thread, or even a Google Doc might be in order. I'll come up with a list of setting names to choose from.
I am probably half done the summary post, but i am busy after work today. Hopefully it will be done after work Friday. I have also started putting some of the names you were throwing out at least to continents.
If its a new thread, link from this thread to the new one.
Of course.
RDM do you want to get started on the pantheons? I am thinking either 3 or 4. For right now we probably only need a name, their area of specialty and an alignment.
Lets see. North continent. Let's say that was the first place fled to from old Shadar. I'll work on that first.
So far the northern Continent has a Scandinavian feel. I would say it has high populations of dwarves including several sub-species, probably smoke elves, Dustlings, lots of half-orcs including all sub-species and lightning gnomes.
I feel like there should definitely be group of Viking dwarf clans probably allied with groups of human and half orc barbarians in Vinmarden.
I agree about the Viking dwarves. That was where I came up with this idea' from page 2:
Grimhelm, A rare Dwarf surface city.
And
Vasterhelm: A giant under city of the Dwarves, built under a glacier, kept from warming and calving by enormous runes carved into it, with sea tunnels that boats sail through to gain entrance to a harbor/port with a ceiling of blue ice.
I can envision Dwarven longboats sailing into tunnels in a glacier, with them pounding on drums.
I am not sure if they have ever been done, but mixing Vikings and Dwarves is an idea that is just begging to be done.
I was thinking Vasterhelm would be the perfect location.
I have other ideas for Grimhelm.
more to follow when I get the new thread with a consolidated idea post up.
Those are the first four, how many do we want, and what other roles?
Perhaps a god of mining/ smithing or even just craftsmanship?
A god of the hunt/ forest?
A weather god?
just some ideas, each pantheon should probably be at least 6 gods and no more than a dozen.
I think the pantheons will be more regional than racial. Hoping to have the new thread up before going to bed tonight.
Edit: Blackmoore's night has some pretty awesome music
Ok. Some possible Setting names: Ravengar: The Crimson Dominion
Celestia: The Splintered Kingdoms
Battlemor: The Forsaken Lands
Dungeonmoor
Ok. Some possible Setting names: Ravengar: The Crimson Dominion
Celestia: The Splintered Kingdoms
Battlemor: The Forsaken Lands
Dungeonmoor
I like Celstia: The splintered Kingdoms or perhaps realms?
Once we have a setting name I will start setting up the new thread.
So RDM you are saying Orcs, goblins and such would still worship the Primal gods? some of who are dead, others broken and yet more driven insane by slaying their own sons.
So are we agreed on "Celstia: The splintered realms" as our setting name?
So RDM you are saying Orcs, goblins and such would still worship the Primal gods? some of who are dead, others broken and yet more driven insane by slaying their own sons.A combination of that, and some of the sons that sided with them. Thoughts?
I think it could work, gives an obvious reason for us vs them. I doubt there is much negotiating with guys who literally helped kill one of your gods.
Celstia or Celestia? The Splintered Realms.
I can work with either, anyway.