Vote up a Fantasy Setting

[Joe]

Okay, I'll throw a vote in for fun.

Shape and Nature of the World
• Mostly Earthlike, but with some fantastical geography (flying islands, crystalline forests, vast underworld caverns, wandering mountains)

Magic System
• Magic as Powers

Tech Levels
• Mostly TL 2, sword-and-sorcery style
• Max TL 3 in the great capitals; no gunpowder

Races/sapient creatures
• Humans, humanoids, and non-humanoid races exist, may include spirits or talking beasts
(But for most people, anything that isn't human is very rare and frightening_)

Connections with other worlds
• World hopping is possible but rare

Gods
• The gods are mysterious, distant beings—some mortals may even doubt their existence

That's my two cents!

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Vote up a Fantasy Setting

Shape and Nature of the World
[• Mostly Earthlike, but with some fantastical geography (flying islands, crystalline forests, vast underworld caverns, wandering mountains)


Magic System please pick one. Or, if you really want more than one, choose 'Other' and specify
• GURPS Magic hardback


Tech Levels
• TL 4



Races/sapient creatures
Choose one option
• Humans, humanoids, and non-humanoid races exist, may include spirits or talking beasts

•Connections with other worlds
Choose one
• World hopping is possible but rare

Gods
choose one
•• The gods are mysterious, distant beings—some mortals may even doubt their existence

My fantastic geography probably leans towards flying islands. Vast caverns ahve en doen and I don';t kniow what I'd do with a crystakine forest except say "Oooh! Pretty!" and move on.

My vote for Magic is because it's the most developed system.Path/Book (with an emphasis on books) might eb aq second choice but I don'tt hink it's developed enough for an overt Fantasy world. Possibly alchemy could be used to take up the slack.

Both TL votes are for tL4" with possibly something like flying ships to get to the flying islands and lightish cannons to repel pirates. single shot pistol;s actually ahve little impact on most fantasy. Ballistas aren't really good substittes for the flying ships to shoot at each other.

Races are the more the merrier with an exception for a personal dislike of spirits.

I believe the rest to be self-explanatory.

[Faolyn]

Originally Posted by Purple Haze

The definition I was taught:

"low fantasy" - Magic is something ordinary people use in their daily lives.

"high fantasy" - Magic is not something an ordinary person would encounter, but where it exists it is world defining.

See, I view them as being the exact opposite.

For the most part, I think it depends on scope: high fantasy deals with world-changing events, and low fantasy deals with more localized issues.

Maybe. I think it's like art. Or smut. You know it when you see it.

Shape and Nature of the World
• Earthlike planet


Magic System
• Something else (please specify)
I would prefer to see a mix of magic rules being used - Magic as Powers for those who have divine gifts, the standard system for book learners, and something akin to RPM for those with an innate talent, either born of non-human parentage (demon or celestial origins) or just a sorcerous bent


Tech Levels
• TL 3 (specify with or without gunpowder, since not all TL 3 civilizations will have it)
• TL 4
No gunpowder - just pollutes a nice fantasy game. I like TL 3 as a base, with a few inclusions from TL4 where necessary, but only at the absolute outside, and for a much higher price than normal.

Races/sapient creatures
• Humans only
Unless this should be a "something else" because I want other-planar creatures to sometimes visit and interact with humans...

Connections with other worlds
• Isolated

Gods
• Distinct pantheons, probably in competition
One or more of these "pantheons" could be monotheistic faiths as well.

[Johnny Angel]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Vote up a Fantasy Setting

Voting is open on the following topics:

Shape and Nature of the World
Multiple votes are fine if the options can be reconciled, such as a hollow but Earthlike world, or a flat world with strange seasons

• Earthlike planet
• Mostly Earthlike, but with some fantastical geography (flying islands, crystalline forests, vast underworld caverns, wandering mountains)
• Flat world
• Strange seasons, day-night cycle, or climates
• Hollow world
• World not yet fully formed from Primal Chaos, subject to change by powerful magicians, heroes, villains, gods
• Other (pleases specify--'the real world' or 'a long time ago on Earth' go in this box)

My vote: Earthlike planet; other

I'm voting for the general shape and such to be Earthlike, but it need not necessarily be restricted to the climate and geographical figures we find here on Earth. I'd be happy with a few oddities and/or animals and features which are unique to the world.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Magic System please pick one. Or, if you really want more than one, choose 'Other' and specify
• Basic Set system only
• GURPS Magic hardback
• Something from Thaumatology (please specify)
• Magic as Powers
• Magic as Psionics
• Magic as alien/ancient super science
• No ‘magic’ in game terms. Magic is a matter of cultural beliefs, how people explain things. Many magicians are sincere believers, others are frauds.
• Something else (please specify)

GURPS Magic Hardback*

*However, see my vote below as to the nature of 'Gods'

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Tech Levels
Please vote twice, once for ‘default’ TL and once for the maximum TL that maybe included. These may be the same TL, if you like.
• TL 0
• TL 1
• TL 2
• TL 3 (specify with or without gunpowder, since not all TL 3 civilizations will have it)
• TL 4
• TL 5 or higher

Default - TL2

Max - TL4 for everything other than weapons and armor; no gunpowder

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Races/sapient creatures
Choose one option
• Humans only
• Humans and humanoid races only
• No humans, one or more other races exist
• Humans, humanoids, and non-humanoid races exist, may include spirits or talking beasts
• Spirits and Humans only
• Something else (please specify)

Humans, humanoids, and non-humanoid races exist, may include spirits or talking beasts

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Connections with other worlds
Choose one
• Isolated
• World hopping is possible but rare
• Gates are common
• Something else (please specify)

Gates are common

However, they may or may not be completely understood yet. What I have in mind is something similar to the moon gates from the Ultima rpg series.

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Gods
choose one
• One True God, possibly with saints, angels, demons, ancestor-spirits, 'small gods' etc. beneath him
• Two gods, one is good and the other is evil—or they otherwise represent opposed principles
• The gods are mysterious, distant beings—some mortals may even doubt their existence
• One pantheon for the world (gods may be known by different names and aspects to the various cultures/races)
• Distinct pantheons, probably in competition
• Other (please specify)

Other

Most of the things viewed as 'Gods' are (currently) more akin to what more typical religions might view as powerful spirits, angels, and/or demon... possibly fey as well. They exist on the material plane along with mortals.

Many of the magic users on this world have gained their powers via bargains with these beings. While this is a path to power, it is not without cost. The spirits often have strong personalities of their own and require various promises --in the form of the Pact limitation-- before they will impart some of their power on someone. The nature of a pact can vary wildly. One spirit may demand certain behaviors such as honesty; another might ask for something completely arbitrary such as a vow to kill all cats, and yet another might ask for something completely different. In essence, the vast majority of mages on this world function in a manner similar to how divine casters and power investiture would work in a different campaign world.

As many of the spirits currently have limited influence, their power might be weaker outside of their area of influence; in a manner similar to mana/sanctity levels. If servants of a 'god' work to increase the power of the god, the area of influence also grows. Likewise, the more power a god has, the more servants they are able to grant power to. Serving one god doesn't necessarily preclude service to another, but the terms of their respective deals might conflict with one another. Power can be given, but it can also be taken away.

[dntimm]

I thought I would put my 2 cents in :)

Shape of the world: Mostly Earth like planet with fantastic features and places.

Magic system: Standard GURPS magic book is my first choice, then magic as powers...


Tech Level: Either TL2 or TL3 without gun powder good iron-age weapons with steel being uncommon.

Races: Humans and humanoid with fantastic creatures to slay.

Connections to other worlds: World hopping is rare and through isolated gates

Gods: There are a few or a lot but they work through intermediaries or spirits. Some grant powers or secret knowledge.

[combatmedic]

Shape and Nature of the World
This one turned out to be pretty simple to judge.
I counted one ‘other’ vote as a half-vote for two fantastic options, as it read like an endorsement of the limited use of both such options.
• Earth, with real geography and cultures, but fantasy elements overlaid 1
• Earthlike 3
• Mostly Earthlike with strange seasons, day/night/climate 3 1/2
• Mostly Earthlike but with fantastic geography 7 1/2
• Not yet fully formed from Primal Chaos 1
My vote goes to Earthlike, but with fantastic geography, to tip that over to 8 1/2. That’s a clear winner. Weird seasons had a decent showing. Later in the project, if individual posters wish to include to include odd little microclimates, restricted to small regions like enchanted valleys where summer or winter never end, etc., that’s fine. But most of the world has seasons, climate, weather that would not be unfamiliar to us.

Magic
Many of you voted for multiple systems, gave secondary or even tertiary options, and so on. That’s fine. I’m going to make a synthesis. If anyone has questions, comments, or concerns, please post those.
The way it reads to me:
• Basic Set system only= no votes (unless you count it as part of GURPS Magic)
• GURPS Magic hardback= 3
• Something from Thaumatology (please specify)=1 for Book/Path Magic from Thaumology (mixed with hardback system)
• Magic as Powers=2 (with one voted asking for rituals to be used for ‘very powerful magic’)
• Magic as Psionics= no votes just for this, but see ‘Other’
• Magic as alien/ancient super science= no votes just for this, but see ‘Other’
• No ‘magic’ in game terms. Magic is a matter of cultural beliefs, how people explain things. Many magicians are sincere believers, others are frauds.= no votes
• Something else (please specify)=7 votes, but very much divided among different options. The overall trend seems to be towards ritual magic, but with some support for powers, alchemy, and standard GURPS magic. No clear winner here.


I’m voting for standard GURPS Magic. That gives the standard GURPS Magic system a plurality. But many of you included various forms of ritual and inherent magic in your ‘Other’ votes. You didn’t all agree on what combination of systems was best.

My proposed synthesis is this:
• Standard GURPS Magic, but ritual-casting only (no spells)
• Supernatural advantages like Oracle, Blessed, Awareness, etc. for ‘powers’ and divine gifts

If this doesn't work for most of you, I will re-do the magic vote with pared-down options.

[vicky_molokh]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

My proposed synthesis is this:
• Standard GURPS Magic, but ritual-casting only (no spells)
• Supernatural advantages like Oracle, Blessed, Awareness, etc. for ‘powers’ and divine gifts

If this doesn't work for most of you, I will re-do the magic vote with pared-down options.

Oracle and stuff certainly gets a plus from me.
I'm not quite sure what ritual-casting you're referring to (no spells). Ritual Magery and Ritual Paths as those of Professor William Headley (B315), as explained on Magic page 200?

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Oracle and stuff certainly gets a plus from me.
I'm not quite sure what ritual-casting you're referring to (no spells). Ritual Magery and Ritual Paths as those of Professor William Headley (B315), as explained on Magic page 200?

I'll have to pop open the book, but yes, the rules are in the Basic Set. We might do a few tweaks.

[combatmedic]

TECH VOTES:

Default
TL 4
TL 2 2
TL 3 w/o powder 2
TL 3 with matchlocks 1
Tl 3^, with gunpowder 1


Maximum
TL 4 5 votes ( but two guys want TL 4 but no powder, one of these two wants retarded weapons and armor in general)
TL 3, with TL 4 sword making 1
TL 3 w/o powder 4
Tl 3^, with gunpowder 1



I will vote for TL 3 with powder on both counts.
That makes the setting overall TL 3, with some regions more advanced in chemistry and weaponry, and other less so.
TL 4 stuff is certainly welcome, but it ought not to cover the entire setting. If Vicky wants to create a city of famous sword smiths with advanced techniques, or Brett wants a Laputa-esque flying island with cannon mounted on ships manned by piratical economists, that's cool. 
But let’s just leave some room for the anti-powder guys to have their low-tech tribes, cities, whatever.