Banestorm - Djinn Lands

[Outlaw]

I considered posting in this thread but this is not specifically about mapping so...

Not harping on the writers, but, the Djinn Lands don't appeal to me at all.

I've considered multiple options from coastal jungle, desolate rocky badlands, and a Feyworld type landscape. Has anyone else replaced this area or had thoughts about what it could be replaced with?

[Rolando]

For me it looks empty because it is not really mapped.

It may contain the weirdest terrains and landscapes or be very ordinary, and be something else the next day. Specially surrounding the djinn castles.

For me it is more an open canvas.

[sparcipx]

We shoehorned D&D's Dark Sun setting into the Djinn Lands a year ago, but never got beyond the first three sessions.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by Outlaw

Has anyone else replaced this area or had thoughts about what it could be replaced with?

I think the whole idea of the Djinn Lands is to be something fairly easy to replace, as long as the local culture is isolationist enough not to barge into al-Haz's backyard (which given that's a bunch of mountains, probably good enough).

[ericthered]

My initial thoughts for the area are:

• Stick a version of West Africa or the Horn of Africa in there
• Make one of Yrth's immigrant non-human races rule the place, like goblins or centaurs
• Make it a remnant of "Old Yrth", with The elf/orc mix still prevalent
• Emphasize the wild-life, not the people

[tbone]

Originally Posted by ericthered

My initial thoughts for the area are:

• Make it a remnant of "Old Yrth", with The elf/orc mix still prevalent

I like that. A bit of ancient Yrth passed over by the banestorms and other changes. The elves and orcs there might be quite different from what PCs are used to.

Similarly: A pocket world (whether original to Yrth or dumped by a 'storm) harking back many, many thousands of years, where insect men, reptile men, and fishmen wage never-ending war. Probably not a place PCs would want to stay long, but the idea of this setting from Fantasy Folk for 3e always struck me as nicely weird.

[mburr0003]

Originally Posted by Outlaw

Has anyone else replaced this area or had thoughts about what it could be replaced with?

It's a desert, somewhat part of the Great Desert (but largely not), it's meant to be a mystery and a curse and if the PCs investigate deep enough, serve as a warning.

Replace it with whatever, but it's also part of the "no man's land" that keeps the Orcs from easily getting into Caithness and moving south into what would presumably be better lands if they weren't "The Djinn Lands".

[Michael Cule]

I originally had a psionic culture there.

Whatever you have the set-up seems to be desert cities ruled by Cruel But Powerful Overlords.

Since I had Evil Space Aliens written into the background of my Yrth this could be where they are hiding out, disguised as something else to keep the Dragons from noticing them.

(Hmmm, Dragons vs Flying Saucers!)

[Lancewholelot]

I never did anything with the idea, but I've imagined the Djinn Lands as a landing zone for rocket ships. Tales would tell of the strange, cursed towers scattered throughout the wasteland. These are actually the radioactive engines and landing gear parked here by mysterious visitors from outer space. Naturally they didn't leave these unguarded.

[tbone]

Originally Posted by Lancewholelot

I never did anything with the idea, but I've imagined the Djinn Lands as a landing zone for rocket ships.

Nice. Some Expedition to the Barrier Peaks potential. (I've never played that adventure, but of course I've heard about it...)

Another idea: A djinn tower that's a skyscraper. Maybe TL 8-9, maybe TL 6, maybe steampunk, maybe alien. Maybe fully powered and defended by watchful security systems and gleaming robots; maybe a ruin, with sections open to the sky and a population of monsters plus a few derelict security 'bots commanded by an insane AI. Either way, an actual skyscraper.