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Old 02-25-2023, 12:32 PM   #261
Rolando
 
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Also slavery means lack of freedom, not necessarily lack of comforts.

Maybe slave mages can't go wherever they want but they are granted a good life and other slaves as servants and company; people in many countries in the modern world have a similar agreement with the companies they work for, they just get money enough to have a life and some comforts and they have to work "like slaves" or be dispossessed, they can change jobs of course, a slave can't, so these people are free to chose and move, even of starting something on their own, or just chose hunger and risk, but they are not slaves.
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Old 02-28-2023, 01:20 PM   #262
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

The Wind Door

Jenny found the way up to the Wind Door. We'd look at the Wind Door from a distance and see the sunlight when it should be night. They say the Wind Doors carry the smoke and fog to the other side of the world. So it's night here and day there.

They say the Wind Doors open up on a mountain side. That's why it always sucks the air out of London and pulls in the country air. But the new air still stinks when it gets to Isle of Dogs.

One day, when it was clear in London and rainy on the other side of the Wind Door, me and my mates slipped through the bars to go and look at the other side of the world.


Six boys and five girls, between the ages of seven and nine, have slipped through a portal called a Wind Door. The Wind Doors were created in the 1880s by Doctor Treminhir, a noted Cornish baronet. The 2197 Wind Doors are arranged around London to reduce the incidence of "Pea-Souper" fogs. As the incidence of Fog is less now than in the 1820s the Wind Doors are considered a success (in real history the 1880s was the peak period for Pea-Souper fogs, nearly the whole winter season was fogged in).

The children....

More later
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Old 03-04-2023, 12:51 PM   #263
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The Zodiac Club

Yes, I'm swiping this from the film Bell, Book, and Candle , but it's modified.

Basically, the Zodiac Club is a bar in Greenwich village Manhattan. Witches and Sorcerers hang out there. Since a very high percentage of magic using people are LGBTQ+ in this setting (and magic is semi Secret in this campaign) The Zodiac Club fronts as a Gay Bar (but careful spell craft keeps the bar from being raided). The mobs of New York know about magic and seek services from the club's patrons. Blackmailing witches is dangerous but the mob is even more dangerous.

Witches use Path/Book magic in this setting. Overly dramatic spells draw too much attention and can limit what spells can be cast. Many witches pose as mountebanks and grifters to hide in plain sight. Sorcery consists of summoning spirits to perform services in exchange for favors. Familiars, in this world always spirits bound into animal forms, can grant a variety of powers. Most familiars in this setting will be pet animals that can move about the city freely. Cats, crows, ravens, and owls, being by far the most popular. Dogs used to be very popular, but regulation of unattended dogs is strict in the city.

This is a noire setting in many ways but it should include comedy.

One of the most prized achievements of the Witches and Sorcerers of this setting is life extension through slowed aging. Those that have achieved this avoid publicly like the plague, because fame can bring rapid aging. A "Dorian" is someone who is older than they look. The terms "Melmouth" and "Wanderer" are common among older witches.

More later.
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Old 03-05-2023, 09:45 PM   #264
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
The Zodiac Club

Yes, I'm swiping this from the film Bell, Book, and Candle , but it's modified.


More later.
This sounds fun.
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Old 03-08-2023, 04:52 PM   #265
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
The Zodiac Club

Yes, I'm swiping this from the film Bell, Book, and Candle , but it's modified.

Basically, the Zodiac Club is a bar in Greenwich village Manhattan. Witches and Sorcerers hang out there. Since a very high percentage of magic using people are LGBTQ+ in this setting (and magic is semi Secret in this campaign) The Zodiac Club fronts as a Gay Bar (but careful spell craft keeps the bar from being raided). The mobs of New York know about magic and seek services from the club's patrons. Blackmailing witches is dangerous but the mob is even more dangerous.

Witches use Path/Book magic in this setting. Overly dramatic spells draw too much attention and can limit what spells can be cast. Many witches pose as mountebanks and grifters to hide in plain sight. Sorcery consists of summoning spirits to perform services in exchange for favors. Familiars, in this world always spirits bound into animal forms. Can grant a variety of powers. Most familiars in this setting will be pet animals that can move about the city freely. Cats, crows, ravens, and owls, being by far the most popular. Dogs used to be very popular, but regulation of unattended dogs is strict in the city.

This is a noire setting in many ways but it should include comedy.

One of the most prized achievements of the Witches and Sorcerers of this setting is life extension through slowed aging. Those that have achieved this avoid publicly like the plague, because fame can bring rapid aging. A "Dorian" is someone who is older than they look. The terms "Melmouth" and "Wanderer" are common among older witches.

More later.
It's later. There seems to be a link between musical talent and magic in this world. Certainly the ability to perform music is directly linked to Ritual Magic. Only those with Musical Talent can have Ritual Aptitude, and only those with both Musical Talent and more than one Musical Skill at IQ or better, can have Ritual Adept. As this setting is in the early 1950s (the Beats are a thing, but no beat ever described themselves as a "beatnik" except as a joke) Jazz, Blues, and Folk are the musical styles of the demimonde that witches and sorcerers live in.

Most spellcasters actually earn their living as musicians. Well those who earn their living do.
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Old 03-18-2023, 04:38 PM   #266
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
The Zodiac Club

Yes, I'm swiping this from the film Bell, Book, and Candle , but it's modified.

Basically, the Zodiac Club is a bar in Greenwich village Manhattan. Witches and Sorcerers hang out there. Since a very high percentage of magic using people are LGBTQ+ in this setting (and magic is semi Secret in this campaign) The Zodiac Club fronts as a Gay Bar (but careful spell craft keeps the bar from being raided). The mobs of New York know about magic and seek services from the club's patrons. Blackmailing witches is dangerous but the mob is even more dangerous.

Witches use Path/Book magic in this setting. Overly dramatic spells draw too much attention and can limit what spells can be cast. Many witches pose as mountebanks and grifters to hide in plain sight. Sorcery consists of summoning spirits to perform services in exchange for favors. Familiars, in this world always spirits bound into animal forms. Can grant a variety of powers. Most familiars in this setting will be pet animals that can move about the city freely. Cats, crows, ravens, and owls, being by far the most popular. Dogs used to be very popular, but regulation of unattended dogs is strict in the city.

This is a noire setting in many ways but it should include comedy.

One of the most prized achievements of the Witches and Sorcerers of this setting is life extension through slowed aging. Those that have achieved this avoid publicly like the plague, because fame can bring rapid aging. A "Dorian" is someone who is older than they look. The terms "Melmouth" and "Wanderer" are common among older witches.

More later.
Later has come again.

The Governments of the world are aware of witches and Sorcerers, they see them as basically unreliable. They will crack down on trouble makers.
The magic community doesn't like feds and foreign agents. The Russians and others try to exploit this but most spellcasters have figured out that, even if they are deeply political and patriotic, magic and government don't mix. Some of the more respected (by the magic community) government agents know this.

#######################

Early estrangement from normalcy seems to be a common trait among spellcasters. This might explain why so many spellcasters are LBGTQ+. Especially in this time period, being LBGTQ+ forcefully estranges the individual from normalcy. However, many other traits can achieve the same effect.

########################

Witches, warlocks, and sorcerers, are just beginning to experiment with tech magic. Any tech magic should be learned after character creation and paid for with experience points.
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Old 03-20-2023, 04:22 PM   #267
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Strange Spring

Among the old ones from before the wars magic was a fantasy. They placed it in stories and games. Something about the wars broke the world. Strange things are seeping back into the world. Or maybe it's just that the stars are right.

Basically, the PCs are mages in a post-apocalyptic world. The setting resembles works like "Starman's Son" or Roddenberry's "Genesis II", although some areas are more like "The Creation of the Humaniods." But functioning societies are few.

Mages generally cover up their powers because there is a deep prejudice against "mutants." Truth to tell, most actual mutations die in the womb or are to sickly and warped to live. Most of those called "mutants" are the demon possessed. The Demons give their victims powers beyond the human limit. Almost always these powers are physical in nature. Psi Powers are also given but the Demons never enhance either intellect or social capabilities. These Demons claim to be from hell (although they are normally somewhat discrete and generally try to maintain a kind of cover). But the claims to be working for Satan ring hollow. The stories are routinely inconsistent.

This leads to the question, "Who are the Demons working for that's worse than Satan?"

I'd use some kind of Realm magic in this setting. However, opportunities to learn magic are rare. Make the PCs work to learn better magic. Note: The Demons fear the PCs learning any new magic.
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Old 03-26-2023, 09:03 AM   #268
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
Strange Spring

Among the old ones from before the wars magic was a fantasy. They placed it in stories and games. Something about the wars broke the world. Strange things are seeping back into the world. Or maybe it's just that the stars are right.

Basically, the PCs are mages in a post-apocalyptic world. The setting resembles works like "Starman's Son or Roddenberry's Genesis II, although some areas are more like "The Creation of the Humaniods." But functioning societies are few.

Mages generally cover up their powers because there is a deep prejudice against "mutants." Truth to tell, most actual mutations die in the womb or are to sickly and warped to live. Most of those called "mutants" are the demon possessed. The Demons give their victims powers beyond the human limit. Almost always these powers are physical in nature. Psi Powers are also given but the Demons never enhance either intellect or social capabilities. These Demons claim to be from hell (although they are normally somewhat discrete and generally try to maintain a kind of cover). But the claims to be working for Satan ring hollow. The stories are routinely inconsistent.

This leads to the question, "Who are the Demons working for that's worse than Satan?"

I'd use some kind of Realm magic in this setting. However, opportunities to learn magic are rare. Make the PCs work to learn better magic. Note: The Demons fear the PCs learning any new magic.
The technological enclaves are tech level nine but they tend to have gaps in their technology. Most of these gaps tend to fall into one of two areas. First technologies they don't use. These islands of civilization are small and isolated and rarely in contact with the outside world. Many transport and communication technologies simply don't interest them. The second area is technologies they don't have the resources for.

All of these enclaves are advanced in robotics and A.I. This strikes the Mages in this setting as bizarre. Some mages speculate that some type of fay or jinn have infiltrated the world and are disguising themselves as humanoid robots. At present they have no proof and the robots are quick to ally themselves with the mages to protect their enclaves and the citizens of their enclaves. So the mages keep their suspicions to themselves.

###################################

Transport across this America is mainly by horseback or riverboat. Trade is present, but focused mainly on what locals can't produce themselves.

Most of the technologically advanced enclaves are river ports or seaports. Many enclaves have Intraurban trolley lines, but railroads between cities are unknown.

Aircraft are very rare. Each aircraft is a one-off and new parts must be fabricated.

################################

Knowledge of the world beyond North America is limited. The Caribbean Islands and the Pacific Islands from Hawaii to Australia and New Zealand are regularly in contact with North America. The East Indies, South America, Europe, and Africa, resist and refuse contact with outsiders. Ireland and Morocco are exceptions to this. But neither of these countries are in regular contact with the lands to their east.

There is a technologically advanced enclave in Antarctica. But they are secretive and isolationist.
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Old 03-26-2023, 10:29 AM   #269
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Realm of the Towers

In this world vril concentrates in city-sized zones, extending up thousands of feet, with the large stretches in between having much less. Within the zones vril is easily-accessible, providing for a magitech civilization. However, there's no way to transport it outside the boundaries of the zones. Thus settlements are built up, using vril power to keep their massive towers from falling over. And most people stay in the cities because it's easy and safe. Meanwhile anyone outside has to scrape by on whatever they can make from existing materials or the occasional piece of scrap that doesn't need vril to keep it together. Travel between towers is either terribly dangerous caravans or via very expensive "ley line gondolas" zipping along glowing tendrils between zones (think that sail vehicle from TRON).

A combo of "points of light" fantasy with cyberpunk megacities.
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Old 03-28-2023, 01:47 PM   #270
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Default Re: New Fantasy Setting Seeds.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
Strange Spring

Among the old ones from before the wars magic was a fantasy. They placed it in stories and games. Something about the wars broke the world. Strange things are seeping back into the world. Or maybe it's just that the stars are right.

Basically, the PCs are mages in a post-apocalyptic world. The setting resembles works like "Starman's Son" or Roddenberry's "Genesis II", although some areas are more like "The Creation of the Humaniods." But functioning societies are few.

Mages generally cover up their powers because there is a deep prejudice against "mutants." Truth to tell, most actual mutations die in the womb or are to sickly and warped to live. Most of those called "mutants" are the demon possessed. The Demons give their victims powers beyond the human limit. Almost always these powers are physical in nature. Psi Powers are also given but the Demons never enhance either intellect or social capabilities. These Demons claim to be from hell (although they are normally somewhat discrete and generally try to maintain a kind of cover). But the claims to be working for Satan ring hollow. The stories are routinely inconsistent.

This leads to the question, "Who are the Demons working for that's worse than Satan?"

I'd use some kind of Realm magic in this setting. However, opportunities to learn magic are rare. Make the PCs work to learn better magic. Note: The Demons fear the PCs learning any new magic.
As travel was rare and difficult, and camping ill advised, holidays are more important in the cities than vacations. The holiday calendar is mainly like contemporary America but with a few rearrangements and add ins. January still starts with New Year's. Twelfth Night is a big deal and mainly a party night with lots of entertainments for children. MLK is still commemorated with solemnity. The 30th is Patriot's Day and celebrates important past Americans, Canadians, and Mexicans.

February has Lincoln's birthday and Washington's commemorated. Valentine's day is a big deal. The first Tuesday in March is always Mardi Gras. Public mask wearing is a thing. Saint Patrick's day is a big party day. Dances, concerts, and storytelling are major features. The first Sunday after the first Monday in April is always Palm Sunday and the next Sunday is Easter. Egg hunts are still a thing. April Fools is unchanged except for the rule about the pranks ending by noon is now universal. The 23rd is Saint George's day. Ren Faires and plays are big.

The fifth of May is a Mexican themed party day. Mother's day is the first Sunday after May 5th. And Father's day is the Sunday after that. Memorial day is the last Monday in May. In June, St. Peter and Paul's day and St.John's day are big outdoor celebrations. The 4th of July is still a big celebration, the fireworks are less spectacular though.

In August, the first Saturday after the first Monday is St.David's Day (a Welshman wanted to increase the role of Wales in American culture). It's also an outdoor party day. Labor day is still observed, but as children go to school all year round in the urban enclaves, it isn't an unofficial end to summer anymore. September also has Michaelmas which is a public and outdoors harvest festival.

Columbus day is back but October is more a build up to Halloween. (Easter, Halloween, and Christmas are the biggest holidays). Halloween costumes are still a big thing. November has Veteran's day and Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is still an at home harvest festival.

December has Saint Nicholas Day, which is a general children's festival with plays and parties. St.Lucy's day is a family dinner day. Christmas is by far still the biggest holiday of the year. And much more a public celebration rather than an at home one. New Year's Eve is a big party night.

Remember these celebrations are the main entertainment of the community and replace vacations and other customs no longer practical.

They also provide multiple complex story hooks. Think about the advantages of a day of public mask wearing for covert movement in an urban environment.

In the rural areas, which are brutally depopulated, Christmas and Easter are the only holidays observed.

#########################

Religion is a minority thing in the cities. About 20 percent of the people are Christians. The various denominations blended long ago. Theology is something a very few ministers and priests worry about. Church services are formal and ritualistic. Social attitudes are more like modern Quakers.

Buddhism is a presence in the cities, and about five percent of the population is Buddhist. Other faiths are rarer.

In the country side folk Christianity prevails, often blended with other faiths. The cities distribute Bibles in the Rural areas to promote literacy.

###################################

Marriage is a civil ceremony in the cities. Religious wedding ceremonies generally take place in summer. In the rural areas marriage is mainly informal due to a lack of formal clergy.

Burial grounds are commonplace in the rural areas. The urban enclaves cremate their dead. They do maintain memorial gardens and community cenotaphs.
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