So, last post, I talked about just how great Earthdawn was. Which got my creative juices flowing, and left me with that desire we all get from time to time... I had to create some characters.
So, here you go. Wik's very own Earthdawn (2nd Edition) character.
Kiaras
Troll Thief
Dexterity: 16 (Step 7/1d12)
Strength: 17 (Step 7/1d12)
Toughness: 14 (Step 6/1d10)
Perception: 15 (Step 6/1d10)
Willpower: 11 (Step 5/1d8)
Charisma: 10 (Step 5/1d8)
Talents
Climbing (2) (step 9/1d8+1d6)
Karma Ritual (1)
Lock Pick (1) (step 8/2d6)
Melee Weapons: (1) (step 8/2d6)
Picking Pockets (1) (step 8/2d6)
Silent Walk (1) (step 8/2d6)
Surprise Strike (1) (step 8/2d6)
Skills
Knowledge: Barsaive Street Gangs (1) (step 7/1d12)
Knowledge: Troll History (1) (step 7/1d12)
Languages: Troll, Dwarven
Read/Write Languages (1) (Step 7/1d12)
Artisan: Calligraphy/Forgery (1) (Step 6/1d10)
Physical Defence: 9
Social Defence: 6
Spell Defence: 8
Armour: 5
Mystic Armour: 1
Death Rating: 36
Wound Threshold: 10
Uncon. Rating: 28
Recovery Tests/day: 3
Recovery Die: 1d10
Initiative: 1d12 (modified to 1d10)
Full Move: 75 yds.
Combat Move: 38 yds.
Karma Die: d4
Karma: 6/20
Karma Cost: 10
Equipment
Troll Sword (damage step 14/1d20+1d4)
Hardened Leather
Traveler's Garb (Soft boots, shirt, belt, breeches, traveler's cloak)
Leather Gloves
Backpack, Bedroll, Flint & Steel, Torch, Waterskin, Large Sack
1 Silver Piece
Has the racial power of Heat Sight
Description: A gnarled troll with weathered skin and blackened tusks, Kiaras was once a crewman on a troll skyship, until the ship was brought down by Throalic mercenaries. Incarcerated for two years, the unusually-intelligent and insightful troll quickly learned skills from other prisoners - lockpicking, forgery, pickpocketing. Having entered the prison as a warrior, Kiaras escaped (along with several human and dwarf companions) a thief. Since his escape, Kiaras has found himself on the wrong side of the law numerous times, allying with many criminal gangs in the cities of Barsaive. However, he soon grew tired of the high risk/low reward nature of street crime, and has taken an interest in the plundering of Kaers.
Kiaras is cynical, sarcastic, and pessimistic, always seeing the glass as half empty. He assumes the worst in people, and often because of these assumptions (and how people react to him), he is proven right more often than not. Kiaras is a skilled mountaineer, and has absolutely no fear of heights - in fact, he is known to mock those who are unsure of themselves when climbing. Like all trolls, Kiaras takes his honour very seriously, and will draw his blade quickly should he feel insulted.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Trip Down Memory Lane: Earthdawn
Lately I've been digging through my old Earthdawn books. My friend N. and I bought the game right when it came out (or perhaps it was the 2nd edition? I'm a bit hazy on the details), made a few characters, and maybe played it once. While we were in a huge FASA fanlove at the time, Earthdawn just didn't really "connect" with us.
I know exactly why, too. It was a bit too close to D&D for us... and why play a game like D&D, when you could play D&D instead? N. didn't like the magic system, as he felt it to be a bit too complicated (and I'd agree with him... FASA sure likes fiddly rules, sometimes!). As for me, I didn't like the fact that every character in the game was magical, and that many powers were very magical in orientation. You cannot make a non-magical character in Earthdawn, and that really bugged me back then.
Actually, it still does, for the most part.
And yet, when I saw it on the shelves of the "used games" section in my Gaming Store, I had to pick it up. I'm sure the original reason had more to do with nostalgia for the "good ol' days" than out of any real desire to play the game, but once I started leafing through it, I realized how tight the mechanics are in many places. For those that don't know, Earthdawn has a mechanic of "exploding dice" that expands upon the system presented in older editions of Shadowrun. When I look at 2nd Edition Earthdawn, I see an early precursor to games like Savage Worlds, and the Cortex System. And many fans have compared the magical "talents" of each character class to be the idealogical predecessor to 4th Edition D&D's "powers".
Another really neat thing about Earthdawn (as opposed to D&D, particularly 2nd Edition D&D, which was the competitor at the time) is how it approaches character roles. One of the chief complaints against D&D is the reliance upon "balanced parties" - and this was especially true in 2nd and 3rd edition. In those games, every party "needed" a cleric. A party of three fighters was going to underpeform compared to a party of a fighter, a rogue, and a cleric. D&D players were encouraged to create PCs as a group, which often meant that one (or more) players were "stuck" playing a role they were not interested in to fulfill the needs of the group.
Earthdawn, instead, says "make what you want, it's okay". And really, it is. There are no healing classes in the core of the game, so no one is stuck playing a cleric (instead, each character automatically heals a certain amount of hit points each day, and you can buy healing draughts from any store). The three main "roles" in the game are Combat (Archer, Cavalryman, Sky Raider, Swordmaster, Warrior), Magic (Elementalist, Illusionist, Nethermancer, Wizard), and Utility (Beastmaster, Thief, Troubadour, Weaponsmith). And most of the "utility" classes can double as combat classes in a pinch. The great fun here is, if you had a group of three PCs that all played, for example, Troll Thieves, the group wouldn't necessarily fall apart (the game might lose some scope, but it wouldn't implode). I dimly recall playing something like a human archer, with a friend playing a dwarven thief, and the game went perfectly fine (also, it was for two PCs.... and it worked!).
Finally, the game did something that for some reason, pre-3e versions of D&D didn't do - it made humans a viable option. In early editions of D&D, the only reasons to play a human were "unlimited levels" (which often didn't mean much - not every game would go to 20th level) and the option to "dual-class" (which was still less powerful than multi-classing). Earthdawn, however, made humans pretty normal races, with a great store of Karma (basically, a combination of experience points and "luck" that could be spent in play) and a "Versatility" talent that let them learn powers from every other class. It made humans the great dabblers, people who could pick up a little bit of everything. My human archer, for example, could use a sword with the best of them (he picked up the Melee Weapons talent) and also knew a thing or two about animals (Dominate Animal talent).
Compare that to recent versions of D&D, where humans have become the "super class specialist" race - both in 3e and 4e, their racial abilities allow them to specialize in their class's powers and focus their expertise. A complete 180 turn from Earthdawn's philosophy. I have to admit, I prefer the Earthdawn approach more.
Now, this isn't to say that Earthdawn is the best game EVAR or anything like that. It suffers from the usual FASA faults - a world with a major metaplot (where novel characters dominate the campaign events), overly complex rules (but not to the same degree as, say, Shadowrun), and a heavy dose of Orkphilia and Troll Envy. Plus, many of the talents kind of, um, suck. My archer, for example, had Mystic Aim... a power which let you waste an action, to grant a bonus on your next attack. If the target didn't move out of sight in that time. And no starting level Beastmaster could start with any, you know, beasts as companions, making them practically useless.
But still, it's a game worth checking out. One of these days, I'll have to pick up the new edition. And maybe, just maybe, I'll play it.
I know exactly why, too. It was a bit too close to D&D for us... and why play a game like D&D, when you could play D&D instead? N. didn't like the magic system, as he felt it to be a bit too complicated (and I'd agree with him... FASA sure likes fiddly rules, sometimes!). As for me, I didn't like the fact that every character in the game was magical, and that many powers were very magical in orientation. You cannot make a non-magical character in Earthdawn, and that really bugged me back then.
Actually, it still does, for the most part.
And yet, when I saw it on the shelves of the "used games" section in my Gaming Store, I had to pick it up. I'm sure the original reason had more to do with nostalgia for the "good ol' days" than out of any real desire to play the game, but once I started leafing through it, I realized how tight the mechanics are in many places. For those that don't know, Earthdawn has a mechanic of "exploding dice" that expands upon the system presented in older editions of Shadowrun. When I look at 2nd Edition Earthdawn, I see an early precursor to games like Savage Worlds, and the Cortex System. And many fans have compared the magical "talents" of each character class to be the idealogical predecessor to 4th Edition D&D's "powers".
Another really neat thing about Earthdawn (as opposed to D&D, particularly 2nd Edition D&D, which was the competitor at the time) is how it approaches character roles. One of the chief complaints against D&D is the reliance upon "balanced parties" - and this was especially true in 2nd and 3rd edition. In those games, every party "needed" a cleric. A party of three fighters was going to underpeform compared to a party of a fighter, a rogue, and a cleric. D&D players were encouraged to create PCs as a group, which often meant that one (or more) players were "stuck" playing a role they were not interested in to fulfill the needs of the group.
Earthdawn, instead, says "make what you want, it's okay". And really, it is. There are no healing classes in the core of the game, so no one is stuck playing a cleric (instead, each character automatically heals a certain amount of hit points each day, and you can buy healing draughts from any store). The three main "roles" in the game are Combat (Archer, Cavalryman, Sky Raider, Swordmaster, Warrior), Magic (Elementalist, Illusionist, Nethermancer, Wizard), and Utility (Beastmaster, Thief, Troubadour, Weaponsmith). And most of the "utility" classes can double as combat classes in a pinch. The great fun here is, if you had a group of three PCs that all played, for example, Troll Thieves, the group wouldn't necessarily fall apart (the game might lose some scope, but it wouldn't implode). I dimly recall playing something like a human archer, with a friend playing a dwarven thief, and the game went perfectly fine (also, it was for two PCs.... and it worked!).
Finally, the game did something that for some reason, pre-3e versions of D&D didn't do - it made humans a viable option. In early editions of D&D, the only reasons to play a human were "unlimited levels" (which often didn't mean much - not every game would go to 20th level) and the option to "dual-class" (which was still less powerful than multi-classing). Earthdawn, however, made humans pretty normal races, with a great store of Karma (basically, a combination of experience points and "luck" that could be spent in play) and a "Versatility" talent that let them learn powers from every other class. It made humans the great dabblers, people who could pick up a little bit of everything. My human archer, for example, could use a sword with the best of them (he picked up the Melee Weapons talent) and also knew a thing or two about animals (Dominate Animal talent).
Compare that to recent versions of D&D, where humans have become the "super class specialist" race - both in 3e and 4e, their racial abilities allow them to specialize in their class's powers and focus their expertise. A complete 180 turn from Earthdawn's philosophy. I have to admit, I prefer the Earthdawn approach more.
Now, this isn't to say that Earthdawn is the best game EVAR or anything like that. It suffers from the usual FASA faults - a world with a major metaplot (where novel characters dominate the campaign events), overly complex rules (but not to the same degree as, say, Shadowrun), and a heavy dose of Orkphilia and Troll Envy. Plus, many of the talents kind of, um, suck. My archer, for example, had Mystic Aim... a power which let you waste an action, to grant a bonus on your next attack. If the target didn't move out of sight in that time. And no starting level Beastmaster could start with any, you know, beasts as companions, making them practically useless.
But still, it's a game worth checking out. One of these days, I'll have to pick up the new edition. And maybe, just maybe, I'll play it.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
An Example of random hooks
So, I figured I'd give a quick example of a world created using the hooks from my last two posts. Using a trusty d20 and a d12, I rolled up some random elements, and scratched my head to crunch them together to make an interesting world.
The hooks I rolled are:
Native American (Culture of Dominance), Deity (Situation), Post-Apocalyptic (Mythological/Historical), and Invasion (Historical).
So, here's the campaign in rough:
The campaign is set in a land similar to the pacific northwest, with many native style tribes living in fishing villages or on fog-shrouded islands. They worshipped animal spirits, such as Raven (the trickster) and Bear (the healer). Then, the land was invaded by brutal, fanged invaders (let's say orcs) who fought a centuries-long war against the native peoples. This war went on, with neither side backing down, until two legendary figures met in a battlefield.
On the native's side was a wise woman, Mother Ash, who spoke of healing, peace, and love. She sought to quell the raging heart of the orc invaders. On the orc's side was Glaar, a vengeful warrior said to be powered by rage and hate alone.
When the two met, their diametrically opposed personalities, and their own latent magic, caused a massive explosion that wreaked the countryside. Volcanoes erupted, and earthquakes plagued the land. For a decade, the land chaotically reformed itself. But in the end, the war was over - Mother Ash got her wish.
The people now worship Mother Ash as a two-sided deity - a healer of great intentions who often brings ruin to those she loves most. The tribes are scattered, and try to eke a living in a land they no longer understand. old tribal loyalties are gone, and many new monsters (created by the cataclysm) prowl the land. The orcs, meanwhile, revere Glaar as their own deity. No longer one vengeful nation, they battle themselves and those native tribes they find - though they are also prey to the new fiends that prowl the dark rainforest.
The hooks I rolled are:
Native American (Culture of Dominance), Deity (Situation), Post-Apocalyptic (Mythological/Historical), and Invasion (Historical).
So, here's the campaign in rough:
The campaign is set in a land similar to the pacific northwest, with many native style tribes living in fishing villages or on fog-shrouded islands. They worshipped animal spirits, such as Raven (the trickster) and Bear (the healer). Then, the land was invaded by brutal, fanged invaders (let's say orcs) who fought a centuries-long war against the native peoples. This war went on, with neither side backing down, until two legendary figures met in a battlefield.
On the native's side was a wise woman, Mother Ash, who spoke of healing, peace, and love. She sought to quell the raging heart of the orc invaders. On the orc's side was Glaar, a vengeful warrior said to be powered by rage and hate alone.
When the two met, their diametrically opposed personalities, and their own latent magic, caused a massive explosion that wreaked the countryside. Volcanoes erupted, and earthquakes plagued the land. For a decade, the land chaotically reformed itself. But in the end, the war was over - Mother Ash got her wish.
The people now worship Mother Ash as a two-sided deity - a healer of great intentions who often brings ruin to those she loves most. The tribes are scattered, and try to eke a living in a land they no longer understand. old tribal loyalties are gone, and many new monsters (created by the cataclysm) prowl the land. The orcs, meanwhile, revere Glaar as their own deity. No longer one vengeful nation, they battle themselves and those native tribes they find - though they are also prey to the new fiends that prowl the dark rainforest.
Random Hook Generator, part two
So, the generator got a little long for one post. Here are the descriptions for the table's entries.
Climate or Terrain
A world based around a single terrain type or climate is a series of hooks, just waiting to be explored. My favourite setting of all time, Dark Sun, is just one example among many.
Aerial: The campaign is based primarily in the sky. There could be floating islands, or the majority of races live on isolated mountaintops. For some reason, the ground below is unsuitable for human habitation.
Archipelago: The campaign is located in an island chain. Either the world is dominated by island chains, or the campaign area is based around a string of islands. Optionally, a mainland could exist, yet is too dangerous for human life to flourish.
Arctic: The world is a frozen one, blanketed in snow, with icebergs floating in icy seas. Agriculture is rare at best, with most cultures having to rely on nomadic hunting of large game and fishing for subsistence. Many crafts of "civilization" will be difficult to produce... perhaps scavenging from the ruins of the ancients is the only way to acquire such valuable items as metal weapons and armour.
Desert: The world receives very little in the way of precipitation. It could be a "hot" desert, or a "cold" desert, but in either case, it very rarely rains. Water is probably very valuable, as is arable land.
Earthquakes: the world is seismically unstable, and is plagued by frequent earthquakes, and possibly tsunamis. Cities will often be built out of lightweight materials, and the religion probably ties the frequency of the quakes with the capriciousness of the gods.
Forest: The world is covered in forest, with many cultures surviving through hunting and foraging. While the land is ideal for plant growth, the soil might not always be the best for farming, and in any case, clearing land is a burden.
Inland Sea: Much of the campaign area is based around an inland sea, comparable to the Mediterranean throughout European history. Dominance of the inland sea relates to dominance of trade, and cultural superiority. This is a perfect situation for piracy.
Jungle: The world is covered in tropical, humid jungles, home to all manner of poisonous reptiles and blood-sucking insects. Steamy rivers wind their way through the underbrush. Hunting and Gathering are preferred methods of subsistence, while slash-and-burn and terraced agriculture supports the few larger-scale civilizations.
Lakes: The land is spotted by many large lakes and smaller tributary rivers. The land is highly conducive to agriculture and animal husbandry, and most major civilizations will be based around the shores of freshwater lakes. Diseases often breed in tropical lakes, however, making such cities dangerously unhealthy and congested.
River: The campaign is dominated by either one major river, or several. These rivers are massive, and form the backbone for numerous riverside civilizations that ply the waters for trade. The obvious example is the Nile, although the Amazon (with its numerous connections and larger area) is better for campaign play. The River dominates life in the campaign area. Riverboat trading, smuggling, and piracy could all be prevalent in the setting.
Moutainous: For whatever reason, humanity chooses to settle in the highlands, avoiding the lowlands either due to a magical threat, or out of religious reasons. Perhaps dangerous monsters occupy the lower lands. In any case, the setting is one of plateau-based husbandry and small-scale agriculture. The acquisition of potable water and the danger of forming weather systems could be major themes of the campaign. Mines and caves could be frequent.
Oceans: The world is primarily oceanic, with either very little or no land. Many cities could be "floating" cities, and aquatic races could be considerably more common. Acquisition of building materials could be very difficult. Most PCs will have their own ship. Floating islands of seaweed and plants could exist. The campaign could also be underwater in nature, with submerged "Atlantis" cities playing a major role.
Plains: The land is mostly flat, consisting of plains, steppes, and savannahs. The occasional mesa or butte could break the land. Kingdoms cluster around water sources, but many mounted nomads could ply the land between oases, raising herds and hunting game.
Planar: The game has a large planar element to it - one or more of the planes has a strong tie to the campaign world. Either the setting co-exists with one of the planes (the feywild or the shadowfell being just two obvious examples), or the entire campaign takes place within a plane. Optionally, the setting could be entirely planar, much like the old Planescape setting.
Space: The campaign is based primarily in space. Some means of travelling the stars exists, and the various kingdoms can be found on lifeless moons, gas giants, and terraformed planets. The game could be a space opera in the manner of star wars, or a traditional fantasy with some science-fiction elements. There are many, many different ways you can go with this one.
Swamp: The land is primarily swampy, with very little arable land. Fishing and gathering are the primary means of subsistence. Disease probably runs rampant.
Underground: The majority of the campaign is spent in the underdark, a series of subterranean tunnels and dungeons. Cultures could avoid the surface out of dominance (perhaps another race owns the surface, and the PC races are the losers of an ancient war) or out of survival (perhaps the surface is lifeless and deadly). Acquiring food and maintaining light sources could be major concerns in the setting.
Uninhabitable: Much of the world is uninhabitable, for whatever reason the fiendish GM can think of. Areas might simply be too cold or hot for mortal life to exist, while other areas might be under the control of capricious gods that hunt any who trespass. In any case, these uninhabitable areas will naturally be areas PCs will wish to explore. Inhabitable lands should be highly valued, and could possibly be the sites of numerous battles between factions.
Volcanic: The world is incredibly volcanic in nature, with mountains spouting lava and clouds of ash into the environment. Ash clouds could block out the sun for years, and any area near a volcano could be levelled by massive forces. Areas of "Stable" or "Inert" volcanoes will make up the major civilized lands.
Weather: Unusual weather conditions exist in the world. Whether it is a land that is always blanketed by mist or cloaked in rain, or a land in which a strange magical weather effect is frequent, remains for the GM to determine. A world where the usual weather effects are magnified, or one that is plagued by unusual tidal pulls could also be considered.
Cultures of Dominance
Whether they dominate the world, or just the primary section of the campaign, a culture of dominance is one of the primary cultures in the setting. These cultures are to be used as a starting point, obviously, but need not be an exact recreation. In fact, it's a lot more fun messing with the core cultural assumption.
African: the culture is based on one of more advanced African cultures, such as the Malinese or Zulu empires at their height. Iron-using, lightly armoured warriors are common, as are primally-powered warriors and priests. Spirit worship is probably common.
Arabian: The culture is based around one of the major Arabian, seafaring dynasties. Religion and scholarly studies are both facets of the culture, as is trade and cosmopolitanism.
Biblical: the culture has many elements drawn from the biblical lands of Jerusalem and the middle east. Whether or not the land draws any obvious parallels to Christian religion is irrelevant, though religious faith (or, more accurately, persecution for new religious beliefs) is probably a cornerstone of the setting.
Celtic: the culture is based off the barbarian warriors of the Celts, or, possibly, the barbarian german and pict tribes. Nature priests hold positions of power over lightly armoured warriors and swordsmen. A fear of Arcane magic and the superstitious is a possibility worth considering. Much inspiration can be drawn from celtic mythology.
Colonial: The primary culture is similar to one of the colonial powers of the 1700s onward, and rules over foreign soil through the "might of the empire". Much of the campaign could consist of the highly "civilized" colonial rulers subjugating the native peoples in a land far away from home. Whether the game implements colonial-level technology is a decision that must be made early, though perhaps these fantasy colonialists have gained their power not through the barrel of a gun but instead through the power of the Arcane.
Egyptian: The main culture draws some obvious influences from the ancient Egyptian empire. Death gods, trapped tombs, and "sun kings" are all possibilities. Divine characters are probably quite common.
Feudal: the main culture is based off a feudal, medieval agrarian culture, whether it be European or Asian in tone. Naturally, PCs are probably landowners in such a system, owing feudal obligations to their lord.
Greek/Roman: Whether the culture follows the fractured city-state model of ancient Greece, or the unifying empire of ancient Rome is a matter of personal taste. But the game is definitely one of highly civilized individuals hoping to protect that civilization from external hordes, and internal selfish desires. The game could also be modelled after the mythology of the era, for a more "fantastic" campaign setting with PCs battling unique monsters such as the Hydra, Chimera, or Catoblepas.
Indian: the campaign is settled among a culture representing medieval India. Religions based on Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism could all exist. The land is probably fractured into many small kingdoms that feud with one another. The setting will have an eastern flavour, and will probably be highly fantastic in nature.
Mercantile: the campaign features the presence of numerous mercantile or guild interests. Commerce (and subsequently, bandity and piracy) are common motivations in the campaign. Mercantile powers either replace traditional government powers, or else have strong political power. An obvious example would be medieval Venice, among hundreds of others.
Mesoamerican: The (technically stone-age) cultures of central- and south- America are the focal point of the campaign. Civilizations representing the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztec peoples could all be common. Possible themes would include human sacrifice, the calendar of the gods, and violent warfare between rival peoples.
Mesopotamian: the culture is based around the peoples of ancient Iraq, and the first civilization. City-states made of mud and brick rise up alongside the banks of salty, unpredictable rivers. A powerful priest caste is probably present in the campaign, and magic based around the knowledge of "magic words" is a possibility. Kings are also considered to be gods, and epic quests are not outside the realm of possibility. Much of the world beyond the city-walls could potentially be unknown or unexplored.
Native American: the campaign follows the tribal, hunter-gathering lifestyles of several Native American peoples. While it is perhaps a stereotype for such peoples to always "respect the environment", this stereotype can be put to good effect by focusing on the primal power source.
Oriental: the campaign is based around a culture similar to ancient China, Korea, Japan, or Mongolia. Many character classes and races could be recast in an asian-inspired light. This setting would play well with the "wuxia" gameplay style described in the 4e DMG.
Polynesian: the island peoples of the south pacific are the principal inspiration in this campaign setting. Oceanic explorers armed only with outrigger canoes and their own ingenuity could be a major theme in the campaign. Many "gods" based around natural events such as volanoes, coral reefs, and monsoons could exist.
Post-Renaissance: The campaign is set in a land similar to Europe in the 1500s and 1600s. Gunpowder is growing in popularity, and "the age of reason" is beginning to supplant the "age of superstition". The role of magic in such a setting could be difficult to implement. In most campaigns, this cultural assumption will naturally lead to a "Steampunk" vibe.
Renaissance: the campaign is set in a culture similar to that of Europe in the 1400s and 1500s, with large advancements in art, literature, music, technology, politcs, and society in general. The campaign can easily support roguish characters flourishing in the growing cities, as well as swashbuckling characters and political intrigues.
Seafaring: The culture relies upon the ocean or waterways for trade and overall survival. The campaign focuses on the control and exploration of the high seas, though whether as pirates, explorers, privateers, soldiers, or merchants remains up to the whims of the GM.
Stone Age: the main culture has not yet discovered the working of iron. While this could be played pretty close to "the real world", with PCs being underarmed "savages" trying to survive in a dangerous world, consider instead a "lost world" vibe, with characters battling dinosaurs and other unusual creatures. The possibility of the stone age culture being the remnants of a previous, advanced civilization is another possibility to explore.
Viking: The culture is slavic in nature, based upon the cultures of the northern european Vikings, or possibly the western Russian peoples. Rune-priests, strong-armed warriors, and an innate distrust of magic and foreigners could all dominate the setting.
Mythological/Historical
These hooks explain events that happened in the campaign's past. Whether these events are recent or ancient, they still have an effect on the daily lives of the people. What's important to realize is that many campaigns have had these events in their past; when presented as a hook here, the events were so large and central to the primary culture that they have trickled down into day-to-day life. In the case of mythological hooks, the hook can even represent the nature of the deities themselves in the campaign world.
Aloof Deities: the deities exist, but by their very nature, they care very little for mortals. Whether they are even aware of the existence of mortals can be called into question. Whether these human-like deities that remain detached from the mortal world, or alien, lovecraftian gods that are best left uncontacted remains for the GM to determine.
Ancient Technology: the ancients were far more advanced than the current culture in terms of technological prowess. Whether these advances are relatively small (the ancients could work iron, while the current culture cannot), or large (the ancients had jet fighters) is worth considering. Naturally, the ruins of the ancients will be explored by intrepid profit-seekers.
Artifact: the creation or destruction of a mighty artifact has had a profound effect on the campaign. Some major event in the setting (possibly one of the other hooks) has come about due to this artifact. Perhaps the artifact is lost, and many seek to find it and "save the world". Or perhaps it provides a benefit, and the nation that controls the artifact reaps the rewards. Or, possibly there are multiple artifacts. There are endless possibilities here.
Cataclysm: an ancient (or recent) cataclysm, either natural or man-made, swept the earth. The effects of this cataclysm can still be seen, in the abandoned ruins. And perhaps the cataclysm left a lingering magical effect that the descendants must still contend with.
Civil War: an internal war between an empire broke out, and the two factions fought a long and bloody battle. Regardless of which side won (or if there was a clear victory), the effects of this war trickle down to the present day, with the descendants of either faction eyeing the other suspiciously. Perhaps two nations (or more) have emerged from the previous empire, and remained locked in a bitter war. The setting of Eberron (and the Five Kingdoms that emerged from the ancient empire of Galifar) is just one example among many.
Crusade: One faction, believing it followed the will of the divine, declared war on "the infidel". This crusade against a foreign land brought back many of the foreign land's customs and technology. The crusading power, depending on whether it won or lost the crusade, could still hold power in the invaded land.
Dawn of Time: the campaign takes place in the "dawn of time", where the actions of PCs will have lasting consequences. The PCs are first heroes, and much of the land is unexplored. Alternately, the land could indeed be a "new world", with the predominant culture either from a different continent, a different planet, or perhaps even a different plane of existence.
Divine Differences: for some reason, the deities follow a different model than is common in "standard" D&D. They could all be dead, there could be a single monolithic deity, they could be entirely evil, or whatever else a fiendish GM can think of.
Epic War: An ancient, epic war that is still discussed in the mythologies happened once, long ago. It was a battle much like the Trojan war in our current time, with mighty heroes and powerful magicks used by both sides. Effects of that war are still seen in the land today - perhaps warforged were created in this war, or lands could be blasted with magical radiation from that ancient conflict.
Imperial: The current setting has evolved from an ancient empire. Whether that empire still exists, and whether its form has changed dramatically over time is worth considering. Regardless, much of the land once existed under the thumb of a very powerful imperial power. Optionally, the campaign could consist of a conflict between multiple massive imperial powers.
Invasion: the campaign land (or world) was once invaded by outside forces. The threat of these forces invading once more could drive the campaign, or many negative elements of the setting could exist due to the nature of the ancient invasion.
Meddlesome Gods: for whatever reason, the deities sure love interacting with the mortal world. PCs could potentially be half-deities themselves, and divine intervention could be a common occurence. Naturally, divine characters will be more common in such a campaign.
Migration: an ancient, massive migration of one or more peoples took place in the campaign's history. Where these people settled, and how the original peoples react to the new peoples' presence, drives much of the campaign forward. An interesting plot element could be exactly what caused the migration in the first place... and if that cause remains buried in the past.
Monstrous Uprising: Either a long time ago, or recently, or perhaps every century or so, a species or group of species increased in number and wreaked havoc on the setting. While these beasts may have been defeated, trace elements could still exist in ruins. And there is always the possibility the monsters will rise up once more.
Plague: An ancient plague swept through the land, killing perhaps half the mortals of the world. Many changes in society occured as a result, and the fear of new diseases spreading once more could power much of the societal codes people follow - rightly or wrongly. The plague could be arcane in nature, or could be something even more fantastic - a "zombie plague" is an often used example.
Post-Apocalyptic: the current setting exists among the ruins of an older setting. The older civilization was destroyed only a handful of years ago, and survivors find themselves picking up the pieces and scavenging from the ruins of the old.
Racial Divide: Either the members of a single race had a schism (drow and elves, dwarves and duergar, gnomes and spriggans, etc.), or two races had reason to distrust and despise one another (orcs and dwarves, tieflings and dragonborn). This racism between two humanoid species exists to the current day, with overt and covert attacks made by both sides against the other.
Rebellion: an ancient rebellion has lead to the formation of the current society. The obvious example to use would be the United States of America. The effects of this rebellion are still present in the current day.
Religious Schism: For whatever reason, the major religion in the campaign has fractured into several factions. These factions disagree with one another, though whether this disagreement leads to warfare is optional. In any case, the schism is prevalent in society, and all are aware of it. Taking sides in such a conflict would be necessary; straddling the borders of neutrality could be dangerous.
Small Nations: No large empire ever existed in the setting, or if it did, it existed a very long time ago. Every nation that exists in the current setting is a small kingdom. Perhaps due to inheritance laws, these kingdoms become smaller and smaller as more and more kings are formed. In any case, few kingdoms are large enough to house more than a few middle-sized towns. The setting could be one of much politicking and negotiation, or it could be one of outright warfare between hundreds of factions.
Sites of Interest
This category indicates an area that a large amount of adventures in the campaign will take place around. These sites are a focal point of the campaign's action.
Battlefields: The campaign takes place on battlefields and war zones. It could be an ongoing seige or a series of military campaigns. Or it could be a world that is literally awash in numerous small conflicts, allowing well-equipped soldiers of fortune to flourish.
Castles: Much like battlefields, above, only in this campaign, the PCs spend most of their time on the defensive, in walled fortresses repelling enemy hordes. Perhaps building and maintaining their own personal castles and fiefdoms is a predominant feature of the campaign.
Caves: Natural cavern systems are explored by the PCs, either out of typical adventurer wanderlust or for more profitable reasons. Naturally, in a fantastic world, there will be many denizens of the underworld that distrust interlopers.
Dungeons: the campaign is built around dungeon-crawling... whether it be one large "mega-dungeon" or the exploration of numerous smaller dungeons. For an interesting twist, perhaps the entire campaign world is one large dungeon!
Guilds: Guild politics are a large part of the campaign, and the PCs spend much time in guildhalls. Perhaps planning and running their own guild/business is a part of the campaign. Whether the campaign is urban or rural is, of course, up to you.
Planar: While the world may be a completely normal one, the PCs spend a lot of time jaunting away from it and exploring the planes that lay beyond. There are many reasons to explore - for profit, to prevent a calamity from hitting the homeworld, or maybe even to find a safe path to a new world before an unstoppable calamity befalls the homeworld! Imagine a setting where the denizens of Athas (from Dark Sun) or Ravenloft all team up and invade the Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk.
Ruins: The PCs explore ruins. Perhaps they do this to find artifacts from an ancient past... or maybe they do it because the money's good. Whatever the case, the world has many ruins worth exploring and looting - the GM should probably spend some time developing his setting's history.
Ships: The PCs spend a lot of time on a ship - whether it's an airship or a sailing ship, of course, depends on the campaign. Most likely, the PCs are the crew or owners of one such ship. The campaign could feature a lot of exploration in a new land, piracy, smuggling, and all sorts of other fun activities.
Shrines/Temples: The PCs are members of a faith, and spend a lot of time in the temples and shrines of their deity. Or perhaps they're trying to rededicate abandoned temples and shrines to bring back the faith to new followers.
University/School: A majority of the campaign takes place in a school or college. Perhaps the PCs all belong to the school (and have to teach classes, adventuring in the summer!), and get funding from the school to go on adventures. Or, perhaps the adventures happen within the school, and the PCs are all students (a sort of Harry Potter D&D situation).
Urban: the campaign is very urban in nature. Whether the PCs live in one large city, or whether the campaign takes place with the PCs moving from city to city, a large part of the action takes place on crowded city streets. These games often favour espionage, roguish activities, and mysteries.
Wilderness: the PCs are explorers, and spend a lot of time outside. They could be on the frontier, discovering land that human (or close to human) eyes have yet to see. Or maybe they're convicts of some sort, and forced to settle on a "prison island" and must somehow survive away from the comforts of civilization.
Situation
A "situation" is any ongoing event in the campaign world that becomes a focal point for events within the setting. Whether this "situation" is one that is relatively short-term (such as a recent wave of banditry or a plague) that affects the campaign area greatly, or one that is considerably long-term, depends on the individual description and your own imagination. There is a lot that can be done with any of these entries, and the GM should put some thought into making best use of any hook.
Banditry/Piracy: There are a great many bandits, raiders, or pirates in the world. Whether the PCs belong to these ranks or fight against it could be a major decision in the campaign world. Lawlessness and disorder are probably features of the setting - weak or corrupt rulers could be detailed as important NPCs.
Class Dominance: One (or more) character classes has social dominance in the campaign world, while other classes may be despised or shunned. The classic example is a magocracy, where wizards have all the political power, but there are very many ways this can go. As an interesting variant, consider a campaign where each kingdom favours one specific class - one land could be based around druids, another heaps praise upon bards, while a third idolizes the feats of brave warlords. A campaign based around power source dominance (Arcane, Divine, etc...) would also bear fruit.
Court: There are a lot of political meanderings going on in the courts of mighty kings and queens. The PCs could be political courtiers themselves, or the campaign could have an espionage element. Or perhaps the actions going on in the political courts have a direct impact on the world around the PCs at "ground level".
Criminal: There is a very strong criminal presence in the campaign... perhaps the PCs themselves are these criminals. Criminal Cartels, smugglers, assassins, and rogues are very common in the world. The classic "thieves guilds" could also be present.
Deity: Somehow, the deities are different in this setting than in others. Perhaps there is only one god... or perhaps there are none. Perhaps the PCs are all half-deities. In any case, the religious situation in the campaign is notably different from the core presumed by D&D.
Dying World: the world is dying, progressively getting worse. There are many, many ways you could go with this - it could be a world of ash and dust (Dark Sun), a world where births are rare (Children of Men), or even a world where after death, you rise up as a zombie (Dawn of the Dead). In any case, the world is doomed, and the goal of the PCs is just to survive from day to day. Or perhaps, to save the world.
Enemy Monster: One species of monster is a real nuisance in the campaign world, and the PCs often find themselves face to face with these beasts. Try to choose a group of monsters, and monsters that can be used at multiple tiers of play. Far Realm monsters are an obvious choice, as are elementals and giants.
Frontier: The PCs are on the frontier, and exploration of this frontier is a major consideration of the time. The PCs don't actually have to be explorers for this to work; the discovery of the "new world" turned a whole continent into a frontier, and many of the pirates and newcomers to the land did very little exploring... and that frontier discovery made many changes to the "old world" as well.
Magical: For some reason, magic works differently in this campaign world. Maybe it defiles land. Maybe magic items don't exist. Or maybe, all magic come from items. Perhaps magic is super-rare, or so common that everyone has access to at least one spell. Whichever route you take, the magic is different from core D&D assumptions.
Monster Hunting: Monster-hunting is a big deal in the setting - there are many different species of monsters in the world, and they all do bad things. Enter the professional monster-hunter. Discovery of the monster (which may or may not be a "unique" being) is followed by tracking the monster, discovering the monster's weaknesses, and then a final confrontation. The TV show Supernatural is based around the Monster Hunting hook.
New World: The PCs are in a newly discovered continent, island, or maybe even a new world/plane entirely. Whatever the case, they are newcomers to a land, much like early european explorers in North America. Or perhaps a new world has been discovered, and this discovery has a major impact (For better and/or for worse) on the "old world", and the PCs must deal with the repercussions of this.
Paranoia: The people are paranoid, and a sense of "witch hunting" pervades their minds. There is a fear (whether legitimate or not) in the populace, and such unease creates all sorts of problems. A world in which shapeshifters can prey on the minds of common folk could, naturally, create a sense of terror among the masses.
Power Source: One or more power source in the campaign (such as arcane, primal, divine, or martial) does not exist in the setting at all, or is considerably changed from it's original form. Or perhaps only one power source exists. Or perhaps only one power source is allowed to PCs (such as the martial source) and other sources are solely the domain of evil cults and power groups. If you go this route, make sure all the roles are covered (striker, leader, defender, and controller), and there is at least a range of choice available to players (I'd suggest a minimum of six classes).
Psionic: Psionics are either incredibly common in the campaign world, or non-existent. Perhaps they are tied to realm of dreams, or are a dangerous force that is destroying the setting (as in the movie Akira).
Race Dominance: One non-human race is very dominant in the campaign setting. Perhaps dwarves are the most common race (or the most culturally powerful). Or perhaps a series of races control much of the power. The main goal of this hook is to put forward a campaign area controlled by a non-human race. A world in which 50% of the population are elves and eladrin will be considerably different than the assumed human-dominant culture of most D&D settings.
Religious: There is a religious conflict or schism in the setting that dominates day-to-day life. Or perhaps the nature of the churches themselves factor into campaign events.
Slavery: Slavery is common in the setting. One race could make it a point to enslave the other. Perhaps the campaign is based around evading the manacles of an evil slaver race. Or perhaps the PCs' goal is to break free from slavery... or to oppose the common practice of slavery held as commonplace in their home kingdom.
Technological: the campaign could be either more "high tech" than usual, or is considerably less technologically-advanced than most D&D settings. Whether the PCs are allowed guns, or their home nation is unable to forge metal, both are examples of a technological hook. In any case, the technology (or lack thereof) would be noticed by any long-term player of D&D.
Unrest: The setting takes place in a time of unrest - perhaps a civil war, or the people's general discontent with ongoing campaign events. Or maybe the campaign takes place during a crisis of some sort, and the people resent the changes going on around them.
War: There is a war going on, and it is a big one. Battles and warfare are common in the setting, and almost every facet of daily life is influenced by "the war". How PCs survive (or even profit) in this campaign is a major consideration.
Theme or Tone
A campaign's "theme" or "tone" are a bit more vague to pin down, but I can guarantee that if done right, it will be the first thing your players remember about the setting. Sometimes, these themes could be hard to implement; the GM must remember that it is often better to remain true to the general tenents of the tone, rather than the specifics. For example, a "western" game doesn't need sixguns and buffalo; it is more about self-made men, justice, lawlessness, and the classic showdowns.
Action: The campaign is based around action, ongoing combat, and over-the-top battles. Every fight is cinematic, the characters are often one-sided villains, and there is usually a bit of comedy and banter as well. This isn't a game about talk; it's a game about getting stuff done, and making sure crazy things are going on at all times.
Chivalry: whether it's knighthood or Bushido, there is a strong belief and focus on honour in the setting, and being a "righteous warrior".
Corruption: The bad guys (and maybe the PCs) are corrupted by the world around them. Much of the theme of the game is based around the idea that power corrupts, and as the campaign progresses, characters, locations, and even ideals slowly devolve into base, selfish forms.
Exploration: Whether it's a driving need to find out what's beyond the next door, the next hill, or the next ocean, there is a strong element of mapping and exploration in the campaign. Create a lot of new places, people, and things for PCs to find. They are, after all, explorers. Note that this is different from other exploration-based hooks. The PCs could be exploring a dungeon that's been explored a million times before - this theme is more about the individual discovery of the players, as opposed to the ongoing presence of exploration in the setting itself. PCs could just as easily "explore" a well-populated city, for example.
Fairy Tale: the campaign is built around the ideas presented in fairy tales. Many elements have classic fairy tale tropes to them. To take this a bit further, consider framing every adventure as if it were a fairy tale, addressing the players as if they were children about to hear a bedtime story. And remember, all fairy tales have a moral at the end... and not all fairy tales are the sort we'd tell our children today (read the original Grimm's fairy tales!).
Gritty: the campaign is gritty. It is rough, and a land where things can (and will) go bad. There could be optional critical hit rules, or perhaps healing is hard to come by. In any case, it is a setting where life is harsh, and PCs are self-made men and women.
High Fantasy: the elves rule the high mountain, and are ruled over by a dragon. Who has a magic crown, and a ring that makes him invisible. This is a high fantasy setting, one that is populated with many races, with much in the way of magic and fantastic elements.
Honour: Much like the Chivalry option, above, an "honour" based game revolves around the idea of a held code of ethics, and the idea that breaking this code leads to unfortunate events. PCs could have to decide upon their code of honour (thief and samurai alike both follow a code... just different codes) - and then find themselves in situations where abandoning that code could bring short term profit (but long-term misery).
Horror: to put it simply, the campaign is about scaring the shit out of your players. Whether it's a slasher flick, or a more insidious, growing sense of horror is up to you. There are a lot of resources to help you, so I'll leave it at that.
Humour: Often overlooked, humour is an integral part of any D&D campaign. With this hook, much of the campaign is built around laughs. Whether it's NPCs with gag names (probably a bad idea for a long term campaign), or a campaign simply designed around making sure PCs get a chance to make jokes and players get to laugh (a great idea) is up to you. But the goal here is to make sure the players are laughing fairly often around the table.
Mystery: the campaign is all about solving the mystery - either an ongoing mystery with a new clue dropped every session, or a series of adventures that are each a self-contained mystery. The campaign is all about getting and interpreting clues. A very fun style of play.
Pulp: the campaign is very "pulpy" - over the top action in the vein of Indiana Jones and science fiction of the 1950s. Heroes are heroes, and villains are villains. And bad guys always want to destroy the earth.
Romance: It seems almost every fantasy novel (and most movies) have a romantic element. This campaign has a large romantic element to it. Perhaps the PCs are trying to rescue their long-lost loves. Or maybe this is a campaign that is a bit sappier than that.
Space Opera: Things in this campaign are operatic, they're melodramatic, and they're big. The campaign emulates many of the features of movies such as Star Wars, Serenity, and Battlestar Galactica. Whether or not the campaign is actually set in space is, of course, up to the GM (you could just as easily make a "space opera" game set in an open ocean).
Survival: Screw honour, romance, and chivalry. The goal is to stay alive. The world is a tough place, and the PCs' main goal is to stay alive in it. Whether the world is difficult from monsters, environmental hazards, or something else entirely, many elements in the setting exist to accentuate that the primary goal is just staying alive.
Swashbuckling: The PCs are lightly armoured acrobats engaging in crazy stunts, witty banter, and convolted plots. Imagine, if you will, the D&D version of The Princess Bride or The Three Musketeers.
Thievery: theft is a big element of the game. Odds are, the PCs are the thieves, or perhaps they're thieves hired to catch bigger thieves. A game based entirely around a series of bank heists could be a lot of fun for morally ambiguous players; a game based around finding those thieves could be just as fun.
The Unknown: The truth is out there. There is a sense of bafflement in the campaign world, and one major question is left unanswered at the campaign's start. Much about this element is unknown, and it seems every time the PCs answer one question, two more crop up. this is not a campaign about discovery, so much as it is one about wonder and mystery.
Western: The campaign takes a lot of inspiration from classic western movies. The frontier. Showdowns at high noon. Cattle drives. Sheriffs. Bandits. And of course, riding into the sunset. The campaign doesn't need to involve sixguns and poker games... it can follow normal D&D rules. It just follows different tropes.
Wuxia: the campaign has an element of "wire-fu" to it. PCs run up walls, jump into the branches of trees, and do all sorts of similar, magical feats. The campaign could have an asian feel to it (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), or perhaps it's more like the movie The Matrix. The 4e DMG already has some advice on running a game with a Wuxia feel to it.
Climate or Terrain
A world based around a single terrain type or climate is a series of hooks, just waiting to be explored. My favourite setting of all time, Dark Sun, is just one example among many.
Aerial: The campaign is based primarily in the sky. There could be floating islands, or the majority of races live on isolated mountaintops. For some reason, the ground below is unsuitable for human habitation.
Archipelago: The campaign is located in an island chain. Either the world is dominated by island chains, or the campaign area is based around a string of islands. Optionally, a mainland could exist, yet is too dangerous for human life to flourish.
Arctic: The world is a frozen one, blanketed in snow, with icebergs floating in icy seas. Agriculture is rare at best, with most cultures having to rely on nomadic hunting of large game and fishing for subsistence. Many crafts of "civilization" will be difficult to produce... perhaps scavenging from the ruins of the ancients is the only way to acquire such valuable items as metal weapons and armour.
Desert: The world receives very little in the way of precipitation. It could be a "hot" desert, or a "cold" desert, but in either case, it very rarely rains. Water is probably very valuable, as is arable land.
Earthquakes: the world is seismically unstable, and is plagued by frequent earthquakes, and possibly tsunamis. Cities will often be built out of lightweight materials, and the religion probably ties the frequency of the quakes with the capriciousness of the gods.
Forest: The world is covered in forest, with many cultures surviving through hunting and foraging. While the land is ideal for plant growth, the soil might not always be the best for farming, and in any case, clearing land is a burden.
Inland Sea: Much of the campaign area is based around an inland sea, comparable to the Mediterranean throughout European history. Dominance of the inland sea relates to dominance of trade, and cultural superiority. This is a perfect situation for piracy.
Jungle: The world is covered in tropical, humid jungles, home to all manner of poisonous reptiles and blood-sucking insects. Steamy rivers wind their way through the underbrush. Hunting and Gathering are preferred methods of subsistence, while slash-and-burn and terraced agriculture supports the few larger-scale civilizations.
Lakes: The land is spotted by many large lakes and smaller tributary rivers. The land is highly conducive to agriculture and animal husbandry, and most major civilizations will be based around the shores of freshwater lakes. Diseases often breed in tropical lakes, however, making such cities dangerously unhealthy and congested.
River: The campaign is dominated by either one major river, or several. These rivers are massive, and form the backbone for numerous riverside civilizations that ply the waters for trade. The obvious example is the Nile, although the Amazon (with its numerous connections and larger area) is better for campaign play. The River dominates life in the campaign area. Riverboat trading, smuggling, and piracy could all be prevalent in the setting.
Moutainous: For whatever reason, humanity chooses to settle in the highlands, avoiding the lowlands either due to a magical threat, or out of religious reasons. Perhaps dangerous monsters occupy the lower lands. In any case, the setting is one of plateau-based husbandry and small-scale agriculture. The acquisition of potable water and the danger of forming weather systems could be major themes of the campaign. Mines and caves could be frequent.
Oceans: The world is primarily oceanic, with either very little or no land. Many cities could be "floating" cities, and aquatic races could be considerably more common. Acquisition of building materials could be very difficult. Most PCs will have their own ship. Floating islands of seaweed and plants could exist. The campaign could also be underwater in nature, with submerged "Atlantis" cities playing a major role.
Plains: The land is mostly flat, consisting of plains, steppes, and savannahs. The occasional mesa or butte could break the land. Kingdoms cluster around water sources, but many mounted nomads could ply the land between oases, raising herds and hunting game.
Planar: The game has a large planar element to it - one or more of the planes has a strong tie to the campaign world. Either the setting co-exists with one of the planes (the feywild or the shadowfell being just two obvious examples), or the entire campaign takes place within a plane. Optionally, the setting could be entirely planar, much like the old Planescape setting.
Space: The campaign is based primarily in space. Some means of travelling the stars exists, and the various kingdoms can be found on lifeless moons, gas giants, and terraformed planets. The game could be a space opera in the manner of star wars, or a traditional fantasy with some science-fiction elements. There are many, many different ways you can go with this one.
Swamp: The land is primarily swampy, with very little arable land. Fishing and gathering are the primary means of subsistence. Disease probably runs rampant.
Underground: The majority of the campaign is spent in the underdark, a series of subterranean tunnels and dungeons. Cultures could avoid the surface out of dominance (perhaps another race owns the surface, and the PC races are the losers of an ancient war) or out of survival (perhaps the surface is lifeless and deadly). Acquiring food and maintaining light sources could be major concerns in the setting.
Uninhabitable: Much of the world is uninhabitable, for whatever reason the fiendish GM can think of. Areas might simply be too cold or hot for mortal life to exist, while other areas might be under the control of capricious gods that hunt any who trespass. In any case, these uninhabitable areas will naturally be areas PCs will wish to explore. Inhabitable lands should be highly valued, and could possibly be the sites of numerous battles between factions.
Volcanic: The world is incredibly volcanic in nature, with mountains spouting lava and clouds of ash into the environment. Ash clouds could block out the sun for years, and any area near a volcano could be levelled by massive forces. Areas of "Stable" or "Inert" volcanoes will make up the major civilized lands.
Weather: Unusual weather conditions exist in the world. Whether it is a land that is always blanketed by mist or cloaked in rain, or a land in which a strange magical weather effect is frequent, remains for the GM to determine. A world where the usual weather effects are magnified, or one that is plagued by unusual tidal pulls could also be considered.
Cultures of Dominance
Whether they dominate the world, or just the primary section of the campaign, a culture of dominance is one of the primary cultures in the setting. These cultures are to be used as a starting point, obviously, but need not be an exact recreation. In fact, it's a lot more fun messing with the core cultural assumption.
African: the culture is based on one of more advanced African cultures, such as the Malinese or Zulu empires at their height. Iron-using, lightly armoured warriors are common, as are primally-powered warriors and priests. Spirit worship is probably common.
Arabian: The culture is based around one of the major Arabian, seafaring dynasties. Religion and scholarly studies are both facets of the culture, as is trade and cosmopolitanism.
Biblical: the culture has many elements drawn from the biblical lands of Jerusalem and the middle east. Whether or not the land draws any obvious parallels to Christian religion is irrelevant, though religious faith (or, more accurately, persecution for new religious beliefs) is probably a cornerstone of the setting.
Celtic: the culture is based off the barbarian warriors of the Celts, or, possibly, the barbarian german and pict tribes. Nature priests hold positions of power over lightly armoured warriors and swordsmen. A fear of Arcane magic and the superstitious is a possibility worth considering. Much inspiration can be drawn from celtic mythology.
Colonial: The primary culture is similar to one of the colonial powers of the 1700s onward, and rules over foreign soil through the "might of the empire". Much of the campaign could consist of the highly "civilized" colonial rulers subjugating the native peoples in a land far away from home. Whether the game implements colonial-level technology is a decision that must be made early, though perhaps these fantasy colonialists have gained their power not through the barrel of a gun but instead through the power of the Arcane.
Egyptian: The main culture draws some obvious influences from the ancient Egyptian empire. Death gods, trapped tombs, and "sun kings" are all possibilities. Divine characters are probably quite common.
Feudal: the main culture is based off a feudal, medieval agrarian culture, whether it be European or Asian in tone. Naturally, PCs are probably landowners in such a system, owing feudal obligations to their lord.
Greek/Roman: Whether the culture follows the fractured city-state model of ancient Greece, or the unifying empire of ancient Rome is a matter of personal taste. But the game is definitely one of highly civilized individuals hoping to protect that civilization from external hordes, and internal selfish desires. The game could also be modelled after the mythology of the era, for a more "fantastic" campaign setting with PCs battling unique monsters such as the Hydra, Chimera, or Catoblepas.
Indian: the campaign is settled among a culture representing medieval India. Religions based on Buddhism, Sikhism, and Hinduism could all exist. The land is probably fractured into many small kingdoms that feud with one another. The setting will have an eastern flavour, and will probably be highly fantastic in nature.
Mercantile: the campaign features the presence of numerous mercantile or guild interests. Commerce (and subsequently, bandity and piracy) are common motivations in the campaign. Mercantile powers either replace traditional government powers, or else have strong political power. An obvious example would be medieval Venice, among hundreds of others.
Mesoamerican: The (technically stone-age) cultures of central- and south- America are the focal point of the campaign. Civilizations representing the Olmecs, Maya, and Aztec peoples could all be common. Possible themes would include human sacrifice, the calendar of the gods, and violent warfare between rival peoples.
Mesopotamian: the culture is based around the peoples of ancient Iraq, and the first civilization. City-states made of mud and brick rise up alongside the banks of salty, unpredictable rivers. A powerful priest caste is probably present in the campaign, and magic based around the knowledge of "magic words" is a possibility. Kings are also considered to be gods, and epic quests are not outside the realm of possibility. Much of the world beyond the city-walls could potentially be unknown or unexplored.
Native American: the campaign follows the tribal, hunter-gathering lifestyles of several Native American peoples. While it is perhaps a stereotype for such peoples to always "respect the environment", this stereotype can be put to good effect by focusing on the primal power source.
Oriental: the campaign is based around a culture similar to ancient China, Korea, Japan, or Mongolia. Many character classes and races could be recast in an asian-inspired light. This setting would play well with the "wuxia" gameplay style described in the 4e DMG.
Polynesian: the island peoples of the south pacific are the principal inspiration in this campaign setting. Oceanic explorers armed only with outrigger canoes and their own ingenuity could be a major theme in the campaign. Many "gods" based around natural events such as volanoes, coral reefs, and monsoons could exist.
Post-Renaissance: The campaign is set in a land similar to Europe in the 1500s and 1600s. Gunpowder is growing in popularity, and "the age of reason" is beginning to supplant the "age of superstition". The role of magic in such a setting could be difficult to implement. In most campaigns, this cultural assumption will naturally lead to a "Steampunk" vibe.
Renaissance: the campaign is set in a culture similar to that of Europe in the 1400s and 1500s, with large advancements in art, literature, music, technology, politcs, and society in general. The campaign can easily support roguish characters flourishing in the growing cities, as well as swashbuckling characters and political intrigues.
Seafaring: The culture relies upon the ocean or waterways for trade and overall survival. The campaign focuses on the control and exploration of the high seas, though whether as pirates, explorers, privateers, soldiers, or merchants remains up to the whims of the GM.
Stone Age: the main culture has not yet discovered the working of iron. While this could be played pretty close to "the real world", with PCs being underarmed "savages" trying to survive in a dangerous world, consider instead a "lost world" vibe, with characters battling dinosaurs and other unusual creatures. The possibility of the stone age culture being the remnants of a previous, advanced civilization is another possibility to explore.
Viking: The culture is slavic in nature, based upon the cultures of the northern european Vikings, or possibly the western Russian peoples. Rune-priests, strong-armed warriors, and an innate distrust of magic and foreigners could all dominate the setting.
Mythological/Historical
These hooks explain events that happened in the campaign's past. Whether these events are recent or ancient, they still have an effect on the daily lives of the people. What's important to realize is that many campaigns have had these events in their past; when presented as a hook here, the events were so large and central to the primary culture that they have trickled down into day-to-day life. In the case of mythological hooks, the hook can even represent the nature of the deities themselves in the campaign world.
Aloof Deities: the deities exist, but by their very nature, they care very little for mortals. Whether they are even aware of the existence of mortals can be called into question. Whether these human-like deities that remain detached from the mortal world, or alien, lovecraftian gods that are best left uncontacted remains for the GM to determine.
Ancient Technology: the ancients were far more advanced than the current culture in terms of technological prowess. Whether these advances are relatively small (the ancients could work iron, while the current culture cannot), or large (the ancients had jet fighters) is worth considering. Naturally, the ruins of the ancients will be explored by intrepid profit-seekers.
Artifact: the creation or destruction of a mighty artifact has had a profound effect on the campaign. Some major event in the setting (possibly one of the other hooks) has come about due to this artifact. Perhaps the artifact is lost, and many seek to find it and "save the world". Or perhaps it provides a benefit, and the nation that controls the artifact reaps the rewards. Or, possibly there are multiple artifacts. There are endless possibilities here.
Cataclysm: an ancient (or recent) cataclysm, either natural or man-made, swept the earth. The effects of this cataclysm can still be seen, in the abandoned ruins. And perhaps the cataclysm left a lingering magical effect that the descendants must still contend with.
Civil War: an internal war between an empire broke out, and the two factions fought a long and bloody battle. Regardless of which side won (or if there was a clear victory), the effects of this war trickle down to the present day, with the descendants of either faction eyeing the other suspiciously. Perhaps two nations (or more) have emerged from the previous empire, and remained locked in a bitter war. The setting of Eberron (and the Five Kingdoms that emerged from the ancient empire of Galifar) is just one example among many.
Crusade: One faction, believing it followed the will of the divine, declared war on "the infidel". This crusade against a foreign land brought back many of the foreign land's customs and technology. The crusading power, depending on whether it won or lost the crusade, could still hold power in the invaded land.
Dawn of Time: the campaign takes place in the "dawn of time", where the actions of PCs will have lasting consequences. The PCs are first heroes, and much of the land is unexplored. Alternately, the land could indeed be a "new world", with the predominant culture either from a different continent, a different planet, or perhaps even a different plane of existence.
Divine Differences: for some reason, the deities follow a different model than is common in "standard" D&D. They could all be dead, there could be a single monolithic deity, they could be entirely evil, or whatever else a fiendish GM can think of.
Epic War: An ancient, epic war that is still discussed in the mythologies happened once, long ago. It was a battle much like the Trojan war in our current time, with mighty heroes and powerful magicks used by both sides. Effects of that war are still seen in the land today - perhaps warforged were created in this war, or lands could be blasted with magical radiation from that ancient conflict.
Imperial: The current setting has evolved from an ancient empire. Whether that empire still exists, and whether its form has changed dramatically over time is worth considering. Regardless, much of the land once existed under the thumb of a very powerful imperial power. Optionally, the campaign could consist of a conflict between multiple massive imperial powers.
Invasion: the campaign land (or world) was once invaded by outside forces. The threat of these forces invading once more could drive the campaign, or many negative elements of the setting could exist due to the nature of the ancient invasion.
Meddlesome Gods: for whatever reason, the deities sure love interacting with the mortal world. PCs could potentially be half-deities themselves, and divine intervention could be a common occurence. Naturally, divine characters will be more common in such a campaign.
Migration: an ancient, massive migration of one or more peoples took place in the campaign's history. Where these people settled, and how the original peoples react to the new peoples' presence, drives much of the campaign forward. An interesting plot element could be exactly what caused the migration in the first place... and if that cause remains buried in the past.
Monstrous Uprising: Either a long time ago, or recently, or perhaps every century or so, a species or group of species increased in number and wreaked havoc on the setting. While these beasts may have been defeated, trace elements could still exist in ruins. And there is always the possibility the monsters will rise up once more.
Plague: An ancient plague swept through the land, killing perhaps half the mortals of the world. Many changes in society occured as a result, and the fear of new diseases spreading once more could power much of the societal codes people follow - rightly or wrongly. The plague could be arcane in nature, or could be something even more fantastic - a "zombie plague" is an often used example.
Post-Apocalyptic: the current setting exists among the ruins of an older setting. The older civilization was destroyed only a handful of years ago, and survivors find themselves picking up the pieces and scavenging from the ruins of the old.
Racial Divide: Either the members of a single race had a schism (drow and elves, dwarves and duergar, gnomes and spriggans, etc.), or two races had reason to distrust and despise one another (orcs and dwarves, tieflings and dragonborn). This racism between two humanoid species exists to the current day, with overt and covert attacks made by both sides against the other.
Rebellion: an ancient rebellion has lead to the formation of the current society. The obvious example to use would be the United States of America. The effects of this rebellion are still present in the current day.
Religious Schism: For whatever reason, the major religion in the campaign has fractured into several factions. These factions disagree with one another, though whether this disagreement leads to warfare is optional. In any case, the schism is prevalent in society, and all are aware of it. Taking sides in such a conflict would be necessary; straddling the borders of neutrality could be dangerous.
Small Nations: No large empire ever existed in the setting, or if it did, it existed a very long time ago. Every nation that exists in the current setting is a small kingdom. Perhaps due to inheritance laws, these kingdoms become smaller and smaller as more and more kings are formed. In any case, few kingdoms are large enough to house more than a few middle-sized towns. The setting could be one of much politicking and negotiation, or it could be one of outright warfare between hundreds of factions.
Sites of Interest
This category indicates an area that a large amount of adventures in the campaign will take place around. These sites are a focal point of the campaign's action.
Battlefields: The campaign takes place on battlefields and war zones. It could be an ongoing seige or a series of military campaigns. Or it could be a world that is literally awash in numerous small conflicts, allowing well-equipped soldiers of fortune to flourish.
Castles: Much like battlefields, above, only in this campaign, the PCs spend most of their time on the defensive, in walled fortresses repelling enemy hordes. Perhaps building and maintaining their own personal castles and fiefdoms is a predominant feature of the campaign.
Caves: Natural cavern systems are explored by the PCs, either out of typical adventurer wanderlust or for more profitable reasons. Naturally, in a fantastic world, there will be many denizens of the underworld that distrust interlopers.
Dungeons: the campaign is built around dungeon-crawling... whether it be one large "mega-dungeon" or the exploration of numerous smaller dungeons. For an interesting twist, perhaps the entire campaign world is one large dungeon!
Guilds: Guild politics are a large part of the campaign, and the PCs spend much time in guildhalls. Perhaps planning and running their own guild/business is a part of the campaign. Whether the campaign is urban or rural is, of course, up to you.
Planar: While the world may be a completely normal one, the PCs spend a lot of time jaunting away from it and exploring the planes that lay beyond. There are many reasons to explore - for profit, to prevent a calamity from hitting the homeworld, or maybe even to find a safe path to a new world before an unstoppable calamity befalls the homeworld! Imagine a setting where the denizens of Athas (from Dark Sun) or Ravenloft all team up and invade the Forgotten Realms or Greyhawk.
Ruins: The PCs explore ruins. Perhaps they do this to find artifacts from an ancient past... or maybe they do it because the money's good. Whatever the case, the world has many ruins worth exploring and looting - the GM should probably spend some time developing his setting's history.
Ships: The PCs spend a lot of time on a ship - whether it's an airship or a sailing ship, of course, depends on the campaign. Most likely, the PCs are the crew or owners of one such ship. The campaign could feature a lot of exploration in a new land, piracy, smuggling, and all sorts of other fun activities.
Shrines/Temples: The PCs are members of a faith, and spend a lot of time in the temples and shrines of their deity. Or perhaps they're trying to rededicate abandoned temples and shrines to bring back the faith to new followers.
University/School: A majority of the campaign takes place in a school or college. Perhaps the PCs all belong to the school (and have to teach classes, adventuring in the summer!), and get funding from the school to go on adventures. Or, perhaps the adventures happen within the school, and the PCs are all students (a sort of Harry Potter D&D situation).
Urban: the campaign is very urban in nature. Whether the PCs live in one large city, or whether the campaign takes place with the PCs moving from city to city, a large part of the action takes place on crowded city streets. These games often favour espionage, roguish activities, and mysteries.
Wilderness: the PCs are explorers, and spend a lot of time outside. They could be on the frontier, discovering land that human (or close to human) eyes have yet to see. Or maybe they're convicts of some sort, and forced to settle on a "prison island" and must somehow survive away from the comforts of civilization.
Situation
A "situation" is any ongoing event in the campaign world that becomes a focal point for events within the setting. Whether this "situation" is one that is relatively short-term (such as a recent wave of banditry or a plague) that affects the campaign area greatly, or one that is considerably long-term, depends on the individual description and your own imagination. There is a lot that can be done with any of these entries, and the GM should put some thought into making best use of any hook.
Banditry/Piracy: There are a great many bandits, raiders, or pirates in the world. Whether the PCs belong to these ranks or fight against it could be a major decision in the campaign world. Lawlessness and disorder are probably features of the setting - weak or corrupt rulers could be detailed as important NPCs.
Class Dominance: One (or more) character classes has social dominance in the campaign world, while other classes may be despised or shunned. The classic example is a magocracy, where wizards have all the political power, but there are very many ways this can go. As an interesting variant, consider a campaign where each kingdom favours one specific class - one land could be based around druids, another heaps praise upon bards, while a third idolizes the feats of brave warlords. A campaign based around power source dominance (Arcane, Divine, etc...) would also bear fruit.
Court: There are a lot of political meanderings going on in the courts of mighty kings and queens. The PCs could be political courtiers themselves, or the campaign could have an espionage element. Or perhaps the actions going on in the political courts have a direct impact on the world around the PCs at "ground level".
Criminal: There is a very strong criminal presence in the campaign... perhaps the PCs themselves are these criminals. Criminal Cartels, smugglers, assassins, and rogues are very common in the world. The classic "thieves guilds" could also be present.
Deity: Somehow, the deities are different in this setting than in others. Perhaps there is only one god... or perhaps there are none. Perhaps the PCs are all half-deities. In any case, the religious situation in the campaign is notably different from the core presumed by D&D.
Dying World: the world is dying, progressively getting worse. There are many, many ways you could go with this - it could be a world of ash and dust (Dark Sun), a world where births are rare (Children of Men), or even a world where after death, you rise up as a zombie (Dawn of the Dead). In any case, the world is doomed, and the goal of the PCs is just to survive from day to day. Or perhaps, to save the world.
Enemy Monster: One species of monster is a real nuisance in the campaign world, and the PCs often find themselves face to face with these beasts. Try to choose a group of monsters, and monsters that can be used at multiple tiers of play. Far Realm monsters are an obvious choice, as are elementals and giants.
Frontier: The PCs are on the frontier, and exploration of this frontier is a major consideration of the time. The PCs don't actually have to be explorers for this to work; the discovery of the "new world" turned a whole continent into a frontier, and many of the pirates and newcomers to the land did very little exploring... and that frontier discovery made many changes to the "old world" as well.
Magical: For some reason, magic works differently in this campaign world. Maybe it defiles land. Maybe magic items don't exist. Or maybe, all magic come from items. Perhaps magic is super-rare, or so common that everyone has access to at least one spell. Whichever route you take, the magic is different from core D&D assumptions.
Monster Hunting: Monster-hunting is a big deal in the setting - there are many different species of monsters in the world, and they all do bad things. Enter the professional monster-hunter. Discovery of the monster (which may or may not be a "unique" being) is followed by tracking the monster, discovering the monster's weaknesses, and then a final confrontation. The TV show Supernatural is based around the Monster Hunting hook.
New World: The PCs are in a newly discovered continent, island, or maybe even a new world/plane entirely. Whatever the case, they are newcomers to a land, much like early european explorers in North America. Or perhaps a new world has been discovered, and this discovery has a major impact (For better and/or for worse) on the "old world", and the PCs must deal with the repercussions of this.
Paranoia: The people are paranoid, and a sense of "witch hunting" pervades their minds. There is a fear (whether legitimate or not) in the populace, and such unease creates all sorts of problems. A world in which shapeshifters can prey on the minds of common folk could, naturally, create a sense of terror among the masses.
Power Source: One or more power source in the campaign (such as arcane, primal, divine, or martial) does not exist in the setting at all, or is considerably changed from it's original form. Or perhaps only one power source exists. Or perhaps only one power source is allowed to PCs (such as the martial source) and other sources are solely the domain of evil cults and power groups. If you go this route, make sure all the roles are covered (striker, leader, defender, and controller), and there is at least a range of choice available to players (I'd suggest a minimum of six classes).
Psionic: Psionics are either incredibly common in the campaign world, or non-existent. Perhaps they are tied to realm of dreams, or are a dangerous force that is destroying the setting (as in the movie Akira).
Race Dominance: One non-human race is very dominant in the campaign setting. Perhaps dwarves are the most common race (or the most culturally powerful). Or perhaps a series of races control much of the power. The main goal of this hook is to put forward a campaign area controlled by a non-human race. A world in which 50% of the population are elves and eladrin will be considerably different than the assumed human-dominant culture of most D&D settings.
Religious: There is a religious conflict or schism in the setting that dominates day-to-day life. Or perhaps the nature of the churches themselves factor into campaign events.
Slavery: Slavery is common in the setting. One race could make it a point to enslave the other. Perhaps the campaign is based around evading the manacles of an evil slaver race. Or perhaps the PCs' goal is to break free from slavery... or to oppose the common practice of slavery held as commonplace in their home kingdom.
Technological: the campaign could be either more "high tech" than usual, or is considerably less technologically-advanced than most D&D settings. Whether the PCs are allowed guns, or their home nation is unable to forge metal, both are examples of a technological hook. In any case, the technology (or lack thereof) would be noticed by any long-term player of D&D.
Unrest: The setting takes place in a time of unrest - perhaps a civil war, or the people's general discontent with ongoing campaign events. Or maybe the campaign takes place during a crisis of some sort, and the people resent the changes going on around them.
War: There is a war going on, and it is a big one. Battles and warfare are common in the setting, and almost every facet of daily life is influenced by "the war". How PCs survive (or even profit) in this campaign is a major consideration.
Theme or Tone
A campaign's "theme" or "tone" are a bit more vague to pin down, but I can guarantee that if done right, it will be the first thing your players remember about the setting. Sometimes, these themes could be hard to implement; the GM must remember that it is often better to remain true to the general tenents of the tone, rather than the specifics. For example, a "western" game doesn't need sixguns and buffalo; it is more about self-made men, justice, lawlessness, and the classic showdowns.
Action: The campaign is based around action, ongoing combat, and over-the-top battles. Every fight is cinematic, the characters are often one-sided villains, and there is usually a bit of comedy and banter as well. This isn't a game about talk; it's a game about getting stuff done, and making sure crazy things are going on at all times.
Chivalry: whether it's knighthood or Bushido, there is a strong belief and focus on honour in the setting, and being a "righteous warrior".
Corruption: The bad guys (and maybe the PCs) are corrupted by the world around them. Much of the theme of the game is based around the idea that power corrupts, and as the campaign progresses, characters, locations, and even ideals slowly devolve into base, selfish forms.
Exploration: Whether it's a driving need to find out what's beyond the next door, the next hill, or the next ocean, there is a strong element of mapping and exploration in the campaign. Create a lot of new places, people, and things for PCs to find. They are, after all, explorers. Note that this is different from other exploration-based hooks. The PCs could be exploring a dungeon that's been explored a million times before - this theme is more about the individual discovery of the players, as opposed to the ongoing presence of exploration in the setting itself. PCs could just as easily "explore" a well-populated city, for example.
Fairy Tale: the campaign is built around the ideas presented in fairy tales. Many elements have classic fairy tale tropes to them. To take this a bit further, consider framing every adventure as if it were a fairy tale, addressing the players as if they were children about to hear a bedtime story. And remember, all fairy tales have a moral at the end... and not all fairy tales are the sort we'd tell our children today (read the original Grimm's fairy tales!).
Gritty: the campaign is gritty. It is rough, and a land where things can (and will) go bad. There could be optional critical hit rules, or perhaps healing is hard to come by. In any case, it is a setting where life is harsh, and PCs are self-made men and women.
High Fantasy: the elves rule the high mountain, and are ruled over by a dragon. Who has a magic crown, and a ring that makes him invisible. This is a high fantasy setting, one that is populated with many races, with much in the way of magic and fantastic elements.
Honour: Much like the Chivalry option, above, an "honour" based game revolves around the idea of a held code of ethics, and the idea that breaking this code leads to unfortunate events. PCs could have to decide upon their code of honour (thief and samurai alike both follow a code... just different codes) - and then find themselves in situations where abandoning that code could bring short term profit (but long-term misery).
Horror: to put it simply, the campaign is about scaring the shit out of your players. Whether it's a slasher flick, or a more insidious, growing sense of horror is up to you. There are a lot of resources to help you, so I'll leave it at that.
Humour: Often overlooked, humour is an integral part of any D&D campaign. With this hook, much of the campaign is built around laughs. Whether it's NPCs with gag names (probably a bad idea for a long term campaign), or a campaign simply designed around making sure PCs get a chance to make jokes and players get to laugh (a great idea) is up to you. But the goal here is to make sure the players are laughing fairly often around the table.
Mystery: the campaign is all about solving the mystery - either an ongoing mystery with a new clue dropped every session, or a series of adventures that are each a self-contained mystery. The campaign is all about getting and interpreting clues. A very fun style of play.
Pulp: the campaign is very "pulpy" - over the top action in the vein of Indiana Jones and science fiction of the 1950s. Heroes are heroes, and villains are villains. And bad guys always want to destroy the earth.
Romance: It seems almost every fantasy novel (and most movies) have a romantic element. This campaign has a large romantic element to it. Perhaps the PCs are trying to rescue their long-lost loves. Or maybe this is a campaign that is a bit sappier than that.
Space Opera: Things in this campaign are operatic, they're melodramatic, and they're big. The campaign emulates many of the features of movies such as Star Wars, Serenity, and Battlestar Galactica. Whether or not the campaign is actually set in space is, of course, up to the GM (you could just as easily make a "space opera" game set in an open ocean).
Survival: Screw honour, romance, and chivalry. The goal is to stay alive. The world is a tough place, and the PCs' main goal is to stay alive in it. Whether the world is difficult from monsters, environmental hazards, or something else entirely, many elements in the setting exist to accentuate that the primary goal is just staying alive.
Swashbuckling: The PCs are lightly armoured acrobats engaging in crazy stunts, witty banter, and convolted plots. Imagine, if you will, the D&D version of The Princess Bride or The Three Musketeers.
Thievery: theft is a big element of the game. Odds are, the PCs are the thieves, or perhaps they're thieves hired to catch bigger thieves. A game based entirely around a series of bank heists could be a lot of fun for morally ambiguous players; a game based around finding those thieves could be just as fun.
The Unknown: The truth is out there. There is a sense of bafflement in the campaign world, and one major question is left unanswered at the campaign's start. Much about this element is unknown, and it seems every time the PCs answer one question, two more crop up. this is not a campaign about discovery, so much as it is one about wonder and mystery.
Western: The campaign takes a lot of inspiration from classic western movies. The frontier. Showdowns at high noon. Cattle drives. Sheriffs. Bandits. And of course, riding into the sunset. The campaign doesn't need to involve sixguns and poker games... it can follow normal D&D rules. It just follows different tropes.
Wuxia: the campaign has an element of "wire-fu" to it. PCs run up walls, jump into the branches of trees, and do all sorts of similar, magical feats. The campaign could have an asian feel to it (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), or perhaps it's more like the movie The Matrix. The 4e DMG already has some advice on running a game with a Wuxia feel to it.
Random Hook Generator, part one.
So, I firmly believe that any and all worlds should have a "hook". A hook is, for those unfamiliar with the term in gaming, a catchphrase for the setting - a shorthand that describes a prime element of the setting that makes it original and appealing.
Often, hooks describe a key feature of the setting: "it's a horror world", or "there are a lot of dragons". Sometimes, they describe what the setting lacks: "it's humans only," or "there's no divine magic". In any case, a setting with a few hooks becomes a way to describe most of what makes your setting cool in only a few sentences.
Here are a few hooks for great D&D campaigns of the past:
Dark Sun: The world is a big desert; most of the usual fantasy races are changed; gritty, post-apocalyptic world; magic defiles the land; very tough, survival-based play.
Dragonlance: Dragons play a big part in the setting; good and evil battle it out in epic wars; storylines are complex and epic.
Eberron: "Steampunk"; grand adventure; darker, gritty model of play; post world-war 2 tone; pulp and noir elements.
Of course, I'm generalizing things, here. But you get the gist. If you can boil your campaign down to a few hooks, you can really get an idea where you're heading with the design of things, and move away from "kitchen sink" campaigns that can get kind of lame.
But sometimes, we fall flat with ideas. Or, we keep coming to the same ideas, over and over again. I do this all the time with Roman history - too many of my games use the old "roman" angle. Sometimes, you just need some random numbers. By taking a few random elements that don't usually mix well together ("Vikings" and "Deserts", for example), you get an odd combination that can get those creative juices flowing.
I got this idea from one of my favourite RPG books ever, The World Builder's Guidebook, written by Richard Baker way back in those 2nd Edition D&D days. In the first chapter, it gave you a list of a couple of hooks, and you rolled a few random ones and went to town. I'm going to take that first chapter, and expand upon the list.
How to Use this Chart: Randomly determine the number of hooks you want to use. A good idea is to keep the number small - you'll do better with a couple of big hooks than a world that consists of a number of smaller hooks. I'd suggest using at least two hooks, but no more than 4. Using a d4 is a great place to start. Randomly roll a d20 on the primary chart, and then a d20 on the subsequent chart. Or, for an interesting variation, roll once on each of the sub-charts!
Finally, the descriptions for each entry is on the following blog post. The entry was getting incredibly long, and I wound up having to break it up into two parts for readability. Some examples using this system will follow, without a doubt.
(I apologize for the poor formatting... blogspot doesn't make these things easy!)
Main Table
d20 Roll Roll On....
1-4: Table One: Climate or Terrain
5-9: Table Two: Culture of Dominance
10-12: Table Three: Mythological or Historical
13-14: Table Four: Sites of Interest
15-18: Table Five: Situation
19-20: Table Six: Theme or Tone
Climate or Terrain (roll d20)
Often, hooks describe a key feature of the setting: "it's a horror world", or "there are a lot of dragons". Sometimes, they describe what the setting lacks: "it's humans only," or "there's no divine magic". In any case, a setting with a few hooks becomes a way to describe most of what makes your setting cool in only a few sentences.
Here are a few hooks for great D&D campaigns of the past:
Dark Sun: The world is a big desert; most of the usual fantasy races are changed; gritty, post-apocalyptic world; magic defiles the land; very tough, survival-based play.
Dragonlance: Dragons play a big part in the setting; good and evil battle it out in epic wars; storylines are complex and epic.
Eberron: "Steampunk"; grand adventure; darker, gritty model of play; post world-war 2 tone; pulp and noir elements.
Of course, I'm generalizing things, here. But you get the gist. If you can boil your campaign down to a few hooks, you can really get an idea where you're heading with the design of things, and move away from "kitchen sink" campaigns that can get kind of lame.
But sometimes, we fall flat with ideas. Or, we keep coming to the same ideas, over and over again. I do this all the time with Roman history - too many of my games use the old "roman" angle. Sometimes, you just need some random numbers. By taking a few random elements that don't usually mix well together ("Vikings" and "Deserts", for example), you get an odd combination that can get those creative juices flowing.
I got this idea from one of my favourite RPG books ever, The World Builder's Guidebook, written by Richard Baker way back in those 2nd Edition D&D days. In the first chapter, it gave you a list of a couple of hooks, and you rolled a few random ones and went to town. I'm going to take that first chapter, and expand upon the list.
How to Use this Chart: Randomly determine the number of hooks you want to use. A good idea is to keep the number small - you'll do better with a couple of big hooks than a world that consists of a number of smaller hooks. I'd suggest using at least two hooks, but no more than 4. Using a d4 is a great place to start. Randomly roll a d20 on the primary chart, and then a d20 on the subsequent chart. Or, for an interesting variation, roll once on each of the sub-charts!
Finally, the descriptions for each entry is on the following blog post. The entry was getting incredibly long, and I wound up having to break it up into two parts for readability. Some examples using this system will follow, without a doubt.
(I apologize for the poor formatting... blogspot doesn't make these things easy!)
Main Table
d20 Roll Roll On....
1-4: Table One: Climate or Terrain
5-9: Table Two: Culture of Dominance
10-12: Table Three: Mythological or Historical
13-14: Table Four: Sites of Interest
15-18: Table Five: Situation
19-20: Table Six: Theme or Tone
Climate or Terrain (roll d20)
- Aerial
- Archipelago
- Arctic
- Desert
- Earthquakes
- Forest
- Inland Sea
- Jungle
- Lakes
- River
- Mountainous
- Oceans
- Plains
- Planar
- Space
- Swamp
- Underground
- Uninhabitable
- Volcanic
- Weather
- African
- Arabian
- Biblical
- Celtic
- Colonial
- Egyptian
- Feudal
- Greek/Roman
- Indian
- Mercantile
- Mesoamerican
- Mesopotamian
- Native American
- Oriental
- Polynesian
- Renaissance
- Post-Renaissance
- Seafaring
- Stone Age
- Viking
- Aloof Deities
- Ancient Technology
- Artifact
- Cataclysm
- Civil War
- Crusade
- Dawn of Time
- Divine Differences
- Epic War
- Imperial
- Invasion
- Meddlesome Gods
- Migration
- Monstrous Uprising
- Plague
- Post-Apocalyptic
- Racial Divide
- Rebellion
- Religious Schism
- Small Nations
- Battlefields
- Castles
- Caves
- Dungeons
- Guilds
- Planar
- Ruins
- Ships
- Shrines/Temples
- University/School
- Urban
- Wilderness
- Banditry/Piracy
- Class Dominance
- Court
- Criminal
- Deity
- Dying World
- Enemy Monster
- Frontier
- Magical
- Monster Hunting
- New World
- Paranoia
- Power Source
- Psionic
- Race Dominance
- Religious
- Slavery
- Technological
- Unrest
- War
- Action
- Chivalry
- Corruption
- Exploration
- Fairy Tale
- Gritty
- High Fantasy
- Honour
- Horror
- Humour
- Mystery
- Pulp
- Romance
- Space Opera
- Survival
- Swashbuckling
- Thievery
- The Unknown
- Western
- Wuxia
Monday, October 26, 2009
Game Night: The Wine Caves
The party interrogates the half-drow/half-eladrin poisoners, and have a brief debate over what to do with the prisoners. The idea of tying them up and taking them on the way out is broached, but Zahar realizes that the half-breeds will just be able to shadow step out of their bonds the second the group leaves. As such, Zahar believes murder is the only choice. Shedinn disagrees. Eventually, the poisoners are allowed to run free, with the party believing the corrupted feywild will kill them.
As if that will happen.
They lift the grate in the room, and enter a series of tunnels. A little bit of exploration leads to cavern hallways filled with trickling water. the group knows this area is riddled with caves, but believe they can find the secret of the place -they know there is a "big leader" somewhere in this cave complex, and want to find out who is running this local drow poisoning operation.
They come across a few shadar-kai resting in a side room by a cavern pool. the party rushes the room, and make short work of the half-breeds. Hammer charged into the room while the half-breeds were in their bunk beds, and knocked over one of the beds. Both Seahorse and Kirra were able to deal huge amounts of damage against the prone targets.
Later, they found another trapdoor leading to deeper caves, and climbed a ladder down to what looked like a cave intersection, with a pool of water in the centre. They headed in, and found an old eladrin with his hands tied, and deep gashes and cuts on his face. Naturally, as soon as Hammer approached, the man let out a cloud of glowing blue flies that engulfed Hammer and confused him, as the man shapechanged back into a large-sized, ogre-like form.
The party rushed the man, and two half-breed rogues materialized around them and blinded those they could get close to. However, the fight went in the party's favour early on, as Hammer quickly fought off the effects of the cloud due to Shedin's "transposition" power. The Oni they were against was taking serious damage, and soon unleashed another wave of flies that miraculously didn't affect a single party member - even though all but Zahar were in the area of effect.
When Seahorse chased one of the Shadar-Kai, she leapt into the water, before climbing back up onto a ledge and knocking the shadar-kai prone. This let the ooze lurking in the water to strike both Seahorse and Zahar, pulling them into its embrace while the Half-breed tried to escape.
However, the fight would soon end, with the Oni being quickly killed and the party promptly surrounding the ooze and layering attacks upon it. But the party found some cracks in the wall, and began to wonder if they lead somewhere important - and Hammer realized he'd be able to break down the wall and explore the tunnel obviously beyond...
It was a short game today - two combats, though only one was "from the book". There was also some light exploration, and a bit of chatting. Mostly, we didn't want to go too far, since Kirra's player was missing, and I knew a Black Dragon attack was next. I've been giving away a lot of treasure (still) to catch up to the fact that PCs hit level 9 today, and I still haven't given them half of their level 8 treasure packets.
The second fight didn't go well - bad luck by the Oni meant it had little in the way of powers, though the party did spend a lot of action points and dailies to make sure it went down. The Gelatinous Cube would've been more difficult, were it not for the fact that no one entered the water until much later in the fight, meaning it was inert for most of the fight. And I focused on the Engulf power, instead of using its normal attack to knock people immobilized, and then hit them with Engulf. Whoops.
Looking forward to the next fight... and some new plot bombs to drop on the group...
As if that will happen.
They lift the grate in the room, and enter a series of tunnels. A little bit of exploration leads to cavern hallways filled with trickling water. the group knows this area is riddled with caves, but believe they can find the secret of the place -they know there is a "big leader" somewhere in this cave complex, and want to find out who is running this local drow poisoning operation.
They come across a few shadar-kai resting in a side room by a cavern pool. the party rushes the room, and make short work of the half-breeds. Hammer charged into the room while the half-breeds were in their bunk beds, and knocked over one of the beds. Both Seahorse and Kirra were able to deal huge amounts of damage against the prone targets.
Later, they found another trapdoor leading to deeper caves, and climbed a ladder down to what looked like a cave intersection, with a pool of water in the centre. They headed in, and found an old eladrin with his hands tied, and deep gashes and cuts on his face. Naturally, as soon as Hammer approached, the man let out a cloud of glowing blue flies that engulfed Hammer and confused him, as the man shapechanged back into a large-sized, ogre-like form.
The party rushed the man, and two half-breed rogues materialized around them and blinded those they could get close to. However, the fight went in the party's favour early on, as Hammer quickly fought off the effects of the cloud due to Shedin's "transposition" power. The Oni they were against was taking serious damage, and soon unleashed another wave of flies that miraculously didn't affect a single party member - even though all but Zahar were in the area of effect.
When Seahorse chased one of the Shadar-Kai, she leapt into the water, before climbing back up onto a ledge and knocking the shadar-kai prone. This let the ooze lurking in the water to strike both Seahorse and Zahar, pulling them into its embrace while the Half-breed tried to escape.
However, the fight would soon end, with the Oni being quickly killed and the party promptly surrounding the ooze and layering attacks upon it. But the party found some cracks in the wall, and began to wonder if they lead somewhere important - and Hammer realized he'd be able to break down the wall and explore the tunnel obviously beyond...
It was a short game today - two combats, though only one was "from the book". There was also some light exploration, and a bit of chatting. Mostly, we didn't want to go too far, since Kirra's player was missing, and I knew a Black Dragon attack was next. I've been giving away a lot of treasure (still) to catch up to the fact that PCs hit level 9 today, and I still haven't given them half of their level 8 treasure packets.
The second fight didn't go well - bad luck by the Oni meant it had little in the way of powers, though the party did spend a lot of action points and dailies to make sure it went down. The Gelatinous Cube would've been more difficult, were it not for the fact that no one entered the water until much later in the fight, meaning it was inert for most of the fight. And I focused on the Engulf power, instead of using its normal attack to knock people immobilized, and then hit them with Engulf. Whoops.
Looking forward to the next fight... and some new plot bombs to drop on the group...
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A whole new world....
I love building campaign worlds. Way back in my 2nd Edition D&D days, I'd create around three worlds a year, each one housing only one or two adventures before being abandoned to house my newest "masterpiece". As I've gotten older and lazier, I've created simpler worlds that have become the background for longer campaigns... but I still get that "itch" from time to time to make something new.
That itch is sort of like herpes, in that it's infectious, you really want to scratch it, and odds are good you don't want people to see it appear on your face.
Lately, I've had a bit of spare time, and I've considered making a world. Of course, it'd be a completely pointless exercise - my current campaign shows little sign of ending anytime soon, and it's been universally agreed-upon (i.e., I don't care what those meddling players say, this is what I want to do!) that as soon as it comes out, we'll be playing Dark Sun.. But, what happens when that campaign ends? Or, what happens if I want to run a one-shot?
So, the goal is to create a custom 4E campaign setting. A sort of house-ruled to my heart's content, heavily modified fourth edition world that I can add to as the years go by, to satisfy that unusual "itch".
I know absolutely nothing about this campaign setting right now, except for the fact that I want it to be unusual from "core" fourth edition, have a different design aesthetic, and for it to limit the number of races and possibly classes available to the characters. I want a game that, when players make characters, they'll feel as if they're playing in a major 4e variant.
But I need to give the setting a name, right now. Mostly so I can give it a blog label for ease of organization. So, since I've given little thought to a world name, and since I know absolutely nothing about the setting, I think I'll rely on a name generator.
There are so many random name generators, but I've always loved Serendipity. It is a name generator, but it does without all those "take a bunch of random words and mesh them together". Instead, it takes linguistic elements, and combines them to make a word that sounds... real.
So, I hit "Create 25", and here's my list: Agror, Albon, Antymnur, Asur, Atlius, Casperion, Chinantur, Cypritrona, Daniania, Engandia, Engannor, Espus, Estene, Eurivona, Euron, Florantor, Manchynea, Namarias, Russilova, Spararcium, Tasmorius, Uga, Utannova, Xanacor, Zeelenova.
Making a top five, I'd have to single out Albon, Casperion, Espus, Estene, and Manchynea. "Albon" gets thrown out because it sounds too much like Fable's Albion, a game I play probably a tad too much as of late. "Espus" and "Estene" are a tad too Roman... and too many of my campaign worlds are Roman-derived. Manchynea has a dark, swords-and-sorcery feel to it, which is something I'm always willing to get behind, and "Casperion" really rolls off the tongue. I'm going to go with "Casperion" for now, as a world name, simply because it sounds cool.
That itch is sort of like herpes, in that it's infectious, you really want to scratch it, and odds are good you don't want people to see it appear on your face.
Lately, I've had a bit of spare time, and I've considered making a world. Of course, it'd be a completely pointless exercise - my current campaign shows little sign of ending anytime soon, and it's been universally agreed-upon (i.e., I don't care what those meddling players say, this is what I want to do!) that as soon as it comes out, we'll be playing Dark Sun.. But, what happens when that campaign ends? Or, what happens if I want to run a one-shot?
So, the goal is to create a custom 4E campaign setting. A sort of house-ruled to my heart's content, heavily modified fourth edition world that I can add to as the years go by, to satisfy that unusual "itch".
I know absolutely nothing about this campaign setting right now, except for the fact that I want it to be unusual from "core" fourth edition, have a different design aesthetic, and for it to limit the number of races and possibly classes available to the characters. I want a game that, when players make characters, they'll feel as if they're playing in a major 4e variant.
But I need to give the setting a name, right now. Mostly so I can give it a blog label for ease of organization. So, since I've given little thought to a world name, and since I know absolutely nothing about the setting, I think I'll rely on a name generator.
There are so many random name generators, but I've always loved Serendipity. It is a name generator, but it does without all those "take a bunch of random words and mesh them together". Instead, it takes linguistic elements, and combines them to make a word that sounds... real.
So, I hit "Create 25", and here's my list: Agror, Albon, Antymnur, Asur, Atlius, Casperion, Chinantur, Cypritrona, Daniania, Engandia, Engannor, Espus, Estene, Eurivona, Euron, Florantor, Manchynea, Namarias, Russilova, Spararcium, Tasmorius, Uga, Utannova, Xanacor, Zeelenova.
Making a top five, I'd have to single out Albon, Casperion, Espus, Estene, and Manchynea. "Albon" gets thrown out because it sounds too much like Fable's Albion, a game I play probably a tad too much as of late. "Espus" and "Estene" are a tad too Roman... and too many of my campaign worlds are Roman-derived. Manchynea has a dark, swords-and-sorcery feel to it, which is something I'm always willing to get behind, and "Casperion" really rolls off the tongue. I'm going to go with "Casperion" for now, as a world name, simply because it sounds cool.
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