Now, I know my players are barely interested in the minutia I have created for them to play in. But I'm a compulsive world builder, or so I've discovered over the last two years of creating a setting called the Realm of Varrelian, on a world called Anaki.
Thing is, I found a template to make PDFs that look like official publications and have been fleshing out my world. I've added graphics I found online, fleshed out the conflicts and powers of the world, and gave it just enough detail to evoke the feeling of a growing danger. Which i hope I impart to the players as best as I can.
Having said that, it's not really original enough to be a publication itself. There's some jokey bits, some lifts from other worlds (such as, my major city-state is called Harbour Deep), and I'd written it as a spring board of ideas for adventures as opposed to laying out in detail all that may exist there, such as in the denser publications like Explorers Guide to Wildemount. I didn't create any charts for encounters or provided stat blocks. Still, the amount of work is staggering. I'm over 30 pages in and still edit each page almost on a daily basis. Which reminds me; writers aren't really writers, they are editors!
The only thought I had, since I could upload the PDF for free, perhaps someone who is an experienced DM might like something in the flavour of setting I created? Does anyone do this?
I was in kind of a similar situation with my friends. I've had this idea for a setting for a while and I've been working on it for a while now, but the big problem was that I didn't have any idea for how to actually run a long-form adventure in that setting.
So instead, I shifted my focus and I decided to use the setting for any one shots I would run going forward. This way I didn't have to figure out anything beyond just one quick adventure for my friends. It's helped me to flesh out the world as well, since it gave me an idea of where I need to focus my writing for the one-shots... so one area of the city I was creating is more detailed than the others if only because that's where the one shot was set.
If you want to talk about the style, I get how the problem of what to focus on becomes a big deal. I like what you've come up with! In the DMG, page 14, it lays out the old method of mapping out the main area, a valley or something, then the regional area, continent, and so on. Which is what I did. All the detailed parts I've written are only in the realm of Varrelian, about the size of the maritime provinces. That's where all my adventures will be. But I have also sketched out, though very lightly, the continent itself. And only mentioned a few places on the other side of the world. These mentions I make connect to my smaller region narratively.
The only thing I tried to really induce in each entry of the realm itself, be it an old tower, forest, etc. is conflict. I wisely wanted a sort of Call of Cthulhu meets Bronze Age Collapse vib for my players, so with this in mind I was able to create dangers and bad guys that all connect to that narrative. Thus, even small clues I've placed might be missed by my players (they smashed every one to pieces actually, lol) but the growing danger is ever present. It's secrets can only be unfolded as the players go from one quest to another, no matter what it is. Which brings me to mention I actually rewrote the entire Keep on the Borderlands module to fit my narrative. It's 80 pages, lol. I need to be stopped!
You've definitely gotten a lot more done than I have. I've actually focused on designing one huge city for adventures... I've got a mostly humorous setting, although ironically the first one-shot I put my players through was a Lovecraftian adventure into a Kuo-Toa temple, but other than some body horror it was still mostly played for laughs.
Start small in a city or a territory that is easy to manage work on developing your lore as a spiral starting in the middle and slowly building your way out while the game is played.
So, I'm working on the same kind of thing. I'm creating individual PDFs, map packs, NPC packs which I'm intending on putting up on a ko-fi page just to be able to have them available to other people. I've actually chosen a pay what you want on the page because it might help contribute to the DM tools I pay for each year (D&D Beyond, Inkarnate, Hero Forge, Owlbear).
I've seen some downloads so I assume that people are at least downloading and using them. I don't quite know how else to get the resources out there.
So, I'm working on the same kind of thing. I'm creating individual PDFs, map packs, NPC packs which I'm intending on putting up on a ko-fi page just to be able to have them available to other people. I've actually chosen a pay what you want on the page because it might help contribute to the DM tools I pay for each year (D&D Beyond, Inkarnate, Hero Forge, Owlbear).
I've seen some downloads so I assume that people are at least downloading and using them. I don't quite know how else to get the resources out there.
That's interesting, I looked up what ko-fi is. Myself, I was leaning towards perhaps offering a finished product (yea, that will happen) for free on DrivethuRPG.
Anyone know of another site?
Oh, and TransmorpherDDS, that Lovecraftian 1-short you mentioned sounds hilarious. A David Cronenberg comedy. Take my money!
Start small in a city or a territory that is easy to manage work on developing your lore as a spiral starting in the middle and slowly building your way out while the game is played.
So, so true. I started with a few scraps of ideas. In fact, I started with Keep on the Borderlands. I rewrote that and added what flavours I wanted, and my players. In fact, the whole game was my pals wife's request some 5 years ago. I made some history for my players characters, including having the Raven Queen sort of bring visions to my pals ranger (because, backgrounds). And his wife, playing a rogue, got an offer to join a sort of secret organization. They ran into a Gith in the Caves of Chaos, who was excellent for exposition. I remade the map of the surrounding environs too. Then, the forests and mountains surrounding that area got a big map. Then, the region itself. Well, there's 4 maps of that. lol
Then I thought I'd flesh out a few things. Different peoples of the region. Some history. A great cataclysm that destroyed the world nearly 6 centuries ago. And that just grew and grew. It went from a few notes to a hobby. Well, again I guess as the last time I was this into D&D it was the 80s. lol
Probably worth mentioning that, if you do decide to publish your homebrew materials online, you probably want to remove and change any “lifts from other worlds”. If it is not your IP, you should probably avoid distributing it.
As for your question, historically I have kept my homebrew notes to myself - no one probably wants to look through a couple hundred plus mess, mashed together through years.
One fun alternative to just publishing the notes - I started a new group recently with fresh players, and built a fresh world from scratch. For that world, I wrote up a version of my notes in the form of a travel guide written by a major NPC, so I would have something the players could read and share in, as well as provide them the information their characters might know about the setting. It ended up being some 80+ pages of prose and… a little less useful than intended, but I was rather fond of the idea—in universe work to introduce a homebrew to players—even if my predilection for overly detailed homebrew notes lessened the efficacy some.
That is very good advice, and a travel log!?! That's just brilliant! :)
Yes, I wouldn't publish for $. I am using loads of uncredited artwork, for example.
And you're quite right, who would care to have a look at a PDF of what are basically my DMs notes on a world setting? Well, that's part of the question I'm asking, has anyone done something like this before, and what happened?
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Now, I know my players are barely interested in the minutia I have created for them to play in. But I'm a compulsive world builder, or so I've discovered over the last two years of creating a setting called the Realm of Varrelian, on a world called Anaki.
Thing is, I found a template to make PDFs that look like official publications and have been fleshing out my world. I've added graphics I found online, fleshed out the conflicts and powers of the world, and gave it just enough detail to evoke the feeling of a growing danger. Which i hope I impart to the players as best as I can.
Having said that, it's not really original enough to be a publication itself. There's some jokey bits, some lifts from other worlds (such as, my major city-state is called Harbour Deep), and I'd written it as a spring board of ideas for adventures as opposed to laying out in detail all that may exist there, such as in the denser publications like Explorers Guide to Wildemount. I didn't create any charts for encounters or provided stat blocks. Still, the amount of work is staggering. I'm over 30 pages in and still edit each page almost on a daily basis. Which reminds me; writers aren't really writers, they are editors!
The only thought I had, since I could upload the PDF for free, perhaps someone who is an experienced DM might like something in the flavour of setting I created? Does anyone do this?
I was in kind of a similar situation with my friends. I've had this idea for a setting for a while and I've been working on it for a while now, but the big problem was that I didn't have any idea for how to actually run a long-form adventure in that setting.
So instead, I shifted my focus and I decided to use the setting for any one shots I would run going forward. This way I didn't have to figure out anything beyond just one quick adventure for my friends. It's helped me to flesh out the world as well, since it gave me an idea of where I need to focus my writing for the one-shots... so one area of the city I was creating is more detailed than the others if only because that's where the one shot was set.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
If you want to talk about the style, I get how the problem of what to focus on becomes a big deal. I like what you've come up with! In the DMG, page 14, it lays out the old method of mapping out the main area, a valley or something, then the regional area, continent, and so on. Which is what I did. All the detailed parts I've written are only in the realm of Varrelian, about the size of the maritime provinces. That's where all my adventures will be. But I have also sketched out, though very lightly, the continent itself. And only mentioned a few places on the other side of the world. These mentions I make connect to my smaller region narratively.
The only thing I tried to really induce in each entry of the realm itself, be it an old tower, forest, etc. is conflict. I wisely wanted a sort of Call of Cthulhu meets Bronze Age Collapse vib for my players, so with this in mind I was able to create dangers and bad guys that all connect to that narrative. Thus, even small clues I've placed might be missed by my players (they smashed every one to pieces actually, lol) but the growing danger is ever present. It's secrets can only be unfolded as the players go from one quest to another, no matter what it is. Which brings me to mention I actually rewrote the entire Keep on the Borderlands module to fit my narrative. It's 80 pages, lol. I need to be stopped!
You've definitely gotten a lot more done than I have. I've actually focused on designing one huge city for adventures... I've got a mostly humorous setting, although ironically the first one-shot I put my players through was a Lovecraftian adventure into a Kuo-Toa temple, but other than some body horror it was still mostly played for laughs.
Watch Crits for Breakfast, an adults-only RP-Heavy Roll20 Livestream at twitch.tv/afterdisbooty
And now you too can play with the amazing art and assets we use in Roll20 for our campaign at Hazel's Emporium
Start small in a city or a territory that is easy to manage work on developing your lore as a spiral starting in the middle and slowly building your way out while the game is played.
So, I'm working on the same kind of thing. I'm creating individual PDFs, map packs, NPC packs which I'm intending on putting up on a ko-fi page just to be able to have them available to other people. I've actually chosen a pay what you want on the page because it might help contribute to the DM tools I pay for each year (D&D Beyond, Inkarnate, Hero Forge, Owlbear).
I've seen some downloads so I assume that people are at least downloading and using them. I don't quite know how else to get the resources out there.
DM session planning template - My version of maps for 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' - Send your party to The Circus - Other DM Resources - Maps, Tokens, Quests - 'Better' Player Character Injury Tables?
Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.
That's interesting, I looked up what ko-fi is. Myself, I was leaning towards perhaps offering a finished product (yea, that will happen) for free on DrivethuRPG.
Anyone know of another site?
Oh, and TransmorpherDDS, that Lovecraftian 1-short you mentioned sounds hilarious. A David Cronenberg comedy. Take my money!
So, so true. I started with a few scraps of ideas. In fact, I started with Keep on the Borderlands. I rewrote that and added what flavours I wanted, and my players. In fact, the whole game was my pals wife's request some 5 years ago. I made some history for my players characters, including having the Raven Queen sort of bring visions to my pals ranger (because, backgrounds). And his wife, playing a rogue, got an offer to join a sort of secret organization. They ran into a Gith in the Caves of Chaos, who was excellent for exposition. I remade the map of the surrounding environs too. Then, the forests and mountains surrounding that area got a big map. Then, the region itself. Well, there's 4 maps of that. lol
Then I thought I'd flesh out a few things. Different peoples of the region. Some history. A great cataclysm that destroyed the world nearly 6 centuries ago. And that just grew and grew. It went from a few notes to a hobby. Well, again I guess as the last time I was this into D&D it was the 80s. lol
Probably worth mentioning that, if you do decide to publish your homebrew materials online, you probably want to remove and change any “lifts from other worlds”. If it is not your IP, you should probably avoid distributing it.
As for your question, historically I have kept my homebrew notes to myself - no one probably wants to look through a couple hundred plus mess, mashed together through years.
One fun alternative to just publishing the notes - I started a new group recently with fresh players, and built a fresh world from scratch. For that world, I wrote up a version of my notes in the form of a travel guide written by a major NPC, so I would have something the players could read and share in, as well as provide them the information their characters might know about the setting. It ended up being some 80+ pages of prose and… a little less useful than intended, but I was rather fond of the idea—in universe work to introduce a homebrew to players—even if my predilection for overly detailed homebrew notes lessened the efficacy some.
^^^
That is very good advice, and a travel log!?! That's just brilliant! :)
Yes, I wouldn't publish for $. I am using loads of uncredited artwork, for example.
And you're quite right, who would care to have a look at a PDF of what are basically my DMs notes on a world setting? Well, that's part of the question I'm asking, has anyone done something like this before, and what happened?