This region is a twofold experiment. One, it diverges from Worlds Without Number‘s (paid link) directive to “make about six nations/groups,” as I’m making two new ones and using two existing ones. And two, it’s the first region that features gods as physical presences, just out there in the world doing god stuff. And those […]
Godsbarrow’s third region: Kurthunar Read More »
The next step in Worlds Without Number‘s region-creation process is… Identify regionally-significant gods. Kadavis — Iskuldra, the Golden Mask (“iss-KUHL-druh,” wealth, glory, recognition), principal deity in a pantheon that includes over 200 “small gods” (other aspects of prosperity, commerce, fashion, etc.) who are venerated in its many fiefdoms. Yrfeđe — Cniht-Cild (“KUH-neet kild”), They Who
The Gilded Lands 2 of 3: regional gods and historical events Read More »
I’m currently working on my third region of Godsbarrow, Kurthunar, so this post and those that follow are me catching up on moving my Gilded Lands material from my PC to Yore. Name the region. The Gilded Lands, so named because most of its nations are wealthy, and most of that wealth comes in the
The Gilded Lands 1 of 3: concept, geographical features, and nations Read More »
With two regions done, my Godsbarrow material needs some organization — so I created the Godsbarrow handbook, a page of links and notes that attempts to organize all of it in a meaningful way. Still very much a WIP, but as ever I’m wary of making the page — and this worldbuilding venture — too
The Godsbarrow handbook: an omnibus page for my Dormiir posts Read More »
Today I wrapped up my second region of Godsbarrow, the fantasy campaign setting I started working on earlier this year: the Gilded Lands, situated just to the east of my first region, the Unlucky Isles. The Gilded Lands are anchored by Kadavis, the largest and wealthiest of the six nations that comprise this region. With
My second region of Godsbarrow: the Gilded Lands Read More »
Last Wednesday, my Seattle group started up a new D&D campaign set in a friend’s homebrew world. She unveiled the map for her setting, and it was amazing — pro-level cartography, tantalizing and inviting and clear, both functional and beautiful. She mentioned in passing that she’d created it in Wonderdraft, a mapping tool I’d never
Remapping the Unlucky Isles with Wonderdraft Read More »
I’ve reached the kingdom creation step in Worlds Without Number (paid link), and decided to zoom in on one caθna (province) in Brundir, Sanχu. (WWN notes that “kingdom” can mean anything you want it to in this context, from a city to a stretch of wasteland to an actual nation.) If I were about to
Zooming in to the province level: Sanχu, a caθna in eastern Brundir Read More »
After finishing my region-level work on the Unlucky Isles, I zoomed in on one area of Brundir — Sanχu, one of its eight caθna (provinces). While working on the “place ethnic groups and demihumans” step in Worlds Without Number (paid link), I realized that this was the first time I’ve had to think about language
Godsbarrow: Sou gnomes and Tamosi, the lingua franca in Dormiir Read More »
I’m closing in on a fully developed region of Godsbarrow now — and honestly, this is the first time in 30+ years of gaming that I’ve had this much of a world developed to this extent. It’s an awesome feeling, and Worlds Without Number (paid link) continues to deliver. Not only that, but five weeks
The Unlucky Isles, “The Region,” part five: relationships and wants Read More »
Over the course of working through Worlds Without Number‘s steps for developing the Unlucky Isles as a region, I’ve thought a fair bit about national boundaries and how to make them interesting fuel for gaming. Worldographer’s snap-to-hex borders require a million little points and clicks, and I always fuck something up — so I went
Building the Unlucky Isles: “The Region,” part four Read More »
