Quest-filled Fantasy world planning thread

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Taureine

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As some of you may know, I posted an interest check week or so ago in order to gauge the appeal for me to create a sandbox-like fantasy world. The original post was as follows:

Well met, adventurer.

While yours truly is very much mostly out of commission for the next week or so, a certain idea sprung on me and wouldn't let me go. As such, I will be testing the waters for a future project of mine. Please keep in mind that this will most likely be long term, and that if anything should get out of my idea, it wouldn't be for a week or more from today.

Now! For the pitch!

Do you like Medieval Fantasy?
Are you the type that enjoys a healthy mix of excitement and immersion?
Would you like to experience something between a sandbox and a storybook?
If you answered yes to the above, RE:Life could be the roleplay for you!

In RE:Life, you will create a life from scratch in a world full of both perils and wonders. Starting as a newborn soul given life for the first time, you will grow your character through many adventures and opportunities. At first born of a small clan with very little culture or history, you will collaborate with your fellow clansmen and clanswomen in order to make a community that is truly your own.

Defeat great beasts and conquer the untamed wild as an adventurer, or take care of your fellows and make a name for yourself among the newborn clans of mankind. Don't feel like doing something? Then don't do it! That you prefer battles to crafting or trading to exploring, you will have your place and purpose in this world as long as you fully explore your options!

As each character is given a family and various acquaintanceship, the ability to interact with your fellow roleplayers will be only growing as time goes on. Develop your character through various quests and events available to you by the GM to gain not only the satisfaction of a job well done but also various bonuses available to both your character and his or her community as a whole.

The world is your oyster!

For any questions or comments, feel free to either post below or send me a PM directly, thank you!
With an encouraging amount of interested parties making themselves known, I came to the decision to go along with the idea. I've a good idea of what I want as far as mechanics and storytelling goes, but the matter still stay that the world will be fully customizable through various characters' action, and as such I would like to know what each of those of you that want to partake in the future roleplay think would make the most enjoyable experience everyone to enjoy. The following survey will change and shift as the details are hammered out and I get a decent idea of what the majority wants as far as settings go. Since the whole thing may take some nation roleplay airs as it is created, feel assured that individual actions will very much be the focus in the rp itself!

For now, please choose the answers you like most and let the gradual change operate!

Survey:
Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
() Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
() The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
() The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
() Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
() Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
() Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
() An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

In that new land, would there be much danger?
() The land is peaceful, for now.
() There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
() A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
() There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
() Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
() One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
() One continent with a handful of islands.
() Two smaller continents, without islands.
() Two smaller continents, with some islands.
() A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
() Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
() Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
() No, but warring clans could be found.
() No, the land is untamed.


Should you have any more ideas or questions about the world, do feel free to add or ask about them!
 
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When you picture the world you want to see in a fantasy rp, what images comes to mind?

Well... it depends on the subgenre of fantasy we're going for. But I'll assume High Fantasy is the one we're after for now, and here's what comes to mind:

Huge varieties of environments, with many different races getting accustomed to living in those environments which results in huge differences of lifestyles & culture. The world shouldn't be completely nonsensical and abstract in its design (if we wanted to be on some sort of alien planet, we'd be doing a sci-fi RP), but an addition of magic should shape the lands to create unique environments (such as desers of azure blue sand, floating islands, and other such things) that accompany the standard ones we're used to such as forests and grasslands. Giving characters a huge an exciting sandbox to work in when it comes to adventuring and exploring is something I consider a 'must' in a fantasy RP.

Though, to be honest, how the world itself is isn't a huge issue to me. I find the characters themselves and how they develop and interact much more interesting than the world they're in. So as long as it's something that 'works' and gives them interesting and unique things to do, it's fine by me, be it a world full of sandy islands or one big landmass that's all the same biome. I'm no world-builder, so I'm happy to be in any sort of environment as long as it's interesting (whilst not being completely ridiculous.)


Do you have real world elements that you would like to see influence the fantasy world?

Not fully sure what you mean by this, but things such as royal families, religious influences, and movements of things such as arts and sciences that progress through the RP could be quite interesting. Wars and hostilities between certain cities and races could also spice up the world and make it a little more gritty.


The main setting will be centered around one specific place; what would that city or village be called? / Where would that city be situated? Would there be important settlements or landmarks nearby?

As this is essentially is going to be the hub world for all of our characters, as a player, I wouldn't be comfortable with coming up with exactly where our city is and what it's called without hearing what other people's ideas first.

All I ask is for something different. Perhaps our characters could be doing their best to survive & thrive in a very hostile environment, and be famed worldwide for their hardiness and natural talent. Something like that.


To start, the city will be allowed a single source of precious material, what would this luxury be? (Gold, a specific type of gemstones, healing water, a herd of unicorns, you name it!)

...Uh... a single luxury resource? Again, I think this is a question I'd be more comfortable answering once everyone's got a grasp of the town we want to go for.

But if I had to pick an answer, to continue my idea of our characters living somewhere very hostile, it could be some sort of plant that, once alchemised, gives great strength, reaction time, and skill to the character, which could be the secret to the village's strength. But there could be side effects to this plant (such as addiction, withdrawls, etc.) that cause some interesting events when shortages/crop blights of the plant begin to occur. I dunno. World-building like this really isn't my forte.


Would religion take a large part in society? If so, what type of gods would be worshiped?

I believe religion should be an optional but very big thing, just like it is today, but certainly not compulsory for every character to follow without them seeming like an 'outcast'. Characters who worship no Gods/Godesses at all should just seem like people who want to forge their own way ahead in life.

I like religion systems in RP's where Gods/Godesses can give responses such as buffs, blessings, etc. when praying to them or pleasing them. It opens up branches for paladin/cleric/priest characters, as I know a lot of people who like playing those. I've always liked systems where there are tons of different Gods/Godesses in the world (for example, [X]: God of the Sea, [X]: Goddess of Wine, [X]: God of Trickery) and there are evil Gods/Godesses just as much as there are good ones.

I think there should be large amount of Gods/Godesses so players can make their own that they follow, but there should be some keystone religions that are very popular among the world to ensure there aren't millions of different religions being thrown about. There should definitely be a huge variety of beliefs, though, as religion can bring all sorts of things to the table when it comes to world building.


How advanced would the city be technologically and culturally? Would it be more of a camp of barbarians or a magitech fortress?

This is where personal taste becomes a huge thing. I imagine there'll be a lot of different answers for this, so I'll just give my personal preference, but I'm fine to roll with something everyone else is comfortable with.

I'm personally a fan of medieval-level technology, but high levels of culture so things such as musical styles and art can really define a city and make it what it is. Smaller communities (such as villages) can make a 'home base' feel a lot more homey, and makes you feel a much bigger part of the community when there aren't millions of people walking around.

It's also easier to keep track of everything in that city when it's small, rather than there being huge amounts of places to go. So when one character says something like 'he went to the bar', you know where that bar is, rather than there being a potential 50 different bars. Does that make sense?

So my ideal place would be a medieval, culturally advanced, small village where our characters center around. It doesn't necessarily have to be small and samey for the whole RP, though. The village could be built up and upgraded into something bigger as the RP progresses, and certain arcs of characters (for example, a tinkerer having a eureka moment and inventing muskets) could really change how the village operates in terms of its army and whatnot.


Would humans be the only race available? Would another race be more widespread? What would be the relationship between each race? Or their racial characteristics and culture?

I think allowing people to create races of their own (as long as they're discussed beforehand) is a great way to encourage diversity in characters and add more flavor to the RP, as long as it makes sense for that race to exist. (For example, having something like 'penguin people' when the world mostly consists of desert would just be a bit immersion-breaking.) It'd be nice to see more unique fantasy races other than the classic 'elves', 'dwarves', and whatnot, and it can be fun to see what other players can come up with.

Humans, I think, should still be a big race in the RP, however. A lot of people I know (myself included) prefer playing humans because it's within their comfort zone, and having not many quirks in terms of appearance can help you focus on the character itself (if that makes any sense).

Humans don't even have to be 'boring', either. They can be just as interesting as other races if they get huge alterations to their appearance depending on where they come from, just like real life. But yeah, allowing more races than just humans sounds like a good idea. How races get along with eachother and the relative population of each race would be something that requires some more careful planning.


Would magic be present? If so, what system or availability would you prefer it to use?

Because you can open up so many different ideas and paths for characters with the addition of magic, I think magic should definitely be a thing. To me, a fantasy-based RP without magic is like a burger without condiments.

As for the system and how the magic is handled itself, I think magical characters should have a certain theme to their abilities - rather than just knowing 100 spells that all do completely different things - as it can give them a lot more flavor and character. Not every character has to 'know magic' or even be born with magical ability at all, as playing a non-magical character in a magical world can be surprisingly fun. Non-magical fighters should be able to be just as effective as magical fighters providing they have enough skill. And, to add, perhaps the magical ability itself could come from royal bloodlines from certain families?

To ensure magic doesn't get too overpowered, though, it'd be nice to see an addition where magic requires sacrifices of things - such as energy, blood, concentration, etc - that's relevant to the power of the magic spell cast. Just so people can't go blowing things up for instant kills without some serious drawbacks.
 
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When you picture the world you want to see in a fantasy rp, what images comes to mind?
For me, the world is rather average save for a few oddities, like a forest with trees bigger then any castle could be. Maybe a couple elements of an ancient civilization such as bridges spanning entire mountain ranges or whole cities sunken into the ocean.

Do you have real world elements that you would like to see influence the fantasy world?
I don't understand this question.

The main setting will be centered around one specific place; what would that city or village be called?
I usually use a name generator for things like these.

Where would that city be situated? Would there be important settlements or landmarks nearby?
There are two places that I would like this village to be. One would be high up in the mountains, or in the plains. There could be a river close to the city that would allow trade and an excuse to go somewhere different. As for the mountain, a ruin of some sort from an ancient civilization.

To start, the city will be allowed a single source of precious material, what would this luxury be? (Gold, a specific type of gemstones, healing water, a herd of unicorns, you name it!)
If in the mountain, hot springs. If the village ends up in the plains, not much could really be made easily except for clothing. And since clothing isn't really considered a luxury item by itself, it could have something like silk to make the clothes, making the clothes made from that silk equivalent a luxury item.

Would religion take a large part in society? If so, what type of gods would be worshiped?
I think religion should be like this in the rp. It's just assumed that you are a part of a religion, whichever one is the major religion in the area. And if you are found out that you don't follow that religion, you'll be seen as somewhat of an outcast, different at the very least. But depending on the location, regardless of religion you could still be accepted into the society with little to no problems. As for the gods and goddesses, make the major gods yourself and leave it up to the players to make minor deities.

How advanced would the city be technologically and culturally? Would it be more of a camp of barbarians or a magitech fortress?
I think this should start with the village past being barbarians, so they have stone houses and what not. But leave it open to advance further.

Would humans be the only race available? Would another race be more widespread? What would be the relationship between each race? Or their racial characteristics and culture?
No. It's a fantasy setting, let there be more. And I like making my own race, but others like to play something other then human and aren't up to the task of making a race, complete with culture. And as for the wide spread race thing, I don't think there's a right answer for this. In one area there could be more of one race then another but in another it's the exact opposite.

As for racial/cultural relations, at the very least one culture will see another as strange. Think about it this way, if you are raised to expect something to happen when you do a thing, it'd be a shock when in another culture something else is expected. A bow for your handshake, if you will. You say hello and hold out a hand for a handshake, and I bow instead but still say hello.

Would magic be present? If so, what system or availability would you prefer it to use?
Magic would exist to a small extent. It exists in everyone but not a lot of people go out of their way to learn how to use it. So while there may be a large concentration of magic users in an area where you learn magic, there won't be a lot world wide.
 
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When you picture the world you want to see in a fantasy rp, what images comes to mind?
A vaguely-medieval world filled with magic, various humanoid races, and all sorts of interesting creatures out there in the world.

Do you have real world elements that you would like to see influence the fantasy world?
I don't know what you mean by this. :/

The main setting will be centered around one specific place; what would that city or village be called?
o_o" I'unno, man. I'm no good with names -- nor do I think it really makes a difference what the village's name is. If you're just stuck for ideas, I recommend using a name generator (springhole.net is my go-to, personally).

Where would that city be situated? Would there be important settlements or landmarks nearby?
Ehhh. It feels difficult to answer this without knowing anything else about the setting. For now, I really don't have much of an opinion on this.

To start, the city will be allowed a single source of precious material, what would this luxury be? (Gold, a specific type of gemstones, healing water, a herd of unicorns, you name it!)
:/ I'd say this depends on what kind of uses all of these things have... is gold just currency, or does it have some other use? Do these gemstones have some kind of magical property, or are they just gemstones? Do unicorns do anything special besides sit around and look pretty? I don't know what the rules of this world will be, so, I don't really know what precious material would be good to have around...

Would religion take a large part in society? If so, what type of gods would be worshiped?
I think it would be interesting to include a religious influence in this world. As for what types of gods, though -- I really have no preference. And whether or not the gods are interesting or make any sense would depend on what you want for your pantheon. You could start with basic forces of nature like gods of the sun and moon, or one god for each season -- or you could make gods based off of virtues and vices, perhaps? It depends on what you want to do with it.

How advanced would the city be technologically and culturally? Would it be more of a camp of barbarians or a magitech fortress?
Somewhere in the middle would be nice. I was picturing a simple village with decently-advanced farming techniques, a marketplace for trading/selling goods, some sort of basic local government... etc.

Would humans be the only race available? Would another race be more widespread? What would be the relationship between each race? Or their racial characteristics and culture?
I would like to see other playable non-human races, yes. But as for characteristics and culture... I dunno, man. You could do just about anything, and I really don't have any specific preferences on what I do or don't want. I'd rather see some basic ideas for potential non-human races and then give you feedback on that, if possible.
Would magic be present? If so, what system or availability would you prefer it to use?
I'd like magic to be present. But as for system or availability... I don't know... I don't have any specific preferences...

It's so hard to answer any of these questions with so little of the world being fleshed out. >.< I'd rather have at least some of these things set in stone, and then give you feedback on what I think works, what doesn't, and offer suggestions for parts of the world that haven't really been fleshed out yet. Or at the very least, you could give us all a couple options for what you think you could do in one of those areas, and have us pick from those.

It also probably doesn't help that I recently made my own fantasy RP and put a ton of worldbuilding into it. These questions make me feel like I'm being asked to create my own fantasy world from scratch, and what I would want to see in that fantasy world, but... I already created my own fantasy world, so it's hard to answer these questions without part of me wanting to just copy what I already did in my own RP, and another part of me deliberately trying to avoid doing that because I want to see something different. >.<"

I really feel like I can't give you very much feedback until at least some variables have already been sorted out. Till then, it's so hard to answer questions about what else I'd like to see in the world when I don't know what already exists in the world. An answer to one question might be wildly different based on what everyone settles on for a different question, for example.

Sorry I wasn't much help with your survey questions. > ~ < It's good that you want to cater to what the players want, but... these questions are just too open-ended, and, I have a feeling the answers will be too varied to get much use out of them. Maybe it would be better if the questions were, I dunno... multiple choice? I might have an easier time answering that... but, again, getting at least some variables fleshed out now would also be a big help. Even if we go back and change those things later, I'd at least like a starting point before I give any suggestions...
 
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I'd like to thank each of you who answered so far, and let you know that I'll try to clarify the questions I gave, especially that one everyone got all ??? about. Just bear with me for a while, and hopefully it'll make sense!
 
Hopefully this new version (don't worry, you'll all have your feedback time as the whole thing progress) will be easier to fill and less head-achy for everyone. Thank Kagayours for the constructive criticism and Jakers and Beowulf for the wonderful peek into possible versions of the setting!
 
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Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
() Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
() The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
() The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
() Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.
Hmm. B and C make more sense from an in-universe perspective, but A is just so much more interesting. :P I guess I'll have to go with A, then, just because it's what I'd be most interested in seeing in the RP.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
() Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
() Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
() An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)
Honestly, having all of these would be great, really. :P If forced to choose, though, I'd say C -- again, just because it would make for a more interesting setting.

In that new land, would there be much danger?
() The land is peaceful, for now.
() There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
() A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
() There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
() Monsters are plentiful and active around here.
C, D, and E all sound like good choices. C and D in particular would both be good for setting up a "1st arc" for our characters (or perhaps even an ongoing arc, especially in C's case), and D just makes for the most interesting story, I think. Since C and D don't necessarily cancel each other out, though, I think that both would be good to keep in mind for the future, regardless of which one we go with first.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
() One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
() One continent with a handful of islands.
() Two smaller continents, without islands.
() Two smaller continents, with some islands.
() A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.
I honestly don't see how this impacts our characters, since the RP seems relatively small in scale so far. So, I don't have much of a preference on this one.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
() Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
() Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
() No, but warring clans could be found.
() No, the land is untamed.
The thought of our characters heading into new land to start a new life for themselves means that C seems like it would make the most sense, given what's been established so far, unless we're talking about the discovery of a new major land mass or something (a la the discovery/colonization of the Americas), in which case, A would make more sense -- but that sort of scenario would have a lot of other implications on the setting, so, I like C more.


Overall, though, these re-done questions are a big improvement! Even if one doesn't stay completely within what the question is asking for, the various options still provide a lot of good discussion-starters. :3
 
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X = I would prefer this option.
X = I would prefer this, but would be fine if it was something different.
X = Would be second choice for me, I'm fine if this gets picked.
? = Indifferent; I don't mind if this gets picked but the idea doesn't excite me.
X = Do not want.

Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
(X) Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
(X) The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
(?) The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
(X) Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

The first and last options sound the most appealing here. The first option would be good for an exploration-based RP, whilst the last would be good for a combat-based RP. I'm not sure which one you're going for. Either way, both of those sound good. Options B/C seem a little bit too bland for players, honestly.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
(?) Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
(X) Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
(X) An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

A choice like this makes me feel like I'm playing some sort of Civilization-esque game, not an RP, but if I had to pick I'd choose the last one because it seems infinitely more interesting than the other two. Be careful of limiting the creativity in character creation with options like this. Some people might want to play tinkerers, but they can't because 'technology' isn't a thing.

In that new land, would there be much danger?
(X) The land is peaceful, for now.
(X) There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
(?) A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
(X) There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
(X) Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

Not sure what else to say other than danger/combat is good and can develop and shape characters to be something more. I wouldn't want a monster jumping in my face every post, but if there's some sort of constant threat it would add tension and a strive to develop as a community. And to be frank, why would I want to write about a world where basically nothing happens? If I wanted to do that I'd just write a diary. ;)

What type of landmass would you prefer?
(?) One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
(?) One continent with a handful of islands.
(?) Two smaller continents, without islands.
(?) Two smaller continents, with some islands.
(X) A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.

I... really don't mind for this. I feel like an archipelago would make things a little too 'difficult' when it comes to trade and such, though, and I'd rather be RP'ing on solid ground rather than sailing about everywhere if exploration becomes a big theme for the RP.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
(X) Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
(X) Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
(?) No, but warring clans could be found.
(X) No, the land is untamed.

I wouldn't pick the last two, because frankly, I want my character to be something more than a barbarian/survivalist, and I want there to be some forms of art & science in our world. Either of the first two would let there be a bigger diversity between characters, I think, particularly the first one, as characters could come from predetermined cities to have more interesting backstories and reasons for founding a new camp/village.
 
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Thanks for pointing out something I could clarify!

The part with technology, materials and spirituality does not mean the roleplay would start at the stone age for two of these options and only be fine with one, put instead give a little improvement on one of the category; the idea is that everyone have layman or reasonably knowledgeable understanding of how things are made or done, but one of these categories would put the relevant knowledge in greater amount and in easier reach for everyone.

Ex:

Books on various technologies:
Characters have access to more complicated blueprints and encyclopedias that one would not normally bring to a new settlement because of the space they take, so instead of going; huh... I know about this thing but will have to wing the recipe a little, you get: oh, so THAT's how its done!

Caravans of stuff:
This one is pretty straightforward for the most part, but will aloso include some mapping tools and other items making exploring and settling easier.

Spiritual stuff:
You guys will know about magic and gods, but to get all the worshiping or synthesizing/ritualizing equipment needed to make all the ceremonies, spells and festivals you would want? That takes time and moderately tricky to get ingredients/materials.

Keep on asking, and I hoe I will clarify things to your satisfaction as time goes on! :)
 
I'll be doing a number system, one being the one I like best and going down from there.

Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
(1) Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
(2) The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
(3) The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
(4) Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

Being close to ruins could prompt some players to investigate said ruins and lead to discovery. And I like the idea of going somewhere else instead of just being with the village the whole time, which is why the fertile soil and discovered waterway is my second option. And let's be honest honest, nature is awesome.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
(1) Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
(3) Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
(2) An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

The tools would have made the most sense, but then we wouldn't have to work to hard to settle in taking some of the fun away. The case could also be argued that it gives the players more time to do other things, but since this rp will be about building up a village I think it's a bad idea.

In that new land, would there be much danger?
(5) The land is peaceful, for now.
(3) There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
(1) A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
(2) There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
(4) Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

We'll be needing something to do once everything's built and we're settled in. Watching grass grow and sheep graze isn't super exciting. But at the same time I don't think we should have this massive threat looming over us from day one. In fact, my number one and two for this category was a close run thing because they provide a threat and some pressure to get things done, but it's not like we'd all die if we don't set defenses up and prepare for the worst right now.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
(5) One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
(4) One continent with a handful of islands.
(2) Two smaller continents, without islands.
(1) Two smaller continents, with some islands.
(3) A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.

Again, I'd like to explore the world. And if someone decides to become a merchant it'll add another layer to it. More trading goods means more money and more renown among suppliers which in turn means more trading goods, and so on and so forth. And if there's another continent, it could be treated like how Japan (I'm sure there are other countries that I don't know of) used to operate with foreign traders, they can only come to select trading towns and they cannot leave those towns.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
(4) Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
(1) Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
(2) No, but warring clans could be found.
(3) No, the land is untamed.

I just don't like the idea of there being nobody else, and the flip side of someone already being in power. I would want the chance to remain at the same level of power as the other factions instead of trying to catch up right from the get go.
 
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Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
(1) Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
(3) The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
(2) The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
(4) Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
(3) Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
(2) Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
(1) An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

In that new land, would there be much danger?
(3) The land is peaceful, for now.
(2) There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
(2) A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
(1) There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
(4) Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
(5) One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
(2) One continent with a handful of islands.
(4) Two smaller continents, without islands.
(3) Two smaller continents, with some islands.
(1) A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.
Sidenote- Are you aware of the "macaroni method" for fantasy map making? shake out some macaroni onto a piece of paper and trace the strange shapes you get. Other shaped noodles can be used too.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
(1) Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
(3) Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
(4) No, but warring clans could be found.
(2) No, the land is untamed.


When are we going to discuss if there will be nonhuman races? That doesn't always deter my interest in a rp but usually i feel a bit limited and bummed out in a high fantasy setting if all this cool magical stuff is happening but I'm stuck with being a human haha.
 
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When are we going to discuss if there will be nonhuman races? That doesn't always deter my interest in a rp but usually i feel a bit limited and bummed out in a high fantasy setting if all this cool magical stuff is happening but I'm stuck with being a human haha.
I've decided on a custom race system, where as long as a race is not OP or out of character for the setting, you can be any race you want. That's why it wasn't on the little quiz. :)
 
KEY:
X - I would mostly prefer this option.
X - I would not be against this option, but it's not my most preferred.
X - I am indifferent to this option.
X - I would not want this option at all.

Survey:
Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
(X) Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
(X) The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
(X) The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
(X) Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
(X) Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
(X) Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
(X) An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

In that new land, would there be much danger?
(X) The land is peaceful, for now.
(X) There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
(X) A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
(X) There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
(X) Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
(X) One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
(X) One continent with a handful of islands.
(X) Two smaller continents, without islands.
(X) Two smaller continents, with some islands.
(X) A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
(X) Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
(X) Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
(X) No, but warring clans could be found.
(X) No, the land is untamed.
 
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1 = Best, 5 = Worst

Our tale will start with the arrival of a small gathering of settlers, all with their heart set on making a new land their home. That home would be chosen for...
(3) Its nearness to the large ruins of an unknown but obliviously great civilization.
(1) The great fertility of its soil and the proximity to a newly discovered waterway.
(2) The incredible amount of resources and wildlife to be found around it.
(4) Its remote and hostile nature, perfect for escaping the ravages of war.

For the beginning of a RP, which is presumably going to scale, starting at a ruin seems... a bit much. Especially since that seems more like a higher level encounter. That said, the fourth option seems a bit too dull. I think the 2nd or 3rd option presents a good mix and a lot of pathways to take in terms of plot development.

That settlement will have been barely built beyond basic tents and walls, yet the settlers would have brought the following from their native lands:
(1) Books on the knowledge of the world, ranging from basic knowledge of plants and ores to more intricate medicines and crafting recipes. (Boosts technology)
(2) Great caravans full of basic tools and preserved food. (Makes settling in easier)
(3) An assortment of relics of the arcane and divine. (Unlocks Magic and Religion at once)

Magic is a difficult subject to handle often times in RPs as there is always the potential for abuse as it is typically strong. I personally think that magic should be treated as a major goal for RPers with rewards that match the challenge of obtaining such a powerful ability. That said, the first option helps characters start specializing a bit, and enables them to be unique.

In that new land, would there be much danger?
(3) The land is peaceful, for now.
(1) There are wolves and other beasts nearby, but nothing else of note.
(2) A camp or two of bandits is nearby. Caution should be made.
(4) There is a monster's lair nearby. Beware at night, and do not go near it!
(5) Monsters are plentiful and active around here.

A bit of challenge in the beginning is always nice.

What type of landmass would you prefer?
(5) One great continent, without known islands or other landmasses.
(2) One continent with a handful of islands.
(4) Two smaller continents, without islands.
(1) Two smaller continents, with some islands.
(3) A great archipelago, with the nearest islands sometimes accessible at low tide if careful enough.

Geographic diversity enables creativity in the development of the world. So, various types of terrains, fauna, creatures, and habitats would be nice to see.

Would kingdoms or even empires be present at the start of the story?
(2) Yes, both empires and kingdoms would be established already.
(1) Yes, but only more minor kingdoms could be found, and never one of particularly threatening strength.
(3) No, but warring clans could be found.
(4) No, the land is untamed.

There has to be some great endgame challenge. Other Kingdoms can serve that purposes. Of course, they could prove to be great allies as well, but that may not be as likely depending on the RP.
 
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