This is a future musing, since my most immediate face to face campaigns are set in the Forgotten Realms and Eberron. Talking about those two campaigns will be off topic, so I'd like to talk about my Greyhawk game.
The campaign will be set in 591 CY. We will use D&D 3rd Edition. I could set it in the City of Greyhawk, but I'm also looking at Nyrond, Veluna, the Great Kingdom of Ahlissa, and Keoland.
I have some non-canon materials for Nyrond that is helpful, but I'd like to fill out the kingdoms as I like. I'm asking for your opinions on these places to set my Greyhawk campaign. Before you ask, I do have the Gold Box, from the Ashes, other Greyhawk setting books, as well as Greyhawk: the Adventure Begins (which I'll be using) and the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. So I'm well versed in Official as well as Unofficial lore.
I just wanted to spark discussion for a few rounds.
They're all good locations for a Greyhawk game. Some big factors to consider include:
1) access to published modules. The Free City region has the most, then Veluna, while Ahlissa has the fewest.
2) player preference for wilderness vs urban adventures. Veluna would have the least wild places.
3) human cultures and pantheons. Do you or your players have any preference for Suel culture (Keoland), Oeridian (Ahlissa, Nyrond), or mix (Veluna, Greyhawk)?
4) demihumans. Veluna might be easiest for elves for get by, with proximity to Highfolk and Celene. Nyrond has opportunities for dwarves and gnomes, with the Flinty hills. Ahlissa is becoming more cosmopolitians in 591, but demihumans would still endure prejudice with their good-aligned tendencies.
5) magic restrictions. The Silent Ones have historically monopolized magic in Keoland and rouge wizards continue to face significant distrust and restrictions IMC. As a highly-lawful theocracy, Veluna would not be a good fit for players with murder-hobo tendencies or chaotic priests. Ahlissa would have a lot of laws and tension here too.
6) domestic intrigue vs foreign enemies.
Finally, if you go with Ahlissa, I'm a big fan of the article in Oerth Journal #7
...my most immediate face to face campaigns are set in the Forgotten Realms and Eberron...
The campaign will be set in 591 CY. We will use D&D 3rd Edition. I could set it in the City of Greyhawk, but I'm also looking at Nyrond, Veluna, the Great Kingdom of Ahlissa, and Keoland.
I have some non-canon materials for Nyrond that is helpful, but I'd like to fill out the kingdoms as I like. I'm asking for your opinions on these places to set my Greyhawk campaign. Before you ask, I do have the Gold Box, from the Ashes, other Greyhawk setting books, as well as Greyhawk: the Adventure Begins (which I'll be using) and the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. So I'm well versed in Official as well as Unofficial lore...
vestcoat wrote:
... Some big factors to consider include:
1) access to published modules. The Free City region has the most, then Veluna, while Ahlissa has the fewest.
-Unless you're want to craft your own? Or you want to repurpose something generic, or a Realms or Eberron scenarios? Plenty of stuff from Dungeon Magazine, or older Dragon.
vestcoat wrote:
...2) player preference for wilderness vs urban adventures. Veluna would have the least wild places...
-Maybe a riverboat or sea-going campaign?
I'd also like to know, are the PCs freelancers, or do they work for someone (or at least get guidance?).
This is my part of my questionnaire:
QUESTIONAIRE
There are no "right" or "wrong" answers. This is just a survey to help fit you into the campaign and into an adventuring group. You can change your preferences at any time...
...PLAY PREFERENCES:
1. Which Character Races would you most/least like to play? Human; Half-Orc; Half-Elf; Half-Human Elf; High Elf; Wood Elf; Grey Elf; Rock Gnome; Hill Dwarf; Mountain Dwarf; Lightfoot Halfling; Stout Halfling; Tallfellow Halfling; Other (“1st,” “2nd,” “3rd,” “4th,” “5th,” with “1st” the most preferred; up to five which you don't want to play, marked “X”. You do not have to list any as preferred or disliked)
2. Which Sex you would most/least like to play? Male; Female. (up to 1st favored; up to 1st disliked. You do not have to list either as preferred or disliked)
3. Which Alignments which you would most/least like to play? LG; NG; CG; LN; N; CN; LE; NE; CE. (up to 3 favored; up to 2 disliked. You do not have to list any as preferred or disliked)
4. Which Class which you would most/least like to play? Fighter; Barbarian; Paladin; Ranger; Knight; Marshal; Scout; Swashbuckler; Rogue; Bard; Sorcerer; Wizard; Beguiler; Duskblade, Hexblade, Warmage; Cleric; Druid; Monk; Favored Soul; Healer. (up to 5 favored; up to 5 disliked. You do not have to list any as preferred or disliked)
5. What sort of party organization or job which you would most/least like to play? None (i.e., Free-Lance Adventurer); Part-Time Adventurer (i.e. character has a "normal" job); Military; Police; Lord's Retinue; Temple; Wizard’s Academy; Merchant Group; Mercenary; Bounty Hunter; Bandit; Mobster (e.g., Thieves’ Guildmember); Rebel; Other. (up to 3 favored, up to 3 disliked)
6. Which sort of activities which you would most/least like to play? Criminal Mystery; Supernatural Mystery; Espionage; Politics; High Life; Mean Streets; Sea-Going; Gladiatorial Combat; Jousting Tournaments; Archery Contests; Magic Contests; Eliminating a Bandit Lair; Eliminating a Humanoid Tribal Lair; Clearing a Crypt (Undead); Clearing a Hostile Temple; Taking or Clearing a Castle; Frontier/Backwoods; Rural; Urban; Plains; Hills; Mountains; Woods; Jungle; Arctic; River; Highway; Coasts; High Seas; Other. (up to 5 favored; up to 3 disliked)
7. Define a "successful" character: Rising in Position; Gaining Honors; Gaining Skill (Levels); Collecting Wealth/Possessions; "Mission Accomplishment"; Convincing Role Playing; Other. (optional, as many as you'd like)
8. What sort of historical or fictional "feel" of the setting, or the character, would you most like to/not like to play? e.g., Perrenland= Medieval/Renaissance Swiss Confederation; Yeomanry= Merry Olde England; Geoff= Wales; Frost/Cold/Snow Barbarians= Vikings; Rovers= Northern Plains Indians; Wolf Nomads= Mongols; Hardby= Amazons etc. (optional, as many as you'd like. Please list whether these references are for the setting or the character)
To answer Vestcoat's question that James highlighted:
[quote=James][quote=vestcoat]
... Some big factors to consider include:
1) access to published modules. The Free City region has the most, then Veluna, while Ahlissa has the fewest.[/quote]
-Unless you're want to craft your own? Or you want to repurpose something generic, or a Realms or Eberron scenarios? Plenty of stuff from Dungeon Magazine, or older Dragon.[/quote]
Yes, I'm looking to craft my own adventures with this campaign.
PostPosted: Thu May 22, 2025 11:48 am Post subject:
EltonJ wrote:
...my most immediate face to face campaigns are set in the Forgotten Realms and Eberron...
The campaign will be set in 591 CY. We will use D&D 3rd Edition. I could set it in the City of Greyhawk, but I'm also looking at Nyrond, Veluna, the Great Kingdom of Ahlissa, and Keoland.
I have some non-canon materials for Nyrond that is helpful, but I'd like to fill out the kingdoms as I like. I'm asking for your opinions on these places to set my Greyhawk campaign. Before you ask, I do have the Gold Box, from the Ashes, other Greyhawk setting books, as well as Greyhawk: the Adventure Begins (which I'll be using) and the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. So I'm well versed in Official as well as Unofficial lore...
vestcoat wrote:
... Some big factors to consider include:
1) access to published modules. The Free City region has the most, then Veluna, while Ahlissa has the fewest.
-Unless you're want to craft your own? Or you want to repurpose something generic, or a Realms or Eberron scenarios? Plenty of stuff from Dungeon Magazine, or older Dragon.
vestcoat wrote:
...2) player preference for wilderness vs urban adventures. Veluna would have the least wild places...
Quote:
I'd also like to know, are the PCs freelancers, or do they work for someone (or at least get guidance?).
I might be able to answer this question quicker than I anticipated. Probably will have an answer for you next week.
Keoland seems to have the most developed history of any nation in the Flaness, with the possible exception of the Great Kingdom. And yet there seems to be no adventuring there, though there is everything you need for epic tales.
There is an enormous amount of work here on Canonfire. Samwise and his histories come to mind. But I don't think I have ever heard of anyone actually running a campaign in Keoland proper. It appears that everything takes place on the periphery. The Saltmarsh series is in the Hool Marshes. The Giants are in the Yeomanry and Geoff.
Around 2001 I started a campaign using an Dungeon Adventure called the Valley of the Snails (Dungeon 87). The Canonfire Index of Modules shows it in Keoland. It is actually in the Gran March. I have run this game on and off since then, and never once have we gone to Keoland. I really don't know why.
We have adventured in Bissel, Greyhawk, even as far as Idee, but never once have we wandered south. I don't know of a description of Niole Dra or Gradsul. It is all unwritten.
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