Beyond the maps - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Beyond the maps

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2004 14:15:43 One of the greatest thrills for me as a DM running a d20 fantasy setting is what I informally call "Going beyond the maps." I take a look at the established canonical world, and then postulate what might lie beyond the established maps. I've done this for Krynn (with my write up of the continent of Urd), Toril (with the far western island chain of Galatea), and I've done it for Athas, too (with my Far East Region).

Has anyone here gone "Beyond the maps"? And if so, please, tell me about the lands you created!

--and if you have a site with this, please, provide links! NB
#2
xlorepdarkhelm_dup
Mar 30, 2004 14:21:59 I've toyed with the idea, but instead turned towards making my own campaign worlds all together, when I looked at expanding the campaign.
#3
Sysane
Mar 30, 2004 15:25:49 I went beyond the Silt Sea to the east and developed a place called the Sundered Regions. I'll have to scan the map and make a link to it.

-- Sysane, The Terror of Urik
#4
dawnstealer
Mar 30, 2004 16:12:47 I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day...
#5
Kamelion
Mar 30, 2004 16:16:54 Only to go and buy new markers, ink and paper, I hope....
#6
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2004 16:17:05
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day...

DON'T DO IT, DAWNSTEALER! IT'S A TRAP, IT'S A.....

--*falls over dead from drow crossbow bolts* NB
#7
dawnstealer
Mar 30, 2004 17:22:38 ouchie
#8
zmaj
Mar 30, 2004 17:48:55 I've gone to the west... twice hehe.

Beyond the Kreen Empire there exists a land.. a land much like what the Tablelands could have been, had not defilers destroyed it. Miles and Miles of scrub plains, broken by the occasional mountain range and even a few small lakes. While most of the water retreated below the earth just like in the tablelands when the sun turned red, without defiles to sully the land the region was paradise to those few survivors from the Tablelands.

The land was not safe however, terrors known and unknown stalked the plains, halflings nearly as savage as those from the Ringing Mountains could be found inhabiting the forests that hugged the mountains and they could even be found hunting the plains as nomads. While few of these halfling tribes would eat another intelligent being they showed no hestitation in killing any who would needlessly harm the land. Kreen too are found in this land, living much as they do in the Tablelands. Rarely, one can come across an entire city of halflings and Kreen, usually around one of the lakes, though to call any group of these cities an empire or nation would be wrong. Instead they often trade with each other but have little contact other then to share knowledge or goods.

The first time my PCs found this region they were Rhul-Thaun searching for Lord Rhan traveling further and further west following legends of his path.

They really seemed to enjoy getting away from everything ever written about the world for a bit and actually having a chance to change the world (as a general rule, PCs in my DS setting don't get to make a change that the whole world learns about. Saving a village, yes, killing a new dragon yes, but meeting a sorcerer king was VERY rare, and making a lasting impact was unhead of till the very very end).

The second time they say the land was during my blowout campaign (when they made a MAJOR change but some of them were headed off to get themselves killed so why not?). They held out in Saragar long enough for Oronis to finish creating the spell that would take the survivors far from the tablelands. Oronis of course knew about this region because I use him much like Xlorep does. He got to go back in time and be the Kreen's Great One.

Now some of you are going to point out that Oronis didn't get to go to the new lands, so he never got to complete his metamorphisis and so never went back in time. This is actually the fault of my PCs playin around in things they shouldn't have (Hey, I WARNED them they were headed for trouble) and sending the undead and the Kreen into an early invasion.

Anyway, that's where my characters got to go. I didn't mess with the East to much because of Ur Draxa. I started running campaigns about the time DS went out of print so I started with 2e knowing about the Obisidian Plain and left things alone there. North of Saragar I had always made into a small nation of ex-champoins who were hiding out from the SMs who didn't believe them worthy enough to turn into dragons (they stayed high level Psionicist/Defilers) who ruled a ula and allowed no one to leave for fear of the SMs learning they still lived.

--edit that censored bit is the word for a piece of land that is surrounded on 3 sides by silt (water)
#9
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2004 18:39:22 I have maped out "roughly" the area on the other side of the Silt Sea. I haven't finished it yet because I'm doing some other maps right now. The address is in my sig. The map is on my Map Expansions page under the title "Eastward Expansion".
#10
zmaj
Mar 30, 2004 19:01:07 Oh, as for the intelligent life beyond the Tyr Region. I've got halflings, kreen, and the occasional band of half-elemental and half-paraelemental's running around. If I really needed I could toss in a couple pockets of extraplanar folks (sorta like the githyanki used Athas as an outpost).

The Rebirth only happened in the Tyr Region, and it hasn't been long enough for intelligent beings to evolve. There is no more ocean.. the water receeded when the sun turned yellow, and when it turned red it started to burn away to silt. The only reason there's a ton more vegitation elsewhere is that defilers don't exist so far from the Tyr Region.
#11
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2004 19:14:37 I've done a lot of work on my own little region far from the Tablelands (never pinpointed a direction from the known setting since it was never important). Complete lack of SKs (they're all hanging out by Rajaat's prison). Almost a complete lack of humans (the non human races turned on the humans in their own retributive genocidal wars after the end of the Clensing Wars). The remaining humans are treated as cattle and considered a food stock. Large empire of yuan-ti (more akin to a darker version of the naga of Rokougan (sp?) than to traditional yuan-ti). Ancient gith. Lots of religious fanaticism. Tons of god worship (powerful beings like a yuan-ti aberration and other 'epic' like creatures or people, yet no real deities). Defilers and preservers exist, but the lines are far more blurred, no such thing as veilled alliances; wizards congregate for survival, holding up in remote regions against persecution. A much more prominent theme of elementalism. Even wizards are normally drawn into the mix, not just priests; entire villages and some tribes even are devoted to an element. Nomadic wemics are still around (tainted by the Black). Other strange races. Strong ties with the Black (shadow-mages are very prominent and politically powerful).

One day I'll get around to writing it all down ;)
#12
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2004 20:26:22 Here mine. It is far west of the Tyr Region. It is huge and vast. I don't know if I will ever finish it, not because I lack ideas, but because I constantly think of new regions to create. like a region ruled by elemental-clerics and another ruled by Kreen and Pterrans.

http://www.geocities.com/raloftyr/EoAIntro.html
#13
Pennarin
Mar 30, 2004 21:27:23
Originally posted by Dawnstealer
I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day...

I had to open the door so the delivery guy could get his money.

I'm designing a region that is due East of the Obsidian Plains and South-East of the Silt Archipelago. Just about South of the Valley of Dust and Fire.

Its a region that's not already been mapped by Cyrus9a.
#14
dawnstealer
Mar 31, 2004 0:02:23 I'm working on two projects (okay, they're on hold while I bust out monster drawings, but still):

Green Age Athas (a bit different than you might think, since the Sea of Silt is actually higher than the Sunrise Sea) and the area across the Sea of Silt.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2004 14:15:43	One of the greatest thrills for me as a DM running a d20 fantasy setting is what I informally call "Going beyond the maps." I take a look at the established canonical world, and then postulate what might lie beyond the established maps. I've done this for Krynn (with my write up of the continent of Urd), Toril (with the far western island chain of Galatea), and I've done it for Athas, too (with my Far East Region). Has anyone here gone "Beyond the maps"? And if so, please, tell me about the lands you created! --and if you have a site with this, please, provide links! NB
#2 xlorepdarkhelm_dup Mar 30, 2004 14:21:59	I've toyed with the idea, but instead turned towards making my own campaign worlds all together, when I looked at expanding the campaign.
#3 Sysane Mar 30, 2004 15:25:49	I went beyond the Silt Sea to the east and developed a place called the Sundered Regions. I'll have to scan the map and make a link to it. -- Sysane, The Terror of Urik
#4 dawnstealer Mar 30, 2004 16:12:47	I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day...
#5 Kamelion Mar 30, 2004 16:16:54	Only to go and buy new markers, ink and paper, I hope....
#6 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2004 16:17:05	Originally posted by Dawnstealer I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day... DON'T DO IT, DAWNSTEALER! IT'S A TRAP, IT'S A..... --falls over dead from drow crossbow bolts NB
#7 dawnstealer Mar 30, 2004 17:22:38	ouchie
#8 zmaj Mar 30, 2004 17:48:55	I've gone to the west... twice hehe. Beyond the Kreen Empire there exists a land.. a land much like what the Tablelands could have been, had not defilers destroyed it. Miles and Miles of scrub plains, broken by the occasional mountain range and even a few small lakes. While most of the water retreated below the earth just like in the tablelands when the sun turned red, without defiles to sully the land the region was paradise to those few survivors from the Tablelands. The land was not safe however, terrors known and unknown stalked the plains, halflings nearly as savage as those from the Ringing Mountains could be found inhabiting the forests that hugged the mountains and they could even be found hunting the plains as nomads. While few of these halfling tribes would eat another intelligent being they showed no hestitation in killing any who would needlessly harm the land. Kreen too are found in this land, living much as they do in the Tablelands. Rarely, one can come across an entire city of halflings and Kreen, usually around one of the lakes, though to call any group of these cities an empire or nation would be wrong. Instead they often trade with each other but have little contact other then to share knowledge or goods. The first time my PCs found this region they were Rhul-Thaun searching for Lord Rhan traveling further and further west following legends of his path. They really seemed to enjoy getting away from everything ever written about the world for a bit and actually having a chance to change the world (as a general rule, PCs in my DS setting don't get to make a change that the whole world learns about. Saving a village, yes, killing a new dragon yes, but meeting a sorcerer king was VERY rare, and making a lasting impact was unhead of till the very very end). The second time they say the land was during my blowout campaign (when they made a MAJOR change but some of them were headed off to get themselves killed so why not?). They held out in Saragar long enough for Oronis to finish creating the spell that would take the survivors far from the tablelands. Oronis of course knew about this region because I use him much like Xlorep does. He got to go back in time and be the Kreen's Great One. Now some of you are going to point out that Oronis didn't get to go to the new lands, so he never got to complete his metamorphisis and so never went back in time. This is actually the fault of my PCs playin around in things they shouldn't have (Hey, I WARNED them they were headed for trouble) and sending the undead and the Kreen into an early invasion. Anyway, that's where my characters got to go. I didn't mess with the East to much because of Ur Draxa. I started running campaigns about the time DS went out of print so I started with 2e knowing about the Obisidian Plain and left things alone there. North of Saragar I had always made into a small nation of ex-champoins who were hiding out from the SMs who didn't believe them worthy enough to turn into dragons (they stayed high level Psionicist/Defilers) who ruled a ula and allowed no one to leave for fear of the SMs learning they still lived. --edit that censored bit is the word for a piece of land that is surrounded on 3 sides by silt (water)
#9 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2004 18:39:22	I have maped out "roughly" the area on the other side of the Silt Sea. I haven't finished it yet because I'm doing some other maps right now. The address is in my sig. The map is on my Map Expansions page under the title "Eastward Expansion".
#10 zmaj Mar 30, 2004 19:01:07	Oh, as for the intelligent life beyond the Tyr Region. I've got halflings, kreen, and the occasional band of half-elemental and half-paraelemental's running around. If I really needed I could toss in a couple pockets of extraplanar folks (sorta like the githyanki used Athas as an outpost). The Rebirth only happened in the Tyr Region, and it hasn't been long enough for intelligent beings to evolve. There is no more ocean.. the water receeded when the sun turned yellow, and when it turned red it started to burn away to silt. The only reason there's a ton more vegitation elsewhere is that defilers don't exist so far from the Tyr Region.
#11 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2004 19:14:37	I've done a lot of work on my own little region far from the Tablelands (never pinpointed a direction from the known setting since it was never important). Complete lack of SKs (they're all hanging out by Rajaat's prison). Almost a complete lack of humans (the non human races turned on the humans in their own retributive genocidal wars after the end of the Clensing Wars). The remaining humans are treated as cattle and considered a food stock. Large empire of yuan-ti (more akin to a darker version of the naga of Rokougan (sp?) than to traditional yuan-ti). Ancient gith. Lots of religious fanaticism. Tons of god worship (powerful beings like a yuan-ti aberration and other 'epic' like creatures or people, yet no real deities). Defilers and preservers exist, but the lines are far more blurred, no such thing as veilled alliances; wizards congregate for survival, holding up in remote regions against persecution. A much more prominent theme of elementalism. Even wizards are normally drawn into the mix, not just priests; entire villages and some tribes even are devoted to an element. Nomadic wemics are still around (tainted by the Black). Other strange races. Strong ties with the Black (shadow-mages are very prominent and politically powerful). One day I'll get around to writing it all down ;)
#12 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2004 20:26:22	Here mine. It is far west of the Tyr Region. It is huge and vast. I don't know if I will ever finish it, not because I lack ideas, but because I constantly think of new regions to create. like a region ruled by elemental-clerics and another ruled by Kreen and Pterrans. http://www.geocities.com/raloftyr/EoAIntro.html
#13 Pennarin Mar 30, 2004 21:27:23	Originally posted by Dawnstealer I went beyond the boundaries of my apartment the other day... I had to open the door so the delivery guy could get his money. I'm designing a region that is due East of the Obsidian Plains and South-East of the Silt Archipelago. Just about South of the Valley of Dust and Fire. Its a region that's not already been mapped by Cyrus9a.
#14 dawnstealer Mar 31, 2004 0:02:23	I'm working on two projects (okay, they're on hold while I bust out monster drawings, but still): Green Age Athas (a bit different than you might think, since the Sea of Silt is actually higher than the Sunrise Sea) and the area across the Sea of Silt.