Theme Differences
From Shahara
Contents |
Guidelines
Questions answered as consensus achieved. Each question and its answer becomes a sub-section. Eventually I hope that this becomes a FAQ and reference for the wiki's reorganization as well as a legacy archive for interested world-builders and DMs.
Give benefit of the doubt. If you have to make an assumption to answer a question, and it is a reasonable assumption to make, assume it. An example is to assume that the admins agree on a PC's request for something. Assume it and answer.
No filler words, please. Examples of filler words include mostly, generally, almost, not exactly, etc. If you don't know if a word is a filler word, then it probably is. If you really need to use a filler word, make the sentence a factual statement instead.
Feel free to add questions. This is a giant brainstorming board. However, please write sentences.
Differences between stock DND and Twidelin DND
Deities
Where do the deities reside?
How old are the deities?
Which deities created which races?
Do the deities take an active part in the destinies of heroes, their creations, etc?
Does prophecy exist? Does it always come true?
Are the deities currently 'at war'; that is, are they actively marshaling continents of armies to do battle?
Wars
What are the major wars that influenced global events? How did these wars influence global events?
World
If the world is young, are there few artifacts and wondrous items?
If the world is ancient, are there many artifacts and wondrous items?
As of game launch, what is the population of the world?
How was the world formed? Who made it? Is it documented by sentient races in oral or written form?
Alignment and the Races
Explain Good and Evil in the context of Twidelin's races.
How are laws passed to treat magical beings? What sort of laws are there?
Where does the majority of a particular race reside? By reside, I mean surviving as a homogeneous collection of individuals whose group coherence is greater than the external forces that seek to separate them.
How does Twidelin's alignment system change magic items related to alignment? PrCs related to alignment?
Technology and Magic
When a new solution is needed, does a tech society prefer a technological or magical solution?
What primary technologies in the real world are replaced by magic in this world (if any)?
When a PC wants to make a new solution, is he more able to do it technologically or magically (assuming admins already agree)?
Why is magic useful to a citizen?
Why is magic useful to the government?
In what ways do governments attempt to control magic?
How are new technological breakthroughs handled?
Can technology harness magic or vice-versa? What is the system of limitations? (New crafting system?)
What happened to magic? Why did it go away?
How do we measure magical advancement in a society? For example, number of produced archmages or magical institutions?
How do we measure technological advancement in a society? For example, by how much dice are rolled for a damage roll?
As of launch, are magic items rare, uncommon, common or everywhere? What does 'rare' mean, for example?
rare: only PCs and high level NPCs; ancient ruins uncommon: wealthy can have it too common: visitors gawk at the sight of it everywhere: people ignore it, take it for granted
How are new magic spells researched?
How do people have the knowledge to cast 1st-level arcane spells?
Mechanics
Can guns be enchanted?
Comparing Campaign Settings
How is Twidelin different from Eberron, Forgotten Realms, Dragonlance, Greyhawk, etc?
Questions for a Society
Questions in this section apply to each government: that is, an entity declaring itself independent in matters of legal and state affairs from any direct influence from other such entities.
Government and Sovereignty
If a government exists, what kind of government is it?
How much territory do they control? From where to where?
What is the name of its capital city and where is it located?
What are some of its territories and colonies, their names and how they came to be?
What are the primary interest groups, if any?
What freedoms, compared to the United States, are legally restricted?
If there is a democratic government, are women allowed to vote?
Is the leader of the country also its highest military commander?
What major rebellions or violent radical groups exist or have existed? By 'violent radical groups,' I mean any entity within the population that commits violence to influence policies that are diametrically opposed to the status quo.
What do citizens do for leisure? Go to libraries, museums or indoctrination buildings?
What is the biggest minority population?
Is general education free?
Is there an effective police force?
Magic
How does it view magic? Is magic a utility, an art, useless, etc?
How does it view technology?
How advanced is it in magic? (Does it have archmages?)
How much does the average citizen know about magic?
Do people take magic for granted?
Are there magical academies?
What are its prevalent magical achievements?
How does it control magic? (Magical developments, creature populations, etc)
Foreign Relations
How much foreign investment is there? In what businesses, areas or industries?
Who are its official and unofficial allies and enemies? Why?
Media
Does it even exist?
How free is it?
Military
Is there a draft?
Are they guerilla/unconventional or brute force?
Do they believe in rules of engagement?
How does the citizenry feel about war? How have these opinions changed over the country's development?
Technology
What is its current level of technology? (Use general comparisons, like 'WWI' or '80s')
What are its prevalent technological achievements?
How does it control it?
Trade and Goods
What are its primary exports and imports?
What does it have for surplus, if any?
Without trade from this society, who would suffer? Why?
What intangible services does it export? What intangible services are sorely needed and thus imported?
In what industry does the majority of the population participate? Agriculture or knowledge work, for example.
What businesses are deregulated?
What businesses remain the sole responsibility of the government?
Does the government heavily influence business?
