Looking around for inspiration, my mind was instantly filled with images of Middle Earth and the Warhammer World itself. Obviously, certain races would be required to fit out purposes in this world or background too. Elves (good and bad), humans, dwarfs (good and bad), halflings, goblins, orcs, ratmen, demons and undead will all need their place. But there is simply no point in copying these worlds. We need something of our own! An Oldhammer World!
Years ago I was an archaeologist and did some work about Doggerland and I felt that this ancient landmass was the perfect starting point for the Oldhammer world's shape.
With this basic shape in mind I whipped up a simple map that could be the basis for our background.
I haven't developed the idea very much, so please forgive the simplicity but two forces were my chief concern when drawing the map; the elves and 'chaos'. I have a few ideas for the full background and these key races are vital to it. Another important factor in a battle game is the armies access to each other and an inland sea would provide opportunity for any race to launch an amphibious assault on any other!
Thoughts..?
I'll have a go at writing up a historical narrative for our world. Good ideas are welcome!
Orlygg.
Love the idea.
ReplyDeleteThe Hyborian Era map would be a great source of inspiration too (the more space the more confortable the races are ^^) and it is also inspired on the Real World (TM):
http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2011/282/2/3/hyboria_by_sapiento-d4bvej9.jpg
Yes, Conan's world was also in the back of my mind. I always valued the way REH used real historical names and cultures to populate his world. The world seemed more real and believable because of it.
DeleteAnother option would be for each Oldhammerer to volunteer to map their own armies land with a bit of background and then have one person assemble a world map out of the various parts. One thing I would point out is when we draw fantasy maps we tend to create solid boundaries on all sides - such as long mountain ranges and deserts. I think this comes from all those maps at the front of the various books I'm sure we all read as kids.
ReplyDeleteLooks very cool to me so far. However I have to say I love Just John's idea as well.
ReplyDeleteNice work Orlyyg and a good start for a fantasy world, but I do also really like Just john Idea, if each one of us do his map (like yours) and then we try to put them alltogether ? This could be a great patchwork map ?
ReplyDeleteLooks cool, and the map can easily be expanded slightly on any edge top provide more space for divergent/new cultures. Just a thought, is the word Chaos legally safe? Especially if the forces of Chaos wind up being big, spiky armoured dudes backed up by Daemons?
ReplyDeleteChaos was nicked off Michael Moorcock so GW would have a bit of difficulty enforcing anything. Chaos and chaotic were also alignment stats in D&D.
DeleteCrops up in Fighting Fantasy a lot too - did Ian Livingstone recycle it from GW after they'd pinched it off MM? Not sure on the chronology of any that!
DeleteNice. I guess this was always one of my problems with the Lizardmen in Warhammer. Their home, and even the secondary lands they have in the old world, are just so far away from the center of attention. I just can't see them sailing across a vast ocean for battles of any size in Bretonnia or the Empire... why would they? Having a world that is more connected and central makes more sense.
ReplyDeleteI always much preferred the old idea of the Norse, Dwarfs and any other ne'er-do-wells going off to colonise the New World.
DeleteFancy a trip to Skeggi anyone? ;)
This is awesome! I can't wait to see how this develops. I wouldn't mind making up a region and sharing it. However I also realize you have probably been thinking about this for awhile Orlygg and appreciate that you have some idea of how you want it to go. So either way is fine with me. =)
ReplyDeleteHaving read many of the comments and ideas put forwards by others, the general feeling is that rules (BLOOD) and background should be kept separate. Due to this, I am going to suggest that any contributions to Oldhammer related fluff could be in the form of scenario packs - much like Orcs Drift or Terror of the Lichemaster. These would contain...
ReplyDelete1) Background with maps and notes
2) Character details with stats for BLOOD and 3rd
3) Battle suggestions - much like the adventure hooks from the old RPG days
4) Anything extra that can be produced - card buildings anyone?
Packs like these could then be published as part of our Fanzine.
Yes that is a good idea, but maybe we could have a gobal map where to place each scenario if the author want's to place it in the BLOOD world ?
DeleteA big map, almost empty at start, mainly outlines with some "fixed" geographical features (moutains, seas, big forest, big patch of water, maybe few big cities, some "archaeological" and mythic places, ...).
This way each time there is a new scenario, the author could propose where to place it in the world map (if he wants to), he could even propose 2 or 3 possible locations so that that each group/GM can have his own world built by himself by using what he wants from the stuff published.
Sounds good - might need to rejig some of the scenarios I'm working on as soon as we've firmed up BLOOD world.
DeleteMust say I do like your map as a starting place for all this.
Going further even than that, suppose some cleverdick could make all those little conflicts interrelate? Instant monthly campaign play if a year's worth (or so) of modules can be bullied into making sense with relation to each other.
ReplyDeleteCould be good, if a little tricky.
DeleteWhat I thought initially was of placing any games any of us got played on a central map. Eventually we'd end up with some kind of narrative to link them all together and who knows, even organising specific meets to further the campaign/storyline?
Never a bad thing. Of course, there's no reason at all that such an epic needs to focus on a single conflict. If we're going for a world of constant strife here it might end up being simpler to say there are two or more wars on the go at any one time. It enhances the feel of the campaign world as somewhere that armed scuffles are unavoidable and also makes it easier to stitch the whole lot together if making absolutely everything interrelate stetches credulity.
Delete