Sunday 8 January 2017

Building Estagor - new campaign setting for In Darkest Warrens



I'm starting a new blog series where I create Estagor, a campaign setting for In Darkest Warrens, my minimalist fantasy system.

This is going to be kind of a mind dump area, where I brainstorm ideas and, with any luck, you guys can help me mould the setting. First I need to figure out what 'feel' I want the campaign to have. As this is coming from the British RPG scene, I would like to evoke that early 80s crust punk feel that art in games like Warhammer and Fighting Fantasy tended to have. A bit gritty, a bit dark and laced with black humour. I reckon if it were a soundtrack it would be later Darkthrone albums like Circle the Wagons and FOAD.

Image result for 80s warhammer art

Gary Chalk is a great example of an artist who creates this style of fantasy. Here's an example of Chalk's work (but do go and view all his work on his website). He's a bit of a favourite of mine, along with Russ Nicholson, for their incredible line illustrations that evoke this darkly funny fantasy world. 

                                                    Related image

So I suppose what I'm getting at is that Estagor is going to be a crust punk fantasy setting replete with dark humour. I don't want to go the Tunnels & Trolls route and make it obviously tongue-in-cheek, but perhaps a bit subversive. I'm thinking female rogues with mohawks and dirty cigarettes - very street level stuff. 

Next time I'll be looking at building the hook of Estagor. Hope you'll join me.

By the way - don't forget to pick up In Darkest Warrens and share your own creations. 


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