The Distant World (working title)

Game System and Rules Version:
D&D 2024 Free Rules. I'd like to find some intrepid souls who are ready to try out the new system with me. I'm certainly not a master of the new rules, so we will be learning together.

The Pitch:
In a distant world, there lies a continent rife with opportunity. It is divided into many kingdoms. Kurthy and Eldeen are both lawful and prosperous, though a strong rivalry divides them. The Badlands form a vast central desert, where outlaws hide. Northward is Cathiel, where dragons and men live in peace. In the icy Far North, four lesser states hold uneasy alliances. To the east is Fenland, a place of swamps and tribal villages. Beneath every kingdom is the Underyord, where dwarves reign and goblins rebel. And beyond the continental shores are the Forgotten Isles, where many have ventured, but few have come back. Where will you seek your fortune?

(Please note that the setting is part of a book I'm working on. I promise not to use your character without permission. Also, beware: I have been known to run several campaigns within the same setting, and to reuse characters within the setting. Crazy stuff can and will happen!)

Character Restrictions:
Any race, class, or background from the 2024 Free Rules is welcome. If you'd like to run a Sidekick as your main character, I'm OK with that. (Have the Sidekick rules changed since 5E? I'm not sure. We'll work something out.)

Game Duration and Post Frequency:
I try to never go more than three days without posting. Please try to do the same.

Specialized Software and Resources:
None. We'll just use Gamer's Plane forums and play by post. Further down the road, I might be open to playing via Discord or something like that. We'll have to see how things go.

Player Experience Requirements:
None! New players are welcome. I'm learning new rules, too, so it'll help to have lots of brains working together.

How to Apply:
In order to be considered, respond to this thread with a brief character description.

Hi Sneepy. Welcome to gamersplane!
While I'm looking forward to start reading 2024 rules, this is not an application yet. I would like to ask you though - you just described the settings, but not the game’s tone, genre, etc. My here is my favorite question:
What are PCs going to try to achieve in the story: save the world or at least a city; earn money/items/power; survive and live another day? Or do you have no agenda in mind?
I, for an instance, prefer not to participate survival, horror or puzzle-solving stories on PBP. I have negative experience with sandbox here on gamersplane. Other players may have other preferences and experience.

Great question! I'm a big fan of letting players dictate what they want to do within the context of a game. When I play live, usually we have ourselves a "Session 0." We roll up characters, talk about the setting, decide on objectives (if any), and so on.

However, this format allows us to essentially conduct Session 0 proceedings right here in this thread. So, I'm curious. What sort of game are you interested in? Do you favor combat, RP, or exploration? I'd love to taylor this game to the needs of the players.

Hey, I’d love to participate in this game! I like to create characters based on party needs but this would be my first pbp game.

I’ve had a character in mind I’ve wanted to play though, Derek Stormsurge, a wandering barbarian from an icy biome and exiled from his clan.
I’d like to do Lightning Dragonborn/Worldtree but if I’m just using the free SRD, I’ll do a human/beserker no probs.

Hi, Corvuska! I'd be happy to add you. I'm new to the site, so I don't know how to send an invite. My only player found a way to apply, somehow, which you are welcome to do.

I'm intrigued by this dragonborn character idea. Is the Worldtree barbarian from the new PHB? If it is, I would love to see it in action!

I think I just applied. I’m still figuring it out. Yeah, world tree is new but I don’t think it’s part of the free SRD though. Might have to go to a store and just take pics from the book.
I’ll figure it out. I look forward to playing!

I think I just applied. I’m still figuring it out. Yeah, world tree is new but I don’t think it’s part of the free SRD though. Might have to go to a store and just take pics from the book.
I’ll figure it out. I look forward to playing!

Hello, I've been interested in doing the same thing (write a book and run a game in the same (or similar) setting), and I wanted to ask you if you have any advice in doing this sorta thing. Even though you haven't written the book yet, maybe you have written one before...? Or maybe you have thought of the implications more than I have.

Do you know whether warning others that you are going to write a book based off the game's setting and/or requesting permission to user their characters has ever made potential players wary/unwilling to join your games? And have you had trouble "rewriting" events in the story (or stories) you want to write, when you wanted to use events that happened in a game, but some or all of the players that participated in it did not give permission to use their characters?

I'm a chronic overthinker, you see.

I'm also interested in this, mostly for the RP opportunity, combat is something in D&D I'm still not 100% comfortable with my own understanding of the rules with. ((What do you mean you get 6 rolls to attack and I only get 1?))

What's the basic feel where we'll be the world? The setting if you will? Are we talking Kingdom's France vs. England in the 100 years war; Rome vs. Carthage in the Punic wars; Egypt vs. Babylon or the Wars of the 5 Kingdoms in China? I suppose I could have asked what era of history does your world take inspiration from?

I would like to try a game with the new PHB if you aren't full up.

Do you know which region of your world you will be starting us out in?

Welcome all!

Badbaron, I like your character concept. Feel free to join us and submit your character sheet! The adventure begins in a kingdom named Kurthy, which is a relatively prosperous country.


Emberskyes, if I were to pin down the setting as much as possible, I'd say that the story takes place in a world within the habitable zone of a star, in another part of our galaxy. On this planet, there are humans, elves, dwarves, and a number of other classic fantasy races, including many varieties of beastkin. Magic is less prevalent.

Also, I'm crazy about mounts, so expect to see a lot of saddles on giant lizards, dragons, owlbears, griffons, and so on. Technologically, I don't think anyone has discovered gunpowder yet. That could change, if any players express interest in the Artificer class.


Gentleman, I can appreciate your penchant for overthinking things. I do the same. I should note that I have yet to actually publish a book. I've never used another person's character, either, and I'm not sure that I ever will, unless I have an extremely good reason for doing so.

Thus, as it stands, I've never had any issues. I just have a number of NPCs, locations, factions, and kingdoms that end up being reused in my campaigns.

If you're familiar with Prairie Home Companion at all, I noticed the author, Garrison Keillor, does something similar with his fictional town of Lake Wobegone. He is always writing about the same people and places; it's just the events that change. I'm trying to take that same approach to my D&D world.

I am thinking a sorceress, perhaps draconic or aberrant. I'm working hard on the thought. Draconic makes me tougher but Aberrant makes me weird.

Do you have maps? Maps are kind of my brain food, don't know why but they can really pull me in.

Thank you for your answer, Sneepy. Have a nice day.

I don't have any maps yet. I'm thinking about making a few using some online tools.

Any sorc origin is welcome!

Appreciate the invite. Went over to check it out but no permission to post yet.What about climate? How hot, how wet? It affects the way people dress, move, even the gods they worship.

Also, my character (in my head at the moment, anyway) is an ex-pat from a Persian or Arabic type culture. Would that fit any of your countries (maybe Eldeen possibly bordering the badlands)? Thinking arid or Mediterranean climate, bazaars, loose robes and head scarves for men, etc. Want to get similar visual imagery as Dezd is a poet and storyteller (Entertainer background) and I want to quote Persian or Arabic poetry. If not, can you describe Eldreen (and Kurthy) so I can use the right visual imagery when I post quotes?

You have to accept the Invite before you can post in the game. Take a look at the bottom of the Game Details page.

Within this setting, your character would definitely hail from the Badlands. It's anarchy there, and very much a desert that is sparsely spotted with villages and oases. However, I believe some nomadic people could live there that loosely resemble Dezd.

Thanks.