The World of a Thousand Gods: A New Setting for Solo RPGs

In the last couple of months, I've been inspired to write up a brand new setting to play in. The idea was inspired by several video games, books, and movies I'd been consuming in that time. This setting is a contemporary fantasy, which is a genre I've had hang-ups with in the past. Generally, I don't like how contemporary fantasy keeps the fantasy hidden away from the mundane world, either as a different world entirely (like Narnia) or under the guise of some conspiracy (like V:tM). I also am not looking to do something like Shadowrun, where magic just suddenly appears. For this, the supernatural and magic elements need to be front and present in my setting, and always has.

A good example would be Eberron, which has elements of the Edwardian era, World War 1 and post-war era, and pulp from that time period while still maintaining the fantastical elements. I simply want to fast-forward the clock even more. Something with the trappings and technology of modern-day Earth, but with the magic and wonder of fantasy existing with it.

Art from Final Fantasy 15

The aesthetics of Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 15 are two examples are what I'm looking for. Sprawling cities protected from the monsters of the outside world. Dragons, mages, and monsters exist alongside smartphones, automobiles, and assault rifles. Of course, in a world where monsters and magic are real, things will have to be set up differently. And thus, the world of Gi was born. One inspired by this artwork as well as ancient Greek City-States, Roman tutelary deities, modern-day Japan's mixture of the spiritual and secular, and the video games Dominions 5, Final Fantasy 7. 8. and 15. Add in a dash of Gnosticism and proto-Judaic religions and shake well!

Art from Final Fantasy 15 (Insomnia)

The world of Gi is one of petty gods and the city-states that they protect and dwell in. The Twilight of the Gods happened many millennia ago, yet the new generation of true gods never came. In their  stead, spirits of the land made a covenant with humans and other races to create large city-states  for protection against the terrible monsters of the world. In return, the peoples of Gi give these tutelary gods offerings and worship, as well as manpower for their wars of divine conquest. The thousands of  years of holy wars, alliances, and politics have led to a modern-day world of sprawling city-states in a cold war with each other. Superpowers have formed into coalitions of pantheons that must fight against enemy city-gods, the wandering monsters from an invading outer realm, and growing allure of materialism.

Art from Final Fantasy 7 Remake

Here lies the heroes. They can be monster hunters that protect the satellite townships and highways from wandering monsters. Or they are the theurges of a city-god, sent as missionaries, ambassadors, or crusaders to neighboring city-states. Or police trying to keep the peace when a riot between humans and orcs breaks out. Anything is possible in Gi, the World of a Thousand Gods

Screen from Final Fantasy 15

This setting will be using Fate, as I want to learn how to use that rule system more and more. I plan on doing more solo RPG sessions in this setting as a way to enjoy it and world build in it. I'd love to run this with a group eventually, but my schedule leaves that uncertain for now. However, the main things I'll post about in the future will be centered around this. Magic (called theurgy), religion, history, monsters, and city-states. I also plan on having some actual plays this coming week on the blog. Gotta get that done before vacation next week. But, it feels good to be excited about world-building again. I can't wait to do more about this setting.

Bound in Ruin

"This post is inspired by the Pan-Dungeonism belief discussed over at Hill Cantons. The blog has some great stuff that has really inspired my hexcrawls. Lots of good stuff here to look at, but the Pan-Dungeonism has really struck a cord in my meat noodle, so here we go!"

All things die in the end. People, animals, even the gods themselves will fade away into the afterlife. This has been the way of the world for eons upon countless eons. Though we ourselves have never set foot upon the blessed paradise of Heaven nor the blasted halls of Hell, we know well that our souls make their long trek home with the guidance of grim, sullen-eyed psychopomps.

And yet, who says that creatures and man are the only ones that descend to oblivion?

There is a tablet from an ancient age when men huddled in mud huts for warmth, and the riddle of steel still hung unanswered in the minds of artificers. Written by pressed reeds is a tale of a world of ruins. An entire universe containing the spiritual remnants of civilization. Ancient ziggurats and step pyramids litter the world as testaments to the ephemeral nature of man. Sullen-eyed spirits troll the blackened wasteland, scavenging for information, architecture, or souls hiding in the rubble from damnation.

There is much to pick from the carcass of civilization. Pieces of broken technology can be found and with the right knowledge, refurbished and reused. Lost knowledge can be discovered and traded for the right price. True names, missing people from one's lineage, architecture secrets, lost treasure... the realm of Ruin is the multiverse's landfill. And if someone could find a way to travel there like the ancients were able to, then they can truly make one man's trash into their own treasure.

But how does one make it into the World of Ruin?

There is the current belief that all places of ruin in our world can lead to the World of Ruin.  Places of decay and destruction... like a dungeon. Ruined temples and keeps, old forts from wars long done, steadings razed to the ground, and crypts and tombs can all take us to the World of Ruin with the knowledge of the right ritual to open up a sinkhole in reality. Entering the World of Ruin through these sinkholes is believed to take you to a mirror image of the dungeon you were in, as it sinks further and further into oblivion. From there, it is theorized that you can travel to other sinking dungeons and come back to the real world in its mirror image. You could start your adventure in a ruined temple in a desert and end it at an ancient alien city frozen in the South Pole. All dungeons in the world are connected by the World of Ruin as a sort of network of crumbling dungeons. The implications of travel are incredible to those looking to exploit it. Colonization, military mobilization, trade. All can be improved if these sinkholes were mapped and the ritual was discovered.

Even without the ritual, dungeons can, after a time, have natural sinkholes form. The older the dungeon is, the further it has sunk into the World of Ruin and the greater a chance that one or even more sinkholes into the World have spawned inside. There have been tales of adventures that have traversed between two dungeons in completely separate continents via these portals. But when taken back to the dungeon, the sinkholes have disappeared. Do they only appear for a small amount of time before vanishing? Do these portals change locations for each adventurer that enters the dungeon? Or is this just another case of adventurers telling tall tales?

A Different Creation Story

I had this idea for an alternate creation story. One that doesn't start with nothing in the beginning.

"In an age before our own kingdoms and gods, there lived a world beyond our comprehension. A world with it's own creatures, gods, and peoples. None can say if they were like us or something otherworldly, but the legends say that for a time, they knew peace and prosperity that we could only dream of.

Karil was the first of our gods to cross the Ocean of Stars and meet these people. He was the messenger god and patron of travelers and explorers. Karil greeted these people and opened the gates to trade and diplomacy, With bated breath, the gods of the old awaited to receive their new allies.

But peace breeds foolishness and complacency.

Our gods came with the strength of thunder and lightning, with their knights of steel and fire storming the gates. They quickly dispatched the soft guards of the old world and battled the old gods in their own palace. It was a slaughter, as ours are gods of might and brawn, cruelty and guile. But it was cruelty that won the day, and the old gods were executed, their bodies and blood used create mountains and rivers that we see today. The world was theirs and eventually, we mortals would reap the benefits of their victory.

As for the original races of the old world? Some were captured and kept as concubines and servants. Many of the angels and guardians of the gods are enslaved first men, bound by the accords of the spoils of war to serve our gods for all eternity. The ones that fled went to the underground. They became twisted with hate and vengeance and made a pact with a dark and ancient god. Now they plague our kingdoms as demons, subverting our world to reclaim what they believe is rightfully ours.

This is why we raid and war, young one. Peace weakened the old gods and if we rest, it shall weaken ours against any other gods that wish to take our world and enslave us. We must remain the greatest and mightiest, taking what is rightfully ours and sparing no man, woman, or child. Lest we rot in the bowls of the underworld."

The idea behind this was a culture of raiders and warriors and what kind of creation world they might have in a fantasy world. I also kind of like the idea of a war band of gods acting as robber barons.