After eight years of writing about world and campaign building on rpg.net, I have come to realize I have three types of world I like: steampunk, space opera, and post-apocalyptic — all seasoned with elements of horror. Any attempt to create a world that can endure for years of game play rather than just months is going to come under the pressure to try a campaign set in another type of world.

To combat this challenge, what I would consider my greatest threat to a long term world building project, I decided to build Triworld. Triworld takes the idea of a multiverse and includes not just the planes of existence, but also all three of the world types I enjoy.

My other challenge, especially as I have skimmed over some of my earliest columns, is that I am a spaz when it comes to gaming. The newest shiny thing attracts my eye and I start poking at the current campaign and world with a critical stick.

The difference this time around is when I first starting writing this column I didnít know I was a gaming spaz (or at least acknowledge it). Now I do and knowing is half the battle. The other half is overwhelming violent force. I can bring that into Triworld as well.

Triworld Campaign Setting

Triworld consists of three worlds. The world of Kruvil is Victorian steampunk with vampire clan challenges. The column starts the world building with Kruvil.

The other two worlds are ideas conceived at the most basic level for now. They may change and mutate over time as I work on them when I need a short break from building Kruvil.

The second world is Sirocco, so named by its dominant species. Ancient when the other worlds sprang into being, the living beings of Sirocco travel down a dark path: rejecting the divine and embracing magic even at the cost of life and the longevity of their world.

Sirocco is gritty medieval as described on page 7 of the Radiance Playbook with a large dose of apocalyptic ruin thrown in. Sirocco has unique rules that govern the setting.

The final world, currently called Terra, is old as well. The sentients of that reality have seen empires rise and fall over and over and have finally left their home world of Terra to take to the stars. While other life exists and advancements in technology have improved life, the Great Old Ones and their slaves are hidden out in the void of space. The sentients of Terra have almost completely rejected magic accept for one ancient religion. Armed only with science, they struggle to overcome the mind-bending terror of the Great Old Ones while building their world out into the void.

Terra is space fantasia meets Lovecraftian horror.

Radiance RPG

For fantasy, I really like D&D, especially AD&D 1E. I ran 1E for my group but the unique mechanics were hard for some in the group to enjoy. After that attempt, I had just about given up on D&D.

4E is not something I can wrap my head around anymore, 5E is not what Iím looking for, and Pathfinder just requires too much paperwork and math. DCC RPG is great, but the player character options are restricted (and a bit random of course, part of the gameís charm). If I was going to consider a retroclone, Iíd just play 1E instead. Then I found Radiance RPG.

Radiance RPG combines what I consider the best of AD&D, D&D, and Pathfinder together. It is easy on the GM and has lots of options for players. I hope after running my first campaign using the rules that I will find it stands up to many adventures and several players prying at its edges with rule-based crowbars. The PDF is free: Radiance RPG.

Radiance RPG blends classic fantasy with steampunk, sci-fi, and horror in a modular design. What could be a horrible mash-up instead blends together, for me, into a pleasing mÈlange that is greater than the sum of its parts. The name radiance comes from the magic of the setting. An optional rule requires that radiance, the stuff of magic, is needed to cast spells.

The rules for Radiance appear sound. The 4E idea of gaining bonuses every other level balances out twenty levels of adventuring. More powerful spells like fly and teleport are pushed to higher levels. And every class has two pages of mechanics. Casters donít have a hundred pages of spells. Themes are also used.

Concepts from 3E and Pathfinder include easy multi-classing and many familiar classes like the gunslinger, mageblade, and witch. Long-time D&D favorites prior to 4E include the lance, the grippli (well, the race is one of my favorites), and nine alignments (but with looser restrictions).

Radiance also has many new ideas: steamgear, electrotech, and deities whose influence can be felt in every session by every character. A hundred townies are statted out for the GMís use as NPCs. And sentiments are included as a guide for roleplaying.

And I like the warmechs, a warforged/ironborn race.

Radiance RPG gives me hope that I can make another go at world building with a serious attempt at a long-term, stable world. Most worlds I build last a few months and then I move on to the new shiny.

Will this time be any different? We will see.

World Building While Campaign Building

One thing I do not want to do is write a hundred page world setting and then create the first adventure. Even two pages are more than most players want to read from me, so I wanted to start simple.

I read about the idea of learning the rules to an RPG as you actually play here on the forums. I liked that idea. I thought I could take that concept and also introduce the world during the first adventure as well.

Radiance RPG has the option to start PCs as 0 level characters and I devised an adventure to showcase both the rules and the new campaign setting of Triworld. I will provide more details on the introduction of the campaign next month. First, though, I want to share the basics of Triworld, since as the GM I needed to know this information even if the players didnít.

Begin at the Beginning

The Builder spread his work across many realities, bringing about all of reality and shaping clay into life. In Triworld, the Builder brought forth something unique. A linked trilogy of three realities, each touching in hidden places for those the Builder made to find if they possessed the curiosity, courage, and perseverance.

The Builder left the potential for two areas of growth for the beings he would create: magic and technology. Both possibilities could inspire and improve life. But if abused, either could damage body, mind, and soul and harm more than just the user.

Before the Time of Myth, the Builder created the Creator, the Void, and Chaos and gave them one of the three realities to explore and govern. The brief legend surrounding those three first beings and the birth of the gods is described on page 128 of the Radiance RPG Playbook.

The Mortal Realm is home to the world of Kruvil. Kruvil is a blend of the mundane and the magical world and the gods work everywhere. Kruvil is the best balanced of the three worlds, with a mix of science and magic blended by the various sentient beings. However, the power of ancient dynasties of vampire lords dominates Kruvil and their corrupting influence threatens all they touch.

Kreadoes is the best known and explored continent on the world of Kruvil. Even so, the light of civilization is dim. Dark and wild places abound. Kreadoes still recovers from a bloody and recently stalemated civil war. A rising dark tide of monsters of the night threatens. Unnatural hauntings and ancient magic are juxtaposed against burgeoning technology and the scars of war.

The first location the PCs explore is Hurricane Bayou, a town inspired by New Orleans, Hollywood-version voodoo, and Scooby Doo swamp mysteries. Hurricane Bayou, Queen Street, and the Demon House are all located in the middle south of the continent of Kreadoes. The Demon House is the setting for the first adventure that builds characters, teaches the rules, and introduces the setting of Triworld.

Future Columns

Creating PCs and introducing Triworld (or your homebrew world) during the first adventure of Radiance RPG. 0 level PCs. Going commando in power armor. And more.

Shine on,
Charlie