Saturday, November 15, 2014

Creating a quick fantasy setting using Magic: The Gathering

Tired of medieval fantasy in pseudo-Europe? Want to make a strange game setting but don't know where to start? I've got an idea for you to use. It involves seeing random Magic the Gathering cards and then creating a world based on those details.

Step 1: Go to http://magiccards.info/random.html (my preferred database) or http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?action=random

Step 2: Note the first 5 non-Legendary creatures you find (including subtypes like Elf, Orc, Wizard, etc) and the first 3 lands (Mountain, Plains, Forest, etc.) and/or landscapes (Sunken City, Fog, etc.)

Step 3: Put it all together.

Let's make a quick world!



Creatures:
-Alphetto Alchemist, a Human Wizard according to errata. The Morph ability might also be an interesting twist.
-Myr Sire, a Myr (magic robot) that creates more Myrs.
-Brassclaw Orcs, hardy Orc tribes
-Sewer Rats, and lots of 'em!
-Diligent Farmhand, a Human Druid. It's looking like Druidism and Alchemy might be two competing philosophies in this world

Land(scape)s:
-Stomping Ground, ruins reclaimed by nature and beasts.
-Murmuring Bosk, a haunted or otherwise sinister woodland.
-Blood Moon, a magical red moon that alters the world.

Putting it all together:
The world is choked with forests that spread like a plague across the land, swallowing up cities. In the oldest forest strange sounds are heard; some say that spirits from another world are trying to enter into this one. A baleful red moon glares upon the land at night, and all blame it for the sudden surge in forest growth. Rats, once restricted to sewers, are now virtually everywhere; disease outbreaks are becoming more common. The Orcs still persevere amidst the unnatural woods thanks to a mixture of healthy superstition. The Humans of the world have polarized into two camps: The Alchemists, who want to use magic to reverse the "sylvan scourge" and the Druids, who want to use magic for the adaptation/evolution of their people. 

2 comments:

  1. Fun idea! Here's what I came up with:

    Creatures:
    -Araba Mothrider, a guy with a katana who rides giant moths
    -Spirit Weaver, a human wizard that seems to focus on protection magic
    -Xathrid Gorgon, does the petrification thing
    -Lightning Reaver, electric zombies!
    -Hellhole rats, rats on fire, apparently

    Landscapes:
    -Farmstead
    -Safe Haven, looks like some place that can be used to restore lost creatures
    -Forest

    Putting it all together:
    This is a land covered in thick forests, except where civilization breaks free wherever it fells the trees. Humanity has never advanced beyond an agricultural lifestyle, however, due to the ever-present threat of a race of gorgons, who can turn men and women to stone with just a glance. Certain people have learned to "rescue" the spirits of the petrified, however, tugging at the threads of the soul trapped within stone. They bring these spirits to a magical haven, where the spirits live again as giant moth-like creatures. Humanity has learned to mount these moths and battle the gorgons, using the large wings to block the gorgons' stare. Only too late did they learn that the soulless statues left behind have a chance to turn into an undead creature that can harness the powers of nature.

    Also, everyone hates all these fire rats that are running around, everywhere. Seriously, so annoying.

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