This is merely an initial response a proper response will take some time to carefully produce. It's more a collection of thoughts both mine and things for you to think about if you want. In order to have a reasoned conversation and dicussion with you about this (something I do want to do), I want to understand as much as your view as possible so I can better relate my ideas and opinions to you. So I pose here some thoughts and questions just to be considered, I appreciate any time you can spare on considering them and in writing responses. I have intentionally avoiding saying you are wrong where possible because that doesn't achieve anything, in the same way I hope you can care about my opinion so that we can better understand each other, give us option to change each others opinions and avoid misunderstanding and arguments.
So to start, here's the history of the system from the rules:
'About 100 years ago, the surviving members of a rebellion against The hierarchy crossed the Last Sea, and formed the small Kingdom of Exiles. The Kingdom is surrounded on all sides by wilderness filled with savage monsters and organised tribes. When they arrived, the exiles found evidence of civilization in the form of ruins and destroyed towns and cities. They were also attacked by two tribes, who called themselves the 1st Dragon Riders and the 8th Fox Scouts. The attacks were beaten off, helped by the fact that the Dragon Riders and the Fox Scouts started fighting amongst themselves when they discovered each others presence. From prisoners and research amongst the ruins, scholars discovered that both groups were from a race of men who called themselves the Hassani. The Hassani had built up a large civilisation covering an unknown but large area, but destroyed themselves in a massive civil war. All that’s left are the ruins of their cities and groups descended from the armies which fought,and still fight today.'
I post this for one main reason. How much more detail than this do you need and how much more detail do you want? How accurate this now is I don't know, I know I have run games that don't fit into the history's before myself, but mistakes are made. This is history of the world as given to us so what's missing?
With regards to maps, this has been dicussed a lot by people for many hours and in large groups. Conclusions were made from these discussions, that have since gone on to alter and shape peoples' opinions about the nature of the world and what it needs. I assume you were aware that people must have talked about this before, so how much have you asked about it? Would you be happy with a map consisting of expanding circles of field, followed by forest, followed by valleys? Have you ever sat down, noted all the parts of the world defined in games and tried to convert them into a rough sketch map? Do you understand the need of always having a bit more unlarped border as untapped design space?
On some of what you have done I will say that I for one have felt, to quote [info]drabbit, that 'when you give a background or a description, it feels that you don't just define how your characters life went, you define how everyone's characters lives go if they do that kind of thing/are that class'. There are these little details, that seem to concrete stuff for everyone, the bit that takes it from this saying this is a bit of our world, to saying this is the world. So in order to better understand the why, what do you gain from these details, and what do you miss in not having them?
Part 1
So to start, here's the history of the system from the rules:
'About 100 years ago, the surviving members of a rebellion against The hierarchy crossed the Last Sea, and formed the small Kingdom of Exiles. The Kingdom is surrounded on all sides by wilderness filled with savage monsters and organised tribes. When they arrived, the exiles found evidence of civilization in the form of ruins and destroyed towns and cities. They were also attacked by two tribes, who called themselves the 1st Dragon Riders and the 8th Fox Scouts. The attacks were beaten off, helped by the fact that the Dragon Riders and the Fox Scouts started fighting amongst themselves when they discovered each others presence. From prisoners and research amongst
the ruins, scholars discovered that both groups were from a race of men who called themselves the Hassani. The Hassani had built up a large civilisation covering an unknown but large area, but destroyed themselves in a massive civil war. All that’s left are the ruins of their cities and groups descended from the armies which fought,and still fight today.'
I post this for one main reason. How much more detail than this do you need and how much more detail do you want? How accurate this now is I don't know, I know I have run games that don't fit into the history's before myself, but mistakes are made. This is history of the world as given to us so what's missing?
With regards to maps, this has been dicussed a lot by people for many hours and in large groups. Conclusions were made from these discussions, that have since gone on to alter and shape peoples' opinions about the nature of the world and what it needs. I assume you were aware that people must have talked about this before, so how much have you asked about it? Would you be happy with a map consisting of expanding circles of field, followed by forest, followed by valleys? Have you ever sat down, noted all the parts of the world defined in games and tried to convert them into a rough sketch map? Do you understand the need of always having a bit more unlarped border as untapped design space?
On some of what you have done I will say that I for one have felt, to quote [info]drabbit, that 'when you give a background or a description, it feels that you don't just define how your characters life went, you define how everyone's characters lives go if they do that kind of thing/are that class'. There are these little details, that seem to concrete stuff for everyone, the bit that takes it from this saying this is a bit of our world, to saying this is the world. So in order to better understand the why, what do you gain from these details, and what do you miss in not having them?