Planning For WorldEmber 2023
WorldEmber is coming...
It's the end of September and as the inimitable TJ would say, "WorldEmber is coming." I'm already thinking about it, so I'm throwing together a quick article to catalog the material that I want to work on in November. I want to separate my stubs out by importance, with campaign-necessary articles first, foundational world building second, and everything else third. I'm hoping that this process will organize my thoughts for me and prioritize what I work on!
I also want to use this time before World Ember to focus on rewriting my oldest material to bring it in line with how my world actually functions now. That type of work doesn't count for these challenges, so I want to separate that out now.
Wish me luck and good luck to everyone else!
Week 1 Homework
My 2023 WorldEmber Pledge
Past WorldEmber Badges
Focus This WorldEmber: Stub Stomping
Like past years, I'm focusing on stomping out the dozens and dozens of article stubs that I've generated over the time I've been on World Anvil. This year, I'm going to especially pay attention to material that I actually need for the games that I run in this world!
A lot of the stubs in my first section are people, places, and things that my players interact with on a weekly basis that I've never actually fleshed out in my worldbuilding! Time to fix that.
Comment Carolers
Past WorldEmbers
Week 2 Homework
Mini-Meta
My focus this year is based on the task of stomping out stubs, but I've also decided to focus on campaign relevant material for the two ongoing games in my world. At first I wasn't sure how to "mini-meta" a task, but now I know that I need to do it for my campaigns!
Pit Patrol Adventuring Company
The Pit Patrol Adventuring Company are a ragtag group of adventurers from across Erathia who've answered the call to become Pit-Meat (ahem, exuse me, that's a derogatory term) Maharlika. They are Kirinal Defenders based in Aurumopolis. On Shatter they face whatever monstrosities come out of the Kirinal Pit for loot the glory and honor of the Concordance!
Their adventures have taken them around the world and even to the Shattered Moon, but they always return to the home they've made for themselves in the Bayani-Sun Casino. They can always be found manning their station on the Pit Wall on Shatter.
Theme & Mood
Most of the players in this campaign are first-time D&D players. This is an intro campaign that we play in person in my house. I started by keeping things relatively simple. I've been continuously introducing more concepts, but I think I need to level off through the end of the campaign.
- Monster of the Week Adventures
- Focus on the Celestial Gluttons
- Individual ties between characters and each Glutton
- Campaign-ending confrontation with the Tambanakua or the Bakunawa
Goals & Inspiration
This campaign has been going at a steady clip for a 11 months and will hit the year mark in early December. My goal is to get them to level 20 and a satisfying ending. Then we'll start again with new characters.
- Reach level 20 and provide a satisfying ending
- Provide a strong 1-Year Anniversary game in early December
- Focus on closing existing plot points and avoiding new threads
- Draw heavily from The Islands of Sina Una
- Inspired by Gubat Banwa
The Characters
- D’Wat Bestia
- Male Fairy, Rogue/Soulknife. Bearer of Naraky's Ring. Descendant of Beast.
- Fez the Jest
- Male Dwarf, Barbarian/Path of the Storm Herald. Citizen of the Tortoise Conclave, fastest dwarf in the world.
- Lucius Solara
- Male Aasimar, Cleric of Rampol/Light Domain. Wielder of Midnight's Bane. Retired to become Avatar of the Sun God.
- Noctus Lunara
- Male Pit-Blood, Wizard/Chronurgist. Disciple of Temporalis the Time Dragon from the Tower of Bluxton.
- Oyxuysi Oyxuys
- Male Dragonborn, Artificer/Artillerist. Refugee from the Dragon Empire and bearer of "Backstabber".
- T-R01D
- Male Soulforged, Fighter/Rune Knight Warlock/Fathomless. Wielder of Adamantfire and giant-ophile. Soul was a servant of dark forces. Despite rejecting his dark side, he has become the phylactery of the Lich-King.
- --Zernon ::Wielder of the Kampilan of Greyston, the originator of Zernon's Eclipse, the Tree of Rampol that stands on the Crystal Sphere of Kirinal.
Blackjack Heritage
The Blackjack Heritage campaign follows the journeys of the Changeling Skyship Blackjack and her crew of adventurers. The campaign began when Niamhi Silversång inherited the title Baron and the family skyship, Blackjack, upon the death of her father. She summoned her group of close knit friends to be her crew.
Together they travel from the Zone and throughout the Sovranty of Lozar carrying a wide variety of cargo. They attempt to unlock the mystery of the skyship's origin and become embroiled in the re-emergence of the Six Lost Moons.
Theme & Mood
I'm running this campaign for a group of veteran players online. I knew one of them from work and joined their weeknight game. I was able to hit the ground running with them and ran a very complex campaign.
- Political intrigue mixed with some Firefly
- Do old gods fit in the new magitech world
- Re-emergence of lost moons
- Heavy roleplay mixed with bathroom humor
Goals & Inspiration
This campaign is also hitting high levels and endgame territory. They've ended up fighting the invasion of Infernal Forces after one of their own fell to the God of Lies.
- Close out Mecha-Tiamat storyline.
- Leave room for confrontation with Malfador on the Hidden Moon.
- Start reigning in storylines
- Plan a Bachelor/ette Party adventure for Lance/Nia
- Plan a Double Wedding adventure
The Characters
- Elenwe Heskiloth
- Selenelion Elf, Paladin of Ashaya/Oath of Redemption. Wielder of Bedlam, former Exalted of Dreams and sire of the present one. Agent of Z.A.P.
- Lance Uppercut
- Male Aasimar, Sorcerer/Divine Soul. aka DJ Uppercut. Born Lanzo von Razak, Heir of House Razak. Descendant of the Moon and Sun. Father of many bastards. Betrothed to Paz Ionite.
- Niamhi Silversång::Female
ChangelingHuman, Warlock/The Archfey. aka The Dread Baron. Captain of the H.C.S. Blackjack. Head of House Silversång. Twin sister of Jenevieve. Betrothed to be Royal Consort of Cabron Elf-King.-- - Of the Forge the Spark
- Male Goblin, Artificer/Battle Smith. aka MC Artificery. aka "The Smartest Golin in the World". Inventor of the Totemic Gravity Drives. Hero of Goblin Town. Dabbler in Psionics. Founder of Orphanages.
- --Xeno the Navigator::Male Soulforged Cleric of Anam/Twilight Domain. aka Xenopocalypse. Navigator of the Blackjack and Philosopher of the Divine. Became the unwilling Avatar of Malfador. Now commands the Will of Malfador and Admiral of the Infernal Forces.
Categorization and Inspiration
I've been working hard on tagging and categorization even before we got this homework! I recently created tagged lists of session notes for both of my campaigns, just click the campaign headers just above here! I'm also working on a snazzy tagged list carousel that I can use throughout my site!
Inspirational Worlds
I follow dozens of worlds at this point and I'm always happy to see them grow and change over the years. As of right now I'm most enjoying these worlds.
Annie Stein's Gorgeous world of Solaris.
ECCbooks' world for his books and comics.
Hanhula's wonderully realized Istralar.
Strixxline's beautiful artistic Malkora.
Week 3 Homework
I just did a pretty intense review and refresh of my homepage just this month with some design help from the aforementioned Annie! I'm pretty happy with how it came out. Here's a before and picture of what I changed!
Homepage Re-design 11/2023
Week 4 Homework
This week's homework is all about last minute preparation: cleaning up your workspace, scheduling your time, and finding your communities. I have those things pretty locked in, I have my workspace set up, I know the streams I'll be sitting in, I know the Discord channels I'm going to hang out it.
I've taken this time to just chill out and recharge my batteries. My busy season at work is dying down. I'm reading and organizing outside of World Anvil to look for inspiration. I'm preparing myself for the deluge of creativity that I hope to unleash. I'll see all of you when the embers start burning!
Campaign Relevant Articles & Stubs
Fist of Ar-Tamak
Gray Angel Hideout
House Beastian
Rampol's Grove
THC the Puff
Valaine
Foundational World Building Articles & Stubs
Bond Hunters
Captain Bentley Agaric
City of Molndal
Create Ident-a-hedron
Cult of Tambanokano
Dolgathan
Duke Verneri Molndal
Far Realm
First Concordant Bank of Kirinal
House Ashin
House Avaloni
House Geminon
House Orian
Lich King's Crown
Lord Chamberlain Estadir
Lord Tou Dondarrian
Minaran Witch Hunters
Royal Palace of Ash
Sekara
Sekaran Academy
Sir Sammael
Sky Fortress
Soul Stealer Gangsters
Sultanate of the Talin Islands
Swarming Shard
Tambanokano's Trench
Telperion Academy
Temple of Malfador
The Unbeliever's Handbook
Valentine's Flag
Zone Ministry
Zone Ministry of Edible Authorization
Zone Slang
Zone Tribunal
Player Characters
Kansa
Throim Burnside
Nice to Have
Amaston the Red
Ambridus
Andaglar
Bloody Flag
Blue Network
Bluestar Lighthouse
Caves of Dread
City of Ballinamore
City of Resolve
Cloud Warren
Concordant Defenders League
Crow Riders
Cryzad's Sea
Elven Marriage Customs
Free City of Osarrus
Grag Murdek Warfeast
Grag Ragmus Randar
House Baggins
Indrovore
K.S.S. Ready
Kavyajat
Makai
Nightwind
Numorian Empire
Ongvir Horde
Orchards of Industry
Protectorate of Sollo
Red Mountains
Red Plains
Sativa
Silver Shadow Grove
Stormport
Tamakreton
Tedwen
Thane McDrakon
The Colors of the Zone
The List of Sentinel's Children
Unbelievers
Unicorn Fork
Weg
Ygfyr
Yugangi, Rani of the Aswang
Zintshire
You've got this! And a fancy new carousel! What more could a person need tbh? Hope you have a great WE!
Thank you! I'm looking at the article right now and thinking of ways to improve it!
Learn about the World of Wizard's Peak and check out my award winning article about the Ghost Boy of Kirinal!