A Couple of Nominations for August

arsheesh
arsheesh
edited July 2010 in Campaign Submissions
Hello again everyone! I'd like to nominate a couple of sites for next month's featured campaign that I have long admired.

h3. Part I: "The Crucible":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/world-of-crucible

The great empires have come and gone, leaving only a legacy of ruin. Elves now keep to their forests while Dwarves have retreated to the deep places of the mountains. The world of Man has been torn asunder. Its few remaining cities cling to what civilization remains, bracing against the inevitable tide of orcish barbarism that threatens to blot out the last light of Man. All the world is an anvil upon which the divine being forges the souls of his created, refining them by fire. This is the Crucible, Hardhead's homebrew 4e campaign. It is a gritty "points of light" campaign that deals with themes of hope, justice and mercy in a world of darkness.

h4. Campaign Site Highlights

There are several things that I really admire about this campaign site:

* _Intriguing Campaign Concept_:
"Points of light" campaigns seem to be all the rage these days. So while there is nothing particularly novel about the gritty campaign in and of itself, I am impressed with the degree of creativity that I find in Hardhead's mythical account of just why the world is so harsh. It has resonances with certain "soul making theodicies" (_see explanatory note below_) that I have come across in more philosophical conversations on the topics of God and the existence of evil.

* _Great Site Layout_:
Hardhead's site is a good example of simple elegance. He has made use of Grunn's helpful wiki sidebar yet has innovated it with the creation of some simple yet attractive navigation buttons. The site itself is also fairly intuitive.

* _Really Top Notch Maps_:
Hardhead has created a couple of lovely digital "maps":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/world-of-crucible/maps that ought to entice all you map lovers out there, so go have a look. Are you still reading this? What are you waiting for? I wasn't kidding, go check them out!

* _Player Participation_:
OK I must admit here that I am just a twinge envious of how involved Hardhead's players are in the campaign site. Not only have all of them created well fleshed out characters (some of them exceptionally so), but in addition several of them have created some well written "character journals":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/world-of-crucible/wikis/character-journals. What's more, I have borrowed Hardhead's idea for utilizing the "campaign forums":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/world-of-crucible/forum to have out of game "role" playing sessions.

Basically, this here is one damn fine campaign that would make for an excellent choice for a featured slot.

bq). _Explanatory Side Note: in philosophical theology, a theodicy is an attempt to vindicate the goodness and justice of God in the face of evil. A "soul-making" theodicy attempts to do this by positing that evil is a necessary means of maturing and refining human souls (e.g. by allowing for the development of virtues such as compassion, mercy, courage, sacrificial love etc)._

Comments

  • arsheesh
    arsheesh
    Posts: 850 edited July 2010
    h3. Part II: "Wyrmshadow Campaign Setting":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow

    A great Wyrm awakens to behold a broken, lifeless world veiled in shadow. It has no memory of this place, nor indeed of ought that has transpired before its awakening. Aroused by a yearning for rebirth, the nameless Wyrm wraps its mighty wings around the world in maternal embrace and gives life once more to its barren lands. This is the world of Wyrmshadow, Duskreign's high fantasy homebrew 4e campaign setting. The world is a stage in which Duskreign and his crew have rehearsed not one, but six dramatic campaigns, each centering on an epic clash between the forces of good and evil. It is world rich with myth and legend; a world wherein the word "hero" still holds meaning.

    h4. Campaign Site Highlights

    I almost don't know where to begin! There is much to praise about this campaign:

    * _Stunningly Beautiful Graphics_:
    I think that this is one of the most beautiful sites on the Portal. Duskreign has filled the pages of the site with vivid, colorful images. Moreover many of these images are his own work. Not only has he made custom digital "sinage and wayfinding" graphics for his site, but he has also drawn many of the character images as well (e.g. such as this one of "Darien Vale":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/characters/darien).

    * _Really Top Notch Maps_:
    Related to the last point, Duskreign has created several really impressive "maps":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/wyrmshadow/maps, that you really must see (_please refer to previous imperative regarding Hardhead's maps_).

    * _"Epic" Campaign Setting_:
    The term "epic" tends to be abused through overuse. However in this case it applies. Duskreign's campaign setting is epic both in its dramatic narrative of the struggle between good and evil, and in its ambitious scope. As previously noted, Duskreign and company have launched and completed five campaigns in this setting, and are currently midway through their sixth. While only a few of these campaigns have been chronicled in much detail within the site, those that are have been given an almost book-length treatment! Not only that, but the entries on the world's history, cosmology and cultures (to name but a few) are incredibly well fleshed out. In fact I think its fair to say that Duskreign is currently one of the most prolific DM's I've encountered on the site (he's always updating something or other).

    * _Fantastic Storyline_:
    I've only read a small portion of the adventure logs for these campaigns, but what I read was really good. In addition the organizational layout for Wyrmshadow's "adventure logs":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/wyrmshadow/adventure-log is just simply amazing!

    To sum up, _Wyrmshadow_ is one truly impressive campaign that I feel is long overdue for a bit of hard earned recognition.

    Given the exceptional quality of each of these sites, I am happy to nominate both _The Crucible_ and _Wyrmshadow Campaign Setting_ for next month's featured campaign.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh
    Post edited by arsheesh on
  • FrankSirmarco
    FrankSirmarco
    Posts: 250
    Arsheesh does all the work so I don't have to.

    I second that emotion...
  • JimTriche
    JimTriche
    Posts: 483
    The only problem I have with Arsheesh's choices is that there's never an obvious choice! Both of these have long been in my favorites list.
  • sandman
    sandman
    Posts: 155
    bq). The only problem I have with Arsheesh
  • Duskreign
    Duskreign
    Posts: 1,085
    If it helps at all, I can't choose, either. And I have a hell of a bias.
  • JimTriche
    JimTriche
    Posts: 483
    I think we may have hit on something.

    Theory: OP staff waits for Arsheesh to make his nominations, gives it until the end of the month, then flips a coin.
  • arsheesh
    arsheesh
    Posts: 850
    I seriously doubt that. I don't want to burst any bubbles here but thus far the OP staff have actually only gone with two of my nominations, your campaign and Grunn's. Just goes to show that nominations are just that, nominations. As to the quality of both of these two sites though, that is unmistakable.
  • arsheesh
    arsheesh
    Posts: 850
    *Bump*

    I decided to take a break from writing up new nominations this month in order to give these two campaigns another shot.

    Cheers,
    -Arsheesh
  • gaaran
    gaaran
    Posts: 740
    These are both awesome campaigns, and I hope they get the same treatment me and jim did and get them back to back. Crucible is a little newer though, and I can't BELIEVE that Wyrmshadow hasn't gotten it yet. Tough to call! I vote wyrmshadow for september, and crucible for october :).
  • JimTriche
    JimTriche
    Posts: 483
    How do you even make that decision haha! Yes, both of these campaigns are fantastic. Hard to choose.
  • RaseCidraen
    RaseCidraen
    Posts: 890
    I mirror Gaaran's call, but they both totally rock.
  • Duskreign
    Duskreign
    Posts: 1,085 edited August 2010
    I'm honored just to be nominated. Again, thanks, Arsheesh, for this, and for everything else. In fact, thanks, all of you, for your kind words and encouragement.

    I only wish I could get caught up with everything I want to achieve on my campaign site.
    Post edited by Duskreign on
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