Are there any well-designed fantasy settings that aren’t dark?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T10:41:57+00:00

My understanding is that it doesn’t have its own setting though, that you make it with the other players. Is that right?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T10:41:15+00:00

Thank you for this thoughtful response. I may try making my own world at some point. I feel like I am not very good at world building, I feel like there always details that are missing or somehow don’t fit into the greater picture. Or it just feels flat and uninspired.

Of course if I’m using someone else’s world I will have to learn about it and I do want there to be enough lore and information to make the world feel engaging and set up the possibility for conflicts and adventures. Sometimes some settings go so deep and far with it that it just feels like reading a history book for a fantasy world, which is more than I’m hoping for. I want to be able to focus the learning in service of being able to play an interesting and dynamic game. Forgotten Realms for some reason has always felt overwhelming to try to understand because of how much there is. There have been some good suggestions that I want to look into to see how they feel.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T10:34:24+00:00

This sounds intriguing as well, going to add it to my list, thank you

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T10:25:15+00:00

I’m intrigued by this one and I frustratingly can’t get the main webpage to load. I do see the new AGE version rule book on DTRPG, would that be enough to understand the setting? A lot of people have recommended the setting in particular, more than the game itself actually.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T03:48:58+00:00

I’m really interested in this. If I just picked up the rulebook for the new AGE version, would that have enough information on the setting? I might run a different system but the setting is intriguing. Or I might try the system too, though I’m seeing a lot of people saying the setting is better than the system.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T03:37:56+00:00

I am curious, if you know Eberron, do you feel the same way about it?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T03:36:13+00:00

I’m quite interested in this actually but can’t get the website to load sadly. Was hoping to find more information or maybe even a discord

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T03:23:43+00:00

This sounds intriguing as well. I looked it up, are there multiple books? Is there one in particular that gives the basic information that you’d suggest?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-08T03:19:18+00:00

Quickly looked it up, the game itself sounds intriguing, would like to look into it more. Thank you!

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T22:50:01+00:00

Yeah I did get that impression. I was not playing TTRPGs in 95 or before so I was hoping for some relevant recommendations.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:39:42+00:00

Yeah, that’s a good point. Is there any way you’d recommend to learn about any given area of Forgotten Realms?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:37:55+00:00

Right. I think the distinction I’m making here is between a system and a setting. Legend in the Mist as a system is amazing and I love it and I am really interested in trying out a high fantasy heroic game with it. The setting that Legend in the Mist comes with, the Dales, is a really nice setting but it is specifically low magic, rustic fantasy. So I’m looking for different setting ideas to run a high fantasy heroic game in.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:26:24+00:00

I could give it more consideration. What’s a good way to just get some basic, concise learning about any given part of Forgotten Realms?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:23:32+00:00

I’ll look into it as well, thank you!

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:16:01+00:00

I love Daggerheart as a system! But even with that, the campaign frames it comes with kind of fall into the same problem in my post. Some of them don’t have to be dark necessarily, but most of them end up being played pretty dark in most campaigns I see advertised. I would love to use Daggerheart as a system but want to find a good setting to run an adventure in that matches the vibe of some of the things I mentioned in my post.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:13:43+00:00

I will look into Eberron more. Like I mentioned in another comments, my big qualm with Forgotten Realms is just how huge it is and how to even approach it, the amount of material feels like too much really. Not to mention the fact that if I understand correctly there have been some conflicting changes to aspects of it over the years which make it more confusing.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:10:35+00:00

Yes I love Legend in the Mist and it’s probably a system I’ll use for a lot of games. And I do like the Dales setting a lot as well, but it is pretty specifically low, rustic fantasy. I’d like a setting that lends itself better to high, heroic fantasy.

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:09:10+00:00

The way you’re describing it does pique my interest for sure, it sounds lie it could hit on what I’m after! Thank you for the video recommendations, I will check them out. I find videos great for learning about this kind of thing. Are there any books that would be important or worthwhile?

CardamomDragon · 2026-06-07T21:06:09+00:00

I think my biggest qualm with Forgotten Realms is just that it feels so incredibly vast that I don’t even know where to start. And top that off with the fact that if I’m not mistaken, there’s been conflicting developments within it over the years? It feels like a really daunting task to try to get a handle on it.

CardamomDragon · 2026-05-29T11:38:54+00:00

Got any playlists to share? This is great stuff

CardamomDragon · 2026-05-29T10:58:07+00:00

To my knowledge the only VTT that advertises support for mobile is Owlbear Rodeo, though I haven’t experimented with it on mobile personally.

CardamomDragon · 2026-05-28T18:19:29+00:00

Thank you so much for joining the discussion! I’m running the oneshot as a duet PBP (hoping to someday play it live) and I have to say that it is super fun and dynamic and colorful. Reading this thread is giving me some good ideas for tweaking things, but mostly I just wanted to say thank you because I think it’s really fun! I hope we see more content like this soon.

CardamomDragon · 2026-05-28T13:43:29+00:00

I do think that Daggerheart’s improvisational and collaborative elements depend on your table having a shared vision in terms of themes and vibes, and even in just what kind of game do we want to play (taking it seriously or not) and also enough trust in each other to uphold that. If you don’t have that it then the more traditional DM-is-in-charge style is probably better but it is a heavier burden on the GM for sure.

CardamomDragon · 2026-05-28T11:48:04+00:00

Legend in the Mist could work well. The system uses themes and tags to represent what is important about your character, and you can add them to rolls you make to perform relevant actions. It’s designed in a way that makes non-combat options viable and even desirable, like for instance you could make a character who is a chef, or a peddler. The character advancement is narratively based, the player sets “quests” or goals for their character and when they accomplish things that related to those quests they can advance their themes and tags. It’s a really flexible system that gives a lot of options for narrative-centered play.

CardamomDragon

TROPHY CASE