Because we all could use something different in our settings. I'll start;
>The harvesting of alien organs to surgically put into other lifeforms as a method of biological improvement.
>A strange treasure somewhere in the universe that has been around since the dawn of civilization itself.
>The offspring of Humans and elves having a high affinity for fire magic (or just being made of fire.)
I have others, but I'll put them in latter.
1 >XCOM enemy within
2 >mass effect
3 unique, I'll give you that. What's it like to squeeze out a fireball at birth?
>There are two elements: Earth and Sky. Everything in the universe is made of these two elements mixed in varying ratios
Very painful, so just like regular birth. If you want, I have more lore stuff for it. I must say, though, I haven't played a tabletop game yet (no one to play it with; Have been too busy as of late.)
Alternately,
>2: Borderlands
>3: Dark Souls 3
its not totally unique but feel free to use
>Far future society nearly collapses
>A group of influential politicians, high level civil society, ceos, aristocrats, even celebrities, revolutionaries philosophers and artists create a secret society that wrestles power away from others and preserves a single massive super city
>Its clear that the city itself is decaying despite everyone's best efforts
>A splinter group of the more radical elements believe that the structure of society itself is the problem and wish to destroy it to build something new
>The setting is a constantly shifting battle for influence over these key players over the direction of the city
>While those who favour the status quo wield far more power and influence, it is fraught with corruption and inefficiency while those who favour change easily blend into the fringes of society
Rather than it be a battle between plucky anarchist and corporate overlord, everyone who is a "player" in the game believes in saving the city and most are not above to working together to achieve local short term goals. In fact, its a strong vocal minority belief among players that there is a third power influencing things behind the scenes to the detriment of humanity.
Most Status Quotas believe in slow incremental change from within the system is the safest path. A minority believe in greater powers to an executive authority. A very small group actively work with Changers to create audacious events that force the system itself to adapt. Ultimately what connects Status Quotas is that they are the best people to direct society.
Changers are divided whether to put themselves as the new rulers, destroy the current system entirely or build a new City. There are many wide eyed idealists as there are cold ruthless pragmatists. A few loose cannons seem to do things on a whim and a very few think that players themselves are to blame. The only thing that connects Changers is the belief the direction of the city is bad.
Really? DS3 had elf human fire kids? Neat
Well, since my first few ideas don't seem to be that unique, I'll toss in another two. Both with a rather similar theme.
>Fetuses exposed to excessive healing and restoration magics (or anything that falls under these schools) have their very being infused with the stuff. As such, they have a natural affinity towards it, going as far as naturally healing creatures with a touch. Unfortunately, their creation is rather difficult, requiring either massive amounts of magic or a difficult, specified ritual. They have a slight glow to them.
>Fetus based undead that, having been denied the warmth of the womb and risen back to life by a necromancer, stalk and haunt the living. They drain the life force and vitality out of any humans they come in contact with, weakening and eventually killing them.
If you want to know more, ask. Pretty sure I mentioned the fetus undead in a different thread a while back.
So the player is caught between inefficient government and wild anarchists, and needs to deal with them both by working with other players?
Sounds nice.
Eh, not so much the elf-child thing, but the concept of fire-based people is pretty strong there.
Admittedly, skimmed over the whole "elf-human kid" thing. It could be an interesting factor, especially when it comes to setting building. Are human-elf relations taboo as a result? How are half-elf fire people treated?
First one's pretty good, would be a nice setup for a bbeg who sees himself as a healer/chosen figure.
Second one is basically a botchling from the Witcher
I think its more related to humans and fire.
Pyromancy is at its core, the most human form of magic in dark souls. Miracles come from the worship of the gods, and sorceries come from intense study into the workings of the world. Pyromancy is to do with the flame within. Its more about self-actualization and understanding than just fate or study. It requires some intelligence to understand, and faith, however instead of in gods, it is faith in oneself.
Also most pyromancers are heretics, outcasts, and mutants who live in a swamp, although the original pyromancers. The witch of izalith accidently discovered pyromancy when she literally created hell by accident, and all her children mutated into horrible monsters, save one, who stayed human, and passed on the arts of pyromancy onto man. Most pyromancies were developments of man, and were so unique and different from anything that had come from the gods, so twisted and distorted as with the human psyche, that pyromancy, although in a way it came from the gods, it also came from man, in both that the creator (the unmutated witch) was human, and all pyromancers are humans, no gods or anything use pyromancy.
There's also the point that mortality is very strange in the world of dark souls, and is heavily based off of the power of ones soul, for their ability to live long lives, as well as the fact that they can become undead, which is a whole other beast of strange and unique, so the name undead is the worst and best name possible.
Dark Souls really has top notch lore.
1990s USA that has been attacked by daemons after a blood drive at the grand canyon went wrong and turned into a portal to the warp.
>Second one is basically a botchling from the Witcher
In my defense, I have never played a Witcher game. Sounds neat, though.
nice one
>Daemons vs the nineties
Add that to the list of crap I never thought I would want but do.
Dude, you should check it out. While the first two game have kinda dodgy gameplay, all three have fantastic lore, monsters, and questlines. It's a great world to take inspiration from
Is it okay if my setting is just a big pile of stolen ideas strapped together?
No shame in being unoriginal so long as you dress it up a bit.
I will, as soon as I finish Morrowind. And Oblivion. And Overlord. As well as Metroid Prime, FFIII, Geist, Gears of War, and the First two Assassin's Creed games.
Good lord, I'm behind.
It's alright, or at the very least it should be interesting.
>humanoids are hunted for their adrenal glands by roving groups of massive, intelligent fauna
>fun, flintlock-era combat (because it has yet to be done)
>zero-g full contact basketball
Why would fauna want adrenal glands?
>zero-g full contact basketball
>niggers in space
most of innovation is imitation with some minor changes here and there, big popular settings just have so many minor changes over time they become something new.
memetic evolution
Not a setting idea, but I do enjoy the idea of liches that proudly feature their phylactery on their persons. I had the idea for a lich villain that had his phylactery, a fist sized maroon gemstone, embedded in his chest. As his body decays, he begins to regret taking on eternal life, but continues to fear death. Eventually, he finds that through sacrifice he may steal the youth of his victims and reverse his age by draining their blood into his phylactery. The change is fleeting, however, requiring more and more sacrifices to allow for his newfound youth to stay. While young, his fear and regret melt away, and he becomes a charismatic villain who only wants to claim wealth for his domain.
I have more if it sounds at all interesting.
>portal to the warp
Makes me think of Pacific Rim, except that the portal is on land instead of at the bottom of the ocean.
Somewhere, there is The River, a waterway whose source sits on the intersection of multiple ley lines. This gives the river some magical properties, allowing it to connect anywhere that there is flowing water. Slicing through desert canyons, meandering through ancient forests, or cascading over mountainous cliffs. Those that get caught in its current could end up anywhere.
dumping a bunch of little ideas from the slush file
>A dragon put into stockades designed like a giant Turtle shell, so he can't spread his wings and fly.
>A man gains immortality by repeatedly transferring his mind from father to son, usually when they turn 18
>twins in an accident. One dies, the other's in a coma. The ghost possesses his brother's body.
>A series of superpowered/enchanted items, all from a single room where a portal opened/there was an explosion/someone died. Hairbrush that can remove memories, bed allows astral projection, etc.
>Surgical Zombies, controlled from the Cluster. They have the front of their skulls removed to be replaced with cybernetically enhanced faceplates, spanning from from crown to chin, equipped with a single camera centered between the eyes. The jaw is wired shut, and the zombies are fed through a gastric valve, allowing them to be 'refueled' through a nutrient pump. After being starved and going feral, they'll open these valves themselves to shovel pieces of their victims into their stomachs.
>People believe that death isn't Death's fault. They blame Life. Life stole them from death's embrace, and death is the true way of being.
>The harvesting of alien organs to surgically put into other lifeforms as a method of biological improvement.
I wrote an entire game based on a fantasy version of this. Humanity had farmed or hunted all the magical creatures of the world to near extinction to acquire their organs for magical implantation in their own bodies. Each system of the human body had its own spell school and associated mechanics. Ultimately the game ended up being too bloated and top heavy trying to come up with something to differentiate every kind of wizard (integumancers, gastromancers, blood mages, muscle wizards, etc). Looking back it might have worked better as a board or card game.
I had a bunch of art drawn up too
>Gastromancers are gluttons and masters of intestinal sorcery, skilled in the efficient conversion of calories to magical energy. Beware their deadly acid attacks!
>Any good Osteomancer knows that inside every human being is a skeleton screaming to get out. Anyone who raises a hand against these terrifying bone sorcerers should be prepared to lose it, to osteoporosis or to one of their devastating physical counterattacks.
A trio of amateur medical mages...
And their imperfect duplicates, spawned from a golemancer's vat after they foolishly provided him with tissue samples.
I think I know the out-of-context advert you're referencing, but I don't have it saved.
Brilliant