Looking for some inspiration on my next Dungeon World setting.

Looking for some inspiration on my next Dungeon World setting.

Looking for some inspiration on my next Dungeon World setting. I’m looking for a name for the world it will be in. I’ll give some background to give a little more insight on the setting.

The world was originally ruled by dragons until people discovered how to use magic. There was a war, people won the war and drove dragons to the far corners of the world. Centuries later a dragon took the guise of a human and ended up taking a position of power where he could collect powerful magical items/artifacts that he planned to use the energy of to destroy the world (if we can’t have it, no one can type of thing). Well some heroes manage to partially disrupt his plan, but the world is still ripped asunder. So now it is made up of floating islands. The campaign will take place when travel between the islands is unheard of but something happens that makes it possible.

So there is my brief history of the world. Now I just need some input on ideas for the name of the world. I imagine it was probably originally named by dragons, since they were the first rulers of it. Thats about all I have come up with so far.

52 thoughts on “Looking for some inspiration on my next Dungeon World setting.”

  1. Not sure if this is spoiler territory but if there is a new type of travel that revolutionizes the setting it might be a good reference for the setting title. (think spelljammer) any details to share?

  2. Not sure if this is spoiler territory but if there is a new type of travel that revolutionizes the setting it might be a good reference for the setting title. (think spelljammer) any details to share?

  3. There’s not currently any. The means they will encounter comes as portals that are scattered around the landscape. I’m mainly looking for a name for the world itself, not the setting. (Like Earth, Abeir-Toril, Ebberon, etc)

  4. There’s not currently any. The means they will encounter comes as portals that are scattered around the landscape. I’m mainly looking for a name for the world itself, not the setting. (Like Earth, Abeir-Toril, Ebberon, etc)

  5. Ian Rankine​ The dragons ruled in the past. The present time will have dragons as almost mythical creatures, not having been seen in over a century.

  6. Ian Rankine​ The dragons ruled in the past. The present time will have dragons as almost mythical creatures, not having been seen in over a century.

  7. River Williamson the closest thing I have to a reason is that the magic used to try and destroy the world collected where the core used to be, so now there is a magical force pressing outwards as gravity tries to pull everything inward. The middle is a constant storm of magical energy you can see far below if you look off of the edge of one of the floating land masses.

  8. River Williamson the closest thing I have to a reason is that the magic used to try and destroy the world collected where the core used to be, so now there is a magical force pressing outwards as gravity tries to pull everything inward. The middle is a constant storm of magical energy you can see far below if you look off of the edge of one of the floating land masses.

  9. It would seem that the equilibrium between the magic at the core and the force of gravity would have always made it possible to essential propel oneself from one land mass to another. Unless there is some sort of vortex field that has made it impossible and the means of travel between the land masses involves some sort of protection from the force of the vortex or to somehow transfer from one mass to another without having to enter the vortex.

  10. It would seem that the equilibrium between the magic at the core and the force of gravity would have always made it possible to essential propel oneself from one land mass to another. Unless there is some sort of vortex field that has made it impossible and the means of travel between the land masses involves some sort of protection from the force of the vortex or to somehow transfer from one mass to another without having to enter the vortex.

  11. Ian Rankine​ the main danger in going between islands is not knowing of anything is out there to find and the technology may not be quite there. There may be some race out there somewhere that has figured out a way, but the main source of travel in between the islands will be through portals. The portals didn’t work until the game the players will be in though. So plenty of opportunity for exploration and world building with the players.

    Edit: There are also monsters lurking in the skies between landmasses.

  12. Ian Rankine​ the main danger in going between islands is not knowing of anything is out there to find and the technology may not be quite there. There may be some race out there somewhere that has figured out a way, but the main source of travel in between the islands will be through portals. The portals didn’t work until the game the players will be in though. So plenty of opportunity for exploration and world building with the players.

    Edit: There are also monsters lurking in the skies between landmasses.

  13. You want to try a play by post here or run a game with the basic premise you have on Hangouts and see what we end up with? The name might become clear as we play and the world will certainly begin to open up!

  14. You want to try a play by post here or run a game with the basic premise you have on Hangouts and see what we end up with? The name might become clear as we play and the world will certainly begin to open up!

  15. Vincent Quigley that would be good, but since every landmass is isolated they don’t know if more exist. Although that would make a good name for a chain of them in close proximity. Like a floating Hawaii lol

  16. Vincent Quigley that would be good, but since every landmass is isolated they don’t know if more exist. Although that would make a good name for a chain of them in close proximity. Like a floating Hawaii lol

  17. Scott Selvidge​ if you go for a floating Hawaii, you should take inspiration from Moana and maybe have a insular tribes that are no longer are travelers and then they rediscover they were traveller all along. Of course this all depends on how long ago was the world shattered… are talking generations or do most people remember a world before everything was broken?

  18. Scott Selvidge​ if you go for a floating Hawaii, you should take inspiration from Moana and maybe have a insular tribes that are no longer are travelers and then they rediscover they were traveller all along. Of course this all depends on how long ago was the world shattered… are talking generations or do most people remember a world before everything was broken?

  19. Vincent Quigley they remember it was a dragon that shattered the world, and I believe I will make it a few hundred years after.

    I was messing around with a Skyrim dragon translator and got Dovagol, which roughly means “Land of Dragons”. I may make that the dragon name for the world. Not sure yet if people will have renamed it or not, but probably not since the common language came from dragons in the first place. I could name it Joorgol, or “Land of Mortals” as in the mortal races. And then there is Lokgol, or “Sky Land”. I could even make it named all of those things at different points of history. Or make my own words for the dragon language in my world and just completely home brew it lol

  20. Vincent Quigley they remember it was a dragon that shattered the world, and I believe I will make it a few hundred years after.

    I was messing around with a Skyrim dragon translator and got Dovagol, which roughly means “Land of Dragons”. I may make that the dragon name for the world. Not sure yet if people will have renamed it or not, but probably not since the common language came from dragons in the first place. I could name it Joorgol, or “Land of Mortals” as in the mortal races. And then there is Lokgol, or “Sky Land”. I could even make it named all of those things at different points of history. Or make my own words for the dragon language in my world and just completely home brew it lol

  21. I like the definition of Aerie:

    n. The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place.

    n. A house or stronghold perched on a height.

    Seems to fit.

  22. I like the definition of Aerie:

    n. The nest of a bird, such as an eagle, built on a cliff or other high place.

    n. A house or stronghold perched on a height.

    Seems to fit.

  23. This sounds a lot like the history of Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea. But I like Shattered Isles. If it was named by dragons, though, think about what a winged creature would see from above.

    The beings that were around when the dragons shattered the world might call it Dragonwound or Wyrmscar.

  24. This sounds a lot like the history of Ursula LeGuin’s Earthsea. But I like Shattered Isles. If it was named by dragons, though, think about what a winged creature would see from above.

    The beings that were around when the dragons shattered the world might call it Dragonwound or Wyrmscar.

  25. I guess you need to decide if you are looking for a name for the setting, or a name for each island – after all, if they are so isolated each island would have its own name. Possibly each island would think of itself as ‘Earth’, as we do.

    Setting name: Polynesia

    Starting island (symbolically): Rapa Nui

  26. I guess you need to decide if you are looking for a name for the setting, or a name for each island – after all, if they are so isolated each island would have its own name. Possibly each island would think of itself as ‘Earth’, as we do.

    Setting name: Polynesia

    Starting island (symbolically): Rapa Nui

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