Kingdoms of Kalamar
Kingdoms of Kalamar is a Dungeons & Dragons campaign setting created by Kenzer & Co, probably more famous in /tg/ circles for their Knights of the Dinner Table comedic gaming comic and their HackMaster game. Originally taking the form of two books published for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2e, Sourcebook of the Sovereign Lands and Mythos of the Divine and Worldly, it was converted into a 3rd edition setting in the year 2000, and even had a brief 4th edition update. It's also the core setting for HackMaster from 2nd edition onwards.
Taking place on the continent of Tellene, on a world so primitive that its natives believe there is no other land apart from it, Kingdoms of Kalamar is best defined as a Low Fantasy Medieval RPG; casters are rare, most NPCs are low level, PCs are the only "true" heroes in the land, magical monsters are rarer than in, say, Forgotten Realms, and the general tech level is Late Iron Age at best. The titular Kalamar Empire, long the dominant power over the world, is fracturing, resulting in a time of great upheaval as different provinces exert their independence, and foreign empires seek to take advantage of this. Rather than separate pantheons for each race, the gods of Kalamar are simply worshipped in different names and preferences by different cultures
Also, hobgoblins are the dominant evil humanoid race, with their own mighty and somewhat Asiatic-themed empire, and orcs are feral tribes in the wastelands considered little more than a nuisance.
The setting is known for, much like Forgotten Realms and Dragonlance, being extremely detailed, with large sourcebooks covering the history, culture and geography of Tellene extensively.
The downside is that KoK can take its "low fantasy" focus a bit too far. Although its defenders argue that it's a "story game", this is one of the only D&D settings where an official adventure includes the PCs being assistant farmers. No, not in the traditional "pesky varmints are stealing my livestock and stuff - kill them for me!" sense, in the sense of helping to sow seeds and harvest crops. Adding to this, KoK's writers were not very good at mechanically balancing things. They placed far too much emphasis on martial skill in a game where, as we all know, wizards always ultimately grow much more powerful - ironically, some of their special native races, such as Golden Halflings actually gain bonuses to multiple mental stats and penalties to physical stats. while Half-Hobgoblins, do the opposite.
Dungeons & Dragons Campaign Settings | |
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Basic D&D | Mystara (Blackmoor) • Pelinore • Red Sonja |
AD&D | Birthright • Council of Wyrms • Dark Sun • Diablo • Dragonlance • Forgotten Realms (Al-Qadim • The Horde • Icewind Dale • Kara-Tur • Malatra • Maztica) • Greyhawk • Jakandor • Mystara (Hollow World • Red Steel • Savage Coast) • Planescape • Ravenloft (Masque of the Red Death) • Spelljammer |
3rd/3.5 Edition | Blackmoor • Diablo • Dragonlance • Dragon Fist • Eberron • Forgotten Realms • Ghostwalk • Greyhawk (Sundered Empire) • Ravenloft (Masque of the Red Death) • Rokugan |
4th Edition | Blackmoor • Dark Sun • Eberron • Forgotten Realms • Nentir Vale |
5th Edition | Dragonlance • Eberron • Exandria • Forgotten Realms • Greyhawk • Ravenloft • Ravnica • Theros • Spelljammer • Strixhaven • Radiant Citadel |