a second part to Gamespy's D&DO coveraghe is online offering a Tour of Eberron - the new campaign world D&DO is set in. Here's a clip:It looks like your average fantasy world; it's replete with dragons, elves, wizards, and the like. It sounds like just a fantasy world, too -- the names of things are lofty and dramatic, and generally overwrought in just the right ways. But its spirit is everything but generic. Eberron -- the recently released campaign setting for the D&D pen and paper RPG -- draws as much inspiration from high-octane pulp narratives as it does from epic fantasy. Think Indiana Jones meets Tolkien. It's a world in which all the D&D archetypes are turned on their noses. You could, for instance, meet a benevolent beholder who's eager to help you free a gang of slaves. Conversely, the kindly high priest who's gainfully employing your party could be in league with nefarious forces. Alignment, in the traditional sense, can mean jack in many cases, and that's probably what makes Eberron most interesting. It's hard to make assumptions, and this inspires players to question motives, investigate seemingly random tangents, and ultimately feel more invested in the world in which they reside. It's in this world that D&D Online is set. |