Caelwhyn
Scope
The motivation behind building Caelwhyn
In May 2023, I hosted a Dungeons & Dragons one-shot for a few friends called Frozen Sick. When I discovered it was set in the world of Critical Role—a series I’d never watched—I decided that I'd rather have something that I felt like I could have ownership of, and I began reworking the lore into something new. As I experimented with this project, I realized how much I enjoyed the process of world-building. In fact, I found I enjoyed it even more than running the game itself! What started as a simple tweak to a one-shot’s lore has quickly evolved into a full blown hobby of creating my own universe. The world of Caelwhyn has been a work in progress since Spring 2023, undergoing multiple revisions along the way. Now, it’s beginning to take shape, and I feel ready to share glimpses of it here on World Anvil as it continues to grow. Caelwhyn is first and foremost a campaign setting for TTRPGs, but you never know, it could become much more evenutally!
The goal of the project
I currently run a 1-on-1 campaign for my husband Patrick set in Caelwhyn, and the hope is that eventually our gaming group will start playing campaigns within the world. To me this is very exciting - getting to hand over the reins and let my friends influence the world.
Caelwhyn's Unique Selling point
I think the combination of flintlock fantasy and the existence of great spirits from other realms of existence is a fun combination that I am excited to explore.
Theme
Genre
Caelwhyn is an epic fantasy world, similar to that of the Forgotten Realms, Exandria or other well known TTRPG settings. On a more specific level, one could consider Caelwhyn a "flintlock" or "magic & muskets" fantasy, due to the technology level of the world.
Reader Experience
I want my world to feel uncertain, like you never know what's coming round the corner. I also want to inspire an element of awe and wonder.