# 'Fairy tale' fantasy RPG settings?



## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

Are there any 'fairy tale' fantasy RPG settings out there? That is, settings with a strong focus on childlike wonder or elements of _pure_ fantasy, settings defined more by allegory than by simulation of Earth history. Some examples of such settings in fiction and film include Narnia (naturally), the world of The Dark Crystal, or even the environs of Hogwarts. Has anything like this _ever_ been published for a roleplaying game?


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## Cadfan (Nov 30, 2008)

Faery's Tale.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

Cadfan said:


> Faery's Tale.




I wasn't aware that it had a setting until your post prompted me to do a Googel search (forum posters rarely mentioned the setting when promoting the game). What elements does "Brightwood" consist of?


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## dm4hire (Nov 30, 2008)

Well there is a game designed for kids where you play Faeries.  Faery's Tale Deluxe

There was also a d20 setting based on Celtic legend that had an add-on that presented fairies based off of folklore.  [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Little-People-Guide-Fairies-Celtic/dp/1932091068"]The Little People[/ame]

Then there was [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Faeries-d20-Fantasy-Roleplaying-BAS1010/dp/1592630014/ref=pd_sim_b_2"]Faeries[/ame]

And [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide-Fey/dp/0976314215/ref=pd_sim_b_7"]Complete Guide to Fey[/ame]

And [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Deliria-Faerie-Tales-New-Millennium/dp/1932115005/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228074326&sr=8-12"]Deliria[/ame]

And also Such is the Way of the Faeries


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## RefinedBean (Nov 30, 2008)

*Grimm*

Grimm might work for you, but it's supposed to be crazy dark and moody.  Not really Hogwarts-y...well...not like the first 4-5 books, at any rate.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

dm4hire said:


> Well there is a game designed for kids where you play Faeries.  Faery's Tale Deluxe
> 
> There was also a d20 setting based on Celtic legend that had an add-on that presented fairies based off of folklore.  The Little People
> 
> ...




Thank you, but many of these products aren't _settings_ or are re-imaginings of the modern world (Deliria) or historical Earth — so, specifically, the kind of thing that I'm _not_ looking for, per my first post. 

The possible exceptions are Faery's Tale (which apparently has its own, non-medieval European setting) and Fairies (also possibly boasting its own, original, setting per the Amazon ad copy). 

If anybody knows the specifics on the settings of these products, I'd love to ehar them.


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## darjr (Nov 30, 2008)

I've got the non-delux rules. There really isn't a lot about the setting other than the focus on the faeries. I'll find my copy and post more.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

RefinedBean said:


> Grimm might work for you, but it's supposed to be crazy dark and moody.  Not really Hogwarts-y...well...not like the first 4-5 books, at any rate.




I've owned grimm and, yes, I would consider its world to be a 'fairy tale' setting (if one tainted entirely by evil). I'm currently looking for something a little more light-hearted, though (per the examples in my first post))


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

darjr said:


> I've got the non-delux rules. There really isn't a lot about the setting other than the focus on the faeries. I'll find my copy and post more.




Thanks!


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## Cadfan (Nov 30, 2008)

Faery's Tale has a setting, but it really isn't very developed.  See, Faery's Tale is for kids.  So while there's a default setting that contains some basic elements (faery nobility, evil faeries and goblins, rules for conflict between the two, plus a fairy tale -esque human civilization set in a mixture of victorian england and medieval england), it isn't heavily developed.  The idea is that you'll create your own stories within it, rather than read stories from it.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

Cadfan said:


> Faery's Tale has a setting, but it really isn't very developed.  See, Faery's Tale is for kids.  So while there's a default setting that contains some basic elements (faery nobility, evil faeries and goblins, rules for conflict between the two, plus a fairy tale -esque human civilization set in a mixture of victorian england and medieval england), it isn't heavily developed.  The idea is that you'll create your own stories within it, rather than read stories from it.




So is the material thin enough to disqualify it as a _setting_? How many pages of the game are dedicated to the setting? IMHO, if it's less than five, it's more of an implied setting than an actual, existant, setting.


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## dm4hire (Nov 30, 2008)

The problem is, that outside of what has been mentioned, there hasn't really been a lot developed for Fairy Tales related toward children.  It wasn't until Grimm d20 came out that we really saw the market open up for the most part to the point that Fantasy Flight Games created the new version for it.  White Wolf even came out with Innocents which introduces the concept of playing Children within the World of Darkness.

Faery's Tale is going to be your best best if your intention is to angle the game for children.  I think for the most part they don't really go into detail as you'd really be taking away from children by introducing a fixed setting.  Kids are more willing to accept contradictory details about a world and see things for what they are suppose to be.  Part of the real magic would be letting them create the world as you play.  However if you're adults wanting to play children or faeries in a fairy tale then I'd just use one of the books listed or even all of them as source material and develope the world you want from there.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

dm4hire said:


> Faery's Tale is going to be your best best if your intention is to angle the game for children.




That's not my intent at all, though — I just watched The Chronicles of Narnia the other night and thought that playing some D&D in that vein rather than the frequently revisited (and, for me, now horribly uninteresting) Medieval Europe analogue would be a refreshing change of pace. Not because it's childlike, but because it's arguably fresh and new compared to yet _another_ reimagining of Medieval Europe plus Orcs. I guess if nobody has written anything in that vein, though, it might be kind of tough.


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## dm4hire (Nov 30, 2008)

Not really.  There are a few good companion books written for Narnia that cover in detail the world to where all you would have to do is add a rules system to it.  Have you done a search for Narnia related RPG fan works?  I'm sure someone has done something for it as it is one of the most popular fantasy settings around.  An option you might consider is using a system like Furry Pirates or another game along that line for the rules.

Wiki list of Furry RPGs


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## Aus_Snow (Nov 30, 2008)

There is a True20 Narnia PDF still kickin' around the place. Well, 'place' being the interweb in this case. And I know there are some other quick conversions for whatever system some dude was into at the time, kinda thing, based on similar-ish settings. Just can't remember what, or for what.

Hm. Yeah, there really aren't many published ones though, I guess. Which seems odd.

Were you looking for a particular kind of system as well, or did you have one in mind? Actually. . . what exactly do you need from this setting (or system-setting) book, should one exist? I mean, what does it have to contain, or what would you like it to?


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

dm4hire said:


> Have you done a search for Narnia related RPG fan works?[/URL]




I did a few years back, but what I found was less than encouraging (mainly freeform forum PbPs or scattered stat blocks for existing RPGs). I suspect that anything remotely professional was sued out of existence, but can't confirm it.


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## Imaro (Nov 30, 2008)

Hey you might want to check out 7 Leagues, it's rules light but very much in the vein of what I think you're searching for.  Here's some links...

Seven Leagues, a fantasy roleplaying game of Faerie by Hieronymous 

and a review...

RPGnet : Review of Seven Leagues


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

Aus_Snow said:


> Were you looking for a particular kind of system as well, or did you have one in mind?




I would probably use Risus, The Window, or some other light-ish system. 



> Actually. . . what exactly do you need from this setting (or system-setting) book, should one exist? I mean, what does it have to contain, or what would you like it to?




Well, I guess one of the key things that I'd like from the setting is a link to our own world, but with a clear boundary drawn between the two realms (even if it has to be represented by a deus ex device, such as a looking glass). Also, the fantasy world should have no _native_ humans (frex, in Narnia, the humans seem to have come from _our_ world). 

I'd like the setting to be predominantly cheery or light, though dark elements (even world-threatening ones) are acceptable. A good example of this is the world of Michael Ende's Fantastica, which is predominantly a happy, beautiful, world threatened by the encroaching darkness of disbelief. Also, if there is darkness, PCs shoudl be capable of vanquishing it. 

I'd like, if possible, for there to be some way of defeating creatures other than _killing_ them. For example, perhaps forcing an opponent to yield to you in combat is enough to form a magical bond of servanthood that makes killing said opponent unnecessary. I really haven't given this much thought, other than to note that bloody mayhem isn't desireable to me. 

In fact, I'd really rather not see a world where certain races are deemed evil simply because of their genetic makeup (e.g., All orcs are evil!). It's an assuption that a lot of fantasy settings make and one that I _really_ dislike. 

I'll have to think about more specifics while at work tonight.


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## darjr (Nov 30, 2008)

First, as an aside, I think you'd like the game 'Faerys Tale'. It was built with children in mind, but isn't, necessarily, childish. It's a very light system.

The setting, as others have said, is very light. But there is some substance there. The game is geared to play certain types of faeries that are part of the fey court, a very narnia type of fey court, for lack of a better definition.

Anyway, the antagonists are the goblins, faeries that have strayed and gone bad. Many taking the form of goblins but some still resembling the good faeries, but still obviously bad.

There are humans in the periphery, living out their lives in a medieval like analogue. Giants and dragons and hags and trolls are also present as antagonists.

The Fey court works to protect the good from the bad. 

Actually there is less setting than I remembered. And there are better reviews.

Firefly Games
Firefly Games

The preview seems to have much of the 'setting' material: http://grfiles.game-host.org/gr_files/GRR3201e_PREVIEW.zip

I bought this game to play with my children, I've got really good memories because of it.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

darjr said:


> First, as an aside, I think you'd like the game 'Faerys Tale'. It was built with children in mind, but isn't, necessarily, childish. It's a very light system.
> 
> The setting, as others have said, is very light. But there is some substance there. The game is geared to play certain types of faeries that are part of the fey court, a very narnia type of fey court, for lack of a better definition.
> 
> ...




I assume that that you mean "antagonists" when you say "protagonists" — or are the _bad_ guys really the central figures of the game (i.e., the PCs), and their good counterparts (i.e., uncorrupted fey) their opponents?


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## darjr (Nov 30, 2008)

jdrakeh said:


> I assume that that you mean "antagonists" when you say "protagonists" — or are the _bad_ guys really the central figures of the game (i.e., the PCs), and their good counterparts (i.e., uncorrupted fey) their opponents?




You're correct. Antagonists.


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## jdrakeh (Nov 30, 2008)

darjr said:


> You're correct. Antagonists.




I suspected that this might be the case, but you never know — I mean, there is a subset of D&Ders who won't play anything but villains (and there are more than a few books/games dedicated to that target audience). Thanks for the clarification! I may have to pick up a copy of this after Christmas.


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## Evil_Dead_Jedi (Dec 1, 2008)

Check out Fairy Meat by Kenzer.


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## Herobizkit (Dec 1, 2008)

Blue Rose, the precursor of True20, describes itself as "romantic fantasy storytelling".  Its setting is very kid friendly.

* it describes good and evil as Light and Shadow (and the Twilight in-between); monsters are generally Shadow in nature
* there are talking animals as player races.
* the world itself is generally dominated by Light; Shadow exists in pockets and particularly cursed places  
* Spellcasters who use certain spells can be overtaken by (or willingly submit to) Shadow, which has in-game effects; also, depending on what a player chooses as personality traits, they can be rewarded for acting in-character according to their Light/Shadow nature

You'd really have to read the setting to get what I mean, but as I read it, I got a very "Chronicles of Narnia" feel from it.


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## Silvercat Moonpaw (Dec 1, 2008)

You might want to check out The Zorcerer of Zo, which is a rules-light game focused on portraying fairy tales and includes a setting that draws from all the settings mentioned here as well as others (such as Oz).  Unfortunately for the purposes of plugging it I've never actually read the book, but it's the only setting I can think of that meets your criteria (Blue Rose _might_ work, but somehow strikes me as too formal to count as a "fairy tale setting".)


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## Cadfan (Dec 1, 2008)

Herobizkit said:


> Blue Rose,...
> 
> ...You'd really have to read the setting to get what I mean, but as I read it, I got a very "Chronicles of Narnia" feel from it.



Blue Rose is more Valdemar than Chronicles of Narnia.  Up to and including the inclusion of sexual politics as part of the setting and the default conflicts of the world.


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## Punnuendo (Dec 1, 2008)

I was already beaten to the Zorcerer of Zo punch, darn. There is also Princes' Kingdom which is a fairy tale game based off the Dogs in the Vineyard system.

CRN Games: The Princes' Kingdom


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## jdrakeh (Dec 1, 2008)

SilvercatMoonpaw2 said:


> You might want to check out The Zorcerer of Zo, which is a rules-light game focused on portraying fairy tales and includes a setting that draws from all the settings mentioned here as well as others (such as Oz).  Unfortunately for the purposes of plugging it I've never actually read the book, but it's the only setting I can think of that meets your criteria (Blue Rose _might_ work, but somehow strikes me as too formal to count as a "fairy tale setting".)




You know, I was sorely tempted by Zorcerer of Zo for a good year or two, but ended up grabbing Questers of the Middle Realms (also PDQ fantasy) instead, specifically because SoZ is 90% campaign journal. I finally decided that I wasn't willing to pay $30+ dollars for a product that only contained about 20-30 pages of content I would be likely to use (the setting and rules). Story Hours and campaign notes are for internet forums, not filler in commercial products


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## Yair (Dec 1, 2008)

Ars Magica, which is my favorite game and setting, is definitely *not* what you are looking for. However, its faerie realm, Arcadia, seems to fit what you're looking for. The 4th-edition Faeries book describes it, although I wouldn't say it presents a setting in the traditional sense. It even says at one point "One cannot draw a map of Arcadia"; how can you draw a map of a place where walking under an bridge's shadow will lead you to places of Dark Winter, while waling on the bridge leads you to Bright Summer? Anyway, it might be interesting to read but I'm not sure if it's got enough setting material to fit your needs.

The 5th edition's Faeries book should be out in a little while. From what I hear, it will focus on faeries as drawing power from stories. Not sure how much will it talk about Arcadia.


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## Foolster41 (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi. I kind of have a similar question (though in a way I'm looking for negative results ). 

I'm currently working on a fairytale inspired role playing game. I know some have been already mentioned, but right now I'm hesitant of looking at a lot of other games because I don't want it to subconsciously affected, but I thought I might describe my game somewhat and maybe can tell me if one of these matches what I'm doing too much that this is superfluous and there's something that already is what I'm trying to do.

My main focus is on the stories of Grimms, Hans Christian Anderson (my favorite story of all time is still the Snow Queen) and George MacDonald. While my main aim isn't to be dark, it will probibly be less watered down somewhat than the more modern versions of the tales, refering more to the original versions (Specifically Grimms).

The story focuses on children as the main player chracters (I'm trying to still decide whether there's a "narrator" or players play the bad guys and other supporting characters as well). It's set in a more Victorian-era city that is situated on the borders of "fairyland", so I'm also thinking it will have infused a more urban steampunk feel as well, though right now I'm not sure how I'm going to make incorperate it into the game itself.

I plan to have the mechanics to be not as free form as say Universialis or Fudge, but have a little bit of "crunch" but still by far looser than D&D. The system uses Mind-Body-Soul as major attributes and minor attributes under each must equal the major attribute it's connected to. (hopefully I haven't accidentally invented an existing mechanic!)

Anyway, if you know of a game that's similar to my description I can take a  look. Thanks!


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## Zarithar (Jun 6, 2009)

I'm kind of surprised Narnia hasn't been done as a D20 setting...

I would like to see it done.


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## Aus_Snow (Jun 6, 2009)

Foolster41 said:


> I'm currently working on a fairytale inspired role playing game.



For sale, freeware release, or private use only?



> The story focuses on children as the main player chracters



Well, that sounds like Grimm (the RPG), among others. But then, that's hardly going to be an exclusive system-type feature. As for steampunk, there are many. I don't know if there are any that combine these two things. Probably, though.



> The system uses Mind-Body-Soul



_Is_ Tri-Stat.



> as major attributes and minor attributes under each must equal the major attribute it's connected to.



_Sounds like_ (from memory) In Nomine, kinda. And, no doubt, several others I'm not remembering the details of right now.




			
				Zarithar said:
			
		

> I'm kind of surprised Narnia hasn't been done as a D20 setting...



It has, for True20. Fan-made, but still.


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## Pseudonym (Jun 6, 2009)

Have you checked out the Nevermore material for True20?


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## Aberzanzorax (Jun 6, 2009)

On my list (that I DON'T own, so can't vouch for):

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Book-Fantastical-Everlasting-Roleplaying-Game/dp/188735803X/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3IKH26SMCV8FA&colid=24FA7Z9GTPKKN"]Amazon.com: Book of the Fantastical (The Everlasting Roleplaying Game): Steven C. Brown: Books[/ame]

*



Review
This heady mix of races isn't lost to yet another cheese fantasy world. -- Game Wyrd, 21st, September 2003 

Product Description
You live in a fantasy world called 21st century Earth. You are not human; you are one of the ancient people. Your kind built great cities that have never been surpassed long before the world flood mentioned in the Bible. You have survived by blending in with humanity or by living separately from it. For you see, there are plenty of earthly places mere mortals do not know how to find or travel. Just outside the human cities are great castles, vast dungeon complexes, dragon lairs, dwarven subtropolises, aeries of giant eagles, and townships of the elven folk. Some humans, including a society of role-playing gamers, have become real adventurers, joining with elves, faerie, and dwarves on their expeditions. 

Become an elf, one of the beautiful ones. You can become a Xeysori (technoelf), one of the Dru Galeeth (dark underground dwellers), one of the Karges (elves of fire and steel), one of the Lethquesti (elven nobles), or one of the Valmori (keepers of mythical beasts). You long to be free of your earthly existence, seeking the Bright City of Elanthia, but you have a duty -- you must guard against the Doomlands of the North. 

Become a dwarf, a fearsome descendent of Neanderthal man. Your people have been long divided since many of your best warriors became agents of the Princes of Fire (chaos) and the Lords of Stone (order). You can join them or serve as one of the Hammerguard, the Or'Valderis, protecting all from those of your people who now serve other causes. Your people have a great advantage; your technology is far superior to that of humankind. 

Become a faerie, forever trapped in a quixotic reality of your own imagination. You are called "fey" for you are a powerful, extra dimensional force, forever moving toward some metamorphosis into something even beyond faerie understanding. You can be a red cap who slays humans, a storm giant who walks among the storm-filled sky, a banshee who travels the realms of the dead, a faerie knight adventuring for his queen, or anything else you can imagine. 

Best yet, you can become a dragon, one of the ancient races that fathered the first civilizations, the creators of the dinosaurs, and the destroyers of it all. You can be the most powerful of all the eldritch -- the creature that questers and mythic gods fear. You can walk the earth clothed in human form, but you can dracomorph into your ultra deadly true form when dragon slayers come calling.
		
Click to expand...


*


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## Foolster41 (Jun 7, 2009)

Aus Snow said: "For sale, freeware release, or private use only?"
Obviously if it's private use only, I don't have to worry. But I like the idea of doing something commercial as an option, thus why I'm asking. The game would probably be produced like Steampunk magazine (http://www.steampunkmagazine.com) where it's available to print yourself and fold into a little book, and with some way of ordering a more professional  print version.

Aus Snow said: "Well, that sounds like Grimm (the RPG), among others. But then, that's hardly going to be an exclusive system-type feature. As for steampunk, there are many. I don't know if there are any that combine these two things. Probably, though."
There may be a few games with elements each that have in common what I have, but the main thing I'm asking is: Is there anything anyone is aware of already in existence that sounds close to all the elements of the game I described; A more "traditional" grimms/Fairytale based RPG about children as heroes with urban emphasis and a medium amount of "crunch". (More than Universialis or Wicked thing (Name? Can't find the same one on Google) less than D&D)


Aus Snow said: "Is Tri-Stat."
I know the tri-stat thing is very common, The idea of a "trinity" of mind, body, soul is very very old. I'll have to look at In Nomine to see if it's too similar. Thanks.


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## Zherog (Jun 7, 2009)

The Arcana Minor product line from Crystal Unicorn Enterprises aims to bring D&D to children as young as 7 or 8. The second adventure in the series is in production now, and I have it on good authority that there'll be more -- possibly including expansion of the world (called Horizon).


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## Jack7 (Jun 7, 2009)

> My main focus is on the stories of Grimms, Hans Christian Anderson (my favorite story of all time is still the Snow Queen) and George MacDonald.




I read the _Snow Queen_ about two weeks back. Really good story. Not my favorite, but really good story.

*The setting is not published* (and it's really not made for kids, though my kids play in it) but I wrote Ghantik specifically to be Fairy Tale and Myth. On Ghantik there are almost no humans. The only humans are on the Isle of Wight and Avalon.

The world of the setting is geographically identical to ours circa our world 800 Ad, but it is inhabited entirely by Sidhel, Giants, etc. It has different nations and races and states and animal and plant life, and magic (Elturgy) is natural to that world. Monsters are created in that world by magic, usually by accidental exposure to magic. So almost all of the monsters are unique and one of a kind. Magic doesn't work the way it does in D&D either. There are no spells per se, you create charms and enchantments based upon whatever you can think of or imagine and have the actual power to do. Magic items don't work like in D&D either. Most things tend to have "connections" between other things. For one thing aspects like soul, spirit, faith, will-power and so forth are played up. And it now includes things like Memory Palaces and Mind-Kammers. Things change and transmute over time too. That is to tell the truth one of the main points of the setting. 

I fashioned the world after the Legend of Prester John but all of the races are based upon myth and fairy tales (such as Irish myth) but there is no human history because humans are not native to that world and only exist as a small enclave of exiles. So because the main kingdom, Kitharia, is based upon the legend of the Realm of Prester John their is a lot of allegory, religious sentiment, mythological and fairy tale elements. And it's heavy on role play.

Now there is another world, ours as a matter of fact, the human world, and these tow worlds interact from time to time. But it really isn't based on Medieval Europe, it's set in Constantinople about 800 AD. And our world doesn't have magic, it has miracles (thaumaturgy).

_*Anyway what I guess I'm trying to say is that if you don't find anything you like then you could easily enough create your own. *_Just take those elements from fairy tales and myth you like and want to include and create your own setting.

I'd also say _Mystara_ has a few fairy tale kingdoms, though not the whole setting by any means.

Good luck.


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