Like the tin says, how about collaborating in creating a setting?

As a productive thing, should we attempt to make the non woke version of The Radiant Citadel? Welcome to The Dark Citadel, a floating city that wanders over the world following the whims of it's Dark master.

It's not Ravenloft so no Vampire overlord and no "there's no escape".

I say the Dark Master is an Ancient Red Dragon, who rules over it, the populace is kept there against their will and monstruos guards patrol the streets to keep them from organizing or attempting to escape. The Castle in the Centre looks like a 5 arms sea star, the original builder had placed portals over the city so people could come and go, but the Dragonborn guards don't allow any humans, elves, dwarves or halflings near them now.

Some of those portals may or may not, lead to other planes.

It's a floating city made of MEAT with an evelasting moat of BLOOD, surrounded by dark storm clouds & LIGHTNING!  And wherever it goes it rains BLOOD upon the land!  And it temporarily turns your mounts into mid 20th century muscle cars, blasting heavy metal music from its speakers! 
/headbangs 

I like "there's no escape" figuratively, but not literally though. How about one is free to come and go, but sufficient dealing with the denizens and trying to break off is like leaving the mob?

The Dark Citadel is given form by the collective beliefs of the denizens of the multiverse. It is their conception of what is 'Evil' to the maximum. Everything that is bad is contained within the Dark Citadel.

My Pitch? I'd just take the Radiant Citadel as written and just give everything totalitarian undertones. Think Ba Sing Se from Avatar the Last Airbender.

It is not enough to tolerate, you must celebrate and embrace their values about everything. Describe the subtle fear behind everyone's eyes whenever anyone says anything that even remotely contradicts the official dogma. Those who draw too much attention disappear and, if they return, now fully embrace the official dogma and eerily repeat certain phrases as if by rote.

Can your PC's overcome this bastion of evil masking itself in virtue and free those enslaved within?

Quote from: Chris24601 on July 20, 2022, 07:15:48 AM
My Pitch? I'd just take the Radiant Citadel as written and just give everything totalitarian undertones. Think Ba Sing Se from Avatar the Last Airbender.

It is not enough to tolerate, you must celebrate and embrace their values about everything. Describe the subtle fear behind everyone's eyes whenever anyone says anything that even remotely contradicts the official dogma. Those who draw too much attention disappear and, if they return, now fully embrace the official dogma and eerily repeat certain phrases as if by rote.

Can your PC's overcome this bastion of evil masking itself in virtue and free those enslaved within?

Paranoia, played straight.

Quote from: Chris24601 on July 20, 2022, 07:15:48 AM
My Pitch? I'd just take the Radiant Citadel as written and just give everything totalitarian undertones. Think Ba Sing Se from Avatar the Last Airbender.

It is not enough to tolerate, you must celebrate and embrace their values about everything. Describe the subtle fear behind everyone's eyes whenever anyone says anything that even remotely contradicts the official dogma. Those who draw too much attention disappear and, if they return, now fully embrace the official dogma and eerily repeat certain phrases as if by rote.

Can your PC's overcome this bastion of evil masking itself in virtue and free those enslaved within?

But that would require buying it, I'm not giving WotC any money.

But I do like the totalitarian aspect.

I thought of using some of the very special snowflake races but make them ALWAYS EVIL NPCs.

Wasn't this done with City-State of the Invincible Overlord?

Didn't "My Little Pony" do an episode eviscerating cultural Marxism a few years ago?

Whatever the mirror universe Radiant Citidel is, it has to clear that bar and it's pretty high.

Quote from: Ghostmaker on July 20, 2022, 11:30:30 AM
Wasn't this done with City-State of the Invincible Overlord?

The OG CSIO has all of what folks need in spades.  Bard's Gate by FGG has done this better as well.

I'm puzzled why folks just don't grab a copy of Planescape's Sigil citybook

Sigil is great but i dont think it hits the vibe of the dark citadel bugle is going for. Hmm...lets see just spitballing ideas out here

Building on what geeky said

The dragonborn are the ruling class of the citadel, they live lavish lives and horde wealth and knowledge. The non dragon racesor those without dragon blood in their ancestry in the citadel are slaves, though some exceptions are made for free men and visitors. Slaves are nude, and sometimes tattood and branded or forced to wear a magical collar that makes them easy to track.

As the citadel travels the lands it oppresses all in it's shadows, squads of dragonborn warriors make it down to the surface in order to acquire wealth and slaves.

The citadel is made largely from Obsidian giving it an imposing silhouette.

Among themselves, they are actually very civilized. They simply view the other races as beneath them, internally they even have a hierarchy that the more pure your blood of the dragon is the more clout you hold in their society. The society is decadent to the point of decay.

The spectre of the citadel appearing is said to be a portent of war, it's shadow induces a violent insanity in all those caught in it. The citadel is powered by blood and souls.

There are doors to everywhere and everywhen in the citadel, and even parallel dimensions. The citadel itself exists touching multiple places and dimensions simultaneously.

The denizens of the citadel can universally be described as cruel, cold, and arrogant. They also possess immense knowledge unknown to the kingdoms below. Slaves fight for entertainment, torture is a legal punishment.

Yes ive been reading alot of Elric lately lol though i also do like the idea of an anti-utopia like somene mentioned earlier

Quote from: Ocule on July 20, 2022, 12:48:32 PM
Sigil is great but i dont think it hits the vibe of the dark citadel bugle is going for. Hmm...lets see just spitballing ideas out here

Building on what geeky said

The dragonborn are the ruling class of the citadel, they live lavish lives and horde wealth and knowledge. The non dragon racesor those without dragon blood in their ancestry in the citadel are slaves, though some exceptions are made for free men and visitors. Slaves are nude, and sometimes tattood and branded or forced to wear a magical collar that makes them easy to track.

As the citadel travels the lands it oppresses all in it's shadows, squads of dragonborn warriors make it down to the surface in order to acquire wealth and slaves.

The citadel is made largely from Obsidian giving it an imposing silhouette.

Among themselves, they are actually very civilized. They simply view the other races as beneath them, internally they even have a hierarchy that the more pure your blood of the dragon is the more clout you hold in their society. The society is decadent to the point of decay.

The spectre of the citadel appearing is said to be a portent of war, it's shadow induces a violent insanity in all those caught in it. The citadel is powered by blood and souls.

There are doors to everywhere and everywhen in the citadel, and even parallel dimensions. The citadel itself exists touching multiple places and dimensions simultaneously.

The denizens of the citadel can universally be described as cruel, cold, and arrogant. They also possess immense knowledge unknown to the kingdoms below. Slaves fight for entertainment, torture is a legal punishment.

Yes ive been reading alot of Elric lately lol though i also do like the idea of an anti-utopia like somene mentioned earlier

I love it! Their oh so precious Dragonborn are basically Nazis!

How do people get there when not taken by the Dragonborn?

I would guess any portal would be heavily guarded, so only those they allow can enter? How would the heroes get there then? Without loosing their weapons/magic stuff? Airships?

Just one minor complaint, all Utopias are what you call anti-utopia.

Yeah I think teleportation or flight of some kind. Maybe there's a magical elevator or something but all the portals in and out should handle most of the transportation

Quote from: Ocule on July 20, 2022, 12:48:32 PMThe non dragon racesor those without dragon blood in their ancestry in the citadel are slaves, though some exceptions are made for free men and visitors.

...and "visitors" damn well better have an escort or know somebody high up (preferably both), or they aren't going to be free for long.

Perhaps a Merchant's Quarter or a Visitor's Quarter where things look normalish until you start poking around. One who keeps the visit brief (less than a day) and doesn't wander out into other parts of the city might even consider it pleasant. Strict curfew of nightfall, though, any "free folk" caught wandering around after dark will sorely regret it.

Quote from: GeekyBugle on July 20, 2022, 04:11:46 PM

Quote from: Ocule on July 20, 2022, 12:48:32 PM
Sigil is great but i dont think it hits the vibe of the dark citadel bugle is going for. Hmm...lets see just spitballing ideas out here

Building on what geeky said

The dragonborn are the ruling class of the citadel, they live lavish lives and horde wealth and knowledge. The non dragon racesor those without dragon blood in their ancestry in the citadel are slaves, though some exceptions are made for free men and visitors. Slaves are nude, and sometimes tattood and branded or forced to wear a magical collar that makes them easy to track.

As the citadel travels the lands it oppresses all in it's shadows, squads of dragonborn warriors make it down to the surface in order to acquire wealth and slaves.

The citadel is made largely from Obsidian giving it an imposing silhouette.

Among themselves, they are actually very civilized. They simply view the other races as beneath them, internally they even have a hierarchy that the more pure your blood of the dragon is the more clout you hold in their society. The society is decadent to the point of decay.

The spectre of the citadel appearing is said to be a portent of war, it's shadow induces a violent insanity in all those caught in it. The citadel is powered by blood and souls.

There are doors to everywhere and everywhen in the citadel, and even parallel dimensions. The citadel itself exists touching multiple places and dimensions simultaneously.

The denizens of the citadel can universally be described as cruel, cold, and arrogant. They also possess immense knowledge unknown to the kingdoms below. Slaves fight for entertainment, torture is a legal punishment.

Yes ive been reading alot of Elric lately lol though i also do like the idea of an anti-utopia like somene mentioned earlier

I love it! Their oh so precious Dragonborn are basically Nazis!

How do people get there when not taken by the Dragonborn?

I would guess any portal would be heavily guarded, so only those they allow can enter? How would the heroes get there then? Without loosing their weapons/magic stuff? Airships?

Just one minor complaint, all Utopias are what you call anti-utopia.

Occasionally cracks in their protections happen and visitors slip in. That way there is a steady supply of food for the denizens.