Campaign setting survey - Pick three flavors!

[tumblingdice]

Those who have played my games and read my posts know that I'm a fan of The Known World (a.k.a. Mystara), the semi-generic setting outlined in the D&D Expert Set and expanded upon in the Gazetteer series.

Many of the lands detailed in this setting are based on real world civilizations. Listed below are some of the nations of the Known World, along with the nations that inspired them.

Please pick the three settings that would interest you the most as a player.

Thyatis - Empire based on Byzantium and ancient Rome. Locked in a cold war with Alphatia (see below).

Alphatia - Empire run by and devoted entirely to magic. No real world equivalent.

Karameikos - Settled by Thyatians. Clash of cultures between settlers and Slavic type natives. Typical medieval setting.

Emirates of Ylaruam - Arabian inspired desert nation with some Egyptian flavor thrown in.

Principalities of Glantri - Alphatia-lite. Geographically and culturally similar to Western Europe.

Ierendi - Hero-worshippig island kingdom where adventurers can go on vacation.

Alfheim - Elven homeland. One big forest!

Rockhome - Dwarven homeland. All mountains. One big lake.

Five Shires - Halfling country. Surprised?

Vestland, Ostland, Soderfjord Jarldoms (Northern Reaches) - Vikings, Vikings, and more Vikings.

Minrothad Guilds - Island nation. Trade, corruption, piracy.

Thar - Broken lands inhabited by orcs. Below it live the Shadow Elves (basic D&D Drow).

Darokin - A mercantile republic based on the kingdoms of Renaissance Italy.

Ethengar - Khanate inspired by Mongolia.

Atruaghin - A plateau inhabited by tribes similar to the Native American tribes of North America.

Other - A setting inspired by a real-world culture not listed above.

None of the above - You prefer original fantasy settings that don't lean heavily on any one culture.

Thanks for your help.

[badams30]

Thyatis (yeah, no surprise, huh?)
FIve Shires
Minrothad

Minrothad always intrigued me...

[Blood axe]

Thyatis- war makes a good game
Thar - the land of the baddies!
Minothrad- pirates! need I say more?

[kipper]

I'm probably more in the "None" category, I often prefer just generic D&D culture / no culture (fewer things for me to have to remember ).

I am completely unfamiliar with The Known World, but based on your descriptions Minrothrad, Thar, and Darokin sound interesting if I were to pick three.

[greyarea]

Principalities of Glantri - Alphatia-lite. Geographically and culturally similar to Western Europe.

Ierendi - Hero-worshippig island kingdom where adventurers can go on vacation.

Minrothad Guilds - Island nation. Trade, corruption, piracy.

[tumblingdice]

Man! Minrothad Guilds is kicking butt! Makes me wish I actually owned the gazetteer.

[connivingsumo]

I land in between Blood axe and kipper. Blood axe's reasoning matches mine, but I am also pressed for time - so I lean towards going with what I know, like kipper. I am not really answering your question, and probably won't - sorry
But I can tell you what interests me, however, keeping it to '3' is a challenge!

I am interested in Ethengar (the place modeled after Mongolia), however. Maybe because I wrote a thesis on the economic development of Mongolia, and got my (first) degree in Chinese?

Are you thinking of starting a new campaign, or are you thinking of taking the current game into one of these directions? If the former, are you thinking LL only, or would it be LL/AEC?

The really cool sounding ones are (in order of coolness):
+Ethengar
+Emirates of Ylaruam
+Thar
+A TIE!! Rockhome & Five Shires

Actually, they all sound pretty cool, so here's a list of what I wouldn't be AS interested in:
-Karameikos
-Principalities of Glantri
-Ierendi
-Vestland, Ostland, Soderfjord Jarldoms
-Darokin

[Spanningtree]

Karameikos - I've found this to be an interesting realm so far. Could go anywhere really.
Rockhome - Sound interesting if a bit short.
Thar - Sounds pretty dark... mix in some Ravenloft vibe and maybe you've got something baking cocoa dark.

[tumblingdice]

Sumo, I'm thinking about future ideas for the current campaign, not starting over. As for LL vs. AEC, I prefer the core rules. I'm not opposed to adding a monk into the mix, however.

Baking cocoa dark?

[gray mouser]

I only have a passing familiarity with Mystara since I never got any of the gazeteers, but the brief writes ups of the countries always held my interest. My three picks would be:

Glantri

Alfheim

Darokin