Northern Crown (roleplaying game)
| Designer(s) | Doug Anderson |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Atlas Games |
| Publication date | August 2005 |
| Genre(s) | alternate history, alternate reality, fantasy |
| System(s) | d20 System, Dungeons & Dragons variant |
Northern Crown is a d20 System game of alternate history and fantasy, set in a magical version of seventeenth-century North America. Introducing elements of European and American legend and lore, as well as numerous elements common to the worlds of Dungeons & Dragons and related fantasy settings, the world of Northern Crown is more inspired by the real world than directly based upon it. NPCs are based on characters from throughout North American history, with characters from later periods being incarnated under revised identities and new names (the most prominent example being the inclusion of Benjamin Franklin as Chiron Franklyn).
Although Atlas Games had ceased publication of its d20 lines in 2004, Atlas was excited enough about Northern Crown to publish it in 2005 even if it would only break-even.
The setting of Northern Crown is initially detailed in two hardcovers: Northern Crown: New World Adventures, and Northern Crown: Gazetteer. The former introduces the setting, briefly discussing the world, and providing full rules for character creation and advancement; the latter expands upon the world in detail, as well as presenting NPCs, new monsters, and detailed information on inventions and magic items. While only the New World Adventures hardcover is actually required for play in the setting, the additional rules and information presented in the Gazetteer allow for expedited preparation, particularly in regards to inventions and other technology.
The continents of Northern Crown are primarily modelled after those found in the real world as understood by European explorers and cartographers of the time. Thus, much of all continents save Uropa remains uncharted, and the question of whether an Australian analogue exists remains a mystery.
Named for a constellation visible in the night sky over the continent, Northern Crown is the focus of the eponymous campaign setting. Mapped from Jamaica in the south up past real-world Newfoundland, and from the Atlantic coast to the westernmost shores of the Great Lakes, it is a mostly uncharted continent presently dominated by the many native nations and tribes (known as First Ones in the setting's jargon), with a few developing colonial nations and states along the eastern and southern coast.
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