Good evening everyone! This is as much for discussion as it is for help, but I hope you'll bear with me. I'm currently planning a new game, specifically of a 'lifepath' style where the players go through a series of vignettes beginning with their early childhood and taking them through their lives until a particular point. In this game, all of the players will eventually become wizards of different magical traditions (alchemy, necromancy, glamour, etc). I have planned out a bit of the magic systems for each tradition, as well as their philosophies and such. I'eve even begun figuring out who the teachers for each tradition of magic are. However, I am having a little bit of trouble with figuring out the game world I should be playing in. Specifically, I'm in between a few different options.

1. A pretty straight medieval/fantasy setting. This has the advantage of allowing me to reuse content I've created in old games, and has the advantage of allowing players to use magic very freely.

2. A modern "Urban Fantasy" setting more like Fate/ or Mage the Ascension. This provides some more modern 'realistic' context for the game, but also means that I have to deal with technology more.

3. A fantasy setting that takes place in a time period roughly analogous to the Victorian Period, with a few industrialized technologies and likely some steampunk.

I'm trying to figure out which of these settings to use before I can actually start the game proper.

Personally, I like the "modern" idea the most. It allows for intrigue and additional character complications as well as action and suspense, and it's a setting more people would be familiar with and could more easily connect to.

That and, in my opinion, the traditional Tolkien-esqe fantasy setting is a bit over-exposed. Maybe it's just the circles I walk in, but it feels like you can't throw a stone without hitting a dwarf.

What system, if any, were you planning on using? I'm interested, but only if the system is freely available, and preferably easy to learn. Were you also thinking of including mythological entities, like dragons, spirits, etc?

The system would be a home-brewed one that's behind the scenes, and I'm planning on having mythological creatures like fairies, demons, and elementals be rather important.

Sounds interesting. I caste a vote for the modern feel. Like angel mentioned, it would be easier to connect to. Also how well known are stuff like magic and dragons to normal people? Is it like Harry Potter, where it is kept secret to the masses, or can we expect to see fairies in the park and other creatures walking around?

Perhaps I think the third option is the most intriguing. The first and second options have been done quite a bit, but the third is less common. That's not to say that the first and second options can't work or can't be interesting, but the third one stands out a bit more and is more unique from my perspective.

While we're casting votes, I have to say that I find the latter two preferable myself, with heavier weight on option two. I haven't seen a whole lot of successful steampunk games here on RPoL, but if technology is a concern for option two, option three will only make things worse if that's something you're trying to get away from.

 For my money, the most interesting difference between #2 and #3 is the presence of magic in the world and whether or not it's a known phenomenon to the wider world or even had much of an impact on it. If not, you can. Straight. If it is on the other hand, e. You might well end up with something like Dunwall or For Faerie, Queen and Country... And that would rock.

From what you have written, option #1, as it sounds like dealing tech is something you would rather not deal with.  But with option #2 you have the advantage as the first in re-using old content.  Just need to pick up an atlas and google could give you plenty info on any part of the world your party is in.

As far as the steampunk goes, it wouldn't have very much. The setting would likely be closest to Atelier Rorona's Arland, where they have industrial technology but still have some fantasy elements.