boomwolf
2010-12-23, 01:39 PM
So, I'm working on a homebrewed setting of a DnD world, that is rather radically different then your average DnD world. so different its almost its own game under the d20 system.
I am planning to post it here once it reaches a level that is readable, but for now I need someone to spice up my ideas, because I simply ran out of them. a few crucial parts of the world are currently empty or non-functional are I have no clue (despite giving it weeks of thought) on what to do with them.
So here I am, asking for your advice on how to fill the holes. and once they are filled I can turn into making this world presentable for all to enjoy.
So far, this presents only fluff.
Introduction to the World
The game world follows heavy influence from Overlord 2, as the main part of the overland is ruled by a (lawful neutral to lawful evil) human empire that rejects magic and turned most of it illegal (with exceptions being anti-magic specialists that work for the empire itself), the non-humans are treated as second-class citizens (at best) at the majority of the empire, and are even forbidden to access some areas.
The imperial army hunts down magic users (other then empire agents) and usually kills them outright, and the elemental are being hunted to fuel the machines of the empire, each elemental has its own use and as such they are equally needed to sustain the empire's economy.
On the other side though, the relatively small underworld caravan world allows for somewhat of a sanctuary for the last few magical creatures in the world, a place where the power of the empire is limited, and the four elements still reign supreme.
Species and Elements in general
Now, the four elements are the main sources of magic. out of the five magic paths, four are directly tied to one of them, and the fifth is magic-stealing based (so it STILL requires them at some point), each element has a humanoid species that is tied to it.
Outsiders, are also elemental based. each is connected to two elements:
Evil-Demons-Fire and Earth
Good-Angel-Water and Air
Chaos-Fae (not classic outsiders, but they are here.)-Fire and Air
Law-Invertibles (different from regular ones)-Water and Earth. the only outsiders accepted by the empire.
So, as you can see. each element is shared with two outsider types, and as such aligned with a specific alignment, and because each has an associated race then so are they.
Fire-Chaotic Evil-Drow (edited lesser version, it makes sense, they revere what they fear. in a society based around "power makes right", the ability to control what everyone is afraid of-fire, and to that extension light, is powerful.)
Earth-Lawful Evil-Krinth (despite listed as chaotic, they are described as nazi lawful, fitting well in the LE list, and being more special then regular dwarf/orc...)
Air-Chaotic Good-Baritans (appear much like Overlord's brown minions, use hearing over sight, but very vulnerable to sonic attacks because of it.)
Water-Lawful Good-Darfellan (edited a bit not to include that sonic detection and such.)
Undead, ooze, shapeshifters and giants are rare and most people never saw one.
Dragons does not exist as most people know them, in this world they have extinct hundreds of years ago, instead there is a class of mortals that the populace calls "dragons", people who mutate and gain reptilian features and abilities that resemble these of the dragons of old. high level ones are seriously like a true dragon, despite being born mortals. these people are quashi-magical and as such tend to hide their nature from the empire, however "Dragons" with less mystical abilities and only physical ones might turn out to be honored by the empire, and rise though the ranks like all soldiers do.
Aberrations and magical beasts only resign deep in the underworld, however few are imperial experiments, and as such can be found used by them as slaves.
Constructs are often imperial creations, but only mechanical ones exists in this world. (no golems to be found, but a cadaver collector is entirely possible.) these are employed mostly as weapons, or doing things that are below a human (cleaning the sewer system and such...)
Magic
Now, magic in this world is a whole new thing. I scrapped all existing magic in favor of a new system I hope will be more balanced and more logical.
First thing first, spells come in level 1 to 5 in this game, with level 1 being simply magic that is incapable of much, and level 5 is devastatingly powerful for the non-magical world to handle. (for example, level 1 can be a simple charm , and level 5 an outright dominate.)
Now, while there are 5 levels of spells-there are actually very few spells out there, only about fifty. however, each spell have multiple levels, that you are required to learn all previous variations before learning a high level one.
For example, lets return to charm and dominate. both are actually the same spell, just in another level. the spell "Compulsion" have a charm effect as a first level spell, a suggestion effect for a third level spell and a dominate effect for a fifth level spell. so in effect-to learn dominate you MUST learn suggestion first, and to learn that you MUST learn charm.
Casting
As stated earlier in elemental overview, the new casting types associate each with an element with the exception of one that is spell stealing. all casting types are much like psionics in casting by the fact they each cost a given about of "energy" (or grant it, see specific elements), and they regenerate (or degenerate) over time, except by round instead of by day.
So, the systems are:
Fire-Incineration (abilitiy?)-casting spells builds up "heat", after each casting you roll a d100, reduce your roll from the heat level to determine backlash damage to the user (no, you cant heal.) heat has a by-round cooldown in a rate determined by your Incinerator (fire mage) class level.
Incinerators are often thought of as crazy (and many times are) due to the fact casting this way is to willingly bet your own life in order to rain pure destruction all around, setting things on fire, outright snuffle lifeforce or even shoot rays that turn others into dust.
Earth-Petrification (intelligence?)- casting spells increase your petrification score, that inflects debuffs (dex penalty, slowed, etc...) according to how high it is (100 is permanent petrification, essentially death.), petrification is reverted in a by-round rate determined by your Quaker (earth mage) class level, earth magic side effects are predictable unlike fire.
Earth magic requires deep understanding and quick analyzing the world around you. you quickly study the ground and conclude what needs to be done to grant the desired effect, causing spikes to lunch from the ground, walls to build themselves, or even make an armor of solid rock to build around your body.
Water-Inner Fountain (wisdom?)- casting spells depletes a source known as "the pool", that regenerates over time in a by-round rate determined by your Drowner (water mage) class level, water magic holds no side effect unlike earth and fire.
Water magic is by all means the more "logical" way to work, and it is based around calm spirit and concentrating your mind to bend the water around you to your will, allow you to slow or totally freeze opponents, create mists and many other things.
Air-Wind Whispers (charisma)- casting spells builds up "echo", the higher the "echo" is, the more likely spells will outright fail to cast, but deliver no direct harmful effect to the user.
Air magic in unpredictable because it is based on convincing the wind to do your desires, and the wind has its own desires. many spells in the list are mental effects, compulsion and the such.
No Element-Nullification (no ability)- different then the others, nullification magic is based on draining magic of others to empower your own, you have a maximum pool (determined by nullifier class level) of energy that depletes on a by-round basis. using magic also depletes this pool, so you must drain others to gain casting powers. as such it is not alienated by the empire, because stand-alone it does nothing.
Classes in the World
This world consist of a different set of classes, meant to balance things out and remove some of the "suckitude" of dead levels of many given classes...and these represent all that are available in this setting.
current list of classes I know will be made/in the making/were made:
Base Classes
Agent-a skillful mix of rouge, swashbuckler, dualist and a bit of others.
Barbarian. (don't think he needs change much)
Dragon-mostly melee, gaining dragonic features with level.
Drowner-water mage, mostly a support caster.
Incinerator-fire caster, your perfect glass cannon. dishing massive damage spells but with little defenses.
Quaker-earth mage, a bit gishy, somewhat like a duskblade.
Soldier-your average tank, a fighter, knight, paladin mix. with a new scaling damage ability (based on dealing more damage to people who hurt people other then yourself, forcing yourself as a target.)
Wanderer-Mostly a scout, with touches of ranger and monk.
Wisperwind-air Caster, much like a bard he is a medicore melee with some buff magic, mental magic and manuverability magic.
Unlikely to be made, but thought of: Marksman-a person focused on delivering a single, very accurate attack from a safe distance.
PrC's
Assassin-new, non magical version, spliced with shadow dancer.
Iron Fist-a Quaker focused on begin as petrified as he can to be indestructible.
Glowing One-an Incinerator focused on being as "hot" as possible to gain fiery bonuses to defense and melee.
Dwarven Defender-except not for dwarfs.
Mystic Theurge-edited to be two element mage. (and have actual class abilities)
Nullifier-a spell-thief like dude.
Frost Fountain-a drowner focused on self-buffing instead of all around buffing
(insert "wrong" wisperwind casting class here)
Immortal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64580)-hard to kill melee guy (needs a bit of work on capstone)
luckblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114601)-luck based melee
Luck Mage-a spellcasting luckblade variant
Soul Devourer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6472467)-needs an explanation?
Dashing Swordsman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7613406&postcount=15)-charismatic melee
Arcane Wyrm-a spellcasting/dragon hybrid class.
Insert more PrC's here.
Completion of needed help is here:
1-a name for the law outsiders
2-a magic system crunch for Wisperwinds.
2.5-an ability score for the Incinerator magic, hoping to find a way around having 2 casting with the same ability connected to avoid making 1 "theruge" have more inner-synergy.
3-a race for earth
4-a race for water. tnx Sir_Chivalry
5-more PrC ideas.
6-any other thoughts, ideas or comments.
edit:
Wow, that's almost everything!
I am planning to post it here once it reaches a level that is readable, but for now I need someone to spice up my ideas, because I simply ran out of them. a few crucial parts of the world are currently empty or non-functional are I have no clue (despite giving it weeks of thought) on what to do with them.
So here I am, asking for your advice on how to fill the holes. and once they are filled I can turn into making this world presentable for all to enjoy.
So far, this presents only fluff.
Introduction to the World
The game world follows heavy influence from Overlord 2, as the main part of the overland is ruled by a (lawful neutral to lawful evil) human empire that rejects magic and turned most of it illegal (with exceptions being anti-magic specialists that work for the empire itself), the non-humans are treated as second-class citizens (at best) at the majority of the empire, and are even forbidden to access some areas.
The imperial army hunts down magic users (other then empire agents) and usually kills them outright, and the elemental are being hunted to fuel the machines of the empire, each elemental has its own use and as such they are equally needed to sustain the empire's economy.
On the other side though, the relatively small underworld caravan world allows for somewhat of a sanctuary for the last few magical creatures in the world, a place where the power of the empire is limited, and the four elements still reign supreme.
Species and Elements in general
Now, the four elements are the main sources of magic. out of the five magic paths, four are directly tied to one of them, and the fifth is magic-stealing based (so it STILL requires them at some point), each element has a humanoid species that is tied to it.
Outsiders, are also elemental based. each is connected to two elements:
Evil-Demons-Fire and Earth
Good-Angel-Water and Air
Chaos-Fae (not classic outsiders, but they are here.)-Fire and Air
Law-Invertibles (different from regular ones)-Water and Earth. the only outsiders accepted by the empire.
So, as you can see. each element is shared with two outsider types, and as such aligned with a specific alignment, and because each has an associated race then so are they.
Fire-Chaotic Evil-Drow (edited lesser version, it makes sense, they revere what they fear. in a society based around "power makes right", the ability to control what everyone is afraid of-fire, and to that extension light, is powerful.)
Earth-Lawful Evil-Krinth (despite listed as chaotic, they are described as nazi lawful, fitting well in the LE list, and being more special then regular dwarf/orc...)
Air-Chaotic Good-Baritans (appear much like Overlord's brown minions, use hearing over sight, but very vulnerable to sonic attacks because of it.)
Water-Lawful Good-Darfellan (edited a bit not to include that sonic detection and such.)
Undead, ooze, shapeshifters and giants are rare and most people never saw one.
Dragons does not exist as most people know them, in this world they have extinct hundreds of years ago, instead there is a class of mortals that the populace calls "dragons", people who mutate and gain reptilian features and abilities that resemble these of the dragons of old. high level ones are seriously like a true dragon, despite being born mortals. these people are quashi-magical and as such tend to hide their nature from the empire, however "Dragons" with less mystical abilities and only physical ones might turn out to be honored by the empire, and rise though the ranks like all soldiers do.
Aberrations and magical beasts only resign deep in the underworld, however few are imperial experiments, and as such can be found used by them as slaves.
Constructs are often imperial creations, but only mechanical ones exists in this world. (no golems to be found, but a cadaver collector is entirely possible.) these are employed mostly as weapons, or doing things that are below a human (cleaning the sewer system and such...)
Magic
Now, magic in this world is a whole new thing. I scrapped all existing magic in favor of a new system I hope will be more balanced and more logical.
First thing first, spells come in level 1 to 5 in this game, with level 1 being simply magic that is incapable of much, and level 5 is devastatingly powerful for the non-magical world to handle. (for example, level 1 can be a simple charm , and level 5 an outright dominate.)
Now, while there are 5 levels of spells-there are actually very few spells out there, only about fifty. however, each spell have multiple levels, that you are required to learn all previous variations before learning a high level one.
For example, lets return to charm and dominate. both are actually the same spell, just in another level. the spell "Compulsion" have a charm effect as a first level spell, a suggestion effect for a third level spell and a dominate effect for a fifth level spell. so in effect-to learn dominate you MUST learn suggestion first, and to learn that you MUST learn charm.
Casting
As stated earlier in elemental overview, the new casting types associate each with an element with the exception of one that is spell stealing. all casting types are much like psionics in casting by the fact they each cost a given about of "energy" (or grant it, see specific elements), and they regenerate (or degenerate) over time, except by round instead of by day.
So, the systems are:
Fire-Incineration (abilitiy?)-casting spells builds up "heat", after each casting you roll a d100, reduce your roll from the heat level to determine backlash damage to the user (no, you cant heal.) heat has a by-round cooldown in a rate determined by your Incinerator (fire mage) class level.
Incinerators are often thought of as crazy (and many times are) due to the fact casting this way is to willingly bet your own life in order to rain pure destruction all around, setting things on fire, outright snuffle lifeforce or even shoot rays that turn others into dust.
Earth-Petrification (intelligence?)- casting spells increase your petrification score, that inflects debuffs (dex penalty, slowed, etc...) according to how high it is (100 is permanent petrification, essentially death.), petrification is reverted in a by-round rate determined by your Quaker (earth mage) class level, earth magic side effects are predictable unlike fire.
Earth magic requires deep understanding and quick analyzing the world around you. you quickly study the ground and conclude what needs to be done to grant the desired effect, causing spikes to lunch from the ground, walls to build themselves, or even make an armor of solid rock to build around your body.
Water-Inner Fountain (wisdom?)- casting spells depletes a source known as "the pool", that regenerates over time in a by-round rate determined by your Drowner (water mage) class level, water magic holds no side effect unlike earth and fire.
Water magic is by all means the more "logical" way to work, and it is based around calm spirit and concentrating your mind to bend the water around you to your will, allow you to slow or totally freeze opponents, create mists and many other things.
Air-Wind Whispers (charisma)- casting spells builds up "echo", the higher the "echo" is, the more likely spells will outright fail to cast, but deliver no direct harmful effect to the user.
Air magic in unpredictable because it is based on convincing the wind to do your desires, and the wind has its own desires. many spells in the list are mental effects, compulsion and the such.
No Element-Nullification (no ability)- different then the others, nullification magic is based on draining magic of others to empower your own, you have a maximum pool (determined by nullifier class level) of energy that depletes on a by-round basis. using magic also depletes this pool, so you must drain others to gain casting powers. as such it is not alienated by the empire, because stand-alone it does nothing.
Classes in the World
This world consist of a different set of classes, meant to balance things out and remove some of the "suckitude" of dead levels of many given classes...and these represent all that are available in this setting.
current list of classes I know will be made/in the making/were made:
Base Classes
Agent-a skillful mix of rouge, swashbuckler, dualist and a bit of others.
Barbarian. (don't think he needs change much)
Dragon-mostly melee, gaining dragonic features with level.
Drowner-water mage, mostly a support caster.
Incinerator-fire caster, your perfect glass cannon. dishing massive damage spells but with little defenses.
Quaker-earth mage, a bit gishy, somewhat like a duskblade.
Soldier-your average tank, a fighter, knight, paladin mix. with a new scaling damage ability (based on dealing more damage to people who hurt people other then yourself, forcing yourself as a target.)
Wanderer-Mostly a scout, with touches of ranger and monk.
Wisperwind-air Caster, much like a bard he is a medicore melee with some buff magic, mental magic and manuverability magic.
Unlikely to be made, but thought of: Marksman-a person focused on delivering a single, very accurate attack from a safe distance.
PrC's
Assassin-new, non magical version, spliced with shadow dancer.
Iron Fist-a Quaker focused on begin as petrified as he can to be indestructible.
Glowing One-an Incinerator focused on being as "hot" as possible to gain fiery bonuses to defense and melee.
Dwarven Defender-except not for dwarfs.
Mystic Theurge-edited to be two element mage. (and have actual class abilities)
Nullifier-a spell-thief like dude.
Frost Fountain-a drowner focused on self-buffing instead of all around buffing
(insert "wrong" wisperwind casting class here)
Immortal (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64580)-hard to kill melee guy (needs a bit of work on capstone)
luckblade (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114601)-luck based melee
Luck Mage-a spellcasting luckblade variant
Soul Devourer (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=6472467)-needs an explanation?
Dashing Swordsman (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7613406&postcount=15)-charismatic melee
Arcane Wyrm-a spellcasting/dragon hybrid class.
Insert more PrC's here.
Completion of needed help is here:
1-a name for the law outsiders
2-a magic system crunch for Wisperwinds.
2.5-an ability score for the Incinerator magic, hoping to find a way around having 2 casting with the same ability connected to avoid making 1 "theruge" have more inner-synergy.
3-a race for earth
4-a race for water. tnx Sir_Chivalry
5-more PrC ideas.
6-any other thoughts, ideas or comments.
edit:
Wow, that's almost everything!