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  1. - Top - End - #781
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    That seems pretty reasonable. Consider it canon.

    I'm also starting a series of mini-biographies of historical figures from around Patria, which should also serve to rough out the history. Wish me luck, I guess.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

    A Campaign Setting more than a year in the making, Patria!

  2. - Top - End - #782
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Luck!

    Though it would be pretty fun if a few of them were autobiographies. When writing canon like this, I always try to put it in a format that would be interesting for PCs to read later. It helps a great deal when you're trying to put in expository material for a group that doesn't know everything about the setting.
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  3. - Top - End - #783
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Quote Originally Posted by Othesemo View Post
    Though it would be pretty fun if a few of them were autobiographies. When writing canon like this, I always try to put it in a format that would be interesting for PCs to read later. It helps a great deal when you're trying to put in expository material for a group that doesn't know everything about the setting.
    Oooh, that's a good idea. I may mess around with the "auto" part of that, but I need to keep in mind that I'm doing this for something other than my own enjoyment.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  4. - Top - End - #784
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    I've decided to implant some cultural diversity in Sunshan, but to do that, I first need to better understand the more standard culture of Sunshan.

    First, religion.
    Sunshan has a similar animistic faith to that of the Vallheim, but with a few notable differences. While they may make offerings to ancestors, family spirits or natural locations such as forests or rivers, they also worship a true deity. The first Emperor of Sunshan, Sunai, is considered to be a deity, as a ruler who ruled so well on Earth that all the spirits and ancestors built him a kingdom to rule in heaven. He is alternatively called the Spirit Father, the Heavenly King, the First Swordsman and a variety of other titles. All other spirits are his subjects, and the Imperial Family is his regents.

    To achieve transcendence in this faith, one must serve the Empire dutifully and respect the spirits and one's ancestors, until you are selected to serve in the Heavenly Kingdom under Emperor Sunai.


    Sound good? Heavily jacked from existing faiths, but they'll live
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  5. - Top - End - #785
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    So because you now have two religions with the cannon animals, I think it's safe to say you can use these animals for astorlogical symblos/constellations, or even calender months.
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  6. - Top - End - #786
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Quote Originally Posted by TheWombatOfDoom View Post
    So because you now have two religions with the cannon animals, I think it's safe to say you can use these animals for astorlogical symblos/constellations, or even calender months.
    Assuming you don't mean these...

    And instead mean canon religious animal symbols, I'd have to ask where you got the second one from. Vallheim I get, Sunshan... not so much.
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  7. - Top - End - #787
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Quote Originally Posted by Wyntonian View Post
    Assuming you don't mean these...

    And instead mean canon religious animal symbols, I'd have to ask where you got the second one from. Vallheim I get, Sunshan... not so much.
    The way you said it made it seem like they were also using the Vallheim animals with a twist. Still, if the Vallheim are numerous, or came up with the system the other races might have adopted it.

    In other news....BEAR CANNON!
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  8. - Top - End - #788
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Ohhhhh.... I see it. Animisitic, animalistic. Got it. No, but Animism is more of an "everything's alive" belief system. Like, make an offering to the river under your bridge so it doesn't get washed out. That sort of thing. Animals can be included, but aren't in Sunshan to any real degree. Yeah, the crane is the heraldry of the Imperial Family, but that's about it.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  9. - Top - End - #789
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Soooo... Crime. I remember promising to do this, and I will. I covered the Vallheim pretty well, alluded to some Torei mafia things, and pointed the Reasoner at the Affariata. These beans are cool.


    While the majority of the non-noble class in Sunshan are Torei peasants bonded to the land on which they were born and the family that owns it, there is also a notable freedman class. These are generally Torei who developed a useful trade skill, like coopery, blacksmithing or an artisan craft and were able to purchase their freedom.* The children of a Freedman are not born into indentured servitude, and have a degree of freedom to travel and learn that other Torei simply don't have. They frequently leave for the larger cities in Sunshan, like the capital of Ban Se and find work there as artisans, craftsmen or simply manual laborers.

    As a result, in the crowded and bustling anonymity of the high-walled cities, with no watchful eye of the local lord or samurai on them, some of the more unscrupulous Freedmen find alternatives to manual labor. Prostitution and selling drugs, while legal, require an expensive permit available only to nobles, who maintain as firm a grip as they can on the lucrative businesses. This restriction, however, is really only in effect in theory. Many pimps, drug dealers, gambling rings and crime bosses make their home in the alleys and back rooms of the slums of Sunshan. The noble-run guards try to keep them restrained, but it is not uncommon for the common-born guards to turn a blind eye to a deal if their palms are sufficiently greased, or to simply vanish if they refuse to be persuaded.


    *Some nobles hate to allow this, while others understand the value of letting the Torei have a little hope, encouraging them to work harder.


    Good? Any questions?
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  10. - Top - End - #790
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    I like it. I see lots of secret passages and false rooms. They might even have a few people in the crafters and builders guilds, or influence on them. Someone's gotta make these secret places! They'd at least know about them, these guilds or contractors. So they'd be valuble. Might be that both sides would try to buy them out.

    If there was ever a liberation movement, I'd say these freedmen would be quite the ally if persuaded.
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  11. - Top - End - #791
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Hmmm..... I could see there being organizations of contractors, like architects and laborers and such, that also do... other duties. Lots of vertical integration (everything from architects to the guy that makes lunch for the workers is part of the company), and the "secret menu" of services, like the workers fighting against their patron's rival for a paycheck or smuggling in drugs with the lumber and nails.

    And honestly, depending on the revolution, they may just as easily fight against it. Really, they have a good thing going on, especially the bosses that make the decisions, and having a massive upset in the order of things wouldn't do them any favors.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  12. - Top - End - #792
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    True. Still, things change. What might work wekk for one generation might be a living hell for the next. Or a different ruler even.
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  13. - Top - End - #793
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Quote Originally Posted by TheWombatOfDoom View Post
    True. Still, things change. What might work wekk for one generation might be a living hell for the next. Or a different ruler even.
    Yeah, yeah, you're right. I suppose my point is that they're in it for the money, and that anything that threatens that won't be taken well. If a new hardass ruler comes into play, they may be convinced to join the nice monks... for a price.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  14. - Top - End - #794
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Indeed and agreed, for mouths they must feed. Leave lords to lead, rest bend like a reed. Indeed and agreed.
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  15. - Top - End - #795
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    BREAKING NEWS! I'VE DECIDED ON A YEAR FOR THIS PLACE!

    It's now 2160 AL (After Landfall, referencing when the Old Empire landed on Patrian shores).

    So, little timeline:
    0 AL - The Imperial Fleet, fleeing their homeland, lands in modern-day Sunshan under the rule of Emperor Tiber Gaios Asteri.

    0 AL - The Elder War begins, between the Old Empire and the Elder Folk

    14 AL - At the Battle of the Fall, the last Imperial Army assaulted the entire surviving population of the Elder Folk on the banks of the Fogbound River. The ensuing massacre and the magic involved separated the west side of the river from the mortal world as we know it.

    15 AL - The Old Empire collapses without its Emperor, and degrades into civil war and anarchy.

    15 AL - A series of powerful volcanic eruptions in the Stormwall Mountains destroys many nearby communities, and the resulting ash plume ruins harvests in the inhabited areas, causing widespread famine.

    17 AL - The firstborn son of Tiber Gaios Asteri claimed his fathers throne, in opposition to his sister and his father's advisers. He took the palace and proclaimed himself to be the Emperor. A substantial fraction of the nobility accepted him as legitimate. He is now remembered as Chonan, the Heavenly Emperor, and founded what is now Sunshan.

    This will continue, in decreasing degrees of detail, until it picks back up within like 200 years of the present day.
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  16. - Top - End - #796
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    You know, this whole timeline thing probably won't actually work out. I don't want to make too much stuff objective, especially things that players won't know about. The basics are thus:

    Sunshan was founded by the Emperor's firstborn, and supported by the nobility. The current imperial line claims direct descendance from Tiber Gaios Asteri, but it is very possible that a forgotten regime change, regent taking the throne, or other disturbance in the last 2000 years has rendered this invalid.

    The Vallheim was the result of a mass exodus of the common folk during the period of anarchy known as the Age of Darkness. The origin of the clan structure, kingship, etc. I haven't (and probably won't) decided on. If someone wants to mythologize the "First Chief" into a semi-godlike hero (think George Washington), go right ahead.

    Soleh was the result of a fracture with Sunshan early on, when the church and the nobility came to blows over power. They're allies now, 1400 years later. They consider the Heavenly Emperor and ancestor worship to be heresy, but don't really pursue a conflict. Yet...

    The Dotze Affariata was a similar thing to the Vallheim, people running south to GTFO the wars and famines. They grew to be the largest mercantile power in the world, eventually. The city-state setup is due to a lack of early organization, and a "rugged individualist" mindset since.

    Is that sufficient, d'you think?
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  17. - Top - End - #797
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Feedback on the above?

    Also, as part of the never-completed Mage class I've been designing, I had an Idea.

    Instead of having a spellbook and a component pouch, Mages have an item. It can be a ring, a staff, a wand, a bracelet, a holy symbol, a knife, whatever. To cast a spell, they must have that item, otherwise they take 1d6 nonlethal damage for every spell level they just tried to cast, and it is treated as being in a Wild Magic area. Furthermore, they must have their item to be able to apply any metamagic to a spell.

    If a Mage loses their item, they can make a new one with 8 hours effort and the sacrifice of 500 gp worth of whatever ingredients they wish to fluff it with.

    The Mage's item can be a weapon, and can be wielded as normal. This has no impact on any usage of the item for either of intended purposes.


    I imagine there could be a feat to make it so that they don't need an external item. Like Vail's tattoos, or something.
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  18. - Top - End - #798
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    So I need to burn a feat now?
    Drat...
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  19. - Top - End - #799
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    nonono, it's just an idea. I haven't even finished the class, anyway. Does the above make sense? Is it workable?
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  20. - Top - End - #800
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    The object they need reminds me of the 'Totem' idea from inception. It's a device used for channeling, sure, but it's also a way to keep their sense of reality while casting. An "anchor".
    Scientific Name: Wombous apocolypticus | Diet: Apocolypse Pie | Cuddly: Yes

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  21. - Top - End - #801
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    That's a good way of putting it. Magic is hard stuff, man. It's not easy to channel the ultimate forces of the universe to your will with nothing more than your concentration to shape it.

    It's like having a shotgun, rather than a shell and a hammer.

    Maybe something about making concentration checks to minimize the damage...
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  22. - Top - End - #802
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    You're going to need to fluff this out a lot more, then. And provide for a feat or some other option to avoid needing the item. After all, Vail don't need no totem!
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  23. - Top - End - #803
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Oh, yeah, of course I will. I'll have to do some more writing about the nature of magic in Patria.

    This is also a super-duper-sneeky way of lowering casters by like half a notch.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  24. - Top - End - #804
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Oh, I've also started rolling around the idea of starting a game set in the Dotze Affariata for one or two characters. In the criminal underworld of mafia lords, drug smugglers, pirates, thieves and, occasionally, heroes, do you revel in the opportunity and claw your way to the top? Or do you instead become a protector to those threatened by the gangs, cults and corruption of your city?

    As a token of appreciation, I'd like to offer special consideration to you folks who've helped me so much with making Patria what it is today. If you want to play, please let me know! I'll have a recruitment thread up here at some point.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  25. - Top - End - #805
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    I'd say the item's only for the wizardish casters. Sorcs and other casters whose fluff is based off of an intuitive/natural connection with magic might have some other fluff based restrictions, but I'd have them be different restrictions. So say that Vail's (semi)studios casting requires his tats or some other focus (once you put in the feat, I'll take it), while a spontaneous spellcaster (even if it's just a monster) might take a bit of temporary mental drain, represented by a small penalty to a will save until they rest for a minute (literally, a minute. 6 rounds is forever in a skirmish sized fight, while in larger fights the penalty would grow to be far too large).

    As for the other game, I'd be interested as a Warrior-Poet. Preferably with some homebrew disciplines. Wish I could just replace their entire initiating mechanic with the swordsage's, though. 2 maneuvers is rather low.
    Last edited by Eldest; 2012-07-26 at 04:07 PM.
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  26. - Top - End - #806
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    That works. Prepared casters (mages) use a focus, spontaneous casters (mageborn) are a focus, but can run into issues of backlash. Maybe after casting two spells in consecutive rounds they roll 1d8 on a table of status things from fatigued to nauseated to other things. I dunno. I'll meditate on this, while contemplating the sound of a die rolling without a table.


    And that sounds great. I heartily enjoy homebrew disciplines. I'm thinking about level five or six.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

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  27. - Top - End - #807
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Do note the change idea I had. Swordsage thing.
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    I'll look that over here in a little bit. I'll also make a thread for recruitment here at some point where we can address things like that. Would anyone like to volunteer to be an assistant DM?

    I'll need to consult with the Reasoner about the crime structure, as I've really given that very little thought since I put it in his lap.


    I'll get a start on the autobiographies shortly. It's hard to just sit down and crank those out from scratch, honestly. I plan to essentially steal cool, slightly obscure people from history and fit them to the setting.

    For example, this guy. Never heard of him, but we can say he was a Piloti warrior who fought against the Solerian assimilation, and even now is a symbol and a hero to the independence movement. Plus, sword-arms. Sword. Arms.
    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

    A Campaign Setting more than a year in the making, Patria!

  29. - Top - End - #809
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    Guess who's good at avatars? Thormag. That's who.

    A Campaign Setting more than a year in the making, Patria!

  30. - Top - End - #810
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    Default Re: A complete N00bz first try at world-building...

    So, an idea I had (this is ripped partially from a novel series) was of having some sort of red lightish district, focused on pleasure in all it's many forms. Think some opiate dens, bars, the obligatory brothels and whatnot, but also theaters, street performers, dance halls, les chanteuses. All sorts of fun things. It'd be best if the district was long and narrow, so it could stretch from the waterfront (for sailors) up to the fancier people's house, with the quality of the entertainment (and the price) going up the farther away from the water you go. This entire district would be ruled by a relatively benign crime family, who make sure no rival districts start up, any street performers are "encouraged" to work there and not anywhere else, and (especially) that nobody screws with the entertainers. The part ripped from the novel would be that the district is the Garden District, and everything is named based off of that. So the family's entertainers would be Flowers, the enforcers would be Thorns, etc.
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