Designing Star-Fantasy Races

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Still fetish fuel, but I'd argue far less creepy. Since this is something that occurs in real life, I could see space fantasy humans (and other human-like races) doing the same thing. Through I'd worry about balance issues if these catamazons are so powerful in comparison to other PC races.

In terms of power, they're supposed to be "great warriors" but not "mary sue" - like... crunch-wise, these girls would be akin to Orcs or Dwarves or Goliaths; +2 Strength and some "tough" type or combat boosting racial features. Say, +2 Strength, +1 Dex, free weapon proficiency, you follow?

Also, would this mean that there should be a catamazon pirate queen or other catamazon raiders?

Yes, definitely. The difference between merc and pirate is that one asks for money politely and the other demands it, really. Felinoids don't care much about the legalities of other races; personal glory and the protection of their people are their only priorities. (Gross oversimplification, but hopefully conveys the point: these are a renegade people, not exactly diplomatic masters.)

If they have mammalian or mammalian like genetics, then females are XX and there might just not be a Y chromosome anywhere to replicate. Yes I know it's magic, but maybe the magic has limitations that work with genetics. Only question is, what wiped out the males? Perhaps this should remain a mystery.

That works fine for me. I really think, the more we discuss it, that I honestly like and prefer the idea that their "Clan-Mothers" are a technically seperate species who, having lost their malefolk in some Mysterious Incident, now create Felinoids as surrogate daughters because that's the only option they've got. Heck, at this point, there may be some who don't even want to bring males of their own kind, because they see their current lifecycle and/or culture as superior.

I think having techno-magic overlords is sorta required for pulpy sci-fi, and turns them from what I would call 'Greenskinned space babes with unfortunate implications' to ' interesting race that just happens to be female'. Also gives plenty of plot hooks as well as an explanation for why males don't exist. Through removing the word concubine (which has implications of power) probably helps a bunch.

I was basically intending the cat-dragon clan-mothers to be their sci-sorcerer overlords to begin with, so I happily agree with you there.

And yeah, I'm happy to agree to remove the "concubine" term. Does it make sense that they may get up to sexual shenanigans, though? Cats do have that "hedonistic" association, and it's not unprecedented: I point you towards the Asari, whose Maiden stage stereotypically goes through a prolonged period of indulging itself as strippers and/or mercenaries before settling down for Motherhood after a few centuries.

I'm always a big fan of 'plant people' as well... maybe a species who spends their adult life as a 'magical tree' but their seeds are humanoids and travel extensively to find places to 'root' (which is based on magic stuff like galactic leylines and the like). This could be your 'ancient mysterious race'; with trees found in many worlds seemingly predating space travel of most races. Maybe central figures in Druidism?

Also, perhaps a small but strong race from a 'high gravity world'... small size but also +Str/Con mechanically? A good subversion of visual expectations

Hmm... plant people have never been a huge personal favorite, but that does sound like a good idea. And a "pint-sized powerhouse" race from a high-grav world would be unique, too, although I'm not sure of how to really treat it beyond just taking the Dwarf and making them Small instead of Medium...

[Naanomi]

Hrm... small race... stats +2 Str/+1 Con... give them 'powerful build', resistance to non-magic bludgeoning damage, advantage in checks to avoid being shoved/forcefully moved, and a d4 unarmed 'pummeling' attack. Make them a super hardworking and somewhat arrogant race; mocking the 'lesser' races for being so weak despite being 'too big'... maybe they are a somewhat ubiquitous race, hired in work crews by every race (because they relish chances to 'show off their strength')

For plant people... +2 Wisdom/+1 Con... some spells that they get as they level up with Con as the casting stat (shillelagh at first, good berry and speak with plants later?) ... hold their breath twice as long, don't need to eat if they have access to soil... and maybe something about being hard to kill like... advantage on death saves

[Millstone85]

I really can't thank you enough for this!

You are most welcome!

Technically speaking, they don't actually need the survival mantles in day-to-day life. It's a cultural quirk; they started out as a means of protection when their world became too toxic to live on (the period between realizing "we gotta get out of here!" and "ships are done, let's go!"), survived as a means of further protection during the early generations of space-borne nomadism, and now it's just become a cultural issue: don't take your suit off in front of strangers, that's something you reserve for intimate settings. They're a private and reserved sort of people; passionate, when they're alone together, but privacy is very important to them.

This gives me an idea. What if the Scavvers and the Aelfar were from the same dead world, and originally one people? The temptation of undeath would have become really strong when they first started living in such claustrophobic conditions. And if you go with my earlier idea of a Borg-like sort of undeath, with magical contraptions all over and through the corpse, then the two races share that "arcanotechnology" you spoke of. I wonder if Eberron has ever described the creation of warforged for the purpose of feeding a phylactery...

There could also be a third group, more druidically inclined, that durably adopted the traits of whatever beasts still survived in their toxic world. Most of them are similar to thri-kreen now, though other shapes exist. They could be called, say, the Laemirs.

I am stealing from a video game I didn't play but read about, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth. Here the divergence happens after humans leave a dying Earth and start living on an alien world that is more sustainable but requires enclosed cities and hazmat suits. To get out of these, the path of Supremacy embraces robotic transhumanism, while the path of Harmony offers to mix our biology with that of the native wildlife (There are no Na'vi, but there is a sleeping Eywa). There is also the path of Purity, which is defined by the rejection of the other two and is also the only one that wants to completely terraform the planet. And yes, I know, it is no Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri lore.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

I'm basically worrying about the fluff at this point rather than the crunch, Naanomi. For example, the plant race; do I make up something completely new, or do I just slap Adu'jas (empathic elder race plant-people from Dragon #317) into space and call it a day?

Do appreciate you taking the time to offer your thoughts, though.

[Naanomi]

Meh I would draw imagery and inspiration from a variety of sources, but I would (myself) make mostly new creations... that is the fun of worldbuilding after all!

[Honest Tiefling]

And yeah, I'm happy to agree to remove the "concubine" term. Does it make sense that they may get up to sexual shenanigans, though? Cats do have that "hedonistic" association...

Well...I think this depends on the tastes of your group. If dirty humor, brothels, prostitution and the like are elements your group enjoys, go right ahead. Even if its not the tone you intend, the race selection is likely to be the first element of your setting that players will see and it might imply something you were not intending. Yes, it makes sense for social bonding that they'd be a sexual race, but a frank anthropological discussion of such features might not be at home in a campaign setting.

For most groups, I don't think everyone is comfortable with that tone. In which case, I'd just imply it. Mention how they are free-spirited and don't particularly care to conform to other's social norms. They'll probably get the gist of things.

As for the plant race, go with one of two routes: either take a race you like or think would match the tone of the setting. Or if you want to be lazy, poll your players. Some people enjoy coming up with their own race, so why not let them develop that race if they want to play it?

Admittedly, I like the Clan-Mothers better when there is the implication that they like their obedient daughters. That way their power is assured and they get to complain if their daughters bring home a plant person. She is putting her foot down and as long as you live on her planet, she will not tolerate any dang leafy coming here and spraying their pollen all over the place. Back in her day, daughters brought home a harem of men they had stolen, but noooooo....

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Heh, true enough, AMNaanomi

You are most welcome!

This gives me an idea. What if the Scavvers and the Aelfar were from the same dead world, and originally one people? The temptation of undeath would have become really strong when they first started living in such claustrophobic conditions. And if you go with my earlier idea of a Borg-like sort of undeath, with magical contraptions all over and through the corpse, then the two races share that "arcanotechnology" you spoke of. I wonder if Eberron has ever described the creation of warforged for the purpose of feeding a phylactery...

There could also be a third group, more druidically inclined, that durably adopted the traits of whatever beasts still survived in their toxic world. Most of them are similar to thri-kreen now, though other shapes exist. They could be called, say, the Laemirs.

I am stealing from a video game I didn't play but read about, Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth. Here the divergence happens after humans leave a dying Earth and start living on an alien world that is more sustainable but requires enclosed cities and hazmat suits. To get out of these, the path of Supremacy embraces robotic transhumanism, while the path of Harmony offers to mix our biology with that of the native wildlife (There are no Na'vi, but there is a sleeping Eywa). There is also the path of Purity, which is defined by the rejection of the other two and is also the only one that wants to completely terraform the planet. And yes, I know, it is no Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri lore.

Firstly, sorry for not replying to you above, you replied whilst I was writing.

Secondly... it's an interesting idea, but I'm afraid I've got to turn it down. Aelfar are intended to be "recognizably" elfin, just creepy and wrong, like the Mul Daya elves from Zendikar, whilst with the "Scavvers", my physical inspiration all along were these two fanmade alternate quarian designs... I'd post the images if I could figure out how, or at least find them online...

Ah, here's one, at least: this was my inspiration for the head/face, I can't find the other, but it was fairly similar in terms of continuing the theme down the body.

http://www.fanpup.me/uploads/2/3/5/9...96792_orig.jpg

...If that link doesn't work, it's #9 on this link here: http://www.fanpup.me/blog/11-talizor...-than-the-game

Well...I think this depends on the tastes of your group. If dirty humor, brothels, prostitution and the like are elements your group enjoys, go right ahead. Even if its not the tone you intend, the race selection is likely to be the first element of your setting that players will see and it might imply something you were not intending. Yes, it makes sense for social bonding that they'd be a sexual race, but a frank anthropological discussion of such features might not be at home in a campaign setting.

For most groups, I don't think everyone is comfortable with that tone. In which case, I'd just imply it. Mention how they are free-spirited and don't particularly care to conform to other's social norms. They'll probably get the gist of things.

As for the plant race, go with one of two routes: either take a race you like or think would match the tone of the setting. Or if you want to be lazy, poll your players. Some people enjoy coming up with their own race, so why not let them develop that race if they want to play it?

Admittedly, I like the Clan-Mothers better when there is the implication that they like their obedient daughters. That way their power is assured and they get to complain if their daughters bring home a plant person. She is putting her foot down and as long as you live on her planet, she will not tolerate any dang leafy coming here and spraying their pollen all over the place. Back in her day, daughters brought home a harem of men they had stolen, but noooooo....

I literally don't have to worry about the taste of my group. I don't have a group. I can't get a group. I'm making this setting for the sheer personal enjoyment of making it.

Also... I must admit I don't follow where that final paragraph about the Clan-Mothers is coming from?

I do think it's a funny image, though.

[Honest Tiefling]

Also... I must admit I don't follow where that final paragraph about the Clan-Mothers is coming from?

I do think it's a funny image, though.

Sorry if I was confusing. I meant that they might prefer the Felinoid offspring, so they could have utter power over their children, even if their orders were nonsensical.

As for the bedroom habits of these races, write what you want. Or you could write a version with only implied naughtiness, and have a separate document with more explicit details if you ever intend to run this at a later date.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification.

Hmm... should I go ahead and do up a first proper draft of the races I have some concept of for their presence in this setting? Because you guys have all helped out with both the initial "aliens" and with the other, not-quite-so-alien races, from Xixchil-inspired surgical mantids to space orks to necromancer elves.

[Honest Tiefling]

I'd read it. This setting is sounding pretty damn awesome already.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Alright... this is my first major draft of races, they've all been percolating about in my head - names are my Kryptonite, so please remember that any name surrounded in quotation marks is a placeholder used because "hey, you!" gets confusing.

Also... I'm really struggling with deciding about whether or not to include religion/divine magic in this setting. I'm not very adept at theological developments and clerics have never really interested me as a class, which is a big reason why my post-apocalyptic fantasy setting, Malebolge (which I'm declaring is a planet in this setting's 'verse, ala Toril, Krynn and Oerth in Spelljammer), is a godless world. I could seriously use help with that.

Humans: ...I really have no solid ideas for these guys. I know they're everywhere, and fractious, but nothing more than beyond that. I'm not certain if I should explicitly tie them to Eden (Malebolge before it blew up) or if their origins are a mystery; maybe they evolved on many different worlds and spread out across the stars.

Aelfar: Space-faring elves whose world, Aelfheim, was ultimately destroyed by the very planar convergence that had given it life. Their people set forth on great living ships through the stars, spreading in different colony-fleets across the universe. Proud, haughty, cold and cruel, the aelfar are an arrogant people who believe in the utter superiority of their race over others. Their "science", such as it is, is founded on the principles of flesh-warping and necromancy; breeding living tools and enslaving the dead to create the backbone for a life of indolence and luxury. Plants, animals and fungi are shaped through magic into forms useful to Aelfar civilization, whilst even the bodies of the dead can be made to work until the Aelfar see fit to release them. Creepy as this is, aelfar are not inherently warlike or evil, and so they are content to live and let life - if left alone. Aelfar adventurers are often explorers, seeking other colonies founded since their people scattered across the galaxy, or else exiles as a result of the political intrigues that dominate their culture.
(Crunch-wise, these are Mul Daya Elves, although I might consider playing around and homebrewing stats.)

"Traggen": Hotheaded, aggressive, predatory humanoids who have a notably limited ability to sense pain, the traggen are a warlike and savage race of arcano-barbarians who respect only two things: strength, and the will to use it. Scattered and fractious, although they have no true empires or presence on the galactic stage, the traggen have long earned some level of grudging respect for their might and their aptitude as mercenaries, pirates and, on rare occasions, planet-crushing hordes.
(Thematically, these are the setting's Orcs; crunch-wise, use Half-Orc stats. This setting's equivalent of a half-orc would probably best be represented by the Goliath.)

"Dworg": When the last great traggen war ended, centuries ago, something unforseen happened. From amongst the winnowed ranks of the survivors, traggen of unusual intelligence and ambition arose. These traggen had learned the hard way that mere muscle and brutish rage could not prosper in a galaxy dominated by magic and order, and swore to take that power for themselves. Naming themselves the Dworg, "Heirs of Victory", they seek to create their own culture, one still giving strength and will its due respect, but realizing and embracing the fact that strength is not the providence of body alone. Their numbers are growing comparatively slowly, as they selectively breed and educate themselves and suitable "uplifted" members of their traggen progenitors, but the race is growing, and someday may be presenting a nasty surprise to a galaxy complacent about the true threat of the traggen.
(These are the setting's Scro; uplifted, intelligent, superior orcs, and would use my homebrew Scro crunch.)

"Xixixians": Mantis-like humanoids who evolved on a deadly, hostile jungle world, the xixixians grew to dominate their world not through physical might, but through superior intelligence, using teamwork and self-improvement to modify their bodies and improve their minds until they could outwit and outfight the predators and other dangers of their homeworld. Body modification is a religion to the xixixians, with each believing that their body is a temple of the soul and must be refined, honed and customized to better suit their true nature. This makes them about the only race with close ties or respect for the Aelfar, fellow masters of flesh-warping. Indeed, so ingrained is this belief in literal bodily refinement that not only is it used for ornamentation, but they have literally engineered themselves into different sub-species, based upon different philosophies about how much they should integrate into the greater galactic society.
(Essentially, Xixchil without the "stupidly individualistic" aspects of the fluff, and further inspiration taken from this pic here, which is basically a thri-kreen version of the infamous "furry meter": https://1d4chan.org/wiki/File:Buggy_chart.jpg "Purists" would be the 90% model, balancers the 70% model, and the most integration-focused/diplomatic corps caste would be the 50% model. Would need to homebrew racial stats for this.)

Vassals of the Glorious Celestial Lotus Empire: An array of many different races that are united under the leadership of the Celestial Lotus Emperor - basically, god-king oriental dragons. Really need a better name here, as this sounds less "pulp" and more "yellow peril".

"Ryujin": The most honored and respected of the Celestial Vassals, the glorious Ryujin were magically engineered directly from the Emperors themselves to serve as the soldiers and police who keep the peace in the Empire and fight against invaders from beyond - or seek to fuel the empire's expansion. Slender, agile, reptilian beings who combine strength and innate mystical adeptness. Propaganda claims that they were literally born of the Emperors, but it's unknown if this is true; they may be magically modified and enslaved humans instead. Adventurers are either stranded soldiers, scouts, or exiled ronin.
(Basically Dragonborn with an Oriental/Lung/Imperial Dragon basis and a dash of the Nagaji from PF. Maybe should discuss actually basing them off of PF's Imperial Dragons directly to figure out both crunch and fluff?)

"Ki'rinii": Elegant, graceful, wise and courteous, the ki'rinii were also created from the Emperors, like the Ryujin, but were made to be sages and scholars, strong in magic and wise enough to support the celestial bureaucracy that keeps the empire running.
(Ki-rin people... really not sure what else to do with them, but I know there's potential here.)

Hengeyokai: The vassal-races of the empire, assorted humanoid beasts with many strange and magical abilities of their own.
(Weak, I know; I basically want to use the various hengeyokai races - kitsunes, tanuki, jorogumo, itachi, bakeneko, mujina and kawauso - and give them all unique roles, because they were individual cultures before the Empire claimed them as its own, but I'm not sure where to start.)

Oni: Descendants of traggen who tried to conquer the empire, but who were conquered in turn. The Emperors took pity and sought to remake them into useful members of the Empire, but the process was... flawed. Too much traggen mentality remains, making them far more independent than the Empire likes. When the ryujin were created, the empire discarded them, and now they are outcasts without a true home or culture.

"Gyokutoans": The newest people to be brought into the Empire proper, the gyokutoans are a rabbit-like people still accepting their place in the great chain. Proud and fierce, but also passionate and fond of pleasures, the stereotypical gyokutoan is either a touchy yet disciplined warrior or a deceptively intelligent and sensual courtesan.
(Without a doubt the weakest of my "oriental space fantasy" races, these guys are inspired by the Japanese legend of the moon rabbit, but I'm not sure how to develop them from here.)

"Quetzalii": It is said that, in an age long gone, beautiful dragon-like beings called Couatl roamed the stars. Luminescent figures resembling winged serpents draped in feathers all the colors of the stars, they were staunch enemies of darkness and evil, who sought to bring light to the furthest reaches of the cosmos. The Couatl are gone, now. But their children remain; proud and honorable warrior-mystics who seek to carry on that legacy, bold explorers and dashing adventurer-archaeologists who seek to write their names in the stars.
(Essentially a couatl version of Dragonborn, but taking inspiration from 4e's depiction of the Couatl as a race whose "goodness" was born more of coincidence than the vanilla "they're just made of good" of previous editions.)

"Lotusians": One of the most ancient races still holding a presence in the galaxy today, the lotusians are a flower-draped and androgynous race of humanoid plants who have been peacemakers, diplomats and explorers since the galaxy was young. Never imperially minded, the lotusians fell into decline during the Dark Times, their numbers winnowed by wars and strife. Now, only a handful of the sacred grove-worlds, where the most ancient of their kind have taken root as immobile masses of vegetation that produce new generations from womb-pods in their bulk, remain to provide a slow trickle of new generations. Some lotusians have succumbed to despair, but others still keep up the good fight, adventuring to continue their ancestral mission of bring peace to all other races.

"Snapperjaws": During the Dark Times, some lotusians succumbed to rage, hostility or despair. Determined to protect themselves, they employed forbidden magics to make themselves more warlike, more suited for what they felt was needed: the ability to match the barbarism of the young races on their own terms. That experiment went hideously right. The snapperjaws are a savage and barbaric breed, which even traggen and felinoids regard with some disdain. Though far more fecund and adaptable than the lotusians, these savage plant-like beings have lost the keen minds of their ancestral stock. The stereotypical snapperjaw is little better than a beast, with only their weird, instinctive knack for salvaging arcanotechnology and strange plant-based bio-tech allowing them to spread across the stars. The best of them are mercenaries and thugs, the worst are little more than flesh-eating monsters that consider everything else mere prey. They are the one race that lotusians evidence true fear or even hatred for, but some of their ancient kin still hope that, even if they will never be part of the great groves again, they can still be brought into the light.

"Felinoids:" Proud, warlike and almost stubbornly savage, the felinoids are a race of all-female barbarians renowned across the galaxy as mercenaries, thugs, pirates, raiders and adventurers. On their home-worlds they organize in great clans, each centered around the Clan-Mother; these strange "cat-dragon" alien beings are all that remains of a long-lost race, although what brought them so low remains unknown. All female themselves, the Clan-Mothers use their mastery of sorcery and science to asexually spawn offspring, creating new generations of felinoids. As such, all felinoids revere and love their progenitors as literal mother-gods. In felinoid culture, their purpose is to love, serve and entertain their creators, who gave them the "First Great Gift" (life) and who will reward them with status and treasure in exchange for proving their worth. Indeed, the mightiest of all felinoids may be granted a supreme honor: transformation into a new Clan-Mother. This, then, fuels their drive to travel to the stars, to amass treasures and stories that will prove their love for the Clan-Mothers.

"Scavvers": Traveling the known stars in great colony-fleets, the Scavvers are an enigmatic race who never remove their protective enviro-armor suits save in the most intimate of positions. They are renowned and respected as master smiths, miners and, especially, lords of the mysterious sorcery-science of arcanotechnology: mining asteroids and moons, they trade valuable crafted goods across the worlds, commanding high prices and great respect - for their potent defense of their own lives if nothing else. Their homeworld was destroyed by some great apocalypse long ago; although welcome to settle anywhere, the truth is that they have developed a cultural fear to the very idea, believing their nomadic existence actually keeps their race safe from seeing it happen again.

"Voidstalkers": Mysterious and feared four-armed psionic warriors who draw upon the cold darkness between the stars through their mental arts. Ruthless, they have crafted a reputation as assassins without peer, bloody warrior-sages who believe that suffering and struggle are the keys to enlightenment. It's unknown if they have a home-world, but they are renowned travelers, popping up wherever they please. They gravitate towards the most lawless of regions, serving as mercenaries and killers for hire. But they do have their own strange codes of honor, and can make surprisingly loyal adventuring companions. Admittedly, the presence of a voidstalker tends to convey an impression that this party is disreputable at best, for it is well known they care more for bloodshed than for coin.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Pull an eberron- have the primary force behind divine magic be faith based, not deity-based.

You can have clerics of themselves in Eberron- they believe that they can cast cure spells, so they can.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Pull an eberron- have the primary force behind divine magic be faith based, not deity-based.

You can have clerics of themselves in Eberron- they believe that they can cast cure spells, so they can.

Hmm... not a bad suggestions, but, really, in that case, why not just go godless and replace clerics with Favored Soul Sorcerers, Theurge Wizards and Celestial Warlocks with refluffed origins ("angels, but no gods", in a nutshell)?

[Naanomi]

Could humans have been the slave race in Eden, their population and influence exploded (to the galactic community's surprise) since the fall?

[Honest Tiefling]

Hmm... not a bad suggestions, but, really, in that case, why not just go godless and replace clerics with Favored Soul Sorcerers, Theurge Wizards and Celestial Warlocks with refluffed origins ("angels, but no gods", in a nutshell)?

Because clerics and sorcerers play differently. I too like the Eberron idea if you aren't interested in gods, but why not make it that clerics don't feed off of THEIR faith, but the faith of their community? Basically, a Favored Soul believes so hard they get divine power, but a cleric uses rituals and magic from the faith of an entire community to gain power? Their connection and service to their people empowers them just as much as their people's faith in them.

Also, I'd rename the Loutsians. I mean, they are technically named after their genitalia. Maybe something something Tranquil? Paxos?

As for your unintended Yellow Peril, combine the Asian traits with another empire(s). Roman, Ottoman, or Aztec all work nicely. Smash names together until you get something you like, and steal heavily from both cultures. And perhaps consider a sun theme? They're in space, and so many cultures have a sun theme that it'd be easy to grab names and themes from other cultures. Could call it the Aurian empire or something, especially as a shorter, informal, name.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Could humans have been the slave race in Eden, their population and influence exploded (to the galactic community's surprise) since the fall?

Eden is the "world" of my Malebolge setting. Humanity was literally the dominant race (well, they shared the world with dwarves) until an Aelfar colony-fleet showed up, they allowed the elves to settle, and then the dwarves and elves got into a war that blew the whole planet up, Fallout meets Mournland style.

So, if the humans in this setting have any connection to Eden/Malebolge, they're either descended from abductees taken by Old Power races, or from experimental space colonists who shipped off before the planet went kablooie, or who got teleported to other planets during the big kablooie, Rifts style.

Because clerics and sorcerers play differently. I too like the Eberron idea if you aren't interested in gods, but why not make it that clerics don't feed off of THEIR faith, but the faith of their community? Basically, a Favored Soul believes so hard they get divine power, but a cleric uses rituals and magic from the faith of an entire community to gain power? Their connection and service to their people empowers them just as much as their people's faith in them.

Also, I'd rename the Loutsians. I mean, they are technically named after their genitalia. Maybe something something Tranquil? Paxos?

As for your unintended Yellow Peril, combine the Asian traits with another empire(s). Roman, Ottoman, or Aztec all work nicely. Smash names together until you get something you like, and steal heavily from both cultures. And perhaps consider a sun theme? They're in space, and so many cultures have a sun theme that it'd be easy to grab names and themes from other cultures. Could call it the Aurian empire or something, especially as a shorter, informal, name.

:reverse-sigh: A point... I don't know, I really don't like clerics much.

Rename the lotusians? Hah! Like I said, everything needs a rename. Paxos...? Hmm, maybe could work.

The "Yellow Peril" thing was in reference to the empire's name. Again, Aurian Empire sounds pretty good, I'm cool with that.

So... do you have any thoughts on the racial concepts themselves? I really want to hear what you think now, given you were the first person to say that this setting sounded kind of neat.

[Honest Tiefling]

:reverse-sigh: A point... I don't know, I really don't like clerics much.

Yes, but your players might. There's always the argument to throw things out for the sake of sanity/cohesion, but I would argue that before tossing major parts of the game out, consider if it can be modified to fit.

You haven't mentioned druids. Perhaps you could lump the two together as different ways of channeling natural magical ley lines of a planet. Just don't allow non-nature domains.

Humans: ...I really have no solid ideas for these guys. I know they're everywhere, and fractious, but nothing more than beyond that. I'm not certain if I should explicitly tie them to Eden (Malebolge before it blew up) or if their origins are a mystery; maybe they evolved on many different worlds and spread out across the stars.

If you don't have any ideas for them, why not have them be rare (or at least uncommon)? You have so many other races that humans can just be in the background, all generic-like for those who don't like playing fantastical races. Malebolge had them as a dominant race, so let's do something different.

Aelfar: Space-faring elves whose world, Aelfheim, was ultimately destroyed by the very planar convergence that had given it life. Their people set forth on great living ships through the stars, spreading in different colony-fleets across the universe. Proud, haughty, cold and cruel, the aelfar are an arrogant people who believe in the utter superiority of their race over others. Their "science", such as it is, is founded on the principles of flesh-warping and necromancy; breeding living tools and enslaving the dead to create the backbone for a life of indolence and luxury. Plants, animals and fungi are shaped through magic into forms useful to Aelfar civilization, whilst even the bodies of the dead can be made to work until the Aelfar see fit to release them. Creepy as this is, aelfar are not inherently warlike or evil, and so they are content to live and let life - if left alone. Aelfar adventurers are often explorers, seeking other colonies founded since their people scattered across the galaxy, or else exiles as a result of the political intrigues that dominate their culture.

I'd expand on these guys. They're proud, but don't feel the need to display it to 'lesser' creatures. They're cruel, but not evil. They're necromancers, but also indulge in plant-shaping. I'd also like to know their political structure, since player Aelfar are exiles. I do love me some necromancer elves, however, so this seems interesting.

Perhaps as a twist, have them have some positive political alliances instead of the whole hidden elf colony? Maybe there's a race or two they will trade with for luxuries and art and get along well with.

"Traggen": Hotheaded, aggressive, predatory humanoids who have a notably limited ability to sense pain, the traggen are a warlike and savage race of arcano-barbarians who respect only two things: strength, and the will to use it. Scattered and fractious, although they have no true empires or presence on the galactic stage, the traggen have long earned some level of grudging respect for their might and their aptitude as mercenaries, pirates and, on rare occasions, planet-crushing hordes.
(Thematically, these are the setting's Orcs; crunch-wise, use Half-Orc stats. This setting's equivalent of a half-orc would probably best be represented by the Goliath.)

Is the pain thing meant to be a positive attribute? That's actually a serious condition for humans, so perhaps exploring how their bodies would handle that might be interesting. I feel like this race needs some more exploration, other then being big, burly and aggressive. They do have to breed after all, so maybe some idea of their family structure?

Also, what would a Traggen look like? What is a Arcano-barbarian?

[Sabeta]

snip

There's the ever infamous "Lesbian Lizzard" a species of Lizard which is entirely female, reproduces asexually, but still requires sexual stimulus to initiate the process. Hence, "Lesbian Lizard". I admittedly skimmed, but if your argument against amazonian catwomen is that their reproduction wouldn't make sense we have an Earth Precedent for such a thing. Always remember, Life finds a way.

That said what I've seen so far are just "space" recolors of normal D&D races. That alone is fine enough if that's what you want in your setting. The main difference between a space elf and a normal elf, is that a space elf probably won the war for planetary dominance against other sentient species. Much like Humans did ages ago. Creating a lore to acompany that is up to you.

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Yes, but your players might. There's always the argument to throw things out for the sake of sanity/cohesion, but I would argue that before tossing major parts of the game out, consider if it can be modified to fit.

Like I said: players, I don't need to worry about. I can't get anyone to let me play, never mind to let me DM.

You haven't mentioned druids. Perhaps you could lump the two together as different ways of channeling natural magical ley lines of a planet. Just don't allow non-nature domains.

I tend to forget about druids...only race that bugs me more than clerics... but, as mages who tap into astral ley-lines, that might work. Or I might just replace them with a Wizard tradition with similar "nature magic", like my Sidhe Scholar. Still, thanks for the suggestion.

If you don't have any ideas for them, why not have them be rare (or at least uncommon)? You have so many other races that humans can just be in the background, all generic-like for those who don't like playing fantastical races. Malebolge had them as a dominant race, so let's do something different.

Hmm... that's definitely a possibility; once these races are all fleshed out, there's 20-plus - I think the count is 22, if you subdivide all the hengeyokai - races, so humans can get by as the "generic guy" race.

...Wait a minute, how do you know about Malebolge?

I'd expand on these guys. They're proud, but don't feel the need to display it to 'lesser' creatures. They're cruel, but not evil. They're necromancers, but also indulge in plant-shaping. I'd also like to know their political structure, since player Aelfar are exiles. I do love me some necromancer elves, however, so this seems interesting.

Perhaps as a twist, have them have some positive political alliances instead of the whole hidden elf colony? Maybe there's a race or two they will trade with for luxuries and art and get along well with.

Is this a "fix this right now" comment, or a "this'll be good to address when you start focusing on expanding each races" comment? Sorry, just a little hard to read.

What I meant is that the Aelfar are not united as a people; there are lots of different aelfar communities scattered across the stars, but they don't keep in touch all that much. They're dimly aware that they're out there, but there's no galatic-spanning united empire, if that follows?

In comparison, they're much more open and positive with their non-aelfar neighbors - the Xixchil-expies in particular are close buddies.

Is the pain thing meant to be a positive attribute? That's actually a serious condition for humans, so perhaps exploring how their bodies would handle that might be interesting. I feel like this race needs some more exploration, other then being big, burly and aggressive. They do have to breed after all, so maybe some idea of their family structure?

Again, is this a question you want answered right now, or something to keep in mind for future development?

Yes, the "not overwhelmed by pain" thing is a positive trait - it's not so much that they don't feel it as it's not as debilitating. It's basically the fluff explanation for the "1/day, you can avoid being killed by a fatal blow" racial power, I forget what it's called off the top of my head.

Family structure... I'll need to think about it, but, honestly, my first reaction is that it's basically a "strength is hot" cluster-frak: strong traggen can have any other traggen then want, so long as that traggen wants to be had, and usually, if they're strong, that traggen is happy. Very anarchic polyamorous cluster-units; half warband, half harem.

Also, what would a Traggen look like?

I picture them as basically "good-looking orcs"; dark green skin (turning black in the Dworg), strongly built, taller than the human norm, claw-like nails, pronounced canines, rugged but not ugly features.

What is a Arcano-barbarian?

A D&Dification of "techno-barbarian"; someone who manages to maintain some semblance of high-tech equipment without properly understanding how it works or having a culture that seems like it should support it. For example, the Yuat'ja, who have a Stone Age hunter's style tribal culture, complete with emphasis on honor through bloodshed and the glory of melee combat, and yet also have energy blasters, invisibility cloaks and spacetravel.

[Herobizkit]

Humans don't have a home world. It ceased to be however many eons ago.

Many humans have banded together in large space-faring vessels that double as living quarters (say, ST: TNG's Enterprise). Even rarer, some have chosen to inhabit whole space stations (like, say, ST: DS9).

Humans are generally charismatic and fairly adaptable to new situations (mechanically, they're Half-Elves). They possess a unique ability - the ability to procreate with any Humanoid race. Because of this, they are prized as slaves and often used as barter (at best) or expendable labor. Because of their relatively swift gestation period, a Human slave owner can keep a 'human mill' running for several generations at minimal cost. Some less scrupulous slave owners 'groom' a human to perform a specialized task, teaching them only what they need to know for their trade.

Planet-bound humans with no other intelligent life tend to devolve into a 'feral' state.

[Millstone85]

Also... I'm really struggling with deciding about whether or not to include religion/divine magic in this setting. I'm not very adept at theological developments and clerics have never really interested me as a class, which is a big reason why my post-apocalyptic fantasy setting, Malebolge (which I'm declaring is a planet in this setting's 'verse, ala Toril, Krynn and Oerth in Spelljammer), is a godless world. I could seriously use help with that.

What you could do is introduce one or more divine species. Here are a few, from least godlike to most godlike.

The Idols: They are gods because people regard them as such. It doesn't give them any magical power, just a lot of people willing to do their bidding. There may be many reasons why they came to be worshipped. Perhaps they are, or were at one point, far more advanced than their followers. Anyway, their clerics are just wizards with the status of priest.
Inspiration: the Goa'uld (SG-1), the Founders (DS9)

The Tulpas: Also called Faith-Eaters, they actually gain magical power from worship and may not exist at all without it. Some require prayers addressed specifically to them by name, from someone with knowledge of their myth. Others only need people to care about a particular concept, like "justice" or "the media". They redirect a part of their power toward their clerics.
Inspiration: the Ori (SG-1), the gods and personifications (Discworld)

The Precursors: A very ancient species, that may at one point have been the only sapient life in the known universe and have engineered the evolution of more. They are now a secretive people, still far far more advanced than any of the younger species, and often believed to direct the fate of their "children" from the shadows. Their clerics are wizards and often self-proclaimed priests.
Inspiration: the Ancients (SG-1), the Engineers (a very bad movie)

The Hyperlanders: These beings live in at least four spatial and two temporal dimensions. Most anything about them is ineffable, including why some of them answer prayers and empower clerics. It is perhaps this mystery that makes them very popular deities, often with several competing religions for what is presumably a single one of them. Any avatar they manifest is basically a puppet.
Inspiration: the Prophets (DS9), the Inheritors (Cºntinuum)

The Warpers: The Wish spell? Why yes, they know this cantrip. Very handy, no stress at all. And that's just the beginning of their spellcasting prowess. But most surprising is how convincing they are while polymorphed as a humanoid. You would think them regular guys and gals, only with the very fabric of reality at their fingertips. They have no clerics, but can be insufferable tricksters.
Inspiration: the Q (TNG), Mr. Mxyzptlk (DC)

The Guardians: Where others may gain power from a concept, they are this concept, and the reality behind it. If one of them were to disappear, so would an aspect of the universe as we know it. While many regard them as the true gods of the cosmos, most religions related to them have actually been founded around their clerics, who are very rare but also like demigods themselves.
Inspiration: the Auditors (Discworld), the Imperators (Nobilis)

I think many of the things you mentioned may already qualify as one or more of these.

Malebolge had them as a dominant race, so let's do something different.

...Wait a minute, how do you know about Malebolge?

Because you told us.

Eden is the "world" of my Malebolge setting. Humanity was literally the dominant race (well, they shared the world with dwarves) until an Aelfar colony-fleet showed up, they allowed the elves to settle, and then the dwarves and elves got into a war that blew the whole planet up, Fallout meets Mournland style.

[Honest Tiefling]

Like I said: players, I don't need to worry about. I can't get anyone to let me play, never mind to let me DM.

Try recruiting here. I doubt you'll have many issues, unless you aren't comfortable with a roll20/PbP game.

I tend to forget about druids...only race that bugs me more than clerics... but, as mages who tap into astral ley-lines, that might work. Or I might just replace them with a Wizard tradition with similar "nature magic", like my Sidhe Scholar. Still, thanks for the suggestion.

Wizards in the literal sense. I think this is a fine comprimise, as players could be a cleric or a druid without going against the vision of the setting.

...Wait a minute, how do you know about Malebolge?

I was quoting you earlier. You also have a link in your signature.

Is this a "fix this right now" comment, or a "this'll be good to address when you start focusing on expanding each races" comment? Sorry, just a little hard to read.

Probably my fault. This is more of a comment that a paragraph for an entire race and culture is a bit hard to judge. I do like the direction it's heading in and I do think others will as well, but it is very brief due to word limits.

What I meant is that the Aelfar are not united as a people; there are lots of different aelfar communities scattered across the stars, but they don't keep in touch all that much. They're dimly aware that they're out there, but there's no galatic-spanning united empire, if that follows?

Also a good approach, letting more chances to actually play a race.

In comparison, they're much more open and positive with their non-aelfar neighbors - the Xixchil-expies in particular are close buddies.

I'd expand on this. I do like the idea of humans being more of a background race for once, but that does mean the relationship between aliens needs to be fleshed out.

Again, is this a question you want answered right now, or something to keep in mind for future development?

Either or. This isn't meant to be an interrogation, just a discussion of ideas.

Yes, the "not overwhelmed by pain" thing is a positive trait - it's not so much that they don't feel it as it's not as debilitating. It's basically the fluff explanation for the "1/day, you can avoid being killed by a fatal blow" racial power, I forget what it's called off the top of my head.

That makes more sense. A race trait write up might be interesting as well. (And some people might be intrigued.)

Family structure... I'll need to think about it, but, honestly, my first reaction is that it's basically a "strength is hot" cluster-frak: strong traggen can have any other traggen then want, so long as that traggen wants to be had, and usually, if they're strong, that traggen is happy. Very anarchic polyamorous cluster-units; half warband, half harem.

Which means that unless Traggen have a natural inclination to bisexuality, that would raise the question of if there are bachelor herds of Traggen, much like what happens with deer and sea lions.

I picture them as basically "good-looking orcs"; dark green skin (turning black in the Dworg), strongly built, taller than the human norm, claw-like nails, pronounced canines, rugged but not ugly features.

That makes sense. I wonder if the Aelfar are considered attractive by human standards. It would be amusing that things that look 'human' are actually made to appeal to the Traggen instead.

A D&Dification of "techno-barbarian"; someone who manages to maintain some semblance of high-tech equipment without properly understanding how it works or having a culture that seems like it should support it. For example, the Yuat'ja, who have a Stone Age hunter's style tribal culture, complete with emphasis on honor through bloodshed and the glory of melee combat, and yet also have energy blasters, invisibility cloaks and spacetravel.

That...Raises a large question. How are magical/technological objects made and obtained?

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

Re: Herobizkit
Hmm, I don't know if I want to make them quite that much of a background race, but that suggestion that their unique ability is to interbreed with any of the other PC races on that list - and that this makes them very valuable as diplomats, courtesans and slaves - is definitely something I'll integrate. It's actually a trait that Malebolgian humans, so it reinforces that the two settings take part in the same universe.

Re: Millstone85
Hmm... you've given me an idea on sorting out this matter. In Malebolge, the "pseudo-divines" already work by contacting entities from other planes - powerful fiends, archangels, archfae, primordials, and so on. And, really, those are just "small gods" anyway.

What if, in "Starraider", the same principle is tweaked?

What I'm seeing is that the setting's gods are "Immortals"; entities who have attained not merely eternal life, but also a nature something like your Tulpas. People deify them, and that belief, mingled with their own powerful magical aura, becomes a specialized form of magic that the right invocations can tap. Clerics are essentially an evolution of warlocks, charged with not only serving the will of their patron Immortal, but also directly encouraging others to worship that Immortal.

Even better, even if all of the setting's gods work this way, there's still multiple ways of worship. Most of the galaxy knows a "standard" pantheon, of Immortals who sought ascendancy and gained power. But the denizens of the Aurian Empire worship a pantheon of God-Emperors, Felinoid clerics worship different aspects of their Clan-Mother depending on their Domain (in essence, each Felinoid Clan-Mother is a pantheon of one), and Lotusians? They don't worship anything as far as anyone can tell, but they talk of communing with and shifting the galactic leylines, which fits their theme of being the "galactic gardeners".


Re: Honest Tiefling
I actually can't play on Roll20: I tried once. My connection freaked out about it so hard I was connected for maybe 5 minutes out of every 60.

See above for my latest thoughts on bringing proper Clerics into the setting.

Well, honestly, if none of the barebones concepts are immediately screaming "this is awful!", I'd love to pick one or two and focus on starting to expand it with other lore like politics, culture, reproduction, whatever. I just need some poster interested in picking a race and getting started... hint, hint.

The trait I was referring to is Relentless Endurance; as I said, Traggen are literally "take half-orc crunch, make your character, you're done". My Scro homebrew crunch starts with Relentless Endurance and Powerful Build, off the top of my head, so that preserves the "these are a related species" angle.

Bisexuality is probably more common amongst traggen than the human norm - I have my issues with Golarion, but acknowledging there are alternate sexualities or non-binary genders doesn't bother me - but, yes, "bachelor herds" are a thing, too. Hell, where do you think the typical traggen warband/adventuring party gets its start?

The construction of magic items? Basically, same as any construction; you need resources, and individuals with the knowledge and skills to make them. "Magewrights" make up the bulk of such producers, Artificers are an adventuring analogue to the master magewrights. Traggen... are not a very scholarly people. Think the Orks of 40K; there are traggen artificers and magewrights, but it's more instinct and impulse than study and discipline, so what they produce has a very obvious "slapped together" aesthetic, although that's partially cultural, too.

[Honest Tiefling]

That's weird. I've never had that issue with roll20. Maybe some tech nerd can come fix that for you.

As for going over the races, I don't mind helping at all. I just gotta know if you are doing a 'DnD in SPAAAAAAAAAACCCCCE' with bits of pulp Sci-Fi thrown in or a more Sci-Fi approach. I don't think there's anything wrong with either, but I do think that you should probably pick one or the other.

[Lord Raziere]

There's the ever infamous "Lesbian Lizzard" a species of Lizard which is entirely female, reproduces asexually, but still requires sexual stimulus to initiate the process. Hence, "Lesbian Lizard". I admittedly skimmed, but if your argument against amazonian catwomen is that their reproduction wouldn't make sense we have an Earth Precedent for such a thing. Always remember, Life finds a way.

Actually they're called Whiptail Lizards and I've made a race based on them with all the societal, cultural economic, medical and political problems that would result from such reproduction, just being logical about how it would work and what would turn from the biology. Turns out they wouldn't be as genetically diverse as us, so they'd have to constantly reproduce for quantity rather than quality, constantly keep themselves clean to even more insane degree than us to prevent disease, they'd believe since all offspring are basically genetic clones of their parents that they have the same exact same capabilities and thus the children would inherit the jobs of the parent rightly or wrongly. Of course this constant reproduction leads to the elites of the society viewing the commoners as expendable and overpopulating their planet and thus constantly sending them out to establish colonies or to wage war on other species, the elites themselves would basically be nobles who compete with and probably kill each other to inherit their parents title, or extra elites would be sent out to lead the extra commoners to conquer somewhere else, and die in expendable droves.

So a lesbian lizard alien civilization would in fact be a dystopian oppressive society with an economy based on constant war and being even more obsessed with right of inheritance than any house in Westeros given all the offspring are genetic clones, and have resource problems given that they'd have to evolve from a desert-like planet. the exact opposite of a peaceful free love society of diplomacy. funny that.

[Honest Tiefling]

...constantly keep themselves clean...

Wouldn't that make things worse, since a low level of contact with disease and other 'dirt' is needed for human immune systems to be healthy? Not to mention they could accidentally breed several strains of super-microbes that are effectively immune to chemical means of disinfection. Or do their immune systems work differently?

[Shadow_in_the_Mist]

That's weird. I've never had that issue with roll20. Maybe some tech nerd can come fix that for you.

No, sadly, it's just a drawback to where I live. Bad enough being Australian - on the list of countries by internet speed, we rank 42nd - but I live in a rural estate, so I'm on satellite connection, which makes things even worse.

As for going over the races, I don't mind helping at all. I just gotta know if you are doing a 'DnD in SPAAAAAAAAAACCCCCE' with bits of pulp Sci-Fi thrown in or a more Sci-Fi approach. I don't think there's anything wrong with either, but I do think that you should probably pick one or the other.

D&D IN SPACE with pulp/80s sci-fi thrown in, for sure. Science fiction isn't a bad thing, but my intentions here are more of a "neo-Spelljammer capable of including analogues to PF's hypertech and Android, Lashunta and Kasatha PC races".

[Honest Tiefling]

D&D IN SPACE with pulp/80s sci-fi thrown in, for sure. Science fiction isn't a bad thing, but my intentions here are more of a "neo-Spelljammer capable of including analogues to PF's hypertech and Android, Lashunta and Kasatha PC races".

Next question: What are you trying to do differently then PF/Spelljammer? That's not meant to be an insulting question, I just want to know what the setting is supposed to be.

And why don't you throw up a longer write up, I feel like I am grasping at straws without more information.

A lower tech version if you can get people willing is to comprimise with Discord for chat/Google Docs or Spreadsheet for a battle map. Isn't as pretty, but it can get the job done.

[Squiddish]

Well, if you're going with things beyond player races, it would be nice to have some really alien aliens. The plant aliens that seem to currently be between names and some of the others fall in that area, but a lot of these fall under rubber forehead aliens (not that this is a bad thing, it would be ridiculously hard to accurately play something that isn't even life as we know it).

Some viable options include:

• True hive mind (Completely decentralized--no queen, or at least not controlled by a queen)
• Cephalopoids
• Silicon based life
• Artificial life
• Worms
• Amorphous beings

You could combine these. Silicon and artificial generally means robots, which could be worms or cephalopoids.

One option is a swarm of nanobots or microorganisms, falling under both true hive mind and amorphous beings.

[Lord Raziere]

Wouldn't that make things worse, since a low level of contact with disease and other 'dirt' is needed for human immune systems to be healthy? Not to mention they could accidentally breed several strains of super-microbes that are effectively immune to chemical means of disinfection. Or do their immune systems work differently?

Oh they fear that as well, but they can't stop. Their scientists are just trying as hard as they can to come up with a solutions to stop those, it just hasn't happened yet. currently focusing on developing nano-robots for those.