GitP Worldbuilding Project

[Maximum Zersk]

Yeah, like the Nile (though it's in the desert, the river fertilizes the land around it). I understand what you're saying, what I was trying to say is that we can have those "underswamps" in some other continent/region. And now that I think of it, AFAIR, there are/were some swampy regions in Mexico.

Yes, but the area around the Nile is fertile is it not? It would take a little while to get to the desert from the shores.

Some swampy regions in Mexico, yes. That's where the Aztecs settled down.

[Tulio d Bard]

I think Aztec-like cities would be good. It's something like this you were thinking of, isn't it? If so, what about all the sacrifices, imperialist expansions, war culture and such? Will croc-men be like this too? If they're too aggressive, gnomes and/or humans would try to push them back, I guess.

[Maximum Zersk]

Mayans: "What about us? It was the Aztecs who sacrificed people alot!

Incas: "We're here too, man!"

Nazcas, Olmec, Teotihuacan: "Don't forget us! God, people don't even know who we are, do they?"

[Soterion]

Nazcas, Olmec, : "Don't forget us! God, people don't even know who we are, do they?"

Well, maybe if you guys got off your duffs and did something, instead of lying around whining all the time, people would know who you are. Olmecs? "Ooh, we make these big stone heads that cause wrong-headed academics to hypothesize African colonization of the new world." Big freaking whoop! Get back to me when you devise a calendar system that predicts the apocalypse in my own lifetime.

Nazcas? Look, that froo-froo artistic phase, with the big stone landscape drawings? That was cute when you were in college, but here in the real world, people like sports, and that's why people like the Aztecs. The ball game, that's why. And it's not even like I can take one of those landscape drawings and put it on my wall! Stelae, now there are pieces of art that look good in your foyer. Way to specialize yourselves out of the market, losers.

Teotihuacan, I'll give credit where credit is due -- that Pyramid of the Sun is bitchin'. But what do people think of when they hear "pyramids"? That's right, Egyptians. Come up with an original architectural motif and we'll talk. Inverted domes! Yeah, that'd work. I'll have my people call your people.

[Tulio d Bard]

Mayans: "What about us? It was the Aztecs who sacrificed people alot!

Incas: "We're here too, man!"

Nazcas, Olmec, Teotihuacan: "Don't forget us! God, people don't even know who we are, do they?"

Sorry Mayans, Incas, Nazcas, Olmecs, Teotihuacan, Toltecs, Mixtecs, Zapotecs and all. I...I didn't mean...
(Croc-men=Crocecs?)

OK, I think I was being too hasty...

EDIT: Incas are South-American, but they're ok.

[Maximum Zersk]

Well, maybe if you guys got off your duffs and did something, instead of lying around whining all the time, people would know who you are. Olmecs? "Ooh, we make these big stone heads that cause wrong-headed academics to hypothesize African colonization of the new world." Big freaking whoop! Get back to me when you devise a calendar system that predicts the apocalypse in my own lifetime.

Nazcas? Look, that froo-froo artistic phase, with the big stone landscape drawings? That was cute when you were in college, but here in the real world, people like sports, and that's why people like the Aztecs. The ball game, that's why. And it's not even like I can take one of those landscape drawings and put it on my wall! Stelae, now there are pieces of art that look good in your foyer. Way to specialize yourselves out of the market, losers.

Teotihuacan, I'll give credit where credit is due -- that Pyramid of the Sun is bitchin'. But what do people think of when they hear "pyramids"? That's right, Egyptians. Come up with an original architectural motive and we'll talk. Inverted domes! Yeah, that'd work. I'll have my people call your people.

For that, I award you a Sacrifical Knife trophy.

[Player]

Ferg! I have a great idea! >:-I

But when do we start the actual world building HMM?

I dont think much progress has been made in any aspect of it

Anyways Id totally love to help with this.

Dibs on underwater city/impenatrable ancient fortress.

[Maximum Zersk]

Wait, "Ferg"? Is that a food dish or something?

And we ARE world-building, technically. We're working on the races right now.

And, of course, welcome aboard.

[Tulio d Bard]

We're trying to keep the work as scientific and rational as possible. It seems that the project will take a long time to achieve its end (maybe a few dozen threads?).

And we already have the Tukes!

[Soterion]

For that, I award you a Sacrifical Knife trophy.

You got to be in it to win it in this game, is all I'm saying. I remember when I sat down with the Assyria people. It was me, and the High Priest of Ashur, and Shamsi-Adad, and we had a decent spread of coffee and these little Akkadian pastries, don't look for them, you can't get them these days. And I said, "So what is it, exactly, that you hope to accomplish?"

Shamsi-Adad leaned forward. "Some kind of minor regional hegemony, maybe trade dominance."

"More temples to Assur in neighboring cities," put in the High Priest.

"You guys are shooting awfully low here," I said. "I mean it's not hardly worth going into full campaign-mode for anything less than kingdom status. But for you--for you guys, I'm thinking empire."

They said nothing, but I could tell by the way their eyes glittered I'd hooked them.

I steepled my fingers. "Let me ask you: How committed are you to this whole 'neolithic' thing you've got going on?"

Shamsi-Adad and the High Priest shared a glance. "Not very," said Shamsi-Adad.

"Perfect. That's exactly what I wanted to hear, because I have one word for you: bronze. It's the coming thing, all the regional city-states are going to be using it next campaign season, and I know a guy, so you'll be able to get it practically at cost."

"I don't know..." said the High Priest uneasily.

"Trust me. When you're taking the head of an Amorite raider off with a single blow of your khopesh as your victorious armies rampage through Canaan, you'll thank me."

We shook on it. The High Priest complimented me on how good the coffee service is--"It's Javanese," I said--and I showed them out. I crossed them out of my events planner and turned to the next page. A pair of brothers from Etruria. Could be interesting, I thought, taking note of the small NB that said, "Not Etruscan. New City (?)".

Time to make history.

[Maximum Zersk]

So, wait, what happened to the wolf?

[Player]

Wait, "Ferg"? Is that a food dish or something?

And we ARE world-building, technically. We're working on the races right now.

And, of course, welcome aboard.

Ferg is generally the sound I make when im frustrated,and I had an idea for a race, but im not sure its plausable..Was sorta thinking a city of machines fueld by magic or spirits.Of course these would be old tech and be fueld by power infused crystals of some sort. The idea was the spirits could inhabit mechanical shells powered by a crystal containing their spirit. The crystal idea was sort of like the heart of the mechanical shells, with faint nerves going all over the clockwork so they could feel things.Its an idea i've had for the longest time,and I actually have alot of back story for it as to how it was started,and such.

Well thats a short description of it I could go into greater detail.

[Maximum Zersk]

Er, I hate to break it to you, but we already made our minds that the main three races were the humans, gnomes, and crocecs. Of course, your idea could fit in with a group of gnomes. Might need a little bit of tweaking.

[Soterion]

Crocecs is such an ugly word. Not euphonious at all. How about...Aztigators? Mayadiles? Caimen? Crocmaxtli?

EDITED TO ADD: Ooh, how about Crocoatl? That combines the "Croc" with Coatl, which is Nahuatl for "serpent".

[Player]

I didnt expect it to make it at all. I thought it was going to be pushed aside and labeled *UNREALISTIC*.

I dont mind at all about tweaking infact I would encourage it,because I made the idea but when it gets down to harry details I wouldnt know where to take them.Realism was also not taken into account when I thought this up it just seemed to be an intresting idea.

I also didnt expect this to be a Major race, I was thinking this group would have one large city in the moutains or something of the sort. I didn't expect Gnomes to be a part of it, but seeing as they are generally thought of when it comes to unusual tech in D&D its ok with me.

If you need any info let me know,and what tweaks where you thinking of?

[Maximum Zersk]

Not Aztigators... Maybe Mayadiles... Caimen sounds too much like the other species... Possibly Cocmaxtli...

I say Mayadiles. For now.

[Tulio d Bard]

If we use this crystals' idea, I believe it will be in a gnomish city. Unless...

It doesn't use science to make the technology work: it uses a kind of magic. We could assume it's a human city that is trying to fight the gnomes' machines. And if it's using spirits (souls), it gotta be secret (people would get revolted if they find out).

Of course, this situation can't last long. If people discover that their beloved ones' souls are being used to help humans fight gnomes, everything would be destroyed.

EDIT: Crocec wasn't serious. Crocoalt nears perfection.

[Player]

It uses more magic than science from what ive written down,and its not meant to be forcefully powered by the dead's souls. I like the crystal idea because it gives them a weakness. (Ex: Weaken the spirits form enough it would end up being forced to leave,be destroyed,or stay trapped inside) I would see other races getting terribly angry at this, so the cover story for now is they are sort of golems with personality or something of the sort.


The crystal is supposed to boost the spirits power,and help them control their new body.The downside of choosing to come back to the world is the dangers of using the Autmatons.

And gonna say this again for emphasis, If you want to know anything about em just ask.

[Maximum Zersk]

But crystals seem so... cliched.

[Tulio d Bard]

But crystals seem so... cliched.

Like...FF5...

[Player]

But crystals seem so... cliched.

Indeed

I had no other idea of what they could be other than crystals. Egg looking devices to contain them? Some sort of clockwork heart? The skull of the actual inhabitant covered in metal plates? To some form this could be a sort of necromancy but I didnt intend on this being based on dark magic.

Ill think of some other things that could be the heart of the machines.

Being imbued/imbeded in the body?

Using a piece of your previous body to have the power origonate from?

Some other kind of mineral such as that star metal mentioned in the comic (I didnt memorize the name feel free to correct me).

An Orb of some sort?

Im not sure ill have to think for a while,and the idea of necromancy being involved in this intriges me...

[Tulio d Bard]

Wait a sec! I think we're losing focus. Someone (MZ) must list all (or almost) topics discused, showing if they're finished or not.

Good night you all.

[Player]

Night, and I do belive my idea threw you guys off

Sorry,ill try to think up key aspects of the race.

For now I think ill head to bed as well,sleep does ones tired mind wonders.

[Maximum Zersk]

On it. May take a while.

[Soterion]

Crocoatl Warrior.

[Maximum Zersk]

Oi! WAY too violent!

My idea for the croc-men was a more peaceful race.

[Soterion]

I apologize. It's just that you're basing a fantasy race off a family of carnivores notorious for grabbing struggling wildebeest in their savage jaws and pulling them bodily underwater to devour at their leisure. "Peaceful" is not a word I would associate with them. Forgive me if I misunderstood.

[Maximum Zersk]

Er, um, yeah. Sorry 'bout not explaining that well.

[ref]

For what I took reading Player's suggestion, it sounds almost like he's describing the "proto-race". ie, the race that once lived and started it all, now extinct, which split into the three races known today, each one evolving to adapt to the chosen environments and taking some aspect to hone, and they're now completely different races.

Like the gnomes took the magic-machines and evolved into (steampunk) tech-machines. We'd have to look into aspects that could define the other races too. With this, we're delving in history, too.

[Zeful]

A crocodile skull is specialized for immense bite power, a feature suited for life as a top predator. I don't know the exact intelligence of crocodiles, but obviously the brain encased in their skull does not have the capacity for sapience and sentience. A creature with a crocodile head would have a brain the size and shape of one, and therefore is not nearly as intelligent as a human.

Then you just alter the proportions. The muzzle becomes smaller as the brain cavity enlarges. They lose much of their biting power, but it's still going to be much greater than a human's.

Another feature of crocodiles is a sensitive area around a croc's mouth, similar to a fish's lateral line, detecting disturbances in the water. This sensory adaptation is used to locate prey. Would our crocodilian people have tis ability?

A crocodile mainly uses its powerful tail to swim, so logical a crocman that can also swim well should have such a tail. But, if bipedal, the pelvis would not fit the tail along with the gluteal muscles, which are essential for humans to be upright. What I'm saying is that a big tail does not work an a human.

I don't see why the croc-men wouldn't have a lateral line, it's an amphibious race.

As for the tail, one could have the crocmen be a semi-uright race, similar to uhtaraptors in that the tail has evolved to balance the creature out when upright.

Though being a semi-amphibious race, language is going to be harder than picking out biological details. If their vocal cords were similar to ours, they'd be unable to speak under-water. But if they were similar to say, dolphins, they wouldn't be able to create sounds that we can (and vice versa), making communication ridiculously difficult. As I see it, they're going to need some form of sign-language to communicate.