A complete N00bz first try at world-building... - Page 15

Byzantine · 12-22-2011, 06:08 AM

I agree with Eldest on his points. You also need to work on important points in history since the empire broke apart. Was it just one big civil war? Was it ideological differences that started the schism? Wars, foundings, heroes, plagues and the like are all likely to be recorded and remembered. Great natural disasters as well. (Which reminds me, I need to find the file I stuffed all the legends I was working on. No, I hadn't forgotten!

) Do people remember the old empire, and the kingdoms' ancient ties, or was that lost in the war? Did the empire arrive from another continent like you originally postulated, or did something else entirely happen?

As far as races go, I can see both points. I'm a big fan of diversity, but at least in my current project-world, Tallal, the various races come from different continents, or sprang up from magical fallout. (I'm guilty of having Bernie Botts Every Flavour Elves, though I do have a reason for it.) Ideally, each world's racial choices are built around the in-game lore, so I think you are doing fine.

Wyntonian · 12-22-2011, 11:17 AM

I'm currently studying how other historical nations fell apart. I feel like this should happen directly after the last battle with the First People, or at least soon enough that they could be directly attributed.

One option: after the slaughter of the Last Battle (needs a name), the Emperor committed suicide in shame, without naming an heir. His children fought, ended up in a civil war, and the current nations are what remains.

Wyntonian · 12-23-2011, 12:43 AM

Oh, and by the way Byz, I can't wait to see those stories! They sound awesome.

Also, I'm considering Killoren for the First People. It should be largely irrelevant, but just in case. Opinions on that?

Option 2 for empire breakup: Rebel groups became active during the war, possibly dormant groups who had existed in the Easters Land, and broke apart from the Old Empire.

Eldest · 12-23-2011, 12:48 AM

Option three: BOTH! Best explanation ever!

Wyntonian · 12-23-2011, 01:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eldest

Option three: BOTH! Best explanation ever!

Eh, yeah, that's worth considering. Let's say the Dotze Affariata were the rebel groups of economic elites, Soleh was an incredibly religious heir and Sunshan was the most likely choice to ascend to the throne, favored son and all that. The Vallheim could be the fruit of a mass exodus of refugees from the resulting civil war.

Byzantine · 12-24-2011, 06:28 AM

Well, I hope I don't disappoint, once I find the file. A friend recently rearranged things 'for' me, so I'm digging through my folders to find it. If it 'found' it's way into the recycling bin, he and I are going to have a nice long chat... (and my Recuva program will be getting a work out).

I support Killoren as The First People. Besides, they're a fun race.

And, again, I agree with Eldest with the empire breaking up idea. Great minds think alike it seems.

Eldest · 12-24-2011, 12:24 PM

Killoren would be the ones that look like this, correct?

Quote:

Every killoren constantly manifests an aspect of nature's might (Killoren have no neutral, non-aspected state.) All killoren are born manifesting an aspect, usually the aspect their mother is manifesting at the time.
Killoren resemble half-elves, and males and females alike average about 5-1/2 feet in height. They mature quickly, being full-grown by the age of 10, and live very long lives, hardly changing at all in appearance for their first century. Killoren have green or tan skin the texture of a soft, young leaf, and their limbs are unusually long and slender when compared with those of the humanoid races. An individual killoren’s hair and eye color depends on which aspect of nature the killoren is currently manifesting.
The physical qualities that killoren display when manifesting different aspects of nature's might are summarized below:
Aspect of the Ancient: Hair turns white and eyes turn to the color of a blue summer sky.
Aspect of the Destroyer: Hair and eyes turn a deep, lusterless black; many find the gaze of a killoren destroyer’s coal-black eyes to be unnerving.
Aspect of the Hunter: Hair and eyes turn a deep forest green, and skin tone becomes a deeper brown than when manifesting one of the other aspects.
Killoren are immortal, dying only from accident or violence, but are only active for the first few of centuries of life. After this time, their sense of time begins to expand onto a geological scale and they become quintescient, sturdy as ancient mountains but still alive like mighty redwood trees.

Wyntonian · 12-24-2011, 03:27 PM

Eh, yeah, stats aren't too vital and I have no qualms about messing with their appearance. I just liked their name and the fact that they were fey.

Are we good on the origins of the nations?

Oh, and good luck on recovering those files. I'd love to check them out.

Eldest · 12-24-2011, 04:14 PM

I think if you did that aspect thing, you might want to tie it to the seasons.

Wyntonian · 12-24-2011, 05:47 PM

Oooh, yeah, that's a good idea. Let's come up with one more and tie that in.

Also, little cultural note for the goliaths:

An infant goliath has none of the markings of an adult. A season after a child is born, they are taken to any of several dozen holy caves, which contain both natural crystal formations and pools of water dyed near-black from biological activity (maybe sap from tree roots that dip into it? Bacterial cultures? Not sure.) The infant is held and meditated over by a druid or shaman or other religious leader, then tattooed with a sliver of crystal and the black water in patterns the holy one finds appropriate. The water contains an anesthetic property that reduces the pain the child feels. The patterns are mostly abstract, with some patterns similar to those naturally occurring, like a tree-like shape going up one's spine, or splotches similar to those of a leopard. However, the child's chest is always left bare.

Despite the anesthetic properties, the liquid used the the tattoo has the side effect of causing a deep fever in the child. It is nonlethal in about 99 of 100 cases, and if the child survives, it is unable to ever contract the disease again. Also, the fever is substantially less dangerous to children than it is to adults. (Early form of immunization). After the child has fought off the disease, it is returned to the holy one, who chooses a childhood name, and tattoos it onto the child's chest in the goliath semipictoral language.

Twelve to fifteen years later, the child goes through a rite of passage, after a woman's first menstruation and a male's first successful solo hunt for large, dangerous game without use of distance weapons. (Bears, wolves, large mountain goats). Both of these events have their own related rites.

After the rite of passage, the child is entitled to select and expand upon their childhood name, tattooing their own chest with prefixes, suffixes and complications on their childhood name.

This was mostly for fun, but I think it makes the Goliaths seem more real.

Eldest · 12-24-2011, 06:09 PM

Well, spring is associated with birth/rebirth, summer with growth, fall with weakening or harvest, and winter with death. Also, for the Goliath ritual:
A. Have the blackness come from mushrooms, which the shaman eats before tattooing the infant. Spirit of the gods and all that.
B. Have the empty space be on the back of the goliath, not the front. This means that the Goliath can decide his own name, but he still needs the tribe to tattoo it on him. It has all sorts of nice symbolism and stuff, plus (more practically) it reinforces the shamans hold on the tribe, since the shaman's the most likely to understand how to tattoo somebody.

Wyntonian · 12-24-2011, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eldest

Also, for the Goliath ritual:
A. Have the blackness come from mushrooms, which the shaman eats before tattooing the infant. Spirit of the gods and all that.
B. Have the empty space be on the back of the goliath, not the front. This means that the Goliath can decide his own name, but he still needs the tribe to tattoo it on him. It has all sorts of nice symbolism and stuff, plus (more practically) it reinforces the shamans hold on the tribe, since the shaman's the most likely to understand how to tattoo somebody.

Both excellent points. I'll put those in the final version.

Wyntonian · 12-25-2011, 11:22 AM

Jolly Newtonmas, everyone! Let us all raise out voices and praise the day of the birth of the discoverer of the laws of thermodynamics. Halleluiah!

EDIT: I have defeated the evil virus that held my desktop captive in a glorious battle. PrC Adding will recommence later tonight.

Wyntonian · 12-29-2011, 01:41 AM

A triple post? I think yes.

Now... I know we've looked into a lot in terms of new subsystems, but bear with me on this one. Remember how ToB revolutionized mundane combat? The Codices of Spellshaping do the same for magic, and I'm considering writing some support for them into the world itself. However, I'm not entirely sure it's a good idea. These new classes would demolish melee types in most situations, (not that current caster wouldn't), but they have a lot more staying power. In short..... I dunno. I like it, but I can't judge where they'd fall on any sort of power scale. So, give it a look, see what you think and let me know.

Also, more fluff posts are on their way.

Eldest · 12-29-2011, 11:22 AM

I can't judge the power of the spellshapers very accurately, but they do look tier three. What other "different" classes are you planning on putting in their. I know you want to use Binders (which are tier three as well, if I recall correctly). And did you make a decision about the users of "Nine ways to kill people, regardless of the sort of weapon you happen to be using"?

Wyntonian · 12-29-2011, 01:21 PM

Oh, yeah, ToB's in, and I'm including the Warrior Poet class, it's in the OP with a ton of new disciplines. Spellshapers, though.... They're really powerful at low levels. 2d6+1, at will, 60 ft, touch attack? Yes please. I don't know how they fare at higher levels, though, because they have all the versatility of a warlock or warblade, namely "I shoot it again", or "I jump really high". I have nothing against that, but I really don't know how I feel about them. I'll do this PbP with them, see how it goes.

EDIT: I'm also putting in Totemists, the new mage class, warlocks, truenamers, maybe the allomancy system, psionics to some degree, and a couple others.

Eldest · 12-29-2011, 02:04 PM

Ok, Totemists were one of the mainly race-restricted ones, correct? What were the other race-restricted ones, or did you ditch that idea?
New mage class being the one you made? With the colors?
A homebrewed warlock, or the regular one?
Allomancy... It seems really cool, but it also seems like that should be a central part of any setting. Maybe if you said it was widely used by one of the nations, or a particular race/ethnic group? Or it's a secret discipline? It just doesn't seem to fit in...
Truenamers... please, fix them. Any of the fixes, but not the basic Truenamer.
Psionics is sorta in the same boat as allomancy. It could fit way better though, if you banned some powers. I like it better in this setting.
And the more homebrewed stuff innate to the setting, the happier I am since I have very few 3.5 books.

Wyntonian · 12-29-2011, 07:26 PM

Yes, totemists are mainly Goliaths, banning any PC special snowflakes.

Yes, that mage classing being the one with the four colors. I'll make a table for that here at some point.

I'll look into good warlock rewrites (I like Mammon's), as well as the moonblessed in the OP.

I'm on the fence with allomancy, it won't be widespread in any case. Maybe a racial thing for gnomes.

Again, Truenamer fix is in the OP. I'm playing one now, I'm an awesome buffbot.

I'll get around to a psionics banlist at some point, but the "needing to be activated" thing limits it powerfully. It won't be widespread, at any rate.

And there's plenty of good homebrew in the OP, now, so give that a look.

Byzantine · 12-29-2011, 10:19 PM

Warlocks? I love you to bits right now, Wyn. I actually really love the warlock class, RAW, at any level. (THough, they have an atrociously low amount of invocations. I have a caster variant that fixes that without changing mechanics.) When you playtest this world, I am so being a warlock. Hands down.

As always, I appreciate input on the allomancy thing (though I would enjoy seeing it used in a world that isn't mine.) I agree that it doesn't seem to fit just standing there alone, though.

Digging up the file is proving more interesting that I originally thought. But I will get them, even if I have to rewrite them! As much as I hate rewriting things.

Wyntonian · 12-29-2011, 10:25 PM

On the use of the Banlist:

The following powers are banlisted for effects that don't fit with the spirit of this project, use of nonexistent planes of existence, mucking about with time and other things that just don't quite fit. By default, none of these powers are to be available to players. This does invalidate some Psionic disciplines, as the available powers at a given level may be entirely banned.

Some DM's may feel this list is too constricting, and may either ignore it completely or allow characters to access it, either in its entirety or individual through use of a feat. In some situations it may make sense for a character to gain use of a banned power for in-game reasons. All three options are acceptable, you're the DM after all.

Refluffed Powers: These are powers that, in many cases, use ectoplasm, crystal or other materials that don't fit Patria's flavor. As such, they are called out and given individual ideas on how to refluff them. Use these ideas as you will.

Psion/Wilder List:

Level 1

Spoiler

Level 2

Spoiler

Level 3

Spoiler

Level 4

Spoiler

Level 5

Spoiler

Level 6

Spoiler

Level 7

Spoiler

Level 8

Spoiler

Level 9

Spoiler

PsyWar List

Level 1

Spoiler

Level 2

Spoiler

Level 3

Spoiler

Level 4

Spoiler

Level 5

Spoiler

Level 6

Spoiler

Eldest · 12-29-2011, 10:33 PM

If we are doing an E6 game I'm going to be one of Gnorman's classes. If not, I have dibs on a Moonblessed or Warrior-Poet.
Wait, Moonblessed and Warlock in the same party...
Eh, it will all work out.

Wyntonian · 12-30-2011, 12:20 AM

Yeah, I'll wait for my current game to finish, or die, or peter out into oblivion, or whatever, before starting a new game. Until then, we'll figure something out. Psionic banlist is proceeding apace.

Wyntonian · 01-02-2012, 04:54 PM

Psionic Banlist is completed. Yay!

Wyntonian · 01-03-2012, 12:51 AM

I need to get out of the habit of triple posting, but I need to get some other brains churning on this topic: Lycanthropy. I would like to include it to some degree, but not in the full twilight sense. Also, I don't feel like they should all be evil, or assigned an alignment based on animal form. Also, I'm not sure what mechanical version I'd like to use, as I'm not a fan of the ass-tons of LA most versions use. Finally, having were-things makes the Shifter class viable as an option, which is something I'm actually ok with.

What're your thoughts?

Byzantine · 01-07-2012, 03:00 PM

( *stabs Twilight* )

I like that thought. I dunno about the LA part, since I'm not in the habit of futzing with that, but I love lycans, always have. I have an elven variant that I made that is roughly the same, but is slightly weaker, and has a lower LA. Shifters a la Eberron are also an option.

Wyntonian · 01-07-2012, 04:27 PM

Yeah, Shifters are a solid choice. I'm strongly considering them, actually. In the meantime, I'll search for a homebrewed theranthropy system that seems to work. Maybe hegenyokai? (sp?)

Eldest · 01-07-2012, 08:00 PM

Whoops, thought I responded to this.
Yes, having a shifter race and maybe a class for animal shaping would be a good idea.
And while I'm paying attention: *kicks Twilight while it's down*

Wyntonian · 01-08-2012, 02:46 PM

I was thinking about allowing wildshape rangers as that sort of thing, and probably the shifter race. I found a system for Therianthropy as a disease/curse, but I lost it... I'll keep looking.

Byzantine · 01-09-2012, 11:31 AM

I like hengeyokai as well, they're fun. (I remember the original hengeyokai from AD&D Oriental Adventures.... good times.) Wildhsaping rangers and druids are also fun. Sadly, I can't really help you with the Theriantropy thing.

In other news, I've started reconstruction on the legends. It's slow going.

EDIT: I have an interesting suggestion, especially if you have ever read any of the Dragon magazines. Instead of a normal white elk for the Elk tribe, have you ever thought of the White Hart? I was thinking of using the White Hart as a base for the Elk tribe legend.

Wyntonian · 01-09-2012, 07:46 PM

I've not read any dragons, but I know that a hart is essentially a deer, right? Is there some mechanical change, or some epic story?

EDIT: First look at my beautiful new avatar! Thanks Strawberries!

Second, look at this excellently done take on therianthropy.