Post/Author/DateTime	Post
die 09-30-06, 06:26 PM	I like to give players a bonus if they bother to pick a place to be from, sort of an incentive to read through all the crap I write for the campaign world :D anyway, heres some of the places of Aardohtu (the trash compactor of random worlds in one place) Kenzoku Capitol: City of Dragon Bane Population: 150,000 humans, 40,000 gnomes, 20,000 halflings Goverment: Theocracy Religions: Avoreen, Gaerdal Ironhand, Tyr Alignment: Lawful Good, Neutral Good, Neutral Language(s): Common, Celestial and Draconic Classes Available: Cleric, Paladin, Monk, Fighter, Rogue, Wizard and Bard Favored Weapons: Paired Swords (one long, one short) for paladins, Staff or Spear for others Armor: Half-Plate Cultural Skills: Knowledge (religion) is always a class skill Cultural Feats: Quick Draw for free Additional Gear: A suit of Half-Plate, a light riding horse and one weapon of choice for starting paladins, all characters get a leather cord with three small silver holy symbols on it. Kenzoku is an ancient kingdom with four classes, the priesthood (including monks and paladins), warriors, craftsmen and farmers. The men average 5'4", and have fair skin, grey or brown eyes and straight black hair, facial hair is very rare. Each village has a monastery which supports one paladin, monks are responsible for the safety and well being of the village and work alongside the peasants. The paladins travel the kingdom searching for evil and dispensing justice. Paladins of Kenzoku can cross class as monks without penalty. The gnomes and halflings of Kenzoku are fully integrated into the society and can be found in any human settlement as well as villages composed mainly of their own race. Death Moon Barbarians - These reclusive mountain dwelling humans are ruled by Druids who train dire bears as war beasts and awaken trees to guard the forests from intruders. The men average 5', light brown skin, blue or green colored eyes, wavy black hair, muscular builds and the men grow heavy beards. Housing is thatched huts heated by an open fire, clothing is made from weaving strips of the inner bark of trees and winter outer wear from animal furs, druids and chieftains wear bear headed cloaks. Villages of 50 to 150 people are built high in forested mountain valleys along rivers and a few tribes live on the coast. At age 12 girls have tattoos started on their lips, hands and arms and by age 15 the tattoos are complete and women are considered old enough for marriage. The tribes find outsider males with tattoos to be very amusing. Foxes, ravens and dolphins are considered bad luck to kill and are often given offerings of food. They hunt small game and dire boars using dogs and poison tipped spears and arrows, they also hunt hibernating dire bears. If any cubs are found they are taken to the village and kept until spring and a druid performs the rite of renewal which ends with the release of all but one of the cubs several days journey away from the village (the remaining cub is trained as a warbeast). Fish and wild plants gathered in the spring and summer round out their diet, coastal tribes also hunt seals and whales. Second in status to the druids are the sorcerer swordsmiths who do not roam from village to village and as chieftains they are the go betweens for the druids to the villagers. Death Moon Druids are always neutral or neutral evil and the most powerful chieftains are multi-class druid/sorcerers. Strangers are treated with caution and not allowed to stay overnight for a fair number of fox hengeyokai tricksters and crow headed tengu live in the area as well. An outsider killing a bear or wearing a bearskin is a capital offense, with the criminal being fed to the village warbear at the next full moon. Their hereditary enemies in the plains below are the Wolf Totem tribesmen who follow the migrating mammoth and elk herds, the Broken Fang gnoll tribe and the dirtmen (farmers) to the south who always want to settle closer and closer. Those enemies who make it into the forested valleys encounter ancient awakened trees allied with the druids. Verger, Larbet, Sparhawk, Sedgemoor, & Selia: Loosely allied city-states of humans (80%) & hobgoblins (20%). The land is temperate grassland with sub-arctic winters with the Death Moon Mountains to the north. Each city-state is a spartan type polis where all male children and orphans are raised in the city monasteries from the age of 8 to 15. They are taught to read & write both common and goblin, a martial art style favored by the city and local city history. Orphans can stay on to become monks themselves but others upon turning 16 must join the shugo (city guard) or the city army. Those in the city army serve in one month rotations each year and unless called to war or recruited into one of the city's elite military orders work on city-state owned farms, mines, stone quarries or lumber mills the rest of the year. Elite military orders Storm Legion (heavy infantry) Order of the Ax (eldritch knights) Night Dragons (shadowdancers, enlightened fists, psionic fists) Wind Riders (dire eagle riders) Each of the five cities competes with the others during its founding day festival, competitions include dire eagle races, martial art battles, foot races, drinking contests, and various other feats of martial prowess & strength. Resources consist of copper, iron, sheep, cattle, and various grains, wool, lumber & stone. Adventurers from one of the city-states have knowledge (local) as a class skill, the feat improved unarmed strike for free and a strong prejudice towards the Death Moon barbarians. Ull an old city built of dark grey limestone by an older reptilian race on the shore of the Lake of Tears, population-15,000 (30% human, 20% cuetzpalin, 10% naga, 40% other). Suppossedly ruled by a huge half toad/half lizard demi-god and his clerics who use an ancient draconian tongue called Nurian, the merchant guilds actually run the day to day affairs of the city, collecting taxes, levying fines and punishing criminals. The priesthood is only concerned with greeting the rising sun, appeasing their god and is open to any race. No clerics of other religions are allowed in the city and huge, lazy lizards imported from the deserts of Xlotic are the beasts of burden. Their lizardfolk cousins from the surrounding marsh come to town to trade crocodile hides, rare plants and captives for better weapons. The safest way to get to the city is by boat thanks to the carnivorous plants, lizardfolk and crocodiles. Also living on the lake is a tribe of halflings that build houses on floating platforms of reed mats, they tie together to form small hamlets called 'Rafts' floating and fishing in the center of the lake and come to shore to trade and gather reeds once a month. They wear their hair in braids and each Raft is ruled by the eldest couple, minor disputes are settled by unarmed combat and the victor claims a braid which they tie to a fishing spear for all to see. Many rafts have a family of dire otters living among them, some haflings are able to ride them. Adventurers from Ull speak Nurian as well as common and swim is always a class skill. Cuetzpalin Size/Type: Large Giant (Reptilian) Hit Dice: 4d8+12 (30 hp) Initiative: -1 Speed: 30 ft. in hide armor (6 squares); base speed 40 ft. Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +7 natural, +3 hide armor), touch 8, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+12 Attack: Claw +10 melee (1d8+6) or +9 bite (1d8+6) Full Attack: 2 Claws +10 melee (1d8+6) and +7 bite (1d8+6) Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. Special Q: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent Saves: Fort +7, Ref +0, Will +2 Abilities: Str 23, Dex 8, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 7 Skills: Climb +5, Listen +2, Spot +2 Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Focus (claw) Environment: Warm Hills Organization: Solitary, pair, clutch (3-4), or band (5-8) Challenge Rating: 4 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +4 Adult cuetzpalin stand 9 to 10 feet tall with mottled gray and brown scales and weigh 600 to 650 pounds and its tail is used for balance and is 6 to 8 feet long. They live for 300 years and like to spend the first few hours of each day standing in the sunlight. Xlotic This desert kingdom once had many properous cities but now all that remain are subterraean mazes of twisted passages beneath the sand. Some of these tunnels are home to a fungi that glows with a pale green light and the descendants of the kingdoms slaves who raise rats and other fungi for food, they also hunt giant lizards and snakes at night and brew magical potions of dark vision for export. Deeper tunnels are rumored to connect to underground kingdoms and creatures not used to the light of day. Attempts to resettle or build upon coastal or river side ruins are short lived with all traces of the settlers dragged into the sea on the first moonless night by fierce bands of sahuagin. Adventurers from Xlotic speak Nurian as well as common and are naturally psionic and gain 1 bonus power point at 1st level. Rothga is a human city-state and capitol of the theocracy of the same name, ruled by the decadent priesthood of Set, where giant constrictors freely roam the cobblestone streets between squat black ziggurats at night. Visitors are allowed only in the port districts of West Port and South Fort, past these areas there is no return. The priesthood (5% of the population) rules through terror and on the hard work of their slaves, most of the population (70%) are slaves of various human races and toil endlessly in vast goverment owned fields of grain, a few hundred are craftsmen. When slaves die they are animated and put to work in stone quarries to the south. The rest of the population (25%) have light brown skin, straight black hair and are poor fishermen whos mud brick hovels line the rivers and coast. Most adventurers from here never return, especially since unless they were clerics they weren't allowed to leave in the first place, they get the run feat for free. Kutha: Desert dwelling humans take the dead to a large necropolis to be mummified, the priests who dwell there are necromancer vampires with necropolitan initiates, they use their undead creations as an army to protect the desert nomads & themselves from serious threats & destroy tribes that lose the faith. In the semi-arid region surrounding the desert some of the humans have walled off springs, sold their giant lizard mounts, and given up the nomadic life for that of a merchant, selling water, slaves, & trading with the plains dwellers for cattle. Askra Capitol: City of the Sun Population: 100,000 humans, 1,000 fire genasi Goverment: Monarchy Religions: Worship of the neutral great shaggy bull demi-god (strength and war domains) and the lawful evil lion demi-god (sun and fire domains) Alignment: Neutral, Lawful Evil, Lawful Neutral Language(s): Common, Ignan, Infernal Classes Available: Fighter, Cleric, Bard, Rogue, Monk, Wizard Favored Weapons: Scimitars and Spears Armor: Studded Leather Armor Cultural Skill: Ride is always a class skill Cultural Feat: Toughness for free Additional Gear: A pouch with 20 golden Askra coins and ritual scars of adulthood on males. Kingdom of war like humans known for their short temper. The people are mainly farmers or herdsmen (goats, cattle and horses), the rest are hunters and miners. They mint gold coins with a bull on one side and a lion on other. Men average 5'8" dark skin, & eyes, straight black hair. They use light calvary and chariots with bows, scimitars & spears, footmen use studded leather, spear & shield, slave soldiers use shortswords & flails, archers use bows & scimitars. Swamp- infested with dire rats, serpents, crocodiles, and carnivorous plants. Plains- home to dire bulls & dire lions as well as large herds of wild cattle, horses and antelopes. River valleys- walled farming villages Hills- four walled mining towns(gold, tin, copper & iron) and one walled city, the home to the king Totem Lands: A vast primeval forest where a tribe of wood elves through ancient rituals to forgotten elder gods became werewolves and led the other elves in a slaughter of all the non elves. They are the undisputed masters of the continent they live on and feared on all others. Other inhabitants include aurochs, mastadons, dire wolves & cave bears. The ruins of cities, castles, towns and villages and the undead are all that remain on the surface of non-elf races. One such ruined city is occupied solely by vampires and necropolitans that must feed upon animals or each other. They welcome slave caravans clever enough to by-pass the elves and foolish enough to entered their domains. Beneath the ruins, deep underground, live duergar, their goblin allies, and the parasitic kobolds that are occasionally rounded up & sold to the vampires. Besides selling kobolds, the duergar also forge silver & magical weapons for the vampires, these weapons although powerful are enchanted so they can only harm elves & lycanthropes (+1 silvered with elf bane). Some of the humans escaped the elven apocalypse by fleeing to an underfolk town. A few bands of refugee half-elves & halflings still exist in a forested mountain valley allied with the giant eagles that saved them. Those that escaped are not pursued physically yet, but elf mystics often turn their dreams into nightmares promising to finish what they started. Druantia Misty, heavily forested temperate and sub-tropical islands, home to two kingdoms. The Land of 1,000 Jade Shark Temples is a loosely allied confederation of hobgoblin corsairs and Ironshadow, a monarchy of men and dwarves. Fey creatures are common outside the two main kingdoms and are the original inhabitants, gates to pocket planes are common. Toadstool rings and climbing into the hollow of an ancient oak tree should probably be avoided since a night spent in a fey pocket plane might pass as a single hour or a decade in the outside world. The hobgoblin corsairs in The Land of 1,000 Jade Shark Temples prey mainly on small coastal villages and they regularly trade goods and services with the kingdom of Ironshadow (so much so that half hobgoblins are a common occurance). They do not venture inland other than the occasional dire boar hunt and to trade with vanara and korobokuru villages for lumber for their ships. The social hierarchy consists of ship captains, then first mates and everyone else is considered equal, two odd laws here are that no one is allowed to keep slaves, and no one is allowed to kill a halfling. Population: The largest city Mul has 4,000 hobgoblins, 500 hadozees, 100 half-hobgoblins, 50 nezumi and 5 humans. The other six towns average 1,000 hobgoblins, 200 chadozees, 20 half-hobgoblins and sometimes a nezumi, hengeyokai and vanara or two. The Kingdom of Ironshadow is ruled by a hereditary dwarven king and a council of human and dwarf guild leaders. They settled here a few hundred years after most of Druantia sank into the sea. They built the capital upon the ruins of one of the earlier civilizations cities. Iron, jade and copper mining, raising of goats and pigs, underground fungi farming, stone masonry, crafting of high quality finished goods and fungus wine making are the main occupations, a few brave souls make a living hunting dire creatures in the forests for meat and furs, even fewer explore other islands or join a hobgoblin raid. They never were a sea going people and trade worked metal goods with tritons and tako for an abundance of fish, strings of pearls and things recovered from sunken ruins. They hire out stone masons and trade finished goods, mainly weapons and armor with The Land of 1,000 Jade Shark Temples for gems, jewelry, other luxury items (their ill gotten loot) and the occasional boat ride to other islands. Population: The capital Ironfist 8,000 dwarves, 1,000 humans, 100 earth genasi, 20 half-night elves, 20 spirit folk, 10 stonechildren. The other five towns average 2,000 dwarves, 200 humans and a half-night elf and half-hobgoblin or two. The vast forests of the other islands of Druantia, far from empty, are home to small family bands of ogres, nagas, hengeyokai, thorns, kenku, forestkith goblins, vanara, petals, sprites, nycters, treants, feytouched, fossergrim, dryads, satyrs, korobokuru, tengu, tasloi, wood woads, forest trolls, fog giants, firbolgs, forest giants, gibberlings, pterafolk, blood apes, needlefolk, sylphs, giant owls, brewer gnomes, shadar-kai, spriggan, brownies, leprechauns and bakemono. Wilderness Forests of Druantia encounters 01 Hengeyokai - pair 02-03 Korobokuru - band 04-05 Wood Woad - band 06-07 Tasloi - band 08-10 Nycter - solitary 11-12 Formorian (MMII) - solitary 13-15 Treant - solitary 16-20 Dire Elk (MMII) - herd 21-22 Shadar Kai - solitary 23-24 Panther - solitary 25-26 Forestkith Goblin - band 27-28 Firbolg (MMII) - gang 29-30 Ogre - pair 31-32 Satyr - solitary 33-35 Brewer Gnome - pair 36-37 Raven - solitary 38-39 Brown Bear - solitary 40-41 Wild Boar - solitary 42-43 Auroch (use bison) - herd 44-50 Small Game (rabbit, quail, etc) 51-55 Deer - solitary 56-60 Small Monstrous Spider - swarm 61-65 Wild Riding Dog - pack (7-16) 66-70 Tengu - solitary 71-72 Dire Boar - solitary 73-74 Kenku - band 75-76 Owlbear - pack 77-78 Dryad - solitary 79-80 Pterafolk - solitary 81-82 Forest Giant - solitary 83-84 Thorn - band 85-86 Forest Troll - pair 87-88 Petal - tribe 89-90 Dananshee (CCII) - solitary 91-92 Dire Rabbit - solitary 93-95 Leprechaun - solitary 96-97 Giant Owl - solitary 98-99 Gibberling - band 100 Needlefolk (MMII) - grove Aardohtu (fungous aardvark) (http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~pound/pokethulhu.html) :noway:
die 10-04-06, 10:16 PM	The Continent of Sariya Kuo Toa, Yuan-Ti, and Lizardfolk are the rulers of this continent. The Yuan-Ti are masters of dark wizardry, deceit and cruelty, no longer content to inhabit the lightless caverns and passageways beneath the cities of others and remote corners of the world. The Kuo Toa channel the forces of primeval gods of water, earth and blood, the stars are right for their return to power. The Lizardfolk, once the undisputed masters of this land, have retreated to terrains unfavorable to the other races and still maintain their alliance with the Great Dragons who guard the gateways to other worlds. Humans are a minor race and dwell in cold inhospitable mountains or as slaves and as food by the three dominant races. Other minor races include ophidians, grippli (dragon 324), bullywugs, asaatth, meazels, alligator warriors, miredwellers. In the cooler areas and mountains dwell mountain giants, frost giants, dwarves, yak folk, wendigo, neanderthals, uldras, frost folk, yeti and goliaths. The Lizardfolk spread to all but the coldest lands and have kept their alliances with dragons to secure this world from outsiders, they have always used sheer numbers and the ability to quickly settle their differances with ritualized duels to unite against common foes. Having long ago defeated and enslaved most of their enemies underground the Yuan-Ti have learned many dark secrets and arcane lore from their enemies and through the blessings of their foul daemon gods. They have arisen from their secret places and led bloody revolts in the twelve greatest cities of the Lizardfolk empire. Now the humans have new and crueler masters including those of their own race who swear allegiance to the Yuan-Ti and their gods for the power of arcane knowledge. The Kuo Toa have always kept their altars bloody with sacrifices and after seven milleniums an old star begins to shine brighter then the rest in the night sky, the time of the gods of water and blood is nigh and its oldest priests awaken and harness the growing power from the lake bottom temples and hilltop shrines. The surge of divine power over the last century has caused the Kuo Toa to overwhelm their Lizardfolk oppressors and begin taking back the lakes and swamps they once ruled. Their gods could be Dagon or Cthulhu, whatever fits your campaign. Mountain Wilderness Encounters 01-05 Aarakocra (MoF) - solitary 06-10 Crow Headed Tengu (OA) - solitary 11-12 Fiendish Dire Bear - solitary 13-15 Wyvern - solitary 16-20 Minor Xorn - cluster 21-22 Frost Giant - solitary 23-26 Formorian (MMII) - solitary 27-28 Troll - solitary 29-32 Troglodyte - clutch 33-35 Mountain Goat - herd 36-37 Mountain Giant (MMII) - family 38-39 Wolf - pack 40-41 Dire Elk (MMII) - solitary 42-43 Crescent Elk (CC) - herd 44-50 Elk (use bison stats) - herd 51-55 Raven - solitary 56-60 Tiger - solitary 61-65 Owl - solitary 66-70 Bugbear - tribe 71-76 Ogre - pair 77-78 Dwarf - squad 79-80 Worg - pack 81-82 Filcher (CCII) - pack 83-84 Peryton (MoF) - pair 85-88 Bakemono (OA) - pack 89-95 Giant Eagle - solitary 96-97 Yak Folk (MMII) - tribe 98-99 Galeb Duhr (MMII) - tumble 100 Tempest (MMII) - solitary Plains Lizardfolk, 1st-Level Warrior Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Reptilian) Hit Dice: 1d8 (8 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 40 ft on all fours, 20 ft on two legs Armor Class: 13 (+2 natural, +1 dex), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1 Attack: Claw +1 melee (1d6) or bite +1 melee (1d4) Full Attack: 2 claws +1 melee (1d6) and bite -1 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Q: Hold breath, scent Saves: Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities Str 11, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Balance +5, Handle Animal +4, Ride +4, Spot +4, Swim +4 Feats: Multiattack Environment: Warm Plains Organization: Clutch (2-5) or tribe (20-80 plus 20% noncombatants plus 2-8 megaraptors, 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level, 1 leader of 6th-8th level) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: 50% coins; 50% goods; 50% items Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +1 A plains lizardfolk is usually 5 to 6 feet tall with light brown scales and weigh from 150 to 200 pounds. Its tail is used for balance and is 3 to 4 feet long. Plainsfolk speak Draconic. A plains lizardfolk can hold its breath twice as long as a human and scent ability lets a creature detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Plains Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits. * +2 Dexterity. * Medium size. * Base land speed is 40 feet if on all fours and 20 if on two legs. * Plainsfolk have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Spot and Swim checks. * +2 natural armor bonus. * Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d6) and bite (1d4). * Special Qualities (see above): Hold breath, scent * Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Giant, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc. * Favored Class: Any. * Level adjustment +1 Forest Lizardfolk, 1st-Level Warrior Size/Type: Medium Humanoid (Reptilian) Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (9 hp) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft on two legs, climb 30 ft Armor Class: 13 (+2 natural, +1 dex), touch 11, flat-footed 12 Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1 Attack: Claw +1 melee (1d6) or bite +1 melee (1d4) Full Attack: 2 claws +1 melee (1d6) and bite -1 melee (1d4) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Q: Scent, low-light vision Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +0 Abilities: Str 11, Dex 12, Con 9, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 10 Skills: Climb +12, Jump +4, Listen +2, Spot +2, Swim +4 Feats: Multiattack Environment: Warm Forests Organization: Band (6-10 plus 50% noncombatants plus 1 leader of 3rd-6th level), or tribe (30-60 plus 2 lieutenants of 3rd-6th level and 1 chief of 4th-10th level) Challenge Rating: 1 Treasure: 50% coins; 50% goods; 50% items Alignment: Usually neutral Advancement: By character class Level Adjustment: +1 A forest lizardfolk is usually 5 to 6 feet tall with mottled green scales and weigh from 100 to 150 pounds, its tail is used for balance and is 3 to 4 feet long. . Forestfolk speak Draconic and can always take 10 on climb checks. Scent lets a creature detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Forest Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits. * +2 Dexterity, -2 Constitution. * Medium size. * Base land speed is 30 feet, they walk on two legs more often than their plains dwelling cousins * Forestfolk have a +2 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Spot checks. * Forestfolk have a a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened * +2 natural armor bonus. * Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d6) and bite (1d4). * Special Qualities (see above): Scent, low-light vision * Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Giant, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc. * Favored Class: Any. * Level adjustment +1 For characters from warm marshes and underground use Lizardfolk and Troglodytes without the racial HD, otherwise standard MM ones are fine for encounters and such. Troglodyte characters possess the following racial traits. * -2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, -2 Intelligence. * Medium size. * A troglodyte’s base land speed is 30 feet. * Darkvision out to 90 feet. * Troglodytes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks (+8 in rocky or underground surroundings). * Racial Feats: A troglodyte receives Multiattack as a bonus feat. * +6 natural armor bonus. * Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4). * Special Attacks: Stench. * Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Goblin, Orc. * Favored Class: Cleric. * Level adjustment +2. Lizardfolk characters possess the following racial traits. * +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence. * Medium size. * A lizardfolk’s base land speed is 30 feet. * Lizardfolk have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Jump, and Swim checks. * +5 natural armor bonus. * Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4). * Special Qualities: Hold breath. * Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc. * Favored Class: Druid. * Level adjustment +1.
die 11-17-06, 12:12 PM	Meteors, aberrations, uncontrolled armies of constructs, the zombie plague, awakened plants with levels of sorcerer, earthquakes, erupting volcanoes, tidal waves, invaders from the Far Realm and demonic hordes destroyed the civilizations of the western continent in a massive war. 1,000 years later a few scattered underground settlements survive, roaming the seemingly endless deserts and ruined cities of the surface are leather and fur clad barbaric marauders, gangs of bandits, insane cultists and cannibals. The art of metal working is almost lost and scavenging ruins and raiding fortified oasis villages who have clean water and/or a blacksmith are the order of the day. In the northern steppes there are two new kingdoms that have arisen in the ashes of a single powerful one destroyed in the apocalypse, they are at war due to the manipulation of a third smaller one that continually instigates it. Further north is the last great forest of the western coninent and the icy mountains beyond. The adventurers were put in Temporal Stasis during the apocalypse to be brought out later to rebuild society, but something went wrong and now centuries have passed. The adventurers help their pale descendants emerge from underground and retake the post-apocalyptic surface. So they battle the surface inhabitants, try to survive the desert, take over an oasis settlement, find another enclave of Temporal Stasis adventurers to the north. The starting point is a long dead Arcane Hierophants secondary lair near an underground river with a permanent Mage’s Private Sanctum on it, inhabited by a handful of timid pale skinned mongrelfolk. The study has three goblin skulls with Continual Flame on them and various dusty old books and tomes on animal husbandry, demonology, a couple of spells and a few notes and correspondence between a cabal of wizards who had tried to prepare for the aftermath before fleeing to other planes, hinting that there may be others left behind in Temporal Stasis to the north. The only way out is up through hidden passages that the mongrelfolk know of into the sewers of a ruined city or downstream to a freshwater lake in the underdark. The ruined city is still patrolled by a few constructs obeying their last orders and a few various incorporal undead. If they go the other way then after a wild ride and splash down there is a colony of friendly myconids on the shore where the PCs can rest up between fights and after fighting various underdark critters eventually the PCs find a way to the surface up through lava tubes or an ancient mineshaft or earthquake or whatever. Desert 01 Wasteland Troll (Sandstorm) - tomb 02-03 Lamia - pair 04-07 Thri-Kreen - pack 08-10 Huge Viper - solitary 11-12 Dust Mephit - solitary 13-17 Dune Hag (Sandstorm) - solitary 18-22 Oasis and Janni (Genie) - band 23-28 Huge Scorpion - solitary 29-37 Tiny Scorpion - colony 38-39 Large Viper - solitary 40-41 Small Scorpion - colony 42-43 Medium Viper - solitary 44-55 Tiny Lizard - solitary 56-65 Giant Lizard - solitary 66-72 Hawk - solitary 73-80 Camel - solitary 81-86 Bandits - patrol 87-88 Medium Scorpion - colony 89-90 Sun Giant (MMII) - family 91-92 Forlorn Husk (Sandstorm) - gaggle 93-95 Brass Dragon - clutch 96-97 Ruins and Hieracosphinx - pair 98-99 Sand Dragon (Sandstorm) - solitary 100 Lammasu - solitary Ruins 01-10 Wraith - solitary 11-20 Skulk (Races of Destiny) - pair 21-70 Stone Golem Patrol - solitary 71-95 Shadow - solitary 96-100 Ghost - solitary The northern kingdoms are Ahuizotl the Kingdom of Flesh 7 demon/devil worshipping kings, one of the kings is a half-fiend, psionic thought police, tieflings, fiendish people and things, lots of symbiots and grafts (i.e. fleshwarpers from Lords of Madness) Miquiztli the Kingdom of Bone undead aberration experiments, undead nobility, necropolitan commoners, human underclass, mindless undead laborers Taal is a minor shadow kingdom of underfolk spies, ulitharid manipulators, duergar weaponsmith war profiteers and half drow slavers that work towards keeping the kingdoms at war. There is another hidden wizards lair with some replacement characters in Temporal Statis as well as a potential party patron, a good aligned intelligent amulet of natural AC +2 from the ancient kingdom worn by an undead thing that is the animated body of its creator and the delusional item thinks its a lich and the amulet is its phylactery. The patron knows of the secretive third kingdom and thinks that the lowly, good hearted, gang of PCs can reunite the kingdoms and restore the old empire to its former glory and benevolence. Necromancer Kings The Kalt Forest is home to numerous barbaric humanoid tribes, fierce creatures and bone freezing winters, ruins of a civilization of necromancer kings are said to lay in the forest. There are a few small settlements, mountain men and homesteaders of humans and half-elves who brave the harsh winters, dangerous creatures and raiding humanoids. One reason is to escape the twisted evil and slavery of Ahuizotl and Miquiztli, others for the adventure of living on the frontier. Necromancer Kings These tribes fled from the Kalt Forest during the apocalypse north to the Bluetig Mountains. Each tribe is led by a sorceror king who marries the matriarch druidess of every family band. These semi-nomadic people ride sure-footed shaggy ponies and settle in river valleys during the spring and summer to let their ponies run loose and fatten up and breed while they gather wild food and fish. Then during autumn they separate into family bands led by the kings wife to hunt surrounding mountain forests before building longhouses to winter in, these are long pits lined with stones with a roof built of logs 2-3 feet above the surface. During the winter is the time of story telling and learning the oral traditions of tribe and family. The secret of literacy is passed down only to matriarchs and kings. One of the sorceror kings main jobs is the ceremony of the dead held in the spring, the mummified remains put in their caerns have two purposes, to guard against tomb raiders and against tresspassers into their territory. The first years spent here were harsh and many ponies and men died during the long winters, after the apocalypse ended most tribes journeyed towards warmer lands. Those that stayed in the north allied with the reclusive wood elf tribes who taught them to hunt and trap during the winter and took the great snow owl as their totem and some began expanding caves to live in all year round until it became a mountainside city. They revere nature and the dead and their culture is a mix of the ways of their ancestors and the wood elves. Those that journeyed to warmer climes settled in river valleys in the plains domesticating herds of wild cattle and built permanent villages that eventually grew into Ahuizotl the Kingdom of Flesh. Others became completely nomadic following the great herds for a century until settling in forested hills living in ancient barrow mounds and became Miquiztli the Kingdom of Bone. Kalt Forest and Bluetig Mountains Encounter Charts Kalt Forest 01 Harpy - pair 02-03 Ruins and Shadows - pair* 04-05 Barghest - solitary 06-07 Fire Beetle - cluster 08-10 Giant Wasp - solitary 11-12 Satyr - solitary 13-15 Green Hag - solitary 16-20 Forest Gnome - solitary 21-22 Panther (use leopard stats) - solitary 23-24 Dire Badger - solitary 25-26 Goblin - tribe 27-28 Hobgoblin - warband 29-30 Forest Ogre - pair** 31-32 Medium Spider - solitary 33-35 Worker Giant Ant - gang 36-37 Raven - solitary 38-39 Large Spider - solitary 40-41 Wild Boar - solitary 42-43 Auroch (use bison) - herd 44-50 Small Game (rabbit, quail, etc) 51-60 Small Spiders - swarm 61-65 Goblin - band 66-70 Bugbear - solitary 71-72 Wolf - pack 73-74 Hobgoblin - band 75-76 Owlbear - solitary 77-78 Giant Bee - swarm 79-80 Half-Elf or Human - solitary 81-82 Dire Wolverine - solitary 83-84 Hill Giant - pair 85-86 Dire Wolf - pack 87-88 Werewolf - pack 89-90 Medusa - solitary 91-92 Owlbear - pack 93-95 Kobold - gang 96-97 Treant - pair 98-99 Green Dragon - solitary 100 Manticore - solitary *A thorough search of the ruins sometimes reveals a cache of some long lost trinket or entrance into a dank, musty, mummy haunted caern. A few scholarly books detailing necromantic arts and the darkness between the stars are claimed to have been found in one such ruin. Most of the tomes are illegal to own or sell since after reading them most scholars are driven mad (add 1d4 to Intelligence but take away twice the amount from Wisdom and add 10 to knowledge skill checks involving undead, necromancy and the plane of Far Realm). **The reclusive Forest Ogre is not as aggressive as your typical ogre, but just as hungry, also there is a strong sexual dimorphism, the females are medium sized, not as stupid and are sometimes confused with elven females. The sneaky young forest ogre maidens occasionally fall in love with a hunter or woodsman or traveler and the male offspring is a half-ogre, female children resemble normal half-elves if the dad was a human, if dad was an elf the female offspring resemble their mom (i.e. wood elf). Forest Ogre males use standard ogre stats and the environment for them is of course temperate forest instead of temperate hills, females use wood elf stats. And both are usually Chaotic Neutral instead of CE or CG. Bluetig Mountains 01-05 Huge Earth Elemental - solitary 06-10 Large Earth Elemental - solitary 11-12 Medium Earth Elemental - solitary 13-15 Wyvern - solitary 16-20 Minor Xorn - cluster 21-22 Orc - gang 23-28 Troll - solitary 29-32 Troglodyte - clutch 33-35 Mountain Goat - herd 36-37 Hill Giant - solitary 38-41 Wolf - pack 42-50 Elk (use bison stats) - herd 51-55 Raven - solitary 56-60 Tiger - solitary 61-65 Giant Snow Owl - solitary 66-70 Grimlock - pack 71-76 Ogre - pair 77-78 Mountain Dwarf - squad 79-83 Dire Wolf - pack 84-88 Wild Elf - clan 89-97 Orc - band 98-99 Giant Eagle - solitary 100 Fiendish Dire Bear - solitary Rumors (adventure ideas?): Locals hunters say the elves who live in the high forested mountain valleys worship a giant bear (chaotic neutral wild elves sacrifice trespassers to a fiendish dire bear). A wild-eyed, drunk mountain man tells of mountain dwarves who pay in mithril coins for mercenaries to help drive orcs out of their mines, he claims to havespent all his on dwarven spirits (actually its trolls they need help with). One settlement is said to trade high quality weapons with the humanoid tribes for slaves, furs and picking who gets raided.
die 04-01-07, 11:19 AM	Diremist Marsh is covered in a perpetual mist and home to the Cottonmouth Clan of Lizardfolk, they are led by a Spirit Naga named Ma Saran. All lizardfolk encountered here use viper poison on their javelins (DC 10 initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con) and are immune to viper venom. 1 in 12 chance of an encounter each hour while traveling through Diremist Marsh 1 Snake, Tiny Viper EL 1/3 2 Snake, Small Viper EL 1/2 3 Snake, Medium Viper EL 1 4 Snake, Large Viper EL 2 5 An Allip chasing two lizardfolk (level 1 warriors) through the undergrowth EL 3 6 Amidst the tangled undergrowth lies an Assassin Vine EL 3 7 A deep bog hiding a Lizardfolk gang (3 level 1 warriors) EL 3 8 A colony of Small Monstrous Spiders scurry from out of the undergrowth EL 3 9 Shallow bog 10 Snake, Huge Viper EL 3 11 Deep bog 12 Quicksand 13 A shallow bog inhabited by a hungry Giant Constrictor Snake EL 5 14 Lying in a shallow bog lurks an Ochre Jelly EL 5 15 A hungry Tendriculos EL 6 16 A mud hut decorated with skulls on a small island surrounded by deep bog inhabited by a Green Hag alchemist called Auntie by the Lizardfolk and her 12 pet Snakes (Tiny Vipers) EL 6 17 Shambling Mound EL 6 18 A deep bog and a pair of Chuul ambushers EL 9 19 Quicksand and a string of Will-O’-Wisps EL 10 20 Ma Saran the Spirit Naga and a pair of Lizardfolk (level 3 bards with 14 charisma) EL 10 While camping it drops to a 1 in 20 chance per hour of an encounter 1-7 A gang of Lizardfolk (3 level 1 warriors) tracking the PCs with their pet Snake (Large Viper) EL 4 8-10 A Giant Constrictor Snake on the prowl for its next meal EL 5 Ok, so I was thinking the encounter with Ma Saran and the bards would go sort of like this... The party hears a stringed instrument nearby and when the party enters the clearing Ma Saran casts Displacement on herself followed by Fireball while the bards play on, both casting Summon Monster I (Fiendish Snake, Small Viper of course), they then inspire courage on the naga and save one spell each for Cure Light Wounds and Expeditious Retreat if Ma Saran is defeated. If one or both bards escape they flee to Auntie the Green Hags hut and plot revenge.
die 04-01-07, 11:33 AM	Vale of Shadows This land is protected by griffon riding elves who guard their land fiercely, those who are not openly hostile will be given a single warning to never return, those that hesitate are slain. The griffon patrols number 10 strong and can call upon 2-5 more patrols for back up within 10-15 minutes, the riders are all eldritch knights. Adventurers from the Vale are outcasts and cannot return (without a groovy DM plotline anyway). Isle of Dreams is ruled by 42 ageless wizards everyone else is a slave or family member. there were 100 but over the centuries some have fallen prey to backstabbing rivals, adventurers, slave revolts, raiding half ogre bands, poison, insanity, or lost on other planes. This land is dotted by jade towers guarded by stone golems on the outside and who knows what on the inside. Vast slave farms surround the jade towers of a dozen wizards who still deal with the outside world, twenty keep only a handful of personal slaves, 10 live alone with undead or constructs to serve them. Each wizard has an artifact amulet that stops all aging, grants immunity to psionics, causes the wearer to sleep 20 hours of each day (or 5 hours sleep for every hour awake) and changes the wearers alignment one step towards lawful evil each day it is worn. All amulets have other powers than those listed above, some of the known powers are as follows Three of them are known to grant +6 to the wearers armor class (+2 luck, +2 natural, +2 profane). Two of them permenantly drain the wearers strength by six points and add two to intelligence each time the amulet is put on. One of them turns the wearers skin a light blue color, grants the ability to breathe water and the wearer must drink a gallon of salt water each day or temporarily lose two points of intelligence. Adventurers from the Isle of Dreams are human or half-elf children or grand children of an ageless wizard and they are geased to secrecy about their ageless parent and forbidden to return to the isle, they start out with double the normal starting wealth and if a wizard with all PHB 1st level spells in their spellbooks and a +1 weapon. Isle of Dreams Encounters 01-05 Stone Golem - solitary 06-07 Tiny Centipede - colony 08-10 Giant Bee - hive 11-15 Fire Beetle - swarm 16-20 Giant Wasp - swarm 21-24 Escaped Slave - solitary 25-26 Blink Dog - pack 27-28 Boar - solitary 29-30 Worker Giant Ant - gang 31-32 Wild Pony - herd (6-24) 33-35 Wild Dog - pack (7-16) 36-37 Hawk - solitary 38-39 Cheetah - solitary 40-41 Lion - pride 42-43 Antelope - herd (10-100) 44-50 Bison/Wild Cattle - herd (10-100) 51-55 Rhino - herd 56-60 Eagle - solitary 61-65 Wild Light Horse - herd (6-36) 66-70 Baboon - troop 71-72 Small Viper - solitary 73-88 Human Warrior Skeletons - patrol (12) 89-98 Boar - solitary 99-100 Ankheg - cluster
die 04-04-07, 12:32 PM	The Ice Queen became the leader of the dwarves of the Aisu Mountains long ago and united them into a single Queendom and subjugated the human barbarian tribes that dwell in the taigas and tundra along the coast. The human tribes fish and hunt seals, whales and small game, they also sail in the spring to raid coastal villages and trade the dwarven weapons and white diamonds for iron ore at Ice People settlements and towns. They scorn armor other than leather but appreciate fine weapons and their trade with the dwarves keeps them supplied with the finest. The tribes supply the dwarves with furs and meat and also trade for them, the dwarves have an unreasoning fear of deep water and refuse to willingly board a ship of any kind. The humans here speak dwarvish and giant and the majority are Lawful Neutral. (Human PCs classes limited to Swashbuckler, Ranger, Wilderness Rogue, Savage Bard and prestige classes Order of the Bow Initiate, Duelist and Kensai) For the protection of the Ice Queen against the Frost Giants each village must sacrifice a healthy child to her once a year. The children are raised in the icy catacombs beneath the Ice Queens palace, the conditions and training are harsh and only one in ten survive. They are raised as her servants and trained as masters of unarmed combat and unyielding discipline. The humans who survive to adulthood that show any magical talent are encouraged and trained in battle magic and necromantic secrets alongside dwarven adepts. (Humans raised here are Monks, Wizard/Monks or Elightened Fists) The Ice Queen surrounds herself with acolytes of a dark goddess of law, magic and death (Wee Jas) as well as adepts of necromancy, her consort leads the wizard guild and she has a personal guard of seven wights. The dead are given no rest, they are animated to work in mines, farming fungi filled caverns deep beneath the surface and as last ditch defense against possible Frost Giant raids. Some suspect the Ice Queen of plans of attaining immortality through some necromantic ritual, none openly. Her enemies seem to quietly disapear, its whispered that one of the wights looks like old king Rathgore, others bear striking resemblance to missing rival clan lords. Ice People - Tribes of barbaric humans live on an arctic taiga covered island, they have pale skin, ice blue eyes and snow white hair. The Ice People trade iron ore for finished goods from the Ice Queen and follow the After Ragnarok Pantheon, they have their own language, Grall, most also know Giant and Worg. (Only the Barbarian, Ranger and Druid PC classes are present here) Arctic and Sub-Arctic Wilderness 01 Huror (CC) - solitary 02-03 Immoth (MMII) - solitary 04-05 Ice Hag (CC) - solitary 06-10 Ice Mephit - solitary 11-15 Frost Giant - pair 16-22 Ice Ghoul (CC) - war party 23-26 Tundra Lord (CCII) - solitary and Mammoth - herd 27-30 Winter Wolf - pack 31-35 Wolf - pack 36-39 Polar Bear - solitary 40-60 Arctic Hare - solitary 61-70 Caribou (use bison stats) - herd (10-1000) 71-76 Arctic Fox - solitary 77-80 Snow Owl - solitary 81-84 Tiger - solitary 85-88 Frost Ape (CC) - pack 89-95 Ruins and Exemplar (CC) - solitary 96-97 Yeti (OA)- clan 98-99 Frost Salamander (MMII) - solitary 100 Air Weird (MMII) - solitary The new world rose out of the sea, green and growing, and crops had been grown without having been sown. The meadow Idavoll, in the now-destroyed Asgard, has been spared. The sun reappeared because before being swallowed by the wolf, Alfrodul (another name for the sun) gave birth to a daughter as fair as she herself, and this maiden daughter rides her mothers road in the new sky. A few gods have survived: Odin's sons Vidar and Vali; Thor's sons Modi and Magni, who now have their father's magic hammer, Mjolnir; and most importantly, Balder and his brother Hod, who came up from Hel and dwell in Odin's former hall in the heavens. These survivors sit down together, discuss their mysteries, and talk of the things that have happened. In the grass at Idavoll, they find the golden pieces the Aesir had used in playing at draughts. Humans reappeared because two of them, Lif and Lifthrasir, survived by hiding themselves during the cataclysm, in a place called Hoddmimir's Holt, a small thicket of trees. They lived on morning dew and repopulated the world of humans and worship their new pantheon of gods, led by Balder. There are still be many halls to house the souls of the dead. Another heaven exists south of and above Asgard, called Andlang, and a third heaven further above that, called Vidblain; and these places offered protection while Surt's fires burned the world. After Ragnarok, the hall of Gimle is the best place to be in heaven. Brimir, another place in heaven, is a hall where plenty of good drink is served. A hall called Sindri, built of red gold, houses the souls of the good and virtuous. Nastrand (or Nastrond, "Corpse Strand"), a large hall facing north whose walls are woven of snakes. The snakes' heads all face the interior of the hall, spitting poison, so that rivers of poison flow inside. Here the souls of murderers and oath-breakers are forced to wade through these streams of poison forever. And in the worst place of all, Hvergelmir, the serpent Nidhogg, also a survivor of Ragnarok, torments the bodies of the dead. Only the elves and dwarves who hid or were cast in the shadow plane survived Balder - As per Deities & Demi-Gods, son of Odin and Frigga, reborn after Ragnarok as the son of Vali and a Dennari. Add peace, fertility, spring & summer to his portfolio and add artists, farmers and nobility to his worshippers, his temples close at the end of autumn and open again in spring. Hod - Blind god of winter, night and darkness, son of Odin and Frigga, reborn after Ragnarok as the son of Vidar and Dennari. His temples close in spring and open at the end of autumn. Use Uller for stats, alignment is CG and add darkness to domains, clerics are CG, CN & N. Vali - God of vengeance, rebirth, light, and love, affinity for wolves, son of Odin and the giantess Rind and (father of Balder, when was reborn). Use Obad-Hai Vidar - God of silence, revenge and strength, mute son of Odin and the giantess Grid (and father of Hod when was reborn). Patron of leatherworkers, cobblers and wrestlers. Modi - God of berserkers, son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. He taught mankind how to forge and fashion iron. Patron of barbarians, berserkers and smiths. Use Thors stats. Magni - God of strength, son of Thor and the giantess Jarnsaxa. Uses Thor's hammer. He taught man how to forge and fashion bronze. Magni looks like his pop, use Thor as a template. Nithhoggr - the great dragon of death, devours the corpses of the dead. Use Sobek and add death to his domains The Sun - A female version of the Odur entry in Deities & Demi-gods Hel - As per the DDG, but formed again after Ragnarok and not related to anyone. NEW GODS Dennari - As per DDG, mother of Balder and Hod when reborn after Ragnarok. Ptah - Add dwarves to his worshippers Thoth - Add Dwarves to his worshippers Wives - Searching for wives throughout this world and across the planes until they all were married. Use the stats for these goddesses for the wives, bast, hestia, hecate, artemis, ehlonna and hathor. Nine new gods, nine old gods and of those nine are male and nine are female.
die 04-08-07, 12:11 AM	Gorthal Population: 20,000 humans, 15,000 half-ogres, 70,000 slaves of various races, 500 tieflings Goverment: Magocracy Religions: Wee Jas, Ptah, Belial Export: Slaves, mainly ogres and gladiators, olive oil, several types of wine, and masterwork spiked half-plate. Import: Luxury goods (furs, leather goods, precious metals, incense, gems, spices) and cloth as well as foodstuffs not produced locally. Alignment: Lawful Evil, Lawful Neutral, Neutral Language(s): Infernal, Common, Ogre Classes Available: Fighter, Monk, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue Favored Weapons: Armored Fist and Iron Shod Boot Armor: Spiked Half-Plate Cultural Skills: Knowledge (Arcana) Cultural Feats: Exotic Weapon Pro or Unorthodox Flurry (Dragon Compendium) Additional Gear: One free weapon of choice and brooch with a symbol from one of the five colleges on it (worth 1gp). A half-ogre and human city-state ruled by a council of 10 wizards from each of its five colleges. The city-state is divided into five quarters each run by one of the colleges and the human population is a mixed bag with no common features, only dress and manner distinguish slave from master. The economy is based on slavery and slave-markets, wizards accompany half-ogre soldiers on slave raids on land and sea. Most slaves work in the college owned salt and iron mines as well as the large estates of council members tending goats, cattle and wheat fields, olive groves, and fruit orchards. Gladitorial games are very popular here and the city's arena is the largest structure in Gorthal, each college also maintains smaller private arenas. The population outside the city walls live on large slave plantations or one of the walled mining towns. Wizards from Gorthal can freely cross class as monks and vice versa, there are more than a few enlightened fists among the human population. Skalrust is a land covered in temperate rainforest, most of the continent is lush and warm, rain falls almost every day, and much of the interior is a huge freshwater inland sea and large lakes fed by wide, slow rivers. The waters teem with giant crocodiles, freshwater dolphins, turtles, giant catfish, dire otters, herons, cranes, fish and crustaceans. The dense forests are home to treants, axebeaks (large, carnivorous, flightless birds), small monkeys, brightly colored birds, family bands of winged-elves and at night shadowcats stalk the forests (sentient black furred smilodons). Shadowcat Medium Magical Beast Hit Dice: 6d10+24 (59 hit points) Initiative: +6 Speed: 40ft Armor Class: 15 (+2 dex, +3 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 13 Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+10 Attack: bite +13 melee (1d8+6) Full Attack: bite +13 melee (1d8+6) and 2 claws +10 melee (1d4+3) Space/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: improved grab/rake 1d4+3, pounce, wounding bite Special Qualities: scent Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +3 Abilities: Str 23, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 6 Skills: Balance +7, Hide +8*, Jump +16, Listen +5, Move Silently +8, Spot +5, Swim +6 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Focus (bite), Multi-Attack Enviroment: Temperate and warm forests Organization: Solitary, pair or den (6-10 plus 2-5 cubs) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: 7-15 HD (Medium), 16-21 HD (Large) 6' long, 400 pounds, black fur, 8 inch canine teeth. Improved Grab/Rake: Must hit opponent with both claws in the same round then it does rake damage as a free action. Pounce: If it charges it can make a full attack Wounding Bite: On a crit does 2 Con damage from blood loss Skills: +6 racial bonus to Jump, +4 racial bonus to Balance, Hide and Move Silently, +8 to Hide in tall grass and heavy undergrowth. The southern coast is the domain of the half-dragon/ogre magi empress Tsuko the Blind, each of her four offspring (Iriko, Kuron, Misa and Kunoshi) rule island kingdoms of samurai hobgoblins, kenku assassins and chadozee sailors. The treants are slowly herding the forest away from the cities and their lumbermills. The cliffs and beaches along the north coast are home to a loose confederacy of a few dozen bronze dragon families and the spawning ground of dragon turtles. Across the ocean to the north is Ythzon, a land of deserts and plains occupied by herd animals, dire vultures, ashworms, hyenadons, dire lions, a few sand dragons and nomadic tribes of gnolls, flinds, and goatfolk (ibixians). Some of the tribes have settled and built small mud brick villages along rivers or walled off an oasis. Chak the Jackal, a half-fiend/efreet has taken over the largest town, proclaimed himself sultan and claims rulership over the dozen surrounding villages. Ocean 01-03 Ki-rin - solitary 04-05 Merchant Ship 06-10 Ghost Ship 11-15 Storm/Rain 16-22 Sahaugin - band 23-26 Cachalot Whale - pod 27-30 Shark - school 31-35 Plesiosaur - herd 36-39 Dragon Turtle - solitary 40-60 Shark - solitary 61-70 Baleen Whale - pod 71-76 Fish (cod/herring/tuna etc) - school 77-80 Bronze Dragon - clutch 81-84 Giant Squid - solitary 85-88 Storm/Rain 89-90 Lacedon - band 91-95 Merfolk - solitary 96-97 Elasmosaur - herd 98-99 Sirine - solitary 100 Whirlpool
die 04-10-07, 04:42 AM	Hebi Jungle populated by carnivorous plants, giant insects, vanara, tasloi, tabaxi and different human tribes Human factions - one is a primitive tribe and they run around wearing loincloths, painting themselves green (rangers, druids, sorcerers), the second group enslaves its males and is dominated by warrior women (fighters and barbarians), the third faction are primitive tribes of nocturnal headhunters (wilderness rogues and savage bards from UA). All three are matriarchies and conduct limited trading with each other and the occasional raiding for mates. PCs can be from one of the tribes Honko is a large trading post/fort from a distant civilization and has a mix of cultures (any race or class), the starting point for the group. Honko Population 515 Puzz the Sherrif: Fighter level 2 Gold piece limit 619 gp Full time guards 25 Total Wealth 15,303 gp Conscriptable individuals 50 Power Centers Qian (true neutral noble), vassal of a greater lord NPCs 1 level two Barbarian 1 level two Bard 4 level one Clerics, 2 level three 4 level one Fighters, 2 level two (one is Puzz the Sherrif) and 1 level four 1 level three Paladin 1 level three Ranger 3 level two Rogues 5 level one Wizards 4 level three Aristocrats, 1 level five (Qian) 400 level one Commoners (mainly fishermen) 15 level one Experts 50 level one Warriors, 25 level two businesses/families 2 taverns (The Green Maiden caters to sailors and travelers, the Happy Harpy for locals), old clothes seller, 2 tailors, 3 shoe makers, 3 furriers, mason, blacksmith, 2 temples (wes jas and ?)(mortician, grave digger, cartographer, illuminator, bookbinder), carpenter, cooper, woodseller, laborers/dock workers, 10 fishermen (the wives of the fishermen raise chickens, geese, ducks, goats, pigs and maintain small gardens), spice merchant, butcher, beekeeper Common names: Puzz Guck Gung Wob Lunk Saka Kinto Gork Lately a rash of poisoning has been occuring in all the local settlements and the party's were-tigeress druid patron suspects a growing snake cult whos leaders dwell in the crumbling ruins of an old city. Tracks from graveyard lead to Ruin encounter 1 stirges and ghouls, a mist rising from the ground obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet (creatures 5 feet away have concealment, 20% miss chance). Further exploration leads to Ruin encounter 2 some dire rats and then 2 wererats, rat swarm, more dire rats. slimy cobblestones (slippery light rubble add 7 to DC for tumble and balance checks) Ruin encounter 3 A dismal place covered in webs, infested by giant spiders and spider swarm pit traps of two ettercaps. dense forest Ruin encounter 4 sunken temple, shallow pools and two assassin vines, below fungi filled passages, shriekers, animated objects and violet fungi, quicksand Ruin encounter 5 crypts populated by shadows and the descendants of escaped half-drow slaves wearing snakeskin boots led by a doppelganger, they offer sacrifices to a fiendish giant constrictor in a deep pool of water, bottom has the treasure. The PCs can try to save a sacrifice they just threw in as party battle their way into the room. Entrance to underdark type caverns and passages and map to Island encounter 1 Island encounter 1 Dire tiger lair and more dense forest Random Encounters would include ruin inhabitants and in the surrounding jungle, head-hunters, amazon slavers, dire apes, apes, raptor pack, giant crocs, crocs, black dragon wyrmlings, araneas, allips, ankhegs. Coastal waters have large schools of sharks and some sahuagin bands. The big bad guy is a spirit naga with a guard of elite cultists of various races, zombies and treasure also includes a nest of half black dragon eggs. To get there requires travel through the territories of both a bullywug and lizardfolk tribe, an encounter or two with them. A small skirmish and to hire a guide and get permission to cross their territory, of course they will need a favor done in exchange (the bullywugs are having trouble with dire apes and the lizardfolks shaman wants the party to bring him a megaraptor egg). They are losing members of their tribes to the snake cult as well. Deep Jungle Encounters 01-03 Troll - gang 04-07 Blood Ape (MMI) - colony 08-10 Gambol (MMII) - troop 11-12 Black Dragon - clutch 13-15 Cloaked Ape (MMII) - pack 16-22 Tasloi (OA) - hunting band (4-16) 23-24 Giant Praying Mantis - solitary 25-26 Tiny Viper - solitary 27-28 Forest Sloth (MMII) - solitary 29-30 Giant Constrictor - solitary 31-35 Giant Wasp - nest 36-37 Small Spider - swarm 38-39 Corollax (MMII) - swarm 40-41 Leopard - solitary 42-45 Lizard, Songbird, Parrot, Tree Frog, etc 46-55 Monkey - troop 56-60 Large Viper - solitary 61-65 Tiny Scorpion - colony 66-70 Tiny Centipede - colony 71-72 Tiny Spider - colony 73-74 Worker Giant Ant - crew 75-78 Giant Lizard - solitary 79-80 Fire Beetle - swarm 81-82 Boar - solitary 83-84 Ape - company 85-86 Stirge - flock 87-88 Tendriculos - solitary 89-90 Quetzacoatlus (Dinosaur MMII) - covey 91-95 Pterafolk (MoF) - flight 96-99 Ruins and Spirit Naga - nest 100 Shambling Mound - solitary
die 04-10-07, 04:52 AM	Between Honko and the ruined city there is a 10% chance per hour of an encounter. The second set of numbers after the slash is for when the PCs are at least third level. roll 1d20 1 Allip 1 2-3 Monstrous Spider, Medium 1 / 2-5 4-5 Deinonychus 1 / 3-6 6-7 Ape 1 / 3-5 8-9 Monstrous Spider, Small 2-5 / 6-11 10-11 Stirge 2-4 / 5-8 12-13 Viper, Tiny 1 14-15 Leopard 1 16-17 Giant Wasp 1 18-19 Monstrous Spider, Large 1 20 Cultist 2-5
die 09-15-07, 11:43 AM	The green spiders of Nexwood - females are intelligent medium Monstrous Spiders with a stronger poison (DC 16), males are typical small Monstrous Spiders. The forest demons are actually the descendants of a subjugated goblin tribe who serve the green spiders. They have been corrupted over the centuries into blind white-eyed insectile goblins with scent and tremorsense 60'. One female in each band of goblins is swollen to ogre size and bursts open when slain releasing 1-3 spider swarms of itty bitty baby green spiders and a 10' radius of slick disgusting green goo. Deep in the heart of Nexwood the walls between this plane and the Plane of Shadow are thin and on nights of the waning crescent moon travellers can walk into the Plane of Shadow. In the nearby village of Kumo forests demons have been born into the families of villagers who have been bitten by the green spiders (actually its some sneaky forest demons switching their young).
die 09-16-07, 01:22 PM	“Brothers slay brothers; Sisters’ children Shed each other’s blood. Hard is the world; Sensual sin grows huge. There are sword-ages, ax-ages; Shields are cleft in twain; Storm-ages, murder-ages; Till the world falls dead, And men no longer spare Or pity one another.” NORSE MYTHOLOGY (http://www.northvegr.org/lore/prose2/001_01.php) I was thinking of adding a little bit to the Ice People (http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=11984006&postcount=6) from post 6 Some of the Ice People tribes believe they are the descendants of the heralds of Fimbulwinter. Some of these tribes would be white furred werewolves and one tribes people would consist of the alternate druid from the Players Handbook II that have a white wolf form.
die 12-21-07, 08:40 PM	The area has always been considered sacred to trolls from the beginning of time and burial mounds of troll heroes and chieftains who managed to die from old age dot the area. Driven from their lands as they devolved into savagery the land was settled by dwarves and men. But three centuries ago the land was overrun by a crusade of trolls led by an alliance of forest troll adepts, a cabal of necromancers and a white dragon. While in the lands of the troll burial grounds Roll 1d100 once each day when traveling and each night, 1-20 means an encounter then roll 1d12 to determine the hour Day / Night Rusalka / Wight Domovoi / Shadow Snow Spider - Medium / Goblins, Snow 2d4 Jaebrin / Dwarf with Umbral Creature template Dwarf / Ice Mephit Whitespawn Hordeling / Allip Branta / Necrosis Carnex Wizened Elder / Snowflake Ooze Tirbana Drowser / Lesser Bonedrinker Snow Spider - Large / Dwarf with Mummified Creature template Frost Folk / Gray Ooze Wolverine / Brown Bear Raven, Giant / Dire Wolverine Skin Kite / Tsochar Demon Air Elemental / Snowcloak Vodyanoi / Forest Troll Madclaw Rylkar / Whitespawn Hunter Yeti / Winter Wolf Giant Ice Toad / Forest Troll with Mummified Creature template Troll Whelp - Mature / Troll with Mummified Creature template Within one hundred miles of Howling Tomb Mountain Troll / Winter Wolf Urskan / Spectre Glyptodon / Werebear Snowflake Ooze / Bladerager Troll Smilodon / Troll with Mummified Creature template Demon Ice Elemental / Wights 2d6 Dwarf Ancestor / Spectres 1d4 White Pudding / Serpentir Icegaunt / Lesser Bonedrinker Marzanna / Whitespawn Hunters 2d4 Bleakborn / Dire Bear Skull Lord / Trolls with Mummified Creature template 1d4 Skirr / Winter Wolves 2d4 Remorhaz / War Troll Cave Troll / Trolls with Half-Dragon template 2d6 Treant / Mountain Troll with Half-Dragon template Trolls 2d4 / White Dragon, Mature Adult Skullcrusher Ogres with Half-Troll template 1d3 / Frost Giants 2d4 Solamith Demon / Elemental Weird, Ice Giant Ice Toads 2d6 / Elemental Weird, Snow The upper levels of Howling Tomb Mountain are dominated by Vorad Leakage a mature adult white dragon and his half-troll minions. The lower levels are the dominion of Drash Vasalight an Ak'Chazar Rakshasa and his forest troll adept followers.
die 12-29-07, 02:33 PM	Back in the 2nd edition D&D days one of the cool things about the Legends & Lore (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/downloads) book was getting neat-o powers for your cleric based on which deity you picked. Just like now no one wants to be the cleric in our games so we house ruled our favorites into 3.5... Coyote (lesser god) Coyote is the most clever and cunning of animal spirits. He is credited with teaching men crafts such as making weapons, pottery, as well as the summoning and controlling of fire. Despite the generous side of his personality, however, Coyote is a cowardly thief who often resorts to trickery. Coyote can polymorph himself into any natural animal and he can make himself or any object invisible for an indefinite period of time, and can animate any object for up to one week. He goes by many names, in some areas he is known as Jackal, Raccoon, Monkey or Rat. His true form is that of a giant, silver-furred coyote. Role-playing Notes: Omens from Coyote take the form of strange noises in the night. Typically, he will only punish his clerics for daring to cheat him of his weekly sacrifices. Such punishments take the form of a cruel trick, such as stealing a cherished possession and giving it to the victim’s enemy. Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Duties of the Priesthood Coyote’s priests must sacrifice 1 gp per level worth of treasure (or one magic item) a week. Failure to do so results in a loss of spells and powers until the missed sacrifice is made up. Requirements: Human of Chaotic alignment Domains: Knowledge, Nature and Trickery Special Powers: Advance as a rogue but cast spells as a cleric Restrictions: Cannot wear any form of armor and cannot turn or rebuke undead Symbol: an animal tail Nature Domain Granted Power Add Knowledge (nature) and Survival to your list of class skills. Nature Domain Spells 1. Longstrider: Increases your speed. 2. Barkskin: Grants +2 (or higher) enhancement to natural armor. 3. Protection from Energy: Absorb 12 points/level of damage from one kind of energy. 4. Dimension Door: Teleports you short distance. 5. Commune with Nature: Learn about terrain for 1 mile/level. 6. Find the Path: Shows most direct way to a location. 7. Animal Shapes: One ally/level polymorphs into chosen animal. 8. Discern Location: Reveals exact location of creature or object. 9. Shapechange: Transforms you into any creature, and change forms once per round. Horus (lesser god) Horus was raised in the swamps and took his place among the gods when he reached adulthood and challenged Set. Horus brought all his might to bear and battled his uncle to a standstill. In the end, the goddess Neith was called upon to settle their dispute. After consideration, she ruled in Horus’ favor. In his true form, Horus appears as a hawk headed warrior of great physical power. Role-playing Notes: Horus is a fierce and proud god. He is called upon by those who seek to avenge great wrongs or uphold the honor of their families. If any of his followers begins a quest to avenge the death of a family member, there is a 5% chance that he will send his avatar to aid them. Alignment: Chaotic Good Duties of the Priesthood Priests of Horus are, like the god’s avatar himself, paladins. Unlike the traditional characters of this class as described in the Player’s Handbook, they are only of chaotic good alignment. Thus, they are not bound by the normal restriction against chaotic behavior by paladins. Further, they cast spells as priests (not as paladins), but only gain the ability to turn undead upon reaching fifth level. Requirements: Must be a Chaotic Good Human Domains: Good, Protection and Sun Special Powers: Advance as a paladin but cast spells as a cleric Symbol: a hawks head A few thoughts A The write up is from the book Legends & Lore, it is a free download so if you need some ideas for your game go look at it 2 These are not balanced at all C We also allow a 1% per level of cleric chance to call down a gods avatar :D
annoyinglizardvoice 12-29-07, 04:16 PM	I like to give players a bonus if they bother to pick a place to be from, sort of an incentive to read through all the crap I write for the campaign world :D Hi Sorry to interupt your page. Very cool sounding world (I nearly always like a world where lizardfolk play a significcant part). I was wondering if you had read the Conan d20 book. One of the rules in the character creation in there is background skills. These are free skills (usually at rank 2) that characters get during character creation based on where the character hails from.
die 12-31-07, 10:53 PM	I got the idea from the background skills of the d20 Conan book and the cultural skills of d20 Dragon Lords of Melnibone (http://catalog.chaosium.com/product_info.php?products_id=60). There are probably other books that influenced me as well, just can't think of them right now. Also, comments and questions are welcome