Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Electricbee 05-06-07, 01:34 PM	For my next Campaign, I’ve proposed to my group we do something a little different for our campaign. We play at a local gaming store, and in thanks for their giving us the space to play, I had the idea of an all non-PHB world, something that would expose the group to books outside their comfort zone, hopefully generating some sales for our hosts in the process. In talking out the idea, we decided to eliminate all classes with spell casting to give this world a unique feel. To keep it from being spells with a different flavor, we similarly eliminated psionics. We also decided that our world would be populated by more enlightened descendants of classically evil D&d races (goblins, orcs, kobolds, etc), with a handful of barbaric humans living on the fringes of the advanced civilizations of the other races. The general concept of the campaign world is that at some point in the distant past, the bad guys won. As retaliation for their chosen races being destroyed, the gods of the good aligned races (dwarves elves gnomes and Halflings plus the good human deities etc) left the realm, and when they left the stripped from it the magical infrastructure that allowed for spell casting. Magic was still present, but spell casting wouldn't work anymore for any class. As a result eventually the evil races' deities lost most of their influence as their clergy lost the magic granted by deities that allowed them to enforce the gods' will. As a result of losing their racial foes, eventually the remaining races of the realms turned to constructive and creative endeavors, civilizing themselves in the process After discussion we've decided on a list of allowable base Classes: Binder (Tome of Magic) Crusader (Tome of Battle) Dragon Shaman (PHB II) Factotum (Dungeonscape) Incarnate (Magic of Incarnum) Knight (PHB II) Scout (Complete Adventurer) Shadow (A renamed Complete Adventurer Ninja) Swordsage (Tome of Battle) Totemist (Magic of Incarnum) Truespeaker (Tome of Magic) Warblade (Tome of Battle) Warlock (Complete Arcane) And the following races (though built to be level 0 civilized versions, not just pulled out of the MM) Goblins (Machiavellian traders and merchants, they are medium sized, green skinned, have a racial penchant for misleading truth telling rather than outright lying.) Kobolds (Small lizard like humanoids, famed for the abilities at mining and artifice) Orcs (Factionalized and balkanized, many different city states, that tend more towards rivalry and competition with occasional border skirmishes than outright bloodshed and warfare) Necrosi (A scratch built race that are as close to being undead as ebberon's warforged are to being constructs (scratch built in a literal sense as well, they are rudely stitched together amalgams of the dead of other races) Minotaurs (Pastoral Humanoid farmers with a strong clan and tribe feel, Racial abilities include well developed direction sense and the ability to bellow, allowing them to shout messages to allies up to a mile or so away) Shadow elves (Jungle and desert dwelling descendants of the drow, lack of exposure to the underdark has robbed them innate magical abilities and spell resistance. They are a secretive people, trading with the other races, but not welcoming them into their territories With this framework in mind, I would like to request assistance fleshing out this concept. The following areas need help. Who: Iconic characters of the Heritors Campaign World (equivalents to Gandalf, Aragorn and Frodo, Elminster Drzz't and Dragonbait etc) Sample members of each race. Historical Figures Major Villains of note ... who are the big bads Groups, guilds, organizations and movements. What: Each race needs to be developed into a 0 LA race with a write up. Additional races that follow the theme of evolving from the bad guys are welcome (with a 0 level adjustment.) Any characteristic equipment or gadgetry. When: A timeline needs to be written, bulleting details of history beginning before the great war (where the good races were eliminated) and including the scarring (where the gods' took away spell casting) Where: Places need to be developed, cities, including an iconic metropolis Nations and regions and notes on relations with other nations and commerce, dominate races etc. Notes on cultures and laws. How: Hopefully by online collaboration, pick something and area, write it up and post it. I request that you keep an open mind to the organic process in this thread if it works and let others build from and prune your work, making something with some weight and heft, a sense of wonder, and a flavor that is distinct from the classic Fighter/Cleric/Mage/Rogue dungeons and dragons. Why: Because if people like the idea and build it together, we all get a lot more resources that we can all use to make our individual games more interesting, fun and enjoyable.
Frag 05-06-07, 08:48 PM	ElectricBee, I have to say that it is very refreshing. I will myself ban some classes in my next campaing. We are mostly roleplayers and I hate nothing more than page flipping and rules arguing during my games. Most of my players agree ...we will try to do something similar.
Araes 05-06-07, 09:30 PM	I agree that its an interesting idea, particularly also an endeavor to increase sales for the business (is this a pickup game where random people play?). At this point I have so many subscribed threads (including my own) that its getting a bit unwieldy. However, I like metropoli, so I'll see what I can come up with as far as a few ideas for iconic ones and toss them out there in a bit. Do you have restrictions on size (100k, millions, ect..?), or location (underground, flying, sea).
Electricbee 05-06-07, 11:30 PM	I'm pre gunpowder iron age tech level, so keep that in mind for the metropoles. Citys get big, but HUGE requires a lot of resources for all the people who don't farm their food.
Araes 05-07-07, 12:59 AM	Wait, you're Iron Age, like in this progression? Paleolithic Mesolithic Neolithic Bronze Age Iron Age Roman Early medieval period Medieval period Post-medieval period Industrial/Modern IE, your societies aren't even to Roman times or just somewhere Pre-gunpowder medieval / post-medieval?
Electricbee 05-07-07, 06:37 AM	I was not using a strict historical sense, just a technological sense. Following the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Industrial Age, Information age progression. I was specifically trying to avoid historical references so as to not contaminate the world creation with Earth based historical ideas: as whatever historically follows Iron Age is defined locally (Roman and its following in Europe, but it is defined other ways in Africa and Asia by the cultures that existed in those regions) and the next big technological leap is usually Industrial Agel, I chose Iron age, but there is advanced metalworking, some production of steel, but as I said, no gunpowder. Wind and water mills probably exist, reasonable tool making. As far as the specifics, I think that will evolve out of what happens in this forum.
Electricbee 05-07-07, 07:05 PM	Necrosi Necrosi exist within the cities of all the major races, but they remain apart, feared, and unwelcome. They are valued for their skills as healers as well as their work as mercenaries. Necrosi often live in ghetto communities in large cities, shunned for their strangeness while they grudgingly are patronized for their skills in medicine. In wilder lands they live in small enclaves, apart from the other races and near to sources of conflict and violence. Personality: Due to their unusual appearance, metabolism, and life cycle, necrosi have great difficulty respecting the sensibilities of their neighbors. While a fair number of necrosi hide this social awkwardness behind a somber and withdrawn demeanor, they are just as often loud, extroverted and rather boorish. They are passionate about gathering both life experience and knowledge and will approach an ancient library or a rowdy tavern with equal gusto. They are very practical people and don’t carry grudges and have a hard time dealing with those who do. Necrosi are very adaptive, and willing to endure harsh conditions when necessary so that they might survive. Physical Description: Necrosi generally stand between 5 ½ and 6 ½ feet tall. Their builds vary, as they are a magical race whose bodies are composed of the reanimated tissue of the corpses of other races. Each necrosi is composed of the body parts of several different humanoids, frequently of differing races, rudely stitched together. The skin of their bodies retains the general color of the donor races, but tinged with a sickly gray. Due to their unusual appearances, they tend to extremes in clothing, sometimes wearing robes and hoods to hide their deformity in the shadows, and at other times they parade their gruesome nature, wearing little. They may even design clothes with gaps in the cut to expose stitching and the scars where their flesh fused together. Necrosi eyes glow dimly, frequently red or yellow, but occasionally another color. Their voices tend to be gravelly and deep. They may have a single apparent gender or be of mixed characteristics depending on the bodies used to parent them, but they are genderless, reproducing asexually. They tend to walk with an awkward loping gait on legs of dissimilar length. Necrosi do not sleep, instead needing 4 hours of rest to recover from a days work. They require the standard periods of rest if they are of a class that requires rest to regain spells or power points. To reproduce, a group of 4 to 6 necrosi will unbind their stitching and trade parts of their flesh with that of a recently deceased corpse. The magic of their people will animate the body overnight, but the mind of the new family member is essentially blank. Infant necrosi generally take 3 to 5 years to develop to functional adulthood. Relations: Necrosi exist apart from the other races. Goblins see them as useful if inelegant tools. Wary and superstitious, minotaurs may patronize necrosi healers in times of great need, but they are reluctant to interact with them on a regular basis. Orcs and kobolds tend to be more pragmatic, and willing to tolerate the necrosi. Alignment: While necrosi believe in balancing responsibility and freedom, the have a strong tradition of healing and respecting the sanctity of life. They avoid the extremes of law and chaos, walking a middle neutral path tempered with an aversion to evil. Necrosi tend to be good or neutral in similar proportions, but their sense of community and their respect towards life means that despite their gruesome appearance few are ever evil Necrosi Lands: Necrosi have no nations of their own. They most frequently find a home in the metropolis of another race, usually living in a racial ghetto. When they have their own lands, their method of propagation leads them to form small enclaves near the sources of conflict or violence that yield a regular supply of corpses. Religion: Necrosi worship gods of healing, death and magic. They are strongly drawn to Wee Jas Pelor and Boccob. In the Heritor Campaign world, where the gods have disappeared they tend towards the more civilized spiritual paths, shunning the primitive shamanic traditions. Language: Necrosi speak common and necrosi, which they seldom teach to outsiders. They will generally also learn the racial language of the majority in whatever city or region they dwell. Names: Necrosi names are typically hyphenated and of exactly three syllables. Burrim-nor, Del-Gamin, Gurda-gri, Patak-vel, Tarkeem-re, Ves-sharrim. Adventures: Necrosi are drawn to adventure out of their desire to learn and experience. Their need to harvest the remains of humanoids who have met a violent end in order to reproduce means that more necrosi take to the path of adventurer than most any other race. In addition, their roles as healers and mercenaries frequently expose them to wrongs that must be righted and causes to be championed. NECROSI RACIAL TRAITS - -2 Dex, +2 Con and -2 Cha: Necrosi are awkward but very sturdy. As a patchwork creation, they have trouble relating to other races and developing a strong sense of self. - Necrosi are humanoids with the living dead subtype. They combine many of the characteristics of humanoids and undead. - Medium sized: necrosi are all medium sized and have no special penalties for their size. - Necrosi base land speed is 30 feet. Due to their loping gate, necrosi run at only 3x their movement rate, but this is not decreased by heavy armor. - A necrosi’s hit dice are derived from his class levels. - Unlike undead, necrosi do have a metabolism and a constitution score. - Like undead, all necrosi have dark vision to the range of 60’ - Like undead, necrosi are immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, nausea, sickness, fatigue, exhaustion, negative levels and disease. - Necrosi may not be turned but are affected by spells and affects that affect living creatures and undead creatures. - The balancing metabolism of a necrosi may heal from either positive of negative energy. They are healed by cure or inflict spells. Other negative energy spells and effects affect them normally unless the affect heals undead, in which case it heals an equal amount to the necrosi. However the shock of processing the rapid influx of either positive or negative energy deals non lethal damage to the necrosi equal to the damage healed, and the effects heal no non-lethal damage. - Necrosi recovers from non lethal damage at the accelerated rate of 1 hp per HD per minute. - Necrosi all have heal as a class skill and have a racial +2 bonus to all heal checks. - Necrosi have a 25% chance to ignore the extra damage from any critical hit, sneak attack, or other precision based damage. - A necrosi may heal himself of damage by making a heal check and spending 4 hours grafting flesh to his body from a recently deceased (within 24 hours) humanoid corpse. After 4 hours, the necrosi makes a heal check and heals 1 hp for every point by which the check exceeds 12. If the body of a humanoid is unavailable, the necrosi may substitute the body of a medium sized animal or monstrous humanoid, but he takes a -6 penalty to his skill check.
Electricbee 05-08-07, 07:39 PM	Goblyns Goblyns are sophisticated city dwelling merchants, traders and artisans. They are known for their complicated internal politics, it has been said that if you make one goblyn your friend, you make 3 your enemy. They favor finery in all aspects of living, preferring garments, equipment and even architecture that emphasizes beauty and ornamentation to at least the degree it is functional. Goblyns are well connected master politicians and historically are able to play one foe against another and avoid major conflicts with the other races. Personality: Goblyns are masters of manipulation and subtlety. Legend has it that a goblyn never lies, and most goblyns find it far easier and more productive to tell misleading truths than resort to lying. Goblyn society is built on a strongly ingrained system of obligation and favor. Goblyns track and trade social debt the way a banker counts coin. With other races, goblyns are less apt to track actual balances, but they still maintain a strong sense of who owes whom. Physical Description: Goblyns stand 5’ to 6’ tall and are of slender build, weighing from 110 to 160 pounds. Males and females are of similar height and build with delicate limbs and narrow faces accentuated with sharp features. Goblyns are incredibly graceful, elegant and charming. Their skin ranges in hues from deep forest green to pale sea foam, with a minority exhibiting golden skin tones instead. Their glittering eyes are most often violet, sapphire blue or emerald green, but all jewel tones are represented. Goblyn hair is worn in elaborate braided and sculpted fashions and is generally red, brown or gold in color. Goblyn ears and teeth are pointed, and the saw tooth smile of a goblyn is at once alluring and alarming. Their clothes are embroidered and embellished, and the degree of finery gives an indication of a goblyns social status. Goblyns are considered adults at age 30, and can live to be 200 years old. Relations: Goblyns fair well with other races, serving as middle men, merchants and traders for other races. They act as brokers for minotaurs, kobolds, and darklings, moving goods between them and to the more populous orcs in exchange for a healthy profit. They are careful in their dealings to remain neutral and not get involved in the conflicts of other races, even as they profit from the need for supplies the conflicts engender. Alignment: Goblyns are strongly lawful. Their society is built on a complicated set of rules and traditions. A goblyn who strays from these social norms is viewed as deviant and ostracized from goblyn lands and dealings. While goblyns are bound by strict societal rules, they also use those rules to their advantage, never forgetting a favor owed to them. Goblyn Lands: Goblyns do not hold major tracts of land, but maintain a network of well defended cities and roads along trade routes. They also maintain enclaves in the cities of their trading partners, from which they buy and sell goods. Goblyns maintain a powerful navy, both merchant ships and ships of the line to protect them. Religion: Goblyns tend to pay lip service to whatever religion is most popular in their region but are known for their disdain for those who focus overly on spirituality. Practical and political matters consume most of the goblyns’ attention, leaving little time to ponder philosophical matters. Language: Goblyns speak goblin and common. Goblyn literature is intricate, involved, and inaccessible to most members of other races. The goblin language has a staccato sing song quality when spoken. Names: Goblin names are multisylabic and follow a pattern of staccato syllables. Males and females use the same names, and a personal name is followed by an honorific that indicates which clan, house or guild an individual goblyn is affiliated with. First Names: Ardromanu, Denengu, Himolasi, Kistorialu, Olamalenga, Umbele. Last Names: Barashanga, Caranakwa, Guluzepti, Menatatra, Nanawaka, Sarotepti. Adventures: Goblyns adventure for a variety of reasons: One might undertake a great quest to pay of a great debt or to earn the favor of someone more powerful. More dedicated adventures chafe at the rules of goblyn society and exist outside the intrigues as adventurers. Finally, many goblyns adventure simply for profit and personal gain. It must be noted that even the most altruistic goblyn will cloak his good deeds under the appearance of a desire for profit or status. GOBLYN RACIAL TRAITS - -2 Str, +2 Dex, -2 Wis, and +2 Cha Goblyns are graceful and charming, but slight of build and given to impulsiveness and excess. - Goblyns are humanoids of the goblinoid subtype. - Medium sized: goblyns are all medium sized and have no special penalties for their size. - Goblyn base land speed is 30 feet. - Goblyns have low light vision. - Goblyn education emphasizes martial skills as well as learning. All goblyns are proficient in light, heavy and hand crossbows and the rapier. - Goblins get +4 to bluff checks if what they are saying is literally true but misleading. They have a -4 penalty to bluff checks where they outright lie. - Goblyns get a +2 bonus on appraise and sense motive checks. - Goblins keen ears give them a +2 bonus on listen checks.
LostMage 05-08-07, 09:19 PM	Looks pretty good, I just have a quick question or two (well, OK, two): 1) Is truenaming & binding considdered magic? Or are you just trying to do away with specific spells? 2) If there isn't any magic, or rather, spellcasters, what animates/makes the necrosi? Again, it looks pretty well developed... wish I could say the same for my setting :rolleyes:
Electricbee 05-08-07, 10:21 PM	There is plenty of magic, but there are no spellcaster or spells (ouside of the Factotum class ability) ... magic exists but it is just expressed in other ways When the good gods left, they took with them the infrastructure that let humanoids shape it via spellcasting. IF this were Forgotten Realms, they unravelled the weave. The magic inherent to creation still remained, and eventually people learned to tap into that with alternate methodologies. So there can be Warlocks and Binders and Truespeakers and martial adepts with supernatural abilites, but casting of spells just can't happen anymore
queenfange 05-10-07, 01:45 PM	I really like your ideas... Sounds very creative and non-cliche. I thought of a few things you possibly use, so hopefully at least one or two is helpful. Shadow Elf Racial Traits +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Cha: While shadow elves have physical traits similar to their distant ancestors, their isolation has left them bitter and unpersonable. Speed: 40 ft. Shadow elves are particularly fast. Darkvision 60 ft. +4 racial bonus to Hide checks in low-light, jungle, or desert environments (these stack with any usual modifiers these surroundings would grant). In the right situations, shadow elves are particularly talented at concealing themselves. +2 racial bonus to Appraise checks Proficient with shuriken and scimitar. Favored Class: [I'm not sure... I'm not familiar with any of the classes you chose, to be honest, but pick one that's sneaky]. Shadow elves have a vigilante version of justice, consistent with their chaotic-leaning society. Unfortunately, this occasionally leads to cycles of retaliation between rival families. Shadow elves hate spiders, which they associate with the end of their once glorious positions as a dominant race in the world. Isi'hawen is the greatest shadow elf city in the desert region of Uydun. The buildings are built of stone and a glass-like substance made of certain varieties of melted and re-hardened sand. The city's survival is based on the plentiful groundwater unusually close to the surface and nearby quarries of rare yellow-black marble. Most shadow elf adventurers tend to be found in this area, fighting off sand and lightning mephits or one of the many varieties of giant lizards. It is a good place for them to gain experience and at the same time provides valuable defense for the city (decreasing the number of active duty soldiers needed).
Electricbee 05-22-07, 06:00 PM	The statting out for the elves is going to need some work, as writtin they should get a +1 LA probably (speed and darkvision). I LOVE the city of glass idea for the desert dwellers, and I'm thinking perhaps the jungle elves paint or tatoo their skin in patterns of bold bright colors, like poison dart frogs.
queenfange 05-22-07, 07:02 PM	Yeah, LA +1 might be a good plan; I'm not the best with those, to be honest. Glad you like the glass idea though. Keep us updated with any more ideas you think of. :)
Electricbee 05-29-07, 04:23 AM	Here is a timeline for historical events leading up to the great war where Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings are killed off by the races that will survive in the heritors campaign: Year Event ~10,000 B.G.W. (Before the Great War) Elves are created and given the forests as homes. They prosper in the pristine world. 9,157 B.G.W The elven city of Herathmar is founded by the first dynasty led by house Degari. 9,088 B.G W. Dwarves are created and given the mountains as homes. From their ancestral halls, their empire will endure for centuries. 8,835 B.G W. With dwarven urging elves of house Cheselri rebel against the Kings of the first dynasty, after a brutal civil war, they are defeated, and banished from the comforts of the sun and the moon. They take refuge deep within the halls of their dwarven allies. 8,798 B.G W. The second dynasty of elves rises from the ruins of the drow civil war, led by house Boulimiar. 8,754 B.G W. The deep digging of the drow releases the creatures of the depths into the world including dragons and aberrations, and the drow hide this threat from the elves and dwarves for a time. 8,244 B.G W. Goblyn races are created; their fast breeding threatens the dwarves and the elves. 7,455 B.G W. Dwarves, elves and drow ally against the Goblyns, against the combined might of these 3 races, the goblyns suffer great losses. 7,227 B.G W. A secret accord is reached between the drow and the goblyns, and after long wars a state of detente is achieved with the drow and the goblyns on one side and the elves and the dwarves on the other. 7,000 to 5,000 B.G W. Humans, Halflings, and Gnomes are created. During this time of relative peace they prosper, and eventually ally with the dwarves and elves. 5,450 B.G W. The Drow breed Kobolds as a slave race from dragons and captive humanoids. 5,122 B.G W. The creatures from the depths grow too numerous for the drow to contain them, and the drow unleash them, first on the dwarves, and then on the elves and other noble races on the surface. In the confusion, many Kobolds escape as well, but their brethren remain enslaved to the drow. 4,833 B.G W. Dragon eggs are sanctified and exalted by the gods giving rise to the metallic dragons, unfortunately their numbers are small and they are younger and smaller than the chromatics of the day. 4,500 to 2,500 B.G W. Some members of humanity that have fallen into savagery and heresy are cursed by their gods, resulting in the creation of centaurs, minotaurs and other man/beast races. 2,298 B.G W. The centaurs rejoin the noble races; the minotaurs are highly territorial but not a member of either side. 2,500 to 1,000 B.G W. Orcs and the giant races are created by mutating members of the noble races. 2,000 to 1,000 B.G W. The Human Emporium spreads across the lands. Humans rule for 1000 years. 997 B.G W. Goblyn spies spread knowledge of necromancy and worse dark magics within the mages of the Imperium. The Imperium begins to decay from within. 886 B.G W. Necrosi are born from the experiments of Imperium mages. 740 B.G W. The Imperium has fallen. 5 successor kingdoms each claim to be the true heir to the throne. 722 B.G W. The First Underdark Wars begin. Dwarves and gnomes fight drow and kobold. 689 B.G W. Dwarves declare emancipation of all slaves in contested territories, in battling an insurrection of kobolds, the drow loose ground to the dwarves. 674 B.G W. Halfling nomads attempt to cross Minotaur territories, many die in skirmishes. 667 B.G W. The dwarves and drow declare armistice. The kobold settle the territory between the two, effectively occupying the territory gained by the dwarves in the war. 650 B.G W. Well armed and organized Halfling caravans continue to cross minotaur territory. 522 B.G W. Orc barbarians’ raiding begins to take northern territory from the Humans and Elves. 501 B.G W. Elves move their capital from its ancient home of Herathmar to the southern city of Malincebar due to threat from the orcs. 487 B.G W. Dwarves raid Kobold settlements after attacks on dwarven civilians. Evidence eventually proves attacks were instigated by the drow. 470 B.G W. Orcs capture city of Herathmar, goblyns arrange a deal by which they are taught magic by the elves and serve the orcs in other fronts to keep the city from being razed. 466 B.G W. 2 of the successor kingdoms have fallen to barbarism, while the remaining 3 continue to challenge each other for power. 396 B.G W. A human warlord from the wild reaches unites humanity, but the nobility of the successor kingdoms chafes at being led by one not of noble blood. 365 B.G W. Caravan of ten thousand eggs leaves Kobold territory in the underdark, eventually to settle hills of Nebran Har. Gnomes hold rights to these lands but had abandoned them in fear of dragons. 320 B.G W. The elves and their centaur allies retake Herathmar. 303 B.G W. Great swaths of the north forest are burned by the Orcs and their Goblyn allies. 288 B.G W. The nomadic minotaurs clash with humans on the fringes of the human influence. 275 B.G W. Orcs retake Herathmar, and this time occupy it and institute martial law. 273 B.G W. Humans retake Herathmar, aided by necrosi mercenaries, and hold it ‘in trust’ for the elves, who are viewed as incapable of defending it. 266 B.G W. The Second Underdark Wars begin. The kobolds claim neutrality and profit by selling arms to both sides. 250 B.G W. Orcs aided by necrosi mercenaries retake Herathmar. 244 B.G W. Elves aided by gnomes and humans besiege Herathmar. 239 B.G W. Orcs raze Herathmar, breaking every stone before they fall to the combined might of the elves’ coalition. The elven nation spends 10 years in mourning. 209 B.G W. The elves institute an isolationist policy, evicting all foreigners of all nationalities from their borders. 200 B.G W. Centaurs begin the march of sorrows from the forests of the elven homelands, many die before they settle in the plains of Memnant 191 B.G W. Minotaurs and centaurs begin a series of skirmishes, which will eventually leave the centaurs nearly destroyed as a people. 185 B.G W. The elves throw off an attempt by humans to open their borders. 166 B.G W. Under the Council of Warpriests, the orcish army, aided by goblyn intelligence and necrosi mercenaries drives the elves from their homelands. 161 B.G W. The minotaurs crowds Halflings out of the plains of Kheffet, the Halflings take refuge in human land north of the Ulbair river. 152 B.G W. Elf mages begin training human warmages at the Citadel of Parex-nul 151 B.G W. Goblyns infiltrate the colleges at Parex-nul, and subtlety corrupt the curriculum with dark magic’s and paranoid ideals. 144 B.G W. The Third Underdark wars start when the drow and kobolds attack dwarven outposts 142 B.G W. Drow and kobolds drive dwarves to the surface, the dwarves retaliate by collapsing most routes to the surface world. The kobolds have settlements both above and below ground, but the drow are largely trapped in the underdark. 132 B.G W. Leaving a trail of scorched earth behind them, Human warmages and the elven army retake elven territory. What is left behind after the battles will take decades to regrow. 128 B.G W. Queen Jessamine Lerandin is assassinated by elves unhappy with the scorched earth retaking of their homelands. She is the last surviving regent of the 3rd dynasty and dies without an heir. 115 B.G W. After over a decade of conflict the elven peoples split into two nations. The militaristic Free Elven Homelands occupy the geography formerly housing the forests of their people, but now much of the land has become farmland. The Children of the Green migrate north, and make their homes in the harsh taiga forests, clashing occasionally with scattered tribes of orcs and humans. 103 B.G W. Dwarves arrive in the frozen north, and ally with the elves. The eventually form a mixed race nation 94 B.G W. Goblyns claim sovereignty and dominion over the human port cities of Craegsmore, Rivermeet, Osuliad, and Maurimor. Aided by goblyn pirates turned privateers, the humans’ navy is decimated, leaving goblyns in control of the ports and the seas. 88 B.G W. The Northern Alliance of dwarves and elves drive orcs from the taiga. 83 B.G W. Human nations are reunited under the banner of Voeramin the First. 70 B.G W. Voeramin the First is assassinated, his son Voeramin the Second is named emperor, and Empress Sudrille is named regent. 66 B.G W. Empress Sudrille signs trade agreements with goblyns, ending years of hostility. 63 B.G W. Hierophant Orichilus IX excommunicates Sudrille for fraternizing with enemies of the people. 62 B.G W. Empress Sudrille is placed under house arrest, and real power is passed to the theocrats. Voeramin the Second maintains the title of emperor but is a figurehead. 50 B.G W. In the year of two winters, the warm season is extremely cold; the Northern Alliance is hardest hit, as the summer thaw does not occur. Refugees are turned away from the borders of the Free Elven Homelands. 44 B.G W. Hierophant Orichilus IX is secretly assassinated and replaced by a doppelganger loyal to the imperial throne. Power passes back to the Voeramin the Second. 40 B.G W. The imposter Orichilus IX decrees Imperial supremacy over doctrine and dogma. 37 B.G W. Voeramin institutes the whispered inquisition, seeking to ferret out and eliminate political enemies. 36 B.G W. Voeramin is killed while inspecting troops on the orcish front. His youthful son Voeramin the third ascends to the throne. 30 B.G W. Voeramin the third declares war on the orcish tribes. He institutes a years long war against the orcs who fight a highly successful guerilla defense. 24 B.G W. Voeramin the third is killed by the council of regents, but blame is placed on the goblyns. Voeramin leaves no heir, his nephew Aestorus the first ascends to the throne and ends the expensive and unsuccessful campaign against the orcs. 22 B.G W. The plague of the littles strikes the gnomes first and the spreads to the Halflings. Medium sized folk, and kobolds seem resistant, they become ill but do not die. Both gnomish and Halfling populations are devastated losing 1 in 3 adults and over half of their children’s population. 19 B.G W. Kobolds attack gnomish settlements; the few surviving gnomes take refuge in the Free Elven Homelands and in Human nations. 15 B.G W. Ten years of Drought begin in the plains of Kheffet begin, famine follows. 11 B.G W. Goblyn merchants control food prices by manipulating shipping, gaining political and economic power. 9 B.G W. Dwarves and Elves of the Northern Alliance descend into civil war over disagreements over rationing of resources. 4 B.G W. Aestorus the first declares his daughter Naedira the first to be co-regent. 3 B.G W. The drow finish new surface tunnels and network of magic portals allowing for rapid deployment of troops through the underdark. 2 B.G W. Minotaurs turn the Halflings away from the plains of Kheffet. 1 B.G W. Aestorus sends Naedira as ambassador to the minotaurs. She is taken captive after she attempts to force the minotaurs to accept Halfling refugees on the Kheffet. Year of the Great War The assassination of Naedira begins a war that will eventually involve all of the civilized races and result in the fall from power of the humans and the annihilation of the Dwarven, Elven, Gnomish, and Halfling peoples.
Electricbee 05-29-07, 01:20 PM	And now its time for the prototype map ... everyone who is looking feel free to throw out brainstorming ideas even if you don't have time to flesh them out. If you do have time to flesh things out so much the better ... LONG LIVE the HERITORS! http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa309/electricbee/HeritorsWLandL.jpg
Electricbee 05-29-07, 05:37 PM	The minotaurs of the Heritor's Campaign: Minotaurs The minotaurs of the Heritors campaign are human sized descendants of a cursed offshoot of the human race. They resemble cloven hoofed cow headed humanoids. Minotaurs are organized into matriarchal tribes and clans, and are noteworthy for their spirituality as well as their superstitious natures. Most minotaurs are farmers and craftsmen, as a race they also excel at woodwork and tanning. Trade of their plentiful crops with Goblyn merchants provides whatever metal and stone tools they require. Personality: Minotaurs are a deeply spiritual, practical people. They have rituals for greeting the sun, blessing meals, and many other daily events. They place great value on relationships in their extended family. Young are raised by the family as a whole, not mentored primarily by parents as with humans. Minotaurs have a strong sense of duty and obligation. They have a strong respect for and dependence on social groups and classes. Loner minotaurs are feared and pitied. Physical Description: Minotaurs stand between 6 and 7 feet tall, weight between 250 and 400 pounds as adults. Females tend to be slightly shorter than males but just as muscular. Minotaur skin is covered with a short dense coarse fur that may be black, white or any of a variety of shades of tan and ruddy brown, frequently marked by a coat of two contrasting colors. Their mournful eyes are most often brown, though amber or green eyes are not unheard of. Minotaurs clothing tends toward ceremonial ornaments, as they have little need for clothing as protection from inclement weather. Minotaurs are considered adults at age 12, and can live to be 120 years old. Relations: Minotaurs fare well with Goblyns whom they respect as longstanding trading partners. They are largely distrustful of the Necrosi, whom they view as unnatural. They view humans as something dangerous to be feared and shunned. Orcs, while admired for their martial skill, are viewed as unfocused and indulgent, failing to live up to their potential. They seldom have dealings with kobolds and night elves, so tend to judge them individually. Alignment: Minotaurs are strongly lawful. They learn duty to family and clan and nation as children and few ever leave this mold. As an agricultural, spiritual people, Minotaurs also have a mild tendency towards good. They are raised to honor the ideals of nurturing life and honoring the cycles of nature. Minotaur Lands: Minotaur lands stretch across the plains of Kheffet. There are few large cities but there exists an extensive network of roads, settlements and outposts. Religion: Minotaurs have a strongly held system of racial beliefs. They say blessings to the rising and setting sun, before meals they ritual wash, the say prayers and make offerings to spirits of their ancestors and of the lands on holy days. Language: Minotaurs speak minotaur and common. Minotaur is a strange language with far more emphasis on long strings of ululating vowel patterns than on the consonant noises of other peoples. Words and phrases in minotaur take some time to say, and it is typical for two conversing minotaur to speak and listen at the same time. Due to this distinct and difficult linguistic feature, 2 ranks in concentration is a prerequisite for a member of any other race learning to speak minotaur. Minotaur language also has a written form, most often stored on rolls of reed paper, and they are known for their extensive libraries. Names: Minotaurs typically translate their names into common when dealing with members of other races. Female names are often named for flowers, birds and plants, while men are often given the names of animals and trees. Clan names have ancient significance that is most often shrouded in myth and mystery. Female Names: Cinnamon, Moonflower, Pebble, Star, Swan, Zephyr. Male Names: Ashe, Bear, Cloud, Cougar, Frog, Linden, Night, River, Viper. Clan Names: Blue Leaf, Full Belly, Long Ear, Stone Fall, Two Stones. Names in Minotaur: Uo-ou-au-mon Urr-u-aummin, Noor-uu-aman Ma-a-ee-rohm. Adventures: Minotaurs most often adventure out of a sense of duty or obligation to their clan. They may feel they are a burden to limited resources and seek to add to the clan wealth, or may be tasked with a great goal by an elder. A smaller percentage of adventuring minotaurs take to the life to escape unwelcome pressures or restrictions of the rigid minotaur culture. MINOTAUR RACIAL TRAITS- +2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Int, and -2 Cha Minotaurs are broadly built but somewhat more awkward than other races. They have a strong tradition of learning and literacy, but are tied to their clan and lake the strong sense of self of other races. - Minotaurs are humanoids of the beastman subtype. - Medium sized: minotaur are all medium sized and have no special penalties for their size. - Minotaur base land speed is 30 feet. - Direction sense. A minotaur has an acute sense of space and distance. A minotaur may retrace any path he has personally traveled. Due to this he also gains a +2 bonus to survival checks. - Bellow: Minotaurs may yell messages at tremendous volume. A minotaur voice can carry a mile in outdoor conditions. - Concentration: the spiritual lifestyle and the language of the minotaur grant them a +2 bonus on concentration and checks. - Minotaur weapon proficiencies: Minotaurs treat light and heavy flails as simple weapons. They treat dire flails as martial weapons. - Herd Mentality: Minotaurs get a +2 bonus to diplomacy and sense motive checks when they have allies at hand, but have a -4 penalty to use these skills when alone. - Powerful Charge: All minotaurs are treated as having the Power Attack feat when charging. This ability may not be used to qualify for any other feats or prestige classes.
queenfange 05-29-07, 06:58 PM	Minotaurs look like +1 LA possibly... Other than that, pretty cool.
Domriso 05-29-07, 09:17 PM	Hm, looks like a nice campaign idea. I'll see if I can't get working on something myself.
Electricbee 05-31-07, 10:48 PM	Ok on to a few more guidelines for the Orcs: I'll write up one of these for each of the major races eventually in addition to the PHB style race writeup. Orcs: Politically: Orcs live in a series of non unified city states of varying governmental types, fairly united against outsiders but prone to internal competition. Add to that a strong tradition of disparate schools of martial arts, each with its on adherants and detractors. Iron age greece with wuxia-style temples as the source of martial training. A non unified people. They have as many governments as they have city states, and revolution (both bloody and bloodless) is not heard of from within. They tend to be strongly resistant towards a unified national gov't. Socialy: Orcs are honor conscious, gruff, and prone to violent outburst. Think TNG and DS9 Klingons in D and D form. Duels are common ways to avenge insults and reclaim honor, and depending on the degree of insult are more often fought to first blood or submission than to death (deadly duels occur only rarely and over the gravest matters). Family Life: Orcs have an unusual pattern of marriage. A young male orc who has acheived adulthood will be taken on as a lover and husband of a female who's husband has passed on and who's children are grown. Together they grow the fortunes of their family, and he is free to adventure during this time, as is she. When she passes on or becomes enfeebled with old age, the middle aged male orc wil take a girl who has just come of age as his bride and raise a family with her. Economically: Orcs are farmers, craftsmen, vintners and brewers. As the most populous race of the Heritors campaign world, they have the most diverse economy. Any individual city state however is likely to have an excess of goods in some areas and shortages in other areas, and orcs are as likely to trade with other races ... most often goblyns ... as they are to trade directly with eachother. Militarily: Orcs have mighty armies, with many elite units of PC class combatants, and most orcs commoners have at least a level or two of warrior. Each city state will put forth a militia, and on military campaigns, the most fit to lead do so. Out side of combat, military advancement occurs through challenges of fitness for leadership that result in duels. There are protocols in place to prevent such challenges during actual battles. Adventuring: Adventuring orcs tend to be Shadows (renamed Ninja from complete adventurer), Crusaders, Swordsages, and Warblades.
Johnny_Angel 06-01-07, 06:59 PM	Are feats from PHB allowed? I'm asking because a lot of feats in other books require PHB feats as prerequisites. I'd be interested in building an iconic or legendary character. Do you roll stats or use point buy?
Electricbee 06-01-07, 07:45 PM	Feats from PHB are allowed, just not PC classes. And if your building and NPC, just assign the stats that make sense for that NPC. If i think its too uber (or not uber enough) i'll adjust em when I use that character.
Electricbee 07-15-07, 11:16 AM	Long neglected Bump (is this thread undead now?)
Tomkin 07-15-07, 03:16 PM	I'd be interested in helping with NPCs and locations. Which prestige classes (if any) are you allowing?
Electricbee 07-18-07, 08:53 AM	Thanks for your offer to help. The main restriction on prestige classes would be that none could have spellcasting progression. Beyond that, they should be involved with groups that make sense in the game world, and not just exist for the purpose of tweaking crunch.
Electricbee 04-28-08, 09:27 AM	BUMP ... with 4th ed pending, I think this campaign might make a good last hurrah for my 3.5 rules, maybe others will feel the same.
Eldritch_Lord 04-28-08, 08:50 PM	Just discovered the thread, and I must say, I like it. My group favors non-Vancian magic, so while I don't ban wizards, clerics, etc., they tend to go for the others anyway. One question, two suggestions: 1) Why no shadowcaster? They don't use spells in the traditional sense; they have something more like a set of spell-like abilities, and their mysteries become spell-like and supernatural eventually. Also, it might be interesting to include them, as you could re-fluff them as having the last twisted remnants of Vancian magic, striving to reclaim their lost power. 2) I'd add Lizardfolk (or another reptilian race) and possibly an amphibious version of Sahuagin (or another aquatic race), as evil-walking-reptile races and evil-fish-man races are fairly iconic bad guys and would contribute fairly unique societies. 3) I'd suggest tying Hobgoblins and Goblyns together, and perhaps Minotaurs and Yak Folk together, to create some tension--have the Hobgoblins and Yak Folk think their brethren are stupid for becoming good and constantly harry and raid them. Also, you could create an interesting linguistic twist by having Goblyns change the spelling of their name from goblin-with-an-'i' to differentiate themselves from their "unenlightened" hobgoblin kin.
Electricbee 04-29-08, 07:47 AM	Just discovered the thread, and I must say, I like it. My group favors non-Vancian magic, so while I don't ban wizards, clerics, etc., they tend to go for the others anyway. One question, two suggestions: 1) Why no shadowcaster? They don't use spells in the traditional sense; they have something more like a set of spell-like abilities, and their mysteries become spell-like and supernatural eventually. Also, it might be interesting to include them, as you could re-fluff them as having the last twisted remnants of Vancian magic, striving to reclaim their lost power. 2) I'd add Lizardfolk (or another reptilian race) and possibly an amphibious version of Sahuagin (or another aquatic race), as evil-walking-reptile races and evil-fish-man races are fairly iconic bad guys and would contribute fairly unique societies. 3) I'd suggest tying Hobgoblins and Goblyns together, and perhaps Minotaurs and Yak Folk together, to create some tension--have the Hobgoblins and Yak Folk think their brethren are stupid for becoming good and constantly harry and raid them. Also, you could create an interesting linguistic twist by having Goblyns change the spelling of their name from goblin-with-an-'i' to differentiate themselves from their "unenlightened" hobgoblin kin. First, no shadow caster in my version because I see it as too mechanically similar to standard casting. Psionics were eliminated because of their overlap, similarly shadowcasters were nixed. Not that someone else who wants to run with this campaign concept would be required to make the same call by any means. I can see the arguments both for and against including them. Lizard folk I would love to see or maybe some snake-tauric humanoid. Or even a well done draconic humanoid. Just need a background, and a distinctive niche. Finally, the goblyns. The goblyns of Heritor are wholecloth different from the goblyns of standard DnD. They are medium sized, and highly civilized (with the good and bad that implies). I can see including a hobgoblin race, perhaps one that mirrors the folklore that hobgoblins are smaller, more fiesty or meaner cousins of goblins. But the relationships between goblins and hobgoblins likely won't mirror standard DnD.
Eldritch_Lord 04-29-08, 08:50 PM	Finally, the goblyns. The goblyns of Heritor are wholecloth different from the goblyns of standard DnD. They are medium sized, and highly civilized (with the good and bad that implies). I can see including a hobgoblin race, perhaps one that mirrors the folklore that hobgoblins are smaller, more fiesty or meaner cousins of goblins. But the relationships between goblins and hobgoblins likely won't mirror standard DnD. What I'm saying is, you have these goblyns-with-a-y that are Medium, civilized, non-evil, and otherwise non-stereotypical; then you have the MM-standard hobgoblins who are ticked off about their cousins' changes, think the goblyns are moronic for being Good, envious of what they have, and so on. Nothing says the goblyns didn't used to be the MM-standard goblins.