Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Johnathan_Vagabond 10-16-07, 12:55 AM	Greenwald is a terrible, terrible title. Not necessarily as a title, but it certainly is for this campaign at the very least. So, that being said, its only a working title. I'm trying to make this world a lot more 4E based on what I've read, but still functional in 3.5E. I don't have a group right now, so theres no real time crunch. World: The world of Greenwald is roughly the size of the Earth. It is dominated by 4 major continents and a scattering of archipelagos that run either between them or arise and disappear into the sea as a result of volcanism. First, I'd like to mention the most unique continent based in the southern hemisphere. This the home of the dwarves, great vastness of minerals and mines as well as horrible subterranean and burrowing creatures. The landscape is covered with jagged mountains that run a solid line from the beginning of the continent to the end. Races: I've changed a large part of the races, including physiology and culture. I want to keep them in their normal archetypes, but with different racial benefits. I don't have all the racial benefits worked out as of yet, so I could certainly use help with that. Half-Orcs (Horc): -Physiology: To understand horcs you must understand two things. The first of those is understanding Orcs. Orcs: -Physiology: The Orcs of Greenwald are not the same dumb green humans they normally. Orcs are large sized monsters, on par with Ogres in brute strength and size. This is a result of their wildly abnormal physiology (compared to humans). Normal Orcs have 5 hearts and any number of heart-like organs. Although each of these is only roughly 2/3s the size of a human heart, they take responsibility for separate parts of the body. One for the head, left arm, right arm, legs, and torso. They are located in the head, left chest, right chest, pelvis, and stomach, respectively. Each of these pumps to an individual lung (half the size of a single human lung) which inhales through a separate esophagus. The heart-like organs are small, the size of a human thumb, and run along the arteries of an Orc, acting like a pumping station (There is known to be at least two in the hand and one at each joint). Attempting to fit these many organs into a single body, not to mention the remaining bits, has given the Orc a large barrel chest. The muscles and bones that grow around this chest leave less room for flexibility, which generally is not an issue for the Orc. Weighing in at just under 350lbs for the average female, the Orc has plenty of strength to make up for any lacking dexterity. Their many hearts has lead to strange disabilities among Orcs, which used to be attributed to magic or weak breeding. If a heart fails, then its body part shrivels up from the lack of blood. This results in largely disproportionate Orcs. A more novel, and frightening, aspect of the Orcish assembly results form the multiple esophagi. Each one connects to a small voice box. Each box contains a different set of chords, allowing orcs to speak in a great range of pitches and tones. It is said only an Orc or someone with 5 throats can speak true Orcish (although a trade language has been invented). This has lead to the Orc's ability to harmonize with itself. A one Orc choir rarely sings songs, but vicious and feral shouts. While all these voices roll off a single tongue and single mouth an Orcish voice is always a surprise to those who have never met an Orc before. To the darker side of a mage's mind Orcish physiology, with its multiple organs and separate support system, is a plaything to work with. While it has lead to more benign creations, such as the Horc, it has lead to sinister ones as well. http://www.jaestudio.com/Tyrant.jpg The practice of adding and removing body parts to an Orc is a field which some mages devote their entire lifetime to. Headless, multi-headed, multi-limbed, winged, or mutated Orcs are found in abundance near old decrepit mage towers. Generally regarded as an evil use of a generally neutral creature frequently results in the exile of an ambitious mage who could "cure many ills with only more time!" -Culture: Orcs and Goblins are not different races, for one. They are different castes of the (term used loosely) Orcish Society. Goblins are smaller and weaker, albeit generally smarter. Orcs rely on strength to lead, as well as canny with hunting. The smartest Orcs (no great compliment) usually end up as the chieftains, by proving their ability to manipulate the lesser Orcs. Many are revered as demi-gods. -Architecture: The architecture of Orcs and Goblins is the epitome of crude, but often sturdier than man-made structures. Orcs can lift very heavy loads, and as such use very large stones in their permanent structures. Many Orc houses are temporary, and obviously so as well. Tents or simple wooden structures that can go up and come down in hours mark an Orc camp. Permanent buildings (mad of man sized stones) exist in good hunting areas and places of frequent battles. Generally they are crude mockeries of other races castles, that would be an General's afterthought if not for their great size and weight. Depictions of Orc gods are rare. There are many gods to the Orcs, simple, primitive ones. Emotive gods, like fear or anger. Often, barbaric cultures gravitate towards Orcish gods, who are believed to possess you when overcome with emotion. However artistry is rare and uncultured amongst the Orcs. Perhaps a mud painting of teeth or genitals will signal the presence of the Fear God or the Fertility God, even then, the artist was an exceptionally expressive Orc or Goblin. More often, buildings are adorned with antlers or teeth from prey or cloth from dead enemies. -Religion: People are often surprised when they first learn about Orc religion. Worshiping anger or fear as signs of the Gods seems backwards. To the Orc mind it makes perfect sense. If a god is omnipresent then the Orc will feel him all the time. If an Orc is angry then the Anger God must be touching him. People are also astounded that Orcish Gods do not revolve around death. The Fear God and Anger God are worshiped as protectors. Orcs often pray to the Fear God to leave them alone. More over Orcs worship the Happiness God and the Filled God (opposite of the Hunger God). If Orcs pray to negative connotations for anything other than to stay away, then it is for those gods to visit their enemies. Orcish Shamans collect images that remind them of their emotive gods. The most common are Teeth = Fear God Iron = Anger God Thorns = Pain God Sand = Hunger God Bone = Filled God Soft Cloth = Happiness God Finger = Death God/Sadness God (given the propensity of Orcs to suffer heart attacks, they believe the moment the Death God touches you, you will feel "dead") Genital (any) = Pleasure God Burnt Stick = Warmth God Jade = Cold God Half-Orcs (Horcs): Physiology Con't: That you understand the first part about half-orcs, the second is that Humans cannot breed with Orcs. Horcs resulted from magical experiments, trying to give humans the strength and size of Orcs. Horcs resulted. Horcs can breed with any of the three races, Humans, Orcs, or Horcs, though they cannot breed with anything else. Horc physiology is composed of three hearts (three lungs, three esophagi) and a few pseudo-hearts. The rest is human, aside from the denser bone structure and larger musculature. Each heart pumps for a different part of the body, lower, upper, and the brain. The average Horc is less mechanically inclined than a human, but often more canny. Their bulk gets in the way however, making fine manipulations out of the question. A common phrase for a person who uses brute strength when delicate finesse is required is a "Horc Locksmith". Horcs multiple esophagi gives them a natural propensity towards bardic callings. Their physical appearance (not at all handsome) can limit their audience though. Horcs are also, despite their lumbering nature, very good arcanists. The magics that merged their bodies with those of humans (or visa-versa) remain in the Horc flesh. Indeed, black market dealings often involve Horc body parts for one magical ritual or another. -Culture: Horcs in different societies range in status from slaves to kings. They were initially meant to improve and perfect the human race, merging man-mind with Orc-body. Flaws and imperfections (from both Orc and Human lines) have moderated the impacts, putting the average Horc on the same level with an average human. Far weaker than Orcs, Horcs in an Orcish tribe are classed with or below Goblins, although they are generally smarter, because they cannot speak true Orc (having only 3 voices). Their main redeeming feature is their ability to out think the other tribesmen. Any real advancement in an Orcish tribe comes from the mind of a Horc. Trap setting, stone working, even art result from Horc endevours. Amongst Humans, a Horc can rule many barbaric tribes or warrior societies. Their inbuilt brawn and durability stave off the attacks of normal men. In places where Charisma matters little, the Horc thrives. Pirates, bandits, or highwaymen can all be lead by a Horc. Other societies, Mageocracies or larger cities often consider Horcs a useful and meaningful addition to their society. Humans draw closer ties to Horcs than they do to most other races, feeling a genetic attraction to the race. Deeply religious societies on the other hand, often enslave or persecute Horcs. Considered shambling mounds of arcane animated blasphemy, Horcs are a favorite target of any temple. They are ritually abused, have few or no right, and often treated as self-propagating flesh golems rather than a race. http://www.jaestudio.com/Gauntlets.jpg Horc dominated societies, at the fringes of Mageocracies or wild lands, seamlessly merge their human and orcish traits. They are nearly as varied as Human settlements, with a tendency towards Hedge Wizardry. -Religion: Horc religion focuses entirely around arcane magic and mages (part of the reason they are so welcome in Mageocracies). Their holy texts are copies of spell books used to bind Orc and Human flesh together. Colorful stories about the first days of the Horcs (no more than a dozen decades ago) follow the pages of semi-coherent spells. Artful depicitions of the mages that fused their ancestors together decorate walls. In some ways, these mages replace the emotive gods of the Orcs. In other ways the mages are things to aspire too with the intent of using the arcane magic to improve further upon the Horcish race. Noted Mages are Sylvia the Abjurer: The Mage that Protects the Horcs, Emotive Warmth and Coldness Goddess Alec the Conjurer: The Mage that Provides for the Horcs, Emotive Fullness God Cain the Diviner: The Mage that Teaches the Horcs, Father of Horcish Magic Duane the Enchanter: The Mage that Controls the Horcs, a Catchall Emotive God Miaille the Evoker: The Mage that Punishes the Horcs, Emotive Pain, Anger, and Fear Goddess Edwin the Illusionist: The Mage that Plays with the Horcs, Emotive Pleasure God Isla the Necromancer: The Mage the Kills, Emotive Death and Fear Goddess Zed the Transmuter: The Mage that Shapes the Horcs, Father of the Horcs -Architecture: Horcish buildings are made out of the most available material, then often tempered with arcane magic. In this one aspect, Horcs are more like Elves than any other race. The materials of the Horcs though, unlike the elves, are already heavy and strong. A long established Horcish Fort will rival long established Dwarven Forts. Horcs within Orcish villages that become permanent often direct the construction, taking full advantage of Orcish Strength. Art is plentiful on Horcish buildings. The most common form is a series of Arcane Marks, scrawled painstakingly around every temple, gate, or wall. These marks always glow and speak of the age and wisdom of the inhabitants, and of the Mages. Horcish decoration can be flamboyant at times. Although often lacking in the experts to make varied dyes and paints, their use of many colored arcane marks can make buildings look garish. Horcs have a great appreciation for flashiness that their ancestors lack. Anything that is uncolored stone is colored, anything that is colored is made to sparkle, and anything that sparkles is made to glow. Many Horcish Hedge Wizards perform entirely decorational duties for much of their career. Despite their flair for gaudiness, Horcs favor sharp angles and square shapes in their architecture. Four flat stone slabs compose a building and either a 5th slab or some thatch makes a ceiling. Larger Horc buildings are constructed with impressive techniques to make the rigid style work. In Horcish slang, "like a round house" means something very poorly built. The construction, crude as it may be, proves durable. Horcish Hedge Wizards melts the corners together. A well made Horcish house is composed of one solid piece of stone. Creative sculpting of the melting stone comprises many a Horcish home's distinctiveness. Horc Stats Str +3 Dex -3 Con +2 Int -2 Wis -2 Powerful Voice: Horcs have 3 voice boxes and 3 esophagi. They can communicate in pitches and ranges humans only dream of. Horcs gain a +4 to Perform: Singing checks and a +2 versus SR with Sonic spells. Arcane Repository: Horcish bodies are imbued with arcane magic through and through. All Horcs emanate a faint aura of transmutation. Any Horc with an Int or Cha 10 or over can cast cantrips as a 1st level sorcerer. Dispelling and Anti-magic effects are painful to a Horcs body, and deal a Horc 1 damage, in addition to any other effects. Orc Blooded: Orcish blood as well as Human blood runs through a Horc's veins. Any effect that functions on Orcs functions on Horcs. Horcish inherited physiology doubles their recovery from wounds due to rest and gives them a +4 on Endurance checks. Human Blooded: The Human blood in a Horc's veins is just as important. Any effect that functions on Humans functions on Horcs. Horcish inherited physiology gives them a +4 to disguise when attempting to appear Human. Favored Class: Bard or Sorcerer Elves -Physiology: If humans evolved from Apes, then Orcs evolved from Gorillas, and Elves evolved from birds. Elves weigh very little in terms of muscle or bone mass. Elven bones are not entirely hollow. Rather, much like human femurs, they are filled with spongey material. They have more sway and give to them than most bones. Their light weight allows Elves to be over all 'light on their feet'. This spongey bone tissue, much like marrow, allows their body to continue producing new cells everywhere, extending the Elven lifespan far beyond the range of any human. This more flexible bones do not support the large frames that the stiff Human and Dwarven bones do. The resons no one hears about fat elves, is because fat elves die (darwinism). Elves generally remain a foot shorter than humans, never gaining more than an inch above an average human (5'6) and while the marrow bones allow for longer lifespans and overall healing, elves are more easily injured thanks to this light frame. Fortunately the regenerative quality of having marrow in all their bones lets them recover from most injuries in a day or two, at the same rate as an orc. Many soldiers have left a group of elves for dead only to find them alive and well three days later. Elven marrow is also highly disease resistant, save for a few degenerative diseases that attack the marrow. This disease is appropriately named 'Elf Blight'. Though generally weaker in musclemass than other creatures, elves are supple with stringy tendons. They cannot maintain prolonged heavy loads, but can perform many small instances of power, especially in running and jumping. Old tales of flying elves are likely the result of the overall light weight of elves. Weighing only a few dozen lbs, elves fall slower than heavier races. Elven society is innundated with magic, having practiced it for many, many centuries of life. This magic seeps into the elven gene pattern, and has created a latent magicality shared by all elves. Elven body parts trade only slightly less than horc body parts amongst magic dealers. Elf bone is said to contain powerful healing capacity. This arcane link sharpens the development of the elven mind and sensory organs. Elves have exceptionally keen eyes and ears, as well as an innate sense of magic. To top it off their reasoning skills are innately superb. People meeting elves for the first time often note the feathery nature of elven hair. Although it is not made of feathers, elven hair is composed of two parts. First are main line hairs, which grown long and firm. Second are feathered hairs, tiny soft hairs branching off a main line hair in a single or double row. It can be compared to a long row of small split ends. Elf hair is sought after for a number of spell components. -Culture: Elves attract one another in medium sized groups. Few elven towns, aside from Yewel the Mountain Throne, grow beyond a few thousand people. Most elven cities appear in large open plains. They favor cultivation of magically enhanced crops. Dense corn, packed with four times the nutrients of normal breeds and fruits composed of thin skin and nourishing juice are elven mainstays. Crop rotation has long been mastered by elven farmers, leaving fields fallow for only 1 month out of 5 years. The process is greatly aided by magic. Generally, elves do no intersperse with other races. In any given "non-elven" city, there are only a handful of elves that know each other very well. This is because elves have a desire to be surrounded by their extended families. Entire blocks of housing (more on that later) are composed of aunts and uncles and cousins and kin. Groups of elven buildings move higher and higher, fitting as many family members in them as possible. Even though elves reproduce slowly (with fertile periods measured weeks per year) it often becomes impossible for every elf to be near their great great ancestors (a term used even if said sire is still alive). In this case, the entire neighborhood is rebuilt so that the eldest ancestor is in the middle with elves moving outwards in chronological order. There are few fights amongst elves, but a great many arguments. At any given time at any given place, any given number of elves can be found in a heated argument about magical theories, better ways to rotate crops, or who's child was the most accomplished. They eventually cool off, with both parties still believing themselves right (elves, like humans, have egos). True rational debate occurs in mage towers under the guise of classes. Elven mages wishing to expand their practical knowledge of high level magic learn from human wizards. The illusion that elves are the masters of powerful magic stems from their long lifespans and massive collection of other wizards spells. Many completely useless spells fill the Elden Ceylev Klong (Great Elven Spellbook), but so do many powerful ones. Aside from their lust for magical aptitude, elves are generally laid back and free spirited. Elven communities prefer to 'agree to disagree' rather than assert their correctness aggressively. They prefer to be under a broad open sky and appreciate the subtle arcane flows of the world. Although they appreciate nature they are not keen on untamed wilderness. -Architecture and Dress: City folk by nature, Elven towns and villages have a tendency toward light colors and pastels. Sun bleached stones often make cobbled paths amongst an Elven town. Sometimes such roads are lightly dyed. The transient nature of Elven villages is only an illusion. Though houses are made of cloth and wood, they are reinforced by magic spells. Ceylon, Elven word for “carpenter”, is a combination of Ceylev “sorcerer” and Omehl “house”. Elves have little concept of the ‘indoors’ and Elven homes look more like wooden framed cubes with cloth walls and ceilings. Elven spells cause the weave of the cloth to stiffen like wood or stone, but yield to the touch if so desired. Omehl are fireproofed, though poorer elves may be unable to afford such magic. Indeed the poorest omehl have no magic, these buildings remain a single story cube with wooden beams and drooping cloth. The most affluent of elves have their omehl supported by floating magical disks. Powerful Feylom must reinforce these spells often, costing a great sum of money. Such floating homes have advantages which are important to Elven minds. Being above the ground, if only by inches, prevents burrowing mammals and insects from entering an omehl. Elves also worship a sun deity, and the height brings them closer to this god. -Religion: Elves worship a sun god called Mislay. Her warmth and wisdom can perform any function. Even during the winter, elves believe that Mislay chases away the ice and snow until her brother Lus takes over the sky. Lus is an anti-god to the elves. Where he goes, the power of a god is suppressed. Elven cleric's spells are always weaker at night (save for the god-killer clerics of Lus, who are weaker during the day). Lus is not particularly evil. He rather thinks that mortal matters should not be tampered with. Clerics of Lus will chant "One world, our world" as a prayer. These clerics are at odds with the clerics of Mislay (for obvious reasons) constantly. Their temple is generally kept small by political maneuvers, and few disagree. Arguments occur so frequently outside of the ebony temple of Lus that they are almost always equipped with very large doors (to keep the sound out and to keep from being killed in some places. Deicide is something most elves just can't agree with.) The god killer clerics of Lus don't spend the whole time figuring out how to kill gods. They spend a good deal of time figuring out how to survive without them. Heat and light they have figured out. It involves a massive magical ball of flaming gas that... well... its really a silly idea, as most people are aware. They don't mind the sun so much as Mislay living inside it. One radical sect of the god killer clerics of Lus believes that Lichdom is the true way of Lus. No longer needing sunlight, food, or anything else for that matter, and certainly not depending on a god. This sect hasn't picked up much support outside of a few eccentric researchers, who are trying to figure out how to easily turn people into sentient undead (they don't even have a temple, unless its far off where no one can find it except them). Worshipers of Mislay (read: most elves) on the other hand warmly embrace deific interference. Especially when it comes to that warmth thing. Because magic is so integral to elves they believe that arcane magic is just another creation of Mislay. Clerics on both sides of the fence, Lus and Mislay, get along quite well with arcane casters. Few elves worship outside of the religions of Mislay and Lus. Some particularly well traveled elves may pick up deities from other religions. Soldiers in particular worship more actively protective deities (most soldiers worship healing gods, for good reason.) Farther out in the rural areas Wind and Water gods will crop up, but they are small, usually written off as minor creatures from other planes. Stats (subject to change due to wisdom and insight) Str: -4 Dex: +4 Con: -3 Int: +2 Wis: +2 Sinew: Elven muscle is taught and sinewy. While incapable of bearing heavy loads for long periods, it can manifest in sudden displays of strength. 1/10 minutes the elf may add 4+level to their strength score for 1 round. Light Frame: Thin light bones decrease the total mass of an elf. Often stories of elves walking on snow or tree tops catch a listeners ear. Although the carrying capacity of elves is reduced by 1/4, they gain a +5 to Jump, Swing, and Climb. Elves with a light encumbrance can walk over obstacles such as snow or quick sand or a pressure trigger (unless it was designed for elven weight). Elves with less than 1/2 of a light encumbrance slow at 1/2 the normal speed, reducing falling damage by 1/2. Imbued Arcana: Elves developed magic before they developed anything else. It is a second nature to them. As such, their higher mental statistics reflect the shaping of magic on their mind. It has also sharpened their senses, granting a +3 to Spot, Search, and Listen checks. Elves are so fine tuned in their senses that by concentrating for a full minute they can determine the presence or absence of magic, as per the spell Detect Magic. This lasts only as long as they concentrate. Elves also gain a +2 to Use Magic Device and Spell craft checks. Favored Class: Wizard Next up: Dwarves to be continued...
Johnathan_Vagabond 10-16-07, 11:28 PM	Updated: Finished Orc description. Finished Horc descriptions. Added theoretical racial traits for Horcs, subject to change upon suggestion or introspection. Next? Elves http://www.jaestudio.com/AcademySorceror.jpg
Aneutralshadeofblack 10-17-07, 04:33 AM	Horc Stats (...) Int -2 Cha -2 From a mechanical point of view, you probably want them to have -2WIS instead of the CHA penalty. If you don't, most players will probably gravitate towards using the STR and CON bonuses (possibly as Clerics), whereas with the penalty removed, they make more viable Bards/Sorcerers, and your racial history makes more sense.
Johnathan_Vagabond 10-17-07, 09:41 AM	I can see that. It would make both bards and sorcerers more attractive and more in flavor.
Johnathan_Vagabond 10-18-07, 08:56 AM	Update: Added elven physiology, culture, and architecture. Right now in terms of stats I'm thinking -4 Str +4 Dex -3 Con +2 Int +2 Wis Springloaded Elf: Elven muscles are stringy and snappy. Once per every 10 minutes the Elf may add their level to their strength score. Light Body: Due to the bone and muscle structure of the Elf, their maximum encumberances are reduced by 1/3. They do, however, gain a +5 to Jump, Swim, and Climb checks. Magical Senses: Arcane energy has soaked into elves in such a way that it alters their bodies. This energy is responsible for their mental bonuses, and increases their Spot, Search, and Listen by +3. Elves can also detect magic (as per the spell) by concentrating for 1 minute. Unlike the spell, this only reveals the presence or absence of magic.