Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:24 PM	Here's a setting that I've developed. What I'm most interested in by way of feedback: - Suggestions for adventure seeds - Suggestions for NPCs - Suggestions for additional bastions (or other key locations) - A better name for bastion-dwellers (something that's not such a mouthful) - Taking a suggestion from Ray Winninger's "Dungeoncraft" column in Dragon, I think it'd be nice to come up with secrets related to the main setting elements (by my reckoning, that means each of the bastions, each of the religions, the Cataclysm, the warpstorms, and possibly some of the races). (I don't want anything that would turn established knowledge on its head, such as saying that the Preservers secretly practice human sacrifice.) Table of Contents History (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11857933) Cultures (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11857938) Geography (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11857958) Character Creation (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11857993) Races (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858025) Classes (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858056) Religions (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858066) Mutations, Skills & Feats (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858126) Equipment (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858228) Magic & Monsters (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858238) Alternative Classes (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=11858269#post11858269) Inspiration A list of sources that, to one degree or another, contributed bits and pieces to my setting: Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve Red Steel/Savage Coast campaign setting (TSR) Arcanum CRPG (Troika Games) Eberron campaign setting Warhammer campaign setting Sweet Chariot campaign setting (Flying Mice LLC) Earthdawn campaign setting Dark Sun campaign setting Amethyst (http://www.serenadawn.com/amethyst.html) campaign setting by Chris Tavares Dias
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:26 PM	History What came before is no longer relevant. Once, mighty wizards ruled the land and performed wonders beyond imagination. But their hubris was greater than their wisdom, and they sought to wield power beyond their control. It is two hundred and eighty years since the Cataclysm, when the land was devastated by uncontrolled storms of magic. Only the oldest of elves remember that time, and they are reluctant to speak of it. This is what is known: Two great cities - the capitals of a pair of warring nations - were wiped from the face of the earth. It's believed that both cities were destroyed near-simultaneously, but the surviving records of the time are too patchy to be sure. It is not known which nation struck first. Some have speculated that only one of the cities was responsible, and that it was destroyed itself by an uncontrolled magical backlash from the spell that it cast. We will never know for sure, since all evidence of what really happened was completely obliterated. In the aftermath of these first strikes, powerful wizards created wards around several other cities of the region to protect them against the magical backlash that washed over the land. These became the bastions, islands of safety in a world of danger. The lands outside the bastions became known as the outlands. Those lands still bear the scars, most notably in the Barrens, where eldritch energies warp the land and the living into strange and horrific forms. In other places, the effects are less obvious, but the taint of those energies still lingers on. Warpstorms occasionally scour the land, wreaking havoc on everything they touch (though the bastions are warded against them). Though many folk still live in the outlands, bastion-dwellers venture there at their own risk. Now the people of the world are slowly rebuilding it from the wreckage of the Cataclysm. Some seek to recover the ancient secrets of magic, while others spurn the knowledge that destroyed civilization and try to recreate the world in a new image - an image shaped by the new knowledge of industry and invention. Attitudes towards both arcane magic and technology differ greatly from one person to another. Some view one or the other with distrust, while others seek ways to merge them. (Divine magic is not a common object of suspicion the way that arcane magic is, though of course, followers of enemy religions are treated with as much hostility as any wizard or sorcerer.)
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:26 PM	Cultures The bastions enjoy a higher standard of living, higher life expectancy, and higher literacy rates than the outlands. Bastion-dwellers are more cosmopolitan than outlanders, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're more open-minded. They tend to look down their noses at anyone less educated than themselves. The outlanders, on the other hand, consider most bastion-dwellers to be sheltered, pampered and arrogant. Yeomen live outside the walls of the bastions and manage the farms, herds and cottage industries that provide the bastions with necessary resources. They benefit from the protection of the bastion's troops in exchange for a portion of their produce which is levied as taxes. Being rather attached to the relative safety and security provided by the bastions, yeomen as a rule don't make good adventurers. Of course, there's always the occasional restless young man or woman who grows tired of the drudgery of farming or herding. Many bastion-dwellers tend to view all outlanders as a homogenous group, but those who live in or regularly travel through the outlands know that outlanders are actually divided into a number of different groups that are almost as distinct from one another as they are from the bastion-dwellers. Most outlanders are nomads, who can be divided into two different types, commonly known as "raiders" and "roamers". The raiders, of course, raid. They're roving groups of bandits that prey on homesteaders, caravans traveling between bastions, roamers, and each other. In other words, they're equal-opportunity bullies with no scruples and no principles. The only thing that keeps raider bands from self-destructing is the fact that they'd never survive alone, and they all know it. Of course, the governance of raider bands usually comes down to leadership by the biggest, toughest, and meanest. The roamers live by foraging and trading, and are highly practical. Derogatory names for the roamers include "scavengers" and "junkers", both referring to their habit of salvaging cast-off technology from the bastions. Less offensive nicknames are "scrappers" and "piecers" (from "piece together"). In fact, the roamers themselves use the latter term to refer to those of their number who make a living by such activities, especially those who are particularly clever or resourceful about it. (If you have d20 Apocalypse, use the salvager advanced class for expert piecers.) Homesteaders are those who live outside the bastions but aren't nomadic. For the most part, they're subsistence farmers. They band together in small communities for mutual support, but these communities rarely develop to a significant size. The derogatory term for homesteaders is "scrapers", referring to the fact that much of the time, they barely "scrape by". Some homesteads were established by colonists from the bastions, while others were villages that managed to survive the Cataclysm despite refusing to migrate to the bastions. A very few originate from roamer bands that decided to settle down (or raiders that decided to create a permanent home base). Hermits make up a fourth group in the outlands. Most are sedentary rather than nomadic, although the occasional wandering hermit does exist. Not all hermits are necessarily antisocial - for example, a snake-oil salesman who travels from homestead to homestead would technically be considered a hermit - but what distinguishes them as hermits is the fact that they live alone. As such, they have no common culture and no generalizations about them are possible. Hermits may come from any background.
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:28 PM	Geography The predominant terrain in the area in which this campaign is set is steppes. There are also extensive mountain ranges, many forested areas, and fertile lowlands. Bastions These are only examples of the kind of societies that can exist within the bastions. Feel free to add additional bastions of your own creation. Built in a mountain pass and surrounded by terraced farms, Highview is a center of learning and culture, with beautiful and impressive architecture. (Think of it as a blend of London and Vienna.) Both the Preservers and the Champions of the Light (see Religions) have their main bases of operation here. It also has a university that boasts the largest library on the continent and promotes the advancement of both magic and technology (and especially the combination of the two). It has a higher percentage of elves than any other bastion, which contributes to its magical expertise. It is ruled by a council, which selects its own successors. Irontown, in the plains, expanded from a coal-mining town to become a major center of industry. Much less vertically-oriented than Highview, it sprawls across the landscape under a haze of black smoke from countless factories, foundries and railyards. Technology is king here, while magic is less favorably received by most citizens. Irontown is the only bastion so far where steam cars have been put into use. It has been governed by the same ruling family since before the Cataclysm. The current ruler, known to many as the Iron Duchess, is a shrewd and progressive woman responsible for much of the city's recent development. (Think Lady Eboshi from Princess Mononoke.) Portsmouth is a major river- and sea-port located on a delta. (Think New Orleans.) Trade by water is still far from common, due to the fear of traveling through the outlands - but the vast majority of what shipping exists passes through this city. Since many traders are outlanders, mutants are more accepted here than in most other bastions. Political power is held by a handful of wealthy merchant families, who share the responsibilities of keeping the peace while at the same time competing with one another. Crime is less common than you might think, since the families don't tolerate anything that endangers profit. Vice, on the other hand, is quite another matter. Deephome is the largest of the dwarven bastions, and the only one that readily allows access to non-dwarves. It's a major manufacturing center, though unlike Irontown it mainly produces traditional handcrafts. It's also, by virtue of having so many skilled weapon- and armorsmiths, the strongest military power on the continent, though it has no ambition to conquer anyone else; the army is mainly concerned with preserving ancient traditions and keeping up appearances. Despite their conservative nature, the dwarves have enthusiastically embraced the use of gunpowder and the production of firearms. Deephome is the only bastion on the continent to include cannoneer units in its army. Tradegate is not a bastion, but rather a glorified trading post visited by aeronauts, roamers and homesteaders alike. It consists of an ever-changing collection of wagons, tents and stalls surrounding the remnants of a small, fortified town that predates the Cataclysm. Tradegate has no formal government; thieves and troublemakers are dealt with by mob justice, while raiders are kept at bay by mercenaries in the employ of a self-appointed Port Authority (based in the central fortress), who collect protection money (in the form of tariffs) from all traders. Of course, there's nothing stopping them from charging as much as they like and pocketing the extra; the traders grumble, but put up with it because it's better than the alternative (and there's nothing they can do about it anyway).
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:30 PM	Character Creation In addition to the usual steps of choosing race and class, determining ability scores, selecting skills and feats, and so on, players must also choose two additional characteristics: origin and occupation. Origin is a key part of the character concept, and must be selected from the following list: bastion-dweller, yeoman, homesteader, roamer or raider. (Non-evil characters are not permitted to choose raider as an origin, unless they're reformed raiders who have seen the error of their ways and left their bands.) Hermit cannot be selected as an origin, since nobody is born a hermit. Origin determines the occupational choices available to the character and has other minor mechanical effects as follows: Only bastion-dwellers, wizards and Preservers gain automatic literacy. Other characters must pay 1 skill point to be literate in the alphabet used for their first language, and 2 skill points each for other alphabets. (See the Speak Language skill in the SRD to determine which languages use which alphabets.) Barbarians may not gain literacy at character creation, but may learn to read later if they have in-game opportunities to do so. Survival and Navigate are always considered class skills for roamers and raiders, regardless of their actual class. If their starting class has either as a class skill, they also receive a +1 competence bonus to the skill. Note that roamers and raiders gain no benefit from selecting Survival or Navigate as occupational class skills. Non-player races (savage humanoids, giants and so on) don't usually fit into the same societal divisions as the "civilized" races. In general, however, they can be considered roamers or raiders for mechanical purposes; they are illiterate but gain Survival and Navigate as class skills. Don't worry about granting occupational benefits to NPC monsters. Occupations As in d20 Modern, occupation determines what kind of work a character has been doing prior to the start of the campaign. To some degree, occupation and class overlap (e.g., most characters with the Soldier occupation will be fighters), but occupation can still be helpful in distinguishing members of the same class from one another. For example, an Aristocrat fighter will be quite different from a Criminal fighter. Even counter-intuitive combinations can work with the right character comibination: a Scholar fighter may be a member of the Preservers, while a Soldier wizard is probably a battlemage. A character's choice of occupation is limited by his origin. The occupations used in IP were adapted from those in the Gamma World Campaign Setting published by Sword & Sorcery. As always, if a selected skill is already a class skill, the character receives a +1 competence bonus on checks using that skill. Occupations grant minor benefits to PCs, making them slightly more powerful than standard characters of the same level. GMs who wish to avoid this may rule that the occupation takes the place of the free starting feat which all characters get (this can be either mandatory or optional). If occupations are treated as feats, remember that a player can still only choose one and only at first level. IP uses the gold piece standard of D&D as a default, so occupational Wealth bonuses are listed as +xd4 bonuses to starting gold (before multiplying by 10). If you prefer the d20 Modern Wealth rules, simply ignore the "d4". Adventurer Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Any Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Climb, Demolitions, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Heal, Intimidate, Jump, Knowledge (geography, history, nature), Navigate, Move Silently, Pilot, Ride, Spot, Survival, Swim. Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Aristocrat Prerequisite: Age 18+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose one of the following skills as a permanent class skill: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (local, history, law and politics, religion), or add a new Speak Language. Wealth Bonus: +6d4 Artist Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Bluff, Craft (visual art, writing), Forgery, Knowledge (history, religion), Spot. Wealth Bonus: +2d4 Athlete Sports are popular in all societies, but it's only in the bastions that people have enough leisure to make a living at it. Prerequisite: Strength 13 or Dexterity 13, Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Balance, Climb, Jump, Ride, Sense Motive, Spot, Swim, Tumble. Bonus Feat: Select one of the following: Acrobatic, Athletic, or Improved Unarmed Combat. Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Boss This is a manager in one of the businesses that are slowly replacing the traditional guilds in the bastions. Prerequisite: Age 23+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (local). Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Criminal Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Any Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Forgery, Hide, Intimidate, Knowledge (local), Move Silently, Sleight of Hand. Bonus Feat: Select either Alertness or Improved Unarmed Combat. Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Engineer Prerequisite: Age 18+ Allowed Origins: Bastion, Homestead, Roamer Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Craft (mechanical, structural), Demolitions, Disable Device, Knowledge (architecture & engineering, science & technology), Repair, Research. Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Entertainer Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Bastion, Roamer Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Balance, Bluff, Craft (visual art, writing), Diplomacy, Disguise, Perform (any one), Sleight of Hand, Tumble. Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Healer Prerequisite: Age 21+ Allowed Origins: Any Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Craft (alchemy), Heal, Knowledge (nature, science & technology), Search. Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Hunter Prerequisites: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Any except Bastion Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Handle Animal, Hide, Knowledge (nature), Listen, Move Silently, Ride, Search, Spot, Survival. Bonus Feat: Select one of the following: Animal Affinity, Point Blank Shot, or Track. Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Laborer Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Bastion, Homestead, Yeoman Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Craft (any one), Climb, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Repair, Ride. Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Lawman Prerequisite: Age 18+ Allowed Origins: Bastion, Homestead, Yeoman Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Forgery, Gather Information, Intimidate, Knowledge (local), Ride, Search, Sense Motive, Spot. Bonus Feat: Select one of the following: Alertness, Armor Proficiency (light), Improved Grapple Wealth Bonus: +1d4 Merchant Prerequisite: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Any except Raider Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Appraise, Bluff, Craft (any one), Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography, local), Navigate. Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Priest This occupation represents someone who provides spiritual guidance to a community, whether he be a cleric, druid, adept or even a monk. Prerequisite: Wisdom 13, Charisma 13, Age 21+ Allowed Origins: Any Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (arcana, history, religion), Listen, Sense Motive. Wealth Bonus: +2d4 Scavenger Prerequisites: Age 15+ Allowed Origins: Any except Bastion Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Appraise, Decipher Script, Disable Device, Knowledge (geography, history, nature), Move Silently, Search, Spot, Survival, Swim. Wealth Bonus: +2d4 Scholar Prerequisite: Age 23+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose three of the following skills as permanent class skills: Craft (writing), Decipher Script, Gather Information, Knowledge (arcana, geography, history, law & politics, nature, religion, science & technology), Research, or add a new Read/Write Language or a new Speak Language. Wealth Bonus: +3d4 Soldier Prerequisite: Age 18+ Allowed Origins: Any Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Climb, Demolitions, Hide, Move Silently, Navigate, Signaling, Survival, Swim. Bonus Feat: Select one of the following: Armor Proficiency (light), Improved Unarmed Combat, or Weapon Focus. Wealth Bonus: +2d4 Spy While a person from any background can become an expert in subterfuge, the genteel, social chameleon sort of spy is a product of the bastions. Other covert characters should take the Criminal occupation. Prerequisite: Age 21+ Allowed Origins: Bastion Skills: Choose two of the following skills as permanent class skills: Bluff, Craft (visual art, writing), Decipher Script, Diplomacy, Forgery, Gather Information, Knowledge (law & politics, local), Search, Sense Motive. Bonus Feat: Select either Improved Unarmed Combat or Stealthy. Wealth Bonus: +2d4
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:33 PM	Races Dwarves in IP are a mixed lot. Some live in their own underground cities in the mountains, while others mingle with other races in the bastions or form their own (aboveground) homesteads in the outlands. Elves in IP are sharply divided into two very different groups: high elves and wild elves. High elves live almost exclusively in the bastions and rarely venture outside their walls, while wild elves live in the few remaining pristine forests of the outlands. Each group holds the other in contempt; the high elves view the wild elves as ignorant savages, while the wild elves disdain the high elves as soft city-dwellers with no understanding of nature. The division between the two groups extends back well before the Cataclysm, which has only widened the gulf. Many wild elves blame humans for the Cataclysm, and they tend to be xenophobic as a result. While they won't kill intruders in their forests without provocation, they will make it very clear that they're not welcome and will forcibly remove them if necessary. They skirmish constantly with the bands of orcs that roam the plains, and have on rare occasions been known to rescue human homesteaders from orc raids. Wild elves are as described in the Monster Manual, except that their favored class is druid. They gain the same origin benefits as roamers or raiders, and speak Elven and Sylvan (but not Common) as automatic languages. Wild elves are not suitable as PCs except in exceptional circumstances. Gnomes are usually bastion-dwellers; they excel as inventors, scholars, businessmen and politicians. They have +2 Intelligence instead of +2 Constitution and do not possess any spell-like abilities; instead, they gain a +2 racial bonus to Craft, Knowledge and Repair checks. Their favored class is mechanist (adapted from the Dragonstar campaign setting). Half-orcs who are roamers or raiders have barbarian as a favored class. The favored class of half-orcs from the homesteads or bastions is rogue. Halflings are usually roamers. Lupins are wolflike humanoids that have a pack-based nomadic warrior society with a highly-developed sense of honor and community responsiblity. Culturally, they are somewhat similar to Tatars. Most are roamers, though a few renegade packs follow a raider lifestyle. They migrated to the area a little over a century ago. Alignment: Lupins as a whole are generally neutral, though they tend towards law more often than chaos, and towards good more often than evil. Religion: Druids are the usual spiritual leaders of lupin packs, though lupin "shepherds" are not uncommon. (Lupins do not use the term shepherd, incidentally, since they take offense at being likened to sheep. Their term for the role translates roughly as "guardian".) Solitary lupins may become elemental disciples or Champions of the Light. Lupins never become chaos lords; they view them as a perversion against nature. Language: Until a few generations ago there was no written form of the Lupin language, and most lupins are still illiterate. Since the written form was developed by humans, it uses the Common alphabet. However, lupins must pay 2 skill points to learn the written language since writing is still a novel concept to most. (See the section on chracter creation for more details on literacy.) Male names: Ahmut, Khyter, Rashan Female names: Feruza, Neera, Yaswyn Lupin height and weight are determined as for humans, plus 2 inches, and their lifespans are equal to half-orcs. Lupins have the following game statistics (adapted from the article by Mike McArtor in Dragon #325): +2 Con, -2 Cha; Lupins are tough and generally taciturn. Medium-sized Base speed 30 ft Low-light Vision Acute Sense of Smell: In many ways, a lupin's acute sense of smell works like the scent ability, but without the automatic nature of scent. A lupin's nose allows it to locate and identify certain races and creatures by their smell, and to aid it in tracking. - A lupin has a better ability to detect and distinguish the scents of creatures than a human. This gives the lupin a +5 racial bonus on Spot checks made to oppose a known individual's Disguise check if the individual comes within 5 feet. - A lupin within 5 feet of an invisible or hidden creature is entitled to a DC 20 Wisdom check to pinpoint that creature. - A lupin gets a +2 racial bonus on all Survival checks made to follow tracks. Lupins can't track by smell alone, but the olfactory clues they find aid their tracking technique. - Lupins suffer a -2 penalty on all saving throws against attacks based on odor (such as a stinking cloud spell or a ghast's stench). +2 racial bonus to Listen checks; Lupins have keen hearing. +2 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Ride checks; Lupins are skilled equestrians. Bite: Lupins can bite for 1d4 points of damage, but normally do so only when grappling; in other circumstances their bite is treated as a secondary attack (with a -5 to hit) and provokes attacks of opportunity (unless the lupin has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat). Automatic Languages: Lupin, Common. Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Halfling, Orcish, Sylvan. Favored Class: Ranger Warforged (from Eberron) were not part of my original vision of IP, but could easily be introduced either as relics of pre-Cataclysmic magic or a new creation of magictech.
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:36 PM	Classes Fighters and rogues are unchanged from the core rules. Only roamers and raiders may be barbarians. Bards are few and far between in the world of IP. Those that exist are generally roamers, though some originally hail from the bastions, where they received their musical training before setting out to see the world. Survival is a class skill for bards. Clerics in IP follow philosophies rather than gods. There are five types of clerics, each with its own special variant rules (detailed under Religions, below). Wild elves may not be clerics; those with spiritual leanings become druids. Orcs and other primitive humanoids usually become adepts, although a few may follow the path of Chaos or that of the elements. Druids in IP are animistic in their beliefs. They don't view Nature as being an entity in itself, but they communicate with and manipulate the anima that are found in all things. Ninety percent of druids are wild elves or lupins, and are the spiritual leaders of their tribes/packs. A few half-elves and humans who have had close contact with wild elves become druids. These individuals nearly always live as hermits, since their "strange" customs are viewed with suspicion by most other outlanders. Bastion-dwellers may not be druids without major background justification. Monks are extremely rare in IP, though a few isolated monasteries can be found in the outlands. Characters raised in a monastery are treated as having the Bastion origin for mechanical purposes (i.e. they gain literacy and can select Bastion-only occupations). All paladins belong to the Champions of the Light (see Religions, below). Rangers in IP do not cast spells; instead, at each level they would normally gain access to a new level of spells, they gain a bonus feat from the following list: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, Quick Draw, Run, Skill Focus, Toughness or Weapon Focus. They must meet the prerequisites for a feat in order to select it. Rangers use d10 for hit dice, but receive only (4 + Int Mod) skill points per level. (This is a holdover from 3.0, because I think rangers should be tougher than druids.) Rangers who are bastion-dwellers use the urban ranger (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#rangerVarian tUrbanRanger) variant from Unearthed Arcana. Bastion-dwellers who wish to become traditional wilderness rangers must provide justification for it in their background. Sorcerers are found more frequently among outlanders than bastion-dwellers. They were unknown before the Cataclysm, so their emergence is believed to be a result of residual magical energies (not draconic ancestry, as in the core rules). Only bastion-dwellers can become wizards; outlanders and yeomen simply don't have the time or resources necessary for the study of magic. Psionics are not a core part of the IP setting, as I don't think they fit very well. If you choose to allow psionics in your campaign anyway, psions and mindknives should be more common among bastion-dwellers, while wilders and psychic warriors are found more often among outlanders.
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:37 PM	Religions The world of IP is deistic; there is a Creator, but It does not actively involve Itself in world affairs and is not actively worshipped. Some people acknowledge Its existence, while others deny it; however, only primitive humanoids worship other (false) gods. Aside from these, there are five major "religious" movements in IP. Champions of the Light Champions of the Light are the closest thing to actual worshipers of the Creator in IP. They believe that the Creator is inherently good, and they promote ideals of justice, righteousness, and compassion. The largest number of Champions are lawful good, but chaotic and neutral good Champions are also common, as are lawful neutral ones. Technically, any non-evil person can be admitted to the order, but chaotic and true neutral characters generally don't care enough about the order's ideals. Champion clerics choose two of the following domains, subject to alignment restrictions: Good, Healing, Law, Protection, Strength, Sun and War. Disciples of the Elements Elemental disciples don't worship the elements, but consider them as patrons. Contrary to what some people think, elemental disciples of opposing elements are not automatically hostile, though they're rarely friendly. Elemental disciples usually view druids as potential allies. Druids, on the other hand, treat elemental disciples with as much indifference as they do nearly everyone else. Elemental disciples use the spontaneous divine casting rules from Unearthed Arcana, and they turn and rebuke elementals instead of undead; the type depends on which elemental domain(s) they choose. They must choose either two non-opposing elemental domains or one elemental domain and one related domain, as follows: Air - Travel or Trickery Earth - Protection or Strength Fire - Destruction or War Water - Healing or Plant Elemental disciples also gain energy resistance 5 against two energy types, according to the elemental domains they choose (if they have two elemental domains, they must choose one energy type from each): Air or Earth - Lightning and Sonic Fire or Water - Fire and Cold Their energy resistance (against both types) increases by 5 points at every 5th level, up to energy resistance 25 at 20th level. As an alternative to the regular cleric class, you may wish to use the shugenja class (from either Complete Divine or Oriental Adventures) for elemental disciples. Lords of Chaos Some chaos lords are insane; others are just unrepentantly evil. Most are both. Even if a chaos lord starts out chaotic neutral, he usually slides quickly into chaotic evil on account of his actions, if not his intentions. Chaos lords view mutants as being touched by chaos, and thus treat them with respect. Naturally, quite a few chaos lords are mutants themselves. Multiclassed sorcerers (and wilders, if you allow psionics in your campaign) are common among the chaos lords. This class should usually be taken before the cleric class, because their emerging powers are usually what prompts them to follow the path of Chaos. Chaos lords have no dedicated followers, but they occasionally form alliances with people who follow their lead for their own opportunistic reasons. Some are motivated by a desire to bring down the bastions, others by simple greed or bloodlust. The chaos lords' power comes from their own strength of personality, so their spellcasting is based on Charisma rather than Wisdom. That doesn't mean that Wisdom is unimportant for a chaos lord; they usually don't last very long if they're not strong-willed and perceptive. Chaos lords use the spontaneous divine casting rules from Unearthed Arcana, and choose two of the following domains: Chaos, Death, Destruction, Evil, and Trickery. They do not turn or rebuke undead, but they gain one summon monster spell (chaotic outsiders only) of each level they can cast, which are added as bonus spells to both spells known and spells/day. If you have access to Monte Cook's Chaositech, you may find it an excellent source of ideas for the chaos lords. (I can't give specific suggestions, since I don't own the book myself.) Preservers The Preservers are an order of scholars dedicated to the preservation and advancement of all types of knowledge. This includes both magical and technological knowledge. Individual Preservers may favor one or the other, but the group as a whole is tolerant towards both. Not all Preservers are clerics; they count many wizards, mechanists and experts among their number as well. Preservers can be any alignment, though chaotic and evil preservers are uncommon. Preserver clerics use the cloistered cleric (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/variantCharacterClasses.htm#clericVarian tCloisteredCleric)variant from Unearthed Arcana, and have access to the Knowledge and Magic domains, plus one other domain of the player's choice (subject to alignment restrictions). The chosen domain should represent the character's field of specialization, and players are encouraged to choose skills and other character traits accordingly. Shepherds Shepherds are the spiritual leaders of homesteader communities (and occasionally roamer bands), serving and protecting them. Many are simple adepts, though the more talented ones are clerics. Shepherds may be any alignment, though they're usually good and rarely evil. Shepherd clerics are not usually combat-trained, so they have a poor base attack bonus and are not proficient with medium armor or shields. To compensate, they gain 4 skill points/level and add Handle Animal, Knowlege (nature), Ride, Survival and Swim to their class skill list. Shepherds choose *three* of the following domains: Animal, Good, Healing, Luck, Plant, Protection and Travel. (Since the Animal, Plant and Travel domains grant class skills that are already included in the Shepherd's class skill list, those who pick one of these domains gain Skill Focus with the appropriate skill instead.) Teresa Serafina Teresa Serafina is the name of a famed explorer who has become a sort of "patron saint" of travelers, especially aeronauts (though in recent times many roamers have also started paying homage to her). Many aeronauts have a shrine to Teresa in their airships, and make daily offerings of incense. Teresa is not a goddess and has no clerics; it's up to the GM whether she has any real power to grant aid. However, I suggest the following: Each time a person pays homage, he gains a +1 luck bonus which can apply to up to three rolls within 24 hours. (Additional acts of homage in the same day have no further effect.) The player doesn't choose when to use this bonus; the GM applies it only when it would make a difference between success and failure (or simple failure and disaster), and doesn't tell the player when this occurs. The bonus may be applied to AC, saving throws, and some skill checks (especially Pilot). The effect is purely defensive; it would not, for example, apply to a Bluff check to feint in combat, but if a Climb check was failed by 5, this bonus could reduce the margin to 4 (and thus prevent a fall).
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:43 PM	Mutations Any character not from a bastion can choose to have a mutation. Mutations follow the rules in the d20 Future SRD, but the following mutations and drawbacks are not allowed: Cybernetic Dependency, Force Barrier, Neutrad Dependency, Poisonous Blood and Radioactive. No character may have more than two beneficial mutations or more than 6 MP's worth of beneficial mutations (before subtracting the point value of drawbacks). The frequency of mutations is about 5% among outlanders and less than 1% in bastion-dwellers and yeomen. Most bastion-dwellers believe that the higher frequency of mutations among outlanders is evidence that the outlands still harbor dangerous magical energies. This is only partly true; although there are still magically-tainted pockets in the outlands, most areas are "clean". The higher frequency of mutations in the outlands is at least partly due to the fact that mutants are more accepted there. This means that a) many mutants born in the bastions emigrate to the outlands, and b) mutants in the outlands are more likely to marry and have children, passing on their mutations. Characters who venture into the Barrens or other tainted areas stand a chance of acquiring new mutations. For every day spent in a tainted area, you must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 15 +1 per previous check) or acquire a random mutation. Those exposed to warpstorms always mutate. In addition, a tainted area or an area affected by a warpstorm has the wild magic trait. (You may also wish to use supernatural weather effects from Frostburn, Sandstorm or Stormwrack for more severe warpstorms.) Skills In addition to the standard d20 skills, IP uses the following skills from d20 Modern: Craft, Demolitions, Navigate, Pilot and Repair. Unless specified below, these skills work as described in the d20 Modern SRD. Craft: IP uses the Craft categories from d20 Modern in addition to those listed in D&D skill description. Demolitions is a class skill for fighters, mechanists and rogues. The only explosives available in IP are gunpowder and dynamite. (See the d20 Modern SRD for dynamite stats.) Knowledge: Change Knowledge (nobility & royalty) to Knowledge (law & politics) and add Knowledge (science & technology). The Knowledge skills from d20 Modern can be used instead, if preferred. Navigate is a class skill for bards and rangers. It's especially essential for aeronauts. Pilot is a class skill for mechanists and rangers. Repair is a class skill for mechanists. New Skill: Signaling (Int, trained only): You can send and receive signals using flags or lights. The base DC for sending a message is 10 for a simple message, 15 or higher for a more complex one. The DC for interpreting a signal is 15, modified by how much the signaler made his check by; it may also be increased by range, visual interference and distractions (any penalties that would apply to Spot checks also apply to Signaling checks). The DM should make the check secretly. If the check is missed by less than 5, the character misinterprets some part of the signal. If it's missed by more than 5, the character cannot read the signal at all. On a natural 1, the character gets entirely the wrong idea. Signaling is a class skill for fighters and rogues. Feats Cautious (General): You gain a +2 bonus to Demolitions and Disable Device checks. Gearhead (General): You gain a +2 bonus to Craft and Repair checks. Guide (General): You gain a +2 bonus to Navigate and Survival checks. Scavenger (General): You gain a +2 bonus to Appraise and Search checks. Two-Gun Shooting (General, Fighter): When wielding a light firearm in each hand, the penalty for firing both at once is reduced by 2 for your primary hand and 6 for your off-hand. (The Two-Weapon Fighting feat does not apply to firearms.)
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:50 PM	Equipment Weapons Firearms are considered simple weapons, and anyone proficient with all simple weapons is proficient with firearms. However, those who gain proficiency only with certain selected weapons (e.g. druids, monks, wizards) do not automatically gain proficiency with firearms. Firearms ignore up to 2 points of armor and/or natural armor bonus to Defense (but not 2 points of each). A shotgun can hold up to two shots. A rifle can only hold a single shot, while a revolver can hold up to six. Loading a revolver is a full-round action. Loading a rifle or shotgun (or a single chamber of a revolver) is a standard action. Bullets cost 1 sp each and are usually sold in boxes of 50. Shotgun cartridges cost 2 sp and are usually sold in boxes of 10 or 20. A Medium-sized or Large character can shoot, but not load, a rifle or shotgun with one hand at a -4 penalty. You may not benefit from any ranged combat feats (including Two-Gun Shooting) when firing a rifle or shotgun one-handed. Size Damage Crit Range Weight Type Cost Revolver S 2d6 x3 30 ft 3 lb Pierce 200 gp Rifle M 2d8 x3 90 ft 7 lb Pierce 300 gp Shotgun* M 3d6 x3 30 ft 10 lb Pierce 250 gp * Shotguns follow special rules as described below Shotguns suffer a -2 penalty to damage rolls per range increment instead of to-hit rolls. The effects of cover and concealment are halved when using a shotgun. However, the shotgun pellets may cause collateral damage to any person or object providing cover to the target. Use the following guidelines to determine who takes damage: 1) If the attack roll is high enough to hit the target even with the normal cover bonus, the target takes full damage and the cover takes half damage. 2) If the attack is high enough to hit the target with the halved cover bonus, but would not have hit him with the normal cover bonus, the target and the cover both take half damage. 3) If the attack roll is not high enough to hit the target with the halved cover bonus, but would have hit him without the bonus, the cover takes full damage and the target takes none. 4) If the attack roll would miss even without the cover bonus, then neither the cover nor the target take damage. Note: If the cover's AC is higher than the attack roll, they take no damage. Armor In addition to the standard types of armor, two new types of light armor are available in IP: leather vests and leather dusters. These are not as effective as full leather armor, but are more readily available. Unlike other types of armor, leather vests and leather dusters can be worn together and their armor bonuses stack. Armor Max Check Spell Cost Bonus Dex Penalty Failure Weight Leather vest 2 gp +1 +8 0 -- 4 lb Leather duster 5 gp +2 +6 -1 10% 10 lb Leather vest: This is the armor of choice for those who wish to be discreet, as well as those who need more mobility than conventional armor allows. It can easily be concealed under normal clothing, or disguised as a normal waistcoat. Leather duster: This knee-length leather coat constricts movement a bit more than a tailored suit of leather armor, but is cheaper and more socially acceptable. It can put on or taken off as a full-round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Technology and Transportation Both steam engines and internal combustion engines exist in IP. Steam engines are commonly used in mining machinery and dockyard cranes as well as in trains. Internal combustion engines (running on alcohol, since crude oil is not readily available) are used in airships; what few motorcars exist are steam-driven. Airships are filled with hydrogen, as mass production of helium is infeasible. Consequently, fire is a constant threat. In the last few decades, trains have gained favor as an cheaper alternative, but few tracks have been laid to date (owing to the difficulty of finding workers willing to brave the dangers of the outlands). River travel is by barge, dhow or the occasional steamboat. Sea travel is less common (as dangerous as the outlands are, the oceans are even worse), and most ocean-going vessels are sailing ships. Clothing Roamers (and raiders) dress largely in earth tones - predominant colors are beige, brown, black and ochre, and occasionally khaki. Everything is made of cotton, wool or leather. Roamer clothing is strictly functional. The styles are similar to those of South American gauchos. Yeomen and homesteaders dress like 19th-century Eastern European peasant farmers: the women in blouses and long woolen skirts with scarves or kerchiefs covering the head; the men in baggy shirts and breeches, boots, and vests. Bastion-dwellers are more elegant in their fashions. The styles are similar to Victorian England, but without most of the useless frills like bustles and crinolines. Embroidery is the most common type of decoration. A high-class woman will usually wear a long, elegant satin gown in a dark color such as burgundy or navy blue. Hats are rarely worn; women instead prefer elaborately-styled hair. Women usually wear their hear long, and men short, regardless of culture, but the styles vary; roamer women often braid their hair and then wrap the braids around their heads. Facial hair is optional for men; outlanders who grow beards tend to wear them full, while bastion-dwellers usually favor short beards.
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:51 PM	Spells and Magic Items The summon monster spells are off-limits in IP, because they go against the flavor of the setting. (See Monsters and The Planes below for why this is so.) Chaos lords are a special exception to this. Monsters Since IP is intended as a relatively low-magic setting*, having oodles of bizarre creatures running around the landscape could spoil the effect. Rather than make a list of every monster that might or might not exist in the setting, I offer the following general guidelines: - Generally speaking, animals, oozes and vermin are about as common as in any other D&D campaign world. - Humanoids are up to you; I haven't detailed how the various "primitive" humanoids fit into the setting because I didn't want to make it too cluttered. I'm quite happy without them, but if you want to include them, feel free. - Aberrations, giants, monstrous humanoids and magical beasts without supernatural or spell-like abilities (e.g. carrion crawlers, griffons, kuo-toa) are uncommon, but not exceptionally rare. - Constructs, plant creatures, dragonkin (e.g. wyverns) and undead are rare, but not unheard of. (Mindless undead are the most common type, and incorporeal undead the least common.) - True dragons, fey, and aberrations, monstrous humanoids or magical beasts with spell-like or supernatural abilities are vanishingly rare. - Elementals and outsiders should only appear if specifically summoned by someone. If in doubt, ask yourself "Could this creature be passed off as some kind of alien lifeform or mutant in a science-fiction setting?" If the answer is no, then I advise against including it except as a key encounter in an adventure (i.e. it should never be a "wandering monster"). (* I hear you saying, "Low magic? A magical cataclysm, strange mutants and chaos worshipers running around, artificers creating technomagical gizmos... and you call this 'low magic'?" The point is that the magic in IP is supposed to be rare and special. If magic items and spell-casting creatures are as common as dirt, then the mutants and magitech get lost in the mix. By keeping most of the world "normal", it ensures that the unique elements stand out and helps preserve the flavor of the setting as being different from other D&D settings.) The Planes Whether you use the default cosmology with IP or create your own separate cosmology is entirely up to you. The reason I'm not bothering to create my own cosmology is because planar travel should be exceedingly rare in the IP setting. Regular contact with other planes or other worlds could seriously upset the low-magic feel of the setting. That said, there are potential adventure ideas involving the planes. Perhaps a wizard uncovers lost magic and opens a gate to the outer planes, inadvertently allowing a demon to enter the world. Or maybe the PCs are travelers from another world who find themselves in this hitherto unknown world that possesses technology they've never seen the likes of before. Whether you use the core cosmology or create an entirely new one, the key thing to remember is that planar travel should be extremely rare, even more so than in other campaign settings.
Wyvern76 03-22-07, 06:55 PM	Alternative Classes Although rules are given above for adapting the D&D core classes to the IP setting, some may prefer to use a different set of d20 classes instead. Below are my thoughts on the viability of using some of the more popular alternative rulesets with the setting. (If there are others you'd like me to comment on, let me know; I may or may not add them depending on how familiar I am with them.) d20 Modern Using d20 Modern classes will result in a lower-magic setting. It'll also require modification of classes, skills and feats to fit to the lower technological level of the setting. (If you have d20 Past, it may come in handy in making these adjustments; however, I don't have it so I can't make more specific comments along that line.) Using the d20 Modern ruleset for IP has a couple of benefits. First, the 5th-level cap on spells nicely reflects the fact that much magical knowledge has been lost. Secondly, the flexibility of the basic classes allows for character concepts that are not covered by the D&D core classes. From the core d20 Modern rules, all of the advanced classes are suitable (or can be made suitable) for use in IP except those designed for the Shadow Slayers campaign setting. (The Techie will need a replacement for the Build Robot class feature.) However, some are more appropriate for the setting than others; IMO the gunslinger, daredevil, field scientist, techie, acolyte and mage are the best fits and the soldier, martial artist, personality and battlemind are the worst. Any starting occupation can be used except emergency services (however, most are available only to bastion-dwellers). From Urban Arcana, all advanced and prestige classes except the shadowjack and techno mage can be used, though the speed demon would be at a disadvantage since the vehicles available in IP are relatively slow. The best fits (flavorwise) are the archaic weaponsmaster, mystic, swashbuckler and wildlord advanced classes, and the artificer, archmage and holy knight prestige classes. From d20 Future, the ambassador, dreadnought, explorer, field officer, swindler, tracer and xenophile can be adapted for use in IP. DarkLore/Etherscope Although I don't (yet) own the DarkLore Campaign Primer, I've read the free sampler (formerly) available from the Malladin's Gate website (http://www.malladinsgate.com/products/productitem.php?ProductName=DarkLore%20C ampaign%20Primer&LineName=DarkLore%20World) and was greatly impressed by their class design, which adapts the d20 Modern model into classes that can cover nearly any fantasy archetype: Warrior (Strength), Thief (Dexterity), Outlander (Constitution), Scholar (Intelligence), Devout (Wisdom), and Destined (Charisma). These would probably be my first choice as an alternative to D&D classes. Etherscope, from the same publisher, reportedly has similar base classes which might be even more appropriate for IP, being designed for a quasi-steampunk setting. I can't comment on the suitability of the advanced/prestige classes from either product. Arcana Unearthed/Evolved The flavor of the AU/AE classes is so unique that I have a hard time imagining how they'd fit into the IP setting. The exception is the magister, which I like better than the wizard and sorcerer. I'd be tempted to suggest using it as a replacement for those two classes if not for the fact that in IP, the wizard/sorcerer distinction fits perfectly within the background of the setting and adds flavor to it. Having said that, if you feel inspired to use the AU/AE classes, go for it (and let me know how you fit them into the setting). Star Wars It's my opinion that the non-Force-using classes from Star Wars would be well-suited for a Western campaign. Since IP has a slightly Western feel to it, you may wish to use the Star Wars classes as substitutes or supplements to the core classes. (Simply replacing the core classes entirely won't work, since at least some magic-using classes are necessary to preserve the fantasy flavor of the setting.) The scout, soldier and scoundrel classes overlap with the ranger, fighter and rogue respectively, so you should only allow one or the other. However, the fringer and noble classes make great additions to the IP setting. Any outlander may be a fringer (renamed "pioneer"), while only bastion-dwellers may be nobles. The tech specialist class is also usable with a few modifications, and is available to any origin. If you do use Star Wars classes, you'll need to decide whether to use class-based Defense bonuses, and modify the classes accordingly. True20 I haven't seen the True20 rules firsthand, but from what I've read about them I see no reason why they couldn't be adapted to work just fine for IP. Warcraft I don't own either version of the d20 Warcraft rules (yet), but from what I've heard about them I imagine that most of the classes wouldn't be too difficult to fit into IP.
Sliversun 03-22-07, 10:13 PM	Looks great! I also love the idea for Irontown (Princess Mononoke is one my favs!). Do you think you can add in the Drow? Also, do you need anymore ideas for races or locations? Keep up the good work!
razorboy 03-23-07, 12:01 AM	Have to say, outstanding work! I was thinking of running a steampunk game after my current campaign wraps up, this it just spurring me on. :) P.S. Have you looked at Iron Kingdoms? It's a great product line and steam-punk setting, although if I have beef with it is that rules for making mechanical stuff are too complex, and firearms are a pain to operate.
Wyvern76 03-23-07, 01:38 PM	Do you think you can add in the Drow?Well, I'm not a big drow fan myself, but there's certainly no reason the drow couldn't be a part of the setting if someone wanted to add them. Being underground, they would've been protected from the Cataclysm. Also, do you need anymore ideas for races or locations?Races, no; locations, yes. See the top of the thread for some ways you can contribute. Have to say, outstanding work! I was thinking of running a steampunk game after my current campaign wraps up, this it just spurring me on. :)Thanks! Glad you like it. Have you looked at Iron Kingdoms? It's a great product line and steam-punk setting, although if I have beef with it is that rules for making mechanical stuff are too complex, and firearms are a pain to operate.Yeah, I'd like to get my hands on a copy of the Iron Kingdoms Character Guide, but my budget for luxuries is very limited at present, and there are other gamebooks higher on my priority list. Wyvern
Wyvern76 03-26-07, 04:25 PM	:bump: Only two replies? What happened to the folks who expressed interest when I posted my "teaser" a couple of weeks ago? Wyvern
Sliversun 03-30-07, 07:20 AM	I'm thinking of doing a Japanese-style Bastion, whose Samurai use both swords and the latest firearms. Do you think that would work in this setting?
Thyrwyn 03-30-07, 02:23 PM	There is a lot of interesting ideas here and it looks very well thought out. Let me mull over it some more before commenting further. . .
Wyvern76 03-31-07, 10:03 PM	There is a lot of interesting ideas here and it looks very well thought out. Let me mull over it some more before commenting further. . .Thanks. I know there's a lot to take in, but I hope that hasn't put anyone off. I'm thinking of doing a Japanese-style Bastion, whose Samurai use both swords and the latest firearms. Do you think that would work in this setting?Well obviously, if you use the setting yourself you can add whatever you like. But if you want to know what *I* think of the idea... The culture of the setting as I envisioned it is essentially "Western", but not modeled on any specific country. There's no reason why a city with an otherwise Western culture couldn't have an elite caste of warriors similar to samurai. I'm sure other elements of Japanese culture could find a place as well. (Hey, I once came up with an idea for an alternate Star Wars universe with the same races and planets, but a culture similar to Imperial China.) Also, keep in mind that the area I've described is only a small part of the world (about twice the size of Ukraine according to my current estimates). I haven't decided whether the Cataclysm had worldwide effects. In any case, there's plenty of scope for introducing exotic outsiders from distant lands. When I initially conceived the setting I didn't have any specific geography in mind. I still haven't drawn a map on paper, but in the last couple of weeks I've given some thought to where the named bastions are in location to one another, and here's how I visualize them: On the western edge of the map is a mountain range running roughly SSW to NNE. There are two large forested regions inhabited by wild elves; one in the southwest corner, south of the mountains, and the other skirting the northeastern border of the mountain range. Curving across the southern edge of the map is the northern edge of a large gulf or sea, with rivers flowing into it. The rest of the map is basically steppes. The lupins migrated into the area from the east. There are two "irradiated" areas (the Barrens), one in the southeast corner near the seacoast and the other to the northeast of Coldstone (see below), extending northwards past the edge of the map. Irontown is located roughly in the center of the map, with Portsmouth due south on the seacoast. Highview is in the mountains west of Irontown, and Deephome is to the northwest. Tradegate is on the plains about midway between Irontown and Highview. Coldstone is north of Irontown, near the edge of the map. The Iron Duchess has commissioned the construction of railroads, first to Portsmouth and then to Deephome (passing Tradegate on the way), and work has just begun on a branch line to Highview. (Portsmouth and Highview are both roughly the same distance from Irontown.) By comparing the time required for travel by different modes, I've decided that the map is about 800 miles square. That means the journey from Irontown to Portsmouth takes a week on horseback, or 24 hours non-stop by train (assuming an average speed of 15 mph). Travel between neighboring homesteader communities takes 1-2 days on foot. (According to Wikipedia, a "state-of-the-art" Zeppelin in 1914 could reach speeds of up to 49 mph, while the Hindenberg could reach 84 mph. If we assume that the airships in IP are smaller and less advanced, with fewer engines, I'd say they can fly about 20 mph -- faster than a train pulling cars, but slower than a solo locomotive.) I came up with another bastion a few days ago: Coldstone Surrounded by grim, granite walls, the bastion of Coldstone is located to the north of the other bastions. The harsh climate makes it harder to grow crops, and the King of Coldstone covets the lands and wealth of the other bastions. He has been slowly and subtly building up his army, but he dares not make a move yet. Coldstone is less technologically advanced than Irontown and lacks the magical resources of Highview, but the king is attempting to locate pre-Cataclysm artifacts that might give him an edge. Meanwhile, the citizenry chafes under heavy taxation and poor living conditions, and rumors spread of necromantic and demonic rituals performed by the king or his advisors. Wyvern
Wyvern76 04-01-07, 01:07 AM	The names I gave to the bastions essentially started out as placeholders -- as you may have guessed, I swiped the name Irontown from Princess Mononoke. However, it doesn't really fit -- it's a coal-mining town, and while it may be industrialized now it wasn't always that way. I tried to think of a better name but couldn't come up with one I liked. Tonight I had a brainwave, and Irontown is now Blackrock. (The Iron Duchess, however, still has the same sobriquet.) I'm not going to go back and edit all my previous posts, so just make a note of the name change. Wyvern
Wyvern76 04-09-07, 05:18 PM	One more :bump:
Thyrwyn 04-10-07, 10:39 AM	I am looking this over - RL has just grossly intruded upon my liberty time of late :) I even picked up the DarkLore stuff. . .
Wyvern76 04-11-07, 05:15 PM	I am looking this over - RL has just grossly intruded upon my liberty time of late :) I even picked up the DarkLore stuff. . .Cool... hope you like it. As I said, I haven't bought it myself yet (I'm waiting until I've finished reading more of the books I already have), so I'm recommending it "on faith", so to speak. I really wish the free teaser was still available; it has some really cool stuff in it. Wyvern
Sliversun 04-30-07, 04:35 AM	bump
Jayne 04-30-07, 04:19 PM	I very much like your setting, Wyern76. I am so very tempted to steal it.:)
Astron the Wizard 04-30-07, 04:38 PM	Yuppers. What Jayne said.:)
Wyvern76 05-01-07, 05:56 PM	Yuppers. What Jayne said.:)Thank you both (and thanks to Sliversun for the bump). Nice to know it's still getting some attention. Now if only people would post some ideas regarding the things I asked for help with in the first thread. ;) Wyvern P.S. to Sliversun -- I don't suppose there's any connection between your handle and an Australian TV series named "Silversun"?