Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Charlym_Zuardan 01-06-08, 09:00 PM	Well, like so many others, i have been working on my homebrew world for quite some time and figured that some feedback and criticism would be a good thing. so here is what i have so far, enjoy the read and leave feedback, suggestions, questions, etc. I apologize in advance for the poor quality of some of the scanned images (and bonus points if you see the names i ripped off in some maps lol)http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/worldmap.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/maggagae.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/Jinaaracopy.jpg The Brittol Empire http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/BrittolEmpire.jpg GunGruum http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/GungGruum.jpg Auronna http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/Auronna.jpg Oken Torr http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/okentorr.jpg Prataria http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/Prataria.jpg Stenhemm http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/stenhemm.jpg Kingsmarch (on the continent of Jinaara) http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/Kingsmarch.jpg Teardrop Swamp, Teardrop Swamp Cave system, and Troglodyte Lair (in that order) http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/teardropswamp.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/teardropswampcaves.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/troglodytelair.jpg Desert of Amun'Ra (on the continent of Jinaara) http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/desertofamunra.jpg Starshard Isles http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/starshardilses.jpg more to come as i find time to scan them. The majority of the worlds population lives on Magga Gae or the island countries around it. The continent of Jinaara is largely unexplored, having only been discovered and conquered roughly 800 years ago. The country of Kingsmarch is the only significantly inhabited area on the continent, with the rest having only scattered villages or tribes of the native Amani. Kingsmarch is predominantly human and amani, but has a very good mix of all the races due to the appeal of finding fame and fortune in the new world. On Magga Gae, kingdoms and territories are well established and every region has a rich history and culture. The kingdom of Visokhar is home to the elves. Elves from this region are often called 'high elves' or 'sky elves' because many of thier major cities float high in the sky on large chunks of rock (see Visokhar description soon to come below). There are few noteable concentrations of any other race in this country. Auronna is a kingdom that prides itself on tolerance and peace among the races. It is predominantly settled by humans and elves, but has large gnome and halfling populations as well. Small concentrations of dwarves and orcs can be found here, and there are even several goblinoid and giant tribes that are peacefully welcomed into the major settlements. Elves from this area are sometimes referred to as 'land elves' to diferentiate them from thier brothers to the north. Utirati is largely uninhabited, consisting for the most part of dense forest and tall mountains. There are many tribes of goblinoids and other monsters to be found here, as well as a number of logging and mining communities with a good mix of all races. Oken Torr is sparsely populated. Its harsh desert environment makes settling the area difficult for all but the most hardy. But the desert is the only land route that links the northern countries of auronna and visokhar to the kingdoms to the south, and as a result, several large towns and cities have sprung up along the trade routes. The population is mostly human, their race being more readily adaptable to the harsh climate. There is also significant concentrations of halflings in the area, and the bustling caravan routes attract a good mix of all other races from across the continent. Prataria is a human dominated kingdom. The region is largely controlled by the churches of Pelor, Cuthbert, and Hieroneous. The country has a reputation for oppressing individual rights and freedoms, but its proximity to the dwarves and their riches, and a strong military has ensured that they remain stable and their people safe and secure during even the most troubled times in the world. Kantrand is almost the opposite of Prataria. The population is again largely human dominated, but has a significant amount of elves, gnomes, halflings, and orcs as well. Kantrand and its people have a reputation for being educated and working towards higher learning and technological advances. All races who come in peaceful search of enlightenment are welcomed by the populace, but there is an ongoing tension between Kantrand and Prataria that has already sparked several wars over the centuries. Stenhemm contains the magnificent underground cities of the dwarves. The majority of the dwarven population lives underground, but there are some settlements above ground to facilitate trade with the other races. There are many tribes of monsters living in the mountains and forests of this region, and some humans have settled along the northern edges of the kingdom. Boskag is considered by the rest of the continent to be a backwater little country. It is populated by a mix of every other race and many monsters. The towns are generally squalid and dirty and contain the dregs of society. This area is a known haven for criminals, mercenaries, and anyone who doesn’t like to answer questions. Odemark and Woestval are primarily uninhabited. They are home to many types of monsters and tribes of giants and goblinoids. There are some small dwarven populations underneath certain mountain ranges. The Brittol Empire is a human kingdom with strict intolerance of other races. Dwarves are reluctantly welcomed and treated with at least a small bit of respect, but when it comes to other races, they are generally unwelcome and politely asked to finish their business and leave the island as soon as possible. GunGruum is the homeland of the orcs, and it is unlikely to find any significant concentrations of any other race on this island country. Taer is an ancient world, sitting around 10325 years by most guesses. Orcs, Elves, Dwarves, and Humans are the oldest races, having been the first ones created by the gods. They are the dominant societies in the world, though many races have emerged over the centuries and many have established homelands and cultures of their own. Taer is made up of two large continents separated by ocean, with a large island towards the center. There are several large arctic islands in the south, as well as two large islands to the north-east and south-east. The oceans to the east and west have not been successfully mapped beyond these continents and islands, and it is commonly believed that if one sails far enough, he would find himself in the elemental plane of water. The equatorial line of Taer is slightly above center, making the northernmost lands cold, but not excessively so. The southernmost lands, however, have temperatures below freezing for the majority of the year and are covered in a nearly permanent layer of ice and snow, making them nearly uninhabitable to most humanoid races. The calendar year of Taer has remained very simple and is most commonly separated by the four seasons: Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter. Each one lasts about three months, and is further separated into three parts: Early, High, and Late, with each one lasting about one month. These can be further separated by the weeks, which are named after animals, but it is a very small percentage of the population that ever goes into that much detail. For example, when noting a date, someone may write ‘High Autumn, week of the Boar, 10325’ to mean the third week of the second month of autumn, in the year 10325. 1 Monkey 2 Rat 3 Owl 4 Eagle 5 Fox 6 Bear 7 Bull 8 Dog 9 Rooster 10 Elephant 11 Tiger 12 Spider 13 Sparrow 14 Horse 15 Cat 16 Beaver 17 Basilisk 18 Wolf 19 Deer 20 Crane 21 Falcon 22 Moose 23 Hyena 24 Lion 25 Dragon 26 Snake 27 Hawk 28 Dolphin 29 Hornet 30 Cockatrice 31 Gorilla 32 Griffon 33 Worm 34 Unicorn 35 Boar 36 Pegasus 37 Kraken 38 Hydra 39 Stirge 40 Lizard 41 Chimera 42 Skunk 43 Bat 44 Weasel 45 Badger 46 Wyvern 47 Bison 48 Donkey 49 Mantis 50 Beetle 51 Crab 52 Raven When the void collapsed before the creation of Taer, the many planes of existence were violently re-ordered. Some were destroyed, some were flung into different alignments, and some became newly formed. The four elemental planes were pushed close together near the center of the void, so close that a corner of each overlapped with all of the others. These overlapped corners are held together like a sandwich between the positive and negative energy planes. This small pocket of existence, with its combination of all four elements and the forces of life and death became the prime material plane. It is here that the world of Taer was created by a combined effort of the four elements. The rest of the planes extend out to either side in a spiral pattern, each suspended separately in the void. The Astral plane was dissolved and all that surrounds the planes now is the void, which is sometimes still called the Astral plane. An illustration of this can be seen at (http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y24/Xaius/cosmology.jpg) What this means in game: Since the planes are not in contact with each other for the most part, planar travel is extremely limited (see ‘Rifts and Doorways’, below) spells like dimension door simply do not exist. As characters reach higher levels they are able to tap into the power of different planes further and further along the spiral. This allows them more options when using Summon spells. Until the character is high enough to tap into other planes, they are limited to simple fire, earth, air, and water creatures. Summon spells, therefore are modified so that instead of just an assortment of higher powered creatures, the higher level summon spells allow access to a wider and wider variety of creatures. For example, one could not summon a magical beast until they were high enough to tap into the beastlands, or a celestial being until they were able to tap into celestia. (updated versions of the summon spells creature lists to be included soon) Taer was created by the combined effort of the four elements after the collapse of the void. Though each race has its own slightly modified version of creation, the following excerpt from the dwarven histories most accurately and objectively portrays the event. “In the beginning, there was Order and there was Chaos, and separating them was the Void. Over time the Void collapsed, and Order and Chaos were drawn together. This destroyed them, and in the destruction the four elements were created; Earth and Air from the remains of Order, and Fire and Water from the remains of Chaos. The four elements desired a place to live, and so working together they created the world. Earth took of his body and created the world. His bones made the mountains, bedrock, and all the stone that holds the world together, his flesh covered it all with a protective layer of soil, his blood flowed through everything, producing long veins of precious metals, and tears from the pain of his sacrifice hardened into beautiful gems and minerals. Air gave breath to the world, creating an atmosphere, air, and the weather. Water gave the world life, crafting huge oceans, rivers, lakes, and lush plant life. Fire provided his eye for the sun, which would give the world light and keep it from freezing in the emptiness of the void. Now that their world was complete, they desired companionship. Each of the elements created a being of great power that would populate the world and watch over it for all time. Moradin was born of Earth, and used the metals, gems, and stone of Earth to create the Dwarves. He gave the dwarves the longevity and resilience of stone, and showed them how to burrow deep underground and fashion beautiful things out of the ore they found there. From Air was born Corellon Larethian, who created the elves. From Water was born Ehlonna, who created all the animals and the humans. Fire gave birth to Gruumsh, who created the orcs….Earth was pleased with his creations and left the world, watching it always from afar. His body, in its eternal rest, is known as the Elemental Plane of Earth. The other elements, although never as satisfied with their creations as Earth was, also left the world to rest for all time. They are the Elemental planes of Water, Air, and Fire, respectively.” The full creation stories of the dwarves, elves, and orcs can be found at http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=11646371&postcount=27 What this means in game: Most races in the world have a strong affinity with one or more of the basic elements, much like dwarves in a classic setting typically have a strong affinity for earth and stone. Elves, for example are strongly tied in with air, humans with water, and orcs with fire. Elementals sized medium and smaller are a fairly common sight in most lands. The races are generally the same as described in the core books, with the exception of Orcs. Orcs lean strongly towards chaos, and like the other races have a mix of good, neutral, and evil members, with a tendency towards neutrality . They have a reddish tinge to their skin and their hair and eyes are usually shades of red, orange, and brown. Being one of the original races, orcs do not suffer from an intelligence penalty, and are just as smart as other races. Also like the other races, orcs have a rich history and culture, ruling their own kingdom with a capital city and many other towns and cities of varying sizes. They are quite capable of agriculture, trade, sea travel, etc. One thing that remains the same about orcs though is that they do tend to be a warlike and militant people and often find themselves at odds with the other races. Half-Orc characters have the following racial traits: · +2 strength, +1 constitution, -2 charisma, -2 dexterity. Strong and tough, but slow and less agile, their orc blood makes them gruff and to the point, with no patience for the finer social intricacies. · Medium size. · Base land speed of 30 feet. · Darkvision up to 60 feet. Some say the fires which created them burn still inside, lighting their way at all times. Unlike normal darkvision, which is black and white, an orc using darkvision sees in black and shades of red and orange. · Automatic languages; common and orc. Bonus languages; draconic, giant, goblin, dwarf, and elf. · Favored class: Barbarian Since the majority of the planes have no contact with the others, it is nearly impossible to travel to or draw power from the other planes. It requires incredibly powerful magic, or more often, the discovery of a doorway. Also sometimes called Rifts, it is theorized that the collapse of the void in the beginning caused tremors in reality that were so strong they are still having effect to this day. Every now and then, seemingly at random, a connection is made through the void between two planes. These connections directly link the two planes for its duration, allowing limited power to be drawn from one plane to another, to power certain arcane spells, for example. If the point where the connection is made can be found, one can use the connection to travel from one plane to another, thus the label of ‘doorways’. The downside to these doorways is that you have no control over where you end up; you are taken to the point where the connection is made. Also uncontrollable is which plane a connection is made to. Many wars have been fought as a result of doors opening up from a plane of evil creatures to an unsuspecting nation of innocents. Demons and devils are the most common threat to the prime material plane, as there are several planes that are home to the foul creatures and doors to those planes have been all too common over the centuries. Most doors are harmless though, either forming in remote locations where no one ever notices them, or else just not lasting long enough to be discovered and become a threat. At any given time there are an estimated two or three doors open to the prime material plane, but doors that are accessible and actually get discovered are few and far between. There has been many times where fifty or more years have passed between discoveries of a door that could be used. At the time of this recording, no doors have been discovered for thirteen years, but due to the increased potency of shadow magic, a door to the plane of shadow likely is likely open somewhere in the world. What this means in game: Every spell available to players will be tagged with the name of a plane that increases its power. Those that have no direct link to any of the planes will remain generic or universal spells. When a doorway is open to a particular plane, all spells that are linked with it receive a 20% boost in potency. For example, if a doorway is open to the plane of shadow, and someone casts Darkness, it grants a 24% concealment bonus (20% of 20 is 4). Shadow Conjuration would likewise be 24% real as opposed to 20%. Elemental spells, such as Fireball, Cone of Cold, or anything linked to one of the 4 elemental planes, are treated as one level lower in terms of when a player can access them, however their damage or effects remain unchanged. So, for example, a fireball would become a level 2 spell, but would still deal damage and affect the same area as it currently does in core rules. This applies only to arcane magic, Divine spells are unaffected at this point in time. The first war to ravage the world of Taer was between the humans, elves, and orcs. The true cause of the war has been lost in time, though each race references this great war in their creation myths (see above). We do know that the elves and humans were allied against the orcs, and that the end of the war not only established the earliest territorial boundaries, but also set the tone for relations between the three races for the rest of history. The elves and humans have remained for the most part steadfast allies since that time, uniting whenever common threats arise, such as invading orc armies. The orcs, for their part, continued to wage war against the humans and elves off and on throughout history, fighting to reclaim land that rightfully belongs to them and their god. In times of peace, which have become more common in the last few centuries, certain human kingdoms have begun to open trade routes with the orc nation, and many of the younger generations of orcs openly question and condemn their race’s ancient hostility. The dwarves, who were not involved in the first war, have managed to keep relatively friendly relations with all of the other races. From their underground homes in the deep mountains, they trade many valuable goods with human, elf, and orc alike. Though they are often believed to be the most ancient race in the world, and their thousand-year lifespan helped to reinforce that image, dragons were in fact created after the initial four races. When the four elements were returning from creating Taer, the rest of the planes were still spinning through existence, rocked by the collapse of the void. It happened that during this time, the plane of chaos grazed the plane of fire, just as the plane of law grazed the plane of earth. The results of those brief contacts were two new beings. Tiamat would come to be known as the mother of all dragons, and Bahamut, who would be called the father of dragons. Seeing the world that had just been created by the elements, and the races that their children inhabited it with, Tiamat determined to contribute her own species to the world. She wanted worshippers as the other gods now had, and so she created dragons, blue, black, red, white, and green. Knowing she could do better than the other gods, she made her children a formidable species, strong, powerful, with inherent magical abilities and long life spans. She called them Dragons. Dragons also inherited their mother’s chaotic taint, becoming greedy, selfish, and full of spite. Soon they were using their awesome powers to terrorize and dominate the other races. Bahamut, seeing this, and possessing a desire for order and balance, created his own children. He made gold, silver, bronze, copper, and brass dragons. He gave them the same impressive powers and abilities as the other dragons, but instilled them with his sense of law, a connection to the earth they were born from, and an instinctive tendency to protect it and its people. Several thousand years of uneasy peace went by before tensions between the metallic and chromatic dragons erupted into open war and plunged the world into an age of darkness and death. The chromatics, craving power and domination over all else, used their magic to control and subvert many creatures, creating hordes of hideous dragon spawn of varying types. The metallics, in retaliation, recruited and trained warriors and heroes from the four races, sending them to deal with the tide of dragon spawn that was sweeping the land. It was the first and only time in history that the four races united together. Armies clashed on the ground, swarms of dragons fought in the skies, at times blotting out the sun with their numbers. It would come to be called simply the Great Swarm, and it lasted 175 years, effectively destroying the civilized world. Cities were reduced to rubble, entire kingdoms were wiped out and the races faced near extinction. Finally, almost suddenly, the waves of evil thinned and then dispersed. The metallic dragons and their allies had won, but at a terrible cost. Nearly five thousand years of technological and cultural advances had been destroyed in a fiery inferno of death and destruction. It would take many hundreds of years for the races to recover and start to rebuild, and the world would probably never fully be rid of the many species of dragon spawn. The gods were furious. The original four-god pantheon now included several other deities such as Pelor, Obad-Hai, Kord, etc. They were furious with Tiamat and Bahamut and the destruction that had been wrought on their creations. They decided that dragons of any color could no longer be permitted to live on Taer, and determined to destroy them all. This of course would have resulted in both Bahamut and Tiamat being stripped of all power and sentenced them to an eternity of floating helpless and powerless in the empty void. At the last moment, Tiamat and Bahamut managed to convince the other gods to have mercy. They were each allowed to choose five champions, who would live on in Taer in remembrance of dragons and the dark times that they brought. Tiamat chose one dragon each from the blacks, blues, reds, whites, and greens. Bahamut chose one dragon each from the gold, silver, copper, brass, and bronze. Each champion was granted near immortality and allowed to remain on Taer to live as they chose. The rest of the dragons were destroyed by the divine might of the gods. The remaining dragons, likely fearful of facing the god’s wrath as had the rest of their species, have kept a relatively low profile since this time. The evil chromatic dragons have quietly amassed hoards of treasure, stolen from occasional towns or kingdoms, or offered as tribute by their minions. The metallic dragons, still protective of the world and perhaps attempting to atone for the damage done during the Swarm, have been discovered every few hundred years acting as teachers, mentors, advisors to good kings, and allies to heroic adventurers. What this means in game: Dragons in Taer are considered little more than children’s stories. Though songs can still be found about the heroes and battles of the Great Swarm, few believe it ever actually happened. Players likely will not encounter dragons at all during their adventures. Half Dragons do exist but are rare for the chromatic colors, exceedingly rare for the metallic ones. These templates will be very limited in the game and only used for special encounters or very special players. Dragonspawn do exist and are common in certain areas, rare in others. Players who play as a half dragon can expect to be treated by most people as just another monster, like the dragonspawn are. There is plenty of lore and knowledge about dragonspawn, but next to nothing is known about true dragons. Players may occasionally meet one of the metallic dragons in the form of a weapons master, teacher, heroic king, and etc. but chances are that they would not know it was a dragon and would likely never find out. Encountering a chromatic dragon might be slightly less difficult, as they have lairs and hoards of treasure that the players may stumble upon if they are in the right part of the world. Traveling back in time, or simply setting up an adventure set during the time of the Great Swarm could prove to be a very action packed and intense campaign.
Charlym_Zuardan 01-06-08, 09:00 PM	Individual Countries and regions / the world today An expeditionary mission headed by King Sol, of Brittol, discovered Kingsmarch in the year 9517. What they found was a wild and untamed rain forest with extremely fertile land and an abundance of gold and precious metals. The Amani, a sub race of humans native to the area, heavily and violently opposed the settlement of the land. The following twelve years were dark and bloody, but King Sol managed to drive most of the hostile tribes north into the desert and establish the peninsula as his kingdom. Though many Amani tribes fought against the Brittol forces, they were never united as a people, and there were those that remained neutral, even welcoming the strange people from across the sea and teaching them about the plants and animals of the jungle. King Sol was a good man, and recognized that these people were a valuable resource. He absorbed these peaceful Amani into his kingdom, allowing them to keep their culture, continue to practice their own religious ceremonies, and granting them all the rights and privileges as any other subject. This goodwill has continued throughout the centuries and the Amani in Kingsmarch remain loyal and productive members of the kingdom, despite the lingering animosity of their brothers to the north. Today, Kingsmarch is still very much a frontier land, attracting members of all races from across the ocean to find fame and fortune in the new world. Adventurers travel across the land, searching for ancient Amani treasures or slaying fierce jungle predators. Criminals, outcasts, the poor, all journey here to find a fresh start. Some hope to live by their skill with a sword, some come to find work in the many mining or logging towns, some simply travel here to experience the thrill of a land that is not yet completely explored or tamed. The major cities are still young compared to the rest of the world, and the populations are nowhere near those found in the old world, but the mix of people has brought in the best of all the countries in the old world. Architecture, technology, magic, weapons, armor, education, everything tends to have a new and modern feeling edge to it. This is balanced by the very old and rich culture of the Amani population, which every citizen respects and which many eventually even adopt customs from. All in all, Kingsmarch is a fresh and exciting place to live, where adventure can be found just around the corner, whether its stalking big jungle game, visiting architectural marvels like Delta Thane, or enlisting to defend the northern passes against the savage desert amani. The current ruler of Kingsmarch is Richard Sol, a direct descendant of King Sol. He, like so many of the Sol’s before him, has a reputation as a just and wise ruler with the best interests of his people at heart. Amani in game: Amani are a new playable race, they share all the characteristics of humans plus the following additional modifications. * +1 con, +1 wis, -2 int Amani are a hardy and deeply spiritual people, but as a result tend to lack the drive towards higher education that other races have. * +2 bonus on saves against poison, Amani have lived for thousands of years in the deepest jungles among some of the most venomous plants and animals, they can shrug off milder toxins that would affect other races. * Amani tend to be tall and lean, with dark shades of hair and a golden brown skin color. Average height for males is between 5'10'' and 6'6'' and females are from 5'5'' to 6', though like any other humans, this can vary greatly. Starshard Isles The Starshard Isles, or ‘the shards’ as they are more commonly known, are the result of a huge meteor that struck the world thousands of years ago. The meteor struck with such force that it plunged straight through the waters of the ocean and deep into the ocean floor. This caused magma to start spilling out of the worlds core. Building up over many years, cooling as it came into contact with water, until eventually the islands were formed. There are many legends among the amani regarding this event; the most common being that the meteor was in fact a fallen god. The legend states that this god was struck down by the other gods for some unspeakable crime, his powers stripped, and his name and memory erased from the minds and hearts of all creatures on Taer. Some believe that he remains imprisoned deep below the ocean floor, waiting patiently for his chance to escape and seek revenge; others believe he was utterly destroyed by the impact. Over the years, pieces of a strange metallic rock have been forced up to appear in various patches of dirt and stone throughout the shards. This ore is said to be the blood of the fallen god and is coveted by smiths, wizards, and alchemists alike for the vibrant energy it tends to give off. This metal is referred to as ‘starmetal’. Possibly because of the hot magma boiling always just below the soil, or possibly due to the energy of the alien rock that forms the roots of the islands, the temperature is always warm and humid, even more so than the deepest jungles on the mainland. All wildlife on the shards grows well beyond its typical proportions, and lives many times the normal life span of its species. The rare and elusive amani tribes that live on a few of the shards reportedly have tribal elders as old as 400 years. Trees have been known to grow as much as 500 feet high and as big around as a house, and normally harmless animals grow into huge and fearsome beasts. Aside from the amani, the majority of the shards are uninhabited by civilization of any sort. Several of the easternmost islands serve as ports, trading centers, or even full sized towns for the pirate bands that roam the area. Though the rulers of Kingsmarch have made many valiant efforts to eradicate the pirates, even building two fully equipped military forts within a days striking distance of the shards, the pirates have survived and even thrived. With their intimate knowledge of the reefs and waterways of the shards, they are able to simply run away from any assault the king’s navy could mount. Currently, the largest town of the shards is the pirate town of Tirfa, which means ‘Haven’ in the old tongue. Though the kings soldiers have no authority in Tirfa, it is a relatively orderly town. Murders and muggings are done quietly and out of sight. The ruling guild of Tirfa, known as the Black Hand, has an unwritten agreement with the current king, and both sides strictly enforce it. If a merchant ship comes under pursuit from a pirate vessel, the merchant may choose to surrender or to fight. If he surrenders, his ship will be looted and stripped, but it will be returned to him unharmed and every member on board will be spared harm. If he chooses to fight, he takes his fate into his own hands and will likely be killed and have his ship stolen or sunk if he loses. Any pirate captain caught breaking this agreement is swiftly condemned by the king and denied protection from Tirfa and the Black Hand. In return for this code of honor from the pirates, the king does not raid the shards as his predecessors did, and the royal navy recognizes the pirates control of all waters east of the Shattered Reef. They are quick to capture or destroy any pirate ships that venture into the kings waters (if they can catch them), however they will not continue the chase beyond the reef unless the fleeing ship has broken the code. It is rumored that the king even houses an official ambassador from Tirfa, however this is firmly denied by both his court and the Black Hand. The only other area of note in the shards is Meldane’s tower. Meldane is an ancient gnome wizard who originally moved to the shards to study the energy that prolonged the life of the plants and animals in the area. By most estimates, Meldane is over 800 years old. He has food and supplies delivered from Tirfa once a month, but otherwise has little contact with the outside world. Those few who have traveled to his tower and made it back safely have brought tales of strange beasts and plants in the valley around his home, though whether this is just natural shard wildlife or not, only Meldane knows. His tower remains a place of mystery and wonder to those who know of him. In game: No one knows it, but Meldane is actually a powerful force for good in the world. He is one of the most powerful beings currently living in Taer. He spends his time studying the various powers that emanate from the Starmetal, but more importantly he has been entrusted by the gods to make certain that the fallen one remains imprisoned beneath the ocean floor. He is one of a long line of guardians, and when his long life comes to an end, he will pass the trust on to another. He has been known from time to time to help good adventurers who come to him for information, or to actively work to hinder evil parties operating in the shards. He tolerates the pirates and maintains a mutually respectful relationship with their leader, so long as they don’t intrude upon his privacy or perform any overtly evil acts in his presence or any area that he has influence. (piracy is just another profession and while selfish and greedy, is not overtly evil, especially when the pirates are following the code of honor) The mistytide marsh is the area of land covering the peninsula to the west of Kingsmarch, extending north and northwest to the borders of the desert of amun’ra, and the mistvale jungle. The majority of the area is tropical marshland, with the southern part of the peninsula becoming thick tropical jungle and the north and north west borders rising into hilly grasslands. The mudfoot river runs down from the Mistvale Jungle through the hills and drains into the marsh, creating the large areas of swamp and bog. The marsh is named for the thick, billowing clouds of mist that form when the tide rises, bringing the cool ocean water into contact with the warm bogs and swamps of the marshlands. The mist extends for many miles inland and many miles out to sea for the entire length of coastline that meets the marsh, making travel through this area dangerous by land of by boat. The marshland itself is a desolate piece of land, covered in reeking, festering bogs and deep murky swamps. The stagnant waters are choked with rotting vegetation and stunted trees, making this an ideal home for many of the more foul creatures of the land, particularly trolls, hags, lizardmen, and the like. The land is largely unexplored and unmapped, few adventurers having the desire –or the nerve- to spend much time in its dark bowels. However, legends say that the land was not always a swamp, and was once a fertile tract of farmland home to several tribes of Amani. According to these legends their treasures and secrets still lie somewhere, surrounded by dark waters, and darker inhabitants. Other rumors of note are the many sunken treasures of pirates and trade ships that were supposedly caught in the thick mist of the marsh and run aground on rocks or reefs. Some say that they were simply trying to avoid the royal navy, others claim that evil sirens live on the rocks near the coast, luring unwary sailors to their doom. Still others tell tales of angry sea gods, or ferocious harpies, or ruthless fish-men. The stories are varied and unconfirmed, however there is no question as to the danger of the waters in the Mistytide bay, as many ships have found themselves sailing through it but very few have sailed out. The history of this region is simple, yet bloody. It was first inhabited by very small and scattered tribes of a primitive people called the Ugati. When King Sol invaded and conquered the region that is now called Kingsmarch, many of the tribes of amani left or were driven out of the jungle and north into the desert. Though they were a nomadic people to begin with, the harsh desert climate took a heavy toll on the amani, and many families succumbed to the heat, predators, or in clashes with the Ugati. The result over the years was the emergence of three tribes composed of the strongest bloodlines. These tribes produced fierce warriors and powerful shamans, and their numbers gradually began to grow once again. The uruk tribe claimed the land between the Jin’an and Darkstorm rivers, the Mengus tribe settled along the long stretch between the Jin’an river and the Mistvale Jungle,a nd the Kletik tribe spread to the east of the Darkstorm river. The Ugati tribes, never large to begin with, began to dwindle and fade away as the amani claimed more land for their own purposes. Eventually they ceased to exist altogether, although traces of their blood can still be seen in some amani families, particularly the Uruk tribe, who lived more or less peacefully with the Ugati on their land. Today the three tribes remain virtually the same as they were five hundred years ago. They are a nomadic people, building temporary villages and homes for perhaps a decade or so before moving on to better hunting grounds. Each tribe does have one permanent town, which could be considered their capital cities. These towns contain the holy temples for each tribe, and serve as centers of trade and places of residence of the high chieftans. The amani are still a shamanistic people, their religion is a top priority in their lives and every member of a tribe makes at least one trip per year to the holy temple of their people. Shamans hold high positions of power in a tribe, second only to chiefs and the most honored of warriors. Amani magic is a curious mix of natural and divine magic granted by being both extremely religious and highly in tune with the land and nature that they live off. The three tribes currently exist in a fragile peace with one another, united in their hatred of the people of Kingsmarch. They constantly send raiding parties south into the kingdom, and quite often mount large assaults on Northgate. Though they live in peace, they do not work well together, and tend to raid as individual tribes rather than one large coordinated force. This is especially lucky for the people of Northgate, because if the three tribes ever coordinated a large scale offensive, they could easily overrun the fortress and ravage a good portion of Kingsmarch. The three tribes will regularily raid one another for control of holy areas, better hunting grounds, or sources of water. These raids are considered tradition and survival, and are not viewed as acts of war. Common contested areas are the valley of Jin’Anan, the Al’Huran and Asphead Oasis’, and of course Deadsoil Path. The amani have no other enemies to fear, as the rest of the lands around the desert are largely uninhabited, however the harsh desert conditions and abundance of predatory animals and monsters has kept the amani population from growing much larger than its current state. In game: The amani worship the deity Amun, whome they believe to have fathered the first of their people and whom they take their name from. Amun is lawful neutral, and promotes combat, honor, and tradition. He calls on his people to be strong by constantly testing themselves in honorable combat (individual or large scale). His favored weapon is the scimitar, and his domains are strength, travel, war, and law. The Plain of Sorrows, a small stretch of fertile grasslands, sits between the Desert of Amun’Ra and the Boldwood forest. It has several small lakes and rivers, and is broken in some places by rockey hills and patches of trees, but is otherwise a gently rolling field with long grasses and wild grains. The Plain of sorrows is named for a great battle that took place centuries ago by the armies of King Sol and several united tribes of amani. Sol and his armies had driven the amani all the way through the desert, scattering the nomadic people before him wherever he marched. Unlike the amani, however, Sol and his soldiers were unprepared for the harsh climate of the desert, and his push through the area now called the endless Track resulted in an enormous loss of men. His depleted army arrived in the Plain of Sorrows weakened by thirst, sickness, and the heat, only to find the amani tribes which they had been chasing, united and massed for battle. The slaughter that followed was short and tragic, with many of the king’s heroes and champions falling to the vengeful tribes of amani. Though there were many tales of individual bravery and acts of valor unmatched to this day, the king’s army was soundly defeated. Retreating back through the Endless track, hounded by the amani, plagued by the perils of the desert, Sol arrived at the fortress of Northgate with less than a third of the men he had departed with. To this day, no other armies and few adventurers have braved the trek across the desert, preferring to leave the vicious land to the tribes that have adapted to it so well. The few explorers who have visited the area by ship return with tales of a great sadness hanging over the land, but otherwise it seems to be a rather unremarkable piece of land, inhabited by several small bands of Amani and the animals and creatures that would normally be found in such a climate. coming soon a subrace of humans, they retain all the characteristics of humans plus recieving the following modifications: +1 con, +1 wis, -2 int Amani are a hardy and deeply spiritual people, but as a result tend to lack the drive towards higher education that other races have. +2 bonus on saves against poison, Amani have lived for thousands of years in the deepest jungles among some of the most venomous plants and animals, they can shrug off milder toxins that would affect other races. Amani tend to be tall and lean, with dark shades of hair and a golden brown skin color. Average height for males is between 5'10'' and 6'6'' and females are from 5'5'' to 6', though like any other humans, this can vary greatly. The amani typically worship the deity Amun, whome they believe to have fathered the first of their people and whom they take their name from. Amun is lawful neutral, and promotes combat, honor, and tradition. He calls on his people to be strong by constantly testing themselves in honorable combat (individual or large scale). His favored weapon is the scimitar, and his domains are strength, travel, war, and law. Orcs are much different in this world than a typical D&D setting. Orcs lean strongly towards chaos, and like the other races have a mix of good, neutral, and evil members, with a tendency towards neutrality. They have a reddish tinge to their skin and their hair and eyes are usually shades of red, orange, and brown. Being one of the original races, orcs do not suffer from an intelligence penalty, and are just as smart as other races. Also like the other races, orcs have a rich history and culture, ruling their own kingdom with a capital city and many other towns and cities of varying sizes. They are quite capable of agriculture, trade, sea travel, etc. One thing that remains the same about orcs though is that they do tend to be a warlike and militant people and often find themselves at odds with the other races. Half-Orc characters have the following racial traits: +2 strength, +1 constitution, -2 charisma, -2 dexterity. Strong and tough, but slow and less agile, their orc blood makes them gruff and to the point, with no patience for the finer social intricacies. Medium size. Base land speed of 30 feet. Darkvision up to 60 feet. Some say the fires which created them burn still inside, lighting their way at all times. Unlike normal darkvision, which is black and white, an orc using darkvision sees in black and shades of red and orange. Automatic languages; common and orc. Bonus languages; draconic, giant, goblin, dwarf, and elf. Favored class: Barbarian A full blooded orc has the same racial characteristics with the following exceptions: +4 strength, +2 constitution, -2 Dexterity, -2 charisma Characteristics: Wardens cast divine spells which are drawn from nature. Though their spells focus primarily on enhancing their abilities and those of their allies, their origins as a healing class is evident in their magic. Wardens also gain an array of spells and abilities, including new chants, as they advance in level. The armor and weapons of a warden are restricted by traditional oaths, and though they can learn to wear heavier armor or use bladed weapons, doing so violates their oath and suppresses their warden abilities. Alignment: Wardens are travelers, but they are guided by a moral code and the traditional oaths of their training. They recognize the need for order and abhor chaos and anarchy in any form, and so wardens are always of a lawful alignment. Although most wardens favour good or neutral, evil wardens can and do exist. Religion: Wardens have a close tie to nature, and put it above their deity. The most popular gods for wardens to follow are Yondalla by Halfling wardens, Moradin by dwarves, St. Cuthbert, Heironeous, and Hextor by most other races. Background: Wardens usually start out at a young age as apprentices to healers or clerics, learning the basics of caring for people. After a number of years they may choose to join a local warden temple as an initiate. There they will be taught the basics of arms and armor, and eventually the secrets of the warden’s trademark chants. Wardens are respected and looked up to by most of the common races as protectors, guardians, champions of those in need and unyielding opponents of chaos. Races: Although any race is capable of becoming a warden, the most common ones have close ties to nature or the elements, such as elves and half-elves. Dwarves make excellent wardens due to their tendency towards law and their affinity with the earth. Halflings, Half-Orcs, and Gnomes, while capable, are not often seen as wardens. Other Classes: Though wardens get along quite well with druids and rangers because of their shared reverence for nature, a warden views rangers as too free-spirited and unguided, and druids as too preoccupied with pretending to be animals. Paladins are the class that a warden gets along best with, as both understand the need for order and what it is like to follow oaths and traditions. A warden is not above working with any class, and knows better than most the value of working as part of a team. Role: The role of a warden is that of a pure support class. The vast majority of his class abilities focus on buffing himself and his allies. Though he has decent defense from his medium armor and shield, he has very little offensive power and should not enter direct combat if he can help it. A warden has limited healing ability with which to back up a primary healer, but should not be the only healing class in a party if possible. Warden Game Information Abilities: High wisdom is important for a warden, as it determines the level of spell he can cast and how powerful it is. A high charisma modifier will increase the effects of many of his chants and class abilities. Dexterity helps him avoid attacks and constitution allows him to take more hits. Alignment: Any Lawful. Hit Die: d8. Class Skills The Wardens class skils (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (str), Concentration (con), Craft (int), Diplomacy (cha), Handle Animal (cha), Heal (wis), Knowledge (nature) (int), Listen (wis), Perform (chant) (cha), Profession (wis), Ride (dex), Sense Motive (wis), Spellcraft (int), Spot (wis), Survival (wis), (int). Skill Points at 1st Level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4. Skill Points at Each Additional Level: 4 + Int modifier. Table: The Warden Level BAB Fort Ref Will Special 1st +0 +2 +0 +2 Perpetual Stamina (chant), Bladeturn 1/day 2nd +1 +3 +1 +3 Warden’s Haste 1/day 3rd +2 +3 +1 +3 Bladeturn 2/day 4th +3 +4 +1 +4 Natures Reckoning (chant) 5th +3 +4 +1 +4 Bonus Feat 6th +4 +5 +2 +5 Warden’s Haste 2/day 7th +5 +5 +2 +5 Guardian’s Wings (chant) 8th +6/+1 +6 +2 +6 Bladeturn 3/day 9th +6/+1 +6 +3 +6 Defy Storm 1/day, Unyielding Spirit 1/day 10th +7/+2 +7 +3 +7 Bonus Feat, Nature’s Favor (chant) 11th +8/+3/ +7 +3 +7 Warden’s Haste 3/day 12th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Bladeturn 4/day, 13th +9/+4 +8 +4 +8 Defy Storm 2/day, Unyielding Spirit 2/day 14th +10/+5 +9 +4 +9 Warden’s Haste 4/day 15th +11/+6/+ +9 +5 +9 Bonus Feat, Heroic Conversion (chant) 16th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Bladeturn 5/day 17th +12/+7/+2 +10 +5 +10 Defy Storm 3/day, Unyielding Spirit 3/day 18th +13/+8/+3 +11 +6 +11 Warden’s Haste 5/day 19th +14/+9/+4 +11 +6 +11 Bladeturn 6/day 20th +15/+10/+5 +12 +6 +12 Bonus Feat Table: Warden Spells Per Day Level 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 1st 0 — — — 2nd 1 - - — 3rd 2 - — — 4th 2 0 — — 5th 3 1 - — 6th 3 2 - — 7th 3 2 0 - 8th 4 3 1 0 9th 4 3 2 1 10th 4 3 2 2 11th 4 4 3 2 12th 5 4 3 3 13th 5 4 3 3 14th 5 4 4 3 15th 5 5 4 4 16th 5 5 4 4 17th 5 5 4 4 18th 5 5 5 4 19th 5 5 5 5 20th 5 5 5 5 Class Features Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A warden is proficient with all simple and martial bludgeoning weapons, plus the shortbow, longbow, composite shortbow, and composite longbow. Wardens are proficient with light and medium armor and with shields. A warden can wear heavy armor or use sharp weapons, but doing so leaves him unable to use his warden spells or abilities. Spells: A warden casts divine spells, which are drawn from the warden spell list. He must choose and prepare his spells in advance. To prepare or cast a spell, a warden must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a warden’s spell is 10 + the spell level + the warden’s Wisdom modifier. Like other spellcasters, a warden can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on Table: Warden Spells Per Day. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Wisdom score. Wardens meditate or pray for their spells. Each warden must choose a time at which he must spend 1 hour each day in quiet contemplation or supplication to regain his daily allotment of spells. He also still needs the normal 8 hours of daily rest. A warden may prepare and cast any spell on the warden spell list, provided that he can cast spells of that level, but he must choose which spells to prepare during his daily meditation. Chants: A warden’s chants affect him and any party members within 60’ of him and able to hear the chant. A chant may be activated as a free action, but only takes effect once it has been active for a full round. A party member who is under the effects of the chant and moves beyond the 60’ range loses those effects until they move back within 60’. A warden can move, attack, and take actions while maintaining a chant, unless that action would interrupt his voice, i.e. drinking a potion or casting a spell with verbal components. A warden who has been deafened has a 20% chance each round of having his chant fail or end and one that becomes deafened while chanting immediately ends his chant. The effects of a chant end when the Warden is interrupted or ceases to chant. Perpetual Stamina (chant): A warden of first level or higher, with 3 or more ranks in Perform(chant) can use this ability to reduce the duration of spells and effects that cause fatigue or exhaustion by half (rounded down, a fatigue effect with a duration of 1 round would be completely negated, and an effect with a duration of 3 rounds would be cut to 1 round). At 4th level, if the warden has 6 ranks in Perform (chants) this ability completely negates spells and effects that would normally cause fatigue or exhaustion. Any character that is fatigued or exhausted when this ability is used is not affected by them for the duration of the chant. When the chant ends, any fatigue or exhaustion effects that would normally still be affecting the character begin taking effect again immediately. Natures Reckoning (chant): Once a warden reaches 4th level, if he has 6 or more ranks in Perform(chant), he may activate this chant to increase the damage done by him and his party. Every time the warden or a party member hits an enemy in melee or ranged combat, they add an additional +1 to their damage rolls and half the warden’s charisma modifier to their attack roll. This bonus increases as the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant). At level 8, with 10 ranks in Perform(chant): +2 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 12, with 14 ranks in Perform(chant): +3 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 16, with 18 ranks in Perform(chant): +4 to damage, + half cha mod to attack At level 20, with 22 ranks in Perform(chant): +5 to damage, + half cha mod to attack Guardian’s Wings (chant): A warden of 7th level, with 9 or more ranks in Perform(chant), can use this ability to increase the movement speed of him and his party by 10’. As the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant) the effects of this ability are increased. At level 13, with 15 ranks in Perform(chant): increase speed by 15’ At level 19, with 21 ranks in Perform(chant): increase speed by 20’ Nature’s Favor (chant): On reaching 10th level, a warden with 12 or more ranks in Perform(chant) may use this ability to grant damage reduction of 3/chaos (the first 5 points of damage from any attack is ignored, unless it is chaos damage, which bypasses the damage reduction) to himself and those in his party. As the warden gains levels and ranks in Perform(chant) the amount of damage reduction is increased. At level 14, with 16 ranks in Perform(chant): Damage reduction of 5/chaos At level 18, with 20 ranks in Perform(chant): Damage reduction of 10/chaos Heroic Conversion (chant): A warden of 15th level, with 17 or more ranks in Perform(chant) uses this chant to give a steady stream of healing to his party members, at the cost of his own health. While this ability is active, every 6 seconds (1 round) the warden takes 5 damage, and each of his party members gains HP equal to 5 + the warden’s charisma modifier. If the chant would take the warden below 1hp, it automatically ends. Bladeturn: Beginning at 1st level, the warden gains the ability to cast Bladeturn on his party. This spell encompasses the entire party with an invisible shell of force which completely negates the first physical attack made against a member of the party. Once the shell has absorbed one hit, it disappears. As a warden gains levels, he can use this ability more often. Magical attacks or attacks that deal damage other than HP damage are not affected (this does not stop magical weapons from being blocked, however). For example, an attack by a +3 flaming longsword would be stopped, but a sorceror’s Ray of Enfeeblement spell would not. Warden’s Haste: At 2nd level, the warden can cast Warden’s Haste on himself. This spell acts like the Haste spell found in the players handbook, except that it does not increase movement speed. As the warden gains levels, he can cast this spell more often. Defy Storm: Beginning at 9th level, a warden can cast Defy Storm on his party. This spell grants resistance of 15 to Electric, Acid, and Cold attacks (the first 15 points of damage from an electric, acid or cold based attack is ignored) for a number of minutes equal to the warden’s level + charisma modifier. This spell can be cast more often as the warden gains levels. Unyielding Spirit: At 9th level, a warden can cast Unyielding Spirit on his party. This spell grants 15 resistance to Force, Sonic, and Negative energy attacks (the first 15 points of damage from a Force, Sonic, or Negative energy attack is ignored) for a number of minutes equal to the warden’s level + charisma modifier. This spell can be cast more often as the warden gains levels. Bonus Feats: At 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th levels, the warden gains bonus feats. These feats are taken from the Nature’s Warder feat tree, listed below. If the warden already has all the feats listed in that tree, he may take any feat that he meets the requirements of. Warden Spell list Level 1 Animalistic Power Barkskin Bear’s Endurance Bull’s Strength Cat’s Grace Create Water Cure Light Wounds Eagle’s Splendor Endure Elements Fog Cloud Fox’s Cunning Magic Weapon Owl’s Wisdom Protection from Chaos Resistance Level 2 Thornskin Resist Energy Shield Other Wind Wall Spike Growth Call Lightning Magic Circle Against Chaos Water Breathing Water Walk Spider Climb Mountain’s Stamina (+4 fort, +2 str) Redwoods Strength (+2 natural AC, +2 con) Aspect of the Lynx (+4 reflex, +2 wis) Wolfish Instincts (+4 will, +2 int) Oak’s Vigor (10 spell resist, +2 cha) Hawk’s Survival Instinct (+15 hp, +2 dex) Level 3 Animalistic Power, Mass Cure Moderate Wounds Daylight Bull’s Strength, Mass Bears Endurance, Mass Cat’s Grace, Mass Eagle’s Splendor, Mass Owl’s Wisdom, Mass Fox’s Cunning, Mass Freedom of Movement Commune with Nature Darkvision Tongues Dispel Chaos Level 4 Word of Law Magic Weapon, Greater Discern Lies Remove Blindness/Deafness Remove Disease Protection from Energy Reduce Animal Hero’s Feast Mountain’s Stamina, mass (+4 fort, +4 str) Redwoods Strength, mass (+2 natural AC, +4 con) Aspect of the Lynx, mass (+4 reflex, +4 wis) Wolfish Instincts, mass (+4 will, +4 int) Oak’s Vigor, mass (10 spell resist, +4 cha) Hawk’s Survival Instinct, mass (+15 hp, +4 dex) Warden Feats [Nature’s Warder] Tree Nature’s Harmony Prerequisite: - Benefit: You gain +2 to your Survival, Knowledge (nature), and Handle Animal skills. Tuned In Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony Benefit: You gain a +2 to your Listen, Spot, and Search skills. Song of the Forest Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the amount of damage reduction granted by your Nature’s Favor chant by 2. Song of the Sky Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the speed bonus of your Guardian’s Wings chant by 5’. Song of the Mountain Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Allows your Perpetual Stamina chant to have the same effect on sickness and nausea as it does on fatigue and exhaustion. Song of the River Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the base amount healed each round by your Heroic Conversion chant from 5 to 8 Song of the Deep Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In Benefit: Increases the bonus damage granted by your Nature’s Reckoning chant by +1 Courageous Conversion Prerequisite: Nature’s Harmony, Tuned In, Song of the River Benefit: When beginning a Heroic Conversion chant you may choose to give it a 50% chance to cure poisons and diseases as well as healing HP, however doing so drains you of 15 HP per round instead of the normal 5 (note that this does not affect the amount healed by Heroic Conversion). Specialized Enhancements Prerequisite: - Benefit: Increases the effects of stat enhancing spells cast by you by 1 Unmatched Enhancements Prerequisite: Specialized Enhancements Benefit: Increases the effects of stat enhancing spells cast by you by 2 (this effects is in addition to the bonus granted by Specialized Enhancements) Lasting Enhancements Prerequisite: Specialized Enhancements Benefit: Doubles the duration of your stat enhancing spells Natural Bond Prerequisite: - Benefit: Your healing spells heal an additional +2 HP (this does not affect the base amount healed by your Heroic Conversion). Confident Healer Prerequisite: Natural Bond Benefit: You add your charisma modifier to all heal spells cast by you Vehement Renewal Prerequisite: Natural Bond, Confident Healer Benefit: When you cast a heal spell on a party member, each other member is also healed for 1d4 + your charisma modifier Combat Medic Prerequisite: Heal 8 ranks Benefit: Using your Heal skill no longer provokes attacks of opportunity Determination Prerequisite: - Benefit: Reduces the effect of entanglement, snare, or other movement impairing effects by 50%. This only works on outdoor effects such as vines, roots, webs, etc. and does not affect magical abilities such as paralysis, hold person, etc. Coming soon!
Charlym_Zuardan 01-08-08, 04:54 PM	bump. scanned and added more maps
old_dm 01-09-08, 11:22 AM	What do your players think of it?
Charlym_Zuardan 01-09-08, 07:02 PM	as is so often the case, my players dont take the time to read the fluff and really appreciate it :( they enjoy playing under me very much though, or so they say.
Kouk 01-14-08, 01:24 AM	This is a minor issue, but I will point out that there is a monster called a Taer in the book Unapproachable East. It is an ape-like medium Giant.
Charlym_Zuardan 01-14-08, 06:40 AM	eh, i can live with that :P dont have the book and dont plan on ever getting it :)
taradusis 01-14-08, 09:26 AM	You seem to have generated a good backstory in all. The maps are acceptable if not as good as those generated by a cartography program. A minor quibble is the non-violent nature of orc/dwarf relations. Traditionally in D+D they fight bitterly over underground living space and access to mineral rights. Still ,its your world,and it does add a different take on things. Have you created any unique monsters or races for this world? I would also add an archipellago of islands for a spanish main/pirate campaign/age of exploration adventures in the future? You may if you wish borrow island concepts from my random aqautic notes thread.
Charlym_Zuardan 01-14-08, 04:33 PM	thanks for the feedback for the maps, i have not yet found any decent cartography programs that i like, what about the world map? do you like that one? that one i just painted manually in photoshop and i thought it turned out pretty good. for the orc/dwarf thing, yeah its a different take on it, but thats what i wanted. I wanted to focus more on the conflict between the elves and the orcs, based off the part in the PhB that talks about corellon taking gruumsh's eye. and by taking my orcs out of the underground environment and giving them cities and making them like the other races, they didnt really have a good reason to be in conflict with the dwarves, so i left the dwarves as the friendly, get along with anyone, judge people by thier actions and not thier stereotypes sort of race. (if that makes sense) for unique monsters, theres been a couple, which i may include in a future update, because i tend to use the MM as more of a guideline for creating the creatures that i need for any given campaign, mostly its just a matter of modifying an existing creature, but i have made some interesting monsters such as exploding zombies... and i have done a couple of unique boss type creatures such as a demon lord and a death knight (based off first edition monstrous compendium). So far I have one new race which will be described soon, 2 new base classes, one of which you can see in my sig, and several ideas for future new races or classes which i will develop as i get to those regions of the world. for pirate settings, i agree i am going to need more of those, i may borrow some of your stuff :) right now I have one set of islands that i can use to base any pirate adventure off of, which you will see in the update as soon as i get to work tonight. but other than that, i have been working on the main continents and land masses first and plan to expand and add islands and ocean adventure settings as i get further into development. thanks again for the feedback and for the questions! :) more updates to come tonight.
Charlym_Zuardan 01-15-08, 04:17 AM	bump, added several detailed descriptions of individual countries.
Prime32 01-17-08, 06:02 PM	Elemental spells, such as Fireball, Cone of Cold, or anything linked to one of the 4 elemental planes, are treated as one level lower in terms of when a player can access them, however their damage or effects remain unchanged. So, for example, a fireball would become a level 2 spell, but would still deal damage and affect the same area as it currently does in core rules. I don't get it. These spells are all reduced by one level at all times? That hardly seems balanced. Even if it's just near doorways, I don't understand the mechanics of how a player could gain short-term access to spells at a lower level like that. And do doorways boost all spells of a certain type on the Material Plane, or is it just when the caster is within a certain distance? Oh, and sorry for the off-topic, Charlym, but you must have missed the PM. The PbP game is moving again.
Charlym_Zuardan 01-17-08, 06:37 PM	I don't get it. These spells are all reduced by one level at all times? That hardly seems balanced. Even if it's just near doorways, I don't understand the mechanics of how a player could gain short-term access to spells at a lower level like that. The way i have it written isnt entirely complete yet, but yeah, elemental spells are one level lower at all times, as a result of the overlapping elemental planes. it does add some power to arcane casters, which is offset by a few things. for one, my setting has an above average focus on magic, so higher powered spells help to emphasize that, and it is only the few spells that i will label as elemental, to further emphasize the worlds attunement to the elements. also my players for some reason never play caster classes, and this is somewhat targetted at them specifically to try and encourage them to play casting classes. there are certain houserules for melee combat that give bonuses to the melee classes, which i just havnt typed up yet. nothing huge but still. also magical items aside from potions and scrolls are particularly uncommon in my world, and tend to heavily favor the martial classes over the casting ones. this may not seem like reason enough to add so much power to the arcane casters but once i have everything written up and ironed the kinks out i will take another look at it. for my players, i predict that it will not even be noticeable :P And do doorways boost all spells of a certain type on the Material Plane, or is it just when the caster is within a certain distance? all spells of a certain type. so for example there is currently a doorway open to the plane of shadow, so all spells with the [shadow] descriptor will have a 20% boost in potency. spell descriptors have not yet been assigned, but i'm working on it :P again this might seem like it adds too much power to arcane classes, but as i mentioned, i want to emphasize the different flows of magic in the world. if this 20% boost seems too powerful just keep in mind that the DM decides which doorways, if any, are open at any given time. I plan to open doorways to help push my players towards new spells that they might not normally use. hope that made sense and explained what you were looking for. thanks for the questions! Oh, and sorry for the off-topic, Charlym, but you must have missed the PM. The PbP game is moving again. i got it, i've been watching :D