Post/Author/DateTime	Post
058 07-19-07, 12:35 AM	For the heck of it, I'm posting the campaign setting I've been working on. Thus far, this is intended solely for my next campaign, but if it gets good enough opinions, it might continue life elsewhere. Mirantar is the name of the known world; that is, the collection of large island continents and small portions of the surrounding land. The rest of the world is significant, populated, and large, but I haven't yet fleshed it out, and I'm thinking that for now, I'll probably leave it that way. Opinions are welcome. Mirantar isn't "low magic," but mages are rare enough that the solution to every problem isn't "ask the wizard." While an adventuring party is as likely to find a +2 longsword, it is more likely an extremely well-made weapon than an actually enchanted piece of equipment. There are no other planes of existence, just the physical world. Any extraplanar creature that can be found exists physically somewhere in the world. The same goes for deities. True wizards, sorcerers, and clerics are rare (though the only way that this should affect the players is how NPCs react to them; the previous statement should not, in any way, change a player's choice of class). http://img70.imageshack.us/img70/5527/mapcopype9.jpg For three hundred years, a war rages across the land, consuming nations. The war is fought for so long that those fighting it have forgotten what it started over; at long last, a meeting is held at Shaddaram the Rock to negotiate a peace. New lines are drawn across the map and the world is redivided. The peace is uneasy for the first few years, but eventually the people of the world settle into it, all of them tired of the fightning. Thus, Mirantar was born of the ashes of the Old World. Only the oldest and most learned of sages have any record of the time before the great war. A century later, Mirantar flourishes, but again the stirrings of conflict are felt. Cormar seizes a stretch of land in Shar'dam, establishing Kastle Orizo in the mountains, and the citizens of the offended country clamour for war. The leaders of all the nations fear another all-ending war. This is "present day." Shar'dam Located on the southeast island and accompanying archipelago, one of the three most powerful nations, possesses a powerful military of warriors trained in effective formation fighting, along with a powerful cavalry force. Shar'dam's fleet is powerful, known throughout Mirantar. Its tactics rely very much on size and numerical superiority. Shar'dam's capital city is also named Shar'dam. Shar'dam is led by the kali'dar, or Blind King. The Blind King, at his or her coronation, has his or her eyes removed and stored by magical means. This is to ensure that the leader keeps thoughts focused on politics and leading, and doesn't get sidetracked. Kali'dar are encouraged to reproduce often, as the heir isn't the firstborn, but the one the Blind King decides is most fit to rule. Apart from the Blind King, Shar'dam also has an active noble class. Nobles often participate in councils alongside the Blind King to determine a course of action for the nation, and are also often found running towns and cities as governers. It is possible for a peasant to rise and become a noble, but not easy. Slavery is legal, but not very common. Wizardry is an illegal practice, thought to be tampering with the laws of the universe without cause, much like witchery in the 1600s. Sorcerers and other natural casters are revered as gifted by the gods. Size/Type: Medium humanoid (Easter) Hit Dice: 2d8+7 (15) Initiative: +1 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 18 (+1 dex, +5 chainmail, +2 heavy wooden shield), touch 11, flat-footed 17 Base Attack/Grapple: 2/4 Attack: Longspear +5 melee (1d8+3/x3)/shortspear +5 melee (1d6+2/x2) or short sword +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20) Full Attack: Longspear +5 melee (1d8+3/x3)/shortspear +5 melee (1d6+2/x2) or short sword +4 melee (1d6+2/19-20) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Saves: Fort 5+, Ref +1, Will +1 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 9 Skills: Climb - (+2 str, +3 ranks, -5 armour), Jump - (+1 dex, +4 ranks, -5 armour), Ride +5 (+1 dex, +4 ranks) Feats: Toughness, weapon focus (longspear) or weapon focus (shortspear) Equipment: Chainmail, heavy wooden shield, longspear or shortspear, short sword Organization: Box (4-8 plus one sergeant), line (10-20 plus one mounted officer and one sergeant for every six soldiers), or formation (50-100 plus one mounted officer for every fifteen soldiers and one sergeant for every six) Tactics: Footsoldiers work in formation. The first line has shields up and is armed with shortspears, providing cover for the lines behind it, which wield longspears. Each successive line has longspears held to attack enemies within range of the line ahead, so that as the formation advances, the first two lines are always able to attack. If the enemy breaks the first line, the second will draw its shortswords and attempt to ready its shields in order to allow the next line to attack with its spears. Size/Type: Medium humanoid (Easter) Hit Dice: 3d8+9 (21) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 21 (+2 dex, +5 chainmail, +4 tower shield), touch 12, flat-footed 19 Base Attack/Grapple: 3/5 Attack: Heavy mace +4 melee (1d8 +2/x2) Full Attack: Heavy mace +4 melee (1d8 +2/x2) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +2 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 13, Cha 9 Skills: Climb -1 (+2 str, +2 ranks, -5 armour), Intimidate +2 (-1 cha, +3 ranks) Jump - (+2 dex, +3 ranks, -5 armour), Ride +7 (+2 dex, +5 ranks) Feats: Toughness, weapon focus (heavy mace) Equipment: Chainmail, tower shield, heavy mace Tactics: Sergeants lead smaller formations of footemen. Lacking spears, their role is to inspire (or frighten) the soldiers to fight better and to prevent them from deserting. Their presence in the front line and their tower shields mean that the soldiers directly behind them are better protected, and they tend to be skilled with their maces. They will stand in formation as long as possible and do their best to keep other soldiers in line, sometimes even going as far as to attack deserters. Sergeants are sometimes found mounted, in which case they may be armed with spears. Size/Type: Medium humanoid (Easter) Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (35) Initiative: +2 Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares) Armor Class: 21 (+1 dex, +8 full plate, +2 heavy steel shield), touch 11, flat-footed 20 Base Attack/Grapple: 5/7 Attack: Longsword +9 melee (1d8+2/19-20) or lance +5 melee (1d8/x3) Full Attack: Longsword +9 melee (1d8+2/19-20) or lance +5 melee (1d8/x3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Abilities: Smite Chaos (2/day), Lay On Hands, Chosen Weapon (Longsword), Aura of Courage, Turn Undead Spells: Cure light wounds (1/day) Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +1 Abilities: Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 16 Skills: Diplomacy +13 (+3 cha, +8 ranks, +2 negotiator), Gather Information +7 (+3 cha, +4 ranks), Heal +8 (+8 ranks), Knowledge (Religion) +7 (+1 int, +6 ranks), Ride +4 (+2 str, +8 ranks, -6 check penalty), Sense Motive +6 (+4 Ranks, +2 Negotiator)), Survival +4 (+4 ranks) Feats: Endurance, Leadership, Negotiator Equipment: Masterwork longsword, lance, masterwork full plate, heavy steel shield Tactics: Shar'di sergeants are almost always mounted and will do their best to rally the soldiers of a formation, to keep them together, and will wholeheartedly lead the charge against the enemy. Cormar Cormar is the second of the three superpowers, occupying the large landmass to the west of Shar'dam. Cormar's borders don't officially end in the west, but there reaches a point where there is more desert and wild tribes than anything else. Cormar's population is largely Orc, with southermen and wild elves making up a significant number. Cormar's army is large and brutal, and while individual generals have their own strategies, they often revolve around frightening the enemy into surrender and charging haphazardly into battle. The shamans of Cormar are known throughout the world for their ties to nature. Most of Cormar's population is centered around rivers and lakes, so the country doesn't have a very strong navy, relying instead on its soldiers knowledge of the land. Cormar's capital city is Lobelin, located near several rivers, a lake, and a small mountain chain. Cormar is led by a council of elders, all of whom have reached great ages and experienced many things. The average citizens of the nation tend to revere and respect these elders. Class does not exist in Cormar. If you are wealthy, you are wealthy, and if you are poor, you are poor, but being born into one does not preclude you from rising to the other. Slavery is common. Seborhin The third of the superpowers, Seborhin is a largely unknown quantity. Located in the frigid north, Seborhinin have a reputation for being cold toward foreigners. An adventurer exploring the nation would have difficulty finding many towns; so close to the mountains, flat land is at a premium, and most of the population lives in the mountains, protected by three forts. The most notable exception is the city of Edmonton, which stands as the nation's capital. Edmonton is a large port, and while its location precludes sea-based trading with the rest of Mirantar, merchants from the unexplored north and east come often, bringing exotic goods which stand as lures to merchants and traders from the rest of the known world. Seborhin is ruled by a warrior-king, who deals with all matters of importance and pomp, and a High Council which deals with the little things. The military of Seborhin is feared throughout the world, for though it is small, it has earned a repuation for quick, brutally efficient battles. Its navy is virtually nonexistant; lumber is scarce, and what can be found is made into houses and fishing boats, of which there are many, making up a major food source. There is a population of dwarves living in the mountains; otherwise, Seborhin is mostly human. Belum The small, peaceful nation of Belum has a large number of farms, providing a large amount of food to the other nations. Seborhin relies heavily on Belum, having little arable land. Belum contains a variety of races, humans, halflings, faeries, and forest elves. The small nation doesn't have an armed force, relying instead on its powerful allies and small militia in times of war. Within the past fifty years, Belum has expanded its borders, becoming a true nation in its own right, more than the simple band of farmers it had been. Marshor Less a nation and more a collection of small fiefdoms, Marshor is the name for the territory between Belum, Shar'dam, and Cormar. Dozens of small lords live, each owning several villages and farms, attempting to carve out a name for himself. While there is a capitol building in Salon, the men who profess to rule there lack any real power outside the border of that city. The lack of a strong central government is all that keeps Marshor from competing with the superpowers, as it has a lot of arable land and the soldiers of the lords, small as those individual armies may be, are well-trained for their background. The lords that make their home near the sea tend to have powerful, but small, fleets of ships. The Pact of Lessers Recent expansion by Belum and other nations left the half dozen northern countries threatened. To prevent themselves from becoming completely absorbed, these smaller nations combined into the Pact of Lessers. As all this happened less than half a century ago, ties to old nations are still strong, and the leaders of the Pact have difficulty coercing the various factions into action. The Pact lacks a strong military. Most of its fighting force is divided by previous alliegance, small companies and regiments loyal to others of the same background. Its navy, however, is matched only by Shar'dam's. The Pact's ragtag collection of naval vessels and the collage of tactics brought forth by having commanders from so many different schools of training makes it unpredictable and quite effective in battle. Though much smaller and poorer than the other nations, the Pact houses several prominent Guilds, and so it still holds some sway. Mercenaries In times of war, the smaller nations turn to the many and varied mercenaries of Mirantar. Many of the most desirable of these are the wild tribes of the west, as their upbringing in the desert and clashes with other tribes hones them into powerful warriors. The Pact of Lessers and the island of Freeport are other sources of such soldiers; exotic fighters from beyond the sea, pirates, former soldiers, and many more make their living fighting the battles of others. Many of these mercenaries can be found within the guilds below. Guild of Thieves Its central location unknown, the Guild of Thieves is widely understood to be the source of the most daring thefts of the last century. Recruiters are everywhere, in every city, looking for promising young burglars. The Guild rarely bothers itself with small-time work like expensive jewels and gold; it tends to go for bigger prizes, artifacts and items of magical power. Domains granted: Chaos and Trickery War Reapers Commonly known as the Guild of Fighters, the War Reapers feast on battle, hiring out its members to the richest nations in times of war. It is attractive to many mercenaries, because it offers a more solid level of income than working freelance. The War Reapers are based in Canton, a city in the Pact of Lessers, and have hiring outposts in every nation. Domains granted: Destruction and War Circle of the Mighty A collection of wizards and scribes, the Circle of the Mighty makes it a priority to exercize the superiority of those who can manipulate the fabric of the universe over those who cannot. Circle members often look down upon non-magical folk, though others seek to spread the knowledge they have gained. Sorcerers and others who gain their powers through birth rather than study are banned. The Circle of the Mighty has a central compound in the city of Shar'dam. Domains granted: Magic and Strength The Followers Followers of what, no one is quite sure, but this organization focues on learning and sharing that which was learned. The Followers have a reputation for being the best storytellers, and a high-ranking member is almost always the best source to go to for ancient lore or information regarding any subject. Bards tend to be the most common members, but as the Followers do not reject Sorcerers as the Circle of the Mighty does, they are not uncommon. There is no central structure for the Followers, rather they share knowledge as they meet. Rank means very little, and any member can recruit someone. The Followers do not have a primary location. Domains granted: Knowledge and Sun Languages • Elfin, the language of the faeries. • Kindari, the common speak of the human world. • Rigish, the languages of the Cormar orcs. • Southern Kindari*, a variant of Common Kindari spoken by the tribes south of Cormar. • Sten, the language of the dwarves. Secret Languages • Gnotrix, the secretive language of the gnomes. • Tribal Kindari*, a secret language spoken only within the southern tribes. *Anyone who can speak a related form of Kindari (common for southern, southern for tribal) can roll an Intelligence (or speak language) check against a DC of 20 to understand whatever is being spoken at the time. The two languages are close enough that someone who speaks one but not the other has a chance of puzzling out the speech. This check must be made every time the character wishes to attempt to discern what is being spoken. In order to add some flavour to the races, I have created variants of the humans and linked several other races. Thus, I present them: Southermen The race of Man is spread throughout the world, such that they have even begun to adapt to different climates. The Southermen live south and east of Cormar, among the rivers and mountains of the desert. Often seen in nomadic tribes, moving from oasis to river to lush hill, they are a hardy bunch with little contact with what most consider to be civilization. Their skin is darkened by the sun, and they tend toward black or dark brown hair and dark coloured eyes. Racial stats as humans except as follows: • Southermen are illiterate, regardless of class. For two skill-points, they can become literate. • Southermen are hardy and know how to survive the dry desert. When determining dehydration, they are treated as having endurance for checks made to resist nonlethal damage. This stacks with the feat. They also gain +2 to survival checks made in any desert except tundra. • Automatic languages: Southern Kindari. Bonus languages: Elfin, Gnotrix, Kindari, Rigish, Tribal Kindari. • Favoured Class: Barbarian, Druid, or Ranger Easters The men of Shar’dam and the surrounding regions are used to both the rigors of living on the border of civilization and the complexity of city-life. They are the most widespread of all Man, and it is not unusual to see them as far from Shar’dam as Canton or Freeport. Easters have skin-tones ranging from fair to nearly black, due to their world-wide spread. Racial stats as humans except as follows: • Automatic languages: Common Kindari. Bonus languages: Any(not including secret languages). Mountaineers Cold and callous is how the mountaineers of the north are described by outsiders. This description is not without merit, for the mountaineers are rarely immediately friendly with outsiders. To their own kind, in private, they are quite friendly. Mostly inhabiting Seborhin, these frontiersmen live in a more civilized manner than the Southermen, but they face death equally often. Less by the killing thirst of the desert and more the constant danger of deadly cold accompanied by adapted hungry beasts. Racial stats as humans except as follows: • Mountaineers gain +2 on saves made to resist nonlethal damage caused by exposure to cold weather and on survival checks made in the tundra or other cold area. • Mountaineers have -2 on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks made against any race other than mountaineers and dwarves. • Automatic languages: Common Kindari. Bonus languages: Elfin, Rigish, Sten. Dwarves The short and stocky folk of the northern mountains spend much time in underground caverns, carving minerals into objects of use. Known widely as dwarves, they take much pride in their craft, meticulously working out imperfections. The dwarves live in the mountains in Seborhin, Shar’dam, and in several cities in Marshor. Their decades of living in caves has sharpened their eyesight and they are more in touch with the stone than most. Their faces are frequently bearded, and the length and amount of grey in one’s face mop is often used as a measure of respect, alongside how many drinks it takes to put one under the table. Racial stats as dwarves except as follows: • Automatic languages: Sten. Bonus languages: Gnotrix, Kindari, Rigish. Gnomes The gnomes of the southern mountains are virtually unknown in most of the world. They keep a passing communication with the wild tribes of the desert, and emmissaries are not uncommon in Cormar, but apart from that, they keep to themselves. Like their dwarven cousins, the gnomes live underground fashioning stone, but instead of focusing on weapons and armour, the gnomes construct beautiful works of art, pendants and sculptures and the like. While they are largely unknown, their works are widespread, as merchant caravans often brave the desert to meet these master craftsmen. Racial stats as gnomes except as follows: • Automatic languages: Gnotrix. Bonus languages: Rigish, Southern Kindari, Sten. Halfings The much more common cousins of the dwarves and gnomes, halflings live throughout the world. There is a heavy population of them in Belum, many of them owning farms. Their short stature invites many insults at their expense, but enough of the diminutive race have become famous as adventurers, thieves, and even assassins that many of the jokes have been averted. Racial stats as halflings except as follows: • Automatic languages: Common Kindari. Bonus languages: Elfin, Rigish, Sten. Faeries Physically petite and rarely tall, the faeries live on the edges of the woods in Belum and populate the cities of Shar’dam, Belum, and Marshor. There is even a significant population of them in remote Edmonton. They are to the other elves what easters are to the rest of Humanity. Racial stats as Elves except as follows: • Automatic languages: Elfin, Common Kindari. Bonus languages: Any(not including secret languages). Forest Elves More used to the maze of the deep wood than the confusing lanes of a city, the forest elves live primarily among the deeper regions of Belum’s woods. They are visible stronger and sturdier than the faeries, but their wilderness isolation gives them a poor understanding of many aspects of society. Racial stats as Wood Elves except as follows: • Forest Elves are illiterate, regardless of class. They can spend two skill points to become literate. • Automatic languages: Elfin. Bonus languages: Common Kindari. Wild Elves The faeries known as Wild Elves live far to the south, in the same region of the Southermen and often the same tribes. They are subject to the same isolation from mainstream society, but living in the wild has sharpened their reflexes. Racial stats as Wild Elves except as follows: • Wild Elves are illiterate, regardless of class. They can spend two skill points to become literate. • Automatic languages: Southern Kindari. Bonus languages: Elfin, Gnotrix, Kindari, Rigish, Tribal Kindari. Half-Elves It is very common for faeries and humans to mate, the product of which is the half-elf. Neither as dexterous and frail as their elfin counterparts, nor quite as versatile as their human brethren, half-elves still retain a fair amount of innate elfin magic and human adaptivity. The reception they receive ranges anywhere from warm welcome to open hatred. As half-breeds, there are few entirely half-elfin communities, but individuals can be found almost anywhere in the world. With their ties to both races, half-elves often serve as diplomats between the two races. Racial stats as Half-Elves except as follows: • Automatic languages: Common Kindari, Elfin. Bonus languages: Any(not including secret languages). Half-Orcs Like the half-elves, half-orcs are fairly common, and also like the half-elves, their reputation varies depending upon the location. Some places accept them while others shun them. They stand barely taller than average humans, with muscular frames, elongated ears and dark, grey-brown skin. Their hair tends to be dark, though the occasional blond appears. Like half-elves, half-orcs often serve a diplomatic function. Racial stats as Half-Orcs except as follows: • +2 Strength, and a choice of -2 Wisdom, Intelligence, or Charisma. • Automatic languages: Common Kindari, Rigish. Bonus languages: Any(not including secret languages). Orcs Tall and muscular, the full-blooded orcs resemble a distant cross between elves and humans, though they are not to be confused with half-elves. Dark skin, long ears, and thick muscles differentiate the orcs from any other race. They are frequently at odds with other races, due to their fierce independence and common desire to show that they are more than the squabbling barbarians most see them to be. Racial stats as Orcs except as follows: • +4 Strength and -2 in 2 of the mental stats. • Automatic languages: Rigish. Bonus languages: Any(not including secret languages). This is the part that I feel I need the most help with. I feel as though I'm lacking enough deities, although the plus side of this list is that it won't be hard for players to remember them. Any suggestions for new religions/deities or modifications to these below are quite welcome. Church of the Red Sun This organization is primarily based in Shar’dam, with temples and monastaries located throughout the country. There is a central cathedral located in the capital. The Church’s ranking structure and the general duties of each rank are as follows: Adept (assists with cleaning and general labour; runs messages and the like), priest (leads temple services, ministers), bishop (administrates all the priests in a particular district), arch-bishop (holds authority over the entire Church). The Church of the Red Sun worships Athelos, God of Light., and preaches the greater good and education of the people. The Church accepts both monks and clerics. Favoured Weapon: Mace (any type) Alignment: Lawful Good Domains: Community – use calm emotions as a spell-like ability once per day. Gain a +2 competence bonus on Diplomacy checks. 1. Bless 2. Status 3. Prayer 4. Greater Status 5. Telepathic Bond 6. Heroes’ Feast 7. Refuge 8. Sympathy 9. Mass Heal Rune – Free Scribe Scroll feat. 1. Erase 2. Secret page 3. Glyph of warding 4. Explosive runes 5. Lesser planar binding 6. Greater glyph of warding 7. Instant summons 8. Symbol of Death 9. Teleportation circle Gokama The Lord of the Outcast, Gokama doesn’t have a church built around him. The legend goes that he, himself, was cast out of the Deific Pantheon thousands of years ago, and now wanders the world, seeking out followers who have also been cast out. He is popular in dens of scum and villainy such as Freeport, where the rogues of civilization gather. As he has no monastaries, there are few monks who follow him. Clerics are relatively common, for those who come to Gokama often experience catharsis and devote their lives to him. He is also popular among rogues. Favoured Weapon: Quarterstaff Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Domains: Luck, Travel Pargo The common deity of the pragmatic northerners, Pargo’s followers preach the importance of a good knowledge of the world and a healthy distrust of foreigners. There is no central organization, like the Church of the Red Sun, but individual temples still have ranking systems. While they may vary from one to the next, the ranks tend to be as follows: Initiate (performs no menial tasks, instead studying a mentor), Mentor (teaches an Initiate to observe while preparing himself for the next rank), Master (oversees the Mentors, Initiates, and worshippers of a local congregation and may travel to meet with other Masters). Favoured Weapon: Spear (any type) Alignment: True Neutral Domains: Knowledge, Protection Mackey Believed to govern the weather and sea, Mackey is often worshipped by farmers and sailors. His symbol is a raindrop with a star inside. Like most of the other deities, Mackey has no central church, but temples to him can be found througout the land. Favoured Weapon: Trident Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Domains: Chaos, Weather Cult of the Starlit Moon It is difficult to tell whether the Cult worships any specific deity, or if it simply exists as a foil to the Church of the Red Sun. Due to the secretive nature of the Cult, few know where its foundation is, though many suspect it to be somewhere in the mountain chain in the south of Shar’dam. Its most widely known name is a result of slander and libel spread by the Church of the Red Sun; the true name of this organization is the Followers of Ongadi. It is unknown whether Ongadi is the name of the deity worshipped by the Cult, or something else. The Cult’s ranks aren’t known. Favoured Weapon: Dagger Alignment: Neutral Evil Domains: Darkness, Evil Darkness – Free Blind-Fight feat. 1. Obscuring mist 2. Blindness 3. Blacklight 4. Armour of darkness 5. Summon Monster V (only summons 1d3 shadows) 6. Prying eyes 7. Nightmare 8. Power word blind 9. Power word kill
Kelmourne 07-19-07, 04:36 PM	Two things stood out to me. 1. Great job on the human sub-races. I've been wondering about how I could do that in my world. 2. I noticed the capitol of Seborhin is called Edmonton. My advice would be to rename it something else as that is the name of a city in Canada (Im assuming you didn't know that because no sane canadian would name a fantastical city edmonton, also nick-named deadmonton for being so boring)
058 07-19-07, 04:41 PM	Well, I did live in Canada for a while, but New Brunswick and in spitting distance of Maine. I was not aware that it was the name of a city in Canada, but I assumed it was the name of a city somewhere. :P I rather like the name, though. Thank you for the comment; I was wondering whether my human subraces were unbalanced in any way. They seem fine to be, but then, I'm no rules expert.
Kelmourne 07-19-07, 04:54 PM	You've lives in canada and you don't know about Edmonton? Ever heard of the great edmonton mall? its got canals running through it and it had more functionable submarines navigating them than the canadian navy has in total. Unfortunately, the mall is the only good thing about edmonton, I think. never actually been there. But thats what i heard.
058 07-19-07, 04:59 PM	Ah. Well, I was only there for a few months. Seven years ago, my family packed up and traveled around the country (America, that is), stopping in one place or the other for a few weeks, where my mom would work (she's a doctor). The first place we went was Campobello Island, in New Brunswick, and we didn't hear much about the rest of the country while we were there. :P
Kelmourne 07-19-07, 06:01 PM	Anyways back to your world, there appears to be a lack of kingdoms for non-humans. Personally I think you should add some to make the balance of power amongst the races a little more equall.
Kelmourne 07-19-07, 11:28 PM	Also you should give your orcs some special abilities like scent or something. Maybe low-light vision? Also Sub-races would be usefull.
058 07-20-07, 09:35 AM	Orcs already have low-light vision, don't they? The only changes from the original stats are the ones I've written down. Belum has more elves and halflings than humans, Seborhin essentially has a dwarven country inside of it (but since most other folk don't bother with mountain territories, it's not specifically mentioned), Shar'dam has a large elven population, and Marshor isn't primarily anything (if I've said it was, I should change that). As for subraces . . . I've already made two additional human subraces, included two elven subraces, and linked the dwarves, halflings, and gnomes together. Orcs are, as in Tolkien's world, an old meld between humans and elves, so they could be considered a 'subrace' of those two.
Forfeit 07-20-07, 11:26 AM	I dont think this is very important, but if you´re looking for political reality, your world has some flaws. For example, Belum. It is exactly in the middle of the three nations that have been fighting each other for hundreds of years, and is the main source of food for Seborhin. And it is suposed to be a peacefull nation. That just wouldnt be possible. Any sane commander from Cormar or Shar´dam would see that there is a huge strategic gain in conquering Belum and starving Seborhin. It would have been done in the very start of the war, 300 years ago. Also, recognizing this, Seborhin would imediataly conquer and control Belum to assure the land is safe and producing crops for the main population (and troops). There is just NO WAY that the place would be able to remain peacefull and outside the conflict if it has so many fertile lands and is such a strategic place for the war. Another flaw is the land of Marshor. Again,these guys are in the middle of the three major warring nations. There is no way a place that is divided into small feuds could stay outside the war and face it. Also, the southern parts of Marshor are the closest between Cormar and Shard´dam, which means it is the perfect staging point for invasions, specially considering Shard´dam has a more organized and powerfull government that would be able to control and field a big ship fleet. That would means that Cormar, which doesnt have a very centralized government, would have a real hard time assembling a fleet, and that would mean the best way for them to atempt a invasion on Shard´dam is throught that southern part of Marshon, even through it looks like they managed to create a castle in Kastle Orizo. Cormar seems like a "barbarian" kingdom, where the central government doesnt have a lot of power, and where the wars are fough using numbers, and not tactics or advanced maneuvers or strategies. Considering Marshor, the only way it would be able to survive there is through a very strong nationalism. In my opinion, Marshor should be the most advanced nation on the world (even though not the most powerfull), and with the most advanced technology, magic and society. The land is in the middle of the three major powers, which would mean they have a lot of trading, and which means they have been involved in many conflicts, which has left the population with a very strong sense of nationalism and respect for their country. These lands would be the very first to be conquered, and that is why they have become so strong and battle hardened. But since they dont have a huge population, they have to rely on extremely well trained militia (mainly consisted of pikeman and crossbowmen), wizards trained for war and a lot of mercenairies. My view is something like the Italian State Cities of the latter Middle Ages/Renaiscence, where all the trade, the past conflicts and a lot of powerfull neighboring nations made the residents extremely powerfull and proud of their land. Also, Marshor should have a very strong alliance with Belum and the Pact of Lessers. In my opinion, it should be the "leader", but isnt to avoid getting into side conflicts that could endanger it. Also. Marshor should have the biggest fleet of the world (mainly trading vessels that are also adept at light skirmishes). The Pact of Lessers would also need a big fleet, mainly consisted of light and fast ships. Seborhin should have a very large fishing fleet that helps feed the population. There is not a big war fleet due to the lack of wood, so they use the wood avaiable for the fishing ships. Shar´dam should have a fort in the narrowest point between Sopake Bay and Marshor. That is a very strategic point that could control the trade between Belum, Marshor and Seborhin. The Pact of Lessers should have a strong alliance with either Serbohim or Cormar, due to the fact that their lands would be an awesome invasion staging point for one of the nations to invade the other. I can clearly see Seborhin invading the north of Cormar with a invasion that came from one of the Pact lands in the west of Belum, using ships hired from Marshor bough with gold, silver and other goods mined from the Serbohin mines and mountains. Also, I can clearly see TONS of mercenairies and bands from the west of Cormar that work as swords for rent for Serbohin and Marshor. It would be an awesome idea of Serbohin operatives were hiring and controling many of the tribes from west Cormar to get allies and also make some kind of internal civil war on the country. In fact, Cormar, in my opinion, should be the weakest of the three major powers. It doesnt have a stable and organized central government. The land is too big for an efficient government. The land is way too big and the governemtn is way too disorganized to assemble a good fleet, and even if it had one, it wouldnt be usefull because the land is too big. In my opinion, Cormar is a land that survive because of war, and without it it wouldnt be able to exist. Anyway, these are my first thoughts.
058 07-20-07, 12:44 PM	Thank you. :) There are a few problems with your post, though, and I think they stem from a minor misunderstanding. Since the end of the three hundred year war, there hasn't been any large-scale fighting. While Shar'dam, Seborhin, and Cormar are the three superpowers in that they own the most land, have the most wealth, and have the best militaries, they have not been at war. Cormar recently seized a stretch of land in Shar'dam, but a war has not yet begun. Marshor and Belum have avoided being destroyed because there hasn't been a threat. However, if another war were to break out, those countries would definitely be in danger. I should also clarify: None of the nations that exist now were in place during the 300 year war. They were all established during the meeting to make peace. Marshor would certainly be a powerful, advanced nation, but its government is weak and unable to control the many minor lords that own most of the land. Seborhin would conquer Belum for the crops, but its military (while powerful) is small, so occupying territory is not easy. Relations with the Pact of Lessers is a good idea, but I think that having Seborhin and Cormar vying for good relations with the Pact makes for a good dea lof intrigue for an adventure or two, instead of starting the world with Seborhin already in good relations. Belum hasn't been conquered by anyone else because of its good relations with Seborhin; its powerful army is a strong enough deterent to keep most people out. Cormar isn't as large as its borders would indicate; being in a mostly desert area, its population centers around the sources of water. There are wild tribes that are not related to the country controlling much of the west lands, so while Cormar's borders technically cover those areas, they aren't really part of the country. Cormar has a very sturdy governing body; I mentioned in the original information that its leaders are very well respected by the populace, and they are all rather wise in the ways of the world. Militarily, yes, they do rely on rushing and the like, but they are by no means easily defeated or tactically unwise. As for all of your other military and naval ideas, I like them. They make sense, and as of now, those suggestions are how things are. :P
Hochiu 07-20-07, 02:22 PM	Indeed, just because there are lines on a map doesn't mean that the government can ever hope to be able to defend or tax every square inch within those borders. All of my games have my political maps "larger" than what it actually is, even the most populated countries in these games have large expanses of land that don't consider themselves part of said government because of a lack of tax-collectors and Kings guard visiting - in some instances it's several generation's worth of time since the last tax-collector. I like the setting, and I would like to hear about it more if there's a greater aspect of political intrigue with it. It seems like this game would have a greater aspect of intrigue contained within it, and I would think it to be a good idea if you looked into building up a feel of this intrigue from the beginning (if you're interested in that). I like your take on the subraces, in particular, the fact that you didn't give them obscenely annoying racial ability bonuses. I do the same thing, instead giving my human groups different "cultural" bonuses. It looks like it has the makings to be a solid campaign world. Sometimes, those that we build for a single adventure or campaign turns into something better than anything we've developed independently as the primary world we want to use. I would not mind hearing more about Mirantar in the future.
Forfeit 07-20-07, 03:03 PM	Yes, I agree, I like this setting too. Its much better than most of the other homebrew worlds posted here. But I find the idea that people that have been at war for 300 years sited on a table, got a map, drew some lines and decided that from then on, there would be these five countries a bit weird or naive. I thought they were suposed to hate each other. Also, you forgot to tell us how long it has been since the end of the war. And, well, if there hasnt been a war for quite some time, my ideas can still be used if there was to be a war in the future: Belum gets conquered by one of the three major powers, Marshor realms fall one by one, and the Pact will have to allie themselves with someone or they will lose all their lands. Otherwise Belun will have to allie with Marshor and the Pact and try to hold their lands together,because individualy they dont have a chance. Also, it would be a good idea if the realms of Marshor could be ralied together to form a new country, either due to the actions of the players or through a rising NPC that may be important in the campaign. Btw, good work on the map, its quite well done. The only thing you should consider changing is the colour of Sha´dam names, because the red is a bit hard to read.
058 07-20-07, 03:42 PM	I apologize about the names; if I can find a more legible shade of red, I will. :) For now, I'll give you the names: Megisti (right below the capital), Edge and Herzin (fortresses in the south). As for the uprising in Marshor you're envisioning . . . the campaign I'm making this for currently has two possible beginnings, either the players are prisoners who must escape, or they are the lord, heir, advisor, etc., for one of the fiefdoms in Marshor. They could easily be the rallying point for the country. The idea of Belum, Marshor, and the Pact all allying with each other is interesting . . . those three would make a mean force, what with the Pact having a good navy (most of its land is islands, and none of it is landlocked), Marshor having a good army, and Belum supplying all the essentials. Over the course of the three hundred years war, most of the nations disolved anyway, either to infighting or the strain of such a long conflict. The peace meetings weren't exactly as simple as you make it sound; I haven't given them any fleshing out, but arguments would certainly have been common. However, the fact that everyone in the Old World was good and tired of fighting definitely helped them to come to terms. Also, under the Brief History tab, it's mentioned that a century has passed since the peace talks and the establishment of Mirantar and its countries. Enough time for people to settle in, but not enough that all of the grudges from the war have dissolved completely. On another note, these comments y'all're leaving me are doing wonders for my self-esteem. I'm glad to know that my world is liked. :)
Kelmourne 07-20-07, 03:44 PM	Marshor, Belum and the pact could all join together in order to remain independant. Just an idea.
058 07-20-07, 03:59 PM	Well, that's why the Pact exists in the first place; a bunch of smaller nations that didn't want to be absorbed. But all of this sort of speculation is the sort of thing that could happen in a campaign, rather than what would be put into the setting information.
Forfeit 07-20-07, 05:38 PM	Also, under the Brief History tab, it's mentioned that a century has passed since the peace talks and the establishment of Mirantar and its countries. Enough time for people to settle in, but not enough that all of the grudges from the war have dissolved completely. On another note, these comments y'all're leaving me are doing wonders for my self-esteem. I'm glad to know that my world is liked. :) Sorry, I missed that. Also, we are looking forward to it because you´re worrying about the things that matter. You´re worrying about the setting, the place the players will play in. Most homebrew world creators here in this forum think that creating a Genesis myth and the pantheon, along with 10 diferent kinds of elf subraces is enough. In my opinion, the good homebrew worlds are the ones that care about the current situation and how it can be used for adventures. Heck, I know a lot about Forgoten Realms but I dont even know how it was created. And I sure as hell hate elven subraces.
058 07-20-07, 06:06 PM	Aye; aquatic elves are where I draw the line, generally. Seriously, where the hell did the idea for that come from? Speaking of pantheons; any opinions on mine? I feel as though it's too small, but if it gets the job done, then so it does. If there's a lack of domains, I might just divide all of the domains between the deities and churches I have.
Forfeit 07-20-07, 07:11 PM	I really dont care about pantheons, yours or anyone´s elses (Im an atheist), so I cant help you there. But I guess that the most important isnt making the gods diferent, but making their churches/folowers/temples diferent. Each temple should have a diferent culture, followers and everything else, not just a diferent name. Also spells that can only be used by followers of a specific entity. Or feats. You know, things that make the deity special enough. And since you have so few gods, you could say each of them has a diferent view on how the world was created. You know, like we have in Buddhism/Christianism/Taoism etc.
Hochiu 07-21-07, 12:02 AM	With the gods, I would add at least another domain to each of them. The reason why the gods exist in D&D is to give certain domains to certain clerics of certain alignments. Unless you envision a lot of god-less clerics running around, you either need to expand the list (which I don't generally recommend) or find another way to have gods able to be worshipped by every type of alignment. Personally, I use a lot of gods, but it's tedious and seldom necessary - I just do it for my own personal enjoyment. Otherwise, if they work, they work. They look good as is. Forfeit, there's also a little bit (in my opinion) of a World War I mentality with this world, and I don't know if that's me reading too far into it. The world's drastically changed after a great, nearly cataclysmic war, and the victors decide to divide up the realms to survive and prevent the next one. So while in actuality, the small countries wouldn't generally have hope to survive, they can find some kind of historical parallel with states, such as Yugoslavia and other Post WWI nations. Nations that wouldn't necessarily survive on their own, but do due to treaty stipulations - and nations that can be scattered like leaves on the wind. But that's just my interpretation.
058 07-21-07, 01:11 AM	Heh. You don't have to be religious to look at pantheons in D&D; I'm not polytheistic, but I still try to come up with some stuff. Although your suggestion of going for a real-world religious divide is intriguing, I'll look more in to that. Hochiu . . . that's a good assessment. I hadn't considered that, but your way of describing the situation is quite apt. I'll look into the pantheon suggestions and update the original post with new information. Probably not tomorrow, nor the next day, but Monday, I may have time to get some work done on this. As always, thanks for the comments. :)
058 07-23-07, 05:57 PM	I've updated. I modified the map a little bit (added a fortress for Cormar, Rojak, and a fortress for Shar'dam, High Point), and made some modifications to the Nations section. The biggest addition, however, is a new tab, entitled Organizations. I've come up with a solution to my lack of enough deities for domains, which is that the Guilds grant domains to clerics who are members.
Madacapa 07-24-07, 11:29 AM	I can't get past the city of Edmonton. Sorry, but that needs to be changed. If it isn't changed soon, then I do not see any hope for this campaign. Oh, I have a solution to your problem about a lack of deities in your campaign; how about creating more of them? Just a thought...
058 07-24-07, 11:44 AM	Cute. Now, if anyone has the desire to post any more mindless drivel, I'd be happy to recieve your comments in my private messages folder. Anyone who wishes to post constructive comments, have at it. Also, I've updated the main post again. I've shuffled the nations into their own blocks, and I've begun work on statting out the generic soldiers of each nation (already done that for Shar'dam, more later).