Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 dirtymc11 Nov 18, 2008 16:36:43	I am moving this thread to a new thread with my better format. kept the name the same so please check it out
#2 mostly_ghostly Nov 18, 2008 22:44:22	Sorry - I only skimmed the description, but I noticed that your world is twice the size of earth. Have you considered the effect this would have on gravity? It would essentially double, as far as I understand, and this would have profound effects on the evolution of life on the planet, among other things.
#3 dirtymc11 Nov 19, 2008 7:24:56	yes I have considered the effect it would have but to be perfectly honest the size is largely due to explaining how so much sentient life evolved. I also want to have alot of different spaces where all teh fantasy wild life can actually have spaces where it is actually part of the ecology. I have only worked up alot on one continent and there are only 2 sentient races that evolved there and they did so in completely different environments so they werent competing with each other. and also the way i understand it is that it isnt so much size that affects gravitic forces its more a factor of mass. if the world isnt as high in heavy elements then you could keep teh gravity much the same although size will increase it some I think it has more to do with mass. I want to make it as easy for players to suspend disbelief so i appreciate any comments you may have that make me actually think and come up with answers. and also the longer year allows for more harvests in one year which will increase the ability to support a lot of sentient populations.
#4 shibb Nov 19, 2008 8:18:41	Some comments: The gravity/worldsize thing, I honestly don't think it's necessary to create a world twice the size of earth to get vastly different ecologies. There are some pretty varied conditions on our own earth after all, and the diversity of existing life is stunning. I think you are correct in saying that you could jury rig the planet's density so that gravity is essentially the same, but I just don't think you need to do it, and it's not the most interesting bit of your campaign at all. Earth is plenty big as it is: if you try to populate something twice the size, you'll never finish! I like a lot of the ideas on magic, the implications of using it slowly replacing your body were pretty cool. If I ever post a campaign here, I will go through the other campaigns on the boards and post useful comments. Until then, it's amazingly difficult to read through all this :/ You've definitely but a lot of work into it, but I wonder if there's any way to present it in a way that grabs people and puts forward the main ideas or the most exciting parts of the campaign before getting bogged down in details. Another thing about historical detail: it may be some pretty rad history, but if it doesn't impact what the players are doing, it will either never come up, or they'll be bored by it and forget it. I think writing history is pretty fun in itself, and can help with developing the world in an organic way where the present exists for certain reasons, but keep in mind that the level of background detail needed is often not very high. Also, a map helps a lot! At least for me and other visual people. Even without a map visual aids go a long way (see the Nifflias thread for excellent work in that regard).
#5 mostly_ghostly Nov 19, 2008 13:56:25	OK - A few more things. 1. I couldn't agree more with shibb. In the "Campaign Settings Pet Peeves" thread, one of the pet peeves I listed was long histories. They bog down your setting description, and usually don't add anything to the campaign setting since the events of the past are apart from those of the players. Usually, I think they're used by DMs who want a chance to write their own plot without the PCs interfering with it, not as a way to make the setting better. I'd say scrap it, except for the most important details. Besides, unless your world is full of incredibly knowledgeable and thorough historians, no-one will be very sure what happened one generation ago, let alone fifty. I like that you seem to recognize this in the beginning of the history, but it's still written from a pretty omniscient point of view. And even then, unless the general population is extremely well-informed and literate, no-one but the most educated people will know much of the world beyond their immediate surroundings. 2. Edit your work and organize it in a clear manner. Right now it's very difficult to read. 3. Here's a thought. What if you shrunk everything down? Why make Akar D'zon a whole continent? Even the most well-travelled person will probably never see more than a fraction of the United States. Why not make it just an area of land? The blood rift could be a lake, the Troll Wood doesn't have to be continent spanning - it can just be a wood. 4. More science stuff - Having 13 moons is going to play havoc with the tides. 5. What is the point of devising a new calendar system? Unless it's to account for the 13 moons and the differently sized planet (and thus the fact that day length would alter), which it doesn't really seem to do, why bother? It's just unnecessary complexity that will confuse your players.
#6 Janx_14 Nov 19, 2008 14:22:47	I dont see any issues with world size, he wants it to be double size of earth, let him have it, the size of the world in Elderscrolls is supposedly infinite, and its gravity is normal. I think that history length is fine, yes, long histories are bad , but i dont think its THAT long.
#7 dirtymc11 Nov 19, 2008 16:06:57	mostly the history is for me. It is not something that most players will ever have access to (well atleast their character wont). It helps me to write a history for things because then it gives me an idea of the cultural point of view that NPCs will be reacting from. that NPC you meet may just be having a bad day from your point of view but in reality he was short with you because he holds you responsible for what your ancestors did to his ages ago. that sort of things. Oh and the days are slightly longer than 24 hours ( around 36). you will notice that in the text I do call them Moonlets. In effect these are just large asteroids that have gotten caught in the gravity well of the planet. And yes they do affect tides and weather. That is why there is so little travel between continents. But the reason for having such a large world still rests largely on the fact that in earth history Intelligent species havent had a good record of allowing each other to exist side by side long enough for them to develop very far. Either one drove the other into extinction by hunting them or they had an advantage that allowed them to out compete the other and starve them basically. HAving such a large world allows me to say that all the sentient races that live in a fantasy setting like this are there but they are foreign elements. They each survived to their current level before coming here in isolation from other sentients. SO somewhere on the world there is an isloated area where Orcs are the rulers if not the only sentients. I am not much concerned with what those places look like now I can get to them later. One thing that always bothered me about campaign settings was that so few of the creatures seemed to actually have a place in the ecology. Like for instance where is the food supply that usually gets the hippogriffs by? These things dont really come much into play but they all do act as a sort of background that makes the setting multi layered. Look at the Dune books. He had extensive cultural histories for most of the people but they were mostly for him. They determined how the poeple reacted based on their cultural background. I will eventually organize things into an easily viewed format where things are placed alongside things that they are related to ..........ie race stats, Nations and such. Background information is just that ............ background. But all too often PCs have a way of wanting a particular piece of info that while not the one you thought they would want should be available given the circumstances. If I have some background on a subject i should be able to come up with something on the fly that will fit into the whole and not seem tacked on randomly. My players have always had a tendency to ask questions and be more interested in things other than just the next level.
#8 dirtymc11 Nov 19, 2008 16:17:43	but i definitely appreciate all the comments you have made so far adn would be happy to recieve more. In the next few days I plan to start formatting what I do have along more logical lines so that it will be easier to see and not so jumbled.
#9 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 11:44:33	(Okay here is my attempt at formatting this in a more logical and readable way. I will separate it into seperate posts that all deal roughtly with the same general thing. Then as I add more infor I will edit the posts themselves with new info. This 1st one will deal with broad general things about the world. It will deal with general information about the world, its history, cosmology, as well as the peculiar magic system and races particular to this land. THen I will have separate posts where I will delve further into different areas and give more details) Name : Akar D'Zon [b][u] Akar D'zon (this is from the vorstel language. The basic meaning of the system known as D'zon is that the master has a responsibility to teach his slaves so that they can one day be the equals of the masters. Akar is the name of the Vorstel gods when refering to them as a collective. so basically the belief is that this world is the training ground where the gods teach the mortals how to become their equals). Cosmology : Akar D'zon is the 4th planet that orbits the star known as Gul'Zabir(The Burning Boy). There are 13 small Moonlets (basically large asteroids) that orbit Akar D'zon. Each of these is believed to be the Abode of one of the Major VorsTel Dieties. Brief Description of Obiniaras : Obiniaras is a large continent that is divided by a shallow sea known as The Blood Rift. The Western side is far more populous than the Eastern. The eastern side contains the vast wasteland known as the Pride Lands. The far eastern coast area is lush woodland known as Trolis Wood. There is no large advanced civilization that is based on the Eastern Side. There is not very much exploration of the Eastern side by those who reside on The Western Side. Perhaps the strangest thing about the Eastern side is that the Weave (the source of Magic on this world) is completely dead within the boundaries of the Pride Lands. Calendric system : All of the 'Civilized' Nations use the VorsTel calendar system. This system divides the year into 13 months. Each month is named for the 'moonlet' that is most prominent that month. Each month is further divided into 6 weeks (each week is named for a Cultural hero of the Vorstel). Each week is further divided into 5 days that are 36 hours long. The Months : Vorstine : the begininning fo the year for the VorsTel. The 1st6 day is also the Vernal equinox. Breatine : Glaztrine: Natularine Garmenzirine Zaldunirine Muldiri Parisine Muergine Vlastisine Dueldine Bomdriline Zanstrifine The Names of the Weeks are : 1st week : Koehla 2nd week : Mizras 3rd week : Krivnis 4th week : silvanya 5th week : Jorami 6th week : Marrissa The names of the days are : 1st day : Traki 2nd day : Duvi 3rd day : Graz 4th day : Mundis 5th day : Junith 6th day : Amicu The way this is recorded is as follows : Month name, Day name-Week name. For example the 5th day of the 3rd week of the 6th month would be written as follows :Zaldunirine, Junith-Krivnis.
#10 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 12:02:43	The History of Obiniaras (An exerpt from the Journals of Amicus Koehlarin) I have been unable to find anyone who takes credit for the creation of the world itself that has any credibility. From what I have discovered even the Akar themselves take no credit for this. Many take credit for alterations they have made to it but noone claims to have created it themselves. I believe that this may be due to the fact that the periods of time known as the Walks (when the Akar have been forced to take mortal form and regain their power) have resulted in the original creator diety losing his power and being replaced by another who did not know this information, My theory is that noone of those who are now counted among the Akar were actually Akar at the creation. What I can tell you is that each race of sentients (with the exception of the Telian Races) was either created by one of the Akar or migrated to Obiniaras from elsewhere. The Kaian races are from another land and appear to have been refugees when they came here. They retain no knowledge of their origins beyond the fact they were running away from someone who sought to enslave them. The Telian derived races, it is agreed, were actually born from the land itself and none of the Akar takes credit for their creation. The Dakin were created by Drig The Akar of Fire and Industry. Legend says that when the races of the Underworld escaped from their confinement within the earth Drig created the Dakin and charged them with preventing the Underaces from gaining a foothold in the lands of the Sun. The Brandi-Mantrans and Plesi were actually specially bred offshoots of the Dakin. The Kristan were born when a tribe of Kaians were embraced by Vors and he rewarded them by blending all the best aspects of the Kai with the best aspects of Lions. All of the inhabitants of the Savage Lands are culturally degenerate refugees from the Kraenis and Gruelf Confederations. The Kraenis are the descendents of one of the Underraces that gained a foothold in the Lands above. Their slaves the Grom, Denthis and Flortim are descendants of their slave castes which they altered long ago with forgotten magics. The Gruelf are a foreign race that have been in residence on Obiniaras since atleast the time of the 2nd Sundering. The people known as the Teroga look identical and some are capable of interbreeding with their Brandi-mantran cousins, but their language and other cultural aspects seems to indicate that they too are a foreign element. (just a point of clarification: I use different names for my races. This is mostly because I find that it seems far more real for most creatures to refer to themselves by nationality or place of origin than it is to refer to their race. but for ease of understanding here is a conversion chart Telian = Elf Kai or Kaian = Human Dakin = Dwarf Brandi-mantran = Halfling Plesi = Gnomes Kraenis = Goblins Grom = Ogres Denthis = Kobolds Flortim = Gnolls Gruelf = Orcs
#11 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 19:04:45	Magic : All arcane magic that is used follows the VorsTel system (except for the fledgling Mantran school). This system utilizes an energy field known as the Weave that is invisible to all but those who are connected to it. Theory says that this field is composed of energy that all non-sentient life uses naturally. Sentient life is only connected to it by study and use. While using The Weave brings great power to the user it is also a very dangerous tool. The closer ones connection to the Weave the more the Weave allows you to utilize its energy. This energy is inimical to the body of all known races. When a Weaver channels the energy through their body they slowly replace their own flesh with the energy of the weave. The more powerful one becomes the more a part of the Weave they become and the more the weave seeks to reclaim the user. There is a saying Weavers have that sums this up well. "Knowledge brings power. Power brings life lines. Lifelines bring pain. Knowledge is Pain." The Weave is in the simplest terms a bi-product of the plant life of Obiniaras. Much like plants give off oxygen as a by product of photosynthesis the plants of Obiniaras produce Weave energy. This energy is contained in a field that connects all plant life and those who utilize the Weave consciously. There are many animals and insects that instinctively use the weave (herbivores who locate preferred plant types by finding their distinctive weave energy, or insects that use the weave field to navigate). There are even a few species that utilize the Weave to create effects similar to those performed by sentient manipulators. However only those who use the Weave in a conscious and intentional manner have what Weavers call Life lines. Life lines are dirrect contacts with the energy field and are the means by which a manipulator channels the energy through their bodies. The number of Life Lines one possesses is a good indicator of the level of power a weaver has access to (though some more powerful users can mask their lifelines.) The major benefit of using the Weave is that it allows you to alter the normal rules of reality in various ways. The Major drawback is that the energy is not compatible with non-plant based tissues. Channelling the energy through non-plant tissue inevitably eats away at the host's cellular structure. Over time this incompatibility can be deadly. The only way to prevent death by slow destruction is through sheer willpower. The best weavers are able to hold their bodies intact because they have a very strong desire to do so. Each time a weaver gains access to stronger energy they have a chance of dying. Eventually a powerful wizard is nothing more than a bunch of Weave energy kept together and isolated from the Weave by sheer force of will. A Weaver can still be harmed by physical force but any wounds that appear are merely the weaver's mind representing the disruption of their energy. Healing spells still work because the weaver still has living cells and the healing spells serve as a focusing agent.
#12 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 19:14:36	The History of the Brandi-Mantran Peoples From the files of Amicus Koehlarin The history of the Brandi-Mantrans begins in the shadowy mists of time in the shadows of the Forbidden Mountains once ruled by the mighty Dakin Empire. It is believed that the Brandi were a subservient caste of the Dakin society which over time became nothing more than slaves that the Dakin used to tend their farms and flocks above ground. Under the Dakin life was hard but the Brandi found ways to keep their spirits up. They took comforts in each other and also in learning how to get around the ever present guards. Then one day all the guards were gone. Something had happened in the Mountain Fortresses and the guards were not coming back. The Brandi decided that they would find a land of their own. The Brandi split off into many different groups and began to explore the land. They promised that if they ever found a suitable place for them all to live that they would send word to each other. The time of their wandering is shrouded in mystery and myth, but one thing is certain to have occurred during this period. The Brandi were embraced by a group of minor Akar known as The Sonantine. Legend says that Yalazna the matriarch of the Sonantine led her chosen people to their new home where they could live lives of comfort ease and communal happiness. This is when the Brandi settled on the Archipelago known as the Brandi Isles. The largest of these islands was known as Mantra and the Brandi added this to their self designation. For centuries the Brandi lived idyllic lives on thier islands. They even began to trade with the fledgling Kai nations and several of their clans took up lives of wandering merchants with no permanent home. All was peaceful and idyllic until 1000 years ago. One of the greatest of the merchant clans was known as Bija. This clan was known as one of the greatest sailors of the time and they travelled far and wide when in the grip of the wanderlust that seems to be such a draw to many Brandi-Mantrans. Bija however became different. They saw the Kai and their kingdoms and empires and sought to carve one out for themselves. They started at home when they conquered the islands. For the 1st time the Brandi-Mantrans had made war on each other. For 30 years the Bija ruled their fellows with the iron fist of tyranny. Then one day they simply got onto their ships and sailed away. No reason for leaving and no hint of return. Unknown to their former subjects they would go on to become the secretive race known as the BIjansi. Life quickly returned to normal but there was a significant portion of the population that lived in the merchant caravans on the mainland that was now out of contact with the Islands. These people would strive and be largely successful at maintaining their cultural distinctness, but there are differences between the merchant clans and the Island clans. The merchant clans are the source for the Brandi-Mantrans who live in Mujanil. The Brandi never returned to the ways of Mariners. They let their trade partners come to them. That way they could remain at home and enjoy the company of each other. All was good until 56 years ago. During the time known as the Deluge, the entire archipelago was covered by the rising ocean waters. It is estimated that less than 300000 of the Brandi-Mantrans made it to the Mainland. Over 90% of their people died under the waves that buried their homes and treasures. It was impossible for them to stay together in large groups. They fragmented into ever smaller groups and promised to search for a new homeland for their people. The survivors did not lose their happy spirits that so endear the Brandi-Mantrans to other folk, but the longing for their lost homeland could be seen in their eyes if one knew them well enough. However they met no people willing to take in so large a population nor an empty land to claim as their own. Over and over again they were driven away whenever they sought to establish a new homeland. Soon they were reduced to wandering family groups, or small clans who were allowed to settle in limited numbers in the lands of others. All too often they fell prey to the slaver clans that prey on the weak and downtrodden. Many found a home in Mujanil but even there they were not allowed to immigrate enmasse. All this resulted in a split between the generations. Those born before the split became convinced that the Sonantine were testing them and using these hardships to teach them a lesson. The younger generation that never knew the Islands became angry and rebellious and would not listen lightly to their elders and their talk of divine testing. The young believed that society had failed them so they would look out for themselves. Into this state came a young man, named Logan Brightbrook, from an offshoot of the Brandi who never lived on the islands. His people too had been victimized by circumstance and the taller races. He however taught a new philosophy.........It was time to fight back. He also taught that the worship of the Sonantine instilled a victim mentality in their people. The 1st step to liberation was freeing their people from the worship of the Sonantine. In his eyes the Sonantine had reneged on their end of the bargain. They were poor stewards of the Brandi-Mantrans and should be 'fired' for incompetence. His message as well as his martial stance quickly took root in the younger generation. They threw off the fetters of the Sonantine and instead pay homage to the Brandi-Mantran spirit, to heros of the race who have stood up against all odds whetther or not they succeeded. Today Logan and his followers have indeed suceeded in securing a homeland for themselves, which they call Mantra, near the Savage Lands and are currently driving out the remnants of the former inhabitants. Their cooperative nature and their newfound aggressiveness have made them a devestating force. Today another breach exists between the Brani-Mantran peoples. Those who follow Emperor Logan proudly call themselves Mantrans and rarely use the Brandi name at all. Those who refuse to join Logan and his nation refer to themselves as Brandi. Life in Mantra is harsh and often Draconian but the rewards of pride from their accomplishments are a balance. The Mantrans are not an evil people they merely have adopted a strike before they strike you attitude. (These are my population stats for the nation of the Burrows (also known as Mantra). It is populated by a nation of halflings who have recently become very militaristic and have secured their own homeland under a charismatic leader. The feel of these cities is Nazi germany but with most of the typical halfling community mindedness. These guys have forsaken the typical happy go lucky attitude because they have been convinced it is necessary to protect themselves from the talls. Also they do not worship any dieties at all. They believe that their gods failed to protect them adequately so they turned their back on the gods.) THE BURROWS Size: 5,000 square miles Civilization: 2,700 square miles (54%) Wilderness: 2,300 square miles (46%) Castles: 9 Castle Ruins: 1 Population Density: 96 people per square mile Total Population: 480,000 people Rural Population: 432,000 people (90%) Urban Population: 43,200 people (9%) Isolated Population: 4,800 people (1%) Urban Population Centers: BRIGHTBROOK’S CROSSING Capitol City, Population 8,300 Size: 0.21 square miles or 136 acres GP Limit: 15,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 6,225,000 gp Constable: Jeremiah Crosseye Halfling 8,300 100% VIXEN PORT Population 5,400 Size: 0.14 square miles or 89 acres GP Limit: 15,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 4,050,000 gp Power Centers (alignment) Constable: Jason Dimstar Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 5,400 100% REDLEAF CITY Population 6,600 Size: 0.17 square miles or 108 acres GP Limit: 15,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 4,950,000 gp Constable: Evrette Swingfists Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 6,600 100% Brown Town, Population 2,300 Size: 0.06 square miles or 38 acres GP Limit: 3,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 345,000 gp Constable: Jeffrey Swallowsflight Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 2,300 100% Logan's Port Population 4,800 Size: 0.12 square miles or 79 acres GP Limit: 3,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 720,000 gp Constable: Jeremiah Grassstain Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 4,800 100% Skytouch Communuty, Population 1,800 Size: 0.05 square miles or 30 acres GP Limit: 800 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 72,000 gp Constable: Theresa Chuckswood Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 1,800 100% Thruthewoods city, Population 5,100 Size: 0.13 square miles or 84 acres GP Limit: 15,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 3,825,000 gp Constable: Nathan Brokenbranch Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 5,100 100% Seesea Port, Population 4,400 Size: 0.11 square miles or 72 acres GP Limit: 3,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 660,000 gp Constable: Avery Martinswing Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 4,400 100% Greydown Fields, Population 4,400 Size: 0.11 square miles or 72 acres GP Limit: 3,000 gp Total Liquid Wealth: 660,000 gp Constable: Davis Muldoone Racial Demographics: Isolated Halfling 4,400 100%
#13 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 19:26:38	(here is another race i am working on converting to 3e rules. ANyone who could help me out with that would recieve a big pile of gratitude) Raluri Magistocracy The Raluri Creation Myth (as told by some random Bard) Long ages ago the Raluri Sisterhood were Sorceresses of great renown who dwelt on the Infernal Realm. Before the Binding Oath we did not need the Vaethi to help us gather and store energy. We were able to find that energy all around us and we stored it in the Sacred Uteri still kept by each of the Great Houses to remind us of our Past Days. One day the Trixter Krovvy decided, if one can say that he eve holds a thought long enough to have decided anything, to steal the sacred Cattle the Sisterhood kept. The Sisters took up pursuit of him. As he led them on a wild chase throughout all the Realms infernal he took the shape of a jackal, a desert Hawk, a Rabbit and a Dove. All across the Realms they followed until they came to a beautiful oasis in the middle of a vast desert. For once he ceased his constant movement and stood and smiled. He ate a Pomegranate and spat 12 seeds (3 in each direction. North south east and west). The Sisterhood prepared to bring him low with spells and punish him for his impudence, only to find that their Uteri had no energy left in them to do so. Krovvy only smiled and fanned himself with a palm fond. He pointed out that their portal had closed and they had no way to return home. Their homes were not a primary concern they cared only that they could not find energy to refill their Uteri. Krovvy told them that he could give them their magic but they must promise to never again touch a spider and also that they would act as Stewards to this his sacred Oasis. Since they only desired their magic back they agreed. He told them to open their Uteri and hold them out in front of themselves. They did so. He went along and spat in every one of them. In every 4th one he spat twice. He then told each to spit in her own pot and then close it. They did so. Then he told them to smash each pot upon the head of their neighbor. They were reluctant to smash what was a part of themselves upon the head of a sister. One however did do so and when the pieces hit the ground he told the stricken sister to gather them and then walk into the water and submerge them. A Dryllar hawk flew over head with a jumping mouse in its beak. The sister did so and was surprised to find the pieces become a tiny infant girl. Soon all the other sisters were striking each other over the head and taking the pieces into the water. Those that Krovvy spat in twice became 'men' (that is why we call them the Vaethi -Twice spat). All others were females. Then , as he finished his game of knucklebones, he said I shall take my sons the Vaethi with me and when I have taught them properly they will return to you and show you how to gather and store energy in this place. Care for the Raluri for your time here is now limited and they shall carry on your ways." When he brought the Vaethi back they were trained in the skills for which we still prize them. They now had a use to us. Our sisterhood and the Vaethi have obeyed the Binding Oath for 23 sister-lives and now we are rewarded for our stewardship with the luxury we now enjoy. Krovvy may the river both curse and bless him is our greatest ally and our worst enemy. We forever wish to pummel him with one hand while holding out the other in friendship. We have come to love this land as much as Krovvy (though we make noone carry out our will in Demon skin). We give the hand of friendship to the people of Paris and Shroud and the realms no longer call to us. this oasis provides us with all we need and Krovvy gives us the Vaethi. So let us drink sisters to that bastard Krovvy and his wondeful sons. Racial Traits Okay 1st I will give you the Stats then some flavor as to what I want these folk to be like. 1st I will point out that all the stats regard women. The males are pampered layabouts who do nothing but 'please' their wife and provide her with the magical energy she needs to improve her station. * Medium Outsider (native) * +4 Char, -2 str, -2 con * Size : medium * Speed : 30ft * Feats : Persuasive * Darkvision 60 ft. * Special attacks : none * Special qualities : Resistance to cold, fire and electicity 5 * Favored class : Sorceror * LA - +1 Society: Raluri live within the confines of their expansive conclave in the city of Mujanil. They are the original inhabitants of the city and actually own all of the land Mujanil sits on. The city pays them rent each year and this is what the Raluri use to pay for all their needs. They do not require any voice within the city just so that their rent is paid the city can change governemtns as often as it likes. They keep to themselves and only rarely leave their enclave. The city is very strict in punishing those who try to disturb the privacy of the Raluri. anyone who has ever seen a Raluri male keeps very quiet on the subject. Raluri Myth says that they are the descendents of Powerful Demon sorceresses and the trickster Krovvy. He led them here where their magic no longer worked and in return for him teaching them how to use their magic here they agreed to act as stewards to the Oasis where the city of Mujanil now stands. Raluri find the way outsiders allow their men to treat them as disgusting, and stay within their conclave most of the time. Recently however they have been uncharacteristically high profile and helpful. This is definitely traced back to when Lady Arvanda came to power. Raluri adventurers usually are on a mission for the Matriarch and travel with non-Raluri servants and atleast one male. They indulge the males every desire and do not have a tabboo against outsiders seeing them. they are in fact quite proud of their males' beauty and when they cant show it off to their sisters they will show it off to whoiever is around. They will instinctively treat any women as being the head of a group and if there is not one they will automatically assume that the males need them to step into that role. They can over time come to understand that not all men are like their own. But it is difficult for them to grasp the idea of equality since there is such a glaring and real inequality amongst their own sexes. They dote on their males particularly the ones who suppply them with the best and most magical energy (I leave it to you to figure out how they do that). Early on in their adventures they may try to see if outsider males can provide them with Magic energy as well (whcich they cant). Many will find outsider males to be attractive if a bit 'feminine' in their actions.
#14 dirtymc11 Nov 20, 2008 19:32:30	These are setup for 3.5 rules and i am trying to convert them over once i do I will post those stats Clan Ele Drize Thought to have disappeared long ago, this was one of the original VorsTel Clans. They returned to the Mainland 50 years ago and entered a war with the Kristani (a race which mystically fuses with lions). For weeks before an attack those who use magic will find the available energy in the area diminishing. They attack in large numbers and with swords and the Sizzle of some heretofore unknown type of arcane energy. They do not negotiate they do not speak to the enemy they merely attack and attack until the battle is won. Since they use their strange magic and the enemy has a diminished use of their own they usually have a great advantage. In 30 short years they had destroyed the Pride Lands and all but destroyed the Kristan as a people. After their victory they simply returned to their island home leaving behind nothing but death and a wasteland where once the Savannah thrived. Personality Ele Drize (both singular and plural) have a score to settle. their personalities reflect this. It isn't just to revenge themselves on their former Clan brothers the VorsTel, it is to avenge the Affront to Vors that all societies that venerate him in the 'Wrong Way' represent. Individually they are silent and withdrawn and do not seem at all at ease. They also have a Superiority complex, but it suffers from the memory of their defeat at the hands of the VorsTel so long ago. they always seek to prove their skill and will challenge anyone who questions their abilities. They will be the 1st to jump into the fray and the last to leave it. They do not believe in taking prisoners, it simply makes no sense how you could gain anything from something so useless as a defeated enemy. They do not pay much attention to personal insults as such. Instead they see an insult to them as being an insult to their entire society and thus to their High Lord Defender Ayeri. A battle isn't won until all your enemies lie before you. They take a very cannon fodderry approach to life. Where they do not succeed one of their brothers or sisters will rise up to avenge the slight to the High Lord's honor. Physical Description The Ele Drize look identical to the VorsTel (look like elves), except for the fact that they have much less variation in their physical types. It is as if someone deliberately took a few select people and said this is what we see as the ideal. They all have a family resemblance to one another. (pretty much follow the description from the 3.5 PHB with the following addition) Ele Drize Dreams are relatively few. The most common being watching their ancestors withdrawal from the battlefield against their cousins. This keeps them focused on what they view as important. Not necessarily something to be ashamed of but something they will one day turn on it's ear and then reverse the roles. Relations Needless to say that as a general rule all Ele Drize view everything not of their Clan as being inferior. The only reason they are not the masters of the world is because their cousins used treachery and jealousy, as well as their corruption of Vors to banish them to their island refuge. They view everything else as needing to be destroyed because only they are exemplars of the Primal Purity that Vors intended for the World. Individuals may hide or show this belief to varying degrees and of course there are those who are rebels to their people. These usually wander the lands and try to pass themselves off as VorsTel, but avoid VorsTel land from fear of being thought of as spies. When they are not outright aggressive to all they meet they are either Rebels or Spies. Alignment Since Ele Drize values the Clan as being above the Individual they tend to the more oppressive side of Law. Since they believe that all besides themselves must be destroyed they tend towards Evil. Lands Their mainland conquest (the prideLands) is an un-inhabited wasteland where no life exists. The devastation was complete. All that stands within it are strange towers that are heavily guarded and well within sight of the next one. No one has ever dared to venture inside to find out what these towers are for. Their Island home is difficult to get to unnoticed due to the fact that the Towers are also dotting the waters all the way there. Most of these towers are unoccupied but are guarded by sea creatures and Constructs. Their Island home is a completely different story. Towers are here too but are eclipsed by the rising spires of a great sprawling city. In its center lies a Tower which seems to reach the clouds themselves. One cannot help but feel insignificant in such a place. Ele Drize go about their daily activities with their Kobold Slaves attending to their every need. There are vast farms outside of the city that take up the rest of the Island and are worked by the Kobold slaves. the slaves are kept in line by the ever watchful overseers. Religion Though they claim to be gaining vengeance in the name of vors they do not worship him anymore. They believe that the perversion of his Way by their cousins and the Lesser Races has polluted him as well. They now worship their apparently Immortal High LOrd Ayeiri. their belief is that only Ayieri can lead them to destroy all the false worshipers of vors and then Vors will return to his former state and thank them for their loyalty. Ayeiri is indeed very powerful, but He is still a Mortal. They however see him as being a god and indeed his power seems to grow the more his children destroy the false worshipers. Language Ele Drize speak a dialect of the Vorstel tongue that seems primitive to VorsTel ears (after all it was over 10,000 years ago since they used such terms and speech). They make it a point to learn as many Languages as possible from the traitors and lesser races. they also learn many written languages as well. If you know their speech and their script but they don't know yours you have yet another advantage. Names Ayeiri (which means The Unbroken Gourd) Duziel (origin unknown). Adventurers: There are only 2 paths for Ele Drize adventurers. The Rebel Outcast and The Loyal Spy. Definition: To give something a name is to define it. The ceremony called Definition begins 2 days after the child is born. At that time the child is taken to the Temple and the mother and child spend 1 week there. On the 1st day the mother is led into the garden blindfolded. she is taken to the patch where the eri gourds are grown. these gourds are considered sacred to the god Vors. she sits in the patch and enters a meditation trance assisted by the priest. usually this takes about 3 hours. after this time when she is fully in the trance one of the Eri gourds will appear in her lap. They go back to the temple and that night the baby sleeps with the gourd in its crib. The next morning a priest comes and takes the gourd. using a spell he extracts all of the gourds innards without actually opening it. These innards are taken and ground into a paste and then mixed with enough of the mothers milk to give it a milky consistency. Over the next few days this is all the child eats. a special box is now placed int o the crib along with the gourd. this box contains about 100 small squares of clay used to make runes. it also contains a tool for carving in it. The crib has these things until 2 days after the child has begun to eat its mother's milk again. then the priest in charge of the ceremony comes in each day and takes all of the contents of the crib (including the baby) to his scriptorium. there he puts the child in a harness strapped to his front and enters a trance. in this trance he begins to carve the runes without any knowledge of what he is carving. when he is done he drops the runes into a container and goes on to the next. he works like this until the child crries and brings him out of his trance. then he takes the child to the mother to be cared for and returns when the child is settled. He does this until he finishes all the runes (anywhere from 5 days to 5 weeks depending on the child's fussiness). when he is finished he takes the container which he hasn't ever looked in and casts a spell that puts it's contents inside the gourd. The mother and child then return home. the child sleeps with the gourd in a special compartment of his crib until his first birthday. then on that day the child's parents host his definition. most of the community comes and watches. the priest who prepared the gourd is there. and at the appointed hour he takes the gourd and raises it above his head and recites an ancient ritual. then he takes the gourd and smashes it to the ground. when the gourd breaks he instpects the pieces with his eyes blindfolded. each piece he touches that has a legible rune on it is put aside in the order he touched it. this is the child's name. (its a magical ritual so it always produces a pronounceable name.) It is said that the length of ones name and several other factors that are complexly interconnected can be interpreted by a gifted seer and tell many things about the course of ones life. The origin of High Lord Defender Ayieri's name (meaning Unbroken gourd) is that his gourd never broke no matter how hard it was thrown to the ground. the legend says that he will live until his gourd is broken. Until that moment he remains "undefined" and thus has the power to control his own destiny. where the gourd is now noone knows. The Towers Should probably have explained what the towers actually are for. You see the Clan does not believe in the use of Magic because it is outside of the influence of Vors (that was the original falling out between them and the VorsTel). So in their isolation they found a way to absorb all of the Arcane Energy produced by the Weave (see My New system of Magic thread in the classes section) in a specific area and keep it going through these towers. The towers kind of refine this energy by running it through some Clan Members who have willingly given up their freedom to help the clan. This way the Magic energy is purified and therefore, in their eyes usable. The energy is then stored in crystals and the like which all warriors receive that gives them an extra edge in warfare it acts kinda like magical armor). Some are actually trained to use this energy to its fullest and are actually wizards. Now the Weave puts out A LOT of energy and there is constantly more energy being produced than they can store. Rather than let it go back into the weave wheree it would be useful to their enemies they feed it back along the system of towers to their High Lord who consumes it to increase his already near Godlike power. So that is what the towers are for. As you may imagine I would like suggestions for alterations and game balance help for all this stuff. [edit] Racial Traits * +2 Dexterity, −2 Constitution: Ele drize are nimble and quick, but their bodies aren't as rugged as other common races. * Humanoid (Elf) * Medium: As Medium creatures, ele drize have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size. * Ele drize base land speed is 30 feet. * Medium. * Immunity to magic sleep effects, and a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells or effects. * Low-Light Vision: An ele drize can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions. * Weapon Proficiency: Ele drize receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats. * Automatic Languages: Ancient VorsTel. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Sylvan and VorsTel. * Favored Class: fighter. A multiclass ele drize’s fighter class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty for multiclassing. * Level Adjustment: +0 [edit] Vital Statistics Table: Ele Drize Random Starting Ages Adulthood Simple Moderate Complex 110 years +4d6 +6d6 +10d6 Table: Ele Drize Aging Effects Middle Age1 Old2 Venerable3 Maximum Age 175 years 263 years 350 years +4d% years 1. At middle age, −1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. 2. At old age, −2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. 3. At venerable age, −3 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha. Table: Ele Drize Random Height and Weight Gender Base Height Height Modifier Base Weight Weight Modifier Male 4’ 5” +2d6 85 lb.
#15 dirtymc11 Nov 29, 2008 13:45:50	From the files of Amicus Koehlarin The History of Obiniaras begins with their birth. It is not known where they originally lived but eventually most lived in tribal groups in the thick forests that once covered what is now known as The Penstafolis. There they lived idyllic existences and rarely encountered others outside of thier tribal group. Then one day the creature known as Dryll came to their lands and enslaved most of the tribes. Dryll is known to be the oldest living creature on Obiniaras and predates most sentient races creations. Whether or not he predates the rise of the Telians is unknown. For a period of time that was probably around 200 years he ruled the tribes. He demanded food and slaves from them and each tribe was randomly selected to provide him with his requirements each year. Life was hard and dangerous for the Telians but since they could not match Dryll in power they did what was required of them. Then one day as 3 of the Tribes (Koehlarin, Uzmarante and Ele Drize) met for the tournament that would decide who would provide Dryll with the tithe for that year, a man walked into their camp and told him that he would take 100 warriors from each Tribe and teach them skills that would make it so that in a few years they could drive Dryll out and no longer have to fight one another or suffer under tyranny. The tribes eventually agreed to try it and sent their warriors with him. For 10 years life continued as it always had for them. They paid the tithe when it was theirs to pay and they forgot about the warriors they had sent away. Then one day as Uzmarante waited for d\Dryll to arrive to collect the tithe the unthinkable happened. As Dryll landed to collect his payment the lost warriors appeared from ambush and in the battle that ensued they inflicted grievous injuries to Dryll and forced him to flee. Word spread to the other Tribes of this and they all met together when summoned by the mysterious man who had trained the warriors. He said that he would teach all of them these new arts but only if they agreed to follow a set of rules he had created. their gratitude made them quickly agree and the 3 leaders recieved what we now call "The Path and The Way'. The man revealed himself to be the Akar known as Vors and named them his people. Thus they called themselves the VorsTel (the people of Vors). They then embarked on their newfound path to bring order and Law to the world. They spread this knowledge to the other tribes. Most accepted out of gratitude from being freed from Dryll, but some either resisted or fled to lands beyond the VorsTel lands. Then they began to drive out the savage races that had either been enslaved by or willingly served Dryll. This was not as easy as it seemed but slowly they began to spread their influence farther and farther afield. The skills they had learned from Vors gave them a great advantage over the more primitive cultures that lived near them. Then some 2000 years after they were freed a disagreement broke out that became known as the 1st VorsTel Sundering.
#16 dirtymc11 Nov 30, 2008 0:31:57	(even though this is empty I will Be posting it here for now because I will be using it to format my Races for 4e) Race Name Short description. Racial Traits Average Height: #'#"-#'#" Average Weight: #-# lbs. _______________________________ Ability Scores: Size: Speed: # squares Vision: _______________________________ Languages: Skill Bonus(es): Power Name Race Racial Power Power fluff. Frequency ✦ Keyword Type of Action Target/Range Effect: Other Racial Ability 1: Other Racial Ability 2: Other Racial Ability 3: Other Racial Ability 4: Descriptive paragraph about the race's habitat. Play a(n) race if you want... * Fluff describing ability modifiers. * Fluff describing adventurers of the race. * Fluff describing 2-3 favorite classes. Physical Qualities: Descriptive paragraph(s). Playing a(n) Race: Descriptive paragraph(s). Race Characteristics: List of typically-used adjectives about the race. Male Names: Male names. Female Names: Female names. Race Adventurers Description of 2-3 sample characters. Feat Race Racial Feat Tier: Prerequisite: Description: