What I have so far is the timeline and a list of surviving deities, and some ideas on how to handle the inability to rebuild.
Timeline:
Show
Summer, Year 0 – Gulf stream is disrupted by melting arctic ice, sending Europe into a miniature ice age. That year there is only a very short summer, no summer at all the next, and then a full-on ice age.
September 11, Year 1 – First terrorist nuke destroys New York, exploding at exactly the same time as the first plane hit the twin towers at ground zero. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups all claim responsibility. Riots take place worldwide. Estimated casualties in the millions, with millions more succumbing to radiation poisoning over the months after. Largest disaster response ever initiated.
US received worldwide support and aid in hunt for any surviving terrorist associated with the attack. Declares war on Iran and Syria, thought to be harbouring terrorists.
October 7, Year 1 – Second terrorist nuke detonated in Washington D.C., again producing millions of casualties. Nation sent into a panic; last minute intelligence reports allowed the evacuation of the President and some top staff members. Stretched thin by occupation of several countries in the Middle East, US requests and receives troop commitments from most nations, notably including massive commitments from China, marking the beginnings of a strong alliance between the two former rivals.
February, Year 2 – Food riots occur throughout Europe as the effects of the summer harvest become more widespread. Thousands die of starvation.
November 5, Year 2 – First terrorist nuke outside of US, in London on Guy Fawkes Day.
December 2, Year 2 – Despite international outcry and condemnation, US and UK allies initiate nuclear strike against Iran, thought to be source of terrorist nukes. International opinion reverses overnight, US again condemned worldwide.
Winter, Year 2-Year 3 – Across the globe, small-scale nuclear exchanges occur. By summer the “nuclear winter” has begun. While not completely darkening the sky, days are noticeably cooler and darker. Worldwide food shortages, riots, and estimated millions dead from starvation. In addition to doomsday cults, increased cryptozoological sightings reported. Data collection is spotty, but infants in particular seem to be reported missing with alarming frequency.
Summer, Year 3 – Communication networks across the globe destabilised. Brownouts routine in even the most industrialized nations. Doomsday cults become commonplace. By the end of summer, most groups lack the will or resources to carry on armed conflicts as security deteriorates. Many nations can’t even bring their soldiers home from overseas.
August 29, Year 3 – The end. Ragnarok.
September 11, Year 1 – First terrorist nuke destroys New York, exploding at exactly the same time as the first plane hit the twin towers at ground zero. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups all claim responsibility. Riots take place worldwide. Estimated casualties in the millions, with millions more succumbing to radiation poisoning over the months after. Largest disaster response ever initiated.
US received worldwide support and aid in hunt for any surviving terrorist associated with the attack. Declares war on Iran and Syria, thought to be harbouring terrorists.
October 7, Year 1 – Second terrorist nuke detonated in Washington D.C., again producing millions of casualties. Nation sent into a panic; last minute intelligence reports allowed the evacuation of the President and some top staff members. Stretched thin by occupation of several countries in the Middle East, US requests and receives troop commitments from most nations, notably including massive commitments from China, marking the beginnings of a strong alliance between the two former rivals.
February, Year 2 – Food riots occur throughout Europe as the effects of the summer harvest become more widespread. Thousands die of starvation.
November 5, Year 2 – First terrorist nuke outside of US, in London on Guy Fawkes Day.
December 2, Year 2 – Despite international outcry and condemnation, US and UK allies initiate nuclear strike against Iran, thought to be source of terrorist nukes. International opinion reverses overnight, US again condemned worldwide.
Winter, Year 2-Year 3 – Across the globe, small-scale nuclear exchanges occur. By summer the “nuclear winter” has begun. While not completely darkening the sky, days are noticeably cooler and darker. Worldwide food shortages, riots, and estimated millions dead from starvation. In addition to doomsday cults, increased cryptozoological sightings reported. Data collection is spotty, but infants in particular seem to be reported missing with alarming frequency.
Summer, Year 3 – Communication networks across the globe destabilised. Brownouts routine in even the most industrialized nations. Doomsday cults become commonplace. By the end of summer, most groups lack the will or resources to carry on armed conflicts as security deteriorates. Many nations can’t even bring their soldiers home from overseas.
August 29, Year 3 – The end. Ragnarok.
Races:
Infants disappear as elves and their kin renew their interest in the world of humans. In this setting, Half-Elves will not exist as an actual hybrid race; what they represent are human children stolen away and raised by Elves. The various demihuman races available as PCs in the PHB are all available. Eladrin, Elves and Halflings are all "Alfar" and don't really distinguish between the three amongst the three. Technically, Shaddar-Kai and Drow are Alfar as well, but grouped together into "Svartalfar." Shaddar Kai re-flavoured to have a similar relationship to Drow as Eladrin to Elves. Again, they don't differentiate between the two races, but humans might.
I am unsure how to treat Tieflings (suggestions welcome), but Dragonborn are the race from which Kobolds are descended. Kobolds are essentially degenerate Dragonborn. Occasionally something breeds true and a Kobold egg hatches into a full Dragonborn, the only source of them. A union of two Dragonborn is more likely to produce a full Dragonborn, but it is not guaranteed.
Dwarves are standard fantasy Dwarves; the term "Dvergar" refers to all varieties (are there still evil dwarves in the new edition? I can't recall and don't have my books handy).
Races to add:
Just one, the Einherjar. Basically Human warriors who died in glorious battle, returned from Ragnarok. I'm thinking of not treating them as Human, but giving them +2 to STR and CON, and an encounter power that is yet to be determined. Should be a good one, as the stat bonuses overlap a little. Female Einherjar are called Valkjerie (in this setting).
Human society becomes largely agrarian, as modern agricultural practices become impossible and production is much lower. Languages spoken as per norm for whatever region play is based in. I think of North America as the default because I'm from there, but other ideas are possible. After Ragnarok, there were some roving bands of marauders. This died off as the roads became impassable thanks to monsters, bullets ran out, and vehicles became non-functional. Some banditry still takes place of course, but most survivors are content to build their little farms and gather in small villages, living peacefully. Medical care not what it once was, of course, but whatever knowlege we had that can still be utilized without modern infrastructure remains.
Some Humans receive visions and dreams from the surviving Aesir (detailed below) and are called to be Clerics/Paladins. Also, it is perfectly possible for some Humans to learn the arcane arts from relatively friendly Alfar or "Half-Elves" (Changelings is the term I'll use for Humans stolen and raised by elves). Notably, the Alfar and Dvergar (and Dragonborn) don't have a strong tradition of male spellcasters. It's considered effeminate and unmanly to use magic. It's akin to being a nurse; usually it's women, and is a little odd (and may lead to some dwarves snickering behind the back of the male Human Wizard). No such discrimination on divine spellcasting. Alfar, Dvergar and Einherjar would typically specify if it's a male arcane spellcaster, Humans might not.
Some areas are already forming into "kingdoms" though they often don't think of themselves that way. Some (especially Mafia-controlled communities) do openly have Kings or Queens as leaders and are actively expanding. Terminology varies, but the feudal structure is returning as protection in dangerous times.
Aesir
Vidarr: Associated with vengeance. Vidarr is described as the son of Odin and the giantess Gridr. He is to avenge his father's death at Ragnarök and is described as a survivor of the conflict. Silent or mute (none are sure which), he also is a reflection of the primeval forest. Before Ragnarok, he collected scraps of leather trimmed from the heels of new shoes, fashioning them into a large shoe he used to crush Fenris. I can imagine it hanging above the mantlepiece in his home.
Vali: Son of Odin and the giantess Rindr, he was born for the sole purpose of killing Hodr. He grew to full adulthood within one day of his birth, and slew Hodr. Associated with hunting.
Modi: Son of Thor, his name mean's "angry." He and his brother retrieved Thor's hammer after he fell in Ragnarok. With his brother and sister they embody Thor's characteristics, Modi particularly associated with storms and weather.
Magni: Son of Thor, brother of Modi and Prudr. Associated with strength (his name means "strong").
Prudr: Daughter of Thor, sister of Modi and Magni, her name also means "strength." She is associated with strength and battle.
Baldr: Odin's second son, most fair of all the Aesir. Slain before Ragnarok by Hodr (who was tricked by Loki), he descended to Hel. Reborn after Ragnarok, he is now considered to be the chief of the Aesir. He is associated with beauty, nature, and rebirth.
Nanna: Wife of Baldr. She and Baldr live together in the hall of Breidablik in Asgard, sharing her husband's "portfolio."
Gefjun: A fertility goddess, patron of farmers. connected with ritual plowing, mother of Grendel (who was later slain by Beowulf).
Vanir
Freyja: Only surviving Vanir. Goddess of love and beauty, she is also associated with war, battle, death, magic, prophecy, and wealth. Patron of the Valkjerie. Blonde, blue-eyed, and beautiful, Freyja is described as the fairest of all goddesses, and people prayed to her for happiness in love. She is also responsible for bringing arcane magic to the Aesir and the Alfar. Though her might overshadows that of Baldr (her son), she endorses and supports wholeheartedly his claim to rulership.
Jotunn (Giants)
Gerdr: The widow of Freyr (twin brother of Freyja). She is the most beautiful of all creatures and is a personification of soil fertility. Her brilliant, naked arms illuminated air and sea.
Hel (sometimes Anglicized or Latinized as Hela) is the ruler of Hel, the Norse underworld. Hel's hall is named
The following list fits the ambiguously and confusingly defined nine worlds into the standard D&D cosmology. Each would be a portion of the named realm it exists in. In the cases of Niflheim and Muspelheim, weak points in the barriers between our world and them would exist in the North or South, respectively. Entry points to Shadowfell are more common in Eastern Europe.
Astral Sea:
• Asgard - The still smoldering remains of Asgard drift in the Astral Sea
Elemental Chaos:
• Muspellheimr - 'Inferno', the realm of the primordeal element of fire
• Niflheimr - 'Mist Homeland', the realm of the primordeal element of ice
• Hel - 'Underworld', the realm of the dead
• Jotunheimr - 'Jotunn Homeland', the realm of the Jotnar (giants)
Far Realms:
• Utgardr - Outer Enclosure, the original home of the Jotnar, beyond which stretches Ginnungagap
(the void, where the really freaky stuff comes from).
Prime Material:
• Midgardr - Middle Enclosure, the realm of humans
• Nidavellir - Lower Fields, the realm of the evil branches of dwarven civilization, and Drow. This is the "hollow
earth", in the "sky" of which is a black sun that seems to absorb light. Nothing grows in its light, but only in
the shade. It is unknown and unknowable how residents of this strange realm tell day from night.
Shadowfell:
• Svartalfaheimr - Homeland of the Svartalfar, the realm of the Shaddar-kai.
• Jarnvid - Iron Wood, the realm of the trolls and goblins
Feywild:
• Vanaheimr - Homeland of the Vanir
• Alfheimr - Alf Homeland, the realm of Eladrin.
RacesDwarves are standard fantasy Dwarves; the term "Dvergar" refers to all varieties (are there still evil dwarves in the new edition? I can't recall and don't have my books handy).H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth has the evil dwarves [Duegar], but they are now classified as Medium, natural humaniod, dwarf (devil) [although the history is similar to tieflings]
H2 Thunderspire Labyrinth has the evil dwarves [Duegar], but they are now classified as Medium, natural humaniod, dwarf (devil) [although the history is similar to tieflings]
Cool... thanks for the heads-up, I'll have to check into that angle. Simple reflavouring is all I'm heading for. If there weren't any "evil" dwarf races, I'd be just using stats for dwarves and saying they were evil dwarves from the underworld.
Ragnarok the “Final Destiny of the Gods” refers to a series of major events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major Norse mythological figures (including the Aesir Odin, Thor, Freyr, Heimdall, and the Jötunn
All of those are possibilities, but they are ones that don't suit the mood I want. Part of it is that nobody plays their D&D character with medieval sensibilities; we're too steeped in modern thought and ideas. This provides the reason and rationale for people thinking in a modern way. It also allows for fun "steampunk" stuff. We know a lot more than are able to produce in this setting, but some stuff we could manage that they never could have back around 1300.
This is a little off-topic but...
OBJECTION
I create my charecters with medieval sensibilities. so you can't say noone.
A little more on topic, great work so far.
I only encountered that while reading through the stuff on Wikipedia. Not sure on its accuracy.
Try a bookstore, library, or a good used bookstore. Wikipedia is fair and even better when it list references you can look up.
While I am familiar with it, accuracy isn't of paramount importance in this case. Mostly I just like Norse mythology, and thought it'd be cool if Ragnarok wasn't quite as destructive.
I myself enjoy the Egyptian mythology and built my first world based on it after players complained that they had to many gods to chose from. [And no my world wasn't a desert.] Now that I understand you're looking for something with a little "steampunk" feel might I suggest you also look into the Iron Kingdom, Eberron, and the computer game Arcanum for some ideas to steal.
How would things turn out if a few million people survived, scattered across the globe? How would they rebuild? Would they be able to?
That’s the premise of many post-apocalypse games and novels. I have enjoyed the Morrow Project the best but have also played Gamma World 1e, and Twilight 2000 [d20 Gamma World and Apocalypse sucked and I wound up revamping the Morrow Project]. The Fallout computer series is good. Let us not forget Thundarr [if you have to ask I'll cry]
Two book series I would recommend for mixing fantasy with a post-apocalyptic world by:
a. the Horseclans series by Robert Adams
b. the Pelbar Cycle by Paul O. Williams
Both make use of lost ancient Technologies in strange ways.
Regarding Hoddmímis Holt: it is where the two survivors of Ragnarok hid. You could think of it a survivalist compound, a government vault, an isolated fallout shelter etc. It could now be the center of you new kingdom’s capital, a temple or a wizard guild. Perhaps it has a nuclear powered A.I. computer [no screens just a disembodied voice] that can answer properly worded questions, like an oracle. [Like were is Fort Knox.
] It would further anchor your Ragnarok with D&D's point of light theme with a Norse mythical place. [It would be just one of many throughout the world, but one tied directly with your mythos.]Those are the kinds of things I was thinking about while walking to and from the bus stop.
That is one thing they won't be doing. :D