I'm still hammering away at my campaign setting. You may have seen a couple of the threads around here about it. Aside from switching the tech level from guns nowhere to guns everywhere and back more often than is healthy, things are stable and progressing nicely. Luckily, lots of magitech means that whether or not guns are around isn't particularly important, so I can shelve that for now. It's about time to start writing out a region now that I have a good idea of basic history and race relations. I'm using a North America analogue instead of the more usual European and Asian analogues. After some consideration as to what region to flesh out (I only need one right now), I have decided on an analogue of Louisiana, complete with the blend of French, Spanish, African, and Native American influence that means the real life thing what it is. I like Louisiana because it's exotic, flashy, and interesting, and a fantasy analogue could potentially be even more so. It's different, and I like the idea of starting out with something different for the first region to play in. At the same time, we've all heard of Louisiana. It isn't so different that players can't think of any character concepts or envision what the analogue would be like. This is also very good. I want the players to be able to envision the region.
Now that I know what I want to make an analogue of it, I need to decide what monsters to populate it with. I don't want to just go around picking out things that match the local terrain, I want to pick things that feel like they would belong in Louisiana. I'm thinking of looking through the following books for appropriate monsters:
Pathfinder Bestiaries 1, 2, and 3
Dreamscarred Press Psionics Unleashed
3.5 Monster Manual 1
3.5 Libris Mortis
3.5 Draconimicon
3.5 Book of Exalted Deeds
3.5 Book of Vile Darkness
Legends and Lairs Necromantic Lore
Legends and Lairs Seafarer's Handbook
Seas of Blood
As I said, I don't want to just use the terrain recommendations to pick monsters. I want to pick things that feel appropriate to Lousiana's flavor, not things that just happen to be tagged as being things that live in the terrain. From the books listed above, what do you guys think would fit?
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Based on what I've seen on TV... vampires and werewolves ;)
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I live in Louisiana, and despite being born in Texas, can safely call Louisiana my home. How very cool to be doing a setting like this! I wish I was playing.
Alligators are common down here, and hunted on occasion (I think - I don't hunt). Even a regular animal alligator is tough (at best) if the party is waist-deep in water.
Large hogs also inhabit this state - a "Dire Boar" or some such would work.
Game animals you could include for fluff or food sources for long treks along the Bayou.
The Pelican is our state bird - maybe use a Roc as a large pelican?
Nothing else is coming to mind right off.
On a related note, I once played an RPGA (3.5 PFS) game that took place in Louisiana. We met some Cajun Halflings living down here on the Bayou. Take an hour to research some of our unique food - Boudin (pronounced boo-DAN), Cracklins, Gumbo (Chicken and Sausage gumbo is the best), Jambalaya, and loads of other stuff I can't remember right off.
Sugar Cane is our chief crop - it's possible (though not recommended) to eat cane right from the stalk and get the beneficial effects of sugar. Walking through a Sugar Cane field is a possible mid-adventure scenario, and when the plants are fully grown, you can't see over them or around them easily. Could make for interesting LOS battle scenario. Like most crops, they're arranged in lines and rows with ditches for irrigation lining the entire field.
Mosquitoes are ALL OVER. Every season but Winter. Maybe have some with infectious disease? They even spray for them during Summer - a magitech invention to help deal with that.
Humidity - 70% is low for us. Play that part of our weather system up - ladies in the party have trouble keeping their hair from frizzing, your body gets sweaty easily, and everything seems to stick to you. The weather here is really all over the place - Winter is around 32F for about 3/4 a month, and summer can easily hit 100F for a month and a half. Combined with the humidity, weather concerns can become troublesome for them, especially over a long period of time. Consider researching our weather too, and playing that up in the campaign.
If you have questions, feel free to ask. Hope I helped, and good luck!
On a slightly more helpful note - for monsters with an African flavour, you could definitely do worse than checking out the Serpent's Skull volumes - and I hear Nyambe is pretty good too.
Louisiana is home to some wonderful wildlife.
Nutria are pretty much the closest real-world equivalent you'll find to dire rats.
Alligators of course, so any large reptilian creature would fit in. Basilisks, dragons... Especially green or black dragons. Snakes are good too. Snake swarms would be good (you should see a water moccasin swarm in the lakes there.... very creepy...)
Catfish of over 300 pounds have been seen.
I like the idea of cockatrices roaming around the bayous...
Bears are common, as used to be cougars, but supposedly they are gone now (I remember hearing cougars screaming in the woods when I was a kid...)
Someone mentioned wild boars, those things are seriously dangerous.
Louisiana has some of the biggest bullfrogs anywhere, so any large frog-like creatures would fit in. Froghemoth anyone? Bats are also common.
The mosquitoes are big enough to make you think about flocks of stirges flying around.
Along the coast there are lots of large waterfowl, so any large birds would fit in.
Louisiana has a couple of local monster legends, the "Loup Garoux" and the "Legend of Boggy Creek." The Loup Garoux is essentially a werewolf, but think of it as a werewolf with a sore tooth and a nasty temperament. The "Legend of Boggy Creek" is supposedly a local version of Bigfoot and could be any sort of ape-man thing.
And spiders... man those bayous are full of spiders. Huge orb-weavers whose webs span from tree to tree... Creepy arachnids... Speaking of arachnids... I've never seen anyplace with as many ticks. Come up with some giant tick thing and watch your players slap at their ankles all night...
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I hear there are a lot of Asian Carp there too.
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Oh, I almost forgot the gar. Ugliest, nastiest, toothiest fish on the planet. Alligator gar look like a cross between a fish and an alligator (and they get huge, six foot gar are not unheard of). Needlenose gar don't get quite as big, but are just as ugly...
Leeches are in many of the bayous, so throw in some monstrous blood-sucking leeches.
Giant intelligent raccoons would be a great monster. Model them after lizard men but smarter and more cunning.
And of course you've got to have voodoo monsters.... zombies, skeletons, vampires... Louisiana is probably the best undead setting in North America.
And just for kicks, you've got to have bead-collecting harpies....
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Well with a reputation for voodoo in some media i can see perhapse zombies and other spirits to represent the loa.
Well, I'm willing to bet that Goblinoids in general are prone to inbreeding, so... it's a start!
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Oh, and giant crawfish. Gotta have giant crawfish.
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Ogres and Ogre-kin would be interesting as the 'Deliverance' type villain. Look at Pathfinder AP #3 for more about that.
Some aquatic abberants would be awesome. Aboleths as masterminds of cultists would be cool. Anything that screams 'lives in swamps' is guaranteed to be a good idea. As stated before, juju zombies would be awesome. Also look at a lot of the plants in the bestiary for ideas. This would be an awesome way to include a Yellow Musk Creeper.
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Chuul would work well, as would anything from the hag family.
Will-o-the wisps are classic swamp monsters.
Zombies, naturally.
And I'd probably put a colony of something out in the gulf. Deep Ones would be my favorite, but +1 for Aboleth.
Pirates make sense, depending on what year it is. Louisiana has been Native American, Spanish, French, Creole, Confederate, and Union over the years, so try to play up the long history of the few cities as well.
And don't forget the shambling mound.
If you're looking for the in-bred hillbilly feel,
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As a native Louisianan, I concur with the posters above.
We are perhaps the Vermin Capital of the US. Certainly mosquitos, crawfish and crabs are prevalent, but don't forget the Cockroaches!
If you need some real world sources check for Marie Laveau (voodoo), Jean Lafitte (pirates) and Anne Rice (vampires).
If you're looking for the in-bred hillbilly feel, ** spoiler omitted **
A true Louisiana flavor would not be "in-bred hillbilly". To continue with the unnecessarily derogatory, condescending stereotype approach, it would be "in-bred cajun" or "in-bred creole".
Of course it's not necessary at all to be cartoonish, condescending and borderline racist in building your Louisiana themed campaign. That's purely a personal choice.
(Hillbillies are generally considered to be from other areas in the south, particularly hilly areas like Arkansas, Oklahoma, even Virginia and Georgia... Louisiana has its own unique and rich cultural history that is quite distinct from the "Deliverance" model.)
Thanks. everybody. A lot of good ideas here.
Also, thanks for the tips on the local climate, wildlife, and terrain. I'm mainly looking for monsters that fit right now, but these details are still useful and appreciated.
If you're looking for the in-bred hillbilly feel, ** spoiler omitted **A true Louisiana flavor would not be "in-bred hillbilly". To continue with the unnecessarily derogatory, condescending stereotype approach, it would be "in-bred cajun" or "in-bred creole".
Of course it's not necessary at all to be cartoonish, condescending and borderline racist in building your Louisiana themed campaign. That's purely a personal choice.
(Hillbillies are generally considered to be from other areas in the south, particularly hilly areas like Arkansas, Oklahoma, even Virginia and Georgia... Louisiana has its own unique and rich cultural history that is quite distinct from the "Deliverance" model.)
I do not plan to be cartoonish, condescending, or racist in my worldbuilding at all. There will be no in-bred hillbillies in the Louisiana analogue. They don't really fit the area. There may be some in other parts of the continent, but any in-bred hillbillies I do include will be a small portion of the local population that is in no way representative of the local culture as a whole. There are some regions where I would like to have such people, but I do feel that making everybody in a region such an individual is just plain racist and insensitive.
Loup-garou, I'd think.
Plus all sorts of Caribbean things - check out GR's Skull & Bones and Nyambe for importing some ideas...
I don't have money to buy a new book like Skull & Bones. I do have Nyambe on my Birthday list, but that's not until April. When I get Nyambe, I'll search it for interesting stuff that would fit.
If you're looking for the in-bred hillbilly feel, ** spoiler omitted **A true Louisiana flavor would not be "in-bred hillbilly". To continue with the unnecessarily derogatory, condescending stereotype approach, it would be "in-bred cajun" or "in-bred creole".
Of course it's not necessary at all to be cartoonish, condescending and borderline racist in building your Louisiana themed campaign. That's purely a personal choice.
(Hillbillies are generally considered to be from other areas in the south, particularly hilly areas like Arkansas, Oklahoma, even Virginia and Georgia... Louisiana has its own unique and rich cultural history that is quite distinct from the "Deliverance" model.)
Neither I nor Myron are trying to be racist or offensive with our ideas. Hell, I even stated they should be villains, not average NPCs you meet everyday. Having lived in the South (mostly Louisiana and South Carolina), I know it has a rich culture and like many places, it unfortunately also has its darker side. I've met great and wonderful people from both states, but I've also met some not so awesome people.
Our suggestions were just for villains of that theme. It doesn't mean every person in her campaign is a redneck, nor does it mean every person in Louisiana is a redneck. I used Deliverance as an example more to just illustrate the kind of villain I was talking about without spoiling Rise of the Runelords. No one here is actively being hateful and this isn't the place to start calling out people for it.
For the record, though, it's a bit funny you point out our stereotype but then make a suggestion for voodoo. Because voodoo is all about summoning zombies and vampires, right? ;)
For the record, though, it's a bit funny you point out our stereotype but then make a suggestion for voodoo. Because voodoo is all about summoning zombies and vampires, right? ;)
If you don't want a discussion to get derailed on terms of potential racism, then I suggest in the future you avoid references to "in-bred hillbillies" and "deliverance" since both of those are well known and acknowledged racist stereotypes.
As far as I know there is nothing racist or derogatory about voodoo. It's basically a branch of magic that is strongly associated with necromancy. Voodoo "witchdoctors" have for generations been highly regarded members of New Orleans communities, much as a seer or psychic is regarded in, say, Beverly Hills.
Some more animals for thought:
Snapping Turtle. Maybe a large one that makes trekking the already dangerous bayou much more deadly. I'm not sure if anyone already mentioned this, but the shambling mound would fit pretty well. I've always like that creature because it reminds me of Swamp Thing who I think it really cool.
Something to consider is how some of the casters could fit in the setting. I feel you would see more nature types of magic like druids and witches. It would be interesting to see some of the animal companions a druid of the bayou would have.
It depends on how "typical" you want things to be with what's a PC race and what's a "monster", but lizardfolk, kobalds, grippli and pretty much any other types of reptilians and amphibians would likely work. Locathah and some near-shore sahaugins could work. You could also adjust things like the thri-keen for insectoids. Orcs could also be likely, and you can always have creatures like werecrocidiles, werebats, wererats, wereboars, and so on.
If you want to do the cultural influences of French, Spanish, African, and Native American (and please, please consider which tribes you're using and don't lump them all together) you might want to consider if there are any races that represent these influences. Certainly Elves could work for Native Americans as well as Human variants. African Humans, Elves, or even Orcs could also work.
Are there a lot of underground caverns or large caves in Louisiana?
Are there a lot of underground caverns or large caves in Louisiana?
To my knowledge, not really. At the very least, it's a bit rare at the coast and I'd imagine they'd be more upstate, but I didn't live there. Perhaps a sea cave on the coast.
If you are looking for dungeon ideas, I remember seeing some really cool looking tombs in New Orleans. Perhaps an elaborate mausoleum with an underground necropolis would fit the bill?
I'm looking for somewhere to put dwarves. In this world, dwarves are master architects, living in cities that pose engineering challenges. Depending on subspecies, they may live underground in caverns or caves, in cities suspended from hundreds of treetops, in cities carved out of mountainsides, or on giant city ships. They may live in another architecturally difficult city if I come up with any more ideas.
Are there a lot of underground caverns or large caves in Louisiana?
There are some caves and caverns, including one called "Wolf Cave" but I'm having trouble finding their extent and number. Still, since this is a fantasy world, you could always have some exist there that don't in real life.
The state of Louisiana is almost entirely made up of the sedimentary deposits of the Mississippi, Atchafalaya and Sabine rivers. The highest point in Louisiana is 500 feet. Most of the land is red clay and is pretty well soaked with groundwater. I am not aware of a single underground cavern in the entire state. However, that doesn't mean you can't make one up, it's just likely that it would be flooded from top to bottom. Which could make for a very unique and challenging encounter actually....
But in general Louisiana is a state made of mud.
So, the local dwarves will probably be tree dwarves, then.
I'm looking for somewhere to put dwarves. In this world, dwarves are master architects, living in cities that pose engineering challenges. Depending on subspecies, they may live underground in caverns or caves, in cities suspended from hundreds of treetops, in cities carved out of mountainsides, or on giant city ships. They may live in another architecturally difficult city if I come up with any more ideas.
Why not have the Dwarves in or near your Louisiana build dikes? Then again, they could live in the northern area which is much drier and more hilly. Then again, there could be Dwarves living in the cities but not native to the region. Or they could make a Louisiana Venice...
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Another idea is, instead of having dwarves as the typical underground/mountain race, perhaps they have adapted to the wetlands and instead of living in the mountains, they living in incredibly large dams. Each dam they live in is an architectural masterpiece, with a series of levees and canal systems that make them the envy of other races. Perhaps they have some kind of a monopoly on popular river systems for trade and such.
I'm looking for somewhere to put dwarves. In this world, dwarves are master architects, living in cities that pose engineering challenges. Depending on subspecies, they may live underground in caverns or caves, in cities suspended from hundreds of treetops, in cities carved out of mountainsides, or on giant city ships. They may live in another architecturally difficult city if I come up with any more ideas.Why not have the Dwarves in or near your Louisiana build dikes? Then again, they could live in the northern area which is much drier and more hilly. Then again, there could be Dwarves living in the cities but not native to the region. Or they could make a Louisiana Venice...
Well, I don't have to have cave or mountain dwarves. Tree dwarves would work fine.
Dwarves could well be experts in dike building and draining swamps. Their biggest problem would be that the ground itself is more mud than rock, but hey, that's what magic is for!
You could totally have an underground dwarven fortress in the middle of a swamp.
But a different flavor of dwarf would also be cool. "Tree dwarves" heh... or "mud dwarves" who build their homes like crayfish, shaping and hardening mud...
Well, I don't have to have cave or mountain dwarves. Tree dwarves would work fine.
It's up to you. Not all of the races have to be native, though. It actually would make more sense for only the Native American analog to actually be truly native. The other races would have come in at different times and added their own unique touches to the region. They might live there, but not necessarily in the same way they live natively. Dwarves might have been commissioned to build the cities there and so they live in those cities, for instance, but they aren't native to the region.
I wish there were more artwork for Native American Elves and Orcs. Also gnomes.
I see gnomes having a vast settlement entrenched throughout a bog.
Mud dwarves. I like it. Both tree and mud dwarves could exist in this region.
All of the core races are native to pretty much the whole world, so there would be both native dwarves and non-native dwarves. Same with any other core race.
All of the core races are native to pretty much the whole world, so there would be both native dwarves and non-native dwarves. Same with any other core race.
Um, okay, but I don't know how well this is going to work out for the areas where Europeans made slaves of the natives or killed them of with genocidal fury...
All of the core races are native to pretty much the whole world, so there would be both native dwarves and non-native dwarves. Same with any other core race.Um, okay, but I don't know how well this is going to work out for the areas where Europeans made slaves of the natives or killed them of with genocidal fury...
Well since enslaving local populations and committing genocide is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon perpetrated throughout history by and on all races more or less arbitrarily, I suppose that's an issue no matter what you want to set as your background....
Well since enslaving local populations and committing genocide is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon perpetrated throughout history by and on all races more or less arbitrarily, I suppose that's an issue no matter what you want to set as your background....
True enough, but the unique cultural mix in Louisiana comes from the natives living there, the invasion of two other countries from another continent and the importation of slaves from a third. The last is going to be the most tricky if all the races exist everywhere, since there's no particular reason to import slaves from elsewhere (short of the fact that natives of the reason tended to know better escape routes).
Well since enslaving local populations and committing genocide is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon perpetrated throughout history by and on all races more or less arbitrarily, I suppose that's an issue no matter what you want to set as your background....True enough, but the unique cultural mix in Louisiana comes from the natives living there, the invasion of two other countries from another continent and the importation of slaves from a third. The last is going to be the most tricky if all the races exist everywhere, since there's no particular reason to import slaves from elsewhere (short of the fact that natives of the reason tended to know better escape routes).
The OP has given no indication that she wishes to replicate every single aspect of a region, especially aspects that may be unpleasant to introduce to the gaming table, so there is no reason to drag all that into this discussion. She wants flavor, not a campaign that dredges up all the dirty laundry of every race on the continent.
Or so it seems to me.
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New Orleans is a masterful piece of engineering, if you consider that much of the city is below the water table and remains dry and unflooded (usually). The dwarves could be responsible for your world's analogue.
And definately reskin lizardfolk as 'gatorfolk. Take away their racial modifier to Acrobatics,and maybe increase their Swim speed some. They could live out in the deep bayou, in low mud huts built over dug-out lairs. Mostly use primitive weapons made from bone, tooth, and tortoise shell. Not necessarily evil, but do not appreciate interlopers and arent very picky about what they eat.
Caves yes. There are accounts of people hidding in caves of the Dollete Hills, as well as a "Wolf" cave in one of the national forests.
Hags with a heavy voodoo flavor.
Lizard men.
Stirges.
Devils- Think infernal pacts with voodoo types. The Shadow man in "Princess and the Frog" was based on Baron Semedi basically a trickster devil.
Necromantic cultists
Spiders
Nixies
Aboleths- Nothing says evil catfish monster like it.
Assassin Vines and all sorts of magical plants
Barghiests and Goblins- For some reason I cannot explain this one some how I just think Barghiests fit.
I see your gators and raise you Bassilisks
Dragon Turtles- Someone mentioned turtles earlier
Attic Whisperer
Fetchlings
Merrow's adpted to live in bracish water.
Quicklings
Bandersnatches- This sort of scraggly cat like monstrosity just looks like it would be right at home in LA.
Bogeyman
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If you're able to get ahold of them, The Creature Collections from Sword & Sorcery Studios has creatures from their setting "The Scarred Lands" that fit directly into Louisiana.
They are called Karnival Krew and they were specifically made with Bayou flavor.
I'm looking for somewhere to put dwarves. In this world, dwarves are master architects, living in cities that pose engineering challenges. Depending on subspecies, they may live underground in caverns or caves, in cities suspended from hundreds of treetops, in cities carved out of mountainsides, or on giant city ships. They may live in another architecturally difficult city if I come up with any more ideas.
We don't have mountains or caverns in LA, but we do have salt domes. Maybe the dwarves could be salt miners.
Well since enslaving local populations and committing genocide is pretty much a worldwide phenomenon perpetrated throughout history by and on all races more or less arbitrarily, I suppose that's an issue no matter what you want to set as your background....True enough, but the unique cultural mix in Louisiana comes from the natives living there, the invasion of two other countries from another continent and the importation of slaves from a third. The last is going to be the most tricky if all the races exist everywhere, since there's no particular reason to import slaves from elsewhere (short of the fact that natives of the reason tended to know better escape routes).
African slavery still happened. Ethnicity (as in, are you European, African, Native, or whatever) still matters. Race (as in, are you an elf, dwarf, or whatever) also matters, but in different ways. Different races don't form their own segregated nations (other than dwarves), they live in multiracial nations. Erefore, since they all live together, ethnicity is seen as a much more important cultural divide than race is. Erefore, foreigners are more likely to be enslaved than other races. African slavery happened for much the same reason it happened IRL.
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Louisiana has some good cooking. I suggest adding in some chefs that stun their enemies with delicious dishes.