I think this is my most complete version of my campaign setting ever. The basic idea is a magitech campaign setting with flavor based off of North America. It is intended to handle both heroic fantasy games and gothic/dark fantasy/horror games, which can be done by tweaking PC power levels, adjusting how optimistically/pessimistically people and events are being portrayed, and adjusting the atmosphere and storytelling themes of the adventure taking place. The adventures in this world revolve around professional monster hunters in the employ of the Crown, who handle threats that are too powerful for the city guards or military patrols to fight. Currently, I have one region of one nation detailed, because I wanted to take the approach of building regions as I need them, rather than building everything at once. I haven't really explained the ethnic groups much, because my setting document is at 8 pages in Word (don't want to overwhelm players) and I don't really have anything to write that doesn't sound horribly canned and cliched. I use Fantasy Counterpart Cultures, so hopefully players have enough data to understand cultures from the names (Leontins aren't really much different from the French). I plan to actually flesh them out at some point, but I just don't have the inspiration right now.
How does it look? Is it too much information for a player new to the setting? Too little? Is there anything you want to know that isn't provided? Could you comfortably write up a character in this setting? Other comments?
Thyressa is a magitech setting that focuses on a North American flavor. The game takes place during a magic-fueled industrial revolution that began in the wake of a Great War that ended with the gods dead. Prior to the death of the gods, arcane magic was uncommon, but when the gods died it flooded the world, greatly increasing the power available to human spellcasters. Since Thyressa was the continent least touched by the war, its nations have taken over as the richest in the world.
Games set in Thyressa focus on monster hunting and dealing with rogue mages. When arcane magic poured into the world, it greatly increased the power and number of monsters in the world. The best humanity seems able to do is keep the monsters at bay. The only reason people in Thyressa live as well as they do is because of the warriors to fight and die every day so that the average citizen can go about life without having to worry about some beast coming for them in the middle of the night. That’s where the player characters come in. Even in densely settled areas, it seems like the undead, lycanthropes, fae, and other monsters never stop turning up. When they do, skilled professionals like the player characters show up to end the threat they pose. They also handle those mages who abuse magic, because the skillset and experience level necessary is similar and they pose just as much a threat. In essence, the player characters are the ones who face death on a daily basis so that everyone else doesn't have to.
Magic and Technology:
Thyressa has fairly advanced magitech. Alchemy is the most common form of magic by far, with Alchemists outnumbering every other magic using class. Wizards and Machinesmiths come next in terms of commonality. Witches practice an ancient form of magic that still has some practitioners, but they aren't common, and most people learn the secrets of witchcraft from family. They can be arcane or divine (arcane witches have spellbooks, divine witches familiars). Divine spellcasters get their power by making deals with angels, demons, or spirits, or by the sheer power of their convictions (Paladins) and have always been rare, with Paladins being the rarest of the rare in the setting. Summoners are divine. This setting does not ban any Paizo base classes.
Mass production is a thing. Most of the clothing people wear came out of a factory, and the same applies to household and recreational goods. Canning and freezing have been mastered, and food can easily and cheaply be transported worldwide. Weapons are easily to make, but armor takes a bit longer because it has to be reasonably well fitted to the wearer. People generally have access to internal plumbing and electricity, though battery technology is very poor. We do have rotary phones, cameras (no motion pictures, though), and the printing press, and literacy is very common. Medical care is mostly administered by Experts or Alchemists.
Trains, fueled by alchemical engines, are ubiquitous for travel between cities. For travel within cities, bicycles and cable cars are dominant, though the horse is anywhere near obsolete. Alchemical engines are powerful, but they are also extremely dangerous, and a trained professional has to be present at all times during operation. Flight is even more dangerous, and only magic users can pull it off at the moment. We don’t have any passenger vehicles that can fly. Ships use alchemical engines.
Firearms exist, and are relatively common, but have not overtaken the bow or crossbow. This is because soldiers tend to fight in scattered formations to avoid offering an enticing target to magical artillery. Volley tactics are a militia thing, so the arquebus is a weapon of the militiaman, city guard, hunter, or rancher, while soldiers and guardsmen with sufficient training use bows or crossbows fitted with mechanical spanners, because these weapons make less noise, don’t throw smoke everywhere, and can be fired faster.
Important Places:
Tyressa: The continent the campaign setting encompasses.
Rydessa: A continent to the east of Thyressa, across the Garin Ocean.
Merundia: A continent to the west of Thyressa, across the Tsinbao Ocean.
Vendalia: Vendalia is a kingdom on the western coast of Thyressa. Lijun was the first country to colonize it, about 300 years in the past now, but Castara was always a backwater, with colonies closer to Lijun getting more attention. Later on explorers from Castillana and Leontiny arrived, prompting a fight between the three countries over who would control the region. Lijun abandoned the struggle pretty quickly, judging a backwater colony to not be worth the effort, leaving the other two nations to duke it out in a wider regional struggle. Eventually, a deal was reached that gave Leontiny the northern part of the region, named Vendalia, and Castillana the southern half, named Telestia. Both colonies prospered, and following the Great War they both formed their own kingdoms, which are two of the world’s economic powerhouses.
Castara: Castara is a province of the Kingdom of Vendalia. Castara was the first region of Vendalia to be heavily settled by colonists. It is the second most populated region of the kingdom, and an important shipping, cultural, and industrial center. On the coast, the climate is warm and foggy in the summer and cool and rainy in the winter, while the interior areas have hot summers, cool winters, and a dry climate. Castara is both mountainous and hilly, with coastal marshlands and dry woodlands and scrubland forming the rest of the climate aside from an area of relatively dry plains in the southeast of the province. The majority of the population lives near the coast.
Valetta: The most populous city in Castara, and the most famous worldwide. Sometimes called the City of Rainbow Hills, after the popular practice of paining the skinny row houses that populate its rolling hills in vibrant colors. The city is famous for its restaurants, and also boasts an incredibly busy port district, the nation’s largest shipyard, the Academie Valetta des arts Magiques (a high ranking magical academy, the only university in western Thyressa where one can study the ancient art of witchcraft), the Universite Veletta (a high ranking university known for arts and the humanities), and the large number of artists, musicians, and authors who call the city home.
Perides: The provincial capital and second most populous city. Notable for the Universite Perides (very good art, engineering, and architecture school), its large factory district, the Academie militaire de Perides (a school for military officers and nobility), and an active port district.
Montagnes Sarett: A mountain range with abnormally high peaks for its size, often reaching over a mile. The only part of Castara that has snowy winters (a few of the other mountains have snow, but not much, and the rest of the region never gets snow at all). The snow makes it a popular tourist destination in winter, but outside of that it isn’t heavily populated outside of Temara, a small city that popped up along the only rail line that crosses the mountain range.
Vallee Tampeno: The main wine producing region of Castara.
Vallee Voltara: An agricultural region known primarily for orchards. Also boasts some ranches.
Foret Lutani: A hilly forest primarily populated by Teutaran elves. Known for its gorgeous treehouses and artisan works. It is the only racial enclave Castara has, and do to diaspora has a larger elven population than Teutara does.
Brousse Chivella: Shrubland mostly used for ranching.
Prairie Lujon: Relatively dry grasslands important for farming grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Basic Vendalian Politics and Military:
Vendalia is a monarchy, split up into provinces that are ruled by noble families and cities and towns ruled by mayors and councils elected by popular vote. The nobility and the king do not get along at all. The king is trying to break the power of the nobility and create a strong unitary state, which the nobles dislike. He is trying to portray himself as a populist working against those elitist nobles for the good of the commoners, and the nobles are getting scared, because he has been somewhat successful lately. Vendalia has a massive immigrant population, which is supported by the king, so nativist opposition to immigration tends to be associated with the nobility.
Urban law enforcement falls to the mayors, who establish city guards with the authority to enforce the law and try criminals. The provinces handle law enforcement and security outside the cities, and could take over for a city guard if they so desired (which does not make people happy). The kingdom is responsible for the nation as a whole, and has taken over the handling of most higher level threats. The soldiers and sailors who handle those threats are Gendarmes (military police), and they are the player characters. A Gendarme unit is generally assigned to a specific province, though there are a couple roving units. In metagame terms, if a monster or caster is above Challenge Rating 4, the Gendarmes are usually the ones who track it down and kill it.
Common Ethnic Groups:
Vendalia is a very ethnically diverse country. The vast majority of the population is made up of immigrants or descendants of immigrants. Most immigration is from a handful of nations, but Vendalia has at least a few people from almost everywhere. The national language is Leontin, but it is very common to hear a wide variety of immigrant languages.
Rydessan Peoples
Leontin:
Third largest ethnic group. Make up every social class of Vendalia. Tend to be light or light brown skinned, with red, brown, blonde, or black hair and blue, green, brown, or grey eyes.
Fairly small ethnic group. Most of Vendalia’s Castillarans moved to Telestia after the Leontins and Castillarans divvied up the land. Most Castillarans living in Vendalia are fairly rich. Tend to be light or light brown skinned, with red, brown, blonde, or black hair and blue, green, brown, or grey eyes.
Moderately small ethnic group. Telestia and Vendalia are both prosperous nations, and very close allies. Has had a fairly large emphasis on Vendalian cuisine. Ethnically Telestians are mixtures of Castillaran and various ethnic groups, thanks to a concerted effort by Castillara to interbreed the natives into complacency. Most Telestians living in Vendalia belong to the wealthier classes. Tend to either have medium or dark brown skin and medium or dark brown or black hair and eyes, though a few are mostly Castillaran in appearance.
A people from the city states of Listada. They have been in this country as explorers ever since the beginnings of colonialism. Second largest ethnic group, heavy emphasis on cuisine and architecture. Make up every social class of Vendalia. Tend to be light or light brown skinned, with red, brown, blonde, or black hair and blue, green, brown, or grey eyes.
Moderately sized ethnic group. A people from Teutara. Aside from the diaspora of Teutaran elves to Castara, the arrival of large numbers of Teutarans is a recent phenomenon, with them forming a large portion of Vendalia’s current wave of immigrants. Tend to belong to the poorer classes. Tend to be light skinned, with red, brown, blonde, or black hair and blue, green, brown, or grey eyes. Lighter hair and eyes are more common than darker hair and eyes.
The largest ethnic group in Vendalia. Split between families that have been in Vendalia for generations and recent immigrants. Belong to every social class, with recent immigrants usually being in the poorer end.
A moderately sized ethnic group. Some families have been living in the land since shortly after the arrival of the Lijunians, but the majority are more recent immigrants. Tend to belong to the lower or middle class.
Vendalia’s native peoples have very little presence in Castara. For the most part, they either died of disease or were taken by Castillara as slaves. Nowadays, there isn’t much anyone left from the original inhabitants. Vendalia’s surviving native peoples come from tribes that live a good bit further north than Castara.
Races:
Humans come in a lot of different races. All of them have about the same natural lifespan. The most common races in Vendalia are:
Magni: The most common race in the world. Make up the majority of the population in Vendalia by a large margin. Use Pathfinder Human stats (In this world, the term Human refers to humanoids as a whole, not to one race in particular).
Elves: The only elves common in Vendalia are the Teutaran elves. These people left Teutara en-masse after repeated violent land spats with the nobility, and claimed the Foret Lutani for themselves. They are a people who value innovation, artistic skills, and education, and consider community a lot more important than money. They have no particular problem with other races, but tend to value their race’s independence. They mostly live in moderately sized towns, with treehouses being the traditional dwelling. Rail infrastructure isn’t particularly good, but the elves like it that way. A lot of elves attend university or a magical academy at some point in life, paid for by the elven government. These elves usually attend schools in one of Castara’s cities. Among elves who do not attend higher education, it is considered acceptable to spend a couple years living outside the Foret Lutani to gain some experience of Vendalia outside the Foret Lutani (an elf always likes to understand her surroundings). The Kingdom permits the elves to rule over themselves in a similar manner as a province, but for royal taxation and military purposes the Foret Lutani is considered a part of Castara. Elves do actually sleep. They are pale skinned (very often with faint stripes or spots), have a wide range of hair and eye colors, have large, pointed ears, are slender and average about 5’3” tall, and have little difference in physical build between men and women. They have scalp hair like other human races, but the rest of their external body is always hairless.
Dwarves: Vendalian dwarves are mostly from the highlands and mountains of southern Teutara, and were historically known as shepherds, miners, and craftsmen. Their culture is known for it’s generally informal attitude, welcoming attitude towards outsiders, love of beer, elegantly curved and twirled beards, and dedication to maintaining a reputation for fine craftsmanship to the point that they’ll often (though not necessarily always) forgo profits that could be made by lowering standards. They don’t much farm or brew, preferring to get their grain, produce, and beer through trade with the Magni. Most dwarves in Vendalia live in cities, and are mostly recent immigrants.
Vendalia has a few Kagora dwarves, who are slender and pale mountain dwellers from Minoka. A lot of them have red hair, but black and brown is also common. Like so many other dwarves, they are skilled craftsmen, and are often miners, loggers, artisans, and fishermen. They have been trading with other races for centuries, but their rulers forbid them from forming personal relationships with non-Kagora, and require them to cover themselves among other races. Their culture stresses propriety and has strict rules on how to address people of different social rules, often based on the situation at hand. They have their own king, a feared autocrat who preaches rigid and unerring adherence to social rules, xenophobia, and draconian punishment for deviants, and tries to run peoples’ day to day lives. A lot of Kagora have fled, but those who remain in Minoka are hunted as traitors, so a great many have made for Vendalia, hoping to be beyond the reach of their king. They often have a hard time learning to socialize outside of their strict societal rules, which gets them stereotyped as shy, bumbling, and socially awkward. They tend to be glad for their freedom and want to work hard to build a new life, but have little knowledge of how the world outside their civilization works.
Catfolk: Most are from Lijun or Meian. Culture and stats are as listed at d20pfsrd, appearance is as Bestiary 3.
Tengu and Kitsune (Minoka), Nagaji and Vanara (Meian and Lijun) are as listed on the d20pfsrd.
Seraphim: Seraphim are a people native to southern Rydessa, such as Castillara and Listadia. They are about 5’10” on average for males and 5’6” on average for females, and tend to be sturdily built. They have well tanned skin, metallic or jewel colored eyes, brown or black hair, and magnificent feathered wings, usually white or brown (other colors are not unheard of). Each wing is about as big as the Seraphim is tall. Seraphim used to be able to fly, but the gods stripped that from them centuries ago for an offense nobody knows the nature of. Now, their wings are heavy and don’t curve enough for proper lift generation. Many have turned to magical and technological solutions to this problem, but have only found solutions that work for rare and very skilled individuals, not something that can be applied to the race as a whole. As a people, they are intelligent and learned, very open with friends and family, quick to form new relationships, and energetic. They usually live in cities and have good relationships with other races, and their closest friends are usually thought of as cousins, aunts, and uncles, regardless of race. They are commonly scholars, engineers, lawyers, alchemists, or wizards.
Stats
-2 Dex, +2 Con, +2 Int (Seraphim are well learned, and carrying heavy wings around all the time has built up their endurance quite a bit, but the wings do impede their agility.)
Medium Humanoid
Speed 30 ft
Hardy (+2 saves versus poison, spells, spell like abilities)
+2 to Charisma based skills
Vestigial Wings (+4 Fly checks)
Emissary (Reroll Bluff or Diplomacy 1/day)
Lifestyle:
Vendalia is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and Castara is one of the richer areas of Vendalia. In the cities manufacturing tends to form the backbone of the economy, followed by the service industry. Elsewhere, agriculture and mining are important, with the advent of farming machinery making the profession both more lucrative and less populated than it used to be. The majority of the population lives in the cities. Poorer citizens (such as factory workers, unskilled tradesmen, lower ranking military members, some constables, or members of the service industry) can generally afford to feed and clothe themselves (though not necessarily well) and pay for cramped apartments, but not much else, and they tend to be city dwellers. Middle class citizens (such as factory workers, skilled tradesmen, artisans, most mages, gendarmes, some constables, higher ranking military members, or members of the service industry) can typically afford nicer apartments or houses and a fair amount of luxury, and the upper classes (large business owners, some mages, the highest ranking non-noble government officials, nobility, royalty) own what catches their eye. A slim majority of people in Castara are middle class, followed by the lower class and then the upper class. There is a considerable amount of bleed over between lower and middle class in some career fields, which offers a decent amount of social mobility between those two levels, but between middle class and upper class social mobility is fairly poor. Higher education is the purview of the middle and upper classes, and can take the form of trade apprenticeships or university. The lower class has a much harder time getting access to education, and a member usually ends up having to have family who work horrific hours to pay for it or get sponsored on the basis of showing considerable merit.
Castaran cuisine is largely composed of ethnic dishes modified to fit readily available ingredients and fusions of multiple ethnic cuisines. The most common ethnic cuisines are Lijunian, Leontin, Listadian, Telestian, Meianese, Minokan, Teutaran, and Mikeian, but Castara is a very diverse land, and you can find cuisine from almost everywhere. The culinary arts are taken very seriously, and cafes, bistros, and fine restaurants are staples of the Vendalian lifestyle. Castarans are also very, very big consumers of coffee, with cafes being pretty much ubiquitous anywhere people live. Tea is also a major beverage that is available in several forms in pretty much any cafe, and teahouses are a common sight in most settled areas. When it comes to alcohol, Castarans partake in a diverse variety of beverages, with most liquor being served in cafes.
Taverns are mostly associated with Teutrans. Castarans are mostly wine drinkers, except for Teutaran immigrants, who drink a lot of beer, and Minokan and Meianese immigrants, who drink both beer and wine. Other popular liquors include a very wide variety of rice liquors (such as baijiu, ruou de, and sake), brandy (including fruit brandy), tequila, rum, amaretto, limoncello, anisette, and absinthe.
Lower class fashion is mostly practical in form, with conical hats, stocking caps, or bush hats, dungarees or either long or medium skirts (usually plain blue or brown in color), long or short sleeved shirts closed with laces or buttons (plaid patterns for shirts are extremely widespread), plain fleece or woolen sweaters and vests, and durable but simple coats and boots. Upper class fashion is much more fluid, and is the fashion of the upper classes. It goes through yearly fads, so giving a general description of it is very difficult, but it is almost always elaborate and expensive, and often includes expensive versions of middle class clothing. Currently, fashions inspired by Merundia are popular, as well as military style clothing in vibrant colors (the Vendalian military currently uses burgundy for dress uniforms and tan for field uniforms). Middle class clothing styles are the purview of the middle class, and usually consist of clothes that provide a mixture of comfort, durability, and style. Slacks or dungarees, medium length skirts, peacoats, double breasted coats, greatcoats, frock coats, plain fleece or woolen sweaters and vests, berets, boaters, stocking caps, bowler hats, coppolas, long or short sleeved shirts with laces or buttons, and a wide variety of boots or shoes. Vibrant colors are common, but not ubiquitous, and plaid is also fairly common. Buttons are usually wooden or bone, unless one is rich, in which case they may include jewels or precious metals.
One of the most common pasttimes is sports, especially soccer, volleyball, and tennis. Swimming, surfing, hunting, fishing, bicycling, and hiking are popular where the environment allows. The vast majority of Vendalians are literate, and there is an endless variety of reading materiel published. Theatres are reasonably popular among the middle and upper classes. Like any culture, music and art are important to Vendalians. Bathhouses are common places for socialization and relaxation, and there are establishments catering to every social class. With the advent of internal plumbing, they serve a purely recreational role. Boardwalks are very popular places for entertainment, boasting attractions such as rides and games, restaurants, and shopping.
I dunno. I ignore alignment and the effect dragon color has on it.
What about a Cavalier/Sorcerer/Dragon Disciple/Eldritch Knight who only takes one level of Sorcerer? The level array would be Sor 1/Cav 5/DD 10/EK 4, taking all these levels in order from left to right. Sorcerer bloodline would be Sovereign Dragon.
There's the advantage of fighting on your own turf, you know there isn't a hairpin turn or a squeeze that will keep you from bringing your best weapon.
Well, do you really want to give them ALL polearms?
Longspear is already a simple weapon.
Also, as for the pick, it is listed as a martial weapon, yet it would be something that all dwarves would use in their daily lives, making it comphertable to use. It also gives a genuine expansion of options to a player.
If you still want to give all polearms, there is nothing to say you can't keep picks or axes. After all, the elves have bows and swords.
But polearms have alot of variety in their abilities, so i'd double check to see if there may be anything you may be overlooking. Do you really want all dwarves to be familiar with ripsaw glaives?
That said, polearms indeed dominate tunnel encounters when they can be employed. (crossbows and alchemical items will be the counter)
Dwarves don't only fight with polearms. They also use axes, hammers, swords, and crossbows. They just really like polearms, and prefer to fight in places where they can employ them.
I think I phrased the question badly. When I said any polearms, I meant "are there any polearms they should automatically be proficient with" not "should they be proficient with all of them". I don't want them proficient with them all. They like polearms, but they don't dominate dwarven combat THAT much.
Proficiency with one or two polearms for all dwarves, picks or hammers for cave dwarves, and axes for mountain dwarves would be nice.
Can I get a clarification? Are you saying you are not against sexy pictures and cheesecake, you just don't like it when it goes to far, or are you against sexy images and cheesecake altogether?
In the third link you can see the conversation back when it happened. And those of us that complained about the cover got a lot of "You just want all women in art to be ugly like you!" type comments. Others said "Really? That one scrap of cloth made the difference? Why are you so sensitive?"
To sum up various responses (including mine) to these types of things, the essence is:
As a woman, I actually have breasts. I deal with the real life ramifications of them on a daily basis. Therefore, when I see a woman spelunking with that top on, my first thought is "That is the stupidest thing I've ever seen." I have this thought, mainly, because I know how uncomfortable and precarious that would be in real life.
Sexy art doesn't bother me. I sometimes get annoyed when every female that's not a bad guy is twenty something with a slender model's body and lots of cleavage, but I can deal. In fact, when I draw characters I tend to do the same myself. But when the adventurer is dressed so impractically for adventuring, I just have no choice but to assume she's an idiot, or shooting adventure themed porn.
I think the point is that my edit, while it didn't make the art something I liked, at least removed the final straw that took me from not caring for the art to actively disliking it. If that can be done without removing the "she's a sexy chick for me to look at!" element for cheesecake fans, I think everybody wins.
In the edit, I used the clone brush to grab the colors of the top, and just extend them in such a way that it looked like the cloth came up in a halter top. There was no reduction in size, the girls are just better restrained to avoid wardrobe malfunctions...and enhance comfort while adventure spelunking.
Okay. I'm a cheesecake fan, but I can respect this position. Being a transgendered woman, I have no experience with the breast issue, so I just look at the pictures and say that they look cool and I like them.
Y'know what's funny Jess, as I remember there was a letter from a guy in a later issue of Dragon (don't have the wherewithal to dig it out and check the number, sorry) saying that he couldn't buy the issue with the greco-roman beefcake on the cover because people would think he was gay. The male readership rallied in defense of Dragon, but no one pointed out that you had a simillar female depiction on the cover 3-6 times a year.
Can I ask what your opinion of the Pathfinder art is? It might not be the greatest progress, but I do remember seeing Seelah for the first time and thinking, "Hey, no cleavage window." (yes, Seoni took 2 steps back imo)
An example of something that seriously irked me specifically as a woman
Here's on specific example of something in gaming that pissed me off, and a proposed change I suggested that wouldn't interfere with the product (hoepfully!), but would have avoided being something that I hated:
Can I get a clarification? Are you saying you are not against sexy pictures and cheesecake, you just don't like it when it goes to far, or are you against sexy images and cheesecake altogether?
Alternatively, there is no way to transport a polearm into a narrow winding tunnel, which is what most cave areas are. A shortsword or a climbing pick/ handaxe may be the best and most prevelent weapon, because you will actually have it.
The climbing axe has another advantage in that it is a usefull tool to have in hand, so you will probably have it ready when attacked.
Depends how long the polearm is. I don't see it being too difficult unless the tunnel is REALLY thin, and dwarves would probably seal those up and use larger tunnels.
As for the axe being a useful tool, lots of cultures use weapons that aren't tools, and dwarves do carry and fight with hammers and axes. They just prefer polearms.
I think I'll carry a scimitar with a dagger as backup instead of the longsword.
Background:
Camila Marina Garrido Espinosa is a mountain dwarf, born Camila Marina in Los Perdros, a city in the mountains of southern Aerixa (A fantasy analogue of California.). She is of Veltrinan (think Spanish) ancestry, and was born out of wedlock to an engineer. Her mother was not particularly fond of her, and being a bastard child in dwarven society was not at all easy. After her mother was exposed as a thief and cheat, things got much worse. Without a legitimate birth and with a criminal mother, she was generally seen as a person little worth, and was treated as such. She added the names of a couple of heroic ancestors to her own in an effort to be seen in a better light, but it didn't work well. As an adult she entered the local military, serving as a skirmisher. However, she ended up being left behind during a battle on the mountain surface, and was captured and sold into slavery. She managed to escape with a couple clever bluffs, but was tracked down, and would have been recaptured without the intervention of a Paladin.
She is 5 feet tall, with bronze hair and deep purple amethyst eyes. She has a very flamboyant attitude, which she carries to mask her inner insecurity and lack of self esteem. She is generally good natured, and would risk her life for a good cause. She currently travels with the Paladin who helped her, as she doesn't know of anything better she could be doing. She appreciates being with someone who sees her as more than a bastard of poor lineage, and feels more than a little pride at many of the things she has done with her Paladin friend.
Should dwarves get racial weapon proficiencies? Which ones? They use hammers, swords, and, if mountain dwarves, axes, but their favored weapons are polearms. They use them more than they use hammers, axes, or swords, because in the close confines of an underground cavern a polearm can effectively put an enemy in a situation where they can't advance on the dwarves without getting hit. Image a bunch of reach weapons in a small tunnel. You can't get around them, you have to go at them. Go at them, however, and they can stab you before you get into melee range. That's why polearms are favored more than any other weapons by dwarves.
Should they be automatically proficient with any polearms?
In general, everything is spot-on after a re-read, though I am still somewhat uncertain of denying them their traditional theological devotion - is the setting one of low interaction of the divine? Is there a cultural or societal cause for turning away from faith? That could impact a number of cultural tendencies, including their choice of governance. Given the favoring of a more constitutional monarchy, there's an inference that the belief in a divine mandate of rulership is non-existent.
Dwarves do have religion, they just aren't very devoted about it. It's kinda like Christians who rarely go to church. They believe, they just don't desire to serve. That is part of why they prefer constitutional monarchy, as they don't buy into divine mandate.
Quote:
You mention the significance of family, a decidedly dwarf-appropriate trait; are they still a low-fecundity race in your perspective, thus emphasizing the significance of children? Or are they more fertile than admitted, with some manner of secret ominous pogrom to control what sort of children are born, due to resource scarcity or situational needs?
They have the same fertility rate as other humans, but it takes a long time after pregnancy (several years) before they become fertile again, so they do have a lower birth rate. They have about the lifespan of other human races (on average around 120 years).
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One thing mentioned was a generally clannish/family-biased vantage point in regards to others, including non-dwarves; how do the scorned and ostracized typically handle this? Do they make for some manner of 'outsider district' where non-dwarves have most of their dwarven interaction unaware of the sociopolitical ramifications? While traditionally dwarves are dwarf-interested only, I wonder if such marginalized dwarves experience amorous affections outside of their people, even if children would not result.
I imagine it more like the Scottish. They have their clans and families and are proud of it, but with the exception of a dislike for bastards, orphans, children from reviled families, and the like that is by no means a universal trait, they aren't particularly hateful or mean about it. They generally tolerate non-dwarves, though they expect them to respect dwarven customs while in dwarven land. They do not restrict them to special districts. Dwarf/non-dwarf hybrids do happen, and many dwarves loathe them, though this is again not universal.
Quote:
I know the intention is not to say 'Chinese Dwarves', but the idea was somewhat percolating in my thoughts while I dozed off, so coming back to this thread I was trying to see how much influence was from culture as much as the mountain scenery. In Nyambé, on thing that came up was that the dwarves practiced ritual cannibalism, which was handled differently than how your cave dwarves addressed it - does such anbthrophagy as a measure of respect for foes exist for the cave dwarves as well, or is it more of a matter of providing final rites for the deceased, but not a regular practice?
Some will eat fallen foes, while others would prefer to respect the customs of those who do not like cannibalism. Cave dwarves would rather be eaten than buried, as they consider it an honor to be put to some sort of final use. The whole practice has very little malice inherent in it, and I consider cave dwarf cannibalism to be an act with no evil connotations do to the respect inherent in it.
Here's something for the lefties who are hip to revisionist history to ponder and it's meant as a theoretical exercise, not my actual position:
Given that the United States has killed millions of people all over the globe from Vietnam to Iraq;
Given that the British and the French killed a heck of a lot, too, in Africa and the Middle East and who knows where else (I specialize in American crimes);
Given the horrendous state of affairs in Stalinist Russia and Maoist China;
How much worse do you really think the world would have been if the Axis had won World War II?
Well, I severely doubt that the Nazis would have acted any nicer than the US, Britain, and France, for starters, so casualties from screwing with Third World countries would probably be equal or worse. Then we have the fact that the Nazis were also willing to slaughter Eastern Europeans for. The casualties of the Soviet dictatorship would have been just as bad under Nazism. Plus, Hitler planned to invade the US. That's going to be millions more, especially with America's high gun ownership, large military capability, and likely willingness to resist the Nazis. Then we have the final solution, only about a little more than half of whom's victims were Jews. That is unlikely to stop with a Nazi victory.
This is just assuming a German victory (which is the only likely axis victory), not a Japanese one. A Japanese victory wouldn't have been very nice, either, considering what they did in the Pacific. An Italian victory wouldn't have happened without Germany propping them up and likely absorbing them at some point, so it ties into the result of a German victory.
So, yes, I do think it would have been much worse if there was an axis victory. What really happened was bad, but the alternative is even more horrific.
All classes except the fighter get an additional 2 skill points per level. This applies to archetypes that modify skill points.
All characters gain one feat per level. This includes monsters.
Two Weapon Fighting and Vital Strike scale with level. This means you gain the improved version for free as soon as you meet the prerequisites.
All characters get Vital Strike for free.
All Characters get Combat Expertise, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse, Point-Blank Shot, and Precise Shot for free.
Scimitars, Quarterstaffs, Bo Staffs, and Longswords are finessable weapons.
Alignment is not used.
Traits are not used.
Ammunition, food, and water is not tracked unless scarcity is important to the adventure. Spell components are only tracked if they have a specific cost or scarcity is important to the adventure. If the GM decides to track resources, she will inform the players ahead of time so that they may prepare for this.
Magic ratings (Unearthed Arcana) are used. Arcane and divine magic ratings do not stack with each other.
Racial ability score modifiers are not used. All characters get +2 to a mental stat and +2 to a physical stat.
Description of my Dwarf race's stats and Crossbow Sniper:
Crossbow snipers are the "gunslingers" of realms where crossbows have not yet been replaced with firearms. As a crossbow sniper, you have the following class feature.
Armor-Piercing Shot (Ex) When firing a crossbow, you may choose to reduce the range increment of the weapon to 40 feet (or 20 feet if the weapon is a hand crossbow) for the duration of your attack. If do, your attack resolves against your target's touch AC if your target is within the first range increment, but your attack is not considered a touch attack for the purposes of feats and abilities such as Deadly Aim. Beyond the first range increment, your attack resolves normally. This replaces gunsmith.
Crossbow Deeds You treat crossbows as firearms for the purpose of your deeds. Any crossbow that can be fired while held in only one hand counts as a one-handed firearm, while all other crossbows count as two-handed firearms. This benefit modifies all deeds and replaces the quick clear, utility shot, startling shot, expert loading, menacing shot, and stunning shot deeds.
Crossbow Grit (Ex) You treat crossbows as firearms for the purpose of regaining grit.
Crossbow Training (Ex) At 5th level, and every four levels thereafter, choose one specific type of crossbow. You gain a bonus equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum +0) to damage when attacking with any type of crossbow chosen in this manner. This replaces gun training.
Dwarf Stats in my campaign setting
Humanoid
Medium Size
30 ft movement speed
+4 bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves against fatigue, exaustion, and other effects from running, forced marches, thirst, starvation, or hot or cold environments.
Darkvision 60 ft
Moves at normal speed in difficult terrain that is primarily stone.
Can hold breath for 4 rounds times Constitution score before suffocating or drowning.
+2 Light Crossbow
Masterwork Longsword
+3 Studded Leather Armor
Amulet of Natural Armor +2
Belt of Incredible Dexterity +2
Headband of Inspired Wisdom +2
Bag of Holding Type 2
Looks like we've both been using the same reference photos for our dwarf mountains! Much more pleasant to look at than your "Standard Cold Gray Fantasy Mountains." Also gives them more of a challenge with places for the trolls and wyverns to hide. Danged pesky wyverns.
I actually took the Chinese mountain thing from you. You mentioned it, and I went and did an image search, and decided to use them.
There are dwarves who live in "Standard Cold Gray Fantasy Mountains", but there are more who live in these more lively Chinese-style mountains, or heavily forested mountains, or sandy mountain ranges, and so on. There are a wide variety of mountainous terrains that dwarves are native to, and cold, gray mountains are in the minority.
Then we have the dwarves who live in cave complexes below sea level and make their living from the underground lakes and rivers.
I've always had issue with Dwarves being subterranean, yet using axes. Wouldn't their weapons be variations on tools, and thus they would be using picks and hammers? There aren't any trees down there to chop up. Spears and short polearms too.
Mountain dwarves use swords, axes, hammers, and polearms. Then again, mountain dwarves are only part subterranean, not fully subterranean, and they do have uses for axes (they cut down trees for wood all the time). Cave dwarves use swords, hammers, and polearms, and are fully subterranean.
Both mountain dwarves and cave dwarves favor polearms the most, with axes, swords, and hammers being secondary or close combat weapons. It makes sense. Polearms would be incredibly effective in a tunnel.
I'm playing a Catfolk Magus in Tomb of Horrors, and building up a medieval magitech campaign setting based in a fantasy analogue of the Americas, Polynesia, and Australia. I have plans for a flamboyant "Spanish" Dwarven Crossbow Sniper (Gunslinger that uses crossbows, homebrew by Epic Meepo) character, but haven't written her up yet.
The Dwarves are a very clever and hard working race, known for both their work ethic and their ability to come up with inventive solutions to problems.
Physical description
Dwarves stand, on average, about 5 and a quarter feet tall, and are built along much the same lines as most other humans. They take great pride in their appearances and hygiene, being fastidious groomers and frequent bathers. They have a tendency to prefer long hair, and many males wear long beards, often braided, but this is not universal. They tend to be light skinned, with and their natural hair colors are usually shades of grey, including white or black, or metallic colors. Their irises are usually metallic colors or dark grey.
Environment
Dwarves live in two main environments: mountains and underground caves. Mountain dwarves tend to either live in burrows or cities carved out of caverns that are fairly close to the surface, while cave dwarves usually live in cities located in caverns deeper underground than mountain dwarf settlements. Cave dwarves rarely live in high elevation areas, while mountain dwarves almost always do live in such areas.
Both mountain and cave dwarves are known for working stone, metal, and wood. Mountain dwarves are also known for mining. Cave dwarves also mine, but they don't get quite as much ore out of their environment as mountain dwarves. Mountain dwarves do a lot of above ground farming, which provides the bulk of their food supply, and, while they usually live underground, they spend a lot of time above ground. They tend to locate near mountain streams for the water supply they provide.
Cave dwarves usually don't live in the mountains, preferring deep underground caverns in low altitude areas. They usually settle very close to underground lakes or rivers. They mostly live off of funguses and whatever other plants they can cultivate, whatever underground animals they can catch or raise, seafood, and the bodies of their dead. Mountain dwarves and other human races often find this practice rather repulsive, but cave dwarves view it in a positive light. To them, it is a better fate to be used to nourish one's family and friends after death than to have their remains dumped in a hole and covered up.
Society
Dwarves tend to be monarchial, but they prefer constitutional monarchies over absolute monarchies. They appreciate a leader with the power to do what needs to be done, but dislike rules who can do whatever they want without challenge. Dwarven societies have been known to descend into tyranny, which just reinforces their preference for an enforced constitution. Most Dwarven governments are large confederations of allied city-states, each with it's own monarch who answers to a confederate leader usually elected by the monarchs or their parliaments. They tend to be politically and socially conservative, seeing little reason to change what works.
Dwarven society is generally fairly lawful, and they are usually fairly appreciative of their governments, though crime is not at all unheard of and corruption is often a problem. They respond to this with strict judgment of criminals meant to dissuade others from repeating their mistakes and turn criminals into law abiding individuals, prefer a period of labor over prison sentences or fines, and tend to like the idea of punishments fitting the crime when this is practical. They aren't very fond of the death penalty (aside from the occasional tyrant), as most see having to use it as a failure of society, but they do use it when they feel it is necessary. They just don't take much pleasure in it, seeing it as something unpleasant and unfortunate, but necessary for public safety.
Dwarves have a very hard work ethic, with a love of working stone, metal, wood, and gems. When it comes to art, they favor sculpting and carving a great deal. They generally have healthy senses of humor, and enjoy music, dancing, and alcohol. They put a very large amount of importance on family and close friends, and are very loyal. They generally aren't particularly religious, putting more faith in their leaders, family, and friends than they do in the gods. Dwarves can be intolerant of those different from them and hesitant to change when necessary do to their conservative bent. They place a lot of importance on family, and can be rather unpleasant to those from families with poor reputations, born out of wedlock, or without much of a family at all.
Dwarves have an great appreciation of technology and science, and are responsible for a large number of technological and scientific innovations. They see a massive array of possibilities in the study of wizardry, and many eagerly take to it. They are also very serious about their defense, and generally have a large force of well trained soldiers available. They tend to prefer roles that require training, education, and professionalism. It is not unusual for a dwarf to leave the mountains or caves for the lands of other human races, where their skills and professionalism are prized assets. There are a very large number of dwarven mercenaries, scientists, engineers, and magicians living among other human races.
Mountain dwarves do not always live in cold, forlorn peaks. Some do, but dwarves are often found in places like this, this, this, this, this, or this.
Do you like it? Any suggestions for a couple twists on traditional dwarves I could add?
This is NOT counting all the illegal immigration who we the tax payers provide free healthcare and wellfare services for.
Is there any proof of this statement? My understanding is that the last thing an illegal immigrant wants to do is deal with the government, and that most of the ones trying to get money actually grew up in the US (the whole college tuition thing).
Seriously? You could go on public assistance, be in America illegally and have a child at no charge of your own. You could find the proof you need by looking it up or asking anyone in the healthcare industry or an E.R staffer.
According to the IRS, illegal immigrants contribute $7 billion every year to Social Security, but unless naturalized, they will never be able to draw any of it.
Illegal immigrants account for approximately 2% of health care spending nationally.
Immigrants have always been demonized, each and every wave of them. Yet they've always provided us with an overall economic gain. You know, part of that American Dream you keep talking about.
Alabama is projected to see a net-loss of $10 billion in GDP, $255 million in state taxes and $90 million in local taxes lost as a result of their laws enforcing immigration rules.
The experience in Alabama proves what is going to happen to us as a country if we try to force them out more aggressively. Employers complained about not being able to fill jobs. Crops went unpicked and new crops haven't been sown in many cases. This has led to farmers not buying new equipment, which means lay offs at factories that manufacture this equipment. By kicking illegals out of the state, or getting them to self-deport, Alabama will rid itself of 40,000 to 80,000 illegal immigrants and will probably lose around 70,000 to 140,000 jobs.
Yay forward progress!
I'm sorry we dont agree on this my friend. How can your monetary projections be so accurate while the numbers of...
You haven't proved anything about them and welfare services. As for legal immigration, sure. Hand out more visas, and increase the quotas.
I think that, while there certainly are bad cops, and cops do get annoyed and act like asses at times (who doesn't?), the profession as a whole is generally honorable.
This is NOT counting all the illegal immigration who we the tax payers provide free healthcare and wellfare services for.
Is there any proof of this statement? My understanding is that the last thing an illegal immigrant wants to do is deal with the government, and that most of the ones trying to get money actually grew up in the US (the whole college tuition thing).
Seriously? You could go on public assistance, be in America illegally and have a child at no charge of your own. You could find the proof you need by looking it up or asking anyone in the healthcare industry or an E.R staffer.
According to the IRS, illegal immigrants contribute $7 billion every year to Social Security, but unless naturalized, they will never be able to draw any of it.
Illegal immigrants account for approximately 2% of health care spending nationally.
Immigrants have always been demonized, each and every wave of them. Yet they've always provided us with an overall economic gain. You know, part of that American Dream you keep talking about.
Alabama is projected to see a net-loss of $10 billion in GDP, $255 million in state taxes and $90 million in local taxes lost as a result of their laws enforcing immigration rules.
The experience in Alabama proves what is going to happen to us as a country if we try to force them out more aggressively. Employers complained about not being able to fill jobs. Crops went unpicked and new crops haven't been sown in many cases. This has led to farmers not buying new equipment, which means lay offs at factories that manufacture this equipment. By kicking illegals out of the state, or getting them to self-deport, Alabama will rid itself of 40,000 to 80,000 illegal immigrants and will probably lose around 70,000 to 140,000 jobs.
I hear the whole "immigrants are taking our jobs and gaming our welfare and medical systems" argument all the time. It's a crock. Not to mention the fact that we have always had to rely on cheap immigrant labor. Irish, Germans, Italians, and Chinese were all doing it before Mexicans. It's just harder for poor people to immigrate legally now, so our poor immigrant labor is illegal. Kick the cheap labor out for being illegal, and the system is borked, seeing as how we've been relying on it for over a century.
This is NOT counting all the illegal immigration who we the tax payers provide free healthcare and wellfare services for.
Is there any proof of this statement? My understanding is that the last thing an illegal immigrant wants to do is deal with the government, and that most of the ones trying to get money actually grew up in the US (the whole college tuition thing).
Seriously? You could go on public assistance, be in America illegally and have a child at no charge of your own. You could find the proof you need by looking it up or asking anyone in the healthcare industry or an E.R staffer.
Post some evidence. I doubt this claim very, very highly.
I also love the "leeching free medical care" argument cause, y'know, that's the problem. it's not that the medical insurance industry exists only to put another bill between you and treatment, it's that the US doesn't need a single-payer system cause there's so much free medical care just lying around!
+50 Billion. I'd love to hear more about this so called free healthcare.
This is NOT counting all the illegal immigration who we the tax payers provide free healthcare and wellfare services for.
Is there any proof of this statement? My understanding is that the last thing an illegal immigrant wants to do is deal with the government, and that most of the ones trying to get money actually grew up in the US (the whole college tuition thing).
And those who are working with false ids or whatnot are getting income and FICA taxes withheld. (And there are plenty of citizens working under the table too)
And they're all paying sales and other taxes.
Having worked in restaurants for a while now, I'll tell you, every undocumented worker (british ones included, true story) i've known has gotten a pay check which had payroll all taxes deducted. None, of course, reported their income to the IRS and received the returns.
Precisely. Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigration, the fact of the matter is that they are not taking advantage of the welfare or medical services.
Word. They are desperately trying to stay OFF the government radar.
Yes. It's almost as if they didn't want the government to know where they are...
I can filter them by category, but when I click on the one I want nothing happens.
An avatar description thing showing what book and character the avatar is from popped up once for one avatar, but I cannot get it to appear again and do not know how I got it to appear the first time.
OK, can you let me know what browser and the version number for it? This usually works when you move your mouseover it. It then should bring up a little box with the left hand side showing some information and at the bottom is a link to the avatar. If you're not getting that then something is wrong and we need to fix it. =)
I use the last version of Flock (I know it's old, but it lets me save tabs when I shut down). I can get the detail tab up now, but when I click "select this avatar" the server times out.
This is NOT counting all the illegal immigration who we the tax payers provide free healthcare and wellfare services for.
Is there any proof of this statement? My understanding is that the last thing an illegal immigrant wants to do is deal with the government, and that most of the ones trying to get money actually grew up in the US (the whole college tuition thing).
And those who are working with false ids or whatnot are getting income and FICA taxes withheld. (And there are plenty of citizens working under the table too)
And they're all paying sales and other taxes.
Having worked in restaurants for a while now, I'll tell you, every undocumented worker (british ones included, true story) i've known has gotten a pay check which had payroll all taxes deducted. None, of course, reported their income to the IRS and received the returns.
Precisely. Regardless of how you feel about illegal immigration, the fact of the matter is that they are not taking advantage of the welfare or medical services.
I can filter them by category, but when I click on the one I want nothing happens.
An avatar description thing showing what book and character the avatar is from popped up once for one avatar, but I cannot get it to appear again and do not know how I got it to appear the first time.
