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Okay, I have been working on a homebrew setting of mine and I think I have the 'core' races of the world set.
The world in a nutshell is alternate Earth scenario: what if the extinction event of the Cretaceous was not a meteor but rather a fluid of wild energies. These Chaotic energies warped and killed many of the planets creatures, turning the survivors into monsters. Eventually 18 Drehyl [things that are to dragons as dragons are to kobolds] stemmed the flow of these energies by forcing their will over it, entering deep slumbers to tide the flow of raw magic. In the recovering world to new major types of beings: beasts altered from the ages of magic mutation; and fey formed from pure magic by the Drehyl, both accidently and sometimes planned.
Vaem- Proto-elves, the Vaem came to be under the will of the Drehyl Cahtix who wished for a race of loyal, adaptable servents. They are humanoid and elf-like, with a few differences. The have no mouth, with only two tiny slits for noses. There skin various from a pale marble color to a dark oaken shade of brown, and have no hair of any kind. Aesthetically they seem to meld with what ever they where [cloths and armor becomes seamless with the body once donned] and they will change physically to reflect their life [a Vaem of a noble background usually will grow ridges akin to a crown].
They are whimsical in nature and easy going, more so now that Cahtix was given up his urges of conquest. They are very magical in nature but produce few wizards. Sorcerers however come in droves from the Vaem, as do graceful Fighters and brilliant Bards from their marble cities.
Pech- as the little guys from the Bestiary, just made for player characters. Arrive from wild fey that birthed in the caverns of the earth, the Pech in the setting are meant to be a combo of dwarves and gnomes. They are master craftsman and miners, but also the race championing a arcane understanding of magic, with classified schools and what-not. Are iffy with psionics due to being chased out of their first home by an army mental trogs.
Urebest- a race of nomadic raptors that developed once the magic was stemmed. They would fill the roles of humans in traditional settings, as they are everywhere and very diverse: the Tral urebest of the Badlands are tall and hearty while the Mo urebest of the Golden Sands are feathered in bright colors. In the collective culture witches are actually seen as the spiritual leaders as the urebest worship Patrons of the World typically and not the Drehyl.
Lreeko- patient, stealthy, and paranoid as Hell, the Lreeko are a race of small, humanoid chameleons. They live in vast forest settlements in a swampy archipelago, fighting constantly in the tree tops for the limited resources and territory. Most never see the ground let alone the world. And that is fine by them. Rouges and rangers by trade.
Pnubiez- a complex race of social worms, the Pnubiez actually posses many genders that have different shapes and advantages. The two kinds typically found outside of the hive communities are Bils- tough, upright, soldier types- and Shirego- man sized worms who combine their typical trade as Barbarians with their burrowing ability to make effective shock troops and scouts.
Dreg- a race of fish monsters, the Dreg do not originate from the world. They are refugees from beyond the plane, fleeing their past mistakes. Ironically they now do so again, their various engineered slaves having revolted against them. They now migrate to the land, ignoring there previous faults as they continue their craft as flesh shapers.
So opinions people? I want to know if these sound interesting before I go through the headache of making them. These above of course are just their raw concepts for the World I am building.
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Seems neat...
A better reaction then I was expecting. I just want to make sure the races sound good in concept before I commit to them.
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I might have to borrow the Concept of the Urebeast & Lreeko for a couple more Reptilian Races to add to my 5 I already have...
I might have to borrow the Concept of the Urebeast & Lreeko for a couple more Reptilian Races to add to my 5 I already have...
Fine by me! The whole point of this thread is to flesh them out, so if you help with the design process how can I say no?
You might look at my Gothic Races thread.
I have a List of Races that I am going to add to. At least once I finish laying out the builds for my Fallen Alliance Army: 13th Company Thread...
On an unrelated note... I am beginning to despise Rangers...
I may also have an answer to rangers, but that is unrelated.
If i had to guess, would +2 Dex, +2 Chr, -2 Int make sense for the Vaem? the few wizards line is were i got Int penalty.
How do you pronounce Lreeko?
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Mammals seem woefully under represented.
This world is class-ist.
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El-ree-co is how I see it...
Toaster has some good Stats.
Rynjin, I honestly prefer a setting with Humans in a Minority...
Humans aren't the only mammals you know.
Jeez.
El-ree-co is how I see it...
Toaster has some good Stats.
Rynjin, I honestly prefer a setting with Humans in a Minority...
See, I was thinking it was la'REE'Coh. Cool concept for a lizardfolk, but I'd suggest something a bit easier to pronounce. It is easy to fall into the trap of making exotic words without realizing how difficult it is to pronounce. You want your players to focus on the background of the Lreeco, not how to pronounce it.
Perhaps something based on the Akkadian word qaqqari, where the Greek and Latin words for Chameleon come from? Kakari if you don't like Q's without U's. Just a thought.
Feels like you could benefit from something with fur.
Avoiding the "Canine-people" or "Cat-people" which might seem over done you could take a different route with it. Perhaps something from the Mustelidae family? Weasel-people, badger-people, wolverine-people, ferret-people, mink-people, otter-people?
Clearly not all of them. But pick one. Perhaps give them an extra set of arms if you pick one of the slender long ones (Weasel, ferret, mink).
If you pick one of the more powerful 'stout' ones you could bulk them up to take the place of 'Orc' types in your world. Wolverine, or badger people could be big and badass.
Otter-people could be your 'river' folk or even seafolk. (( River otters and Sea otters look very different in the face. You should google each))
Another option is perhaps something with quills or spikes. Porcupine-peoples or Hedgehog people.
But yeah. Looking over your list you kinda have the bird folk. Then a bunch of smooth skinned, hairless, smallish peoples' there. Which is cool for a theme, but the exception brings the theme together.
Wolverine/Badger people would probably be the best. You ever read Redwall? You don't f~&@ with a Badger.
They're pretty easy to stat too, something like +2 Str and Con, -2 Cha, Darkvision, and a Burrow speed. Maybe two claw attacks.
They're basically your Half-Orc/Dwarf rolled into one, just like the Pech are your Gnomes, the Vaem are your elves, and so on.
I personally think the dreg sound frikken' awesome. I might have to shamelessly steal it- I mean make something similar. Ahem.
Maybe for the dreg's physical appearance, combine the stereotypical 'deep ones' (i.e. kuo-toa, skum) with something like a mind flayer. If I might be so bold, might I suggest something like this:
This hideous creature stands roughly five foot even, with webbed claws, long gangly limbs, and backwards bending legs. It's piscine head is topped by a long, spiked fin, and a quartet of blank watery eyes lie recessed in it's facial ridges. It's mouth is it's most disturbing feature, it being a nest of writhing tentacles each about half a foot long. It is dressed in loose fitting robes covered in arcane sigils, and it carries a collection of horrific bladed 'tools' on a belt around it's pudgy waist. It assesses your worth with cold detachment.
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All I ask is that the Badgers be Medium but be Slow.
Excuse me while I think about them while messing with my dwarves...
GOD WHY DO RANGERS HAVE SUCH HORRID STAT BLOCK NEEDS!
Wolverine/Badger people would probably be the best. You ever read Redwall? You don't f%%~ with a Badger.
They're pretty easy to stat too, something like +2 Str and Con, -2 Cha, Darkvision, and a Burrow speed. Maybe two claw attacks.
They're basically your Half-Orc/Dwarf rolled into one, just like the Pech are your Gnomes, the Vaem are your elves, and so on.
Yeah that's what I was goin' for! Thank you.
How, did't think I'd miss that much sleeping.
1.) Sorry for my bad wording, but I intended the urebest to look like raptors in the saurian sense, not the avian sense. They are not humanoid hawks, they are talking velociraptors.
2.) -2 Int works for the Vaem, but I was thinking a -2 Con instead. They shun wizards due to cultural reasons, not because of capability reasons.
3.) Lreeko will hence forth be called the Kakari!
4.) Are people really rubbed off by the lack of mammal races? Yes, I have read Red Wall but I am not trying to go for a world of Antromorphic animals. Cool as that is.
5.) And Kazarath: ALL MY YES! Illithids are my favorite terrors, so I will finalize the dreg as a fish/squid mix. The only think I think you got wrong with the dreg however was that bit about appraising; they tend to barely pay attention to anything they didn't personally make-birth :P.
Glad I could be of help. Maybe make their stats something like +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Wis. That'd fit thematically in my opinion.
sexual polymorphism would be fun with the pnubiez.
Bils +2 con, +2 chr, -2?
tough soldier type
Shirego +2 wis, +2 chr, -2?
good combo for scouts
The common ability increase is a +2 Chr for being "social". i suppose you really wouldn't need a penalty if the racial traits were balanced accordingly.
3.) Lreeko will hence forth be called the Kakari!
Do they give magic powers to the people that hold them?
How do they eat? or for that matter, communicate?
They communicate telepathically and eat and drink through their feet.
This should be old hat by now.
Pnubiez seem interesting too. Maybe they can get that racial Str/Con bonus, but the hive mind thing has me torn between - Int (because they don't think for themselves) or - Wis (because they don't really have common sense individually).
Maybe they can get +2 all physical stats but -2 to Wis and Int. Great physical prowess, not too stellar in the brains department.
I don't think you need mammalian races, especially if you are using an alternative history where at least some dinosaurs survived. That would rather prevent mammals from really evolving much beyond small critters.
IF you wanted a mammalian race, I would suggest maybe something more along the lines of a marsupial, maybe something evolved from a cuscus.
Golarion has Dinos even in their current age.
Are you planning on making them using the Race Builder?
@LazarX- I was going to go into more descriptive account later, but if you must know they speak through their noses, creating the whistles of their native language. Other languages are actually a chore for them to learn due to the practice needed to vocalize other sounds. They eat by not eating at all; the race survives entirely on water, which they absorb through their skin [They also love flavored liquids, like tea].
@Rynjin- Is that an Anamorphs reference?
@Fayth- I will us the Race Builder for the most part, deviating slightly [maybe] with custom build options.
Yes, yes it is.
Andalites were the first thing I thought of when you described them.
I know that feeling.
I personally have made the Powerful Build Trait...
And great you made a variant of the Namekians...
I'm not "Rubbed off" By the lack of Mammalian races. It's just something that people are going to expect. As for the raptors, you did describe one of them as having feathers. That might be why people thought birds, not dinos.
If you're going for Dino world, that's cool.
As for elves with no mouths that drink through their feet and play songs out their noses, they sound a bit like snorks. lol
Joking aside, it's your world. I wasn't going for 'Redwall'. I was just suggesting some mammals that arn't just the 2239470239470239742039742309742309472309472309742309472304 version of a werewolf or the 2984723857129384723984723947239487239847294872934723987 verson of sexy cat peoples. :)
Your numbers are a little off.
Too low?
Way to low...
Way to low...
Funny
Which race should we work on first?
don't know if i am invited to this party but i did have some more thoughts on the pnubiez.
1. Sexual Polymorphism- all pnubiez have -2 Chr, pnubiez favor practicality over social graces.
bils have +2str, +2con
shirego have +2 wis, +2 dex
2.Hivemind-All pnubiez have telepathy 100ft. they may only communicate with other pnubiez of the same hive or a willing pnubiez of a different hive.
Thoughts, reactions?
don't know if i am invited to this party but i did have some more thoughts on the pnubiez.
1. Sexual Polymorphism- all pnubiez have -2 Chr, pnubiez favor practicality over social graces.
bils have +2str, +2con
shirego have +2 wis, +2 dex
2.Hivemind-All pnubiez have telepathy 100ft. they may only communicate with other pnubiez of the same hive or a willing pnubiez of a different hive.
Thoughts, reactions?
A good jumping point. Not sure if I am a 100% with how the hive mind works.
Pnubiez should probably look into the Swarming Trait for at least one of the 2. Probably Bils...
What do you dislike about the Telepathy?
I wanted to avoid the stereotype of hive mentality equals hive mind.
Inter-Hive Communication makes sense though.
It isn't like they are all the same person. They are just better at organization and keeping their Military Communications secret.
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I like what you've created. These races seem pretty cool.
I like what you've created. These races seem pretty cool.
Thank you!
@ True but that's my problem with it. I didn't want a caste society that formed through a mind link, but rather one that sprang up as they realized that no individual Pnubiaz form is superior, but rather all together they are strong.
I like what you've created. These races seem pretty cool.Thank you!
@ True but that's my problem with it. I didn't want a caste society that formed through a mind link, but rather one that sprang up as they realized that no individual Pnubiaz form is superior, but rather all together they are strong.
then i second the swarming ability then, maybe a bonus to aid another actions?
That fits better.
That fits better.
what would fit better Natural Armor or Dodge bonus? one would imply armor coated types, the other bendy flexible types.
That fits better.what would fit better Natural Armor or Dodge bonus? one would imply armor coated types, the other bendy flexible types.
Definitely it would depend on the caste in question but for the Bil and Shirego I think some Natural Armor would be needed.
so far for pnebiez we got
Nat Armor
Swarming
Bonus to aid another
maybe some weapon proficiencies and a skill bonus somewhere?
I think we are really making progress for the Pnubiez as a whole. Question though, anyone know if the Adv. Race Guide has rules for giving things burrow? I am trying to give the Shirego it.
I think we are really making progress for the Pnubiez as a whole. Question though, anyone know if the Adv. Race Guide has rules for giving things burrow? I am trying to give the Shirego it.
normal speed requirement 3RP
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There's a pretty big difference between a "highly organized caste society" and a "hive community".
But you know what might be cool? Each Pnubiez is actually a mass of worms that come together to form an individual, and these fully grown Pnubiez then take their place in society.
Basically, individuals are formed, not really born.
Sorta kinda like the Lekgolo(?) from the Halo series.
I think we are really making progress for the Pnubiez as a whole. Question though, anyone know if the Adv. Race Guide has rules for giving things burrow? I am trying to give the Shirego it.normal speed requirement 3RP
Thank you!
There's a pretty big difference between a "highly organized caste society" and a "hive community".
But you know what might be cool? Each Pnubiez is actually a mass of worms that come together to form an individual, and these fully grown Pnubiez then take their place in society.
Basically, individuals are formed, not really born.
Sorta kinda like the Lekgolo(?) from the Halo series.
I meant they structure their lives like a hive but I see how my wording sucked.
I was thinking about including a rare caste of Pnubiez that was indeed a gestalt of many spawnlings. The idea is that rarely a individual spawnling is born with natural psionic power; they subconsciously meld with their siblings and draw them into a single form. Pnubiez cherish these strange incidents but also regret them: hundreds of spawnlings are last to make one and in smaller communities a whole generation maybe lost to such an event.