I am a DM and player, have been so for many years now, and I have finally decided to create my own campaign setting. What I am currently looking for is suggestions, advice, and pitfalls to avoid while doing creating a world all my own.
Thank You in advance and Happy Gaming :).
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Well, the first thing to establish is what you want from your setting. If you want to use it for a campaign specifically, then you should start with the story and just add in the details. If you want a specific feel, you might just want to write down everything you want in your setting, and drop them on a map. (And again, fill in the details later.)
You should consider if you want the standard races, non-standard races or make up some new ones.
You might also want to consider banning some classes, or putting more emphasis on others.
Deities generally have 5 domains in Pathfinder, and if they have an alignment other than true neutral they always have alignment domains. Don't forget to give them favored weapons. Some deities get simple weapons, which is really sad for their clerics but that's just how it is. Ofcourse, you could have your clerics worship spirits or whatever. In that case, you could just allow your players to cherrypick their domains. Originally, Gary Gygax intended for players to create their own (good) deities. You could allow your players to make up a deity, as long as it doesn't get in the way of whatever you have planned.
Things like calendars and constellations can create important details. (Just look at Dragonlance.) You could make astral sign traits if astrology is important in your setting, for example.
But maybe it's better to just share what you've got already, so we can give some specific advice.
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I know of only three basic approaches to World Building.
(These terms are my own you may know them as something else).
Top Down
4WHW
Scatter Shot
Top Down
Start with THE BIGGEST power/feature known and work your way down.
This could be the Gods, the various nation states, etc..
You develop the biggest active powers, why and how they interact with the setting. From there you develop the next step down. And so on until you get to the Player Character level. By that time you should have a living breathing world that your Players will want to come back to time and time again.
4WHW
Who, What, Where, When, How, Why.
You ask ask these questions in as many variations as possible until you have a fully developed world staring back at you from the pages of your "World Atlas."
Scatter Shot
You jot down ideas as the inspiration strikes you. You keep doing this, often jumping around from place to place until a world starts to take form. Then you keep doing it some more until the World fully develops.
There is no one right or wrong way to approach this.
(I tend to use a combination of all three).
The biggest pitfall to watch out for?
Logical disconnects.
You do not place a desert dwelling monster in a rain forest or on a snowy waste without a damn good reason. That reason does not have to be revealed to the players immediately (if ever) however (a little mystery never hurt anyone).
Just so happens I have recently begun work on a new game setting, and would be happy to share ideas and concepts with you if you wish, and to offer any advice that could be useful.
Building a game world is likely the most fun a GM can have with a RPG, but it can be a lot of work, but take it a step at a time, and work from a topdown perspective, start with the bold stroke concepts of your world and descend into the details from there.
anyway feel free to post in my thread and I will happily monitor this one, cheers and good luck. :)
http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2qqu2?Drakjotun-Campaign-setting-idea#3.
Thank you for the responses. I dont have to terribly much though i do have a few ideas:
* The planet has just finished going through a massive ice age brought about by an ancient war (Arcane World War).
* I have also come up with a few enemy ideas:
- The Nagual were a race of Shape shifting reptilian magic users. They were one of the main causes for the war.
- There will also be the standard villains: Aboleth, Dragons, etc.
I also wanted to do a little renaissance movement in there as well, with the thawing of the ice age civilization has entered a renaissance period.
The world will have a number of civilizations, but i want it to be largely unexplored. With swaths of unknown regions were anything could happen.
I have some more but I am still working out the details.
I was thinking of creating a draconic playable race, but more in line with the Psuedodragon.
Probably of small size (maybe medium)
Low natural AC (+1)
Low damage Bite attack (1d3+str)
Magic Inclined (Dragon)
The idea is still forming though. Thinking about giving them a gliding ability (no true flight, though might make it a level based racial feat, or maybe a feat chain)
Making them cousins to greater dragons. Also thinking about new monsters (titans, dragons, Flaura and Fauna) really want to make this my own.
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I like to start small when designing worlds, a town, kingdom or other limited area, and then work from there.
I'm currently working on a setting of my own. I started out designing a small kingdom based around the kingdom from Tangled, then expanded it into the countryside, making up the populace, politics and few good places to seek adventure.
I considered what ressources the kingdom had, farmers, miners, trade partners, allies and so on and built on that for flavor and belivability. Also, trade partners and allies gave me a good idea about the nations and countryside around the kingdom I'd built, should I need to expand my adventure outside it's borders.
All that was needed is history, but I will be building that as the player's advance and explore. I have a rough idea about the background of the kingdom, but mostly as a building point for myself, not something that's too important at the beginning of the campaign.
I've tried building worlds from the top down before, but it always ended up being a mess of half-planned ideas and it was never very good. There's too much to keep tabs on, so most of it will lie unexplored and forgotten, both by you and by your players.
Look at Golarion for instance. Most of the nations in that world could be cut out and used without any relation to any of the other nations - and in many of the adventure paths they are.
Over the years I've learned that the most important thing about good worldbuilding is making your players believe in it. Nobody cares about the grand demon war 600 years ago if they do not feel the effects of it today. And having a world run by level 15+ clerics and wizards will make people wonder why these powerful individuals doesn't just take an afternoon off to destroy the bandits bothering the countryside instead of sending a group of 2nd level adventurers.
If I should give just one piece of advice it would be this: Make them believe, everything else is just windowdressing :)
Have you thought of asking the folks you're going to be playing with for what they might want to see? While everyone else has good ideas for how to start solo, there's no reason players have to be left out of the creative process.
For instance, let's say you have four friends who will be joining you. What races do they want to play, and which are you willing to allow? If it comes out hobgoblin, catfolk, elf, and your dragon race what are their backgrounds? The hobgoblin might say he's from the area (perhaps it's a hobgoblin citadel); the elf might say she's from a nearby forest to the west; the dragon-kin might say he's from the south and came in by ship; the catfolk might say she's from a plain to the east.
This sort of thing established 1) Which races are around and 2) Where they come from. It also gives you geographic features you can use.
You could have other races around (such as dwarves in the northern hills and mountains), but some races might not be around at all (humans and halflings all died tragically).
You could also ask your players what types of adventures they might like to have and weave them into the world at large.
I was thinking of creating a draconic playable race, but more in line with the Psuedodragon.
Probably of small size (maybe medium)
Low natural AC (+1)
Low damage Bite attack (1d3+str)
Magic Inclined (Dragon)
The idea is still forming though. Thinking about giving them a gliding ability (no true flight, though might make it a level based racial feat, or maybe a feat chain)
Making them cousins to greater dragons. Also thinking about new monsters (titans, dragons, Flaura and Fauna) really want to make this my own.
Kobolds?
Anyway, I have been working on my own home brewed campaign world for a couple of years now and the best advice you can get is to decide the scope of the player's adventure. Are they traversing entire continents? Multiple continents? Only part of a single continent? From there, devise a wide (and I mean wide) range of ecology. Best way to do so would be to actually look at the Ranger's favored terrain lists and make sure there is something there in your game world for each of them.
Bigger is better, make sure your game world is appropriately sized as to actually incorporate an entire planet's worth of life. It also helps to leave areas open so you can add to them later, be abstract with it, you don't have to detail every last pebble. It also helps for when your players decide they want to play some race that you either had forgotten about, or did not originally accommodate for in your world design.
Also consider different cultures for different places. Is there only one kingdom that rules over the entire planet? A council or senate? Are there multiple kingdoms at peace with another, or at war?
In my game world I really have only fleshed out the main continent with plans of expanding, and there are six major nations. All of them have their territories hexed out on graph paper. If you wanna get that in depth, players will respond to it.
Also, paizo could totally write a book about world design if they wanted. hint hint
Mm kobolds are reminiscent of that very idea, but they are reptilian humanoids, Not true dragons. I was thinking of something more along the lines of lesser dragons as a player race.
Thank you for the information though, i will probably start in one area and work my way outward. Any more comments or suggestions are appreciated.
As always, Happy Gaming! :)
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I made the mistake of creating a world completely in a vacuum from my players. I made a dark fairy tale themed world with gothic horror influences. It was very thematic, slightly Victorian and I thought it was really cool. Seconds after the player's guide got into the hands of my players I realized I'd made a terrible mistake.
Enter: Elderscorn Vale
Turns out my players are all high fantasy types, raised on mixtures of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms. They wanted sort of a classic, beer-and-pretzels fantasy world with monsters, dungeons and looting. As I played through my original setting I constantly felt like I was trying to shoehorn the players into it.
My solution was to make a different part of the land. Due to physical constraints this area is separated from the rest of my homebrew, but also part of it and affected by events there. This new area, called Elderscorn Vale began just with a single city and a megadungeon nearby.
So I guess my suggestion would be design by desire. Not only what do you want, but what do your players do too. Start small and build out. You can always add what's on the other side of that hill; if you've already created everything you're less likely to change it when the players say they wish something specific was over there.
Alrighty so while working on my game world, i decided i wanted to use the Orog for my orcs. Though i thought the original idea for them didnt make to much sense. So i did a little editing for my own Orog. Hope people find it useful.
Orog CR 2
XP 600
CE Medium Humanoid (Giant)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; low-light vision; Perception +5
AC 15, Touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+2 armor, +3 Natural)
hp 23 (3d8+9)
Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +4
Defensive Abilities Orc Ferocity
Speed 30 ft.
Melee Greataxe +8 (1d12+7/x3), bite +2 (1d6+2)
Ranged Javelin +2 (1d6+5)
Special Attacks Blood Rage
Str 20, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 9
Base Atk +2; CMB 7; CMD 17
Feats Iron Will, Weapon Focus (Greataxe)
Skills Climb+6, Intimidate +3, Perception +5
Languages Common, Orc
SQ Orc Blood, Weapon familiarity
Environment temperate hills, mountains, or underground
Organization Solitary, Pair, Gang (2-4 Orog, 5-10 Orc), Squad (4-10 Orog, 11-20 Orc, plus 2 sergeants of 2nd level and 1 leader of 2nd-4th level)
Treasure Standard (Leather armor, Greataxe, 4 javelins, other treasure)
The bestial and terrible orog is the result of a union between an orc and an ogre. Born of fury and bloodlust, the orog is a creature of immense strength and cunning, born into a world of fighting and war. Though smarter then their ogre heritage, and stronger then their orcish heritage, the Orog does not technically fit in with either. Often times orogs are used as shock troops by orcish tribes fortunate enough to have them. The orog make excellent warriors and berserkers, possessing a natural bloodlust and a sadistic streak even their orcish companions find unsettling. This often times puts them at odds with the tribe and many orogs can be found wandering the countryside searching for battle and the ability to sate their more carnal desires.
An adult orog is roughly 6 1/2 feet tall and 260 pounds. Their bodies are powerfully muscled, this includes their jaw muscles which allows for a terrible bite with its tusked jaws. Orogs themselves can interbreed with regular orcs, though often times this results in normal orc offspring.
Anyway, thats it, Happy Gaming!
Monsters from the war will still be in the remaining glaciers. Misplaced monsters might be coming from a portal a cult recently reopened. During the war, they might have created a portal system cutting through the near ethereal.
I made the mistake of creating a world completely in a vacuum from my players. I made a dark fairy tale themed world with gothic horror influences. It was very thematic, slightly Victorian and I thought it was really cool. Seconds after the player's guide got into the hands of my players I realized I'd made a terrible mistake.
Enter: Elderscorn Vale
Turns out my players are all high fantasy types, raised on mixtures of Greyhawk and Forgotten Realms. They wanted sort of a classic, beer-and-pretzels fantasy world with monsters, dungeons and looting. As I played through my original setting I constantly felt like I was trying to shoehorn the players into it.
My solution was to make a different part of the land. Due to physical constraints this area is separated from the rest of my homebrew, but also part of it and affected by events there. This new area, called Elderscorn Vale began just with a single city and a megadungeon nearby.
So I guess my suggestion would be design by desire. Not only what do you want, but what do your players do too. Start small and build out. You can always add what's on the other side of that hill; if you've already created everything you're less likely to change it when the players say they wish something specific was over there.
Second this!
I would love to see that player's guide, Mark Hoover. All your ideas that I've read in the past sound super awesome.
On a world building note: I only designed the place where the current campaign would take place, then focused on things that affected that area. Next, I moved to things that would affect a player's backstory, and important information that impacts PC races. This had me designing an entire continent. Things just progress rationally into other connected things. I wouldn't too worried about how you design it, so much as that it all fits together thematically and logically (in the way fantasy realms can), with internal consistency if not a form of realism.
You can always go back and rewrite parts of the world.
I always ask myself a couple questions to avoid useless fluff: How would my player's characters know this and why? Is it relevant? Does it impact the story? Does it provide story hooks for future adventures (even in future campaigns)?
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You could look at world building as a game....or just play a game of world building: Dawn of Worlds game.
It's a 12 page PDF that breaks world building down into a game you can do alone or with some friends to achieve a unique world. I believe that there is a good thread going where some posters are going through it and using the thread to document their progress at building the world...it's pretty interesting and gives a good basic framework of many millenia-long history.
I downloaded a copy of Dawn of Worlds, and I can see using it to build a pathfinder world at my FLGS. During the first age, each player might have a few giants, titans, or a terrask to use as living bulldozers. Conflicts could also shape the land, as your tools fight it out. Why is that mountain range at the end of that valley? Because the terrask was dragged there and then buried under molten rock by the other giant monsters, that's why!
I might try that dawn of the worlds game, seems interesting. thanks to goth guru and ulfhedin fo the advice. Thank you fake healer for the link and the notice.
Side Note: Does the CR on the Orog seem appropriate? and the Orog are to supplement the orcs not replace. Realize that my statement on them makes it seem like they might be a replacement.
Alright so i have a couple things done, some geography, world ideas and the like.
I will be starting in the Frostpeak bay, a natural bay located in the northen part of the continent. A frontier like place with little civilization.
Im also going to be doing a race of dwarves known as the Karrige who will be these nomadic, wild, nature like dwarves (inspired by the celts and a couple other cultures)
Ill post more if anyone is interested, or ill just keep plugging away.
Anyway, Happy Gaming!! :)
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Looks like you've gotten some nice advice already. Personally I like to go with a sort of combination of the 'Top Down' method that Damian Magecraft suggested, and then go from the 'down' (i.e. from a small town, kingdom, or other limited area) back outwards like Rocket Surgeon spoke of.
So I started the world I'm currently working on with a general idea of the setting and gods, then narrowed it to the main planet, then outlined continents and countries on that planet, then provinces in those countries, and then notable cities in those provinces. These consisted of a sentence or two for each thing; just enough that I know where each thing I want is going to be going.
Then from all that, I pick a central point. I was basically inspired by how Paizo really fleshed out the town of Sandpoint, and has been expanding from there into details of the rest of the Inner Sea region and lands beyond. So I found a country that I thought would work well as a good 'starting point' for the widest variety of adventures, then narrowed it down to one province in that country by the same method, and then to one city in that province.
After that there was detailing of that city and some notable people, and those people led to details of other notable people, some of whom would provide connections to other provinces or countries, and so on. Eventually an area is sufficiently fleshed out and I can zoom out a bit and start working on neighboring cities, then neighboring provinces and the cities within those. Eventually the whole country is nicely detailed and I can zoom out further to a neighbouring country (which then involves zooming back in and detailing smaller areas of relevance within that country, starting from an important central point, until that country is nicely detailed as well).
Only thing that's really thrown me off that method so far is the gods, as once I was down in local details of a particular city, I realized I needed to pop back out to a grand scale for their sake. The gods needed a lot more detail than the vagueness I'd given to them thus far, and they couldn't really wait for me to zoom all the way back out to them. After finishing them, though, I was essentially back on track.
...And of course how far you zoom in depends on how in-depth you want to do things. It's all up to you, just remember to have fun with it.
In summary: start big and vague so that you have at least some idea of what everything is and where it all is, and then zoom in and in, keeping it vague, until you're as far in as you want to go, then start adding the details to that vagueness while working back outwards. That's how I like to do it, at least.
Thank you Gluttony :).
So i have a question for anyone who might be reading this thread. Would anyone be willing to take a little of free time and draw me up a map of Askara (name of the country/landscape which Frostpeak bay is a part of)? Im not terribly good at drawing up maps of Geographical locations (Which is funny because i do rather well at dungeons and location maps, go figure). I've thought about trying my hand at some of the programs that are available, but i thought i might see if anyone is willing to give it a go.
Anywho, thank you in advance if anyone does decided to give it a try. Beyond that, Happy Gaming!! :)
P.S Anyone know a good place to find information about Celtic, Northen native american, and Eskimo culture/Folklore/Religious practices?
So my initial notes on a dwarven sub-race.
Karrige – Dwarven Sub-Race
Note: Nomadic wanderers, Hunters, Leather workers
The Karrige, are a sub-race of dwarves who when the dwarven empire made the great migration to the southern lands, refused to leave due to family or not wanting to leave there ancestral homes to orcs and other evil abominations.
Through countless centuries the karrige where known as the lost children, their fates unknown to the great dwarven empire and to its people. While expeditions were made into the frozen wastelands the Great Ice Age had wrought, none ever returned with news of the dwarves left behind.
The Karrige adapted to life in the cold and frozen lands, become hunters and trackers of great skill. They also learned a variety of techniques for growing food in inhospitable places, of working leather and wood, and animal husbandry. Though they lost much of their dwarven heritage, they still have a love of the earth and the hearth.
The Karrige have become master leatherworkers, creating armor and shields of leather that are as hard as steel and as supple as silk. They have also learned to work wood and bone to create deadly weapons, though they have a love for working though it was rare in the centuries of the Great Ice Age. There animal husbandry has become legendary, there war boars a thing of fear to the Orcs and Giants that prowl the north.
Though only recently within the past few centuries have the Karrige come into contact once again with their dwarven brethren, they have long since been working and warring with their human neighbors, the Mullak.
The two dwarven peoples are unsure of themselves or how they will come to terms with each other, but they work toward a lasting relationship.
Thoughts, comments, ideas, inspiration, rants? Would you play a nomadic,hunter type dwarf?
Thank you Gluttony :).
So i have a question for anyone who might be reading this thread. Would anyone be willing to take a little of free time and draw me up a map of Askara (name of the country/landscape which Frostpeak bay is a part of)? Im not terribly good at drawing up maps of Geographical locations (Which is funny because i do rather well at dungeons and location maps, go figure). I've thought about trying my hand at some of the programs that are available, but i thought i might see if anyone is willing to give it a go.
Anywho, thank you in advance if anyone does decided to give it a try. Beyond that, Happy Gaming!! :)
P.S Anyone know a good place to find information about Celtic, Northen native american, and Eskimo culture/Folklore/Religious practices?
I'm okay with making maps. I can't scan, but I can use my art program to create one if you can give me details. I'd need a sense of scale as well.
There are hundreds of different First Nation tribes in northern America - you'll need to be a bit more specific; Inuit culture would be among said tribes.
Besides a general Google search, what exactly are you looking for? There were many 'Celtic' tribes as well, ranging from those in Ireland and Britain to those in France and Germany.
Interesting little sub-race there. I guess perhaps my biggest question of sub-races is are you going to stat them up as an actual unique race, or will they simply be dwarves with a particular set of alternate racial traits?
Alright, lets see if i can answer some questions that came up while i was away.
@Indagare - I am not sure all the details you might need, if you could let me know ill be more then happy to try and provide what i can. Like i said not terribly good at Geographical maps, but if i can provide it i will. Especially since it would be amazing of you to do so.
As for the questions i had: Not particularly sure which ones, but primarialy those found in washington and Oregon, and the west coast of canada. I also was hoping for more information on the Inuit. As for the celtic tribes i was hoping for more info on the ones located on Ireland, Scotland, Britain and Possibly Germany.
@Gluttony - Im not sure, i was thinking of my own Unique race, Technically though they do originate from dwarves. I was hoping to keep that in there and expand upon it. I have been trying to figure out how to make them their own Unique thing while still keeping with the dwarven heritage. Though i could just do them as dwarves with racial traits.
If you have any ideas, they would be appreciated.
Thank you both for responding, and Happy Gaming!!
@Indagare - As for the scale, im starting it as a single country, probably the size of Texas, maybe a little smaller.
Alright, the alpha version of the Karrige are up, any comments or questions or advice is always appreciated.
Dwarf, Karrige –
+2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Slow and Steady - Karrige have a base land speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor.
Low-Light Vision – Karrige can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Hunt Master –Karrige are natural huntsman and gain a +2 racial bonus to survival checks, and a +2 bonus to perception checks. Karrige also gain a +4 racial bonus to survival checks to track.
Defensive Training – Karrige Dwarves get a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.
Hatred – Karrige receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes due to special training against these hated foes.
Hardy – Karrige receive a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Stability – Karrige receive a +4 racial bonus to their Combat Maneuver Defense when resisting a bulrush or trip attempt while standing on the ground.
Enduring – Karrige treat all cold weather conditions as one step below, and gain a +2 racial bonus to fortitude saves against cold weather.
Master Craftsman – Karrige gain a +2 racial bonus to all Craft or Profession checks related to leather or bone. When crafting a mastercraft item from leather or bone, the cost is 1/3 the normal cost for a mastercraft item.
Humm, all-around very similar to a standard dwarf. I would initially argue that they're better all around, but the loss of darkvision (and weapon familiarity, I guess, but darkvision is more important) at least gives dwarf-classic something to work with.
Other than that, yeah, not extremely different, and I suppose that's not really a bad thing. It works well as a minor and mostly-inconsequential statistical difference from the standard race that can assist a player in playing a particular character type within the dwarf race. That's great for dwarves in particular, since the race is prone the to 'Our Dwarves Are All the Same' thing.
Any suggestions in regards to them? im open to any that might make them a little more unique. Or any suggestions for giving them the "nomadic Wanderers vibe". Still like to keep them Dwarves, but i like to mix things up as well.
You may have already seen these, but here's what I've found:
For the Inuit:
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_inuit5.html
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/inu/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inuit_mythology
There are several different tribes of the Pacific northwest:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples_of_the_Pacific_Northwest_Co ast
http://firstpeoplesofcanada.com/fp_groups/fp_nwc5.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwakwaka%27wakw_mythology
You might be better off using generic ideas from these groups than trying to be too specific since that way you don't have a single tribe that you might end up getting wrong.
Celtic areas might be less charged, but you could try to blend traditions to make something unique:
http://www.godchecker.com/pantheon/celtic-mythology.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_mythology
http://www.celtic-culture.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_culture
http://www.celticradio.net/php/zodiac.php?type=index
http://api.ning.com/files/LiMXav22FtkCIwThU5nJV5fnbpvfzL0upDFyiW3N5YeqKjOtx CbbtfKo2p3W3A9xPARuGIE9XhLIY1aluXW1rP2qRRRrr0WG/celtic780x930.png
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Let's see what can be done with the Karrige. As Gluttony mentioned, it would probably be a good idea to keep them closer to regular dwarves since they're a subtype and not a separate race.
Humanoid [Dwarf] (0 RP)
Medium: Karrige have no bonuses or penalties due to their size. (0 RP)
Slow Speed : Karriges have a base speed of 20 feet. Their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance. (–1 RP)
Standard Ability Score Modifiers: +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma (0 RP)
Standard Language Quality: Karrige start with Common plus Dwarven. [[Furthermore, choose up to seven languages (except for Druidic or other secret languages).]] Karrige with high Intelligence scores can choose from any of these additional languages. (0 RP)
or
Xenophobic: Karrige start with Dwarven. [[Furthermore, choose up to four languages (except for Druidic or other secret languages), one of which must be Common (or Undercommon, if the race is native to the Darklands).]] Karrige with high Intelligence scores can choose from any of these additional languages. (0 RP)
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Defensive Training, Lesser: Karriage gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against humanoids of the giant subtype. (1 RP)
Enduring [Desert Runner]: Karriage receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as any other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, and hot or cold environments. (2 RP)
[[If limited to just cold environments, or it's only a +2 racial bonus, this could probably be 1 RP. If treating the cold as one step below, it probably would stay at 2.]]
Hardy: Karrige gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities. (3 RP)
Stability: Karrige receive a +4 racial bonus to their CMD when resisting bull rush or trip attempts while standing on the ground. (1 RP)
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Master Craftsman: Karrige gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from metal or stone. When crafting a mastercraft item from leather or bone, the cost is 1/3 the normal cost for a mastercraft item. (2 RP) [[Craftsman, for 1 RP, does the first half. My best guess is the second half is at least 1 RP more, though it could be 2.]]
Skill Bonus: Karrige are natural huntsman and gain a +2 racial bonus to survival checks, and a +2 bonus to perception checks. Karrige also gain a +4 racial bonus to survival checks to track. (6 RP?) [[Skill bonus is 2 RP for a single +2 bonus to one skill or two +1 bonuses to two skills. It can be taken up to three times, so the +2 survival and +2 perception make it equal 4 RP minimum. I'm not sure what the +4 to track would make since it gives a bigger than +2 bonus to a skill (survival check) but only to a specific aspect (track). I gave the minimum of 6 RP, but it could be as much as 8.]]
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Hatred: Karrige receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes due to special training against these hated foes. (1 RP)
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Low-Light Vision: Karrige can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light. (1 RP)
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Broken down:
-1 RP (General)
7 RP (Defensive)
8-11 RP (Feat and Skill) [[Variable since what you have doesn't quite match anything in the guide, so I'm making my best guess.]]
1 RP (Offensive)
1 RP (Senses)
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If you want to make them more unique, you could substitute one or more of the following for existing traits. Alternatively, you could simply use them for regular alternative traits.
Ancient Foe: Choose one monster type or one subtype of the humanoid type. Members of this race gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of that type and a +2 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks made to grapple creatures of that type. (3 RP)
Healthy: Members of this race gain a +4 bonus on Fortitude saves against disease and poison, including magical diseases. (2 RP)
Mountain-Born: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on Acrobatics checks made to cross narrow ledges and on saving throws against altitude fatigue and sickness. (1 RP)
Plagueborn: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease, ingested poisons, and becoming nauseated or sickened. (1 RP)
Poison Resistance: Members of this race gain a racial bonus on saving throws against poison effects equal to their Hit Dice. (3 RP)
Resistant: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting effects and poison. (2 RP)
Stubborn: Members of this race gain a +2 racial bonus on Will saving throws to resist spells and spell-like abilities of the enchantment (charm) and enchantment (compulsion) subschools. In addition, if a member of this race fails such a save, it receives another save 1 round later to prematurely end the effect (assuming the spell or spell-like ability has a duration greater than 1 round). This second save is made at the same DC as the first. If the member of the race has a similar ability from another source (such as a rogue's slippery mind class feature), it can only use one of these abilities per round, but can try the other on the second round if the first reroll ability fails. (2 RP)
Heart of the Fields: This race is born in rural areas and is used to hard labor. They gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level to any one Craft or Profession skill, and once per day they may ignore an effect that would cause them to become fatigued or exhausted. (4 RP)
Heart of the Mountains: Races born in the mountains are skilled at negotiating heights and precipices. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks and Acrobatics checks to move on narrow surfaces and uneven ground. Furthermore, they are considered acclimated to the effects of high altitude. (4 RP)
Heart of the Snows: Races born in chilly climes treat cold climates as one category less severe. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Fortitude saving throws against the effects of cold climates, on any check or saving throw to avoid slipping and falling, and to CMD against trip combat maneuvers. This bonus applies on Acrobatics and Climb checks made in slippery conditions. (4 RP)
Heart of the Wilderness: Races raised in the wild learn the hard way that only the strong survive. They gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill them. (4 RP)
Silent Hunter: Members of this race reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving by 5 and can make Stealth checks while running at a –20 penalty (this number includes the penalty reduction from this trait). (2 RP)
Skill Training: Pick up to two skills. These skills are always considered class skills for members of this race. (1 RP) [[I'd suggest survival and perception, but craft or profession (leather-working) could work too.]]
Stalker: Perception and Stealth are always class skills for members of this race. (1 RP) [[This is basically a named version of Skill Training above.]]
Enclave Protector: Members of this race add +1 to the caster level of any abjuration spells they cast. Members of this race also gain the following spell-like abilities (the caster level is equal to the user's character level):
Constant—nondetection;
1/day—faerie fire, obscure object, sanctuary (2 RP)
Spell-Like Ability, Lesser: Choose a 2nd-level or lower spell that does not attack a creature or deal damage. Members of this race can use this spell as a spell-like ability once per day. The caster level of the spell is equal to the user's character level.
Special: This trait costs as many RP as the level of the spell chosen (minimum 1 RP). This trait can be taken up to three times. Each time you take an additional spell, adjust the RP cost of this trait appropriately. [[I included this here since it's a do-it-yourself way to create potential spell-like abilities. Things like Create Water[/], [i]Call Animal,Goodberry, and Know Direction could come in very handy for a nomadic people.]]
Relentless: Members of this race gain a +2 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to bull rush or overrun an opponent. This bonus only applies while both the member of this race and its opponent are standing on the ground. (1 RP)
Weapon Familiarity: Choose up to two weapons, or one weapon and a racial weapon group. When choosing a racial weapon group, you must choose a group that includes the same name as one of your subtypes. Members of this race are proficient with those weapons. For the purposes of weapon familiarity, all bows are considered one weapon.
Special: This trait can be taken up to two times. The second time it is taken, the race becomes proficient with another two weapons or one weapon and a racial weapon group. (1 RP) [[I decided to include this in case you wanted to include some familiarity, such as with bows or spears.]]
Thank you Indagare :) i appreciate all the help.
Late to the thread but inspired by your enthusiasm.
I am in the process of world building as well. The map was the first thing made followed by deities, then cultures and races.
I also collecting artwork and inspiration from various sites like CGHub and Deviant art and made some of those illustrations into places in the realm.
I have a 40+ page pdf I can share with you if you wish. It might give you some ideas or inspiration.
-MD
Late to the thread but inspired by your enthusiasm.
I am in the process of world building as well. The map was the first thing made followed by deities, then cultures and races.
I also collecting artwork and inspiration from various sites like CGHub and Deviant art and made some of those illustrations into places in the realm.
I have a 40+ page pdf I can share with you if you wish. It might give you some ideas or inspiration.
-MD
Im always looking for inspiration, that would be fantastic! :)
NolanIanC@gmail.com Should be a good way, or if you can put it up, that would be appreciated. Thank you :)
I sent you a PM JadedDemiGod.
I will peek in on this thread from time to time to check in on your progress.
-MD
Alrighty, Version 1.2
Karrige Racial Traits
+2 Strength, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: The karrige are strong and cunning, but the harsh life of the wilds have made them savage.
Medium: Karrige are medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Slow and Steady: Karrige have a base speed of 20 feet, but their speed is never modified by armor or encumbrance.
Low-light vision: Karrige can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Defensive Training: Karrige gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against humanoids of the giant subtype.
Hardy: Karrige gain a +2 racial bonus against poison, spells, and spell-like abilities.
Hatred: Karrige receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid
creatures of the orc and goblinoid subtypes due to special training against these fated foes.
Heart of the Wilderness: Karrige gain a racial bonus equal to half their character level on Survival checks. They also gain a +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying and add half their character level to their Constitution score when determining the negative hit point total necessary to kill him.
Master Craftsman: Karrige gain a +2 racial bonus on all Craft or Profession checks to create objects from leather or stone. When crafting a mastercraft item from leather or bone, the cost is 1/3 the normal cost for a mastercraft item.
Snow Walker: Karrige receive a +4 racial bonus on Constitution checks and Fortitude saves to avoid fatigue and exhaustion, as well as any other ill effects from running, forced marches, starvation, thirst, and cold environments.
Weapon Familiarity: Karrige are proficient with Battleaxes, Heavy picks, Shortbows, Throwing axes, and treat any weapon with the word “Dwarven” in its name as a martial weapon.
Languages: Karrige begin play speaking Dwarven. Karrige with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Giant, Orc, Terran
A Brief overview -
Savage, Noble, Tenacious; these words are what describe the Karrige, known to the Great Southern Dwarven Empire as the "Lost children" who were left behind during the Long March to escape the Great Ice Age. Brothers, Sisters, wifes, husbands, daughters and sons, the Karrige were those who would not leave their ancestral homes to the Giant and Orcish hordes storming from the mountain tops and hidden places beneath the earth.
They are those who stayed and fought, hoping to stem the tide, ultimitaly they failed in the end. With the onslaught of the cold and the hordes, the dwarven survivors were forced to flee deep within the wilderness and into the cold. Forced to live of the land of the surface, they became nomadic wanderers and hunters, hunting and becoming friends and masters with the powerful boars that roam Ascara's forest and plains. They learned to create leather of incredible strength and suppleness, weapons forged from bone and wood, and masterful archers and axe throwers.
For thousands of years the Karrige, as they began to identify themselves, survived and even thrived on this nomadic lifestyle they had become adjusted too. They had also become savage and ruthless, the bane of the orcish armies and giant raiders that had sought to claim their ancestral halls. While the karrige could never reclaim their former homes, they brutally attacked and murder thousands of orcs, using guerrila tactics and their boar allies, to harry the orcs again and again. This went on for centuries, until the Karrige came into contact with the Mullak, Human aborigines of Ascara. Native people who lived and thrived on the coastal waters of Ascara, the Karrige and the Mullak upon their first meeting made a truce of sorts, neither people wanting to go to war with the threat of their orcish neighbors. So the Karrige and the Mullak worked together for mutual protection and survival. The Mullak taught the dwarves about the natural world, the spirits that lived within all things, the dwarves taught the malluk how to craft fine weapons and armor. Together they beat back the Hordes, and for a time Ascara was peaceful, the land plentiful and while the orcs made occasional forays from their mountain valley homes they never again threatened the Karrige or the Mullak.
As centuries passed into millenium the Great Ice age brought about by the Arcane War subsided, the lands warming. Soon scouts from the Great Dwarven Empire and the Osaric Republic began making forays into the Ascara countryside, seeking treasures and land once thought lost. The Karrige, unfamiliar with their ancient bretheren hide from or killed these newcomers, fearing an attack. As time went on more settlers and travellers came north, settling into a variety of small settlements and diplomats were sent to the Karrige and Mullak tribes asking for peace.
Though hard won peace was eventually made as the threat from the Orcish hordes and other foul creatures became ever present in this thawing world. The karrige and the Mullak taught the settlers about surviving in this harsh northland, the settlers providing the Karrige with metal weapons and tools, once again sparking the Karriges ancient dwarven heritage.
Now the Karrige are still the noble Wanderes, but strides have been made by both the Dwarven Empire and the Karrige to once again unit these two peoples.
Warfare -
The karrige are savage fighters, deadly both with an axe as well as with a bow. Riding into battle on their powerful boar steeds, their deadly wolfhounds close beside them. Rarely is a Karrige dwarf caught without his bow and axe, and the karrige have made both of these things a way of life. Training from the time they can walk in the arts of war, the karrige train constantly with their fellow dwarves as well as their traditional boar mounts and wolfhound companions.
Karrige traditionally carry a number of small charms or fetishes, believing that these possess powers of protection, ritual tattooing is also common usually in the forms of their ancestors or one of their gods.
Honestly im having fun working on the Karrige while i work on the campaign area and the world.
Im thinking of giving the Karrige a boar "God" or atleast a god who aspect is either a wereboar, or a gigantic boar.
Anywho, as always, any thoughts or comments let me know.
Happy Gaming!! :)
Honestly im having fun working on the Karrige while i work on the campaign area and the world.
Im thinking of giving the Karrige a boar "God" or atleast a god who aspect is either a wereboar, or a gigantic boar.
Anywho, as always, any thoughts or comments let me know.
Happy Gaming!! :)
Some kind of 'Boar Berserker Cult'? Perhaps like the PIE/IE animal warrior cults. Would make for great barbarians or perhaps cleric/shamans if nothing else.
Every animal type has an elder beast deity. Cats of all kinds have Bastet, who pretty much joined the pantheon. Fenris, goddess of wolves and werewolves, was chained up by the gods. The great boar, carved out the fiords and such, but had to be buried in permafrost when he would not stop. You might want to look up Swedish for a boar and use that for a name.
First off thank you all for your recommendations, secondly i like the ideas portrayed and definitely will have to use them. I did find to translations for boar "Vildsvin and Galt" though im not sure which one of those you were suggesting.
The humans would call him Vildsvin. The Dwarves call him Galt.
Couple of ideas for some deities, thought i would throw them up. its all just in the beginning stages, but still.
Deities and Pantheons of Tharenika –
Vildsvin/Galt
Alignment – NG
Domains – Animal, Earth, Strength, Protection
Favored Weapon – Warhammer
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Vildsvin is one of 5 Aspect Deities, said to have helped shape the world upon its creation. Originally formed from the frozen lands of the world, Vildsvin is an honorable diety who prefers to take action and charge straight ahead. His temper is legendary, and he was once imprisoned beneath the earth after his rampage began to affect the mortal world.
Morikkal
Alignment – LN
Domains – Death, Law, Protection, Knowledge
Favored Weapon – Sickle
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Morikkal is the lord of the underworld and god of the dead. He is the head of the council of seven minor deities who judge the dead and send them to their final resting places. Though he is fair he can often be harsh in his judgments of the dead. He is known to carry two long sickles with which he uses to dispatch his enemies and protect the halls of judgment.
Morrigan
Alignment – CG
Domains – Healing, Good, Plant, Weather
Favored Weapon – Scythe
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Lady of the earth, lady of the breaking dawn, mother of the lost, Morrigan has many names which she is known by. She is known as a kindly mother figure who helps those in need, her clergy is primarily made up of druids and more naturalist clerics.
Fenris
Alignment – CE
Domains – Destruction, Madness, Animal, Evil
Favored Weapon – The Claw (clawed Gauntlet)
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The mad mother, the bad wolf, the hunter of dreams
Fenris is a powerful god-like wolf demon and one of 5 aspect deities, she was imprisoned millennia ago in her home on the abyss when she tried to murder all other deities. Powerful and tenacious in the extreme, Fenris is considered to be the patron of wolves and all canine monsters, though all types of creatures worship her in hopes of gaining some of her power. She is considered the silent hunter, and a terrible foe, though her physical form is locked away deep within the abyss. She is capable of sending out avatars of herself, generally in the form of giant ghostly white wolves or as the Stalker, her hybrid form. Fenris is the only deity known to have lycanthropy, though whether she is the progenitor of the disease is unknown.
Leoric Adalardo
Alignment – LG
Domains – Nobility, Good, Community, Law, Protection
Favored Weapon – Longsword
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The Defender, The Father, The Destined
Leoric was a noble knight who fought valiantly during the war between the emerald emporer and his magical hordes. His sacrifice at the battle of the crashing seas, along with the divine magic he channeled in that battle assured his rise to godhood. Now a divine being himself, Leoric stands for the people he fought so long to protect.
Jarreth Sil
Alignment – NE
Domains – Trickery, Darkness, Luck, Void
Favored Weapon – Dagger
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The Silent Death, The Hidden Master
Jarreth Sil, a former Thief and assassin, move to godhood is a mystery to many as is his cult.
Happy Gaming!!
Couple of ideas for some deities, thought i would throw them up. its all just in the beginning stages, but still.
Deities and Pantheons of Tharenika –
Vildsvin/Galt
Alignment – NG
Domains – Animal, Earth, Strength, Protection
Favored Weapon – Warhammer
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – UnknownVildsvin is one of 5 Aspect Deities, said to have helped shape the world upon its creation. Originally formed from the frozen lands of the world, Vildsvin is an honorable diety who prefers to take action and charge straight ahead. His temper is legendary, and he was once imprisoned beneath the earth after his rampage began to affect the mortal world.
Morikkal
Alignment – LN
Domains – Death, Law, Protection, Knowledge
Favored Weapon – Sickle
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – UnknownMorikkal is the lord of the underworld and god of the dead. He is the head of the council of seven minor deities who judge the dead and send them to their final resting places. Though he is fair he can often be harsh in his judgments of the dead. He is known to carry to long sickles with which he uses to dispatch his enemies and protect the halls of judgment.
Morrigan
Alignment – CG
Domains – Healing, Good, Plant, Weather
Favored Weapon – Scythe
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – UnknownLady of the earth, lady of the breaking dawn, mother of the lost, Morrigan has many names which she is known by. She is known as a kindly mother figure who helps those in need, her clergy is primarily made up of druids and more naturalist clerics.
Fenris
Alignment – CE
Domains – Destruction, Madness, Animal, Evil
Favored Weapon – The Claw (clawed Gauntlet)
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – UnknownThe mad mother, the bad wolf, the hunter of dreams
Fenris is a powerful god-like wolf demon and one of 5 aspect deities, she was imprisoned millennia ago in her home on the abyss when she tried to murder all other deities. Powerful and tenacious in the extreme, Fenris is...
All of these are good...
If I were playing this world I would enjoy it.My only niggle would be I know Morrigan as the Chooser of the Slain in the Tuatha-De-Danann (But that is a personal issue nothing on your choices).
Thank you Damian Magecraft, that means a lot to hear, Hopefully my players feel the same.
Alright some more deities. Any thoughts or ideas please let me know.
Nazar
Alignment – LE
Domains – Destruction, Evil, War, Fire
Favored Weapon – Greatsword
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Marlaise
Alignment – N
Domains – Artifice, Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Protection
Favored Weapons – Light Crossbow
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The Tinker, The Creator, The Forger
Harrod
Alignment – CG
Domains – Chaos, Good, Freedom, War, Strength
Favored Weapons – Rapier
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The Hero of Time, The Warrior, Master of Battle
Aro – Kyrron
Alignment – CE
Domains – Evil, Darkness, Void, Death, Magic
Favored Weapons – Glaive
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
The Unclean, Dark Traveller
Arinaya
Alignment – NG
Domains – Glory, Good, Air, Travel, Liberation
Favored Weapons – Scimitar
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Lady of Freedom, Dawnbringer, Star of Hope
Note: Still need a god of magic and i need a god for the Nagual (Evil powerful reptiles [Think really advanced and powerful lizardfolk] so any ideas im open to.
Still need to work on the 3 other aspect deities.
Note: Still need a god of magic and i need a god for the Nagual (Evil powerful reptiles [Think really advanced and powerful lizardfolk] so any ideas im open to.
Still need to work on the 3 other aspect deities.
for the Nagul May I suggest?
Echidna (Greek)Ningizzida (Babylonian?)
Nuwa (Chinese)
Sobek (egyptian)
Tlaoc (aztec)
Zahhak (zoroastrian)
All have a reptilian connection.
(I am kinda partial to Zahhak or Sobek as they sound like words native to lizardmen)
I actually do like Zahhak, though i did notice that Paizo did publish something similiar in Dahak (Which is actually part of another name for the same entity). Still could do it, just kinda takes the flame out a bit i suppose. Also Sobek would be pretty neat. Not sure, and im still trying to figure out what i want to do for an iconic Magic Deity.
Alrighty i think i have the patron deity of the Nagual.
For more info, go to Lotan
Lawtan
Alignment – LE
Domains – Evil, Weather, Water, Destruction, Scalykind
Favored Weapon – Trident
Centers of Worship – Ascara
Nationality – Unknown
Frost Bringer, Heart of the Storm
A powerful multi-headed dragon, Lawtan is the patron deity of the Nagual and represents their cold hearted ambition.
I like the start small method mentioned above. I will also pass on some wisdom I have heard from game designers. "Don't worry about backstory. Players need problems and mystery not history. "
Make everything as unstable as possible. Disaster and change loom everywhere. That is a world that needs adventurers. Sometimes as designers we fall in love with our creations but what players really want is a world in flux not something set in stone.
I like the start small method mentioned above. I will also pass on some wisdom I have heard from game designers. "Don't worry about backstory. Players need problems and mystery not history. "
And one of the greatest game designers for the hobby (Erick Wujick) did just the opposite.
You never know what will grab a persons attention.
Both approaches have there merit, though i am the kind of person that enjoys creating a living world with history and a pulse. I want my players to immerse themselves, and for the world to seem real. Though any world or setting will have chaos, there are also points and places of stability, because with to much chaos or order it nullifies the world and makes it boring one way or the other.
So in short, Either way works, and thank you all for the suggestions and advice. Keep stopping by as i will try to update everything as i get it finished. If anyone has any suggestions, or ideas please post them and if you find something useful for your campaign have fun with it.
Happy Gaming!!