Welcome to the development thread for the world of Celstia. A world filled with conflict between the servants of Primal Ones and those who worship the young Pantheons. Though really the only thing the followers of the various young pantheons can agree on is that the Primal Ones are worse than the other Pantheons. This setting is still in the early development stages and I and the other main contributors would welcome additional people and their ideas.
Note that this is an E6 setting.
Maps
without borders
with borders
Warning Much text to follow within the spoilers.
Multiple Pantheons of Gods including the primal gods who were defeated in the Godswar and at least 2 pantheons of “younger” gods. The primal gods rarely interact with mortals if indeed they are still alive.
The Skyendar, Pantheon of the north
Velgor: the benefactor, the mender. Velgor is perhaps the most beneficent of all the known deities, and his followers are welcomed anywhere - often even among those who would stand opposed, as they bring healing wherever they go.
Ordo the Lawbringer: Ordo is the bringer of law, and his priesthood established the First City on the new world, the ancient city of Shadar, which later gave its name to the entire continent. A stern and strict deity, a believer in order above all.
Kore: a god of physical competition, perhaps most comparable to Thor without the storm motifs.
Kampen: God of war. Brother of Ordo, and lawful neutral as lawful neutral comes - he cares not for the good, the bad - or even who the winner or loser of a war is - his only care is that war has rules, and those rules MUST be obeyed.
Jernhan: The Crafter, the creator. The embodiment of practical creation.
Kunste: his sister, the patron of the creative arts, music, song and story, literature.
Tordena: "Heaven hath no fury like the rising of the storm'. Tordena is the one of the elder gods who "joined the revolution". The youngest sister of the elder gods, it was her defection which enabled the overthrow. She is mercurial and fickle. Her portfolio is storms and the natural world.
Laerinde: the scholar, the historian, the keeper of the chronicles. Everything that is and was - and some say everything that will be - is committed to the great book by her pen.
Logner: The Death-dealer, the wicked. The enforcer of the Skyendar. The dark one.
Possible deities (not placed in a pantheon)
Beleria- The Sun Goddess
Zarkhas- God of Magic (Deceased, asleep or possibly lost?)
Arai- God of Exploration and the Stars
Keshtia- The Forge Goddess, preferred deity of most Dwarves
Mezor- God of War
Nemai- Nature Goddess (The World Goddess), and preferred of Elves
Numos- God of the Sea
Turog- God of the Savage Wild, preferred deity of Orcs and Ogres
Tzor- God of Darkest Desires and Deeds
Xaog- God of Monsters
Shadzar & Shammet- Twin Gods of Sleep and the Dreaming Realm
All core races with multiple sub-species are present
Dwarf Sub Races
Lava Dwarf (Dwarf with Ifrit Ancestors) ; Energy Resistance (Fire), Relentless (replaces Stability)
Sandstorm Dwarf (Dwarf with Sylph Ancestors) Whispering Wind (replaces Stone-cunning),Breeze-Kissed ( replaces Hatred)
Dusk Dwarf (Dwarf with Fetchling Ancestors); Shadow Blending ( replaces Stone-cunning), Skilled(Fetchling) (replaces Greed)
Raoshi: Dwarves reincarnated from the souls of the greatest of Dwarven heroes. Raoshi use all Dwarven Racial traits except that Lifebound (Samsaran) replaces Greedy and Samsaran Magic replaces Hatred.
Elf Sub Races
Smoke Elf(Elf with Ifrit Ancestors) Shadow Blending (Fetchling)(replaces Elven Magic), Skilled(Ifrit) (replaces Weapon Familiarity)
Rain Elf (Elf with Undine Ancestors); Hydrated Vitality (replaces Elven Magic), Energy Resistance (replaces Weapon Familiarity)
Storm Elf (Elf with Sylph Ancestors); Energy Resistance (replaces Elven Magic), Storm in the Blood (replaces Weapon Familiarity)
Orod a.k.a Blue-ringed Elves: Leftovers of a horrible sorcerous experimental attempt at crossing Elves with the Poisonous Blue-ringed Octopus. These melancholy and xenophobic elves have pale, poisonous and translucent skin covered in blue circles. Orod use Elven Racial traits except that Terrain Chameleon (Undine) replaces Weapon Familiarity, Toxic Skin (Grippli) replaces Elven Immunities and they gain Water Dependent (Gillmen).
Halfling Sub Races
Darkling (Halfling with Fetchling Ancestors); Emissary (replaces Weapon Familiarity), Subtle Manipulator (replaces Fearless)
Dustling; Stone in the Blood (replaces Halfling Luck), Energy Resistance 5 (acid) (replaces Weapon Familiarity)
Tideling; Amphibious (replaces Weapon Familiarity), Terrain Chameleon (replaces Fearless)
Shaal: Halfling Shapechangers, cousins to the Kitsune, that take the form of coyotes. Shaal are shapechangers with Halfling and shapechanger subtypes. Uses Standard Halfling Racial traits except that Fast Shifter replaces Fearless.
Half Orc Sub Races
Rock Orc; Granite Skin (replaces Orc Ferocity), Mountain Born (replaces Intimidating)
Hush Orc; Whispering Wind (replaces Orc Ferocity), Like the Wind (replaces Intimidating)
Ember Orc; Fire Starter (replaces Orc Ferocity), Wild Fire Heart (replaces Intimidating)
Deep Orc:Infernal Crossbreed of Orcs and Dwarves, Deep Orcs are slightly smaller than normal and engineered to hunt Dwarves underground, on their own turf. Deep Orcs use the Half Orc racial traits except that Superior Darkvision 120' (Duergar) replaces Darkvision, Bestial replaces Orc Ferocity and the Deep Orc gains Light Sensitivity.
[/b]Gnome Sub Races[/b]
Lightning Gnome; Storm in the Blood (replaces Obsessive), Energy Resistance (replaces Illusion Resistance)
Phase Gnome; Shadow Blending (replaces Illusion Resistance), Spell-like Abilities (disguise self, etc.) (replaces Gnome Magic)
Mist/Fog Gnome; Nereid Fascination (replaces Keen Senses), Acid Breath (replaces Gnome Magic)
Tskrym: Tskrym are nocturnal, fiendish Gnomes that were once employed as assassins for the Unseelie Court in the surreal Fey Realm. They are the stuff of nightmares. Tskrym use the Gnome Racial traits except that Hatred is replaced by Frightening (Strix) and Obsessive is Replaced by Nocturnal (Strix)
Bugbears and hobgoblins are sub-species of goblins
Centaurs, Dragons, Giants, Gnolls, Harpies, Minotaurs, Ogres, Orcs and Trolls will all have a place along with fey and outsiders.
Lycanthropes are the result of intermingling with a race of humanoids that were able to shapeshift into animals. These ancestors were around before waves of survivors fleeing the godlands arrived. Their bite can still lead to infection of others. (Perhaps the mages of the first waves experimented on the natives turning them more bestial to create shock troops to fight other groups of survivors?)
Think medieval Europe plus magic for the most part. Some early firearms exist (though the gunslinger class does not).
Some say that to use more powerful spells invites madness upon one's self, others that the first god of magic died and its influence is slowly waning. But the prevailing belief is that he merely turned his gaze away from the world. Regardless it is a fact that only those who learned magic in the godlands can safely perform such spells.
The godlands: Now a mystical place, the distant ancestors of the various peoples fled these lands/ plane to escape the horrors of a divine war.
Far/ Old Shadar: The first lands encountered by each wave of survivors from the godlands. Now it is a land of ruins and forgotten treasures. It is inhabited by all manner of strange and mystical creatures. Goblinoids and Orcs are probably it’s most populous inhabitants and from time to time great chieftains unite many tribes and attempt to journey to far shores, just as occasionally brave adventurers seek reaches in the ruins of Shadar. The Startide plains of the south are host to massive herds of mastodon and ruined step pyramids of long departed empire. The seas leading to the Old Shadar are roiling and rough, covered in mists, and have a tendency to eat ships alive ... but periodically, and randomly, they temporarily clear up, usually coinciding with the waves.
Vinmarden: The northern Continent.
Vasterhelm: A giant under city of the Dwarves, built under a glacier, kept from warming and calving by enormous runes carved into it, with sea tunnels that boats sail through to gain entrance to a harbor/port with a ceiling of blue ice. Built in the Ocean of Ice north of Vinmarden.
Kingdom of Hjelm: Situated on the western coast. Hjelm is a country of deep fjords, bordering a vast forest known as the Sleepingmarch Wilds, a dark, unexplored region of werewolves and shadow fey.
Thuzaldin: The mountain home of the Lava Dwarves.
the Mountain of swords
Anakletos: The eastern Continent.
Doloon: Coastal fishing city, a fantasy version of Marseilles, situated on The Lantern Coast so named for the intricate paper lanterns that hang in all of the fishing villages. The lantern coast is north of the island nation of Grest.
Grest: A large island off the western coast of central Anakletos.
Carnassium, City-State in the Echo Islands off of the western coast of Anakletos, famed for its colleges of Wizardry.
Asansolapur: I picture a kingdom something like Nepal/Tibet, resting in a series valleys in an enormous range of mountains,The Mountains of Twilight. Major cities of Asansolapur: Jeeling, Am-Nemil, Ghostivar. Located in south-eastern Anakletos
Adorast, the city of sunlight
Shangotl: The southern Continent.
Grimhelm, The city of mithril. The only major dwarven city of the southern continent, it is thought that more mithril has been taken from the mines beneath the city than in the rest of the world combined.
Sazanne, The Eternal Empire: Capital, Enderban, famed for the Iron Empress and her legendary Midnight Guard, recruited from a rare, noble tribe of good aligned Rock Orcs.
The Tanglesand desert: situated between 2 mountain ranges in western Shangotl.
Carzimur, land of spice trade and assassin cults. I picture something like the real world Phi Phi Islands in Thailand. On the western coast of Shangotl. Azurum, a gnomish city, is one of the key city states.
The swordfish isle: off the northern coast of Shangotl.
The plains of Karesh
The Sons of Fenris: A loosely aligned brotherhood of Lycanthropes. Sometimes sell their services as mercanaries.
The Order of the Eagle: A group of Rangers and Paladins dedicated to defending the nighttime from the Undead. The main Chapter-house is in the northern city/stronghold of Hjelm.
The order of the bloodmoon wolf:
The knights pather:
The Port Ivory Consortium: A large, multinational company that funds all manner of enterprises, legal and otherwise.
Post Great Invasion 998 Current Year some scholars are claiming that an even bigger invasion than the Great invasion of almost distant memory is almost upon us.
PGI 77 wars of the invasion have ended Continent X (to be named later) has be so ravaged by the wars that it has largely been abandoned.
Great Invasion 0 The last and largest wave of survivors fleeing the destruction of the godlands arrives.
Before Great Invasion 501 the 9th and final? wave of survivors arrives. It contains mages of power not seen in centuries.
BGI 749 the 8th wave arrives
BGI 873 It had been thought that no more survivors would come from the godlands until the 7th wave arrives on ships 60 years after the 6th, there is much conflict in the following years.
BGI 933 The 6th invasion makes peace with the nations of the new world and sails for distant shores, it's peoples not encountered again for decades.
BGI 960 The 5th invasion is entirely destroyed by the new civilizations that no longer wish to accept "refugees"
BGI 975 Survivors are now arriving trying to integrate themselves into existing societies, in some cases it goes smoothly, in others there is conflict.
BGI 982 Now that word has spread among the godlands that there is a realm "safe from the ravages of the godswar, the numbers fleeing begin to grow, a third wave arrives
BGI 985 A second wave of survivors arrives
BGI 986 the first wave flees the godlands and arrives in the new world (approximately 100, what race?)
BGI 990 The world of Celstia is discovered by explorers seeking shelter from the godswar
Rock on! To see it all organized like that does my heart good.
it also makes it easier to figure out what has been done., rather than dig through multiple pages of a thread. I think a google doc will be needed in the near future to hold all the info in one place.
So this is the official thread now?
*Oh and is it too late to add to the gods?
Sorry for not posting much, been really busy for the past few weeks.
We moved to a new thread to try and keep things somewhat organized.
No we have not finished the gods, everything is still work in progress.
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Cool.
I have some ideal. Going to work on it and post later.
BTW, What are the rules for divinity in Celstia?
Aka, Do deities need worship? Or are they like Golarion gods, beings that don't need worship, but make use of worship as source of power?
Are there ranking for gods? Demi-gods, lesser gods, great gods etc?
Can they have aspects? Avatars? Can Aspects over take the "main" god and become the new "main" aspect of the god?
Do there need a source for their divinity? Aka Ambrosia, Peaches of Immortality, an All-Father/Mother?
Can they die? And/Or Be resurrected?
Is there an over-god, example Ao from Forgotten Realms?
Do they need to maintain a "balance" or is it anything goes?
Etc?
Just wanting to know if any such rules have been set, so I know where to start writing.
RDM pretty much nailed how I see deities. One thing I would note is that before people fled the godlands, the gods were much more directly invoinquisitors odswar wasn't some abstract concept that mortal clerics were aware of, it was gods striding across a battlefield with armies of their followers. And in the godlands, magic was much stronger (normal D&D level), so while a god could slay hundreds of low lvl guys, if they encountered a cabal of high lvl sorceror with their menagerie of exotic beasts in tow, things might be a little different.
This magical disparity is part of the reason the wars of the later waves of survivors was so terrible, those who had been born in Celstia were considerably weaker in magic, but had the advantage of established kingdoms.
Secondly, worship of the Primal ones on Vinmarden or Anakletos or Shangotl would be done by secret cults. The mere rumour of which would bring inquisitors and Paladins, to investigate and probably purges with extreme prejudice.
I am going to start working on the Lava Dwarves of Thuzaldin in the morning.
I still don't like the E6 aspect of it (a character cannot reach 7th level)
Celstia sounds a lot like Celestia with one letter removed.
I'm going to hide this topic too because the things I'm interested in are getting harder to find with all the topics i dislike.
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I still don't like the E6 aspect of it (a character cannot reach 7th level)
Celstia sounds a lot like Celestia with one letter removed.
I'm going to hide this topic too because the things I'm interested in are getting harder to find with all the topics i dislike.
To each his own. Some people prefer high level play others low level. but posting only to say everything sucks about this idea seems unnecessary and not constructive to me.
On a more positive note I am still on track to post more information about Thuzaldin later today.
Below is what I have so far for Thuzaldin. I figured I should get some feedback from others before I went too far.
The Fireguard specialize in fighting creatures that thrive in warm environments. Though they number only 100 in number they carry the best armour and weapons that Thuzaldin can provide. The greatest of their number carry arms and armour that dates back to the invasions and bare magics that cannot be reproduced in this age.
The inhabitants of Thuzaldin are a race of craftmen and miners. The greatest of their number work with firetouched steel. All of Thuzaldin’s farms are located deep below ground growing fungus, mushrooms and domesticated animals. A trading village has grown just to the east of the mountain where the dwarves trade their handywork and exotic foods for items that they cannot grow or produce in their mountain home.
Thuzaldin is ruled from the Magma throne by a King elected from the noble families. He is advised by a council of 12 of the wisest members of this nobility who also elect a new king upon the death of the old one.
Alright, I was busy with some crazy work stuff the past few days. This is what I have so far.
Racial Breakdown by Continent
Vinmarden:
Lava Dwarves
Storm Elves
Darklings
Mist Gnomes
Raoshi: although, in reality, they can be found randomly (about 1% of dwarves) in any significant dwarf population. But must are found in Thuzalin or Vasterhelm, the two largest Dwarven countries/city-states.
Anakletos:
Dustlings
Phase Gnomes
Lightning gnomes
Shadar:
Smoke Elves
Hush Orc
Rock Orc
Ember Orc
Shangotl:
Sandstorm Dwarves
Dusk Dwarves
Rain Elves, I figured there would be plenty of rain forests here
Shaal, the Halfling Shape shifters (the Startide Plains)
World spanning:
Blue-ringed Elves (Orod)
Tskrym, AKA Unseelie Gnomes
Deep Orcs
Tidelings
It is far from complete but it was all I had time for this week.
Goth Guru,
Seriously? Dude, go kick sand on someone else's sand castle.
Nice job on Thuzaldin.
I can already picture Lava Dwarves fight off incursions from Salamander Commandos. Cool.
Alright, I was busy with some crazy work stuff the past few days. This is what I have so far.
Racial Breakdown by Continent
** spoiler omitted **
It is far from complete but it was all I had time for this week.
I can agree with that. Hopefully more stuff on Thuzaldin will be up after work tomorrow.
Thuzaldin's mages
The mages of Thuzaldin focus on 4 areas of magic: fire, ice, summoning and object augmentation. Because the Lava dwarves have a very small standing military they rely heavily on magical support, using summoned beasts as battle fodder, fire and ice spells to thin out enemy formations and augmentation spells to keep their forces equipped with the best gear. Many of Thuzaldin's mages spend most of their time working with craftsmen to produce higher quality items. Sometimes mages are used to help keep honoured guests comfortable in the hot temperatures of the mountain.
Haven't really progressed much in the past week, it was a busy 4 day weekend.