Yes. I just thought that it'd already been established that they were racial deities,thus my confusion. I'm cool with them not being tied to race - in fact, I'd vote for that in principle, with the interpretations, as I mentioned above. Somehow, I just thought it was already decided differently. :)
Yes. I just thought that it'd already been established that they were racial deities,thus my confusion. I'm cool with them not being tied to race - in fact, I'd vote for that in principle, with the interpretations, as I mentioned above. Somehow, I just thought it was already decided differently. :)
Well, in Round Four:
1) Pantheon(s)*A) There is one, world-wide pantheon with mixed races.
B) There are several pantheons with mixed races.
C) Each race has its own pantheon, but that pantheon is the same world-wide.
D) Each race has its own pantheon, but that pantheon varies from region to region.B has threedirect votes votes [Detect Magic, Air0r, sgriobhadair] and one supporting vote [Tacticslion].
A has two direct vores [Cr500cricket, Goth Guru] and one supporting vote [Tacticslion].
D has one supporting vote. [Tacticslion]
While there are several pantheons with mixed races, I'm not sure that the deities themselves are racial or if the deities in a given pantheon take on the appearance of certain races. I think I'm going to have to put this up to a vote to clarify the issue, particularly as the metropolitan scenario has the most votes thus far (I'm hoping Detect Magic, Goth Guru, Katydid, and The Mighty Chocobo will be chiming in).
Of course, like I said, the only way there's a contradiction is if the deities are particularly jealous of their divine territory. By the nature of a metropolis, there are going to be many different religions within it, so there can be a localized set of deities without preventing there being more specialized deities for a given race that are worshiped separately.
A deity can have a favored race, animal, weapon, or possibly one of each.
Now I have to try to shoehorn this into the latest questions.
Forgive us our confusion Indagare. It is easy to forget where voting went in the face of voting for what we want.
I'm really sorry to hear about this! :(
I will be praying for you, sir.Thanks! It is much appreciated!
I'm curious, though: is the result of 4 compatible with 1B?
It doesn't seem that way to me; but am I just reading my own bias into it?I'd be interested in hearing proposals for how they function together. I admit that my reading comprehension may be affected right now by distraction and tiredness.
One way of resolving the issue is to make the deities non-racial. If we focus on whatever domains and subdomains are needed then the number of races in an area is moot: the deities can simply appear as a member of that race and are worshiped under a presumed name. It's very likely someone will figure this out fairly quickly and have a Church of the Universal Sky God or whatever, where there are statues of the deity as it is seen by the different races. This won't stop other temples from being built for that specific racial one nor stop a racial pantheon, even if most of the deities are shared.
The one set of deities that every race is going to have unique is the creator deities. Beyond that, though, something like the metapantheon is going to be at work.
If it really is 10-11 (an average of 1d20) deities then things get wonky with metropolitan populations. It's impossible for every race to have a deity in the pantheon. However, if the area a pantheon controls is treated as a demesne for the local deities then things get a bit less problematic. These 10-11 deities are the local power-houses. They are the major ones and they probably represent whatever races first came there or which have the most population.
That said, it won't stop folks from worshiping deities further away anymore than living in Australia would stop someone from worshiping Ahura Mazda (unless, of course, the deities are very jealous of their territorial holds, in which case there are going to be interesting times for clerics and paladins who...
I am in favor of Non-Racial deities. These beings are powerful enough that simple animal traits like race no longer apply. They can look like anything or nothing at all. And perhaps they appear differently depending on the viewer.
Forgive us our confusion Indagare. It is easy to forget where voting went in the face of voting for what we want.
It's all cool. As long as folks are having fun here, that's all that matters. I just like making sure everyone is on the same page.
I am in favor of Non-Racial deities. These beings are powerful enough that simple animal traits like race no longer apply. They can look like anything or nothing at all. And perhaps they appear differently depending on the viewer.
I also agree with this. I'm curious as to what Goth Guru is going to say on the matter. I'm hoping the others will get a chance to chime in too.
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My daughter was just born, so it may be a few days before I can vote more. I will send you a version of the winged race I have in mind when I have some time and a computer, using my phone to post this.
My daughter was just born, so it may be a few days before I can vote more. I will send you a version of the winged race I have in mind when I have some time and a computer, using my phone to post this.
Congratulations! Your family is more important!
My daughter was just born, so it may be a few days before I can vote more. I will send you a version of the winged race I have in mind when I have some time and a computer, using my phone to post this.
WOO! CONGRATULATIONS! THAT IS SUPER-AWESOME!
Keep us updated, if you can and... yeah, that's a lot more important! :D
Congrats, Air0r.
~hugs AirOr~
Congratulations!
Congrats Air!
Round 6
1. B
2. C
3. D
4. D
5. D
6. B
7. There are C for the B+C. They are C
Round 6.
1 C
2 B
3 D
4 A. There are small kingdoms of one race, with outlying towns more mixed. This is about the surface, as there could be a drider built city built on the underside of a skyland.
5 A,E
6 A
I (why not 7?)
1 C
2 A, B, D I want the breeches for the outer planes to be on planets or moons.
3 B
If the gods are too morphic, they are all sort of the same. Having them all be aspects of one god would only make sense to a few mystics. Lawful deities would go as far as to be immune to polymorph spells.
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1) Number of Deities
B has three votes. [sgriobhadair, Aranna, The Mighty Chocobo]
Tacticslion’s variation on all of these has two votes [Tacticslion, Air0r]
C has one vote [Goth Guru]
B Each pantheon would contain 1d20 deities (with larger quantities, many would be minor and don't necessarily need creating in detail). The deities in each pantheon would be a mix of genders (and races, if that's what the vote necessitated - though I'm personally in favour of non-racial deities).
Tacticslion, I think, proposes a sort of metapantheon and that there are different levels of hierarchy so that those lowest on the divine rung interact the most with mortals while those highest interact the least. Some deities are worshiped by various names and in differnet guises in different areas while other deities are truly just unique local ones. If I'm missing something here, please let me know. This isn't incompatible with B.
2) Domains and Subdomains
C has four votes. [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, Aranna, The Mighty Chocobo]
B has two votes. [Air0r, Goth Guru]
The domains and subdomains of a given pantheon are related to that particular area.
3) Deity Interaction
D has four votes. [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru]
B has one vote. [Aranna]
A has one vote. [Air0r]
Some deities are engaging while others are distant.
4) Number of Races (in an area)
D has three direct votes [Tacticslion, Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo] and one supporting vote. [sgriobhadair]
A has three votes [sgriobhadair, Aranna, Goth Guru]
D) Each area has a cosmopolitan mix of races in it. Any race can easily be found.
A) Each area has a set number of common races in it (the ones that would, basically, be the PC races). This does not mean that there are not any other races, but these other races decrease in frequency (for instance, if there are 8 common races, there could be 4 uncommon races, 2 rare races, and 1 very rare race). Which races are common varies by region.
There are small kingdoms of one race, with outlying towns more mixed. This is about the surface, as there could be a drider built city built on the underside of a skyland.
I like this idea a great deal. I'm curious as to what folks who vote for the cosmopolitan mix are seeing, exactly. I'm not sure if it means this is how the world as a whole is seen or if it's more like this particular area. (I'm assuming the latter.)
5) Winged Races
E has five votes. [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, Aranna, Air0r, Goth Guru]
D has two direct votes [Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo], but Tacticslion and Aranna both support the idea of a rare mutation causing the races of the setting to become winged.
A has one vote [Goth Guru]
Sgriobhadair recommended two new winged races - or adapt a couple of existing flying humanoids which aren't yet statted as PC races.
Air0r recommends at least one that can, at-will, create energy wings. basically an on-off style. these wings wouldn't interfere with worn clothes/armor/other. I can make this one, if you want. Air0r
I’d like to see what Air0r comes up with, and I think another race of some sort (possibly the Stryx).
Suggestions for a winged template or mutation would be welcomed, however, we ought to consider if races with a strong earth affinity (like dwarves and oreads) get it at all.
6) Skysea Shape
A has two direct votes [Aranna, Goth Guru] and two supporting votes. [Tacticslion, Air0r]
C has one direct vote [sgriobhadair] and two supporting votes. [Tacticslion, Air0r]
B has one direct vote [The Mighty Chocobo] and two supporting votes. [Tacticslion, Air0r]
Sky seas are Spherical or rounded.
I) Planar Interaction
1C has five votes. [Tacticslion, Aranna, Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru]
1B has one vote. [sgriobhadair]
2B has six votes [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, Aranna, Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru]
2A and D have five votes [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, Aranna, Air0r, Goth Guru]
2C has five votes [Tacticslion, sgriobhadair, Aranna, Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo] Goth Guru wants the breaches for the outer planes on the planets or moons.
3C has three complete votes [Aranna, Air0r, The Mighty Chocobo] and one limited vote (one for 2C and one for 2D [sgriobhadair]
3B has one complete vote [Goth Guru] and one limited vote (one for 2A and one for 2B) [sgriobhadair]
3A has one vote [Tacticslion]
There are both stable and unstable planar breaches, primarily for the inner planes. They are rare. Other breaches for the transient planes exist as do ones for the outer planes - the former may be rarer than those for the inner planes while the latter may only touch off-world or (on strange occasions) an area on-world (where folks may develop features that turn them into Aasimar and Tieflings or bring undead).
Thoughts?
(why not 7?)
With the three separate sections (and their subsections), I thought I might be better to have an over-category than 71, 72, 73.
So is this thread done ?
The mutant winged dwarfs would primarily fly between clans of dwarfs living beneath the skyland surfaces. Many take the surname "the Bat".
Hehe Resurrected :P Can we vote on Nations next :)
resurrection attempt numbah twoo
There are small kingdoms of one race, with outlying towns more mixed. This is about the surface, as there could be a drider built city built on the underside of a skyland.I like this idea a great deal. I'm curious as to what folks who vote for the cosmopolitan mix are seeing, exactly. I'm not sure if it means this is how the world as a whole is seen or if it's more like this particular area. (I'm assuming the latter.)
I am not sure what others were envisioning but by cosmopolitan I figured you meant all races lived everywhere. One of the reasons I didn't like it. Having to travel to the Drow skyland only to find it populated by drow, elves, winged dwarves, humans of all types, kender, Pink Unicorn minotaurs, and illithid... not to mention ALL other races from every source all crammed in there. I mean it might be different to have an Earth Pony from MLP as the adviser to the drow queen... or it might just make it all flavorless.
I am not sure what others were envisioning but by cosmopolitan I figured you meant all races lived everywhere. One of the reasons I didn't like it. Having to travel to the Drow skyland only to find it populated by drow, elves, winged dwarves, humans of all types, kender, Pink Unicorn minotaurs, and illithid... not to mention ALL other races from every source all crammed in there. I mean it might be different to have an Earth Pony from MLP as the adviser to the drow queen... or it might just make it all flavorless.
Mostly I wanted to get a good idea for how many races there would be in this setting. I could actually list all races possible, but I think that might be a bit tedious.
Personally, I tend to prefer worlds with only a few races and maybe some variations. I don't see how every possible race could exist on a given world since this would be a strain on resources, but I know other folks like a lot of races.
My main worry was that everyone would want every race everywhere which not only makes no sense but also makes it so there's really no significance going to the Drow skylands (for the reasons you mention). Personally, I thought that even if the world were cosmopolitan there would be areas that were basically inhabited by one particular race.
For the next round, I'm willing to take suggestions for voting. I think the nations The Mighty Chocobo mentioned might be a good start, but there could be other areas I simply can't think of right now.
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Also, I agree with the "melting pot" idea for races, including psionic ones!
To clarify my own view, cosmopolitan means a great number of races at any given location... but not all races at every given location.
Some places may actually be "dwarflands", for instance, though in the "main" setting region I'd recommend against this.
That said, the core areas, the ones that are most interesting, are cosmopolitan enough to allow you to nab most any player race.
I would, however, temper which races are within any given cosmopolitan area by the nature of the races themselves.
I grouped the races, previously, in the most common "basic" races.
VI) Races I
- 6) Base, standard, featured, uncommon, and advanced races exist.
- the following races are the most common or "basic" races, known as "landborn" races; those in parenthesis are generally found in lower/higher-magical radiation areas, while the upper areas yield the ones noted before the parenthesis dwarves (duergar), elves (drow), goblin/monkeygoblin (hobgoblin), ghoran, gnomes (svirfneblin), halflings (wayangs), humans (kuru), kasatha, kobolds, lashunta, orcs (ogres), samsarans, vishkanya; half-races: changling, half elves, half orcs, ogrekin
- the following races are flying "airborn" races (usally associated with "landborn" races): gathlan (gnomes or halflings), strix (humans), syrinx, wyvarran (kobolds)
- the following are "planar" templates that can randomly apply to player races [replacing their normal traits]: aasimar, fetchling, ifrit, oread, sylf, tiefling, undine
- the following races are those descended from therianthropes: catfolk, gnoll, grippli, kitsune, lizardfolk, nagaji, ratfolk, tengu, vanara; skinwalkers
- the following races are necessarily limited by the nature of the world (probably considered rare, exceedingly local, and/or mythical): aquatic elf, drider, centaur, gillmen, merfolk, triaxian, trox
- the following are specially created races, unknown in other parts of the world: androids, wyrwood,VII) Races II
1) Flying races are common.
The parenthetical races are necessarily those not found in the "normal" broad spectra of islands - in other words, although viable PC races, they'd be naturally (and inherently) more reclusive than the more common PC races, and thus any trip down to (or up from) their homes would naturally be something rare and special by default.
The flying, or airborn races, are probably very common, but a little bit separated, socially, from their more land-born brethren. This is born out in the strix tendency to form roosts and the tengu tendency to form their self-made ghettos.
Speaking of tengu, I'd suggest that the therianthropic (or considered-therianthropic) races be more comparatively rare/reclusive, as outlined above: in all the cases (except, maybe, the kitsune) the base culture is more or less at the very least semi-reclusive anyway. That doesn't mean they are unknown, unavailable, or not around, but rather that they tend to clump off by themselves.
The planar races generally well up (i.e. increase in commonness) in areas of appropriate planar breaches, and decrease elsewhere (since we have planar breeches). This creates interesting ideas such as "lands of the mortal angels" or "lands of the mortal demons" or similar.
The last two are necessarily limited by their nature (being specially created or limited by environment), and thus would take the slot of rare/reclusive/magical/mythical creatures <from their own land> by default.
Blues are simply psionic goblins. My suggestion would be that those goblins who are taken, battered, and enslaved by hobgoblins below, and are then released (or escape) to the world above, either turn blue due to their harrowing experiences, or spawn blue (not that goblins could tell who the parents are) due to the lingering effects of magical radiation (see Theory of Psionics below).
Duergar are, by nature (as outlined above), would be found in the lower areas (with higher magical radiation). It's possible that the psionic duergar (where they differ from "normal" duergar) are those duergar who have ascended to the upper realms (see a Theory of Psionics below).
Dromites... hm, dromites are likely related to trox, probably the precursor race (based off of the trox's backstory); that means they were or are (or at least are in some areas), they are enslaved by the duergar. My guess is that they use their extremely tall towers to travel between the upper (less-radiated) levels (and thus generating constant psionic natures; see Theory of Psionics below). It's interesting, then, that the trox are actually not psionic - my guess is that the duergar probably bred them specifically to be bigger, and lack that auto-immune system that generates psionics (due, probably, to the dromites escaping them repeatedly, from all that psionic power).
Half-Giants are the results of hybrids between giants and humans... which would fall under the half-races. I might recommend that half-giants have climbed out from the depths below after having been spawned from half-giants... and kuru (the variant human-group that is altered by the magical radiation below; this would work with my Theory of Psionics, see below).
Maenad are... an interesting case. Noted as being "seafaring" in their description, I take that to mean that they are a group that wonders, often. My take on them, then, here, is that, at some point in the past, they (by choice or not) traveled to the depths below, only to reemerge changed - perhaps touched by some crystalline dust storm, which was, unbeknownst to them, living creatures - effectively symbiotic crystalline creatures that utilize another (more fleshy) creature to reproduce. (It's possible that the crystalline symbiote was a literally one-time-occurrence, that briefly came into existence due to the planar catastrophe.) Regardless, now they are genetically bonded and mutually dependent on one another. They tend to sail the skies, and/or are settled around one or more islands that have been established with the floating seas (if any).
Ophiduans are likely related to nagaji, lizardfolk, or both - perhaps they are an offshoot race of one or the other (or both) that entered deep below, but ultimately rose again from the depths (probably lizardfolk, by description, but I could be wrong here).
Xeph are noted as coming from "a great rift in the ground" and so, I would recommend that they do - perhaps their ancestral homeland is a location that straddles the radiation-line, perhaps where three different sky-islands (or proto-sky-islands) collided, fused, and have been floating ever since, giving rise to strange flora and fauna of various kinds (including the xeph). Now, of course, many have left it.
Elan are an unusual case in that they are made, not born. Thus, my recommendation is two-fold: one that they are crafted by way of a journey to the depths (see Theory of Psionics, below), but also by ritually entrapping a dream spirit (be it quori - the original inspiration for this aspect of their existence - or an animate dream - for a more PF-style thing) within the potential. All-in-all, a very dangerous ritual. It leaves them sterile, lacking all but the most basic memories (as their mind clashes and cancels out that of the bound animate dream) but physically immortal (or at least, un-aging) as it feeds off of the mystical energies of the animate dream. In any event, this sort of thing would be an exceedingly dangerous quest (traveling to the depths, finding, binding, and trapping an animate dream, and imbuing it into a potential... who may simply mutate, be driven insane, or both...) which explains the hesitation for elan to perform it for "just anyone", while also explaining their tendency to be extremely secretive about the whole thing (as running around going, "Hey, I'm possessed by an extremely powerful, evil spirit, and thus immortal now! But the boring kind instead of in the cool way!" probably hurts your chances at getting invited to parties).
Related: I really wish both Inspired and Kalashtar existed here. They would be awesome. But alas, at present, it seems not.
Theory of Psionics: so... how does psionics work, here? Where does it come from? Why is it like magic, but different?
The basic idea: psionics is a (more or less) biological reaction to the cataclysm and the enormous magical radiation that flooded the world (before fading down). Once, psionics flourished profusely over the world, though, due to the rather barbaric, deadly world, much of the psionic lines died out over time (often being killed off by frightened, superstitious folk). The most common method of acquiring (or starting up) psionic heritage now, is by dipping a potential into the magical radiation below, and bringing them back up into the non-radiated places. This kick-starts their own psychoimmune system, and allows them to generate traits commonly known as "psionic".
This is not a constant effect - in fact, it not only varies in commonality by race, but also by individual (some are more prone to it than others). Those groups who (as a race) rise up from the depths can also experience this transformation, becoming something different than they were before. Some (like Dromites) actually have their entire society structured around this principle, where eggs are laid deep below, then shuttled far above, to hatch, before they are brought back to the depths to be raised. I'm totally making that up, by the way. I don't recall whether or not Dromites are hatched...
Not all succeed at this transformation. The powerful radiation in the depths below has a strong psychological and physiological effect: some are driven insane (as the spell, or affliction), mutated into something else (morlocks, mana waste mutants, or phrenic creatures), or both (derro). Some adventurers? are never affected at all, or at least are not consistently affected. And in no few cases of mass-migration, the immune-response has only occurred after they leave the depths and return to the surface.
Regardless, the psychoimmunization process allows them to tap into their own inner power to create magic-like effects that result in displays of what are commonly called "powers". Further, once established, a psionic bloodline usually does not easily die off: most often, if they can breed, psionic heritages breed true, even with non-psionic variants. Exceptions (as in most all things) exist, of course.
Blue are innately semi-rare.
Duergar are covered above.Dromites, Maenad, and Xeph all have the "mythical homeland" practically built into their backstories, while Elan and Half-Giants both have potentially "here's our cool home locale", if we want to go that way.
Ophiduans could have a home, but they seem more like the conquering type, making them (potentially) excellent "general villains" in a campaign that paints them as "savages who don't respect the sanctity of guild and government" (due to their own meritocratic-imperial style). Thus their homeland could be like the Fire Nation in Avatar.
The lashunta should also be a psionic race (considering one of their spell-like abilities is noted as psionics).
Now that you mention it, however...
Anumi are probably (wrongfully) often linked with the therianthropic races, when they are actually an alchemical/divine creation. (These are probably an open secret in various alchemical-divine colleges or guilds; the process is probably often made "unavailable"... unless you know who to ask - which everyone does...)
Muses are benevolent incarnate dream spirits that can inspire psionic potential as well as skills and abilities. (They are a cat's paw, of sorts, for celestials to influence the world for the sake of good.)
Oaklings are the result of a druidic wild magic combined with alchemy gone awry, Awakening things that were never originally the target. No one is aware of this. (Think Eberron "living spell" plus "alchemy".)
Obitu are the reluctant result of a precursor of the cataclysm - as the earliest days of those wild times were being just barely suggested, a vast horde of undead being washed with so much positive energy and wild magic in a strange phenomena (a hint of what was to come) that their necromantic negative energy animating force was entirely replaced with positive energy necromantic animating force... much to the surprise of the army of necromancers who attempted to control them! After the first heady days of freedom, the world was torn asunder, and the Obitu were scattered, with few surviving the destruction of the world. But their disease survived, and soon enough new undead were transformed into new Obitu, to continue the progress of life in the face of death...
Relluks were creations before the great cataclysm (probably - unbeknownst to most all - originally designed to put a stop to it - it failed), that have only just now begun to reactivate thanks to a few guild-sponsored adventurers. Unfortunately, which guild is quite a mystery, as several guilds have what appear to be legitimate claims (complete with evidence) to the original project working on it, while diary entries and non-affiliated research almost seem to suggest that the adventurers were acting independently, beyond the bounds of their original mission, or even in direct contravention to their orders. All of this has led to something of a stalemate as all the guilds want to claim them, none of the guilds can act without most of the others colluding against them, and the relluks just kind of accidentally left alone as lots of "unaffiliated" (*ahem* "Yep. Totally unaffiliated. Yes: totally. How about you? Oh, you're unaffiliated too? How nice." *ahem*) adventurers poke around without directly interfering (too much).
Xax are literally aliens summoned from the void by the chaos caused by the cataclysm - not "summoned" as in they came to watch this thing... not even pulled by the inexorable force of gravity... but conjured across time/space through gates leading from the material, through the abyss, out into the maelstrom (and/or limbo, if that's separate) and back into the material... here. Their shattered, confused minds knit themselves back together, as they slowly recovered from the cataclysm.
Lashunta might well be an offshoot of human/kuru that descended/ascended, or, perhaps, are more rare/have special multi-level home-lands which could have interesting story implications.
The other races that are above are more or less taken care of: they have no particular homeland to speak of (except the Relluks) and are very rare by default.
That actually covers almost all of the races, allows for a huge breadth of variety, and enables cosmopolitan intermingling of various sorts.
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Personally, I tend to prefer worlds with only a few races and maybe some variations. I don't see how every possible race could exist on a given world since this would be a strain on resources, but I know other folks like a lot of races.
I just wanted to point out: this world is enormous. Resources are not really all that much of a problem.
Individual islands are not as enormous - but there can be a whole lot within a "relatively" small area, making for exceedingly diverse biomes and tremendous opportunities for adventure, races, and so on. :D
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Basically what tacticslion said. as for the next round of votes:
1) nations
1a) major imports/exports
2) schools for different power sources
3) fleshing out guilds some more
4) major figures?
just a couple of thoughts. also a chance for voters to introduce content in another side thread may be called for.
I generally agree with Air0r's set for "next votes", but I could be willing to leave those to a centralized major setting designer instead, if Indagare has solid-enough ideas.
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1) Nations
A) The start of the setting is one nation with several races.
B) The start of the setting is several close-by nations of different races.
2) Major Exports (multiple choice) [if you want to be specific, please feel free]
A) Minerals (Diamonds, rubies, etc)
B) Metals (Gold, copper, etc)
C) Fabrics (Wool, silk, etc)
D) Grains (Corn, wheat, etc)
E) Fruits (Strawberries, apples, etc)
F) Vegetables (Potatoes, carrots, etc)
G) Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc)
H) Magitech
I) Other (please list)
3) Major Imports (multiple choice) [if you want to be specific, please feel free]
A) Minerals (Diamonds, rubies, etc)
B) Metals (Gold, copper, etc)
C) Fabrics (Wool, silk, etc)
D) Grains (Corn, wheat, etc)
E) Fruits (Strawberries, apples, etc)
F) Vegetables (Potatoes, carrots, etc)
G) Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc)
H) Magitech
I) Other (please list)
I generally agree with Air0r's set for "next votes", but I could be willing to leave those to a centralized major setting designer instead, if Indagare has solid-enough ideas.
To be honest, I'm really not sure where to go and right now I'm on the recovering end of a cold. Probably a more generalized world-building campaign would work best for the latter three of Air0r's suggestions as the sheer number of possible options for them is going to likely get unwieldy in a voting format.
1A
2B,D,E,F
3A,C,G,H
Round 7 1 B
2 C,D,E,F and G. Mining is forbidden on the skyland, but they send privateers to mine abandoned skylands for mineral resources. Magitech likewise causes pollution, and is conducted elsewhere. Skyland of Dr. Moroe anyone?
3 A B G H Only pirates and nomads mine their homes.
1) A
2) C, D, E, F, G, H
3) A, B, G, H
Round 7
1) Neither: Several nearby nations of several races
(Secondary, if that doesn't catch: single nation of mixed races; if this is the case, I strongly recommend several nearby nations of mixed or semi-mixed races.)
2) ABGH
- I see this as a major industrial country/region; that's why we have all the guilds (which surpass the government), and the organization, and mixed races: they're all needed for the high amount of industry created by the local area
(NOTE: especially, if the "several nations" theory is ratified, I'd vote that there are, among the different local nations, at least some of most things available, though not necessarily as fine a quality as elsewhere)
Mining is especially utilized on abandoned islands and, while it's generally frowned upon, occasionally especially greedy guilds or local expressions of guilds will mine despite the danger.
I see the area as both dirty (the city) and heavily used (the country) - kind of a Victorian-style cosmopolitan magitech industrial thing.
Minerals are a "low" export - in other words, the society is mineral-greedy, as they're needed for so many different things. See below.
3) ACDEFI
- As the "core" area is more of an industrial complex, they would need to import everything to support that industrial complex, meaning they export their stuff to get the other. This would actually be pretty great fodder for adventure as they have to go forth to find and import more wild and healthy foodstuffs and non-mineral crafting materials.
Minerals are a "high" export - although they are occasionally exported in-bulk, and often exported for magitech-purchasing neighbors, the region also needs minerals of all sorts in order to fuel their magitech area. Magical minerals are almost exclusively imported - the guilds need their various elements to build their stuff.
I) Magical metal is a similarly large industry that isn't an export (unlike non-magical minerals), and probably is an import (I didn't list it above because I didn't see it as solidly represented in the options).
Another concern (both import and export) is fuel and componenets for alchemcial/magitech creations. I would suggest something like Eberron's various materials (such as Soarwood, especially) be important imports from exotic locales so that they guilds can craft their skyships.
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1) Nations
A has two votes [The Mighty Chocobo, Air0r]
B has one vote [Goth Guru]
Tacticslion proposes several nations of several races or at least there should be several mixed-race nations nearby.
Note that I didn't happen to think of Tac's option at the time, but if folks like it, let me know.
2) Major Exports
D, E, and F all have three votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r]
G has three votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r, Tacticslion]
B has two votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Tacticslion]
C has two votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r]
H has two votes. [Air0r, Tacticslion]
A has one vote. [Tacticslion]
Major exports are Grains (Corn, wheat, etc), Fruits (Strawberries, apples, etc), Vegetables (Potatoes, carrots, etc), and Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc).
Metals (Gold, copper, etc), Fabrics (Wool, silk, etc), and Magitech (since they have two votes) might be minor exports.
3) Major Imports
A has four votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r, Tacticslion]
G and H have three votes each. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r]
B has two votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r]
C has two votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Tacticslion]
E, F, and I all have one vote each [Tacticslion]
Minerals (Diamonds, rubies, etc) are the major imports. Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc) and Magitech probably consist of those they don't or can't make themselves but are not major imports.
Mining is forbidden on the skyland, but they send privateers to mine abandoned skylands for mineral resources. Magitech likewise causes pollution, and is conducted elsewhere. Skyland of Dr. Moroe anyone?
Only pirates and nomads mine their homes.
This makes sense. Those places with major exports of metals and minerals probably have several abandoned or barren skylands nearby. Those with magitech might use such for creating it and confining the pollution to somewhere uninhabited.
2) I see this as a major industrial country/region; that's why we have all the guilds (which surpass the government), and the organization, and mixed races: they're all needed for the high amount of industry created by the local area
(NOTE: especially, if the "several nations" theory is ratified, I'd vote that there are, among the different local nations, at least some of most things available, though not necessarily as fine a quality as elsewhere)
Mining is especially utilized on abandoned islands and, while it's generally frowned upon, occasionally especially greedy guilds or local expressions of guilds will mine despite the danger.
I see the area as both dirty (the city) and heavily used (the country) - kind of a Victorian-style cosmopolitan magitech industrial thing.
Minerals are a "low" export - in other words, the society is mineral-greedy, as they're needed for so many different things. See below.
I'm just not sure this would work well given that the votes for most of the exports are agricultural. However, that doesn't mean there couldn't be an area like this nearby.
3) As the "core" area is more of an industrial complex, they would need to import everything to support that industrial complex, meaning they export their stuff to get the other. This would actually be pretty great fodder for adventure as they have to go forth to find and import more wild and healthy foodstuffs and non-mineral crafting materials.
Minerals are a "high" export - although they are occasionally exported in-bulk, and often exported for magitech-purchasing neighbors, the region also needs minerals of all sorts in order to fuel their magitech area. Magical minerals are almost exclusively imported - the guilds need their various elements to build their stuff.
*nods* If it does start more agrarian, it's not hard to imagine that folks are drawn to the city for manufacturing jobs and such.
I) Magical metal is a similarly large industry that isn't an export (unlike non-magical minerals), and probably is an import (I didn't list it above because I didn't see it as solidly represented in the options).
Another concern (both import and export) is fuel and componenets for alchemcial/magitech creations. I would suggest something like Eberron's various materials (such as Soarwood, especially) be important imports from exotic locales so that they guilds can craft their skyships.
It was hard to figure out where to put more magical materials. It would seem a little odd to have a place that has magical materials as a major export. On the other hand, this is a world of flying islands and other oddities...
Harvesting Soarwood is like ripping the pillars out of a coal mine. The trees have leached the minerals out of the skyland, and the island will sink as harvesting happens. The last woodcutters will be convects about to reenact the first episode of Attack on Titan. Saplings will be transplanted to other skylands before harvesting starts.
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7 1) T)
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change my 1) to T (for tacticslion)
Wow, guys! Glad you like it!
With a slight update:
1) Nations
There are several nations of several races. [Tacticslion, The Mighty Chocobo, Air0r]
B has one vote [Goth Guru]
2) Major Exports
D, E, and F all have three votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r]
G has three votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r, Tacticslion]
B has two votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Tacticslion]
C has two votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r]
H has two votes. [Air0r, Tacticslion]
A has one vote. [Tacticslion]
Major exports are Grains (Corn, wheat, etc), Fruits (Strawberries, apples, etc), Vegetables (Potatoes, carrots, etc), and Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc).
Metals (Gold, copper, etc), Fabrics (Wool, silk, etc), and Magitech (since they have two votes) might be minor exports.
3) Major Imports
A has four votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r, Tacticslion]
G and H have three votes each. [The Mighty Chocobo, Goth Guru, Air0r]
B has two votes. [Goth Guru, Air0r]
C has two votes. [The Mighty Chocobo, Tacticslion]
E, F, and I all have one vote each [Tacticslion]
Minerals (Diamonds, rubies, etc) are the major imports. Manufactured Goods (Chairs, teapots, etc) and Magitech probably consist of those they don't or can't make themselves but are not major imports.
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I will vote the "T" option as well on nation.
I don't honestly care what the imports and exports are.
Maybe we should vote on the type of culture the start setting will have next?
Harvesting Soarwood is like ripping the pillars out of a coal mine. The trees have leached the minerals out of the skyland, and the island will sink as harvesting happens. The last woodcutters will be convects about to reenact the first episode of Attack on Titan. Saplings will be transplanted to other skylands before harvesting starts.
Interesting concept - and I wonder if it's done purposefully. One of the tricks for abandoned or ruined islands - those that have, for whatever reason, been hopelessly polluted or destroyed - may well be to mine (carefully, and probably by highly magical forces to avoid waste) the kysilite out, plant it elsewhere, and then grow soarwood.
Soarwood, then, would be something that the druids control very tightly.
I wonder if soarwood should also have wyrwood or greenwood properities - i.e. it's a living thing that doesn't naturally rot and wither. That would go a long way toward explaining why the druids allow such a thing at all.
Fabricate would later be extremely important in the various countries' conservation efforts.
"Killing" a ship (burning, destroying it, etc) could be more of a capital crime than killing people. In fact, pirates probably are so terrible because, at some point, they managed to acquire a ship, and no one is willing to take the penalties (or be responsible) for killing a sacred vessel.
This is all cultural, of course, but it could be one reason or explanation why you don't use your ships in warfare - they're too valuable.
Sure, inter-guild conflict may result in a few dead people, but so long as they're not ruining the ships/disrupting trade...
It could also help explain floating terrariums - it's possible for something like a Boa tree to entirely eat a smaller floating island, becoming free-standing/free-floating soarwood: possibly one of the most valuable finds of all for the guild who can claim it for themselves.
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Living Skyland is a cool concept. I can see the residents(Druids, dryads, unicorns, and such) trading Soarwood for kysilite ore. The party druid might be looking for "abandoned" skylands to feed to the homeland. A skyland occupied by only hostile monsters might find themselves classified as "abandoned".
When the voting is over, the adventure hooks have already begun. :)
is this dead?
We could vote on the starting skyland, and the starting adventure.
We could vote on the starting skyland, and the starting adventure.
I'm open for suggestions. I've no idea where to go with this.
is this dead?
I have returned from the dead to take over the worl- oh, holy craaaaaaaap! *head rolls off the side of the screen*
We could vote on the starting skyland, and the starting adventure.I'm open for suggestions. I've no idea where to go with this.
I've some ideas for vote options if we're interested, but I need time to clarify them. Currently I'm out of town, and using an iPad (yay! and yikes!) and I won't be back for at least four days. It'd be really cool if someone could bump this about five days from now...
Hint. Hint.
Unless someone beats me to it. :D
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as it turns out, pages I like, i never close, so in five days time, i will bump this.
I already suggested a vote on which culture will be dominant in the starting continent. We have a framework for guild structure but that says nothing about what these people are like, or even what cultural rifts between groups are causing friction and creating story lines.
What about orcs? Are they the standard evil footsoldiers, or have they found a place in the factories, where their resistance to poisonous fumes make them useful.
I think about 5 days have passed.
Tomorrow...is another month!
How about Goblins
1: Illiterate Pathfinder standard.
2: Sky pirates working for Hobgoblin captains with Bugbear boarding parties.
3: Only creatures crazy enough to make gunpowder.
Add more options before the OP starts voting.
Bumped because another OP is asking questions about world building.