In my new setting I am trying to trash all semblance of normality and redundancy that appears in most published campaign settings and RPG's. Well, maybe not EVERYTHING, but I definitely want it to be a ... breath of fresh air, if you will. So I've been working on races tonight, thinking it would be a good place to start. Tell me what you think.
[spoiler=Races of Tiabela]
Chelaren
'¨Homeland: None.
Tiabela is a large continent with a vast amount of people populating its surface. Differences in habit, appearance, dress and other influences combine to create several unique cultures.
'˜Chelaren' is a term loosely meaning '˜children', '˜new born' or '˜young ones' in the Elladuran language.
Most of these cultures resemble the chelaren race, and it is the most widespread and diverse race on the continent though it is also the youngest race in existence.
Chelaren cultures, unlike those of more secluded races, may vary greatly in technology and style from one land to the next.
'¨Jian
'¨Homeland: Raladur
Jian are one of the longest-surviving races of Tiabela along with the Elladur.
Due to their rather rough demeanor and past prejudices toward their orc cousins, the Jian have remained secluded from most other cultures for hundreds of years. Slowly, they have begun making a favorable name for themselves and have assimilated into the more cosmopolitan regions of Sapian society.
Jian males are massive in stature, standing well over 6 feet tall at times and weighing more than twice as much as the average Sapian male.
Jian females are much slimmer than males but still stand several inches taller than Sapian females.
Jian have thick grey-green skin and small eyes. Jian prefer to keep their hair short but some wear beards which they braid and decorate with charms or various tokens.
'¨Elladur, Valira
'¨Homeland: Valishul
The Valira Elladur (Dark Elves) are a division of the ancient Elladur (Elven) race and the only surviving branch of Elladur in Tiabela.
The Valira have a long history of struggle with the Chelaren and the Avielira Elladur (High Elves). While they eventually succeeded in rendering the Avielira virtually extinct, the Valira had little success dominating the Chelaren, whom they see as a continual nuisance and a blight on the purity of Tiabela.
For the most part, Valira stay secluded from the Chelaren and the other races. However, the most recent generation has seen acceptance of other cultures becoming more prevalent as more and more young Valira leave home to seek wealth and adventure in other lands.
Valira stand slightly shorter than the Chelaren and are slight of build. They have dusky grey skin and hair that ranges pale silver to pure white. Their eyes are commonly pale blue or red with the rare lavender seen on occasion.
'¨Elladur, Avielira
'¨Homeland: Ardiril
The Elladur Avielira, or High Elves, are the oldest known race of Tiabela. Once, in the ages long past, the Avielira civilization stretched across the entire continent.
Now, they are a broken and extinguished race. Their nemesis, the Valira, waged constant warfare with the Avielira for hundreds of years and the Avielira slowly fell into submission and eventual destruction.
Today, the only Avielira left are those of legend, but it would be unwise to suggest that the ancient race will never return.
'¨Eldmar
'¨Homeland: Waryund
The Eldmar are a small race native to the rocky hills of Waryund.
Fabulously inventive, the Eldmar have discovered countless advances in technology and can claim credit for the rotary airship and gunpowder along with a host of other inventions.
Very outgoing and friendly people, the Eldmar send travelers and adventurers across the expanse of Tiabela in search of materials or lore from other cultures.
Eldmar stand slightly above the waist of a Chelaren on average. They have fair or lightly tanned skin, bright blue or green eyes and anywhere from dark brown to sandy blonde hair, which they prefer to wear loose and disheveled.
[spoiler=Vesa]
The Vesa
Believed by most to be a thing of legend, the Vesa are very much alive and real. Their origin (and sometimes their very existence) remains a mystery to the outside world. For reasons unknown, the vesa stop physically aging very early in their development, always appear similar to a child no older than 7 or 8 years of age.
The Hidden Valley of the Vesa'¨Tucked deep within the quiet Maple Woods (known in hushed voices as '˜the wood' to the vesa) lies a shallow basin which, unlike the rest of the Woods, is only sparsely populated by golden maples. Closer inspection of the maples reveals their leaves to be hard and crystalline. The air itself seems to be golden in hue, causing everything to seem to glow as if one was in a dream.
As one enters the valley, the land drops down into a basin covered in soft emerald grass like a huge carpet. Dotting the landscape are dozens of miniature golden maples, each complete with its own rope ladder descending from the boughs. These are the homes of the vesa. Entrance into the home is made through a small hole in the floor with a rope ladder that can be drawn up at night or in times of danger. The branches of these trees naturally wind together to create a small cavern within the boughs, covered outside by the golden crystal leaves. Inside, the floor is almost completely flat, and the walls weave and intertwine with branches. Windows and doors are created where the branches part and then join again later to complete the wall. Furniture is hand-carved from the wood of dead (natural) trees from the edge of the clearing and it is always very simple but never crude. Bed frames are made from wood as well but are covered in soft furs or piles of the supple grass covered in a hemp fabric. Swirling runes can be seen carved into the trunks of the maples as well as in furniture and other pieces of vesa architecture. These runes are (so far as anyone knows) more for artistic reasons than anything else.
At the center of the valley is a small shallow lake (only knee-deep at most for the vesa), at the center of which lies an enormous Tree with clear crystalline leaves that reflect the sun's light in a myriad of colors across the lake's surface. All around the tree, on the grass and in the lake, vesa dance and frolic together in seeming bliss. Even in the Tree, dozens of of the vesa run and play along its enormous branches, which are sometimes thick enough to create small platforms where they sit in groups and sing or play instruments in gay tunes that rest upon the ears as light as a feather.
The Maple WoodsThe Maple Woods is densely forested sliver across a large expanse of Tiabela. It runs largely from southwest to northeast, but widens at the center, forming a shape (if seen from the top) similar to a leaf.
The Woods are seen as a formidable barrier to the vesa, and few have ever dared to explore it, and even fewer have returned. It is inhabited mostly by monstrous beasts and insects but rumors told in guarded whispers tell of stranger foes that lurk beneath the branches of the Woods.
Most of these stories are probably exaggerated, ghost stories to keep young vesa from running off into the Woods at night, but more often than not they contain more than a shred of truth.
Any vesa who have returned from expeditions into the woods describe encountering many ruins between the trees. These largely overgrown remnants of a civilization past are made of great grey stone and are decorated with runes very similar to those of the vesa. Great round stone doors seem to lead deeper into the ruins but so far no one has been able to open them.
Outside of the WoodsThe world outside of the Woods is a very different place. Surrounding the woods is a kingdom known as [name]. [name], like the other countries around it, is inhabited by the fabled 'tall people' or 'giants' and is crowned by a great castle atop a hill.
To the north lies a range of blue mountains tipped with white caps of snow. To the east lies Belaro, a kingdom of fishermen and pirates on the eastern coast of Tiabela.
Physical Description'¨The vesa at first glance appear to be small children, perhaps aged 7 or 8 years, and stand approximately 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall. Looking closer, it becomes apparent that they are not children at all.
Their skin is pale and unblemished, and never appears the slightest bit soiled. The vesa have large, almond-shaped eyes of almost any color, ranging from sapphire to emerald to amber. Their hair can also be many shades, but most have copper, light brown, or blonde hair. Male vesa wear their hair short but not cropped, and it always remains uncombed. Female vesa like to wear their hair long, around their shoulders, and sometimes adorn it with small flowers or crowns made of the leaves from their golden trees.
All vesa have long but softly pointed ears.
Attire'¨The vesa dress very simply preferring loose, flowing garments in natural colors. Males most commonly wear a light tunic of simple cloth covered by a green or dusky brown (open-faced) over-tunic with light colored trousers or (depending on the length of the tunic) no trousers at all. Over the tunics they wear a wide sash of bright blue cloth tied with a thin hide or rope belt. Females wear pale blouses under simple dresses in green, brown, or blue and love to wear jewelry when they can. Clothing (usually the light under-tunic) is often decorated with symbols and swirling patterns in pale blue or tan.
Vesa almost never wear shoes, preferring to go barefoot. However, members of a small defensive militia wear leather boots and gloves.
All vesa who have taken part in the coming-of-age Spring Ceremonies receive a crystal leaf from the Tree. Each leaf is unique but except for one twin, which is given by male vesa to a female as a gift for being their companion (see below). Vesa wear these leaves on thin chains around their necks as pendants. The leaves provide a mental link between vesa companions, and by focusing on their pendant, vesa can tell where their companion is and if they are in trouble.
Family'¨After a male vesa has completed the coming of age (Spring) ceremonies, he is charged with gifting the girl of his choice with the pair to his amulet. If the girl accepts, it is like being betrothed in human culture. Such an event is usually celebrated between close friends and not the entire community, although it is announced and acknowledged by all.
Children are a mystery to the vesa. Although they mate sexually like other species, the act is more of a bonding ritual rather than a method of procreation. Once a year, during the Summer Ceremonies, vesa females of the appropriate age enter into the Tree through a tunnel, whose entrance is a secret to male vesa or female vesa who are not old enough yet. They are gone for the entire summer season, and reappear with a small vesa child at the start of the Fall Ceremonies. This event is marked by tremendous feasting and music sometimes lasting several nights without pause.
The truth is that vesa originate from another plane of existence. Inside the tree is a hollowed out cavern filled with the swirling runes found in vesa fashion and architecture except that these dance and writhe as if alive. The cavern is domed and the floor slopes down towards a natural wooden arch in the center, making the cavern almost a complete sphere. The wooden arch, also covered in runes, is a portal to The Paradise. Looking into the arch, one can see the reflection of fields of gold and scarlet grass continuing forever and hundreds of small vesa children wandering across the expanse.
The female vesa enter the Paradise through this portal, where they find which child is theirs. The child itself is predestined for a certain vesa, and immediately knows when its 'mother' is there for it. The children cannot leave the plane without their vesa mother.
Religion'¨The vesa are animistic, and believe in spirits contained within every living (and many non-living) creatures or objects. Above all, they revere the Tree, which they believe is the origin of their race and contains the life force of every living vesa.
A small group comprised completely of females tends to the tree and prays to the spirit contained within it. Known as the Touched, these vesa are not chosen to become Touched, but are rather 'called' by the tree every hundred years. New vesa who are thus 'called' replace the former priestesses, who return to their everyday lives and forget completely of their time as priestesses of the Tree.
Special Qualities'¨ +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution.'¨
*Small-size.'¨
*Favored Class: Bard.
[/spoiler]
[/spoiler]
its good, but in my opinion every setting should have the shorter races as playable races. Also, will the Valira have the same racial traits as dark elves? If you have the characters start at low levels you should tone down the racial traits of the dark elves as to get rid of the level ajustment or just give more powerful traits to the other races and monsters as to even everything out
Quote from: PuddleJumper1its good, but in my opinion every setting should have the shorter races as playable races.
I was trying to think of which shorter races to use. I, for some reason, don't want ot use halflings. Dwarves are definitely an option, but I never really know how to fit them in...
QuoteAlso, will the Valira have the same racial traits as dark elves? If you have the characters start at low levels you should tone down the racial traits of the dark elves as to get rid of the level ajustment or just give more powerful traits to the other races and monsters as to even everything out
I'm not even sure I'm going to use the classic d20 system but if I do, I will most likely just rework dark elves entirely to have no level adjustment. The ones presented in the various supplements scream underdark and drizzt and Forgotten Realms to me.
i think that gnomes would be better than dwarves.
1. all evil races hate them, all good races love them.
2. gnomish mage
3. gadgets
I like the gadgets/tech-mixed magic of gnomes. I could, perhaps, involve them in the development of airships and gunpowder technology (I want to mix a small amount of renaissance technology and styles into some of the cultures, sort of bridge gaps between eras).
I'll work on the gnomes today but I have to shop for my sister's birthday/paint for money so it'll come later tonight.
EDIT: Nevermind, Eldmar added.
Interesting that you have made the races very physically distinctive and that you are keeping to a short list. Can any of these interbreed?
yes the airships would be a good idea. it doesnt seem like many people use them either. also they should be powered by magic crystal things like the crystals that power their warp drive in star trek only those arent magic
Quote from: TybaltInteresting that you have made the races very physically distinctive and that you are keeping to a short list.
Thanks for noticing! Imagery is very important to me in my settings, and I am trying in this one more than any of the others to be able to portray the world as vividly as possible through text. The short list of races is, of course, different than most campaigns. With the other campaigns I had run I was afraid of restricting players to only a few choices. Now that I have no players, I am focusing more on flavor and overall feel (which is very focused here) of the setting. I will also elaborate on different cultures, even with rather focused races like the Jian and Valira Elladur.
QuoteCan any of these interbreed?
Interesting question, I hadn't thought of that. I suppose any of the Elladur and the Chelaren are "compatible" as well as the Jian and Chelaren (half-orcs?). Interesting combos of Elladur and Jain or some combo with the Eldmar...
Quote from: Atlantisyes the airships would be a good idea. it doesnt seem like many people use them either. also they should be powered by magic crystal things like the crystals that power their warp drive in star trek only those arent magic
Eberron it seems was the only campaign setting to fully integrate airships as part of one of their nation's economies or even the setting in general, but I didn't like their whole elemental thing. A flaming ring driving a ship just didn't make sense to me (watch out birds!).
Crystals are an interesting idea. I think I read somewhere in one of the Shannara books (that had a lot of airships) that they were powered by crystals and I really liked that but I can't remember what the book was.
you might want to incorporate some other race that looks like a cat or flies, or has some inhuman traits. another thing to look into is to change the gnomes to gnwarvesTM: The amazingly ingenous, mining,Gnome-Dwarf HYbrid!
haha gnwarves! I was seriously considering a cat-like race but I'm still thinking of how they would appear. That might come later. I compiled several rules variants into a mechanics section for the campaign today I'll post that next. Can we upload documents or just pics?
i dont know
I was thinking of changing the Eldmar to a race of children, and they never grow up. I don't know how I came up with this but it seemed like a really cool idea. I would think that they would have to be very sheltered. Maybe they have innate magical abilities to overcome the inherent weaknesses of being children. <-- psionics? Opinions?
IDEA: Maybe something important them was stolen from them, and they are very worried/looking for it. That would explain pc adventurers.
IDEA: #2 (they just keep on coming) They dont travel outside of their area (a cleared hidden valley in a thick wood? with a stream? for fear of a "beast of legend" perhaps something as simple as a dire wolf, but in the children's mind it would be a great and monstrous beastie)
IDEA #3: Make their name litteraly mean children but in their own language. or maybe innocent, make THEM chelaren and humans something else?
IDEA #4: Big, adorable eyes, pointed ears.
IDEA #5: Worship and adore an ancient tree (surrounded by a sparkling brook?), which they sleep in at night. their name could be "vesa" (or something similar) meaning "sprout, or young tree" in finnish
IDEA #5: Focus items for their innate magical/psionic power could be crystalized acorns or leaves from their tree
Here's what I have so far. Largely just mapped out for now, this covers most aspects of the Vesa's culture and society. If there are any areas you would like to see fleshed out further, think need some editing, or need more explanation in general please tell me, I really like this project. I think it might be a little over-the-top mystical but tell me what you think first.
[spoiler=Here we go!]
The Vesa
Believed by most to be a thing of legend, the Vesa are very much alive and real. Their origin (and sometimes their very existence) remains a mystery to the outside world. For reasons unknown, the vesa stop physically aging very early in their development, always appear similar to a child no older than 7 or 8 years of age.
The Hidden Valley of the Vesa'¨Tucked deep within the quiet Maple Woods (known in hushed voices as '˜the wood' to the vesa) lies a shallow basin which, unlike the rest of the Woods, is only sparsely populated by golden maples. Closer inspection of the maples reveals their leaves to be hard and crystalline. The air itself seems to be golden in hue, causing everything to seem to glow as if one was in a dream.
As one enters the valley, the land drops down into a basin covered in soft emerald grass like a huge carpet. Dotting the landscape are dozens of miniature golden maples, each complete with its own rope ladder descending from the boughs. These are the homes of the vesa. Entrance into the home is made through a small hole in the floor with a rope ladder that can be drawn up at night or in times of danger. The branches of these trees naturally wind together to create a small cavern within the boughs, covered outside by the golden crystal leaves. Inside, the floor is almost completely flat, and the walls weave and intertwine with branches. Windows and doors are created where the branches part and then join again later to complete the wall. Furniture is hand-carved from the wood of dead (natural) trees from the edge of the clearing and it is always very simple but never crude. Bed frames are made from wood as well but are covered in soft furs or piles of the supple grass covered in a hemp fabric. Swirling runes can be seen carved into the trunks of the maples as well as in furniture and other pieces of vesa architecture. These runes are (so far as anyone knows) more for artistic reasons than anything else.
At the center of the valley is a small shallow lake (only knee-deep at most for the vesa), at the center of which lies an enormous Tree with clear crystalline leaves that reflect the sun's light in a myriad of colors across the lake's surface. All around the tree, on the grass and in the lake, vesa dance and frolic together in seeming bliss. Even in the Tree, dozens of of the vesa run and play along its enormous branches, which are sometimes thick enough to create small platforms where they sit in groups and sing or play instruments in gay tunes that rest upon the ears as light as a feather.
The Maple WoodsThe Maple Woods is densely forested sliver across a large expanse of Tiabela. It runs largely from southwest to northeast, but widens at the center, forming a shape (if seen from the top) similar to a leaf.
The Woods are seen as a formidable barrier to the vesa, and few have ever dared to explore it, and even fewer have returned. It is inhabited mostly by monstrous beasts and insects but rumors told in guarded whispers tell of stranger foes that lurk beneath the branches of the Woods.
Most of these stories are probably exaggerated, ghost stories to keep young vesa from running off into the Woods at night, but more often than not they contain more than a shred of truth.
Any vesa who have returned from expeditions into the woods describe encountering many ruins between the trees. These largely overgrown remnants of a civilization past are made of great grey stone and are decorated with runes very similar to those of the vesa. Great round stone doors seem to lead deeper into the ruins but so far no one has been able to open them.
Outside of the WoodsThe world outside of the Woods is a very different place. Surrounding the woods is a kingdom known as [name]. [name], like the other countries around it, is inhabited by the fabled 'tall people' or 'giants' and is crowned by a great castle atop a hill.
To the north lies a range of blue mountains tipped with white caps of snow. To the east lies Belaro, a kingdom of fishermen and pirates on the eastern coast of Tiabela.
Physical Description'¨The vesa at first glance appear to be small children, perhaps aged 7 or 8 years, and stand approximately 3 to 3-1/2 feet tall. Looking closer, it becomes apparent that they are not children at all.
Their skin is pale and unblemished, and never appears the slightest bit soiled. The vesa have large, almond-shaped eyes of almost any color, ranging from sapphire to emerald to amber. Their hair can also be many shades, but most have copper, light brown, or blonde hair. Male vesa wear their hair short but not cropped, and it always remains uncombed. Female vesa like to wear their hair long, around their shoulders, and sometimes adorn it with small flowers or crowns made of the leaves from their golden trees.
All vesa have long but softly pointed ears.
Attire'¨The vesa dress very simply preferring loose, flowing garments in natural colors. Males most commonly wear a light tunic of simple cloth covered by a green or dusky brown (open-faced) over-tunic with light colored trousers or (depending on the length of the tunic) no trousers at all. Over the tunics they wear a wide sash of bright blue cloth tied with a thin hide or rope belt. Females wear pale blouses under simple dresses in green, brown, or blue and love to wear jewelry when they can. Clothing (usually the light under-tunic) is often decorated with symbols and swirling patterns in pale blue or tan.
Vesa almost never wear shoes, preferring to go barefoot. However, members of a small defensive militia wear leather boots and gloves.
All vesa who have taken part in the coming-of-age Spring Ceremonies receive a crystal leaf from the Tree. Each leaf is unique but except for one twin, which is given by male vesa to a female as a gift for being their companion (see below). Vesa wear these leaves on thin chains around their necks as pendants. The leaves provide a mental link between vesa companions, and by focusing on their pendant, vesa can tell where their companion is and if they are in trouble.
Family'¨After a male vesa has completed the coming of age (Spring) ceremonies, he is charged with gifting the girl of his choice with the pair to his amulet. If the girl accepts, it is like being betrothed in human culture. Such an event is usually celebrated between close friends and not the entire community, although it is announced and acknowledged by all.
Children are a mystery to the vesa. Although they mate sexually like other species, the act is more of a bonding ritual rather than a method of procreation. Once a year, during the Summer Ceremonies, vesa females of the appropriate age enter into the Tree through a tunnel, whose entrance is a secret to male vesa or female vesa who are not old enough yet. They are gone for the entire summer season, and reappear with a small vesa child at the start of the Fall Ceremonies. This event is marked by tremendous feasting and music sometimes lasting several nights without pause.
The truth is that vesa originate from another plane of existence. Inside the tree is a hollowed out cavern filled with the swirling runes found in vesa fashion and architecture except that these dance and writhe as if alive. The cavern is domed and the floor slopes down towards a natural wooden arch in the center, making the cavern almost a complete sphere. The wooden arch, also covered in runes, is a portal to The Paradise. Looking into the arch, one can see the reflection of fields of gold and scarlet grass continuing forever and hundreds of small vesa children wandering across the expanse.
The female vesa enter the Paradise through this portal, where they find which child is theirs. The child itself is predestined for a certain vesa, and immediately knows when its 'mother' is there for it. The children cannot leave the plane without their vesa mother.
Religion'¨The vesa are animistic, and believe in spirits contained within every living (and many non-living) creatures or objects. Above all, they revere the Tree, which they believe is the origin of their race and contains the life force of every living vesa.
A small group comprised completely of females tends to the tree and prays to the spirit contained within it. Known as the Touched, these vesa are not chosen to become Touched, but are rather 'called' by the tree every hundred years. New vesa who are thus 'called' replace the former priestesses, who return to their everyday lives and forget completely of their time as priestesses of the Tree.
Special Qualities'¨ +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma, +2 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution.'¨
*Small-size.'¨
*Favored Class: Bard.
[/spoiler]
[ooc]NM, they stay kids.[/ooc]
EDIT: I've been thinking, and I might rework my campaign setting to revolve around this race if I can perfect it and get enough positive feedback (and negative to work out the kinks).
EDIT: Most aspects of the vesa culture changed or edited to solidify certain ideas throughout (continuity was a problem). New idea of runes in art and architecture and the idea of children greatly expanded upon. Descriptions of the vesa as "children" removed or edited to my taste.
EDIT: Expanded/added information (brief overview) of the Woods and the lands outside of them.
I am definitely making the vesa the center of my setting, but I am going to remodel their culture a bit and expand it beyond the forest I originally planted them in. Perhaps the small forest village is just that, a small forest village. Possibly remove the stuff about children being planar, that's a little far fetched. I want their civilization to be small though, and inexperienced in the affairs of other places. That is why adventurers are so important. Music will still be important, with bards remaining the favored class, although I believe I will have to heavily modify classes to fit with their race.
Making their small society very personal and descriptive ot players is very important to me, so I will also spend time developing some NPC's and their personalities/services if I can.
Also, STILL having a very difficult time describing how they look. If anyone can help that'd be great. The characters from Eternal Sonata are similar to what I am trying to describe.
never heard of eternal sonata but couldnt they just look like the tiny gnome/elf/humans in Legend of zelda cuz u did sorta just describe them right there
THE KOKIRI! I forgot them, Nice call.
your avatar reminded me.
I don't have too much to say, other than that I'm liking the amount of history I'm feeling from the races. Don't feel that you need to vastly change things physically to make them unique, merely detail them so they are important to the world. Keep detailing their history, as this seems like one of your strong points.
I do like your Vesa race.
Quote from: Kap'n XeviatI don't have too much to say, other than that I'm liking the amount of history I'm feeling from the races. Don't feel that you need to vastly change things physically to make them unique, merely detail them so they are important to the world. Keep detailing their history, as this seems like one of your strong points.
I do like your Vesa race.
Thanks!
if you make cat people you might want to make them vary deppending on their habitats(savannhah:lion like cats, jungle:panther-like cats,etc.).