The Campaign Builder's Guild

[blockquote=Reviews Wanted]Thanks for stopping by.

If you're looking for things to review, here are the top three things we'd like feedback on right now:

*The overall feel of Tephra.  Does it feel consistent, or does it feel loopy?
*The technology of Tephra.  It's different, so we need feedback.
*The races of Tephra.  They're something else!

[/blockquote]


Tephra is a world of collided memories and the ash left in their wake. Tephra is the world of a dying god being reawakened.  Tephra is a world where birth only comes from death.  Tephra is a world where body and spirit fight for supremacy.  Tephra is a world where technology and magic mate in sinful delight.  Tephra is a world of collisions.

Tephra is utilizing the CBG Wiki, where our information is kept up to date.  Please feel free to look over our information there, where it is organized: Tephra at the CBG Wiki (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tephra)

[ic=Organizational Note]Tephra is being co-designed by Jharviss and the Mad Hatter.  This will be the discussion thread, so feel free to post here.[/ic]
[spoiler=Design Ideology]Design Ideology
When we began creation on Tephra, many core beliefs helped to shape the world.  Tephra is a D&D world, but it is designed to disregard and recreate the D&D system.  All races, all classes, all magic, and everything within has been radically changed.  Up is down, down is up, you've fallen into the rabbit hole now.  Ideas from the common D&D world have been taken and rebuilt.

There are eight races in Tephra, and each one is playable.  There is no black vs. white theme in Tephra: we believe that the idea of a creature being born evil is ridiculous.  No creature is born sinful -- it is learned from society.  In Tephra, no race is evil.  Some races may sound familiar, but the only race that has not been radically changed is (you guessed it) humans.

Magic has been streamlined.  D&D had too many branches and types.  Now there are only a few disciplines and only one type of magic: the magical kind.

Furthermore, technology plays its part.  In this world, civilizations develop and technology grows.  But one cannot pin down Tephra to "Medieval," "Victorian," "Modern," or "Futuristic."  We linger between the lines.

Finally, our most telling design goal: the flames will be used to cook our ramen.[/spoiler]
Table of Contents[note=Pronunciations]Please be aware that all names in Tephra are designed to be pronounced exactly as they appear.  They should be as easy to understand and read as possible, and they should stick to the core values of the English alphabet.

Thus, according to the English alphabet, when you see an "ae," it is pronounced like an "ee."[/note]

Introduction to Races (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.2)

Resurrection (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.4)

The Daemon World (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.6)

World Map (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.7)

Technology (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.8)

Aeonium (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.9)

The Fortress Ray (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.13)

The Haudi (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.22)

Main Continent - Political Map (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.25)

Elves & Farishtaas (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.27)

Lifespans (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.28)

Fifteen Common Daemons (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.30)

The Life Force Theory (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.31)

Magic (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.42)

Gnomes (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.46)

Satyrs (http://www.thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.50)

Izedans (http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.65)

[spoiler=Review Badge]A special thanks to LordVreeg, for all the reviews!  

If you want to use Tephra's review badge, just copy and paste the following code:

[url=http://thecbg.org/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?41642.0][img]http://colabore.org/Tephra-Icon.gif[/img][/url][/spoiler]

Introduction

Tephra is a dying god, sleeping in the core of a planet.  Long ago, a planet named Aeon collided with Tephra, leaving Aeon in pieces, caught in Tephra's gravity.  The goddess, Aeon, found herself on Tephra, her planet now forming the rings around Tephra and a small moon lost in the rings.  Aeon, no more than a child among deities, saw Tephra as a playground.  She created and destroyed, her chaos shaping Tephra even while Tephra lay dormant at the core of the planet.  Aeon brought with her many things.  The inhabitants of the planet Aeon were daemons, invisible to the sight of Tephran mortals, who now surround Tephra's surface.  Aeon also brought with her magic, an energy that saturated her world and its inhabitants, the daemons.

The world of Tephra is surrounded by rings of Aeonium, iridescent and prismatic.  Aeonium can be found on Tephra, and sometimes large chunks of it will be pulled down to the ground, leaving large craters on the world's surface.  Aeonium fuels magic, but is also a stone with unique magnetic properties.  It is useful in both technological and magical pursuits.

Magic is seperated into four disciplines: creation, flux, mind, and summoning.  Each one has its own spells and its own methods in casting such spells.  Magi are the praciticioners of magic.

Technology is advanced on Tephra according to its resources.  Necessity and the magnetic nature of aeonium has caused many unique advances in technology on Tephra.  Explosive magnetic mines, weapons that use sound waves to damage buildings and creatures, and other items have dominated warfare.  The printing press has been invented, and so have many other industrial age agricultural developments.  

Flight is common on Tephra.  The aodin, dominating the sea, spurred mortals on land to find other means of transportation.  Fliers -- flying gliders with propellors fueled by two magnets on the opposite sides of metal propellors -- have become common on Tephra.  A giant flying ray, much like the type that lives underwater, flies in the air, living on raw magic.  When gnomes magically "grow" them, they become enormous, easily 500 feet in winglength.  Other mortal races build giant fortresses on and inside these creatures.  These fortress rays, though less than fifteen of them exist, have become the crowning ornament of many militaries.

Religion plays an unusual role in Tephra.  The true gods, Tephra and Aeon, grant nothing to the very few mortals who worship them.  There are several daemons who have risen to such powers that they are known as daemon gods, and they are worshipped by priests.  But daemon gods do little beyond unifying people under certain banners and beliefs, though some daemon gods take a very active role in mortal lives, protecting them as far as their powers can.  Upon death, a creature's spirit joins the daemons and loses its sentient thoughts, becoming like the millions of planktin-daemons roaming Tephra.  

Introducing...
Races

There are eight core races in Tephra.  They are all playable races.  Yes, they will look like they will be impossible to stat as normal D&D races without giving them a level adjustment -- ignore that fact for now.  Just read the fluff.

[spoiler=Aodin]Aodin
The aodin are an aquadic race, almost solely claiming the the oceans.  The aodin can turn their bodies to liquid.  If they are within a larger body of water, they can move about it in their liquid state, but if they turn to liquid on land they are immobile until they revert back.  Only their body can change to liquid.  Their bodies are pale blue, almost sea-green.  They have gills on their abdomens, right under their lungs, and can breath both in open air and in water.  They are humanoid, just under five feet.  They have large fins attached to their backs, like wings, that fold up against their backs.  When their fins are folded up, they jut over their head and make them over six feet tall.  Their bodies are really light, and their fins are translucent like a jellyfish's.  But the fins have a chemical running through them that allows the aodin to stiffen the fabric of their fins, making it like steel.  They often use the fins as shields when in fights.  

Their bodies are otherwise similar to a human's.  Their fingers are longer and thinner, and they come to a sharp point.  They do not have fingernails.  Rather, their fingertips have a poisonous touch to them that feels like a small electric jolt.  They have ears that are long, but go downwards, opposite of an elf's.  They have two fins on their head which slopes down to their back.  The two fins typically just lay flat on their head, but they stand and move about according to the aodin's emotions.  The aodin's emotions are very expressive because of this.

Aodin control the seas.  They have gained almost complete domination over the seas, only allowing people to travel the waves with their permission.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Elves]Elves
Elves aren't your typical fallen angels.  Ancient murals depict them as upstanding individuals towering over all other races in holy white, with great feathered wings and halos.  Elves were rejected from Aeon's favor long ago, and without her blessing they grew warped and mutated.  Large black and purple boils cover their skin.  They are hunched over, strong and feral.  Their eyes are dark and their ears are over a foot long.  

Elves are beasts.  They have a culture, but it cannot be discussed first without understanding the farishtaas.  The farishtaas are daemons who permanently possess elves, giving them their own blessing.  A possessed elf "returns to Aeon's favor," as the elves believe.  The farishtaa regains its composure, its boils disappear, and it becomes a more angelic visage.  But when a farishtaa possesses and elf, it kills the elf's spirit and replaces it within its body.  The elves, however, see this as an honor.

Elves act as the feral slaves of the farishtaas.  The elves -- stupid, ugly, and brutish -- see it as an honor to become a farishtaa.  They are fascinated with becoming what they once were and view the farishtaa as gods.  Elves are ferocious and and quick to anger.  They work as per the farishtaas' demands and fight for them as well.  Very rarely does an elf come along that is intelligent enough to see their situation as anything but perfect (and when that happens, they are typically killed and possessed to become a farishtaa).  Elves are very emotional and love bright colors (the farishtaas believe that colors corrupt, and keep themselves clean, utilizing only blacks and whites).  They live in deep jungles and tend to be quite unclean.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Farishtaas]Farishtaas
A farishtaa is a possessed elf.  A deamon permanently possesses a chosen elven specimen, a process that kills the elf, and uses its body to act in a non-ethereal state.  Farishtaas are not evil, but the only way they can be brought into this world is through the death of another.  They see elves as the perfect specimen to use, since the body of an elf requires a daemon spirit to complete it.  When a farishtaa is created, the farishtaa leaves behind the warped parts of the elf.  Its body becomes upright, its boils disappear, leaving pristine white skin, and its ear thicken and become more regal.  Farishtaas take great pride in ensuring that their bodies are kept perfect, for, more so than any other race, farishtaa see their bodies as temples.  If a farishtaa's body dies, so does the daemon possessing it -- once possessed, a daemon cannot leave the body.  Farishtaas are very regal and their society controls the elves' society.  
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Gnomes]Gnomes
Gnomes are a small race that is characterized for painful optimism.  A pessimistic gnome does not exist.  That is not to say that they are all happy and perfect all the time, but they always speak in optimistic tones.  Gnomes can see at amazing distances, tenfold that of a human.  However, their vision is always blurry up close.  Thus, gnomes almost all wear specialized goggles to help them focus on nearby things.  They are the only race that can use advanced divination magic, and even they cannot forsee the future.  Gnomes are a cross between master inventors and master magicians.  They long ago learned a flux ritual that allows them to rapidly increase the size of a creature, making squirrels, crickets, rats, and various other small creatures large enough to serve as mounts.  Gnomes are the only race that can increase the size of the giant flying ray to be of such size that it is capable of being a fortress ray.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Haudi]Haudi
The haudi are a race of humanoids that have, over many centuries, consumed a huge amount of calcium.  They have thick bones and tight, knotty muscles.  The haudi are much stronger than other races, and their bones are very strong.  Their nails grow at least an inch per day, so haudi continuously file them.  Their teeth are long and sharp, and they have eight fangs for the human's four.  They have flat faces and stand tall at almost seven feet.  The haudi live in the mountains or near coastlines, and have very dark skin.  Their feel themselves superior to all other races.  They find it good manners to speak through clenched teeth.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Humans]Humans
Figure it out.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Izedans]Izedans
Izedans are known, even among races such as the satyrs, aodin, and farishtaa, as a bizarre race.  They are only barely above five feet and have thick, stout bodies.  They all have pronounced underbites and very wide chins.  Along their jawline is a frill, much like a fish fin.  Their bodies are entirely white and their eyes are beedy and black.  Their bodies regenerate much faster than a human's and they can withstand amazing amounts of pain.  They can even regenerate lost limbs over the course of a couple months.  They can eat almost anything, from rocks to bones to animals, and can unhinge their jaws to take enormous bites.  They use the sunlight as a food source, their albino skin absorbing the sunlight and converting it to fuel.  They live in the desert and, if they go long times without sunlight or are exposed to too much cold, grow sluggish and tired.  A gnomish scientist once jokingly commented that the izedans were likes plants; the body of that scientist was found, half-eaten, a few days later in the desert.  

Izedan are cruel to their own bodies.  Their pain receptors are mutated and izedans feel pain almost as a sexual experience.  They are proud of their battle scars and they celebrate death as the ultimate ecstasy.  That is not to say, however, that they seek death -- they are more reasonable than that.  Still, izedans are not sensitive to each other or other races because of how they view pain.  Because of this, izedans are typicaly seen as cruel and uncaring.  

Izedans love pets and are known for having cheetahs, enormous snakes, and other creatures native to the desert living with them.  They tend to treat their pets better than they treat themselves. They also love arena battles, and can be found daily having scorpion fights.  Despite all of this, if they get hungry, izedans are known for using their pets as convenient food sources.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Satyrs]Satyrs
Satyrs are humanoids with the lower torso of a goat and with horns like a goat's or ram's.  Satyrs often lives in mountains or vast forests.  They are playful and roudy, known for procrastination.  However, satyrs are hard workers and doing a good job at whatever they put their minds too.  Satyrs enjoy alcohol, and their bodies react to it like a stimulant rather than a depressant.  Satyrs make strong leaders, for they take special responsibility when put in charge.  Satyrs have beautiful, naturally colored eyes and their horns grow in various shapes, typically according to the ethnicity of the satyr.

Many satyrs and humans used to be the slaves of the haudi, and since then the satyrs and the haudi have seen each other as bitter enemies.  Satyrs and humans, however, are very close and treat each other like brethren.  
[/spoiler]

Tephra is the body
Aeon is the soul
:D

Defining...
Resurrection

In Tephra, resurrection is rare and, in many societies, either looked down on or illegal.  Resurrection is a ninth level spell from the creation discipline.  Note that most healing magic is from the flux discipline.

When a person dies, the marriage between body and spirit is cut.  The essence of the person joins the daemon world.  The essence, the spirit, carries nothing with them.  No memories, no thought -- it is simply a daemon spirit, akin to planktin.  This is not an accepted belief among most people in Tephra, but it is the mechanical reality.

Resurrection is a creation spell because it creates a new person using the memories of others.  Resurrection is a ritual that requires several of the people closest to the deseased to gather for the ritual, and, upon casting, the resurrection creates a new conscious within the body formed from the pure, unbiased memories of the people gathered.

This resurrection is far from perfect.

Death is cleansing.

A person's memories are stripped from them.  They remember very little of themselves.  Their mechanical skills remain in tact -- they can still fight, cast spells, and do other things they did in life.  But if they carried secrets with them that only they knew, those are lost.  If none of the people grew up with them, their childhood would be lost.  Many resurrected people take on new names, develop new personalities from their jumbled memories, and begin to resemble entirely different people.  

Many people who feel that their lives are threatened but know that resurrection is possible keep journals.  Royalty often keep invaluable journals filled with their secrets, and these documents are kept more precious than national artifacts.  An eighth level creation spell, Memory Clone, can duplicate a person's memories for a nearly flawless resurrection.  The costs and dangers associated with this spell cause it to be one rarely even used by royalty with seemingly endless resources.

Gnomes and satyrs are often in favor of resurrection.  They believe that life is precious, and, even if the resurrection is imperfect, a new beginning is better than a permanent end.  The izedans abhore resurrection.  The izedans love pain, and they see death as the ultimate pain, the final orgasm of life.  But when a creature is resurrected, recreated according to other people's memories, the resurrected person can no longer remember how their death felt.  This, izedans believe, is the ultimate disgrace.

This version of resurrection is a more flavorful form of resurrection than the type used in D&D, and is also significantly more rare.  It proves to have more long-lasting penalties than normal D&D resurrection magic, and makes death a thing more to be feared.  Furthermore, with this form, not every important person in the world effectively becomes immortal.  That said, this form is perfect for an adventuring party, because all of the people that would have the necessary memories to resurrect a person are all adventuring together.

Memories are our most valued treasures.

Random thought:

In almost every fantasy world humans form the foundation of the world and all other races create little bubbles within the larger human world.  This is written off because humans are more ambitious and breed faster than other races, so are more likely to trade with other races and to create numerous and widespread nations.  

In Tephra, I can easily see gnomes forming the connecting foundation between several races.  Gnomes are the least likely to go to war, very ambitious, and other races see them as very useful for their technologies and magical abilities.  The lifespan of a gnome's is only about 120 years, and they breed about as fast as humans.  

I would see gnomes being a connecting race in Tephra rather than humans.  Humans and satyrs would also be connecting races, but less so than gnomes.  

That's my thought of the hour.

Defining...
The Daemon World

Daemons are creatures akin to spirits that share the world with the mortals.  Most daemons are known as demis, or planktin daemons, and just wonder aimlessly through the air.  They are invisible to mortal eyes, requiring a sixth sense to see them.  Demis typically cannot interact with anything solid, being completely ethereal.  For those who can see them, they almost always look like small, semi-solid wisps of black smoke, sometimes with glowing holes for eyes.  Demis never grow larger than house cats.

Daemons are the children of Aeon.  When the planet of Aeon collided with Tephra, the daemons made their home on Tephra and have lived alongside mortals.  Mortals rarely interact with daemons directly, but daemons have a very profound effect on them.

Demis cover the entire world.  Only the farishtaas, daemons themselves, are capable of seeing them.  Demis typically fuel summoning magic, and most summoners learn how to see daemons with training.  But demis are just one type of daemon, the lowest kind.  Many daemons exist: the demi-daemons, daemons with sentient thought, daemons that can possess mortals, and powerful daemons that interact with mortals, being able to switch between their ethereal and corporal state as they will.  The strongest of these are known as daemon gods.

In Tephra, daemon gods have become leaders of the mortal world.  People worship daemon gods and the daemon gods give their blessing to them.  None know how daemon gods are formed -- often, they are sentient daemons that have grown beyond logical power.  No two daemon gods look alike, and their powers differ greatly.  Some look as angels, others as truly diabolic creatures, but some look like clouds, mortals, demis, animals, or oozes.  Daemon gods take on different roles in different areas, and people worship them differently based on how the daemon god presents itself.  Not all daemon gods are worshipped, and not all of them can grant blessings upon mortals.  Some of them just like to take the shape of mortals and move about as mortals.

Daemons die.  Some live for centuries, some for days.  The smallest of demis won't even live for more than a few hours.  When a daemon dies, it disappears into a puff of black smoke.  This, people believe, is why the daemon world looks cloaked in shadows, for it has been saturated with dead daemons.  A demi is released whenever a mortal dies, and that demi roams around for a while before it, too, dies.  Sometimes a mortal will die and it will release a sentient daemon, but this is exceedingly rare.  Most daemons, however, just seem to sprout out of nothing.  Demis have been observed splitting into pieces and their pieces growing into full demis.  But no other daemons been observed undergoing the same process.

Dragons, too, are daemons.  Released upon the mortal world by Aeon during the Magi Rebellion, dragons are powerful daemons given the ability to move through the air or seas and interact with the mortal world.  They are long and snakelike, looking like Chinese dragons.  Dragons are not color-coded as in D&D, but they do come in different shapes, sizes, and intelligences.

Showing...
The World

This image is far from a final project nor is it accurate.  It vaguely shows the continents and where mountains, forests, and deserts are.  The world is roughly 16,000 miles around, while the Earth is 25,000 miles around.  It shows the equator and the two tropics.

[spoiler=A World Map](http://www.colabore.org/Tephra.gif)[/spoiler]

Exploring...
Technology

The technology level of Tephra cannot be compared to that of any age on Earth.  Aeonium, the necessities of time, and several other substances have caused technology to develop differently on Tephra.

Here are some examples of technology:

*The Printing Press
*Bicycles (though they are rarely used)
*Ceiling Fans (powered by lodestones, to be explained later)
*Ironclads
*Candles and Torches
*Cement
*Ink Pens
*Mechanical Clocks & Watches

Flyers
About a century ago a human scientist named Yugik Veolichstin invented a moving propeller by placing powerful positive and negative loadstones on propeller and then starting to spin it.  With just a little momentum the propeller began to pick up momentum until it was moving faster than the eye could keep up.  Not long after flyers were being invented, placing these propellers on lightweight gliders.  Friction applied to the propeller slowed it down, and an unencumbered propeller allowed the flyer to go at top speeds.  Inventors quickly developed appropriate wings for steering and the mechanics to allow a pilot to fully maneuver a flyer.

Various shapes and sizes of flyers have since been created.  In most cultures, pilots are known as cloudriders.  Aviators often accompany cloudriders, keeping the flyer in top condition and working any armaments on the flyer.  Flyers are typically kept small: normally large enough for a cloudrider and an aviator, along with either a couple passengers or cargo.  Flyers built for aerial combat never have more than enough room for a cloudrider and aviator.  There are few mechanics necessary for flyers, so they are often built as lightly as possible to allow them amazing top-speeds.  

Flyers can be equipped with numerous armaments.  Crossbows were tried early on and found entirely ineffective.  Instead, various wands were created for flyers.  Wands are long, lead cylinders with aeonium in the center.  Magi place combat spells in the wand and inscribe it with an arcane word that activates the wand.  Wands most commonly shoot gouts of flame, but sometimes launch bolts of ice, acid, or even electricity.  Almost all wands are created by creation magi, though some are flux magi.  

Some flyers are equipped with thunder cannons, though these are various dangerous, especially on a flyer.  Nonetheless, many armies employ thunder cannon-equipped flyers because of how devastating they are to land artillery.  

Large flyers with more than three propellers is typically known as a skygalleon.  Skygalleons are rather rare because of how unstable they are and it has been found more viable to use flyers in combat.  Some skygalleons, however, are coated in very light metal - an amazing expense - and thus prove practical.  These are very rare.

Thunder Cannons
Thunder cannons are among the most dangerous non-magical weapons in existence, and can be deadly to users when operated incorrectly.  Thunder cannons have cannon barrels that released an incredible sonic blast out of its front, decimated all in front of it.

Thunder cannons appear like long cannon barrels (upwards to fifteen feet) with a large mallet on the back.  The inside of the barrel is hollow but has a long rod of metal in it.  The barrel itself has magnetic strips along the core.  When the thunder cannon is struck by the mallet on the back, the rod inside reverberates, pulled in several directions due to the magnetic strips, and causes a sonic boom. The sonic boom projects out the from of the thunder cannon, blowing apart wooden structures, ripping apart metal, and shattering bones.  

The cannon is soundproofed with foam.  Thunder cannon operators use a special instant-foam called ruthenfoam, invented by the gnome, Bilo Ruthen.  Ruthenfoam is a liquid kept in a small pump that, when exposed to air, expands and hardens into a white foam, similar to Styrofoam.  Operators, after the cannon is fired, pour ruthenfoam into the cannon and allow it to harden.  This stills the metal rod.  After hardening, they take the ruthenfoam out and the thunder cannon is ready to be fired again.  

Thunder cannon operators wear foam armor.  This armor is over six inches thick and made of foam.  It covers their body, protecting it from the thunder cannon's force.

Thunder cannons were originally designed to fight against aodin, but were found ineffective under water.  They were tried in ship combat with marginal success, and still most ships keep one or two equipped.  Still most thunder cannons are used in land battles now.

Defining...
Aeonium

Aeonium is the remains of Aeon's planet after it collided with Tephra.  Aeonium is a magical conductor.  Aeon uses it to keep magic at a reasonable level.  It inhales raw magic and releases stable magic.  Aeonium can also conduct magic cast into it.  When two or more magi cast a spell into aeonium, it can combine the results and create a more powerful spell.  Aeonium is necessary for all rituals.  When aeonium is used in such a way, it burns out.  Aeonium is prismatic and iridescent, shifting colors constantly.  Aeonium that is burned out turns a soft crimson and is referred to as lodestone.

A lodestone is a very powerful magnet.  Alchemists have learned how to make lodestones both positive and negative magnets, temporary and permanent magnets, and do many things with them.  These lodestones create fuel much of the unusual technology in Tephra.

Other pieces of technology to be explored...

Mines and remote explosive devices dealing with lodestones.  Reverse-magnetism mines could be placed to send metal armored units flying.  Two remote activated magnets could be placed on opposite sides of a wall and activated, bringing the two mines together at an amazing force and destroying everything in-between.  

Chemical weaponry, the haudi's favorite tactic.

Anti-projectile fields: reverse-magnetism fields raised over an army to protect them from incoming arrows with metal tips.  The field would be raised upon the enemy army releasing arrows and the arrows would be turned away before striking.

How manta rays eat/ Aeonium in the sky:

-The planktin demis are eaten by the Giant Manta Rays as food (they also come in sizes small/medium/and normal large usually being 25ft). The manta rays also cleanse magic, like that fish that sticks to the tank and cleans it.

-Aeonium can be seen as kaleido scope of colors in the night sky.

"Veolichstin"- Vee-ol-ich-stin right?

Some races and their parallels to certian cultures:

The Haudi- Indian

Aodin- Japanese/Chinese

the rest I can't remember right now :/ we'll put it up soon.

(I think the Satyrs were Irish...?)

Defining...
The Fortress Ray

High in the sky, floating among the clouds, fly enormous creatures that resemble manta rays.  Despite having wingspans as large as 50 feet, these rays, typically called fortress rays, have a white underbelly that blends in to the clouds and are rarely seen.  They fly along, feeding on all the demis that wander in their path.  

Gnomes, however, have taken a rather innocent creature and grown it.

Gnomes are the only race that knows how to "grow" a creature.  Typically they grow small creatures (such as squirrels, crickets, and lizards) large enough for them to ride them.  Larger creatures have a hard time staying fed and often die of starvation soon after being grown.  Two hundred years ago, however, a haud warlord brought a young fortress ray - then simply known as a sky ray - to the gnomish growers and asked for them to grow it.  Reluctantly, they complied.  

The result was enormous.  

Fortress rays have a wingspan typically 750 feet in length.  These enormous rays have a gaping mouth and a long tail that trails behind them.  Mind magi have found it easy to control them, using simple but secure magic to tame the creature and teach it to move according to the trainer's wishes.  Fortress rays, unlike most animals, feed on demis, which the world never seems to run out of, so do not starve no matter what is done to them.

These massive animals are then built upon.  Their mouths always stay slightly open, creating an opening roughly 15 feet tall by 80 feet wide.  People can build small buildings within the ray quite a ways into the mouth and create small walls along the mouth, since the ray will never close its mouth if there are things within and demis, being incorporeal, just go right through the walls.  People also build atop the ray, along the ridge of its back.  Large fortresses, most of the time squat but sturdy, are built along it.  The fortress ray flies slowly but softly, and is covered with small scales, a texture that is easy to build on and attach hooks to.  Most militaries that have fortress rays use them as mobile landing bases for flyers and as moving outposts for commanders.  

If a fortress ray feels truly threatened, something that is quite rare, it will start waving its tail around wildly.  Its tail, covered in small barbs, will never come too close to the rest of the ray, something that keeps all of the passengers on the fortress ray safe.  But flyers and those around the fortress ray will have to react quickly to avoid the chaotic tail.  Entire towns have been devastated when a grounded fortress ray gets agitated.  

There are few fortress rays in the world; it is believed that there are no more than a dozen.  Gnomish growers being the only ones who know how to create them have kept them rare, and sky rays of a normal size are nearly impossible to find in the first place.  

I love the image of a Gnome riding a giant squirrel :]

Super fast!

I like the section about resurrection.  I have played in a game where the DM was intent on getting us to high level as quickly as possible.  As a result it was   nothing to have two or three people die a gaming session.  The good side is that by the end I had learned to build a character that was indestructible.  The bad side was that the party became very blase about death and resurrection - and the party became totally obsessed with finding diamonds.  We didn't even have horses , but we were carrying around 10.000gp of diamonds apiece.  It made no sense.  
This seems like a great way to limit that sort of nonsense, and also make players stop and actually think about the fact that they're   dying  and being reborn - not just coming back up at their nearest rez-spot and starting over again.

Also - what happened to the elves that they became not-whole?  What did they do?

This world is definitely not being designed for the dungeon-delving, let's kill off a character every session kind of gameplay.  The Mad Hatter and I have pretty much decided that dungeons will be kept to a realistic value.  Resurrection was made in D&D for use by dungeon-delving adventurers, but it makes no sense when given to society.  Society can do too much with it and it unbalances everything.  

I think this system works better.

We're currently looking into cloning, trying to decide if it works, why it works (or why it doesn't), and when it would be appropriate to have it in our world.

On Elves
Elves were one of the first creations of Aeon and are easily the oldest race.  We haven't decided what caused it, but Aeon, like a child, decided she didn't like the elves.  She just tossed them away and removed their daemonic spirit.  Now they have sentient thought but no real essence.  When they die, no demi is released like every other race.  Because of that, their bodies rotted and became disgusting.  When a daemon possesses them, their bodies are whole again and regain most of their once amazing presense.

PS: Thanks for the first comment!

[blockquote=Jharviss]Random thought:

In almost every fantasy world humans form the foundation of the world and all other races create little bubbles within the larger human world. This is written off because humans are more ambitious and breed faster than other races, so are more likely to trade with other races and to create numerous and widespread nations. [/blockquote]
Actually, there are a number of settings on this site where the authors have decided that it would not make as much sense for the Humans to be the dominant race.  Hobyts and the Orcash (orcs) are the most common races in my setting.  And humans are often seen as you wrote about them in many settings (and I think most D&D encourages this), but many of us have also eschewed this.  
I applaud the back thought it entails to avoid all the archetypes.

Also, I agree with the comments about the commonality of ressurections and such causing all sorts of grief when taken out of the adventuring context.  I think that is one of the first mechanical 'corrections' a setting needs to make.

I don't disagree with you at all, LordVreeg, and I've only skimmed Celtricia, but most settings that don't make humans the main race make them into lesser races.  I've seen several where humans are cast aside, screwed over in major ways, aren't the native race, or are just otherwise put in a bad position.  It's rather anti-human.  I don't mean to be anti-human, and I'm sure humans will take on a larger role in my setting than most other races, but they won't be the "connecter" race.  Does that make sense?

Quote from: JharvissI don't disagree with you at all, LordVreeg, and I've only skimmed Celtricia, but most settings that don't make humans the main race make them into lesser races.  I've seen several where humans are cast aside, screwed over in major ways, aren't the native race, or are just otherwise put in a bad position.  It's rather anti-human.  I don't mean to be anti-human, and I'm sure humans will take on a larger role in my setting than most other races, but they won't be the "connecter" race.  Does that make sense?

Yes, the comment makes sense.
So...
Does Tephra need a connector race, or is such a position even relevant is the next logical question.  What level of integration versus isolation is prevelant in Tephra?  Do cultures supercede racial lines or are cultures a biproduct of race and racial history?  

Interesting question.

Having a "connecter" race is both relevant and, if done correctly, irrelevant.  With D&D races, all of the races are very antisocial except for halflings and humans.  The elves stay in their forests, the dwarves and gnomes underground.  Halflings often take a background role, so it's left up to the humans to trade with all of the other races.

The races of Tephra aren't all unrealistically isolationist.  Gnomes, humans, and satyrs I would imagine being the most social and out there, with gnomes being the most so.  Farishtaas would be the most isolationist, but they aren't going to be as bad as elves and dwarves in standard fantasy.  Even haudi, which are often disliked, aren't isolationists.

Tephra will avoid the isolationist nations.  Perhaps only the farishtaas will be limited to one or two nations. (And that's because there are very few farishtaas in the world, compared to other races.)  Cultures will depend on neighbors, terrain, and racial traits.  Each race will have its own psychological traits.  But their cultural traits will vary widely.  The haudi that live on coastlines will be very different than those that live in the mountains.  Likewise the izedans that live in the desert will be different from those that live on the volcanic plains.  Culture will definitely supersede race, but race will still be a huge factor.  Izedans have their natural love of pain, and that's going to hold true no matter what their culture dictates.

Full racial write-ups will appear within the week.  The first ones will be using 'ideal' cultures.  There will be a nation where everything said in the racial write-ups will be envisioned.  Then, other cultures will appear using said racial write-ups as a basis.  Things will change for the cultures.  

Guess I dated a few Izedans and didn't know it.  Just goes to show you...

One of the current conflicts my setting deals with is Acculteration vs Tribal isolationists. And I tend to think many of the archetypes make no sense when moved into a new setting.  I am interested to see the cultural developments, and how race feeds into them.  Perhaps another collision?

Exploring...
The Haudi

A short haud, typically one that is six and a half feet or less, will be shunned by its society and, at worst, mocked incessantly.  The haudi believe in nothing less than perfection.  Flaws do not give us our differences, but are meant to be overcome. A typical haud will stand at between seven and eight feet, a female averaging four inches taller than a male.  Males are more common than females, with females composing only a third of the population.  The haudi have enormous skeletal structures, with thick, strong bones.  Their muscles are knotted and tight, their bodies heavy.  Their nails grow over an inch a day, and their teeth have to be filed down annually else their jaws start being pulled apart, causing them to look savage.  Their little hair grows short and rough, and their skin is a stony brown.  

The haudi are uptight and pretentious.  They see other races as lesser mockeries of their own.  Their civilization was long the strongest, and they still see many races '" especially humans and satyrs '" as their slaves.  Satyrs and gnomes are the haudi's closest enemies, the satyrs and haudi often warring over territory.  The haudi and aodin have long have strained relations, each one trying to get along with the other but having moral problems doing such.  Haudi often have nothing to do with izedans; they see them as nuisances, but nuisances best left alone.  Farishtaas and haudi often get along well, and have been known to call upon each other when war requires it.

Haudi often live along rivers and deltas among desert or mountain terrain.  The haudi almost always live near large limestone deposits, drinking large amounts of limewater '" a substance full of calcium.  They also eat a lot of fish, other land meats, and starches.  

Respect must be earned among the haudi, especially among outsiders.  Haudi society, however, requires that show respect to everyone of equal and higher status.  Duels are common among the haudi.  Females are typically stronger and more respected, especially due to them being rarer.  They take on all of the responsibilities males do, and take positions of leadership more often than males.  Marriage is much rarer in haudi society than in human, and powerful women sometimes take on multiple husbands.

Haudi have gained a reputation for inhumanity and cruelty among other races, especially among those that the haudi go to war with.  More so than any other race, haudi see a goal and they do whatever it takes to get there.  They are among the only race to ever use widespread chemical weaponry.  Several races have developed thunder cannons and some chemical weaponry, but haudi use them to their limit.  They are not without mercy, but the deaths of their enemies are things best not worried about.  

Haudi live to about 60 years, shorter than the average human by 20 years.  Their larger bodies simply give out faster.  Haudi, seeing this as a weakness, long ago began experimenting with chemicals to make their bodies live longer.  Many drugs have since been developed, and some haudi live as long as a century now.  These drugs often have adverse effects, however, and not all haudi risk them.  This experimentation led to haudi having the most gifted alchemists of any race, and, as times required, haudi gained the means necessary to create chemical weaponry and other alchemical compounds.

I love your elves.  That's rare, because the only elves I've ever liked are Luminous Crayons.  I am very intrigued about the Farishtaa; what is it in the unique nature of certain daemons that allows them to possess an elf?

Hate to say, but we're still working on daemons.  The thing with daemons is that their powers and natures vary widely, thus giving us a lot of room to build with them.  Almost anything is possible with daemons.  

The farishtaas are a race I'm very excited about exploring.  The Mad Hatter and myself have put elves and farishtaas on the back burner right now (not by choice, but just because we are picking other races to prioritize).  Daemons that have the ability to possess creatures may just be born that way or they may come from a society of daemons that know it.  I think that's where the myth about ghosts and hauntings come from, from these daemons that can possess.

Introducing...
Main Continent - Political Map

This is a serious work-in-progress.  This is the Main Continent[/i] (a truly inspiring name).  I've made racial notations about the larger states and a couple others, but have only marked one or two of the smaller ones.  There are roughly fifty countries on this continent.  It's a huge amount, but they fit well.  It's a continent about the size of Asia.  It seems about right.

If I was grossly estimating, I would say that the red "Human Empire" in the middle is the size of the Persian Empire back in the day and that the Izedan Lands are about the size of the Sahara, to give you a perspective.

[spoiler=Main Continent](http://www.colabore.org/Main-Continent.gif)[/spoiler]

I'm trying to imagine playing a possessed elf PC...and I'm old and wicked, so it should be somewhat easy for me...
I still like the concept, however.


What is the racial breakdown % wise of the races, in terms of population?  I saw some mention of population, but not much more than that.  Unless I missed it.

A note on population...
The world is covered with races.  I'm really not sure where to mark each race in regards to their take of the world.  I'm sure humans would have the largest population, but it wouldn't be much larger than satyrs.  Gnomes and haudi would likely be after them, followed by elves and izedan.  The izedans tend to live in remote locations, so an estimate of their race's size would leave to a lot to be desired.  The aodin have a very small population living on the land, but a huge population living in the ocean.  The farishtaa are certainly the "smallest" race.  There are five elves for every farishtaa, easily, perhaps more.

I hope this answers your question.

Exploring...
Elves & Farishtaas
Elves were one of Aeon's first creations when she collided with Tephra.  She had long ago made the daemons, so she was quite familiar with making creatures.  But elves were her first Tephran race, and were quite different from anything she had made before.  Their bodies were completely solid, made from the essence of Tephra.  She gave them two legs and two arms, made them stand upright.  Then, frustrated that they couldn't fly (all daemons could fly, it was natural!), she gave them enormous wings.  Thus, elves were created - the first angels.

But Aeon was no more than a child.  When they stopped pleasing her, she ripped away their spirits and had them hunted down by her daemons for fun.  When she cut away their spirits, they became hideous and deformed.  Their bodies mutated, growing grotesque, boils and warts covering their flesh.  Their white, feathery wings moulted, and soon they were left with nothing save large bumps on their backs where their wings once were.  Now they are likened to hairless, purple gorillas.  The greatest of the elves fought valiantly, even while several of their comrades committed suicide upon losing their glory.  It didn't take long for the once glorious race to become little more than savages hiding in the forest.

Time passed and Aeon grew in wisdom.  She created other races -- humans, gnomes, satyrs -- and never did to them what she did to elves.  Some say that she later regretted the atrocities she put the elves through.  Nonetheless, she never gave them back their spirits.
[note=Tephran]From this point forward, when discussing daemons, a Tephran is one who is substantial and mortal.  They have a solid body and a spirit in their body.  Daemons are invisible to Tephrans.[/note]
Daemons, in time, also grew.  Daemon gods became prominent in the world, and sentient daemon castes arose.  One of these castes, the halkuuja, were able to possess Tephrans.  The halkuuja could possess most Tephrans, sharing their body.  The halkuuja would have to continuously fight the Tephran's conscious for dominance, and could never stay for long.  Elves, however, proved to be much easier vessels.

With no spirit of their own, the cast aside elves were easy to possess.  The halkuuja could enter an elf, take over its entire body, and claim it as its own.  There were some initial problems.  For one, the halkuuja basically replaced the missing spirit of the elf.  In other words, once the halkuuja possessed the elf, it was permanent.  And when the elf's body died, the halkuuja inside did as well.  Many halkuuja preferred their freedom and refused to possess the elves.  The rest, however, were quite excited with the notion.

A farishtaa is an elven body possessed by a halkuuja.  The vast majority of farishtaas now are based around their own society.  Halkuuja do not mate or reproduce.  Typically they just appear, whispering out of a tree or from the sky.  Farishtaas collect the young halkuuja, before they are fully aware of themselves, and choose prime elven specimen to fill.  The halkuuja possesses the elf, and the bond is permanent.

When a farishtaa is born, the halkuuja is able to regain much of the elves original poise.  Its boils begin to disappear, it begins to stand upright.  Its white skin and pale hair softens, straightens and is easily combed again.  Their eyes are often either very soft or very dark.

For less than one in every thousand, a powerful enough halkuuja can cause the farishtaa to truly return to its former brilliance.  Great wings erupt from its back and it grows several feet.  The skin of some becomes metallic, gold or silver.  These rare farishtaas are seen as great blessings and are always given the best treatment and asked to take on roles of leadership.  It is known that very powerful halkuuja decide to possess an elf, the odds are higher of it becoming an angelic farishtaa; thus, when a powerful halkuuja arises, the best elven specimen is selected to ensure the best possible results.

Farishtaa society sees all of this as normal.  An elf being possessed by a newborn halkuuja is the typical status quo and is how almost all farishtaas were born.  

The farishtaas believe that elves are lesser beings.  They have no spirits, so they're no better than animals.  They respect all of the other races, for they have spirits.  As such, the farishtaas treat elves as servants, like pack animals, and have little qualms with possessing them.  

From the elves' perspective...
Elves lost most of their intellect with the mutation.  They give the farishtaas many reasons to see them as animals.  They communicate, even have a written language (a butchering of their once eloquent True Elven), but are typically not proficient at complex tasks.  They are superb farmers, lovers of nature, and good to each other.  They are also strong and make for efficient manpower.  When the elves lost their spirit and their bodies became mutated, the one bonus was that they became exceedingly strong.  The angelic elven bodies had been made light, like a birds, to allow them to fly.  As such, when a farishtaa is born, its body actually becomes weaker.

Elves are loving individuals, but they are also savage and quick to anger.  They do many things on blind faith.  They all know of their lost heritage, but few of them are wise enough to stop looking at the past and start moving toward the future.  Elves are inept with technology and almost never have the brains for magic.  For this reason it is easy for farishtaas to keep the elves in line.  What the farishtaas lack in strength they make up for with other, more efficient means.

For many centuries the farishtaas would secretly carry off elves and have them possessed.  This has changed over the past century as farishtaas have begun to inspire elves, teaching them that the change into a farishtaa is a sacred one.  Now a ceremony is held whenever an elf is chosen to become a farishtaa.  The elves see it as a blessing.

Of course, the farishtaas don't tell the elves that the elf is effectively killed in the process.  They just tell them that they become enlightened and often forget about how they were when they were elves.

Every once in a while a friend of a chosen elf will cause trouble.  These troublesome elves are then either killed or, if proven to be a good specimen, they too become farishtaas.

Defining...
Lifespans

One thing that Tephra avoids is the enormous lifespans of other worlds.  No race lives upwards to 900 years in Tephra.  The thought of that is absurd.  Furthermore, creating a history for such a race would be impossible.  In the course of a couple D&D-elf generations, humans have gone from fighting with bronze swords to landing on the moon.  A single D&D-dragon could live through the birth of civilization on Earth to modern day.  Absurd.

I also dislike the fact that humans in other worlds are the longest live race.  On Earth, humans live significantly longer than other species.  Aren't giant turtles the only things that can match our lifespans?  So why are humans in fantasy worlds given the short lives?  No more.

For now I shall leave out the aodin as I am undecided on their lifespans, but here are the lifespans of other races on Tephra:

Elves - 80-90 years
Farishtaas - 180-200 years
Gnomes - 150-170 years
Haudi - 60-70 years
Humans - 80-100 years
Izedans - 50-60 years
Satyrs - 120-140 years

Quote from: JharvissDefining...
Lifespans

One thing that Tephra avoids is the enormous lifespans of other worlds.  No race lives upwards to 900 years in Tephra.  The thought of that is absurd.  Furthermore, creating a history for such a race would be impossible.  In the course of a couple D&D-elf generations, humans have gone from fighting with bronze swords to landing on the moon.  A single D&D-dragon could live through the birth of civilization on Earth to modern day.  Absurd.

I also dislike the fact that humans in other worlds are the longest live race.  On Earth, humans live significantly longer than other species.  Aren't giant turtles the only things that can match our lifespans?  So why are humans in fantasy worlds given the short lives?  No more.

For now I shall leave out the aodin as I am undecided on their lifespans, but here are the lifespans of other races on Tephra:

Elves - 80-90 years
Farishtaas - 180-200 years
Gnomes - 150-170 years
Haudi - 60-70 years
Humans - 80-100 years
Izedans - 50-60 years
Satyrs - 120-140 years

Totally agree.  Did simlar things, as it is hard to keep the events of 500 years before 'legendary' when any PC elf should remember it.  I have a few races that top 200 and Omwo~ (elves) that hit 300 or 350...but none of the thousand year olds that would, in reality, ruina a campaign.
My Sauroids (Dragons) can live longer, but only a few legendary onces are over 600 yrs old, due to their own wars and the DRagonriders of the North.

This is a very logical step to setting that is going to have a more 'legendary' feel.

Exploring...
Daemons

What follows is the fifteen most common daemons in Tephra.  Demis, the most common daemons, were explained earlier.  Daemons have a caste system (though only daemons of the highest caste truly believe in it), and demis fall below the lowest caste.  Castes are typically decided based on the daemons ability to interact with the Tephran world, switching between their corporeal and incorporeal states, and their intellect.  

Monsters do not exist in Tephra as they do in other fantasy worlds.  Daemons make up the majority of "monsters," followed by magi-created aberrations, and then by dangerous animals.  Most foes in Tephra are fellow Tephrans.

The name in bold is their daemon name, the name that other intelligent daemons call them.  The name in italics is their common name, used by most Tephrans.

[th colspan="3"]Daemons by Caste[/th]

Lowest Caste	Middle Caste	Highest Caste
Avugal Fairy Light Odu Priok Tozuruck	Enoziod Halkuuja Phyrean Vaulishar Xira	Daemon God Dragon Koraus Shifaaga

Avugal - Hellflame
Avugals are small daemons little better than demis.  They have minimal intellect and are hard to control.  To those with daemon sight, they look like small flames.  They are easily controlled by those who have the gift, people known as hellflame controllers.  These small daemons, known to common people as hellflames, have the power to ignite things but almost never do with provocation.  Hellflame controllers, using their arcane words, are able to provoke and control them.

Daemon God
The daemon gods are known by no other name, for each one is unique.  It is through unexplained occurrences that create daemon gods, for they appear just like other daemons.  Some come from deceased Tephrans, others just appear, and others are the offspring of a split daemon.  Regardless, daemon gods have immense power, have full intellectual prowess, and can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal forms at will.  They are worshiped in many societies, but their motivations are each unique to themselves.

Dragon
Dragons, too, are known by their daemon name.  Dragons have long been of the upper caste of daemons, and, during the Magi Rebellion, were taught to switch between corporeal and incorporeal at will.  They are long and serpentine, often with frills and of various colors.  They are all very different, with various levels of intellect and powers.  They can fly through the air and swim through the seas as though they were the same.  

Enoziod - Banshee
Enoziods are sound daemons, ones that appear like most middle caste daemons - as large demis - and cannot become corporeal.  They can, however, be heard.  They make terrible sounds, often like shrieks.  Some enoziods learn to use their voices in other ways, some exceedingly intelligent ones even manipulate Tephrans.  Others use their voices in destructive or charming ways.  Most, however, never become so intelligent.  The enoziods are easily at the bottom of the middle caste.

Fairy
Fairies are small, colorful daemons that occasionally blink between incorporeal and corporeal.  They are mischievous and playful, and change shapes easily.  They can switch between body types and colors.  In all, fairies are highly dynamic but typically not very intelligent.

Halkuuja
The halkuuja are daemons with the power to possess Tephrans.  They look like large demis.  Their intelligence varies, but is typically of Tephran levels.  They have a hard time possessing people for long, and the conscious of the Tephran always wins out in the end and kicks the halkuuja out.  Halkuujas, when they possess elves, create the farishtaas.

Koraus - Guardian Daemon
The korauses are just short of daemon gods in power and are often likened to angels, though their appearance varies greatly.  They are often intelligent and powerful.  Most korauses are the result of a deceased Tephran who was very attached to another person.  These guardian daemons choose a Tephran and bind themselves to them, protecting them no matter what.  Almost all korauses can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal forms.  

Light - Will-o'-Wisp
Lights are anti-daemons; daemons cannot approach them and Tephrans find that they burn when touched.  Only elves can touch them without being harmed, and elves that have rebelled from the farishtaa often capture and keep these rare daemons.  Lights look like small glowing orbs and they can always been seen without daemon sight.  They are only as intelligent as animals.

Odu - Spirit
Odus are daemons that can possess objects.  They almost always have a preferred type of object they possess (such as iron, bronze, ceramic, et cetera).  They are of animal intellect and rarely do anything beyond rest inside their chosen object.

Phyrean - Daemon Tree
These daemons have adapted and truly become a part of Tephra.  They look like dead trees; dead, because they do not have the life-force to create leaves and look truly alive.  They
are intelligent but are rooted to one spot, though they can slowly move their branches.  Phyreans, though Tephrans are often frightened by them, are rarely malicious.  Any Tephran that touches a phyrean gains daemon sight, and some take a piece of bark from a phyrean in order to be able to see daemons.

Priok - Dream Daemon
Prioks are daemons that are, effectively, weaker halkuujas.  They can possess Tephrans, but only when they are asleep.  Prioks cause unusual dreams, and some prioks cause nightmares.  Otherwise, these daemons are typically harmless.

Shifaaga - Doppleganger
Shifaagas are intelligent daemons that can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal state at will.  They are also shape-shifters and easily take the guise of Tephrans.  Many Tephrans fear them, but each shifaaga has a different motivation.  Most just enjoy being part of Tephran society.  Shifaaga live several centuries and often take on many guises.

Tozuruck - Locust or Plague Daemon
Tozurucks are small daemons and are typically regarded as the vilest daemons, both by Tephrans and daemons.  They multiple by sucking on Tephran energies, and each one sucks on different energies.  These daemons cause ailments to those they reside in, and then spread their offspring to those who come in contact with them.  Not all plagues on Tephra are caused by these daemons, but many are.

Vaulishar - Ghost
Vaulishars are middle caste daemons with the power to interact with corporeal objects while still being unseen.  These are the most common of the middle caste.  They often appear as large demis, puffs of dark smoke, but with vague limbs.  Vaulishars have varying degrees of intellect, anywhere from animals to Tephran.

Xira - Smoke
Xiras are small daemons, often fairly intelligent, that can only be seen through smoke.  Smoke attracts them and they feed on it, but they can also possess smoke so that people see faces in the smoke.  Simply called smokes, xiras are typically gentle daemons that just want to interact with Tephrans.

Defining...
The Life Force Theory

Most Tephrans live according to the Life Force theory, as explained by the haud professor, Vishuu.  The Life Force theory is a triangle composed of three important elements: the conscious, the body, and the essence.  And connecting each one is a part of the person: their memories, their emotions, and their skills.


When a Tephran dies, their essence is released as a daemon.  That daemon is impossible to reconnect to the body, so, in order to resurrect them, a new essence must be created.  As seen in the chart, the essence channels the memories to the conscious, so new memories must be created or learned.  This is why old skills and emotions remain in the person when they die, but their memories are lost.

Some people call the essence their name or their heart.  Professor Vishuu says that calling their essence their heart is incorrect; rather, their "heart," as the term is used, is best used to describe their emotions, the chain between their conscious and their body.  Calling the essence their name, however, may be accurate.  This is why so many take on new names when they are resurrected.

All sentient Tephrans obey this triangle with the exception of two: the haudi and the elves.

The haudi's pyramid goes in reverse, channeling memories from the essence to the body, skill from the body to the conscious, and emotions from the conscious to the essence.  Though this has had no effect on the haudi, this theory arises from the fact that the haudi are Tephra's creation rather than Aeon's.  Only the haudi were created by Tephra, and so their life force flows in reverse.

The elves have no essence.  Their memories remain in their conscious after they die and so may be revived rather than resurrected.  Only elves may be revived.

[blockquote=Revival]Elves can be Revived, which is a seventh level flux spell.  This is done simply by completely repairing their body and reviving the conscious, which shuts down upon death.  Elves, when revived, retain their memories.  They are the only race with this ability.  If an elf is resurrected, it becomes a daemon elf and begins to transform into something that looks like a darker farishtaa.  Once an elf has an essence, it must henceforth always been resurrected and cannot be revived.[/blockquote]

Quote from: JharvissExploring...
Daemons

What follows is the fifteen most common daemons in Tephra.  Demis, the most common daemons, were explained earlier.  Daemons have a caste system (though only daemons of the highest caste truly believe in it), and demis fall below the lowest caste.  Castes are typically decided based on the daemons ability to interact with the Tephran world, switching between their corporeal and incorporeal states, and their intellect.  

Monsters do not exist in Tephra as they do in other fantasy worlds.  Daemons make up the majority of "monsters," followed by magi-created aberrations, and then by dangerous animals.  Most foes in Tephra are fellow Tephrans.

The name in bold is their daemon name, the name that other intelligent daemons call them.  The name in italics is their common name, used by most Tephrans.

[th colspan="3"]Daemons by Caste[/th]

Lowest Caste	Middle Caste	Highest Caste
Avugal Fairy Light Odu Priok Tozuruck	Enoziod Halkuuja Phyrean Vaulishar Xira	Daemon God Dragon Koraus Shifaaga

Avugal - Hellflame
Avugals are small daemons little better than demis.  They have minimal intellect and are hard to control.  To those with daemon sight, they look like small flames.  They are easily controlled by those who have the gift, people known as hellflame controllers.  These small daemons, known to common people as hellflames, have the power to ignite things but almost never do with provocation.  Hellflame controllers, using their arcane words, are able to provoke and control them.

Daemon God
The daemon gods are known by no other name, for each one is unique.  It is through unexplained occurrences that create daemon gods, for they appear just like other daemons.  Some come from deceased Tephrans, others just appear, and others are the offspring of a split daemon.  Regardless, daemon gods have immense power, have full intellectual prowess, and can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal forms at will.  They are worshiped in many societies, but their motivations are each unique to themselves.

Dragon
Dragons, too, are known by their daemon name.  Dragons have long been of the upper caste of daemons, and, during the Magi Rebellion, were taught to switch between corporeal and incorporeal at will.  They are long and serpentine, often with frills and of various colors.  They are all very different, with various levels of intellect and powers.  They can fly through the air and swim through the seas as though they were the same.  

Enoziod - Banshee
Enoziods are sound daemons, ones that appear like most middle caste daemons - as large demis - and cannot become corporeal.  They can, however, be heard.  They make terrible sounds, often like shrieks.  Some enoziods learn to use their voices in other ways, some exceedingly intelligent ones even manipulate Tephrans.  Others use their voices in destructive or charming ways.  Most, however, never become so intelligent.  The enoziods are easily at the bottom of the middle caste.

Fairy
Fairies are small, colorful daemons that occasionally blink between incorporeal and corporeal.  They are mischievous and playful, and change shapes easily.  They can switch between body types and colors.  In all, fairies are highly dynamic but typically not very intelligent.

Halkuuja
The halkuuja are daemons with the power to possess Tephrans.  They look like large demis.  Their intelligence varies, but is typically of Tephran levels.  They have a hard time possessing people for long, and the conscious of the Tephran always wins out in the end and kicks the halkuuja out.  Halkuujas, when they possess elves, create the farishtaas.

Koraus - Guardian Daemon
The korauses are just short of daemon gods in power and are often likened to angels, though their appearance varies greatly.  They are often intelligent and powerful.  Most korauses are the result of a deceased Tephran who was very attached to another person.  These guardian daemons choose a Tephran and bind themselves to them, protecting them no matter what.  Almost all korauses can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal forms.  

Light - Will-o'-Wisp
Lights are anti-daemons; daemons cannot approach them and Tephrans find that they burn when touched.  Only elves can touch them without being harmed, and elves that have rebelled from the farishtaa often capture and keep these rare daemons.  Lights look like small glowing orbs and they can always been seen without daemon sight.  They are only as intelligent as animals.

Odu - Spirit
Odus are daemons that can possess objects.  They almost always have a preferred type of object they possess (such as iron, bronze, ceramic, et cetera).  They are of animal intellect and rarely do anything beyond rest inside their chosen object.

Phyrean - Daemon Tree
These daemons have adapted and truly become a part of Tephra.  They look like dead trees; dead, because they do not have the life-force to create leaves and look truly alive.  They
are intelligent but are rooted to one spot, though they can slowly move their branches.  Phyreans, though Tephrans are often frightened by them, are rarely malicious.  Any Tephran that touches a phyrean gains daemon sight, and some take a piece of bark from a phyrean in order to be able to see daemons.

Priok - Dream Daemon
Prioks are daemons that are, effectively, weaker halkuujas.  They can possess Tephrans, but only when they are asleep.  Prioks cause unusual dreams, and some prioks cause nightmares.  Otherwise, these daemons are typically harmless.

Shifaaga - Doppleganger
Shifaagas are intelligent daemons that can switch between their corporeal and incorporeal state at will.  They are also shape-shifters and easily take the guise of Tephrans.  Many Tephrans fear them, but each shifaaga has a different motivation.  Most just enjoy being part of Tephran society.  Shifaaga live several centuries and often take on many guises.

Tozuruck - Locust or Plague Daemon
Tozurucks are small daemons and are typically regarded as the vilest daemons, both by Tephrans and daemons.  They multiple by sucking on Tephran energies, and each one sucks on different energies.  These daemons cause ailments to those they reside in, and then spread their offspring to those who come in contact with them.  Not all plagues on Tephra are caused by these daemons, but many are.

Vaulishar - Ghost
Vaulishars are middle caste daemons with the power to interact with corporeal objects while still being unseen.  These are the most common of the middle caste.  They often appear as large demis, puffs of dark smoke, but with vague limbs.  Vaulishars have varying degrees of intellect, anywhere from animals to Tephran.

Xira - Smoke
Xiras are small daemons, often fairly intelligent, that can only be seen through smoke.  Smoke attracts them and they feed on it, but they can also possess smoke so that people see faces in the smoke.  Simply called smokes, xiras are typically gentle daemons that just want to interact with Tephrans.

Geting a distinct hindi feel in this, perhaps becasue of the caste-terminology, and by the organizatios of the daemons themswlves. The tendency towrds inhabitations of other creatures speaks to this as well.
 Further, with this groundwork, I can eaily see a mythic framework on the way...

Superb -- Hindi influence is exactly what I'm going for.

"They are the only race with this ability. If an elf is resurrected, it becomes a daemon elf and begins to transform into something that looks like a darker farishtaa. Once an elf has an essence, it must henceforth always been resurrected and cannot be revived."

So are they still going to be considered lower beings to the Farishtaas?? Do their boils and such dissapear??

Once their resurrected again do they lose their memories like the other races since they can't be revived again??? I'm guessing so...but I think it's weird that they can be revived only once...


It would be cool if the Koraus could be assigned to a person by a higher daemon at time and not just choose on their own all the time.

Hurray for the Farishtaa info you wrote up btw ^_^

[blockquote=The Mad Hatter]"They are the only race with this ability. If an elf is resurrected, it becomes a daemon elf and begins to transform into something that looks like a darker farishtaa. Once an elf has an essence, it must henceforth always been resurrected and cannot be revived."

So are they still going to be considered lower beings to the Farishtaas?? Do their boils and such dissapear??

Once their resurrected again do they lose their memories like the other races since they can't be revived again??? I'm guessing so...but I think it's weird that they can be revived only once...[/blockquote]

Hey Face,

Sorry I didn't make it more clear.  Elves can be revived basically an indefinite amount of time.  They are going to have a lot of penalties compared to other races, and this will be one bonus they have.  But resurrection (not revival) is a creation spell and creates an essence.  Revival has nothing to do with the essence; it's a flux spell.  It just heals their body and kick-starts them.  Resurrection creates a new essence.  If an elf is given an essence, they become a farishtaa.  If an elf is given an essence all to itself, it will keep its memories from the revival.  It will not keep its memories if it is resurrected after being given an essence.

Does that make sense?

so someone could revive the elf and than "resurrected" it will keep its memories before the revival right? Since it was given it's "own essence."

so it could still remember than? Could a elf commit suicide so it could get it's own essence? slightly confusing to me :/

No, see...

Revival and Resurrection are two different spells.  

If an elf is revived it goes about its life like it used to.  It is brought back with the Revival spell.  Only an elf can be revived.

If an elf is resurrected, it gains an essence and all the problems and benefits that go along with gaining an essence.

Want to just make it simply and say that elves can't get an essence, they can only be possessed?  That'd make it simpler.

hmmm i dunno. Because if they elves can get an essence all of their own someone can just kidnap elves and make a army of resurrected ones. Or the elves canjust go off on their own once they find out about resurrections, ya know?  It's an interesting idea but maybe making elf resurection harder than the other races?

Resurrection's already a 9th level spell that is a bitch to cast.  There will never be armies of resurrected anything; it's impossible.  The casting cost alone is a couple thousand, plus the material components (which in D&D are, what, 15,000?).  Those numbers will change for our world, but I don't see them going down.  It would be possible for an elf or two to become resurrected and be angelic elves, but who's going to resurrect an elf?  Not anybody I know of.

alrighty than, thats cleared up :D.

so yea

resurection over all= no previous memories si? elf or not

a army of resurrected elves would be awesome....and who says you can't just steal the stuff??? :3 bwahahaha

Farishtaas and Elves: Birth

When Elves give birth their children don't come out looking like their elven parents. Elven children look like baby Farishtaas at first but eventually shed into what their parents look like in a couple of years.

Farishtaa children are the same. They are born looking like normal Farishtaas but eventually end up looking like the elves. But everr once in a while (rarely) two Farishtaas will give birth to a full Farishtaa baby (rarely).

Defining'¦
Magic

In D&D, there are many routes in magic.  You may cast magic through the divine channel, bardic magic, sorcery or wizardry, druidic magic, psionic magic, or through numerous other ways.  'Magic' is an umbrella term for arcane, divine, and psionic magic.  You may gain access to magic through prayer, contemplation, reading, or just natural talent.  But when any of them get to the field of battle and the actual casting of the spells, they all look exactly alike.

The magic on Tephra is the opposite.  There are four disciplines of magic: creation, flux, mind, and summoning.  All of them are learned by magi.  All of them are magic (and just magic).  But each one requires different tools to evoke it.

The chart that follows is the basic spell per day progression for the mage class.  For each slot, you will notice two numbers.  The first number represents the amount of spells that the mage can cast per day from their primary discipline, their forte.  The second number is the amount of spells they can cast per day from their secondary discipline, their foible.  Mages are only allowed access to two of the four disciplines.

[th][/th][th]0[/th][th]1[/th][th]2[/th][th]3[/th][th]4[/th][th]5[/th][th]6[/th][th]7[/th][th]8[/th][th]9[/th]

1	3+1	2+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
2	3+1	3+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
3	3+1	3+1	1+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
4	3+2	3+2	2+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
5	3+2	3+2	2+1	1+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
6	3+2	4+2	3+1	2+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
7	4+2	4+2	3+1	2+1	1+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
8	4+2	4+3	3+2	3+1	2+1	'"	'"	'"	'"	'"
9	4+2	4+3	3+2	3+1	2+1	1+1	'"	'"	'"	'"
10	4+3	4+2	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	'"	'"	'"	'"
11	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	1+1	'"	'"	'"
12	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	'"	'"	'"
13	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	1+1	'"	'"
14	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	'"	'"
15	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	1+1	'"
16	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	'"
17	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1	1+1
18	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1
19	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1	2+1
20	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+3	4+2	3+2	3+1

Just a quick note-

In Tephra, there is no such thing as anti-magic.  You cannot nullify the magic in an area.  That's illogical.  You can alter it on occassion, but you cannot get rid of it.  If it was possible, Aeon would have nullified magic rather than altering it during the Magi Rebellion.

In D&D, dealing with magical forces is very difficult.  It typically seems like the only way to keep a powerful mage from teleporting in, killing the emperor, and teleporting out is a huge anti-magic field or some sort of anti-teleportation area or something of that sort.  There are very few defensive spells in D&D with the exception of simple walls, and those don't often keep out spellcasters.

In Tephra, counterspelling is going to be a staple.  Counterspelling is become a skill (and don't judge that yet, as skills are getting a major work-over), and all spellcasters will have access and probably learn it.  It'll replace many of the effects of spellcraft.  I haven't fully figured out what I'm going to do, but I envision royalty using secret-service style magi and mage-warriors to act as bodyguards.  They'll be able to quickly react to and deflect spells, banish summons, and, at higher levels, intercept incoming teleportations.  This will be one major difference from normal D&D in Tephra.

Magic, continued.
As previously discussed, magic works different in Tephra.  D&D magic is frustrating because most spellcasters prepare and cast the same spells the same way, but each spell is cast differently and can be cast by many different casters.  In Tephra, there are four disciplines, and each discipline is different.  Spells do not overlap; a spell that belongs to one discipline does not belong to another.  And spells are cast in the manner their discipline requires.  Mind magic requires only words, summoning magic requires symbols, and creation magic requires both gestures and words.

Creation
Creation magic is the creation of something out of nothing.  Many magi consider creation magic the ultimate magical expression.  Creation magic, however, can also be highly destructive.  Its spells create things, but the creation of fire or falling rocks or flying swords can destroy just as much as it creates.  Creation magic is the flashiest of all disciplines, though some consider it the least versatile.  Creation magi consider them to be uncreative.  A creation mage in battle, though, makes for a truly frightening opponent.

Casting: The creation discipline requires extravagant movements and words to create the desired effects.  

Spell Preparation: Creation magic requires the mage to begin casting the spell and then, on the verge of the spell being completed, to store it within their mind.  This process is both physically and mentally exhausting.

Flux
Flux magic is the magic of change and alteration.  Flux magic is used to change how things work, how things feel, increase or decrease things in size, and many other uses.  Flux magic is also used to heal people and mend items.  It can be used for instantaneous travel and flight.  Some consider it the most versatile magic, but it is not a destructive type.  Flux magi are handy to keep about.

Casting: The flux discipline requires the most out of its casters, requiring the magi to use hand gestures (though not to the extent of creation magic), words, and components for the flux magi to concentrate on.  Many flux magi keep specifically crafted gems, often set atop a staff, that they can peer through and use flux magic without the need of somatic or material components, though magic words are always necessary for flux magic.

Spell Preparation: Flux magic requires no preparation.

Mind
Mind magic is one that influences the mind of the caster and those he chooses.  Mind magic is often used to charm people and change their attitudes, other times to make them see what is not there, to feel what cannot be felt.  Some magic of the mind can enhance perception, let the mage see further than they should, see what they should not be able, hear what otherwise would remain silent.  Mind magi consider their discipline the strongest, but others consider it manipulative.

Casting: All mind magic requires just words to cast, but often requires extensive concentration.  No mind magic requires anything beyond words, and the words required range anywhere from a whisper to a roar.  Mind magi memorize only the weakest of their spells, and need to read from spellbooks for their most powerful spells.

Spell Preparation: Mind magi read through their spellbook everyday to commit their simpler spells to memory, but the more powerful of their spells '" the ones that require the reading of the spellbook at the time of the casting '" do not need to be prepared.  Most preparation time for a mind mage comes from the creation of their spellbook.

Summoning
Summoning magic is magic that deals directly with daemons, using them and their powers.  Summoning is the most versatile of magic, for it can tap into all abilities that daemons have.  Summoning magic is received in different ways everywhere, depending on how they view daemons and their usage.  These magi use daemons to shield them, harm others, or as tools for a variety of purposes.

Casting: Most summoning magic requires runes and symbols to activate.  It is these symbols that summon and control the daemons.  A few summons require words to control them, but this is not common.  Most summoning magi carry pre-drawn symbols with them which they use to cast their spells.  They can create the symbols on the fly, but this takes longer.  Some summoners have books or scrolls with the symbols drawn in them, but the symbols burn away the pages when cast.

Spell Preparation: Summoning magi prepare the symbols to cast their spells ahead of time, though this is not necessary (not doing so makes the active casting time longer).

Quote from: JharvissJust a quick note-

In Tephra, there is no such thing as anti-magic.  You cannot nullify the magic in an area.  That's illogical.  You can alter it on occassion, but you cannot get rid of it.  If it was possible, Aeon would have nullified magic rather than altering it during the Magi Rebellion.

In D&D, dealing with magical forces is very difficult.  It typically seems like the only way to keep a powerful mage from teleporting in, killing the emperor, and teleporting out is a huge anti-magic field or some sort of anti-teleportation area or something of that sort.  There are very few defensive spells in D&D with the exception of simple walls, and those don't often keep out spellcasters.

In Tephra, counterspelling is going to be a staple.  Counterspelling is become a skill (and don't judge that yet, as skills are getting a major work-over), and all spellcasters will have access and probably learn it.  It'll replace many of the effects of spellcraft.  I haven't fully figured out what I'm going to do, but I envision royalty using secret-service style magi and mage-warriors to act as bodyguards.  They'll be able to quickly react to and deflect spells, banish summons, and, at higher levels, intercept incoming teleportations.  This will be one major difference from normal D&D in Tephra.

Very true and very important. Whatever level magic the world uses, the ability of a mage to counter a spell is just as important as casting in the first place.  Magic resistance in Celtricia affects spell success of the caster and increases the saves of the target, and one of the most common types of artificed items is magic resistant items.  In addition, the better casting skills a character has in any of the 11 major power sources, the better automatic resistance they have to that type of magic.

Whatever the system, there needs to be counters avaialble to powerful magics, or, as you notated, spells like teleport and passwall, etc become too powerful.

Exploring...
Gnomes

Gnomes hold a special place in Tephra, being the only people shorter than the aodin.  The aodin tend to stand around five feet tall.  Gnomes are about half that size.  But gnomes have proven that having a small stature doesn't make them easy to repress.

Gnomes almost never grow over three feet tall, most between two and two and a half feet tall.  Their hair and skin color has the same pigment range as humans, though red hair is much more common.  Their eyes come in many hues, though they always have an opaque clearness to them.  Some say that their eyes look like glass, some that their eyes look like those who are going blind.  This is anything but the case '" gnomes can see at distances ten times further than humans, being able to focus on finer details at long ranges.  And while they can read a book across a room, but almost all gnomes are near-sighted and wear goggles, spectacles, or monocles to help them deal with things up close.  

Gnomes have been responsible for the majority of the world's technological and magical developments.  Gnomes have the longest lifespan of any race, often living to about 200 years, but are also known for never sitting still.  Of all races, gnomes have a passion for development.  With this, gnomes tend to get the most accomplished.  The printing press, magical growth stimulation, the bicycle, modern glass shaping, most agricultural advancements, and a wide variety of magnetic technologies were all the creations of gnomes.  

The most empathetic of all races, almost all gnomes are stout defenders of the people.  They dislike seeing people get needlessly hurt and often stop at the sight of blood.  If it were up to them, all people would be able to get along with each other and just go about their daily lives.  

Gnomes are far from pushovers, however.  They have long had some of the most powerful militaries in Tephra and have never hesitated in using them in defense.  Gnomes rarely cause wars but seem to join them easily.  Long known as the best marksmen, gnomes are the only race that can pick up a crossbow and see distance as not a problem.  Historically gnomes have also been the first to utilize new technologies and magical abilities in battle, and gnomes make guerilla warfare seem like the only viable option.  Gnomes, however, are the last to enter melee.  Though quick and often hard to hit, gnomes are still the size of most other race's children and that doesn't lend itself to close combat.

Gnomes have a hard time holding grudges and prejudices.  Gnomes have long been the enemies of the haudi, but few gnomes hold the tragedies of history to the haudi of the present.  (Humans and satyrs, also quick enemies of the haudi, can't say the same.)  Gnomes enjoy the presence of other people and try to get along with everyone.  Of all the races, gnomes idealize world peace more so than any.  Gnomes can be the best friends of aodin, satyrs, izedans, though gnomes are always in conflict with izedans because of their blatant disregard for the feelings of other creatures.  

Rolling hills and soft forests are the gnomes' favorite places to live.  Some gnomes also live in mountains and denser forests, but these are the exceptions.  Gnomes live in villages much more often than cities, and these cities are often built quite close together.  They share farmland, each member being given land near their home to farm.  While common economics do function in gnomish villages, they are rarely as important as in the villages of other races.  Gnomish cities do sprout up on occasion, but these cities are often well designed in advance and are kept quite immaculate.  Gnomes never let their living environments get dirty '" only cluttered.

Let's talk about racial balance.

In Tephra, I have basically said that being a "core race" is going to be a power jump from other D20 systems.  The e3.5 dwarf is about to look seriously underpowered.  There will be no level adjustment races.  

Let's look at some of the powers of the races:

Aodin: Aodins can breath both in water and out of water.  They can turn their bodies into a liquid (though not their clothing or possessions).  They have long fins on their backs, and these fins have a chemical in them that allows the aodin to harden them.  They'll be able to use these fins like shields, similar to a fencer's cloak.  Finally, the aodin have a poison they release on their fingertips that feels like an electric shock, akin to a jellyfish.  Needless to say, the aodin are a powerful race.  

*Elf: Elves are mighty brutes.  Their strength will be the most of any race and they'll be able to move rather fast.  They'll have a very powerful sense of smell, be immune to many diseases, and have several built-in defenses against magic, especially mind magic.  

*Farishtaa: Farishtaas will be the only race that has built-in daemon sight, and they will have several abilities that interact with and use daemons.  Farishtaas will have quick reflexes and be graceful, though their bodies will be frail.  They are immune to fear.

*Gnome: Gnomes will be short, but they will be the only race with access to some divinations and flux magic.  They can also see tenfold the distance of other races, and their ability with ranged attacks will be unparalleled.  

*Haudi: Haudi are the largest race (though not "large") and will have benefits because of that.  Their bones are amazingly strong and their skin will be hard to damage.  They will genuinely be difficult to damage.  They will also have long nails they can use as weapons.  

*Izedan: Izedans regenerate.  They also can eat anything and their bites are amazingly powerful.  They are stocky and have thick, powerful bodies.  They're immune to most poisons and diseases.  On the downside, they also require light or become sluggish and are adverse to the cold.[/list]
Okay, problem: satyrs and humans.  I can answer for one of them, and probably not the one you expect.

Humans were created by aeon to introduce magic into the world.  They are highly magical adept and can see magic better than any other race.  All humans can counterspell (only magic users of other races can counterspell), and humans are unnaturally good at counterspelling.  Humans are also good at magic in general and cast better than all other races.  In addition, humans learn quicker (yay for gaining a bonus feat and extra skill points!).

I've always hated the "humans have short lives and are over-eager and ambitious" and all that nonsense.  I've gotten rid of it.  Plus I think this will fit the world better and just make humans more unique and cool.  I mean, hell, what's greater than the martial artist that can punch that fireball in the nose!  No other race can do that!

Satyrs I'm having issues with.  I don't know how to put them on par with the rest of the races.  Thoughts?

You nailed the Gnomes in the description!

I'm going back and forth with the Aodin turning into liqiud. It's more on the "how would it exactly work?" we need to figure it out for sure. Maybe flux magic? Especially good with water?

Satyrs

hmmm I see our satyrs being the "go getters."  They would be the ones to lead the way type of deal. Tough and rowdy with a great love and respect for life (a bit hippish). Satyrs don't like being suppressed (like they were by the Haudi) and since than they took the role of the freedom fighter niche perhaps?

Right, but I'm trying to figure out how they can compete, on a power scale, with the other races.  Satyrs just don't seem to have anything going for them beyond horns and alcohol.

This is probably going to be quite different from what anybody's expecting.

Exploring...
Satyrs

Satyrs were created not by the Aeon of even Tephra, but by the haudi.  After the rise of the haudi empire and their widespread enslavement of humans and gnomes, the haudi found themselves needing more and more protection.  For this purpose the haudi created a new race, utilizing the skills of their gnomish slaves.  They created a race that could protect them, strong but not as strong as they, and would be strong allies to keep around.  

Unfortunately, their creation was not as loyal as they would've liked.

The haudi's new creation, the satyrs, combined various human and animal aspects into what they saw as an ideal new race.  The satyrs walked upright and spoke intelligently, and they were really only hard to control when they got alcohol into their system.  The satyrs were close with nature, and could speak with animals just like haudi spoke with other haudi (though the haudi were never sure that the animals understood what the satyrs were saying).  Of course, the haudi were pleased.  When the satyrs joined the human and gnomish resistance, however, the haudi were anything but pleased.  They soon began exterminating their 'flawed' creation, and that action quickly led to the demise of the haudi empire.

Satyrs have human torsos with horns and the lower bodies of goats.  They have two legs and a substantial amount of hair.  Their horns come in many shapes and sizes, curved like a ram's or straight like a goat's.  Their tails also range between goat tails and full horse tails.

Satyrs were created to be the ultimate support for the haudi.  Their bodies are tough and durable.  They are natural empaths, easily sensing the emotions of other people.  Many people see satyrs as walking lie testers.  The haudi's proudest creation is in the satyr's blood.  They have a chemically created blood that, when mixed with into another race's blood, causes the regenerative cells in it to speed up and reproduce very quickly.  Originally, the haudi created the satyrs so that if a haudi were injured, a satyr could prick their skin and drip some blood into the wound, which would cause small wounds to heal almost instantly and larger wounds to heal much quicker.  Unfortunately for them, satyrs are immune to their own blood.

Satyrs have come a long way since they escaped the grasps of the haudi.  They are the haudi's foremost enemy and most satyrs hate haudi with a passion.  This isn't helped by the fact that most satyrs live in mountains near the haudi (though many satyrs have moved down into nearby forests and taken up residence there).  Satyrs and humans get along better than almost any two other races, seeing each other as brethren.  Satyrs also get along well with gnomes.  

The emotions of satyrs are quick to change, and satyrs are known as being somewhat temperamental because of this.  This isn't helped by the fact that most satyrs drink in excess.  Because of the odd chemicals in their blood, satyrs react to several poisons and drugs differently, the most notable of which is alcohol.  Alcohol is a stimulant for them, not a depressant, and '" as many humans have noted '" makes the satyrs act as though they are getting the best affects of alcohol and caffeine at the same time.  

Satyr children, satyrisci, are typically very calm and mild-mannered.  They follow a 'children are meant to be seen but not heard' lifestyle without meaning to.  Around puberty the satyrisci begin to grow horns and become much more rambunctious.  

[blockquote=JHArVISS]Satyrs were created to be the ultimate support for the haudi. Their bodies are tough and durable. They are natural empaths, easily sensing the emotions of other people. Many people see satyrs as walking lie testers. The haudi's proudest creation is in the satyr's blood. They have a chemically created blood that, when mixed with into another race's blood, causes the regenerative cells in it to speed up and reproduce very quickly. Originally, the haudi created the satyrs so that if a haudi were injured, a satyr could prick their skin and drip some blood into the wound, which would cause small wounds to heal almost instantly and larger wounds to heal much quicker. Unfortunately for them, satyrs are immune to their own blood.[/blockquote]
So durable empaths with healing abilities.  Sounds like a group that would be built to become natural healers for any group.  
We've spoken about racial integration before; on a smaller scale, how integrated are the churches and organized religions.  Not in terms of belief or worship, but purely in terms of the secular organization and breakdown?

btw, interesting writeup.  Reserving judgement until I understand more fully, but you've made this interesting so far.
and another question...do any other races have unusual reactions to alcohol?  

Interesting questions, and thanks for the feedback!

Religion
In D&D worlds religion almost always plays a huge role because the deities have a very direct influence on people and characters, being responsible for their divine spellcasting.  In Tephra, religion does not flow so naturally.  

Let's examine this in terms of point of view.  Looking at the world from a third person omniscient, there are two gods:  Aeon on Tephra.  Some people worship them, but Tephra doesn't listen to any of his worshippers and Aeon probably likes it but doesn't reward them.  There is really no religion based around the two real gods.  Daemon gods -- daemons with such powers that they seem like gods -- sometimes form religions or gain followers.  In Nation A, the entire nation could be based around the religious following of a daemon god.  Meanwhile, that daemon god actually lives in Nation A.  They could go to war with Nation B because of religious purposes, but Nation B has never seen nor heard of this daemon god.  

Religion will pose a large role, but each religion will be unique to its area.  I've long envisioned a daemon god who looks like a large, ominous cloud.  This daemon god could be worshiped as the God of Storms and Weather.  His followers could branch off into separate sects, one that is largely a group of farmers looking for rain, a second that are all warriors, worshiping the power of lightning, and a third dark, underground sect that wants to harness the terrible power of storms so that they can take control of land.

That cloud daemon god could be completely oblivious, but that would be an exception rather than the rule.  He could, instead, have his own agenda.  Maybe he is kind and benevolent, and wants to help the farmers that go to him for help?  In this case, he has basically validated their "religious" beliefs.  If he chooses to ignore them all, eventually they may stop believing in him (he exists, but they don't see him as a God), or they may continue worshiping him out of habit.  Likewise, he could be somewhat sinister and unsympathetic, and validate the dark cult's hopes and start ravaging the countryside.  All of these are possible cases.

Some daemon gods will not have cult followings at all.  Some of them will make themselves look like normal Tephrans and go about as if they were completely normal, because that's what the daemon god wants to do.  I am making a United Nations-type organization in Tephra that meets yearly.  The head of the organization is a Tephran and changes every couple years, but since its founding there has been a daemon god there acting as administrative assistant.  He keeps the grounds clean, prepares the food, basically runs the entire building and ensures that there are no kinks in the organization.  He's a daemon god with amazing powers, but he's taken this idea of a world organization and is putting forward all of his efforts to ensure it works.  He has no following, but he's still a daemon god.  

Also, daemon gods are not immortal.  There may have been a kind and benevolent daemon goddess for a millennium who became the figurehead of several nations and beloved by all, but she's been dead for two centuries and people still worship her as though she were alive.

That was a long answer, but does it answer your question, or does it raise more of them?

Alcohol
The only race that has a unique reaction to alcohol are the satyrs, who receive it like a stimulant rather than a depressant.  Of course, I'm just talking about straight alcohol.  I'll be developing unique drugs in the future.  I've already started thinking about drugs that farishtaas take -- they trap demis and other daemons and process them into drugs that have various purposes.  It's a little sick, but they like it!

What I'm adding is a map of the main continent similar to what has been previously seen, but this one has expanded notes on what each nation could possibly be or contain.  Like usual, this is not the end-all be-all of brainstorming, but it's a start.  Note that several nations have no comments -- there are some ideas I have fishing in my head that have not been earthed out or placed on the map.  Otherwise, let me present my map:

Warning, this is a big image.[/i]
[spoiler=Main Continent - Political Map with Notes](http://www.colabore.org/Main-Continent-2.gif)[/spoiler]

Let me know how you feel about this outline.  Do the borders feel natural?  Does the assortment of nation sizes seem realistic?  What do you think?

What follows are simply plans and visions, but I would like feedback, especially ideas!  I love ideas!

Tephra D20 System - Classes
The Tephra D20 system is a huge revision to D&D v3.5 rules.  Feats are being dropped and the skill system is getting a huge boost.  There are three categories of skills:  Skills, Combat Skills, and Magic Skills.  Skills will include crafting, performing, diplomacy, sleight of hand, athletics, and several others.  Combat skills will include many different fighting styles.  Magic skills will include one skill for each discipline and the counterspelling skill.  Skills are being grouped up more.  There will no longer be jumping and climbing and swimming; instead, there will be the athletics skill.  To replace feats, you may gain a single Skill Specialty of your choosing per level (that you qualify for).  These will be similar to feats, but you will be able to gain one per level and will cover a much wider basis.  You will gain class benefits to these Skill Specialties based on what class you choose.  

Now that you have the basics, what follows are the five classes:

Artisan: A first level artisan will be the D&D equivalent to a commoner.  The artisan will be a class that will not be as commonly played as other classes, but is still a perfectly logical option for characters.  The artisan class will require time and money to create its items, however.  Artisans gain huge bonuses to crafting, performances, and various other skills.  The gnomish mad scientist or the haudi chemical weaponry producer are both very possible characters for the artisan.  Artisans will learn how to craft items faster, cheaper, and more effectively as they gain levels.  

For example, say you are playing a weaponry crafter.  You begin at first level with a couple small bombs and a nice crossbow.  You gain a couple levels and you're suddenly using remote mines, crafting flyers, and you have a repeating crossbow with some acid-containing bolts.  You gain some more levels and you're walking around in a fireproof set of armor, an exploding, repeating crossbow, and a crawling machine you can ride in.  Finally you end up with a hand-held sonic cannon, several floating chemical weaponry releasers, crawling mines, and armor that attacks anybody who comes near you.  

The artisan will be able to produce similar weapons for other members of the party, but most of the top-of-the-line weaponry that the artisan would produce would only be usable by the artisan until he is able to make it user-friendly enough for others to use safely.

This is just one possible route the artisan could take.

Mage: I've discussed the mage quite a bit previously.  The mage (plural magi) is a spellcaster who specializes in a discipline and a subdiscipline.  They can only cast spells from their primary and secondary disciplines.  The mage will have access to magic skill specialties, which will let them do things like prestidigitations at will, have daemon sight, be able to create minor illusions at will, and a wide variety of other small yet interesting and useful abilities.

Rake: I have put very little effort into the rake thus far, so I apologize if this sounds less than inspired.  The rake will be similar to the D&D rogue.  It will be just as customizable as the rogue, if not more.  There will be benefits to taking the Dirty Fighting skill, which will progress similar to a rogue's sneak attack.  However, a rake could take many different combat skills or none at all.  It will be easier to have the rake focus on diplomatic or swashbuckling skills rather than dungeoneering skills, though these will still be very present.  

Templar: The templar class is a combination between a warrior and a mage.  They will choose one discipline to follow, and their discipline will highly affect the way the templar is played.  They will be strong fighters, top-notch at counterspelling, have magical abilities that affect their fighting abilities, and have access to some spells.  I will talk about each discipline of the templar separately.  

The creation templar will have to train to wear armor.  They will be amazing templars on the battlefield, superb at taking out multiple enemies.  Their spells will include the creation of walls and spells akin to fireball.  They will be able to create weapons when they have none or create weapons to attack enemies.  

The flux templar will also have to train to wear armor.  These templars will be well prepared for almost any form of combat.  They could change the size of their sword and make it as light as a feather.  They could have their shield float in front of them.  They could cause their stomp to send shimmers through the ground.  They will also be able to heal.

The mind templar will be a subtly powerful opponent.  They will be able to wear armor, as mind magic does not require hand gestures.  They will be able to create illusions to confuse the enemy or possess their mind to slow them down or possibly turn on their allies.  The mind templar could find hidden enemies or make the enemy think they are standing behind the templar when the templar is actually standing behind them.

The summoning templar will be able to wear armor, as their magic does not require hand gestures.  Summoning templars will be able to use daemons for a huge variety of things, being even more versatile than the flux templar.  Summoning templars can bind daemons to their equipment so that the equipment fights on its own, they could summon daemons to ravage opponents, or they could summon a daemon to act as the templar's mount.

Warrior: The warrior will have obscene access to combat skills.  They can specialize completely in polearm fighting or be able to pick up almost any weapon and fight well with it.  They will be nearly impossible to take down, be able to wear any sort of armor, and be able to fight in a huge variety of circumstances.  The warrior will be a more basic class, but it will have just as many options as the other classes.


Thanks for listening, and any feedback would be great!  I really enjoy hearing ideas for the templar class, or if you've ever wanted a certain change to the rake, mage, warrior, or anything else, just let me know.

For today's post, I will talk about everything that crosses my mind in no terribly particular order.  

Quote from: The AfterlifeIt is unfair to speak of the afterlife in Tephra, for none really exists.  

Unknown to most Tephrans, when a person dies, the essence of their body releases in the form of a daemon, typically a demi.  On exceptionally rare occasions the body releases a more powerful daemon, but even then the person's conscious and memories are not transferred into the daemon.  In the entire history of Tephra there may have been a handful of occasions where the daemon created upon death was able to take its body's memories and conscious, but these daemons were typically of the daemon god class and would become legend unto themselves.

This is not common knowledge, though.  Many haudi believe it, but they're pretty unique in that aspect.  Most civilizations have religions which paint prettier pictures.  Some say that those released become demis with the person's full conscious.  Others say there is an afterlife, like an eternal paradise.  Many say that the deceased join the stars in the sky or watch over Tephra from Aeon's rings.  Some believe in reincarnation.  Often times this is all dependent on what various daemon gods have made up and told their followers.  Sometimes the Tephrans make up these religious beliefs on their own.  Regardless, they differ from one region to another.

There are only a handful of daemon gods that are worshipped in large, widespread numbers.  The Four Humours are four of these, as each one represents a circle of magic.  Each one is unique and of varying ages.  The Humour of flux magic has only been around for a little over a decade.  

Jayrotiin is one of the most unique daemon gods in Tephra, largely because he is not a daemon.  Jayrotiin was one of the most powerful human magi in the Magi Rebellion.  He cut a deal with Aeon to end the rebellion if he was granted the powers of a daemon god.  She did as he asked, and now Jayrotiin, the ex-human, is the daemon god of creation magic.

Vilaudika is a wise and thoughtful daemon goddess.  She has been around for ages.  Some think of her as an angel, but her wings are more like those of an insect.

Vilaudika will either be the goddess of mind magic or summoning magic.  I have yet to decide.

The other two humours have not yet been created.[/quote]Daemonhome Trees[/b]
These trees are enormous and populate the forests of the farishtaa, who grow them.  There could be no more than a dozen of these trees in existence, and even that many say is a high estimate.  Daemonhome trees look, to a Tephran, to be a beautiful tree that towers high above the forest.  It has many different shapes and colors of leaves, and bright colors sparkle in the midst of its branches.  The branches flow out of the tree and then angle down, falling into the ground.  But to those with daemonsight, the daemonhome tree looks quite darker, as it is surrounded by daemons.  Those sparkles of light are fairies dancing about.  Demis engulf the tree, making it hard to work around for the farishtaas.  

The daemonhome tree is a tree that grows other trees.  It is a root of life and essence, as the farishtaa say.  It attracts demis and other daemons to it, and they feed on it.  But their feeding makes the daemonhome tree grow and feed everything around it.  A daemonhome tree is the center of most major farishtaa cities, as it causes all trees around it to be excessively fruitful year-round.  And it is true '" trees of many types sprout from the roots of the daemonhome tree just like soul, and some trees even sprout from the branches of the daemonhome tree.  Trees seem to grow out of the daemonhome tree's foliage.  Few argue with the farishtaa's assessment of the daemonhome as the center for life.

Boom.  Enough of the daemonhome tree.

Also, a quick note '" the gnomish nation to the west of the main continent, the really big one, is a weapon's dealer.  It's a very powerful nation and is constantly in war.  It and the human empire to the east are always fighting, though not always directly.  The gnomish nation often supplies weapons to enemies of the human empire, which has been a huge thorn in the human empire's plans.

And that's enough for now.  

Tootles.

Just some quick notes --

First off: languages
Tephra will basically be using the same system as D&D for language learning, with some small changes.  Two skill ranks will be necessary to master a language.  One skill rank will be necessary to learn the basics of a language.  With the basics, one can communicate enough to get around, but takes a -2 penalty on all diplomatic checks made when speaking that language.  A character begins play with three ranks worth of languages, plus one rank per intelligence.  Hence, most will have mastered one language and know the basics of another language.  With another rank, they could either master two languages, or master one language and know the basics of two others.  Make sense?

Tephra has no common, international language; therefore, this system is necessary.  If somebody starts a campaign in the Kingdom of Burgers, all the players should master Burgish.

Note #2: Economy
While there is no international language, there is an international "coinage" system, at least on the primary continent.  There is a large mercantile guild that regulates the coinage.  I haven't quite figured out all the specifics, but they're either going to create some sort of cursed symbol to put on paper money that only they can produce or something of that sort.  Eh?

Note #3: Flyers and Propellers
Propellers as they were originally described will not work.    I need to discuss things with the Mad Hatter, but the initial version of the flyer is being scrapped.  I just throught I should bring that to the attention of our numerous and long-time readers.

^_^

So, after reading your classes, how would you create the following:

1) A former bard, one who was pretty talented and was even taught some basic baric magic, who startes travelling with merchant caravans, training with the gaurds but also learning some of the ins-and-outs of local trade?

2) A former tavern brawler that joins the city guards, starts going to the Local church with some of the other guards, and is now a seargeant in the local toan guards and has become an acolyte in the local church?

3) A moneylender whose family dabbles in politics, used to dealing with upper social strata.  In his late thirties, has been having a tutor come to him to teach him the basics of illusion and mind magics.  He started learning this due to extreme paranoia about being ripped off, now he likes having a bit of magical knowledge, and he feels it makes him mer dangerous (point of fact, he's pretty basic and not very talented magically, but his tutor likes the money and flatters him outrageously).  Very good with Gems and other rare items, decent barterer and cuts a mean rug.

4) a Satyr Pyromancer who has spent most of his time in the local cabal, but who is trying to learn some artificing so as to make fire potions (fire...heheheh...fire!!!!).  Also one who really likes technology and  living in the city.

Interesting question.

Quote from: LordVreeg1) A former bard, one who was pretty talented and was even taught some basic baric magic, who startes travelling with merchant caravans, training with the gaurds but also learning some of the ins-and-outs of local trade?

There is no bardic magic in Tephra.  Singing or playing instruments will typically not have some sort of arcane effect.  The perform skill is going to be more powerful than it was in D&D, but even then it won't equal the D&D bard.  The closest you could get to that would be a flux templar with the perform skill.  In fact, that would be pretty dead on.

Quote from: LordVreeg2) A former tavern brawler that joins the city guards, starts going to the Local church with some of the other guards, and is now a seargeant in the local toan guards and has become an acolyte in the local church?

In Tephra, there is no magic drawn from religion.  Therefore, a former tavern brawler would take the warrior class, probably focusing on unarmed or dirty fighting.  They could also be a rake doing the same thing, depending on how much of a strong-arm they are.  They start going to church?  Lovely!  If they want magic they can draw from the mage or templar class, but that doesn't seem key to this character.  This character just seems like a warrior who has some skills in unarmed fighting and has recently started taking skills in another style of fighting.

Quote from: LordVreeg3) A moneylender whose family dabbles in politics, used to dealing with upper social strata.  In his late thirties, has been having a tutor come to him to teach him the basics of illusion and mind magics.  He started learning this due to extreme paranoia about being ripped off, now he likes having a bit of magical knowledge, and he feels it makes him mer dangerous (point of fact, he's pretty basic and not very talented magically, but his tutor likes the money and flatters him outrageously).  Very good with Gems and other rare items, decent barterer and cuts a mean rug.

This would be a fairly easy character to make.  There are no class and cross-class skills in Tephra, so you could make a mage where his skills go toward diplomatics (dealing with the upper social strata) and some crafting skills.  If you wanted, you could give him a couple levels of artisan and then just one of mage.

Quote from: LordVreeg4) a Satyr Pyromancer who has spent most of his time in the local cabal, but who is trying to learn some artificing so as to make fire potions (fire...heheheh...fire!!!!).  Also one who really likes technology and  living in the city.

Well, presuming that you mean pyromancer to be a mage, this satyr would be best situated for the creation mage class, which has several explosive spells, and maybe some artisan levels.  The character could go all mage, just take some crafting skills, and pretty quickly learn how to create fire potions.  If he wanted technological crafting skills too, he could just focus on crafting.  So yes, a creation mage with a lot of crafting skills.

Pretty cool character concepts, and they are all perfectly reasonable in Tephra.  I'm actually a little surprised at how well a flux templar with a high perform would be like a D&D bard.  But bardic magic doesn't exist, just like druidic magic or divine magic.  There's just that one type of magic.  That said, I'm much more excited about the crafting and other skill abilities here.  Skills got screwed in D&D.  I'll fix that.

Well, when it comes to game and setting design, I like to look at things my players have done in the past.  Better players like to be able to create complex and interesting backstories: and good players like to be able continue their backstories.  One of my oldest PC characters, Drono Biddlebee, started with a bunch of artisan schools, and had the Turniper Commune as the main school.  And grew from there into a mercenary, politician, and now a priest of Amrist, God of the Autumn Harvest.

So I like to ask how a sytem will accomodate the more advanced gamers and the stories they want to create, Not just bob the fighter and Joe the thief.

[blockquote=Jharviss]

Quote from: LordVreegA former tavern brawler that joins the city guards, starts going to the Local church with some of the other guards, and is now in the local town guards and has become an acolyte in the local church?

No, you have it, less magic than trying to learn historical knowledge of the religion, and healing skills.

QuotePropellers as they were originally described will not work. I need to discuss things with the Mad Hatter, but the initial version of the flyer is being scrapped.

Hmm, too bad.. I hope you're not dropping the whole "magnetic" basis to the technology. That was interesting to me, and a nice way to merge in some "fantastic yet realistic" technology in a new way.

Though, I did wonder... with technology like this, how long before someone invents some sort of railgun or coilgun? (This is what I thought the Thunder Cannon was, for about 2 seconds, when I first saw its name ;) )

I also liked how humans weren't just "the average" but had their own unique abilities that suited the race. The counterspell capacity of humans seems especially fitting.
I could see some scholar putting forth the radical theory that in some hypothetical world of only humans, they'd cancel each other out to the point that magic is completely impossible. Imagine that... ;)

Quote from: sparkletwistI could see some scholar putting forth the radical theory that in some hypothetical world of only humans, they'd cancel each other out to the point that magic is completely impossible. Imagine that... ;)

Sparkletwist, that's genius.

The reason for the cancellation of propellers is that we found a major flaw in the system: propellers were based on a self-fueled rotary system that could easily be applied to all other forms of wheels.  This would immediately lead to all manner of vehicles, including cars, trains, helicopters, and propeller-propulsion ships.  Don't worry '" we'll be keeping magnetic-based technologies, but this proposed propeller won't be a part of it.

I spent some time today looking at railgun and coilgun technology.  They're interesting, but would be a good ways off in Tephra.  There's currently no electromagnets or generators that could create them.  Tephra has no electricity, only magnetism.  The magnetism is due to aeonium, which has highly magnetic traits.  If generators were made, the development of such weapons would likely occur almost overnight.  But that's still a ways off.

We're really stuck on the issue of flight.  It's difficult to find the right flavor and effects for it.  We've discussed wind tubes, super helium, and some really bizarre forms like ship evaporation or magnetism versus gravity.  We're still working on it.

Also, Alignment'¦
One of my biggest issues with the D&D system is it's reliance on alignment.  I like alignment and I think it's fun, right up until a paladin joins the group and is detecting evil on everything that moves.  Thusly, there will be no alignment in Tephra.  We may develop something later that could fill its place, but nothing yet.

Exploring...
Character Speed

Has it ever bothered you that a 1st level fighter runs just as fast as a 20th level fighter?  What about the same considering put to a rogue or a ranger?  The barbarian gains a little speed at the beginning, but otherwise only the monk becomes faster.  This has always bothered me.

In Tephra, the base speed for different races varies a lot:

* Aodin: 20 ft.
* Elf: 30 ft.
* Farishtaa: 20 ft.
* Gnome: 15 ft.
* Haud: 20 ft.
* Human: 25 ft.
* Izedan: 20 ft.
* Satyr: 20 ft.

With the exception of elves, which have an amazing speed, all races start rather slow.  Like normal, armor also reduces their speed.  Don't you feel sorry for the gnome who wants to wear full plate?  However, all classes gain speed as they level.  By 20th level, warriors would be 30 ft. faster than their base speed, and magi 10 ft. faster.  By 5th level, both warriors and templars are moving 10 ft. faster than their untrained cousins.  

Sorry -- not everybody's going to be moving 30 feet this round.

Furthermore, as previously discussed, the athletics skill is being introduced.  This skill is a catch-all skill for jumping, swimming, climbing, and running.  Yes, running.  When two characters of equal speed are running (perhaps in a chase), they can roll athletic checks each round.  A terrible roll could result in a loss of 5 feet of movement that round.  A high roll (in the 30s) could give the person an additional 15 feet of base movement that round, which could translate into 60 feet while running.  

Ever wanted to have a chase scene in D&D and couldn't find mechanics to support it?  Tephra's got 'em.

Warning: Big Post

Introducing...
The Basics of Tephra D20

As discussed, there are five classes:

* Artisan
* Mage
* Rake
* Templar
* Warrior

Here is some basic information on each one.

Artisan
- 3/4 Base Attack Bonus
- Player chooses one good save and two poor
- Hit Dice: D6

Mage
- 1/2 Base Attack Bonus
- Good Will Save
- Hit Dice: D4

Rake
- 3/4 Base Attack Bonus
- Good Reflex Save
- Hit Dice: D8

Templar
- Full Base Attack Bonus
- Player chooses two good saves and one poor
- Hit Dice: D10

Warrior
- Full Base Attack Bonus
- Good Fortitude and Reflex Saves
- Hit Dice: D12


At every level, the character gains the skills below.  The maximum ranks that can be in a given skill are equal to the character's level.  There are no cross-class or untrained skills.  One rank equals one rank, and maximum ranks equals character level.  Simple, right?

[table=Ranks per Level]
[tr][th][/th][th]Personal Skills[/th][th]Martial Skills[/th][th]Magic Skills[/th][/tr]
[tr][th]Artisan[/th][td]4[/td][td]1[/td][td]'"[/td][/tr]
[tr][th]Mage[/th][td]2[/td][td]0[/td][td]2[/td][/tr]
[tr][th]Rake[/th][td]3[/td][td]1[/td][td]'"[/td][/tr]
[tr][th]Templar[/th][td]1[/td][td]2[/td][td]1[/td][/tr]
[tr][th]Warrior[/th][td]1[/td][td]3[/td][td]'"[/td][/tr][/table]

Personal Skills
- Animal Handling
- Acrobatics (Balance, Escape Artist, Tumble, etc.)
- Athletics (Climbing, Running, Jumping, Swimming, etc.)
- Craft (Craft, Professions, Appraise, etc.)
- Diplomacy (Bluff, Diplomacy, Sense Motive, etc.)
- Heal
- Knowledge
- Perception (Listen, Spot, Smell, Search, etc.)
- Perform
- Sleight of Hand (Hand Movements, Disabling Devices, Opening Locks, Move Silently, Use Rope, etc.)
- Wilderness (Survival, Herbalism, etc.)

Martial Skills
- Archery
- Berserk
- Celerity
- Dual-Wielding
- Expertise
- Finesse
- Heavy Arms
- Mounted
- Polearm
- Shield
- Tactician
- Unarmed

Magic Skills
- Creation
- Flux
- Mind
- Summoning
- Counterspelling

At every level a character may choose a skill specialty (SS).  Each SS will have requirements, and some will be more strenuous than others.  In order to take any skill specialty, the character must have at least one rank in the skill that the skill specialty falls under.

What follows is an under-construction list of skill specialties.

Personal Skills
All of these skills are taken on their own, with the exception of the craft skill.  All craft skills are taken independently.  A character only puts ranks into the Knowledge and Perform skills, and can then use skill specialties to increase their range of knowledge or their aptitude with a wider range of instruments or styles.  

[spoiler=Animal Handling]
- Wild Animals: Character can train wild animals.
- Beasts: Character can train beasts.
- Daemons: Character can train daemons.
- Companion: Character can train one animal to be their loyal companion.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Acrobatics]
- Running Balance
- Slow Falling: Character can slow their fall by grabbing hold of a nearby wall.  This requires 10 ranks in acrobatics.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Athletics]
- Endurance: Character can do difficult tasks for long periods of time.
- Flying Charge: Character can jump while charging to give them a final boost of speed and increase the effectiveness of the charge.
- Run: Character moves at 5 times speed when running instead of 4 times.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Craft]
- Rapid Crafting
- Reverse Engineer: Character can make a pre-made item work in a different way or respond to a different catalyst.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Diplomacy]
- Feint: Character bluffs an opponent or causes a diversion to catch an opponent off-guard.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Healing][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Knowledge]
- New Specialty: Character expands their use of the knowledge skill to include another knowledge.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Perception]
- Light Sleeping: Character does not take penalty to perception checks while sleeping.
- Near-Sighted Gnomes: Character no longer takes a penalty for viewing things up close.  Only available to gnomes.
- Poison Sense: Character is familiar with poisons and can check things for poisons.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Perform]
- New Instrument: Character expands their use of the perform skill to include another instrument.
- Distracting Music: Character can use his or her music to distract others, possibly to disrupt spells or their combat focus.
- Inspiring: Character can use their music to make those around them more inspired for battle.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Sleight of Hand]
- Pick Locks: Character is now able to use sleight of hand skill to pick locks.  Only available to rakes.
Wilderness
- Track: Character can track people across long distances.
- Cover Tracks: Character can ensure that his or her tracks are difficult to find.
- Wild Running: Character can move at full speed through thick brush and difficult terrain.[/spoiler]

Martial Skills
All martial skills have a basic specialty, which will generally include armor and weapon proficiencies appropriate to the skill and any other abilities.  For example, Polearm Basics will give the character access to a wide range of armor and to all polearms.  Dual-Wielding Basics, on the other hand, would have no armor, only some basic weapons, and give the character the ability to wield weapons in both hands.  

[spoiler=Archery][/spoiler]   
[spoiler=Berserk]
- Berserker's Fury
- Greater Fury[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Celerity]
- Speed Increase
- Improved Reflexes
- Evasion
- Improved Evasion
- Uncanny Dodge[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Dual-Wielding][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Expertise][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Finesse]
- Sneak Attack[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Heavy Arms][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Mounted][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Polearm][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Shield][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Tactician][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Toughness]
- Poison Immunity
- Disease Immunity
- Hit Point Increase
- Improved Full Defense
- Shield Other
- Shrug Off the Pain[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Unarmed]
- Flurry of Blows
- Stunning Fist[/spoiler]

Magic Skills
[spoiler=Creation][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Flux]
- Prestidigitations
- Animal Size Increase: Character can use the spells that are necessary to increase the size of animals.  Generally, only available to gnomes.[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Mind][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Summoning]
- Daemon Turning
- Daemon Sight[/spoiler]
[spoiler=Counterspelling][/spoiler]

This should give a pretty firm idea of where this system is heading.  Enjoy.

Hola!

I've made some more changes.  Tephra D20 is now going to be a 10 level system.  After reading the article on The Alexandrian (http://www.thealexandrian.net/creations/misc/d&d-calibrating.html) about D&D's realism, I'm changing Tephra to a 10 level system where 5th level is one of the greats, and 10th level is one in a million.  This will work especially well since characters get a specialty every level and they'll be getting a +1 to an ability score every other level.

Also, in Tephra, no humanoid will ever have an ability score over 30.  30 is the cap, whether they have magic items or technological boosters or not.  Only some daemons and rather large monsters have scores over 30.  Some exceptions will be made, but they'll be few and far between.  I've never liked the idea that a score of 18 is the epitome of human intelligence.  18 int is not the Einsteins and Newtons.  They would be around 25 in Tephra.  30 is the top score, the epitome of human limitations.  Any further and they'll just go insane.

Additionally -
I really like Justin Alexander's death rules.  I like the idea of characters having the same amount of hit points below 0 as they do above 0.  I will also be changing the unconscious rules.  I think I'm going to let them remain conscious but unable to make any real actions with a mid-fortitude save (say, around 12 to 15).  With a high one (around 25) they could even move in the negatives, but doing anything too strenuous could deal a good amount of damage to themselves or cause them to die.  This would allow characters -- already having taken a ton of punishment -- to be able to pull themselves up for one last charge, and die with their opponents.  Or something along the lines of that ilk.

I also like the idea of knocking people unconscious from massive damage.  I'll also give some characters the ability to knock people unconscious easier because they know how to hit sweet spots.

Death isn't easy to overcome in Tephra, so maybe these altered rules will help things.

It's been a while since I've added good fluff.  This was needed.

Exploring'¦
Izedans

Later, I noticed that Oluzab's prized cheetah, Brasspaw, which always slept outside of Oluzab's tent, was nowhere to be found.  I assumed that the cheetah was out hunting, but I asked Oluzab, while we were around the fire that night, where it was.  Said Oluzab, 'The bone in Brasspaw's front leg broke this morning.  I was hungy, so I broke Brasspaw's neck and ate him.'  Oluzab then continued his conversation with another of the tribe's hunters, never even looking back at me to offer more information.

Izedans are considered the most unique of the tephrans.  No other tephran race has a similar set of social norms or physique to that of an izedan.  Izedans have an enormous threshold for pain, heal quickly, can digest almost anything, and live in areas that most creatures won't even travel across.  
[note=Izedan's Frill]Izedans each have frills.  Some are more prominent than others, running very long down.  Most are short: less than one inch long.  They often times have markings on them, like birthmarks.  They are nothing more than skin and tear quite easily.[/note]
Izedans are shorter than humans, only barely averaging above five feet tall.  They are stocky, built low to the ground and wide.  Their frames often weigh more than those of humans, with wide shoulders and long arms.  Izedans are very pale, often a yellowish-white, and are completely hairless.  Izedans gain the majority of their nutrients from sunlight, and their skin absorbs the light without burning, so izedans never get burned from excess sunlight.  Rather, without sunlight izedans become sluggish and their digestive systems slow down.  Some izedans die if they are placed within prisons without adequate sunlight for too long.  Izedans have most flat faces but have a very prominent jaw that juts forward and gives them an under-bite.  Along the underside of their jawline runs a frill.  Most izedans have little stubs on the back of their heads, and sometimes these stubs grow into odd horns covered in skin.

Izedans can eat almost anything.  Their jaws unhinge, often accompanied by a large clicking sound, and anything that they can fit into their mouth they can eat.  Rocks, in fact, often form the foundation for most izedan's diets.  They eat easily five times as much as other races their size, but they rarely eat anything with any real nutrients in them.  They gain most of their nutrients from sunlight and just the little bit of water that they require to keep going.

Above all else, izedans are known for their near immunity to pain.  Izedans hardly feel minor scratches and bruises, and they heal away within moments.  Even a deep cut will heal itself within a day, and rarely are izedans given the blessing of keeping a scar.  Izedans love pain and they love scars.  They say that it proves to them that they are alive.  Izedans have a love for life and respect the lives of others, but they believe that death is the ultimate pain and is something to be relished.  Though they protect those around them and themselves, they do not experience the fear of death that other races are prone to.

Izedans live in unusual areas, though most of them live in the desert.  Some choose mountains and prairies to live in, as well.  Many izedans live in the volcanic craters of the east, a land that few others even dare venture in to.  Some izedans are nomadic, moving around just because they dislike staying in one spot for too long.  Other izedans build great cities.  Unfortunately, deserts and crater-filled plains rarely yield the materials necessary to create magnificent cities.

Izedans love to have pets.  They keep a wide variety of animals as pets, such as snakes, cheetahs, hyenas, scorpions, and lizards.  Haudi and izedans have long competed to keep the largest and most fearsome beasts as domestic pets.  Few people would like to choose sides in such an argument.

Izedans are known for not being empathetic.  Izedans typically do not understand the way other creatures feel pain, and thus are often rougher with other tephrans that they should be.  Many humans, gnomes, and satyrs call really tough members of their kind 'izedan-skinned,' since those who live a while with izedans typically come out of that society being tough and able to take a lot of casual punishment.  However, izedans are also blunt and to-the-point.  They do not believe in torture, and, if they plan on killing somebody, they do it quickly.  Some radical izedan tribes believe that a quick death is a great disservice, so will slowly kill worthy opponents.  Most izedans that often interact with other tephrans have discovered otherwise.

Izedans enjoy various uses of technology.  Izedans and gnomes tend to make good friends, since izedans are more often than not good natured, even though izedans have traits that other races find frightening.  Izedans have learned about the technologies they want to learn about, and use them as they will.  Izedans also use a variety of odd weapons, and aren't afraid to really come close and brawl when fighting.  Izedans aren't big fans of flight, finding very little use for it.

Izedans favor creation magic over the others.  There is a slight majority of izedan creation magi over the other three circles of magic.

I've gone and made something new...

Flyer

A flyer is a aerial vehicle that has an engine and pilot.  The flyer's engine is a long tube that sucks in air through the front and expels it back out, giving the flyer momentum.  The engine is like a tube wound in a hollow pipe and a "winged axle" that runs the length of the pipe.  The pipes are fed a mixture of aeonium and water - aeonwater - that circles through the pipes and created a magnetic wave that spirals through the engine.  The winged axle begins to rotate and move, and this caused air to be sucked into the engine and burst out the other side.  This provides momentum.  The average engine requires a gallon to get going and flies on a gallon per hour.  Most pilots believe it's better to gradually feed the engine, and give it about a gallon or two per hour.  The aeonwater, after some time being circulated, loses its magnetic potency.  The average engine fills up after ten gallons and needs to be released.  Most engines have an exhaust valve that the pilot can open from their seat, though other, less practical flyers need a manual opening of the valve.  

The average flyer can move at about 20 miles per hour, or 175 feet per round.  Some flyers get as fast as 350 feet per round and above.  Flyers are often built out of lightweight materials; only rarely are they built from metal.  Most flyers have one engine and are built for two: a pilot (known in many societies as a cloudrider) and an aviator or passenger.  Large flyers are universally termed skygalleons and often include three or more engines.

Quote from: And then...I also have a ton of new information to barf out onto here.  This isn't going to be well organized nor is it going to have a theme.  This is going to be a lot of ideas and in no real order.  Hopefully it'll be interesting.  Bare with me.

THINGS[/center]

Dalvozzea
Dalvozzea is the largest farishtaa-ruled nation in the central continent.  It's right in the middle.  It is split into three societies.  The most prominent is White Society, which is made up of the farishtaas that have wings.  These farishtaas are very rare, marking less than one percent of all farishtaas.  Black Society represents the rest of the farishtaas, those without wings.  Elven society is seen, in Dalvozzea, primarily as a serf or slave society.  However, Dalvozzea is 92% elven and only about 8% farishtaa.  Nonetheless, farishtaas have an amazing hold over the elves.  The nation is full of forests, though most would term them jungles.

Giraza Vlektulos
The elven farishtaa-eater, "The Devourer"

When he was young, the elf, Vlektulos, was considered a prime specimen for becoming a farishtaa.  He was both intelligent and strong.  He ran away for a time, but he was later caught and possessed.  One of the strongest halkuuja chose him.  The resulting farishtaa was one of the greatest.

Vlektulos wasn't done, though.  He had quickly mastered mind magic when he was young - a skill beyond most elves - and had kept his conscious seperate of his body through magical means.  Thus, when his body was taken over, he did not die.  The resulting farishtaa, Ralviziel, was very strong.  Ralviziel quickly became a leader of the White Society.  Ralviziel became well known for his brilliant white wings with tips of red and his fiery halo.  Ralviziel was somewhat cruel, but was popular for getting things done.

Ralviziel's embedded leadership only furthered the cause of Giraza Vlektulos.  After three years of Ralviziel gaining power and Vlektulos watching outside of his body, Vlektulos struck back.  He quickly seized control of his body and repressed Ralviziel.  Immediately his body began to change.  Vlektulos wasn't ready to reveal himself, so he kept an illusion over his body.  For four months Vlektulos kept up the charade, but was then discovered.

The night of Vlektulos's discovery became known as the Night of Falling Feathers.  Vlektulos killed six members of the White Society that night.  But they didn't die - Vlektulos took over their daemonic essence.  Vlektulos grew rapidly in power and, by the following morning, had declared a truce that no farishtaa dared to break.

Giraza Vlektulos called a special session of the White Society.  He sat at the head of the assembly and demanded land to form an independent elven nation, where no halkuuja were allowed.  His wish was quickly granted, and he took formed an elven nation to the southwest under his control and populated with the elves who saw through the farishtaa's dominance.

Spell Tiers
There are now five spell tiers.  They're not called levels.  Also, there's only five of them, not nine.  Oh, and there's no "zeroth" tier.  

Languages
Racial languages do not exist for the sake of there being racial languages.  Rather, languages have developed around the world.  When a character is created, they can choose languages based on where they have lived.

Skill Change
I am dropping the heal skill.  I had added it as a last minute thing, but now realize that I don't need it.  Doctoral healing will be done using the craft (medicine) skill.  The skill, Pilot, is being added as a personal skill.

"Creation is only caused from the collision of two opposing forces."

Magi Circles
Earlier it was stated that a mage has access to two circles of magic, one primary and one secondary.  This no longer holds true.

A mage begins at first level with access to one circle of magic.  They can use a specialty to gain access to another circle.  The specialty, "Gain Circle Access," requires two ranks in another circle.  Magi can then use their spell list to mix spells from both circles they have access to.  A third circle access can only be taken after the mage has six ranks in another skill.  No mage can have access to all four circles.  Magi must have an amount of skills in the appropriate circle to caste an equal level spell.  Thus, a mage trying to cast a fourth level flux spell must have four ranks in flux magic.

A human can bypass the requirements for the specialty, "Gain Circle Access."  Humans, as magical adepts, can learn a wider range of magic easier than other races.

When a mage gains access to a circle, they learn the Circle Basics.  Each circle has its own unique basic abilities.  A creation mage learns how to create minor creations, such as sharp stones and small flames with just a snap.  Flux magi learn how to manipulate basic traits around them, much like the spell, prestidigitations.  Mind magi learn empathy, which lets them greatly understand how others think and detect nearby presences.  Summoning magi learn daemon talking and sight, letting them interact with demis.

Healing
Heal is a first level flux spell that does not require a focus.  Flux magi must make a flux magic check to see how many hit points they heal.  A result of 1 - 10 heals 25% of the target's hit points, a result of 11 - 18 heals 50%, 19 - 26 heals 75%, and 27 or more heals the target for all of their hit point damage.  The amount healed is based on total hit points, not damage sustained.  The target cannot go above their maximum damage.

Remember that no character may have more ranks in their flux skill than their character level, so a first level flux mage will only have one rank in the skill.  Wisdom is the modifier for flux magic, so a character with 1 rank in the skill and a +3 wisdom modifier would only have a +4.  Furthermore, healing is only a first level spell.  No other spell directly reduces hit point damage.  

This is one example of how magic in Tephra will be made - all spells, no matter what level they are, will never cease to be useful.  Magic is being created in Tephra on the Magic Missile Principle, in which the spell is useful at first level and continues to be that way for quite some time, because it grows at a rate that lets it be competitive.  While fifth level spells will certainly be more useful than first level spells, a mage will still value their first level spells when they are tenth level.

Spell Components
Each circle requires different components to make the spell work.  These have been discussed briefly in the past, but this will be a concise and more accurate notation.
~ Creation - verbal and somatic components
~ Flux - somatic components and a focus (Flux magi typically view the world through a crystal or lens to see the world distort through the lens, and then cast the spell to make it actually happen.)
~ Mind - scrolls with verbal components (Mind magi read from scrolls or a spellbook to cast their spells.)
~ Summoning - symbols with some verbal components (Few spells require verbal components; typically, summoning magi only use verbal cues to direct intelligent daemons.)

Metamagic
To manipulate a portion of a spell, thus creating metamagic, the mage needs to make a skill check with the circle they are casting from against a DC based on the metamagic they are trying to accomplish.  If they fail, the spell fails.  Really powerful metamagic requires specialties, but most can be done simply by making a check.

For example, say a creation mage wishes to cast a spell without verbal components.  The DC is 12 + 1 per spell level.  He is casting a second level spell so the DC is 14.  If he makes the DC, he casts the spell without a peep.  If he fails, nothing happens.  It's not that he makes sound, but, in trying not to make sound, the spell failed to activate correctly and does nothing.

Lyukbar Vongash - The King of the Great Haudi Kingdom
The current haudi king is an amazingly wealthy and intellectual philosopher.  He considers himself enlightened.  He's a creation templar and has had many haudi assassinated to get where he is now.  Now he runs a very light shift and gives his dukes a lot of power.  The king, Lyukbar Vongash, has started a cult religion.  His followers are called Vongashists, and they are often thought of poorly by other dukes.

Lyukbar does not fear death.  He is always daring people to assassinate him and rarely walks with bodyguards.  But Lyukbar Vongash is a visionary and great builder.  He often disappears for months on end, apparently meditating.  

He is a seventh level creation templar.  He wields a brilliant and vicious axe which has a great, but eccentric, daemon sealed within.

Izedan Names
The izedans that live in the desert of the central continent all follow a fairly standard naming convention.  They almost always have three sylables, and the first is a hard vowel.  Then they have a descriptor name, often a combination of two words.  Izedans have no family names.

Itwumok Thicksand
The izedan warlord, Itwumok, has united many izedan tribes and begun a great crusade against the haudi.  He is said to never stop fighting and moving.  Some say he loves the rush; others, a vendetta.  His greatest enemy is the haudi duchess, Rugoshi Mistala.  To her infinite displeasure, he stole her prized godsnake, which is known as the largest snake in existence.  Her godsnake, Alvar, is now always with Itwumok.  Itwumok is slightly villainous.  He has no sympathy for his minions.  People say he heals ridiculously fast compared to other izedans.

Godsnakes
Godsnakes are frightening creatures that make useful pets.  They are easily 85 to a 100 feet long and four feet in diameter.  Their skin and scales are so thick that people can drive nails into them without hurting the godsnakes.  They often add handles for riding the godsnakes or barbed weapons near the head.  They move very fast, rivaling horses.  Godsnakes have large bone plats on their faces, protecting their heads and giving them a terrible look.

Wow just glancing over this thread, it seems you have a lot of material here.

Do you have a website for this information?  I've noticed that many people on these forums just have the information in the threads.

Bravehost/Bravenet has free websites that I recommend.  Basic HTML isn't hard at all to learn.  Just a suggestion.
I will try to read over things when I have more time, as I have to go game now :)

Hey Samwise, thanks for stopping by!

I said in the first post that this is going to be painfully unorganized for a while, and it's true.  I'm kinda everywhere.  I briefly started creating a wiki for Tephra, which I'll probably continue here soon.  Eventually I'll probably make a website, as well.  I have a domain for my old world (colabore.org (http://www.colabore.org)), so I've done a good deal of website design.  But yes, we'll likely have more organization soon.  There are a couple things we need to finish up, then I'll start moving and shuffling things around.

Aldreia seems pretty involved as well.  Looks like I was right, you enjoy world building.  :)  But of course I think anyone on these forums does.  hehe.  I don't want to derail your topic here, but I like the various pantheons in Aldreia.  One of the days I'm going to read this thread, heh, but I have to go to work.    

I really enjoyed the way that the Aldreian pantheons were set up as well, though it didn't work out as well in practice as in theory.  One of the things that always bothered me about Faerun and Oerth and other such set-religion areas was that there's no diversity in beliefs.  Everyone seems to know that when you die, you go to this, do that, or such and such happens to you.  And everyone knows that these gods are gods.  Everyone has a faith in Faerun.  That takes away all the intrigue, methinks.

Aldreia was heading that way.

Tephra's not that way!  Religion isn't set at all.  Few people "know," and most of them are only getting lucky guesses.  Everyone has their own faith.  A small few are right, most are wrong, and they have varying views because of it.

Funny how I can make every topic about Tephra.

Good day friends!

I've updated the Tephra wiki.  It's looking fairly good at the moment, though nothing amazing.  Most of the fluff is up there.  I'm waiting on the system since the system is changing at such a radical rate.  But hopefully this will be a bit more organized, yep yep.

Tephra at the CBG Wiki (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tephra)

and
Magic Items

I think that, in Tephra, magic items are going to be exceedingly rare -- about as common as artifacts in D&D are supposed to be.  An item that carries magical properties will almost always be considered an artifact and be worth quite a bit.  Magic weaponry will be the stuff of legends.  Magical shields will be known to deflect every blow.  Magical bags that can hold elephants will be considered fairy-tales (a funny term considering that fairies exist).  Technology will fill in much of this gap.  Unique gadgets and well-crafted weaponry will be the norm.  The function of masterwork quality weapons will be altered -- rather than having weapons with +1 to +5 enchantment bonuses, there will now be weapons with +1 to +5 masterwork bonuses.  Superior craftsmanship will be significantly more useful than in D&D.  Potions will be replaced by alchemy and herbalism.  

Some flux magic will be able to change the properties of items, but it will typically not make the items themselves magical.  Summoning is the closest to create magical items, as a summoner can seal a daemon into an item.  By sealing a daemon into an item, the item can take on properties of the daemon or -- based on the daemon inside -- be controlled by the daemon.  It is through this ability that lets a summoner own a sword that wields itself.  They seal a daemon into it that can make the sword move and ensures that the daemon fights for it.  

That is where Tephra shall stand on the issue of magical items.

so 'creation' is one of the 5 major types/schools of casting, but magic items are going to be very, very rare?  Will much of this be creating temporary or charged items?  Perhaps

I think you are going about things correctly by allowing for construction/material bonuses first, but I'm wondering about these creation casters.

There's just four circles of magic -- creation, flux, mind, and summoning.  

Let me see how I can say this...
Items can almost never be imbued with magic.  Items don't store magical properties.  They can be sealed with daemons.  

A creation mage can create a wide variety of items.  Of course, these items could be considered magical since they were created by magic.  And they very well could create a flaming sword or something of the sort.  They can create swords and they can create fire -- what's to stop them from doing both?  However, when they stop concentrating on it or the spell ends, what fuel is there for the fire?  None.  So it goes out (or burns away the sword).  

Also, a creation mage can't make an item that does something from another circle.  Most items have flux effects: armor enhancements, hand of the magi, potions of all sorts, cloaks, etc.  The magic in D&D items that change the wearer would be classified as flux magics.  Creation mages can't create an item that causes a flux affect.

Exceptions of this could be possible -- I would imagine that the only people that could create actual magic items are creation magi with the flux circle open to them.  I do I do.

It's not quite done, but it's getting there.

More...
Elves

Elves aren't your typical fallen angels. Ancient murals depict them as upstanding individuals towering over all other races in holy white, with great feathered wings and halos. Elves were rejected from Aeon's favor long ago, and without her blessing they grew warped and mutated. Large black and purple boils cover their skin. They are hunched over, strong and feral. Their eyes are dark and their ears are over a foot long.

Elves are beasts. They have a culture, but it cannot be discussed first without understanding the farishtaas. The farishtaas are the result of daemons permanently possessing elves, giving them their own blessing. A possessed elf "returns to Aeon's favor," as the elves believe. A farishtaa regains its composure, its boils disappear, and it becomes a more angelic visage. But when a farishtaa possesses and elf, it kills the elf's spirit and replaces it within its body. The elves, not realizing that the process ends with the death of the elf, see this as an honor.

Elves act as the feral slaves of the farishtaas. The elves -- stupid, ugly, and brutish -- see it as an honor to become a farishtaa. They are fascinated with becoming what they once were and view the farishtaa as gods. Elves are ferocious and and quick to anger. They work as per the farishtaas' demands and fight for them as well. Very rarely does an elf come along that is intelligent enough to see their situation as anything but perfect (and when that happens, they are typically killed and possessed to become a farishtaa). Elves are very emotional and love bright colors (the farishtaas believe that colors corrupt, and keep themselves clean, utilizing only blacks and whites). They live in deep jungles and tend to be quite unclean.

Distinguishing Physical Features
Elves have barbaric bodies more than capable of withstanding tough living in the wilderness. They have long, narrow faces and great pointed ears. Their skin is dark, the coloration often compared to bruises. Their eyes are bright and primal, often of various fiery hues. Their hair comes in many shades, from the pales colors of their angelic ancestors to pitch black. It is typically dry and rough hair, and it grows low onto their back. They otherwise grow no body hair. They commonly stand at around six feet tall and weigh, on average, fifty pounds more than humans of the same size. They have long limbs and crooked backs.

Common Personality Traits
Elves are impatient and have poor problems-solving skills. They are zealous and always react quickly. They have fiery emotions. They communicate with only basic words and phrases. Elves are hard workers and always find a way to accomplish their goals. Elves are loyal and good followers, but have a strong conscious. Ethics are important to elves. However, elves are easy to convince that what they are doing is right, and they rarely think things through. Elves often worship images of their angelic heritage, and they will go to great lengths to emulate them '" and this is why they so rarely fight against the farishtaas, who possess elves and cause them to regain much of their angelic beauty.

Lifespan
Elves live to be around 80 to 90 years old. The elves most likely to live long lives are also those who tend to be chosen to become farishtaas. Elves grow fast and reach adulthood within twelve years.

Preferred Living Environment
Forests and jungles are the areas that elves are the most comfortable in.

Inter-Racial Relations
Elves have few relations with other races beyond the farishtaas. Most races see view them like animals (often rightfully so). The most intelligent elves tend to find it difficult to rise above the prejudices. Elves are often seen as dangerous and disruptive, but are never mistrusted. Most races see elves as incapable of betrayal.

The World.
Impressive title, no?

Continents:
Bravhen - The continent of Bravhen is a largely destroyed continent, cause from meteoric aeonium impacts.  The continent is in two major sections with the Pundal Mountains forming a long, tall barrier between the two.  Southern Bravhen is largely made up of the Flowing Fire Plains, which has a lot of volcanic activity and craters.  Only the southernmost tip, the Gulta Peninsula, is habitable.  That doesn't stop the izedan Jovuii tribes from claiming the Flowing Fire Plains as their own.  Many haudi and humans are often exploring and excavating the plains, as they are full of aeonium.  The Jovuii tribes, however, are much more protective of their land than most other izedans.

Northern Bravhen is much more habitable.  Bravhen was largely unpopulated until it was "discovered" a couple millenniums ago.  Now northern Bravhen is primarily populated by gnomes and a spattering of other races.  Northern Bravhen is well forested and the soil is some of the richest in the world.

Ismora -  Ismora has long been the center of civilization.  It is a well-populated continent with typically good weather along its core.  

New Ismora - The continent of New Ismora is north of Ismora and was rediscovered during the era of the haudi empire.  The continent appears to have once been widely populated by a grand civilization, but it long ago collapsed, many speculate by disease.  It is now a fairly rich land and its population is speckled across the continent.

Rilausia - Rilausia is the large central continent of Tephra that was once the haudi empire.  Rilausia is now covered in a wide slew of independent states, and is the second oldest seat of civilization in the world, after Ismora.  The continent has a wide range of geography.  The Quist, a desert, separates the continent in the center, with mountains and vast plains on both sides of the desert.  Far to the south is another mountain range, simply called the Barrier, and beyond that is a little bit more arid land.  

Ruptured Lands - The Ruptured Lands are only considered a continent because of its size. The entire continent is covered in craters and volcanic activity.  Only the westernmost side has untamed forests growing in its dark soil.  It has long been used as a prison continent, but even izedans don't bother making their homes in the Ruptured Lands.  The few settlements on the continent are typically vile and filled with wretched people just trying to survive.

Thuuljen - Thuuljen is south of Rilausia and is well populated.  

Vuresho - The small continent of Vuresho is more a collection of islands.  It is a highly tropical and beautiful land and is known for its spice trade.  The continent is controlled mostly by humans and aodin.



Finally, I am including a map of Tephra with geography noted.  Only the geography of Rilausia, the continent I am primarily working on, is fully noted.  I apologize if it's hard to read - even this giant map is still about half the size of the image I'm working on.  In any case, I hope this visual helps!
[spoiler=The Giant Geographic Map of the World](http://colabore.org/World-Map-Geographic.gif)[/spoiler]

Saltvenom
This thick, white liquid is the world's most reliable resource against magic.  Saltvenom, a liquidized form of purified salt and aeonium, is injected into a mage, causing its life-force to slow and destabilize, therefore disrupting the mage's ability to use magic  The anti-mage poison is about 15 gold each and lasts for a full day.  It can be swallowed (the taste is powerful and almost always causes gagging) or injected via a painful shot.  Regardless, it must be circulating through the blood stream before it takes affect.  
[spoiler=Design]One of the biggest problems in D&D is the imprisonment of a wizard or sorcerer.  While getting them imprisoned is itself a great feat, keeping them there is another one.  Originally I considered some form of headgear or something that could dampen their senses or brain functions, but ultimately those seemed both illogical and felt like they'd already been done.  Saltvenom is designed to be cheap (and therefore available for smaller towns) and actually logical.  The mage's blood will become so sluggish and unproductive that they will be unable to warp magic.  Furthermore, this is an item that could be used in combat or in subversive activities.[/spoiler]
Workmanship
Workmanship represents the quality of any given item.  By default, the workmanship of an item will be at the average level.  Items can be of broken, poor, average, good, masterwork, or artifact quality.  Such qualities never apply to magic items; all magic items will be of the artifact quality (with the exception of temporarily magic items, such as enhancements given by flux magi).  Each quality will alter the item's hardness and hit points, and can also affect the item's usefulness in battle, its armor bonus, or its overall effect.  Broken weapons, for example, penalize the wielder's attack and damage rolls by -4; meanwhile, masterwork weapons increase the attack and damage rolls by +2.  

[th]Quality[/th][th]Item HP[/th][th]Item Hardness[/th][th]Weapon Attack[/th][th]Weapon Damage[/th][th]Armor[/th]

Broken	10% of Average	-10 Hardness	-4 Penalty	-4 Penalty	-3
Poor	50% of Average	-4 Hardness	-1 Penalty	-1 Penalty	-1
Average	-	-	-	-	-
Good	150% of Average	+2 Hardness	+1 Bonus	+1 Bonus	+1
Masterwork	200% of Average	+6 Hardness	+2 Bonus	+2 Bonus	+2
Artifact	300% of Average	+15 Hardness	+4 Bonus	+4 Bonus	+4

[spoiler=Design]Workmanship is designed to give DMs a chance to reward players with a wider variety of items.  Ever have a DM tell you that those 50 gnolls you just butchered were all using shoddy spears and so they can't sell?  (We know they didn't feel shoddy!)  Well, here's the rules for them.  Furthermore, an artisan will be able to create a wide variety of works, and when they get a bad roll to craft a longsword, they'll just get a poor quality longsword.  If they make a really good roll, however, voila - a masterwork longsword.  I may change the armor bit around.  I'm not thrilled about changing armor.  We'll see.[/spoiler]

System Basics

Two new points:

Hit Dice - At every odd-numbered level (1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) a character gains hit dice.  All player character gains 1d8 hit points at these levels.  The character's constitution modifier affects the result of the roll of the 1d8.  Furthermore, certain classes gain bonus hit points at every level.  A rake adds a +1 bonus, a templar adds a +2 bonus, and a warrior adds a +3 bonus to their hit points at every level.  
[spoiler=Design Ideology]I quickly decided that I didn't want characters to gain more than 50 hit points, except on very rare occassions.  I considered giving them racial hit dice every other level, whereas the system would be as it is now except that gnomes gained 1d6 every odd level and haudi gained 1d10 every level (for example).  I quickly realized that they were getting double jeopardy though, since many races also have constitution penalties.  Instead, now everyone has a base of 1d8 in addition to their constitution penalties.  

The addition to bonuses based on their class allows warriors to have significantly more hit points than other classes.  This keeps warriors and magi from having the same hit points.

Now you're probably asking why I didn't just keep the typical hit dice based on class.  This is because of the fact that they only gain hit points every other level.  If somebody is a mage all 10 levels, it's fine - they would take 1d4 hit points every other level.  But say somebody wants to be a 5 artisan, 5 warrior?  Well, the most effective thing to do would be to take the warrior class at every odd level (gaining 1d12 hit points every other level) and the artisan class at every even level (ignoring the 1d6 hit points they would otherwise gain).  Thus, the 1d8 base is necessary, and they gain the bonus to hit points at EVERY LEVEL, rather than just when they gain HD (for the same reason).

Long-winded design ideology, eh?[/spoiler]
Ability Score Increase - Characters gain an ability score increase at every even level (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10).  

Note that, in Tephra, no character can gain an ability score over 30.

My Goal: I never want Tephra to fall off the front page.  I have too much to develop for this world and too little time to do it for Tephra to ever go un-updated for a couple days.  I'm running a playtester's game over the Summer, and our goal is to put out a guide for Tephra by April 1st (April Fools!), so we have to keep surging forward!

Evangless
Evangless is the largest sovereign nation in Rilausia, located in the central-southeast area of the continent.  Evangless was formed several centuries ago from the divine mandate of a woman named Velkya, who placed her son immediately on the throne.  Her lineage, known as the Luthricien family, has ruled Evangless since.  Evangless was founded from Varsylis, then known as the Impregnable City.  After the city discovered that it's name was flawed, the capital moved to Aldamiir, then the nation's prime trade city and port.  Less than a decade ago, after Evangless's civil war, the capital moved to Anndilur, further north.  The Luthricien family, nonetheless, has maintained constant rule over Evangless since its founding.

Evangless has been steadily growing over the past century, with the three-year civil war causing a small hiccup.  The previous king, Raamilus, was an ambitious king that conquered many lands.  The leaders of his military, the crimson marshals, have gained infamy throughout Rilausia as being cutthroat and vicious.  During the civil war the crimson marshals turned on each other, ripping apart the nation, but have - in just the past six years since the end of the war - turned their efforts outwards again and restored Evangless back to dominance.

The Luthricien family is known for their eyes, which all have flux circles on them instead of pupils.  They are typically red, though they grow more pink when the person is concentrating.  Few people know the exact power of the Luthricien eyes, though it seems to manifest differently in each member of the family.  King Geilonis, an ancient hero of Evangless, was said to never miss a target with his bow, no matter how far away, all because of his eyes.  

King Deylus Luthricien now rules from Anndilur.  King Deylus, now only twelve years old, is proving that, though he is still too young to be a true king, he is capable of being a popular one.  His half-brother, Girodonne, has stuck by Deylus's side all along - an odd note, since it was the conflict between the two brothers that lead to the civil war.

The Civil War
The old King Raamilus had a wife and three children: his daughter and heir, Preyus, who was a very popular and benevolent princess; Girodonne, a very popular warrior though illegitimate prince; and Deylus, who was, at the time, only three.  Both Preyus and the Queen were assassinated after news of King Raamilus's death spread.

Girodonne, who was with his father on the eastern front fighting haudi, presumed that the Queen would take over in father's place, or, barring that, Preyus would.  Being an illegitimate son, Evangless law did not allow him access to the throne.  Girodonne, however, was a widely popular knight, especially among the crimson marshals.  Upon hearing that Girodonne and Deylus were the only members of the family left - Deylus being only three years old at the time - the military backed Girodonne to take the throne.

Girodonne withdrew to Anndilur and never accepted the throne.  Deylus was named king, as rules and tradition required.  The military was not in agreement, however, and demanded Girodonne be named king.  Three crimson marshals backed King Deylus and fortified Aldamiir.  The other seven demanded, with violent force, King Deylus surrender and Girodonne be named king.  Girodonne never supported the violence and continued to say that he wished Deylus to be king.  No accord could be made.

Crimson Marshal Feilond was killed in the first squirmish of the civil war, outside the gates of Aldamiir.  His legion was almost entirely massacred during the battle, a bloody event that truly set the tone for the civil war and ensured that no agreement would quickly arise.  The two crimson marshals, Jharviss and Naslagos, were the only two that defended Aldamiir - a war that became two on seven.

Throughout the war (and a war it was, for Jharviss and Naslagos were efficient in taking the other crimson marshals' eyes off of Aldamiir), Evangless shrunk some but Aldamiir held its ground.  Aldamiir formed a truce with the haudi to the east if the haudi would support Aldamiir.  The war waged on.

Princess Preyus was resurrected a year into the war, and, for a couple months there was a lull in the fighting.  All could agree on Preyus as the next rightful ruler of Evangless.  Preyus, however, left Evangless after only a couple months, disappearing from the land.  She left a note behind saying that she was not Preyus, that the real Preyus was a manipulative fiend.  The new Preyus was never heard from again, though it has recently been revealed that Princess Preyus had the king assassinated while he was away in order to expidite her rise to the throne.  

The civil war continued for quite some time.  Naslagos and Jharviss, who became known as the bloodied marshals, won battle after battle at the gates of Aldamiir.  Naslagos, however, made a vital mistake when he confided in Jharviss that Naslagos was only supporting King Deylus because Naslagos wanted an easily manipulated king on the throne.  Jharviss quickly had Naslagos expelled from Aldamiir, and he was soon after executed by the remaining crimson marshals.  

Jharviss eventually came forward with a peace agreement, called the Anndilurian Treaty of the Falls.  Jharviss declared Aldamiir an independent city-state and escorted King Deylus and Prince Girodonne to Anndilur, which became the new capital of Evangless.  Deylus, now six, signed the treaty himself.  Girodonne became the "king" of the military, acting as king only with regards to the military and only until King Deylus comes of appropriate age to take that role.  Aldamiir itself has remained independent since the end of the civil war.

Anndilur
Anndilur is a large city that sits on the edge of the Phoradine Plateau, where the east and west branches of the Euphoria River meet.  The northernmost Euphoric Plain is highly fertile, and Anndilur benefits from that.  Anndilur, on the plateau, sits where the two rivers meet and a waterfall marks its southern border, where it cascades off the side of the plateau into the Euphoria River.

Crimson Marshals & the Legions of Evangless
There is no set amount of crimson marshals in Evangless; rather, they are appointed by the King when deemed necessary.  At the beginning of the civil war there were eleven crimson marshals.  Now there are only eight.  Each crimson marshal controls a legion, with the legion bearing the name of its marshal.  Within the legions, different companies exist, sometimes being very specialized.

The Paladins of Gluttony, a cavalry unit in the Legion of Darthurany, is an infamous company of well trained knights each mounted on a war elephant.  Elephants are common on the Euphoric Plain, and have long been trained as mounts.  The Paladins of Gluttony is an exclusively noble company and each wields a ceremonious and huge halberd.

The Geilonis Company, an archery unit in the Legion of Viltaus, was all but wiped out during the civil war.  The Geilonis Company was previously under the leadership of Crimson Marshal Feilond, who was executed during the civil war.  Now the Geilonis Company is enormous, the company having grown tremendously since the war due to the valiant tales spread throughout Evangless of the company's heroic end.  Geilonis, the company's namesake, was considered one of Luthricien's greatest kings.

I'm excited about this post.  This is going to be one of the defining aspects of the Tephra D20 system.

'The race for superior weapons has always plagued our world.  Our ancestors created bronze weapons, so their enemies created bronze armor.  Next the gnomes created crossbows, so their enemies created metal armor.  The haudi were the best at this, even going so far as to create the satyrs as both their weapons and defenses.  We've reached the climax of the race now, with poisonous air and thundercannons, wiping troops out with ease.  These super weapons have turned the tides of numerous battles, but there is one weapon that has always played a major role in warfare: magic.

Magic began purely destructive, but quickly became full of defensive spells.  The faster that magic grew, the more countermeasures that were taken.  Eventually humans learned the art of counterspelling, the greatest step forward against magic.  And as magic grew more powerful and its casting more efficient, so too has counterspelling.  Now no spell can be cast without the chance for a counterspell.  The great arms race continues.'

Counterspelling is the art of reversing spells.  It is the fifth circle against magic that does nothing by itself, but only works against the other four circles.  Counterspelling does not repress magic '" it regulates it.  The act of counterspelling is meant to create an opposing force to magic, an equal force that accomplishes the opposite of the spell being countered.  Counterspelling as an art includes the motions used to evoke the counterspell, the knowledge to understand and identify magic, and the training necessary to sense nearby magic.

Counterspelling itself requires only body movements and force of mind.  The act requires at least one free hand.  A counterspell is done by, first, identifying the spell being cast.  Then a counterspell check is made against the original caster's spell check.  The counterspell check's result is subtracted from the spell check.  Multiple counterspell checks can be subtracted from a single spell check.  If the spell check drops to zero, the spell is completely countered.  Counterspell overkill can occur if the spell check drops too far into the negatives, having such effects as dazing, confusing, or even killing the caster.  Counterspelling is an immediate action that may be done once per round.  For the round after a counterspell is done, the character acts as if staggered and takes a -10 on any spell checks.  

Counterspell Overkill
'I saw him right as he finished his spell, but the guards were already on it.  The mage put his hands forward and they began to glow with a frightening white light, then the guards' counterspell hit him.  His entire body was ravaged.  The light vanished and his arms were thrown back so hard they were ripped from his body.  His mutilated corpse fell to the ground, blood everywhere, and the last I saw of the mage was him being surrounded by the king's guards.'

Counterspelling is typically a very nondestructive circle of magic.  If a mage uses a counterspell in the middle of a market nothing will happen '" he'll look like he's just waving his arms around like a lunatic.  Counterspelling only functions when it is done in response to another spell.  Counterspelling does not, however, make an equal force: the force of the counterspell is equal to the talent of the counterspeller.  Sometimes when the counterspell is significantly more powerful than the spell or, as is typically the case, when multiple people counter the same spell, overkill occurs.  This is when the force of the counterspell is so great that it not only counters the spell, but it also has violent effects on the caster.  

Counterspell overkill typically just dazes the target, hitting them with such a strong magical force that they need a moment to recollect themselves.  A powerful enough counterspell can, however, render the target temporarily insane or even destroy the target's body, maiming or even killing him.

[th]Spell Check Result,
after Counterspell[/th][th]Effect on Caster[/th]

0	Nothing; spell is countered
-10	Caster is dazed for one round
-20	Caster is dazed for one round and confused for 1d4 rounds thereafter
-40	Caster is dazed for one round and takes 1d8 points of damage times the level of the spell countered, +1d8 for every addition 10 points below -40

There is no save against these effects.

The Sixth Sense
'Trying to explain how it feels to be in-tune with magic is akin to describing what hear is like to a man who was born deaf.  You just feel it.  Most of the time it feels like a pinched nerve or a minor headache near the back of your brain.  Sometimes it makes its way down throughout the spine.  All of your nerves can feel it.  Ever feel a shiver run through your body and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up?  Odds are, that's your sixth sense.'

Counterspelling Specialties
'Gentlemen, it takes between 2.7 and 4.3 seconds for a flux mage's body to teleport to another location.  That means that, at the very best, you have four seconds to sense an incoming mage and weave a blind counterspell against a teleportation spell to prevent their arrival.  Remember '" a mage that's powerful enough and confident enough to teleport into the middle of the palace is probably also powerful enough to do whatever the hell he wants to when he gets here.'

Counter-Circle Focus: This specialty allows the character to counter spells against a single circle of magic with greater ease.  The character chooses a circle in which to apply this feat.  When countering a spell from that circle, the caster gains a +3 bonus to his counterspell check.  This specialty may be taken multiple times, but its effects do not stack.  Each time it is taken, the character must choose a different circle for this specialty to apply to.

Developed Sixth Sense: The character is better trained to handle countering magic he or she can't see being cast.  The penalty for blind countering is reduced from -6 to -2.

Improved Spell Identification: With few exceptions, the character learns how to identify all spells while they are being cast.  If the level of the spell does not exceed the amount of ranks the character has in counterspelling, the character knows what spell is being cast.

Minor Movements: The character no longer needs a free hand in order to counterspell.  They may be wielding an item in the hand or have it otherwise engaged.  The character must, however, still be able to move.  A paralyzed character cannot counterspell.

Rapid Counterspelling: The character can make two counterspells per round.  Doing so causes the character to only have a move action for their next turn.  They may not use both counterspells on the same caster in the one round.
Prerequisite: 4 ranks in counterspelling

Spell Mirror: The character can spend their full round acting as a spell mirror.  They make no other actions (not even free actions, such as talking) but can focusing on countering all casters within range.  They may make a single counterspell attempt per rank in counterspelling.  
Prerequisite: 6 ranks in counterspelling and Improved Spell Identification.

Farishtaas - A Society of Black and White

Halkuuja roam the world, free to fly and free to take control of whoever they please.  But the halkuuja willingly give up their freedom to become farishtaas, to live on the ground among other tephrans, to interact with the world and to live longer, more productive lives.  They take the  bodies of elves and become new citizens of Tephra.  

Farishtaas have grown elitist.  Their society places them above other races, the brilliant images of angels adorning their tapestries and reproduced in marble statues.  The winged farishtaas, known as the White Society, is blessed with great power, restoring their bodies to their original greatness.  Great white wings sprout from their backs, giving them flight and a presense beyond that of other farishtaas.  Most farishtaas belong to the Black Society, which are wingless.  

When a halkuuja becomes a farishtaa, the greatest tragedy is the halkuuja's loss of flight.  The halkuuja, like all daemons, is used to flying freely, with no knowledge of gravity or air.  They quickly learn, however, as their bodies start requiring to breath and they can no longer drift through the nothingness around them.  They are forced to the ground.

This, more than any other reason, has lead to the great love and envy for the White Society, who have flight.  They are not restricted to the ground, for they have magnificent wings that let them return to the halkuuja's home - the sky.

More so than any other race, farishtaa have become enamored with flyers.  The airborne cavalry of the farishtaas eclipses all others, and their flyers are often their single most prided posessions.  Farishtaas dislike water, for swimming is very counter-intuitive to those who have learned to fly as daemons have, but they love the sky.  Farishtaas are reknowned for their great skill in the air, their flyers being the fastest and most maneuverable of all races.

Farishtaas value their life and that of others greatly, though they see elves as little more than animals.  Other tephrans - gnomes, humans, haudi - they value.  The elves, who have no essense (like animals), are unworthy of love, no matter how intelligent they become.  Farishtaas are typically elitists, but that does not downplay the worth of others lives.  The White Society, however, is highly elitist and sees little worth in the lives of others.  They justify themselves based on their wings, for it is their worth that makes them a part of the White Society.  Many have a hard time debating the viewpoint.

Farishtaas are known for their elegance and care.  They value etiquette and polite manners, but, unlike the haudi, value the sincerity of it over the words.  They enjoy growing plants, and often have elaborate flowers and well-maintained forests.  Creation is very important to farishtaas.  

They use the elves as slaves.  Most elves do menial tasks, such as agriculture and mining.  Some elves are servants and are taught to be very proper.  Elves are mostly ignored by farishtaas, but are well trained to keep each other in line without need for farishtaa disciplinarians.  Some farishtaa make a profession of keeping elven society running smoothly, but most of the time it is elves that rule over elves, in the name of the farishtaas.  These elves are commonly called governors, and they are greatly enamored with the vision of becoming farishtaas and returning to their angelic heritage.  Most governors, however, are so useful in keeping the elves controlled that they are never used by the halkuuja.

Farishtaas typically live in large communities, banding together in centers of trade, where elves bring their raw goods in order to trade and, possibly, obtain a valued farishtaa-made item.  Farishtaa jewelry is typically made with only black, white, or elegant blue or green gems, but they will occassionally create more bold (and, so they believe, gawdy) jewelry to trade with elves.  This jewelry is highly prized by elves, and elves will sometimes trade much more than the worth of the jewelry for it.

Farishtaas rarely feel sorrow over their manipulation of elves.  Most see the society's structure as one way of keeping elves successful.  In truth, due to the farishtaa's measures, mortality rate has dropped drastically and elves have a higher quality of living.  Before the farishtaa's rule, elves were brutal and savage, often killing each other and starving due to any organized agricultural society.  Farishtaas see their assitance of the elves as not a cruel and deceiptful domination, but a bountiful relationship that both races benefit from.

The Carnival
'I believe in zero definitions.  People need to get past defining everything. You need to see the world for what it is and, more importantly, for what it isn't.'

The legendary Varas Dyrashi is easily the most infamous man in Evangless.  The Bandit Marshal, as he's sometimes called, is a fiercely charming rogue and swashbuckler, who's gained an impressive following and the wrath of numerous crimson marshals.  His veritable army of scoundrels, known as the Carnival, is widespread throughout Evangless.  The Carnival, an underground rogue's guild, is more often compared to an underground religion.  Most members of the Carnival are extremely secretive about it, and some fervent commanding officers have executed men they were suspicious of.  It is known that Varas Dyrashi's Carnival has quite a bit of capital, and its ragtag airborne cavalry is large enough to rival that of most legion's.  Hence his name: the Bandit Marshal.

Varas Dyrashi was born in Evangless to the Dyrashi family, who were all killed during the civil war.  He escape the slaughter, fleeing into Aldamiir, but was hospitalized for insanity.  He spent two years there, but they were not years recovering.  Some say Varas Dyrashi never recovered.  He is painfully optimistic and joyful, a man who never backs down from a challenge and always believes he can overcome any odds (and will do so smiling).  He left the hospital with a following, seventy-two friends that society claimed were either insane or crippled.  These people were the foundation of the Carnival.  Varas then spent another couple years adventuring throughout Evangless, making friends and seeing the nation.  But his reputation spread - sometimes positively, sometimes not.  

When he next met with his original following, they made a decision to form the Carnival and claim Evangless.  And the Carnival engulfed the nation, its insanity seeping into every nook and cranny.  

Varas Dyrashi became the leader and figurehead for the Carnival, a man easily recognizable for his bright smile and face that's been posted in every town with more than a dozen people.  Varas Dyrashi and his Carnival are admitted trouble-makers and law-breakers, stealing and causing mayhem as they will.  But many also see them as freedom fighters, waging a war against the oppression from the nobility and the crimson marshals.  Varas Dyrashi supports King Deylus Luthricien, as his family did during the war, but targets many other government officials.  Varas is fond of saying "I'm no anarchist, but sometimes governments grow too big and need a little chaos to keep the bureaucracy on its toes!"

Varas Dyrashi's second-in-command is a farishtaa named Halryus, who lost both his left arm and left leg in an explosion.  The scarred farishtaa works very hard to maintain a good natured attitude like Varas's, though he admits to being flawed.  Halryus is a creation mage and known for his skill with flyers.

Varas Dyrashi is a reknowned fencer, wielding a saber with a very sharp curve.  But the smiling man also has a koraus - a guardian daemon - who keeps watch over him.  The koraus, named Dolmus, is enormous.  When Dolmus stands, elephants go up to his knees.  The enormous daemon looks humanoid, though his skin is jet-black.  He can fly, like all daemons, but typically chooses not to.  Dolmus typically stays in a ring on Varas's left hand, and Varas can often be seen with his hand on his ear, talking to his ring like a lunatic.  Most people at all close to Varas, however, know too about Dolmus.  Dolmus is a very dour daemon that says little and often tells Varas that he's not taking things seriously enough.  But Dolmus remains, Varas Dyrashi's guardian daemon - possibly the reason the infamous Varas Dyrashi is still alive.

Dragons
"Have you ever seen a dragon?  Be glad of that!  Some think they're blessings, and I won't deny that there are some dragons that are kind and benevolent, but dragons are still creatures of battle.  They were Aeon's greatest weapon against her enemies in the Magi Rebellion, and their continued existence has been a plague on tephrans.  They're long, serpentine, and vicious.  May fate favor you if you ever do see one."

Dragons are difficult to define, for they are as various as daemons themselves.  Dragons are typically enormous, snake-like creatures that fly through the air at great speeds.  Some have mighty maws that can bite right through a man and some can manipulate magic with the skill of the greatest archmagi.  But this isn't always true.  Some dragons could fit in a man's palm, curled up and content.  Some are large enough to swallow entire houses.  Most are one- to two-hundred feet long and thin, with scales that come in a variety of colors.  Dragons can also shift between the daemon world and Tephra with barely a thought, their bodies becoming black before going invisible to the untrained tephran eye.  

Dragons have always been upper caste daemons, but became prominent during the Magi Rebellion when Aeon taught them to switch between the daemon world and Tephra with ease.  They were her most fearsome weapons, flying unseen until the last moment.  Many dragons are little better than animals, ferocious fighters but weak thinkers.  Some dragons, however, have mastered the usage of magic and are wise creatures.

Several Rilausian nations -[/i]
You can also find these write-ups and more on the wikipedia entry for Rilausia. (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tephra:Rilausia)

Adoipa
Adoipa was a region in Dalvozzea, the primary nation of the farishtaa, but a talented elf named Girazza changed all that. Now Adoipa is the sole nation of the elves, a land where elves govern elves and farishtaas are forbidden. Girazza has claimed control, his wits leading the newborn nation and establishing itself as not just a passing fancy. But a passing fancy is exactly how the rest of Rilausia sees Adoipa, for a land ruled by the savage elves can't possibly last long. Can it?

Aldamiir
The city-state of Aldamiir declared its independence from Evangless six years ago with the conclusion of Evangless's civil war. Previously the empire's renowned capital, Aldamiir is now the domain of the popular leader, Jharviss Galaunt. Some say Aldamiir was forced or tricked into independence by the Jharviss, but Evangless has respected his sovereignty so far, primarily due to Jharviss's protection of Emperor Deylus Luthricien during the war. Aldamiir is a booming trade city and port, and continues to be one of the most magnificent locations in Rilausia.

Arakrith
Arakrith is a ruthless satyr nation with a reputation for its warriors. The nation is highly feudalistic. Despite its less-than-glowing reputation, Arakrith has remained very loyal to its allies, such as Suulrai and Arudika. Arakrith is often at war with Dalvozzea and Evangless.

Arudika
Arudika is a tropical and prosperous nation that has a monopoly on the orange wine trade. Its orange grapes, clairens, exclusively grow in the region. Beyond its trade goods, Arudika's capital, Viraguay, is supposed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has become an economic powerhouse from tourism, Viraguay having numerous "noble houses" for loan. Arudika's governor, a man named Eruvast, has been reproducing his memories for almost three hundred years. He is an immensely popular governor and rules with a kind and guiding hand. Eruvast has said, however, that he will to the entire nation's beauty to ash if any army ever crosses Arudika's border. Thus far, none have tried to call his bluff.

Dalvozzea
Dalvozzea is the largest farishtaa-ruled nation in Rilausia, right at the core of the continent in the High Rilausia Forest. It is split into three societies. The most prominent is White Society, which is made up of the farishtaas that have wings. These farishtaas are very rare, making up less than one percent of all farishtaas. Black Society represents the rest of the farishtaas, those without wings. Elven society is seen, in Dalvozzea, primarily as a serf or slave society. However, Dalvozzea is 92% elven and only about 8% farishtaa. Nonetheless, farishtaas have an amazing hold over the elves. The nation is full of forests, though most would term them jungles.

Evangless
The largest nation in Rilausia, Evangless is a human empire ruled by a boy emperor. Deylus Luthricien became emperor six years ago, following a brutal civil war that left many of the empire's leaders dead. Evangless, however, is not a nation to stagnate '" the empire has quickly regained its composure and prominence and continues to press forward. Evangless is situated primarily along the Euphoric Plains, its capital Anndilur sitting on the edge of the plains and the Phoradine Plateau. Known for its crimson marshals, the leaders of its military, Evangless is a force to be reckoned with.

Felinost
Felinost, a satyr nation, is barely clinging on. It has been pushed further and further back as Evangless has waged a brutal war on the nation to claim and engulf it. Very little of Felinost remains, and the satyr nation has lost numerous leaders and heroes. Though it has Arakrith's support, Felinost has been trampled by the legions of Evangless. It received a brief respite during Evangless's civil war, but has since seen a surge from its aggressor. Few see much hope in Felinost's long-term survival.

Hagarsveld
Hagarsveld is known for its rough mountain men, who live in the barrier and the rocky lands just south of it. Hagarsveld breed stout and tough humans who have fierce loyalty to their clans and tend to be choosy with what technology they use. Only a couple established towns in Hagarsveld exist, and most of them are thought of as capital cities.

Khemli
Khemli is a haudi nation that has gone rogue in its loyalty to Mercurial Throne. The dukes of Khemli formed guilds rather than duchies, granting more power to the individual haud and bringing down political borders. Now the guilds of Khemli rule, each guild having a duke and a banner. The guilds intermix and rarely war, and a great sense of nationalism has overwhelmed the nation '" a rarity among the haudi. Yet this oddity may be Khemli's saving grace, for Evangless has been waging a ferocious war with Khemli for several decades, slowly pushing the nation's borders back. Yet, despite their uniqueness, the haudi of Khemli remain as cold and inhumane in war as any, and they have become the hated villains of Evangless for their tactics in the war.

Mount Sibrius
Mount Sibrius is the core of haudi power. Sometimes known as the Mercurial Throne or the Mercurial Mountain, Mount Sibrius consists of a single metropolis built on a city that has mercury seeping through its veins. The mercury has turned many haudi crazy, and these haudi '" known as the Flowing Ones '" serve as the greatest warriors the haudi have ever seen. They fervently serve the Emperor of the Haudi Empire, who reigns from Mount Sibrius. The haudi nations throughout Rilausia were all duchies or groups of duchies that honor Mount Sibrius as the leading nation of the haudi. Only Khemli has declared that it no longer serves the Mercurial Throne. Mount Sibrius rests in the Tunelgi Mountains, surrounded on three sides by Siyesh, a cluster of nineteen haudi duchies.

Otahvy
Otahvy is a human nation on the tip of the northern subcontinent. Its culture, long isolated and thought barbaric, is frightening and odd to the nearby nations. Known for covering their bodies in bright warpaints and wearing bones and feathers, the people of Otahvy have dominated the Maselos and made a name for themselves as the finest pirates in the land. Yet they are a sovereign nation with formal laws. Otahvy is ruled by a diarchy, two kings known as Rodonso and Puul. They represent the good and evil in humankind, and rule with those values in mind. Rodonso and Puul have always been the kings of Otahvy, the two names having become more akin to titles than anything else. When a secret council of elders select the two brothers who will succeed the old Rodonso and Puul, they strip them of their original names and turn them into kings. This is the way of Otahvy and has always been this way. While Otahvy is bizarre and infamous throughout the northern waters, the izedans have formed a small enclave on the Otahvy coast and find the Otahvians to be quite hospitable and likable.

Quist
Quist is the home of the vast majority of the izedans in Rilausia. This desert is harsh and dry, barren to the point that no other race could make a home in any of it save the tropic oases. The heat, too, is beyond most creature's range. This extreme environment, however, is ideal for izedans, who drink in the sunlight and need little more than the basics to survive. The izedans have formed tribes and small villages throughout the desert, very few actually marking territory but all sharing the joy of the desert. They have created pathways through the Quist where travelers and merchants may safely make their way through, with small izedan villages along the way. Skaurr has recently appeared in the Quist, a unification of izedan tribes under a great izedan warlord. Nonetheless, the majority of izedans in the Quist have little need for alliances and large gatherings. They survive and they enjoy life, and many see this as the epitome of living.

Raythos
Raythos is the polluted lands, a small nation that gained its independence from Evangless when, contrary to any other nation, Evangless gave Raythos its independence. Raythos is a city-state surrounded by a veil of black smoke, the immense pollution seeping from its alchemical factories having infected all of its inhabitants. The city was hit with a venomous plague, spread through toxic smoke, that infected its citizens and killed many. The Retching, as the plague was called, filled everyone's bodies with black smoke. A small device, now called a smokethinner, was developed and saved the lives of thousands. The smokethinner keeps the smoke in the body pure by pulling out the toxins. The people of Raythos can never remove the smokethinner for long, else the Retching returns. Those who visit the city do so with great precautions, else they too catch the Retching. Raythos is an independent nation purely because Evangless did not wish to govern a realm with such a disease; nonetheless, the vast majority of Raythos's numerous exports fall into the hands of Evangless.

Siyesh
Siyesh is the old seat of the Haudi Empire, from the Tunelgi Mountains down along the Kalinoda Coast. The Oligarchic Imperial State of Siyesh is ruled by dukes, the king living in Mount Sibrius. Mount Sibrius is a separate and independent state from the other haudi states, though it is bordered on three sides by Siyesh. Siyesh has nineteen ruling dukes who have all carved out duchies within. The largest city, Karimvar, is split between two duchies. The dukes of Siyesh are largely independent of the king, fighting among themselves for more power. Outward threats have united the dukes under the Siyesh banner numerous times, yet the dukes traditionally do not work together.

Quote from: JharvissDragons
"Have you ever seen a dragon?  Be glad of that!  Some think they're blessings, and I won't deny that there are some dragons that are kind and benevolent, but dragons are still creatures of battle.  They were Aeon's greatest weapon against her enemies in the Magi Rebellion, and their continued existence has been a plague on tephrans.  They're long, serpentine, and vicious.  May fate favor you if you ever do see one."

Unknown

Dragons are difficult to define, for they are as various as daemons themselves.  Dragons are typically enormous, snake-like creatures that fly through the air at great speeds.  Some have mighty maws that can bite right through a man and some can manipulate magic with the skill of the greatest archmagi.  But this isn't always true.  Some dragons could fit in a man's palm, curled up and content.  Some are large enough to swallow entire houses.  Most are one- to two-hundred feet long and thin, with scales that come in a variety of colors.  Dragons can also shift between the daemon world and Tephra with barely a thought, their bodies becoming black before going invisible to the untrained tephran eye.  

Dragons have always been upper caste daemons, but became prominent during the Magi Rebellion when Aeon taught them to switch between the daemon world and Tephra with ease.  They were her most fearsome weapons, flying unseen until the last moment.  Many dragons are little better than animals, ferocious fighters but weak thinkers.  Some dragons, however, have mastered the usage of magic and are wise creatures.

How common are dragons in Tephra?  Are they all solitary, or do some live together?  Are any of them major players ion the world?

Dragons are a difficult element for me to talk about because of the huge variations in each one.  To answer your question as simply as I can, dragons are not common.  Most people will go their entire lives without seeing one.  That having been said, a traveler is likely to encounter one at sometime or another.  And it could very well be a palm-sized dragon that just wants to laze around and hunt dragonflies (funny image, isn't it?).  Some have made themselves important.  I thought I had included it, but it must have been edited out - there is one dragon who has made himself a prominent figure in a yet-to-be-named gnomish community.  

Dragons aren't vital to the setting.  They're just an element.  I could run a campaign in Tephra without ever encountering a dragon, just as I could in core D&D (though it does then beg the question, why is it called Dungeons and Dragons?).  Dragons are for the DM to decide.  As Tephra advances you'll see more dragons, get some examples of them, and see how they interact with the world.  Until then, la de da!

What follows is an extended description of the city-state Raythos.  The entirety of it is one long paragraph, but it hits all of the major aspects of the nation.

Raythos
- the Black City of Retching

Raythos is the industrial capital of the world.  It is covered in dark smog, a warm city where all food is imported in exchange for rare chemicals and technology.  Its citizens, all infected with the Retching, are gaunt and sickly, pale from their lack of sunlight and nutrients.  Those who have the Retching and use smokethinners tend not to feel their own hunger, and some go so far as to starve without realizing it.  Fashion in Raythos highlights pronounced ribs, showcasing their thin bodies.  Clothes are often black and white - bright colors are considered outlandish and harsh, uncultured.  Raythos has been independent for almost a century, its industry barons electing a new king every couple years.  Conflict often arises over who can vote since there is no definition of an industrial baron.  Raythos is constantly growing and destroying.  The mage-created half-daemon, Faalshezurit, lives in Raythos, claiming a large section of the nation as his domain.  The half-daemon considers himself the "God of Destruction" and deems himself fit to fulfill that title through destroying large pieces of the city.  Raythos has thus far felt no external threats, for its pollution is so great.  Aodin do not near the city because the water is so dark.  Flyers have a difficult time navigating through the thick smog.  Visitors are forced to take a great deal of medicine else they will catch the Retching, and even then they rarely stay for long.  The one exception is the izedans, who are immune to the Retching.  Yet they require sunlight to keep their metabolism high, and that's one thing seriously lacking in Raythos.  The industrial machines are worshiped almost as deities, and - to the horror of the unaccustomed - the dead are sacrificed back to the machines and furnaces.  Forests once surrounded Raythos, but they were long ago cut down for fuel.  Now wood and natural gases are often imported to feed the flames, and the most prevalent natural gas - ayrolium - was the cause of the Retching.  Regardless, ayrolium is still used in enormous quantities today.

Just to prove that we're not dead, here's one of our newer creation, our racial line-up:
[spoiler=Line Up](http://colabore.org/Line_Up.gif)[/spoiler]

Never thought you were dead.
This is a great graphic.  Reminds me of the race page on the ADAD PHB circa 1979-ish.

I'm just here to let everyone know that I've updated a ton on the Tephra Wiki (http://www.thecbg.org/wiki/index.php?title=Tephra).  Just check out the Most Recent Updates at the bottom of the page and you can see everything that's new.  Feel free to comment either here or there; I'll check both places!

Thanks so much!    

Here's what we're currently working on -

The system - the Tephra D-Dozen system is growing daily and we're making quite some headway.  We've just finished our first character sheet!

[spoiler=Character Sheet](http://colabore.org/Tephra_Character_Sheet.gif)[/spoiler]

Rilausia - Almost all of the nations are filled out.  Check out the up-to-date map here (http://colabore.org/Rilausia-Total.gif).

Technology - We're really patting down how we want Tephra to feel technologically.  We've got our flyers finished and we're now trying to figure out just how far magnetic technology can (and should) go.

Brawl - I've finally unlocked all of the characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl!

Thanks for tuning in.  Major updates to come within the month.