The Campaign Builder's Guild

Races Con't:

Gnome: Gnomes are among the more dangerous denizens of the realm in their city environments. Gnomes in this realm tend to be vicious thieves. The largest criminal organization is run by Gnomes, and they are often distrusted. They ue their small size to their advantage when working in the packed cities. Often times acting as "problem solvers", they will approach a target in a busy bazaar, strike swiftly and suddenly and then disappear into the throngs of the crowd before they can be apprehended. Due to these tactics, they are often in conflict with the Vaskari, who look on them as dishonorable vermin. The racial enmity between the two races has led to more than one riot.

For their part the Gnomes are also good at deflecting blame and talking their way out of trouble. Using their sizeable resources to bribe the needed party.

Halflings:

Halflings in this realm come from two stocks. The River Halflings, live mostly in the Elven cities. Theyare generally peaceful and take great pride in helping the elves to shepard what little nature remains of their lands. The Rivr halflings, tend to be taller and more slender, favoring light clothing and no shoes. They often work as fishermen, boat captains, and river guides. They are industrious and hard working.

Their cousins, who live nomadic lives among the dunes tend to be shorter, a bit on the pudgy side and favor light but durable coverings, and never go with out some sort of protectibe covering on their feet. They favor a more wild and dangerous lifestyle. Often raiding other tribes, caravans, and merchants. They are especially good at this task due to their ability to hide among the dunes in the dusty colored clothes they favor. They tend to fight with short bows, polearms, and often use traps to take down larger foes.

Humans: For the most part Humans are considered the most adaptable race. They thrive in situations where others fail. They are quick witted, and often form schools, colleges, and seminaries. They tend to be more prone to leaping before looking then the Elves, but often draw enmity from the Vaskari for their lack of patience. They hold a strange balance between the new and the old.

Humans tend to be more darkly complected, skin tones ranging from a dusty tan to a dark black, They tend to favor clothing that has less traditional meaning then the Elves, Dwarves and Halflings, and more flamboyant styles are the norm. Humans tend to be competant at any task they take up. They are dispursed rather well between the cities and the Dunes.

Kisreus: Before you stands a man not more than 4 feet tall. He is dark complected, wears hide armor of some fallen beast and carries a deadly looking scimitar. This is the image most well know of the Kisreus. They are fierce, deadly fighters. Foes often start a fight with Kisreus, believing that stature a weakness. However, it does not take long for them to find that these "Little Giants" truely are not to be toyed with.

Kisreus are strong, and favor slashing weapons. From birth they are seperated into two distinct groups. The Hunters and The Messengers. Hunters are taught great proficiency with their thrown weapons, they are relied upon for the survival of their clans. A typical hunter carries a scimitar, 3-5 thrown weapons, and little else. Often times they will also carry a longspear. Messengers tend to carry mush less. Generally only what they absolutely need for the task at hand. Messengers are the diplomatic arm of the race. They are relied upon to secure alliances, and deliver reports from the dunes to the underground cities of the Kisreus.

Vaskari:

There is a great battle brewing. Many men are slashing and lunging with all manner of weapons at hand. Then arrives the turning of the tide. A contingent of lizard like beings burst from the sands. They are a blur of movement, tail, fang and claw, all slashing and snapping. In but a moment the battle is done. The Scaled Warriors stand proud, licking the blood from their viscious talons and tail. These imposing beings are Viskari.

Viskari believe in honor above all else. They are trained from birth to be warriors. Such is the way of life on the Dunes. You fight to survive, or you fail to do so. Vaskari are iconic warriors. Proud. Fearless. Cunning.

Here is a bit. I will post up more later. Thanks for the feed back!

Current events:

Over the last 2000 years many groups have sturggled for power. In the years following The Great War there has been relative peace. Most of the civilized cultures had to band together for survival. Many monstrous threats, which were once held at bay, have reared to threaten the populace. As such their is little open warfare amoung the populace. However there is a great deal of jostling for position. The Keepers, while publicly united, each have their own agenda and pursue leadership among the rest. In this climate a skilled mouth can be as deadly as a skilled blade. At Current most of the true power lies with the quick talking Jerith. He has convinced Walgart that the rest of The Keepers secretly covet the underground homes of the Kisreus and are plotting to take them over. As such Walgart, who is strong of body and deadly beyond match in a duel, is willing to blindly follow his Gnomish friend. Jerith is also blackmailing the Human female Anatollia, with information that, if brought to the forefront, would see her expelled from The Keepers, and quite possibly put to death.

Outside the city of Het-ai, things are much different. Most matters are settled by force. The tribes and nomads that living in the dunes of The Great Desert face the harshest life imaginable. Ever day is a struggle. Between fighting off raiding neighbors, slaying giant spiders and scorpions and other monsters that call the dunes home, and contending with the unbearable heat and the natural maze-like quality of a desert, they have little time or patience for anyone that does not tow their own. Of the desert dwelling tribes the most feared are the Vaskari. They are generally the peacemakers of the Dunes. few beings can match the fury and frenzy of a Vaskari warrior in all his glory. They tend to rule over any area in which they have made a home. They do so however, not through force or tyranny but through respect and honor. The other beings most commonly found among the Dunes are Kisreus. Like the Vaskari they are deadly warriors. Unlike the Vaskari, though, they tend to be easily goaded into a fight. Often they only venture out of their underground cities, which are a marvel to behold, if threatened, or if in need of supplies.

Since the end of the war, magic has become a very important part of life. A Wizard, Cleric, Druid or Sorceror can use his skills to help a community prosper, or as some have seen first hand, destroy a community altogether. Many Wizards train at a prestigous Wizarding collegein Het-ai, called Barak-tir. This school is run by a Wizard named Montagan. Montagan is impossibly old, and no one alive can remember when he first opened the school. The Elf Wizard is considered to be one of the most benevolent beings around, and often is honored at festivals. Sorcerors are looked at with a fair amount of susoicion however. Many believe that as they draw their power from somewhere, that perhaps it comes from the fallen Gods themselves. If this is the case, they fear that perhaps they will bring back these vengeful Gods, and destruction will reign once more.

Religion is a tricky matter in much of the world. While no one is fool enough not to believe in The Gods, many distrust them. The Gods, due to their weakened state must take any follower they can to bolster their power. Clerics in this world may choose to not worship a God, but instead to worship The Fallen Ones. Clerics of The Fallen Ones may choose any two domains, and function as a normal Cleric in every other way. However any found to be worshiping The Fallen Ones, tends to be looked at with suspicion, fear, and hatred. Often Clerics of The Fallen Ones will wear symbols of another religion, only revealing their own symbol when needed.

The Gods of this world no longer walk among their people as they once did. They now sequester themselves in their own extradimensional realms. Few have ever even attempted to access these realms, and of those that have their experimentation has not gone well. The Gods, in truth tend to be ashamed of the devastation they caused. And many hide out of shame.

Races:

Elves: Elves of this world are not the frail nature lovers known on so many other worlds. They are often grim, gaunt, and vicious. The hold jealously on to what little wilderness they have left. Often refusing safe passage to those that approach. They use their natural grace and instinct to set ambushes in the passes leading to their vally homes. Often shooting first and asking questions later.

The Elves of this land are generally looked at as a dark omen. Few people other than Halflings, ever see an elf unless they are about to die. As such Elves are often looked at as a dark omen. The arrival of an Elf is enough to start wild rumors of mischievious evils being afoot. The Elves for their part go out of their way to reinforce this outlook.

Dwarves: The Dwarves of this world are much like Dwarves elsewhere. They dig deep into the heart of the world. Plundering it for their own gain. They are masters of metal and stone. And few can compare with the riches of the Dwarven Kings. However as they dig deeper they have unearthed Dark things. Evil things. In their pride they refuse to admit knowledge of these monsters, but they exist none the less. Dwarves in this setting have less enmity between them and other races, however they do believe themselves to be superior to all other races. Dwarves take great offense at those that would associate them with Kisreus, for they believe that being superior their would be no reason for their race to fracture.

Dwarves do war readily with Orcs and their kin. However unlike many other worlds the Dwarves are not always the good guys here. Often they will go to war because the Orcs are attempting to stop the digging.

Absolutely. Would be a major event indeed. So now that that seems worked out... anyone have any other suggestions?

Ok, so I am going to shamelessly pillage a bit here. I was reading His Dark Materials last night, particularly The Amber Spy Glass. There is a scene in the book where Iorek Byrnison, a central character, is reforging a magical blade, in the process it requires him and the owner of this, essentially, intelligent magic weapon, to reach out and hold the fragments together mentally and spiritually. Made for a terrific scene.

Perhaps to forge this material requires a similar bit of work. Almost a ritual really. It is infact the act of this ritual that invokes the ability into the material, the Living Iron can be forged otherwise, but without successfully participating in this ritual you have a mundane item. So here is a new system for using the Living Iron.


Living Iron Forging:

To forge Living Iron, one must have knowledge of the Ritual of Creation. This process requires the smith to have at least 2 assistants, both of which must actively participate. This requires special incenses, and extremely careful tending of the forge. At the crucial moment of forming, the Tender of the Fire, and The Forger, each must make a Concentration Check, DC equal to the DC of the Craft check. If either of the Concentration checks fail, the process is ruined. The item is still of sufficient quality however it does not gain the special qualities of Living Iron.


How does that work?

Touche.

Off the cuff,I would say that until molded the iron is in a type of slumber. The forging awakens it, once awakened it gains it's ability. Other possible theory, is that, since only one smith knows the techniques to use it, perhaps it is sentient, perhaps it has goals of it's own that it is using the dwarves to uncover. Or perhaps he has made some type of bargain with the living alloy to allow him to forge it. I am going to have to seriously revisit this. It seemed like a nifty idea, now I see it needs more work.

So this is what I have managed to work out so far. I am having a little trouble giving the Gods a set alignment, and I am basically looking for any suggestions you can give. Thanks guys.

Ok so I have been working on this idea for a few weeks now. Basically, the idea is a world where the Gods have, in a epic war destroyed the entire world as it once was. The world was once a lush green utopian society. However, the Lord of Trickery, a trickster themed God, in advertantly caused a war. He stole the crown from the King of the Gods, and hid it in the Prince of the God's Domain. When the King found the crown gone, and it turned up in his son's Domain, he assumed his son was attempting to usurp the throne. The King immediately lashed out in a rage, the son responding in kind, before the Lord of Trickey could attempt to fix the situation, the other Gods had started to choose sides, and he feared what would become of him. Instead he fled, he took refuge in the dark caverns beneath the world.

This battle was nearly 2000 years ago. Since then much has changed. Many of the beaten Gods have taken to their thrones once again, however at a much reduced level of power. Most of the world is no longer a beautifu lush paradise, it is now mostly scorched earth, and desert.


Races of The Great Desert:

Kisreus(an amalgam of two words, Dutch reus or giant, and Hungarian Kis or little, this is a common term used to describe the race. While more biologically Dwarven they are fierce like Giants.)

This race is that of a small people believed to be descended from dwarves. They live on the fringes of The Great Desert, surviving mostly by hunting and scavenging. Their society is matriarchial in nature. Their leader is always a female, and is given the title of Great Mother. It is the Great Mother's job to lead the tribe with strength and ferocity. It is the clans job to serve her wishes and defend her from all threats.

These people stand approximately 3 feet in height but weigh more than most small races, averaging 70-100 lbs. they are short and stocky, but very muscular. Many who have met them describe them as Dwarflike in appearance, but more accepting to outsiders. A primitive society, they none the less are a proud people. Often the difference between being accepted by a clan, and them wanting your blood is in how they are approached. If approached in a hostile manner they almost always respond in kind. If approached with gifts, or kind words, they are almost always willing to grant safe passage, or help to those that seek them.

Much of the clans city is built under the ground. This is mainly to protect from the fierce sandstorms, and harsh sun. Often times these cities appear nearly empty at night as that is when they prefer to hunt and sport in the Great Desert.

+2 Str, -2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Cha

Medium Size

Speed 30

Stability: As Dwarf

Bonus Feat: Brutal Throw or Endurance. Kisreus come from two schools. Hunters, which favor Brutal Throw, and Messengers, which prefer Endurance.

Kisreus gain a +2 bonus on Survival and Knowledge Nature checks.

Direction Sense: anytime a Kisreus is in an outdoor environment they may automatically tell direction. They also never get lost or turned around when in an outdoor environment with out some form of magical intervention.


Vaskari:

These lizard like humanoids are native to The Great Desert. They are nomadic in nature and often times work as mercenaries and guides for those that would attempt to cross The Great Desert. Vaskari are swift and vicious hunters, and entirely selfless when protecting their charges.

Vaskari have very few settlements. They do however meet several times a year for breeding purposes and to discuss any threat to the species. These clutches are also a time for the intense Vaskari to loosen up and enjoy time with friends and family.

+2 Con +2 Cha -2 Wis -2 Dex

Medium sized.

Speed 30 Burrow 20

Limited Darkvision: 30ft

Natural Ability: All Vaskari have the choice of choosing one of three natural weapons at 1st level. They may subsequently choose another natural weapon by spending a feat at 3rd level, and again at 6th level. The weapons are as follows: Claws, 2 attacks as a full round action, 1d4 damage. Bite 1d6. Tail Slap 1d8 is considered a two handed weapon for all purposes such as power attack etc. The use of these weapons are the same as for any other natural weapon. Vaskari may not use their tails, or burrow if wearing medium or heavy armor, carrying more than a light load, or while carrying anything in either hand.

Trustworthy: Vaskari rely on body language as much as words.Due to this they are terrible liars. They recieve a -5 circumstance penalty on any attempt to Bluff, Forgery, or Disguise.

+2 Bonus on Balance and Climb checks.

Vaskari must always pay a minimum of 1.5 times the listed cost of any armor, as they have a very unique body shape. Further, for a Vaskari to where armor not crafted specifically for him, he must have an armorsmith alter the armor. This requires a DC 25 Craft Armorsmithing check, or if the armor is magical a DC 35 Craft Armorsmithing check. If the check fails the armor is ruined. For this reason, Vaskari tend to prefer Rings, Bracers, Amulets and the like over armor.



God's of The Wastes:

The pantheon of Gods in this harsh and desolate land is smaller than in many other realms. Once there were many other Gods, however war has it's price.

Herzoth, Lord of Lies: Herzoth is the God of Trickery, Deception, and Thieves. It is he who caused the long ago war. for this reason he tends to carry much guilt. He is often fickle with followers, and his clergy preach self reliance over most other abilities. Herzoth grants his followers access to th Domains of Trickery, Chaos, and Domination. Herzoth is often pictured as a slight, gaunt form, often dressed in the clothes of nobility. He is said to be missing his left ear. A reminder of what one gets for betrayal from Garthar. Herzoth's holy symbol are a small scale in an unbalanced position. Almost always carved from ivory, bone, or ebony.

Garthar, Martyred Son: It was in the domain of Garthar that Herzoth hid the stolen relic. Garthar has survived the war through great strength and determination. He is the god of Fighters, Paladins, and Justice. He grants followers access to War, Strength, and Fire Domains. Before his fall he also granted access to Planning, however, his mind and body both ravaged, he rarely looks ahead now, rather he insists on acting on intuition, this is a defining factor in those of his faith. At the end of the Great War, Garthar is said to have captured Herzoth, and rather than destroying him, he instead removed his left ear, which he is said to wear as a necklace. Garthar is depicted as an exceptionally large man, extremely muscular, and with a scar that runs from the top of his head to his jaw. He is missing his left eye. His Favored weapon is the Great Axe. His holy symbol is a small silver axe, sheathed in flames of garnet.

Mervios, The Wise: Mervios is the lord of Wizards. It is said that he ended the Great War by discovering the lost knowledge of what truly occured, and used this knowledge to convince the other Gods of a truce. Mervios, is depicted as a spry, young man. Often dressed in long flowing robes, carrying an oake staff. Mervios Grants his followers access to Time, Magic, Planning, and Knowledge Domains. It is common for his followers to wear little or no armor. His holy symbol is a book.

Shandiaz the Quick: Shandiaz is the Huntress God. Her followers tend to be from the fringes of society, she is often revered by the Kisreus, Orcs, and many tribal cultures. She was a leader in the Army of Gazia during the Great War. It is said it was she that scarred Garthar. She is often pictured as being lithe and solemn, somewhat feral. She is often described to have claws and fangs. She grants her followers access to Animal, Plant, and Summoner Domains. Her holy symbol is a small disk inlaid with the image of a claw.

Gazia, the High: Gazia was the King of the Gods, he was the one from which most other gods took their cues. He is now older, and less quick to anger. He is often pictured as a traveler. An old man with a cane, often limp. He grants followers access to the Healing, Sun, Good, and Protection Domains. His holy symbol is a small shield shaped disk.

Zaethir the Dark: Zaethir is the God of Death. He took no side in the Great War. Instead he used his position as the keeper of Death to influence both sides. Often playing spy and instigator. His followers tend to have necromantic tendencies. He grants access to the Undeath, Destruction and Evil Domains. His holy symbol is a small skull made of a precious gem of any type.

Arsyvvix: When many of the lesser Gods were slain several interlopers took their positions. Among them was the Great Dragon Arsyvvix. Arsyvvix is a Chaotic Good Copper Dragon who has achieved the status of a God. His first act as a God was to raise a race in his honor. He created the Vaskari, whom before their rise, were extremely feral, dinosaur like beasts. They were sentient but only barely. They were on the verge of extinction when the Hentanu Jungle was destroyed. Arsyvvix could not stand to see the race perish, he used his formidable magic to grant them the gifts they would need to overcome the challenge of adaption. Since his intervention the Vaskari have prospered. They quickly adapted to life in the Great Desert that was once their ancestral home. It is through their support that Arsyvvix has turned away many usurpers to his status. Few are as fierce as the Mighty Dragon and his Warriors of the Dunes. Arsyvvix generally appears in his original form of a Copper Dragon, or in the form of a Vaskari Warrior. He is one of the few Gods brazen enough to occassional tread the mortal world. His holy symbol is a tooth or claw from any great reptile. Domains are Strength, Healing, Spell, and Protection.

Ratarn: Ratarn is another of the interlopers, in his mortal days he was a mighty Demon Prince. When the war of the Gods erupted he used the chance to wrest power from a wounded God. His follower are of the darkest nature. He is revered by many foul and fell creatures. His symbol is that of a ebony eye. His domains are Pestilence, Death, and Madness.

Karith Margus: While only a fledgling among the Gods, Karith is still powerful enough to grant spells and attract worshipers. She was gifted her seat among the gods by Lithalia, the former patron of the Elves. She was the last remaining warrior of her Elf clan, an single-handedly slew a large battalion. As she neared death, her God appeared to her. Offering her any reward she wished. Rather than requesting her life, or some other such thing, she asked that Lithalia remove her remaining kin to a place safe from the depravity that had swept the world. Lithalia was so taken aback she immediately abdicated her seat, granting it to the dying Elf-Queen. It is the magic of Karith Margus that keeps the fertile valleys alive, it is her magic that has sustained her people. Her domains are Creation, Water, Nature, and Community. Her holy symbol is a Crescent Moon imposed over a broken heart.



NEW MATERIALS:

There are a few types material specific to this realm.

Godsstone: Godsstone is said to be the solidified blood of the Gods. Any armor or weapon made from this fantastic material is near impervious. Armor of this sort is light of weight and has its armor check penalty and arcane spell failure reduced by 2/3rds. Weapons are likewise amazingly light and durable. The hardness of any weapon is 5x that of regular metals. Also any weapon made of this material, regardless of the type, is considered to be light for the purpose of weapon finesse and two handed fighting. However 2 handed weapons of this type, must still be wielded with two hands, and do not gain the usual 2:1 ratio for power attack.

Living Iron: This invaluable material is a recent discovery of the Dwarven smith Gurlsar Nartilik. He discovered the strange alloy when a group of miners from his encampment brought it back from their most recent dig. It is a blessing in that, while not as durable as Godsstone, it has another rather unique property. Any item made from Living Iron can not seemingly be permanntly destroyed. Average weapons if sundered will regrow to their normal form in 1d4+2 rounds. The invention of this has allowed the Dwarves to dig ever deeper into their mountainous homes, as now, even a vein of adamantium will eventually be bypassed by their Living Iron tools.



City-States:

This once plentiful land has become a land of nomadic peoples. Most scurry place place, hoping to eek out an existence. However, their is a great City-State, it is host to innumerable villages, hamlets, and settlements. The City-State has a major capital. The capital represents the main center of Commerce, Magic, and Power.

Heth-tal-ruu: This is the largest of the City-States, it covers the majority of the Great Mountains and Great Desert. It is ruled by a consortium of 5. They are known as The Keepers. The Keepers, rule by counsel. Membership is passed down by bloodline, the current counsel consists of the Vaskari Warlord, Szith; a Human, Anatollia; a Dwarf, Turkar; a Kisreus, Walgart; and a Gnome, Jerith.

The Capital, Het-ai is a large, sprawling city. Lined with rowhouses, the town is incredibly condensed. This city has a very high population. It is also a great melting pot. All within it's borders have sheltered here for safety. However like any large city, there is crime. The largest gang is in fact run by the Gnome Jerith. The city guards are mostly Vaskari, as they have a reptutation of honor, strength and fury in battle. Due to the size and of this city, just about everything and anything can be found here. In a world where this is the only large city, where else do you trade your goods?

Surrounding the city is the Great Desert. Under which there are several settlements of Kisreus, and Vaskari, and in which lie several small settlements of nearly all the races.


The Hidden City: The legend of the hidden city has been told for generations. It is supposed that at the beginning of the Great War, two of the now dead Gods, Akopi and Terisi, shrouded their patron city with incredible magics, preventing it from being found by anyone meaning it harm. Stories have circulated of lost travelers in the mountains, desperate for salvation, stumbling into a city unlike anything they have every seen. Buildings larger and more magnificent than any found in the rest of the world. Plants and animals, that should not be.

This city is said to be a safe haven. However, none whom have every claimed to have found it have been able to find it again. Some scholars believe that the city is not truly of our realm, and perhaps travels, teleporting as it needs to to avoid detection. The truth is unknown.

Elf-Towns: The Elves tend to keep to themselves, avoiding other races when they can. Many Elf Towns are kept in the valleys of the great mountains. They are often inhabited by Halflings as well, whom seem to be about the only race the Elces don't find fault with.

River Towns. There are three great rivers. Each empties into one of the Lakes of Wonder. The Lakes of Wonder are home to a society of Halflings, as well as many aquatic races. There are fables of the great underwater cities at the bottom of these lakes. These are the only bodies of water left after the Great War. Strangly,these lakes seem to be able to support both Salt Water and Fresh Water dependant species with equal ease.
Many races were driven to near extinction. The seas boiled, the earth cracked, the mountains erupted in flame. So began the new age. Elves, Halfling and Gnomes are present but their society has been much changed. Elves, no longer live in forests, as they are now but brush. The Elves tend to the few fertile valleys left between the Great Mountain Passes. The Halfling are fractured onto to camps, the Durska Halflings are nomadic hunters that thrive in the upper passes, while the Thongo Halflings, which live on the rivers, lakes and streams. While Gnomes have become a race of secretive mercenaries. Often they lurk in shadows of the few great cities to have been rebuilt. They are sneaky, and often vicious, and innovaters of deadly traps.

Humans, forever the adaptable breed, have continued in much the same fashion. They adapt to the changes and forge new paths. While in other settings, Humans tend to intermingle with Elves, and Orcs, in this realm they are not cross fertile and Half-Elves and Half-Orcs are non-existant. Orcs are common and the enlist the lesser goblins as slaves in their mountain and subterranean kingdoms. Their cheif rival for all things are the Dwarves. shortly after the Great War the Dwarves split into 2 races, the Dwarves, standard to other settings and the Kisreus, a smaller more feral offshoot that lives under The Great Desert. The Vaskari, an offshoot of Draconic heritage, are also native to the sands of The Great Desert. Many among them becoming notorious fighters and paladins.

I assure yall I am not a spam bot lol.

Thank you. I will take a look around and then post what I am working on in an appropriate format.

Thanks for making me feel welcome! I look forward to working with yall.

Hi, I was not sure where to introduce myself, as I couldn't find the proper forum. But I suppose this wil do eh?

Anyway, I came here hoping to get a little help designing my new campaign setting. Here is a link to what I have been working on.

 http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=1034417

Any help and or suggestions would be amazing. Thanks in advance.