The Campaign Builder's Guild

[note]Please do not post in this thread; direct your questions, comments, and points of discussion to HERE.[/note]"Terran is a wide world my pupil, but it is one of many. You may think your time with the irresponsible elves, the feral orcs, the coniving goblins, or the greedy dwarves has prepared you for what the planes hold, but you are wrong. Out there are strange beasts, like those with no bones who can mimmic any man, woman, or child, or those with beauty so pure it can drive a man mad. Nothing you have seen on this world will prepare you for what awaits through the mist and shadow, all that is left for you is to take the plunge and experience it for yourself. Go, my son, and maybe you'll find what I never could; a home."

"Three Worlds" is a vast setting, too vast for one single planet. Certain truths abound all three worlds, but in each you will find a different flavor of fantasy. Perhaps comfortable Terran might strike you: a "real" world of modern fantasy, full of political and ethical struggles, where things are not always as simple as black and white. Maybe mystic Avalon calls you; a realm of classical fantasy, where mortals face off with the divine and epic battles are almost common place. For chance it is the shadowed Sylphenhest which tempts you; a realm of dark fantasy, ruled by devils where survival is often the name of the game. Separate but connected worlds, where anything can happen, where your grandest dreams, your inner wonders, or your deepest fears can become reality.

But who are the people of "Three Worlds". Here you will meet them, read about their physiology, their culture, their history, and their connection to their worlds. Knowledge of them offers a piece of what is in store for you as you travel the "Three Worlds".

Welcome my friends.

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COMMON RACES
Humans, dwarves, elves, goblins, halflings and orcs: these names are familiar to the common Fantasy RPG player. But in the Three Worlds, one must put away previous notions of these races, because many of them do not fit. Gone is the titanic battle between good and evil, but replacing it is the battle between law and chaos, order and freedom, civilization and the rest of the world.

Due to this, many of the racial conflicts that some players hold dear do not exist in some parts of the world. In Terran's primary setting, the Holylands on the continent of Krellshah, the six common races live together in a tentative harmony; the other regions of Krellshah favor good or evil. The continent of Serian is heavily lawful, so elven and orcish characters are less common, while the continent of Blaircath is heavily chaotic, so dwarven and goblin characters are less common.

The six common races are all natives of Terran, though they exist in some form on the worlds of Avalon and Sylphenhest. Because Terran is the primary setting, and because the natives of Avalon and Sylphenhest are unsuitable for first level play, the Avalonian and Sylphenhestian races are presented in the Advanced Races section of those world's chapters.

Some traits have been added, especially to the orc who was previously little more than a monster race. The goblins are an entirely new race, sharing nothing but name and some disposition with the standard goblin.

Race and Ethnicity: The Three Worlds Campaign Setting doesn't utilize sub-races in the standard manner. Rather than separating each race into sub-races, each race has ethnic distinctions. Ethnicities may be tied to region, continent, or terrain type that the race comes from. Ethnicities from the same race share the same racial traits, but each ethnicity has different cultural traits.

Cultural Traits: Certain racial traits in Terran are noted as cultural traits. Characters do not possess these abilities based on their physiology, but based on their upbringing. A character of a given race who was raised amongst the culture of a different race will have slightly different abilities than a character of the same race raised by their own race. This allows for more realistic depictions of unique characters, as well as  broader variety within racial abilities.

Racial and Cultural Skill Familiarity: Due to each raceâ,¬,,¢s natural ability with certain skills, any skill in which a character has a racial or cultural bonus in is automatically treated as a class skill for all classes that character may take.

Religion: The Three Worlds are an animistic realm, where every creature, object, place, and even ideal has a spirit. Some of these spirits are vastly powerful, and are revered as deities. Deities known as gods are generally benevolent, worshiped out of love, duty, and for the blessings they provide. Deities known as demons are generally destructive, worshiped out of fear, to stay their wrath, or even to direct it. Gods aren't generally good, they are lawful, and likewise, demons aren't generally evil, they are chaotic. These deities run the gamut from lesser deities, such as the spirit of a small river that sustains a town, to intermediate deities, such as the vengeful spirit of a large forest, to greater deities, such as the spirit of the entire northern sea.

The greatest of Terran's deities are the Children of Zion, the Elemental Dragons: Firdel (Fire), Naias-Sorn (Water), Tyranon (Earth), Wyndaguile (Air), and Ivenodia (Void). The Dragons of Air, Earth, Fire, and Water fathered the first Serpents and Wyrms, whose descendents are the dragons of today, created the first Giants, and more recently created the races of Dwarves, Elves, Goblins, and Orcs. Although they died in the last age, the Elemental Dragons Goldenfeather (Light) and Vandek (Darkness) are still vastly revered, and are often the center of philosophical sects embodying balance; this sustained reverence leads some to believe they are not entirely lost.

Second to the Elemental Dragons are the spirits of the Five Legendary Swords, which were wielded by the Knights who liberated humans from their enslavement at the hands of the giants. These spirits are The Phoenix (residing in the Red Sword), The Gryphon (residing in the Gold Sword), The Pegasus (residing in the Black Sword), The Wyvern (residing in the Silver Sword), and The Beast (residing in the Green Sword). Debate still rages if these spirits are the spirits of the Knights themselves, or the spirits of the very blades in which they reside (and this debate is the heart of the recent schism in the Order of Knighthood, the religion which grew from the teachings of the Red, Gold, Silver, and Green Knights).

Other deities are more regional, such as lesser and intermediate nature spirits and the ancestral spirits of local peoples. These deities will be detailed further in the write-ups for each region.

While gods and demons are worldly spirits, angels and devils are otherworldly spirits. The spirits who reside in the heavens, which are closely tied to Avalon, are known as angels (and are good in morality), while the spirits who reside in the Hells, which is closely tied to Sylphenhest, are known as devils (which are evil in morality). Both Avalon and Sylphenhest have their share of local gods and demons, though the inherent morality of their spiritual realms colors them accordingly.

TERRAN: HUMANS
Humans are the most numerous and adaptable race on the face of Terran, yet the question of their origins is still unanswered. It is believed that humans are descended from the Ancient Ones, a race who once ruled the worlds but were destroyed by the Dragon Mother, Zion. Today's humans are the descendants of a slave race formerly in bondage to the giants. Near the end of the war between the dragons and giants, it was humans who turned the tides, destroying the giants from within their own cities and taking them as their own. Today four of the largest human cities are the former capitols of the giants' empires.
Personality: As a rule, humans have the most varied personalities of any race. Human personality is influenced more by their culture than their race. Generally speaking, though, young humans tend to be rebellious and chaotic, while older humans tend to be conservative and lawful. Humans are also innately curious, and generally seek to learn about the world around them, accepting both reason and superstition as adequate answers.
Physical Description: Humans generally stand from five to six feet tall, and weigh between 125 and 250 pounds, with males noticeably taller and heavier than females. Male humans grow facial hair, and both genders may have sparse body hair; grooming choices are a cultural choice. While human skin colors, eye colors, hair colors, and hair types have regional tendencies, human migration and blending lends a diversity to human appearance that is not found in other races. Human-half-bloods are also quite common, and so too are humans with faint physical traces of other races.

HUMAN RACIAL TRAITS[/color]
â,¬Â¢   Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
â,¬Â¢   Human base land speed is 30 feet.
â,¬Â¢   1 extra feat at 1st level: humans possess great variety.
â,¬Â¢   4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level: humans are versatile and quick to learn.
â,¬Â¢   +1 racial bonus on all saving throws: humans are adept at escaping danger.

HOLYLANDS: KRELLSHAH
From the ashes of Terran's first world spanning empire grew the Holylands Republic. This prosperous country is the center of many human's religion, the Holy Order of Knights, which honors the five knights who freed humans from enslavement at the hands of the giants. Hunurst, the capitol of the Holylands, is believed to be the first city build by humans. Hunurst was founded by the Black Knight, the half-giant/half-human who forged the five swords he and the other four knights carried into battle against the giants. Since the fall of the Great Empire, the Holylands has become a center for social and scientific development, and is one of the few places in the world where all six of the world's races coexist in relative peace.
Physical Description: Since the Holylands grew from an empire which once spanned most of the globe, its residents range the gamut of human diversity; though its people tend to be a blend of human colors (generally possessing a tanned olive skin color and straight or wavy brown or black hair), all skin tones and hair colors and types can be found here. Half-bloods are even more common in the Holylands than the rest of the world, so it is not unheard of for Holylands people to possess skin or hair tones normally common to the demihuman races.
The Holylands lie in a temperate region and is a trade center, so its peoples' grooming and dress often has more form than function. Their hair and dress styles vary wildly, often incorporating exotic dyes and textiles. Fashion sense exists in the Holylands like no where else, often mimicking the dress of travelers and changing drastically as the years pass.
Relations: The Holylands are relatively isolated from local lands, with a vast desert guarding them to the northwest and a massive mountain range guarding them to the south. But after the original empire broke up, non-human nations did arise. The people of the Holylands consider the local dwarves (hill dwarves) fair trade partners, and local goblins (sea goblins) reluctant trade partners. Tense feelings are had between the people of the Holylands and local elves (star elves), due to territorial disputes, and outright animosity is felt for local orcs (gray orcs); most of this tension comes from the lack of political unity with elf and orc communities, making it difficult to deal with these two races as a whole. Halflings lack their own local nations, and reside entirely within the Holylands' political and cultural borders.
Other Races: The Holylands are one of the most diverse human regions on the world of Terran; while humans are the most numerous, all of the other five races are present and constitute the majority when counted together. Within the Holylands, the races get along relatively well, though they generally segregate themselves to a certain extent. Dwarves are valued for their craftsmanship and skill in defense, Elves for their art and skill as mediators and judges, Goblins for their ingenuity, Halflings for their courage and resourcefulness, and Orcs for their forwardness and strength. Non-humans possess a fair share of political power, and
Alignment: The people of the Holylands possess no true leaning to any one alignment or another. The government, being a republic, tends to use Law to keep the peace, and limited democracy has made it more good than evil, but people of all kinds live under its rule. Evil and Chaos generally lack favor, while Law and Good receive more favor; though corruption and dissatisfaction in the government produces evil and chaos anyway.
Society: The Holylands is made up of numerous city states, each with a monarch or elected official serving as Governor. Each of these governors has a seat on the Holylands senate, with the capitol's, Hunurst's, governor serving as Prime Minister; this senate creates laws which are enforced nation wide, while the governors have control of their own city states. The people of the Holylands have much pride in their cities and nation, and the development of art and pursuit of knowledge plays a large part in their daily lives. The Holylands faces conflict from human settlements who did not join the republic, goblins and orcs who are competing with it, and elves who are often at odds with its expansion.
Religion: In the Holylands, religion is of prime importance. It is where the Black Knight forged the Five Legendary Swords, liberated the first humans, and waged war upon the giants. Even though only the House of the Red Knight survives fully to this day, the Five Legendary Swords reside within their hidden shrines, guarded in secrecy; although most people don't know where they lay, their presence is still comforting to them. The Order of Knighthood, the faith which grew from the code set down by the other Knights after the death of the Black Knight, is the prime religion in the Holylands; although its observance is not forced upon its people, The Order of Knighthood is the state religion of the Holylands. It teaches the following of three simple tenants which can be applied to ones entire life: Honor, Loyalty, and Courage.
Names: The people of the Holylands generally have two names: first, a personal name, and second, a family name. Personal names often have some meaning in other languages, but this meaning has become lost over the generations; fathers often give their first born sons their personal name. Noble family names tend to be based on the manor they hail from, while non-noble family names tend to be based on the city they come from or their family profession. Because many immigrants have assimilated into the culture, many family names are drawn from all over Terran.
Adventurers: Many adventurers from the Holylands adventure to uncover history. Collectors of ancient artifacts and treasures abound in the Holylands, so adventurers have no small supply of purchasers for the treasures they uncover (be they materials or information). The lives of the Five Knights are of particular interest.

HOLYLANDS CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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NORTHLANDS: KRELLSHAH
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NORTHLANDS CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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SOUTHLANDS: KRELLSHAH
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SOUTHLANDS CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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EMPIRE OF THE SUN: SERIAN
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EMPIRE OF THE SUN CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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SCARRED LANDS: BLAIRCATH
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SCARRED LANDS CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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COLONIAL: VARIOUS
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COLONIAL CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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BARBARIAN: VARIOUS
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BARBARIAN CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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TERRAN: DWARVES
The final creation of the Earth Dragon, dwarves inhabit the mountains of the world. Generally lacking in quickness and perception, dwarves generally prefer to face their difficulties head on. Stability and tradition are tenants of their lives, and they fight hard to maintain them.
Personality: Dwarves are often seen as stubborn, greedy, and reserved, but these flaws can just as often be the virtues of reliability, thrift, and cautiousness. They make friends slowly, but once friendship is given it is almost impossible to lose. Their short temper stems from their lack of perceptiveness; they are prone to misunderstandings, even amongst friends. If they are slighted, they typically deal out a punishment; then the slight is forgotten. Value is of utmost importance; if there is nothing to gain from a given endeavor, it will generally not be undertaken. Dwarves are great friends, but frightening enemies.
Physical Description: Dwarves stand an average of 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall, but due to their broad girth, they generally weigh the same as a human. Dwarven men are slightly taller than dwarven women, but dwarven woman are slightly heavier. They have broad chiseled features which immediately suggest their durable nature. Both dwarven men and women grow facial hair, but this hair only grows during times of fertility (a dwarven man's facial hair grows constantly, but a dwarven woman's facial hair only grows twice a year); dwarven woman often shave their facial hair when it is not growing, especially when they frequently deal with other races. Dwarves have light eyes and course hair, but their exact skin, hair, and eye color depends on their ethnicity.

[note=Ability Scores]For the longest time, I've desired to introduce Agility and Perception as ability scores. I'm currently in the midst of balancing the separations, but here's how they work on the surface: Dexterity was split into Agility and Dexterity; Agility covers AC and Reflex saves, while Dexterity now covers all attack rolls; tumble is moved to agility, but I'm unsure what other skills will go there (I may end up using the Mutants and Masterminds "Acrobatics" skill anyway, which will be Agility). To ensure Strength is utilized by melee warriors, armor will provide AC and DR, and weapons will have minimum Strength requirements based on their handedness (a two-hander may have a 15 Str requirement, for instance, and if your strength is lower than 15, you suffer a -2 penalty to hit, similar to trying to use a composite bow with a strength rating higher than yours). Currently, Perception is more about skill associations, but I'm trying to give a non-skill ability to Perception and Charisma; Initiative might go to Perception. This is still under construction, though, but just look at the name of the ability score and assume what it means[/note]DWARVEN RACIAL TRAITS
â,¬Â¢   +4 Constitution, -2 Agility, -2 Perception.
â,¬Â¢   Medium: As Medium creatures, dwarves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
â,¬Â¢   Dwarf base land speed is 20 feet. However, dwarves can move at this speed even while wearing medium and heavy armor or while carrying a medium or heavy load.
â,¬Â¢   Darkvision: Dwarves can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and dwarves can function just fine with no light at all.
â,¬Â¢   Stonecunning: Dwarves have a +2 circumstance bonus on search and spot checks to notice unusual stonework. A dwarf who merely comes within 10 feet of unusual stonework can make a check as if he were actively searching. A dwarf can also intuit depth, sensing his approximate depth underground as naturally as a human can sense which way is up.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial bonus on saves vs. poison: dwarves have a hearty fortitude.
â,¬Â¢   +4 stability bonus against bull rush, grapple, overrun, and trip attacks, and also on all balance checks: dwarves are exceptionally stable and sure-footed This bonus only applies while the dwarf is touching the ground.

DEEP DWARVES[/size]
The first of the dwarves, and the progenitor of hill and mountain dwarves, the deep dwarves reside on the continent of Serian. Their homes are built deep underground, in a mixture of natural caverns (carved by underground springs or extinct volcanoes) and dwarf-made "rooms" where the only light to be found is in areas that outsiders frequent. Because there is no outside architecture to worry about, deep dwarven caverns are beautifully carved and meticulously designed. Because they live so deep in the earth, they are afforded a buffer between them and the politics of the surface world, but in their homes they frequently battle Serian's black orcs. Deep dwarves are the most untrusting of dwarves, because they have little contact with the surface world other than for trade or war.
Physical Description: Deep dwarves are shorter and heavier than other dwarves; their smaller height favors their cramped surroundings and their high protein diet makes them bulkier. Their eyes are light blue or white with no visible pupil, their hair is dark, and their skin is a deep to grayish brown. Their underground home has a generally unchanging temperature, so their cloths tend to be modest and simple. Dwarven craftsfolk favor wearing jewelry of their own creation, but their disdain of excessiveness generally has them wear only a single piece of jewelry at a time; this allows them to show their skill and wealth in a single stroke without being arrogant about it.
Relations: Deep dwarves get along reasonably well with Serian's humans and goblins; both are seen as reliable trade partners, while humans are respected as war allies, and goblins are favored for their inventions. Dwarves like to trade the raw metal they mine, and the stonework and metalwork of their design, for services and exotic foods; Deep dwarves live on a diet of mushrooms (which extract many minerals from the earth they grow in) and subterranean animals (often giant insects, crustaceans, and other water-dwelling creatures), and the lack of variety in their diet has encouraged the growth of the trade in exotic surface foods (especially liquor). The often unpredictable (in dwarven perception) natures of non-dwarves leads them to remain untrusting of them, even with all their cooperation. Deep dwarves despise orcs, who represent nearly the exact opposite of them (and who often reside in the same lightless environments).
Few humans and goblins live within deep dwarven settlements, and those that do are generally long term trade liaisons. Due to the rarity of humans and goblins in deep dwarven settlements, half-dwarves are even more rare.
Alignment: Deep dwarves favor tradition above all else, which makes them heavily lawful. They favor good over evil, because evil is rarely productive over the long term and rarely helps the masses. Lawful Good is their common alignment.
Society: Deep dwarven settlements are made up of a single clan, and these clans are further segregated into patriarchal family units. The clans are lead by a monarch who is generally the direct descendent of the clan's founder (either descended from the first born son or daughter down the line), and family lines are drawn through fathers first and then mothers. Duty and loyalty are expected within the family and clan. Children are raised by the whole family and taught to respect their elders and the clan as a whole. Deep dwarven marriages are generally arranged between families who get along, but sometimes are arranged in order to strengthen the ties between two rival families; rarely is love a question, only duty. In fact, the word "love" carries a connotation of infidelity; a "lover" is someone who a spouse is cheating on their marriage vows with. Every dwarf contributes to the clan, either through craftsmanship, mining, defense of the clan, or maintenance of the clan's households. Some large settlements, known as citadels, consist of several clans, and are ruled by a council formed by the clan monarchs.
Religion: The chief deity of deep dwarven society is Tyranon, the Earth Dragon, the creator of the race of dwarves. Tyranon has few, if any, tenants, so worship of him is generally relegated to doing things in honor of him; Tyranon has influence over the element Earth, defense, and craftsmanship, so art (especially stonework and metalwork) and the forging of beautiful armor are seen as high honors in His name. Every family has a family-made idol of Tyranon, preferably chiseled from a single block of uniform stone or metal ore (the idols are never made from forged metal), and every mine is sanctified in Tyranon's name.
Second to the worship of Tyranon is ancestor worship. Like Tyranon's family idols, each clan prides itself on the lifelike, although giant, stone monoliths carved in the likeness of the clan's monarchs; the spirits of these monarchs reside within these statues, making the clan halls revered and sacred places. Deep dwarven animism focuses primarily on the spirits of the earth (who provide shelter and protection) and the water (who provide food). The local gods of their subterranean realm are respected, while their local demons are often isolated or imprisoned whenever possible.
Names: Deep dwarves possess one name, given to them at birth, decided by the elders of their family and approved by elders of the clan (great care is taken to not repeat the name of great heroes or villains in their past, lest it color the dwarven child's destiny). Instead of possessing a family name, as humans do, deep dwarves generally refer to themselves as the child of their father or mother, and also the child of any great dwarves in their ancestry. Their clan also serves as an additional name, although the clan's name is the clan's founder's name. A typical dwarven name for a dwarven man might be "so and so, son of so and so, son of so and so, of clan such and such." Names, and the history and tradition they represent, are very important to dwarves.
Adventurers: Deep dwarven society possesses a great amount of structure and duty, where every dwarf has their place; thus, average dwarves rarely take up the life of an adventurer. Typical dwarven adventurers are warriors sent out on specific missions, dwarves from fallen families or clans trying to rebuild their family or clan honor, or dwarves with wanderlust who simply didn't fit in.

DEEP DWARF CULTURAL TRAITS[/color]
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HILL DWARVES[/size]
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MOUNTAIN DWARVES
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TERRAN: ELVES
Elves were created by Wyndaguile, the Dragon God of Air, in order to be a race of infinite variety, and to be the intermediary between the races. Gifted with an almost millennia long lifespan, and the ability to view situations from all sides, elves were originally intended to be diplomats between the various races, to keep peace in the new world of the Dragon's creation. It was this lifespan and unbiased nature that caused them to withdraw from the rest of the world as they grew tired of dealing with others problems.
Personality: Elves prize their freedom above all else and actively oppose oppression whenever they can. They are whimsical and often flighty, seemingly careless about their activities on a day to day basis. Their moods tend to shift quickly too, relatively speaking. As children, they do not learn well by being told; they have to experience things for themselves. This is in part because of their general aloof nature, but is also caused by their vast life spans. Elves rarely consider their actions, typically doing what feels right; when they do put consideration into their decisions, they tend to only look at long term repercussions. Because they often have time to spare, many elves take up artistic expression in the form of painting, music, poetry, and even intricate metalworking.
Physical Description: Elves stand from four and a half to five and a half feet tall, and are considerably lighter than humans, weighing between 60 to 120 pounds; in spite of their height, their fine lengthy features make them appear taller than humans from a distance. Though they don't look it, they are almost supernaturally light for their size. They possess large almond shaped eyes and pointed ears that sweep backwards and away from their head about 3 inches along the angle of their brow. Elves do not grow facial or body hair, which usually encourages them to dress in covering clothing in all but the most warm of climates. Unlike humans, whose skin darkens from extended sun exposure, their skin color fades and lightens when they are exposed to more sunlight. Their hair also undergoes drastic color changes as they age.

ELVEN RACIAL TRAITS
â,¬Â¢   +4 Agility, -2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom.
â,¬Â¢   Medium: As Medium creatures, elves have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
â,¬Â¢   Elven base speed is 40 feet.
â,¬Â¢   Low-light Vision x2.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial bonus on Listen, and Spot checks.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial saving throw bonus against Illusion spells or effects.
â,¬Â¢   Feather Weight (Ex): The distance an elf jumps with a jump check is twice the distance determined by the check; the distance of an elf's running long jump is a number of feet equal to twice their check result, and the distance of an elf's high jump is equal to half their check result.
â,¬Â¢   -4 size penalty to Bull Rush, Grapple, Overrun, and Trip checks made to resist these attacks; elves are incredibly light for their size, and thus have a harder time resisting applied force.

MOON ELVES: BLAIRCATH
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MOON ELVES CULTURAL TRAITS
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STAR ELVES: NORTH KRELLSHAH
The original elves faced much persecution in the lands of South Krellshah, encouraging many elves to cross the mountains into the north. The star elves settled in the forests of North Krellshah, where they enjoyed seclusion and freedom. They remained out of sight from the humans and goblins in the region until the humans succeeded in destroying the goblin empire; it was then that the goblins began to encroach upon elven lands, forcing the elves to come out of hiding. Ever since, the Star Elves have considered themselves the stewards of the forests, protecting it and its spirits from harm.
Physical Description: Star Elves are of average elven height, though they tend to weigh a little more due to their more meaty diets. They have woody brown skin that grows lighter and more vibrant from exposure to sunlight (much as a human tans), and their hair is an onyx black which fades  to a dull red, orange, or yellow as they age. Their eyes are almost universally green, though countless shades of green eyes exist (ranging from golden greens to rich blue greens). They wear clothes made from animal skins or stitched fibers (especially wools and silks). Metal is a rare commodity, so copper, silver, gold, and platinum jewelry are highly valued.
Relations: North Krellshah is a relatively peaceful land, with conflicts usually stemming from ethical, economical, and territorial disputes rather than armed violence. Even still, the star elves enjoy their seclusion, participating in very limited trade with the local human nations through human and half-elven traders. The star elves distance themselves from humans due to humans smaller lifespan, and prefer to deal with emissaries rather than the humans themselves. Star elves are distrusting of dwarves, seeing them as users of nature rather than partners of it. When they have to trade with dwarves for metal weapons and armor, they tend to do by using the human nations as middlemen, preferring little contact with dwarves directly. Only the local goblins draw genuine interest from the star elves; they despise the river goblins and are well known for pushing the goblins out of their lands.
Other Races: Due to the general isolation of star elven settlements, their slow aging, and their unique take on child rearing, few non-elves grow up amongst the star elven culture. Any non-elves are generally half-elves (half-human and half-orc elf lines exist in many elven settlements). The occasional human and dwarf can be found living amongst them, but they are rarely a true part of the society. Goblins living amongst the star elves is entirely unheard of, and half elf-goblins are never tolerated. All nomadic star elven settlements are isolated, while permanent settlements are mixed.
Alignment: Like all elves, star elves love their freedom. Their wild, capricious natures are tempered by the overwhelming desire to do what is right and protect the defenseless. Star elves tend towards Chaotic Good alignment.
Society: Star elves live in nomadic communities of an average of 200 elves, generally with 30 to 70 children and adolescents mixed in. These communities are all related by blood, though their exact lineages are unimportant to them. All adults equally contribute in food gathering and defense, while the adolescents are responsible for taking care of the children. Adult elves come together as mates for ten to twenty years at a time, producing one to four children over this time; elf parents don't raise their own children, they instead give their children to the adolescents to raise. These settlements are guided by the community's elders, though truly governing decisions are made by the adults as a whole.
The few permanent settlements, which are built into the trees and consist of many platforms, huts, and bridges, are structured in much the same way, except that these communities tend to be less communal. While everyone does their part to contribute, adults in these settlements stick to their profession. These settlements are not all related by blood, and are truly governed by their elders (who also oversee the adolescents in their raising and care of the children).
Religion: Star elves, as their cultural name suggests, venerate the stars and their constellations, seeing them as the spirits of heroes and heroines and the guardians of the seasons. The ancestral constellations are worshiped out of reverence and honor, in thanks for the deeds they did in their lives, while the seasonal constellations are worshiped in order to maintain the cycle of the seasons, out of contentment during the mildness of spring, in sorrow as autumn descends, in remembrance during the grip of winter, and out of joy at the coming of summer. The heroic constellations are made up of both elven and non-elven heroes and heroines, though the heroic deeds of the non-elven heroes and heroines are quite grand to receive such notice.
Names: Star elves possess three names, though they generally only hold one name at a time. Their first name is the name of their settlement, which is used primarily in inter elf dealings; these settlement names are generally made of two elven words (an adjective and a noun), such as Goldenwood or Starryglen. Their second name is generally considered an affectionate name in adulthood, which is given to elven children by the other children and adolescents. When a star elf reaches adulthood, they choose their third name; favorite names include the names of heroes and heroines, the names of different flowers or trees, or sometimes names borrowed from humans. The choice of ones third name is not ritualistically important, it is generally chosen just because the elf likes it.
Adventurers: Star elves are sometimes seen as the most simplistic of adventurers: they adventure to have adventures. Becoming a hero or heroine is the best way to gain notoriety in star elven culture, so it is a dream many adolescents and young adults dream about. Star elven adventurers tend to be young adults, as older elves become more concerned about continuing to live out their years. Star elven adventurers prefer adventures that defend the weak or those combating tyrannical evil.

STAR ELVES CULTURAL TRAITS
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â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Ranger

SUN ELVES: SOUTH KRELLSHAH
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SUN ELVES CULTURAL TRAITS
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â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Druid

TERRAN: GOBLINS
Created by the Dragon God of Water, Naias-Sorn, goblins live along the waterways of the world. An adaptive and inventive race, goblins were meant to exemplify intelligence. They are innately cautious, a trait which is often seen as cowardly but which goblins claim is merely cunning. Goblins are generally very loyal with friends, and very firm in their hatred of enemies. They expect the same loyalty from their friends and allies, and their loyalty can rarely be regained once lost. Worse still, they rarely surrender in conflicts because they expect no pardon from their enemies. Goblins are naturally stealthy, and their societies reward cunning; these traits guide them to more skill oriented careers.
Personality: Goblins are adaptive and resourceful, constantly changing their mood and attitude to suit the needs of the moment. Generally speaking, they are cowardly if alone, and tend to use any means necessary to further their existence. Being overly suspicious of treachery in all its forms, goblins generally don't show their emotions to strangers; they feel that this will provide them with some protection from their enemies. Goblins are highly loyal in their business dealings and friendships, and extraordinarily vindictive and vengeful against those who break their trust, using any means at their disposal to seek reprisal. Goblins enjoy solving problems, but will rarely share information with non-friends unless they have something to gain from it. Amongst their own clans, loyalty is the norm and treachery against oneâ,¬,,¢s clan is the worst crime.
Physical Description: Goblins are shorter and much thinner than humans, possessing an almost emaciated lengthy build. They have large tear shaped eyes that are entirely pupil, and their ears consist of several holes on the sides of their head with no lobes. Their narrow nostrils can close water tight, as can their ears. Their bodies and heads are entirely hairless, and their features are thin and pointed. Their fingers and toes are thin and webbed up to the first knuckle, and most goblins prefer to not wear gloves or shoes when in temperate climes.
Perhaps a physical manifestation of their resourcefulness, goblin skin color shifts over time to resemble that of their surroundings. By concentrating on this ability, Goblins are able to drastically change their skin color, and even magically change the color of the garments they wear and items they carry.

GOBLIN RACIAL TRAITS
â,¬Â¢   +4 Dexterity, -2 Strength, -2 Charisma
â,¬Â¢   Medium: As Medium creatures, goblins have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size
â,¬Â¢   Goblin base speed is 30 feet; goblin base swim speed is 30 feet. Goblins can move through water at its swim speed without making Swim checks. It has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. A goblin can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.
â,¬Â¢   Low-light Vision x2
â,¬Â¢   Can hold their breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 times their constitution score.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial saving throw bonus against Transmutation spells and effects.
â,¬Â¢   +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.
â,¬Â¢   Chameleon Skin (Ex and Su): As a move equivalent action, a goblin can change the color of their skin and equipment. The shift in skin color is a physical ability, while the ability to change their equipmentâ,¬,,¢s color is a magical affect. This affect grants a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks till the start of their next turn. In order to keep this ability active, a move equivalent action must be spent on it each round.
â,¬Â¢   -4 racial penalty on Endurance checks to resist damage from environmental heat and cold; the higher moisture content in their bodies is easily influenced by the environment.

RIVER GOBLINS: NORTH KRELLSHAH[/size]
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(CULTURE) CULTURAL TRAITS
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SEA GOBLINS: SOUTH KRELLSHAH[/size]
Being the first race to master the seas, the goblin ancestors established trading colonies with the locals of other continents, but these colonies were stranded when the river goblin society fell into ruin. The goblins who had settled in South Krellshah did not want to let their human clients see this as a weakness in their race, so they began to live far at sea to retain the impression that they were voyaging to and from their homeland. These goblins eventually became the sea goblins of today: shrewd traders and ruthless pirates who live almost entirely at sea. From their ocean homes, sea goblins control much, and influence most, of South Krellshah's economics in their attempt to profit from anything they can. Sea Goblins discovered the alchemical processes which allow the creation of black powder weapons and have begun to harness coal and oil for the use in mechanical machines.
Physical Description: Sea goblins are taller than the average goblin, and their skin is generally a bluish green from mimicking the color of the open ocean. Their noses and eyes are smaller than the average goblin's, and their skin possesses a glassy smooth texture. Sea goblins dress warmly to counter the often cold ocean air, preferring garments made from fine furs (especially seal skin or imported wolf pelts). Unlike other goblins, sea goblins typically wear gloves and boots, although the fingers and toes are all individual and webbing is present between them. Goblins generally don't wear jewelry, as it encourages theft and tells too much about ones wealth.
Relations: Sea goblins are profiteers, so they get along reasonably well with anyone they can profit from. The constant warring between human nations in the region make them an especially profitable group, so sea goblins have taken to supplying both sides of conflicts, and at times amplifying those conflicts with subtle manipulations. Orcs are more difficult to deal with, as their pride tends to keep them from using goblin inventions, but they still manage to supply orc war tribes with weapons and food. Sea goblins have an uneasy truce with local elves; the elves are nomadic and are constantly warring with local humans and orcs, and although they refuse goblin "assistance", they've never been a direct threat to their interests (in fact, the elves wars with the humans mean the goblins can sell more weapons to the humans, and thus profit).
Other Races: Few outsiders live within sea goblin boat-towns and ship-cities. Some orcs are hired to do menial and intensive labor, and a fair number of human diplomats live amongst them, but otherwise their settlements are almost strictly goblin. Hobgoblins (human/goblin half-bloods) are more common than pure humans, and they make up a large portion of the sea goblin's diplomat and trader fields. Elves would be tolerated if they cared to live amongst them, but elf/goblin half-bloods would not be.
Alignment: Sea goblins live within a strict hierarchy where wealth determines power, and exploitation is seen as smart business. Sea goblins tend to be Lawful Evil in alignment.
Society: Business is the center of sea goblin life, and money is the mark of status and prestige. Business owners make up sea goblin government councils, an aristocracy of the rich and powerful, who write the rules for the rest of the population, who they see as their "employees". Dissent is quickly crushed, and profiteers are rewarded. Common goblins are expected to find a suitable position in society and keep things moving. Sea goblins prefer to not deal with non-friends intimately, so these dealings remain business like. Even amongst friends, friendships are weighed by the amount of rewards they bring, and romantic relationships are generally a matter of convenience and profit. Children are raised by the parent of the same sex (sons by fathers and daughters by mothers) until puberty, where they take apprenticeships and are subsequently raised by their masters.
While not technically united, the aristocracy of goblin cities deal with the leaders of other cities in loose arrangements, and goblin towns are generally vassals of local cities. Goblin pirates enjoy an independent status, selling their plunder to city rulers. These pirate ships are operated just like any business, with the captain holding utmost authority until someone can out think them and take their position.
Religion: Sea goblins are not a deeply pious people. Though they feel that their creator Naias-Sorn abandoned them, they still honor him since he commands the seas. Goblin religion operates under accepted superstitions rather than true tenants, with seemingly minor actions serving to request blessings from local spirits before tasks are undertaken; most goblins see these rituals as mere traditions. Goblin clergy are valued for their ability to manipulate the weather and protect boat-towns and ship-cities during storms, but they are largely seen as just another profession. Goblin pirates are more religious than most, deeply respecting the air and water spirits that dwell in the seas; goblin pirates deeply value their clerics, and each ship has at least one priest on board.
Names: Goblins are given one name as children. Perhaps reminiscent of the community lifestyle the original goblins lived in, a goblin's parentage is rarely an issue, so family names do not exist. As a goblin ages, they pick up titles that signify great achievements or spectacular failures; these titles serve to reinforce ones place in society. For example, a goblin alchemist who destroyed a boat-town in an accident might be inherit the title "the explosive capsizer", while a wealthy pirate might be known by "the cunning plunderer". If a goblin's fame grows large enough, their titles might  even precede their names, or their name might even be dropped and forgotten in place of their titles.
Adventurers: Goblin pirates are the quntisential sea goblin adventurers. Most other sea goblins have similar qualities: they adventure for fame and profit. Some sea goblins adventure because they don't fit in at home, but this is rare.

SEA GOBLINS CULTURAL TRAITS
â,¬Â¢   +2 Cultural bonus to Appraise and Sense Motive checks; Sea goblins are innately suspicious of value, both the value of an object and the value of another's words.
â,¬Â¢    Sea Legs: +2 Cultural bonus to Balance checks. Additionally, sea goblins can move at full speed while balancing without penalty, and only suffer a -10 penalty to balance checks while running; sea goblins are accustomed to the rolling motion of a ship at sea, and to moving over slick surfaces.
â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Rogue; Sea goblins prefer to use their wits and skill over brawn.

COAST GOBLINS: SERIAN[/size]
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Terran: Halflings

TERRAN: ORCS
Created by Firdella, the Dragon God of Fire, orcs are a brutal and fairly primitive race that inhabits the wastelands of the world. They were originally created to add passion to the world, but the orcs ended up channeling this passion into becoming a warrior race, where every member constantly tries to prove their strength over the others. This caused the majority of orc lines to fall into barbarism, forever keeping them from making a place within civilized society. Orcs view all other races as weak, but they will cow to the strength of a powerful ruler no matter its race.
Personality: Orcs are constantly trying to prove their strength, be this through battle or through how many they have under their command. They tend to act rather than contemplate, and would rather take the most active course of action in any given situation. Towards what they care about they are extraordinarily passionate, but towards things they care nothing about, or things they don't understand, they typically ignore or seek to destroy them. Orcs enjoy simple pleasures, such as feasts, loud music (especially music with drums), and sports that favor the strong (such as wrestling).
Physical Description: Orcs are taller and heavier than humans, standing five and a half to six and a half feet tall, with thick limbs and barrel chests. They possess sloped foreheads and prominent jaws which sport a pair of one to two inch tusks in the place of their lower eyeteeth. Orcs have exposed nostrils and lupine ears. Their hair is thick and either kinky or straight with the texture of boar's hair or eyebrows. Due to their general lack of intelligence, orcish made items are crude at best, but they prefer to wield weapons and wear clothing crafted by orcs.

ORCISH RACIAL TRAITS
â,¬Â¢   +4 Strength, -2 Dexterity, -2 Intelligence
â,¬Â¢   Medium: As Medium creatures, orcs have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
â,¬Â¢   Orcish base speed is 30 feet.
â,¬Â¢   Darkvision 60 feet.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial bonus to Handle Animal and Intimidate checks.
â,¬Â¢   +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease.
â,¬Â¢   Protection from Exposure (Ex): Orcs do not have to make Fortitude saves to resist non-lethal damage when in extreme temperatures between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. They can exist comfortably within this temperature range without protection or cover.
â,¬Â¢   Adrenaline Surge (Ex): If an orc successfully saves vs. a fear affect (including an Intimidate check), they receive a +1 morale bonus on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks for the duration the fear effect would have had.
â,¬Â¢   Light Blindness (Ex): Abrupt exposure to bright light (such as sunlight or the daylight spell) blinds an orc for 1 round. On subsequent rounds, they are dazzled as long as they remain in the affected area.

Serian: BLACK ORCS
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(CULTURE) CULTURAL TRAITS
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â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Channeler

South Krellshah: GRAY ORCS
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(CULTURE) CULTURAL TRAITS
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â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Barbarian

Blaircath: RED ORCS   
The first of the orcs, the red orcs reside within the hot jungles of Blaircath where their society has changed little over the last two thousand years. Cleansed of impurities when warring factions fled or were destroyed, these orcs represent the most devout of the fire dragon's, Firdella's, worshipers. Like the fire they worship, they require a constant enemy to direct their aggression towards, lest it consume itself and burn the race out of existence. By combining their inborn passion and religious fervor, the red orcs have created great monuments and perpetuated terrible destruction, all in the glorification of the undying flame.
Physical Description: Red orcs are of average orcish height, though they generally weigh less. Their skin is a brick to blackish red, and their coarse head and body hair is dull to glossy black, both growing more ashy in color as they age. Their eyes are always a deep shade of red, orange, or yellow (often with mixtures of the three), and their tusks are quite pronounced. Since hot and cold weather rarely bother them, they tend to wear little to no clothing, only wearing garments if they are functional or symbolic; a belt to hold items is functional while a ceremonial robe may be symbolic. Brands and tattoos are common, showing one's parentage, whom one belongs to (if to anyone), and one's station in society; brands are more common to the lower class, while the vibrant black and red tattoos are seen amongst the wealthy. Red orc sorcerers frequently display tattoos, seen as power and status symbols, typically tattooing their face, chest, and other easy to see areas. Because they are painful, possessing tattoos shows one's strength.
Relations: The red orcs war with every other race on the continent of Blaircath, and with most outsiders as well, at one time or another. Only a small transgression is required to set war into motion, as the red orcs prefer to be constantly at war. But, because of the lack of unity within the local human tribes and elf tribes, the orcs aren't at war with the entirety of both races; rather, they settle conflicts with one tribe at a time. The red orcs control the volcanic mountain ranges and badlands, and thus have control of the rich mineral and metal deposits in those lands. They trade this with the other races, who are much more skilled at working the materials. The only race the red orcs constantly war with is the dwarves, who live beneath the mountains; the other races wouldn't admit it, but they need the orcs as a buffer between them and the dwarves.
Other Races: Particularly strong humans and elves live within the red orc culture, and many more are kept as slaves. As long as they worship Firdella and recognize the orcs as superior, they are allowed to live amongst them; this is, in fact, the ultimate goal of the red orcs. Because orcs can breed with humans and elves, there are a fair number of half-breeds too; these half-orcs are treated with more respect than full blooded humans and elves, but not as much as full orcs. No dwarves live amongst the red orcs, as they are mortal enemies.
Alignment: Red orcs are wild and they respect little other than power. They are ruled by anarchy, and political power is held by those strong enough to take it and retain it. Red orcs are Chaotic Evil in alignment.
Society: Life amongst the red orcs is tough. Though the race is unified by their shared religion and culture, they lack a unified government. Various elders (respected for their great charisma), warlords (respected for their power), clerics (respected out of duty), and sorcerers (respected out of awe) vie for control of the nation. Most of these leaders value power for the spoils it can bring them instead of looking out for their people. Their cities are massive walled compounds, built in mountain valleys and badlands (land that the humans and elves find too inhospitable); at the center of every red orc city is a temple to Firdella, and the greatest cities have grand, volcano-shaped pyramids at their center (complete with a fire shaft at the peak for sacrifices).
Daily life is centered around the temple, and all art (be it paintings, dance, or music) is made in glorification of Firdella, the Fire Dragon. The common masses have no political power and are not protected by the law at all; any transgressions between commoners is settled between commoners (honor killing and mob lynching is common, though most conflicts are settled by the transgressor becoming a slave for a period of time). The nobles have a court system set up, where they deal with conflicts between nobles, and use to publicly belittle commoners who commit crimes against the nobles (commoners rarely, if ever, win their cases in these courts). If found guilty, a noble pays a fine (usually an exchange of slaves or spouses), but a commoner is sacrificed. War prisoners are also sacrificed frequently; Red orc sacrifice is performed with fire (those who willingly give themselves to the Fire Dragon throw themselves into a volcano, and unwilling sacrifices suffer a worse fate).
Red orcs have no concept of gender difference or gender dominance. Red orc women gain little weight during pregnancies and are hardly hindered, so no doting care is given to them. The dominant spouse in a red orc relationship could be a man or a woman, and a dominant spouse often has multiple spouses. The dominant spouse is generally the strongest of them. Family lineage only matters to children; once a red orc reaches adulthood, they are an individual.
Religion: Worship of Firdella, the Fire Dragon, is the center of daily life amongst the red orcs. By default, the clergy are the highest caste within red orc society. Paramount amongst their religious customs is the act of giving to Firdella through fire: if a feast is thrown, part of the meal is thrown into a great fire for Firdella; funerals are centered around a pyre where the fallen are given to Firdella, along with their slaves and spouses; when a town or city is conquered, it is lit aflame and given to Firdella.
Other celebrations are centered around fire as well, such as birthdays (especially the day an orc is born, when they are branded), and an orcs coming of age (where a young orc must grip a hot iron till it cools; an orc isn't considered an adult until they have passed this milestone). These celebrations are all centered around a bonfire, the size of which signifies the importance of the event. Wild music (especially drums) and frenzied dance are common at these celebrations. Incense is a sacred plant, and it is burned at all celebrations and observances. Summer is the holiest time of the year, with the peak of their celebrations being the Summer solstice, when Fire reigns over water. Most red orc sorcerers are born during the summer, and even though they don't draw their power from their faith, they are never-the-less a large part in red orcish religion.
Names: Most orcs have two names; the name they were given at birth, and the name of the one who owns them (be it their dominant spouse, or their true owner if they are a slave). Children of the free use their name and the name of their dominant parent, but this name is cast off upon overcoming their adulthood ritual; children of slaves take on their parent's master's name, and they become free when they reach adulthood.
Adventurers: Many red orc adventurers seek glory for Firdella, working in warbands on quests to conquer and subjugated. Others are defenders of the red orc culture, battling the dwarves to keep them out of red orc lands. Of course, like other races, many red orc adventurers are outcasts or wanderers, seeking the wider world of adventure.

(CULTURE) CULTURAL TRAITS
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â,¬Â¢   Favored Class: Sorcerer

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Terran: The Anthros

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Terran: Giants and Dragons

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Avalon Ideas