Metropolis: City of Secrets

[Blackheart]

Introduction

Thurgeon skidded around the corner of the alley glancing over his shoulder feverishly. He couldnâ,¬,,¢t see the beast but he knew it was there, chasing him. Ahead of him he saw an open metal grate. Quickly he made for it and closing the grate behind him made his way down the stairs into bowls of some building.
As he descended the stairs the air around him grew hot and it thrummed with the rhythmic hum of an engine at work. Slowly he made his way into the boiler room, an eerie red glow all around him.
Thurgeon stopped to rest, pulling a kerchief from his jacket pocket to wipe the sweat from his brow.
Had he lost the beast?
He reached into his other jacket pocket and took out the item he had been hired to retrieve. He turned it over in his hand. It looked like a fairly unremarkable cog, no doubt a part of some engine. But wait; there in the heat of the boiler room he could see some sort of strange writing around edge of the cog. He brought it up to his eye trying to get a closer look at it.
â,¬Å"That doesnâ,¬,,¢t belong to you thief.â,¬Â boomed a voice that sounded like it came from all over the boiler room.
It was the beast. It had found him.
What was he going to do? It would never let him go. â,¬Å"Thereâ,¬,,¢s nothing else for itâ,¬Â he thought and reached into his jacket.
He turned around and pulled the pistol from inside his jacket and seeing two red eyes ahead of him in the darkness he fired.
The eyes faded. That was it. He had killed it. Once again he brought the kerchief up to his brow to wipe away the sweat that was pooling there.
â,¬Å"Jeez itâ,¬,,¢s hot down here.â,¬Â He said aloud to himself, and then he heard the voice again this time right behind him, right in his ear.
â,¬Å"That doesnâ,¬,,¢t belong to you, THIEFâ,¬Â


Metropolis: City of Secrets
The Metropolis campaign is set in the world of Aethra, a world on the brink of a technological revolution, a revolution being led by the small island nation of Metropolis. It is a world of steam powered technology and old and secret magics.
But this new technology raises many questions which as yet remain unanswered:

*how will the old and secret practitioners of magic react to this new power, will they embrace it, seek to end it, or use it their own ends
*how will the peoples of the world react to the soot belching steam behemoths which are beginning to make their way into the world
*what will happen if this new technology falls into the wrong hands

Metropolis is an attempt to blend a number of different ideas into the one setting. It has elements of Steampunk style Victorian technology, Lovecraftian horror and 1920â,¬,,¢s pulp adventure whilst still trying to hold true to the D&D sword and sorcery aesthetic.

More to come.

[Blackheart]

Races

Humans
Humans are the dominant race of Aethra. All nations on the continent of Thar are human nations. They run the gamut of professions and alignments.
Technology: Humans are the driving force behind the expansion of technology; they see its potential and want to harness the power it offers.

Dwarves
Aethran Dwarves have traditionally been an isolationist people, rarely interacting with other races. Recently however the Dwarves particular talents have become a sought after commodity. With Steam engines hungering for fuel the dwarves have found themselves sought out as miners and boilermakers.
Technology: The Dwarves have found a place in the technological world, often operating large coal mining complexes. There is often a dwarf in every boiler crew.

Halflings
Halflings in Aethra are a hobbit-like people living in small village communities off the beaten path and they live their lives in a more traditional way which harks back to older less complicated times. They tend to be distrustful of the big folk, although when they establish a relationship with them they uphold that relationship for life.
Technology: Halflings have no love for technology; they canâ,¬,,¢t understand why it is that big people need to get things done so fast anyway.

Orkin (orcs and half-orcs)
The Orkin are the traditional people of Thash. Unlike orcs in the Monster Manual, Orkin are a proud people with a strong and established culture. They are a lawful people steeped in tradition although they tend to value Strength over negotiation. The Orkin of Thash have recently been conquered by Arconis, and now find themselves as second class citizens in the newly established Arco-Thasian Empire.
Technology: Orkin lack the patience and mental capacity to understand the complexities of Steam Powered machines, but they do recognize the potential of such technology.

Boffins (new race)
The Boffins are a displaced people originating from the Underdark and now finding refuge in the lands of Metropolis and Gnimlocke. They are an extremely intelligent race and are responsible for some of the greatest advancements in technology.
Technology: The Boffins love technology in all its forms although left to their own devices the machines they create would likely become overcomplicated if not useful monstrosities.

Wolfen (new race)
Wolfen are to white moon of Luminari what Werewolves are to the black moon of Ashris. They are proud woodland folk who rarely venture out into world at large although that being said Wolfen often make strong bonds with folk of other races and a rare few of them can be found almost anywhere in any capacity.
Technology: In general Wolfen do not like Steam Powered technology, it pollutes the air and uses too many resources. It remains to be seen how they will react as this technology expands.

Elves
The Elves of Aethra left the planet long ago at the end of the last Planar War. A community of them is said to live on the White Moon of Luminari guarding the gates of heaven should the Angels ever return although modern people donâ,¬,,¢t believe in such fairy tales.
Elves are not usually a playable race in Metropolis although they could be allowed with DMâ,¬,,¢s permission

[Blackheart]

New Race: Boffin

Personality
Boffins are an odd bunch; they have a tendency to mutter to themselves whet not actively talking to others. Their minds are often racing away thinking of better ways to do something or other. Athough usaully absent minded when a Boffin decides to focus his mind on a given task the results can be exceptional. They have natural inclination for technology and problem solving. It may seem curious but they also have a natural affinity for bueracracy, although when a Boffin mind is applied to such a problem the result is usually an over complicated system which can rarely be understood by anyone except a Boffin. This is why Boffin hold nearly 80% of the offices in the Metropolitan Delegated Civic Authority.

Physical Description
Boffins are diminutive race ranging from about 3â,¬,,¢ to 4â,¬,,¢ tall and weighing 45 to 50 pounds although they tend to be slightly overweight. Their skin is usually a dusty grey in colour although it can range from almost black to having bluish hues and they do not grow hair on their bodies. Their large eyes are stark white although these are rarely seen as all Boffins wear protective goggles to shield their eyes from the light of the surface world. Boffins prefer to wear black leather and grey cloth garments, although the Boffins of Gnimlocke tend to wear brighter colours.

Relations
Boffins find it hard to get along with others as they are usually too wrapped up in their own musings. They are quite fond of humans whose potential for almost anything they find fascinating. Dwarves tend to be aggravated by the Boffins wandering mind and lack of focus.

Alignment
Boffins tend towards a Lawful and Neutral alignment. They understand that there is an order to all things and find beauty in that order. Few Boffins have Chaotic and Good alignments but these individuals tend to be scoffed at by their fellows. Boffins are rarely if ever evil.

Boffin Lands
Boffins are really only found in two places on Aethra; Metropolis and Gnimlocke which is where they were taken in as refugees after fleeing the Underdark.

Religion
In general Boffins do not gravitate towards religion as they prefer a more scientific explanation of reality.

Boffin Racial Traits

*+2 int -2 chr, Boffins are extremely intelligent although their aloofness and absent mindedness often makes it difficult for them to relate to others.*Small: As a Small creature, a boffin gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.*Boffin base land speed is 20 feet.*Boffin goggles: all boffins wear specially crafted goggles that allow them to endure the sunlight of the suface world, without their goggles they treated as having light sensitivity *Darkvision: Boffins can see in the dark up to 60 feet when not wearing their goggles. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Boffins can function just fine with no light at all. *Master Craftsmen: Boffins are exceptional craftsmen and gain a +2 bonus on any craft skills they may possess *Ordered Mind: Boffins are adept at recalling information and gain a +2 bonus on any knowledge skill checks even if they are using the skill untrained *Clarity of Mind: a Boffin has a strong grip on reality and usually able to tell if things are not truely as they appear. This give the Boffin a +2 racial bonus on saving throws versus illusion and mind affecting spells.  *Automatic Languages: Common and Boffin. Bonus Languages: Undercommon, Draconic, Dwarven, Goblin, and Orc.*Favored Class: Inventor. A multiclass Boffin's Inventor class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

[CYMRO]

Would not a wisdom penalty fit the Boffin absentmindedness better than a charisma penalty?

[Hibou]

This already sounds very cool. I'll be sure to keep track of this setting as it develops :)

[Numinous]

Anything that starts out with fiction works for me!  I'll keep a tab on this one.

[Blackheart]

Cheers for the encouragement, I'll try to keep it coming.

Cymro, I guess I was trying to emphasize the boffin's awkwardness more than it's absentmindedness

[Xathan]

I like this alot. Elves on the moon make me happy - I did the same thing in Datrik, and it seems to fit Metropolis also. The Wolfen sounds cool - I'd love to see racial stats on them.

Also, I would like to see how you stat out steampunk. I'm working on weapons and tech for Sooth, so it'd be nice to see what you come up with.

All in all, this has alot of flavor and potential already. I want more!

[Blackheart]

Cheers Xathan, I'll have to check out Sooth see if you've come up with something I can pinch. Most of the tech I've come with uses rules for new a class called the Inventor (very similar to the Gnome Artificer from MoF). Otherwise the steamtech is big, clunky and vehicle like, and treated much like vehicles.
Oh and the Wolfen is on its way:)

[Blackheart]

New Race: Wolfen

The Wolfen are a race of shapechangers able to assume either a human form or that of a wolf. Sometimes mistaken for Ashrini Lycanthropes they are in fact a planetouched race related to Lupinal Celestials and have strong ties to the Luminari moon where as their cousins the Werewolves a connected to the moon of Ashris. The Wolfen love nature and normally make a home for themselves in the worlds woodlands in small family groups called packs.

Personality
The Wolfen are a noble race and although usually chaotic in nature they are extremely loyal to their family groups and if they give their word to an outsider they are normally loath to break it. In general the Wolfen are a kind albeit solitary race yet when given just cause they can demonstrate extreme viciousness and animal ferocity.  

Physical Description
Wolfen look like a cross between wolves and humans, their upper body is humanoid although covered in fur whilst their heads and hind quarters are that of a wolf. Wolfen stand between 4 â,¬Ë6â,¬Â and 5â,¬,,¢6â,¬Â yet some exceptional males can stand as tall 6â,¬,,¢ and are usually the leaders of their packs. They typically weigh between 95 and 150 pounds and their fur can range from snowy white to grey to black, some even develop a silvery fur which is seen as a great blessing by the Wolfen. Wolfen prefer their natural or animal forms to their human form.

Relations
Wolfen view all races with a certain amount of distrust although once they develop a relationship with a member of another race they can become a steadfast and loyal companion. They make judgments of an individual based on his actions rather than his race or social position.

Alignment
The Wolfenâ,¬,,¢s tendency to live in small family groups away from civilized society makes them normally chaotic in nature and their connections to Luminari means they tend toward good. Wolfen who do not have strong ties to a pack are capable of displaying any alignment.

Wolfen Lands
Where ever there are expanses of dense woodland small packs of Wolfen can be found. They do prefer colder climes and are normally found in the higher latitudes. They have no nations or cities of their own but individuals can be found in small numbers in cities all over Thar usually in their natural form yet some unscrupulous wolfen prefer to pass themselves off as Human.

Religion
Whilst at first glance it may be assumed that the nature loving Wolfen tend towards druidic forms of religion this is not the case. Their strong ties to the white moon of Luminari means that Wolfen are usally followers of the Light and a packs spiritual leader is always a cleric of the Light.

Wolfen Racial Traits

*+2 dex -2 con, Wolfen have lightning quick reflexes
*medium size.
*Wolfen base land speed is 40 feet.
*Low-Light Vision: Wolfen can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
*+2 to listen, spot, and survival; wolfen are natural predatory hunters and have keen senses for hunting
*Scent: Wolfen can take the scent special quality as a feat
*Natural weapon: A Wolfen can make a single bite attack causing 1d6 damage + his strength modifier. He can also bite as a secondary attack at -5 to the attack role dealing 1d6 + 1/2 his strength modifier
*Alternate Form: once per day Wolfen can change forms to that of a wolf of Human. The Wolfen's human form is unique to him and he cannot use this ability to take the form of a specific human. When in wolf form the wolfen has the same colouration as his natural coat. A Wolfen gains an extra use of this ability for every 5 character levels he attains.
*Animal affinity: a Wolfen can communicate with wolves and Dire Wolves and gains a +4 bonus to any charisma based checks against a Wolf of Dire Wolf
*Magic Items: The Wolfens wolf like hind quarters means he is unable use items that use the boot slot, instead he may wear an additional pair of bracers around on his hindlegs
*Automatic Languages: Common and Wolfen. Bonus Languages: Sylvan, Elven, Halfling.*Favored Class: Ranger. A multiclass Wolfens Ranger class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.

[CYMRO]

Cheers for the encouragement, I'll try to keep it coming.

Cymro, I guess I was trying to emphasize the boffin's awkwardness more than it's absentmindedness

Ahh, as in social awkardness.  Okay, makes more sense put that way.  

[Xathan]

Cheers Xathan, I'll have to check out Sooth see if you've come up with something I can pinch. Most of the tech I've come with uses rules for new a class called the Inventor (very similar to the Gnome Artificer from MoF). Otherwise the steamtech is big, clunky and vehicle like, and treated much like vehicles.
Oh and the Wolfen is on its way:)

Nothing worth looking at in Sooth yet - I'll be putting tech up there in the near future, I'll let you know. (I think my next Think Tank is going to be Steamtech, so we could both steal ideas at it.) I like big, clunky steamtech - have you looked at S&S's Dragonmech? The idea of city sized steam powered mecha might not fit into Metropolis, but it is full of technological gadgets to pilliage.

I'll love to see how you handle the Inventor class, as I have been struggling with a decent one for the past few weeks.

[Blackheart]

Classes

A few things are worth noting about the Core Character Classes in Metropolis. First and most important of all, PC Classes are rare, very rare. If a party of PC's walk into an inn only 1 or 2 of the patrons are likely to have levels in a character class, and they are probably going to end up being people of interest.
Secondly Metropolis uses a House Rule that all Characters in Metropolis may choose any two skills at character creation to be designated as permanent class skills. This includes NPC's. This rule serves two purposes, first it makes for more options within the standard classes and represents the fact Metropolis is world of variety, and secondly it means that the comely waitress at the local tavern can pick your pocket even though she is just a commoner.

what follows is a brief description of how the Standard Core Classes fit into a Metropolis Campaign some having variants to better fit the world.

Barbarian
The animal skin wearing, tribal warrior running across the open plains is not likely to be the sort of Barbarian one encounters in Metropolis (although such a character could be found among the Nomads of the Thashian Tundra, or the primitive peoples of Newly Discovered Lands). Rather a Barbarian is probably an uneducated dockworker who spends his nights in the local tavern drinking heavily and getting into fights.
Barbarian Variant: The Brute
The Brute replaces the Barbarians fast movement ability with the Feats Improved Unarmed Strike and Power Attack. Brutes usually live in cities and have no need to run everywhere.

Cleric
If PC classes in Metropolis are rare then "True" Clerics are extremely rare. How such individuals attain their gifts varies from one to another. Some just seem to be able access divine energies as though they were chosen, others might be occultists who have made a dark pact with some demon, while another might have attained a special understanding of the nature of the universe through many years of meditation. The fact is that Metropolis is a world without traditional Gods so the Cleric as a game mechanic works a little differently

Druid
Druids in Metropolis fall into one of three catagories. First there are the spiritual leaders of primitive peoples who may worship an asspect of the Orthra as say a fire spirit. Second are practicioners of the Old Faith, an ancient Pagan religion once practiced all over the continent of Thar and still adhered to in some back water rural communities. Lastly are the Druids who belong to a secret society known as the Watchers who worship the Orthra with a greater understanding of its true nature. The Watchers work behind the scenes in most cities.
[ooc]Druid Varint: Watcher Druid
developing an urban variant of the druid, still needs work (urban druid? an oxymoron)[/ooc]

Fighter
Fighters are extreamly adept combatants. Whilst almost anyone can be trained in the art of combat, the fighter excells in the field. Fighters in Metropolis can more skill points than described in the PHB, 4+int per level. This combined with the Special Skills House Rule means that Fighters in Metropolis have more variation. One might be a stealth specialist using hide & move silently, another might be an agent of one Noble Houses with Use Magic Device and Knowlede Arcana.

more to come