Kaediel [Discussion]

[So-Keher]

Please place all comments and discussion for my new campaign setting here.

Im not exactly sure where I want to go next with the setting so any comments at all would be great and well appreciated. If you need anything about the current state of the setting clarified I'd be glad to detail that for you. Thanks everyone.

[Kindling]

You have a good start here, and I look forward to seeing what it will develop into.

Your creation myth seems pretty straightforward at first glance, but the later proposed idea that there were other creator-gods such as Cyyn, each working on their own plane of existence, puts a whole new spin on it.

I like the way you have managed to set up a world that is almost perfect for adventuring. The isolationist empire, pristine, untouched, safe for millennia, is perfect "home base" from which parties of this new generation of explorers can go out into the wilds - lands which, while directly adjacent to the empire, are probably still greatly mysterious to the folk of Kaedriel.

One question I would like answered, is what are the origins of the non-Aielle peoples? If they are not created by the Trianad, perhaps they evolved from animals? Or maybe they are strangers to this plane, having somehow arrived here from their homeplane, where they were created by one of Cyyn's peers?

[So-Keher]

Your creation myth seems pretty straightforward at first glance, but the later proposed idea that there were other creator-gods such as Cyyn, each working on their own plane of existence, puts a whole new spin on it.

I like the way you have managed to set up a world that is almost perfect for adventuring. The isolationist empire, pristine, untouched, safe for millennia, is perfect "home base" from which parties of this new generation of explorers can go out into the wilds - lands which, while directly adjacent to the empire, are probably still greatly mysterious to the folk of Kaedriel.[/quote]One question I would like answered, is what are the origins of the non-Aielle peoples? If they are not created by the Trianad, perhaps they evolved from animals? Or maybe they are strangers to this plane, having somehow arrived here from their homeplane, where they were created by one of Cyyn's peers?[/quote]

Do you mean like humanoids (humans, dwarves, etc.) or monstrous races like ogres and orcs? I'm not even sure if I will include any other player races. Maybe they will come as an "expansion" when new nations in far off lands are discovered.

Thanks for the quick response!

[Kindling]

Do you mean like humanoids (humans, dwarves, etc.) or monstrous races like ogres and orcs? I'm not even sure if I will include any other player races. Maybe they will come as an "expansion" when new nations in far off lands are discovered.

Really I just meant any other sentient beings besides the Aielle, monstrous or otherwise.

I think restricting the number of playable races to one or two is a good idea for a setting such as this. The mystery of the unknown would be completely shattered should one or more of the PCs be a part of that unknown.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Very mythic feel.  I like that.

I would say the name "Aielle" is a little close to R. Jordan's "Aiel" for my taste, but that's up to you.  I certainly can't read it without getting a mental image of them, which doesn't mesh so well with an elven empire.

So Kaediel doesn't have non-elven races within its borders?

I agree with Kindling, 1-2 PC races is best for mystery.

[So-Keher]

I would say the name "Aielle" is a little close to R. Jordan's "Aiel" for my taste, but that's up to you. I certainly can't read it without getting a mental image of them, which doesn't mesh so well with an elven empire.

So Kaediel doesn't have non-elven races within its borders?

I agree with Kindling, 1-2 PC races is best for mystery. [/quote]

Yes I agree too. How about this: some of the elven blood is slowly being tainted and they become slightly taller, their ears shorten and they are prone to "early" death. Or maybe the elves angered a god and they were afflicted with a disease with those effects. This would develop half-elves and hint toward the human race in the far future.

Also, maybe dwarves could be the creation of the God of the Forge? That would be a bit cliche to D&D though.

[Matt Larkin (author)]

If you want Celtic-inspired, perhaps your other race should be inspired by firbolg or fomorians, or some other race from Irish mythology.

[So-Keher]

n the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the firbolg is a giant. A firbolg is a reclusive giant that prefers to avoid contact with other sentient races. Amongst their own kind, they live in colonies, which are usually found in forests or caverns and watched by guard towers. Although they do farm, they prefer a more hunter-gatherer lifestyle, rather than the brigand/raider lifestyle of many other giants.

A firbolg is usually neutral in alignment. Firbolgs resemble humans, and men sport great, thick beards. Their skin is pink, and their hair, though it comes in many colors, is usually either red or blonde.

Firbolgs primarily worship the goddess Hiatea.

Here is how wikipedia defines firbolg in MM2. Is that what you were thinking of? I like the idea of a reclusive giant in the woods but I will research more of the actual mythology when I have time. Great suggestion.

EDIT: I had more time. It seems the Fir-Bholg were a division of the first three Celtic cultures way back and were overrun by the Gael. Perhaps I could make them sort of a primitive-cave man race with strange druidic tendencies and maybe something like wood runes that they carve into trees and work similar to explosive runes but with many magical effects.

Also the Fomorians could be the demigods themselves or maybe the children of Nuadde and some beast. Or (better) they could be even more reclusive than the Fir-Bholg and only the Fir-Bholg know that they really exist (myth otherwise). They could each guard a magical artifact of great power. There would be three. One with the goat head (weird chimera?), one beautiful one (nymph?) and the one-eyed one-legged and one-armed beast (uhh...).

[Matt Larkin (author)]

I was talking about the original mythology (in which both are sometime interpretted as giants), not anything to with how D&D defines them.

I like the ideas you put forth in the edit.

[So-Keher]

I added the Fomorian race and a physical description for the Aielle.

[So-Keher]

Modified Monster List added!

[Matt Larkin (author)]

Out of curiousity, what's with the monster levels thing?

[So-Keher]

Well here's how my thinking process went. I was staring at my computer wondering how to get the feel I wanted for my setting. And then I started staring at the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion box sitting on top of my 360 and then I thought: woah.

So I went through the monster manual and hand-picked which monsters I would want to appear in my setting. Many of them were superfluous so I dumped them and I chose a lot of fae and mythological creatures, and totally ignored dragons for now.

I feel it gives my setting the right aura. I'm not sure if i will actually present them to the PC's "leveled" but for now it gives a good sense of organization for me.

[amikaligula]

I noticed, right off the bat, the similarity with Jorden's word as well.  Since your Aielle seams to have some relation, at least phonetically, with their creator, Caeyle, perhaps just placing a consonant at the end would be a good remedy.  Personally, while thinking of this, I liked the term "Ailleed" and the adjective that came from it, "Ailleedan".

With your alternate pantheon thing, I could sort of see the possibility of different types of magic as well.  for while it seems that your aielle have some mastery of one type of magic, possibly specific to their Trianad, there could be other types of magic specific to, say, the Fomorians' Trianad.  this could add to the mysterious, mystic quality which you seem to be creating in that even if one of the characters is pretty proficient in the magic of the aielle, they may be afraid to venture beyond their borders or into certain places, like the whispering woods, where there seem to be other forces at work.

P.s.  I think your exclusion of dragons, at least in the winged sense, is a good idea, as the focus on magical giants and such gives ot a more celtic or even avalonion flavor.

[So-Keher]

With your alternate pantheon thing, I could sort of see the possibility of different types of magic as well.  for while it seems that your aielle have some mastery of one type of magic, possibly specific to their Trianad, there could be other types of magic specific to, say, the Fomorians' Trianad.  

1.[/b] Everyone uses divine magic. Arcane magic has not been discovered. Essence, gifted to the elves by Caeyle, is their power source, making sense that they should only be able to cast a certain number of spells per day.  [note=Mana?]This notion could also make room for the use of mana (replacing spells per day with mana points) that increases as you level.[/note] The elves would only be able to cast certain spells chosen from the wizard and cleric spell lists (all treated as divine). The Fomorian would know only of other types of magic.

2. Both arcane and divine magic. Divine casters only choose from a list of domains unique to each race. Arcane casters only choose from a list of schools unique to each race. Mana ("essence") rules could also apply.

P.s.  I think your exclusion of dragons, at least in the winged sense, is a good idea, as the focus on magical giants and such gives ot a more celtic or even avalonion flavor.

thanks! I was worried people would think it was a crazy idea but I think dragons are much too high-fantasy for my setting. I focused yes on giants (spawn of Nuadde?) and fae as well as treants and minotaurs to add that sense of...whatever it is.