Iron Age Celtic Society - as a setting for Pathfinder RPG

[Gamer Printshop]

Working on my other world/setting plans: Iron Age Celts for Pathfinder RPG..

Set in a comparative timeline to Europe in the 5th century BC - a pre-Roman Celtic World, the Age of Heroes, with a Mycenean culture of civilized city-states on the far southern fringe of the Celtic expanse. Dozens of tribes (perhaps more), each led by its own High King, where each of the major clans within each tribe as petty Kings in their own right.

A typical great Celtic Clan is headed by one or two kings, who can be male or female. The hereditary royal bloodline flows through the female line, however the husband often (not always) becomes king. Therefore kingship follows the ancient rules of Tannistry. Instead of father to son, the next king in succession goes to the best choice among the extended family including brothers, cousins, nephews, uncles, sons, grandsons, etc. There is no guarantee of becoming clan king, just because your father is king.

Druids are a caste of scientists, historians, law givers, divine and arcane casters - the educated caste of Celtic society. Comprised of the PF classes: Bard, Myrddin, Oracle, Sorcerer, and Witch. You'll notice that Druid is conspicuously missing. The D&D 3e/Pathfinder Druid is more a shifter, and less an ideal Celtic Druid. Thus Druid is a Trait, which in Pathfinder is a kind of "half-feat". The Druid Trait grants protections to these druidic classes from attacks by   all members of Celtic society - it is against Celtic law to attack or slay a druid, even during clan feuds. The Druid Traits also grants an extensive training period of memorization of Celtic science, law, and history.

Celts share common laws considered "international laws" by their standards including Hospitality Law, Ambassador non-combatants Law, the protections to Celtic Druid caste, etc.

Although Celts can certainly learn the written languages of "Greek" city-states, as a society Celtic religious law prohibits written records for any Celtic rituals, thus as a society, Celts are illiterate. All clan knowledge is learned through rote memorization, though use of a limited symbolic Celtic Knotwork language. Ogham won't be invented for 800 years. This means there are no spellbooks or scrolls for the setting's wizard, known as Myrddin.

Myrddin dwell apart from clan society, living in the wilderness under an older and more experienced Myrddin mentor, though they still serve as allies and advisors to the clan their were born. Myrddin use tattoos on their bodies, placed by their mentors,as a means to contain "known" spells, which must be meditated at the start of each day to activate their spells.

Myrddin can place tattoos onto other members of clan society (the other classes) to act as alternate armor, enchantments, and wondrous items.

Scrolls on the other hand are contained in knots of rope that also contain beast/fey hair or hide, bronze, silver or gold wire interlaced in hemp rope as material components. Untying the knot releases the spell.

Also absent from the setting are Fighters, Clerics and Paladins from the Celts, though the "Mycenean" civilization has those classes available.

The primary martial class for each clan is the Clan Warrior, which combines some aspects of fighter, barbarian, special shield training, combat maneuvers, and unique combat tactics. Clan Warriors are restricted to mediaum armor and any shield. Although chain shirts, ring mail, bronze scale, and leather armor is available, these are rare and usually worn only by clan leaders and champions. The majority of Clan warrior where only helms and shields for armor protection.

Shield Training allows all shields, including Tower Shield (as Roman Scutum, a tower shield, is a borrowed armor from the Celts, as is the Testudo or Tortoise shield formation) to increase by +1 in AC and +1 bonus Shield Bashing damage, starting at 3rd level and every four levels above that, to a maximum of +5 AC/damage at 19th level. Due to the lack most other armors, Clan Warriors rely on arcane bound, Myrrdin placed tattoos for other AC protections.

Since slings are such poor weapons in Pathfinder, though slings were a major Celtic missle weapon used in combat, I've created the War Sling, a bone-breaking weapon that allows wielders to shoot fist sized stones that can shatter skulls even through a helmet - 1d6 damage and 19-20 critical hit range, but still only effective within a 30 foot radius, as per PF rules.

Since most of the Roman weapons are actually borrowed military technology from the Celts, many of typical Roman weapons are available to Clan Warriors and other classes, though each clan maintains a primary choice weapon. These include: gladius short stabbing sword, pilum javelin, lance, as well as other Celtic weapons as: falcata sword, gae bolg barbed spear, battle axes and dirks.

Clan Warriors also gain half progression Rage Powers, so up to five Rage Powers by 20th level, as Cu Chulain of Irish Ulster Cycle was known to go "ape shit" in battle.

The Fey Realm is a very real nearby plane of existence accessed through portals found at "in between" locations as shorelines, river crossings, in lakes, edges of forests, between two long stones, or beneath to intertwined trees as a natural arch, between terrain shifts as into a swamp from the forest or hills. Also fairy ring mushroom circles and entering knowes - mounds.

I'm currently building the Fey bestiary, Seelie and Unseelie Courts, Trooping and Solitary fey, as well as the Celtic Religion.

Regarding religion, though it will heavily really on the Irish Tuatha de Danaan (as that one has the most records), I am borrowing many of the non Irish Celtic gods from Brythonic and Gallic sources.

Thoughts?

GP

[Ghostman]

Druids are a caste of scientists, historians, law givers, divine and arcane casters - the educated caste of Celtic society.

Could add judge to the list, or do you consider it implied by the law giver?

Scrolls on the other hand are contained in knots of rope that also contain beast/fey hair or hide, bronze, silver or gold wire interlaced in hemp rope as material components. Untying the knot releases the spell.

That's an awesome idea :)

Also absent from the setting are Fighters, Clerics and Paladins from the Celts, though the "Mycenean" civilization has those classes available.

"Mycenaean" paladin? :huh: That's like mixing ketchup and rice...

Since slings are such poor weapons in Pathfinder, though slings were a major Celtic missle weapon used in combat, I've created the War Sling, a bone-breaking weapon that allows wielders to shoot fist sized stones that can shatter skulls even through a helmet - 1d6 damage and 19-20 critical hit range, but still only effective within a 30 foot radius, as per PF rules.

Why not re-write the sling stats entirely, rather than introduce a different version? If anything, slings should not be an easy weapon to learn anyway (don't know how they are in Pathfinder, going by d20 here), especially compared to bows.

each clan maintains a primary choice weapon. These include: gladius short stabbing sword, pilum javelin, lance, as well as other Celtic weapons as: falcata sword, gae bolg barbed spear, battle axes and dirks

The falcata was mostly used on the Iberian peninsula, and may have been based on kopis. Do you plan to include more iberic / celtiberian influences? Could be a good way to differentiate the clans, give them some cultural distinction while keeping them within a general "celtic" framework.

Thoughts?

Seems like a good start for a world. Just give those clans some distinguishing traits - maybe some scottish highland types, even if anachronistic. And add a few more foreigners to the fringes for variety (maybe some germanic and etruscan type people?) Not that you'd *have* to stick to historical/geographical analogues...

[Gamer Printshop]

Could add judge to the list, or do you consider it implied by the law giver?

That's what I was trying to imply.

"Mycenaean" paladin? :huh: That's like mixing ketchup and rice...

Well really Paladins don't belong in the setting at all, and the PCs will primarily play Celts not Mycenaeans anyway.

Why not re-write the sling stats entirely, rather than introduce a different version? If anything, slings should not be an easy weapon to learn anyway (don't know how they are in Pathfinder, going by d20 here), especially compared to bows.

Certainly doable, I just didn't want to completely change the PF stats for sling, allowing this analog Celtic World still able to fit into existing PF settings - but worth some more thought.

The falcata was mostly used on the Iberian peninsula, and may have been based on kopis. Do you plan to include more iberic / celtiberian influences? Could be a good way to differentiate the clans, give them some cultural distinction while keeping them within a general "celtic" framework.

Which is what I meant that each clan will have its primary weapon of choice. Celts used many weapons and not all should be available to every clan. Falcata is one such weapon, as is a gladius, a long sword, a great sword, etc.

Seems like a good start for a world. Just give those clans some distinguishing traits - maybe some scottish highland types, even if anachronistic. And add a few more foreigners to the fringes for variety (maybe some germanic and etruscan type people?) Not that you'd *have* to stick to historical/geographical analogues...

Yes an Etruscan Kingdom is another possibility. The Germans at this time however are pretty much Celt as well. Since the Celtic World of Earth is started from the Halstatt Culture which is Germany/Austria/Switzerland (areas along the Rhine Valley), Celts were in the British Isles to the Iberian Peninsula, the Baltic to the Mediterranean (Po Valley/Venice), east to Gallacia in Turkey, in Bulgaria and even to the Indus Valley. My Fantasy Celtic World will not be Europe or Asia, but will be expansive.

GP

PS: when I was a kid, I often put ketchup in rice! :P

[Gamer Printshop]

I'm also including a Charioteer Prestige Class for Clan Warriors with Chariot driving instead of mounted skills, throwing javelins and sling stones while moving, and special feats like leaping ditches and creeks while driving a chariot.

The PF Barbarian class will be the naked warriors known as Gestatae, who will have body tattoos, shield and weapon of choice as only martial tools beyond their full Rage Powers.

PF Rangers and Rogues will serve as clan member martial classes that join the clan at war, but are not members of the Clan Warrior fighting bands.

Adventuring Celts will include raiding, especially cattle raids (as Celts are primarily a herding culture at this time, with limited agriculture reliance). Clan feuds, ambassadoring exchanges with other and more powerful clans, encounters with the civilized Mycenaean and Etruscan peoples, extensive interaction with Fey beings, monster slaying (ogres, trolls, giants, linnorn - a type of PF dragon, very Celtic, some undead - mostly in the form of ghosts. Evil Sorcerers, Myrrdin or Witches. The Winter Hag (Caillech Bheur) a pre-Celtic goddess worshipped by the Unseelie Court, ogres, trolls, giants and lycanthropes.

Also working on my theory as to why the peoples of Europe seemed to migrate so much in ancient times. Ever heard of Icelandic volcanic eruptions, that spew ash into the air and affect agriculture, grazing lands and force entire peoples to relocate to more hospitable regions? I think that may have much to do with migrations of ancient times as well as the rise of the Age of Vikings a millenia and a half later. My setting will include offshore western volcanic islands that threaten my Celtic World periodically forcing similar migrations - which will be a part of the Winter Hag campaign - the first I plan to develop for the setting.

GP

GP

[Ghostman]

Adventuring Celts will include raiding, especially cattle raids (as Celts are primarily a herding culture at this time, with limited agriculture reliance).

Building on this, perhaps some of the more pastoral tribes even measure wealth in terms of cattle, rejecting the coins minted by more settled tribes?

Also working on my theory as to why the peoples of Europe seemed to migrate so much in ancient times. Ever heard of Icelandic volcanic eruptions, that spew ash into the air and affect agriculture, grazing lands and force entire peoples to relocate to more hospitable regions? I think that may have much to do with migrations of ancient times as well as the rise of the Age of Vikings a millenia and a half later. My setting will include offshore western volcanic islands that threaten my Celtic World periodically forcing similar migrations - which will be a part of the Winter Hag campaign - the first I plan to develop for the setting.

The most interesting thing about migrations is that they can cause domino-effects, where a relatively strong tribe is moving on the turf of smaller tribes, forcing them out of their homes and to migrate into the lands of yet other tribes. In this manner a single tribe losing it's lands might set off a dangerous chain reaction that could totally upset the balance of power at large - a good reason why rival clans might agree to cooperate in stopping whatever is causing the trouble in the first place. You could use this to justify a party of champions from tribes that would normally be wont to fight each other over past grudges, working together.

[Gamer Printshop]

Cattle are very much the core of the Celtic wealth system, and cattle raids figure prominently in Celtic history and legend. In fact the Celtic holidays are mostly based on important herding events. Lughansey (sp?) is held in August and is the Celtic harvest festival - the only agricultural holiday. Imbolc in February is the time the ewes begin lactating, thus time for calves, lambs and piglets to be born. Beltane fest is a purification of fire in May, where cattle are sent running over a line of fire before sent out to graze the summer pastures. Samhain in October is when the herds return from the summer grazing to return to winter fodder near the homesteads. So most of their holidays pertain to their animals. There are no holidays based on solar events like solstices and equanoxes, the Celts were a lunar based calendrical people.

Away from world building, here's a look at my Celtic Clan Warrior, the primary martial class of the setting...

Celtic Clan Warrior:
Hit Dice d10
Full BAB
Fighter Saves
Skill Ranks per level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Craft, Handle Animals, Intimidate, Knowledge: Nature, Perception, Ride, Survival, Swim.
All simple and martial weapons, plus one exotic clan weapon of choice
Restricted to medium armor (no breastplate) and any shield, including tower shields.

1st level: Clan Warrior Feat, Skill Focus: Intimidation
2nd level: Rage Power
3rd level: Shield Training 1
4th level: Favored Enemy (Celtic Clan)
5th level: Clan Warrior Feat
6th level: Rage Power
7th level: Shield Training 2
8th level: Favored Enemy (as per Ranger List)
9th level: Clan Warrior Feat
10th level: Rage Power
11th level: Shield Training 3
12th level: Favored Enemy (as per Ranger List)
13th level: Clan Warrior Feat
14th level: Rage Power
15th level: Shield Training 4
16th level: Favored Enemy (as per Ranger List)
17th level: Clan Warrior Feat
18th level: Rage Power
19th level: Shield Training 5
20th level: Shield Master, Favored Enemy (as per Ranger List)

Clan Warrior Feats: currently building a list of 12 to 15 feats, some as prerequesite chains, so far: Deflect Arrows, Del Chliss (2H str bonus with spear), Spear Catching, Improved Salmon Leap (Salmon Leap Combat Maneuver*), Spear Kick, Flying Charge, War Sling Focus, War Sling Master.

Rage Powers: as per Barbarian class feature, at half progression, no mighty rage ability.

Shield Training: because Celtic Clan Warriors are restricted to medium armor and shields, shields become of greater importance as well as the most common type of armor available, as expensive bronze scale, ring and chain mail are reserved for clan leaders and champions. Gain +1 deflection bonus to AC, reduce armor check penalty by 1 (shield only), and increases the maximum dexterity bonus by 1 (shield only).

Favored Enemy: using this as per Ranger class feature, as raiders and heroes, Clan Warrior uses the Ranger Favored Enemies Table. The first selection of Favored Enemy must be a specific enemy Celtic Clan, as a requirement for the setting, applying especially to raids, only one clan can be chosen.

Shield Master: as a 20th level capstone power, shield masters use their shields as if they are one size category smaller, and half the check penalty unless otherwise stated. Thus tower shields, for example, are considered medium shields by its wielder.

*Salmon Leap is a new combat maneuver that can be performed by Celtic Clan Warror. Against a flat-footed opponent make a verticle jump allowing warrior to make a single attack as a standard action, bypassing opponents shield AC bonus, but incurs an Attack of Opportunity. (Improved Salmon Leap clan warrior feat negates this incurred Attack of Opportunity.)

Del Chliss feat is the same as using a 2-handed weapon gaining half your strength bonus added to damage, but applies to any Celtic Spear.

Spear Kick feat, by placing your spear on the ground, you can kick your spear at your enemy for double strength bonus to damage, but confers a -2 attack, and you are considered flat-footed due to odd body position required for kick maneuver.

Improved Spear Kick feat, lessens penalty to -1 attack, and lose half your dex bonus, but are not considered flat-footed.

War Sling Focus: add 10 foot effective range for sling missle combat and +1 hit.

War Sling Master: critical hits with sling stones are automatically confirmed, and gain a +1d6 damage.

Flying Charge:something like Pounce, still developing.

I want to create a few more Clan Warrior Feats for more options.

Clan Warrior Weapons: free bonus exotic martial weapon applies to one from the following (growing) list available: falcata (falchion stats), gladius, lance, pilum javelin, gae bolg barbed spear, long spear, dirk, war sling.

Thoughts?

GP

[Drizztrocks]

Very interesting setting. I love the approach to magic, the tatoos and rope tying are such cool ideas, not to mention how original they are.
 What exactly is Pathfinder? Sorry i've heard it before but really am clueless as to what kind of system it is.

[Gamer Printshop]

Pathfinder RPG is Paizo Publishing's extension of D&D 3.5 - they had adventure publications in FLGS stores, but when WotC pulled the 3.5 books out of the distribution channels, then followed with a horrible license for 3pp to work under, many third party publishers were unwilling to work under the license, but without a system sitting on the bookshelves, Paizo could not get their adventuring material to those stores. Rather than joining D&D 4e, Paizo decided to update the 3.5 rulesystem, make some tweaks and fixes and release it as an new game system that is backwards compatible with 3.5 while still being a new game.

Basically Pathfinder has been called D&D 3.75 - as its improved over 3.5, but not the different game that 4.0 is. Also the new license from WotC has too much control of 3pp products, and the old OGL license is built on Open Design, which is the preference for D&D 3pp developers.

I'm not a fan of D&D 4e and I have great experience with 3.5, so in trying to be a 3pp myself, rather than invent a new game, by developing for Pathfinder there is a ready audience, and it still falls under as a new system, so all the various new ideas and old ideas can be made new again being published for that system.

That's why I'm doing it.

GP

[Gamer Printshop]

My Biggest Challenge on this setting - Fey.

In 8th grade, I purchased Katherine Briggs, An Encyclopedia of Fairies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Bogie and Other Supernatural Creatures - it basically an encyclopedia of all the mostly Celtic monstrous denizens throughout the British Isles. (I was always more into monsters as a kid than super heroes...) Note: the entire D&D Fiend Folio 1st edition, is almost entirely from this book. And I owned and studied this, before I even started playing D&D at 17.

Since the other setting, I'm developing a Japan analog, because of my mother, who is Japanese, on my father's side, I'm mostly Irish and Scottish, with a wee bit of German (Pennsylvania Dutch). So Celtic lore was always a part of me, as much as Japanese lore. Hence the two settings I work. OK, enough of the background stuff.

Fey, fae, fay, fairy, faerie, or its presumed origin, fay-eerie, regarding the Fates, the Fey have several possible origins (all concepts fitting into the setting idea.) Barely remembered gods of previous inhabitants existing in local lore, ghosts or spirits of individuals from long ago, or fallen angels. As memory of their ancient truths are lost the beings remembered become smaller and smaller, until they reach the enlightened (wacky) Victorian Era when Spiritualism, a rise in what now call New Age (crap) was born, and has largely influenced what we think of as things pertain to Fairies and Druids - much of it quite false.

Most fey beings were originally human sized or larger in the oldest tales, by the time of the Elizabethan era and Shakespeare they were the size of human children, finally at the Victorian Era you can hold one in your hand. While I will be including some child sized and tiny sized fey members, the Fey I want to convey in this setting bears more resemblance to the older tales - my sick need for historical accuracy, and the darker nature of older tales...

Many of the known Athurian Tales by Malory and later authors are actually iconic Celtic tales, many of which have origins far older than the time of Arthur. The Green Knight's Tale is one such ancient Celtic story retold. An ogre sized Green Knight enters the king's hall demanding to set a challenge between himself and the master of the hall. The king's champion intercedes saying his master is too valuable to risk such folly, but he will take the challenge instead. The Green Knight states take my great axe and take three swings at me, and I will not resist, if you do not slay me, I shall return in a year and a day to do the same to you. Do you accept?

The champion accepts and takes a clumsy swing at the giant - the axe is oversized and heavy. A second swing cuts open the Green Knight's armor, damaging, but not mortal. Finally he sets a swing right and takes the giant's head clean off, which rolls towards the banquet hall. As the champion casts down the heavy axe, the giant walks over and picks up his head, and the head says, "then I'll see you in a year and a day." retrieving his axe and walks out of the hall.

I want more of this kind of fairy tale, then a pixie land Tinkerbell scene.

I see the Fey Realm, as an parallel universe, a timeless place trapped in everlasting twilight, much of the Fey Realm is evasive and effemeral - illusion and glamour. Islands of solidity in the form of strongholds for the various fey lords that rule the tiny places, and the fey host both neutral and evil (none truly good) serving the various lords, though all is ruled by the Fey goddess, Danu the Earth Mother, the Queen of the Celtic pantheon.

Danu presides over a pantheon of Irish, Brythonic and Gallic gods, each responsible for a different aspect of reality, some sharing duties, reflecting the traditions of all things Celt. She presides this court in the Fey Realm, though set apart from the rest of the fey. These gods maintain "manors" away from the royal court as solid areas within the greater fey entropy.

The Caillech Bheur (kalyek var) or Winter Hag is said to be Danu's sister, actually a pre-Celtic goddess of winter, horned beasts, and storms from the northern seas. The Winter Hag is going to be Queen of the Unseelie Host, which include all malevolent Fey, goblinoids, ogres, trolls, and giants, including the Fir Bolg and Fomorians. Though her host is scattered across the Fey Realm and in the wilderness reaches of the Celtic World.

As best can be described most of the regions of the Fey Realms can best be described as entropy that can instantly manifest itself as some natural terrain that generally matches the Celtic World plane of existence, it can also manifest any other kind of terrain desired by some fey or divine being altered as needed at the moment. There are roads that traverse this entropy allowing safe passage between the courts and islands of control by various deities and powerful fey, and then back out to Celtic World once again. Venturing off the path for more than a few rounds can mean being trapped for eternity, appearing as if stepping into a dimension door upon leaving the path... and of course the paths lie as well... Crossing the Fey Realms is always dangerous business. Knowledge: Fey (Int) is a required skill to use for those leading groups through this land of dreams.

Trees and Fey hate men, they are both jealous and vengeful of the Celtic World. At the same time Fey are as awed and misunderstanding of humans, as humans are to them. This is the mentality of the fey beings in general, though there are individuals everywhere with their own alien agendas. These are the denizens that comprise what is Fey.

One of the most dangerous aspects of traveling through the Celtic World is that portals between Here and There exist everywhere, mostly found at locations of "in between", that obvious gates and borders: creek/river crossings, bridges, pools, ponds and lakes, edges of the forest, between two arched trees with branches entwined overhead, between to lithic stones. If one does not have the Knowledge: Fey skill after succeeding on a Perception check, a party can be walking in their world at one moment and enter the Fey Realm the next.

Just think of all your brownies, pixies, bogeymen, amid blood drinking, memory draining, giantish monsters, and give them all a darker personality. This is the olde world Fey I want to add to my setting.

Thoughts?

GP

[Gamer Printshop]

I'm thinking of adopting my Kaidan Japan analog ideas on Clan Honor and Ancestral Relics into this Celtic setting. Some of the scholarly references describing Samurai honor sometimes compare it to Celtic clan honor - this thought intrigues me, into working those mechanics into the setting.

Clan Honor consists of 5 Ranks from 0 to 4, each with 5 degrees within each rank, above the base rank. Honor degrees are earned with honorable acts and deeds performed usually more than a single encounter to acquire and no more than a single Rank achieved per one or two levels. Honor is cosmic, and not reputation which is based on perception. Rank 0 = Honorless Dog, Rank 1 = Dishonorable, Rank 2 = As Expected, Rank 3 = Honorable, Rank 4 = Above Reproach.

Modifiers are based on ranks, not degrees. Honor is usually used as a tool for diplomacy.

Ancestral Relics are powerful arcane devices with clan history and multi-generational use. These devices "power up" with the wielder/user, becoming powerful items with names like Excaliber that are linked directly to its wielder. I want to grant each starting player a single Ancestral Relic that can be a weapon of choice, shield, armor, or other item, such as a cauldron, staff, or other wondrous item. It begins as a masterwork item, once the PC reaches 3rd level, and upon enacting a triggering event, the item provides an enchantment bonus or grants a spell-like ability. Killing an enemy clansman single-handly at 3rd level the warrior's weapon gains a +1 enchantment bonus...

Since an individual's honor is reflected in his Clan Ancestral Item, dishonor brings shame to the individual, his clan, and his ancestors. Thus having low ranks in Honor grant no special abilities. A minimum Honor Rank of 2, As Expected, is required for of an Ancestral Items powers.

Items with +3 enchantments or 3 powers or less can be used someone with Rank 2 Honor.
Items with +4 to 5 or up to 5 powers or less can be used by someone with Rank 3 Honor.
Greater items of power require rank 4 Honor.

I think adding these mechanic elements will bring more color to the overall setting.

GP

[Gamer Printshop]

On second thought I'm pulling the Honor Mechanic and replacing it with a Reputation/Glory mechanic which may in turn grant ancestral weapon powers - though that's an odd thought. Perhaps Ancestral Weapon doesn't belong either - more thoughts needed.

GP

[Kindling]

Have you come across Avalanche Press's d20 Celtic Age and The Little People? Seems they've done what you're aiming for, or at least something very similar, albeit with 3.x rather than Pathfinder. Could be worth a look, I've been thinking about getting a copy for a few years now, but have never had the money spare with nothing more pressing to buy. From reviews this seems a very factual-historical take on a Celtic game, for something more wildly fantasised maybe you could look at Mongoose's Slaine RPG (or just the excellent comics that inspired it), which, if I recall, was originally a 3.x product but is now sold as a RuneQuest setting...

[Gamer Printshop]

Kindling, no I hadn't heard of Avalanche Press D20 Celtic setting, so I will have to check on that. For reference material now, I have Bastion Press Fairies, D&D 2e Celtic Sourcebook. I just ordered Maureen Duffy's The Erotic Book of Fairy, and I have Katherine Briggs Encyclopedia of Fairies, as well as several historical Celtic references, including The Celts - a History by Peter Berresford Ellis. A couple of great online Celtic sites especially for the pantheon of Gaelic, Brythonic, Gallic and Celtiberian gods, list of Celtic tribal names, Celtic weapons and several others.

Of the Fey beings will be including, though I may need twice as many: Boobrie, Brownie, Baobhan Sidhe, Iianon Sidhe, Apple Tree Man, Oak Men, Bauchan, Brag, Buggane, Cait Sidhe, Cu Sidhe, Changelings, Spriggans, Co Walkers, Red Cap, Roane, Swan May, Each Uisge, Yarthkins (Yalley Brown), Pooka, Water Horse, Brollochan, Nuckelavee. Plus I want to include at least two Celtic giant types: Fir Bolg and Fomorians - so this is at least 25 beasties, though I will be including some dire beasts and plieostecene throwbacks including Aurochs, Irish Deer, Mastodon, Elothere, perhaps the Spotted Lion and a short-faced Bear.

So moving right along.

GP

[Gamer Printshop]

I also want to create a section of the setting describing... The Signs. The Celtic peoples were very superstitious and the known "old wive's tales" are very Celtic unto themselves. Although many of the Signs are also described in the Bible, I want to make it a more Celtic flavor, than Judeo-Christian.

The Signs infer to animal sitings of specific types, specific locations, times of day, or special circumstance to aid in various omens, time for planting, conditions of weather, the presence of blight or disease, premonitions of death, birth, a great change coming, etc. The Signs are natural signals that fortell of near future events. This also applies to astronomic anamolies, the viewing of meteor/falling stars, comets, rings around the sun, double and triple rainbows, etc.

I will be rummaging through old superstitions and trying to mechanically utilize such signs and portents in game.

GP

[LD]

Re: Your fey, possible other inspirations

1. Have you read Grimm's Fairy Tales
2. Have you read Gogol's Village Evenings Near Dianka (Not necessarily fey, but it'll set you on a good path)
3. Have you read the Red and Green fairy books by Andrew Lang... he wrote about many cultures types of faeries.