Shades of Green
First Post
This is exactly what I had in mind 
Setting Idea: Wounded Gaia
- Thread starter Shades of Green
- Start date
Shades of Green
First Post
I've been thinking about the Dark Elves of this setting.
All elves in this setting are feline humanoids (see painting in an earlier post) with affinity to stealth and hunting.
Wood Elves are Chaotic, forest-dwelling beings who live in loose and anarchic tree-top communities and worship a wide multitude of nature-spirits; they rarely practice any magic other than Shamanism. Dark Elves are Lawful, civilized people who live in well-ordered underground cities, keep slaves, worship a few Lawful spirits and are very avid Magic-Users; in fact, each dark elf city is ruled by a Council of Mages. These two Elven cultures seem antithetical to each other, but do share some traits, such as individualism (represented in the dark elven culture by an individual pursuit of arcane knowledge and power) and a fondness of games, tricks and stalking prey.
The Dark Elves of this world are not evil per se; neither are Wood Elves good per se. In any case, individual attitudes and opinions vary, though most ordinary elves are Chaotic and most dark elves are Lawful. They do employ slaves, but most of them are not sadists. Some Dark Elves are Necromancers, but many are not. In this setting I use a three-pronged alignment system (Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic), but if I were to use a nine-alignment system I'd call Wood Elves Chaotic Neutral and dark elves Lawful Neutral.
Dark Elves dwell in massive underground cities, mine mithril and silver and use fungal fibers and spider-silk for their clothes. They share the underground world with Dwarves, but while Dwarves rely heavily on clockwork, steam and steel, dark Elves rely on sorcery and on armies of slaves. During the Age of Blossom, they began using massive amounts of golems and summoned elementals to do their work, and some of their cities even did away with slavery due to the advantages of these arcane servants over mortal slaves.
All elves in this setting are feline humanoids (see painting in an earlier post) with affinity to stealth and hunting.
Wood Elves are Chaotic, forest-dwelling beings who live in loose and anarchic tree-top communities and worship a wide multitude of nature-spirits; they rarely practice any magic other than Shamanism. Dark Elves are Lawful, civilized people who live in well-ordered underground cities, keep slaves, worship a few Lawful spirits and are very avid Magic-Users; in fact, each dark elf city is ruled by a Council of Mages. These two Elven cultures seem antithetical to each other, but do share some traits, such as individualism (represented in the dark elven culture by an individual pursuit of arcane knowledge and power) and a fondness of games, tricks and stalking prey.
The Dark Elves of this world are not evil per se; neither are Wood Elves good per se. In any case, individual attitudes and opinions vary, though most ordinary elves are Chaotic and most dark elves are Lawful. They do employ slaves, but most of them are not sadists. Some Dark Elves are Necromancers, but many are not. In this setting I use a three-pronged alignment system (Lawful, Neutral and Chaotic), but if I were to use a nine-alignment system I'd call Wood Elves Chaotic Neutral and dark elves Lawful Neutral.
Dark Elves dwell in massive underground cities, mine mithril and silver and use fungal fibers and spider-silk for their clothes. They share the underground world with Dwarves, but while Dwarves rely heavily on clockwork, steam and steel, dark Elves rely on sorcery and on armies of slaves. During the Age of Blossom, they began using massive amounts of golems and summoned elementals to do their work, and some of their cities even did away with slavery due to the advantages of these arcane servants over mortal slaves.
Angellis_ater
First Post
If anything, I would have the Kingdom be an almost mythical place, far away. It is only "felt" in the form of its order of Knights who hunt down fleeing criminals or do strange missions for their King. These Knights can sometimes exchange their might for servitude, taking young boys and girls back with them to the Kingdom.
However, none have returned from it, or if they have, they all wear the black helmets of the Royal Knights, their feelings towards their families and kinsmen long since replaced by an unflinching loyality towards their new King. Use the Kingdom, but make it a myth to the area.
However, none have returned from it, or if they have, they all wear the black helmets of the Royal Knights, their feelings towards their families and kinsmen long since replaced by an unflinching loyality towards their new King. Use the Kingdom, but make it a myth to the area.
Shades of Green
First Post
Following a suggestion I got from one of the posters on Dragonsfoot, I think I'll make the kingdom collapsed by the beginning of the game, a part of recent history. This will give me yet another layer of ruins and history to play around with in this sandbox...
GandalfMithrandir
First Post
the kingdom could be felt now, almost more than before it collapsed. All the refugees have to go somewhere, so the ones the dwarves wouldn't take in are forced to go to the surface world. Giving you some random encounters or a side quest.
Shades of Green
First Post
Exactly.
Also, just think of all the forts, armories, treasuries of the recently-collapsed kingdom... Not only would they provide us with dungeons in a relatively new state of repair, but the gold and weapons will probably be either in circulation or waiting to be recovered (or in the pockets of the goblins/orcs who looted the forts).
Last edited:
Shades of Green
First Post
I've decided on having the Kingdom of Zagadur collapse 20 or so years before game-start. This will provide me with a relatively fresh 'layer' of history, complete with its heroes, events (some of the older NPCs will have them in their backgrounds) and adventure locations.
The question is, however, what has brought the end of the Kingdom. I have several possibilities in mind:
1) Infighting between the various Counts and/or Barons leading to a fully-blown civil war, possible after an unclear case of royal succession; essentially everyone tries for the throne and end up destroying each other in a massive bloodbath. This is the most obvious idea, but not necessarily the most interesting.
2) A prolonged war with an outside force (the queendom of Korovod? Goblinoids? Snow Orcs?) eventually destroying the kingdom.
3) As #2, but with an outside force (Goblinoids? Snow Orcs? Mammoth-riding Barbarians?) actively sacking the kingdom and then disintegrating, politically speaking (I want a fractured sandbox, not an occupation situation in most locations).
4) Something more ominous (a high-level spell gone wrong? a plague of undead? a normal plague?)?
Ideas will be welcome
EDIT: I'm leaning towards a coalition of monsters (including goblinoids and orcs) attacking the Kingdom and eventually defeating it, possibly led by a villain (a particularly smart goblin or kobold? a mind-flayer? a mage or necromancer of some kind?) and the falling apart soon after due to squabbles over the loot. The larger cities will be sacked; some smaller towns and villages will remain free.
EDIT #2: It has occurred to me that I can probably combine options #1 #2 and #3 (and possibly even #4) into one story, with the monster alliance being just one of the factions in the Zagaduran civil war, possibly arising to exploit the fact that the Kingdom of Zagadur is weakened by infighting...
The question is, however, what has brought the end of the Kingdom. I have several possibilities in mind:
1) Infighting between the various Counts and/or Barons leading to a fully-blown civil war, possible after an unclear case of royal succession; essentially everyone tries for the throne and end up destroying each other in a massive bloodbath. This is the most obvious idea, but not necessarily the most interesting.
2) A prolonged war with an outside force (the queendom of Korovod? Goblinoids? Snow Orcs?) eventually destroying the kingdom.
3) As #2, but with an outside force (Goblinoids? Snow Orcs? Mammoth-riding Barbarians?) actively sacking the kingdom and then disintegrating, politically speaking (I want a fractured sandbox, not an occupation situation in most locations).
4) Something more ominous (a high-level spell gone wrong? a plague of undead? a normal plague?)?
Ideas will be welcome
EDIT: I'm leaning towards a coalition of monsters (including goblinoids and orcs) attacking the Kingdom and eventually defeating it, possibly led by a villain (a particularly smart goblin or kobold? a mind-flayer? a mage or necromancer of some kind?) and the falling apart soon after due to squabbles over the loot. The larger cities will be sacked; some smaller towns and villages will remain free.
EDIT #2: It has occurred to me that I can probably combine options #1 #2 and #3 (and possibly even #4) into one story, with the monster alliance being just one of the factions in the Zagaduran civil war, possibly arising to exploit the fact that the Kingdom of Zagadur is weakened by infighting...
Last edited:
GandalfMithrandir
First Post
I agree with option Edit #2 (If that makes sense). I think that possibly, the nobles incited a civil war, and then the invasion happened, when everyone thinks "That country is weak, lets take it over!".
It would be easier if the attackers were not super organised so they can disintegrate after destroying the kingdom.
It would be easier if the attackers were not super organised so they can disintegrate after destroying the kingdom.
Cirripedius
First Post
Your setting inspires an idea for me that is perfect for the world I have set up. Awesome setting, thanks alot man
Shades of Green
First Post
Thank you for your kind wordsYour setting inspires an idea for me that is perfect for the world I have set up. Awesome setting, thanks alot man
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