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5e Homebrew Setting: Malebolge, Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
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<blockquote data-quote="Chaosmancer" data-source="post: 6949121" data-attributes="member: 6801228"><p>I ended up skipping around a bit.</p><p> </p><p></p><p> </p><p>For where they came from, sometimes I’ve found that waiting is the best way to figure something like that out. You’ll be writing something completely unrelated like the origin of the World Soul and realize that it would make sense to connect something to that lore, and look Gnolls aren’t connected anywhere and that makes sense.</p><p> </p><p>Personally, I’m just now learning of the concept of Central Tension, from Matthew Colville’s Running the Game Youtube series, and you have one side of your tension very clearly spelled out. What happens when magic and science are used to make genetic experiments. Over half of your races are mutants, genetic experiments, or similar. I wonder therefore if you need something that is more naturally occurring? It could be interesting if everything was the result of some crazy experiment or living spell gone wrong, but what is left that is natural and “pure” Lizardfolk and Gnolls could paradoxically fill that role of the natural order without all the crazy magic interference that has twisted everything else on Malebolge.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Honestly? With all the weird and freaky in this setting, I’d think I’m tempted to play the “straight man” probably a human, though the ratfolk are somewhat appealing. Someone who isn’t a mutated crazy something or other, but is trying to survive in this world of craziness. Of course, we don’t know much about how humans are currently.</p><p> </p><p>The question then becomes what is his purposes, what is his class. I imagine any game in this world is going to want to do a wide focus, constantly moving around and exploring new areas, so a guardian type character doesn’t make as much sense. I’d probably go the Tomb Raider route and build either a Bard or Rogue who is interested in exploring these ancient ruins and lost places to find things. Whether for the “phat lootz” or for scholarly pursuits… I guess would end up depending a bit on the party.</p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>A few of them have peaked my interest as being a culture to try and explore. Orks and the Rodushi seem interesting to work with, but a few of the others seem to make better NPCs from my perspective.</p><p> </p><p>Mileage varies I suppose.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I’m a little torn to be honest. My biggest and most recent exposure to Gnolls is Clan Bouda from the Kate Daniels series, and they are some of the best supporting cast anywhere.</p><p> </p><p>Crazy hedonistic Lycans, aggressive, fast, flippant to the point of Anarchy, and ruled over with an Iron Fist by Auntie B. They all love and fear her, because she is a wonderful Alpha who will care for you, or rip you into shreds because you did something monumentally stupid.</p><p> </p><p> They also have a unique way of courting. All Lycans in this series have a thing about territory, so a lot of courtship involves breaking into your beloved’s house, doing something (a wolf in the story does all dishes and folds the clothes of the one he is proposing to) and getting out without being caught. To prove you are strong and clever and all that jazz.</p><p> </p><p>One of the Bouda decides that he wants to prove all this to his beloved, and Bouda mating tends to involve humor. So he breaks in and installs this massive chandelier into her living room, at the tip of each of the couple dozen points of the chandelier there is a glass container holding a single pair of panties. I think bodice ripper novels were involved as well at some point.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>So, when I think about how to do a hyena people other than the Gnolls being demon-spawn (which is what I stuck to in Arista) that is where my mind first goes. A fiercely loyal pack that is a little disorganized, ruled by women, and every member thinks they are funny, even when they aren’t.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>But, what do you want? How do you want them to fit into this crazy and hectic world?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Chaosmancer, post: 6949121, member: 6801228"] I ended up skipping around a bit. For where they came from, sometimes I’ve found that waiting is the best way to figure something like that out. You’ll be writing something completely unrelated like the origin of the World Soul and realize that it would make sense to connect something to that lore, and look Gnolls aren’t connected anywhere and that makes sense. Personally, I’m just now learning of the concept of Central Tension, from Matthew Colville’s Running the Game Youtube series, and you have one side of your tension very clearly spelled out. What happens when magic and science are used to make genetic experiments. Over half of your races are mutants, genetic experiments, or similar. I wonder therefore if you need something that is more naturally occurring? It could be interesting if everything was the result of some crazy experiment or living spell gone wrong, but what is left that is natural and “pure” Lizardfolk and Gnolls could paradoxically fill that role of the natural order without all the crazy magic interference that has twisted everything else on Malebolge. Honestly? With all the weird and freaky in this setting, I’d think I’m tempted to play the “straight man” probably a human, though the ratfolk are somewhat appealing. Someone who isn’t a mutated crazy something or other, but is trying to survive in this world of craziness. Of course, we don’t know much about how humans are currently. The question then becomes what is his purposes, what is his class. I imagine any game in this world is going to want to do a wide focus, constantly moving around and exploring new areas, so a guardian type character doesn’t make as much sense. I’d probably go the Tomb Raider route and build either a Bard or Rogue who is interested in exploring these ancient ruins and lost places to find things. Whether for the “phat lootz” or for scholarly pursuits… I guess would end up depending a bit on the party. A few of them have peaked my interest as being a culture to try and explore. Orks and the Rodushi seem interesting to work with, but a few of the others seem to make better NPCs from my perspective. Mileage varies I suppose. I’m a little torn to be honest. My biggest and most recent exposure to Gnolls is Clan Bouda from the Kate Daniels series, and they are some of the best supporting cast anywhere. Crazy hedonistic Lycans, aggressive, fast, flippant to the point of Anarchy, and ruled over with an Iron Fist by Auntie B. They all love and fear her, because she is a wonderful Alpha who will care for you, or rip you into shreds because you did something monumentally stupid. They also have a unique way of courting. All Lycans in this series have a thing about territory, so a lot of courtship involves breaking into your beloved’s house, doing something (a wolf in the story does all dishes and folds the clothes of the one he is proposing to) and getting out without being caught. To prove you are strong and clever and all that jazz. One of the Bouda decides that he wants to prove all this to his beloved, and Bouda mating tends to involve humor. So he breaks in and installs this massive chandelier into her living room, at the tip of each of the couple dozen points of the chandelier there is a glass container holding a single pair of panties. I think bodice ripper novels were involved as well at some point. So, when I think about how to do a hyena people other than the Gnolls being demon-spawn (which is what I stuck to in Arista) that is where my mind first goes. A fiercely loyal pack that is a little disorganized, ruled by women, and every member thinks they are funny, even when they aren’t. But, what do you want? How do you want them to fit into this crazy and hectic world? [/QUOTE]
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