Unnamed Homebrew [3.x] - Take a look and opine

[Prisoner6]

I'm kicking around some ideas for a homebrew campaign that will likely be 3.x. Here's some notes for everyone to look at.

Feel free to offer comments, or ask questions. I'm hoping somebody will post something to help me get my brain going.

No, I don't have names for all my races and gods yet.

History

• In the beginning there were seven gods, who walked a barren earth.
• The gods created all things over time.
• The gods decided to create “more godlike” beings – less animal, thus creating the People (playable races)
  
  • Each god created a single race.
  • Each race was created an a different day, thus establishing a “week”, one day for each race.
  • Each race was an “improvement” on the previous.
  • The seventh god created a super-powered hybrid race from all the others, with all their strengths, but no weaknesses.
• The seventh race was too powerful, and conquered all the lands.
• The seventh god ruled the earth from a (*something*) throne.
• The other six gods banded together and sank the seventh god's throne beneath the sea.
  
  • Since gods cannot be killed, he was imprisoned in his throne, underwater.
  • Sinking the throne sank and entire continent, more or less.
• The seventh race was destroyed.
  
  • The names of the race and the god have been removed from all histories.
  • They are referred to as “The forgotten ones” and “The Forbidden One”, respectively.
  • Even their images were destroyed, so nobody knows what they look like.
• The six gods were exhausted by the effort of overthrowing the seventh, and rested for 1000 years.
  
  • Even the oldest of texts say 1000 years, so it's not clear how long it's really been.
  • Access to divine spells has been very limited for a long period of time.
  • This is known as “The Silent Era”.
• The six gods are slowly reawakening, and granting powers to their priests.

Races & Divinity

1. Beastmen

• • Created first, very beast like
  • Very passionate, very emotional, not particularly good thinkers.
  • Have “the aspect of the beast” - a way to achieve beastly powers.
  • Live in caves.
  • The alpha female is ruler of her “clan.” Females dominate society.
  • Their police/militia are called “Protectors” and assume many matronly functions, such as serving as midwives.
  • Beastmen are natural hunters.
  • Favored classes: barbarians (female), rangers (male)

1. Fey

• • Created second, were meant to be less beast-like than the previous race, but still close to nature.
  • Would live in harmony with nature, but comprehend it's cycles and patterns.
    
    • Cycle of life, seasons, astronomical cycles, etc.
    • Fey build “observatories”, such as Stonehenge line circles of stones, yet do so without mathematics.
  • Created by the goddess “Celestia”.
    
    • Female dominated society, lead by a religious caste (druids).
  • Very pragmatic and “big picture” oriented.
  • Fey are “small” sized.
  • Favored classes: druids (female), sorcerers (male)

1. Thinker

• • Created third and meant to have more abstract comprehension of the univers.
  • Masters of abstract though – mathematics, philosophy, meditation
  • First races to use writing and currency
  • Male god; male dominated society.
  • Ruled by “councils of the wise” - typically older, always males, usually an odd number.
  • Think first, and spend much time deliberating before acting.
  • Enjoy games with formal, tight rule sets and perfect information
    
    • Chess
  • Favored classes: wizard (male), monk (female)

1. Human

• • The fourth race was meant to be creative and skilled, taking the abstract and “applying” it.
  • Humans are masters of arts and engineering.
  • Humans follow the standard rule set.
  • Favored classes: any

1. Lucky

• • The fifth race would not need skills because they were lucky
  • Enjoy games of chance
    
    • Dice games
    • Card games
  • Thrive in uncertainty; revel in change.
  • Fell uncomfortable supporting the “status quo”.
  • Tend to act first, without deliberation.
    
    • Use a “Trial and Error” approach to everything
  • Tend to be upbeat and lighthearted (because everything is going their way).
  • Favored classes: thief (male), bard (female)

1. Martial

• • The sixth race doesn't need luck, or even thought, because they have pure physical power.
  • This race is “Large” size.
  • Society is organized and regimented
    
    • All aspects of life are determined by “superiors”
  • Has a strict Honor Code that all must abide by
    
    • Those who do not follow the code are “demoted”, or “cast out.”
    • Capital punishment is for “treason.”
  • Favored classes: warrior (female), paladin (male)
    
    • Or maybe the other way around – I don't know yet.

Misc

• There are 3 remaining (male) gods and 3 goddesses.
• Each god is associated with the race it created.
• Races associated with male gods are male dominated (patriarchies, head of households, law enforcers etc.)
• Races associated with goddesses are female dominated (matriarchies, etc).
• After banishing The Forgotten, the gods have made a rule that “no race shall stand above the others”.
• All races/genders can chose “cleric” as a favored class.
• Since the Forgotten were a hybrid race, and much too powerful, the gods forbade mating between the six remaining races.
• Other (non-playable) intelligent species were created by the seventh god as servants of The Forgotten Ones.
• Dragons are just as old as the gods, and may be gods themselves.
• Very little has happened during The Silent Era - the People have struggled to survive without the aid of their gods.
• The world is mostly "untamed wilderness", with lots of ruins left from when The Forgotten Ones ruled.

 

[Prisoner6]

Hmmm ... 33 looks an no comments. I can only conclude that it's boring .... :-/

 

[Gilladian]

Not boring.

But I don't see much room for "adventure" in it. The class/race structure will tend to make very "typical" parties. The only space for adventure that I see is the exploration of the Forgotten One ruins, but you have so limted details about that race that there's no way to envision what that exploration would be like.

Tell us more. How and why do adventures happen? What do the races think of each other? What problems are there in this world? What happens when the gods re-awaken? Will they walk the earth in person? Will they expect their creations to bow down? Waht if the races refuse?

Give us conflict! That's where adventure happens!