zelandia - the homebrew setting based off New Zealand . Part 1

New Tui description on the blog adding more detail:

An Aarakocra sub-race common throughout the main islands of Zelandia. They are nomadic peaceful tribes and tend to wander where they can escape the blight of other more hostile races. Though they can hold their own in battle they tend to track enemies and avoid danger if possible. They praise the god Tangato the God of Harvest in Zelandia. They can fly and typically grow up to 5"8 feet tall but rarely any taller. They live in great nest type huts villages atop the tallest trees they can find as to avoid potential dangers below. They are quite often weary of outsiders but are loyal to those they can consider friends. A Tui village is often ruled by a elected chief who guides his people in times of need and is the first to defend his people in battle during times of war. They dont often want for glory or material things and they hold their values and rules of their people in the highest regard.

Zardnaar said:

They ate introduced.

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Just about everything here is introduced

TheCommanderSalty said:

So I have been thinking I want to create a group of races base on New Zealand native animals such as the Kiwi, Tui, Tuatara, Weta and more!
Also in the future I would like to add in a new class, campaign and spells. I will be basing all the lore, races and places on the Maori culture of New Zealand. So if your keen to see more please like my Facebook page or my blog so I can keep you updated on future content. This 1st part will have a preview of the Tui race (A sub-race of the Aarakocra race in D&D 5e). So please show some interest and share!!. Link here: https://www.thecommandersalty.com/nz-races-homebrew-part1View attachment 104048

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It's a good idea albeit perhaps riff the name off Aotearoa. New Zealand is the colonial name for it after all: which feels at odds with the Maori cultural theme.

Zardnaar said:

Tuatara

Tweak the 5E lizardmen.

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But able to stand very, very still, for a really long time.

clearstream said:

It's a good idea albeit perhaps riff the name off Aotearoa. New Zealand is the colonial name for it after all: which feels at odds with the Maori cultural theme.

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True. I could have what outsiders have named it and what the natives call it.

clearstream said:

But able to stand very, very still, for a really long time.

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Hahaha

clearstream said:

But able to stand very, very still, for a really long time.

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Il definitely work that into their description haha . Tuatara monks would be cool

TheCommanderSalty said:

True. I could have what outsiders have named it and what the natives call it.

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It seems likely players of a setting will gravitate around a main name. I want to put my feelings frankly, because I feel like our hobby can do good work here. If the name is the European name, then that entrenches or recites a colonial narrative.

I would love to see the Maori-inspired name as the primary name - the one on the cover. That said, it is your creative work and I don't have any right to dilute your vision. I hope you will take into consideration what I've raised.

clearstream said:

It seems likely players of a setting will gravitate around a main name. I want to put my feelings frankly, because I feel like our hobby can do good work here. If the name is the European name, then that entrenches or recites a colonial narrative.

I would love to see the Maori-inspired name as the primary name - the one on the cover. That said, it is your creative work and I don't have any right to dilute your vision. I hope you will take into consideration what I've raised.

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I’ve had a few people feedback to me and say change the name so I will haha you guys have a good point and it would make more sense . I’ll change it up after work. Honestly any feedback or criticism is valued

TheCommanderSalty said:

Hello South Island dweller!! Was thinking south island will be mostly alpine region

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It is far more complicated than that on the mainland- dry east coast, hot deserty dry central regions (MacKenzie Country and Central Otago) Alpine (Southern Alps) and west coast is temperate rainforest (3-6 metres of rainfall on west coast vs about 600mm on east, across the Great Divide).

Westerly winds from the Tasman hit the Southern Alps and result in heavy rain on the West Caost- the winds are driven up over the alps and arrive here on the east coast as a hot dry Nor Wester. The South Island also gets cold winds,rain and snow from the Southern Ocean & Antarctica.

As for names rather than the extremely original English names- North & South Islands- really, that's the best they could think of? Why not go with the Maori names for the main islands.

South Island: Te Waipounamu. It is also called Te waka-o-maui (the waka of Maui).

North Island- Te Ika-a-Māui (the fish of Maui)- If you look closely the island is indeed fish shaped.

Here is the legend of how Aotearoa was formed:
The demigod Māui and his brothers were fishing from their canoe (the South Island) when he caught a great fish and pulled it from the sea. While he was not looking his brothers fought over the fish and chopped it up. This great fish became the North Island and thus a Māori name for the North Island is Te Ika-a-Māui ("The Fish of Māui"). The mountains and valleys are believed to have been formed as a result of Māui's brothers' hacking at the fish.

Stormdale