D&D General Let's Share Our Alternate Lore
bedir than
Full Moon Storyteller
One of my favorite parts of alternate lore is that Dragons, Elves, Dwarves, and Gnomes control access to magic, and they think every one else isn't worthy of the knowledge. My dragons don't collect gold. The collect libraries.
doctorbadwolf
Heretic of The Seventh Circle
Let’s see...
Dragonborn and Kobolds are Draconic, but neither is descended from Dragons. Rather, they are the children of Io.
Dragons are all the children of Tiamat, as are many other monsters both good and evil, and a lot of the gods. Truly ancient dragons can become true immortals, becoming something like a god. I’m toying with applying that to rare, blessed, Dragonborn and Kobolds, as well.
Bahamut is the champion of Io’s children in his father’s stead, and a patron of avengers.
Shadar-Kai and Vryloka are of one ancient race, older even than elves. Their home was a small group of islands similar in size to the British Isles. Their home was a nexus of power, connecting many leylines, and rich in natural resources (in my Eberron game I’ve added some stuff about dragon shards and prophecy marks), and so they came under attack.
Eventually, an attack was so great that their control over the mists couldn’t hold back the invaders, and their friendship with wolves and ravens and their martial prowess couldn’t withstand the onslaught. As the lesser islands were lost, the elders called upon the Three Sisters for a solution, willing to pay any price. The sisters were the most powerful of the people, and too young for such a burden. They begged the people to seek another way, but the elders demanded a permanent solution to hide the islands from outsiders and make it safe forever.
Finally, the sisters relented, admitting that their own battle power was not enough to save their home, and they called upon the power of the islands themselves, and they bound the people to themselves and to the islands, bound themselves to the spell and to their people, and sacrificed their own names to remove the name of their home from the minds of all, even the gods.
One third was bound to the black-haired sister, who became known as The Raven Queen, and became people of Shadow known as the Shadar-Kai.
One third was bound to the red-haired sister who became known as the Red Witch, and they became one with the wolf and gained the ability to become wolves, and are known as the Wolfblood Vryloka.
The final third was bound to the silver-haired sister who became known as the Lady of Silver Mist, and they gained power over the mists and the ability to become as the mist, and they are known as the Mistborn Vryloka.
Now, their ancient home is a myth, spoken of not by name but by epitaph, for the name is lost as surely as the true names of the people, and the three sisters.
Dragonborn and Kobolds are Draconic, but neither is descended from Dragons. Rather, they are the children of Io.
Dragons are all the children of Tiamat, as are many other monsters both good and evil, and a lot of the gods. Truly ancient dragons can become true immortals, becoming something like a god. I’m toying with applying that to rare, blessed, Dragonborn and Kobolds, as well.
Bahamut is the champion of Io’s children in his father’s stead, and a patron of avengers.
Shadar-Kai and Vryloka are of one ancient race, older even than elves. Their home was a small group of islands similar in size to the British Isles. Their home was a nexus of power, connecting many leylines, and rich in natural resources (in my Eberron game I’ve added some stuff about dragon shards and prophecy marks), and so they came under attack.
Eventually, an attack was so great that their control over the mists couldn’t hold back the invaders, and their friendship with wolves and ravens and their martial prowess couldn’t withstand the onslaught. As the lesser islands were lost, the elders called upon the Three Sisters for a solution, willing to pay any price. The sisters were the most powerful of the people, and too young for such a burden. They begged the people to seek another way, but the elders demanded a permanent solution to hide the islands from outsiders and make it safe forever.
Finally, the sisters relented, admitting that their own battle power was not enough to save their home, and they called upon the power of the islands themselves, and they bound the people to themselves and to the islands, bound themselves to the spell and to their people, and sacrificed their own names to remove the name of their home from the minds of all, even the gods.
One third was bound to the black-haired sister, who became known as The Raven Queen, and became people of Shadow known as the Shadar-Kai.
One third was bound to the red-haired sister who became known as the Red Witch, and they became one with the wolf and gained the ability to become wolves, and are known as the Wolfblood Vryloka.
The final third was bound to the silver-haired sister who became known as the Lady of Silver Mist, and they gained power over the mists and the ability to become as the mist, and they are known as the Mistborn Vryloka.
Now, their ancient home is a myth, spoken of not by name but by epitaph, for the name is lost as surely as the true names of the people, and the three sisters.
Orcs are a magically created race designed by an order of elf mages to fight in the Fey Wars. Elves are frailer thantheir enemies, the hobgoblins. And elven consider elves under a century as children. Therefore it takes 100 years to train an elf soldier and put one on the frontlines. So the elves were desperate for troops in their war.
So they made orcs. A strong humaniod that reaches adulthood in 15 years.
An orc is part human, elven, dwarf, ogre, and hobgoblin. The first orcs were made in vats. From then,orcs can reproduce normaly with other orcs, humans, elves, dwarves, and ogres.
A half orc is an orc with mostly human blood.
A orog is an orc with high hobgoblin and dwarf blood
A gray orc is an orc with more elven blood.
A black orc is an orc with high ogre and elven blood.
A red orc is an orc with too little binding agent.
An orgillion is an orc with mostly ogre blood.
The orcs ended up rebelling after the war due to poor treatment from the elves. The gray orcs made a deal to stay with the elves.
So they made orcs. A strong humaniod that reaches adulthood in 15 years.
An orc is part human, elven, dwarf, ogre, and hobgoblin. The first orcs were made in vats. From then,orcs can reproduce normaly with other orcs, humans, elves, dwarves, and ogres.
A half orc is an orc with mostly human blood.
A orog is an orc with high hobgoblin and dwarf blood
A gray orc is an orc with more elven blood.
A black orc is an orc with high ogre and elven blood.
A red orc is an orc with too little binding agent.
An orgillion is an orc with mostly ogre blood.
The orcs ended up rebelling after the war due to poor treatment from the elves. The gray orcs made a deal to stay with the elves.
That's pretty cool. How are they seen in the world, broadly speaking, especially by those races that share kinship with them?
My favoritte homebrew entities are what I call the "Nowheres." The hang out in the temporal realm (in this campaign every thing has a temporal strand, similar to its soul, that can be perceived and manipulate from the temporal realm, one can imagine that you can see everyones silver chord from this realm and some creatures, the Nowheres, manipulate these strands which directly affects which objects interact with which....
If two objects temporal stands cross or intersect that JUST MEANS that thos eobjects causally interacted with one another in a substantive way (what counts as substantive is for the philosophers of the world to figure out, but one can imagine that these temporal strands are quite literally bunched together in intricate ways and its the Nowheres task to move these strands around... They seem to be singularlyl and mindlessly and endlessly moving these strands about in some seeminlgy random way..
They are the size of galaxies, nay universes themselves... being somewhat of an inverse to the Astral plane, the temporal plane is a 'space of no spaces' where spatial dimensions seem to be altogether and essentially different than any other plane of existences..... The Nowheres resemble beholders in the sense that their body just is a massive 360-degree-seeing eye encased in a transparent diamond like skin/flesh with untold numbers of transparent arms stretched out constantly moving objects temporal strands about....
Noweheres have no temp[oral strand, i.e. soul... They only stop from their mission to destroy anyone or anything that succeeds or even merly forms an intention to change in any way any temporal strand (that is if that ebing actually succeeds at entering the temporal plane whreby their consiousness necessarily and inevitabl;y becomes apparent to the Nowheres (no tricking these things if you goto the temporal plane with even an intention to change time you will be attacked by one of the most dominant beings in existence..... Some say they are gods of fate or scions of fate..
If two objects temporal stands cross or intersect that JUST MEANS that thos eobjects causally interacted with one another in a substantive way (what counts as substantive is for the philosophers of the world to figure out, but one can imagine that these temporal strands are quite literally bunched together in intricate ways and its the Nowheres task to move these strands around... They seem to be singularlyl and mindlessly and endlessly moving these strands about in some seeminlgy random way..
They are the size of galaxies, nay universes themselves... being somewhat of an inverse to the Astral plane, the temporal plane is a 'space of no spaces' where spatial dimensions seem to be altogether and essentially different than any other plane of existences..... The Nowheres resemble beholders in the sense that their body just is a massive 360-degree-seeing eye encased in a transparent diamond like skin/flesh with untold numbers of transparent arms stretched out constantly moving objects temporal strands about....
Noweheres have no temp[oral strand, i.e. soul... They only stop from their mission to destroy anyone or anything that succeeds or even merly forms an intention to change in any way any temporal strand (that is if that ebing actually succeeds at entering the temporal plane whreby their consiousness necessarily and inevitabl;y becomes apparent to the Nowheres (no tricking these things if you goto the temporal plane with even an intention to change time you will be attacked by one of the most dominant beings in existence..... Some say they are gods of fate or scions of fate..
When orc bloodlines began to diverge, the half-orcs began to separate themselves from the common orcs. Due to their intelligence, the half-orcs were first to call out the elven abuse and many left. Breeding with themselves, their human side began to show more and more. Eventually, human barbarians began to take in half-orcs and thin the blood even more. In time, half-orcs began to pass as ugly humans. At the current timeline, half-orcs are discriminated by humans but humans blame elves more for their existence. Half-orcs are treated much like any racial minority.
The majority of the world see common, orog, red, and orgillions orcs as monsters. Elves see them an thankless dog. Dwarves seen them as abominations and hate elves for making orcs. Orcs when created to kill gobliniods so hobgoblins see orcs as the enemy.
Grey orcs made a deal to hunt deep (dark) elves for the high elves in exchange for goods and services so they are hated more by deep elves.
Fanaelialae
Legend
Though most people believe otherwise, there are no good or evil gods. Deities are inhuman embodiments of a broad aspect of the world.
For example, while Athena and Aries are both war deities whose goals are often at odds, they are in actuality a singular entity (War). They are only Athena or Aries in observation, not entirely unlike quantum particles falling out of superposition when measured.
This is also why the gods can't be relied upon to check each other's ambitions, and why they must rely upon mortals. It isn't that Athena doesn't want to stop Aries from slaughtering, but rather that it would be akin to a person physically wrestling themselves into submission. It simply isn't feasible.
Some of those especially learned mortals who have learned this secret do in fact believe that the embodiments (like War) are themselves merely aspects of a single all-encompassing being from which all things are fractally derived. Other scholars deride this as simplistic nonsense.
For example, while Athena and Aries are both war deities whose goals are often at odds, they are in actuality a singular entity (War). They are only Athena or Aries in observation, not entirely unlike quantum particles falling out of superposition when measured.
This is also why the gods can't be relied upon to check each other's ambitions, and why they must rely upon mortals. It isn't that Athena doesn't want to stop Aries from slaughtering, but rather that it would be akin to a person physically wrestling themselves into submission. It simply isn't feasible.
Some of those especially learned mortals who have learned this secret do in fact believe that the embodiments (like War) are themselves merely aspects of a single all-encompassing being from which all things are fractally derived. Other scholars deride this as simplistic nonsense.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
Elves are formless things of mist and emphemera who seek to drain the mortal ‘substance’ from humanoid victims and form it in to new physical bodies which they are able to infuse themselves into.
Goblins are all amphibians, originally semi aquatic swamp dwellers they have adapted to thrive in urban sewers
Trolls are male Hags.
Gnomes have clans of around 101 in which there will be one breeding female Matriarch and 1 - 4 senior males. The other gnomes in the clan are all the children of the breeding Matriarch. They also have no definite gender and can remain in this juvenile state until maturity is triggered by the death of the Matriarch And which point a new female will develop and part of the clan will break off and take her to find a new burrow (and new mates). Gnomes also have a habit of using woad to dye their skins blue
Goblins are all amphibians, originally semi aquatic swamp dwellers they have adapted to thrive in urban sewers
Trolls are male Hags.
Gnomes have clans of around 101 in which there will be one breeding female Matriarch and 1 - 4 senior males. The other gnomes in the clan are all the children of the breeding Matriarch. They also have no definite gender and can remain in this juvenile state until maturity is triggered by the death of the Matriarch And which point a new female will develop and part of the clan will break off and take her to find a new burrow (and new mates). Gnomes also have a habit of using woad to dye their skins blue
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