Dark Revelations

[tribeof1]

Now, these are just personal suggestions mind you, but:

I have to agree with Akunin and some of the others--as is, this campaign SEEMS simply too derivative for publication. This is fine--as has been pointed out--if you just want something for you and your buddies to play around with, but any originality in the setting is going to be dwarfed by what many readers will see as lifted ideas. So...

What I would advise is that you take a good look at the different aspects of the setting and see what is original/not so original, and what is essential/non-essential. From what I've read, I think that you have plenty of original ideas here that can do what you want to do, without the questionable associations.

For instance, you are using a biblical tone/frame of reference:great.

Angels, demons, heaven, hell, planetouched, etc: fine

Vampires: oops.--in today's rpg world, this is like trying to create a good drow ranger PC and claim you've never heard of Drizzt. Esp. with the different houses/clans, it's simply too similar. So, look at the role that the Vamps play in the world, and figure out a good replacement (As an added benefit, creating a race here will make an infinitely better PC option, as the vamp from the MM really doesn't lend itself well to PCs or much modification).

Basically, you've got a race, descended from Cain(?) that has lived in a magic-rich wasteland ringing earth for millenia. They're exceptionally skilled with magic, tainted with the touch of the divine AND infernal, and probably a little dark. Great House dicisions are fine in this scenario, esp. if you go for a very byzantine feel to the political climate. If you don't want to just go with planetouched, just create a race with a long life-span and some abilities inspired by their environment. If you have the FRCS, take a look at the Shades--even drow would seem to fit into the role easily.

And if you're going to use biblical myth, I have to second the suggestion that you try to follow you're source material pretty closely. The reason that WW's Vampire backstory worked so well is b/c it explored the holes in existing history more than it contradicted.

Anyway, thats my 2 cp. Hope it helps--and just so you know, I wouldn't have spent the time to write all this out if I didn't think that the idea had merit

Amos

 

[UD]

Re: Re: Re: Dark Revelations

I thought the same thing when I first read it.

It's Kinder, as in Kindred. Not Kender, the kleptomaniac halflings.

DoH! I really should get more sleep.

 

[cybernetic]

I've been thinking about everyones statements....and think I may have something that changes my setting for the better.......there will still be vampires....as I have and always have been a big vampire fan......but with a different twist.....
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Nephilim are the descendants of Cain & Lilith (Cain's Cursed Blood mixed Lilith's Sorcerous blood).....Nephilim standing for "Fallen ones".... Nephil meaning "fallen one", (an 'im at the end of any Hebrew word changes it to a plural, thus nephillim = fallen ones.)............

so instead of Vampiric Houses there will be Nephilim Houses....the Nephilim are kinda a cross between Drow and Shades....and do to the Nature of their Realms (Nod) are highly magical --- somewhat like the True Abelaats from "The Fall of Magic" by D.J Heinrich volume 3 of the Penhaligon Trilogy......anyways....

The Vampires still come into play as a magical/genetic experiment of the Nephilim when they tried to create the perfect warrior by using their own blood....the experiment went terribly wrong and the undead now continual consume blood in order to survive...(no more vampire clans....just a couple strains of vampire species that I'll create as monsters or creature templates....)

I'm going to work on the angelic races as well...and have them follow the written Hierarchies.... Angels and Demons will follow the same Hierarchy much like a lot of texts have already dictated...
1st Celestial Choir/ Fiendish Hierarchy
-Seraphim/ Fallen Seraphim
-Cherubim / Fallen Cherubim
-Thrones / Fallen Thrones

2nd Celestial Choir/ Fiendish Hierarchy
-Dominations / Fallen Dominations
-Virtues / Fallen Virtues
-Powers / Fallen Powers

3rd Celestial Choir/ Fiendish Hierarchy
-Principalities / Fallen Principaities
-Archangels / Fallen Archangels
-Angels / Fallen Angels

As of right now I'm probably going to not have any wholly angelic PC races......I'm still going to have Aasimar and Tieflings...(and the names can be used under the OGL per Ryan Dancey before he parted with WotC...I just have to write my own backgrounds and flavor texts)....and The Kinder will still be "half-vampires"...

lemme know if these ideas sound a little better than the previous ones......and I want to thank everyone for their criticisms and opinions....they are really helping me to mold the setting into something that may just be usable....so keep them coming!!

 

[cybernetic]

Now, these are just personal suggestions mind you, but:

(As an added benefit, creating a race here will make an infinitely better PC option, as the vamp from the MM really doesn't lend itself well to PCs or much modification).

Basically, you've got a race, descended from Cain(?) that has lived in a magic-rich wasteland ringing earth for millenia. They're exceptionally skilled with magic, tainted with the touch of the divine AND infernal, and probably a little dark. Great House dicisions are fine in this scenario, esp. if you go for a very byzantine feel to the political climate. If you don't want to just go with planetouched, just create a race with a long life-span and some abilities inspired by their environment. If you have the FRCS, take a look at the Shades--even drow would seem to fit into the role easily.

Anyway, thats my 2 cp. Hope it helps--and just so you know, I wouldn't have spent the time to write all this out if I didn't think that the idea had merit

Amos

Thanks.....your reply is actually what sparked the new ideas.......gone are the vampire pc race notions.....I'm gonna lean towards my new race...the Nephilim.....and the humans, aasimar, tiefling, and kinder (still half vampire though).....vampires are merely a tool created by the Nephilim now...Nod is ruled by the Nephilim....and very few humans dwell in Nod as well..as the Nephilim are the primary Nod race....and yes the Nephilim will be partially divine partially fiendish...the previous "vampiric" houses will now be Nephilim Houses.....and will be more political (like noble houses) than racial.....so they will primarily be for background information....and maybe each house would have a favored class...but other than that will not really provide game rule adjustments

 

[cybernetic]

Angelic Races:

The character would start as either an Angel or a Fallen Angel...and could either advance as in the Celestial Choirs or Fiendish Hierarchies or take levels in a class...so essintially the player could take Angel/Fallen Angel as a race and get the beifits of the first level as an angel/fallen angel....then when they gain another level they can choose to take another level as an angel/fallen angel gaining abilities kinda like a class would...or they can pick up an actual character class (fighter/sorcerer/rogue/cleric etc.)...they can also switch between the two...each level the y either take the next Angel/Fallen Angel level or next level in a class.....the angel/fallen angel would essentially become the character's favored "class" as well in regards to multiclassing.....and you can only start the angel path as a first level....thus you couldn't decide to become an angel at say 3rd level....

and as you increase your Angel/Fallen Angel level you rise in the choirs/hierarchy......until at 20th level you would become a seraphim....

or I could just have special Angelic Prestige Classes only available to Angels/Fallen Angels......thus Archangel, Cherubim, Seraphim would become Prestige classes that can be taken by an angel only...

 

[cybernetic]

A Little glimpse at the Nephilim

Nephilim
The Nephilim are the progeny of Cain, the son of adam who was banished to Nod, and the Sorceress Lilith, queen of the Succubi and Inccubi. The mixture of Cain's Mortal Blood and that of Lilith's Divine Blood as well as the nature of the Realms of Nod evolved these progeny into the present Nephilim. -- It is also noted that some of the first Nephilim were the progeny of Angels and Mortal women, and that these Nephilim were banished to Nod and were assimilated in with Cain and Lilith's progeny.

( Nephilim comes from the Hebrew word Nephil which means " Fallen One". Hebrew words become plural when the letters 'im are added to the end, thus Nephilim = Fallen Ones. Cain was a Fallen One because he fell from grace when he murded his brother, thus becasue of his sins Cain's progeny are also considered to be Fallen Ones.)

All Nephilim have a Favored Class of Wizard or Sorcerer. They are a higly magical race

The Nephilim Houses of Enoch
--- House Ahriman:
------ Current Archwizard is Malaug Shadowreaper
Founded by the great Nephilim Archwizard Ahriman. Those of this House are masters of all that is arcane. Additionally they run The Lilitharian, the premiere school of magic in Nod.

--- House Drakis:
------ Current King of Enoch is Shad-Helm
Founded by the Legendary Nephilim Knight Drakistin. Drakistin was the first King of Enoch, after Cain's ascension, chosen by by Cain himself.

--- House Erapis:
------ Current Erapis High Priest is Voonalar Xalain
Founded by the mysterious Erapistarian, the first Nephilim to receive the divine blessings of Cain after he attained deity status. Erapistarian was also the founder of the Church of Cain.

--- House Nimerix:
------ Current Black Hand Lord is Netherandaris
Founded by the sneaky Lord Nimerix. This house has a shadowy reputation much like its founded, a reputed master assassin. It is beleived that most Theives Guilds pledge loyalty to this House, albeit secretly.

--- House Paramour:
------ Current Master of House Paramour is K'rteth Dragomere
Founded by the lovely Lady Paramour. This House is comprimised of some of the most charismatic of all the Nephilim.

--- House Taralim:
------ Current Supreme Commander is Talpatine
Founded by High Commander Taralim the Tyrant. This House has provided many of the most skilled weapon masters in Nephilim History.

--- House Zigalo
------ Current Master Disciple of Zigalo is Zentai Shadowfist
Based off of the writings of the mysterious monk warrior Zigalo. He was said to have never spoken a word but penned many tomes of his extensive martial knowledge. This house was actually founded by siblings who found and mastered the writings and techniques of this ancient master.



Some Nephilim Abilities:
-- Aversion to sunlight. (They're Realm is devoid of Sun thus they have never adapted to its searing rays)
-- Resistance to Magic. ( They are highly magical race thus they are less likely to be harmed by magic)
-- Affinity with Magical Spells and Darkness. ( Theirs is a world of magic and shadows.)
-- Healing and Higher defense within Darkness.

 

[tribeof1]

I think you're moving in the right direction here. You might reconsider all the different favored classes--essentially anyone playing a Nephelim has a favored class of any, because they can simply pick a House that favors their chosen path. I'd just go with a general FC of wiz/sor--they all favor magic, it's just that some houses are known for their warriors, monks, etc. Nothings stopping a PC from choosing a fighter, for instance, --it just means taht the easiest secondary class for them to pick up is sorcerer--which makes sense.

 

[cybernetic]

I think you're moving in the right direction here. You might reconsider all the different favored classes--essentially anyone playing a Nephelim has a favored class of any, because they can simply pick a House that favors their chosen path. I'd just go with a general FC of wiz/sor--they all favor magic, it's just that some houses are known for their warriors, monks, etc. Nothings stopping a PC from choosing a fighter, for instance, --it just means taht the easiest secondary class for them to pick up is sorcerer--which makes sense.

Thanks for the advice...I think I'm going to incorporate it.

 

[wallshot]

i think its time we get a new post with the background that will be used...its getting kinda hard to tell what has been edited out (for what ever reasons), what has been incorparated and what are new ideas that have been thrust in.

I like the premis very much, but i cant help but see a lot of the ideas as borrowed. Maybe if we could see a revision so far, i could see if those same ideas that cause me to cringe at the thought of lawsuit or recall have been removed.

 

[cybernetic]

I'm gonna take a little bit of time to collect my thoughts and ideas....and then I'll start a new thread with the revised Dark Revelations stuff.....thanks for all of your input so far....and please watch for the new thread in the very near future....I'll no doubt want to get feedback on the revised stuff...as well as criticism....they've really helped me to figure out what I am really trying to do with this setting...thanks...everyone who has posted will get a credit in the final publication...