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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Viktyr Gehrig" data-source="post: 2635634" data-attributes="member: 9249">Okay. I've worked out something dealing with the Empire Worlds. They do control their own systems-- it's just that instead of having multiple nations on the capitol world, each nation, which is roughly inspired by some real-life nation, is its own planet. These planets are grouped into systems based, more or less, on real-life geography. Which means you get some contradictory cultures.Of course, there's also cross-colonization within the Empires.I am also thinking that the Shugenja class is wholly superfluous with my usage of Spontaneous Clerics. Take an Elemental Domain and a Domain that fits your chosen elements, and you've got yourself an instant Shugenja. Of course, people not using my House Rules can't imitate it quite so easily-- but if they're really worried about portraying Shugenja properly, they probably own a book with rules for them.Lastly, I'm thinking of giving every character one free Regional feat-- which, on non-humans, often changes some of their racial traits. This can also let me work in things like environmental adaptations.Without any further ado, the notes I've gotten so far for each system:(I still need names for the systems, and now for the planets themselves.)Europe:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Major Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarf</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halfling (is "Hin" WotC IP?)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Goblin -- Hobgoblin, actually. LE, Favored Gestalt Fighter/Rogue</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orc</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Minor Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kobold</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ogre</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nezumi</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">All races use standard stats. Baseline D&D is more-or-less European.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The capitol planet is dominated by a monotheistic church dedicated to an LG Sun god. The clergy are Clerics and Paladins. The term "Old Faith" is used collectively to refer to the various collections of polytheists, who are more or less tolerated as long as they don't rock the boat.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There is an Adversary Cult dedicated to the worship of an NE god of Darkness, Murder, Really Bad Things, etc. Evil Clerics and Blackguards, obviously.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rural areas of the Capitol, as well as the Colonies, have far more polytheists and pantheists-- producing both Clerics and Shamans. Both the Church and the Adversary try to oppress them, but for the most part, they just come back later.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non-humans follow their standard racial pantheons-- though Good humanoids are sometimes drawn to the Sun god and Evil humanoids to the Adversary.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Alienism is rare in this system, like most of the Core Systems. (Russia's the exception.) Alienists and Warlocks are violently persecuted.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Clerics and Wizards are the most common spellcasters, followed by Bards, and then Shamans and Sorcerors. Church Clerics and Academy-trained Wizards are widely respected, while foreign Clerics, Wizards, and Shamans are merely tolerated. Bards are well-loved everywhere, but also blamed for everything that goes wrong after they leave. Sorcerors are distrusted because they don't belong to Academies and they are believed to have ties to Dragons.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Psionics are extremely rare, with most manifesters being Wilders. Lucky Wilders are mistaken for Sorcerors, while unlucky ones are mistaken for Warlocks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Artificers are rare outside Dwarven and Gnomish communities, but highly valued for their skills.</li> </ul>Most of my cultural details involve Religion and Magic, and their approach to each. Need to fill in more.Asia:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Major Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dwarf -- Korobokuru -- CG Barbarian/Rogue</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nezumi</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Goblin -- LE Monk/Rogue</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orc -- Minor or Lesser Oni, CE Hexblade/Shugenja</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf -- Spirit Folk/Hengeyokai, CG Shaman/Scout. Wild Shape replaces Hengeyokai shape-shifting, both classes show strong connections to terrain, though not specific terrain.</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Minor Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vanara (major race on "India" world)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lizardfolk</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ogre Mage -- Major or True Oni</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Giff</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thri-Kreen</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Yuan-Ti</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Capitol planet mostly ancestor and spirit worship-- either Clerics or Clerics and Shugenja.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Monks are considered a "religious" class, while Paladins are merely "blessed" Bushi.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">"India" planet has very strong polytheist/animist faith, with both Shamans and Psions considered holy.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non-humans follow the Human religions in this system, except the Goblins who still worship the Goblin pantheon. Oni are merely the dark side of the spirits that Humans revere.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Alienism is likewise rare here, but isn't considered any different from "oni magic"; the locals don't go out of their way to harrass/kill alienists unless they're causing trouble.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shugenja (or Cleric) most common, followed by Wizards and Sorcerors (and Clerics, if Shugenja is retained). Bards are practically unknown. Clerics and Sorcerors are respected for their powers and their close ties to the spirits or to the dragons. Wizards are distrusted for their strange (and often rude) behavior and their "independent" acquisition of magic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Psionics is relatively common, and very common on the "India" planet.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Artificers exist, but they're almost all Human or Oni. Both races count legendary craftsmen among them who've created equally legendary weapons.</li> </ul>Africa:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Major Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elf -- Wakyambi -- CG Ranger/Bard (pretty standard, except for the tails)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halfling -- Barbarian/Rogue. Natural attacks, possibly +1 LA. Haven't figured out alignment.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnoll -- CE Ranger/Rogue</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orc -- LE Fighter/Cleric -- the basis for Scro?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnome -- N Bard/Rogue w/shadow powers. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lizardfolk -- Any align, Ranger/Sorceror, close ties to Dragons. (Align based on Clan.)</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Minor Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kobold</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Vanara</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thri-Kreen</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Giff</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Yuan-Ti</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Nezumi</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">This System is obviously more magical than the others; with the exception of Halflings (and Humans, with their FG: Any), every race has at least a half-caster in its FG. Decided that almost everyone with class levels is a spellcaster of some kind. Haven't figured out why.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">More Dragons?</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Very strong atmosphere of religious tolerance-- locals tend to simply include new gods/spirits into their current religious practice. There's too many powerful divine casters to risk an all-out holy war.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Most common faith is a monotheist belief with an absent Creator deity. Divine aid is granted through intermediaries-- celestials and fiends. Clergy is typically Cleric. Thank you, Nyambe.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Very strong Paladin and Blackguard traditions.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There are also numerous animistic faiths that produce Shamans.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Dragon worship is also common, especially among the Lizardfolk and Kobolds, who promote it among the "soft" races. Priests are either Sorcerors of the same dragon type, or Clerics with appropriate Domains. (Or both.)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Alienism is more common than in most other systems, simply because of the much higher prevalence of magic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No know Artificer tradition; magic items are typically created by Clerics and Shamans who bind spirits into objects.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Sorcerors, Shamans, and Clerics are by far the most common spellcasters, followed by Wizards and Bards.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Psionics is rare among Humans, but near-universal among Yuan-Ti and Thri-Kreen.</li> </ul>Haven't started Russia yet, and I'm woefully short on America.The Americas:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Major Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Human</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Kobold -- Ohdowa -- both Chromatic (evil) and Metallic (good) versions.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Elves -- possibly Green Folk?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Halflings -- primitive jungle halflings, but not savages like African halflings.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Gnomes -- standard Gnomes.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Orcs -- Wendigo/Sasquatch</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Minor Races:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Yuan-Ti</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Lizardfolk -- Good aligned, Couatl-based?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Raptoran -- Good aligned, Couatl-based?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Thri-Kreen</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">I really need more information about Native American mythology, particularly North and Central American.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Capitol planet dominated by bloodthirsty theocracy; pantheon headed by Evil Sun god. Rulers are Noble/Clerics and Blackguards.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Non-humans and human minority groups are almost all animistic.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">One of the colonies is controlled by an organized, peaceful culture. Mostly secular government, generally secular culture formed by Humans and Gnomes. Strong focus on Wizard and Artificer magic and on scientific studies. Good trade port.</li> </ul>What kinds of races can I use for the Americas? What are the magical traditions like? What non-Aztec cultures should I base the colony worlds off of?</blockquote>

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