SpydersWebbing
First Post
Hey folks,
My friends and I are making a campaign world out of a campaign that's starting to wrap up. We're calling it Nendiel. Here's the Wiki:
http://nendiel.wikispaces.com/
The basic set up of the world is this: At one point this world was under attack by the Shadowfell which, under the direction of Orcus and his pawn Tzaileroth, was swallowing up parts of the Material Plane and the Feywild, making them exclusively Shadowfell territory. This then split the Material and Feywild into three different parts, which grew smaller with each year. A group of heroes (who are currently running the adventure itself) successfully reclaimed the stolen parts of the Material Plane and the Feywild, "merging" it all back together, which came to be known as the Reuniting.
The results were catastrophic. Arcane energies flared, destroying large parts of the reformed world, horribly mutating most of the population, and killing almost all the rest. Demons and elementals poured into what was left, and took what they could. If not for the heroes who had merged the Realms in the first place all would have been lost. Either way almost all of it was.
This setting takes place 500 years after the Reuniting. Everything's still quite raw and hurt. I'll post the Races page I just wrote up on the Wiki here.
Here's a set up on how the races in the PHB fit into the world of Nendiel. All races can choose two out of three racial bonuses, listed in this document.
Dragonborn (Drako-Kin)
+2 St, +2 Int, +2 Cha
"How dare you question my honor! A duel is in order!"
Dragonborn are known most for their honor and their pride. They base their pride off of battlefield conduct primarily, bleeding into the rest of their life. They are an intensely structured and orderly people, convinced that order is the only way to counter the chaos that is currently in their world. Most of the leaders in this world are dragonborn, bound and determined to make everything right. The worst of dragonborn seek order to benefit themselves.
Since The Reuniting the dragonborn have been trying desperately to heal the world of its ills so that way all may live in it. They dislike dwarves for their apparent selfishness, and hate tieflings for their cowardice and use of the arcane arts, while being supiscious of the eladrin's use of the same power source. While not particularly religious all dragonborn hold Bahamut and Auri in high respect, and may even have private shrines of them set up. The few truly religious dragonborn are true paragons of virtue (or decadence, depending), true saviors of Nendiel.
Role-Play (RP): ALWAYS tell the truth, even when inconvenient. Even the most deceptive dragonborn includes major elements of the truth into their lies, spinning webs of partial deceit. Regardless of your class, always look out for your teammates. Dragonborn are decidely group-friendly creatures.
Suggested Classes: Warlord, Paladin, Cleric
Dwarf
+2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Wis
"An' who d'ye think ye are, laddie? Ah know what Ah am, a dwarf! And that makes me a bit better than you."
Dwarves are reclusive creatures, preferring their own kind to any other race. They are honor bound, but not to the extent that dragonborn are, honoring their ancestors above society. Sometimes a dwarf's preference for their own race turns into true xenophobia, resulting in dwarf "Other Raids", where they attempt to extinguish the presence of other races in a region. While most dwarves frown on this practice, they cannot deny their prejudices against the "other races" for the state that their world is in. So they toil alone, fighting everyone and no one at once, it matters little, so long as they are left alone. Dwarves are behind the greatest inventions of this world, including gunpowder, which is a closely guarded secret. They make cunning strategers. They do not shun arcane magic as do most of the races, but hold it as a useful tool, even if it is dangerous. Because of this they hold grudging "alliances" with tieflings and eladrin, who are well-versed in the arcane.
RP: Phrases like "you're pretty good for an Infernal" should be common. You could be a condescending dwarf, who views other races as a bit lower then yourself, or you could an out and out genocidal maniac, who views the other races as fodder for the dwarves. Regardless, try to play your dwarf with a bit of prejudice. Even the best dwarves have it. If you picked the Intelligence bonus stick with a wizard
Suggested Classes: Artificer (when released, we currently have a playtest version from Wizards if interested..), Fighter, Warlock (infernal pact)
Eladrin
+2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Int
"Beauty is the answer."
Since The Reuniting, eladrin have been obsessed with one thing, and one thing only: to make things beautiful again. They remember their fallen halls, and envy their elven brethren for their adaptability to this strange world. While still connected to the Feywild, this link has been weakened, since the Feywild itself was damaged in The Reuniting. Eladrin seek out the powerful artifacts of old, trying to find a way restore their former glory. They use arcane magic despite the fact that most of the races hold it in hatred or suspicion. Truly evil eladrin are wielders of great and terrible power, wishing for revenge upon all whom they perceive have robbed them of their rightful inheritance.
RP: Your race has lost most of the contact with your home, so a bit of weariness is present. Not emo, but weariness, the feeling you get when you only want home and nothing else. While eladrin are still very happy beings, they miss their old palaces and the old Feywild, which has since been overcome by the giants known as the Fomorians. If you have something negative to say, refer it to the Fomorians in some way. You're somewhat cautious around other races, since the common misconception is that your race is a bad as the tieflings and the drow, your despised cousins.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (fey pact), Wizard, Ranger (Two Weapon Fighting Build)
Elf
+2 Dex, +2 Wis, +2 Cha
"The world is here, and we live in it for but a few moments. To the task!"
Elves are the second most adaptive race in Nendiel, only trumped by humans and half-elves. Their love of the moment has helped them well in changing to fit the needs of the constantly shifting world of Nendiel. Some, in an effort to see past the madness that is their own world, have pierced beyond the vale of the Planes and have seen the Far Realm, a place of despair and terror. Others wander the world as warriors of light and virtue. Whatever is needed is whatever an elf becomes.
RP: The PHB says that elves are very emotional. This does NOT mean emo. At all. It just says that your emotions can switch quickly. Let that be a fuel for your RP.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (Star Pact), Ranger, Paladin
Half Elf
+2 Dex +2 Con +2 Cha
Once a shiftless and cultureless race, the half elves have become a bit more clan-like, having decided to take matters into their own hands by forming large adventuring groups. While still open to other races they take some comfort in the knowledge that their kin are finally around to give them shelter from the buffets of Nendiel.
RP: The half elf is easily the most charismatic of all the races, the ones most likely to join large groups and make friends easily. So roleplay that! The half elf is like the cool big brother you never had: always around, always willing to help. You're a leader, so act like one!
Suggested Classes: Warlord, Cleric, Rogue
Halflings
+2 Dex +2 Int +2 Wis
Unfortunately most of the halflings in the world are dead. The ReUniting hit the plains the hardest of all, which is where the halfling race spent the majority of its time. Gone are the jolly little creatures of old. Gone is their love of Avandra, the goddess of luck, who seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the world. All that is left to them is their loss, their pain, and their slim chance of survival. They still roam the wilds and cities, hoping to find a way to save their shattered race and rebuild what was once theirs.
RP: Yup, emo's a good term here. The halflings here are very different from the traditional ones, so don't play the spunky little squirts you find in LoTR. A halfling may spend his entire life before he finds someone like him, and sometimes that leaves him bitter at the way the world has worked out. They all have a tired feel to them, a weariness that seems to be more like the elves of LoTR than any other race found in Nendiel. They can be (and should be) happy creatures, but realize that at the end of the day the weariness of their tragedy is very real to them.
Suggested Classes: Ranger (Archery Build), Rogue, Fighter.
Human
+2 to any
The Reuniting shattered all empires, and humans were hit the hardest. Their floating city states in Aqua were almost completely destroyed, along with any sort of holding they had in Terra and Abyssa at all. Bound and determined humanity marches on, looking for a way to survive. And generally finding it. They are the one race that has faired better than any of the others (even elves and half-elves), and are at the forefront (along with the Dragonborn) of rebuilding their old and tired world.
RP: Humans are adaptable, if nothing else. Don't let preconceived notions get in the way of anything. After all, Nendiel was once three different planes. Who knows what's possible?
Suggested Class: Any and all.
Tiefling
+2 Dex +2 Int +2 Cha
Tieflings are usually the one race everyone loves to hate, and in Nendiel no special exceptions are made for them. Their connection to the Nine Hells doesn't help tieflings any more than it did before, if anything the prejudice against them is worse. Some tieflings do try to help the world in its pain and misery, as is the case of Justice and Astheties. They helped to vanquish the evil sorcerer Guthru, but their payment was the same. The peoples of this world have no love for tieflings, and probably never will. But that doesn't stop them from maniuplating world events (like taking over the reigns of the Decalogue, an act that still has the former leaders reeling) and people.
RP: This is probably the darkest race in D&D. No matter what you do the populace is going to hate you. Your RP is more "other based" than any other race's, since you'll have to figure out how to deal with the lynch mobs with their nooses and pitch forks. Do you become bitter and vow to destroy them all? Or do you refuse to let their evil affect you? The choice is yours.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (infernal pact)/paladin, warlord, rogue
COMING SOON: NEPHILIM
COMING SOON: DROW
COMING SOON: DUSK
COMING SOON: WARFORGED
I've borrowed quite a few ideas from the people here on the homebrew forum, and those people (whom I don't have the names of at the moment) I gratefully acknowledge.
Thoughts?
My friends and I are making a campaign world out of a campaign that's starting to wrap up. We're calling it Nendiel. Here's the Wiki:
http://nendiel.wikispaces.com/
The basic set up of the world is this: At one point this world was under attack by the Shadowfell which, under the direction of Orcus and his pawn Tzaileroth, was swallowing up parts of the Material Plane and the Feywild, making them exclusively Shadowfell territory. This then split the Material and Feywild into three different parts, which grew smaller with each year. A group of heroes (who are currently running the adventure itself) successfully reclaimed the stolen parts of the Material Plane and the Feywild, "merging" it all back together, which came to be known as the Reuniting.
The results were catastrophic. Arcane energies flared, destroying large parts of the reformed world, horribly mutating most of the population, and killing almost all the rest. Demons and elementals poured into what was left, and took what they could. If not for the heroes who had merged the Realms in the first place all would have been lost. Either way almost all of it was.
This setting takes place 500 years after the Reuniting. Everything's still quite raw and hurt. I'll post the Races page I just wrote up on the Wiki here.
Here's a set up on how the races in the PHB fit into the world of Nendiel. All races can choose two out of three racial bonuses, listed in this document.
Dragonborn (Drako-Kin)
+2 St, +2 Int, +2 Cha
"How dare you question my honor! A duel is in order!"
Dragonborn are known most for their honor and their pride. They base their pride off of battlefield conduct primarily, bleeding into the rest of their life. They are an intensely structured and orderly people, convinced that order is the only way to counter the chaos that is currently in their world. Most of the leaders in this world are dragonborn, bound and determined to make everything right. The worst of dragonborn seek order to benefit themselves.
Since The Reuniting the dragonborn have been trying desperately to heal the world of its ills so that way all may live in it. They dislike dwarves for their apparent selfishness, and hate tieflings for their cowardice and use of the arcane arts, while being supiscious of the eladrin's use of the same power source. While not particularly religious all dragonborn hold Bahamut and Auri in high respect, and may even have private shrines of them set up. The few truly religious dragonborn are true paragons of virtue (or decadence, depending), true saviors of Nendiel.
Role-Play (RP): ALWAYS tell the truth, even when inconvenient. Even the most deceptive dragonborn includes major elements of the truth into their lies, spinning webs of partial deceit. Regardless of your class, always look out for your teammates. Dragonborn are decidely group-friendly creatures.
Suggested Classes: Warlord, Paladin, Cleric
Dwarf
+2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Wis
"An' who d'ye think ye are, laddie? Ah know what Ah am, a dwarf! And that makes me a bit better than you."
Dwarves are reclusive creatures, preferring their own kind to any other race. They are honor bound, but not to the extent that dragonborn are, honoring their ancestors above society. Sometimes a dwarf's preference for their own race turns into true xenophobia, resulting in dwarf "Other Raids", where they attempt to extinguish the presence of other races in a region. While most dwarves frown on this practice, they cannot deny their prejudices against the "other races" for the state that their world is in. So they toil alone, fighting everyone and no one at once, it matters little, so long as they are left alone. Dwarves are behind the greatest inventions of this world, including gunpowder, which is a closely guarded secret. They make cunning strategers. They do not shun arcane magic as do most of the races, but hold it as a useful tool, even if it is dangerous. Because of this they hold grudging "alliances" with tieflings and eladrin, who are well-versed in the arcane.
RP: Phrases like "you're pretty good for an Infernal" should be common. You could be a condescending dwarf, who views other races as a bit lower then yourself, or you could an out and out genocidal maniac, who views the other races as fodder for the dwarves. Regardless, try to play your dwarf with a bit of prejudice. Even the best dwarves have it. If you picked the Intelligence bonus stick with a wizard
Suggested Classes: Artificer (when released, we currently have a playtest version from Wizards if interested..), Fighter, Warlock (infernal pact)
Eladrin
+2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Int
"Beauty is the answer."
Since The Reuniting, eladrin have been obsessed with one thing, and one thing only: to make things beautiful again. They remember their fallen halls, and envy their elven brethren for their adaptability to this strange world. While still connected to the Feywild, this link has been weakened, since the Feywild itself was damaged in The Reuniting. Eladrin seek out the powerful artifacts of old, trying to find a way restore their former glory. They use arcane magic despite the fact that most of the races hold it in hatred or suspicion. Truly evil eladrin are wielders of great and terrible power, wishing for revenge upon all whom they perceive have robbed them of their rightful inheritance.
RP: Your race has lost most of the contact with your home, so a bit of weariness is present. Not emo, but weariness, the feeling you get when you only want home and nothing else. While eladrin are still very happy beings, they miss their old palaces and the old Feywild, which has since been overcome by the giants known as the Fomorians. If you have something negative to say, refer it to the Fomorians in some way. You're somewhat cautious around other races, since the common misconception is that your race is a bad as the tieflings and the drow, your despised cousins.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (fey pact), Wizard, Ranger (Two Weapon Fighting Build)
Elf
+2 Dex, +2 Wis, +2 Cha
"The world is here, and we live in it for but a few moments. To the task!"
Elves are the second most adaptive race in Nendiel, only trumped by humans and half-elves. Their love of the moment has helped them well in changing to fit the needs of the constantly shifting world of Nendiel. Some, in an effort to see past the madness that is their own world, have pierced beyond the vale of the Planes and have seen the Far Realm, a place of despair and terror. Others wander the world as warriors of light and virtue. Whatever is needed is whatever an elf becomes.
RP: The PHB says that elves are very emotional. This does NOT mean emo. At all. It just says that your emotions can switch quickly. Let that be a fuel for your RP.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (Star Pact), Ranger, Paladin
Half Elf
+2 Dex +2 Con +2 Cha
Once a shiftless and cultureless race, the half elves have become a bit more clan-like, having decided to take matters into their own hands by forming large adventuring groups. While still open to other races they take some comfort in the knowledge that their kin are finally around to give them shelter from the buffets of Nendiel.
RP: The half elf is easily the most charismatic of all the races, the ones most likely to join large groups and make friends easily. So roleplay that! The half elf is like the cool big brother you never had: always around, always willing to help. You're a leader, so act like one!
Suggested Classes: Warlord, Cleric, Rogue
Halflings
+2 Dex +2 Int +2 Wis
Unfortunately most of the halflings in the world are dead. The ReUniting hit the plains the hardest of all, which is where the halfling race spent the majority of its time. Gone are the jolly little creatures of old. Gone is their love of Avandra, the goddess of luck, who seems to have mysteriously disappeared from the world. All that is left to them is their loss, their pain, and their slim chance of survival. They still roam the wilds and cities, hoping to find a way to save their shattered race and rebuild what was once theirs.
RP: Yup, emo's a good term here. The halflings here are very different from the traditional ones, so don't play the spunky little squirts you find in LoTR. A halfling may spend his entire life before he finds someone like him, and sometimes that leaves him bitter at the way the world has worked out. They all have a tired feel to them, a weariness that seems to be more like the elves of LoTR than any other race found in Nendiel. They can be (and should be) happy creatures, but realize that at the end of the day the weariness of their tragedy is very real to them.
Suggested Classes: Ranger (Archery Build), Rogue, Fighter.
Human
+2 to any
The Reuniting shattered all empires, and humans were hit the hardest. Their floating city states in Aqua were almost completely destroyed, along with any sort of holding they had in Terra and Abyssa at all. Bound and determined humanity marches on, looking for a way to survive. And generally finding it. They are the one race that has faired better than any of the others (even elves and half-elves), and are at the forefront (along with the Dragonborn) of rebuilding their old and tired world.
RP: Humans are adaptable, if nothing else. Don't let preconceived notions get in the way of anything. After all, Nendiel was once three different planes. Who knows what's possible?
Suggested Class: Any and all.
Tiefling
+2 Dex +2 Int +2 Cha
Tieflings are usually the one race everyone loves to hate, and in Nendiel no special exceptions are made for them. Their connection to the Nine Hells doesn't help tieflings any more than it did before, if anything the prejudice against them is worse. Some tieflings do try to help the world in its pain and misery, as is the case of Justice and Astheties. They helped to vanquish the evil sorcerer Guthru, but their payment was the same. The peoples of this world have no love for tieflings, and probably never will. But that doesn't stop them from maniuplating world events (like taking over the reigns of the Decalogue, an act that still has the former leaders reeling) and people.
RP: This is probably the darkest race in D&D. No matter what you do the populace is going to hate you. Your RP is more "other based" than any other race's, since you'll have to figure out how to deal with the lynch mobs with their nooses and pitch forks. Do you become bitter and vow to destroy them all? Or do you refuse to let their evil affect you? The choice is yours.
Suggested Classes: Warlock (infernal pact)/paladin, warlord, rogue
COMING SOON: NEPHILIM
COMING SOON: DROW
COMING SOON: DUSK
COMING SOON: WARFORGED
I've borrowed quite a few ideas from the people here on the homebrew forum, and those people (whom I don't have the names of at the moment) I gratefully acknowledge.
Thoughts?
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