Need Help Refining Campaign Ideas

[Utrecht]

Ok, I am getting ready to roll out a new campaign when 3.5 comes out for our group and have been coming up with "This sounds cool" ideas - and as such would like to solicite the community for thier ideas to supplement mine:

So here goes.

I am using the following cosmology:

-Upper Planes and Lower Planes as standard.
-Positive and Negative planes as transative planes to the upper and lower (respectively)
-Co-existive with the Material Plane is the Spirit Plane
-4 Elemental Planes sitting off of the Material Plane access is through Spirit Plane.
- Far Plane - Accessability undetermined

Because of the presense of the Spirit Plane I would like Spirits to be a fairly large part of the setting - using such things as ancestors, nature spirits as well as small gods. As such tradition and respect for nature are important ideals in many locations - giving the campaign a blended East/West feel. In addition, I would like Fey to have a larger than normal presence.

I am allowing the following classes from the OA/Rogukan source books: Shaman and Samurai

Races - I am still open on Because of the below:

About 1000 years ago, a series of Demon Armies were hired/decided to each eliminate a specific race (ala Dark Sun) - thereby allowing me to eliminate any unwanted Humanoids. The life energies of these various eliminated races were used to create a series of powerful artifacts - what they do or what they are used for is still undecided.

Being Eliminated are all but the following:

- Gnolls (which I will use to fill the roll of Orcs)
- Lizardmen (Allows me to use the many Lizardlike humaniods as offshoots of the same race)
- PC races

I am considering eliminating 1 - 2 of the PC races - ther first to go would be the gnomes, second unknown. I will however replace the 1/2 orc with the 1/2 gnoll.


Like I said, this is what has perculated up thus far - and would like y'all to help me refine it.

 

[der_kluge]

What's everyone got against gnomes? Damn.

As for the artifacts, you could make them tools of those races to try to ensure that they survive, or come back to prominence. I mean, if I were a gnome, and knew that there were demon lords sent out to try to slaughter every last one of us, you'd bet I'd want to try to do something to preserve the species.

 

[Utrecht]

Well, I have always had a difficult time figuring out what postion the gnomes filled out in the races..... They have alwys seemed an amalgamation of Elves and Dwarves - and since I have never had anyone play a gnome - they were the ones easist to eliminate.

Also, I am planning to introduce illithids into the campaign (originating in the Far Realm) - I am not sure if they or demons/devils will be the BBEG though.

 

[Tonguez]

IMC I've eliminated Dwarfs and made Elves into 'Sidhe' (Fey). Halfelves and halforcs are considered 'tainted humans', Gnomes, goblins and giants (Large Orcs) are the other 'common races' (though giants aren't that common).

Gnomes fit the role of being the most 'mundane' of the fey and having secret wisdom.

If you want spirits to be common then make liberal use of the fiendish/celestial templates - Celestial Bears as NPCs or have the Shaman be followed around the forest by a celestial possum that keeps its distance but will warn him of danger and might even intervene if the Shaman is worthy.

Also make sure that you describe the strange tingling characters feel when entering an unknown area and require that they respond by calling on an ancestor for protection (if they don't then nothing goes right for them until the honour the local spirit). Also give ALL spells the same kind of 'flavour'