Not you typical fantasy setting
- Thread starter tecnowraith
- Start date
InVinoVeritas
Adventurer
Sounds like you might want to go Bas-Lag, with khepri and vodyanoi and cactacae and garuda and wyrmen and handlingers and Remade...
(Check out China Miéville.)
(Check out China Miéville.)
What system do you want to use? What kind of modern fantasy world do you envision: Neverwhere; Imagica; Split Infinity; American Gods; Shadowrun; RIFTS?
As for races off the top of my head:
1) On ENWorld, I've posted outlines for playable races based on True Fey sentient plant elves (who could also be fungal instead of plant), Anthropomorphic Snapping Turtles and Nephilim. The latter would be a more variable & flexible version of D&D's Planetouched.
In addition, even though they probably aren't what you want, I've also discussed classic alien Greys as the inspiration for elves, an aquatic humanoid race with nematocysts and chromatophores, a small, flying version of Thri-Kreen and Warforged that are actually housing the brains of Psionic Dwarves, a la Dr. Who Cybermen or Daleks. I mention them only to help with brainstorming.
2) Someone else on this site did a conversion of the giant-sized Wolfen from Palladium RPG. Not only is it well done (I used it myself), but there are minis that fit the race to a T from the Confrontation minis line...which apparently has gone belly up. If you like the idea, now is the time to find those minis.
3) Yoink races from sci-fI games. The Sesheyans from Alternity/D20 Future make a FINE FRPG race.
As for races off the top of my head:
1) On ENWorld, I've posted outlines for playable races based on True Fey sentient plant elves (who could also be fungal instead of plant), Anthropomorphic Snapping Turtles and Nephilim. The latter would be a more variable & flexible version of D&D's Planetouched.
In addition, even though they probably aren't what you want, I've also discussed classic alien Greys as the inspiration for elves, an aquatic humanoid race with nematocysts and chromatophores, a small, flying version of Thri-Kreen and Warforged that are actually housing the brains of Psionic Dwarves, a la Dr. Who Cybermen or Daleks. I mention them only to help with brainstorming.
2) Someone else on this site did a conversion of the giant-sized Wolfen from Palladium RPG. Not only is it well done (I used it myself), but there are minis that fit the race to a T from the Confrontation minis line...which apparently has gone belly up. If you like the idea, now is the time to find those minis.
3) Yoink races from sci-fI games. The Sesheyans from Alternity/D20 Future make a FINE FRPG race.
tecnowraith
First Post
Huh, I thought I mentioned the system I was gonna use. I am gonna use Mutants and Masterminds 3e cause i like the system, with its mix D20 and Hero system (the effects system). I want to stick with the mystical aspect of the setting and less scifi. What is Split Infinity or Imagica? I never heard of those systems.
None of the Alternity/D20 Future races are open content now.
I am planning on publishing this setting in the future so that is why I am being careful not "steal" other ideas.
None of the Alternity/D20 Future races are open content now.
I am planning on publishing this setting in the future so that is why I am being careful not "steal" other ideas.
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Split Infinity was the first book in a series by Piers Anthony in which a fantasy and sci-fI world were separated by a "curtain" between their respective dimensions.
Imajica is a novel by Clive Barker in which Mankind's Fall separated our world from a series of higher/other dimensions, most of which had a definite magical feel to them. At the time of the story, someone is on the verge of trying to repair the tear...like Buddha and Jesus (and other major religious figures) had tried to do before.
Re: Publishing
I'm glad to hear your concern about using other people's IP. The next best advice I can offer about publishing is don't do all the editing yourself. Always find someone you can trust to do a good job to help you do layout and proofreading- even if you have to pay someone- because it could help make or break your product. Those other eyes will almost always see something you didn't.
Imajica is a novel by Clive Barker in which Mankind's Fall separated our world from a series of higher/other dimensions, most of which had a definite magical feel to them. At the time of the story, someone is on the verge of trying to repair the tear...like Buddha and Jesus (and other major religious figures) had tried to do before.
Re: Publishing
I'm glad to hear your concern about using other people's IP. The next best advice I can offer about publishing is don't do all the editing yourself. Always find someone you can trust to do a good job to help you do layout and proofreading- even if you have to pay someone- because it could help make or break your product. Those other eyes will almost always see something you didn't.
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tecnowraith
First Post
Another thought came to mind that might work are PC Centauroid race. It's race that not been overly used a main PC race or a main protagonist in a story or novel. The ones I know for are Planescape: bariaurs and Fading Suns (sorta): Vorox.
Something you see a lot of in myth, legend and fantasy, but almost NEVER in FRPGs is sentient, talking animals.
NOT Anthropomorphs, but seemingly normal animals who are intelligent and capable of speaking human languages. Narnia, for one, is full of 'em.
In a FRPG, such beings would probably depend upon others to make tools for them (barring magic, of course) because most would lack hands. Their martial prowess would depend largely upon their natural weapons. They'd make interesting spellcasters, though.
NOT Anthropomorphs, but seemingly normal animals who are intelligent and capable of speaking human languages. Narnia, for one, is full of 'em.
In a FRPG, such beings would probably depend upon others to make tools for them (barring magic, of course) because most would lack hands. Their martial prowess would depend largely upon their natural weapons. They'd make interesting spellcasters, though.
tecnowraith
First Post
Okay this this is what I have so far as races
Avian Race: a winged humanoid that is not an angel or demon origin
Awaken Animal: regular animals with the power speech and other abilities.
Centauroid race: Humanoid, four legged animal hybrid (which animal not sure other than a hose)
Elemental/Fae: A spirit type race that gains different features that on which element they are. Still working that
Aberrant race: A lovecraftian type race with monstrous features
This might be enough cause just with the the Elemental/Fae and Aberrant racial feature there could be more uniqueness. The awaken animals I had planned on using awhile ago.
Avian Race: a winged humanoid that is not an angel or demon origin
Awaken Animal: regular animals with the power speech and other abilities.
Centauroid race: Humanoid, four legged animal hybrid (which animal not sure other than a hose)
Elemental/Fae: A spirit type race that gains different features that on which element they are. Still working that
Aberrant race: A lovecraftian type race with monstrous features
This might be enough cause just with the the Elemental/Fae and Aberrant racial feature there could be more uniqueness. The awaken animals I had planned on using awhile ago.
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
There are two important points that need to be remembered when designing suitable adventures
1. in the case of Awakened Animals the "No-Hands disadvantage" is important especially in a party with other races with hands. A whole party of Animals is cool not so much a dog alongside an avian and a centaur.
2. Centaurs with Hooves take up room and have difficulty climbing, although a bariaur or someother creature with opposable thumbs (a squirrel-centaur
) might be okay at climbing
3. Flight is an advantage for a winged humanoid, so you need to balance this somehow. Maybe combine this with your elemental/fae race
Aberrant Race - Flumphs ftw!
1. in the case of Awakened Animals the "No-Hands disadvantage" is important especially in a party with other races with hands. A whole party of Animals is cool not so much a dog alongside an avian and a centaur.
2. Centaurs with Hooves take up room and have difficulty climbing, although a bariaur or someother creature with opposable thumbs (a squirrel-centaur
) might be okay at climbing3. Flight is an advantage for a winged humanoid, so you need to balance this somehow. Maybe combine this with your elemental/fae race
Aberrant Race - Flumphs ftw!
