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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Afrodyte" data-source="post: 559279" data-attributes="member: 8713">more stuff for this settingA guy at the Wizards site asked some very good questions that inspired me to write some more for this setting.  Here is what I wrote in response to what he said:You raise some excellent issues.  Your questions have given me quite a lot of inspiration, so bear with me.1.  I hinted at it in the overview, but I should state it clearly now.  Most of the people who survived the catastrophe did so because they utilized humankind's adaptability.  By moving away from the crowded urban areas, they were able to avoid the worst of the aftermath (radiation, toxic water supplies, etc).  People didn't have a huge exodus a la the Moses saga.  They moved in small groups, perhaps no bigger than a district or neighborhood at a time.  They usually grew naturally or through contact with lone wolves from other groups.  The advantage was that by decentralizing the population, the threat of total annihilation via weapons of mass destruction was reduced.  Unfortunately, this meant that many populations were isolated from each other, which tends to slow down cultural development.2.  This world is, for the most part, lawless.  Government is a local matter, but the general trend is a return to the ways of pre-civilization.  Rule by the strongest, the eldest, or by the people are the most common forms of government.  It varies from settlement to settlement.  Those whose societies fit this model most closely remain intact to a greater extent than those which relied on a centralized authority.  Of course, a few rulers and groups who have the backing and resources to do so would seek to expand their territory and increase their resources even more, but travel is difficult, so the largest network under one rule tends to be the size of a contemporary metropolis district.  Economy has reverted to barter, as paper money and credit mean little when things like food, water, and shelter are primary concerns.  3.  Most of agriculture is destroyed.  Surprisingly, after the centers of human industry were obliterated, the wild areas recovered at a startling rate.  Many theorize that this is due to the influence of radiation, but more optimistic souls think this is the earth healing itself.  There have been some changes in the environment.  It seems that animals and plants have gotten bigger, stronger, and meaner.  Several new species of carnivorous plants lie in wait for the unwary traveler to make a wrong step.  Being killed and eaten by wild animals is no longer a distant worry, but primary on the minds of those who travel.  Instead of sabre toothed tigers, though, there are rats and birds of prey.  Mankind is once again the naked ape, protected only by the extent of its ingenuity and common sense.4.  All those roles can be filled by the PCs.  However, one of the primary concerns for them will be survival.  It forms the foundation for many of their motivations.  In this era, the relationship between the PCs' motivations and survival are more direct.  Conquest brings valuable resources to the characters and their community.  Rebuilding civilization helps everyone survive.  Rebelling against tyrannical rule can help redistribute resources that were previously hoarded by those in charge.  While in our time we have the luxury to worry about whether or not we are happy, in this era, the question is whether or not we will live.  Rather than give a bunch of NPCs to be in charge, I prefer to allow the PCs to rise and become the movers and shakers in the world without needing to be superhuman. 5.  Contemporary technology is, for the most part, available.  There are usually electricity and running water.  The internet only exists in larger settlements and use their own mainframes and databases; no talking across time zones anymore.  The manpower needed to take advantage of fossil fuels is too scattered to be effective.  Mass production is a thing of the distant past, so a great deal of what we have now has to be custom crafted.  Unfortunately, people are still good at killing one another.  Ancient weapons are back in vogue because more people know how to make them, and they don't tax natural resources that much.  Guns are not as popular as they once were because of the loss of mass production.  Losing bullets is a pain in the a**, and considering that everything is custom made, you can understand why.  People prefer things that can be used repeatedly, rarely lost, and easily replaceable without paying for someone to do a custom job (as is the case with guns and bullets).  Not to mention, people don't like picking pellets out of their meat.  Nevertheless, guns remain the most effective weapon, and a few settlements sport militias that have the use of an artillery weapon (as in one rocket launcher or one machine gun).  The materials for once-archaic weapons have changed, of course, but the basic concepts behind their construction remain unaltered.  A few clever inventors are able to make electroshock weapons (batons, tasers, etc).  For self defense, this is usually preferable because it subdues an attacker long enough to allow you to get away.Now for more crunchy bits.I was thinking of allowing more skill points for the characters to represent the fact that in this world, self-reliance is one of the ways to survive.  I may expand the class skills of various classes and have each class start with at least (4 + Intelligence modifer) * 4 skill ranks and use at minimum the (4 + Intelligence modifier) skill rank progression.  Some classes don't need this boost (the Smart Hero comes to mind), but for the Strong and Tough Heroes, this may be ideal.  Then again, it may not be a good idea.</blockquote>

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