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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 2031197" data-attributes="member: 2012">Definitely, I have my homebrewed world divided and subdivided in this manner. I have several continents that each have an underlying theme and each continent is also broken down into specific regions. The best idea is to use major geographical landmarks as "rough" dividing points between regions (i.e. mountain range).I also use many different races, whether they are standard races, custom races I've created, or unique races from a D&D/d20 sourcebook. (So far, I've stayed away from the "Races" series by WotC.) However, just using a different race isn't enough unless that race's culture is also modified. Don't feel threatened by the idea of turning a racial stereotype on its head.A good way to do this is to mix up a "racial" deity's followers. For example, on the continent that I call the Lands of Harqual the deities known as Gruumsh and Vaprak have followers that aren't orcs and ogres. Sure those races are the favored children of those two deities but that doesn't mean they don't have human or even demihuman followers.Another example is the fact there aren't any "true" drow on the World of Kulan. Sure the drow once tried to invade the Underearth of Kulan through a magical gate, but they were unsuccessful, as the Underearth races banded together to wipe them out. This has left a mark on how my Underearth is different than a standard Underdark. There is a half-drow/half-PHB elf race that are the descendants of those invading drow, but they are limited to one continent, aboveground.)   I did something similar to thing for languages. there is a Common language, but it is only spoken on one continent, Harqual. Each of my other continents, and several of the subregions on those continents, have a unique "common" language. For example, on the continent of Kanpur (the largest continent) there are dozens of common, regional, and trade tongues. I have a region based on the Land of Fate boxed set and its common language is Midani, which is from that 2e reference. I have a regional language called Dagira, which is spoken exclusively in the desert steppelands of Sogukol.And I recommend researching historical languages and mixing and matching different spellings of words in different languages, for maximum effect in creating unique sounding place names and characters. For example, in one region on Harqual, many of the place names are based on a mixture of Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Sweadish, Spanish, and German words, spread across a peninsula. I recommend finding a translator, online, if you're not already a master of languages. Also use your local library to study about langauages.Great minds think alike, right Crothian? Yes, geography is your friend in creating different regional concepts. A race that lives in a forest environment will have a different culture than the same race that lives in a desert environment. Another great idea, as Crothy alluded to, are those races thar are considered to be exiles or "sundered". A race of elves forced to abandon their ancestral virgin forest due to undead infestation will have to find other living arrangements. Perhaps they become nomadic after several generations have gone by or are forced to scatter and live amongst humans. And a race doesn't have to be exiled by tragedy. Perhaps they left their homeland on purpose for some unknown reason only known to their elders.Simply let your mind wander, Ferret, and study historical migrations for ideas on creating unique cultures. I'm no expert, but you could create a subrace of wandering gypsies or a mongol like race that came, conquered, and stayed to rule.Stuff like that. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f600.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":D" title="Big grin    :D"  data-smilie="8"data-shortname=":D" />Cheers!KF72</blockquote>

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