Kobold Avenger
Legend
I'm thinking up a campaign world where your normal "monster" humanoid races like Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds and the rest live in relatively peaceful coexistance with your standard PHB races. While rivalries still exist between these races, such as Goblins and Dwarves, it's more on the scale of emnity as Elves and Dwarves. Anyways for the most part the Orcs, Goblins, Kobolds and the like tend towards neutrality and but are often of any alignment. The campaign world is also more technologically advanced, yes it's a steam-tech fantasy setting.
My thoughts for the Kobolds are, since they're so linked to Dragons in 3e, I've divided them up into Nations. Each Nation is based on a particular type of Dragon. There's many different Kobold Nations but the most common are the 15 Chromatic (white, black, green, blue, red), Metallic (brass, copper, bronze, silver, gold) and Gem (amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, topaz) Nations. The Kobold Nation has a slight influence on the Kobold's alignment. For example Red Nation Kobolds are a little more likely to be chaotic evil, while Gold Nation Kobolds are a little more likely to be lawful good, but over all members of those nations are mainly neutral. The Kobold nations are well developed in terms of a society, even if they are a little overcrowded resulting in the presence of Kobolds almost everywhere else in the world (much like humans in many ways). The Kobold cities are built around the theme of the nation that built it, so for example a Topaz Nation Kobold city has many structures built of a topaz like material filled with massive citadels reaching high into the sky and deep into the ground that are crystalline in shape and design. Kobold sorcerers are plentiful among the Kobold nations and quite powerful forming some of the most powerful sorcerous societies in the world, with the exception of the Gem Kobold Nations where Psions are more common. As a PC race they pretty well are like the MM stats except they get a bonus feat, can replace their +2 craft (trapmaking) bonus with a +2 to any other craft skill and no light sensitivity penalty to make them more balanced with other races such as those in the PHB, and Gem Nation Kobolds have Psion as a favoured class instead of Sorcerer.
The Orcs I've divided into a couple of subraces or more. The MM Orcs are Savage Orcs who have a tribal culture. While another breed of Orc, the High Orc or Noble Orc are their civilized cousins who often feel they must lead and educate their savage cousins. High Orcs and Humans are equal in terms of mental developement and intelligence. In many ways Orcish society is like Human society. I generally wanted the Orcs to be more like Warcraft Orcs, with their noble savage image, or perhaps in some ways similiar to Klingons. High Orcs are steady and devoted, in some cases maybe a little single minded to a particular profession. They tend to be more about function and reliablity in design, which occasionally puts them at odds with Elves. A High Orc would have something like +2 str and -2 dex for ability modifiers (so they don't have any mental penalties), low-light vision, no Light Sensitivity penalty, and a +2 bonus to two craft or profession skills of there choice due to the High Orcish talent or devotion to a particular field, and are ECL 0.
Goblins are also another numerous and well spread out race. Out of the many races Goblins embrace technology a lot. Though Goblin-designed tech isn't always the most reliable around. They happen to be rivals with Gnomes over their technological innovations, and in many cases members of both races won't work together, and will often blame each other for stealing their inventions. Goblins claim that Gnomes are elitists, while Gnomes claim that Goblins are crude. Though when Goblins and Gnomes work together the world should be very afraid of what they could make. Most Goblin cities are very industrial in appearance, showing off the Goblin's love of their technology. Though just because of technology, many goblins have not forgotten their magical heritage. A significant number of goblins are wizards, and in fact goblin wizards and cabals are quite common. Because of this there's the newly emerging type of magic known as technomancy emerging from goblin and gnomish arcane societies. As a PC race Goblins get no charisma penalties and a bonus feat.
Many Ogres live in isolated societies away from other races under control of the Ogre Mage who are the brains and the leaders of Ogre society. However many other Ogres have been integrated into other cultures, primarily as muscle for jobs such as labourers and bodyguards. As infantry in the various armies of the world Ogres are generally taught to use light cannons as weapons, using them as rifles to offer heavy support for squads of riflemen.
I haven't thought too much on which roles other races such as Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Gnolls and others would have in this world, any other ideas are greatly appreciated.
My thoughts for the Kobolds are, since they're so linked to Dragons in 3e, I've divided them up into Nations. Each Nation is based on a particular type of Dragon. There's many different Kobold Nations but the most common are the 15 Chromatic (white, black, green, blue, red), Metallic (brass, copper, bronze, silver, gold) and Gem (amethyst, crystal, emerald, sapphire, topaz) Nations. The Kobold Nation has a slight influence on the Kobold's alignment. For example Red Nation Kobolds are a little more likely to be chaotic evil, while Gold Nation Kobolds are a little more likely to be lawful good, but over all members of those nations are mainly neutral. The Kobold nations are well developed in terms of a society, even if they are a little overcrowded resulting in the presence of Kobolds almost everywhere else in the world (much like humans in many ways). The Kobold cities are built around the theme of the nation that built it, so for example a Topaz Nation Kobold city has many structures built of a topaz like material filled with massive citadels reaching high into the sky and deep into the ground that are crystalline in shape and design. Kobold sorcerers are plentiful among the Kobold nations and quite powerful forming some of the most powerful sorcerous societies in the world, with the exception of the Gem Kobold Nations where Psions are more common. As a PC race they pretty well are like the MM stats except they get a bonus feat, can replace their +2 craft (trapmaking) bonus with a +2 to any other craft skill and no light sensitivity penalty to make them more balanced with other races such as those in the PHB, and Gem Nation Kobolds have Psion as a favoured class instead of Sorcerer.
The Orcs I've divided into a couple of subraces or more. The MM Orcs are Savage Orcs who have a tribal culture. While another breed of Orc, the High Orc or Noble Orc are their civilized cousins who often feel they must lead and educate their savage cousins. High Orcs and Humans are equal in terms of mental developement and intelligence. In many ways Orcish society is like Human society. I generally wanted the Orcs to be more like Warcraft Orcs, with their noble savage image, or perhaps in some ways similiar to Klingons. High Orcs are steady and devoted, in some cases maybe a little single minded to a particular profession. They tend to be more about function and reliablity in design, which occasionally puts them at odds with Elves. A High Orc would have something like +2 str and -2 dex for ability modifiers (so they don't have any mental penalties), low-light vision, no Light Sensitivity penalty, and a +2 bonus to two craft or profession skills of there choice due to the High Orcish talent or devotion to a particular field, and are ECL 0.
Goblins are also another numerous and well spread out race. Out of the many races Goblins embrace technology a lot. Though Goblin-designed tech isn't always the most reliable around. They happen to be rivals with Gnomes over their technological innovations, and in many cases members of both races won't work together, and will often blame each other for stealing their inventions. Goblins claim that Gnomes are elitists, while Gnomes claim that Goblins are crude. Though when Goblins and Gnomes work together the world should be very afraid of what they could make. Most Goblin cities are very industrial in appearance, showing off the Goblin's love of their technology. Though just because of technology, many goblins have not forgotten their magical heritage. A significant number of goblins are wizards, and in fact goblin wizards and cabals are quite common. Because of this there's the newly emerging type of magic known as technomancy emerging from goblin and gnomish arcane societies. As a PC race Goblins get no charisma penalties and a bonus feat.
Many Ogres live in isolated societies away from other races under control of the Ogre Mage who are the brains and the leaders of Ogre society. However many other Ogres have been integrated into other cultures, primarily as muscle for jobs such as labourers and bodyguards. As infantry in the various armies of the world Ogres are generally taught to use light cannons as weapons, using them as rifles to offer heavy support for squads of riflemen.
I haven't thought too much on which roles other races such as Hobgoblins, Bugbears, Gnolls and others would have in this world, any other ideas are greatly appreciated.
