Stormborn
Explorer
Ok, I have random ideas for campaigns I will never have time to run. I wrote this one up and decided to share in case anyone was interested. Let me know what you think:
The Land of Blood and Fire
Various publishers have included “monstrous” races that are not just suitable for PCs but are actually designed to be played as such. This got me thinking about an all “monster” campaign setting, one where none of the standard races were present. Whenver I include unusual races in a setting almost no one seems to play them, instead sticking to humans ,mostly, with the occasional halfling, elf, or dwarf. I decided I would like a setting where all the races are different, and any standard ones were both unusual and likely an enemy. Below are just some notes in that regard:
History:
Before the Six came the Lands were chaotic, alternating between periods of relative peace and eras of conflict between warring tribes vying for resources. Then the Six arrived from the West, beings of great power and might who would change the destiny of the Lands.
The Six were unlike any thing the Peoples had ever seen. They were of strange races and possessed great personal power. Working together the Six transformed the land and the Peoples from their savage state into a working civilization, altering not only culture and tradition but flesh and mind as well. Eventually, however, the Six turned on one another and made war. In the midst of the Great Conflict some of the Peoples rebelled. Between their own divisions and the might of the Rebellion the Six lost control of the Land. During the subsequent years much of their great magic and technology was lost or destroyed, or else sealed away to await their master’s return. It was a dark age that almost doomed the Land.
That was over a thousand years ago. Since that time the Peoples have rebuilt civilization, while some returned to the more primitive state of their ancestors. Today the Land has several small nations, complete with cities, towns, and villages. It also has to deal with the legacy of the Six, who spawned horrible monsters as well as leaving great and incomprehensible works of power. In the West there are stirrings that strange creatures have been seen venturing over the Great Mountains. What changes these new comers may work on the Land is yet unknown.
The Peoples: (These are just my choices, just about any would work although some might need mechanical tweaking to be compatible with the rest.)
Goblins (Iron Kingdoms): Other than being a little more civilized and a little wiser, goblins are the least changed of all the Peoples when compared to their feral ancestors. They still think shiny, sharp, and explosive. Today Goblins practically run the cities, what with their propensity for technology and arcane magics – not to mention their prodigious reproduction rates. Most goblins follow arcane magic paths, while a significant number also roles with a strong emphasis on skill use.
Ogrun (Iron Kingdoms): The most changed from their ancestors, the Ogrun are a regimented and lawful society that highly value faith, honor, and responsibility. Most dominate in their own kingdoms, they are found all over the Lands working in a variety of jobs, although smithing is a favored occupaton. Adventuring Ogrun can fill just about any role in a party but favor classes associated with religion.
Trollkin (Iron Kingdoms): The trollkin are very different than their Troll ancestors. They are a race of farmers and herdsman and cottage craftsmen. They like to sing and are noted for their voices. A few trollkin are born as mutants, obviously different from the rest, and while smaller and more fragile have a talent for spontaneous arcane magics. Adventuring trollkin are often of this later kind.
Shifters (Eberron): A large percentage of the Peoples are descended from the tamed lycanthropes of the Six’s kennels. Their ancestors were used as front line soldiers, and while they retain a martial tradition many are artisans and merchants in the towns and cities of the Land. Some, however, have rejected civilization and seek a more ‘natural’ existence either as hermits in the wilds or in tribal groups made up of those descended from a single ancestor. Adventuring Shifters often take on a martial role, particularly ones that emphasize offense.
Tauren (WoW): These nomadic herbivores are devout caretakers of the Land, and many are pacifists. Those who follow the Path of Blood and Fire, as it is called, are looked with both respect and distaste. The Tauren know that the life of a warrior is necessary, but deeply wish it were not. Like their Minotaur ancestors the Tauren enjoy complexity for its own sake, something that is reflected in their clothing, art, and speaking habits. Adventuring Tauren often follow paths of nature magic.
Warforged (Eberron): The product of Six magic, once their were tens of thousands of warforged, although in the last millennia their number had dwindled as no more can be made without the creation forges hidden in the Lairs of the Six. They were created to be guardians of the Land and the Peoples, and remain such today. They are some of the noblest and most trusted of all the Peoples, in spite of their lack of social graces at times, and are generally welcome in all but the most despotic or chaotic of lands. Most take on a martial role, particularly ones devoted to defense.
Religion: Most of the Peoples practice a kind of totemic/shamanistic religion that harkens back to the time before the Six came or focus on ancestor worship. The Ogrun in particular have a complex system that merges worship of ancestors with civil and familiall duties. As such there are few “gods” but iconic figures like Dog, Wolf, Horse, Eagle, etc. Some, especially among the primitive tribes, worship a demonic beast known only as the Devourer. Rumor has it that a small sect that worships the Six rule some cities.
Challenges: Each of the Six left behind a Lair. While these Lairs have been breached over the years most of them are vast complexes with numerous levels. Certainly all the riches they contain have not been found. In addition to the Lairs there are smaller Armories, Keeps, Citadels, and Reliquaries that hold untold wealth and danger. Primitive, and often dangerous, versions of many of the Peoples roam the wilds and raid towns and villages and make travel along certain roads unsafe. Abominations, experiments of the Six, also can be found roaming the wilds and in deep caverns underneath the Land. Perhaps the most interesting challenges for any of the Peoples lay in the Western Mountains, where strange races are making their presence known with obvious prejudice and violence for the people.
***
So basically the Six would be an evil adventuring party that went off to found their own empire and created the Peoples to rule over while the strangers in the Western Mountains would be the standard mix of humans, dwarves, elves, etc. All of which would be hostile to these "monsters."
The Land of Blood and Fire
Various publishers have included “monstrous” races that are not just suitable for PCs but are actually designed to be played as such. This got me thinking about an all “monster” campaign setting, one where none of the standard races were present. Whenver I include unusual races in a setting almost no one seems to play them, instead sticking to humans ,mostly, with the occasional halfling, elf, or dwarf. I decided I would like a setting where all the races are different, and any standard ones were both unusual and likely an enemy. Below are just some notes in that regard:
History:
Before the Six came the Lands were chaotic, alternating between periods of relative peace and eras of conflict between warring tribes vying for resources. Then the Six arrived from the West, beings of great power and might who would change the destiny of the Lands.
The Six were unlike any thing the Peoples had ever seen. They were of strange races and possessed great personal power. Working together the Six transformed the land and the Peoples from their savage state into a working civilization, altering not only culture and tradition but flesh and mind as well. Eventually, however, the Six turned on one another and made war. In the midst of the Great Conflict some of the Peoples rebelled. Between their own divisions and the might of the Rebellion the Six lost control of the Land. During the subsequent years much of their great magic and technology was lost or destroyed, or else sealed away to await their master’s return. It was a dark age that almost doomed the Land.
That was over a thousand years ago. Since that time the Peoples have rebuilt civilization, while some returned to the more primitive state of their ancestors. Today the Land has several small nations, complete with cities, towns, and villages. It also has to deal with the legacy of the Six, who spawned horrible monsters as well as leaving great and incomprehensible works of power. In the West there are stirrings that strange creatures have been seen venturing over the Great Mountains. What changes these new comers may work on the Land is yet unknown.
The Peoples: (These are just my choices, just about any would work although some might need mechanical tweaking to be compatible with the rest.)
Goblins (Iron Kingdoms): Other than being a little more civilized and a little wiser, goblins are the least changed of all the Peoples when compared to their feral ancestors. They still think shiny, sharp, and explosive. Today Goblins practically run the cities, what with their propensity for technology and arcane magics – not to mention their prodigious reproduction rates. Most goblins follow arcane magic paths, while a significant number also roles with a strong emphasis on skill use.
Ogrun (Iron Kingdoms): The most changed from their ancestors, the Ogrun are a regimented and lawful society that highly value faith, honor, and responsibility. Most dominate in their own kingdoms, they are found all over the Lands working in a variety of jobs, although smithing is a favored occupaton. Adventuring Ogrun can fill just about any role in a party but favor classes associated with religion.
Trollkin (Iron Kingdoms): The trollkin are very different than their Troll ancestors. They are a race of farmers and herdsman and cottage craftsmen. They like to sing and are noted for their voices. A few trollkin are born as mutants, obviously different from the rest, and while smaller and more fragile have a talent for spontaneous arcane magics. Adventuring trollkin are often of this later kind.
Shifters (Eberron): A large percentage of the Peoples are descended from the tamed lycanthropes of the Six’s kennels. Their ancestors were used as front line soldiers, and while they retain a martial tradition many are artisans and merchants in the towns and cities of the Land. Some, however, have rejected civilization and seek a more ‘natural’ existence either as hermits in the wilds or in tribal groups made up of those descended from a single ancestor. Adventuring Shifters often take on a martial role, particularly ones that emphasize offense.
Tauren (WoW): These nomadic herbivores are devout caretakers of the Land, and many are pacifists. Those who follow the Path of Blood and Fire, as it is called, are looked with both respect and distaste. The Tauren know that the life of a warrior is necessary, but deeply wish it were not. Like their Minotaur ancestors the Tauren enjoy complexity for its own sake, something that is reflected in their clothing, art, and speaking habits. Adventuring Tauren often follow paths of nature magic.
Warforged (Eberron): The product of Six magic, once their were tens of thousands of warforged, although in the last millennia their number had dwindled as no more can be made without the creation forges hidden in the Lairs of the Six. They were created to be guardians of the Land and the Peoples, and remain such today. They are some of the noblest and most trusted of all the Peoples, in spite of their lack of social graces at times, and are generally welcome in all but the most despotic or chaotic of lands. Most take on a martial role, particularly ones devoted to defense.
Religion: Most of the Peoples practice a kind of totemic/shamanistic religion that harkens back to the time before the Six came or focus on ancestor worship. The Ogrun in particular have a complex system that merges worship of ancestors with civil and familiall duties. As such there are few “gods” but iconic figures like Dog, Wolf, Horse, Eagle, etc. Some, especially among the primitive tribes, worship a demonic beast known only as the Devourer. Rumor has it that a small sect that worships the Six rule some cities.
Challenges: Each of the Six left behind a Lair. While these Lairs have been breached over the years most of them are vast complexes with numerous levels. Certainly all the riches they contain have not been found. In addition to the Lairs there are smaller Armories, Keeps, Citadels, and Reliquaries that hold untold wealth and danger. Primitive, and often dangerous, versions of many of the Peoples roam the wilds and raid towns and villages and make travel along certain roads unsafe. Abominations, experiments of the Six, also can be found roaming the wilds and in deep caverns underneath the Land. Perhaps the most interesting challenges for any of the Peoples lay in the Western Mountains, where strange races are making their presence known with obvious prejudice and violence for the people.
***
So basically the Six would be an evil adventuring party that went off to found their own empire and created the Peoples to rule over while the strangers in the Western Mountains would be the standard mix of humans, dwarves, elves, etc. All of which would be hostile to these "monsters."
