What if Japan was a D&D nation?

[Mokona]

In my Fantasy China game the players will start in the capital of the Song dynasty (Hangzhou) but I want there to be a cosmopolitan feel to the game. Therefore I need to flesh out the neighboring countries such as Korea and Japan. There are no humans in this game.

The Setting So Far…

Special thanks to everyone who voted plus Mustrum_Ridcully, Tonguez, WesternWolf, green slime, XCorvis, avr, and Phlebas for comments.​

The scene of Fantasy China is divided in to the upper and lower kingdoms with the Mongol hordes beyond the northern border. The lower kingdom is the hobgoblin nation of Song.

The dynasty in the south once controlled the uplands as well - until the north was captured from them by an invading bugbear army from Manchuria. The victorious bugbears founded the nation of Jin in which they rule over the local hobgoblin population of northern China.

Tribes of goblins form the Mongol barbarians; these goblins are slightly more robust than typically depicted in the Monster Manual and make deadly raiders sitting in the saddle of their large wolf mounts.

Catfolk, Derro, Dwarf (duergar), Dwarf (gold; Forgotten Realms), Dwarf (mountain), Eladrin (4th edition?), Elf (drow), Elf (high), Elf (wood), Elf (gray), Genasi, Gnoll, Halfling, Illumian, Kalashtar, Kobold, Lizardfolk, Orc, Shifter, Tiefling, Troglodyte, Yuan-ti, &c

 

[AnonymousOne]

Grey Elves in Kimonos ... sure.

 

[Ilium]

Given that you've got goblinoids running the show in China, I'd vote for something exotic for the "far-off islands" of Japan. I say Yuan-ti. But modify them so the almost-human ones are instead almost-hobgoblins (so they can do spy work in China).

 

[Drowbane]

voted Gray Elf

In the spirit of sharing...

My Fantasy Japan...

Race - Rokugan Clan - Martial Style(s) (Bolded style is one the clan's style)
Dwarf – Crab – devoted spirit, stone dragon, white raven
Elf, Gray – Crane – devoted spirit, diamond mind, white raven
Elf, Dark – Scorpion Spider – devoted spirit, shadow hand, white raven
Hin – Unicorn – devoted spirit, tiger claw, white raven
Human – Dragon – devoted spirit, setting sun, white raven
Human – Lion – devoted spirit, ironheart, white raven
Human – Phoenix – desert wind, devoted spirit, white raven

Dwarf: The Crab Clan were Norse Influenced Gaijin some hundreds of years ago. They maintain the Kaiu Wall and fight daily to keep the Shadow out of the Empire.

Elves: I use two subraces. Both type Fey.
Gray: Fey have aided and/or plagued the Humans for countless centuries. The Gray are in self-exile from the Fey Court.
Dark: Fallen to the Shadowland Taint, the Dark elves are mechanically Gray elves (as Fey) with Racial Levels that have aspects of the Dark, Shadow, and Shade templates. While not using thier Shadow-powers, they can pass for normal Elves.

Hin: (Ghostwise Halflings). Heavily influenced by Eberron's Talenta Halflings. Dinosaur riding/herding barbarians known for thier ferocity in battle. The Unicorn Clan are exiles from thier native land who petitioned the Emperor to join the Empire and were accepted only after years of patroling the non-Shadowland borders of the Empire. The Hin are strongly allied with the Nezumi.

Humans: The original natives of the land.

 

[Nifft]

I'd have them be racially Hobgobins, but a different color (orange vs. green?), and a different culture.

Cheers, -- N

 

[TerraDave]

I voted Tieflings, there the most anime...but Yuan-ti and or Lizardfolk that tend dinasours mutated by magic into vast size with strange powers. Thats what I would vote for.

 

[DM_Matt]

Hobgoblins or domesticated orcs instead of Humans, and youkai. Just borrow liberally from the Inuyasha setting.

 

[loseth]

Hobgoblin.

 

[frankthedm]

Hobgoblin

 

[Prince of Happiness]

Catgirls.