Whizbang Dustyboots
Gnometown Hero
And you both mean to break "any more" back into two words.mhacdebhandia said:
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What minor worldbuilding details have you added to your campaign world?
- Thread starter Whizbang Dustyboots
- Start date
These are a few of the things I've done:
My Dwarves are based on the Russians. They drink vodka, have a strong army, strong navy, strong cavelry, and their leaders are not kings, but Tzars.
My Halfling are loosely based on a mixed Native American/Arabian culture with a little Eberron thrown in. They are traveling tribes, each with a minor leader. There is a Sultan in a capital city. The scouts ride dinosaurs and many of the established warriors are devishes. They favor quick attacks in numbers.
My Monks are split into different monestaries. Each monestary has its different style and philosophy. I altered the monk class to fit. These monestaries are also where you find the oriental culture in my world. Samurai and other classes from Oriental Adventures train there as well. The standard monks are also available, but these are often found in remote schools.
My Dwarves are based on the Russians. They drink vodka, have a strong army, strong navy, strong cavelry, and their leaders are not kings, but Tzars.
My Halfling are loosely based on a mixed Native American/Arabian culture with a little Eberron thrown in. They are traveling tribes, each with a minor leader. There is a Sultan in a capital city. The scouts ride dinosaurs and many of the established warriors are devishes. They favor quick attacks in numbers.
My Monks are split into different monestaries. Each monestary has its different style and philosophy. I altered the monk class to fit. These monestaries are also where you find the oriental culture in my world. Samurai and other classes from Oriental Adventures train there as well. The standard monks are also available, but these are often found in remote schools.
Ry
Explorer
Houns (fair-skinned merchant folk of the Halcyon Sea region) maintain family bonzai gardens in interior courtyards. Beneath the gardens they maintain tiny pavillions that are lain out beneath the trees. These house the spirits of the family in generations past, who are eventually reborn into the family again.
Vraille Darkfang
First Post
Some details:
There are 6 Moons in the Sky. (Lycanthropes get hosed).
I have 12 Months of 40 Days Each.
Orcs have a Baculum Bone: (Also called an OS Penis Bone)
That last one is a long story.
There are 6 Moons in the Sky. (Lycanthropes get hosed).
I have 12 Months of 40 Days Each.
Orcs have a Baculum Bone: (Also called an OS Penis Bone)
That last one is a long story.
Dragons have baby sitters.
Children wear protective charms at all times. Even in the bath.
Ogres have perfect pitch.
Kobolds are even more conservative than dwarves.
All liches in existence at the time of The Lich King's War fought against the Lich King.
All adult green dragons in the United States work for the U. S. Forest Service.
Orcs will quickly develop heat exhaustion in 70 degree weather without counter measures.
Illness is treated aggressively, and if the patient refuses treatment he will be hospitalized against his will.
Homelessness is illegal. While it does not, necessarily, include the (un)death penalty, successfully evading capture eventually leads to just such a state.
Ghouls are not undead, but victims of a curse imposed upon them by their own obsessions.
An ounce of blood donated by a living saint can cure vampirism.
In this world the Constitution of the United States specifically states that a person may not falsely confess to a crime.
Adolescents regardless of species are kept occupied.
All persons 16 or older are required to carry a weapon and to know how to use it. All persons 16 or older are expected to intervene should another person be endangered.
Clothing stores often open early the morning after for therianthropes who got caught out the night of a full moon.
Charms and compulsions are illegal.
All buildings are specially reinforced up to the 3rd floor to handle the weight of ogres.
No one wears clothes when it's hot and muggy. (They do have lockets, collars, and belts for identification and "cash cards".)
All night watchmen are wights.
Children wear protective charms at all times. Even in the bath.
Ogres have perfect pitch.
Kobolds are even more conservative than dwarves.
All liches in existence at the time of The Lich King's War fought against the Lich King.
All adult green dragons in the United States work for the U. S. Forest Service.
Orcs will quickly develop heat exhaustion in 70 degree weather without counter measures.
Illness is treated aggressively, and if the patient refuses treatment he will be hospitalized against his will.
Homelessness is illegal. While it does not, necessarily, include the (un)death penalty, successfully evading capture eventually leads to just such a state.
Ghouls are not undead, but victims of a curse imposed upon them by their own obsessions.
An ounce of blood donated by a living saint can cure vampirism.
In this world the Constitution of the United States specifically states that a person may not falsely confess to a crime.
Adolescents regardless of species are kept occupied.
All persons 16 or older are required to carry a weapon and to know how to use it. All persons 16 or older are expected to intervene should another person be endangered.
Clothing stores often open early the morning after for therianthropes who got caught out the night of a full moon.
Charms and compulsions are illegal.
All buildings are specially reinforced up to the 3rd floor to handle the weight of ogres.
No one wears clothes when it's hot and muggy. (They do have lockets, collars, and belts for identification and "cash cards".)
All night watchmen are wights.
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Wik
First Post
I've always loved the "mentor" concept of learning magic, as opposed to the "university" idea.mhacdebhandia said:
In one of my old games, all wizards had to take on three apprentices at once - one of which was typically taught false information so that he would be unable to practice magic (and none of the three knew who was the "fake"). I forget why this tradition started, but it has evolved into the "third apprentice" being either an orphan or mentally-challenged individual who cannot function adequately in society... the wizard takes on this apprentice to remind his other two of their unique gifts. Of coure, all three apprentices compete with one another ruthlessly.
Nifft
Penguin Herder
Arcane marks cannot be faked. They are as specific as fingerprints, and protected by the goddess of magic and law.
Dragons run the banks. If you want to keep your money from being stolen, you give it to a dragon, and he sits on it. In return, you get paper with his arcane mark on it (called "dragon chit" by those who accept it, and something similar sounding by those who don't). Dragon chit is generally accepted within two day's flight from a dragon's home base, because the dragon will eat anyone who refuses to accept his currency.
Dragons also eat anyone attempting to set up a money lending service. Half-dragon loan sharks are tolerated... barely.
Magic items are sold via auction, just like fine art is in our world. There are two competing auction houses run by two of the kingdom's great noble families. Magic items are big business.
Mortals cannot lie in Celestial; any oath made in Infernal is eternally binding; just knowing Abyssal gives you a -2 penalty on saves vs. Demons' spell-like abilities.
Lower-planar beings are often summoned and compacted into armed service by mortals; the profession of mercenary is very common on the lower planes.
It is believed that the Ethereal plane is the past; the Shadow plane is the future.
It is believed that when you die, your spirit lingers on the Ethereal plane so long as you are remembered by someone. So, it is important to keep the songs of your ancestors alive.
Cheers, -- N
Dragons run the banks. If you want to keep your money from being stolen, you give it to a dragon, and he sits on it. In return, you get paper with his arcane mark on it (called "dragon chit" by those who accept it, and something similar sounding by those who don't). Dragon chit is generally accepted within two day's flight from a dragon's home base, because the dragon will eat anyone who refuses to accept his currency.
Dragons also eat anyone attempting to set up a money lending service. Half-dragon loan sharks are tolerated... barely.
Magic items are sold via auction, just like fine art is in our world. There are two competing auction houses run by two of the kingdom's great noble families. Magic items are big business.
Mortals cannot lie in Celestial; any oath made in Infernal is eternally binding; just knowing Abyssal gives you a -2 penalty on saves vs. Demons' spell-like abilities.
Lower-planar beings are often summoned and compacted into armed service by mortals; the profession of mercenary is very common on the lower planes.
It is believed that the Ethereal plane is the past; the Shadow plane is the future.
It is believed that when you die, your spirit lingers on the Ethereal plane so long as you are remembered by someone. So, it is important to keep the songs of your ancestors alive.
Cheers, -- N
jgbrowning
Hero
Devyn said:
That. Is. Awesome.
joe b.
Warren Okuma
First Post
Hmm...
Dwarves believe that dessert must include mustard.
Giants tastes is based on calories (joules). Thus a mug of hot steaming fat is haut cuisine.
Batwings (Droyne) like highly evolved foods. Mammals yum. Fish-ick. Thus tree based spices are good. Other not good.
Wizards can use will save for magical diseases.
Elves are vegans.
Dwarves believe that dessert must include mustard.
Giants tastes is based on calories (joules). Thus a mug of hot steaming fat is haut cuisine.
Batwings (Droyne) like highly evolved foods. Mammals yum. Fish-ick. Thus tree based spices are good. Other not good.
Wizards can use will save for magical diseases.
Elves are vegans.
WayneLigon
Adventurer
Moonstones
The most common form of divination is astrology. People pay a great deal of attention to time of birth, the phase and position of the moon and stars, and any unusual celestial events.
Moonstones are the most common divinatory tool seen among both commoners and the learned. 12 discs are used; silver discs made for that purpose, or silver coins, for the wealthier folk. Others make do with painted wood or clay discs. Their use is simple: they are thrown onto a surface, and then the diviner attempts to make sense of the pattern. Usually it is matched to one of the many named constellations, but sometimes other patterns are seen.
========================
The Church uses a form of Arcane Mark to brand heretics. The Mark shines through light clothing and any makeup placed over it. If you touch someone who has the Mark, it appears on you as well; anyone who would aid a heretic is obviously a heretic themselves.
========================
Dwarves are the descendents of giants, as are most of the goblinoid races.
========================
The only Monks in the campaign are LE Church assassins, often with one or two levels of cleric. The very few who break away from the Order are hunted like animals for the rest of their lives. (Since I don't allow people to play evil characters, this means any Monk PC comes with a built-in lifelong enemy. They get a couple things to compensate for this).
========================
The Imperial faiths have a deep and morbid fear of the undead. They always burn their dead so the soul will rise on the smoke and join the afterlife. People who drown to death almost always return as undead. Those who follow the Druidic traditions of the Greatwood always bury their dead so they can join the Underworld (the Greatwood 'heaven' is underground).
========================
The most common form of divination is astrology. People pay a great deal of attention to time of birth, the phase and position of the moon and stars, and any unusual celestial events.
Moonstones are the most common divinatory tool seen among both commoners and the learned. 12 discs are used; silver discs made for that purpose, or silver coins, for the wealthier folk. Others make do with painted wood or clay discs. Their use is simple: they are thrown onto a surface, and then the diviner attempts to make sense of the pattern. Usually it is matched to one of the many named constellations, but sometimes other patterns are seen.
========================
The Church uses a form of Arcane Mark to brand heretics. The Mark shines through light clothing and any makeup placed over it. If you touch someone who has the Mark, it appears on you as well; anyone who would aid a heretic is obviously a heretic themselves.
========================
Dwarves are the descendents of giants, as are most of the goblinoid races.
========================
The only Monks in the campaign are LE Church assassins, often with one or two levels of cleric. The very few who break away from the Order are hunted like animals for the rest of their lives. (Since I don't allow people to play evil characters, this means any Monk PC comes with a built-in lifelong enemy. They get a couple things to compensate for this).
========================
The Imperial faiths have a deep and morbid fear of the undead. They always burn their dead so the soul will rise on the smoke and join the afterlife. People who drown to death almost always return as undead. Those who follow the Druidic traditions of the Greatwood always bury their dead so they can join the Underworld (the Greatwood 'heaven' is underground).
========================
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