I am beginning my prep for what is quite a departure from my standard D&D campaigns. The idea is that the "World" is in a far younger and more savage age than that of the typical D&D campaign world. What I would like is for your ideas on parts or all of the societies/races that are outlined below. I do have my own ideas, but sometimes crowd-sourcing comes up with some real gems. Thanks in advance for your ideas!
-Hawk
The World is named Daia by the elves who so love the land. To the dwarves, it is Nazar for the mountains that call to their hearts, to the Yuan-Ti masters in their temples it is Viis, or simply “Ours!” in their tongue. Thus, the World is named.
Of the Races of the World:
The elder races of the World are of the following host: The Saughnin, the Kua-Toa, the Voth (known as Lizardfolk), The Giants, and the Yuan-Ti. Each race has reached a high level of societal and political sophistication. Their warriors and armies fight and plunder resources at will. Their mystics plumb the deep mysteries and seek ever more power. These races clash against each other as the super-powers of the World.
The middle races of the World are of the following host: The Dwarves, The Nomog (Hobgoblins), The Elves, and the Gnomes. These are the races in their adolescence or at most early adulthood. They have gained the arts of steel and magic but have not had centuries upon centuries to master them. They exist in the between places of the World, wedged between the Old Ones empires.
The newcomer races are of the following host: The Humans and the Orcs. These slave races were transported to the World by the elder races to work their fields, to build their temples, or to fight their wars. They are fragmented peoples, clinging to gods in far-away worlds, serving uncaring masters. Some few have escaped their yokes over the years, fleeing into the hinterlands. Their use of magic and technology is limited compared to the older races: shamanism/druidic practices and bronze age tools are the norm.
What are your playable races? And do you have a general plot?
I think your social structure is interesting. There's definitely potential to throw in unusual abilities from the orc/human home worlds. I would give them unique abilities that pop up here and there.
I would suggest that the Dwarves and Gnomes have gone underground to the parts of the world that the elder races don't care for.
Plot? Currently, I am still Sandboxing, so there is no real plot. I am outlining some threads that will manifest later in game (Illithids being summoned to the World accidentally by Saughnin sorcerers, The Storm Giant Kings and their mighty vassals pressed hard by the onslaught of the Voth (Lizardfolk) Hordes, and the Yuan-Ti threatening to summon forth their darkest Primordial to blot out the Sun and render Viis eternally under their yoke.) But, I don't have a story I am trying to tell. That, I think will wait on the players to develop their PCs.
As to player character races, despite the game being set in the Savage Past, they players were limited to Standard races from the PHB. The players indicated initial interest in playing elves or half-elves, so it didn't matter if I made the majority of humans in the world slaves, and the rest barely bronze age.
I was thinking about how the Elves, wary of the power of the Yuan-Ti and Voth, cling to mountainous forests, and with eyes fresh from the Feywilde wonder about dark tidings. The Dwarves, going by trope, are already hard at work digging great delves in the mountains and trading outwards...slowly. They are fearful of being in open competition with the Yuan-Ti in the arts of steel-making and imbuing enchantments. The Gnomes perhaps are merchant-like Gypsies moving from society to society, being considered too small in stature and number to be of use to the elder races.
It would be worth keeping in mind the sort of social standing of a half elf. Assuming the usual elf/human crossbreed, that's an elf sleeping with a slave and any offspring would almost certainly be shunned by the elvish community. But I like what you have. I think it would be interesting. Particular giants being in some sort of community would be a fun place to play in.
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I am beginning my prep for what is quite a departure from my standard D&D campaigns. The idea is that the "World" is in a far younger and more savage age than that of the typical D&D campaign world. What I would like is for your ideas on parts or all of the societies/races that are outlined below. I do have my own ideas, but sometimes crowd-sourcing comes up with some real gems. Thanks in advance for your ideas!
-Hawk
The World is named Daia by the elves who so love the land. To the dwarves, it is Nazar for the mountains that call to their hearts, to the Yuan-Ti masters in their temples it is Viis, or simply “Ours!” in their tongue. Thus, the World is named.
Of the Races of the World:
The elder races of the World are of the following host: The Saughnin, the Kua-Toa, the Voth (known as Lizardfolk), The Giants, and the Yuan-Ti. Each race has reached a high level of societal and political sophistication. Their warriors and armies fight and plunder resources at will. Their mystics plumb the deep mysteries and seek ever more power. These races clash against each other as the super-powers of the World.
The middle races of the World are of the following host: The Dwarves, The Nomog (Hobgoblins), The Elves, and the Gnomes. These are the races in their adolescence or at most early adulthood. They have gained the arts of steel and magic but have not had centuries upon centuries to master them. They exist in the between places of the World, wedged between the Old Ones empires.
The newcomer races are of the following host: The Humans and the Orcs. These slave races were transported to the World by the elder races to work their fields, to build their temples, or to fight their wars. They are fragmented peoples, clinging to gods in far-away worlds, serving uncaring masters. Some few have escaped their yokes over the years, fleeing into the hinterlands. Their use of magic and technology is limited compared to the older races: shamanism/druidic practices and bronze age tools are the norm.
What are your playable races? And do you have a general plot?
I think your social structure is interesting. There's definitely potential to throw in unusual abilities from the orc/human home worlds. I would give them unique abilities that pop up here and there.
I would suggest that the Dwarves and Gnomes have gone underground to the parts of the world that the elder races don't care for.
Where did the races come from?
Plot? Currently, I am still Sandboxing, so there is no real plot. I am outlining some threads that will manifest later in game (Illithids being summoned to the World accidentally by Saughnin sorcerers, The Storm Giant Kings and their mighty vassals pressed hard by the onslaught of the Voth (Lizardfolk) Hordes, and the Yuan-Ti threatening to summon forth their darkest Primordial to blot out the Sun and render Viis eternally under their yoke.) But, I don't have a story I am trying to tell. That, I think will wait on the players to develop their PCs.
As to player character races, despite the game being set in the Savage Past, they players were limited to Standard races from the PHB. The players indicated initial interest in playing elves or half-elves, so it didn't matter if I made the majority of humans in the world slaves, and the rest barely bronze age.
I was thinking about how the Elves, wary of the power of the Yuan-Ti and Voth, cling to mountainous forests, and with eyes fresh from the Feywilde wonder about dark tidings. The Dwarves, going by trope, are already hard at work digging great delves in the mountains and trading outwards...slowly. They are fearful of being in open competition with the Yuan-Ti in the arts of steel-making and imbuing enchantments. The Gnomes perhaps are merchant-like Gypsies moving from society to society, being considered too small in stature and number to be of use to the elder races.
It would be worth keeping in mind the sort of social standing of a half elf. Assuming the usual elf/human crossbreed, that's an elf sleeping with a slave and any offspring would almost certainly be shunned by the elvish community. But I like what you have. I think it would be interesting. Particular giants being in some sort of community would be a fun place to play in.