Well, I'm gonna do some samples for you all now, because I'm starting to get excited about the thought of people other than people I actually know face to face reading my crap. So, here goes!
Some stuff you may like:
Dorfs!
DWARF
The Dwarf tends to lead a simple life that shies away from the rest of society and is highly industrious. Dwarves always tend to be at the forefront of incredible works of masonry, metalworking, mining and other crafts, including painting and sculpting. While the mundane Dwarf prefers aesthetic to be second to utility, they prize a beautiful thing for its nature as well as any other person, if not more so because of the emphasis on skill and creativity in Dwarven society. Dwarves begrudgingly take on their title from “Overlanders” who tend to be much taller than them, and call themselves the “Earthen Guard.” However, their time in mines and workshops leaves the Dwarves with a well muscled physique, enough so that most types of people let them have the space that they need.
Dwarves have a very long lifespan when compared to all other peoples, generally being outlived only by the Elves and Faeries. Because of this lifespan, Dwarves have a unique perspective on work. A Dwarf may spend as long as a full week working without interruption for sleep and minimal time spent eating and resting while feeling few ill effects. Many Dwarven masterpieces spend years or even decades on the drawing table, while the artisan considers all options for shape and form of the piece, utilitarian nature and materials, as well as the method of the craft itself. Because of their culture, Dwarves tend to be somewhat perfectionist, always demanding the best of everyone around them and even more from themselves.
The beard and hair of the Dwarf tends to be a somewhat sacred topic of discussion. An adult Dwarf generally grows a long beard as a sign of respect for the tools and abilities that the world has given them, as well as a show of respect to their elders and their beards. Contrary to popular belief, the only hair on the face of the Dwarven woman is her eyebrows and lashes, although they usually do keep their hair braided for the same reasons as the men keep theirs so. Typically, Dwarven ladies tend to have a strong connection to the home, and their long lifespan as well as their sequestered nature leads to numerous children. More crude Overlanders will seek to offend a nearby Dwarf by loudly wondering whether Dwarven women ever see the light of day. This usually results in screams of mercy for the Overlander as the Dwarf attempts to tie their limbs into a knot.
Unlike the previously mentioned Mer, the Dwarves take matters of military might very seriously. Dwarves have many resources that are much more easily accessed by a variety of people than the Mer, such as numerous varieties of stones and metals, and they feel that it is their solemn duty to protect the earth that gives them their home. While not openly hostile to everyone overland, Dwarves tend to come across as either extremely arrogant or gruff and indifferent. This, however, rarely hampers trade between them and other peoples.
Age Average Height Average Weight Skin Colors
Child: 5-15 >2 Feet > 100 lbs. Reds
Adolescent: 16-24 2 - 4 Feet 100- 200 lbs. Browns
Adult: 25-650 5 - 6½ Feet 125 - 200 lbs. Tan
Middle Aged: 651-874 5 - 6½ Feet 150 - 200 lbs.
Elder: 875+ 4½ - 5½ Feet 100 - 175 lbs.
Attributes and Abilities
Dwarves start with +2 Strength, +3 Willpower, +5 Concentration, -1 Technique, -2 Charisma, -2 Agility, -2 Speed.
The Dwarf may spend free Attribute Points (based on their age) during character creation on the Proficiencies: Carpentry, Cooking, Engraving, Glassblowing, Metallurgy, Mining, Painting, Sculpting, Smithing, Stonemasonry, Tailoring or Trading.
Children receive no extra points upon creation, Adolescents receive one, Adults and Middle Aged characters receive two and Elders receive three.
Each time a Dwarf makes something (using the Proficiencies: Carpentry, Engraving, Glassblowing, Painting, Sculpting, Smithing, or Tailoring,) the item in question requires one less success to make. If the item in question needs only one success to make, they may add 5 points to their die roll.
The Dwarf speaks Larsec and Dwarven, generally.
Elves!
ELF
What is commonly called the “Elf” is actually but one of a large number of offshoots of the same type of being. Thousands of years ago, during the Reformation of Life, after the Great Cataclysm, there were several types of Elves, ranging from the mystic Sky Elves and Sea Elves to the more physical Stone Elves and Dark Elves. Eventually, cultures clashed, and violence broke out, eventually leading to full-scale war.
The War of Leaves lasted nearly a full century before finally, the Elves of the Dark emerged victorious. These ebon skinned people live in houses or covens, much like the vampires of myth, and the matriarch at the head of every house leads them into a brutal and grueling existence. There is a queen above all house mothers, and her title is Queen of the Night. This queen exists simply to settle disputes when even the decimation of an entire house will not bring about closure to a dilemma. She tends to be capricious, dismissive, and somewhat childish in nature, despite her post. This is caused by a few different factors, such as the queen generally being a fairly young girl, as well as the high rate of coup d'états, to the point of most houses bringing up a “queen” of their own.
Even though the Great War is over, the Dark Elves still treat all other types of Elves as the enemy, to be ground out of existence with no mercy. Sky Elves, Wood Elves, River Elves and Mist Elves are all seen as curiosities to almost all the other peoples of the world. Their numbers were severely depleted by most of the Dark Elves exterminating them on sight. However, some of the more enterprising of the Dark sold their usually accidental prisoners into slavery, or as food for intelligent monsters. In almost all places, Elves of the non-Dark variety are treated as second class citizens, lest the populace feel the wrath of the Dark Elves upon them. Every few years, a coalition of non-Dark Elves rises up to take back their homelands, and indeed their homes, and rightful place among society. They are generally outmanned, underequipped, poorly trained and are quickly dispatched by the ferocious warriors of the Dark Elves.
The Elves constantly study the arts of both war and magic, often at the expense of more social pursuits, such as commerce and politics. The posturing and demeanor leaves them at odds with most of the other classes, but none more so than the merry Kujano, and as such, the Dwarves. Elves have a natural lifespan of close to a full millennia, and will (unless highly privileged,) most likely be tortured and brutalized several hundred times over, at random, by none other than their own kin. This does not take into effect the constant struggle to survive attacks from other houses, as well as the planning that this entails. To the Elf, the enemy may literally be behind every door, at any time, in any place. Furthermore, any Elf that lays down their weapon and joins society outside the rule of their house will do so forever, as an outcast. One may not enjoy the constantly forlorn attitude of the outcast Elf, but at least one can generally sympathize.
Age Average Height Average Weight Skin Colors
Child: 5-9 >3 Feet > 20 lbs. Ebon
Adolescent: 10-50 3 - 5 Feet 40- 80 lbs.
Adult: 51-500 4 - 5 Feet 65 - 110 lbs.
Middle Aged: 501-874 4 - 5 Feet 50 - 100 lbs.
Elder: 875+ 3 ½ - 4½ Feet 40 - 65 lbs.
Attributes and Abilities
+1 Strength, +2 Magic, +2 Speed, +3 Stealth, +4 Reflexes, +5 Intimidation, -2 Religion, -3 Teaching, -5 Charisma, -5 Enlightenment
The Elf may spend free Attribute Points (based on their age) during character creation on the Proficiencies: Alchemy, Enchanting, Fortune Telling, Unarmed Combat, Melee Combat, Ranged Combat, Defense, Ki Manipulation, Elemental Magic, and Ritual Magic.
Children receive one point upon creation, Adolescents receive two, Adults and Middle Aged characters receive three and Elders receive five.
The Elf speaks Larsec and Elven, generally.
Goblins!
GOBLIN
Goblins, generally speaking, are the single most misunderstood people in the world. Most of the populace of the world has never been inside Goblin territory, and thus believe stories of stumpy, graceless, hairy, barbarous little dark green fellows with as much intellect as a slime and an extremely limited vocabulary. The intrepid trader that does decide to venture into the dangerous hunting grounds of the Goblin will soon find, however, that these little creatures are called Gremlins, not Goblins, and are either pets, servants, or livestock, depending on the Goblin that you talk to. Goblins are simply a very isolationist people, and send the Gremlins out to do simple tasks, such as gathering firewood. Occasionally, the odd Gremlin will wander into a town, thus the confusion.
Goblins themselves are tall, lanky, pale green individuals. They generally have dark, bristly hair kept long, and they have wide-set, large eyes. They live in small, commune style villages. Normally, many tribes will co-exist within one large portion of “Goblin Territory”, without one tribe laying claim to all the land within. Generally, everyone in one tribe shares resources, including food, fresh water, and shelter. Every Goblin sets out to find their unique skill set with little to no formal training, and if they fail to develop any useful skills during Adolescence, they are cast out into the dense wilderness that surrounds Goblin territory. This is much rarer than the Elders of the villages would have the youths believe, however, as even the most mundane task is useful to the village.
Because of their agrarian lives, Goblins are experts at using the resources around them to get what they need, even if the results are less than masterful. For example, many Halfling settlements will rely on metal that has already been smelted by someone else to make items for sale. Not so, with the Goblins. Often, Goblin villages include gatherers of raw materials, including miners and woodcutters, all of the people necessary to make those raw materials into usable supplies, like weavers and metallurgists, and the makers of finer goods, like smiths, glassblowers and carpenters. Artistic pursuits are of little consequence to the Goblin, as while a painting may look good on a wall, it isn’t going to help you survive in the wilderness, except in the most unlikely of circumstances.
During times of war, it is common for numerous tribes to team up against a mutual enemy, effectively becoming a “super-tribe.” They share talents, resources, hunting grounds, knowledge, and once they split back up, some individuals may convert to the other tribe. Elders generally take care of the tribe, as their skills do not degenerate in old age. They simply live in their very short prime until old age takes them around the age of fifty years. Goblins are known only by a compound first name given to them by a resident seer, fortune teller or mystic of some kind who tries to divine their future or a defining ability. Examples would be: “Shaman-Spirit” or “Great-Justice”. A great name can sometimes lead to complacency, however, as a Goblin named “Powerful-Hunter” may not be driven to practice their skill with the bow.
Age Average Height Average Weight Skin Colors
Child: 4-9 3 - 3½ Feet > 20 lbs. Jade, Jungle,
Adolescent: 9-15 5 - 6½ Feet 10- 30 lbs. Olive, Mint,
Adult: 16-35 5½ - 7 Feet 20 - 40 lbs. Moss
Middle Aged: 36-54 5½ - 7 Feet 15 - 30 lbs.
Elder: 55+ 5½ - 7 Feet 10 - 25 lbs.
Attributes and Abilities
+1 Stealth, +2 Reflexes, +2 Strength, +2 Perception, +2 Agility, -1 Enlightenment, -3 Teaching, -3 Lore
The Goblin may spend free Attribute Points (based on their age) during character creation on the Proficiencies: Animal Training, Carpentry, Farming, Fishing, Fortune Telling, Hunting, Metallurgy, Mining, Stonemasonry, and Survival.
Children receive one point upon creation, Adolescents receive two, Adults and Middle Aged characters receive three and Elders receive five.
Alchemy!
ALCHEMY (Intelligence + Magic)
Alchemy is very misunderstood by the masses to be transmutation of materials, for example: turning water into wine, or lead into silver, both of which are impossible. Alchemy, however, is a two-fold skill. It is both scientific and philosophical. In short, Alchemy is the art of purification. This purification is not limited to base things, however it can be applied to energy, the self, and society just as well as it can be applied to metals and stone. The Alchemist with a little bit of skill can leverage around 7 Rinta/day in a moderate-sized city.
An amateur Alchemist can pursue their craft with numerous materials. The art of purification is easily applied to raw materials, which causes them (in conjunction with Smithing, Carpentry and other crafting skills) to become higher quality items.
Purifying a unit of raw material requires 10 Manna and 1 hour, per level of purification.
Example: Purifying a material for the third time consumes 30 Manna and 3 hours.
Successfully purifying a unit of raw material modifies it to a state above normal.
Example: A unit of unpurified bronze would make a longsword with a power of 4. A unit of once purified bronze would make a longsword with a power of 5. That same unit of bronze, purified twice, would produce a longsword with a power of 6.
Alchemical purification has a different difficulty for each type of material. Alchemy can be performed up to three times on any one piece of material.
Purification is seen by all as extremely beneficial, however, it can be excessively expensive. Purified materials, however, sell for much more than their normal costs, depending on the material. The steps to purification are as follows:
Check difficulty of material to be purified, and number of purifications upon that piece of material.
Roll Intelligence+Magic+1D10 against the difficulty set. If successful, the material is purified. If failed, the material is reduced to worthless scrap, which cannot be purified.
100 Successes - All Alchemy difficulty checks are made at an additional 1D10.
200 Successes - You may re-roll the lowest die used in any Alchemy check, once, and keep the new total.
300 Successes - Alchemy skill may be applied to Apothecary and Cooking, (including the extra dice rolled, and re-rolls of dice.)
400 Successes - An additional hour may be spent on Purification, which adds 5 to one Alchemy die-roll. (However, this is limited to one hour per Purification attempt.)
500 Successes - Purification may be performed by using Manna, or Ki, or a combination of both.
600 Successes - All Alchemy difficulty checks are made at an additional 1D10.
700 Successes - The Alchemist may re-roll an additional die (in addition to the one re-rolled for 200 successes.)
800 Successes - Alchemy can be performed in half the normal time.
900 Successes - Alchemical purification grants double the normal bonuses. (Example: Two units of bronze made into an Arming Sword makes a 10 power weapon. A unit of once purified bronze usually adds one to the power for a total of 12, but each level now adds two to the power, making the same sword a 14 power weapon. The same bronze, purified three times, will add 12 [instead of the normal 6] to the power of the weapon, making it a mighty 22 power weapon.)
1,000 Successes (Mastery) - You may produce a Philosopher’s Stone. The Philosopher’s Stone extends the wielder’s maximum Manna to double what it normally would be and doubles all die-rolls made for Alchemy. This requires 50 Manna, 1 unit of Orichalcum, and 2 workdays (20 hours).
Swords!
Falchion
The Falchion is a one handed, single edged sword that rivals the axe in heft and chopping power. It is rounded at the end, and roughly 35 inches long, with a blade length of 20-23 inches. The hefty blade weighs in at between six and nine pounds. The blade is extremely thick and broad, and it has a very long cutting edge, making it excellent for deep, biting hacks and chops. The Falchion is an older weapon, from before the time of heavy plate and chain, and indeed pushed armorers to make new adjustments to the heavy blade’s powerful cuts. Despite the age of the weapon, it remains extremely popular with soldiers of poorer countries and Dwarves, as it will cut straight through leather armor without hesitation. Despite being a smaller weapon, its combination of weight and poor balance create a need for a strong soldier and even stronger armor.
Power: 7
Special: Leather Armor does not block damage
Difficulty to Make: 15/3 Days
Arming Sword
The classical-style Arming Sword is almost immediately what people think about when they think the words “Long Sword”. The Arming Sword is extremely versatile: inasmuch as it can be one or two handed, single or double edged, and the types of embellishments to the weapon itself are almost innumerable. The Arming Sword itself is straight bladed and handled, has a blade between 25 and 32 inches long, and weighs between two to six pounds. Generally speaking, the blade has a fuller running down the middle of it, and there is a guard atop the handle to provide some defense to the user’s fingers. Also, there is generally a pommel at the end of the handle to provide stability and balance while swinging the weapon.
Power: 12
Special: None
Difficulty to Make: 15/4 days
God o' Death
Repeste: God of Death
Repeste is a white skinned Demon with ebon horns of a ram. He stands just over eight feet tall, and has completely black eyes. His weapon of choice is a massive silver axe with a heavily runed alabaster handle. He wears black, patchwork leather pants, and tall hobnailed boots with silver trim and plates over the toe.
The God of Death is surprisingly soft-spoken and gentle, despite his ferocious image and sometimes intense demeanor. He acts as a guide on the journey from life to death, and can often help people cope with their newfound loss of life. Seemingly against his own nature, the people who have met Repeste and have lived to tell the tale often claim that he doesn’t seem to enjoy his position.
Repeste is often worshipped by soldiers and mercenaries, guides, scouts, cooks and those on their deathbed. His favorite tributary sacrifice is food, especially if it is well prepared.
10 Imp subtypes!
*1 Imp
Imps are small creatures of the night. They tend to prey on children while they sleep, as they would be almost immediately overcome by almost any other foe. Most of them stand less than a foot tall, and weigh only a few pounds. Imps are almost sure to run at the first sign of danger, although they do sometimes stand their ground.
Special Attacks:
Stun Gaze (Target loses next action), once per 3 rounds.
- Health: 5 Velocity: 0 Accuracy: 0 Dodge: 0 Attack: 2 Defense: 0
- Health: 5 Velocity: 1 Accuracy: 0 Dodge: 0 Attack: 2 Defense: 0
- Health: 5 Velocity: 1 Accuracy: 0 Dodge: 0 Attack: 3 Defense: 0
- Health: 5 Velocity: 1 Accuracy: 1 Dodge: 0 Attack: 3 Defense: 0
- Health: 5 Velocity: 1 Accuracy: 1 Dodge: 1 Attack: 4 Defense: 0
- Health: 5 Velocity: 2 Accuracy: 2 Dodge: 2 Attack: 4 Defense: 0
- Health: 6 Velocity: 2 Accuracy: 2 Dodge: 3 Attack: 5 Defense: 1
- Health: 6 Velocity: 2 Accuracy: 2 Dodge: 3 Attack: 6 Defense: 1
- Health: 7 Velocity: 2 Accuracy: 2 Dodge: 3 Attack: 7 Defense: 1
- Health: 8 Velocity: 3 Accuracy: 2 Dodge: 4 Attack: 7 Defense: 2
Imps leave no resources behind upon being killed.
I know it's a lot of stuff, but hopefully someone is interested and gives me some feedback. I know that without all the numbers and systems to look at the numbers don't really mean much, but hey, it's a start, right?
Short Swords:Baselard, Falchion, Gladius, Katzbalger, Machete, Ninjato, Sabre, Urumi, Wakizashi
Arming Sword, Cutlass, Hooksword, Jian, Katana, Kodachi (candidate for removal), Khopesh, Nine Ring Sword, Rapier, Seven Star Sword, Willow Leaf Sword/Baguazhang
Bastard Sword, Broadsword, Claymore, Estoc, Flamberge, Nodachi, Zweihander
Club Hammer, Dishing Hammer, Golden Melon Hammer, Mallet, Mason's Hammer, Maul, Polehammer/Bec-de-Corbin, Sledge, Spiked Hammer, Warhammer
Battle Axe, Bearded Axe, Double Axe, Executioner's Axe, Francisca, Great Axe, Hand Axe, Hatchet,Tomahawk
Bullwhip, Cat o' Nine Tails, Chain, Double Flail, Flail, Manriki, Manriki Gusari, Meteor Hammer, Mother and Son Hammers, Nine Section Whip/Chain Whip, Nunchaku, Rope Dart, Scourge, Sjambok, Studded Whip, Three Section Staff/Grandfather Staff, Whip, Yoyo
Kama, Reaper's Scythe, Scythe, Sickle, Shotel, Twin Scythe
Athame, Balisong, Berladau, Cern-Do, Dagger, Dirk, Katara, Kris, Kubaton (Not really a knife, didn't know where else to put it,) Main Gauche, Pata, Stiletto, Tanto, Ulu
Aklys, Baton, Bo, Club, Cudgel, Escrima, Jo, Mace, Quarterstaff, Sap, Scepter, Shillelagh, Shortstaff, Spiked Club, Tonfa
Arbir, Bardiche, Bill, Bisento, Double-Spear, Fauchard, Gisarme, Glaive, Halberd, Harpoon, Javelin, Kwandao, Lance, Lucern Hammer, Monk's Spade, Morningstar, Naginata, Obelisk, Partisan, Pike, Pudao, Ranseur, Shortspear, Spetum, Tiger Fork, Trident, Voulge, Yari
Bagh Nakh, Garrote, Jitte/Jutte, Mattock, Pick, Sai, Shovel, Tessen/War Fan
Flatbow, Hunting Bow, Longbow, Recurve Bow, Siege Bow, Shortbow, Yumi
Arbalest, Crossbow, Hand Ballista, Light Crossbow, Sniper's Crossbow
Atlatl, Blowgun, Sling, Slingshot
Arrows, Bolts, Blowgun Darts, Caltrops, Sling Bullets
Bola, Boomerang, Chakram, Dart, Flying Sickle, Fuma Shuriken, Net, Senbon, Shuriken, Sui-jien, Throwing Axe, Throwing Knife
Banded Mail, Breastplate, Brigandine, Chainmail, Cuirass, Gi, Hauberk, Half-Plate, Padded, Platemail, Ringmail, Scalemail, Splintmail, Studded Leather
Buckler, Cavalry Shield, Door Shield, Escutcheon, Kite Shield, Large Shield, Ramming Shield, Round Shield, Serpent Shield, Shell Shield, Skull Shield, Small Shield, Star Shield, Tower Shield
Bascinet, Chain Helm, Chaplet, Circlet, Cowl, Great Helm, Helm, Sallet
Archer's Gloves, Banded Gauntlets, Chain Gloves, Fingerless Gauntlets, Fingerless Gloves, Padded Gloves, Pugilist's Gloves, Plate Gauntlets, Scale Gauntlets
Chain Boots, Chukka, Geta, Half-Shin Boots, Heuse, Jackboots, Jhodpurs, Mukluks, Padded Boots, Padded Shoes, Plate Boots, Sandals, Scale Boots, Tabi
Fullsuit (5 var), Shirt (7 var), Pants (6 var), Dresses/Skirts (10 var), Overwear (14 var), Hat (18 var), Accessories (25 var)
Filled in some proficiencies, filled in a couple of weapons, rearranged my monster list (sentience v sapience), and added some profession examples.
Alchemist: Starts with 100 successes in Alchemy, 7 Bronze Ingots.
Apothecary: Starts with 100 successes in Apothecary, Apothecary Tools, 3 units of herbs.
Animal Trainer: Starts with 100 successes in Animal Training, animal worth 70 Rinta or less.
Blacksmith: Starts with Dishing Hammer, Smithing Tools, 100 successes in Smithing, 3 Bronze Ingots.
Enchanter: Starts with 100 successes in Enchanting, items worth less than 30 Rinta.
Entertainer: Starts with 100 successes in Performing, and a Flashy Costume, which grants +1D10 Rinta per Performance.
Farmer: Starts with 100 successes in Farming, seeds worth less than 30 Rinta.
Gladiator: Starts with 100 successes in Melee or Ranged Combat, weapon worth 30 Rinta or less, Armor worth 30 Rinta or less.
Healer: Starts with 100 successes in Medicine, and 10 Healing Salves.
Innkeeper: Starts with 500 Rinta.
Mercenary: Starts with 100 successes in Melee Combat, 100 successes in Defense.
Merchant: Starts with 100 successses in Trading, 1,000 Rinta worth of merchandise, Small Wagon, Draft Animal, 5,000 Rinta worth of debt.
Magi: Starts with 100 Successes in Elemental Magic or Ritual Magic, and a spellbook.
Priest(ess): Starts with 100 successes in Religion, Holy Symbol, 3 Favor of a chosen God or Goddess.
Relic Hunter: Starts with a book of Lore, map of one Ruins.
Smuggler: Starts with small ship, 10 units of Lotus Powder, 10,000 Rinta of debt.
Soldier: Starts with Arming Sword, Scale Mail, Badge or Tabard from local Constabulary, all equipment is owned by local military.
Tattoo Artist: Starts with 100 successes in Tattooing, Tattooing Needle, 5 Vials of Tattooing Ink.
Teacher:
Tinkerer: Starts with Mechanical Tools (+2 Lore)
Should I add anything to the list? I don't think that I want to define everything, but I don't want people to think that they're stuck with only these choices, either.
I've decided to rewrite my elves so that they're not so closely tied to Salvatore's take on Drow. Will post when finished, if you guys want to read.
I would like to read, fantasy lore is of great interest to me.
Here ye go.
What is commonly called the “Elf” is actually but one of a large number of offshoots of the same type of being. Thousands of years ago, during the Reformation of Life, after the Great Cataclysm, there were several types of Elves, one for each of the elements. Each Elven civilization attempted to strike out on its own, but the Elven homelands were confined by dangerous wilderness and looming mountains on all sides. As the Elven borders clashed against one another, the Elves turned inward against one another. Peaceable leaders were ousted in favor of warriors with lavish promises, and negotiations ground to a halt. The result was known as The War of the Crimson Leaves.
The great Elven war raged for over a decade, each province taking and losing land daily. The populace was crushed under the constant tide of ever-changing warmongers and ever-present sieges. Rebellions were dealt with swiftly and mercilessly, leaving the people at large disheartened, forcing them to bow to the increasingly bloodthirsty whims of their warlords. Eventually, a rebellion formed of Elves who had infused their bodies with black Chema. This made them powerful warriors, but warped their minds, crippled their natural lifespans and diluted their self-control to almost nothing. They became feral, wracked with a bloodlust never before seen. Wherever these “corrupted Elves” went, nothing but ash and bones remained. Thousands of Elves willingly contaminated themselves to rebel against their warlords, but the consequences were more widespread than anyone could have imagined. Save for a handful of lucky survivors from each other province, within a year there were only the Elves of Corruption.
The descendants of these monsters are not as nightmarish as could have been. The Chema infusion of the ancient Corrupt Elves is slowly weakening, granting more and more normalcy to the Elven society, but the Elves will always be shunned by the greater civilizations of the world. The Elves are still bloodthirsty, and often go out of their way to engage in combat of any kind. Children are taught to fight from the time they are able to hold a weapon, and are never given a name. Those nameless Elves must earn their names, by stealing them from an enemy that they have felled. Children are taught to be ruthlessly efficient in combat, as clans of Elves are constantly at war with one another, and may strike at any time. There is also the threat of the rest of the world, which is to be taken head on, as brutally as possible. It is rare for an Elven warrior to take prisoners, but there are occasions when they do. The only reasons for an Elf to take a prisoner is to sell the poor person to slavers, or to keep for themselves as food. Elves do not see other lineages as equal to themselves, and will happily take Humans, Goblins, Gnomes, and even Elves from other clans as food.
Elven settlements are usually no more than a few ramshackle huts strewn across a patch of land. They are meant to be temporary, as the clan will eventually move on when they have exhausted the easily used resources of the area. Occasionally, an Elven clan will come upon a ruined settlement and reclaim it, which can be difficult for the clan, as there is no central leadership at any level for Elven society. More often than not, Elves that have taken up permanent residence somewhere immediately attempt to conquer everything within their grasp, and are driven out by more powerful militaries that eventually hear of the news. The world would tremble if ever the Elves could organize an army.
Adamant, Aluminum, Antimony, Bismuth, Cobalt (poisonous to mine!), Copper, Gold, Iron, lead, Nickel, Osmium, Palladium, Platinum, Rhodium, Silver, Tin, Titanium, Wolfram, Zinc,
Babbitt (need a new name? Tin/Lead or Tin/Lead/Antimony), Black Titanium (Titanium/Coal [lots of Coal] need a new name? Titanium Carbide), Black Wolfram (Wolfram/Coal [lots of Coal]Tungsten Carbide), Brass (Copper/Zinc), Bronze (Copper/Tin), Electrum (Silver/Gold), Elysian Steel (Adamant/Black Wolfram/Hepatizon), Hepatizon (Copper/Gold/Platinum), Mithril (Osmium/Rhodium), Orichalcum (Wolfram/Gold), Pewter (Copper/Tin or Copper/Antimony), Rose Gold (Copper/Gold), Steel (Coal/Iron/Limestone, 3/1/1 ratio, skip Pig Iron), Vanguard Steel (Wootz), White Bronze (Aluminum/Copper), and White Gold (Gold/Nickel).
Alabaster, Brimstone, Caenstone, Coal, Flint, Gabbro, Gneiss, Grtanite, Graphite, Limestone, Marble, Microcline, Orthoclase, Realgar (poisonous to mine!), Sandstone, Shale, Slate, Sylvite, and Tuffeau.
Ash, Bamboo (yes, I know it's technically a grass. Shush.), Birch, Cedar, Cherry, Ebony (no matter what Skyrim says, Ebony is a wood.), Fir, Mahogany, Oak, Pine, Redwood, Rosewood, Teak, and Yew.
Bone China, Ceramic, Crystalline Glass, Earthenware, Iridescent Glass, Leaded Glass, Metallic Glass, Obsidian, Opaline Glass, Porcelain, Stained Glass, Stoneware, and Terra Cotta.
Burlap, Canvas, Cotton, Felt, Gauze, Gossamer, Lace, Linen, Satin, Silk, Velvet, and Wool.
Leather/Pelt, Horn/Antler, Fangs/Teeth, Shell/Scales, Claws, Bone, and Feathers.
100 even, even if the categories aren't. Any feedback would be appreciated, of course.
I finished the chart containing all of the animals tonight. So, raw numbers (which I've always found harder than descriptions,) are done for 100 animals, 100 combatants, and 100 monsters, as well as 100 (base) weapons and 100 (base) pieces of armor, 35 metals, 13 types of cloth, 14 types of leather/hide, 19 types of stone, 21 types of wood, 13 types of glass/stoneware, 8 types of horn/antler, 11 types of fangs/teeth, 13 types of shell/scale, 11 types of claw, 10 types of bone, 11 types of feather, and 10 types of fur/pelt.
If you can't find something to fight or craft, that's your own damn fault. I guess this means that the game will be sort-of-dungeon-crawl-able when I a)finish the "other" equipment (bedrolls, torches, professional tool kits, tents, rope, ye flask, rations, medicines, and various other miscellany,) and b) get all this shit put together in the same file. I was a lot closer to that point than I thought I was.
Edit: I did some writing and put down bits and pieces of the backstory of how the afterlife works. Note: the information here is in a very, very rough state and should be treated as such. Also, all of my worldbuilding is completely optional (just like in every other P&P game.) If you want to read it, have at it. I'm not sure how interesting it's going to be, though. Also, the formatting will definitely leave something to be desired, as copy&paste from word doesn't translate well to BBCode. I'm also fairly certain it repeats itself in places. I just needed to get it out of my head. There's a lot more floating around in there (a lot more!) I ran out of time to write.
The World of the Afterlife: Ullardvar
• The whole world is in a semi-primordial state, and seems to be one huge, expansive landmass encircled by an endless ocean. Reports of islands off of the coasts of Ullardvar (the Great Continent) have recently been confirmed by scouts of the Rashandii Imperial Navy. One of these islands is home of the Ethereal Catacombs, home of Amaranth Contin, the Great Destroyer of Life.
• The Great Continent is home to hundreds of empires and kingdoms, as every would be despot and noble who has ever lived and can resist the call of the Crystal Spire has set up their own borders and claimed their own territory. Thankfully, most of these countries are largely toothless, as establishing a permanent military is extremely difficult due to the constant movement of souls through the afterlife.
• The Wilds of Ullardvar, which is most of the continent, are dangerous as they are expansive. North of Rashand, the afterlife’s largest Empire, lies a great ever-shifting desert, the Kahlagra, that swallows even the hardiest of explorers. Many people claim to have found ruins among the ever-swirling sand, but are unable to locate them afterward. Mapping the desert itself is impossible, but its borders have been completely outlined. To the north of the Kahlagra lies a forest of immense trees all made of bone and flesh. The rains shift from the black water of Ullardvar proper to a constant blood red mist and dense fog. Here, in this expansive amphitheater of the grotesque, is the home of The Bonesmith, a powerful and wicked lich who binds his victims to the forest and forces them to patrol in search of ever more prey. The Bonesmith seeks to perfect the form of the Wendigo, the eater of men, to destroy the Rashandii empire.
• The Wilds of Ullardvar are largely uncharted beyond the Weald of the Bonesmith, although traders have come through the Kahlagra claiming to be from Kingdoms and Outposts beyond the farthest horizon. Ships have also sailed into Saludrai, the capital of Rashand, claiming to be from various parts of the unexplored continent, although the maps of these explorers and merchants have proven to be inconclusive evidence at best.
• People have claimed to find: ancient 1st Era ruins, lairs full of mechanical beasts, dormant volcanoes (Ullardvar has never shown any kind of outward geologic activity. No earthquakes, no lava flows. Furthermore, as the world was created by magic at the same time as Avarsiin [and may actually be a different version of Avarsiin] the geological strata appear to be randomly distributed.)
• To both the west and the east of Ullardvar lie island chains that sprawl away from the continent. Most of the charted islands are simply uninhabitable spires of rock jutting away from the black ocean water
The Empire of Rashand
• The Empire of Rashand is a vast swath of land on the southern end of the Great Continent, spanning several thousand miles from the South Ocean inward. Despite its status as the largest country in the afterlife, the Rashandii empire spans only just over half of one percent of the largely unexplored Ullardvar.
Divarin’s Crystal Spire
• Everyone in the afterlife is drawn to it and must make a will save to withstand it’s cursed wailing and powerful draw upon their soul. Players who touch the spire are reborn as new characters. The current character is lost in the process of reforging the soul. The Spire is necessary to maintain equilibrium between life, death, and rebirth, as spiritual energy is finite, having been created by the self-sacrifice of The All-Seeing One, who is the world, the sun, the moons, and the afterlife.
The Ethereal Catacombs
• A huge, sprawling series of labyrinths that dive miles into the ground to house the madman Amaranth Contin. The mazes are filled to the brim with horrible, warped abominations (not found in the monster list,) created by Contin that serve to destroy all who would slay him. These perversions of life are twisted and molded out of the very souls of the would-be heroes who invade the Catacombs, and they are bound to the Catacombs like Contin, also suffering his madness from constantly being torn apart by the siren call of the Crystal Spire.
• The Temple of the Ten Faces
o This temple is an enormous alabaster structure that is famed as the only safe structure in the Wilds. It lies to the west of Rashand’s borders, and operates independently of any government. The Temple is the place that the dead find themselves upon waking in the afterlife for the first time. It is rumored that a piece of the Spire rests at the heart of the Temple, and is the key to immortality.
Major NPCs
• Amaranth Contin
o The Big Bad of the Afterlife. Seeks to destroy all life and spiritual energy to end all suffering. Must be contained in the Ethereal Catacombs or is a potential danger to consume everything in his path. Driven mad by being unable to answer the call of the Crystal Spire due to being contained in the Black Tower. Has the power to bind, deconstruct, warp, and completely eliminate spiritual energy, including the souls of people. Master mage who prefers necromancy and relies on quick teleportation to disorient foes. Once obliterated nearly the entire population of Rashand’s capital (several million souls) save the Emperor Vasher Uvtrali, in an attempt to conquer and annihilate the afterlife itself. Contin eventually failed when the council of Gods themselves banished him to an outlying island, binding his soul to one spot in the afterlife to prevent his corrupt energy from re-entering the Crystal Spire and therefore the general populace of Avarsiin. He has twisted his little island into the Catacombs, and filled it with the screaming remnants of the Astruumh Cataclysm, permanently corrupted into misshapen horrors, doomed to never be reborn unless freed by intrepid adventurers.
• The Bonesmith
o A horrific lich who dominates a huge warped forest of bone and flesh beyond the Kahlagra, named the Weald. Summons enormous quantities of skeletons, zombies, and other undead creatures, including a monstrous Whipstitch Creature that contains the body parts of over a thousand creatures.
• Llewellyn Diravah
o Diravah is the Lord of Akrishan, a country far to north of Rashand. No one in Rashand has met Diravah, but correspondence between the two countries has continued for well over two hundred years. Akrishan is not marked on any Rashandii map, despite Uvtrali’s best efforts to find it.
• Suundra Gharadil
o Gharadil is the leader of a small band of Merfolk who live in the Blackwater Cove, on the south end of Rashand. She is a fierce warrior despite a beautiful, albeit scarred, face, and enjoys entertaining scouts and mercenaries in the White Pool Lodge in Astruumh with stories of the horrors that lurk beneath the waves of the Endless Ocean.
• The Clockwork Puppeteer
• Vasher Uvtrali
o The Emperor of Rashand. Rashand named for his long-since Crystal Spire-bound wife’s family. He has ruled Rashand for what appears to be over a thousand years, since nearly the beginning of the Second Era. He was an inconsequential minor noble in life, but in the afterlife, he has created the greatest empire that time has ever seen. Uvtrali is fair, noble, and benevolent, but rules with unquestioned authority and a deeply scientific mind. Potentially the creator of both the Bonesmith and the Clockwork Puppeteer. Has definitely studied the art of creating golems, to produce the heir he never did in life, in case his will someday falters and he answers the call of the Crystal Spire.