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HOLY CRAP THATS AWESOME SIJO!

On the nature of Goblins, why not use Hobgoblins as separate cultural ethnic group of goblins? Say Hob in this setting refers to a belief or a geographical location? Hobgoblins, are goblins of the "Hob".

Also are we allowing Half-XXXX Hybrids? As most people here are familiar with D&D3.5 I think we can use that as a good case to block this, it raises more questions then it answers, like why no-one ever stated a Half-XXXX that wasn't part Human. Not to mention the divergence of our races from the norm seen in fantasy makes it very.... wrong, to allow hybridizing. And no I am not using this as a way to bring up a stealth Godwin's, I'm just applying the obvious solution to something that tends to get out of hand when it isn't hard ruled.

God dealt with the Half-Something problem. Humans originally came about by the mixing of blood. Something that's half something and half something else is human. Elegant, simple, flavourful, and a little out there- in short, perfect.

edited 13th Dec '11 7:54:27 PM by Exelixi

Mimic

Mimics are intelligent creatures who have highly flexible and amorphous bodies, which they can bend and contort into various sizes and shapes, but nothing too complex. The only part of their body which cannot be morphed is their skull which houses their brain and a pair of eyes which range from red to dark brown. They weigh between 100 and 300 pounds on average and can morph into almost any solid shape. Their skin is always a shade of orange or brown but they can shift between those spectrum of color and shade in order to disguise themselves.

These are not however the creatures that simply hide as chests fooling would-be adventures, well most aren't but some still stick to the old ways. Mimics are complex, moving thinking, creatures who travel the land in various forms in order to get what they desire: Heat, specifically a form of body heat which most humanoids produce.

Mimic's usually integrate into society and are peaceful, often making themselves useful in homes as a form of talking furniture that doubles as a guardian, or being a set of armor giving the adventurer protection while feeding off their heat. Though others simply encases their target robbing them of heat and move on, slowly creating legends of cursed items along the way. Some even go off and have adventures of their own, often stopping to soak up sunlight or building fires in-order to feed. This habit is more common in warmer climates. A mimics ability to move, morph and even think is dependent on warmth, while they will not die from lack of warm they are easily rendered immobile by temperatures under 40 degrees and are sluggish and stupid at any temperature below 70 but will instantly recover when they come into contact with even the slightest temperature spike. They are also high resistant to fire but still feel pain from being burned and in-fact is they only way they can feel, having to sense of feeling beyond temperature. They also have no sense of taste or smell, though despite not having ear drums they are able to hear through their skin.

Their body has the flexibility of rubber and can stretched to the size of a 30 foot by 30 foot room. While it has the thickness of bone and the texture of leather. They have no-gender but can mimic one with surprising accuracy, though their voice is always monotone. While able to take humanoid and animals forms, acts such as eating will always be illusions in order to keep up appearances, as they have no digestive system.

I must of misread that part.

Ok now for something really ______ing (insert whatever word you feel, I suggest Bacon, Pants and Table) important, the human kingdoms/duchies/leagues/empires/princedoms/republics/sultanates etc. We have humans, but what are they doing in terms of self-identity and society?

I believe God has first priority to pitch as far as that is concerned.

Well yes, just that theres more to it then just determining the biological aspect of a race.

That is if we're going with the traditional mould of humans being the default standard for the main nationstates? On the one hand, not many people position humans as a minority in their settings, on the other hand having humans form the majority makes much of the work streamlined.

Hm. . . I opt to let God pitch something if he so chooses; if he chooses not to, or his idea does not go over well, I have something in mind.

Any thoughts on my mimic?

I like the concept. Shapeshifting is always interesting to me.

Mimic is fine, better fleshed out then the D&D version. Also nice to see a creature that is effectively a disturbing ally, or a terrifying serial killer.

Human nations might even be associated with extinct races that have been breed out, not prolific or isolationist enough to avoid having their genes swallowed up by the monolithic might of the collective Humanoid genepool. Some races have simply become nationalities, some countries have certain physiological traits associated with them without being so out there as be a new race.

That was about all I had there.

Although Humans are meant to be someone who's blood is so mixed as to be simply more then Half this and that, but at least one-fourth this, this, this and that.

edited 14th Dec '11 10:51:50 AM by God_of_Awesome

So you get humans with traits from other races, maybe? So you could get more orc-like humans, and more elf-like humans? (BTW, I'm not using "elven" because that's not a correct formation. Neither is "dwarven". The correct erms are "elfin" and "dwarfen". )

I personally think Tolkien was onto something, though; the plural for "wolf" isn't "wolfs" after all. Same with shelf.

edited 14th Dec '11 3:39:05 PM by Exelixi

Meldinkiin-

is an odd kingdom made mostly up of humans but is open to other races, as long as they acknowledge humans superiority. They see themselves as the best of the prior races formed into one being, and tend to be arrogant about this "fact".

Despite this there is little actually hate of other races, in fact the kingdom is very open to other races and in fact has an high respect for their culture and knowledge much like who a child may see themselves as better than their parents and teachers but still wish to learn from them.

This odd combination of attitudes as attracted many types of people to the kingdom including those who other races who see them as a form of Inheritor. Which is a title they hold very highly. The kingdom it self is more a very large city, surrounded by walls formed by the efforts of it's creators from mighty oaks and masoned stone.

The society is a bit of a forced melting pot based upon the belief that humans will one day be the only remaining race due to their "superiority" and that it is their duty to carry on the collective legacies of the races that came before them.

They people attracted to the kingdom come from various backgrounds some share the inheritors view which is dominant in and around the kingdom. While others have darker views of human society, as rulers or purgers and some who have neither few and are just attracted to the society because of it's melting pot effect.

The kingdom itself is ruled by a council of five which is voted in by it's human population, but a person of any race my run for office. The council has ruling power for five years before the next elections. Humans have no tax on them and have their food, firewood and housing paid for by the other races within the city. Who have a steep tax on them but are instantly treated as a teacher the minute they become a citizen and can charge whatever they like for their teachings.

The city despite it's human superiority roots, four of it's five founders were in fact not human, with it's fifth founder having to be convinced of his ideal but eventually becoming it's champion.

—-

I tried to go with a different spin on Fantastic Racism here, while still having it be able to be played straight within the city. What does everyone think?

edited 14th Dec '11 9:00:51 PM by Vyctorian

Hey guys, sorry I haven't commented but I'm still working the kinks out of my new PC (it uses Windows 7, my old one had XP) I couldn't even figure out how to change the wallpaper! Plus, Holidays. Gotta spend time with my loved ones too.

But I'll soon be back in force. In particular: are we going to use my definition for what becomes "official" in the campaign? I need to know so I can update the main page. (And is it me, or are you people posting even MORE stuff faster these days? )

Well, I liked it.

OK I'm caught up now. Also did some updates to the Main Page. Note I'm waiting to see if the latest ideas (which are fantastic, I particularly liked the Dead Race mystery) are agreed on before I insert them in there as well. Also love humans as the mutt race of the humanoidkin.

My next contribution: Theory of Magic

Magical energy (seriously, we need something less generic-sounding than that) has existed since the beginning of the universe; its what makes it unique, as otherwise it runs on elements and forces much like our own's.

As the universe settled down, so has the energy, which has given the impression to some that it is running out. It's still there, it's just getting harder to tap. It still flows today, in rivers invisible to the naked eye (the Ley lines.) Most ley nodes are already owned by gods, empires or mighty creatures, which is why the ones in the New Lands are sought after.

The energy has an unique quality: it responds to the thoughts of sentient beings. (It might be the result of contact between the Aether and the physical world.) At first, it was used in very straightforward ways, eg, for Hand Blasts and such. However, it was discovered that, in combination with existing elements, its uses became wider (eg, Elemental Powers.) Finally, magic spells were invented. Since the (insert magic name here) reacts not just to will power but to imagination, the more complex the concept thought about when invoking it, the more complex its effects can be. The specific ritual (words, gestures, runes, etc.) don't matter as much as the complexity of the casting. Thus, a magic bolt is easy to cast; creating a curse with very specifics effects, targets and escape clauses would need to be much more convoluted. Of course, different cultures have differing opinions on that, which is why there's more than one school of magic.

Thoughts?

edited 15th Dec '11 4:49:16 PM by Sijo

I like the idea.

I also love the last line. It gives a sense of "but seriously, we have no fucking clue. This is just a theory."

Quintessence

Mana

Ether

Everyone calls it something different

Agreed, but can *we* call it by one term? Something less boring than "magical energy".

Mana is common, but it sounds like "manna" which might be a bit uncomfortable to some.

I like quintessence. Sounds like a Fifth Element.

Also note that, since it's complexity rather than specific symbolism that makes spells work, it means even stuff such as higher mathematics could be used instead. Magitek, anyone?

edited 16th Dec '11 6:39:11 AM by Sijo

Prometheans, the High Men

They are actually fairly rare but many of their physiological traits run dominantly in the Human genepool, although their blue skin and hairless body turn out to be strongly recessive. However, their life cycle, of growing to teens, having a sudden growth spurt and pubescence with a settling of the brain around the end of that cycle and then a slow decline into old age and frailty, the generally shape and height of their bodies, is considered the norm amongst Humans. They are generally physically and mentally superior specimens due to possessing the Gift of Excellency strongly in their blood, although this a trait that also tends to appear recessively in Humans. Nations of Humans claiming genetic superiority over their neighbors will often claim higher concentration of Promethean blood, although this is often hard to verify.

Promethean rarely make children, it is simply that traits such as their life cycle that when entering into the general Humanoid pool they tend to run dominant over the life cycles of the Elves and Orcs for example.

Curious now that gene pools have been brought up what happens if a human mates with say an elf and that humans off-spring also breeds with an elf? and what if that child breeds with an elf, and so on and so forth.

At that point, the child is an elf who may also say, "But I've got other stuff too."

I think I'll compile a list of ideas posted here (with appropriate links) that were never officially either approved or rejected so we can do so now. (Later I mean.)

Regarding the idea of humans as the result of crossbreeding between the other races, it brings to mind the following conclusions:

• Humanity didn't always exist, they are in fact latecomers and everybody else is older.
• They were bound to exist at some point anyway. Love and Lust are irresistible influences.
• The first hybrids were despised and either exiled or pressured to leave. Prejudice is also everywhere, sadly.
  • This led to the halfbreeds coming together and forming their own society.
• In turn, their abundance led to the older races isolating themselves more (not completely, just more often) from them and each other. There are always people who want to "keep the species pure." And not even in an intentionally mean way.
• Humans used to look wildly different from each other in the past, but are now stabilizing as they inbreed.
  • In turn, all manner of passed-on traits from the other races also exist among humans, both good and bad.
    • And most likely in a random way, just because both parents had a gift (or lacked it) doesn't mean their child will have it (or avoid it.)
• In other words, in this world Humans Are Average, but in a justified way.
• A school of thought that humans are the future of the world -and all other, pure humanoids bound to vanish one day- runs around, for both the joy and the hate of many.

edited 17th Dec '11 7:31:48 AM by Sijo

So how about dwarf physiology?