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Plains-riding elves and seafaring dwarves
Jun. 22nd, 2014 09:00 pmJust some jottings for my next campaign-in-planning, where elves and dwarves occupy niches outside their traditional ones which necessitate a few mechanical changes
~~~
Elves
Rather than being arboreal elves (at least the ones any PCs will be drawn from) are a nomadic society roaming the grasslands of a plateau. (Which once may have been forested, but that's a story for another day.) Very few changes are needed but I am switching out the racial +2 to Search for a racial +2 to Ride, the proficiency with rapier to proficiency with lance, and the favoured class (not that I bother with those) from Wizard to Ranger.
[Aside: when humans first encountered elves the formers' religion still considered of worshipping elemental spirits and forces-of-nature incarnate along with a few older, darker powers. Initially the elves also were worshipped as unto gods, something many of them did little to discourage. Ultimately the older religion more-or-less died off as the humans and to a lesser extent halflings (see below) adopted the elven gods.
The campaign will probably still use the standard gods I'll just need to tweak their backgrounds a bit to reflect their "new" elven origins.]
~~~
Dwarves
Dwarves can be normal dwarves, who tunnel in the rocky island archipelago off the coast and have left many worked-out mines from times past riddling the cliffs and hills of the mainland coast, or their seafaring brethren whose natural stability is equally a bonus on the water and whose longships and galleys still ply trade and raids to the mainland.
"Weather-eye" replaces Stonecunning and grants a seafaring dwarf a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks related to forecasting and preparing for the weather conditions of the next week. It also grants a +2 racial bonus to Spot checks made to assess the depth of a body of water and hidden dangers or benefits (currents, lurking monsters, sandbars, safe crossings etc).
Seafaring dwarves lose the +2 racial bonuses on Appraising and Crafting certain types of items; in exchange
- Stability is extended to grant a +2 racial bonus to Balance checks.
- Use Rope is always a class skill for seafaring dwarves
[Aside: delving dwarves still primarily worship Moradin who raised the islands from the sea to be their home but I still need to come up with a Neptune/Posiden type deity to add to the pantheon.]
~~~
Halflings (no mechanical changes)
Halflings and men have been co-existing as long as either race can remember - both races came to this land together. Although the relationship hasn't always been smooth at the present time halflings and humans share and are equal members in society, although the ruling classes tend to have a majority of the taller folk halflings produce the most skilled and respected artisans and craftspeople.
~~~
Gnomes (no mechanical changes)
Gnomish settlements occupied these lands before men came here, but they were happy to share and their fortified mounds quickly became just a feature of the "human" kingdoms although they swore no fealty to human rulers. This was aided by the human tendency to consider them as "just" slightly taller halflings, something the gnomes quietly grumble about but take full advantage of.
Since the human kingdom was shattered by the greenskins (goblins, orcs, ogres, trolls, hobgoblins) and human territories reduced to a series of coastal city-states life for the gnomes has pretty much gone back to the way it was before the arrival of men, their mounds once again surrounded by "wilderness" they call home and stoutly defended against greenskin attacks.
~~~
Half-orcs - none, replaced by Hobgoblins
Hobgoblins live as highly organised roving bands, selling their services as mercenaries to any side when conflict is present and resorting to brigandry when it is not. They are barely tolerated in human lands but welcomed by those in need of loyal (until the next paycheck) soldiers and with the gold or other resources to pay them. Their welcome in greenskin lands is barely more hospitable.
Hobgoblin characters possess the following racial traits
+2 DEX, +2 CON, -2 CHA
Medium size
Base land speed 30'
Darkvison 60'
+2 racial bonus on move Silently Checks
Automatic languages: Common, Goblin
Bonus languages: Draconic, Orc, Giant, Gnome
Favoured class: Fighter
[MM Hobgoblins have no penalty to CHA, a higher bonus on Move Silently checks and a +1 EL - presumably because of the 2 boosts to physical stats and no compensatory negatives. Comparing this to the string of abilities bestowed upon elves and dwarves though - I don't think any EL adjustment is necessary.]
~~~
Ogres [NPC race]
Ogres in this setting are slightly less savage than their traditional brethren, dwelling in crudely constructed villages and are actually quite an industrious people putting their strength to use in building as well as smashing. Unfortunately they are still on the whole rather dim and clumsy so their own constructions leave much to be desired, but they are easily recruited as labour by other races who can direct their efforts better.
~~~
Elves
Rather than being arboreal elves (at least the ones any PCs will be drawn from) are a nomadic society roaming the grasslands of a plateau. (Which once may have been forested, but that's a story for another day.) Very few changes are needed but I am switching out the racial +2 to Search for a racial +2 to Ride, the proficiency with rapier to proficiency with lance, and the favoured class (not that I bother with those) from Wizard to Ranger.
[Aside: when humans first encountered elves the formers' religion still considered of worshipping elemental spirits and forces-of-nature incarnate along with a few older, darker powers. Initially the elves also were worshipped as unto gods, something many of them did little to discourage. Ultimately the older religion more-or-less died off as the humans and to a lesser extent halflings (see below) adopted the elven gods.
The campaign will probably still use the standard gods I'll just need to tweak their backgrounds a bit to reflect their "new" elven origins.]
~~~
Dwarves
Dwarves can be normal dwarves, who tunnel in the rocky island archipelago off the coast and have left many worked-out mines from times past riddling the cliffs and hills of the mainland coast, or their seafaring brethren whose natural stability is equally a bonus on the water and whose longships and galleys still ply trade and raids to the mainland.
"Weather-eye" replaces Stonecunning and grants a seafaring dwarf a +2 racial bonus to Survival checks related to forecasting and preparing for the weather conditions of the next week. It also grants a +2 racial bonus to Spot checks made to assess the depth of a body of water and hidden dangers or benefits (currents, lurking monsters, sandbars, safe crossings etc).
Seafaring dwarves lose the +2 racial bonuses on Appraising and Crafting certain types of items; in exchange
- Stability is extended to grant a +2 racial bonus to Balance checks.
- Use Rope is always a class skill for seafaring dwarves
[Aside: delving dwarves still primarily worship Moradin who raised the islands from the sea to be their home but I still need to come up with a Neptune/Posiden type deity to add to the pantheon.]
~~~
Halflings (no mechanical changes)
Halflings and men have been co-existing as long as either race can remember - both races came to this land together. Although the relationship hasn't always been smooth at the present time halflings and humans share and are equal members in society, although the ruling classes tend to have a majority of the taller folk halflings produce the most skilled and respected artisans and craftspeople.
~~~
Gnomes (no mechanical changes)
Gnomish settlements occupied these lands before men came here, but they were happy to share and their fortified mounds quickly became just a feature of the "human" kingdoms although they swore no fealty to human rulers. This was aided by the human tendency to consider them as "just" slightly taller halflings, something the gnomes quietly grumble about but take full advantage of.
Since the human kingdom was shattered by the greenskins (goblins, orcs, ogres, trolls, hobgoblins) and human territories reduced to a series of coastal city-states life for the gnomes has pretty much gone back to the way it was before the arrival of men, their mounds once again surrounded by "wilderness" they call home and stoutly defended against greenskin attacks.
~~~
Half-orcs - none, replaced by Hobgoblins
Hobgoblins live as highly organised roving bands, selling their services as mercenaries to any side when conflict is present and resorting to brigandry when it is not. They are barely tolerated in human lands but welcomed by those in need of loyal (until the next paycheck) soldiers and with the gold or other resources to pay them. Their welcome in greenskin lands is barely more hospitable.
Hobgoblin characters possess the following racial traits
+2 DEX, +2 CON, -2 CHA
Medium size
Base land speed 30'
Darkvison 60'
+2 racial bonus on move Silently Checks
Automatic languages: Common, Goblin
Bonus languages: Draconic, Orc, Giant, Gnome
Favoured class: Fighter
[MM Hobgoblins have no penalty to CHA, a higher bonus on Move Silently checks and a +1 EL - presumably because of the 2 boosts to physical stats and no compensatory negatives. Comparing this to the string of abilities bestowed upon elves and dwarves though - I don't think any EL adjustment is necessary.]
~~~
Ogres [NPC race]
Ogres in this setting are slightly less savage than their traditional brethren, dwelling in crudely constructed villages and are actually quite an industrious people putting their strength to use in building as well as smashing. Unfortunately they are still on the whole rather dim and clumsy so their own constructions leave much to be desired, but they are easily recruited as labour by other races who can direct their efforts better.
