Wook
01-09-2007, 09:43 PM
So I'm starting to formulate a fantasy setting for eventual use. what I've come up with is a original history for the world that will explain some of it's more interesting geogrophy. (By oringal hisotry think of it as a sort of Simarillion "this is what came before and was forgotten by any but the oldest and most wise of mortals.") The purpose is to be used for a 3.5 setting that scales all the way to 40th level. Designing the non-"epic" portions of the world and their according populations is easy-sleazy.
One of the "continents" in the northern portions of the world is actual the result of a giant "super volcanic" eruption from ancient history. The sides of the caldera range in altitude from hilly 500' areas to towering 5000' peaks with breaks, caves, fjords, and the like with varying degree's of habitability around it's edges. The inner sea is artificially warm because of the large amount of venting that occurs and the occasional rumbing under the water. The island in the middle formed by the cinder cone is dormant, lush, and populated by a seafaring civilzation of mostly humans. I'm envisioning an area about the size of The Gulf of Mexico for this.
There is a mostly isolated and unknown continent in the southern hemisphere where the primary races are Hobs, Gobs, and Bugbears. Humans, gnomes, halflings, and other "pinkie" races exist in a perpetual state of 2nd hand status and/or slavery. Life is not brutal but it is unpleseant. It is a highly martial societ and the Hobs are at the top of the social order and while there is one "emporer" that rules the whole of the continent a polite amountof political infighting is the norm and occasional spats of actual violence between rival and neighboring groups is not uncommon.
Both of these areas are supposed to be "distant and exotic lands" for characters to visit. The main continent is shaped kinda like an hourglass stilted at an odd angle and slightly elongated. The middle narror band is a marshy landbridge. it's passable but difficult to navigate and is mostly a saltwater marsh. Routes through it exist and navigation across it "ad hoc" is possible but difficult. Lizard men are the dominant race in the region The NE coast is dominated by a Andes style mountain range with the primary population races being a mix of Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, Kobolds. (Kobolds being a nuisance "race" highly persecuted by the dwarves in particular.) The northern inland regions are dominated a large and highly organized race of Gnolls. Their culture as a whole is extremely Lawful and well organized on what is essentially a romanesque culture. There is no comparable force to oppose them on a 1:1 toe to toe basis but as a result of the size of the area under their control direct military might is used semi sparingly. The closer one gets to temeratea nd tropical regions the more often one encounters small kingdoms of humans, enclaves of elves, and groups of halflings. The western shores of the northern landmass are largely unsettled and habited by groups of barbarous humanoids and giants. (As in races with the giant type to include ogres and trolls in particular.)
The northern bottleneck of the southern landmass is controlled by a Human/Elven kingdom that is highly racist in nature. Humans and Evles are at the top of the social strata with gnomes, halflings, and dwarves are respected but not accomodated in polite society. (A dwarf could be his own man and a craftsman of incredible skill but never a landed noble for example.) Half-elves are frowned upon but not outcaste as human-elf relationships are frowned upon in polite society. Their situation is like that of Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings but there is a farther reach to the extremes of how individuals react to them. The coasts of the souther landmass are dotted with a number of good portages and a large river system makes trade possible but the only heavily populated and civilzed areas are on the coasts. The inner portion of the continent which includes at least one Desert and at least one jungle and a couple of shortish mountain ranges is largely a "dark" land in that little is known about it by any but the most knowledable sages.
That's the general geogrophy. Trade moves back and forth all across the world though the end destination for a good may have no idea in general terms where the point of origin was or that the place even exists beyond a name and a few rumors or legends. True civilization is rarely found to extend more than 2-3 days walk outside of a major city. (That's usually as mcuh land as they need to supply their food.) Even when part of a larger nation most large cities function as a city state unto themselves and regardless of where or the nature of the politics involved such positions of power are highly coveted.
It should be noted that orcs and Half Orcs where they do not exist as a loosely organized barbarous race exist as slaves at best.
Exalted Mortal vs. Dieties vs. Paragons
An exalted mortal is a hero who has reached such incredible power, fame, and success that they have achieved immortality and become the living embodiment of a heroic archetype. Gilgamesh, Arthur, The Monkey King, etc... (Game terms - 40th level PC or NPC)
Paragons are outsiders of unique and special power. They are to the outer planes what exalted morals are to the material plane. They are literally the personification of some part of the ideals represented by their plane. (Game terms - 40HD outsider gestalted with a 40 level build that is appropriate for the ideals they espouse.)
Dieties are beings that transcend mortality and the planes. They are literally the emobodiment of an ideal and it's champion across all planes and beings. Their power is near absolute when it is brought ot bear against something that is within their purview. (Game terms - 40hd outsiders gestalted with an appropriate 40 level build and with a number of additional gestalted levels equal to their Divine rank and all the other abilities comensureate with that Divine Rank as per the SRD.)
Magic is a real and powerful force in the world. I intend to try as much as possible to avoid just using it as a substitute for technology in the world while still accounting for the impact that having certain 0th and 1st level spells widely available would cause. (Create water, and mending in particular.) Most people are very hesitant and cautious around those who have demonstrated, or are known to have, a high degree of power with arcane magics of any sort. It is widely accepted that the pursuit of such power is an inevitably corrupting force. (Read as: commoners phear teh arcane spellcasters who destroy villages with a single spell.)
One of the "continents" in the northern portions of the world is actual the result of a giant "super volcanic" eruption from ancient history. The sides of the caldera range in altitude from hilly 500' areas to towering 5000' peaks with breaks, caves, fjords, and the like with varying degree's of habitability around it's edges. The inner sea is artificially warm because of the large amount of venting that occurs and the occasional rumbing under the water. The island in the middle formed by the cinder cone is dormant, lush, and populated by a seafaring civilzation of mostly humans. I'm envisioning an area about the size of The Gulf of Mexico for this.
There is a mostly isolated and unknown continent in the southern hemisphere where the primary races are Hobs, Gobs, and Bugbears. Humans, gnomes, halflings, and other "pinkie" races exist in a perpetual state of 2nd hand status and/or slavery. Life is not brutal but it is unpleseant. It is a highly martial societ and the Hobs are at the top of the social order and while there is one "emporer" that rules the whole of the continent a polite amountof political infighting is the norm and occasional spats of actual violence between rival and neighboring groups is not uncommon.
Both of these areas are supposed to be "distant and exotic lands" for characters to visit. The main continent is shaped kinda like an hourglass stilted at an odd angle and slightly elongated. The middle narror band is a marshy landbridge. it's passable but difficult to navigate and is mostly a saltwater marsh. Routes through it exist and navigation across it "ad hoc" is possible but difficult. Lizard men are the dominant race in the region The NE coast is dominated by a Andes style mountain range with the primary population races being a mix of Dwarves, Gnomes, Halflings, Kobolds. (Kobolds being a nuisance "race" highly persecuted by the dwarves in particular.) The northern inland regions are dominated a large and highly organized race of Gnolls. Their culture as a whole is extremely Lawful and well organized on what is essentially a romanesque culture. There is no comparable force to oppose them on a 1:1 toe to toe basis but as a result of the size of the area under their control direct military might is used semi sparingly. The closer one gets to temeratea nd tropical regions the more often one encounters small kingdoms of humans, enclaves of elves, and groups of halflings. The western shores of the northern landmass are largely unsettled and habited by groups of barbarous humanoids and giants. (As in races with the giant type to include ogres and trolls in particular.)
The northern bottleneck of the southern landmass is controlled by a Human/Elven kingdom that is highly racist in nature. Humans and Evles are at the top of the social strata with gnomes, halflings, and dwarves are respected but not accomodated in polite society. (A dwarf could be his own man and a craftsman of incredible skill but never a landed noble for example.) Half-elves are frowned upon but not outcaste as human-elf relationships are frowned upon in polite society. Their situation is like that of Dwarves, gnomes, and halflings but there is a farther reach to the extremes of how individuals react to them. The coasts of the souther landmass are dotted with a number of good portages and a large river system makes trade possible but the only heavily populated and civilzed areas are on the coasts. The inner portion of the continent which includes at least one Desert and at least one jungle and a couple of shortish mountain ranges is largely a "dark" land in that little is known about it by any but the most knowledable sages.
That's the general geogrophy. Trade moves back and forth all across the world though the end destination for a good may have no idea in general terms where the point of origin was or that the place even exists beyond a name and a few rumors or legends. True civilization is rarely found to extend more than 2-3 days walk outside of a major city. (That's usually as mcuh land as they need to supply their food.) Even when part of a larger nation most large cities function as a city state unto themselves and regardless of where or the nature of the politics involved such positions of power are highly coveted.
It should be noted that orcs and Half Orcs where they do not exist as a loosely organized barbarous race exist as slaves at best.
Exalted Mortal vs. Dieties vs. Paragons
An exalted mortal is a hero who has reached such incredible power, fame, and success that they have achieved immortality and become the living embodiment of a heroic archetype. Gilgamesh, Arthur, The Monkey King, etc... (Game terms - 40th level PC or NPC)
Paragons are outsiders of unique and special power. They are to the outer planes what exalted morals are to the material plane. They are literally the personification of some part of the ideals represented by their plane. (Game terms - 40HD outsider gestalted with a 40 level build that is appropriate for the ideals they espouse.)
Dieties are beings that transcend mortality and the planes. They are literally the emobodiment of an ideal and it's champion across all planes and beings. Their power is near absolute when it is brought ot bear against something that is within their purview. (Game terms - 40hd outsiders gestalted with an appropriate 40 level build and with a number of additional gestalted levels equal to their Divine rank and all the other abilities comensureate with that Divine Rank as per the SRD.)
Magic is a real and powerful force in the world. I intend to try as much as possible to avoid just using it as a substitute for technology in the world while still accounting for the impact that having certain 0th and 1st level spells widely available would cause. (Create water, and mending in particular.) Most people are very hesitant and cautious around those who have demonstrated, or are known to have, a high degree of power with arcane magics of any sort. It is widely accepted that the pursuit of such power is an inevitably corrupting force. (Read as: commoners phear teh arcane spellcasters who destroy villages with a single spell.)