/wbg/ - Worldbuilding General

previous thread: >>51820364

File: 1487517603376.png (131KB, 500x500px) Image search: [Google]

131KB, 500x500px

>>51839679
>non-generic high fantasy edition
And how do you hope to accomplish this?

My current concern is on general economy and culture. I'm not sure if people want to play in a campaign where there is so much death that large societies almost never exist and bartering is common.

File: Realm of Ten Spears World Map - Rework 2.png (181KB, 4049x2117px) Image search: [Google]

181KB, 4049x2117px

>>51839679
>>how high is your fantasy setting?
Pretty high. Pic related. I haven't focused much on how magic works though, besides necromancy.
>>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Pig orcs and !Japan.

Elves are less Elf-ish and more Cossack/pirate/viking mix.

Dwarves are proto-Americans, except when they're Egyptians on an island of scorpions or living under the constant threat of dragons.
>>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Guns.

Well, there aren't really any innovations. I guess the mythology counts?

Unknown to the world's nations, their gods have placed a bet on who would have the most followers before the end of the world, the winner getting vast power from a greater god.
>>what are the major influences for your setting?
It's kinda like Warhammer in that everybody is fucked and there's counterparts to real life.

What do you guys think is the best way to flesh out all the lore and details of your lore?

Do you jus take notes and form it all together or what?

I'm trying to explain the creation of my world and it's character through novel-form..

>>51840547
I don't know the best. I make mad scribblings on hundreds of pieces of paper. Then when it all coalesces in my mind I write what is worth keeping in a black notebook.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Extremely high. In fact, it's bordering on the surreal in places.
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
I'm a firm believer that the devil is in the details. You probably won't think it's extremely original if you just look at the map or read the brief descriptions of all the different races, some of which are standard fare. But once you start learning more about the setting, I hope that you'll find that it's nothing like you imagined.
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Some of my races are classical mythological creatures ignored by mainstream fantasy. But, once again, the devil is in the details - it's the unusual climates, cultures, technologies, etc. I'm not too lazy to give examples, it's just that you won't read my wall of text if I start providing them.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
Tolkien, Pratchett, Warhammer.

>>51841093
>huge boring walls of text with pointless details
>tolkien as main influence
Are you making fun of me?

>>51840547
>Do you jus take notes and form it all together or what?
Yes, this is exactly what I do. But don't do it if you plan for your setting to be readable to other people. Because my notes are an esoteric system understandable only to me.

>>51841132
Are you? The Silmarillion is pretty much huge boring walls of text with pointless details: the book.

>>51841093
>I'm not too lazy to give examples, it's just that you won't read my wall of text if I start providing them.
Produce walls of text.

>>51841215
Yes.

>>51841298
Before I start, I promise you that everything you're about to read about makes sense in context.

Mutants who live in warrens and modify their bodies by swallowing genetically engineered parasitic worms;
A nation of sadistic eternal children controlling bee swarms with their technology based on flowers;
Pirate liches who ride inside undead blue whales and rob libraries;
Knights who dress in castles garrisoned with pixies;
Arctic gnome sultanate famous for its knights riding cyborg penguins;
An undead empire with an economy centred entirely around casinos;
A country situated on the back of an enormous hibernating dragon that pumps his blood like oil and sells it;
Highbrow orcs who imitate nobles to the best of their ability and ride their peasants dressed as horses;
A country of ghosts who think that they're the only ones left alive and everybody else is a ghost;

I could go on like this forever, but hopefully I don't have to.

>>51841600
>Pirate liches who ride inside undead blue whales and rob libraries;
That sounds awesome
>Knights who dress in castles garrisoned with pixies;
Dress in what?
>Arctic gnome sultanate famous for its knights riding cyborg penguins;
That's just silly.
>An undead empire with an economy centred entirely around casinos;
Holy shit, this is why you don't disturb Indian burial grounds.
>A country situated on the back of an enormous hibernating dragon that pumps his blood like oil and sells it;
Cool.
>Highbrow orcs who imitate nobles to the best of their ability and ride their peasants dressed as horses;
That's pretty funny.
>A country of ghosts who think that they're the only ones left alive and everybody else is a ghost;
Lovely.

>>51841739
Their armour is miniature castles garrisoned by pixies. These guys also have castles on wheels and their entire country is a huge castle. They really, really like their castles.

>>51841854
That's cool. Like, holy shit you don't understand how cool this is in reality. You can make it a setting and everything.

>>51841854
>>51841900
Also I might steal it.

>how high is your fantasy setting?
Fairly high, seeing as we were actually high when making some of it.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Its a collaborative effort with my gaming group. one of us had DMed for a number of months before handing the reins over to me and giving me full permission to expand upon the setting. I may do the same at some point, and hand the DMing (and worldbuilding) duties to another player in the group. Its accessible to us since we are all invested in it.
Basically its an ocean planet. The landmasses are called 'octocontinents', and they're pretty much discworlds on top of massive tentacled octopus/jellyfish sorta things which drift through the endless seas.
The planet itself is but a droplet in the vapor from the blowhole of the great cosmic whale.

There's plenty of possible expansion in the form of any number of other octocontinents, even other sea-creature based continents. The mini-discworld setup can ensure that we don't go too broad in the worldbuilding, and go into detail within limited space.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
There's a space elevator on one octocontinent, guarded by a cult who are telepathically linked with eachother. A remnant of a long forgotten, multiverse-spanning war between mighty empires.
A world-spanning circle of druids worships the octocontinents and offers depraved rituals and sacrifices to their continents to maintain calm passage, or even control the continents. Some radical members of it even feast upon the flesh of the world in the hopes of becoming one with it.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
Part of it is me trying not to contradict stuff that my predecessor came up with. He has a habit of putting anachronisms like a space elevator in his settings.
Berserk, the Arms Peddler, Jojo's Bizarre Adventure and Legend of the Galactic Heroes are some influences, at least for the continent I'm in charge of making.

>>51842617
>The planet itself is but a droplet in the vapor from the blowhole of the great cosmic whale.
That's deep.

>>51840194
Haha, well-memed my friend.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Magic can do crazy shit and 95% of people can use it but most of those can only cast a few basic spells, however a select few have extremely high aptitude with it and can become kings of entire continents.
>What have you done to make it stand apart yet stay accessible?
While the world is politically and socially medieval magic has advanced the progression of technology greatfold, despite this guns are not often used as magically treated armor is highly resistant to them and most people can just zap lightning/fire/acid out of their fingers (simple evocation is well known) furthermore gunpowder doesn't enchant wells, as such carrying one is seen as an easy sign that you are a dirty muggle. Magic gear is easy to find/enchant/buy at a basic level. Everyone but the poorest of citizens has their everyday cloths enchanted with some protection spell and either is greatly proficient in magic or carries a weapon for self defense as monsters attack civilization quite often, not to mention nations frequently being at war.
What innovations have you come up for your setting?
In this world basically everybody is a low level mage because the main purpose of schools in the setting is to teach people magic and weed out those who are incapable of magic, there should also be a wide variety of monsters due to magic experements before Australia existed (which is basically where people go to create new creatures).
>what are the major influences for your setting?
To early to really tell yet but it is ment to be based off the real world somewhat.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Pretty high.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
It started mostly as an exercise to play with common fantasy tropes, and went from there. Elves are still haughty and superior, but without the spiritual side of having gods; Dwarves are greedy, stubborn, and honorable, so they are a merchant race; undead are powered by cold life, not cold death. And then I threw in crocodilemen.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
How undead is handled, I guess? The God of Life is the one that doesn't care about balance, trying to return life to the dead, no matter the shape and effect it would have. He has to work in secret, not to draw attention from his twin sister, the Goddess of Death.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
All over the place. Warhammer for magic being dangerous winds to be controlled. Kingdom Under Fire for the idea of twin gods sharing balance, and the "good" one breaking their word. Dark Crystal and World of Warcraft for the decedent flightless birdpeople. Elder Scrolls for some of the weird metaphysics.

File: europe and america lotfp 1.png (133KB, 1162x1193px) Image search: [Google]

133KB, 1162x1193px

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Somewhere between low and high.
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Well, it's 1640's our world if the Pendle Witches had been real and tore asunder the veil between worlds. So now it's 1640's our world + demihumans, magic, crazy malformed monsters (called collectively daemons) and all sorts of crazy shit is hitting the fan.
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
See the above answer.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
Lovecraft, G.R.R. Martin, E.R. Burroughs, R.E. Howard & the AD&D 1e DMG by Gygax.

>>51847798
>alternative 17th century with magic and extraplanar invasions
>the borders are the same as in our world
Lazy, man.

File: birb.png (204KB, 640x560px) Image search: [Google]

204KB, 640x560px

>>51839679
High fantasy, but not high magic. Set in 1930-1950s of sorts.

>>51840547
I found that having personal wiki helps, ex. TiddlyWiki. Just write on root article, and expand.

>>51841600
Really gonzo, I love it!

>>51848200
Not quite. The Ottomans have lost some territory, the Brandenburg state is collapsing, France and the Netherlands are expanding (though France has lost Brittany basically), the HRE is still being gripped in religious wars (some territorial changes here and there) and numerous other small changes. And the point of divergence (known as The Witches Night) is in the 1620s.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
pretty high
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
keep a lot of the tropes everyone is familiar with but try to add spins or depth that rewards those who dig deeper
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Nothing super unique. Gods are created by faith, owls are from the moon, there are archdevils of property values and waiting in line, etc
>what are the major influences for your setting?
Berserk, Warhammer, Tolkien, and obviously real life among others

>>51841093
>I'm a firm believer that the devil is in the details. You probably won't think it's extremely original if you just look at the map or read the brief descriptions of all the different races, some of which are standard fare. But once you start learning more about the setting, I hope that you'll find that it's nothing like you imagined.
this 100%

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Quite high? In the "present" magic is scarce though. It replenishes at a set speed, and the antique civs waged a war that left the world quite dry of magic. Also, one of the antique civs worshiped a tretratheon of living gods.
>What have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
The world is Moon-sized, there are only humans, but various civilizations which are fairly distinct in culture and way of life. The setting is only european-ish in a limited region, the rest is inspired by other regions. Also, due to gravity being weaker, giant bugs everywhere.
There is no medieval stasis, I actually have an antique and "modern" versions of the setting, on top of medieval. However, most stuff is in the details.
>What innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Technology is marching on, all mythologies are subjective (even that of the living gods) and can be explained by the others. To be honest, other than details often sound kind of trivial to my players, I don't think I'm very innovative. I believe making a modern version of a pre-existing medieval setting (the setting wasn't originally modern) is quite innovative.
>What are the major influences for your setting?
First of all, the Ys series. It hugely inspired the ancient empire that ruled the western part of the continent and consequently all civs that followed in that region. I also took inspiration in the Witcher, Berserk, the Elder Scrolls and the Elric Saga.

>>51848706
>there are archdevils of property values and waiting in line
Do they live in London?

Why do people post in these threads? Nobody cares about your setting, they only want to talk about their own and not respond or foster any kind of discussion.

>how high is your fantasy setting?
I've been calling it jaded fantasy. The fantasy elements are mundane, well-blended, and usually weak, but they're everywhere and thoroughly entwined in the setting. I use basic logic to determine how an element will affect the world instead of including fantasy elements with no consequence, which is why the world isn't very magical, just mysterious, I want it to still be relatable. The world literally has less color than ours, the environment in particular is desaturated. The setting is a mess of black, grey, brown, and faded grey-green. On rare occasions certain colors are strong and stand out, generally strong color correlates with power. In terms of darkness, the world can't be saved, but it can't be destroyed either. The butterfly effect is frequently used and intentions are always separate from consequences. In a utilitarian sense, evil is usually committed by heroes and good is committed by villains. Most protagonists are villains.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
-The world has no grand threat or destiny, quite peaceful and stagnant but full of suffering
-No spellcasting
-Fantasy elements have consequences on the rest of the setting
-No verified gods, wizards, higher beings, ancient magical societies, or existential threats, no enlightenment beyond the philosophical

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
-Fantasy elements have consequences on the rest of the setting
-No historical, mythological, or stock monsters/races other than vampires (I think)
-Natural selection exists
-Intentionally wonky and confusing narrative structure (less accessible)
-Focus on individual psychology, not politics or the fate of the world (less accessible)

>>51848792
>>51848792
Sometimes people do actually discuss and share ideas and give opinions on each others shit, But i agree lot of anons just jerk themselves off waiting for replies to their posts rather than actually contributing,

File: Faun's shop.jpg (684KB, 1449x1024px) Image search: [Google]

684KB, 1449x1024px

Imagine a fantasy setting where 'magic item shops' are relatively common, but they primarily sell low end consumable magic items, interesting little trinkets, and weird oddities instead of hugely powerful artifacts.

Anyone can use these items, but Wizards and the like use them the best. Potentially they'd get improved performance, more uses, or some other bonuses.

How do you feel about this idea? Sound interesting and fitting for a high fantasy setting?

>>51848798
>>51848798
>what are the major influences for your setting?
The Bible
The Quran
The Talmud
Bhagavad Gita
Nag Hammadi Library
Les Chants de Maldoror
Miguel Serrano
Savitri Devi
Julius Evola
Adolf Hitler
G.I. Gurdijeff
Immanuel Kant
John Stuart Mill
Nietzsche
Lesser Key of Solomon
Berserk

As well as general psychology, life experience, dreams, biology, evolution, and real life events. The world is far less mystical than the inspirations suggest. I have made very little progress into gnosticism and mysticism in general, don't want to make it look like I'm learned in mysticism by any means.

This might be a double post, having weird connection problems

>>51848837
I don't mean to be an asshole, but this just sounds super pretentious. I'm sure the setting is much better than you made it sound.
On a side not, never name Hitler as a reference if you want to be taken seriously.

>>51848920
It does sound super pretentious, it's why I stopped posting here. I'm an extremely edgy person. If I ever finish something it would be far better received than vague 2000-character posts.

>>51848837
>>51848920
Despite Hitler and maybe some others, my influence and inspiration list would look somewhat alike. I never considered it pretentious.

>>51849008
>>51848920
I'll make it clear that I don't like Hitler, I just find him extremely interesting and important. He's misjudged by both his "supporters" (who don't follow his true doctrine) and many of his justified haters. Hitler has become an important figure in modern mysticism and gnosticism.

>>51839679
I've come to a bit of cross-roads with the setting I'm currently building. It's very loosely based on the middle east c.650, and I've tried hard to make all the cultures/religions/geography/climate etc make sense and hang together.

I'm torn about how much magic/fantasy to put in though. On the one hand I do like the idea of a completely mundane setting as an excercise in realistic worldbuilding, on the other magic and wonderous yet impossible fantasy elements are fun. My concern is even a small amount of magic could start to take over the setting and make it deviate wildly off course compared to the mundane version.

I might just create an ultra-high magic setting based on Polynesia and Pre-Columbian America to get it out of my system, but I wondered if you guys had any suggestions.

>>51848835
I like it. Make it a modular kind of magic where a user's magic poweress is like an ecosystem or primodial soup, full of different kind of magic strands, each strand stengthening/penalizing the user. Only a wizard who have studied long and hard at each strand and their interaction with others can optimise their magic usage. However, due to the complexity of it, they could only estimate its performance.

>>51849457
Maybe magic could be a more subtle thing? Less flashy and more quiet, like meditation and Buddhist type magic (iron skin etc) communion with spirits and such.For creatures, going with the sublt thing, monsters are like cryptids in our world, rarely seen but feared beasts that lurk deep within the places we fear to tread

Which moon or planet in our solar system would be a good base for space vikings? And i need ideas/suggestions for how to use knights and samurai but in spaaaaaaace

>>51850050
>space vikings
Fucking Juptiers because if anything, Space Vikings and perpetual, crazy Jupiter storms work together.

>>51850101
Sky base hidden in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter works. Vikings are typically associated with icy wastes as well so maybe one of the ice moons?

>>51839679
>Not AoS high, but like Warcraft but not as gay
>The surface world is 100% known and documented in setting, only some of the other realms and underdark are unmapped
>Magic is caused effectively by radiation which leads to some regimes and corporations to force it on people. Not to mention some races use their magic users for breeding stock
>Real life, LotR, Lovecraft, WoW and Warhammer

>>51844185
Continuing adding Moore lore
The only civilized race in the setting are humans although there are some monster races in the process of creating their own civilizations I.e Minotaurs and Gnoll. Other common fantasy races like elves, and dwarves were all but whiped out in the past due to a calamity and suffer from low birth rates and isolation. Elves have high general magic ability (all elves are proficient mages) while dwarves excel in transmutation and enchanting items, almost no elves or dwarves have little to no magic and very few of the monster races have any magic at all.

What would be a good reason for melee weapons to come back int use in the space future? I know Dune had the reason that swords bypassed shields, but energy shields dont exist in this future (yet) so i need a fairly reasonable, low fi justification.

>>51850347
Do it like Legend of Galatic Heroes? Release of a special gas that threatens to blow up if anybody starts to pew pew.

File: Ezra-SWR-S3-2.gif (3MB, 568x320px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 568x320px

>>51850347
People use both swords and guns for a variety of reasons. Close quarters in star ships, energy weapons and culture.

File: homm3-zydar_heretic.png (141KB, 500x436px) Image search: [Google]

141KB, 500x436px

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Quite. The worlds in it are essentially floating bowls of earth, custom-engineered by the gods - seasons are exactly 91 days long, always, there are no fossile fuels (because the world is less than 5000 years old), and so on. The gods are essentially a group of assholes simultaneously playing thousands of games of Civilization.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Rules inform fluff. Higher-level people become blatantly superhuman, the best smith in the world must also be a fearsome warrior, etc.

Otherwise, I don't want to stand apart. I want to have adventure and intrigue in a colourful fantasy land.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
I don't know if I have come up with any.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
Heroes of Might and Magic I-III, the Warlock games, and so on.

Which do you think would be cooler/more interesting (assuming the civilization wouldn't be a direct copy and only use bits and pieces of the reference material so it'd have the same feel): Roman orcs or orc vikings?

>>51841600
>Knights who dress in castles garrisoned with pixies
I have no problem picturing this, and I approve

>An undead empire with an economy centred entirely around casinos
100% Indifference... actually, the burial grounds comment someone made turned this vaguely interesting, if they are indian ghost undeads

>>51841600
>A country situated on the back of an enormous hibernating dragon that pumps his blood like oil and sells it
Also meh

Everything else sounded either lolsorandum or just weird for the sake of being weird. 3/10

>>51850717
If by Roman, you mean highly civilized and technologically developed to the point that they have time for the circus, stabbing each other in the ass, and writing graffiti about their bowel movements on the coliseum walls, I would say Roman.

Viking orcs is not going to come across well, regardless of how you do it. Focus on viking tactics, you have slightly sneakier orcs than normal. Focus on viking culture, and you'll have green viking humans, and incorporate everything viking into your orks, and you'll just be accused of tryharding.

File: 007-dawn-at-split-tree-valley-forge-pa.jpg (75KB, 750x600px) Image search: [Google]

75KB, 750x600px

Can mountain chains split?

File: 74f18f818fe8f65b33ee76a4bf46f237.jpg (90KB, 564x542px) Image search: [Google]

90KB, 564x542px

>how high is your fantasy
Imagine an elevation map that grows into a peak at the center. At the very eyes it's essentially just 9th to 13th century earth depending with occational ogres and Forrest fey. Towards the center it's an insane dream scape of wild magic and demon kingdoms shaping this undefined realm in their desired image. The actual setting of the game however is specifically a ruined dwarf city at the low end of the slopes of mount crazy, which itself gets crazier the deeper you go down. Magic is rare far from the epicenter of magic, but inside it's influence it's quite ambient, and people capable of channeling it are, while rare, expected. Spellcasters are not yet capable of the full potential of this sort of magic, as it's still fairly new. Magic items tend to have peculiar effects rather than powerful ones.
>standing apart
I'm trying to do my best to create unique personalities and aesthetic design for all the groups without stepping outside of what is "dwarf" and what is "troll". I'd like to avoid falling into the "human culture x fantasy race y" trap. The actual setting is very small though, by world standards, being only effectively that single dwarf hold, which is still very large, but it's a one ways off a full planet.
>influence
Realms of chaos for the aesthetic and magic vortex full of competing demon lords
Trudvang for the aesthetic and dwarves
Berserk for the aesthetic
Jojo has some influence on one of the schools of magic
Kingdom death for the monster aesthetic
Dwarf fortress gameplay for parts of the city and its history
Historical manuscript drawings for the book layout

File: blob[1].png (2MB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1024x768px

>>51839679
Need some critique on this map.

>>51841600
I can only imagine it makes sense in the context that its supposed to be a highly silly setting for highly silly campaigns, which is ok if that is how its intended.

>>51850347
Body armor improvements have made anything but the heaviest projectile based weapons obsolete and laser weapons cooldown/recharge-requirements makes them similar to muskets. Hence Napoleonic tactics are once again the norm.

Could anyone tell me how to describe ethnicities without resorting to skin tone or a real-world ethinicity?

>>51848837
You do realise that a massive amount of characters from modern literature/cinema are based on (some aspects of) Hitler right?

How would one create such a character without researching the original.

File: 1479700596166.png (44KB, 254x252px) Image search: [Google]

44KB, 254x252px

>>51851570
Stop using that stupid fucking program

>>51852342
Ancestry, language, cultural heritage, religion, traditions, etc.

Why would you exclude skin tone though? Physical appearance is one of the major pillars of ethnicity. It almost sounds like you're trying to be overtly politically correct.

>>51852342
Skin tone, typical height, facial chacteristics like epicanthic folds, flat or tall noses, thick or thin lips, hair texture and colors, eye colors, jaw shape, forehead shape, chin length

Temperament :^)

File: Aggy(_)_ Peel back label – PREQUEL.gif (52KB, 600x450px) Image search: [Google]

52KB, 600x450px

>how high is your fantasy setting?

Half the planet is a magical dungeon made by an enigmatic god. Whole cultures and civilizations exist within it's walls, and aforementioned god creates a new race of beings every few centuries in spontaneous biogenesis. Pretty damn high.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?

I'm not actively working towards either goal. If I achieved standing apart or accessibility it was accidental.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?

The idea of a creator-god who "isn't done yet" and who periodically stirs things up by creating whole new races is something I don't think has been done before.

My whole "surrealist game design" idea was pretty new as well.

>what are the major influences for your setting?

Surrealism. And I don't mean that as in it is inspired by surrealist art, I mean surrealist philosophy. The philosophy of recording dreams in art.

My setting is made of my dreams.

Apparently I've been forever DMing for so long that I sometimes dream in the form of worldbuilding. So I've decided to roll with it and now consider all fantasy dreams "canon" in a setting, filling in the gaps in setting details when I am awake.

Sometimes my dreams are unimaginative, and just regurgitate other ideas, like the fact that blatantly copied Dark Sun halflings make an appearance. Other times I get more unique things, like a mixed dark elf / human culture with a similar cultural dynamic to the Norse-Gaels, who live in frozen lands, practice ice magic, and have domesticated the owlbear. Or the underground cities of derro who think death itself is a "primitive superstition". Or how sapient mudcrabs are the most mercantile race on the planet and practically run the world economy.

Dreams haven't given me enough, yet, however. I estimate about 60% of the setting is done.

>>51852494
Sorry if it came off that way, it's just that sometimes I need to distinguish between different groups that have similar skin tones.

I was refering to physical descriptions, to me the ancestry, language and culture of the different groups is no problem, but saying stuff like "He looks like he is of Astrillem blood" tends to trigger some of my players, who then ask why he looks that way. Feel free to call them autistic.

>>51850748
This is why I don't like posting any examples.

>>51851664
It's not highly silly, but it definitely doesn't take itself seriously at all.

>>51852513
I guess my vocabulary is just lacking or I have trouble depicting the traits in my head. Not much in the way of diversity where I live.

>>51851570
>The land of EOD
>Its knights of the flame are renowned antimagic warriors specialized in nullifying rune and fire magic

>>51852455
Use MS paint instead.

>>51852559
Ah, my apologies, you mean describing the physical appearance of ethnicities.

Hair colour, eye colour, stature, nose-type and skull-shape would be the easiest ones:
For example a typical Mediterranean could be described as a dark-haired, dark-eyed, slightly-shorter man with a long face shape, a thin hooked nose and an olive-complexion.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Pretty damn high, given that magic is enough of a presence that most species metabolize it in one fashion or another.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Honestly? Just cutting out influences from cultures that speak Romance or Germanic languages already does a lot. People are actually fairly familiar with BITS of other cultures, which keeps the whole accessible without making it seem too familiar.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
The standard world--the "Central Material"--is actually the product of the four Elemental Primes, which orbit it in the astral sands. If it were destroyed or removed, a new one would form from the accumulated elemental magical potential. Some religions hold this has already happened several times.

All religions worship eight divinities, and theologians have been able to organize them into eight archetypes that hold true across different belief systems--Fate, Fortune, the Mother, the Bargainer, the Wanderer, the Hunter, the Maker, and the Curator. While it is highly likely that these divine archetypes represent eight true divinities that each religion worships differently, the beliefs and myths surrounding them are so wildly different that those who have not closely studied religion are often completely unaware of the similarities.

I've significantly cut down on the number of naturally-occurring sapient humanoids per world, with roughly half of the races originally hailing from the Elemental Primes. Race consequently tends to be a bit more distinctive than just "a human but short," "a human but green," or "a human but with pointy ears."

>what are the major influences for your setting?
I've been reading so many more encyclopedia entries than fantasy tales while working on it that it's hard to say. I guess Tolkien and Pratchett. Maybe some Christopher Moore.

>>51852455
Can you give me any reason to? I'm actually pretty decent with Photoshop, but I find its a good tool to quickly block out stuff before going into any more detail

File: 3dcb427f44466b32c9a293a04021e247[1].jpg (53KB, 500x504px) Image search: [Google]

53KB, 500x504px

Does having a dualistic Solar/Lunar worshipping faith, each with a separate power structure (church) that doesn't always get along, but coexists, as my setting's prevalent religion make any sense at all? What would have to be some of the conditions to have such a thing occur

>>51852689
Let's take a shot at it, then.
The typical Astrillem is a dark-haired, green-eyed, average-sized and broad-shouldered man. His face has high cheekbones, an upwards-turned nose with a slight brigde, a strong jaw and thin chin.

How does that sound?

>>51853257
Forgot to add dark-skinned.

File: 1465550804235_0.jpg (75KB, 500x500px) Image search: [Google]

75KB, 500x500px

>>51852978
>want to create unique world that someone can get immersed in
>use a standardized symbol library to draw the map of this unique world
It instantly homogenizes your world in my mind with ever half assed "forgotten realms but..." Setting made my lazy dms. It looks generic, it looks lazy, I am immediately thinking you didn't care enough to actually draw your map and this tells me if the fucking creator can only be half assed to make the dank map of this place there is zero fucking way I can be assed even an eighth to immerse myself in it.
Your world should be a unique world, using something so generic to represent it is antithetical to this goal.

>>51853130
You could have separate sub presithoods inside the church, but I can't see separate churches all together functioning without devolving pretty fucking fast. You'd eventually get a civil jihad going, dualism only tends to function with a good and an evil or a single God or pantheon presiding over both, at least I can't think of any not like that.

>>51853282
Again...its only my rough sketch... I've used pencil and photoshop on past maps and I will use them again when I come to something I like with this one.

In defense of people who use this for more end-game maps, not every person is a great artist, and most players (I will be even so bold to say pretty much all of them) do not give a flying shit how much time you spent drawing your map, as long as its clear and the world generally makes sense.

Why this matters so much to you is baffling. If this was being used for published materials that are commercially distributed, yes, you'd have a point.

File: 1479592267537.jpg (60KB, 802x680px) Image search: [Google]

60KB, 802x680px

Reminder that if you post lore text walls without responding to other people's you are scum

File: BB.jpg (50KB, 600x600px) Image search: [Google]

50KB, 600x600px

>>51853387
It matters because I like maps
Maps are an advertisement for your world, an expression of a lot of things. Even a badly drawn map is far favorable to the sterility of that tool, because it has character and life, and beyond that is clearer and more functional. I would unironically prefer a crude mspaint drawing, because it would look like a human drew it.
Literally anyone with some patience and decent hand writing can produce something on par with Tolkien's maps, so not doing so shows a lack of caring that sets of my autistic screeching impulse. Your lack of caring about why I care feeds the screeching.

>>51853130
>>51853357
You could have it that the church was originally two separate religions that fused for whatever reason. They only did it recently, to unite against some bigger threat, so they're still mostly apart from each other but not at each other's throats.

>>51853550
Blame it on the 'tism and poor co-ordination, but I can't handwrite for shit. Was in one of those occupational therapy things when I was in elementary school, and my handwriting still sucks.

Also, your 'tism fit isn't warranted in the first place, my friend. It's a tool that allows one to make a halfway decent digital map. I'm not sure if you were being facetious or not with the "mspaint" comment, but I wholeheartedly disagree with it.

>>51853550
I hear your points.

But I've played games where the DM spent at least 3 hours on just making their map look beautiful and we suffered a tpk in the 2nd session. Another with a similar situation but it ended because things came up in players' lives and we couldn't get a group together.

I've also played in some pretty gonzo homebrews in terms of forethought and some of them were the most fun I've had.

I'm glad you at least understand its a spergy impulse. And I am entertained by the idea that this reply will probably tickle that nerve more.

File: pf pol1.jpg (2MB, 3300x2550px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3300x2550px

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Planar travel exists (at extremely high levels), as does Resurrection magic (ditto).
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
I'm trying to make the races a bit more interesting. Too unique would alienate my players, so I'm going for subversions. Since the world is in a post-post-apocalypse, Dwarves are now communists, Elves are chimeras cobbled together by a lonely sapient forest, goblins and orcs are trying to be industrious and civilized, and Dragons have devolved into bird-monsters.
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
The "Fallen Empire" exists so I can have ruins and dungeons and shit, but all the loot in these places are framed in very technological terms. It's still magic, but magic from the perspective of people who saw it as simply another form of technology, completely at odds with the more mysterious magic of today.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
There's a couple of threads on /tg/ that inspired me, mostly the Magic AI threads. I've also been listening to Tom Waits and Two Steps from Hell, so I'm in a grim-but-pumped mood.

Pic is current map. Colored areas are major nations and civs, dark areas are either very minor powers or so sparsely populated that they hardly count. White is mostly wilderness.

>>51854322
>goblins and orcs are trying to be industrious and civilized
So, exactly like Tolkien's, then?

>>51854382
Nah, like, actually civilized and industrious. Not shitting out scrap metal. Goblins are the largest minority in human cities, and make up a large proportion of the craft-trades. Orcs serve in human militaries and are basically at Chivalrous Knight levels of honor-code.

But thanks for pointing that out. I need more ideas and input for this setting. I'm still fleshing everything out.

>>51854442
Goblins are established as second to dwarves only when it comes to industry.

>They can tunnel and mine as well as any but the most skilled dwarves, when they take the trouble, though they are usually untidy and dirty. Hammers, axes, swords, daggers, pickaxes, tongs, and also instruments of torture, they make very well, or get other people to make to their design, prisoners and slaves that have to work till they die for want of air and light. It is not unlikely that they invented some of the machines that have since troubled the world, especially the ingenious devices for killing large numbers of people at once, for wheels and engines and explosions always delighted them, and also not working with their own hands more than they could help; but in those days and those wild parts they had not advanced (as it is called) so far.

They're definitely industrious and civilised. The problem is that they're also evil.

>>51854322
How did you make your map?

>>51854525
I understood that. Lemme be clearer: They are a PC race.

I also don't hate technology, so there's that. Anything helpful to add?

>>51854568
Oh my god, why can't a PC race be predominantly evil?

>>51854567
Photoshop. Layered clouds of white and black, top one Hard Mix mode. Then paint until I got something workable. Then select for White, smooth a couple of pixels, and fill.

>>51854586
Because it's a lot easier to assume everyone is predominantly Neutral. Facilitates the most amount of adventures and archetypes while avoiding Drizz't and Edgelords.

>>51853784
You're literally wrong, an mspaint map has some individuality to it
>>51853819
It's not about the time invested or quality, like I said, it's about the soul of the thing.

File: filthy degenerates.png (71KB, 482x428px) Image search: [Google]

71KB, 482x428px

>>51854586

>>51854676
Anyway I feel that Tolkien's original industrious orcs are criminally underused in favour of orcs as dumb savages.

File: tmp_20551-14873666051841700322945.png (48KB, 1136x300px) Image search: [Google]

48KB, 1136x300px

>>51854693
Even this map?
>>51840451

File: 1407294127245.jpg (101KB, 720x720px) Image search: [Google]

101KB, 720x720px

>>51854749
True enough, though I'm having trouble building on that. I figure the Orc Lands are they Northwestern Green region here: >>51854322.

I...hesitate to say this, but I was considering making the Orcs a sort of Celtic-Samurai faction. Both are Warrior-caste dominated lands with no clear (though multiple competing) Chief Warlords, often infighting and clan-based, while united under a (sometimes only de-jure) religious leader (Emperor/High Druid).

I know it sounds spergy and weeb, but I like the comparison myself well enough, and I don't want to just ape the usual High Medieval Fantasy aesthetic. If this ends up looking far more Eastern, or even fucking Chinese, I'm okay with that so long as it doesn't turn into a theme park.

Thoughts?

>>51854944
>Both are Warrior-caste dominated lands with no clear (though multiple competing) Chief Warlords, often infighting and clan-based, while united under a (sometimes only de-jure) religious leader (Emperor/High Druid)

And now that I type it out I realize that could also be European Kings and the Papacy. Fuck.

Any idea how to salvage this idea /wbg/?

>>51854944
Why do you feel the need to rip off anything at all, why can't you make your own thing?

>>51855091
I'm not trying to rip anything off. I'm trying to make them their own thing. I was talking about avoiding both the "Tolkien Industrialist" and "Noble Savage" archetypes by suggesting a different kind of orc.

What do you mean?

>what animals would be farmed in extremely cold climates?

I thought of reindeer herding, but i was having a hard time finding information about it on a cursory search (will try again soon if no ideas)

>>51855166
Do you need them to be real Earth animals?

>>51855138

Have you tried not using orcs?

>>51855166
Moose/elk? Any animal thats capable of subsisting on twigs, bark, moss or pine-cones. Japanese macaques do.

You could revive mammoths or auroxes

>>51854693
Fair opinion is fair.

Anyway, back to my map >>51851570
Anyone have any opinion on this besides choice of medium?

I'm thinking the shape of the main continent labelled "Eod" might resemble South America too much, but I like what it does for the layout of things.

>>51854971
Make them rural hillbillies. Outland farmers who don't give a shit about feudal politics.

>>51855204
No, but i figured physiological similarities would be good (this has sp far prevented me from domesticated, wooly enus in another area)

>>51855232
>'m thinking the shape of the main continent labelled "Eod" might resemble South America too much, but I like what it does for the layout of things.
It needs to be bomb shaped. Gravity bomb shaped.

File: 1396548741228.jpg (471KB, 2000x1300px) Image search: [Google]

471KB, 2000x1300px

>>51854794
It's a step in the right direction, yes. I'm able to learn a lot more from it and it looks like a fantasy map, not a clipart abomination. Could certainly benefit from iteration, but I'm feeling more intrested than in any clipart map I've ever seen

>>51847798
do i spot norway-denmark colonizing?

>>51855221
>mammoths or auroxes
genius actually

Hunt great beasts, domesticate the smaller ones you mentioned

>>51855091
anotheranon here. Inspiration has to come from somewhere. No matter what you tell yourself, there is no new idea under the sun, seemingly unique ones are just well constructed ideas that take from a variety of sources.

So long as he isn't just taking orcs and slapping blue warpaint and kabuki masks on them, its good to find some base archetypes to work from.

>>51855268
Eod was a working name for the time. Right now its "Achronae" but I don't like that either. Essentially its the closest thing to culturally and socially resembling Europe in the setting.

>>51855216
Because I need a "Strong" race, and I like to keep things vaguely familiar for my players, even if I play with a few things. Do you have a better alternative?

>>51855244
That seems like combining the worst aspects of Tolkien and DnD Orcs. It's an interesting idea, but I can't seem to see anyone wanting to play it.

>>51855264
Go with woolly bison.

>>51855280
>Could certainly benefit from iteration
You mean improving it?

>>51855138
I mean that Samurai orcs are really just Samurai who happen to be orcs.

>>51855328
That was a nice way of saying it still kind of sucks but it has potential to be nice

>>51855323
>That seems like combining the worst aspects of Tolkien and DnD Orcs. It's an interesting idea, but I can't seem to see anyone wanting to play it.
Make them pig orcs

so, i want to make a map for my city, only problem is that it's supposed to be fucking huge, and after just starting made me realize just how fucking much unimportant clutter i'll need to create. the problem is not only that it will take a fucking long time to make, but i fear it might be hard to read, maze-like and confusing. also, i feel that there would be a problem in "just make everything bigger" since that would betray the scale of what it's supposed to be
do i #1, just simply not draw the clutter and only draw "important" locations
#2, suck it the fuck up and draw the entire thing, and spend my entire day drawing bullshit for the sake of a map to look at
#3, just fucking run it without a map

>when you respond to the op post questions and get ignored
AAAAAHHHHH

>>51855221
Moose were first tamed in the XXth century using modern animal handling methods. Mammoths were most certainly not tameable and when you tame auroxes you just get bulls. Besides, they didn't live in extremely cold climates.

Reindeer is the only correct answer. Unless your dudes also eat dogs.

>>51855323
I've always wanted to try a human-ogre-looking hybrid as a player race in a D&D game, and the main archetypal "brutes". I guess goliaths and Darksun half-giants might fill this role.

What is a small detail in your world/setting?
>A made up drink, place, custom, holiday etc.
Mine:
>Oshi: A lightly spiced beverage made from the crushing or grinding of the oshi flower found on venus.

>>51855414
Domesticated yetis.

>>51841600
Holy shit, this is cool. I have no idea how it all exists in the same world, but it's cool as ideas go.

>>51855364
Yeah, but you can say that about any version of orcs, or any other race for that matter.

>>51855385
I do like pig orcs. I'll take it under advisement.

>>51855435
I feel like everyone will get the wrong impression if I say they're Ogres. Or worse, the entire campaign will be filled with Shrek-isms.

>>51855453
Isn't that pretty much cannibalism?

>>51855489
No. Eagles eat smaller birds, some cultures eat monkeys. They dont have to be exactly like apes, stretch them a bit so their ape-like but closer up their appearance is different than apes/monkeys.

File: MuskOx.jpg (393KB, 1600x1200px) Image search: [Google]

393KB, 1600x1200px

>>51855166
Reindeer are the base of most arctic culture animal herding. The thing about Reindeer however, is that they are not herded quite as you would herd, say, cows or horses. Most of the inuit cultures keep only a few of them close, and most of them are left to wonder in herds freely, the clans actually followed the animals around rather than the other way.

As somebody pointed out, moose were only tamed and kept in captivity in since the last century, and it's extremely demanding job, but in a somewhat fantasy settings, they are an option.

Another options are muskoxen. They were never really herded as far as I know, but again, fantasy creative licence can do a lot. They are rather beautiful and majestic animals too.

Finally, hypothetically, you could have your cultures rely heavily on some kinds of sea mammals, like seals and walruses, if you could think of some interesting way the culture could keep track of them.

>>51855412
>when you respond to the op post questions and get ignored
Eh, it happens.

>>51855481
>Or worse, the entire campaign will be filled with Shrek-isms.
That might be an issue with your group's maturity more than the name itself.

But it doesn't have to be "ogre", just some word that sounds like it describes a large, brutish, and perhaps monstrous thing (ie. fiendling, oggrin, plains troll, etc.). It won't even occur to others that someone once told them the world was gonna roll them.

>>51855612
Okay, these puns are ogre!

>>51855555
I've got Mongolian surfers who herd blue whales in a sea of seaweed and use armoured dolphins as herding dogs.

>>51855828
Lose the surfing, mongolian inspirations and armor on the dolphins (neither make any sense) and it might be an interesting concept.

>>51855555
Fucking witnessed.

>>51855871
Thank you for your valuable and sorely needed input.

>>51855555
Thanks for the information! Definitely leaning towards reindeer herding -- do you know what the rest of the reindeer herder's diet might've consisted of?

>>51856081
Almost nothing, actually. Just reindeer, fish and some berries.
Also I live in a region where reindeer herding is traditional and sponsored by the state, you can ask me your questions.

File: AoF- x år efter Kamiernas är utplånade från Nualta-halvön.jpg (1MB, 2592x1456px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2592x1456px

>>51839679

>how high is your fantasy setting?
It's quite sober.
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Based it on the Roman Empire ruled by a !germanic confederation.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
History in general and Roman history in particular (Titus Livius in super-particular), G.R.R. Martin and Joe Abercrombie.

>>51856150
I suppose the opposite would be drunk?

>>51855555
Thanks for the information! Definitely leaning towards reindeer herding -- do you know what the rest of the reindeer herder's diet might've consisted of?

>>51856200
Sorry - phone posting

>>51856081
http://www.worldanimalfoundation.net/f/reindeer.pdf
http://reindeerherding.org/herders/sami-norway/

TLDR: they mostly eat moss and lichen, if available also grass, birch and willow leaves. Occasionally they eat bird eggs and even (if they manage to snatch one) lemmings and even fish, though presumably they just supplement their diet with the odd carcass they come across.

>>51855924
I'm sorry, but "Mongolian surfer blue whale herders using armored dolphins as herding dogs" is something that sounds "awesome" when you say it like this, but really stupid when you imagine it and think about it.

The premise: nomadic culture that herds sea large sea mammals while using smaller, domesticated predatory sea mammals is fairly interesting. The whole idea of a sea-based nomads alone is pretty cool (even if there are some things that need explaining, like where they get their fresh water), even if the idea of them somehow herding animals that can just dive under sea and swim away slightly stretches credulity. Use of dolphins among some native cultures (as fishing helpers, herding fish swarms into the fishermen nets) has even been documented.

Slapping on surfing - one of the LEAST FUCKING PRACTICAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION IN THE WORLD, ONLY PRACTICALBE NEAR COSTS), Mongolian influences (which don't feel fitting at all - those are high-altitude desert/steppe dwelling people, as far removed from any naval culture as you can get) or needless crap like putting fucking armor on the dolphins just makes it slide to silly and ultimately boring land. It's a needless expansion on what could be otherwise a really interesting premise.

If you want to do right with the concept, first think of how such culture could survive and live in practical terms, then let the practical necessities actually model their culture and practices.

>>51856176
That or high yes.

>>51839679
>>how high is your fantasy setting?
Pretty high I guess.
At the end of every Aeon a god of destruction is born, who proceeds to destroy the domaining life forms and create new ones (often changing the World's geography and climate to acomodate the new race).
Races include humans, giants, merfolk, ashura and semi-divine beings made of metals and gems.
>>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
It's a mix of Samurai movies, Clint Westwood movies and old jrpg games.
>>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Not sure what you meant by inovation...
The story itself is a post-apocalyptic Western with a bit of Age of Discovery and mystery when the characters try to pierce what happened (spoilers: other group of heroes killed the god of destruction halfway thru the apocalypse so humanity is a bit better off than it should and the new race didn't get a foothold on the world). Nothing actually new under the sun, but I'm not sure if this particular mix is common or not.
>>what are the major influences for your setting?
The Rigveda, Homer, Camoes, Jorge Luis Borges, Kurosawa, Clint Westwood, , Castlevania and a bunch classic JRPG games (early FF, Rudra no Hihou, Suidoken, Secret of Mana, early Tales of, Breath of Fire, etc)

>>51856289
>I'm sorry
Damn right you should be, making me slog through your wall of text. I'll be more merciful. When I'm making things up, I keep things that make less sense, not more. If I want to experience a setting that makes perfect logical sense, I go for a walk. And that is assuming I asked your opinion at all. Which I didn't because I don't care.

>>51856438
That is some grade A insecurity you have there. Maybe you should not share your ideas in public on a place dedicated to discussing such ideas if this is how you handle input from others.

>>51856466
I don't need your input, brother. If I needed feedback, I would have asked for it. And I wouldn't ask for it here in any case.

>>51856522
I think you need help from others much more than you realize. But then again, sadly, nobody is going to be able to force it on you. Good luck.

>>51856536
I've got real life people for that. People who know me well and are far more invested in helping me than random Internet people.

File: smug-man-720x340[1].jpg (42KB, 720x340px) Image search: [Google]

42KB, 720x340px

>>51856581
Dude your therapist doesn't want to hear about your fantasy setting

>>how high is your fantasy setting?

Very low actually. The only "magic" are a form of advanced ventroliquism and more powerful natural HRT substitutes, the only vaguely supernatural natural phenomenon is a perpetual storm blocking off 75% of the main ocean. Everything else is just normal humans on a normal Earth-like planet with 18-19th century tech having pulpy adventures.

>>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?

The anchor point for most of its conflicts is a HRE pastiche with some off-brand Vikings next to it being powerless against colonizing forces and I SWEAR this is not a /pol/ thing who all want different things and fight each other more than their actual colonial subjects. I don't like using meme comparisons, but you can think of it like what could have happened if foreign soldiers armed with rifles and revolvers landed in Westeros right after the king had kicked the bucket. So there's all of the classic chivalry and muh honor and the shuffling around of loyalty among nobles, but you're looking at it from the outside and from the perspective of people who really only care about how to exploit these whacky Westerners more efficiently.

>>what are the major influences for your setting?

A shitload of stuff I learnt from not dozing off during history lectures in university, mostly socio-economic history because I had to re-take that one, with a bit of Heart of Darkness and Karl May, and a lot of .pdf diving into Native American, West African, Etruscan and Ancient Italic history.

>>51854322
>dwarves are now communist

Please tell me more

>>51856327
>Samurai movies and Clint Eastwood movies

seems interesting to combine Thing A with Thing B that was inspired by Thing A, to see where the real differences lie. godspeed anon.

>>51857189
Seems like bad idea to me. Humans have never really gotten communism to work properly, at best its still a human rights shitshow. But might be diff. for dwarves.

>Not happy with incarnate and co.
>Most happy with hand drawing. But it sucks to change something later

Help.

>>51857341
Dwarves are the very embodiment of greed and hoarding. They will be the most hawkish capitalists.

>>51857189
play Dwarf Fortress

I love the cliche fantady things, taverns, dungeons, oddity vendors and quest giving wizards, i want to add those sort of things to a solar system spanning sci fi that might be post apocalyptic (havent made up my mind on that one yet) Suggestions/tips?

For dungeons i have had the idea of ancient sites built by wizards/druids who created 'world lenses' that allowed them to travel to other planets, so like stonehenge used to be a portal that linked to another stone henge say on mars, or pre-apoc labs and buildings where the technology is misinterpreted as magoc , so the ghost is actually a hologram.

>>51857189
Original anon here.

When the Dwarves realized the End Times had come (mostly by looking up into the sky and watching the corpses of the Gods dropping to the earth below, they collectively said, "Fuck this", and went underground. In their Time Vaults they waited for a new world to be born. Several lifetimes for them passed, but on the surface many eons went by.

When they awoke, only a scant few Vaults survived, and none of them from the Noble, Craftsman, or Priestly and Arcane castes ever surfaced again. Most assume they were eaten by The Things in the Deep, or were destroyed by geological shifts. The surviving Vaults were mostly Worker Caste (Miners and Laborers), with one or two Warrior Vaults also surviving.

Without clear leadership, or even a basic hierarchy to give them a guideline, the new Early History of the Dwarves was fraught with struggle between the two classes. Eventually, the Workers formed something like a government, and slowly began to alter Dwarven society to survive in a Post-Royalty world. Dwarven towns and villages are now run by committee, with Chairman and Councilor replacing the traditional title of Lord. Out of desperation, Dwarves have to parcel out land, food, and other supplies, strictly controlled by the local Committee. The Committees send representatives to the Dwarven Parliament, where the Grand Secretary directs the government on matters of supply, bureaucracy, and the needs of the People.

The army is almost a secondary government, allowing the Committees and Parliament to keep the Homeland secure while they deal with outer threats. And if the Parliament or the Secretary tries to limit their power, survival for the Dwarven People sometimes necessitates a temporary Junta be in place. The military and the social Service are popular alternatives to farming, due to the pay and learning how to kill things and/or read and perform advanced mathematics.

That's all I got at the moment.

File: special colored climate map.jpg (2MB, 3300x2550px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3300x2550px

>>51857862
Forgot the goddamned updated picture.

>>51853282
lol are we seriously begging for the days when we had shitty hand-drawn maps

File: steppeworld map sideways.jpg (2MB, 3507x2550px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3507x2550px

>>51857906
>shitty
Come on sempai.

File: Fearsome Gods Map.png (125KB, 1600x1600px) Image search: [Google]

125KB, 1600x1600px

>tfw same map from literally a year ago

File: druid_of_the_desert_by_donkringel-d4950hd.jpg (375KB, 1024x1443px) Image search: [Google]

375KB, 1024x1443px

Hey guys, I have a predicament with one of my druid tribes in my setting. These particular druids are fire-based desert people who either roam the sands or make their homes in the mountains and caves. Their whole shtick is that they travel down the caves into the earth to help dragons tend to the primordial flame and encourage them to fulfill their duties. However, I also wanted a subsection of them to have a forest settlement at the base of an extinct volcano, where the forest is inhabited by tough monsters. I'm trying to think of a reason why a traditionally nomadic people would willingly abandon a large part of their lifestyle to live in a deady forest and have it be about that volcano.

Are there pencils for PC? So handrawing on a PC.

>>51857970
>The Apes Who Hate
That's a nice euphemism for 4chan.

>>51857964
If you tell me the person who drew this has a double digit age, I will be extremely disappointed.

>>51858214
>druid_of_the_desert
That is clearly a savanna.

>>51857880
>special colored climate map.jpg
I don't mean to sound like a dick, but when I see things like this, my only question is "why do people spend time on things like that instead of actually writing stories?"

>>51858309
So we don't actually have to spend that time actually writing stories, which is hard and scary and frustrating.

File: DIFFUSECLOUDMAPO.jpg (525KB, 1159x798px) Image search: [Google]

525KB, 1159x798px

>>51854676
>clouds
Played around with the clouds technique but forgot the hard mix. Then futzed around with it to make it slightly map-like. Pretty cool

>>51858309
>>51858332
Actually, it's so that when I'm running a game I can improvise on the spot and keep the entire setting consistent and "real", or lack of a better term. It's one of the reasons my players like my GM style.

Stories are easy. Consistency is trickier.

>>51858460
Good first attempt. There's a couple of tutorials from the Cartographer's Guild (check OP) that can help you develop your style. It helped me starting out.

>>51858464
If my GM starts telling me about the air currents in his world, I will be driving home faster than you can say "climate change"

>>51858464
>stories are easy

HA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

>>51858484
I never tell that stuff to my players. It helps ME though keep the whole world in perspective in my head.

>>51858497
>thinks stories are hard
HA HAHAHAHAHA

Fucking autists, I swear.

File: lord gwyn newspaper.png (68KB, 300x200px) Image search: [Google]

68KB, 300x200px

>>51858464
>Stories are easy.

>>51858516
Fuck you.

>>51858568
That escalated quickly. Is it your nap time?

>>51858464
>Shitty stories are easy

FTFY

File: Like this but inside a giant robot crab.jpg (543KB, 800x597px) Image search: [Google]

543KB, 800x597px

I'm making a Pirate City of sorts.

The cliff notes on regional setting-
>Massive (I'm talking like half the United States) desert in a region of the continent
>In order to trade goods without a murderous trek across the desert or relying on sea shipping, (A risky proposition due to plot), nations bordering the desert reverse-engineered stolen airships from a group of mountainous city-states- these "Sand Ships" are much faster and heavier (In both armament and cargo space) than Airships, however have the obvious fault of being on the ground where they can be boarded
>A group of deadly Sand Pirates has sprung up over the years, attacking from unpredictable, and in some cases seemingly impossible, directions, hijacking or destroying Sand Ships- somehow, these Sand Pirates are all equipped with the highest tech gear invented and flying sand skiffs of unique make, despite there being nowhere that could possibly manufacture it in the desert. All efforts to find their stronghold have failed- some now believe that these pirates must have some kind of teleportation or other instant travel, as there's no other way they can think of how they can appear seemingly from nowhere.
>The truth is that the Sand Pirate's home "city" is a massive construct robo-crab built over hundreds of years by an Artificer Lich who came to be known as "The Brass King". This construct-city is constantly burrowing under the desert mining magically attuned metals and other things used in the construction of all kinds of magic tech. The King, however, needs other things for his work- and as such has turned his construct into a massive city of raiders.

Sand Pirates are a faction PCs will have a chance to join- or start in. What do you think of this as a form of "government" for a bunch of murdering pirates? Also how large should this city be? I'm thinking maybe 40k people at absolute most, and that's comparing it to Kowloon (Pic related) which was packed to the brim

- cont

File: Capture.png (253KB, 1084x667px) Image search: [Google]

253KB, 1084x667px

>>51858678
>"Government" is essentially Despotism. The King's word is law, and he backs that law up with raw power.
>The King has several "Rooks" who are in charge of a city's region and act as Governors. Bosses pay their Tax to the Governor, who in turn passes it on to The King. These "Taxes" are minimal- the only thing The King cares for is things that can further his research or are necessary to repair The City.
>Bosses are then in charge of smaller areas, which are controlled by what's essentially glorified gangs- these are the individual groups of Raiders, Metalworkers who refine the raw material collected by Robo-Crab City, and Artificers and other Artisans or Merchants.

There is only a few full-on laws in The City, and the punishment for breaking one is decided on a case-by-case basis. Being that there's so few laws, there's not a lot that actually counts as a "crime" and as such Rooks or The King himself can decide on someone's fate.
>Pay your Tax if The King sees something he wants.
>Do not damage any part of The City's structure. (This does not technically include things like shops or buildings- only the "body" of Robo-Crab)
>Rivalries do not exist on the job. Settle them on your own time.

Other than that The City's rules are decided on a regional level- one Rook might lord over his domain like a king, keeping things organized and under his thumb, while another might truly only follow the three laws and otherwise be anarchy.

And as for Mutiny- that's generally considered "suicide". The Brass King himself, if he had a statblock, would be a roughly CR40 TURBO-ROBOT-LICH who's nearly finished ascending to Deity status and has an army of Constructs. The King is very careful to keep himself in a position where if he needs to he can purge the entire city even if the whole thing turned against him at once.

>>51858286
I just saw the first picture that had druids and sand dunes. I actually sort of have them depicted like a mix between the Sheikah from Zelda and the Tuareg of the Sahara.

>>51855293
Yep, they found a good use for some of their new demihuman citizens. As you can see, they're trying to make a bid for the area around the gulf of St Lawrence which will bring them into conflict with the French and their (mostly elven) new settlers in the region.

File: Map.jpg (955KB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

955KB, 1024x768px

>>51851570
sameanon sharing an update

>>51859821
I think it's looking pretty good, anon.

What's going on with the Harthens? Are they making moves north, on Vauln?

File: 1439768506964.jpg (167KB, 1600x1086px) Image search: [Google]

167KB, 1600x1086px

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Not very. No elves, dwarves, or orcs here, I'm afraid--only dragons. Morality is very grey, and magic is pretty much nonexistent.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Well, setting it in a Roaring 20's era allows for a lot of familiarity while still giving plenty of room for interesting happenings.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
Sapient, photosynthetic dragons which live alongside humans, for one. The shared history between the two species, and the branching technological and social developments which occurred over the course of it, has been interesting to ponder.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
It's hard to pin down exactly what influenced what and how much, but suffice it to say the pulps of the 20's and 30's are a great influence, especially the hard-boiled genre. I'd also point to the history of that era, and of WWI as very big influences. The Interbellum was a pretty fascinating time period, all things considered.

>>51858214
Maybe they think there's something in that forest, that they can use to resurrect the volcano?

>>51860056
What I'm thinking is they took some land recently, and are just focussing on holding it. They don't want to rush into Vauln any time soon, The Vaulnese(?) might not have the might of other nations, but they are a tough and brutal people who don't fuck around. I see them like Russia in WW2, except the invaders are smart enough not to proceed too far.

>>51860145
I see. If you don't mind my asking, why did they hit them from that angle? I would imagine it would be easier to march on the southwestern corridor, between the river and mountains. More easily fortified and resupplied, too.

>>51860209
I don't mind at all anon, in fact I appreciate the feedback

File: 50492920_p0.png (2MB, 1500x1019px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1500x1019px

So tell me, world-builders. Do any of the cultures in your setting have egalitarian military? How did it come about?

>>51860498
You mean one where women can serve alongside men? Yeah, a few do though they are the exception to the rule.

>>51860498
Yes and no for me, in a few instances.

Female nobles in the Patri Empire can, technically, take up a role as mounted units should they volunteer for the position and prove themselves adequate riders. If a noblewoman can hold a lance and wants to have her fun by putting on a set of enchanted plate and smashing against the babbling foreign hordes, she's perfectly entitled to do so. Female foot soldiers or commanders, though? Not a chance.

There are other cultures in the world that are more egalitarian, though. Battle Priestesses exist among the Ghosi who hold respected command roles, and the Fair Folk tribes of Mussor have both male and female fighters in their ranks.

File: 1471551402665.jpg (402KB, 1000x1514px) Image search: [Google]

402KB, 1000x1514px

>>51860498
Most races in my setting lack the level of sexual dimorphism humans have, although since humanity is the most numerous and influential they adopt human customs. The notable exception are the magical superhumans who live on the northernmost continent who have had little influence from mainstream humanity and have about a 3:1 male-female split in the warrior population. Not precise since women, despite being as strong as men on average (stronger than normal men too to boot), are still traditionally the nurturers for children, but there are many circumstances in which a woman would end up fighting: when they're proven barren, when they're too young to settle down, when their house's tradition demands their service regardless of sex, and when she decides to take arms in her husband or child's place as a war matron.

War matrons are warriors honored by their peers for walking the same path as their husband. There are many circumstances in which a woman would become a war matron: She stands in for her husband who is dead or unable to fight, when she is the head of the house over her husband, or when she simply grows tired of married life and wanders off on some adventure. They come from all walks of life, from simple wives who didn't want her children to die to retired warriors who laid down their arms for a brief moment to raise a family.

File: Khajiit female archer.jpg (157KB, 474x575px) Image search: [Google]

157KB, 474x575px

>>51860498

No, because I am not retarded. You do not waste time training and equipping shorter, weaker, less effective troops who should be at home making babies.

Female adventurers on the other hand...

>>51860498
I wrote it in my notes and now it's canon.

>Totiche

The Totiche have the biggest army in proportion to the overall population of their domain. Each of the 4 great clans has a small militia of professional warriors, their ranks bolstered by mercenaries. A lot of them. About 1 in 10 Totiche will have worked as a mercenary during the course of their lives, hiring themselves out in service to the highest bidder, be it to a private person, to another clan or even to foreigner businessmen. The Totiche's only export is mercenaries. Felonies are punished by forced mercenary service, the worst offenders being sent to the frontlines of a battle with their hands tied behind their backs; a death sentence. Neither of these practices discriminate by gender.

>Valis

The Valis navy is less of an army than an extension of the communal body that is the Valis, a matriarchal oligarchy led by a council of elders. The navy is its hands, that collect food to sustain it and take up arms to defend it. The navy is its feet, that carry it whereever it needs to be. The council is its head, commanding it and speaking for it. Nobody has ever fought a real land war against the Valis, as they rely on naval skirmishes using their swift warships and strong alliances with neighboring nations to keep their city safe. A Valis ship is women's territory, with male presence being tolerated as a necessary evil. This hails from old superstition that became reinforced by the navy's successes.

>Ahigbeni

The Ahighbeni military is a mighty moloch made up of conscripts, who voluntarily sign up for 5, 10, or even as many as 25 years of service for good coin and the promise of a patch of land to call their own once they retire. Whatever enemy the God-King might face, there will always be enough soldiers to throw at it until it yields. However, His empire does not have enough land for every man in His service, so He is driven to always conquer, colonize and expand to keep his soldiers loyal.

File: Copy of IMG_0001-page-001.jpg (220KB, 1275x1650px) Image search: [Google]

220KB, 1275x1650px

>how high is your fantasy setting?
Relatively. It's got orcs, dwarves, elves, gnomes, etc. along with various incomprehensible monsters. But I'm endeavoring to make it feel low fantasy to the players, while being mid to high behind the scenes.
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Most of the races are relative similar to their regular versions, with couple notable changes: Dwarves are Persian influenced, and were only driven underground after a war with the Djinn. Humans can't cast arcane magic (half humans can). Elves have a Venetian based culture. That kind of thing.
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
I don't think that it's especially "innovative" but in my campaign world there are being known as Kaeloms which vary in levels of power from minor to "Deu" which are basically the gods of setting, though they don't directly influence the world. None of the Kaeloms are good, or even neutral, all being evil of some type. I like to think of them kind of like Eldritch horrors, of varying types, ranging from tall, thin, mindless cyclopean beings, to a being vaguely human shaped which has been pulling the strings of empires for centuries. When clerics (who may never be good) worship gods, they are infact worshipping Kaeloms of various types who grant them powers in order to use them as playthings.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
I'm not really sure what my primary influences were. Renaissance era European nations are the basis for many of the nations of the world (other than the dwarves) but that's about it that I can remember.
There is quite a bit more stuff that I've planned if anyone is interested.

>>51857970
I'm curious about how these regions got their names.

>>51860937

Half of them are made up names that I thought sounded sufficiently African and Chinese or whatever fit the not!Culture for that area. Then the actual word based names are just cool and based on whatever sounded cool for the place.

Salvation is the land where spiritually enlightened monkey Buddhists are, Twice is the land where heroes come from and they saved the world twice, Kingdom of walls are huge fortresses between the two lands that has no become its own siege proof kingdom, etc.

>>51861670
Fair enough.

>>51860103
That seems good. Maybe there's a dark miasma that threatens to spread to other lands and in order to prevent its spread they need to activate the sleeping volcano as a sort of beacon that drives it off.

>>51860498
No.
My settings are low-fantasy, after all.

>>51858678
Very cool. The description is a bit more in-depth than I prefer it, but the idea is top notch.

>>51860498
All of the societies are egalitarian in my setting unless stated otherwise. No, I'm not an SJW, and I'm not preachy about it. It's done to accommodate female characters.

>>51860498
If we're talking regular military and not oddball mercs and adventurers, most of my states don't accept women in their militaries.
There are some exceptions, though.

The Aoglana Empire is a matriarchy, and while they leave the fighting and front line command to men, officiers are usually female and noblewomen can join the cavalry, as they are used to distract the enemy and don't really see battle, as they're used like the romans used their cavalry. The imperial army also accepts women into their ranks, but it's exceptional. Then again, the main race in Aoglana isn't as sexually dimorphic as humans.

The Astrillem perform divinations to determine what is a child's place in the world, resulting in the occasional woman warrior. However, their caste system is so ingrained in society that the only times when they take sex into account is whith clothing and procreation. In their language, gender is "social-caste" or "asocial-caste", much to the confusion of foreigners who translate those genders into "masculine" and "femenine". To them it's absolutely not egalitarian, as a "social" will never be a warrior, as it is a subset of the "asocial" caste.

File: 414545586916b3ee0088d6fbd2b6cac4.jpg (71KB, 736x552px) Image search: [Google]

71KB, 736x552px

>>51860498
In the late 21st century the British resurrected knighthood as a militant order, rather than a ceremonial thing, Knights became elite soldiers armed with advanced body armor that blocked everything but heavy caliber weapons and were granted swords,mainly as a ceremonial thing, but some knights actually started using them alongside their guns in combat, A sword is quite useful in tight quarters. But after being used to do less-than-righteous acts the majority of knights went rogue forming their own legion that today acts as vigilantes across the solar system. Don't know why people are talking about women but they're currently led by a lady.

File: sluggie.png (202KB, 600x600px) Image search: [Google]

202KB, 600x600px

>>51860498
It depends. Lot of species have very different sexual dimorphisms, plus cultures that have grown from have an effect.
While humans have the similar dimorphism as in real life, humans themselves don't really have proper nations, and when drafted/join mercenary companies, it's up to their policies. Usually they do require same level of performance. Some other humans of course frown on women joining militaries, since human population is kinda fucked to begin with.

Desw have bunch of gendermorphs, and within their empire both genders lower caste being the one conscripted for 2 years. Upper castes usually don't, although they might inherit a post of an officer.
Humans of honorary caste are similarly conscripted for 2 years, but lot of them are placed in non-combat duties ( ex. book-keeping ) - regardless of gender.

Draconian females are larger and bit more aggressive, but both engage in warfare.
Caowe are very similar to humans in physique. Depends on clan policies.
Varpu do not have egalitarian armies, but since females are generally more robust, they are usually ones trained ( although when comes to flying, both are trained, since males tend to have easier time achieving flight )
And slaud, whom are hermaphrodites, are non-applicable. And as for javdra, it's very rare to find them outside of their native island chain - but if you do, they are all females, since males are non-intelligent ( think of anglerfish ).

Plus it also depends on regional cultures and policies.

>>51863480
>it's done to coddle feminist crybabies who don't play my game anyway

also bump

>>51860498
>egalitarian military

wut?

>>51852521

I would play this

>>51867680
I assume you have CCTV cameras installed in my house to check who plays my games.

>>51852521
>sapient mudcrabs are the most mercantile race on the planet and practically run the world economy.
This was literally in Morrowind.
Also I expected much greater mindfuckery from a setting based on dreams.

>>51856150
Blegh, fantasy stuff always sounds shitty in Swedish.

File: Fallout-vault_00396590.jpg (358KB, 1440x900px) Image search: [Google]

358KB, 1440x900px

>>51857862
>Most assume they were eaten by The Things in the Deep, or were destroyed by geological shifts.

Maybe they were killed by strange experiments.

>>51860498
They all do, because the rules say men and women have equal combat stats.

File: Nahynnai.png (33KB, 1000x1400px) Image search: [Google]

33KB, 1000x1400px

First actual map I've ever made. Still extremely WIP.
R8 me.

>>51869755
Are the green dots cities?

>>51869081
>Inon Zur intensifies

>>51862215
Well, you said they were fire-worships, right? So it might not even take that much explanation, if you prefer. They might just think the volcano is a sleeping god of some sort. At the end of the day it's your choice, though.

>>51869972
Yup. They're sea-elven city-states.

>>51869755
Pretty bad desu.
If you want to actually make realistic world maps, look up how tectonic plates work.
After that, draw some random tectonic plates. (Continental plates tend to be a touch smaller than oceanic plates)
Then, decide which direction they're all moving and how they relate to eachother.
Draw landmasses on your continental plates following a (rough) outline of the shape of the plate.
Then see what kinds of faults/collisions they make to decide where islands/volcanoes/mountains, etc. are on each continent. What places get earthquakes, tsunamis, are arid or just desert, etc., all that is derived from getting these things right.
These in turn influence cultures, and potentially races, and the rest is (your setting's) history.

>>51870687
>>51869755
Good job not using shitkarnate for making it, though.
I'll give you that.

File: DEEP SKY OBJECTS.pdf (1B, 486x500px)

1B, 486x500px

Thought I'd post this since I just finished it up today and am pretty happy with it. This is a 5 page ruleset for populating space maps as in Stars Without Number with cool deep space objects like nebulae and star clusters. All d10 based, lots of random tables to roll on. With pictures too illustrating each kind of object!

>>51871498
Disappointed, the title made me assume that it was about stuff you can stumble across as an airship pirate.

>>51870708
What do you have against Incarnate?

>>51871498
Neat! /osrg/ might appreciate this too.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how mad does this make you? Would you avoid a campaign where any elf you meet has this ability, even player elves? And it works on other players too, even accidentally?


>Elves have the ability to magically command other creatures into doing their bidding. Unaware of their own ability, this has given rise to the conception of fey logic. A long forgotten elven philosopher made a statement to the effect of "[...]I reiterate: to count all the grain in the world is to[...]" The original meaning has long been lost. In a freak stroke of bad luck this profound statement has been repeated throughout the ages and several elves were unlucky enough to be struck with this absurd command. Now, if you dump a sack of grain in front of an elf they are liable to stop all that they are doing and count each individual grain.

I like the idea because it actually makes Elves something more than "human with pointy ears" with a simple gimmick. It also gives a reason for people to really, really hate and mistrust elves despite each individual elf not necessarily being an evil being.

Now I need something to make Dwarves and Halflings unique and I'll have a generic-but-different setting.

File: Bongo.png (180KB, 302x348px) Image search: [Google]

180KB, 302x348px

>>51870183
They aren't necessary fire-worshipers as much as they are fire-keepers. Much like how other types of druid tribes tend to the forests, oceans, and grasslands.

>>51873860
It actually sounds very interesting and more true to original folklore and mythological tales that most fantasy owns it's origin to. Hell, Japan has terrifying water demon that nearly nobody can defeat in fight (and that feasts on human livers, which it snatches out your body through your anus), but that can be defeated by common courtesy and honor, simply by challenging it to "fair duel" and then bowing very deeply. The creature (it's Kappa, if you haven't figured) simply CANNOT by uncourteous, and is obliged to bow as deeply or deeper than you do: thus spilling precious water it keeps at the top of it's head for breathing and either suffocating, forcing it to run away.

Slightly bizarre shit like this is actually what gives fantasy stories atmosphere more akin to folklore and myths, and makes them more memorable and charming.

That said, doing stuff like this can have some very unfortunate systematic, metagaming or consistency-related issues. Neither myths, nor folklore was created with consistency or established rulesets in mind.

In your case, I'd say: go for it. Invent even more such bizarre things. But keep elves non-playable race. Keep them closer to Huldufólk or Aos Sí. Trying to marry concepts such as this with rule-driven, player's-exploitative-and-fairness-based intentionality or speculative world building is just very likely going to result in a major backfire.

>>51874480
Fuck. The fucking. Nametags. Why the fuck would anyone want those to transfer between fucking threads?!

File: Jeruan.jpg (196KB, 1417x945px) Image search: [Google]

196KB, 1417x945px

First attempt with photoshop. It did not end so well.

I think I'm staying with incarnate.

>>51874480
Well of course if it's a playable race I would balance the ability such that it's useable and makes the race feel different but not so gamey that inspires players to metagame it.
My solution would be that it only works once per day, has a low chance of actually working ( but this would scale as you increase in level ) and is not a "I'll use this ability" ability. It would be based on role playing and character. So the player can't say "I'll use my fey charm to convince that npc to..." it would be more like
>GM: You feel a light nudge around your leg. You notice a pickpocket dashing off into the crowd.
>Player: I say "Stop thief!" and chase after him
>GM: Okay. *rolls dice* every thief within earshot suddenly grinds to a halt and freezes. There is commotion within the crowd as folk are bumping into other people who have suddenly stopped. Of course, this includes your pickpocket"
>Player: But I didn't want to use that ability, I only get it once per day and want to save it for later
>GM: The power isn't voluntary, and you gave a command. You won't benefit from it's effects until tomorrow.

My hope is that it would be balanced by the player actually having to role play restricting their speech or face unintended consequences, maybe even the once a day restriction won't even be necessary because of it.

>>51839679
>>how high is your fantasy setting?
Fairly high I guess, magic, orcs, and other shit

>>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Major cities mave lighting either by magical means or a complex gas pipe system and a trapped fire elemental

>>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
nothing really

>>what are the major influences for your setting?
Political tensions.

File: WIP_Map.jpg (1MB, 1024x768px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1024x768px

Hey guys. This is my first time posting on here. I've been lurking for awhile and I'm an aspiring DM trying to start something small with a few buddies of mine and I've been using inkarnate to create the map attached. Can I get a critique or some tips on making it better? I'm working story right now but I want it to look more realistic and promote exploration. Thanks in advance!

>>51875362
Two name suggestions: replace Misty Lake with something else. Mistfall should be enough to imply that the area is, indeed, misty or foggy all the time.
I'd also recommend something else for Two Streams, unless those really are just streams and scale is fucked. If they're Rivers, name it "something"flood, with the implication that it's built on floodplains that will change terrain based on seasons, which is probable if any of those water sources are fed by rain or snowmelt.
Names can make or break immersion.

I'd also suggest expanding a bit, and rounding the borders of the area, like a large valley, or making it a more naturally occurring shape than an almost perfect square, unless there's some in-universe reason for it.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Fairly high. Magic exists but it's mostly necromancy. Technology exists, but electricity based technology is problematic because strong, concentrated electrical currents attract ghosts.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
Humans aren't absolute shit in my setting.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
See above.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
I grew up in the southern United States and along the coasts so the weather and the geography informed a lot of what my setting looks like: there are a lot of swamps and rivers, basically.

File: WRONG.jpg (52KB, 952x500px) Image search: [Google]

52KB, 952x500px

>>51875362
Mountains do not work that way.

Rivers do not work that way.

Cities do not work that way.

Lakes do not work that way.

Your scale is 100% retarded, too.

Overall? 2/10. Good effort, sport.

>>51875362
So those two rivers flow from the mountains into that big lake, then the water runs back a little to create two new river on each side, going down to TwoStreams, becoming one single river and then all the water disappears in that small lake?

File: 1487883213281.gif (994KB, 320x240px) Image search: [Google]

994KB, 320x240px

>>51875362

>>51871995
99% of Inkarnate maps I see end up being uninspired random blobby landmasses which people think are okay because muh texture.

>>51854586
Because now they have to explain themselves to everyone they ever come across as to why they shouldn't be shot on sight as the setting's cannon asswipe.

>>51860498
It's more might makes right kind of thing. If you can fight your way in then you're in.

File: 42476fe14ecc7b940645aad1a7901e304602de44.jpg (802KB, 3028x1188px) Image search: [Google]

802KB, 3028x1188px

Old map but one of my favorites

How do I git gud at mapmaking? I want to make this >>51840451 better like that anon said I could.

>>51876873
Photoshop and practice. Understanding how mountains/rivers/terrains happen give the map a real good look.

>>51876990
What about GIMP or Sumo?

>>51863480
Now see the best way to do this is just have female characters are the exception to the rule. Like all player characters are.

>>51857964
Based on your text you seem to be implying that the image you supplied isn't shitty. The flaw in your logic is that the image you supplied it quite shitty.

>>51877008
whatever floats your boat. I've done some in MSpaint.

>>51875362
Pretty much what others have said. Its actually a very pretty map, but a lot of things don't make sense geographically. Don't give up, you have a good visual sense, just learn up on some of the basics of worldbuilding/map-making. There's good ref on YouTube.

File: 1478374499676.gif (1MB, 249x250px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 249x250px

Sorry to interrupt but there was this questionnaire about world-building, it contained questions about culture, geography and a lot of other stuff but I can't find it for the life of me, beside that all I remember is that it was it's own site. Any idea ?

What does /wbg/ think about an arcane language that, after a brief and moderately costly ritual, everyone can speak at a level equivalent to their general magical aptitude (with quite low standards for said aptitude)?

>>51879617
what's the point?

>>51879617
well costly how? Expensive ingredients? Takes a lot of time? Also if a party of 4 puts up 1200 gold each to do this but the wizard if the only one that will really benefit then the cost isn't worth it to the other 3.

>>51879689
a setting thing--everyone in a very large area could speak the same language, facilitating trade and exchange of ideas

>>51879696
not nearly that expensive--expensive as in costly, but everyone can afford it with a little trade

>>51879889
sure, It really seems like this is something that only one character needs.

>>51874758
>Well of course if it's a playable race I would balance the ability such that it's useable and makes the race feel different but not so gamey that inspires players to metagame it.
It's not a problem of balance.
It's problem of keeping the element feel magical and strange, and not beat it to dust of mundane. To prevent it to be a another simple tick in a checklist.

>>51875672
it's alternative geography

How would i go about making a micro setting map? Like a map of only a valley or a city etc.

>>51876311
Why do you assume that the party would primarily interact with humans as opposed to goblins?

>>51870687
Thanks for input. As I said, it's my first actual map ever and very, very much a work in progress.
I'll look into tectonic plates as soon as I can.

>>51875630
>Names can make or break immersion.
Only if you suffer from crippling autism.

>>51881262
Who said they'd primarily interact with humans?
And of course I make assumptions. Evil campaigns are by far the minority. Even in such a campaign being openly associated with evil could potentially be a large hindrance.

>>51881262
Oh and just to add. Goblins are so commonly on the abused little bitch side of the evil stick, I'd imagine unless you're also a goblin that they'd not write you off.

Just because you steal cars doesn't mean you shouldn't immediately be suspicious of a murderer.

File: shittymaps.png (247KB, 1443x484px) Image search: [Google]

247KB, 1443x484px

>>51881253
top down, isometric or cut-away work well. Drew a few shitty examples for you, don't mind the quality.

File: [FORLAN FIEF] Main Area.png (85KB, 800x600px) Image search: [Google]

85KB, 800x600px

while on the topic of mapmaking, here's a map from my first (since abandoned) world building project. Dear lord, I have no idea what I was thinking.

Still worth a laugh tho

File: boogotti_02.jpg (220KB, 1178x560px) Image search: [Google]

220KB, 1178x560px

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
I mean, there's magic and it's at the centre of the world's technology and political climate.

>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
A rune based magic system that allows customisable spells and emphasizes planning. Fusing magic and more modern (~WWII era) technology. Also, races that aren't just human/elf/dwarf. More like sort-of-humans, lizardmen and literal magic octopi.

>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
No 'true human' races. Magic is used as a part of many technologies. Players are encouraged to be less like muderhobos and more like soldiers. There are huge fuckoff tanks that are battlegrounds in their own right for smaller, but still quite large tanks. These tanks form armadas that fight to control massive battleship-continents which in turn fight eachother for control of sections of ocean that contain valuable resources.

>what are the major influences for your setting?
Fallout:New Vegas, Xcom, Shadowrun, The Witcher, Worldshaker.

>>51839679
>how high is your fantasy setting?
Pretty high I think. I generally make low fantasy so this is a departure for me. Maybe middling fantasy?
>what have you done to make it stand apart yet be more accessible?
What have I done? Nothing really. I suppose it might stand out due to being turn of the 20th century in terms of real world time equivalence, heavily inspired by studio ghibli's works. Lot of fringe science and crazy ancient speculation/world views intermixed into everything (from the 4 humors still playing a role in medicine, aether theory being the real truth, and artificial moons lighting up cities at night (incidentally some people believe that native americans utilized zero point energy to do just that, was fantasy as fuck so I had to steal that)).

On the accessibility front? I keep things relatively conceptually simple I suppose. And again the heavy studiio ghibli influence is a good hint at the setting's tone.
>what innovations have you come up with for your setting?
I'd say the magitech, but that seems like multiple people's answers at this point so I doubt its all that innovative. Harvest magic by liquefying ambient aether and harnessing various geometries. This liquid is now the setting's electricity and is used in a similar smaller scale manner. You squeeze a trigger to pump the magic into a sword, fire a gun, grant your strength through your armored suit, etc.

From mechanical innovation I took some pirate ship and airplane rules the system already had, smashed them together, and simplified the results for proper flying boat action.

I've also made sure that the non-humans are extremely not human but relatable enough to be playable.
>what are the major influences for your setting?
Did I mention studio Ghibli yet? That's pretty important.

>>51881830
You have good tastes, and fuck you I was considering a highly magical flying cuttlefish race. They'd have a modified magic system where they'd be able to cast from their flight speed.

>>51860917
How does the afterlife and such work, as well as revival spells, if the gods are evil? Is it just a void or endless torment?
>>51857727
Look at Star Wars for suggestions of how to incorporate fantasy elements into sci-fi.
>>51858576
Not him, but if it so easy for you, why are you hear and not making money cranking out bestsellers?
>>51860498
Most do, just because life is tough and it doesn't make sense to turn down willing fighters. Dwarvish/Halfling armies are the most egalitarian ones, due to their being little difference between males and females for Dwarves and Halflings. Goblinoids, especially Hobgoblins and tieflings, are the most also pretty in with it, due to their cultures.
Most other societies/races have fairly typical male/female relationships.

>>51875362
As some have said-- some less constructively than others-- there are a few issues with your design insofar as realism is concerned. If you were looking for a not-so-serious high fantasy setting, but I'm afraid this doesn't pass the geography test.

I think you can fix it, though, without drastically changing your setting. You should set your world inside of a giant canyon, and make your series of rivers here parts of the main river that carved out said canyon, snaking back and forth across the whole map with lakes feeding it along its length. That way, your general layout can stay the same, but your geography can be much more realistic.

File: map.png (1MB, 1000x1000px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 1000x1000px

Hey guys, working on my first map. I have no idea how anything works.

Anything I can improve on?

>>51881549
>And of course I make assumptions.
Frankly, I should stop replying here.
>Evil campaigns are by far the minority.
Why can't the characters interact with evil races in a good campaign?
Which got me thinking making a Casablanca type campaign...

>>51881830
>literal magic octopi
Don't get me wrong, I love the idea, but it would only work in a sufficiently silly setting.

>space fantasy setting
>Takes place in the solar system and the surrounding 50 light years something thousand years in the future
>FTL is at a speed of one day per lightyear
>all planets and larger moons are terraformed, with artificial gravity to make everywhere planet earth level gravity
>post-post apocalypse
>only remaining group from before apocalypse is mormons
>high magic,

>>51882576
>high magic setting
>Jupiter has a cult that lives on an old gas mining station in the middle of the Great Red Spot, worship the storm, lightning and storm powers
>Venus is was mostly feral, massive jungles and forest, only human settlements were research facilities, and mostly composed of scavengers and crazy hunters who hunt genetically engineered beasts that ran wild after apocalypse
>mercury is tidal locked, giant solar power plant. Bunch of other secret pre-war space-time fuckery research
>mars is mostly desert or ocean, however the coastline is incredibly fertile, especially around Valles Marineris, mostly populated by nomads, with a larger settlements along the coasts
>earth is mostly just large dense super cities, outside of the mormons

I'm still working on aliens, and areas further out into the solar system and beyond. Any ideas or good sources of inspiration?

>>51882472
Ahh you see you're making a pretty big assumption yourself buddy. You seem to be under the assumption that we're using d&d's stingy self centered definition of evil. And not the actual fucking definition of fucking evil like good general system agnostic advising boys and girls.

And again, why would interacting with an evil race change anything?
They're evil. You're evil. Again, why is a car thief automatically cool with talking to a literal member of the ss?

>>51882448
edge to edge rivers are a no. This is because rivers run from somewhere high (like mountains) to somewhere low (the ocean, or underground). They can't run from shore to shore.

Your mountains should be more connected and chainy. esp near the bottom is a concern, where they're circular but realistically it does work so well. Mountains are mainly formed when two tectonic plates smash together (you don't need to actually come up with tectonic plates for your world) so they tend to form in connected lines in one area. Not always though, so there's some wiggle room with mountains.

File: hungry-wolves-in-winter_1080.jpg (382KB, 1920x1080px) Image search: [Google]

382KB, 1920x1080px

What are some good reasons for a well settled region/county to be under constant threat from bandit raids without having to resort to the kingdom's army being away?

I find myself using this excuse a lot, and I'd like to have some variety. It also constantly means the kingdoms must always be at war with other kingdoms to such an extent that bandits and monsters are running free.

File: Jim-Moriarty.jpg (20KB, 329x448px) Image search: [Google]

20KB, 329x448px

>>51882675
>we're not using d&d stereotypes here
>goblins are always low level whipping boys

>>51882704
Its ran by incompetent leaders and officials, so corruption is high. Think any central african nation.

>>51882704
mass insurance fraud. Lots of guys in cahoots with bandits.

>>51882704
The king needs the parliament's permission to mobilise the army.
The bandits are robber knights of noble blood.
The bandits are in fact deserters from the kingdom's army.
The bandits conduct their raids from the neighbouring kingdom.
The country is mountainous or otherwise has a nightmare for logistics.

>>51882704
>region/county to be under constant threat from bandit raids
It's a desert and it is one of the few places where water is accessible (near a river, etc)l. That could explain why they don't want to move. As for threat of bandit raid, that depends on how fantastical your setting is, if it's high setting, undead bandits that raid every fortnight and the only way is to endure the night.

>>51882862
In most modern works yes. The only time they aren't is when the term stops identifying a creature, and starts identifying a subsect of mischievous (not all together evil) fairies.

So by all means point me to works that form even a fraction of goblin appearances where they are definitively evil, and not sniveling little shits.

>>51884223
Warhammer FB
The Labyrinth
Spiderwick Chronicles

>>51839679

So, I'm scribbling together some notes for a new setting, and one thing I've got is an idea for magical roads. The technique for building them has been lost (but might be re-learned if the players do their jobs right), but a bunch of them are still around. They fortify travelers, walking, running, and carrying along the road is far less fatiguing than it would be otherwise. If I've worked out my math right, over a long period of travel (say, at least a week) you can go roughly 30 times the pace you'd be able to over a normal road

Anyway, I've been trying to plot out the social/economic/military/other consequences of having access to mass, superfast travel like this. So far, I've got

> Cities are huge but more distance between them, they can draw upon larger rural areas for support than would otherwise be the case.
>High state of military readiness along all cities on the road network. Invasion can come FAST. Standing armies are the norm, not the exception. Because there is a large, organized, wellspring of military power, social organization is less feudal and more military junta-ish.
>Interest in overseas travel is very lessened, the continent in question is in something of an isolation mode, although given its size and wealth, has no existential need for overseas contact.
>Corollary, ship development is far behind the rest of the world, most vessels are coastal craft.
>Areas off the road network are pretty uninhabited, monster and bandit hideouts.


Mostly, I just wanted to check with other perspectives to see if anything I've got is stupid or if there's anything glaringly obvious that I missed.

>>51884359
Could someone roll fallen trees onto the roads to chop them up without fatigue?

Do people exercise and lift on roads to develop insane strength and endurance?

Could someone build a wall around a section of the road to have a house/farm/town where they don't get tired?

Why didn't the ancients build cities out of the magical material?

>>51884465

>Could someone roll fallen trees onto the roads to chop them up without fatigue?

>Do people exercise and lift on roads to develop insane strength and endurance?

>Could someone build a wall around a section of the road to have a house/farm/town where they don't get tired?

No to all; it's only travel related stuff that gets assuaged. Other exertions are as normal.

>Why didn't the ancients build cities out of the magical material?

Well, I mean, they did, but we're in a classic post-civilizational collapse, and the roads are a bit more enduring than some of their other works, but there are other large scale magical constructions lurking about, quite a few in inhabited cities, which didn't just vanish overnight.

File: tumblr_nf7llf9fEN1rtuqolo1_500.jpg (105KB, 500x746px) Image search: [Google]

105KB, 500x746px

Who is the guts of your world/players?

>>51884521
Then I guess it makes sense, it's just really strange and clearly "a wizard did it" handwaving.

As far as the consequences go, technology would progress a lot faster, larger empires would form, and cultural exchange would obviously be much more efficient and widespread.

>>51884564
Guts of the setting: king Arthur + Othello + Faust. A mighty conquistador king, he got his sword slashed in half trying to protect the god of humans from the killing blow of the main antagonist. Later, his advisor insinuated that his wife cheated on him with his best friend. Furious, he killed the friend, and his wife went to the moon in disgust. Unable to live with his guilt, he threw himself onto pikes and went to Hell for murdering an innocent. However, his kingdom fell into disarray following his death, and the moans of his people grew so loud that they reached hell. While he was convinced he deserved punishment, he went to the devil to play cards with him, betting both halves of his sword in exchange for one day in the world of the living. He won and led an army of dead deserters who sought redemption back into the world, where he restored peace to his kingdom and left instructions for his people that became the basis of a new religion. Once every year, he leaves Hell with his army of the dead to assist an overwhelmed, but honourable army in one battle. Legends say that once his sword is reunited, he will be granted redemption and be allowed to leave hell with his army once and for all. One half is somewhat of a holy grail, being kept in a dungeon the entrance to which appears before honourable knights, the other half is in the possession of his betrothed on the moon.

Guts of my current campaign: a dark elven crusader who hesitated to sacrifice himself to achieve the tactical objective of his squad and now travels the world like something of a ronin.

>>51855405
I think #2 sounds the most grueling, yet can be fun visualizing the "unimportant" bits, and their little stories, pieces of trivia, and histories to make the shittyness less shitty.

>Drawing out a portion of a harbor
>Fuck up some of the buildings and pathways, looking crooked
>Turns out when the warehouses were built the architect made a mistake
>The foundation sunk into the ground
>Built around it rather than giving up or fixing it
>Now the entrances and doorways outward are controlled by an intricate levy/bridge system
>Later on parts of the warehouse is turned into a dry dock cause it stuck far enough into the sea
>Could be used as a point of interest, or otherwise a neat place to explore or loot

>>51884521
>Do people exercise and lift on roads to develop insane strength and endurance?
More like develop extreme injuries. If your muscles never get tired, they'll never have anything to recover from, and won't get stronger.

Try actually stepping into a gym, nerd.

Mind if i soundboard my creation myth on my DnDverse?
>Reality was create by "God" out of the Void, creating 5 elemental realms and the mortal realm.
>The 5 elemental realm rotate around the Mortalverse, with every realm being ascendant every 2196 years, which can vary from minor to planet changing.
>Elves/Orcs/Dwarves were all created to inhabit the mortal realm and be watched over by Dragons
>Age of Creation lasted 28000+ years and was effectively Garden of Eden and God actaully cared/interacted with his creation
>Age of Schism was when God left and the races split themselves into faction. Lasted 21000+ years
>Age of Treachery was when the Dragon Guardians split into Chromatic and Metallic, the races and their factions are effectively completely different from each other. Lasted 14000+ years. First sightings of mankind
>Age of Man predicted to last 7000+ years. Mankind is ascendant, but still not top dog - all inital races have somewhat mixed with Humanity somewhat being about Dragonkin/Half breeds etc.
PCs would started in the latter half of the AoM, which would explain all the PC races etc

There is a Realm of Death but it was made when the Tetrad of God banished the Corrupter of the Guardians + founder of the Schisms from all other realms, since it could not be destroyed by them

How difficult is photoshop cs6 for maps? Is it better than incarnate?

>>51886934
pretty dumb post desu

>Is it better than incarnate?
Anything is, if you're willing to put in some effort

>How difficult is photoshop cs6 for maps?
>for maps
A map could be a white picture with some black lines defining borders, or it could be a realistic-looking satellite projection, or a detailed political map, etc. I don't know what you mean by "maps". But the answer is probably yes.

>>51886973
>But the answer is probably yes.
accidental post
The answer depends on what you're trying to make.

>>51886934
>>51886973
Photoshop works for anything. It's literally up to you and your skills what you can produce with it.

File: 9 cities of Castian 1.jpg (3MB, 4000x2000px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4000x2000px

>>51886934
Photoshop is great if you know how to use it. I highly recommend the tutorials at cartogrpaher's guild (see: OP).

>>51886386
Does any of this play into the actual plot? If not, nobody has any reason to care, and literally any creation myth is fine. It's virtually impossible to make a creation myth that's interesting in itself, to anyone who isn't already invested in the universe. Just do whatever serves your purposes, and only bother the players with it if it becomes relevant.

That should be the fucking first tip anyone ever gets when it comes to word building. In movies and books, it's called pacing. In role playing games, it's called get the fuck away with anything that isn't interesting, because no one will remember it when it comes up.

>>51887063
Photoshop is great if you have spare 10 minutes to wait for it to load up each time you want to make adjustments to your map.

Here's my advice: if you're not an artist and you don't have a tablet, forget about photoshop and use MSPaint.

>>51889578
Campaign Cartographer is also not bad.

>>51889578
>Photoshop is great if you have spare 10 minutes to wait for it to load up each time you want to make adjustments to your map.
I mean, why did you install PS onto an actual toaster?

>>51884564
Surana the Lesser, Imposter Captain of the frigate Black Vigil, who had to assume her twin sister's identity as admiral after she was assassinated and then was sent on a mission overseas to establish contact with a trade post that had been withholding lumber and other goods for several months - it lead her straight into the arms of the enemy, a plan devised by the other admirals. She was captured, her crew murdered before her eyes, her lieutenants tortured and sold into slavery, and she herself was sold to a Western barbarian lord to do as he pleased with. He forced her to fight in mock-up tourneys as the "black knight", until the castle she was held in was besieged by other barbarians from even further down West. When the castle fell, she was able to kill several attackers, steal her tourney armor and sword, and escape into the barren wilderness.

If you see a woman in armor on the road, standing eight feet tall with hair the color of salt and pepper, say a prayer to your gods for those who crossed her. Because they will need all divine help they can get.

>>51884918
>hubby kills his best mate over some implied cuck shit
>better move to the fucking moon lmao

what kind of setting is this

File: cf.png (3MB, 1492x1421px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 1492x1421px

>>51890006
>>51887063

Always used PS for my main campaigns and I'm definitely not an artist. Thing is, if you're feel like putting some effort to make things look good, they will. If it's not a real necessity and neither you and your players care, paint or paper are just as good, and only take a few minutes.

>>51840451
>Al-Akhir desert

Nice try buddy

>>51890247
Fair enough point. My toaster comment was towards the poir anon who needs 10 minutes to boot his program up.

>>51882576
>>51882646

>space mormons
My melanoid compatriot. I actually have a scifi/fantasy setting with a religion based heavily on Mormonism, along with Scientology and Neo-Spiritualism. Sounds like it's a little lower fantasy than yours, though-- magic is more a matter of perspective and metaphysics than real tactile spellcraft.

>>51890669
Mine too. Guess I messed up with the quote, that pic took an hour to upload.

>>51890888
Huh. Maybe my computer is just that geared towards rendering shit? Guess that's neat to see in action. PS usually takes 1/2 a second to work for me, and about a second to load on here.

Also, witnessed.

New Bread
>>51891704
>>51891704
>>51891704
>>51891704

>>51884564
Ok, he's not really Guts, but he's the biggest, baddest motherfucker out there, that fucked up the world beyond recognition. So, more like Griffith.

For the longest time the world was in a peaceful, almost Utopian state. It was all one big empire, spanning the entire world, ruled by god Efirill and his divine bloodline. He's got powers out his ass, and all his descendants inherit some of it.

His six children (that he made by feeding different creatures a bit of his blood), the second generation of gods, are almost as strong as him, then the third generation are Hercules-levels of stronk, the fourth generation are a bit weaker, then the fifth are about as strong as your average fantasy hero, six generation is above-average mortals, and after that it's basically bragging rights.

Anyway, most of the gods reproduce naturally, and with some frequency, but the top guy only has had his six offspring way back before they made mortals. At some point he falls in love with a human woman, and she gives birth to a new second-generation god, which is a pretty big deal.

Heftalir, the new god, grows up pretty quickly, and goes out adventuring. He goes around killing monsters and helping people, for a good while, earning himself respect among mortals and a reputation as a protector of Mankind. He does some cool shit, and at some point of his adventure he meets the love of his life. They marry and he temporarily retires from adventuring.

It doesn't last long though. After a few years, she dies under suspicious circumstances. Her soul is taken by the god of death (who is also a giant squid, by the way. How cool is that?), to be judged. Heftalir goes to his stronghold under the sea to get his lover back, but the squid says she has to be recycled.

>>51891733
Shit, while I was writting up a reply, the thread ended

>>51891733
Oh, yeah, about that. Souls in this world, when left unattended, have a tendency to merge into eldritch monsters, that in turn want to consume more souls, and merge further together. As they grow bigger, they get stronger, but also lose their individuality.

All souls in this world are shards of a Primordial Soul, and they all have a tendency to unite to become it again. That would mean the end of the world, because everyone and everything would basically lose their sense of self.

The gods don't want that, so they came up with a way to stop. Souls are collected by the servants of the god of death, and are recycled. The only exception to this are individuals that have proven themselves to be of exceptional worth, and power. Basically, heroes. They are made into immortal servants under one of the gods.

Anyway, the squid tells him that his waifu is not special in that sense, so she has to go in the oven. Heftalir doesn't much like that and he flies into a rage. They fight. So hard, that the ocean around them turns into a giant whirlpool. The other gods have to interfere, because the storm they created might actually destroy a few coastal cities if nothing is done about it. They somehow manage to calm them down, and daddy talks to his son.

He says that he can't make any exceptions, not even for him. He talks about justice, and fairness and due process. He says he can't play favorites with the mortals, because that would make him an evil and unjust ruler. Heftalir, having much respect for his father and for justice, accepts that and moves on. He and his wife share a last moment together, and then her soul is forever destroyed.

>>51891762
He keeps on adventuring, but he never recovers from that loss. He is pretty sad, edgy and brooding at this point. The gods try to cheer him up, but it's all for naught. For a few hundred years he keeps skulking about, fighting monsters and whatnot. At some point he is called to a feast in the capital.

He arrives, greeted wholeheartedly by all, and the feast begins. It's already been quite a long time since his wife died, and he's been around for half a millennium, so his father wants to give him authority over humans and have him rule Mankind at the end of the feast.

But, before that can happen, a trickster-type god, and a close friend/rival of Heftalir's finds out something interesting. In the divine court of Efirill, there is an angel-servant that looks suspiciously like Heftalir's long dead mortal mother. He tells his friend of his findings, and they capture that angel. She's pretty good at hiding, but with the trickster's help it's a piece of cake.

After some interrogation, she does confess to being Heftalir's mother, and also that she became an angel not because of any of her deeds, but because daddy didn't want to let her soul get destroyed. Heftalir gets upset, and goes to confront his father about it, in the middle of the feast, in front of every god and demigod there is.

The argument gets pretty heated, but Efirill has to save face, and denies everything. Then, Heftalir calls him out for being a coward and a hypocrite, and challenges him to a duel. He gets fucking btfo, and thrown around the throne room like a rag doll. However, when daddy is about to summarily execute him, his mother, in disguise, appears and pleads for his life. Efirill recognizes her, and instead of getting his head chopped off, Heft is simply imprisoned.