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View Full Version : Creating a Morlock civilization



Randel
2010-10-09, 04:57 PM
Just recently re-read the origional Time Machine book by H.G. Wells (you can read if for free on Project Gutenberg (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/35)) and was interested in the Morloks.

Basically, imagine an industrialized civilization where all the actual industry, infrastructure, and factories are located underground. The surface is pretty pristine and almost gardenlike with the occasional building that is ornate and far between.

The subterranean infrastructure has access tunnels, smoke stacks, and ventilation shafts that reach the surface but these are generally hidden from view or are designed to be ornate and not disrupt the scenery.

The factories below the surface are manned by naturally subterranean races who manufacture things and operate the machinery that keeps the civilization running. The people on the surface are basically the elite who get to live lives of ease and pleasure. All the violent animals that might cause trouble have all been exterminated, disease has been wiped out, and some method of climate control has been put in place so that people don't have to worry about natural disasters.

All of the plants on the surface bear fruit or are otherwise pleasant and weeds have been wiped out, so gardening or farming isn't really a necessity. War is a distant memory and with it the need for intelligence or innovation is needless since there aren't that many problems to be had.

However, due to some problem, the food supply of the subterranian workers (the morlocks) has run out and they must occasionally come to the surface to capture some of the surface dwellers (the Eloi) in order to eat them. The surface dwellers haven't had war in eons so they don't know how to deal with this in any way other than to just forget it happens (play and eat all day, during the night some people might dissapear, but as long as you survive then you can get back to playing some more).

The morlocks in turn are totally willing to keep on working and supplying the Eloi with food, clothing, and occasionally medicine but feel they are justified in eating some of them (maybe the morlocks can eat plants and vegetables as well but they really want/need some meat in their diet due to their hard work and the Eloi are the only other source of meat around. Plus, why the heck are they giving the Eloi stuff if they don't get anything in return?).

The adventurers might be Eloi or Morlocks who are trying to solve the problems of their world (mostly the fact that they are stuck in a rut or possibly they don't like having to eath the Eloi) or they might be outsiders who have just come across this strange land and figure they can take it over or loot the morlock tunnels for treasure.


So, how would you go about making a civilization with an industrialized subterranean half and a less industrialized but more artistic upper half?

KillianHawkeye
2010-10-09, 06:16 PM
I'm just curious, but was that how the relationship between the two races worked in the original book? That's really different from how it was portrayed in the movie from a few years ago. I think I like the book version better.

Steveotep
2010-10-09, 07:22 PM
There is an article about Morlocks on Wikipedia which mentions several other writers who have used Morlocks such as Stephen Baxter and KW Jeter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morlock

In the book the two races were the devolved descendants of humans: workers forced to live underground until they could not bear the sun, and aristocrats who lived lives of decadent luxury until their brains rotted. The two movies went for disasters as the cause of the split, with some surviving on the surface while others survived in shelters. One problem the films ignore is kill all the Morlocks and the Eloi will starve as they cannot survive on their own.

In D&D terms Wild Elves would make good Eloi, while for Morlocks you want something with light sensitivity, such as Orcs, Derro or cannibalistic Drow. Grimlocks might work instead. Put them on an isolated island or demiplane, which seems idyllic to visitors until night falls. Teach the Eloi to farm and herd animals, and dungeonbash the Morlocks until they agree to trade with the Eloi.

awa
2010-10-09, 10:06 PM
the elohi weren't really artistic were they? i was under the impression they produced nothing of any value

edit
also i would not pick any kind of normal elf for your elohi elves despite the hate they may get on these boards elves are not a helpless race, with free weapon proficiencies, and boosts to useful skills, and in my humble opinion wild elves are even worse because while their not super bright they don't get a penalty to con so they are on average better combatants then humans.
with the boost to dex and free proficiency with longbows they are quite capable.

Doomboy911
2010-10-09, 10:28 PM
Take some kobolds and shove them underground and have some lazy people. They go to sell some loot they recently pilfered and find the shop owner grossly unprepared he gets confused easily and the place is a mess. They're invited to a party which the humans are throwing because it's monday. Late at night they see some people getting dragged away, the doors are locked and they try to wake the people to tell them and they wonder what they mean about it being bad. The next morning they go investigating the kidnapping and find the whole civilization. Than go and do whatever you're out to do.