Alchemistmerlin
2011-06-27, 12:08 PM
So my campaign world is just teeming with life, and I'm starting to think that might be a problem. I love the variety it adds, as well as giving the players a lot of choice, but I worry that it comes across as a bit silly. The biggest issue at hand is that I feel I have too many animal-folk races...and you'll see why in a second.
For the purpose of this discussion a Race is differentiated by states. So even though there are 4 tribes of Humans, they are 1 race due to being statistically identical (by default, racial traits and whatnot and pathfinder can change this)
A whole lot of stuff under this spoiler.
Gnomes are my primary races, effectively replacing humans as the dominant sentient species on the planet with several large and many small nations and nation-states sprawled across the planet.
Goblins A racial offshoot of the gnomes, they are tribal and seclusive, mostly keeping to swamps and bayous. They dabble in voodoo magics.
Dwarves (23 sorts.)
Fire Dwarves occupy the role that dwarves due in most settings, that of underground living crafters who drink a lot of beer.(Playable)
Water Dwarves live on the ocean constantly, their capital city is a massive artificial island. They transport the Fire Dwarves' goods to and from their island homes. Technically Fire and Water are 1 nation, but with two distinct parts.(Playable)
Duergar Stolen straight from the Pathfinder concept of them, they are a lost tribe of dwarves who dug to deep and uncovered something dark and sinister that now, in their madness, they are desperately trying to keep from getting out. (Not playable...at all. Total madness)
Elves only 1 type, elves come in all the colors of the rainbow and act as living representations of their artist god's craft. They are fairly standard fantasy elves with the notable difference being that they are made, not begotten, and as such do not reproduce nor do they age. Elves are frequently "recrafted" by their God and may take on a new personality or new physical form entirely.(Playable)
Humans the humans are the newest race on the planet. An attempt by the Elven god to make elves "more perfect" he gifted them with free will, the ability to act against him...and the first thing they did was detach from him entirely. Humans and elves do not acknowledge a common ancestry, and in fact do not even know of the link. Humans worship the primal elements and nature, and are divided into 4 barbarian tribes represented by 4 animal totems: Bear, Hyena, Cheetah, and Raven. They are statistically the same but culturally varied.(Playable)
Murimus take the place of hobbits/halflings. Simple country folk...also they look like mice. They're my nature-linked race, who feel a profound link to the land and worship ancestor deities. They are descended from a group of Musteval who stumbled into the material plane at the beginning of creation when the planes were unstable. (Playable)
Kobolds are divided into 2 statistically differentiated castes, thees are my second "animal"-folk race sort of, being dragon or lizardlike. Both castes are cold-blooded and use magic to operate like their warmblooded peers.
Kobolds, Lesser: Priestly caste tends the great fires and leads social interaction, small sized and scaly like basic 3.5 kobolds.
Kobolds, Greater: Medium sized Warrior-caste, more raptor than gharial.
(Playable) Kobolds are playable, but with the caveat that most people on the surface world find them quite scary.
Bird-folk 3 brother gods with 3 brother species.
Accipter Hawk folk descended from the God Accipter, the Accipter are warlike and militaristic. Their society is strict and focuses on the importance of strength and cunning. Able to fly (Playable)
Strygians descended from Strygius these Snowy-Owl men and women make their home high in the northern mountains. Strygian society is about study and wisdom, with the government being one of academics. Able to fly. (Playable)
Corvan are descended from Corvus, the youngest of the brother gods who's foolishness caused the fall of the three to the mortal realm. Disgusted with their shamed and weeping God the Corvans have turned to darker things for power and leadership. Some say that these dark things have even begun to taint the Corvans and steal their wings. ("Playable" in the same way that Drow are in Forgotten Realms: You really shouldn't, but people will anyway.)
Tengu: Offshoot of the Corvans, Tengu are mutated Corvans born without their wings. They are cast out from Corvan society for being weak and usually wander the countryside without purpose or home.
So that's roughly 13 playable races, there are no Orcs, Half-Orcs, Half-elves, or Halflings. I feel like each race has its niche spot in my setting, but I worry about it being oversaturated. Opinions?
For the purpose of this discussion a Race is differentiated by states. So even though there are 4 tribes of Humans, they are 1 race due to being statistically identical (by default, racial traits and whatnot and pathfinder can change this)
A whole lot of stuff under this spoiler.
Gnomes are my primary races, effectively replacing humans as the dominant sentient species on the planet with several large and many small nations and nation-states sprawled across the planet.
Goblins A racial offshoot of the gnomes, they are tribal and seclusive, mostly keeping to swamps and bayous. They dabble in voodoo magics.
Dwarves (23 sorts.)
Fire Dwarves occupy the role that dwarves due in most settings, that of underground living crafters who drink a lot of beer.(Playable)
Water Dwarves live on the ocean constantly, their capital city is a massive artificial island. They transport the Fire Dwarves' goods to and from their island homes. Technically Fire and Water are 1 nation, but with two distinct parts.(Playable)
Duergar Stolen straight from the Pathfinder concept of them, they are a lost tribe of dwarves who dug to deep and uncovered something dark and sinister that now, in their madness, they are desperately trying to keep from getting out. (Not playable...at all. Total madness)
Elves only 1 type, elves come in all the colors of the rainbow and act as living representations of their artist god's craft. They are fairly standard fantasy elves with the notable difference being that they are made, not begotten, and as such do not reproduce nor do they age. Elves are frequently "recrafted" by their God and may take on a new personality or new physical form entirely.(Playable)
Humans the humans are the newest race on the planet. An attempt by the Elven god to make elves "more perfect" he gifted them with free will, the ability to act against him...and the first thing they did was detach from him entirely. Humans and elves do not acknowledge a common ancestry, and in fact do not even know of the link. Humans worship the primal elements and nature, and are divided into 4 barbarian tribes represented by 4 animal totems: Bear, Hyena, Cheetah, and Raven. They are statistically the same but culturally varied.(Playable)
Murimus take the place of hobbits/halflings. Simple country folk...also they look like mice. They're my nature-linked race, who feel a profound link to the land and worship ancestor deities. They are descended from a group of Musteval who stumbled into the material plane at the beginning of creation when the planes were unstable. (Playable)
Kobolds are divided into 2 statistically differentiated castes, thees are my second "animal"-folk race sort of, being dragon or lizardlike. Both castes are cold-blooded and use magic to operate like their warmblooded peers.
Kobolds, Lesser: Priestly caste tends the great fires and leads social interaction, small sized and scaly like basic 3.5 kobolds.
Kobolds, Greater: Medium sized Warrior-caste, more raptor than gharial.
(Playable) Kobolds are playable, but with the caveat that most people on the surface world find them quite scary.
Bird-folk 3 brother gods with 3 brother species.
Accipter Hawk folk descended from the God Accipter, the Accipter are warlike and militaristic. Their society is strict and focuses on the importance of strength and cunning. Able to fly (Playable)
Strygians descended from Strygius these Snowy-Owl men and women make their home high in the northern mountains. Strygian society is about study and wisdom, with the government being one of academics. Able to fly. (Playable)
Corvan are descended from Corvus, the youngest of the brother gods who's foolishness caused the fall of the three to the mortal realm. Disgusted with their shamed and weeping God the Corvans have turned to darker things for power and leadership. Some say that these dark things have even begun to taint the Corvans and steal their wings. ("Playable" in the same way that Drow are in Forgotten Realms: You really shouldn't, but people will anyway.)
Tengu: Offshoot of the Corvans, Tengu are mutated Corvans born without their wings. They are cast out from Corvan society for being weak and usually wander the countryside without purpose or home.
So that's roughly 13 playable races, there are no Orcs, Half-Orcs, Half-elves, or Halflings. I feel like each race has its niche spot in my setting, but I worry about it being oversaturated. Opinions?