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View Full Version : dark ages elves, dwarfs, humans, and gnomes remake



Stake A Vamp
2013-03-02, 08:32 PM
elves : elves are greco-roman-esque overlords, they are heavily patriarchal, a monarchy. the elven emporer line stood for 4000 years, (admitedly, only 16 generations for elves, but still very long). they kept the gnomes and humans (see below) as slaves. they were responsible for the genocide of the Orcs, Gnolls and other resistant humanoids and monstrous humanoids who refused to become slaves. thier feud with the dwarves has lasted longer than the empire, and the two are brutal in armed conflicts. in recent history, the emperor was killed in a slave uprising and left with no heir, and as the uprising continued, the ex-slaves forming their own cities, and even driving elves out of their cities. and the beurocracy dragged on, trying to pick a new leader, as the years went on, the elven lands degenerated into city-states, all of them clinging to power like a cat to a piece of flotsam

Dwarves : dwarves have lived in the mountains since time immemorial. they have fought goblins and kobolds and wiped them out, with the unwitting help of the elves. they have a very strict sense of honor, in combat, they must always fight on fair terms, and never to the death, unfortunately for the world at large, these codes of ethics do not extend to any non-dwarf. they are raiders and brigands to others, and were a constant menace to the elven empire, when the elves tried to wipe them out, they discovered the extent of their mountain kingdom, and the contingent that was sent into those mountains never returned. that did not dishearten the elves, who continued to send soldiers into the mountains, and after hundreds of years of this conflict, both empire and kingdom are shattered. the dwarves have, with the collapse of the empire, decided to come down and carve themselves a piece of the former empire.

humans. : humans have been slaves to the elves for the past thousand years, they had the misfortune to begin forming civilization just as the empire began its rise to power, and were quickly subjugated. the gnomes, who could remember a time when there was true freedom, over several hundred years, helped to stir many rebellions, most of which were unsuccessful, but the most recent of which shattered the empire. they have learned much from the elves, but, due to the class systems in place, were able to maintain their own culture. they now have founded three citys (yet to be named) and have captured two more yet-to-be-named elven citys.

gnomes gnomes had a small quasi-tribal society, but were subjugated by the elves near the end of the elven rise to power. theirs was a matriarchal magoracy, and only females were allowed to practice magic, the males relegated to the roles of warriors and artisans. they remembered. through a strong racial memory and a rich oral history the times before the elves, this was instrumental in several uprisings, including the final one. now they are in possession of one elven city, and have founded six of their own, they and the humans have a sort of unspoken truce. and while they do not work in sync, they also try not to step on each-others toes.

so, that is synopsis of races in a possible campaign setting i am creating (for 3.5 D&D), and i immediately realized that the current racial stats just wouldn't do for these guys, so, hear it is P.E.A.C.H. nicely (that means don't be rude, i have gotten grief over saying to P.E.A.C.H. nicely, but i firmly believe that you can be honest and nice, so i shall persist)

dwarfs (is it dwarves?) have these bonuses +2 con -2 int -2 wis (dwarves are durable, but not particularly cerebral or perceptive)
otherwise unchanged.

elves have these bonuses+2 strength, +2 dexterity -2 constitution -2 charisma (elves are strong and swift, but fragile and followers by nature)
retain magical resistances.
retain normal skill bonuses
an additional +2 to knowledge (engineering) elven soldier training covers basic engineering (such as roads and siege engines)
remove the ability to detect secret doors (well the 1 in six chance to detect secret doors.)

humans are unchanged.

gnomes
before we begin i must say that gnomes needed the most re-haul to make them a potential competitive speicies in this typew of world, and also in general, i have never (outside of this site) seen gnomes taken seriously, they are just a joke to so many settings, and frankly, that is not okay)
so skills +2 int -2 wis (gnomes are very cerebral, to the point of imperceptive)
+1 bonus to hit elves
+2 dodge bonus to ac against elves (in they many revolutions, gnomes have picked up how to fight elves)
+2 racial bonus against enchantments (this replaces the +2 bonus against illusions)
+1 racial bonus to the dc to evade evocation (this replaces thier bonus to illusion dc)
spell like abilitys 1/day cure minor wounds, gnomes with at least an intelligence of 10 can cast the following 1/daycreate water, and purify food and drink caste level first (in thier time under elven rule, gnomes learned spells that helped them survive the long periods when they were not given food and water, this replaces normal gnome spell like abilitys)
+2 to knowledge engineering (the gnomes learned much from the elves, thie replaces the normal +2 to craft alchemy)
+2 to any craft (gnomes are born craftsmen, and are raised from birth into one craft, this replaces the normal +2 to listen)

scarmiglionne4
2013-03-04, 08:50 PM
Don't you think the dwarves need a little something more? -2 Int AND Wis but only a +2 to Con and all the usual stuff?

If I played in this campaign, I am going to be an elf. No doubt in my mind. And I never play elves.