a brave new world

[blelliot]

Here's an idea I have for a d20 modern game set in 2050. I've figured earth has. Figured out space travel. Humans didn't figure it out on their own, however. A visitor from the stars helped out quite a bit. The race of the elan have come from the stars to help the humans against the other, more violent races of outer space. The elan offer their aid in return for asylum on earth. Now, after a few years(and some tweaking on my part) the humans and elan have mated successfully. Any idea on a half elan? And any other "alien races" could be made as pc races? Ie no dnd ph races, but any other la+0 races that would make cool aliens to meet and join my "terran aliance" and I m not trying to rip off star trek at least intentionally

[kreenlover]

All the psionic races work pretty well. They already have a sort of otherwordly feel to them.

Asides from that, it depends. do you want aliens of star trek and star wars style? maybe furry wookiees, and giant eared ferengi? (if so, any races are fair game. just re-flavour them)
Or do you want more older style aliens of little green men, and large headed grey things?

Ilithids could be great bad aliens. Totally fit with them.
The aasimar maybe?
The ashterai form sandstorm work well
Changeling maybe?
lots of the planar handbook races are good (Think neraphim)
the plane touched may be ok
rilkans, and skarns can be cool offshoots
and, of course, the warforged and psiforged. Maybe have them fill the role of the Cybermen from Dr. Who? they spread across the stars, trying to convert all life into cyber-form (or in this case warforged-form) the psiforged aee the overminds and controllers of the race

all I can think of for now!

[Flickerdart]

There's no chance that extraterrestrial life could create viable offspring with humans, without the application of serious genetic engineering - in which case the offspring could be pretty much anything. If you wanted to be supremely lazy, take a Human and give them 1PP/level instead of 1 extra skill point.

[themourningstar]

There's no chance that extraterrestrial life could create viable offspring with humans, without the application of serious genetic engineering - in which case the offspring could be pretty much anything. If you wanted to be supremely lazy, take a Human and give them 1PP/level instead of 1 extra skill point.

Maybe the elan are actually the ancestors or creators of humanity- these being have repeatedly visited the planet- the mayan disappearance, the great pyramids etc.. Humanity could just be the devolved descendants of one of their first ships that crashed here....

For the record, I only looked at this link because I thought it was about the book "Brave New World". :l

[prufock]

There's no chance that extraterrestrial life could create viable offspring with humans, without the application of serious genetic engineering
This is D&D, where everything breeds. Of course we can always have an exogenetic background to the setting, such that life (at least sentient life) was created or planted here by the aliens.


All the psionic races work pretty well. They already have a sort of otherwordly feel to them.
I admit my first thought was "dromites." These guys could easily fit the bill of little green men or insectoid aliens.

[dascarletm]

Actually there is only the chance of the breeding working, as the OP (the GM) said it had happened.

[blelliot]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Thinking Humans, Elans, and a few other +0 LA races will do. Changelings would fit as a descendent of doppelganger and human interbreeding. Maybe Kalashtar as well...

[dascarletm]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Thinking Humans, Elans, and a few other +0 LA races will do. Changelings would fit as a descendent of doppelganger and human interbreeding. Maybe Kalashtar as well...

are there any other alien roles you are looking for? Some MM monsters seem to scream re-fluff me.

[blelliot]

are there any other alien roles you are looking for? Some MM monsters seem to scream re-fluff me.

Well, I wantfor PC races:
Humans : nuff said there
Elans: Visitors from the stars warning of danger and seeking asylum, now have found their niche in the world decades later
Changelings: The next race to visit was the doppelgangers. They didnt stay long. Just long enough to make some babies. changelings fit the role.
Kalashtar: An on again/off again ally of the elans. Currently on again, albeit on shakuy terms.
Now i just need to fill the role of bruisers, since sneaky and thinky are covered. I am open to more sugestions, however. Which exactly are screaming refluff to you, dascarletem?

[blelliot]

OOH! Aventi would also work as escapees from an aquatic world im thinking of populated with all sorts of nasty aquatic races and monsters

[themourningstar]

Space orks!

[kreenlover]

Space orks!

Don't forget the giant space hamsters!

and for bruiser role? I dunno, go with humans, or something with a con bonus. Mongrel folk could really work well there. You know, theme them as the ubiquitous travelers, found in every port of call, everywhere you go, offshoots of dozens of races, intermingled, looked down on by society. Requires a bit of re-flavouring...of wait, no they don't :smalltongue:

Asides from that, I dunno. Space Dwarves? Change it so that they are hardly beings from mining worlds? They are renowned across the galaxy for their excellent talent in mining, and have been imported to earth for that reason?

[Gildedragon]

Dragonborn as the product of reptilian DNA splicing/parasite that fuses with host a la illithid
Kalashtar?
Warforged?
Diabolans?

[blelliot]

I wanna stick to creatures that aren't short for my pc races. I knoo it sounds odd, but there is a method to my madness.

[LOTRfan]

Warforged: An early form of sentient robot used during an expansionist period in the history of the Elan. They are now either servants, full citizens, or raider-like rebels who continue to be a thorn in the side of the Elan government.

Halflings: Genetically engineered supersoldiers used by humanity (or perhaps the Kalashtar, since this isn't rally that far ahead in the future). I mean, those +1 to all saves and the additional +2 against fear affects could be explained as part of the genetic engineering.

Neogi: Self-explanatory.

Saurials: The remnants of an advanced dinosauroid civilization that created a time-gate that allowed a small segment of the population to escape the K-T extinction event. Bonus points if the temporal gate opens up right in the middle of a populated human city in 2050. Alternatively, they end up on a Kepler-22b within the past couple of centuries.

[blelliot]

Where are stats for a saurial? These sound interesting...

[LOTRfan]

There are four separate species of Saurial. The stats can be found here (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/frx/20030528a).

[angry_bear]

You could refluff half orcs as a mutation in humans do to a variety of things. Maybe the Elan accidentally brought a virus when they made contact, and it causes 1 in every x humans born to suffer from physical abnormalities. You could take a note out of Ravenloft and call them Caliban or something. Half Orcs make a fairly solid bruiser race after all...

The Goliath race makes for a good bruiser, but they've got a level adjustment, so I'm not sure if you'd want to use them...

[blelliot]

Let me know what you think so far. I've decided that atart time is the year 2550. That would give enought time to get all the tech I want to add.Alrighty then, the new list of pc races, and descriptions if necassary:

Humans
Rilkans- a race of humanoid creatures with scaly plumage that are very knowlegeable
Skarns- a warlike race that also appear human, except with spines coming out of their skin
Kalashatar- a psionic race discoverd by humans
Elans-the first race to visit earth several decades ago.
Changelings-the next race to visit was the doppelgangers, they mated with humans and made changelings.
Mongrelfolk-in the ensuing decades after the elan arrived, the terraxians arrived to negotiate a trade agreement for materials not from earth.
Neanderthal-another race that visited with the humans when the humans began space travel. Im refluffing them to where they arent fromearth, but are not a technologically advanced race' but they have an alliance with the elan and the kalashtar to barter travel for protection and military service. A new name is coming for them' just cant figure what it is yet.
And all descovere races in the universe so far

Yoria-The doppelgangers, here called yorians
Planet Klik'Chak-Home of the Thri-kreen
The Children of Thoon- the religous zealot illithids and their servitors from planet Illsensine
Planet Io- dragons worshipped by drakkoth (dracotaurs),lizardfolk of all types, troglodytes, khaasta, and saurials. Dinosaurs (renamed behemoths) also reside here.
Planet Eadro- aquatic humanoids(locathah, aventi, tritons)
The Machina Enclave-warforged, other constructs
The Formian Collective
Planet Sekolah-sahuagin, kuo-toa, skum, aboleths
The Githyanki Empire
The Kaorti Cyst
The Hive- beholders and beholderkin
Planet Annam- giants
Planet Vaprak-ogres, and trolls
Planet Maglubiet-hobgoblins
Planet Hruggek-bugbears
Planet Yeenoghu-gnolls

[kreenlover]

And all descovere races in the universe so far

The Children of Thoon- the religous zealot illithids
Planet Io- dragons and other reptillian creatures
Planet Eadro- aquatic humanoids(locathah, aventi, tritons)
The Machina Enclave-warforged, other constructs
The Formian Collective
Planet Sekolah-sahuagin, kuo-toa, skum, aboleths
The Githyanki Empire
The Kaorti Cyst
The Hive- beholders and beholderkin
Planet Annam- giants,
Planet Vaprak-ogres, and trolls
Planet Maglubiet-hobgoblins
Planet Hruggek-bugbears
Planet Yeenoghu-gnolls


You sneaky person, I see what you did! you just took the gods names, and made them planet names. Sneaky. But what about kalashtar? I thought they were part of it? (and their part sounded really cool)
And, there is kind of a problem (in my opinion) with Neanderthals being an advanced spacefaring race. Unless, of course, you are renaming them. I'd say make them a throwback, or something. Maybe the Elan's rescued them ages ago when a disaster was going to destroy humanity. Because they never experienced that disaster, they never evolved, and so stayed as Neanderthals, while the humans that stayed became humans.
Now that the humans have seen that there is more to their world, the Elan can bring the neanderthals back to their ancient homeworld.

Finally, you only have five options. If you want to keep it that way, that makes sense, but it seems like you are kinda limiting the players. Maybe give them one or two more options, like for example say that they can be a race from another planet, but that they would not really be accepted on Earth, and that they would be shunned, and distrusted and all that. Becasue I guarantee that someone will want to be a robot.

[blelliot]

Thanks for the reminder! I forgot about the kalashtar. And I added the thri kreen. Can't find find a thri kreen god though. I added them too

[kreenlover]

THRI-KREEN!

There is an LA 0 version out there.
I believe it was remove the psi-like abilites, the racial HD, the natural weapons, and the poison. Maybe also the bonus feat. And I think that was it. If its not balanced, reduce the Nat Armour bonus and remove the hide bonuses.

That is, if you want them as a playable race at first level

[themourningstar]

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=283977

There is a level adj 0 version there :)

[blelliot]

*ANOTHER UPDATE*
The backstories of each planet and race is coming together. Here are a few

Ioans: From planet Io. Technology level: Low (Stone age). These several species of ioans are all reptilian in appearence. They all worship the highest of beings, called darastrix, as gods. While they are a stone age planet, the planet itself is home to a special metal called psionium, which is used for making psionic resistant armor, so a good chunk of other races travel here for trade. Most races do not mind the outsiders to their planet, even if they dont agree with their stances on space travel. Here are the different creatures of Io.
Drakkoth: The savage species of Io. They keep to themselves in their xenophobic conclave, killing any not of the Drakkoth that come too close.
Kobolds: The wee people of Io. they live in the mountains and are the chief psionium miners of the planet, and use their skills at barter and trade to get the best price.
Saurials: Claiming to be descendents of the behemoths (dinosaurs), rather than the darastrix, the saurials claim to be the most civil of Io's peoples.
Sthyr (lizardfolk): The swamp dwellers of Io, they are the "backwoods" people of the planet. Not very warlike, but are extremely superstitious. They will not willingly deal with outsiders (ioan or otherwise) u nless absolutely necessary. Will respond with force if provoked.
Ronir (troglodytes): The subterranean dwellers of planet Io. They are ruthless, vile creatures that delight in nothing more than whole sale slaughter.
Khaasta: These dwellers of the flatlands are the people that seek to rule the planet of Io. They consider themselves the most dominant species, second only to the darastrix.
Behemoths: The behemoths are the animals of town that roam the planet as the resident wildlife. The are enormous and the several species are found all over Io.
Darastrix (dragons): the "gods" of the peoples of Io. These creatures are the most dominant creatures of the planet, and they know it. some are good, some are not.
This is one planet down, several more to go. Lemme know any thoughts, thanks!

[blelliot]

*UPDATE*
Planet Gith. Technology level: High(Spacefaring). The residents of planet Gith are warriors. There are two, the Yanki, and the Zerhai. both races hate one another, even though they have the same ancestor. The Yanki are a race of vicious conquerers, while the Zerhai are a cold, hard hearted people, almost xenophobic ahen it comes to outsiders. While they share the same planet, it is far from the ideal situation for both species. The planet is split down the middle, an invisible border defended by both sides. The Yanki, actually are more often than not, not trying to actively trying to conquer the rest of their planet, they fear they reprisal of their god, called Ephemeron, because the Zerhai are also his children. So the Yanki have taken to conquering other worlds. Well, theres the next planet. Btw feel free to critique what you have read so far, playgrounders! til next time...

[Gildedragon]

On the gith: maybe getting themselves locked in a cold war. each race looks outwards for a means by which the balance of power may be tipped in their favor.

[blelliot]

On the gith: maybe getting themselves locked in a cold war. each race looks outwards for a means by which the balance of power may be tipped in their favor.

I like that! Each one taking a different approach, the yanki using force, the zerhai using diplomacy, of sorts.

[blelliot]

*UPDATE*
Now to detail one of the PC races, the Humans!
In the year 2100, human life was continuing as usual. Until one day, the question "is there life elsewhere in the universe?" was answered. That day, everything changed. Some humans took the change in stride, some did not. The world was then figuratively split down the middle, most humans accepting visitors from the stars, a select few not. So in this world, the majority helped from the Terran Alliance, a collection of planets and races devoted to protecting one another from various threats. The minority formed The Children of Adam and Eve, a violent religious sect that accepts all humans, and ONLY humans. All other races are either enslaved, or most likely executed. The Children have taken refuge in the wilderness of Canada, living amongst the trees and mountains there, under the influence of their zealot leaders. The Alliance has done well in holding the Children at bay, but it may only be a matter of time until the Children have ammassed power enough to strike back.
All right! there's what i have for planet Earth so far. Next time Ill hopefully have some notes on the Children of Thoon and the Elan! As always, fell free to comment and give feedback!

[kreenlover]

How come Canada gets stuck with the religious zealots?
We are actually nice people you know :smalltongue:

This all sounds really cool so far, but might I suggest that the Children have some help from another race? I know, I know, it goes against everything that they stand for, but what if another, more sinister alien race capable of appearing human is influencing the Children for their own twisted ends? Also, do the Children use the alien technology? because I could see them doing that. Use the alien tech to beat the aliens back.

may I also ask what psionium is? you mentioned it with Planet Io, and I was wondering if it is similar to quintessence, if it is a metal, or if it is more some kind of fossilized Incarnum type thing.

[blelliot]

How come Canada gets stuck with the religious zealots?
We are actually nice people you know :smalltongue:

This all sounds really cool so far, but might I suggest that the Children have some help from another race?

may I also ask what psionium is?

Well, canada is the best place i could think of for a wanted ring of criminals to avoid capture, but still be in a relatively friendly climate (i.e. wont die of exposure if well protected.). I was thinking of them using technology to some degree, just havent thought of in what way. Also, I may use the idea of a shapeshifting alien force directing the Children somehow as a plot point when the campaign finally gets underway. Maybe not shapeshifters, but duplicates? DUN DUN DUUUUUNNNNN!
finally , psionium is a metal i made up that can be used to protect against psionic powers, since this universe is going to have several species that use Psi like abilities. the Humans discovered this metal with the help of the elans. Basically, think of how adamantine gives DR, psionium give Power resistance, varying on the typeof armor worn.

[blelliot]

*UPDATE*
The Children of Thoon
Hailing from planet Illsensine, come the Illithid race. A species entirely devoted to their god, Thoon. They seek to "purify" the rest of the universe by turing everyone else into an illithid. They reproduction methods are the core of their religious beliefs. Why else would they need a host body to survive if they weren't the most dominant species in the universe? There will be more coming about them shortly, detailing their priesthood, and their political system, as well as their relationships with the other races. I will be doing this for the other races I've come up with as well, since the relationships between species is. The core of this setting. See you next time!

[blelliot]

As I said, here are some of the relationships between races in this brave new world.
First we look at the humans: They have a good relationship with the following races in the universe: The Elans, The Kalashtar, and The Grandesians(Neanderthals)
Then their are the races the humans have a strained relatinship with:
The Rilkans: The Rilkans just have a tendency of rubbing many races the wrong way. Their elitist attitude is just a very grating personality trait
The Skarns: These warmangers are the universal equivalent of the jock in high school that is good at sports and is liked because of it, but has the reputation for being a huge bully
The Terraxians: Most races prefer not to deal with the terraxians because of their homliness and rude attitudes. Humans feel the same way about them
Changelings: Any race that is so well known for espionage is not trusted by humans, or any race for that matter.
The Zerai: These xenophopes wish to ally with the humans, but are not doing well with diplomatic talks.
Now every other race in the universe falls into two categories when it comes to the subject of human relations: Those that war with the humans, and those that dont know/dont care that the humans exist. Ill elaborate further next time. As always, any comment or suggestion is welcome. Thanks!