Sewer-dwelling slave race suggestions?

[Malimar]

So I've recently been expanding my sandbox setting to include some pre-mapped sewer locations for the main big city, and I was trying to think of ways to get PCs down into the sewers. So I was thinking, "Aha, the people who maintain the sewers is revolting, and also is attempting to revolt for better working conditions or better pay, and the PCs need to sort it out!" Which raises the obvious question: what revolting race maintains the sewers?

Kobolds are the main possibility in my mind right now -- they could have been the ones to have dug the sewers in the first place, and their draconic heritage could be making them resentful of their low station, making them feel like they deserve something more dignified than sewer work. But I want to make sure I haven't overlooked any possibilities.

The city in question is populated primarily by mongrelfolk, so it could just be a group of them (possibly sewer maintenance is what happens to convicts who aren't just executed), but that seems somehow not sufficiently interesting to me. Could be grimlocks or goblins, but I'd have to do some work to make them interesting, and I'm lazy.

So does anybody have any suggestions for more interesting or obscure races or groups that might find themselves condemned to sewer work?

[TriForce]

scum? (MM1) a bit of lore adjustment to make sure they are a self sufficient race and your done :P

[Invader]

Wererats are a sewer race staple.

[Inferno]

Does your main big city have enemies?
Sewer labor seems like a great way to make P.O.W's useful while being out of view enough that the cities leaders can claim they don't exist.

Also, a Hive of Dromites seem like a cool possibility.

[prufock]

My first thought was Skum. They are revolting, both in the verb and adjective sense. They are already called "Skum," which is a derogatory term that the surface dwellers have stuck to them. Aquatic, darkvision, nasty to look at and to smell.

[Malimar]

Interesting suggestions, interesting.

I considered skum, but already have them as slaves to the aboleths. But sewer skums could always be a subrace, or I could retcon the skums as having nothing to do with aboleths (the aboleths already have high-level control in kuo-toa society, so they wouldn't be left without a slave race or anything). A problem with skums, like grimlocks and goblins, is that they're not mechanically all that interesting. I could certainly find ways to spice them up a bit, though.

Wererats are indeed a sewer staple! Are there any anthropomorphic rat races other than actual therianthrope transformationy wererats (I prefer werecreatures to be a rare curse inflicted upon lone individuals, rather than a whole society)? Savage Species anthropomorphic rat, obviously, but again, I'd need to spice them up, mechanically.

[TheStranger]

Does your main big city have enemies?
Sewer labor seems like a great way to make P.O.W's useful while being out of view enough that the cities leaders can claim they don't exist.

If you do this, use elves - I think we can all agree that they have it coming to them.

Actually, use elves anyway. I don't think I've ever seen them as a slave race.

[Malimar]

If you do this, use elves - I think we can all agree that they have it coming to them.

Actually, use elves anyway. I don't think I've ever seen them as a slave race.

Oh man, now that you mention it, yesssss. As a Dwarf Fortress player, elf abuse appeals to me greatly.

[DementedFellow]

Muckdwellers immediately spring to mind.

[Humble Master]

I second Elves. Breaking from fantasy stereotypes is always good.

[Grayson01]

Elves were slaves to Dragons in the Eberron setting and even though I am not a fan the Harry Poter line.

However: I second the they have it coming dam uppity elves!

Also Wererats as was mentioned, and Durgaur.


If you do this, use elves - I think we can all agree that they have it coming to them.

Actually, use elves anyway. I don't think I've ever seen them as a slave race.

[Maladaptive]

Wererats are indeed a sewer staple! Are there any anthropomorphic rat races other than actual therianthrope transformationy wererats (I prefer werecreatures to be a rare curse inflicted upon lone individuals, rather than a whole society)? Savage Species anthropomorphic rat, obviously, but again, I'd need to spice them up, mechanically.

Nezumi, from OA, come to mind. However, they are not really mechanically interesting. The flip side of that coin, however, is that they are humanoids and can therefore be spiced up with class levels, so you can make them whatever you need them to be.

If you end up going the elf route, drow would probably be better suited to sewers, what with being an underdark race and whatnot. It's pretty easy to imagine how a race like the drow would end up disgraced.

[Malimar]

Nezumi, from OA, come to mind. However, they are not really mechanically interesting. The flip side of that coin, however, is that they are humanoids and can therefore be spiced up with class levels, so you can make them whatever you need them to be.

If you end up going the elf route, drow would probably be better suited to sewers, what with being an underdark race and whatnot. It's pretty easy to imagine how a race like the drow would end up disgraced.

Ooh, Drow are even hoity-toitier than regular elves, you're right! And in my setting, they all up and moved to the Plane of Shadow centuries ago, so a total lack of any support system to rescue them from servitude on the Material Plane would make sense there. (Not that they'd normally be inclined to mount rescue missions for people weak enough to get themselves enslaved, but still.)

Even better: drow and elves enslaved alongside one another. They'll hate that.

[The Viscount]

Underfolk and Skulks are both sort of underground offshoots of humans, so would fit well enough as a sewer-dwelling, race, especially if you want to go the CHUD route.

[ShurikVch]

How about Murlocs?

[TroubleBrewing]

These are all solid suggestions, but give your game that special Lovecraftian feel.

Sewer Chuul.

[CRtwenty]

If you do this, use elves - I think we can all agree that they have it coming to them.

Actually, use elves anyway. I don't think I've ever seen them as a slave race.

They're basically slaves in the Dragon Age games, aside from the few that are out wandering the wilderness as Wild Elves.

Anyway I'm going to say "Yuan-Ti". Refluff them a bit and you've got an entire group of mutant poisonous snake people living underfoot.

[137beth]

Elves were slaves to Dragons in the Eberron setting
Nope, elves were slaves of giants...and escaped thousands of years before the default starting time.

[Mithril Leaf]

Elves and Drow enslaved together is the idea I support the most. Damn dirty cannibals need some oppression.

[Toy Killer]

I like the use of Meenlocks, but you may have to re-write the insanity dwelling concept behind them.

I found Meenlocks are best utilized in scenarios where they can't be seen in any obvious direction, and the idea of them skittering about in a sewer complex is just imposing as soon as I thought of it.

[RFLS]

I would suggest Morkoths (with a slight amount of reflavoring) from the second or third Monster Manual. They're bententacled-sharks that like to hide in caves and caverns, and lure things in to eat.

[Vattic]

Slyth! awesome, forgotten-realms ooze folk.

[Grayson01]

You are corrects Sir, Giants Not Dragons.


Nope, elves were slaves of giants...and escaped thousands of years before the default starting time.

[Inferno]

If you still like the lycanthrope idea...shifters are lighter lycanthropes, and can be Wererat-descended.

[Urpriest]

What about Otyughs? Make them especially smart, give them class levels, etc...perhaps they were introduced as mindless sewage-eaters, but magical runoff gave them intelligence and ambition.

[The Viscount]

Magical experimentation for intelligence and toughness is also a great excuse to use Lifeleech Otyughs.

[Psyren]

Troglodytes could work too; they're more cave-dwellers, but could be adopted to sewers easily, and the stench fits well.

[TriForce]

If you do this, use elves - I think we can all agree that they have it coming to them.

Actually, use elves anyway. I don't think I've ever seen them as a slave race.

arent they sorta like that in dragon age: origins?