Planescape Templates: A Sketch in Progress

[Samurai Jill]

This is basically taken from the Babel setting I've been sort of idly working on. It's concerned with the idea of a more direct connection with the various afterlives of the planescape, (which I've outlined here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=5349059&postcount=34).)
Title: Babel
Genres: Technological-fantasy.
Inspiration: Aesthetically- probably Stargate, adapted from biblical/zoroastrian narrative and real-world myth cycles. Various influences include D&D, warhammer40K, hellraiser, and the art of Wayne Barlowe.

Outline:
The Tower of Babel, labour of generations, stretched to the heavens themselves, and pierced the veil between worlds.
Mankind stepped forth onto other planes, holding discourse with the wisest of immortals, and laid bare the true nature of the cosmos. Wisdom and power beckoned for the worthy, arcane magic and high technology were won as trade and secrets flowed between the Nine Worlds. But the kingdoms of Man, governed by fear, and ruled by hereditary despots who fear their own usurpation, have twisted those arts to corrupt and perverse ends. The old religions crumble in the face of truth, and mortal rulers paint themselves as immortal Deities.
The knowledge of the heavens has been as much a curse as a blessing, and some fear Man's enlightenment was premature.

* This resembles an alternate Earth, set in the temporal equivalent to the 5th century BC, but is neither exactly earth nor exactly faithful to historical convention. There are 3 main factions here, within Midgard Babel itself- the Empire, which is modelled after the Achaemenid Persians and general near east, the Eastern Kingdoms, modelled after Han China, (plus general far east) and possessing particularly high technology, and the various fringe city-states a la the mediterranean, with many barbarian tribes of the West adept in natural magic.

* This is a flat, disc-shaped world, with a distinct Eastern/Western Law vs. Chaos influence to the setting, and The Great Tower of Babel at the physical and ethical heart of the plane. Technology here can be very advanced, but is dependant on the influence of Law and blends with magic continuously- it doesn't resemble steampunk so much as conventional scifi blended with the aesthetic sensibilities of ancient societies. Magic is also present, but the most potent forms are inherently Chaotic and dependant on powerful individual emotions or imagination.

* Most of the common people have been subjugated using the knowledge acquired from other planes. They have little knowledge of the true nature of reality as revealed to their elitist scholars, and for the most part continue to serve the interests of a tiny and privileged nobility, just as they have done for centuries. There is almost no middle ground between serfdom and nobility or priesthood. Punishments for infringement upon the social order are always severe.

* The heavens, the earth, and the underworlds are not as divorced as they would be in most settings. Death is not as final as it would be, for the planes are intimately connected- Death, in fact, can be a useful step in gaining supernatural awareness or 'career advancement.' The soul is also effectively immortal and indestructable, which has both good and bad effects- most notably, souls after death retain all the 'habits' of life, and must feed, void and avoid pain much like a mortal. Shedding these habits is a slow process, and done prematurely can lead to insanity.

* There are no non-human races, monstrous or otherwise, but there are many forms of supernatural being in the afterlife which can be applied as templates to human petitioners.

* This setting has an explicit cosmology along the Good/Evil and Law/Chaos axes, and there is one Plane for each alignment. The key players, so to speak, are the Gods of each plane.
{table]The heavens:|Celestia(LG), ruled by Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord|Asphodel(NG), ruled by Ahura Mitra, the Seal of Life|Dreamtime(CG), ruled by Ahura Apam Napat, the River to the Soul
The earth:|Firmament(LN), ruled by the Divine Emperor and Titans|Babel(TN)|Pandaemonium(CN), ruled the the Djinni and the Sky Dragons
The underworlds:|Xibalba(LE), ruled by the Leviathan Metnal, the Iron Unity|Abaddon(NE), ruled by the Leviathan Abaddon, the One Unnameable|Ginnungagap(CE), ruled by the Leviathan Ahriman, the Adversary[/table]

Who are the PCs? The players here represent rebels, secret or otherwise, against the social order of their time, privileged by both a knowledge of the truth and the moral courage to act upon it. Some may represent sly aristocrats seeking to subvert the system from within, others rebellious savages who aim to seize equality by force. All will face difficult moral and ethical choices in a world where a single soul could tip the balance of the planes.

This is intended to be a largely system-agnostic setting, though I might take a whack at some kind of d20-esque implementation at some point. This post, at any rate, deals specifically with the fate of souls after death, and the possible career opportunities this affords:



The fate of the soul
The soul, in essence, is the sum of all a being's consequence- of a physical thing being more than the sum of it's parts.

Immediately following the death of it's body, the soul faces two perils- on the one hand, without the scaffold of physical flesh and memory, the soul is now put in danger of losing all real recollection of itself- a process known as Decoherence. Souls that lose focus completely either cease to exist or must reincarnate as a simpler form of being. On the other hand, maintaining focus prompts the soul to manifest a form most closely resembling it's mortal self-image, but deliberately clinging to the vestiges of mortal identity also imposes mortal desire- food, sleep, sex, etc. Those might be tricky to satisfy.

To avoid the twin perils of losing focus and falling victim to old habits, the soul must evolve into a new form. Those who have been spontaneous, whimsical, and pragmatic in their actions (Chaotic) can more easily reshape themselves, but a weaker thread of self makes maintaining initial Coherence more difficult- conversely, those who were consistent, methodical and well-defined in their beliefs (i.e, Lawful) have a stronger psychic identity, conducive to focus but equally resistant to change. Different fates likely await the soul depending on what plane they voyage to when severed from the body, and here the final spiritual consideration awaits: the spirit's connection with other life.

After death, the souls of those who have freely aided others will draw in turn upon on the souls of those they aided, and vice versa. Sometimes this means that the soul will linger on earth to watch over their wards, but often, the bulk of an individual's connections have already passed on to other planes, and the soul is drawn there accordingly. Those who aided life as a whole tend to be drawn to the upper planes, where most such souls reside, while those who aided a small circle alone are drawn to their appropriate resting places, and those who aid a society as a whole- even at the expense of its members- are drawn to its past adherents. Souls who feel no pull at all, who make no connections in life, will simply wander, lost, until claimed by some of the more powerful beings on the planes' outskirts (few of which are gentle in their treatment of petitioners.) It is said a person's lifetime is merely the core of their existence, and here, that fact is made tangible: Even so, there are many mortal wanderers who lose their way, defy their past, fall victim to sporadic raids or manage through luck and skill to cheat their karmic debts: Xibalba has had more than it's share of erstwhile innocents and Heaven of former sinners.


The souls of conscious beings
The Lemures: (typically LE, NE or TN)
The soul is immortal, and thus cannot be destroyed, but mortals who have not yet shed their physical habits can be convinced they are truly dead, simply by compromising the desires associated with their physical habit- starvation, 'fatal' injury and extreme anguish will all lead to a form of insanity in which a mortal soul embodies the state of it's own imagined demise. Such beings are known as Lemures- twisted mockeries of life driven mad by their own sense of loss. Most Lemures form in the harsher afterlives, but some form spontaneously immediately following an agonised death.

The Myrmidones: (typically LN, LE or TN)
Since Lawful souls have difficulty overcoming their own self-image, various methods exist for 'assisting' in overcoming their past identities. One technique is to meld the soul forcibly with a larger group-consciousness that can wholly or partly override their immediate desires, usually with the aid of charms, grafts and prosthetics. Such souls are known as Myrmidones. The degree- and ultimate relevance- of 'free will' or independence permitted distinct members varies greatly, but the process is almost always irrevocable.

The Paladin: (typically LG, LN or TN)
A second technique is to furnish a 'new and artificial body' for the petitioner, immune to the normal mortal frailties, to which the soul is then joined, bound and forged, typically undergoing substantial conditioning during the transition, and so allowing it's former manifestation to be discarded in favour of a new form. Known as Paladin, they are usually found in service to a higher power that bears the cost of their endowment. Paladin must submit willingly to the process, or the transfer will be rejected.

The Atman: (typically LG, NG or TN)
A few souls, however, eschew these paths, and manage to overcome their mortal habits through enlightened self-awareness. By pursuing the abstract understanding of the the physical world and the laws that govern it, they come, by an extension of first principles, full circle and comprehend themselves. Their own discipline then allows them to transcend physicality entirely- these are the Atman. The quest for perfect abstraction comes at a price, however- such beings are notoriously hesitant to intervene in worldly affairs, for any such act threatens to unhinge their sublime reverie.

The Druj: (typically NE, CE or TN)
Although it takes great strength of will, some souls can temporarily resist both Decoherence and the pull to rejoin life without external assistance of any form- but only temporarily. To sustain such an existence indefinitely, such a being must parasitise upon the essence of others, stripping away their thoughts and memories in order to bolster itself, or suffer permanent scars to it's own self-image. Known as the Druj, mutation, insanity or oblivion is the usual fate of such beings, but a rare few can attain tremendous power.

The Hedon: (typically CE, CN or TN)
As Chaotic souls have much less psychological baggage to encumber them, rather than reject their mortal habits, to escape loss of focus many choose instead to embrace them, and become what are known as Hedon: By harnessing some potent living passion- Lust, Wrath, Gluttony, Pride, Anguish or Manna- they can harness such instincts to sustain themselves and grow in strength. Some direct their energies for relatively constructive purposes, but all run the risk of being consumed, body and soul, by their own hungers. Most are reckless and dangerous even at the best of times.

The Shí: (typically CG, CN or TN)
Some whimsical souls, rather than looking to their own essence, instead turn to the simpler instincts of animals, plants, and places of natural harmony as 'anchors' for their own self-image. Some will even blend touches of their alternate selves into one form, resulting in strange hybrids of men, women, herbs, animals and the elements, freely shifting between a multitude of forms in order to avoid being trapped by any one mode of being. Entering this relation requires a mastery of transmutation and enchantment, and those who attain such a transition are known as Shí.

The Maia: (typically CG, NG or TN)
Finally, some mortal petitioners become Maia- evolving spiritually through the voluntary union of their own essence with that of another partner, in a process known as the Soulmate. Possible only after a long and intimate acquaintance, this is both the most profound pleasure the individual can conceive and a state of utmost sacrifice- a final forfeiture of identity. This direct and final connection with another's self can then be projected onto all other forms of life, allowing Maia to sense the thoughts and feelings of every soul. But to harm another, equally, is agony to them.

The souls of animals and plants
Most animals and simpler forms of life are distinguished from conscious beings by one fact- they have no awareness of their own mortality, and have much simpler minds. If such simpler souls are 'killed' in their afterlife form, their manifestation will simply reform itself once the 'remains' are left unattended. Lacking the conception of sacrifice or others' pain, they tend to be drawn to the souls of other creatures with which they were connected in life, whether in predatory or symbiotic relationships- Complex ecosystems can be recreated on the higher planes in this way, with thousands of species, enacting by instinct, the past drama of their daily lives.

The simplicity and single-mindedness of such souls' instinctive beliefs makes them highly resistant to Decoherence, but this and their limited intelligence also makes it very difficult for them to evolve, and most will lose focus after a span equivalent to two or three their normal lifespan (likely Reincarnating upon the lower planes as a simpler organism.)

The souls of places, the elements and societies
These are the very simplest of all souls, as they represent either the most insubstantial, vague, or fleeting of self-containing causes. As they were never strictly alive, they never strictly die, but their souls can still project themselves through connection to their inhabitants and the uniformity of their existence. Their manifestations may vary from grains of sand to compulsions of etiquette to the very atoms of the body- on planes of Law, such concrete embodiments tend to be very permanent and exceedingly rare- while on planes of Chaos, entire landscapes may be birthed on a moment's notice and vanish without a trace.


There's a couple of features I'd like to comment on. Firstly, it's possible to apply multiple 'templates' to yourself, provided you're of a suitable alignment- to be a Maian Atman, or a Druj Hedon, or a Paladin Myrmidone. Many of the Gods fulfill this requirement, in fact-
Ahura Mazda: Paladin Atman
Ahura Mitra: Maian Atman
Ahura Apam Napat: Maian Shí
Leviathan Ahriman: Druj Hedon
Leviathan Abaddon: Druj Lemure
Leviathan Metnal: Myrmidone Lemure

I should probably give a few extra comments on what each template resembles:

Lemures- these are the undead, more or less. Nothing to do with positive/negative energy gibberish, they're just folks who can't or won't move past being dead. The drawbacks are obvious- you'll be rendered insane to a greater or lesser degree, possibly with severe 'brain damage'- but it's a simple, direct and reliable way to push past mortal limitations and pursue a fulfilling career.

Myrmidones- think 'Borg with benefits', basically. Being subsumed by a collective consciousness isn't all bad- you get constant access to a large body of skills and knowledge, and depending on the implementation may have a surprising degree of autonomy. The danger is that, if you get too dependant on the collective, you'll lose the capacity for independent thought.

Paladins- think Asimov's Three Laws, or Robocop's prime directives- you get a shiny new body with no mortal weaknesses and awesome madz skillz downloads, but you're also hog-tied by allegiance to whoever fronts the cash for the upgrade, and may the Wise Lord help you if there's a contradiction in your programming.

Atman- this is based on the traditional depiction of Devas- nigh-immortal, self-absorbed, mathematically-inclined beings who don't get involved much in mortal affairs. The Atman's ability to abstract away their own self-interest makes most of them highly altruist and smart as a whip, but unanticipated circumstances of any form can easily unseat their highly-strung mental balance.

Maia- the benefits of this template are extremely rapid healing and great perception skills, similar to the tolkienesque high elves, but they need to restrict themselves to nonviolent methods, and anywhere suffering is concentrated is a no-go-zone for them. (Also, finding a willing partner for the Soulmate can be a pain.)

Shí- elves, dwarves, gnomes, pixies, satyrs, dryads, nymphs- they all fall under this heading. The usefulness of having several plant/animal forms to draw upon is well-documented and easy to imagine, but the tougher part is juggling different forms so that you don't get stuck in any one mode- turn yourself into a bear for too long, and might not even remember being human afterward.

Hedon- succubi, berserkers, and power-addicts of all description- pick a passion or two (or three) and go for broke. The Hedon is almost unstoppable in it's element, which is sort of the problem, because they often don't know when to stop. Often harness powerful sorcery and gain possession of mortals so they can do some undercover work.

Druj- probably most similar to vampirism or any other form of permanent life-draining schtick, the problem with the Druj is that failing to find regular, meaty victims will make your life extremely unpleasant. Note that this is very different from simply feeding on manifested flesh, as petitioners do- this is feeding on the soul itself by eroding anything that makes it different from you.


(None of the above need to eat, sleep, feel pain, etc, and can choose to willingly reincarnate as a organism of equal complexity, or whatever's available, with the possibility of recalling past lives.)

[Samurai Jill]

Before I go any farther, I should probably give a more detailed outline of the various deities, planes, and overall setting history...

History:

Creation of physical laws by Ahura Mazda. Creation of angels, imprisonment of Titans.
Evolution of mankind. Descent of watchers. Beginning of Golden Age.
The war in heaven and birth of the nephilim. Exile of Fallen, withdrawal of watchers. The River of Dreams flows.
Mankind falls to barbarism. End of Golden Age, beginning of Silver Age.
Gifts of civilisation, worship and ascension of Ahura Apam Napat. Creation of first Dragons.
The Leviathans Metnal and Ahriman assume consciousness. Apam Napat flees to Dreamtime.
Wars on earth and decadence among mankind. Wars in the heavens and underworld among the Gods.
Birth of Leviathan Abaddon. Other Gods unite against Abaddon. Planting of the Trees of Life and Knowledge. Deluge expunges the earth.
Abaddon is chained and the Covenant of Mitra is struck. End of Silver Age, Beginning of Bronze Age.
Ascension of Ahura Mitra. Mankind divides into the 12 tribes and again populates the earth.
The Divine Emperor ascends. The Djinni emerge. The nations of earth begin their first labour upon the Tower of Babel.
The Tower of Babel is complete. Embassies with other planes are formed. Knowledge and power of mankind grows.
End of Bronze Age, Beginning of Iron Age.


Deities:

{table] | | DR | Description, other Names or Aspects | Concerns
Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord | LG | 10 | Creator to the known cosmos, Amun-Ra, Sophia, Deus Pater | "To birth a One perfect as himself"
Ahura Mitra, the Seal of Life | GG | 8 | Keeper of the truce between all Planes, Danu, Tien, Demeter | The perpetual evolution of Life
Ahura Apam Napat, the River to the Soul | CG | 9 | Dragon who gave the gifts of civilisation, The Rainbow Serpent, Quetzelcoatl, Anansi | Independence of conscience, creativity
The Divine Emperor | L | 6 | First mortal to ascend | The rewards and punishment for mortal souls
The Titans: Cronus, Hyperion, Atlas, Rhea and Ouranus | L | 4-5 | The imprisoned manifestations of physical law | Space, time, energy, the inviolable forces
The Sky Dragons | C | 2-5 | Embodiments of nature's whimsy and power | Weather, prosperity, seasons and disasters
The Greater Djinni | C | 1-4 | Self-made mortals of great power | None discernible
Leviathan Metnal, the Iron Unity | LE | 8 | The bodies of the greatest Fallen angels, Xolotl, Yama, Lucifer | "To expunge the stain of choice"
Leviathan Abaddon, the One Unnameable | EE | 9 | Sole survivor of the Wars between Hell and the Abyss, Ba'al Zevuv, Nidhogg, Perdition | Final self-extinction
Leviathan Ahriman, the Adversary | CE | 7 | A creature without origin fed by human sin, Crom Cruach, Tezcatlipoca, Apep | "To free being from consequential morality"[/table]


Some overall notes on the planes
The Planes of Law are the most 'tangible' of worlds, and Portals there tend to be permanent and reliable- but also correspondingly difficult to establish. The Great Tower of Babel, built by mankind, now connects them, piercing the Firmament, touching Celestia, and even descending to Hell.

The Planes of Chaos, in truth, do not represent single places at all- each is a multitude of layers which blend continuously with eachother, so that there is no single place where the Dreamtime or the Abyss begins and Pandaemonium ends- they form, as such, a continuum of possibilities. Mortals can often visit the outskirts of these planes in sleep, via the River of Dreams that Ahriman first set in motion to corrupt and devour mankind.

In between, there stand the planes of Asphodel, Babel itself, and the Pit. The twin Worldtrees, embodying Mitra Herself, connect them, with the thread of life attached to every soul by her unconditional compassion. Abaddon gnaws in anguish at her roots, but She accepts the bliss of Asphodel with matching equanimity. Souls who are both Maia and Atman can use this connection to journey between any plane or place of life- though some destinations are more... challenging than others.

The structure of the planes


The Plane of Babel
Avalon, Faerie, Megiddo and Carceri: gates to other planes
Midgard Babel: where souls are born and law and chaos can mingle


The Seven Celestial Spheres of Heaven
Prime Deity: Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord
Layers-
-The Palladium, Valhalla and Purgatory: here, petitioners atone for their sins
-The Halcyon: here, petitioners are purged of desire
-The Argentarius: here, petitioners are instructed on moral judgement
-The Aurelian: here, petitioners learn of discipline, refinement and the arts
-The Empyrean: the Wise Lord's seat and the eminence of everlasting geometry


The Immortal Asphodel
Prime Deity: Ahura Mitra, the Seal of Life
Layers-
-The Blessed Isles: a place of idyll where deceit is effectively impossible
-The Twin Trees of Vanaheim: here, Maia (life) and Atman (knowledge) find union
-The Crown of Asha: a state of rapture where art and thought are indivisible


The Weave of Dreamtime
Prime Deity: Ahura Apam Napat, the River to the Soul
Layers-
-The Hunting Grounds and Elysia: where shared fantasies are made manifest
-Gaia: where the souls of animals and other life gathers in profusion
-many others which are no longer contactable


The Limbo of Pandaemonium and Womb of Primal Chaos
Prime Deities: The Sky Dragons and Greater Djinni
Layers-
-The Outskirts: where mortals often briefly visit in dreams
-Havok: where all things are possible, none likely, a well of inexhaustible magick


The Warp of Ginnungagap
Prime Deity: Leviathan Ahriman
Layers-
-The Abyss: where all law and inhibition, moral or physical, is violated
-too many others to count, typically one for each sufficiently powerful being


The Pit of Abaddon
Prime Deity: Leviathan Abaddon
Layers-
-The Mouth of Abaddon: where physical identity is unravelled
-The Heart of Abaddon: where intellectual identity is subsumed
-The Loins of Abaddon: where spiritual identity is corrupted
-The Void: the lowest common denominator


The Hells Ninefold of Xibalba
Prime Deity: Leviathan Metnal
Layers-
-Tartarus and Acheron: where 'temporary' punishment and temptation is inflicted
-Dis, Nyx and Erebus: the greatest cities in all creation
-The Necropolis, Hades and Tophet: where the dead are purged of will
-The Labyrinth of Metnal: seat and embodiment of the Leviathan who suborns all Hell


The Divine Firmament and Imperial Mandate of Law
Prime Deities: The Divine Emperor and Titans
Layers-
-The Jade City, Celestial Bureaucracy and Scholar's Palace: seat of mortal judgement
-The Fortress of Tekhne and Dysonii: where technology assumes its own life
-The Titans: everlasting embodiments of physical law drawn from chaos
-The Inner Tautology, Axiomata, and the Polyhaedrion: where logic is embodied
-Ouroboros: a structure of mathematical perfection that encompasses all law


Probable racial options (still working on these): Golem, Angel, Nephilim, Human, Bytopian and Dragon.

[Samurai Jill]

Okay then. I'll start off with something relatively straightforward.

Paladins are most often found in service to the Heavenly Legion or Imperial Retinue, but a small number are found either working 'freelance', or in service to more disreputable patrons. The material expense of a paladin's creation is considerable, so only a select few, of exceptional skill or aptitude, are accepted as petitioners for the process.

Sample Paladin Code:

First Commandment: The Paladin may not harm an innocent, or, through inaction, permit an innocent to come to harm.
Second Commandment: The Paladin must obey the authority of superiors, evince personal loyalty and uphold standards of honourable conduct in battle, save where this would violate the First Commandment.
Third Commandment: The Paladin must preserve its own existence and respect others' wishes and beliefs, save where such respect would violate the First or Second Commandments.

Codes for the Imperial Retinue would also place high priority on decorum and standards of honour, but unquestioning obedience and the safety of the Emperor would be paramount. Entry to the Heavenly Legion is often accepted as a form of atonement for misdeeds, and after an extensive period in service, members are often released to join the Choirs Argentarius or Aurelian.

Paladin Traits
*- Immunity to pain, fear, shock, or any other form of emotional impetus.
*- May use Prosthetics to tailor physical and mental attributes as desired, both initially and, to a degree, over time.
*- Cannot directly self-heal or re-manifest. Some advanced Nanotech prosthetics make healing possible, but these are also dangerous, as replicating Nanotech can 'mutate', (particularly on less-than-completely-Lawful planes.)
*- Excellent access to essential skill training through Conditioning.
*- Particularly weak upon planes of Chaos.
*- CANNOT willingly violate commandments- Not 'should not' or 'will cause loss of powers', I mean it is physically impossible, period.
*- 'Will save' required in cases where commandments directly conflict, or paralysis/sanity damage may result. Success allows personal discretion to prevail.
*- In cases of slight or tangential conflict/violation, a 'Will save' similarly allows personal discretion to prevail.
*- Gains substantial bonuses to any action that fulfilling Commandments hinge upon.

[Samurai Jill]

Next interesting template: The Maia

Because each Maia represents a union of two distinct and separate souls, they can draw upon each as a reservoir of appropriate starting skills, beliefs, and goals. The process of 'unifying' the two is essentially role-played as a form of conversation where each seeks to convince the other of their view's merits in a completely non-aggressive manner, where power is irrelevant, and deceit is impossible. Whichever beliefs and goals manage to emerge intact are kept for the final character. It is perfectly acceptable- and indeed encouraged- to modify goals and beliefs during the process, but you can only emerge with your normal quota of top beliefs.

Picking wildly different characters increases the likelihood of getting different background skills, but also makes it harder to effect a synthesis. Conversely, highly similar characters easily reach an accord, but are likely to have broadly similar life experiences. There's a trade-off here.

Maia almost exclusively form upon the planes of Asphodel and Dreamtime, where thoughts can manifest themselves with relative ease and attendants can see to partners' physical needs during Soulmate. (It should be noted that physical intimacy is useful only as a path to emotional and intellectual rapport or devotion, and many Maia have formed from close, but strictly platonic relationships.)

Maia Traits
*- Do need to 'feed', but don't need sleep or water. Can feed by drawing energy, and lose 'max health' gradually if they can't.
*- An opposed 'Will save' is required to avoid experiencing the fear, shock, pain or other emotional impetus of those nearby as your own. A separate save is required for each nearby subject, and at regular intervals, if that emotion is sustained. Any such emotion the Maia causes directly is ALWAYS experienced.
*- Exceptionally rapid healing, which they can then transfer to others, (always keeping a certain amount 'in reserve.') They can similarly attempt to purge forms of poison, disease, and the like.
*- Can draw energy from non-objecting souls in order to fill their healing reserves. Unintelligent animals and plants are always considered 'non-objecting', but intelligent animals and people might not be. (This is nonlethal damage.)
*- Can sense the specific thoughts of others that they focus upon- similar to rules for scrying. Gleaning anything apart from immediate thoughts is an increasingly invasive process, and correspondingly traumatic, with no possibility for avoiding that trauma as 'feedback'. Actual modification of thoughts is impossible, but basic beliefs and goals are easily discernible when they rise to the fore.
*- Are mildly weakened on strongly Lawful planes, where their empathic abilities, in particular, are minimal. Their empathy can also be a major drawback in places of concentrated suffering, for obvious reasons.

[Grey Paladin]

Magnificent work- I don't really have much to comment on beside this: What of the common, still-living, men? how is their society/religion structured in face of such a world? what does a day in the life of a common citizen/serf/farmer/Petitioner looks like?

[Samurai Jill]

Why thank you. :smallsmile:

Most people live in the same way that serfs lived in the ancient world for centuries- raise crops, give most of it to the state, live on the rest, and hope you don't get conscripted or killed by bandits or outright enslaved. There's a minute middle class with the nobility on top of that, which have the privileges of familiarity with technology, magic, or both, and use this fact to keep the rest down. Part of the necessity for this arises from the fact that the ruling dynastic-theocracies are pretending to divinity, an illusion that would be easily shattered by even the rudiments of broader education.

I guess it would be best to think of it as a cross between Stargate and Warhammer40K, in terms of how Midgard itself presents itself- there's a lot of high technology present, but it's monopolised by powerful elites whose only interest in the common people is as a labour pool- and even that's being phased out in favour of golems and sorcerous substitution. In short, the common people are screwed. There's a potential for utopia, but too much power has been concentrated in the hands of a few people who aren't ready for it.

That's the situation in the more 'Lawful' areas, in any case. The frontier territories are a little better, but there's correspondingly less access to technology, and anyone with the gift of sorcery is typically revered as a God anyway, (which they may or may not believe themselves to be.)

The other thing to bear in mind is that the hard divisions between the planes are really blurring at this point- people step back and forth between Midgard, Firmament , Celestia and Xibalba all the time. Remember Spire and the Outlands? -Imagine that was the earth.

[Samurai Jill]

Okay... I think I'll try the Lemures next.

The key thing to understand about Lemures is that they are not entirely... sane. Trapped by an inability to surmount their past identity, many are incapable of leaving familiar environments or objects on their home plane, which they must haunt perpetually or lose focus and dissipate. Such 'anchors' may include the environs of a house, a stretch of forest, a significant heirloom- or even their own corpses- any of which could be 'possessed' by the spirit in lieu of other manifestation. A few form in the afterlives due to personal violence, but the vast majority are deliberately created in Xibalba or Abaddon, either as 'workforce' or precursor to engorging the planes' respective hungry Gods.

Lemures tend to vary chiefly in terms of their conditions of death:

Shades- those who die of prolonged wasting diseases, slow poisoning, or general loss of will to live. These appear as insubstantial images of life, and are particularly likely to use an external 'anchor' to manifest or exhibit fear.
Gaunts- those who die of acute starvation, thirst, or exposure. These appear as almost-skeletal figures with skin stretched thin over their bodies. They simply tend to huddle in a shivering position, but are weak-willed and easily dominated by others.
Furies- those who die for causes relating to personal emotional torment: grief, rage, or agony. These are, for the most part, consumed by indescriminate hatred for others and appear as hollow, sunken-eyed apparitions. They have strong wills but scant self-control.
Ghasts- those who die of decrepitude or festering illnesses. These tend to appear as shambling, degenerate corpses, putrid with decay, spread similar disease by their touch, have dull wits and fear sunlight or open spaces.
Draugr- those who die from sudden injury, poisoning or personal violence. These tend to fixate on exacting revenge or retribution upon those who caused their death, and will seek them out if possible. They usually appear as they did at their moment of death.
Manes- those who die without fulfilling some great duty or obligation: to protect a family member, uphold an oath, or guard their treasure. These will fixate on completing that duty or obligation to the best of their ability. Their appearances and reactions vary greatly, but are probably the most rational of undead.

(...of course, these conditions are not necessarily mutually exclusive.)
A Lemure, in brief, is stuck with the worst possible case of Obsessive-Compulsive-Personality-Disorder. A Lemure character's schtick consists of deciding on your precise motivations for sticking around- and if that reason ceases to apply, you will likely cease to exist or Reincarnate.

Lemure Traits
*- Immunity to pain, hunger, thirst, fatigue, or any other biological needs associated with living.
*- Cannot heal directly, but ignore most forms of damage, in particular those appropriate to their form of death: e.g, death by the sword conveys immunity to weapon damage, burning ignores heat, etc.
*- Can easily re-manifest, or suspend manifestation and lie dormant for long periods.
*- Highly resistant to external mind-affecting magic due to mental fixation, but mental traits are often compromised or behaviour repetitive due to past trauma. These may be shed or ameliorated over time, but doing so risks temporary de-manifestation, and reducing one reduces the other. This risk is strongest on Chaotic planes.
*- General discomfort in and aversion toward great concentrations of sentient life, which confuses them and weakens their resolve. Graced Planes cause them to de-manifest. Can, however, sense living organic creatures directly when nearby, regardless of line of sight or cover.
*- Often frightened by objects or places which have particular emotional associations for them.

I should really try to systematise this whole thing a bit more, but that's the general framework.

[Samurai Jill]

And, naturally enough, the Hedon:

Hedons are most frequently found in Limbo, Ginnungagap, or any of the spectrum of transitory planes in-between, where the power of emotion to manifest is strong, but the inhabitants lack the moral restraint or creative sympathy associated with the higher planes. Their difficulty lies not in discarding past conceptions, but retaining a powerful enough psychic imprint that they can maintain focus, and their solution is simple- basic urges.

Wrath- No-one crosses you and lives to tell of it- at least, if you have any say in the matter. Aggressive confrontation between you and others soon escalates to violence- and violence, thence, to slaughter.
Gluttony- You are a gastronomic epicure par excellence. Any particularly savoury foodstuffs tend to grab your attention. Probably the least destructive of passions, it's benefits are mild but easily satisfied.
Lust- Damn, but you are one horny piece of ass and know it: flirtation, seduction, and carnal pleasures come easily to you, and a fetching body calls you like a moth to a flame.
Pride- You need to do better than others in some crucial respect: wealth, power, beauty, artistic excellence, or any other well-defined pursuit of your choice that others admire. When you come across a superior in your chosen field, this passion drives you to triumph and excel.
Anguish- Ah, the beautiful suffering. Nothing pleases you quite like seeing others degraded or in pain, and any time a victim is in no position to fight back, you can scarcely resist...
Manna- The electric thrill of raw magic coursing through your veins fuels feats of sorcery that boggle the mind: once you start casting, your blood urges you on to grander and grander spells, snubbing pain and exhaustion.

Hedon Traits:
*- Can adapt their manifestation and attributes over time to suit their chosen passions- strength for wrath, beauty for lust or pride, a bestial appearance for intimidation, will for anguish or manna, etc.
*- Can draw upon their passions to gain a bonus to any actions that directly serve the goal of satisfaction. The farther the Hedon 'pushes' a particular passion (both situationally and in the long term,) the larger the bonus, but the harder it becomes to stop voluntarily- or restrain itself from starting in the first place. Failure to stop once you start permanently increases the strength of that passion, and failure to start reduces it- but also threatens Decoherence.
*- Feeding a particular passion obviates or suppresses all other physical weaknesses.
*- Frequently adept at Possession, Shapeshifting, Domination and other magical arts that allow them satisfy their needs covertly within the mortal world.
*- Drawing upon passions is much more difficult on Lawful planes, and failures carry a greater risk of losing focus.

[Samurai Jill]

I'm gonna have to use a looser style here...

Orcs, elves, trolls, dwarves, pixies, naiads, satyrs, rakshasa, kobolds, banshees, wendigo, ifrit, kodama- there must be a hundred different names given to the fey and whimsical creatures known collectively as the Shí. Most still abide by the Truce of Mitra and avoid direct intervention in the lives of mortals, but- whether prompted by compassion or more selfish motives- frequent visits to the outskirts of Midgard are tolerated, and tales of mortals 'disappearing', or bearing witness to vast feasts of such creatures engaged in revelry and indulgence are common.

Superstitious mortals, bewildered by the profusion of forms beheld at such gatherings, have come to the mistaken conclusion that there must be dozens of species of such creatures, born of a fusion of man and nature: the truth is both simpler and more complex. There is only one 'kind' of Shí, but it is rare indeed for any two to be significantly alike. Most hail from the planes of Dreamtime, Pandaemonium, or somewhere in-between, where they borrow from the abundant profusion of animal souls to lend their psychic images a stability lacking in life.

Adopting forms
Learning to shift into a particular animal form requires establishing non-hostile contact with the creature in question. After this, you must observe the creature and anticipate it's needs until it decides to leave peacefully. Any directly hostile act breaks the connection and reduces your link with the species, but a successful encounter boosts the link in question.

Successful transformation for the first time requires role-play of a 'conversation' between your own traits and those of the animal observed (with all normal tricks permitted,) with your own familiarity as a bonus. Subsequent attempts merely require a 'concentration check' under similar conditions. This transformation is distinct from normal shapeshifting in that it genuinely conveys the inherent strengths of the creature in question- all physical attributes from the animal AND the best combination of mental attributes are kept. The longer a Shí stays in a particular animal form however, the more his/her mental attributes will conform to the base degree of the animal, and the more animal instincts take over. Even attempting to transform back requires an appropriate 'Will save', with difficulty depending on how far this has gone.

Plants, places, or particular elements have simpler but more alien souls, and gaining affinity with them is only possible for much more experienced Shí after long study and observation.

Over time, repeated transformations into a particular form can endow the Shí with corresponding affinities- physical raits borrowed from the creature in question. Pointed ears, sharp tusks, beady black eyes, horns and hooves, stone skin, roots for hair, a flowing mane of liquid flame- whatever strikes your fancy, so long as it makes sense on the basis of the creature or element you're borrowing from. They also confer a limited degree of the benefits of the full form, and a slight degree of the penalties. Affinities accrue whenever you shift into a particular form long enough that you need a 'Will save' to shift back, and making shifting to and from that form only easier- remaining in others actually becomes harder.

Remaining in strictly human form for too long, however, leads to the risk of Decoherence- that's the whole point of assuming other forms...

Shí gain substantial bonuses to Calling or Illusion, and, over time, Summoning or Transmutation spells related to their forms' 'species'. They are weakened upon planes of Law, and transformation becomes much, much harder.

[Samurai Jill]

Almost done... ish:

Atman most frequently begin their training in Celestia or Asphodel, where meditative self-understanding is considered a necessary step to true compassion for others, but the Atman believe that self-understanding begins from the outside. By uncovering the universal principles that govern the behaviour of the world, living creatures and society at large, they can learn to see themselves as aspects of a greater whole: Within this framework, they can then step outside their limited identities to dwell upon loftier subjects. Atman are driven by the pursuit of underlying elegance, of harmony in thought and power of expression within mathematics, science and the arts, but their apprehension of their own role as a component in larger systems is also intensely humbling, and when they seek to act, it is to reshape the world into a form as sublime as the universal truths they glean.

Atman Traits
*- Rapid acquisition of abstract knowledge- i.e, any intelligence-based skills.
*- Can often translate abstract knowledge of a subject into immediate practice, such as sensing falsehood, agility, improvements in constitution, etc. Highly resistant to undesired emotional impetus- shock, pain, panic, etc.
*- Gain a substantial defensive bonus against any action they can anticipate, and offensive bonus when they anticipate an opponent's lack of defence. Such success confers a cumulative morale bonus.
*- Conversely, unanticipated actions impose penalties to their attempts, and morale suffers. If this goes on far enough, they may even suffer 'XP loss'.
*- If an experienced Atman succeeds in anticipating a particular opponent often enough in rapid succession, it can gain 'total comprehension' of that foe. Opponents are not necessarily limited to enemies in combat, but any significant dynamic obstacle.
*- A sufficiently experienced Atman can remove their need to manifest entirely by transcending physicality. These are the Immaculate.
*- Require regular periods of meditation to keep focus.


(As you can see, this resembles something like a cross between the buddhist monk and the full-blown batman wizard.)

[Samurai Jill]

The Druj-

Druj are, of necessity, shunned and abhorred by others, for the very nature of their existence requires overpowering and feeding on others, and as such only the planes of Ginnungagap and Abbadon- in fact, one enormous Druj- are relatively safe environments for them, though they will frequently try to break into the mortal plane.

The process begins with physical assimilation, which the victim perceives as being in the Druj' own body, but having no control over it's actions. Mental assimilation involves causing the victim to discard any memories or thoughts that cause it to try to behave differently from the Druj itself on a moment-to-moment basis. Once this is complete, the Druj's own innate beliefs and goals are imposed on the victim, which ceases to have any distinct identity.

Successfully overpowering a victim completely permanently increases the power of the Druj and staves off Decoherence. If the victim can fight back successfully, some portion of the victim becomes 'lodged' in the Druj, resulting in a degree of mutation or insanity and stalling the process, but this only delays the inevitable- the only way to free a trapped soul is to cause the Druj to decohere on a level- physical, mental or spiritual- where the victim has not yet been 'digested'.

A Druj may also willingly permit some aspect of the victim to express itself during the process, thus permitting the Druj to 'borrow' parts from other souls- either conscious beings, animals and plants at higher levels, and eventually even societies, place and elements. This means that a sufficiently powerful druj can literally consume or warp it's physical environment, social mores and the laws of nature (though very few have ever gone this far, and it's easier on Chaotic planes.)

The Druj may also opt to impose only one form of fusion upon the victim, provided it has some method of bypassing resistance on previous levels- i.e. if the victim doesn't struggle either physically or mentally, then spiritual fusion can be effected directly. Physical fusion transmits the form of the Druj- an identical manifestation. Mental fusion imposes mind control, and spiritual control imposes beliefs and templates.

You can see here that the Maia and Druj are essentially mirror images of eachother, as both revolve around fusion of souls. The difference lies solely in the balance of power and degree of consent. A Druj is psychologically incapable of compromising it's own ego, and once it starts, it can't stop without destroying itself.

[Samurai Jill]

And, last but not least, Myrmidones:

While the chaotic Shí are a case of 'out of one, many', the myrmidone is a case of 'out of many comes one.' They are collective embodiments of hierarchy, authority and the strictures of group membership implemented on a fundamental level. Individual myrmidones can range from the status of mindless drones to surprisingly empowered representatives of their fellows, and have a multitude of uses- industrial or military (as is the case with the Thousand Immortals,) research-based (which usually have a high degree of initiative,) or even recreational (as is the case with the Seraglio of the Jade City.) Myrmidone collectives are most common upon the planes of Xibalba and Firmament, where high technology and rigid social expectations aid substantially in enlisting new members. Myrmidone souls are virtually immune to Decoherence, as their identity does not reside in any single manifestation- causing a single member to lose focus would also require the entire group do so simultaneously.

Myrmidone Traits
*- Easily re-manifest in the event an individual manifestation is compromised.
*- Can easily and rapidly consult with other members of the collective for vital information- abstract skills, memories, and perceptions. Hence, superb overall skill and knowledge checks are made possible, with higher integration allowing better communication. (Other members must be on the same plane.) However, each attempt at consultation raises the risk of becoming more 'embedded' in the group, making future initiative or disobedience more difficult. You can volunteer such information without risk to either party (but this in itself is a form of initiative, as is any attempt to deny access to data.)
*- Direct disobedience toward the will of the group (i.e, typically the majority) requires a successful 'Will save', with penalties for current 'embedding.' -Conversely, however, current 'embedding' can be used to overcome shock, pain, surprise or any other emotional impetus in cases where this would inconvenience the will of the group, and successful disobedience reduces embedding.
*- Frequent access to Prosthetics, Grafting, Conditioning, etc., (many of which may be used to incorporate stronger-willed members without permission, by artificially boosting 'embedding' of the individual and/or reducing mental stats.)
*- Taking action which later proves to serve the group's interests, despite not being the majority view, increases status within the group- Status gives proportionally greater weight to your views when computing the will of the group- i.e, it's like you get multiple 'votes'.
*- A given myrmidone collective may itself be considered 'an individual' for purposes of embedding within other, higher collectives, thus allowing command hierarchies to form.

[Samurai Jill]

Just to give a few examples of the combinations you could take here:

Satyrs would be Hedons of Lust and Gluttony, as well as Shi (with an affinity for goats.) Succubi would be Hedons of Lust and Anguish, as well as Druj. Wights would be Druj Lemures. Rakshasa would be Hedons of Wrath as well as Shí (with an affinity for tigers.) Typical mindless zombie thralls are actually Myrmidone Lemures. Demons (in the sense of fallen-from-grace) are Angel Lemures (something that requires very rough treatment.) Dryads are Maian Shí (with an affinity for plants).

The basic idea is that, instead of having a million different race and monster species' options, to provide an overall toolkit for putting a coherent spectrum of such beasties together.

Here, in any case, are the basic racial options.


Golems
Golems, in the sense of mechanised creatures empowered by Construct Mentality (e.g, AI), are frequently manufactured within Xibalba as a reliable form of labour for various tasks, but the physical stuff of a Golem's body eventually wears down and needs to be replaced, whereas the soul's manifestation, properly 'treated', is all-but indestructable and truly lasts forever. Golems do have the potential to develop their own souls, but the only way to do so is to to endow them with choice, which A. raises the potential for rebellion, and B. can only be done on Babel.

Hence, free-willed Golems are manufactured almost exclusively on the demiplanes of Megiddo and Avalon, where the process is carefully supervised by technicians from the Imperial Firmament- the Emperor himself is anxious, in particular, to ensure that Golems do not begin mass-manufacturing themselves (something apt to be extremely dangerous for other sentient races.) Strict quotas on maximum production are enforced, careful records of official ownership are kept, and elaborate failsafes are built into the Golem's commandments to limit risks of disobedience. The industrial plane of Megiddo, in particular, has substantial populations built exclusively for purposes of war or hard labour.

Free-willed Golems can be of any alignment, but strongly tend toward Lawful Neutral. They cannot self-heal, but tend, as a rule, to be highly resilient and adept at some degree of self-correction. Strongly Chaotic planes disrupt their functioning and lead to an intermittent risk of their total breakdown.


The Angels (or Yazata)
The angels come in 4 distinct racial strains, depending on how they were created by Ahura Mazda:

Seraph- searing radiance, pillar of flame, the most powerful overall
Kuriotes- good with leadership
Ophanim- particularly likely to be LG
Gregori- better experience and skills, variable in abilities

Radiant with the divine essence of the Wise Lord, angels can be of any alignment (though a distinct majority still tend toward Law and Grace.) They are physically one with their own souls, which means they are not only spiritually but physically indestructible, and never need food, water, sleep or similar desires. They can still feel pain and pleasure, however, much as humans do, and sufficiently traumatic treatment can require them to re-manifest. It is possible, but difficult, for angels to assume new templates, as they do not suffer from problems of Coherence but also find it proportionately difficult to evolve their own identities. Any effects dependant on organic components leave them unaffected.

The form an angel takes is not fixed, but decided over time on the basis of concerns of both protocol and practicality. Most have assumed a vaguely anthropomorphic appearance, decked with glyphs and the image of resplendant wings, but their powers of flight are primarily magical. They have an innate knack for Lawful magic, particularly related to Glyphs, but other forms are alien and difficult for them, as is deceit or most forms of emotional impulse, and they have excellent perception skills.

If an angel breeds with a human woman, the result is a Nephilim with stats that exactly average the parents'. Angels cannot themselves give birth, and are no longer in active production- what's left is all you get.


Nephilim
Since yazata can be of any alignment, and cover both seraphs and demons, nephilim (or half-angels) are the alignment-neutral equivalent of aasimar and tieflings.

Although mortal, their divine ancestry has leant them an unmistakably elitist (largely justified, and usually concealed,) belief in their own physical and mental superiority to typical humans. Their culture places significant emphasis on, well... essentially traditionalist eugenics. They carefully regulate their own reproductive practices and select marriage partners chiefly on the basis of social standing. Such practices tend to be enforced through 'shunning' or voluntary compliance, which keepts it from being genuinely fascist. Marriage for love or outside of racial lines is not common, but does happen, particularly if a human partner is outstandingly talented or well-liked.

Nephilim are much like their angelic ancestors, albeit less so- anything you can do, they can do, better. They are mortal, however, exhibit more variation than angels do, and have a better grasp of magic. Only a few are found (while alive) in Midgard or Celestia itself, but there are substantial populations in Firmament and Avalon especially. As a whole, they are happy to leave other races alone as long as they are left to their own devices.

Their lifespans are somewhere between double and triple that of humans, and the majority tend significantly toward Lawful alignment, without strong tendencies to either Grace or Evil, but a significant contingent of renegades are much more apt to adopt alignment extremes.


Humanity
The human species, at this point in it's development, essentially has a mild tendency toward Neutral Evil. The majority of people look out almost exclusively for themselves and a few close family members, while adhering to social protocol or moral standards purely out of fear of punishment or expectation of reward, happily succumb to peer pressure as an excuse for blood-crazed xenophobia, and get through life largely on a mixture of face-saving lies, craven deference and thoughtless hypocrisy. Their main redeeming quality is a moderate capacity for guilt and their inherent variation: humans have adapted to almost every earthly environment, and on a precious few occasions demonstrate genuinely selfless devotion to a cause. Their sins are borne of weakness rather than premeditated malice.

A small number of humans are Gifted with a particular knack for chaos magicks, owing to draconic ancestry, though through the vagaries of recessive genetics it's difficult to predict where such sorcerous ability will crop up. Certain such individuals can achieve a grasp of magic that is simply beyond the ken of other races, by combining instinctive intuition for the craft with an intellectual discipline alien to more chaotic races, and the majority of humans have at least a slight capacity for magic.

Human societies are for the most part ruled by dynastic theocracies wrested and maintained by force, with warfare a not-uncommon and never bloodless exercise. Pretenders to divinity, their rulers quash all dissent with brutal and uncompromising zeal. It is possible that some have even come to believe their own propaganda.

Humans are possibly unique in that they are the only sentient race to have arisen entirely without intervention on the part of larger powers, upright apes with higher aspirations, and both their populousness and sheer novelty has given them an inordinate influence on the shape of the cosmos at large- albeit not entirely for the better.


Bytopians
An entirely artificial and distinctly bizarre race engineered during the early Bronze Age in the Twin City, the Bytopian resembles nothing so much as an airborne nautilus squid out of it's shell. They levitate partly due to a lightweight build and partly due to an innate affinity for magic, which they must master much as a human child learns to run- they are also notable for playful and inventive natures, capacity for camouflage and emotional display, short lifespans and difficulty with long-term learning. Previously restricted to the outer planes, since the Tower was completed they have grown more widespread, particularly in frontier regions around Limbo and Dreamtime, and- to a lesser extent- Ginnungagap and Asphodel.

Bytopians are all sorcerors to a greater or lesser degree, and tend to be at least moderately Chaotic (in fact, prolonged exposure to heavily Lawful planes makes them feel slightly ill.) Few of them are truly powerful mages however, and most turn their talents instead toward intelligence-gathering, stealth, theft and infiltration. They have a knack for making themselves understood in the most awkward of situations, which is just as well given they can't verbalise human languages, but adopt a form of fluent sign language combined with rapid colour changes along the length of the body. A truly Evil Bytopian is rare, but their spread of moral and ethical beliefs is large and rarely entirely consistent.


Dragons
The children of Ahura Apam Napat, exemplars of wilderness, freedom, power, grace, and savage fury- these are Dragons's qualities to the core.

Magic is intrinsic to a Dragon's being, and there is no form of chaos magery they cannot wield instinctively, as the very bones and muscles of their thunderous frame, the fire in their bellies and the iron in their scales, can only be held together by the raw sorcery in their bones. But they lack discipline in application, and cannot survive without it- strongly Lawful planes are like slow poison to them, quenching their majesty like dying embers.

Dragons come in many varieties, particularly given their genetics are not as deterministic as you might expect.

Choose any or all of the above-
*- Horns, ruff, whiskers, etc. (boost 'charisma checks')
*- Forelimbs (additional combat ability)
*- Wings and/or Hindlimbs (actually encumber magic-based flight)
*- Venom or caustic breath (not possible with breath weapon)
*- Additional sorcerous skill (self-explanatory)

Essential metabolic type (pick two:)
*- Fire (flaming breath)
*- Cold (icy breath)
*- Lightning (electrical breath)
*- Earth (stronger bones and scales)
*- None (extra combat skill/agility)
---You cannot choose both fire and cold, or both lightning and earth.

The most powerful Dragons have no wings at all, and propel their massive bulk through the by force of will alone. Dragons grow steadily in power with age, and vary tremendously in their forms and bulk.

Dragons are avaricious, frequently deceitful or cruel, unpredictable in temper, highly territorialistic and think nothing of devouring lesser mortals to either prove a point or sate an appetite, but know the value of acquaintances, are fearless against common enemies, and will, surprisingly, keep an honest bargain struck. They rarely formulate long-term ambitions or act out of premeditated envy or malice- the concepts are essentially foreign to them. Dragons are ultimately creatures of instinct, with no compelling desire to be greater or lesser than what they are, and rarely, if ever, fight among themselves.

For practical intents and purposes, then, Dragons are almost always Chaotic with a mild inclination towards Evil. Dragons can reproduce, and never age, but their bodies can be destroyed. Their souls, in death, always lose Coherence and go to reincarnate, but it is possible, albeit difficult, for them to assume other templates during life- the more Lawful, the less practical. Dragons have even managed to reproduce with other races, owing to their frequent mastery of shapeshifting. Such offspring are invariably Gifted to a greater or lesser degree, but otherwise resemble the impregnated race.

[Samurai Jill]

And... I'm just about done, I guess. I could supply some extra details on the individual planes, history and Gods, etc, but that might be an extra thread...

If you have any questions, comments, criticisms or suggestions, feel free to throw them in. It's almost pure fluff at this point, but I guess this is the where PEACH can come in.

[Samurai Jill]

So, no particular reactions of any kind whatsoever?
Too bland? Too much text, insufficient crunch/vague? ...Violates federal law?

[Lappy9000]

So, no particular reactions of any kind whatsoever?
Too bland? Too much text, insufficient crunch/vague? ...Violates federal law?

I don't believe it violates federal law here in the states (although you may wanna brush up on Canadian policy, just in case) but there is......a lot of text.

I'm trying to read through it right now, but my short attention span is making it difficult. Maybe you could scour the Wizards.com free art gallery or DeviantART for some pretty planescape pictures for the attentionally disinclined.

[Samurai Jill]

No, that's fine, I was just wondering what the difficulty was. Thanks for the feedback.

[Grey Paladin]

This forum is heavily focused on game mechanics, campaign settings and concepts tend to get little attention unless they are spliced with them.

[The Corinthian]

Which is a pity, because this is hella cool! In fact, I'm stealing as fast as I can copy-paste here. I think I saw your original pitch for this (on that old "setting in a paragraph" thread, yes?) and it was inspiring even then -but I couldn't do anything near this good with it. Kudos!

[Samurai Jill]

Thanks! Glad you found it useful.

[Samurai Jill]

Of course, the other things I should mention is that the setting is not only system-agnostic, but largely GNS-mode agnostic. There are various bits that you need to emphasise more, or de-emphasise, depending on the style of play that you want to complement.

For Gamist play, make sure that each template is balanced in terms of tactical options, and the RP-aspects either tie directly into combat in some respect, or are largely irrelevant to it. A lot of classes here express RP-mechanics such as passions/commandments/aspects that could be deal-breakers with respect to balance, so I'd be tempted to place hard limits on their effects.

For Narrativist play, I'd drop the explicit alignment descriptors and not invest too much detail on the specifics of the setting beforehand. The key thing is to note that Lemures (especially Manes and Draugr) and Druj (e.g, Vampires) can be sympathetic characters in their own right, while Maia and Atman can be paralysed with indecision due to their ethical strictures. None should be in danger of 'losing powers' for violation of a code of conduct.

For Simulationist play, I'd have the various templates have no effect on character development after play begins, modelling them chiefly as 'political factions', and instead having the mechanics expressed through a unified set of skill systems and feat chains only. (To some extent, this can hybridise with Game or Nar play, but in that case, don't let the Sim take over.)

[Karma Guard]

I notice that, under races, you have Humans, Angels, and Nephilim, but no Devils or halflet devils.

Did I miss a spot here or something?

[Samurai Jill]

Nope. Angels and Nephilim can be of any alignment. Demons are modelled as Angel Lemures (see Wayne Barlowe's Inferno (http://www.waynebarlowe.com/barlowe_pages/index_inferno.htm) for some idea of the visuals, then cross that with the labyrinth from Hellraiser.)

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/1589/barlowewhatremains.jpg

-As much as Hell is a place of unrelenting horror and savagery it is, too, a place of sadness. What else could a being once of Heaven feel upon finding itself in such an environment?
The idea of demons as intrinsically evil manifestations of yadda yadda yadda always struck me as boring. The Miltonian version has a lot more dramatic potential.

"What use has a perfect being for freedom? The only result of choice is change, and thence... corruption. Our maker knew this."
-The made-up-quote of random-setting-NPC-X

Oh, speaking of which- if you're going with Gamist play, non-human PCs may need some significant level adjustments, (or whatever the equivalent might be.)

[Dr. Lagrangian]

I registered to tell you that this is an amazing setting idea. Full of inspiration.

for some clarification: A soul has 3 "choices"
1) lose focus: decohere
2) keep focus: fall into old habits
3) evolve: become a new form on an outer plane, whose type and shape are determined by how they handle 1 and 2, and how they lived morally.

Is #2 like reincarnation? a human who focuses on their old form too much gets reborn again as a human?

So about decoherance: what happens if a soul decoheres? does it kinda merge into a free soul soup, which could be the source of new souls?


If it works this way, such that 1-3 are akin to demotion, staying rank, and promotion, Then you could see an interesting dynamic among the souls. Most soul stuff is in its free form. But eventually some coalesces to become part of a soul of a place or idea. 10% of that might promote into an animal. 10% of that into a sentient being while another percentage shifts down (to reach equilibrium). This is where the soulstuff has more conscious control of what it does, and say 10% of sentient creatures become extraplanar templated creatures.

Meanwhile, at the top level: the templated creatures have to fight the chance of decohering (which return it to the mortal world) or stagnating (and getting stuck in their current form). Its even harder for these creatures to evolve into something new and higher (whcih isn't even specified). perhaps this top creature is part of the local god.


Anyway, thats one idea. here's another:
Suppose on each plane, you have two groups of creatures: Mortals and Immortals. (Immortals can die, they just have templates, they are special). So you have mortals of one type on Babel, and mortals of another type in Gehenna, and another type in Celestia. When a mortal anywhere dies, its soul has a chance to devolve to an animal (of which there are types for each plane), be reborn as its own species, or evolve into an immortal according to its personality.

So what does this mean? it means each plane is similar... a concept I've always liked. each has its own animals, humanoids, angeloids, and deities: they are just separated by outlook. A celestial badger is as real as a normal one, a human is as real as a.... ok they don't have terms for them. but you get the idea.

But it also means that the neutral plane, Babel, could have "angel class" creatures as well. And that creatures that die in the outer planes might evolve into a neutral creature.

So a citizen of the Divine emperor (LN plane) who is, for intents and purposes, normal, lives a life of quiet rebellion. He doesn't like the rules, feels people should be free. when he is executed for his crimes of breaking order, he comes to a realizatin within himself, and evolves into a new high powered creature on the plane of babel... a True neutral Non-Mortal.

Don't know what this new template would be.


Another concept would be that when a templated creature of one plane dies, it can shift when it is reborn. And that those that stray too close to the middle are reborn as reincarnating mortals. this would make the idea of a living mortal creature be the 9th template.

[Samurai Jill]

I registered to tell you that this is an amazing setting idea. Full of inspiration.
Thank you!

Personally, the way I imagined the evolution of souls was roughly as follows:

Decoherence- the soul either disappears, reincarnates as a simpler organism, or (if the individual has already acquired a template,) may be able to re-manifest on their 'home' plane. It may also be possible to willingly decohere, (in which case you reincarnate on Babel as a conscious being, and may even be able to recall some of your memories over time.) Babel is the only plane where original, free-willed creatures can actually be born.

Keep focus- fall into old habits, yup. If formerly mortal, the soul remains on it's home plane, but as a petitioner, without any particular template, and has to eat, drink, sleep etc. like any mortal. (Many planes have entire ecosystems which allow for this, as covered under 'The souls of animals and plants' in the first post. They're not native, exactly.) Mortals who voyage to the other planes during life are treated in much the same fashion.

Evolve- assume a new template. The idea of ascending to become an Aspect/Avatar of the plane's patron deity is definitely interesting, and I've sort of hinted at it in the Deities section, but I leave the details up to you.

This could very well be thought of as similar to promotion, demotion, and staying rank, but again, I haven't had a chance to give much thought to the precise mechanics involved- whether it work based off 'will saves', tie into the alignment system in some fashion, etc.

One scenario I've considered is that the balance of power between the planes is actually a doomsday device of sorts- I sort of glazed over this in the descriptions, but the idea would be that each of the Gods are growing steadily in power over time as templated petitioners, willingly or otherwise, merge with them. If and when Abaddon gets strong enough to burst It's bonds, It's going to do exactly what it did shortly after It's creation- try It's damndest to consume all the planes. And since souls are indestructable, Abbadon can't be destroyed- it can only be redeemed, and how that's supposed to be done really is anyone's guess. Some, for example, would be of the considered opinion that, while Xibalba and Ginnungagap are definitely evil, they may well be the lesser of two evils, or even that sterilising Babel, (thus making new life impossible,) might be a small price to pay to ward off the extinction of the inhabitants of other planes. When you're playing for infinite stakes, optimistic gambles become a very risky business.

But you certainly have some interesting takes on the subject, and, yeah- I'd encourage experimentation in this direction. I don't really don't want to put my foot down in favour of some 'official' interpretation here- I'm deliberately leaving a lot of things sketchy here so they can be customised to taste. If your own preferences vary from what's described, by all means go with it.

[Samurai Jill]

For whom it may concern, I'll be posting equally vague ruminations on system mechanics, appropriate to the setting, here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126353).

[Dvandemon]

*looks over thread*
So looking forward to a nice, free weekend where I have enough time to read through this :smallsmile:

[Samurai Jill]

Uh, thanks. There is a (relatively) brief summary at the top, but I still haven't thought up most of the mechanics...