Leather_Book_Wizard's Campaign Setting!

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Ok, I am new to creating worlds and such, but here is what I've got.

World:
The name of the world is Kano'osar(will probably change the name). It is much like Earth.The playable races are: Elf, Human, Halfling,Dwarf,Gnome,Half-Elf,Gnork,and Mudman.
If anyone has any suggestions,feel free! THis is a work in progress and will be continually updated.
PROLOGUE STORY: 2 great Warlords fight each other, one calling himself good, the other calling himself evil. The entire world is their battlefield, and their fighting threatens to destroy everything. Desperate,the people call out to the gods. A nimbus of light surrounds the Warlords and they dissapear, banished to Limbo. The gods had granted the people's request.
THE RACES:
Elves live in Alfheim Forest where they idle away their days dancing, feasting, and gaming. They consider themselves above the "lesser" races, and they delight in shaping the world around them. They are angry at the dwarves for tunneling beneath their forest, considerring it tresspassing. They elves have a monarchy, in which the queen has greater authority than the king.


Humans live in a kingdom, surrounded on all sides except one by the Nidavellar Mountains,home of the dwarves. Humans are ruled by the royal family, a wise,venerable king in a fragile state of health and his vain,egotistical wife. Humans have the shortest lifespan of all the races and it is most often humans who cause the major conflicts of the world.


Halflings are a Nomadic people, every one of them afflicted with wanderlust. They wander through all races' territory, and are tolerated, if not welcome. Halfling women can often tell the future by gong into a trance. Halflings are skilled at weaving, and many are cloth merchants.


Dwarves live in the Nidaveelar Mountains, where they spend their days in toil. Mining, forging, gem-cutting, these are the dwarf's art. The dwarves have no great love for other races, are fond of good food and drink, and are usually gruff and solemn.


Gnomes live in a highly advanced seaport city. They are the most technologically minded of all races and build large, flashy inventions. They have a king, but he does little.They are excellent sailors,and trade in fish. They hate Mudmen, and get along well with halflings and dwarves.


Gnorks live underground,in a series of caverns and tunnels.They are the original inhabitants of the land, but were driven underground when the other races arrived. Gnorks live in the earth,the source of magic,and so the magic gives them great strength.Few choose the path of a mage,however,because they lack moonlight to control the earth's chaotic energy.Gnorks are especially resistant to certain types of magic however. They are masters of warfare, and are full of jealousy and hatred.one day, they plan to return to the surface and slaughter the other races in an epic battle.


Mudmen are strange creatures of living mud that call the Swamps of Balupe' home. Not much is
known about these mysterious creatures.

RACIAL TRAITS FOR GNORK AND MUDMAN:
Mudman Racial Traits:
-2 to Dexterity, +2 to Cha. Mudmen stumble and shuffle along, and are not at all nimble. They are very pleasant creatures,and get along well with all people.

+2 racial bonus on Knowledge(nature) checks. Mudmen live in harmony with the natural world and know much about it.

Medium. As medium creatures, mudmen have no special bonuses of penalties to their size.

Mudman base land speed is 20ft.

+3 racial bonus to all Diplomacy or Gather Information checks made against creatures with the earth subtype. Mudmen have a kinship with earthen creatures.

+1 racial bonus to saving throws against Necromancy and Enchantment spells. Mudmen consider Necromancy a vile,unnatural art. They also have no great love of Enchanment spells, considering the ability to force others to do your will unsavory.

Low-Light Vision. A mudman can see twice as far as a human in moonlight, starlight, torchlight, and other conditions of poor illumination.

Favored Class: Sorcerer. Magic is part of the mudman culture, and the talent for sorcery is common among them.

Gnork Racial Traits:

+2 to Constitution, +2 to Strength, -2 to Intelligence, -2 to Charisma. Gnorks are both hardy and strong, but years of uncivilized living underground have dulled their wits and made them grim and inhospitable.

Large. (I forget what the bonuses and penalties for Large are.)

Gnork base land speed is 30ft.

Darkvision. Gnorks can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is only black and white,but is otherwise is exactly like normal vision. Gnorks live underground, and can function just fine with no light at all.

+ 3 to all saves against spells and spell-like abilities. Gnorks live within the earth, the source of magical energy, and have become resistant to the power of magic.

+ 1 racial bonus to attacke rolls against Elves, Humans, Gnomes, and Kobolds. Gnorks hate these creatures above all others.


Favored Class: Barbarian.





OTHER STUFF:
1.There are gods and they grant spells.
2. Arcane magic comes from the earth,which supplies the energy and the moon, which gives mortals the power to control the energy.All arcane spells cast during a full moon get a +1 to the effective caster level. All arcane spells cast during a new moon get a -1 to the effective caster level.
3. The world has a Medieval feel to it mostly. There is some technoloy,mostly made by gnomes.
4. All mages above third level wishing to continue advancing in the art must pass a test, administered by the 9 Master Mages. The test consists of accomplishing a difficult task through the use of magic and is designed to make sure that magic is not abused. All clerics above third level must prove their devotion to their Deity or alignment. The clerics test is administered by the Nine Master Priests and is generally much easier than a mage's test.
5. Mage's are free to use magic as they like, as long as they follow they Laws of Magic as set down by the Nine Master Mages. If the mage breaks the laws of magic, the Nine Masters will send a high-ranking mage to hunt down the renegade.The mage charged with breaking the laws of magic will appeal his case before the Nine Masters.If he is found guilty he will not be permitted to use magic for a temporary period, never be allowed to use magic again, or, in extreme cases, the renegade will be executed.
__________________

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

NEW PRESTIGE CLASS
Master Mage
Requirements
Skills : Knowledge(arcana) 15 ranks, Spellcraft 15 ranks, Concentration 15 ranks
Feats: Skill Focus (Spellcraft)
Spells: Ability to cast 7th level arcane spells, knowledge of 7 or more 5th level spells from at least five schools.
Special: Must have defeated a reigning master mage, or voted in by the council of Master mages.(There can only be 9 master mages at one time.)
Game Rule Information
Hit Die: d4

Alignment: any

BAB : Poor
FORT : Poor
REF : Poor
WILL: Good

CLASS SKILLS : The class skills for the Master Mage (and the key ability for each skill) are: Concentration(CON), Craft (INT), Decipher Script (INT), Knowledge(all) (INT), Profession(WIS), Search(INT), Use Magic Device(INT), Sleight of Hand (DEX), and Spellcraft(INT)
Skill points at first level : 4+Int modifier x 4
Skill points at each additional level: 4+Int modifier
Special Abilities
1. Master of Arcane Lore, Laws of Magic, Turn Magical Beasts,Spell Resistence
2. Strength of the Mind
3.
4. Sever the flow of Mana
5. Bonus Feat
6.
7. The Magic is my Weapon
8.
9.
10. Bonus feat
11.
12.
13.
14. Favor of the Earth and Moon
15. Bonus Feat
16.
17.
18.
19.
20. Bonus Feat, Call the Moon

Master of Arcane Lore (Ex) : A Master Mage is a master of all arcane lore and gains a +2 competence bonus on all Knowledge(arcana) and Spellcraft checks.The bonus increases by to at every third level. During a full moon, the bonus increase by one and during a new moon it decreases by one.

Laws of Magic(Ex) : A Master Mage is an enforcer of the laws of magic. He gains a +5 bonus to damage rolls for spells made against renegade mages. A Master Mage who breaks one of the laws of magic loses all class features. A Master Mage can atone for his betreyal of the magic by completing a special( usually dangerous) quest asigned by the other masters or by use of the cleric spell Atonement. A Master Mage who has atoned for his actions regains all his class features and abilities.

Turn Magical Beasts : A Master Mage can turn magical beasts as a cleric turns undead.

Spell Resistence : A Master Mage gains spell resistence against arcane magic equal to the character's class level + Int Mod + moon bonus.


Strength of the Mind (Su) : Twice per day as a standard action, the Master Mage can apply his Intelligence modifier to hit rolls.

Sever the Flow of Mana(Su) : A number of times per day equal to 1+Int modifier+moon bonus, the Master mage can remove a renegade wizard's ability to cast spells from either the Evocation,Conjuration, or Necromancy schools for 3d6 rounds.

Bonus Feat : At 5th,10th,15th, and 20th level, the Master Mage gains a Metamagic, Item creation, or Spell Mastery as a bonus feat.

The Magic is my Weapon (Su) : A number of times per day equal to one + Int modifier+moon bonus, the Master Mage can sacrifice a weapon in order to spontaneously cast an Evocation,Abjuration,or Transmutation spell of 5th level of less.

Favor of the Earth and Moon (Su) : A 14th level Master Mage no longer takes penalties to his spells and abilities during a new moon.

Call the Moon (Su) : At 20th level, a Master Mage can call the moon to earth to use its power. You must succeed on a Knowledge(arcana) check (DC 25), followed by a Spellcraft check (DC 30), and finally a Concentration check (DC 35). All spells cast within a 30 ft. area of the Moon gain a +10 bonus to their save DC's and duration. In addition ,by succeeding on a Knowledge( arcana) check (DC 45), you can ask the Moon to perform one great magical act that will not to more than 1 hour to accomplish.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

New Base Class : Hammer Swinger

DESCRIPTION:Hammer Swingers are people who spend their days in toil,swinging hammers in the hot sun all day.But the hammer swinger is much more than a common laborer.A hammer swinger learns to use his hammer in ways a normal man cannot.The earth itself shakes beneath the might of a hammer swinger!Some are content to live laborer's lives,but some become great adventurers.
Hit Die:8
Class Skills:Climb (Str), Craft (all skills, taken separately) (Int), Jump (Str), Knowledge (Architecture and Engineering) (Int), Profession (Wis), Use Rope (Dex).

WEAPON AND ARMOR PROFFICIENCY:The Hammer Swinger is proficient with all hammers and all light armor and shields(Except tower shields)
Base Fort Ref Will
Level Attack Bonus Save Save Save Special
1st +1 +2 +1 +0 Hammer focus
2nd +2 +3 +2 +0 Throw hammer 10 ft.
3rd +3 +3 +2 +1 Toil
4th +4 +4 +3 +1 Hammer specialization
5th +5 +4 +3 +1 Demoralizing clang
6th +6/+1 +5 +3 +2 Ring of the hammer
7th +7/+2 +5 +4 +2
8th +8/+3 +6 +4 +2 Head crack
9th +9/+4 +6 +5 +3 Wrath of the furnace
10th +10/+5 +7 +5 +3 Throw hammer 20 ft.
11th +11/+6/+1 +7 +5 +3 Thor's Hammer
12th +12/+7/+2 +8 +6 +4
13th +13/+8/+3 +8 +6 +4 Unstoppable force
14th +14/+9/+4 +9 +7 +4 Triple Hammer Fury
15th +15/+10/+5 +9 +7 +5 Pulverize
16th +16/+11/+6/+1 +10 +7 +5
17th +17/+12/+7/+2 +10 +8 +5
18th +18/+13/+8/+3 +11 +8 +6 Throw hammer 30 ft.
19th +19/+14/+9/+4 +11 +9 +6 Surface of anvil
20th +20/+15/+10/+5 +12 +9 +6 Quake



Hammer Focus (Ex): A hammer swinger gains benefits of weapon focus feat with all hammers he is proficient with. This bonus stacks with the feat, should the hammer swinger also have it.

Throw Hammer (Ex): Every hammer wielded by the hammer swinger has range increment of 10 ft. This increment improves to 20 ft. at 10th level and to 30 ft. at 18th level.

Toil (Ex): Hammer swingers spend their life doing menial works for most of the day. A 3rd level hammer swinger gains +4 bonus on saves against fatigue and exhaustion.
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Hammer Specialization (Ex): A hammer swinger gains benefits of weapon specialization feat with all hammers he is proficient with. This bonus stacks with the feat, should the hammer swinger also have it.

Demoralizing Clang (Ex): By hitting a shield with a hammer and looking at the enemy as a standard action, a 5th level hammer wielder can instill fear within a single foe up to 30 ft. away. The creature must make Will save (DC 10 + hammer swinger's Intimidate modifier) or suffer effects of fear spell for 2 rounds. Any creature that makes a successful Will save against demoralizing clang becomes immune to it for 24 hours.

Ring of the Hammer: By striking his shield with a hammer,the hammer swinger makes a cheerful ringing sound that inspires courage in his allies.This works like the bard ability, Inspire Courage,except it lasts 3 round instead of 5.

Head Crack (Ex): Whenever a creature suffers critical hit from a hammer swinger's hammer, it is also dazed for 1d4 rounds.

Wrath of the Furnace (Su): A 9th level hammer swinger can bind a fire elemental to his hammer to cause destruction. By taking 1d6 points of fire damage as a standard action, a hammer swinger infuses a hammer he wields with fire energy, granting it flaming quality for 1 minute.

Thor's Hammer (Su): A number of times per day equal to 3 + hammer swinger's Con modifier, he can deal electricity damage instead of bludgeoning damage with any hammer.

Unstoppable Force (Ex): Attacks made with hammers by a 13th level hammer swinger ignore shield bonus to AC.

Triple Hammer Fury(Ex): Whenever the hammer swinger makes a full attack action while wielding a hammer, he gains 2 bonus attacks with full attack bonus. WHenever the hammer swinger makes an attack as a standard action with a hammer, he can make two attacks instead, but the extra attack is made with a -5 penalty.


Pulverize (Ex): A 15th level hammer swinger learns about weak points of metals and other hard materials. His attacks with hammers ignore hardness.

Surface of Anvil (Ex): A 19th level hammer swinger can break weapons with his hammer as easily as if those weapons were lying on an anvil. He gain +10 bonus on sunder attempts.


Quake (Su): A 20th level hammer swinger can cause havoc and devastation by striking ground with a magic hammer as a standard action. Area within 100 ft. suffers effects of earthquake spell, and in addition every creature touching ground in the area (except the hammer swinger) suffers 20d6 points of sonic damage. This ability can be used once per day.

[Umarth]

How big is this world? Reading the description it sounds like it's only a couple hundred square miles.

Where do the elves, mudmen, and Halflings fit in?

What are the stats/racial abilities on mudmen and Gnork?

What races are the nine master mages/clerics? How do they set the laws of magic and why do they have the ability to do so?

The Master Mage prestige class doesn't seem to fit the standard PrC rules since PrC are normally (pre epic) 3, 5, or 10 level classes. If these casters are able to completely dominate every single other casting character in the world it also seems like they should be more powerful.

The Magic is my Weapon (Su): Does any old rusty dagger work for this ability?

Call the Moon (Su): Wouldn't calling the moon to your physical location smush you? Also what sort of things can a large stellar body really do for you?

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

How big is this world? Reading the description it sounds like it's only a couple hundred square miles.

I haven't really decided yet.

Where do the elves, mudmen, and Halflings fit in?

What do you mean by this?

What are the stats/racial abilities on mudmen and Gnork?

I will post these soon

What races are the nine master mages/clerics? How do they set the laws of magic and why do they have the ability to do so?

The Nine Masters can be of any race.They set the laws of magic like congress sets our laws and they have the ability to do so because they are Master Mages.

The Magic is my Weapon (Su): Does any old rusty dagger work for this ability?

Pretty much,yeah.

Call the Moon (Su): Wouldn't calling the moon to your physical location smush you? Also what sort of things can a large stellar body really do for you?

No,not in my world. And the Moon controls the flow of the magical energy from Earth,so it can do all sort of things. Think of it as a king of uber Wish.

[knightsaline]

you need to fix the hammer swingers table. its really hard to read

i can see master mages carrying around a ton of daggers without enchantment bonuses, just to use their my magic is my weapon ability

[Umarth]

I was asking where in your world do halflings and the other races live? You talk about a few races and where they live but the others seem to be just floating arround no where specific.

Is the moon intelligent? When you summon it down does it disappear from the sky?

The Nine Masters can be of any race.They set the laws of magic like congress sets our laws and they have the ability to do so because they are Master Mages.

What gives them this ability though? Did the earth or the moon say "Lo and let there be 9 Master Mages" and there where and it was good? Also what happens if they disagree?

I also have a hard time understanding why someone who is suddenly the be all and end all of magic needs to spend 20 class levels learning how to do that. To me this seems more like a template that you should add rather than a class you level up in.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

I was asking where in your world do halflings and the other races live? You talk about a few races and where they live but the others seem to be just floating arround no where specific.

Actually,it says where the elves and mudmen live. Alfheim Forest and the Swamps of Balupe',respectively. And halflings don't really live anywhere,they just roam around.

Is the moon intelligent? When you summon it down does it disappear from the sky?

The Moon isn't exactly intelligent. It doesn't speak or eat or anything,but it has a kind of will. When you call the moon to earth, it leaves behind a kind of "shadow",that looks like the moon and gives light,but doesn't give bonuses or penalties to magic.

What gives them this ability though? Did the earth or the moon say "Lo and let there be 9 Master Mages" and there where and it was good? Also what happens if they disagree?

The Master Mages were the idea of the gods to help keep mortals from abusing magic. It is completely voluntary and a Master Mage is either voted in by the others or becomes one after defeating a Master in a battle.

I also have a hard time understanding why someone who is suddenly the be all and end all of magic needs to spend 20 class levels learning how to do that. To me this seems more like a template that you should add rather than a class you level up in.

I don't know how to make a template.And I don't particualy want to,either.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Fixed the hammer swinger's table.

[sigurd]

Do you intend the Master Mage to go into Epic levels?

Your entry requirement of 15 Arcana, Spellcraft and Concentration, besides requiring 45 skill points to achieve, means that the entrant must be at least 12 level.

Your class design would carry the player to 33rd level. Do you think that will happen?

Sigurd

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Well,the master mages govern over arcane magic,so I reckon they'd be pretty darn powerful,don't you?

[Umarth]

But they are a 33rd level non-epic. So any 20th level mage 13th level epic mage owns them with epic spells.

Also you don't have any sort of spell progression listed for your master mages. I'm assuming they have one?

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Yes.It gives full caster progression.

[Umarth]

Which is what exactly from levels 20-33?

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Every level gained in Master Mage gives +1 to an existing spellcasting class.

[Mauril Everleaf]

The overall flavor of this world is nice, but i dont really see anything ever happening in it. Sure there is a little tension between the races, but that come inherent from being seprate races. there is no BBEG or BGG defined, and any new one that pops up would be sequestered by the gods like the last ones. so if you are aiming for some small time mini-campaigns against local annoyances, this is great, but it is want for any sort of extended, epic campaigns due to the lack of big forces that could be any real threat.

[Mauril Everleaf]

in any homebrew world that i have created (or have been a part of creating) i made sure to have a several thousand year history of the world so that it backs up any sort of long standing tradition that affects the players and explains why ruins and artifacts exist. i also make sure to have a complete description of each race, with location and temperment, as well as anything dealing with their culture (music, literacy, fighting styles, use of magic, gods, who they get along with and why, etc.). then i decide who the BBEG is going to be and why he is going to do what he is going to do, how he is going to go about doing it, and i usually include some reason why the gods dont justs blast him out of existance (this is usually solved by a diverse pantheon with an ambivelant head god who just wants to see what happens when his creations do what they do). also, if im going to make some sort of uber, world-controlling group, i dont allow it as a player class. thats what npcs are for, pcs are there to save the world. or, alternately, if i do allow them to be one of the world-controlling powers, i let them be any of the world controlling powers, good, neutral, evil, chaotic, lawful. so if you are going to let them be one of the 9 mages, they also have to be one of the 9 clerics, or one of whatever your as yet unidentified BBEG is.
so while this world is great on rough flavor and is a good springboard for campaign setting material, it lacks any sort of mechanic for having a purpose in the questing beyond minor skirmishes and side quests. But thats my personal opinion, coming from my experience in world creation, not anything that should be treated as scripture or from a professional campaign/world designer.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

I am still working on this world.Give me time.There will be a BBEG.

[Mauril Everleaf]

I figured that it was still a work in progress (if it wasnt you wouldnt want our help on deciding what to do with it, it would just be finished). As you probably already know, the Giant has some articles on how to do all of this which are really good. Specifically on how to make your BBEG have depth, rather than just being the stereotypical power-hungry, world-domineering evil guy. Any ideas as to what you plan on doing for campaign setting (not world, but setup for players)?

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

No, I don't really know what the setup for the PC's is gonna be yet. I'm working on the BBEG currently.

[Mauril Everleaf]

Well, personally, when working on the campaign setting, i make the major plot moving npcs (bbeg, bgg, party accessible npcs) then figure out what they have to do with each other, then why they need the pcs. then i make a couple major henchmen for the bbeg. then i design "career tracks" for my pcs, based on alignments. usually i have one or two lines that i want to usher them along, with allowances to chose any of the other lines. currently, my campaign has 6 tracks, and am working on at least 3 more. 2 for good, 1 for neutral, 3 for evil, and one each for Law, Neutral and Chaos. then i map the first couple of missions (the basic level gaining missions so that they can get enough power to do more than kill kobolds), then i put a storyboard up for each track, outlining the major stop points. i also figure in a dozen or so sidequests to keep players from the monotony of hunting the bbeg all the time.
also, if you havent dm'd before, you need to figure out how you want your pcs to start. do you want to give them a prologue that tells them everything they need to know to start the main quest immediately? would you rather them stumble around for a bit trying to figure out what is going on? do you want them to start in a town or elsewhere? do the pcs even know each other beforehand? these are all important.
personally, my MO is to have the pcs answer some sort of vague summons, each for their own personal reasons, and they all arrive on the same ship at the same small town. they may or may not have a weapon, but definitely no armor, but plenty of gold. let them do what they want in town, but kinda push them toward meeting the head honcho of the town (do this via npc interactions in taverns/stores/etc.) give them the quests and let them go. if they havent stopped to get armor yet, have the head honcho offer them a discount at the store or something and if they have, up the reward some to compensate.
for me and my players, this opens up with plenty of role play, but enough script to get things moving. its all up to your tastes and what your players will respond best to. the important thing is to make sure that your players are being involved or otherwise engaged, otherwise they dont have fun.
let me know when you have a plot line or something similar, and ill be happy to run it over with my players, and see what they think too.
good luck.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Added mudman and gnork racial traits.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

I'm planning on having the PC's called to the castle by the dying king and sent on the mission. Either that or they meet in an Inn,but that's so hackneyed. I mean, in every adventure you expect to hear;"You are sitting around at an Inn."

[Mauril Everleaf]

yeah, but the sitting around the inn can make for a homey feel. set up two beginnings, one for each option. heck, in my campaign, i have 7 starting options with 4 major plot treks, and im working on adding more. the summoning to the king is a great one though. i would also consider sending out a mercenary call and telling them that they all responded for one reason or another (let them decide their reasons), making all of them locals is also fun.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

That's what I was planning on doing. The BBEG is in cahoots with the King's wife, so she's gonna tell the BBEG about the PCs.

[Mauril Everleaf]

that is good, although it does create the age old problem of "the bbeg is all powerful and knows the pcs are trying to stop him but he doesnt kill them, even just to be safe". it makes for interesting plot twists, but creates a logical failure. i try to make my bbegs in the dark as long as possible about the pcs before i "reveal" to him what they are doing, usually at a point where his second of three henchmen is downed. (in my current campaign, the reason he doesnt know is that he is currently banished to the abyss, and his minions are trying to bust him out). im not trying to derail or rewrite your campaign for you, just giving you some mental fodder.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

the BBEG happens to be a Neutral Evil Wizard 10/ Cleric of Vecna 4

[Mauril Everleaf]

so this is going to be a lowish level campaign? the bbeg in mine is soul reaper 15/necromancer 17. soul reaper is a homebrew class of mine thats really hard to get, but is awesome. his weapon alone does 6d8 +4 +all of his level, strength and buffing mods. and thats on a normal hit.

knowing the above post helps me better know how to advise you on building.

[Leather_Book_Wizard]

Yeah, this is my first time running a campaign, so I thought it'd be better to start at low levels.