Night in the Sky [World Building Project]

[Owrtho]

Well, most likely some will remember awhile back when I tried to start up the Sun Behind Night Community World Building Project. Well, that ended up not working out, but I decided to try using the basic ideas and creating a setting. Also, as I like the name, I'm calling the setting Sun Behind Night. Feedback is appreciated, though may not be heeded.
Also, a map would help if anyone would care to make one. About 2/1 land to water ratio would be preferred (also the world has a diameter approximately 1.5 times that of the earth).

Sun Behind Night

Sun Behind Night takes place in a world called Valis. The world of Valis is a natural Dyson sphere of unknown thickness. At the center rests the sun, and around the sun orbits a large floating approximately hemispherical mass known as the Night, about 1/4 of the way to the surface of Valis. The inhabitants of the world live on the inside of the surface of Valis (it should be noted there is no known outside surface). The climate of the world is similar to the earth. Magic is between medium and high level.

There are only 3 planes. These consist of the Ethereal Plane, the Plane of Shadows, and the Material Plane. In addition, the Ethereal Plane only connects to Valis during the night, and the Plane of Shadows during the day (Technically both are connected simultaneously at all times, but only one at any given location).
The Sun Behind Night setting has 13 deities. The deities for the most part reside in the Night. It is also on the Night that the equivalent of the underworld exists (though it isn't called such being over everything). It is referred to as the Caves of Night. It is here that the souled races carry out their afterlife.
However, in the Sun Behind Night cosmology, there is a limited amount of material which makes up souls. For this reason after performing their alloted time in the Caves of Night, the souls of the dead are taken by beings that serve the gods and destroyed. The raw components of their soul is then broken down into small pieces and melted together with other souls in the fires of the sun in at location known as the Midnight Sun, a spot on the night where there is a large enough hole that the sun shines through it creating an circle of daylight about a mile in diameter in the middle of the night. Once melted down, the soul material is used to forge new souls.
On occasion, small bits of soul will not be fully melted, and as such will cause vague memories and recollections when the new soul is born into the world.
Also, though rare, large portions of a soul will be overlooked when the souls are going to be melted down, and to these portions will cling beings known as the Bound. The Bound are mysterious entities of notable power trapped in the sun that wish to escape. By clinging to larger portions of soul material they can escape the sun an live in the new being that the piece of soul goes to. The bound will however be trapped in the newly forged soul. The being the soul goes to will have many memories from the life that the portion of soul was from. They will also be able to gain powers from the Bound trapped inside them. However, the bound are selfish, chaotic, and destructive, and will attempt to influence their host to be likewise.

As for the inhabitants of Valis, while there are many creatures, there are only 7 souled races. There are of course humans. The other souled races consist of the Eirilites, the Karins, and 4 others I haven't made finished or come up with yet.
Humans are of course, humans. There isn't much to explain.
Erilites look to be floating rocks, slightly larger than a human torso. Closer inspection shows that they are in fact somewhat plantlike creatures with 4 to 8 vertical sheets of rock affixed around their fragile body. Their mouth is on the top of their body, and they have an unknown number of large (at least 4 to 5 inches in diameter) eyes that can look out between any of the sheets of rock. From their bottom they can extend a large tentacle referred to as a stalk that can burrow into soil to anchor them if they wish to remain stationary and not risk being pushed around. While lacking normal limbs of any kind, they have a varying number of tendrils. Their tendrils are about an inch thick, almost invisible, bluish insubstantial prehensile tentacles that can reach about 5 feet. While insubstantial, they are able to manipulate a particular moderately common ore. For this reason, Erilite tools, weapons, armor, etc. have this ore inside of them. Also for this reason, their tools are often difficult or other races to use, as they often lack any handles or means or accessing them, as the ore is only used in the portions that need to be touched (for example a Erilite longsword lacks a handle, instead having a rod or the ore near the base core of the blade).
The Karins are a scavenging race that feed on the dead and burrow through the ground. They have a close cultural tie to death. They are also very incomplete and as such no more will be said on them at this time.


In the standard religions, any form of resurrection is seen as evil, as it calls back souls after their alloted time when they should be carrying out their afterlife and then get reforged into new souls. Necromancy however has none of the normal dark connotations. It is seen only as reusing materials.

More will be posted later. As it is I'm going to leave it here for now. I also plan to organize things somewhat better in the near future.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Alright, I'm going to start describing the races and stating them out here. One thing to note, given that there aren't many humanoids in the setting, all spells that target humanoids, instead target souled (thus Dominate Person doesn't target any humanoid but any souled creature).

Humans

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The humans of Valis are much like those of most other settings. They have formed multiple kingdoms, frequently fight wars, and in many cases are superstitious or distrustful of those they find to be different. Still most are not at war with the other races. While there are many purely human communities, there are also a number of them where they live with the other races.

Human Racial Traits

• Medium Humanoid: As medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Human base land speed is 30 feet.
• Souled: Humans possess souls. This allows them to be effected by any spell that targets souled creatures.
• 1 extra feat at first level, humans are quick to master specialized tasks and varied in their talents.
• 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each
  additional level, since humans are versatile and capable.
• Humanoid: Humans can only use armor designed for humanoids, and are treated as not being proficient with weapons made for non humanoids.
• Automatic Language: Human, Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). Humans mingle with all kinds of other folk and thus can learn any language found in an area.
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human
  takes an experience point penalty, her highest-level class
  does not count.

Erilites

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Physical Description: Erilites look to be floating rocks. The reason is because of their fragile bodies, as they grow they create a rock shell around them self. This shell tends to be in 4 to 8 vertical strips. Between the strips is where the erilite's eyes look out. Erilites have 6 eyes, each about 4 inches in diameter. These eyes are able to move freely within their body, allowing them to look out through any of the cracks between the sheets of rock. The erilite's mouth is on the top of its body. It contains a number of sharp teeth, and allows for fluent speech. From their bottom, an erilite can extend a limb referred to as a stalk. This stalk is about 6 feet in length and able to anchor into soil or grasp poles. This limb is often used when performing tasks that require the erilite remain stationary, as while able to hover, it takes only a little force to move them while they are doing so.
Erilites also have a varying number of limbs frequently referred to as tendrils. The tendrils of an erilite are somewhat unique in that they are to most things insubstantial (including other tendrils). However, there is an ore known as litus which the tendrils can touch and interact with normally. For this reason almost all erilite items contain litus. An erilite's tendrils are about 4 feet long, ¾ of an inch thick, and are transparent, but have a slight pail blue glow. This makes them more readily visible in the dark.

Personality: Erilites have rather varied personalities. They tend however to be somewhat more subdued when interacting with other races. Largely this is due to their nature making them feel more like outsiders observing than actual participants. They are however not slow to participate when the time comes.

Relations: Erilites don't have particularly bad relations with the other races. In part this is due to their nature of often taking an observers standpoint when dealing with others.

Alignment: Erilites are often neutral on at least one axis.

Erilite Lands: Erilites tend to live in rockier regions. This is due to their reliance on litus which they mine.

Religion: Coming later.

Erilite Racial Traits

• -2 Strength, +2 Charisma
• Medium Aberration: As medium creatures, erilites have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Erilite base land speed is 30 feet.
• Souled: Erilites possess souls. This allows them to be affected by any spell that targets souled creatures.
• Darkvision 60 feet.
• Hover: Erilites move around by hovering. An erilite is only able to hover up to 6 feet above solid ground. When falling, deduct 6 feet from the distance to determine fall damage. While hovering they can ignore minor penalties for difficult terrain. However, they also lack purchase. Erilites take a -4 penalty on grapples, as well as a -6 penalty to resist bull rush attempts. It also causes a -2 penalty to attack rolls. In addition, when something makes a critical hit on them, they must make a fortitude save (DC equal to the damage) or be pushed back 5 feet (this provokes an attack of opportunity).
• Stalk: As a standard action, an erilite may extend its stalk. If there is something it can grasp (such as a pole), or soil beneath the erilite, the stalk may find purchase. This causes the erilite to be unable to move, but removes the penalties from the hover ability. Retracting the stalk is a move action.
• 360° Vision: Due to an erilites ability to see in all directions, there is a 1d4 chance that any attacks by creatures that are flanking the erilite will be treated as if the creatures were not flanking the erilite.
• Rock Shell: Erilites have a +2 bonus to their natural armor from their rock shell.
• Tendrils: Erilites have a number of tendrils equal to their charisma modifier (minimum 1). These tendrils have a reach of 5 feet and may only interact with litus. While able to exersize fine control, tendrils are not particularly strong. As such a single tendril is only able to hold small objects or light weapons. Two tendrils are capable of holding a 1 handed weapon, and 4 are needed to hold a 2 handed weapon. Tendrils can only interact with objects made of litus.
• Many limbed: due to their ability to have many tendrils, an erilite is able to qualify for the multiweapon fighting feats. In addition, erilites have a +2 bonus to attacks made with their off hands, and may change which tendrils are their main hand or off hands at the start of each action.
• Automatic Language: Erilite, Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass erilite
  takes an experience point penalty, her highest-level class
  does not count.

Erilite Racial Feats
Tendrils
You have more tendrils than normal.
Prerequisites: Erilite, Cha 14
Benefit: You have 1 more tendril than you would normaly have based on you charisma.
Special:This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Erilite Equipment
Arc Blade
Martial, 3 tendril
2d4 x3 critical, slashing. 11 lbs 10 gold.
An arcblade is a type of erilite sword. It is designed to take advantage of the lack of need for a handle, and as such looks like a crescent moon with all the edges sharpened. It contains inside it either 1 long piece or 3 short pieces of litus for use as handles. It is generally used to cut in large arcs around the erilite with the crescent opening toward the erilite. Due to the lack of normal handles, only erilites can use them.

Litus gloves
1 lb, 60 silver.
A litus glove is a small tube of cloth closed on one end with rings of litus woven into it. It is designed to fit over the tendril of an erilite to allow them to manipulate things not made of litus. When worn, a litus glove allows the end of an erilites tendril to act as though it isn't insubstantial, however, it causes a -2 penalty on all skill checks and attack rolls made with the tendrils (if using multiple litus gloves, this penalty is not cumulative so remains -2).

Syphes

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Physical Description: A syphe is difficult to describe. In part because they lack a defined form. Usually a syphe will seems to be an amorphous blob that is nonetheless sinuous and of shifting colours. They are in fact living thoughts. As such they can alter their form to look however they desire, though they are usually still able to be recognized for what they are if someone tries to tell. As for if their common form is their natural one is uncertain. Some have theorized they lack a natural form and it is simply one that is easiest to maintain. One notable feature though is that syphes have a somewhat tenuous existence. Being living thoughts, how real they are to someone depends on how real that person believes them to be. Also, due to their nature syphes do not eat normal food, instead feeding on the thoughts and emotions of other races (this has only minor effects on the victims and is quickly recovered once the syphe leaves).

Personality: Syphes tend to be rather curious and are often exploring. They also tend to enjoy tricking others. Almost all syphes are wanderers.

Relations: Syphes are rarely on bad terms with other races as a whole. However, this is in large part due to most syphes being wanderers. Also syphes give off an ambiance that makes them seem to never be out of place, thus making them often get along fairly well with the local races. They do frequently get driven out after prolonged stays though due their their habits as tricksters. Their aforementioned ambiance however causes them to usually be judged on an individual basis.

Alignment: Syphes are often chaotic.

Syphe Lands: Syphes are wanderers and have no lands of their own.

Religion: Coming later.

Syphe Racial Traits

• -2 Constitution, +2 Intelligence
• Medium Fey: As medium creatures, syphes have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Syphes' base land speed is 30 feet.
• Souled: Syphes possess souls. This allows them to be affected by any spell that targets souled creatures.
• Low-light vision.
• Float: Syphes may float up to 4 feet above the ground in their natural form. A syphe is only able to float up to 4 feet above solid ground. When falling, deduct 4 feet from the distance to determine fall damage. While floating they can ignore minor penalties for difficult terrain.
• Change appearance: As a move action, a syphe may change its appearance. This does not effect its stats. It can however gain a +5 bonus to disguise checks to pretend to be something. In addition, a syphe can make itself larger or smaller. However, it gains no benefits from doing so instead only gaining the penalties. In addition, it gains a -2 penalty to constitution for each size off from medium it is.
• Never out of place: A syphe never seems out of place. The DC of any check to spot a syphe is increased by 4.
• As Real as You Believe: How real a syphe is to another creature depends on how real that creature believes a syphe to be. All creatures have a 5% change that attacks or damaging spells or abilities will fail to effect a syphe. Every time this occurs, the creature must make a will save (DC 12 + syphe's wisdom modifier), or have the miss chance increase by 5% as it begins to think the syphe less real (this can not increase mis chance above 95%). However, every time the syphe deals damage to them they may make a will save (DC 12 + syphe's wisdom modifier) to have the miss chance decrease by 5% (this cannot reduce it below 5%). However, the tenuous reality of the syphe works both ways. Any time the syphe would deal damage to a creature, they have a miss chance of the same amount that creature has for them. A syphe may use a full round action to make all creatures able to see it make a will save or have the miss chance increase by 5%.
• Silent Voice: Syphes are unable to speak normally. However, they are able to communicate as if using the spell Ghost Sound. This acts like the spell with caster level equal to their HD. This requires no components.
• Feast of Thoughts: Syphes feed on the thoughts of other souled creatures. As such they gain no nourishment from normal food. Their feeding doesn't harm the other creatures and only requires the syphe remain within 30' of the creature. It takes at least 10 hours with only 1 other souled creatures in range for a syphe to obtain a days worth of nourishment (divide 10 by the number of creatures in range to determine the how long is required). A syphe can store up to 2 weeks worth of nourishment. A syphe cannot feed on the thoughts of other syphes.
• Varying form: Being able to change forms, a syphe may use equipment designed for any race other than Erilites without penalty.
• Automatic Language: Syphe, Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Beguiler. When determining whether a multiclass syphe
  takes an experience point penalty, her beguiler class
  does not count.

Syphe Racial Feats
Feast of Fear
You are able to gain additional nourishment from creatures that are in fear.
Prerequisites: Syphe
Benefit: You gain twice as much nourishment from creatures that are shaken or further on the fear scale. Thus it only takes 5 hours for a shaken creature to provide a days worth of nourishment.

Feast of Joy
You are able to gain additional nourishment from creatures that are in happy.
Prerequisites: Syphe
Benefit: You gain twice as much nourishment from creatures that are currently gaining a moral bonus. Thus it only takes 5 hours for a creature with a moral bonus to provide a days worth of nourishment.

Feild of Fear
You are able to cause creatures near you to become afraid.
Prerequisites: Syphe, Feast of Fear
Benefit: You may give off an aura of fear. It has a range of 15 feet and may be disabled or enabled as a move action. Creatures entering the aura must make a will save (DC 15 + half your HD rounded down) or become shaken. Creatures that succeed on the save are immune for the next 6 hours.

The Fair

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Physical Description: The Fair are strange beings, many considering them to look like particularly attractive members of whatever race they are currently associating with. The truth of what they are is somewhat different.
The Fair are a race of beings consisting mainly of arms. Each fair has nine seemingly arms connected to its long thin body (about the width of an arm). Normally these arms seem to have an almost bark like brown skin, but a fair is capable of changing it to other tones with little effort. The arms are capable of moving along a fairs body as it chooses.
The Fair lack a real head or face of any kind. They are however capable of growing masks in their hands over the course of a week. The masks are fully capable of moving, displaying expression, speaking, and looking around. The mask may look however the fair desires, so usually is made to look like an attractive member of whatever race it is attempting to portray. In the case of creatures with hair, the mask often has it, but otherwise it is just the front (similar theatre mask). These masks are held in one of the fair's hands. If a fair ever drops one of its masks, the mask dies requiring it to grow a new one.
The Fair usually attempt to look like creatures they are currently interacting with. When interacting with humans, they hold a mask of a human face in one hand, use a pair of arms to mimic legs, a pair of arms to mimic arms, and the rest are wrapped around their body to make it seem as thick as a human torso. They then wear cloths to over their body except for their hands and 'face', often times wearing cloaks to better hide that their face is actually a mask.
If interacting with Erilites, the Fair usually use four arms to hold shells that look like the shell of an erilite, while they stand on an arm and have their arms other arms inside the shell holding masks that look like large eyes, or just hidden in the shell.
The Fair can't actually mimic Syphes, but they rarely see the need as Syphes are almost all travellers and have no communities of their own. They instead usually pretend to be whatever races they have the most interaction with.

Personality: The Fair tend to be tricksters. They have trouble understanding most other races or even caring (as more than one might think of a pet) for them and as such just see them as things to amuse themselves with. They are closely tied to nature, and as such will often act to protect the forests they live in. The Fair are otherwise generally greedy and selfish and prone to react poorly to people who express less than good opinions of them.

Relations: The Fair have dubious relations with most races. Most of other races don't realize the Fairs' true forms, and instead think of them as powerful beautiful beings. They are generally also somewhat feared due to their strange mindset. It is even uncertain if their name comes from people thinking they are beautiful or just fear of the retribution it could bring to call them something that they might take as an insult.
Note: when talking about the race, the Fair is always has 'the' and has a capital 'F'. When talking about individual members of the race they are just called fair, and is not capitalized.

Alignment: The Fair are often chaotic or neutral.

The Fair Lands: The Fair live mostly in forests or other wild areas.

Religion: Coming later.

Fair Racial Traits

• +2 Strength, -2 Constitution, +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom
• Medium Fey: As medium creatures, the Fair have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• A fair's base land speed is 30 feet. The Fair also have a climb speed of 15 feet
• Souled: The Fair possess souls. This allows them to be affected by any spell that targets souled creatures.
• Low-light vision.
• 9 arms: The Fair have 9 arms. As such they can wield more than 2 weapons and is able to qualify for the multiweapon fighting feats. A fair may not wield weapons in hands that are currently being used to walk or are holding masks.
• Grow Mask: A fair is capable of growing a mask in any of their hands. This mask may look however the fair desires. Growing a mask takes one week. After being grown, the fair always holds the mask in that hand. If the mask is ever dropped it dies and becomes useless. A mask made this way is able to see and eat if it has eyes and a mouth respectively. It is able move, speak, etc. like a real face. An arm holding a mask may not be used for walking.
• Camouflage (Ex): A fair is able to change the colour of its skin as a move action. As such it gains a +5 bonus to hide checks when in forests or other wild areas. If not using its impersonate ability this bonus is +10 instead.
• Impersonate (Ex): A fair may impersonate corporeal creatures of the same size category as itself other than syphes. If using an an appropriate mask it gains a +10 bonus to disguise checks to appear as a member of that race. A fair may make a mask of a specific member of a race if they know the person well or are able to see their face at least once each day up close for the week they grow the mask. If they do so they gain a +10 to disguise checks to appear as that specific person. This does not stack with the bonus for appearing as a member of that race. A fair must use the appropriate number of limbs when using the ability or it loses the bonus. Appropriate clothing is needed for this ability to work.
• Glamour (Su): A fair has the ability to produce minor illusions to aid in its pretending to be another race. Once per day as a standard action a fair may use this ability if currently using its impersonate ability. When using glamour, the fair alters the perception of those viewing it to believe more fully in the disguise and fill in parts that are lacking. This even goes so far to alter tactile perception and make it feel like the illusion is real. As a result the fair may look fully like a member of the race it intends to impersonate and gains a further +10 bonus on disguise checks benefiting from the impersonate ability and it does not require appropriate clothing. While the glamour lacks any true duration limit, it is tied to the impersonate ability, and if the fair ever ceases to keep up its impersonation the glamour automatically ends.
• Automatic Language: the Fair Speech, Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
• Favored Class: Druid

The Fair Racial Feats
Extra Glamour
You are may use your glamour an additional time per day.
Prerequisites: Fair
Benefit: You gain an additional daily use of you glamour ability.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times. Its effects stack.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Reserved for details cosmology.

Why it is considered important for souls to be reforged.
While in part the reforging of souls is important to make the fresh for new beings being born, there is a more important reason. When the souls are being reforged, the experiences, emotions, etc. that are etched in them are in part released. These things help to pacify and nourish the Bound trapped in the sun. This is of import as while the Bound are trapped in the sun, they are also the source of its power, and were they to become too fierce in their attempts to escape, or too weak from lack of sustenance, they may escape and wreck havoc on the world. It is worth noting that when a Bound escapes by being forged into a soul this is not an overly huge problem, as it is still trapped due to the nature of the souls, and the slight reduction in power it provides is offset by its absence requiring less power to maintain the prison. Further in the long run there are never too many Bound loose in this manner compared to the number trapped still in the sun and they eventually return anyway. In some ways it can be beneficial, as while trapped in a soul, the destruction a Bound may cause is greatly reduced, but it has a greater pacifying and nourishing effect for the Bound than the normal forging of souls. Thus it is thought by some that these 'escapes' are actually part of an important cycle to keep the Bound in check.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Classes and other stuff.

The Twilight Caster, a spell caster focussing on drawing power from the two transitive planes may be found here. Twilight casters are one of the main types of casters in the setting.

Owrtho

[Apropos]

I'm not hugely interested in this setting, mostly because it lacks humanoid races other than humans. But one thing that came to mind, you said that necromancy isn't scorned in this setting. It doesn't quite make sense because there are a limited amount of souls and if these souls are used for one individual's purposes, and not to create new life, wouldn't that mess with the cycle of "reincarnation"?

Not only that, but on a more ethical standpoint, if people knew that the souls of their brothers and mothers were being abused like that, if only in part, wouldn't they still be angry?

I don't know, maybe I'm just tired and misread something.

[Owrtho]

Actually I just went and took out the thing about no other humanoids. I realized it wouldn't quite make sense in some ways. Also a number of the creatures in DnD are humanoid. As it is, there won't be things like elves, Dwarves etc. but other humanoids will exist (just not among the 7 races).

As for the issue of necromancy. The reason it isn't considered an issue is because necromancy doesn't effect the soul (at least most of it. Things like resurrection do and are considered horrible). However, most necromancy only makes use of the bodies left behind. For the most part they aren't doing anything to the souls. Also, in this setting things will be changed somewhat so that all healing magic will be considered necromancy like it should be.
Mind as individuals people still might get a little angry about someone stealing their loved ones corpse to use for necromancy, but in general it isn't seen as an evil art, and most people who need dead bodies will bargain with the family of the corpse for it rather than just taking it.

I'll also not that there isn't reincarnation. Reincarnation would just be reusing the souls after death. The cycle here actually destroyed the existing souls and mixes there matter with other ones to create brand new souls.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Added the Erilites. Feedback on their stats would be appreciated.
Edit: Added the ability modifiers I forgot for the Erilites.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Added Syphes, the third race. As a basic summery, they're living thoughts.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

I posted a few racial feats and some erilite equipment. Also added the forgotten Syphe ability of feeding on thoughts. Feedback would be appreciated.

Owrtho

[Owrtho]

Well, there hasn't ever been much interest in this thread, but even so I'm continuing to work on it. I've added the fourth race, which is the Fair. The Fair are designed to fill a role somewhat similar to elves, or more specifically a role similar to fey in traditional folklore. They are tricksters for the most part, unable to understand the other races particularly well so seeing them as little more than entertainment. They also may seem fairly creepy to some people.
I'm going to make a few changes to the syphe as well soon. Mainly in that they will be changed to more specifically being thoughts of fear. This won't change their personality, or culture, but will have some impact on fluff and their racial feats.

Also, for those that may be concerned about thread necromancy, I got permission from Roland St. Jude prior to posting this.

Owrtho

[druidor]

I just wanted to point out, this setting is awesome; there just aren't enough totally inhuman races in standard d&d.

[Strormer]

I find your setting interesting, especially how you've chosen to follow the cosmology so intensely, but outside of the lack of planar travel and the innate physical differences of a concave plane rather than a convex one, would this setting really play that differently from any other.
How about this: do people who are still alive have any means to travel to night. If ressurection magic is considered evil (I love that) then perhaps wanting to save your loved one before they are dismantled and reforged could be an entire quest. Also, could there possibly be a particularly tenacious soul that continues to assert itself even after it's been reforged, creating a recurring boss no matter how many times the PC's kill him, but always different in fundamental ways. There's a lot of white space on here right now that I think needs filling in before I'll jump at this setting, but I'd be glad to offer my two cents if you'd like.

[Owrtho]

Well, I've finally gotten around to doing a little more work on this setting. It also seems there has been new feedback. That said, first I'll make note of some of the changes.

Fixed some typos I noticed in various posts.

Added the glamour ability to the fair, which helps to deal with an issue that had been bugging me for a while (mainly that their impersonating seemed like it would be fairly poor in actual execution for many situations). Also added a racial feat to go with it. Still, I don't think the ability is itself overly powerful due to its fairly limited nature.

Added a section about why the souls being forged is important. Later this week I may add some basic info about the gods, as well as some info about resurrection and reaching the caves of night.

I just wanted to point out, this setting is awesome; there just aren't enough totally inhuman races in standard d&d.

Glad you like it so far. I agree that D&D could use more inhuman races.

I find your setting interesting, especially how you've chosen to follow the cosmology so intensely, but outside of the lack of planar travel and the innate physical differences of a concave plane rather than a convex one, would this setting really play that differently from any other.

Well, to be honest I have speculated how the setting would most easily be fit into a larger cosmology if someone were to insist on it. That said, it generally would go along the lines of the setting being a prison for the Bound that is fairly complex, has numerous effects to prevent things from entering or leaving, and has been moved into the Far Realms to further discourage people from trying to get in. That said, I prefer to keep it stand alone. As for how it would play, I expect that largely depends on the DM and players as it does for most any setting. However, some things that would noticeably be different are that spells that draw on the plane of shadows only function during the day, while those that use the ethereal plane only function at night. You can't just resurrect dead party members, and the races are fairly different and don't mind necromancers. To name a few off hand.

How about this: do people who are still alive have any means to travel to night. If ressurection magic is considered evil (I love that) then perhaps wanting to save your loved one before they are dismantled and reforged could be an entire quest. Also, could there possibly be a particularly tenacious soul that continues to assert itself even after it's been reforged, creating a recurring boss no matter how many times the PC's kill him, but always different in fundamental ways. There's a lot of white space on here right now that I think needs filling in before I'll jump at this setting, but I'd be glad to offer my two cents if you'd like.

Glad you like the resurrection being considered evil. As for reaching the night, it is possible though difficult. For one thing one can't go directly there, as the innate magic of the setting causes the space between the surface and the night/sun to extend too far to be crossed. That said this doesn't quite apply to the transitive planes. The details of which would require travelling through both in order to reach the night, though the actual order I've been debating on.

Also you could have a villain like that, though they'd be fairly large period between each form. That said, they'd also likely have a Bound in them which are known for their chaotic and destructive impulses.

Anyway advice and feedback is always welcome.

Owrtho