The Magistrate Council (Community Project) - World Building

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Just so you know Jory, Grumman's Kobold is my name for them, that isn't an official thing. I decided to have both types of Kobold, and therefore I needed make them different name-wise so people wouldn't be confused. ((as both were just called Kobolds.)) therefore, I came up with a backstory for them, with Grumman being a well known Kobold hero from long ago. ((not going into it now lol.))

[Chevaleresse]

Here's the short version on shardminds from the sourcebooks:

Basically, they're sentient collections of crystal, held together with psionic power. In the 4e flavor, they're fragments of the Living Gate, the thing that kept all the Far Realm nasties out of the mundane world. (i.e., beholders, illithids, and their ilk) They made pretty good wizards, sorcerers, and other arcane classes, because they had high natural intelligence, willpower, and charisma. I figured that in this 'verse, they'd be more magical than psionic. Not sure if you want them to be naturally occurring or created intentionally.

Warforged are pretty much intelligent golems. They're sentient with strong soldierly tendencies, and they have equivalents to muscles, veins, and some internal organs (though they don't have any biological needs like air or food.) 3rd edition had several varieties that varied in intelligence and size (there was a giant one that had no intelligence and needed a pilot iirc) while 4e just had the humanoid race. They originated in the Eberron setting as soldiers made for the Great War. They had individual personalities and all that, basically they were a normal race, but they were made in creation forges. I figure that they would either be left behind by the old civilization and generally align with the tech civilization, or they were just plain created by the tech civilization.

[Flux]

All right. Since it seems that everyone who is going to answer these has, let's move on. I suppose the Shardminds/Warforged are the next thing in question in this topic, so how about these questions:

Should we add Shardminds as a race in the world?

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

If unplayable, how common should they be, and will they be hostile to players?

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the mages of the past?

If they are unplayable, should they be able to speak to players?

Should we add the Warforged as a race in the world?

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

If unplayable, how common should they be, and will they be hostile to players?

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the artificers of the past?

If they are unplayable, should they be able to speak to players?

[Chevaleresse]

Should we add Shardminds as a race in the world?

I think they'd fit in perfectly, though that should be obvious.

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

I'm on the fence about this.

If unplayable, how common should they be, and will they be hostile to players?

I think shardminds should be fairly rare but otherwise act like normal sentients, i.e. some should be hostile, some beneficent, and most fairly neutral, pursuing their own goals.

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the mages of the past?

I'd like to think of them as arising naturally from magical energies with the Warforged as an imitation.

If they are unplayable, should they be able to speak to players?

Yes, though as I said above they should be uncommon.

Should we add the Warforged as a race in the world?

Same as above.

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

Again, on the fence. I'm personally a fan of having all races in the world that aren't blatantly OP or Always Chaotic Evil be available to players, but I don't know what others think. Ask Hukuna.

If unplayable, how common should they be, and will they be hostile to players?

They should be rare, but not as rare as shardminds. If there was a reason in the history for them to be mass-produced, they should be more in the "somewhat uncommon" area, like elves in many high-fantasy settings. (i.e. large numbers that often make contact with other races, but still unusual.) They'd probably be more likely to be hostiles than shardminds due to the fact that they are soldiers (though you might change that with their gloss in this story, idk) by nature, but still be mostly like other humanoids.

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the artificers of the past?

I think so.

If they are unplayable, should they be able to speak to players?

Of course.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Keep in mind Murdoc, Illithids were playable at one point in Graterras's early iterations. ((I only considered since mine are so different from their normal counterparts, but I decided players would just play them like the old version anyway, so I decided it wasn't worth it in the end.))

Also, I will get around to the questions, thinking them over at the moment, so I need some time.

[Aurorix]

Should we add Shardminds as a race in the world?

Sure, they sound like an interesting addition

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

No, personally i don't think it should

If unplayable, how common should they be, and will they be hostile to players?

They should be rare and hostile.

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the mages of the past?

yes

If they are unplayable, should they be able to speak to players?

Yes

Should we add the Warforged as a race in the world?

No, one of these should be enough

[K_H]

Shardminds:

1.Heck yes!

2.Definitely playable.

3.sounds reasonable.

Warforged:

1.it might be interesting.

2.I'm on the fence about this.

3.somewhat rare, varied amounts of each.

4.sounds reasonable.

5. heck yes!

Edited September 11, 2014 by K_H

[Flux]

So... here's what we've got for a total.

Should we add Shardminds as a race in the world?

We've got 3 yes votes, a unanimous decision. I've added them to the OP as an unplayable race for the time being. This may be subject to change.

If so, should they be playable or unplayable?

We've got a yes, a no, and a maybe. Unless Hukuna or someone else places their opinions, I'll decide this myself in the end.

Should we change their backstory so that they were created by the mages of the past?

We've got 2 yes votes, and one no. I may throw my own vote in with the no on this, as I like Murdoc's idea of them being born naturally into the world.

Should we add the Warforged as a race in the world?

We have a yes, a no, and a maybe on this. I'm leaning towards no myself, unless Hukuna or someone who hasn't voted supports adding them. There will already be golems in the world, and the warforged seem fairly similar to what I had in mind for those.

So, with these results, we move onward to our next set of questions, still focused on fleshing out the races. Remember, the current playable races are:

Humans

High Elves

Forest Elves

Moonfolk

Gnomes

Dwarves

Gruul

Are there any playable races that you feel should have an alliance? If so, list them.

Are there any playable races that you feel should be enemies or rivals?

Is there a specific race you would like to work on refining first?

[Aurorix]

Well, I'm not going to vote on these kuz in my opinion we in games with relationships, we have to deal with our ancestor's sins and rivalries. Plus I'm not good with creating fake relations that seem real. :/

[Chevaleresse]

Are there any playable races that you feel should have an alliance? If so, list them.

I feel like Gnomes and Dwarves should get along pretty well, with a sort of friendly rivalry with humans. High elves should be alright with other elves and align fairly closely with the moonfolk in particular. I see the gruul being considered an oddity by most races, being met with equal parts curiosity and suspicion. Dwarves and high elves should also get along to an extent imo.

Are there any playable races that you feel should be enemies or rivals?

I see a classic forest elf/dwarf rivalry. High elves would look down on humans and gruul. Other than that basic stuff, idk.

Is there a specific race you would like to work on refining first?

Gruul need work, to be honest. All you've got is "racist goat people" right now.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

for the previous votes, I say no to Shardminds being playable. They are much to different for most players to realistically play them. My rule typically is it must be humanoid, and a "living" thing in a fantasy setting. Golems or similar entities tend to be too odd or strange for a person to play one as a character. they are nothing like us, as they don't typically understand the concepts of death, eating, etc. Basically, it is hard to pal something that is very different from you, and when there are plenty of options already it is not nessacery that they be added as one.

On the Warforged point, the Warforged are EXTREMELY different from Golems. Golems are rarely sentient. I believe they should be added if we really want to sell these 2 Nations really hating each other. Perhaps there was a Great War in the past, and the Shardminds were convinced to by the Mages to join their side. Our Artificer friends would see this and think they need something to match, and viola Warforged. Perhaps, the Warforged have to discover their new purpose in this world, since that old war is long over, and I think that would be something interesting in the world.

The other questions.

Gnomes and Dwarves commonly get along ((though Dwarves still find Gnomes annoying as hell, like most races.)), both usually coming from the earth itself and more importantly they tend to live in the same cities.

Most other things depend on past wars and politics of the world

Quick note, High Elves tend to be haughty, or think they are better than everybody else, so even races they get along with...it is usually in a patronizing way.

And Gruul I think need to be worked on first. Right now we really don't know a lot about them, and I think it will hold the keys to making them an interesting race if we hash them out, more so than any of the others.

[Flux]

On the Warforged point, the Warforged are EXTREMELY different from Golems. Golems are rarely sentient. I believe they should be added if we really want to sell these 2 Nations really hating each other. Perhaps there was a Great War in the past, and the Shardminds were convinced to by the Mages to join their side. Our Artificer friends would see this and think they need something to match, and viola Warforged. Perhaps, the Warforged have to discover their new purpose in this world, since that old war is long over, and I think that would be something interesting in the world.

Well, as you probably have realized, I know very little of DnD, so most of what I say comes from my own mind. I had been planning for there to be both sentient and non-sentient golems, partially based on the intuitiveness of their past creator. Sentients would have been more uncommon, obviously, and some of the very intelligent may have been used as rather important characters. However, I like your idea for the history on the creation of the Warforged, and if you all would like to include them, we can do so.

Other than that, I suppose we'll wait on relations until we get to the backstory of the world itself. For now, it seems like we'll be starting in on the Gruul first. Are there any particular things you think we should hash out first?

[Jory]

Yes!

1- Their culture seems to revolve around strength. How is their society structured? Do all males have an equal say? Is there a chieftain? Does strength play into their politics?

2- How are children treated in Gruul society? Are they trained rigorously or expected to develop independently?

3- In terms of appearance, how does the lineage of a Gruul affect him/her? Does he/she inherit the father's color or the mother's? Are there specific dominant/recessive alleles that determine color?

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

I think they should be a hella Warrior society for sure, it would be a super interesting contrast in a very magical world. I think they should be somewhat Tribal, having a Chieftain for their leader, who is elected by thier strength and Prowess in battle. They either take the spot from the previous Chief, or if the Chief dies but nobody lays claim to the throne so to say, all the worthy candidates in the tribe fight for it. For the most part, everything is decided via power. So women will technically be equal, so long as they are strong. Shamans, Healers, merchants etc, are usually jobs held by the weaker ones in society, where are Warriors are regarded highly. More physical jobs are considered more respectable. ((like a Blacksmith is more respected than a Teacher, or something that doesn't do something related to strength of body.))

on the second question, I think the kids would probably be expected to grow on their own. They have to learn to be strong, not taught to be. I think it fits better with the Society I enlisted, because they are not militaristic even if they are a warrior society.

Those are my ideas anyway XD.

[Flux]

Yes!

1- Their culture seems to revolve around strength. How is their society structured? Do all males have an equal say? Is there a chieftain? Does strength play into their politics?

2- How are children treated in Gruul society? Are they trained rigorously or expected to develop independently?

3- In terms of appearance, how does the lineage of a Gruul affect him/her? Does he/she inherit the father's color or the mother's? Are there specific dominant/recessive alleles that determine color?

1. The way I've envisioned it so far is that they are ruled by a chieftain, who is determined by strength. I'd think it would work best as being a lifetime position, as I can imagine an older chieftain leading, despite no longer being the strongest. When the chieftain dies, perhaps the successor is chosen by a contest of strength? Physical strength was definitely envisioned as a primary factor in their society. It is likely that stronger males may look down on the weaker ones, though this may not always be the case.

2. I'm thinking that perhaps they'll have a right of passage of some sort, like going alone into the wilderness for a while. I'd like to define some specific tasks for this, so any ideas?

3. I was thinking this would be somewhat like human traits, unless there are other ideas. Mother and father both pass down a chance for traits, but there is potential for throwback as well.

I think they should be a hella Warrior society for sure, it would be a super interesting contrast in a very magical world. I think they should be somewhat Tribal, having a Chieftain for their leader, who is elected by thier strength and Prowess in battle. They either take the spot from the previous Chief, or if the Chief dies but nobody lays claim to the throne so to say, all the worthy candidates in the tribe fight for it. For the most part, everything is decided via power. So women will technically be equal, so long as they are strong. Shamans, Healers, merchants etc, are usually jobs held by the weaker ones in society, where are Warriors are regarded highly. More physical jobs are considered more respectable. ((like a Blacksmith is more respected than a Teacher, or something that doesn't do something related to strength of body.))

on the second question, I think the kids would probably be expected to grow on their own. They have to learn to be strong, not taught to be. I think it fits better with the Society I enlisted, because they are not militaristic even if they are a warrior society.

Those are my ideas anyway XD.

I definitely agree with the tribal warrior society. That was what I had envisioned when I first came up with them. As for women, I imagined them to be less naturally bulky than males, and more slenderly built. Generally the males would protect them, but the potential for battle would still be in females if they had the wish to do so. Thoughts?

[Snap Crackle Pop]

2- How are children treated in Gruul society? Are they trained rigorously or expected to develop independently?

Perhaps as the children reach a certain age (comparable to maybe 10-12 human years (if there is a difference)) they are sort of forced to fend for themselves- not total abandonment, but there would be a sort of shift to make them more independent. Like how in Sparta, they were deliberately given less than adequate amount of food and were forced/ tempted to steal, but if they were caught, they would be harshly punished. As for a right of passage, perhaps they would be considered kids until they have proven themselves and have come of age, like surviving in the wilderness, fighting competitions, endurance/ strength testing, ect.

In regards to fur colour, is it possible for them to have a mixed coat? Would that even happen or would it be considered an anomaly/ taboo?

[Flux]

In regards to fur colour, is it possible for them to have a mixed coat? Would that even happen or would it be considered an anomaly/ taboo?

I had always imagined solid colors, though I suppose abnormalities could happen. If it did, it would probably be seen as very strange by the society, as they would have no idea where to classify that particular Gruul... They might be rejected or exiled, depending on the chief, and even if the chief decreed that they could stay, others would probably stay away due to their own personal beliefs. That could be interesting I suppose, though it would be very rare if it did happen.

So, on to the next set of questions.

1. Should the Gruul be renamed, as there is currently a clan called "Gruul" in MTG, which is a pretty popular game? I don't think they are very similar in how they look or act from what I know, but I do like to be original.

2. I've stated that they Gruul are planned to live on top of a mountain range on the southern continent. What should this range be called? Is the range named after the Gruul (Or some other word if we change their name) that inhabit it? Or did the Gruul move to the range which was already named?

3. For "houses," do the Gruul live in cave systems on the mountain side, or do they have literal villages on large, flat portions?

4. Will the chief of the group have complete control over his group, or is there an advisory body he must work with?

[Aurorix]

1. Should the Gruul be renamed, as there is currently a clan called "Gruul" in MTG, which is a pretty popular game? I don't think they are very similar in how they look or act from what I know, but I do like to be original.

probably should just so no one gets confused.

2. I've stated that they Gruul are planned to live on top of a mountain range on the southern continent. What should this range be called? Is the range named after the Gruul (Or some other word if we change their name) that inhabit it? Or did the Gruul move to the range which was already named?

Mt.Chak. Thats a good name right?

3. For "houses," do the Gruul live in cave systems on the mountain side, or do they have literal villages on large, flat portions?

They should live on flat portions on the mountain.

4. Will the chief of the group have complete control over his group, or is there an advisory body he must work with?

He should have control.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

1. If the name is changed, it should be something that invokes power or sounds like something a very heavy Warrior society should be called. Metals are usually a good launching point. Or things that just sound tough, like short words with u's or o as vowels, or sound very guttural in nature.

2. Ex it is a range of mountains, not a single one. This should also sound strong or like a tough place to live, it is a Mountain after all. Off the top of my head, Ironback Range, Crackbone Ridge, Bronze Steppes.

3. I figure some would live inside and others would live on the outside. More nomadic ones, definitely outside. But I Imagine some would have mining villages so they would probably live in the caves they mined or at least close by. Materials depend on the mountain range. Ones with a lot of trees and growth will have wooden homes kinda like huts or wigwams that style of home. If it is a rather barren one, they will probably carve into the mountain range with adobe style homes, or be nomadic and have tents of materials they could gather for them.

4.I think certain groups should have different ones. Like Nomads, the Chief definitely would be in charge, but in more permanent villages they would probably have a council of Elders, even if it is just a figurehead. ((have no real power, but are respected.))

I should note here, for what ever reason I get like a Native American vibe from them, I feel like they would have a similar life style. I am sure they revere nature, as it beasts are deadly, just like them. ((especially mountain beasts.))

[Flux]

1. If the name is changed, it should be something that invokes power or sounds like something a very heavy Warrior society should be called. Metals are usually a good launching point. Or things that just sound tough, like short words with u's or o as vowels, or sound very guttural in nature.

2. Ex it is a range of mountains, not a single one. This should also sound strong or like a tough place to live, it is a Mountain after all. Off the top of my head, Ironback Range, Crackbone Ridge, Bronze Steppes.

3. I figure some would live inside and others would live on the outside. More nomadic ones, definitely outside. But I Imagine some would have mining villages so they would probably live in the caves they mined or at least close by. Materials depend on the mountain range. Ones with a lot of trees and growth will have wooden homes kinda like huts or wigwams that style of home. If it is a rather barren one, they will probably carve into the mountain range with adobe style homes, or be nomadic and have tents of materials they could gather for them.

4.I think certain groups should have different ones. Like Nomads, the Chief definitely would be in charge, but in more permanent villages they would probably have a council of Elders, even if it is just a figurehead. ((have no real power, but are respected.))

I should note here, for what ever reason I get like a Native American vibe from them, I feel like they would have a similar life style. I am sure they revere nature, as it beasts are deadly, just like them. ((especially mountain beasts.))

1. I think we'll stick with Gruul at this point, for conveniences sake. It can always be changed at the end.

2. We'll probably come back to this at some point, as there wasn't a whole lot of feedback now. Perhaps when we're determining geography?

3. I do like this idea. I imagined them as heavy miners/smiths. One idea I had was that there could be some sort of yearly smithing competition between the Gruul and the dwarves who live beneath them. Both races would be known for their smithing, and perhaps the winner would get to keep some rare item or trophy for a year until the next competition. It could be an item with use, such as some kind of special hammer, or a simple symbolic item. Thoughts on this idea?

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

It would most likely be a totem or an item that while it looks pretty etc, it doesn't have much other use. Dwarves tend to really love gems, so it would probably be an exquisite/exotic gem of some sort. ((not any gem that comes from the sea though, Dwarves hate Pearls and water in general XD.)), This would totally work with the none nomadic types of Gruul. ((since I really think some should be nomads, since it fits them well they would care less about this competition.)). Basically, the reason I would like the Nomad thing, is that way they are different enough from dwarves or have a piece of culture that is vastly different. Dwarves are already a very Warrior-centric race, as they mistrust magic ((that isn't divine.)) however they tend to fixate more on smithing/brewing then full War culture. I want the Gruul to have their own identity in places, that make them very interesting. Is it safe to say though that Gruul and Dwarves probably aren't on either side of the main conflict that we are building up? I imagine nether care for magic, and while engineering stuff isn't out of their grasps, I imagine they wouldn't have a big call for it in their culture. They would more likely side with the Artificers though ((at least Dwarves)), as they don't trust magic very much. ((should note, even if they don't side with them, I would imagine the artificers would have a great deal of respect for them since they would need the metals and ores they mine.))

((I don't like that I post a lot....I don't want this to be the Hukuna show, basically as I already have a well fleshed out world that exists here, I don't need 2. XD.))

[Flux]

There will be nomadic groups of Gruul, so no worries there. Like any race, it's very unlikely that all of them would stay in one place, so smaller groups or individuals may go off on their own to form there own "clans" for lack of a better word. I don't expect Gruul to take any side on a conflict between north and south, as they don't specialize in artificing or magic. I would, however, expect the dwarves to at least have a minor alliance with the south, as the dwarves and artificers need each other for trade.

Don't worry about posting either. I'd much rather have some feedback than none, even if it's just from one or two people. Though if responses keep dwindling, I may have to remove the community aspect and finish this on my own, which would be unfortunate.

[Chevaleresse]

I'm mostly adding input where I feel I have something more to say than "lol idk."

[Flux]

^That's perfectly fine. As long as I know I still have people interested here.

Anywho, are there any other important points that we've missed concerning the basics of the Gruul? I'm kind of braindead right now...

[K_H]

I don't think that you missed anything.