Elves and the Fey creature type

[paddyfool]

@paddyfool

Nifty feats you made up there. Thanks for sharing. I like them. It's probable that these elves in my setting might appeal a greater elven power to protect them and offer on the other hand intelligence services or they might try to stay completely undercover/neutral - which might be difficult but not impossible. In any case they will be the stuff of legends and dark tales... but in general the elves will receive much flak for their way of living and how they do things. And the Spider Nobles will have quite certainly a damn big squick factor and it won't end nice for the host who's breeding their offspring. But in my setting the spider elves are divided in fallen and true ones. The fallen spider elves have chosen to forsaken their sacres duty of protecting the realms above against the intrusions of the demons and other otherworldy creatures. And the true spider elves can't take spider noble.

I also have thought about your idea to lenghten the physical and mental aging of elves in general and I might even go so far as to double or triple it... so at 40 or 60 years they are considered adult but inexperienced. Slab on 20 years of more education, give or take and then they are ready to go. This wouldn't apply to your Changeling Elves since they seem to me like a special case - their I would likely use your modifier of 1.5, because they are more often alone and need to mature faster... at least, so it seems to me.

Glad you like the feats, and what you're doing with Spider Nation/Noble sounds very fun.

The thing I've always had against much slower mental development is that it pretty much equates to being stupid.  Yet Elven characters can learn new tricks at the same rate as any other, and have no mental attribute penalties to begin with.  Hence why I suggested slower physical development, but equal mental development.  (That and the spookily bright kids it would result in).

[Catodon]

THere is a good article about plausible fantasy world builsing in rpg review issue 11. It's free online.

[Bhurano]

@Catodon

Thanks for pointing that out.

@paddyfool

You have a point. So slower physical development it is, but equal mental development. I see another point why elves are seen as alien compared to humans. This will be interesting.

@MilitiaJim
No need for aplogies. For now I don't have cards available... I had a rough outline, but since the focus of the campaign shifted I tried to keep up with the new developments. Also the cards that I had got scrapped,  after reading a book about plausible world building.

But I had yesterday the chance to talk with a friend about the usage of normal world maps for our campaign. I mean we used to play that way in WoD or Shadowrun anyway - just the details changed.

So if you are willing to share your knowledge and allow me to bugger you with questions I would do so.

Ok, let's assume the major factions start mostly on different continents, seems likely or they might end up in early and deadly conflicts. Humans in Africa and Europe, also dwarfes. Elves in the more inhospitable areas of the world... like african deserts, asian jungles and such. My players want the elves warlike and tough so a rough environment seems okay. One of my players mentioned the fact that they could possibly survive and thrive where a species with not so much magic would have problems. Also I could transfer the idea of the demonic wasteland. I don't know about the Pech, maybe the american plains. The orcs definitive in the asian steppes. The Saurians in southern america and some asian regions which are suitable for them.

How would their environment form them? What challenges would result from the terrain? I suppose if that's is to OT a new thread might be needed. But I would like your opinion about the terrain influences in developing a culture. Also any links to study this up would be great. Also if I may ask, what do you do that you know such things? Something along the lines of geology or so?

[MilitiaJim]

I had only thought of the geography in terms of mountain ranges, oceans, jet streams, and rain until that Strafor article, which took me a while to read, but it put a lot of things together.

By trade I am an ocean freight broker and was a soldier.  I love history for answering, sorta, that question that is always on our mind:  What the f*** is wrong with these people?  (And for building a better RPG world.)

[Bhurano]

Should have known the soldier part per your nickname and the picture. Waiter, braincells for insta-use please.

So I will chew through the article and see how I can that put to good use. When it comes down to history I am more of a layman (should be the right word), I have a broad understanding and some specific topics that I like. It helped a lot in settings like ancient rome or greece, and even then a buddy of mine came with dug up more and more details and some other stuff. I on the other hand can put my mind to better use when it comes down to define how or why certain things interact and how so, with a bit of time and distance. Comes mostly because I am all to often put in the role of Advocatus Diaboli, I think. But even then more often than not I learn something new or something completely unexpected happens.

At the weekend I will let my group decide if maps will be made by me (I hope Fractal Mapper is up to this challenge or better me ) or if normal refitted world cards will be used. In the end I think I will do both to see if I am up to the challenge. Thanks for the help and the guidance. It's greatly appreciated.

[MilitiaJim]

Does that fractal map thing have a map of Earth built in?  I've got something I want to try regarding inverting the current topography.

Having a general understanding of broad trends is generally sufficient, with the caveat of "the more you know..."

But as far as "world for your story," start with the story you want, then build back to a world that supports it.

[Goodlun]

Does that fractal map thing have a map of Earth built in?  I've got something I want to try regarding inverting the current topography.

Having a general understanding of broad trends is generally sufficient, with the caveat of "the more you know..."

But as far as "world for your story," start with the story you want, then build back to a world that supports it.

If you want to get heavy into making so really good maps I suggest you look at GIS softwares.
Here is a primer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geographic_information_system

I use ArcGIS but that is far from being cost effective especially for a game.
However I am sure you can find something at
http://opensourcegis.org/
that won't break the bank and will let you do some awesome stuff.
Hell if you have a local community college by you with a GIS program the skills may serve you well in your current vocation.

[Sheena-Tiger]

My players want the elves warlike and tough

Okay buddy, you have to tell me when WE as playerS have said that, cause i can not remember that i ever mentioned something like that.

[Bhurano]

@Sheena-Tiger

[/quote]The later one, if you not threw paper out of the window ... i think my dad had the wheel of time as books... not sure though, will have a look at the weekend  Smiley

Thought the first part was related to the flavor of the elves and the second to wheel of time... hmm, sorry if I misinterpreted it. I talked with Andreas as I had the opportunity and he was like hey why not. Since the three of us form the core of our group right now I thought I had collected all the input that I needed. But don't worry, there will be elves in different flavors... same as with any other species.

BTW, I go buying the Fractal Mapper and will try to come up with a feasible starting continent. Andreas is looking in his historic map collection if there are some who can be repurposed for our needs, which is quite likely.

@MilitiaJim

It seems that there is no earth map included... but the Fractal World Explorer is included which can create spherical maps all on it's own or from scratch. Several things ecological things will be accounted for... at least that's what stated on the website. I liked the trial version... it is definitive not as tough to chew through as the Campaign Cartographer...

@Goodlun

Ok, your maps quite certainly curbstomp everything into dust or am I mistaken?  ;D