The ability to wield arcane magic is a powerful one. Unlike those blessed with divine abilities, magic-users gain their power through study, routine, and sheer force of will. Magic is not a mysterious force to them, but instead a tool used to shape and mold the world, like a blacksmith uses a hammer to forge metal. While a magic-user may not fully understand the powers he wields, his ability to wield them show a great amount of tenacity, will, and intelligence.
Arcane magic is often looked up with suspicion and fear, those who study the art often do so in secret. Unlike the guilds dedicated to teaching fighters and delvers or the great temples where clerics train, magic-users do their study in secret. The amount of focus and training involved means that most magic-uers are taught individually, conducting private lessons away from prying eyes. Rumors persist, however, of great cabals or magic-users teaching groups of students in hidden places far from civilization. Common folk speak of these places in secret, in fear of a great army of spell-casters intent on ruling the world through magical power. Most magic-users are not power hungry however, but are instead inquisitive, seeking to discover the deeper meaning to magic and its place in life.
Magic-users are usually not welcome among the common folk. The powers of their abilities and the mystery in which that power comes from is the exact opposite of the religious qualities of divine magic. To most people, magic-users are trafficking with dark creatures, manipulating powers that were not made for them, or simply too powerful to be trusted. Most magic-users avoid civilized places whenever possible and when they must travel there, they do little to reveal their abilities. Even those that travel with other adventurers will hide themselves in plain site, often pretending to be a hireling or guide for the party so not to bring down unjust paranoia and prejudice against the group.
Why They Adventure: Because there is no unified teaching for magic-users, nor, seemingly any limit to their power, much of the secrets of arcane casting has been lost to time. There was a point in history when magic wasn’t so feared and many ruins that dot the landscape are rumored to contain magical secrets. Many magic-users travel among more physically hardy adventurers to seek out these places and new avenues of study. Magic-users are often inquisitive as well, the ability to manipulate magic and power beyond the physical realm requires such a mind and dungeons, with their many secrets and hidden threats often offer a challenge to such minds.
Role-Playing Tips: Magic-users wield a great deal of power, of which few fully understand. Most magic-users seek to understand why however, meaning they are inquisitive and often curious to a fault. Most magic-users are taught that magic is a powerful force and not to be used lightly, indeed, the fact that most magic-users cannot handle the ability the power to cast more then a few spells a day, means most respect the power they have and do not waste it. Magic-users are also feared by most common folk and though they are no match for a caster, especially one among an adventuring party, eventually numbers always win out and a whole town turned against a magic-user can make it a very unpleasant stay. Often other adventurers do not fully trust a magic-user either, either due to growing up among the same tales the common folk have or because of the magic-user’s lack of understanding their abilities, as opposed to the understanding the other classes have on their unique gifts. This mistrust often means that magic-users are withdrawn and quiet, either trying to avoid attention, or dealing with the emotional weight of having a world against them.
Showing posts with label Class. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Class. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Fighter
Fighters are the masters of armed combat, trained in the use of nearly every type of weapon and armor produced by humans. Pushed to the limits physically, drilled in a variety of tactics, and taught the quickest way to kill, these are highly specialized warriors and no mere city guard or militia.
Fighters are taught in a variety of private run guilds as well as local sponsored war colleges, each very exclusive clubs that only the most skilled, hardened, and most importantly wealthy are admitted. Trained for years about the intricacies of a large variety of weapons and armor as well as put through a variety of physical tests and strengthening exercises. Many drop out before training is over, those that graduated are strong of mind, body, and spirit. Fighters take great pride in the guilds and war colleges they come from and often incorporate the colors and symbols of their guild or college into their arms and armor to show which school bred such a fine warrior.
Fighters are often welcome in towns and treated like celebrities. Where as those who cast magic are either seen with holy reverence or fear and delvers are often seen as nothing better then desecraters and tomb robbers, fighters are often heralded and treated as heroes, especially if they offer protection to the town. This worship combine with a fighter’s physical abilities sometimes creates a sense of superiority in a fighter and they treat many commoners as lesser beings barely worth notice. Fighters who let this ego get out of control may become a terror in their own right and the town they once welcomed them soon fear the monster they helped create.
Why They Adventure: Fighters most often adventure for riches, fame, honor, or most likely a combination of all three. Few can afford their training outright and take up adventuring to help pay off their loans while bringing glory to their guild’s name by performing heroic deeds. A fighter is much too well trained to be a simple city watchman or would grow too bored being a caravan guard. Their abilities can only be properly tested in the face of danger that adventuring brings.
Role-Playing Tips: Fighters never forget they are the best trained in the area of martial combat nor do they forget that they are physical specimens far beyond others, including other adventurers. Fighters are often worshiped as larger-then-life heroes by common folk and most fighters will take the adoration to their heads and act larger-then-life, especially when trying to impress nonadventures. Weapon training and combat tactics were drilled into a fighter’s head for years and few see a reason to try to settle anything without use of such things. Fighters often have little other hobbies or topics of conversation as well, which can sometimes grate on other more rounded adventuring types. Fighters from different guilds or colleges can’t help but compete with one another, usually on a friendly level, but competition can heat up quickly among those that know little outside of combat.
Fighters are taught in a variety of private run guilds as well as local sponsored war colleges, each very exclusive clubs that only the most skilled, hardened, and most importantly wealthy are admitted. Trained for years about the intricacies of a large variety of weapons and armor as well as put through a variety of physical tests and strengthening exercises. Many drop out before training is over, those that graduated are strong of mind, body, and spirit. Fighters take great pride in the guilds and war colleges they come from and often incorporate the colors and symbols of their guild or college into their arms and armor to show which school bred such a fine warrior.
Fighters are often welcome in towns and treated like celebrities. Where as those who cast magic are either seen with holy reverence or fear and delvers are often seen as nothing better then desecraters and tomb robbers, fighters are often heralded and treated as heroes, especially if they offer protection to the town. This worship combine with a fighter’s physical abilities sometimes creates a sense of superiority in a fighter and they treat many commoners as lesser beings barely worth notice. Fighters who let this ego get out of control may become a terror in their own right and the town they once welcomed them soon fear the monster they helped create.
Why They Adventure: Fighters most often adventure for riches, fame, honor, or most likely a combination of all three. Few can afford their training outright and take up adventuring to help pay off their loans while bringing glory to their guild’s name by performing heroic deeds. A fighter is much too well trained to be a simple city watchman or would grow too bored being a caravan guard. Their abilities can only be properly tested in the face of danger that adventuring brings.
Role-Playing Tips: Fighters never forget they are the best trained in the area of martial combat nor do they forget that they are physical specimens far beyond others, including other adventurers. Fighters are often worshiped as larger-then-life heroes by common folk and most fighters will take the adoration to their heads and act larger-then-life, especially when trying to impress nonadventures. Weapon training and combat tactics were drilled into a fighter’s head for years and few see a reason to try to settle anything without use of such things. Fighters often have little other hobbies or topics of conversation as well, which can sometimes grate on other more rounded adventuring types. Fighters from different guilds or colleges can’t help but compete with one another, usually on a friendly level, but competition can heat up quickly among those that know little outside of combat.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Delver
Delvers are often what the common folk think of when they think of an adventurer. While a cleric may dedicate time at a temple converting people to his faith or a dwarf may travel village to village protecting them from bandits, a delver is trained and is skilled primarily in one thing; to explore lost dungeons, monster infested caverns, and ancient ruins. To a delver these are the ultimate test of their wits.
Delvers are trained in a variety of guilds scattered through out civilized land. These guilds are often funded by historians looking for more information about the past, archivists trying to share and preserve history, or simply private collectors looking to add old artifacts to their collection that no one else owns. The investors to the guilds often get first pick of those items a delver finds of historical value, and delvers who try to strike out on their own after their training soon find themselves on the run from those the invested time and money without compensation. Because of this, many delvers will collect things that most other adventurers would consider junk. Guilds train delvers who to properly navigate the winding halls and crumbling corridors of a dungeon, avoiding traps laid out by those that built the place or those recently moved in, spotting hidden passages and buried secrets, and defending themselves against those that have taken up the dungeon as a lair. Delvers are of one of two personalities, or of rare occurrence both, those that share the inquisitive nature of their patrons, always curious as to what’s behind that next door or what bits of past they can discover and those that need a near constant danger in their life, looking to satisfy their craving for adrenaline and the rush of near death.
Delvers are viewed with trepidation by the common folk, they don’t usually offer the type of aid that a fighter or cleric or dwarf could nor are they as feared or misunderstood as elves, magic-users, or halflings. Most people believe that they skills a delver learns to get into and out of dungeons both in secret and with a handful of stuff could be equally applied to any home or shop and some delvers do indeed use their skills like that. However, most delvers see little challenge in taking something from a farmer’s home or from a noble’s pocket. Others feel what a delver does is disrespectful and desecrating. While many adventurers journey into ancient ruins or hidden dungeons, most do so to root out evil or threats to civilization while a delver usually does so to take something back out with him that didn’t necessarily belong to those evils that inhabit it. Even delvers who do so for noble purposes, to help learn about ages long past or discover clues about civilizations that had come before that could provide help to those that exist now, still can run into trouble from those who believe the past should lay undisturbed lest you rouse those that rest there.
Why They Adventure: Delvers are trained to adventure, it is their sole means of both sustenance and entertainment. A delvers skills apply directly to the exploration of hidden places and they would have little use of them elsewhere, or atleast not enough use to justify the training they went through. Delvers don’t often adventure for the same reasons as many other classes, a delver’s pursuit is usually material, while most others do so to protect against evil or to discover hidden knowledge. Delvers will not shy away from those other pursuits and their are many noble delvers who wish to help people and many inquisitive ones that wish to learn ancient secrets, but both do so on top of acquiring anything of value they find. Most delvers will travel with other adventurers for protection and preservation, even if it means splitting up the things they find down there.
Role-Playing Tips: It takes a unique type of personality to be a delver. More so then any other class, delvers understand how cheap life is among adventurers, a swift death can await behind any door, or come from the door itself. Yet delvers not only train for those situations, most can’t wait to meet those situations head on. Delvers often live for the moment, not too concerned with the future and only concerned with the past in how it may help them past an obstacle the currently faces them. Delvers are usually bold, boisterous, and aren’t known to shy away in the back of a group when standing out in front and waving their arms gets much more attention. Many a farmer’s son or daughter has fallen for the charms of a delver and their nomadic lifestyle, or angry fathers, means delvers make for strong memories instead of a reliant companion. The delver’s outspoken behavior and dangerous living often endears him to dwarves and garners him the disdain of elves. In dangerous situations and their chosen environment, they are not suicidal, indeed, escaping with one’s life is the ultimate challenge, but, they are not cowardly, as that means they won’t get to see what’s behind the next door.
Rule Changes: Delvers retain all the features of the Thief class as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Delvers speak Common only.
Delvers are trained in a variety of guilds scattered through out civilized land. These guilds are often funded by historians looking for more information about the past, archivists trying to share and preserve history, or simply private collectors looking to add old artifacts to their collection that no one else owns. The investors to the guilds often get first pick of those items a delver finds of historical value, and delvers who try to strike out on their own after their training soon find themselves on the run from those the invested time and money without compensation. Because of this, many delvers will collect things that most other adventurers would consider junk. Guilds train delvers who to properly navigate the winding halls and crumbling corridors of a dungeon, avoiding traps laid out by those that built the place or those recently moved in, spotting hidden passages and buried secrets, and defending themselves against those that have taken up the dungeon as a lair. Delvers are of one of two personalities, or of rare occurrence both, those that share the inquisitive nature of their patrons, always curious as to what’s behind that next door or what bits of past they can discover and those that need a near constant danger in their life, looking to satisfy their craving for adrenaline and the rush of near death.
Delvers are viewed with trepidation by the common folk, they don’t usually offer the type of aid that a fighter or cleric or dwarf could nor are they as feared or misunderstood as elves, magic-users, or halflings. Most people believe that they skills a delver learns to get into and out of dungeons both in secret and with a handful of stuff could be equally applied to any home or shop and some delvers do indeed use their skills like that. However, most delvers see little challenge in taking something from a farmer’s home or from a noble’s pocket. Others feel what a delver does is disrespectful and desecrating. While many adventurers journey into ancient ruins or hidden dungeons, most do so to root out evil or threats to civilization while a delver usually does so to take something back out with him that didn’t necessarily belong to those evils that inhabit it. Even delvers who do so for noble purposes, to help learn about ages long past or discover clues about civilizations that had come before that could provide help to those that exist now, still can run into trouble from those who believe the past should lay undisturbed lest you rouse those that rest there.
Why They Adventure: Delvers are trained to adventure, it is their sole means of both sustenance and entertainment. A delvers skills apply directly to the exploration of hidden places and they would have little use of them elsewhere, or atleast not enough use to justify the training they went through. Delvers don’t often adventure for the same reasons as many other classes, a delver’s pursuit is usually material, while most others do so to protect against evil or to discover hidden knowledge. Delvers will not shy away from those other pursuits and their are many noble delvers who wish to help people and many inquisitive ones that wish to learn ancient secrets, but both do so on top of acquiring anything of value they find. Most delvers will travel with other adventurers for protection and preservation, even if it means splitting up the things they find down there.
Role-Playing Tips: It takes a unique type of personality to be a delver. More so then any other class, delvers understand how cheap life is among adventurers, a swift death can await behind any door, or come from the door itself. Yet delvers not only train for those situations, most can’t wait to meet those situations head on. Delvers often live for the moment, not too concerned with the future and only concerned with the past in how it may help them past an obstacle the currently faces them. Delvers are usually bold, boisterous, and aren’t known to shy away in the back of a group when standing out in front and waving their arms gets much more attention. Many a farmer’s son or daughter has fallen for the charms of a delver and their nomadic lifestyle, or angry fathers, means delvers make for strong memories instead of a reliant companion. The delver’s outspoken behavior and dangerous living often endears him to dwarves and garners him the disdain of elves. In dangerous situations and their chosen environment, they are not suicidal, indeed, escaping with one’s life is the ultimate challenge, but, they are not cowardly, as that means they won’t get to see what’s behind the next door.
Rule Changes: Delvers retain all the features of the Thief class as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Delvers speak Common only.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Clerics
Clerics are both divine emissaries and holy warriors, looking to spread the word of their faith and seek out anathema to that faith and smite it, in particular the undead. To all religions and faiths, undead are a mockery of the gift of life, and must be vanquished whenever possible. To that end, all clerics are trained in weaponry best suited to combat these mockeries as well as the possessing the ability to focus their faith in a holy light that can banish or even destroy the undead.
Legends claim that at one time the clerics were but an Order of one faith, who’s name is lost to history. Their intense training, combat prowess, and array of divine spells began to win over the people of the land, and causing the other faiths to grow jealous. To that end, many other religions lured away clerics and their teachers to covert to their faith and teach to their faithful. Today, nearly every faith has cleric training, all culled from the same roots, accounting for the similarities in abilities and martial skill among all clerics.
In most civilized places, clerics are welcome with open arms. Divine magic, especially of the healing kind, is looked upon in wonderment and awe, instead of the fear and mistrust of arcane magic stylings. Cleric abilities granted by the gods, one of the few observable signs of their power, is revered and honored. However, some question the true roots of a cleric’s power, citing the lack of other divine manifestations as well as the disturbing similarities of abilities dispersed among the many faiths. Those people theorize that the power does not come from the divine, but something far more sinister, in a bid to cause complacency among the populace.
Why They Adventure: Clerics adventure mostly for one reason. To seek out those that are a perversion to their faith and destroy them. This holds particularly true to the undead and those that use the undead, a common foe among all clerics. Besides that, clerics adventure to help spread their faith, as adventurers often travel the length and breadth of the world and this allows the cleric a chance to introduce settlements throughout the land to the miracles of his religion. Many faiths do not sponsor a cleric after his training is complete and the fortune found in adventuring can help keep a cleric on his tasks. Other faiths send clerics out seeking old artifacts and relics lost in crumbling ruins that hold import to their religion as well.
Role-Playing Tips: Don’t forget that a cleric is, above all, dedicated to his faith. He should never hesitate to speak the tenets of his religion or call upon his gods whenever possible. Nor will a cleric not take an opportunity to attempt to convert others to his faith. Training as a cleric takes years of dedication and an unshakable faith, clerics should pray or institute other traditions of their religion during rests and at night and may even hum hymns or quote passage from holy scriptures. Incorporating their faith into all they do should be second nature to a cleric.
Rule Changes: Clerics retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Clerics speak Common and the Alignment Language of their deity.
Legends claim that at one time the clerics were but an Order of one faith, who’s name is lost to history. Their intense training, combat prowess, and array of divine spells began to win over the people of the land, and causing the other faiths to grow jealous. To that end, many other religions lured away clerics and their teachers to covert to their faith and teach to their faithful. Today, nearly every faith has cleric training, all culled from the same roots, accounting for the similarities in abilities and martial skill among all clerics.
In most civilized places, clerics are welcome with open arms. Divine magic, especially of the healing kind, is looked upon in wonderment and awe, instead of the fear and mistrust of arcane magic stylings. Cleric abilities granted by the gods, one of the few observable signs of their power, is revered and honored. However, some question the true roots of a cleric’s power, citing the lack of other divine manifestations as well as the disturbing similarities of abilities dispersed among the many faiths. Those people theorize that the power does not come from the divine, but something far more sinister, in a bid to cause complacency among the populace.
Why They Adventure: Clerics adventure mostly for one reason. To seek out those that are a perversion to their faith and destroy them. This holds particularly true to the undead and those that use the undead, a common foe among all clerics. Besides that, clerics adventure to help spread their faith, as adventurers often travel the length and breadth of the world and this allows the cleric a chance to introduce settlements throughout the land to the miracles of his religion. Many faiths do not sponsor a cleric after his training is complete and the fortune found in adventuring can help keep a cleric on his tasks. Other faiths send clerics out seeking old artifacts and relics lost in crumbling ruins that hold import to their religion as well.
Role-Playing Tips: Don’t forget that a cleric is, above all, dedicated to his faith. He should never hesitate to speak the tenets of his religion or call upon his gods whenever possible. Nor will a cleric not take an opportunity to attempt to convert others to his faith. Training as a cleric takes years of dedication and an unshakable faith, clerics should pray or institute other traditions of their religion during rests and at night and may even hum hymns or quote passage from holy scriptures. Incorporating their faith into all they do should be second nature to a cleric.
Rule Changes: Clerics retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Clerics speak Common and the Alignment Language of their deity.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Halflings
Halflings are not a true race, but rather an unfortunate phenomenon that has visited the humans generations. A halfling is born of human parents, a sickly, deformed, thing that is looked upon as curse. Those couples that bear a halfling baby are said to have angered the gods or committed a sin they had yet to repent for. While some compassionate parents will raise the child, despite its ill omen, most put their child out into the woods to die from exposure. Many halflings suffer this fate, yet some survive. Those that did wait, just outside human settlements, for more of their kind to be cast aside so that they can take them in and raise them to adulthood, for halflings are born sterile and can never produce anymore of their kind.
Halflings are usually not welcome within human communities, some may tolerate their presence, while most will drive them out of town, or worse. Some may be hired by nobles to act as entertainment or picked up by troubadours to become an oddity in their act, but most are looked upon as a walking curse. Because of this, halflings tend to be self reliant, and while they may work with others, they trust very few besides themselves.
Physical Description: Halflings vary greatly in their look, though all are much smaller then humans and most are smaller still then dwarves averaging under four feet tall and weighing less the 90 lbs. All halflings are born with some number of physical deformities, which can be as subtle as an unnatural skin color to as terrifying as having claws instead of hands or vestigial wings or atrophied limbs. No two halflings are ever exactly the same and those with more extreme deformities stay far away from human lands (if they survive for more then a few years). Halflings have no uniform age range, many die young due to complications because of their physical anomalies while some have been reported to be alive for hundreds of years.
Why They Adventure: Most halflings adventure because they have no other means to support themselves. While many are content to live off the land outside civilized regions, a halfling still has a human sense of curiosity and desire to be part of a group (even if he believes he is fully self reliant). While some can find work in more tolerating towns, most find adventuring the only option left for them. Adventuring parties are far more tolerating then most, they’ve been exposed to things that would drive a normal man mad, a halfling that is willing to fight by their side is never taken for granted. Also, traveling with an adventuring party may allow a halfling to enter towns and other civilized areas as a group of adventurers can certainly prove intimidating for those wishing harm to a halfling (though few adventuring parties can handle an entire town mob, so they should not be so quick to test this theory).
Role-Playing Tips: A halfling should play up the fact that he relies on only himself. After all, humans think him a curse, elves find him disgusting, and while dwarves don’t seem to mind him, he’s pretty sure they’re snickering at him behind his back. A halfling has had to struggle to survive as long as he did and will always have to continue to do so, this often makes halflings gruff and without mirth. A halfling’s physical deformity is always a hindrance, never a boon, it is often painful or causes problems doing things others may take for granted, be mindful to always remind the rest of the party just what a halfling has to struggle with everyday.
The rest of the party should remember the stigma of the halfling as well, they were raised to see them as curses. For all intents and purposes, the halfling should not be alive. Even though adventurers are much more accepting of others then most (after facing the horrors they’ve faced, anyone fighting by their side is welcome, no matter how they appear), it is hard to shake off generations of belief.
Rule Changes: Halflings retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Halflings speak Common and one Monster Language of their choice.
Halflings are usually not welcome within human communities, some may tolerate their presence, while most will drive them out of town, or worse. Some may be hired by nobles to act as entertainment or picked up by troubadours to become an oddity in their act, but most are looked upon as a walking curse. Because of this, halflings tend to be self reliant, and while they may work with others, they trust very few besides themselves.
Physical Description: Halflings vary greatly in their look, though all are much smaller then humans and most are smaller still then dwarves averaging under four feet tall and weighing less the 90 lbs. All halflings are born with some number of physical deformities, which can be as subtle as an unnatural skin color to as terrifying as having claws instead of hands or vestigial wings or atrophied limbs. No two halflings are ever exactly the same and those with more extreme deformities stay far away from human lands (if they survive for more then a few years). Halflings have no uniform age range, many die young due to complications because of their physical anomalies while some have been reported to be alive for hundreds of years.
Why They Adventure: Most halflings adventure because they have no other means to support themselves. While many are content to live off the land outside civilized regions, a halfling still has a human sense of curiosity and desire to be part of a group (even if he believes he is fully self reliant). While some can find work in more tolerating towns, most find adventuring the only option left for them. Adventuring parties are far more tolerating then most, they’ve been exposed to things that would drive a normal man mad, a halfling that is willing to fight by their side is never taken for granted. Also, traveling with an adventuring party may allow a halfling to enter towns and other civilized areas as a group of adventurers can certainly prove intimidating for those wishing harm to a halfling (though few adventuring parties can handle an entire town mob, so they should not be so quick to test this theory).
Role-Playing Tips: A halfling should play up the fact that he relies on only himself. After all, humans think him a curse, elves find him disgusting, and while dwarves don’t seem to mind him, he’s pretty sure they’re snickering at him behind his back. A halfling has had to struggle to survive as long as he did and will always have to continue to do so, this often makes halflings gruff and without mirth. A halfling’s physical deformity is always a hindrance, never a boon, it is often painful or causes problems doing things others may take for granted, be mindful to always remind the rest of the party just what a halfling has to struggle with everyday.
The rest of the party should remember the stigma of the halfling as well, they were raised to see them as curses. For all intents and purposes, the halfling should not be alive. Even though adventurers are much more accepting of others then most (after facing the horrors they’ve faced, anyone fighting by their side is welcome, no matter how they appear), it is hard to shake off generations of belief.
Rule Changes: Halflings retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Halflings speak Common and one Monster Language of their choice.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Elves
Elves are not from this land, they had migrated here generations ago (by human standards) from the Land of the Fae. Home of such creatures as sprites and pixies, the elves claim this land is “beyond the horizon,” though whether that means it is simply beyond the reach of the Valadian Empire or it exists on a whole different plane of existence is unknown and the elves are not sharing. Elves live in the unsettled wilderness of the land, among the vast forests yet to be cleared by human expansion. How they live is a mystery, no non-fae has ever entered elven lands and lived to tell what they saw.
Elves retain much of their fae origins, they are immortal, no elf has ever succumbed to old age. Because of this, they are able to think in long terms, allowing plans and actions to play out over hundreds of years, something beyond the scope of shorter lived races (even those that live longer lives, such as the dwarves). They are not nearly overcome by emotion as other intelligent species, often coming across as cold and distant. They are not totally devoid of emotion, they just do not let short term events affect those emotions like other races do. Elves have an alien mindset, their sense of morality for creatures with finite lifespans is next to nothing, and most elves look upon the short lived races the same way a human would look upon an ant.
Physical Description: Elves are tall and lithe, with both males and females averaging over 6’6" yet weighing barely over 125 lbs. They have long, pointed ears and their skin is a smooth white, like porcelain. Elven hair ranges from stark white to a variety of shades of soft yellows (with rare light blues sometimes seen as well) and their eyes are often a similar light color. Elven eyes seem to twinkle in the softer glows of moonlight and fire at night, as if reflecting the stars above, even when they are not outdoors.
Why They Adventure: An elf that is adventuring with a party is often doing so for himself or his people, not for the sense of glory or to protect those in need. Their reasoning is not always explained to those in his party, but his prowess in both magic and martial abilities means few adventurers bother asking as long as he brings his skills to bear. Even those elves that do share their reasoning with the rest of the party may not always be telling the truth, but instead simply coming up with a reason to get the others to stop asking him questions.
Role-Playing Tips: Elves are not simply humans with pointy ears and faux haughty British accents. An elven player should really play up the alien mindset and sense of superiority elves have over “lesser creatures” (read: anything not fae). Elves have no problem using others to get what they want and are very dismissive of life (save for their own and those of other fae). While an elf may have no problem sacrificing an entire human village to facilitate a plan, they obviously find the adventurers they travel with useful and therefore are not so quick to sacrifice them. Adventurers are a rare breed and not to be so trivially wasted.
Elves tend to speak little, only when their is important information to get across. When an elf must debase itself to speak the Common tongue it is often quick and to the point, with no flourish, embellishment, or tact. They find little need to waste breath on idle chatter, which means they maintain a constant disdain for dwarves, who don’t have the common decency to shut up.
In combat, elves look to end things quickly and efficiently, just because they are immortal does not mean the cannot be killed. With the knowledge that death can only come from an outside source and not the passage of time, elves try to avoid it as much as possible (atleast until they get bored of living) and therefore look to end things quickly and not take needless risks.
Rule Changes: Elves retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Elves speak Common and Elven only.
Elves retain much of their fae origins, they are immortal, no elf has ever succumbed to old age. Because of this, they are able to think in long terms, allowing plans and actions to play out over hundreds of years, something beyond the scope of shorter lived races (even those that live longer lives, such as the dwarves). They are not nearly overcome by emotion as other intelligent species, often coming across as cold and distant. They are not totally devoid of emotion, they just do not let short term events affect those emotions like other races do. Elves have an alien mindset, their sense of morality for creatures with finite lifespans is next to nothing, and most elves look upon the short lived races the same way a human would look upon an ant.
Physical Description: Elves are tall and lithe, with both males and females averaging over 6’6" yet weighing barely over 125 lbs. They have long, pointed ears and their skin is a smooth white, like porcelain. Elven hair ranges from stark white to a variety of shades of soft yellows (with rare light blues sometimes seen as well) and their eyes are often a similar light color. Elven eyes seem to twinkle in the softer glows of moonlight and fire at night, as if reflecting the stars above, even when they are not outdoors.
Why They Adventure: An elf that is adventuring with a party is often doing so for himself or his people, not for the sense of glory or to protect those in need. Their reasoning is not always explained to those in his party, but his prowess in both magic and martial abilities means few adventurers bother asking as long as he brings his skills to bear. Even those elves that do share their reasoning with the rest of the party may not always be telling the truth, but instead simply coming up with a reason to get the others to stop asking him questions.
Role-Playing Tips: Elves are not simply humans with pointy ears and faux haughty British accents. An elven player should really play up the alien mindset and sense of superiority elves have over “lesser creatures” (read: anything not fae). Elves have no problem using others to get what they want and are very dismissive of life (save for their own and those of other fae). While an elf may have no problem sacrificing an entire human village to facilitate a plan, they obviously find the adventurers they travel with useful and therefore are not so quick to sacrifice them. Adventurers are a rare breed and not to be so trivially wasted.
Elves tend to speak little, only when their is important information to get across. When an elf must debase itself to speak the Common tongue it is often quick and to the point, with no flourish, embellishment, or tact. They find little need to waste breath on idle chatter, which means they maintain a constant disdain for dwarves, who don’t have the common decency to shut up.
In combat, elves look to end things quickly and efficiently, just because they are immortal does not mean the cannot be killed. With the knowledge that death can only come from an outside source and not the passage of time, elves try to avoid it as much as possible (atleast until they get bored of living) and therefore look to end things quickly and not take needless risks.
Rule Changes: Elves retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Elves speak Common and Elven only.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Dwarves
The dwarves are dying, each year more leave the world then are brought into it. For the past one hundred years more and more dwarven children are stillborn and more dwarven females find themselves barren and unable to conceive. The vast dwarven clanholds dug deep into the mountains have begun to fall silent, whole clans have disappeared, lost to time. The dwarves, ever stubborn and proud face this new threat like they do any other, through stoic silence and glorious battle.
If a dwarf cannot be remembered by the offspring he leaves in the world then he will be remembered by deed. Dwarves now wander the world, looking to right wrongs and save the helpless. For a dwarf, to die in glorious battle, his name forever linked to bravery, honor, and unmitigated violence against his foe, is the only way to die. Dwarves are now eternal wanderers, never settling in one place very long and often joining up with adventuring parties to face evils. Most communities welcome dwarves (save for the local alehouses and taverns that have to keep up with their voracious appetite for food and alcohol), knowing that they will root out any ills and danger that the community faces, as long as it is worthy enough of the dwarves attention that is. A vast goblin horde poised to attack is far more glorious then a problem with giant rats after all.
Physical Description: Dwarves average four feet in height, with squat, broad bodies and a thick mass, often averaging 150 lbs for males and 130 for females. Dwarves have a vareity of hair and eye color depending on the clan they originally hailed from and its location. All tend to have skin of earthen tones, usually tan or dirt brown. Male dwarves grow thick facial hair, a sign of pride among their people. It is often a sign of extreme sadness and mourning for a dwarf to shave his beard. Females of the species grow beards as well however they are never as full as a male’s and most will shave it after marriage as a sign of being betrothed (a dwarven female made widow will grow back her beard when ready to take a new mate, and no male would dare approach a female with a shaved face with the offer of courtship). Dwarves live an average of 350 years, though most will never live to see old age.
Why They Adventure: For Dwarves, adventuring is their only way of life. The danger and honor from rooting out threats to the innocent and discovering and vanquishing ancient evils is the only way a dwarf will ever be remembered in their minds. There are very few dwarven settlements any more, instead the dwarves wander the world, adventuring until they finally face the threat that will put them in the annal of history.
Role-Playing Tips: Glory and Honor by combat, protecting those that cannot protect themselves, and being remembered for heroic deeds, these are the things a dwarf lives by. Negotiations with those of evil intent, taking prisoners, and showing mercy to those that would not do the same to you are unthinkable actions to any dwarf. This does not mean a dwarf is a ruthless killer however, he believes in honorable combat, facing a foe head on so they know who it is that brought them down. Dwarves will always protect the innocent and show a great deal of common courtesy and manners, except when a dwarf has too much to drink (which is often, a dwarf has a heard time saying know to good food and good ale).
Dwarves are antsy for action, not wanting to waste time that could be spent rooting out evil. While they understand studying a foe is necessarily, they’d much rather be studying what’s left of it after it has met the end of a sharp axe. Dwarves are not stupid however, they will not blindly rush into rooms or face clearly superior numbers. A dwarf wishes to be remembered by his deeds, and a poison needle trap or being hacked to bits by a dozen kobolds is not the type of memory he wants to pass on.
Remember to play up the stoic nature of dwarves, they are not emotional beings in most situations, though they are known to let loose in combat. A dwarf in combat shouldn’t be standing still swinging his axe, he should be charging opponents, taunting them as he cuts them down and smearing their blood on his armor to unnerve the opponents allies. A dwarf will only retreat if he knows the battle is lost, and many times that is not the same time as his allies. Between combat, a dwarf should talk about potential glory that could gained in upcoming encounters and often grows bored with discussions about why a particular statue is where it is. One thing a dwarf is not, is quiet, be it in battle, after having one too many drinks, or when swearing oaths and speaking of past deeds. A dwarf should never walk around silence, a trait that annoys the elves and many humans to no end.
Rule Changes: Dwarves retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Dwarves speak Common and Dwarven only.
If a dwarf cannot be remembered by the offspring he leaves in the world then he will be remembered by deed. Dwarves now wander the world, looking to right wrongs and save the helpless. For a dwarf, to die in glorious battle, his name forever linked to bravery, honor, and unmitigated violence against his foe, is the only way to die. Dwarves are now eternal wanderers, never settling in one place very long and often joining up with adventuring parties to face evils. Most communities welcome dwarves (save for the local alehouses and taverns that have to keep up with their voracious appetite for food and alcohol), knowing that they will root out any ills and danger that the community faces, as long as it is worthy enough of the dwarves attention that is. A vast goblin horde poised to attack is far more glorious then a problem with giant rats after all.
Physical Description: Dwarves average four feet in height, with squat, broad bodies and a thick mass, often averaging 150 lbs for males and 130 for females. Dwarves have a vareity of hair and eye color depending on the clan they originally hailed from and its location. All tend to have skin of earthen tones, usually tan or dirt brown. Male dwarves grow thick facial hair, a sign of pride among their people. It is often a sign of extreme sadness and mourning for a dwarf to shave his beard. Females of the species grow beards as well however they are never as full as a male’s and most will shave it after marriage as a sign of being betrothed (a dwarven female made widow will grow back her beard when ready to take a new mate, and no male would dare approach a female with a shaved face with the offer of courtship). Dwarves live an average of 350 years, though most will never live to see old age.
Why They Adventure: For Dwarves, adventuring is their only way of life. The danger and honor from rooting out threats to the innocent and discovering and vanquishing ancient evils is the only way a dwarf will ever be remembered in their minds. There are very few dwarven settlements any more, instead the dwarves wander the world, adventuring until they finally face the threat that will put them in the annal of history.
Role-Playing Tips: Glory and Honor by combat, protecting those that cannot protect themselves, and being remembered for heroic deeds, these are the things a dwarf lives by. Negotiations with those of evil intent, taking prisoners, and showing mercy to those that would not do the same to you are unthinkable actions to any dwarf. This does not mean a dwarf is a ruthless killer however, he believes in honorable combat, facing a foe head on so they know who it is that brought them down. Dwarves will always protect the innocent and show a great deal of common courtesy and manners, except when a dwarf has too much to drink (which is often, a dwarf has a heard time saying know to good food and good ale).
Dwarves are antsy for action, not wanting to waste time that could be spent rooting out evil. While they understand studying a foe is necessarily, they’d much rather be studying what’s left of it after it has met the end of a sharp axe. Dwarves are not stupid however, they will not blindly rush into rooms or face clearly superior numbers. A dwarf wishes to be remembered by his deeds, and a poison needle trap or being hacked to bits by a dozen kobolds is not the type of memory he wants to pass on.
Remember to play up the stoic nature of dwarves, they are not emotional beings in most situations, though they are known to let loose in combat. A dwarf in combat shouldn’t be standing still swinging his axe, he should be charging opponents, taunting them as he cuts them down and smearing their blood on his armor to unnerve the opponents allies. A dwarf will only retreat if he knows the battle is lost, and many times that is not the same time as his allies. Between combat, a dwarf should talk about potential glory that could gained in upcoming encounters and often grows bored with discussions about why a particular statue is where it is. One thing a dwarf is not, is quiet, be it in battle, after having one too many drinks, or when swearing oaths and speaking of past deeds. A dwarf should never walk around silence, a trait that annoys the elves and many humans to no end.
Rule Changes: Dwarves retain all the features as presented in Labyrinth Lord with the follow exception: Languages: Dwarves speak Common and Dwarven only.
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Thought: Languages
I don't think I like the vast amount of languages demi-humans get, I think I'm going to restrict that to the bare essentials and maintain bonus languages based on INT.
May look into sorta "defining" how the languages sound to let people build on the concept.
May look into sorta "defining" how the languages sound to let people build on the concept.
Monday, December 6, 2010
World Building 1.4 and 2: Delvers and The World!
The Delver has (finally) joined the rest of the human classes as having full rules written out for him, there is one small tweak in his rule set, we'll see if anyone notices.
More importantly, the Wilderness Area in which the megadungeon is set has been made and posted by yours truly. Not only will you finally see where Ashencor and Telstara are, but also a few other places named as well. These places may never be visited, or the PCs may want to take a trip to one or more of them, at which point they'll be further developed, for now, they're just tantalizing points on a map. Most importantly though, the world itself (or atleast the region occupied mostly by humans) has gotten a name, the lands of Valador! Many thanks to Sean for being the only one to suggest something and winning by default, couldn't do it without you!
More importantly, the Wilderness Area in which the megadungeon is set has been made and posted by yours truly. Not only will you finally see where Ashencor and Telstara are, but also a few other places named as well. These places may never be visited, or the PCs may want to take a trip to one or more of them, at which point they'll be further developed, for now, they're just tantalizing points on a map. Most importantly though, the world itself (or atleast the region occupied mostly by humans) has gotten a name, the lands of Valador! Many thanks to Sean for being the only one to suggest something and winning by default, couldn't do it without you!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
World Building 1.3: Delvers and Magic-Users
The final two class descriptions, Delvers and Magic-Users, are finally up and read to be read. Yes, took a bit to finish, but there was some silly holiday that up and got in my way.
With that out of the way, I'll be putting together the rules, weaving in house rules throughout so that everyone has the same set of rulings on the Portal Page in case a dispute comes up. Also, the few house rule ideas I've put out here on the blog (found here and here) are starting to get feedback, once all the players weight in, or it looks like they won't one way or another, we'll see what makes the cut. Meanwhile, I'll fill in the few red world links that are scattered about, with just the small bits of information that is known about them so far.
On the actual MegaDungeon creation side, I'm pleased to say that the first level (in terms of character level's challenge, there are many ways up and down in this MegaDungeon and the simple "each level deep is a higher level of difficulty" doesn't fully apply) is fully mapped and stocked and the ideas of the theme, tie-ins, and basic layout of the next is under way. Also, I'm beginning to put together Ashencor, though the level of detail will be the subject of a forthcoming post, stay tuned!
With that out of the way, I'll be putting together the rules, weaving in house rules throughout so that everyone has the same set of rulings on the Portal Page in case a dispute comes up. Also, the few house rule ideas I've put out here on the blog (found here and here) are starting to get feedback, once all the players weight in, or it looks like they won't one way or another, we'll see what makes the cut. Meanwhile, I'll fill in the few red world links that are scattered about, with just the small bits of information that is known about them so far.
On the actual MegaDungeon creation side, I'm pleased to say that the first level (in terms of character level's challenge, there are many ways up and down in this MegaDungeon and the simple "each level deep is a higher level of difficulty" doesn't fully apply) is fully mapped and stocked and the ideas of the theme, tie-ins, and basic layout of the next is under way. Also, I'm beginning to put together Ashencor, though the level of detail will be the subject of a forthcoming post, stay tuned!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
World Building 1.2: Clerics and Fighters
The fighter and the cleric entries have been added to the Obsidian Portal page. Again, this is just expanded information from my original thoughts on the classes from earlier, but it's hopefully helpful stuff for those playing in the campaign. I've been having fun with the "Why They Adventure" and "Role-Playing Tips" sections, as I try to figure out exactly why said classes do indeed do what they do.
I've also been having fun trying to find pictures that best fit the concept of the characters I have in my head while avoiding and actual standard D&D pics (be them old school pics or ones from newer additions) where ever I can. I hope the slightly different graphical representation of each class (and race as class) helps provide inspiration as well.
Delvers and MUs will get their turn next.
I've also been having fun trying to find pictures that best fit the concept of the characters I have in my head while avoiding and actual standard D&D pics (be them old school pics or ones from newer additions) where ever I can. I hope the slightly different graphical representation of each class (and race as class) helps provide inspiration as well.
Delvers and MUs will get their turn next.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
World Building Part 1: Character Classes
Since the players will need to pick their classes before play starts (imagine that!) giving a brief description of how each class (and race as class) fits within the world falls upon my shoulders. Not only is it the first bit of world building, but it lays the foundation on how the rest of the world works, as the concepts and tone of the classes reflects the overall concept and tone of the world. Let's take a look:
Clerics: Clerics are divine emissaries, sent to spread the word of their religion and smite undead where ever it may lie. Players creating clerics are free to invent their own gods and religions based around those deities. The gods and religion are very much a part of the world, however, the gods do not take the active role that many do in other fantasy settings. Much like real world religion, gods are not expected to perform miracles or send down angels to protect man. Because of this, not every person (no matter what race) is as religious as they are in other worlds. In fact, the idea that every cleric, no matter what god/religion he belongs to has the same abilities and spells like all the rest have some people speculate that a cleric's power doesn't come from the gods at all, but some far more sinister, dark, and secret power. Clerics are not always welcome in some places and the word of their god may invoke little fear and have little meaning in some civilizations.
Fighters: These guys are pretty classic; trained at various guilds and war colleges, fighters adventure for riches, fame, honor, or most likely a combination of all three. Fighters are the most tolerated of the "adventurer" profession by the common folk, especially when they are hired to save them from some rampaging menace. A fighter's ability with all manner or weapons and armor, combined with a healthy stamina and oft times macho attitude means that sometimes the fighters themselves can be the rampaging menace as they often look down on the common folk.
Magic User: Arcane magic is not nearly as trusted as divine magic is, mostly because of its potent offensive capabilities in comparison to the more benign (and more helpful to the "common folk") form of casting a cleric does. There are no great magic guilds or great wizard towers in the center of cities, instead, magic users are taught in secret, mostly in underground areas or far from civilization. Magic users are ambitious, inquisitive, and not content to live life without asking why. Many religions don't like a magic user's desire to learn the "deeper meaning" to everything and the more zealous man may burn a magic user at the stake lest he can prove that the gods don't exist.
Thieves (Delvers): There are thieves throughout the world, often in urban areas where prey is most plentiful. Many form guilds in order to regulate their "trade" and work together for bigger profit. These thieves are not the ones that are out adventuring however. In this world the "thieves" available as characters are known as delvers and they are the equivalent to a tomb raider like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. They are the ones investigating old catacombs for ancient scraps of text and hidden treasure or running the goblins out of an old temple to preserve the artwork still left inside. Delvers share an inquisitive nature with magic users and the two often get along in the pursuit of similar hidden knowledge, atleast until both want to possess the same ancient manuscript.
The above are all human classes, of course, and humans are the de facto dominate race on this world. In the area in which the megadungeon is located the vast Valadian Empire holds sway of much of the land, claiming all they can see as belonging to the humans. However there are the race as classes available and each has a slightly different spin then their Tolkien inspired classic counterparts.
Dwarves: The dwarves are a dying race, many of their females are barren and unable to conceive and even among those that can, many children are stillborn. The once vast dwarven clanholds now lay mostly empty as the race dwindles in number. Ever stubborn, if the dwarves cannot pass on their legacy through offspring, they have chosen to do it by deed. Mix Klingon with your standard barbarian fantasy troupe and add a little dash of Warhammer Slayers and you have the dwarves of this world. They look to die gloriously in combat, preferably after saving nations or the entire world from unspeakable evils. Dwarves are well respected in the human communities and would be a welcome part of them, if the dwarves weren't so insistent on moving on to the next area of trouble, always looking for a glorious death.
Elves: Elves are alien and distant in comparison to humans. They are immortal and not born of this world, instead migrating from the land of the fae for reasons unknown to all but them. Humans to them are simply a curiosity, short lived, seemingly impatient, but possessive of fierce emotions that an elf could never replicate. To the humans, elves seem cold, distant, and often times uncaring. An elf can see a plan work itself out in the span of centuries instead of days, and see no issues with sacrificing the lives of short lived creatures (intelligent races included) to further these plans. They are master of both marital combat and arcane skill and are often called the Eldritch Fae. Elves most often adventure out of sheer boredom or while on the hunt for (by human standards are) ancient artifacts lost to time. While tolerated in human lands, both races tend to agree to disagree and not deal with one another if possible. The exception is other adventurers as they can prove useful to a elf's plans. Players wishing to play elves should really try to separate them from just "graceful humans" and play up the alien, detached nature.
Halflings: Halflings are born of human parents and are often seen as a curse laid down upon those that have sinned in some way. Halflings that survive to adulthood are stunted, thin, and often the host or one or more physical deformities, be it odd skin pigmentation, patchy hair on their bodies, a small vestigial tail, misshapen hands, etc. Most halflings are put out into the woods to die of exposure, though some parents take pity on them and raise them. Others have survived in the wilderness and now live on the outskirts of human settlements collecting those halflings left to die by their parents and raising them into adulthood. Halflings can never produce offspring of their own as they're born sterile. Halflings are rarely accepted in human society (outside of entertainers of the "freak show" variety or jesters for nobles) and many look to adventuring as a way to sustain themselves. Adventurers are already often seen as outcasts of society and many are much more accepting of halflings then the common masses.
Those will get cleaned up and transferred to the Portal in due time and provide players with both a first look at the world and hopefully some inspiration for character concepts.
Clerics: Clerics are divine emissaries, sent to spread the word of their religion and smite undead where ever it may lie. Players creating clerics are free to invent their own gods and religions based around those deities. The gods and religion are very much a part of the world, however, the gods do not take the active role that many do in other fantasy settings. Much like real world religion, gods are not expected to perform miracles or send down angels to protect man. Because of this, not every person (no matter what race) is as religious as they are in other worlds. In fact, the idea that every cleric, no matter what god/religion he belongs to has the same abilities and spells like all the rest have some people speculate that a cleric's power doesn't come from the gods at all, but some far more sinister, dark, and secret power. Clerics are not always welcome in some places and the word of their god may invoke little fear and have little meaning in some civilizations.
Fighters: These guys are pretty classic; trained at various guilds and war colleges, fighters adventure for riches, fame, honor, or most likely a combination of all three. Fighters are the most tolerated of the "adventurer" profession by the common folk, especially when they are hired to save them from some rampaging menace. A fighter's ability with all manner or weapons and armor, combined with a healthy stamina and oft times macho attitude means that sometimes the fighters themselves can be the rampaging menace as they often look down on the common folk.
Magic User: Arcane magic is not nearly as trusted as divine magic is, mostly because of its potent offensive capabilities in comparison to the more benign (and more helpful to the "common folk") form of casting a cleric does. There are no great magic guilds or great wizard towers in the center of cities, instead, magic users are taught in secret, mostly in underground areas or far from civilization. Magic users are ambitious, inquisitive, and not content to live life without asking why. Many religions don't like a magic user's desire to learn the "deeper meaning" to everything and the more zealous man may burn a magic user at the stake lest he can prove that the gods don't exist.
Thieves (Delvers): There are thieves throughout the world, often in urban areas where prey is most plentiful. Many form guilds in order to regulate their "trade" and work together for bigger profit. These thieves are not the ones that are out adventuring however. In this world the "thieves" available as characters are known as delvers and they are the equivalent to a tomb raider like Indiana Jones or Lara Croft. They are the ones investigating old catacombs for ancient scraps of text and hidden treasure or running the goblins out of an old temple to preserve the artwork still left inside. Delvers share an inquisitive nature with magic users and the two often get along in the pursuit of similar hidden knowledge, atleast until both want to possess the same ancient manuscript.
The above are all human classes, of course, and humans are the de facto dominate race on this world. In the area in which the megadungeon is located the vast Valadian Empire holds sway of much of the land, claiming all they can see as belonging to the humans. However there are the race as classes available and each has a slightly different spin then their Tolkien inspired classic counterparts.
Dwarves: The dwarves are a dying race, many of their females are barren and unable to conceive and even among those that can, many children are stillborn. The once vast dwarven clanholds now lay mostly empty as the race dwindles in number. Ever stubborn, if the dwarves cannot pass on their legacy through offspring, they have chosen to do it by deed. Mix Klingon with your standard barbarian fantasy troupe and add a little dash of Warhammer Slayers and you have the dwarves of this world. They look to die gloriously in combat, preferably after saving nations or the entire world from unspeakable evils. Dwarves are well respected in the human communities and would be a welcome part of them, if the dwarves weren't so insistent on moving on to the next area of trouble, always looking for a glorious death.
Elves: Elves are alien and distant in comparison to humans. They are immortal and not born of this world, instead migrating from the land of the fae for reasons unknown to all but them. Humans to them are simply a curiosity, short lived, seemingly impatient, but possessive of fierce emotions that an elf could never replicate. To the humans, elves seem cold, distant, and often times uncaring. An elf can see a plan work itself out in the span of centuries instead of days, and see no issues with sacrificing the lives of short lived creatures (intelligent races included) to further these plans. They are master of both marital combat and arcane skill and are often called the Eldritch Fae. Elves most often adventure out of sheer boredom or while on the hunt for (by human standards are) ancient artifacts lost to time. While tolerated in human lands, both races tend to agree to disagree and not deal with one another if possible. The exception is other adventurers as they can prove useful to a elf's plans. Players wishing to play elves should really try to separate them from just "graceful humans" and play up the alien, detached nature.
Halflings: Halflings are born of human parents and are often seen as a curse laid down upon those that have sinned in some way. Halflings that survive to adulthood are stunted, thin, and often the host or one or more physical deformities, be it odd skin pigmentation, patchy hair on their bodies, a small vestigial tail, misshapen hands, etc. Most halflings are put out into the woods to die of exposure, though some parents take pity on them and raise them. Others have survived in the wilderness and now live on the outskirts of human settlements collecting those halflings left to die by their parents and raising them into adulthood. Halflings can never produce offspring of their own as they're born sterile. Halflings are rarely accepted in human society (outside of entertainers of the "freak show" variety or jesters for nobles) and many look to adventuring as a way to sustain themselves. Adventurers are already often seen as outcasts of society and many are much more accepting of halflings then the common masses.
Those will get cleaned up and transferred to the Portal in due time and provide players with both a first look at the world and hopefully some inspiration for character concepts.
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