Monday, December 21, 2009
Guess the Armor Class
Practicing the Kata by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART
Impractical wear, golden tiara . . . What's my Armor Class?
:D
Sunday, December 20, 2009
The Way of the Paladin

* Art Work from Character Portraits, Fantasy Heroines (Mongoose Publishing [Matthew Sprange and company]).
The Way of the Paladin. Paladins are holy warriors who combine religion and war in order to defend their people from evil. They are the epitome of Good and Righteousness, they are paragons of virtue. They fight with a holy zeal and a righteous cause. But any paladin may fall. But the way of the Paladin is glory and honor, and sometimes faith has its own rewards.
So, goes the planned supplement on Paladins. There are three 3 types of paladins in Galatea - Holy, Protection, and Retribution. Each has their own emphasis: the Holy paladins focus on increasing their faith and seek to be true paragons. Protection paladins focus on protecting themselves and others from danger. And the retribution paladin seeks to redress crime, and make what is wrong right again.
All paladins: whether they are Knights of the Blood, or Knights of the Platinum Dragon, or the One -- are ultimately righteous and seek to be pure in thought, speech, and deed. Paladins look to protect their people, and the people see them as shining examples of all that is right and honorable.
Every class has their schools, and so do the paladin. Academies are established by most every race except the orcs -- where the paladin treads a lonely path looking to his own training and defense.
So begins the planned supplement -- the Way of the Paladin.
What am I planning to include:
* A discussion of the Paladin class as a whole.
* Holy Paladins, Protection Paladins, and Retribution Paladins.
* A discussion of the various paladin orders (The One, the Knights of the Platinum Dragon, the Knights of the True Cross, the Knights of the Blood, the Sons of Mars, Athena's Pride, and the Sunreavers).
* New feats.
* New schools.
* School specific spells
* School specific prestige classes
Designed for 3.5 Edition rules. All Galatea products are produced under a Creative Commons Commercial Share-and-Share-Alike License.
Labels:
3rd Edition,
Fantasy Roleplaying,
Planned Projects
Friday, December 18, 2009
Finals Week

It's finals week here in DAZ Land. I have to draw a self portrait of myself for my final figure drawing project. Then it's back to having fun writing. I'm planning to do a supplement on Paladins, as the above image suggests. This supplement for paladins is going to be about the Paladin in Galatea and can focus on various paladin orders, schools, and the types of Paladins that are in encountered in Galatea (Holy, Protection, and Retribution paladins). Also on the churches or religions they serve (the Knights of the Platinum Dragon, Christian Knights, The Sons of Mars, Paladins of the One (Orc Paladins), and Knights of the Blood (Massalian Elf Paladins).)
Why? It's easier to do a Paladin book in terms of art than a wizard book. ;)
Sunday, December 13, 2009
WoW Spells Dynamized, pt. 1
No pictures tonight. Just some spells from More Magic and Mayhem converted for use with the Dynamic Spellcasting system presented in Advanced d20 Magic.
Abolish Disease
Conjuration (Healing)
Cleric Spell
Casting DC: 42
# of Slots: 2
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 day
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
Abolish Disease removes diseases normally affected by the remove disease spell. Also, abolish disease protects the target against further infection for twenty-four hours, granting the character or creature immunity to disease for the day. The subject of this spell feels calm and wellness in his being when the spell is cast.
Invulnerable Shield of the Templar
Abjuration
Templar Spell
Casting DC: 39
Number of Slots: 2
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: none
The templar transforms a tiny shield into a large shield made of steel. The shield floats near you and protects you from harm. The hanging shield grants you a +9 bonus to AC. Also, the shield grants you spell resistance 10 + caster level. The shield is impervious to damage of all kinds. When the spell expires, the shield returns to its normal size and falls to the ground.
Intensify Magic
Abjuration
~ Wizard spell ~
Casting DC: 34
# of Spell Slots: 2
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: yes
This spell intensifies the effect of any damaging or healing spells on the target. So, if a spell that harms or heals is cast on a subject, the amount of damage it inflicts or repairs increases by +1 point per caster level (maximum 15 points).
Mage's Detonation (pg. 68)
Evocation (Force)
~ wizard spell ~
Casting DC: 38
# of Slots: 2
Range: 20 ft.
Area: All creatures within a 40 ft. diameter burst centered on you
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
A wizard causes a burst of energy that explodes outward around him. This detonation of energy deals 1d6+1 points of force damage per level (maximum 15d6+15). All creatures in the area are affected except yourself.
Aquatic Form (pg. 69)
Transmutation
~ Druid Spell ~
Casting DC: 25
# of Slots: 1
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You transform into an aquatic mammal such as a dolphin, porpoise, or seal. This form grants you extraordinary movement speed under the water but rendering you incapable of attacking. You gain a swim speed that is equal to double your base movement. While in this form, however, you cannot cast offensive spells without the Natural Spell feat.
(Aspect of the Grove is too WoW Specific for any adaptation, see page 69 of More Magic and Mayhem)
Aspect of the Grove
Transmutation
~ Druid Spell ~
Casting DC: 47
# of Slots: 3
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Visage of the Lich
Necromancy
~ Necromancer Spell ~
Casting DC: 54
# of Slots: 4
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
This spell allows you to take on the terrifying appearance of a lich, and many of their abilities. The spell makes your skin and bones harden and grow pale. This grants you a +8 natural armor bonus and DR 15/Bludgeoning and magic. In addition, you also gain +6 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. you also gain a touch attack that deals 1d8 points of cold damage per 2 levels (maximum 15d8). This also paralyzes the target. And at last, creatures and characters of 5 HD or fewer who gaze upon you must make a will save (DC equal to the spell's DC) or be panicked for 1 round per caster level. Creatures who make their save against this fear affect see past your spell.
Ring of Fire
Evocation (Force Fire)
~Wizard Spell ~
Casting DC: 42
# of Slots: 2
Range: 30 ft.
Area: all creatures within a 30 ft. radius burst centered on you (60 ft. diameter)
Duration: Instant
Saving throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell calls into existence a ring of fire that quickly spreads from you to push back all nearby enemies and objects. The spell deals 1d8 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 20d8) to all enemies within the area of effect. Creatures who fail their reflex saves are knocked prone and continue to burn, taking 3d6 points of fire damage for 2 additional rounds. Unattended objects also take damage and are knocked back 30 ft.
Sovereign's Blessing
Transmutation [Blessing]
~Paladin Spell~
Casting DC: 34
# of Slots: 2
Range: Close
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 5 minutes
Saving throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell will imbue your target with holy power, granting him a sacred bonus to all ability scores equal to +1 per 4 caster levels (maximum +4). The blessing gives a feeling of confidence to the target.
~ next: the spells from pages 70-75!
All spells' game statistics are under the Open Game License.
Section 15:
Abolish Disease
Conjuration (Healing)
Cleric Spell
Casting DC: 42
# of Slots: 2
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 day
Saving Throw: Fortitude Negates
Spell Resistance: Yes (Harmless)
Abolish Disease removes diseases normally affected by the remove disease spell. Also, abolish disease protects the target against further infection for twenty-four hours, granting the character or creature immunity to disease for the day. The subject of this spell feels calm and wellness in his being when the spell is cast.
Invulnerable Shield of the Templar
Abjuration
Templar Spell
Casting DC: 39
Number of Slots: 2
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 minute/level
Saving Throw: none
The templar transforms a tiny shield into a large shield made of steel. The shield floats near you and protects you from harm. The hanging shield grants you a +9 bonus to AC. Also, the shield grants you spell resistance 10 + caster level. The shield is impervious to damage of all kinds. When the spell expires, the shield returns to its normal size and falls to the ground.
Intensify Magic
Abjuration
~ Wizard spell ~
Casting DC: 34
# of Spell Slots: 2
Range: Touch
Target: Creature Touched
Duration: 1 min/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: yes
This spell intensifies the effect of any damaging or healing spells on the target. So, if a spell that harms or heals is cast on a subject, the amount of damage it inflicts or repairs increases by +1 point per caster level (maximum 15 points).
Mage's Detonation (pg. 68)
Evocation (Force)
~ wizard spell ~
Casting DC: 38
# of Slots: 2
Range: 20 ft.
Area: All creatures within a 40 ft. diameter burst centered on you
Duration: Instant
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
A wizard causes a burst of energy that explodes outward around him. This detonation of energy deals 1d6+1 points of force damage per level (maximum 15d6+15). All creatures in the area are affected except yourself.
Aquatic Form (pg. 69)
Transmutation
~ Druid Spell ~
Casting DC: 25
# of Slots: 1
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 min./level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
You transform into an aquatic mammal such as a dolphin, porpoise, or seal. This form grants you extraordinary movement speed under the water but rendering you incapable of attacking. You gain a swim speed that is equal to double your base movement. While in this form, however, you cannot cast offensive spells without the Natural Spell feat.
(Aspect of the Grove is too WoW Specific for any adaptation, see page 69 of More Magic and Mayhem)
Aspect of the Grove
Transmutation
~ Druid Spell ~
Casting DC: 47
# of Slots: 3
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
Visage of the Lich
Necromancy
~ Necromancer Spell ~
Casting DC: 54
# of Slots: 4
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 round/level
This spell allows you to take on the terrifying appearance of a lich, and many of their abilities. The spell makes your skin and bones harden and grow pale. This grants you a +8 natural armor bonus and DR 15/Bludgeoning and magic. In addition, you also gain +6 bonus to Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma. you also gain a touch attack that deals 1d8 points of cold damage per 2 levels (maximum 15d8). This also paralyzes the target. And at last, creatures and characters of 5 HD or fewer who gaze upon you must make a will save (DC equal to the spell's DC) or be panicked for 1 round per caster level. Creatures who make their save against this fear affect see past your spell.
Ring of Fire
Evocation (Force Fire)
~Wizard Spell ~
Casting DC: 42
# of Slots: 2
Range: 30 ft.
Area: all creatures within a 30 ft. radius burst centered on you (60 ft. diameter)
Duration: Instant
Saving throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell calls into existence a ring of fire that quickly spreads from you to push back all nearby enemies and objects. The spell deals 1d8 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 20d8) to all enemies within the area of effect. Creatures who fail their reflex saves are knocked prone and continue to burn, taking 3d6 points of fire damage for 2 additional rounds. Unattended objects also take damage and are knocked back 30 ft.
Sovereign's Blessing
Transmutation [Blessing]
~Paladin Spell~
Casting DC: 34
# of Slots: 2
Range: Close
Target: 1 creature
Duration: 5 minutes
Saving throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell will imbue your target with holy power, granting him a sacred bonus to all ability scores equal to +1 per 4 caster levels (maximum +4). The blessing gives a feeling of confidence to the target.
~ next: the spells from pages 70-75!
All spells' game statistics are under the Open Game License.
Section 15:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
Open Game License v 1.0a Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
System Reference Document Copyright 2000-2003, Wizards of the Coast, Inc.; Authors Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook, Skip Williams, Rich Baker, Andy Collins, David Noonan, Rich Redman, Bruce R. Cordell, John D. Rateliff, Thomas Reid, James Wyatt, based on original material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson.
Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2003, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
World of Warcraft: More Magic & Mayhem Copyright 2005, Blizzard Entertainment
d20 Advanced Magic Copyright 2005, Guardians of Order, Inc.; Authors David and Michelle Lyons.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Character du Jour: Enchantress

It's time for my own Character du Jour. I bring you, Megan Nightsky, an Enchantress of the world of Galatea and the Nation of Caithness. Not designed for the 4th Edition of D&D, this is for the 3.5 Edition of D&D. Megan Nightsky is a true Enchantress -- she is capable of adding enchantments to items and destroying enchanted items.
Alharizen looked around for an enchanter to enchant his weapon, sacrificing all of his magic items in the process. All the rest were too expensive; until he espied a young woman at a forge. She was almost naked, so Alharizen had to avert his eyes before he could ask.
"Yes, I can enchant your sword," said the young woman. "It will cost ya, but less than what you expected. I'm just trying to make my way in the world too."
Alharizen beemed, even though the young woman was immodestly dressed.
Megan is the youngest daughter of Astral Nightsky and the only heir to his lands. The young maga is taught by Astral himself, but specialized in ice spells over fire or regular wizard spells. She frequently substitutes ice in her Firebolt and Fireball spells. An Artisan Enchanter, she is has become quite the Enchanter since completing her Artistic enchantment -- a magnificent sword enchanted with Icy Chill.
Before she could learn Enchanting, however, she had to enchant 3 items and destroy them to prove that she could become a journeywoman Enchanter. Her master, Svala Higgensdotter, was a cruel taskmaster who rarely divulged what she could learn. Eventually, she made the journeyman tier, and left Svala. She adventured herself, having many misadventures, before finding other masters who could teach her the Expert and Artisan tiers of Enchanting.
Megan Nightsky CR 10
Female Wizard 5/Enchanter 5
NG Human
Init: 2; Senses: Listen , Spot
AC: 12, Touch 1o, flat-footed 12
hp: 38 (10 HD)
Fort: +1, Ref: +1, Will +4
Speed: 30 ft. (8 sq.)
Melee: +1 Longsword of Striking +5 (1d6+1)
Base Attack: +5; Grp +5
Atk Options: None
Combat Gear: +1 Longsword of Striking, Light Crossbow, 2 potions of Cure Moderate Wounds
Dynamic Spellcasting Bonus: +9
Dynamic Wizard Spells Known: Acid Arrow (DC 28), Arcane Lock (DC 26), Arcane Mark (DC 15), Blast Wave (DC 43), Blur (DC 25), Cat's Grace (DC 26), Command (DC 20), Dampen Magic (DC 26), Daze (DC 16), Detect Magic (DC 17), Dimension Door (DC 34), Dispel Magic (30), Fireball (31), Firebolt (DC 34), Ice Barrier (DC 44), Identify (DC 37), Invisibility (DC 26), Lesser Firebolt (DC 27), Magic Aura (DC 22), Magic Missile (DC 20), Magic Weapon (DC 22), Obscuring Mist (DC 20), Read Magic (DC 17), Resist Energy (DC 27)
Enchantments known: Journeyman (10): Weapon - Lesser Striking (100 EP), Lesser Elemental Slayer (200 EP), Armor - Lesser Defense (100), Lesser Health (100 EP), Shield - Lesser Blocking (100 EP), Lesser Resistance (100 EP), Lesser Fortitude (200 EP), Bracer - Lesser Deflection (100 EP), Cloak - Lesser Charisma (150 EP), Lesser Protection (200 EP); Expert (6): Weapon - Magic Strike (150 EP), Striking (300 EP), Armor - Health (300 EP), Lesser Mana (500 EP), Cloak - Charisma (400 EP), Helm - Awareness (300 EP); Artisan (2): Weapon - Greater Striking (500 EP), Icy Chill (800 EP)
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 18
SQ: Disenchanting, Enchanting, identify enchantment
Feats: Craft Magic Arms and Armor (3rd), Craft Talisman (6th), Energy Substitution (Frost) (5th), Improved Metamagic (9th), Magical Defense (Fire Spells) (Human Bonus), Spell Focus (Frost Spells) (1st), Scribe Scroll (Wizard Feat)
Skills: Appraise +10, Concentration +10, Craft (Ice Sculpture) +12, Knowledge: Arcana +13, Knowledge: Local Lore +13, Knowledge: Enchanting +13, Knowledge: Religion +10, Profession (Enchanter) +11, Listen +6, Spellcraft +13, Spot +6, Swim +6
Possessions: Combat gear plus +1, Magister's Regalia (Magister's Robes, Magister's Belt -- see More Magic and Mayhem)
Energy Substitution: Megan's Energy Substitution causes the spell DC to increase by +2.
Friday, December 11, 2009
The Triumph of Galatea
The Triumph of Galatea by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART
I hosted a "Name my Campaign Setting" poll or survey on Necromancer Games' message board and here. No one really voted here, but it was active on Necromancer Games.
GALATEA is the winning name for my campaign setting. This campaign setting is one that I've been working on for a while. Once it was named "The Known Lands" but the title has changed due to potential problems with copyright and intellectual property that other people might claim. Even though, "The Known Lands" have been developed separately and independently by three different people.
I'm planning on having Galatea be represented as a Goddess (one of the Ancients in Ancient Worship) in the campaign. As you know, the Campaign Setting is being written for the D20 System (3.5 revision) of the game. It's magic system is going to be the Dynamic Spellcasting system, and the classes included can come from WoW (Warlock, Shaman, Hunter, and now I'm wondering if I should include the Runemaster and Incriber).
Thanks to More Magic and Mayhem I can support:
* A comprehensive Alchemy rule system.
* A comprehensive system for Enchanting (and a PrC) meshed with the Dynamic Spellcasting System.
* New Spells
* New Magic Items (possibly.)
I'm grateful to Blizzard for their Dungeons and Dragons fandom and their willingness to go with the d20 system for their game. This is a good leap forward. Congratulations to the people on the Necromancer Games' board for being so willing to participate in the survey.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
More Magic and Mayhem
More Magic and Mayhem -- Guys and gals of 4th Edition fame, if you don't have this book, you are missing out on something very, very useful. The book has rules for creating alchemical elixirs, draughts, and transmutations and what you can create with the craft (alchemy) skill.That being said, I recently received this book as part of the Necromancer Games' gift exchange. It comes in hard cover, and is about 200 pages of useful information for roleplaying spellcasters and engineers in the World of Warcraft using the d20 System. For once, I'm happy that this came out for the d20 System instead of the 4th Edition rule set.
The book is split into six parts. One deals with new classes, another deals with new feats, then new spells, new magic items, and finally engineered machines. All the spells dealing with World of Warcraft (the Old World) are finally included. Missing spells like firebolt, blastwave, pyroblast, and corruption are finally included. Beyond that, the book is useful out of WoW.
The Alchemy skill and the Enchanter skill are covered in grand detail. The Alchemy section covers everything that a player character can create relating to WoW using the craft (alchemy) skill. From mana draughts to healing potions, to transmutations using the philosopher's stone. At last, a PrC a friend of mine devised for Atlas Games' Occult Lore makes a huge amount of sense (the Grand Alchemist PrC) with these rules for Alchemy.
Secondly, the Enchanter skill is boosted by the Enchanter PrC. The Enchanter is able to create and destroy magical items. He can enchant items not only using the Item Creation feats, but he can also destroy magic items and enchant them with special abilities.
One interesting PrC is the Ley Walker. Now, I'm willing to bet that the PrC -- in practice and in theory -- is like the creature below.
Boy, I hope KS doesn't get wind of this! But the Ley Walker PrC of WoW and the Ley Line Walker O.C.C. of Rifts are deadly similar to each other. So similar in fact, that if some one were to do Rifts d20, they'd just have to pop open this book and take the Ley Walker PrC and use that to represent the Ley Line Walker O.C.C.The book is useful for a World of Warcraft RPG game, and it is useful out of game. Aside from little nitpicks as missing armor items to editing; the book is chock full of information that can be used for a 3rd edition game, or with some work, a 4th edition game (some stuff can be used "straight out of the box," other stuff needs some WORK!).
That is my review for 4th Ed fans and 3rd Ed fans alike. My recommendation is to purchase a copy of this book in hardcopy or on .pdf since you are missing out on some goodness here. :)
--Elton Robb
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
HISTORY OF GALATEA
The Ancients soon decided that they will spread human life among the Galaxy, and began so. Exploring the Galaxy, they seeded the galaxy with human life on garden worlds like Galatea. Two planets in particular -- Archaeron and Arborea; were seeded with human life. However, the Ancients that seeded them took life in different directions. One group believed in Perfection of Beauty, the other group believed in Perfection of Survival. The group that believed in perfection of Beauty perfected the human form according to beauty and set their creations upon Arborea; the Forest planet.
The group that believed in perfection of survival redesigned the human form to survive on Archaeron. And placed that group of humans upon Archaeron. While the group that believed in beauty left their creations to propagate themselves; the one devoted to survival soon found themselves underseige by their creations within 30 years of creation. Few of the ancients left Archaeron alive -- they dubbed their creation "Orc." While the Arborea group dubbed their creation, "Elf."
The Golden Age of the Ancients was for two thousand years -- until a brown dwarf star crossed the orbit of Galatea. The chaos that ensued forced the Ancients to leave Galatea, while some Ancients stayed to survive the Long Night. The Brown Dwarf was dubbed "The Destroyer" by the Ancients and then the Brown Dwarf star completed it's perihelion in its orbit and swung forward to continue on it's way.
Two hundred years, the Ancients returned to Galatea, and began the Silver Age.
The Silver Age
The Silver Age of Galatea was when the Ancients expanded again. The Ancients created new wonders, and helped their fellow Ancients understand the high technology that they had. The Silver Age continued until Ancient Expansion uncovered an alien force of a most evil intent. This alien Empire has been expanding into the Ancient Human Realm for the past five thousand years and has proved a threat to the Galactic Community. The alien force were creatures that looked like humanoid mollusks -- with ten tentacles around their beak like mouths. And they possessed powerful psionic powers.
<>
The Ancients had to fight a war with them, and they were insidious as they spread. Many people fled their power. Their enemies invaded many planets forcing many races to Galatea: Merfolk, Lizardfolk, halflings, centaurs, gnomes (which came under their own power, scary!), dwarves, giants, kobolds, and of course -- the Elves (who called themselves the Eladrin) and orcs that retained their shamanistic ways.
The war took two thousand years, but finally the Ancients made it to the homeworld of their molluskian enemies. They razed the planet, burning it and sterilizing it of all life. Finally, they exploded the planet by altering it's orbit so that it plunged into one of its Suns; making sure that all of the enemy was destroyed.
Their resources exhausted, the Ancients blasted off many colony ships to their home galaxy in case they lost. Indeed, they did. The end of the Silver Age came and again came the dark ages. After the survivors learned how to smelt copper the Destroyer came, flipping Galatea's axis again so that South became North and vice versa. It was this event that signaled the coming of the goblins.
The Goblin Invasion
The Goblin Invasion was an invasion of a species that bred itself into three castes: Those who make and sell (goblins), and those who war (hobgoblins), and those who shock others into war (bugbears). Along with them are ogres -- big muscled brutes that had one head or two. The copper aged humans and other races were no match except for the application of magic.
<>
But the goblins captured most of the orcs and most Eladrin territory. Then they transformed them by introducing the orcs and elves to demon worship and altering their minds. The goblins then taught the elves and the orcs the secrets of Steel Making. They dubbed their new creations the Makonde horde, which changed their skin color from brown to green; and the Eladrin the Pelagasir Elves after their leader. Then they released them.
The Pelagasir descended on Eladrin lands, conquering and enslaving all before them. Unable to conquer all the Eladrin, the Eladrin who were left lived in colonies that their nation had established that were beyond the reach of the Pelagasir. While the orcs fought the humans and harried them and caused much consternation.
It took an alliance of Men, Free Orcs, and Elves who marched on the goblin capital to break their power. The final battle of the invasion was decisive, as the Free Races destroyed the goblins capital city and most of their technology and forced them to disperse through out the land. Thus was the end of the Bronze Age of Galatea.
THE IRON AGE
The Secrets of Smelting Iron and Steel spread among the people. The humans expanded this knowledge and soon learned the Riddle of Mithril from the Dwarves. Conversely, the demon worshipping orcs learned the riddle of Thorium. Although many orc miners and smelters died from handling Thorium, they managed to improve their steel with small amounts of the metal.
Then came something that changed everything. Well, SIX somethings. Six large ships crashed on Galatea coming from a distant Galaxy. They were: The Bretonia, the Ys, the Rhineland, the America, the Hiroshima, and the Hispanola.
The people on board came from Earth -- in a far distant galaxy called the Milky Way. The Hispanola, Ys, and Rhineland crashed on Hyperia. The Hiroshima landed on Ashera; the far eastern; and no one knew where the America had landed. The Brettonia crashlanded on the island of Anglesey in the Caithness Isles. In no time, the new humans conquered the lands around them. They also integrated into society, their technology having become "lost."
The Brits had conquered most of the Caithness Isles. The French of the Ys formed a new country dubbed Occitania, the Hispanics created Espania, and the Germans recreated Rhineland. They all brought their religions with them, supplanting the worship of the Ancients in many areas. They created a new empire that lasted 700 years. And that was the end of the Iron Age.
The Middle Ages -- the Present
Using the power of the Church, the nations that broke away from the Empire suppressed learning, science, and all knowledge; plunging the world into a new Dark Age. The technology was stagnant, learning was stagnant. The secrets of steel and magic was all that they knew. War became incessant, and the Doctrine of the Church could never be challenged. Until now --
On Angland, which was a penal colony of Caithness for those who were disbelievers or new agers; came a new faith -- the Sacred Light. The brave who stood up for common values started fighting their enemies. The orcs, to maintain their culture, broke away from demon worship and fled to Killyronde and started their own nation. Elves from the ancient land of Massalia conquered Anglesey and made it their new home. And new thoughts arised in human thinking. Thoughts of freedom and exploration to challenge the Church.
Labels:
Fantasy Roleplaying,
Galatea,
The Known Lands,
world building
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Caithness Peasant Dancer
Peasant Dancer by ~Atlantean6 on deviantART
Not all Roleplaying Game images have to be renders. Sometimes, photomanipulations can do the job just as quickly and without a lot of hassle. Well, with a lot of hassle (white backgrounds are best for stock images, you know!)
Labels:
Classic Fantasy,
Photo manipulations,
Photoshop
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Title my Campaign Setting
Due to someone else publishing a Map with the title "The Known Lands" on it, I thought I should hold a contest to see what title would make it. Here are the candidates!
- Crysania: The name of my first campaign setting that I've really had a chance to work on while I was in High School. The campaign was for Rolemaster (1989 Red Box). I named it after Crysania, the cleric that Raistlin fell in love with in the Dragonlance Legends trilogy.
- The Magical World of Earth
- The Strange World
- The Isles of Caithness: Caithness is a name that grabbed me when I first read through GURPS Fantasy (2nd Edition, I think. It was in 1990) now GURPS Banestorm. The name of Caithness comes from a county in Scotland.
- Hyperia: Hyperion feminized. Hyperia is the name of the European-cultured continent on the Campaign World.
- The Mystical World of Galatea: Galatea ("She who is milk-white") is a name applied to the statue carved by Pygmalion of Cyprus in Roman Mythology.
- The World of Terra: Terra is the Latin word for Earth.
Labels:
Fantasy Roleplaying,
The Known Lands,
world building
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Cosmology of the Campaign Setting
(when someone thinks of the same title to your campaign and publishes something before you do, you're in trouble).
COSMOLOGY
Every religion has one, every one has a view of the universe. In our case, it's a solar system. Better get down the physical side rather than the spiritual, since every religion -- Christianity, Orc Shamanism, the Sacred Light, Hinduism, Elven Paganism, Massalian Monotheism, etc; have their own spiritual Cosmology.
But for now we will deal with the Cosmology of my campaign setting as it pertains to the Physical.
The solar system of my Campaign World consists of a G2 type star with a luminosity of 1 in a different Galaxy. The Sun is a G2 yellow star.
Their are 10 planets in the Solar System -- Hermes, Aphrodite, Earth, Ares, Zeus, Hera, Neptune, Charon, and the Destroyer
Hermes is a rocky, terrestial world.
Aphrodite is a rocky, terrestrial world covered by cloud cover.
Earth is the campaign setting planet.
Between Aphrodite and Earth is an Asteroid Belt, the remains of a planet destroyed by a collision with the Destroyer.
Ares is a desert world.
Zeus is an Blue Gas Giant.
Hera is a red Gas Giant
Neptune is a dark blue gas giant.
Charon is a Kupier object.
The Destroyer is a brown Dwarf star that never ignited.
There is one moon that orbits Earth. Ares has no moons. Zeus has twenty moons, and Hera has thirty moons, and a brilliant set of rings. Neptune has nine moons, and Charon has none. The Destroyer has no satellite planets or moons.
Whew! There we go! The physical Cosmology of the Campaign Setting! :D
COSMOLOGY
Every religion has one, every one has a view of the universe. In our case, it's a solar system. Better get down the physical side rather than the spiritual, since every religion -- Christianity, Orc Shamanism, the Sacred Light, Hinduism, Elven Paganism, Massalian Monotheism, etc; have their own spiritual Cosmology.
But for now we will deal with the Cosmology of my campaign setting as it pertains to the Physical.
The solar system of my Campaign World consists of a G2 type star with a luminosity of 1 in a different Galaxy. The Sun is a G2 yellow star.
Their are 10 planets in the Solar System -- Hermes, Aphrodite, Earth, Ares, Zeus, Hera, Neptune, Charon, and the Destroyer
Hermes is a rocky, terrestial world.
Aphrodite is a rocky, terrestrial world covered by cloud cover.
Earth is the campaign setting planet.
Between Aphrodite and Earth is an Asteroid Belt, the remains of a planet destroyed by a collision with the Destroyer.
Ares is a desert world.
Zeus is an Blue Gas Giant.
Hera is a red Gas Giant
Neptune is a dark blue gas giant.
Charon is a Kupier object.
The Destroyer is a brown Dwarf star that never ignited.
There is one moon that orbits Earth. Ares has no moons. Zeus has twenty moons, and Hera has thirty moons, and a brilliant set of rings. Neptune has nine moons, and Charon has none. The Destroyer has no satellite planets or moons.
Whew! There we go! The physical Cosmology of the Campaign Setting! :D
Labels:
Fantasy Roleplaying,
The Known Lands,
world building
Atlas Games' Occult Lore
Making up a campaign setting has made me revisit my work and the work of others in the Atlas Games' book Occult Lore. Occult Lore, in my mind, is the definitive piece of work on myriad traditions of magic for d20 for a low fantasy to heroic fantasy game.
My favorite articles are:
After all, it was neat what we did. I am greatful to Atlas Games and their support when we worked on the project. And I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to bring my ideas together under one book, and that most everything I did is open game content.
My favorite articles are:
- Alchemy
- Astrology
- Elementalism (gee, you think?)
- Herbalism
- Oneiromancy
After all, it was neat what we did. I am greatful to Atlas Games and their support when we worked on the project. And I'm grateful to God for the opportunity to bring my ideas together under one book, and that most everything I did is open game content.
Labels:
Atlas Games,
Fantasy Roleplaying,
Occult Lore
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