Open fantasy world

[Primal Conundrum]

Fluffy Warlord said
Race:How's that?

Looks interesting, I'd just like some clarification on a couple points:
1. I'm interested to know why a race that adapted to thrive in the darkness would worship fire and the sun, as they take away the cloak of shadows that would otherwise work to their advantage
2. If they have that much of an aversion to water, how do they drink it? Everything needs to drink water.

TJByrum said
Snip

First up, the word your looking for to describe their legs is "digitigrade". Anyway, they seem neat, and I like that you included the kinda inspiration sources for them. They do seem really powerful though, and I'm a bit skeptical on the thousand year lifespan. If you could either dial them down a little or include some weaknesses, that would really help.

SyrianHamster said
With the influx of custom races, I just want to be clear: The Mesocricetians are not furrys. That is all :)

I know, they're hamsterfolk :D

[Fluffy Warlord]

Added in how they drink water into my previous post at the bottom.

Primal Conundrum said
I'm interested to know why a race that adapted to thrive in the darkness would worship fire and the sun, as they take away the cloak of shadows that would otherwise work to their advantage?

While they did live underground they were never a race that could truly live in darkness. When the first flame was created, the Panterians crowded round it and then fell in love with the great warmth and bright light that it gave them, and it was shortly after this flame was created that the Panterians discovered the surface. The flame lit a nearby vine on fire and it burned extremely quickly, acting like a fuse as the flame moved toward the thick undergrowth that covered the cave entrance. Once the entrance was cleared a handful decided to venture past the smouldering plantlife and were astounded to see the sun rise over the horizon and cover the landscape in a warm glow that was even more beautiful than the first flame. In this instant the Panterians moved from their cave and moved as close to this new flame as possible and settled themselves in the treetops of the nearby forest.

Some however did not want to leave the first flame behind and would often come back to it and offer fuel to it in a closely guarded religious ritual, and it was here that the Goddess first revealed herself to the first Mage, granting him both understanding of her magic and the means to pass it on to others.

[Too Old 4 This]

Might I recommend a map, even a blank one. People are going to go their own merry way with every race and not design them with intertwined histories unless you force them to acknowledge the fact that their race does not exist in isolation. If they have to pick a spot on a map and say 'THERE That's where my not at all furry race lives' then they are forced to contend with the fact that some other player's race is adjacent and must therefore write them into the history and culture of their own race. Doing this would make the world feel more real and organic and less the result of a random collection of ideas.

[SyrianHamster]

Too Old 4 This said
Might I recommend a map, even a blank one. People are going to go their own merry way with every race and not design them with intertwined histories unless you force them to acknowledge the fact that their race does not exist in isolation. If they have to pick a spot on a map and say 'THERE That's where my not at all furry race lives' then they are forced to contend with the fact that some other player's race is adjacent and must therefore write them into the history and culture of their own race. Doing this would make the world feel more real and organic and less the result of a random collection of ideas.

I ... I just wanted to be a large hamster with a hunger for human flesh chained up in some dungeon with a bunch of a leopard-thong wearing pony men and what not. Why you gotta get technical? Haha.

I mean if we feel the world needs to be fleshed out that much, sure, but I'd advise that it be kept in the IC. Otherwise we're looking at a hefty and complicated workload.

[Primal Conundrum]

Fluffy Warlord said
Added in how they drink water into my previous post at the bottom.While they did live underground they were never a race that could truly live in darkness. When the first flame was created, the Panterians crouded round it and then fell in love with the great warmth and bright light that it gave them. and it was shortly after this flame was created that the Panterians discovered the surface, after the flame set alight a vine that burned away the thick undergrowth covering the cave entrance. (there is a little more to come shortly)

I... find this questionable. If they evolved underground, then they wouldn't end up looking as though they were patterned after jungle predators. The more I think about it, the more full of logic holes that entire premise is.

Too Old 4 This said
Might I recommend a map, even a blank one. People are going to go their own merry way with every race and not design them with intertwined histories unless you force them to acknowledge the fact that their race does not exist in isolation. If they have to pick a spot on a map and say 'THERE That's where my not at all furry race lives' then they are forced to contend with the fact that some other player's race is adjacent and must therefore write them into the history and culture of their own race. Doing this would make the world feel more real and organic and less the result of a random collection of ideas.

Yeah, starting to see what you mean. I'll try to get a map going in the near future here.

SyrianHamster said
I ... I just wanted to be a large hamster with a hunger for human flesh chained up in some dungeon with a bunch of a leopard-thong wearing pony men and what not.

Furcadia is THAT way :P

[Fluffy Warlord]

Primal Conundrum said
I... find this questionable. If they evolved underground, then they wouldn't end up looking as though they were patterned after jungle predators. The more I think about it, the more full of logic holes that entire premise is.

Damn looks like I may have to re-work this quite a bit.

Well if I'm being honest here I didn't intend them to be underground creatures to begin with. If we consider that they came out of the ground a looooong time ago then it does make slightly more sense. I think the largest flaw I had was the complete weakness to water since as you mentioned above they would dehydrate rather quickly. As for them being patterned after jungle predators I hadn't actually said that, even if I did certainly think it.

[Primal Conundrum]

Fluffy Warlord said
Damn looks like I may have to re-work this quite a bit. Well if I'm being honest here I didn't intend them to be underground creatures to begin with. If we consider that they came out of the ground a looooong time ago then it does make slightly more sense. I think the largest flaw I had was the complete weakness to water since as you mentioned above they would dehydrate rather quickly. As for them being patterned after jungle predators I hadn't actually said that, even if I did certainly think it.

You based them on panthers, which are jungle predators. Having them come from underground just doesn't work.

[Fluffy Warlord]

Primal Conundrum said
You based them on panthers, which are jungle predators. Having them come from underground just doesn't work.

Yup, it was originally panthers which then evolved into the panthera class of big cat. But as I wrote this pretty quickly, my thoughts weren't meshing together properly. Therefore I will rewrite it and make it make sense. Until then bear with me.

[SyrianHamster]

Just abandon ship man, choose an Elf or something!

[Fluffy Warlord]

SyrianHamster said
Just abandon ship man, choose an Elf or something!

Never! That would be submitting to the clever option and is something I am too stubborn to do. I want my flame wielding panther. And I want it nao.

If I have no idea how to rework it then I will give up and swap to a lizard man brawler which I do have a little bit already written about.

Actually, what about if I say what I originally meant, that they are a race that evolved in the forest and that they built a temple to the first flame underground because they wanted it away from the elements so they could keep it alight?

[Primal Conundrum]

Fluffy Warlord said
Never! That would be submitting to the clever option and is something I am too stubborn to do. I want my flame wielding panther. And I want it nao.If I have no idea how to rework it then I will give up and swap to a lizard man brawler which I do have a little bit already written about.Actually, what about if I say what I originally meant, that they are a race that evolved in the forest and that they built a temple to the first flame underground because they wanted it away from the elements so they could keep it alight?

What's with the whole first flame thing, and why is it underground? I mean, a cave-in is going to mess it up just as well as the elements would have, and if there's a flood they wouldn't be able to save it. Still not sure why you want a panther to be using flame.

I've chosen to not use my lizardman in this RP, since he's a dick and would probably succeed at fucking up everyone else's goals forever.

[Fluffy Warlord]

Primal Conundrum said
I've chosen to not use my lizardman in this RP, since he's a dick and would probably succeed at fucking up everyone else's goals forever.

Actually the whole panther thing was inspired by a lizardman unit list I created for someone for a wargame roleplay on a different site.

[ActRaiserTheReturned]

Stefano

The Strigoi. . . an old fashioned vampire. He was once little more than an ape when he became a vampire. Eventually though, he survived for hundreds of years to become a sinister, manipulative and extremely powerful warlock, and is a lord of his own court of vampires. He appears ugly, but can magically transform himself into a very handsome looking man. He is strong, fast, and viscious in combat, and when he can't reach his prey with his claws he can appear in front of his victims like those monsters in slasher fics. . .He can conjure malevolent spirits to serve him, he can feed on others and make them his thralls, he can mentally dominate others into being his slave, and raise undead from the grave. He can even victimize his enemies and others by feeding on their very soul, delaying or even devouring an entire soul. He almost never does this unless desperate or enraged, since stealing souls from the dead can lead to trouble with the Reaper, lords of the Underworld sending their minions after him, or even gods.

Those he devours without turning languish in their graves in torment for centuries until finally being able to pass on to the afterlife. Those he devours in their souls become a part of him and gradually become his slaves after death. Lastly, those he completely cannibalizes in spirit experience a hellish nightmare unless Stefano is slain. As a warlock he has some power over shadows, fire, lightning, and ice.

[Too Old 4 This]

@Primal Oh, here's an idea. Make a drawing file on googledocs and then share it with everyone who submits an approved race. That way the map is accessible to everyone and it can be worked on in real time. As the owner of the file, you can kick anyone if they start making candy kingdoms and ponyvilles all over the place.

[SyrianHamster]

Too Old 4 This said
@Primal Oh, here's an idea. Make a drawing file on googledocs and then share it with everyone who submits an approved race. That way the map is accessible to everyone and it can be worked on in real time. As the owner of the file, you can kick anyone if they start making candy kingdoms and ponyvilles all over the place.

You can hate all you want, but I'm planting my ponyville with or without your consent. It will likely expand, to include the candy kingdoms, and united as one, the Ponyharribo Empire will lay claim to the land.

This world will be no place for old men. Muhahahahahaa ahhhhhhhh I'm so lonely.

[Primal Conundrum]

ActRaiserTheReturned said
The Strigoi. . . an old fashioned vampire. He was once little more than an ape when he became a vampire. Eventually though, he survived for hundreds of years to become a sinister, manipulative and extremely powerful warlock, and is a lord of his own court of vampires. He appears ugly, but can magically transform himself into a very handsome looking man. He is strong, fast, and viscious in combat, and when he can't reach his prey with his claws he can appear in front of his victims like those monsters in slasher fics. . .He can conjure malevolent spirits to serve him, he can feed on others and make them his thralls, he can mentally dominate others into being his slave, and raise undead from the grave. He can even victimize his enemies and others by feeding on their very soul, delaying or even devouring an entire soul. He almost never does this unless desperate or enraged, since stealing souls from the dead can lead to trouble with the Reaper, lords of the Underworld sending their minions after him, or even gods. Those he devours without turning languish in their graves in torment for centuries until finally being able to pass on to the afterlife. Those he devours in their souls become a part of him and gradually become his slaves after death. Lastly, those he completely cannibalizes in spirit experience a hellish nightmare unless Stefano is slain. As a warlock he has some power over shadows, fire, lightning, and ice.

Sorry, that's kinda broken OP, so no.

Ugh, almost nothing but furries and vampires... this is not looking like what I had in mind.

[SyrianHamster]

It's okay, having seen that I've opened the gates of Hell, I will renounce my sexy hamster race and revert to a human.

Possibly a soldier of some renown, maybe even a wayward Prince, serving one of those city-states you mentioned. I'll decide once more details become available.

[Primal Conundrum]

SyrianHamster said
It's okay, having seen that I've opened the gates of Hell, I will renounce my sexy hamster race and revert to a human. Possibly a soldier of some renown, maybe even a wayward Prince, serving one of those city-states you mentioned. I'll decide once more details become available.

It's appreciated, even though yours was probably the most acceptable furry race. I'm toying with the idea of just saying "No furries or creatures parodied in the Twilight novels" on the front post.

I mean I'm kinda hoping for a tone vaguely similar to that of a D&D world, I just didn't want to put hard limits in because I (perhaps naively thought) that others would be on the same page as me.

I mean I love monstrous races and stuff, but there are monsters other than "humanoid version of _____"!

[Too Old 4 This]

Primal Conundrum said I'm toying with the idea of just saying "No furries or creatures parodied in the Twilight novels"

This is what I would recommend. Animal races are usually very derivative and predictable. You take the stereotypes connected with the animal and just project them into a culture. Cat folk are lithe and graceful, ratfolk are greedy and sneaky, and waspfolk are assholes. Vampires and werewolves, on the other hand, are simply overdone and it is wasteful to drag them into a boundless game when you can't throw a stone without hitting a vamp/wolf rp. It's like when a redneck goes to an authentic Italian restaurant and then orders hamburger and fries. Quite rageworthy.

One thing you could do is provide more base information about the world and its themes. How does magic work, what is the general technological level, what is the cosmology like (are there gods, spirits, otherworlds or whatever). If you provide this skeleton you might get more coherent ideas from people. Like if I say magic is all animistic (relies in some way on spirits), technology is early Renaissance, and the cosmology is dualistic with a material and spirit plane, then from that you still have infinite options but the things people come up with will seem to be part of the same world.

[VarionusNW]

After reading the last few posts, I feel like I should wait to create a race. BUT, I AM GOING TO RESERVE MYSELF THE AWESOMENESS THAT IS THE DRACONIAN
I feel a bit terrible that its a "humanoid version of _______!" race, but whatever.