Creating a new fantasy world.

[Michele]

You know, once you have nailed the details down, I wouldn't mind seeing this as writeup in the GURPS Infinite Worlds format. It would probably be a parallel to Yirth, what with the fantasy background, fantasy races, magic, and the enforced ban on higher tech.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by FuelDrop

I'd rather stay away from the 'living god and divine messengers' angle for the IEs as I'm an outspoken atheist and setting this up could be seen as me making god the bad guy (fake or not), something which might offend the other players. It's an interesting idea, but I don't really think it'll work for the campaign I'm planning to run.

You can always have persecuted underground religions as well. Also god-emperoors evoke the air of hydraulic despotism rather then of any of the half-dozen or so post antique religions.

[Kuroshima]

Personally, I see the Immortal Elves as very similar to the Soulless from GURPS Fantasy II. If you've got that book (don't buy it for that alone, but it's an interesting though quirky setting) you can probably steal some ideas from them.

[Figleaf23]

Originally Posted by FuelDrop

Aaand I epic fail on the first hurdle. I always hold that villains should have motivations bigger that 'I'm evil lol', and while I had that worked out in the small scale with various low-level folks trying to either get in to the IE club (More accurately granted extended life or some similar reward for service rather than actually becoming immortal, but still...) or consolidate power, I completely forgot to come up with an end-game for the big-wigs.

Now I could just say 'their motivations are beyond your comprehension', but that's both stupid and lazy. So what do they want? Quality of life for them is as good as it's getting without allowing tech advancement. Internal politics will take up some of their time, sure, but they'll be playing the long game. Having them be bored after however long they've been around is a fairly weak motivation. They have money, political power, and magical power.

Hmmm...

How about --

The IEs are bad, sure, but they're simply stewards of someone really, TRULY powerful and cruel and ambitious on scales incomprehensible to mere people -- The Emperor. He hasn't been seen in XX years, since the Covenant with the IEs was established. They are to prepare for his return when he will judge them and take his tribute (the entire wealth of the empire).

All good and well, but the Covenant was concluded before any of the other races had emerged. They aren't mentioned in the covenant and what to do with/about them is an open theological/political issue among the IE leadership.

[FuelDrop]

Originally Posted by Figleaf23

How about --

The IEs are bad, sure, but they're simply stewards of someone really, TRULY powerful and cruel and ambitious on scales incomprehensible to mere people -- The Emperor. He hasn't been seen in XX years, since the Covenant with the IEs was established. They are to prepare for his return when he will judge them and take his tribute (the entire wealth of the empire).

All good and well, but the Covenant was concluded before any of the other races had emerged. They aren't mentioned in the covenant and what to do with/about them is an open theological/political issue among the IE leadership.

Interesting, but I'll have to adapt it to factor in that the IEs are supposed to be the newcomers, outsiders who took over rather than predating the other races.

Speaking of the other races, I need to work out how they relate to each other. The players will be interacting with fellow members of the 'lesser' races far more often than they'll so much as SEE IEs.

So far I'm seeing standard Elves being favored by IEs and resented by everyone else. Being notoriously prideful isn't exactly helping relations any. The elves used to live in peace with the land, whole standard elf shtick, but when the IEs came they were forcibly integrated into the newly forged empire and many of their ancestral forests were torn down for lumber or cleared for fields. Naturally, many still resent the IEs.

The Dwarfs of the Empire are those who could not escape to their own underground civilization when the IEs took over. As a result they've lost most of their own society and are now something of a labor class. Naturally, they hate elves.

Humans owned most of the land based holdings before the IEs came. They were a people divided until the forceful recruiting of the IEs, and most of the boundaries between fiefdoms come from the original human territories. Now they're reduced to serfs, but a shadow of their former selves. Naturally, they hate elves.

More to come.

[Phantasm]

Originally Posted by FuelDrop

The Dwarfs of the Empire are those who could not escape to their own underground civilization when the IEs took over. As a result they've lost most of their own society and are now something of a labor class. Naturally, they hate elves.

Where is it written in stone that Elves and Dwarves must hate each other? Just once I'd like to see Elves and Dwarves not only grudgingly get along but be openly friendly and helpful towards each other even when meeting as strangers.

Since both races have a resentment of the Immortals, perhaps the two races have long ago set aside their animosity and sworn a pact to remove them so things go back to the way they were?

[FuelDrop]

Originally Posted by tbrock1031

Where is it written in stone that Elves and Dwarves must hate each other? Just once I'd like to see Elves and Dwarves not only grudgingly get along but be openly friendly and helpful towards each other even when meeting as strangers.

Since both races have a resentment of the Immortals, perhaps the two races have long ago set aside their animosity and sworn a pact to remove them so things go back to the way they were?

Running gag. Everyone on the list is going to end with 'naturally, they hate elves. '

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by FuelDrop

Running gag. Everyone on the list is going to end with 'naturally, they hate elves. '

Do most people know/believe that elves other than the Immortal Elves exist?

[FuelDrop]

I think I'm going to roll with 'Everyone dislikes/is suspicious of everyone else.'

Humans distrust dwarfs because the little job-stealing stunties are always working. it ain't natural.

Dwarfs distrust humans because the smooth-faces can't ever get off their asses and put in an honest day's labor.

Humans distrust elves because the damn knive-ears are all imperial spies, watching your every move.

Dwarfs distrust elves because the tree-tops are so aggressive when you cut down a couple of trees to shore up the mine, which saves lives.

Elves distrust Humans AND Dwarfs for their complete lack of regard for the world around them.

And so on. Net result is a -1 on most initial reaction rolls for anyone not of your own species, though in more cosmopolitan settings this is less prevalent.

So, why?

Simple. The goal of my campaign is for the players to construct a rebellion from the ground up, so having racial tensions adds another complicating factor for them to deal with and a potential weakness or cause for in-fighting.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Do most people know/believe that elves other than the Immortal Elves exist?

That sounds like that thing about people thinking that all turban wearers are Moslems.