Steve Jackson Games - Site Navigation
Home General Info Follow Us Search Illuminator Store Forums What's New Other Games Ogre GURPS Munchkin Our Games: Home

Go Back   Steve Jackson Games Forums > Roleplaying > GURPS

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-05-2021, 02:39 PM   #21
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by maximara View Post

Imagine if Ramses was an elf and they ruled for 1,000 years.
Statues, statures of Ramses the elven _everywhere_.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2021, 05:08 PM   #22
SilvercatMoonpaw
 
SilvercatMoonpaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

I'm going to do the GURPS thing and recommend a book, but not a GURPS book:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...ath=9730_31898

It's an old TSR Amazing Engine setting that's modern Earth but with fantasy races and magic doing most of the tech stuff.
__________________
Pronoun: "They/She"
SilvercatMoonpaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-05-2021, 09:26 PM   #23
maximara
On Notice
 
maximara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by SilvercatMoonpaw View Post
I'm going to do the GURPS thing and recommend a book, but not a GURPS book:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product...ath=9730_31898

It's an old TSR Amazing Engine setting that's modern Earth but with fantasy races and magic doing most of the tech stuff.
"The elves are the people of the Mayan republic, minotaurs rule the nation of Texas, and a dwarven attempt to build an empire in Europe led to World Wars I and II. "

It tries to have history similar to our own with the Manifest Destiny stopping the United States from expanding past the Mississippi River and other ASBs (such as a Starjammer like colonization of Mars and Venus in the 900s).

If Technomancer had logic problems Magitech has them by the truckload. The idea even with magic the Mayans (TL (0+1) in OTL) could stand up against a host of TL 5 civilizations even before you throw in the magic they likely had is a laugh.

And that is ignoring the fact with manned space flight in the late 900s everybody and his brother would have known about the Americas, Australia, and Antarctica. A few orbital bombardments with magical mass drivers by the aggressive colonial powers such as Spain and England and the Mayans go into history.
__________________
Help make a digital reference for GURPS by coming to the GURPS wiki and provide some information and links (such as to various Fanmade 4e Bestiaries) . Please, provide more then just a title and a page number.
maximara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 01:49 AM   #24
RGTraynor
 
RGTraynor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pioneer Valley
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

I'm remembering an old thread many years ago where the GM was running basically Fantasy Effing Vietnam. And the deal was that the orcs were seriously misunderstood as Dangerous Savage Barbarians. The truth of the matter was that the orcs were the parallel to the Montagnards -- the original inhabitants of the region, driven into mountain fastnesses, and engaged in a bitter guerilla conflict against the disdainful lowlanders seeking to exterminate them.

(The impetus of that thread was that some of his players were enraged at the "bait-and-switch," and how dare the GM not make his orcs Just Like Everyone Else's, but never mind that.)

Anyway, why not go with that? Those jungle islands in the Philippines, the mountain fastnesses of Central Asia, the remote regions in the Congo ... do the orcs raid from their because it's their nature, or because they just have no other options left?
__________________
My gaming blog: Apotheosis of the Invisible City

"Call me old-fashioned, but after you're dead, I don't think you should be entitled to a Dodge any more." - my wife

It's not that I don't understand what you're saying. It's that I disagree with what you're saying.
RGTraynor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 04:18 AM   #25
SilvercatMoonpaw
 
SilvercatMoonpaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by maximara View Post
[snip for brevity]
We can agree to have differences in realism tastes.

Though using magic to bump the Mayans up to comparable TL would be fun.
__________________
Pronoun: "They/She"
SilvercatMoonpaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 10:34 AM   #26
David Johnston2
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by maximara View Post

If Technomancer had logic problems Magitech has them by the truckload. The idea even with magic the Mayans (TL (0+1) in OTL) could stand up against a host of TL 5 civilizations even before you throw in the magic they likely had is a laugh.
Given that they're now elves it seems to be that if anything they'd be higher tech than anyone else, or rather higher "magitech". They may occupy the Maya's place in geography, but they're still elves.
David Johnston2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 12:43 PM   #27
thrash
 
thrash's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: traveller
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by FF_Ninja View Post
Setting Summary: A modern fantasy environment modeled after the real-life 21st century, but where fantasy elements like magic, monsters, and numerous classic fantastic races have always existed.

Today's Topic: What would the presence of Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves look like in the 21st century?
San Diego Comic Con.

Seriously.

If magic, monsters, and fantasy races have always existed but the setting looks like our 21st century anyway, that means any influence they could have had on events is already baked into our history. We may never be able to untangle the threads.

On the other hand, one could posit a wainscot society of non-humans, split between Naturals, living in the uninhabited (by humans) margins of the world, and Pretenders, using illusion and charms to pass as humans. For most of history, there could be a balance between the two: Naturals form a reservoir of traditional knowledge and powers; Pretenders keep tabs on human society and bring back the best parts to trade.

In the last hundred years or so, however, rising populations and increasing technology have virtually eliminated the places where Naturals can hide their existence (satellite imagery, seismic monitoring, etc.) and put most Pretender tricks at risk (surveillance cameras, photo ID, etc.). The time is rapidly approaching when both groups will be forced out into the open. So, what do they do?

What if the mainstreaming of fantasy and science fiction over the last, say, 40-50 years was the result of a conspiracy by Pretenders to "soften the landing," by getting the human population to at least consider living alongside non-humans? Star Trek, Star Wars, cosplay, Buffy, World of Warcraft, big-budget Tolkien movies, all of it. Pretenders used their mind-magic to ensure that these projects got made, and helped their success.

The result is that some Pretenders can drop the masquerade and mingle with humans in their original form -- but, so far, only at sf&f conventions and the like. The next step might be mainstreaming cosplay, to make odd appearances commonplace. How often do we see blue or green hair these days and not react? In that sense, mask mandates would be a lucky break.
thrash is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 01:02 PM   #28
maximara
On Notice
 
maximara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Sumter, SC
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by David Johnston2 View Post
Given that they're now elves it seems to be that if anything they'd be higher tech than anyone else, or rather higher "magitech". They may occupy the Maya's place in geography, but they're still elves.
The thing is, tropewise, elves aren't generally thought of as being technologically advanced. A common trope of long lived races is technological and cultural stagnation.

Remember, part of Magitech's back story is the Mayan civilization basically disappeared for a 500 year period (1000 to 1500 CE) with the other powers developing space travel in the 900s CE.

Look at the insane level of ETL progression many of the Azoth realities have had. For example, Azoth-1 went from TL 4 to TL(4+3)^ with an ETL 9 in transportation (Manned interplanetary spaceflight) in just 80 years.

Azoth-7 is even crazier going TL 4 to TL(4+2)^ with what amounts to cross dimensional travel ("interstellar" formt he local's POV) with is TL 11 in 90 years.
__________________
Help make a digital reference for GURPS by coming to the GURPS wiki and provide some information and links (such as to various Fanmade 4e Bestiaries) . Please, provide more then just a title and a page number.
maximara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 01:39 PM   #29
Fred Brackin
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

Quote:
Originally Posted by thrash View Post
S

The result is that some Pretenders can drop the masquerade and mingle with humans in their original form -- but, so far, only at sf&f conventions and the like. .
Does this mean Orcs look like Klingons?

The link between Elves and Vulcans has been noted before. Back in High school I was making jokes about "double-duty pointed ears" as Halloween makeup.

Put halloween in there too. First it's expansion as a major holliday for children and then having adults dress up for it too.
__________________
Fred Brackin
Fred Brackin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-06-2021, 01:44 PM   #30
SilvercatMoonpaw
 
SilvercatMoonpaw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Default Re: Build-A-Setting #1: Orcs, Dwarves, and Elves in the 21st Century

It's not like there isn't a popular manga/anime that deals with non-humans revealing themselves and trying to integrate into human society. (Albeit, being fanservice-fueled and not too realistic.)
__________________
Pronoun: "They/She"
SilvercatMoonpaw is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
build-a-setting, helpful suggestions, setting building, theorycraft, world building

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Fnords are Off
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.