A Possible Setting for Burning Wheel

[Lxndr]

For Vetal, I have three traits in mind.

* Single Birth - 1 point

Single-born Vetal are pitied, but not reviled, by other Vetal - they are incredibly rare, as nearly all Vetal births are in pairs or higher.  A single-born Vetal never had the experience of a twinlink, and has had to spend his whole life living in his head.  In-game, this means other Vetal are just as Inscrutable to them as they are to the other races.

* Triplet - 1 point (?)

The character has a twinlink with a third Vetal.  To be a quadruplet, it's an extra 2 points.  A quintuplet, an extra 3, and so on.  And by that point, I feel sorry for your mom.

* Phantom Twin - 1 point

The Vetal has lost his twin.  His mind still occasionally reaches out, however, because like losing any limb the Vetal gets phantom pains and the like.  Unlike a phantom arm or the like, however, the Phantom Twin can occasionally link with objects, or people, giving the Vetal a brief, vision-like flash of insight.

A Vetal may learn how to use this - the Phantom Twin skill has roots in Perception/Will.  But even then, the GM may still have it go off without warning.

For Avalir, there's the obvious:

* Crippled/Missing Wings - 1 point

The Avalir cannot glide or leap as others do - he is permanently grounded.

I've got no definite ideas for the rest as of yet.  Any suggestions?

[Luke]

good start. See if you can come up with an option or two for each race.

What about spells? Any special skills you need to solidfy before players begin pawing over your hard work?

[Lxndr]

I'd like to figure out Gliding.  It feels like an Agility-root skill, but I'm not sure what the Obstacles would be.  Hrm.

I want it to be the SAME skill for "human using a hangglider" and "Avalir using his wings ('cause the assumption, see, is that an Avalir's wings works, in practice, the same as a hang-glider).

[taepoong]

Obstacles should be fairly simple. First, ask yourself what every Avilir can do with very little risk of failure. That would be your Ob 1. So maybe, Glide during a sunny day with a slight wind: Ob1. Then add Obstacles to that: Gusting Wind: +1 Ob. Dark: +2 Ob. Rain: +2 Ob. Storm: +4 Ob. No wind: +2 Ob.

[Lxndr]

Reading through Under a Serpent Sun has redoubled my efforts to want to see this thing through to publication (even if as "just" a free PDF).  Which means a lot more work than just planning for one campaign, but a lot of good, clean, wholesome work  :)

[Lxndr]

My current draft of the Five Races of Hazaril, just so y'all can see them.  Remember that they use the same Lifepaths as Man, but only get half the Trait Points (rounded down).

(Also, I'm now wondering/worrying whether I should just go with the "standard" CB for my first BW game.  Give me more time to work on this setting without the deadline of "game starting tomorrow" going on.  I think I'm going to put the choice to my players.

I do plan to keep working on this either way, though.  Hell, in terms of pure setting information I have something ike 30,000 words written on the setting, not even including the posts made here.)

Denerii
-----------
1. Albino - Being creatures of the night, the Deneri are not accustomed to the fires of the sun.  They are at +1 Ob for all activities in bright light, and -1D for all activities in direct sunlight (cumulative).
2. Frail - The Deneri can never go above B6 in their physical attributes, and may not START above B5.  Both mental attributes may reach B9, however.  Subtract an additional die from their Health.
3. Starchildren - Deneri can survive unaided in the unfriendly ether beyond the sky.  In addition, being in the ether revitalizes them - do not count the years for certain LPs against aging, and count all other LPs at half.  Finally, they always know the position of the stars, giving them a perfect internal clock, as well as a bonus die to call on for Astrology.
4. Anosmia - For whatever reason, the Deneri cannot smell or taste anything.
5. Night-Eyes - The Deneri can see even in pitchest blackness, but are forever blind to colors.
6. Second Sight - Deneri have the Second Sight, as per the Trait, only they are accustomed to it - they do not take an obstacle penalty for performing physical actions while using it.
7. Ethermancy - Deneri learn how to use the Ether about the same time they learn how to talk - it is a very predictable medium, and one that they all can use.  It works similar to Faith - see the expanded Ethermancy rules elsewhere.
8. Suspicious - This works both ways - Deneri are naturally suspicious of everything, and everyone else suspects the Deneri.  Can be called upon for Stealthy tests.

Avalir
-----------
1. Arias - The racial magic of the Avalir shows up in songs called Arias.  These are learned like Abstractions, and used through a Training Skill that's rooted in Singing.  They cannot be distilled.
2. Wings - Avalir fly when they are children, but lose that ability as they grow older.  Using their wings, they may still leap great distances, plus they can learn how to use their wings to glide.
3. Hollow Bones - Avalir are easy to break, but hard to put down.  Reduce their Superficial Wound score by 1, and increase their Mortal Wound score by 1 as well.  They also weigh less.
4. Eagle Eyes - Reduce all vision/distance penalties by one.  In addition, an Avalir's mind is very sharp - their perception can reach B9.
5. Perfect Pitch - Avalir can use this call-on trait for Singing, Mimicry, Music, etc.  They can always remember a voice and can recognize conversations over distances/noise.
6. Beautiful - Avalir are pretty, and coveted by the other races, and are eternally young.
7. Vain - Unfortunately, Avalir know they're pretty and coveted, and often act it.  Even when they don't, others think they do.

Note:  Avalir men are generally dominant, and women submissive.

Vetal
-----------
1. Borne of Water - Vetal can move as easily in the water as on land, and can breathe water.  Switching from water to air takes time as expelling water from the lungs isn't easy (going from air to water is instantaneous).
2. Special Diet - Vetal do not have the proper enzymes to digest meat and get incredibly sick if they even try.
3. Sanguine - Vetal can perform blood magic (requiring the blood of different animals), and simply drinking blood keeps them young.
4. Craving - The other side of Sanguine, blood is addictive to Vetal (the more so because it makes them feel powerful), and the blood of the other Five Races being the strongest.
5. Twinlink* - Vetal are almost always born in pairs (and most of those pairs are opposite in gender).  These twins always share a mindlink - they know where they are across distances, can send thought and images, and feel each other's pain.
6. Lifeline - Vetal are strongly linked to life energy (blood and sap), and can sense it around them its the most general sense.  With training, they can even learn to manipulate their own life energy to communicate in a sort of Morse Code.  Call on for certain forms of Perception, and for medical skills.
7. Inscrutable - Really, it's just a personality trait.  Vetal can see the flows of life around them, and have a direct, constant peek into someone else's head.  Add that to their lifespan, and it's natural that they're a bit difficult to comprehend.

*Note:  Traits will be written for an elf with a dead twin, as well as elfs who were born in triplicate or more.

Tarrax
-----------
1. Sight of the Bat - Tarrax can sense their surroundings perfectly clearly in the dark, by right of their over-developed ears - anything that makes a sound, the dwarf can hear.  They also have the eyes of a bat - very poorly developed; all vision penalties are doubled.
2. Like a Rock - Tarrax have dense bodies - they can reach Forte of B9, but their Speed may not go above B6.  Mental attributes are 8s.  They have the same speed multipliers as standard BW Dwarves.  In addition, their skin is tough - subtract 1 from any damage inflicted on them: I,M, or S.
3. Sinks like a Stone - Tarrax do not float - they are much, much denser than water and will always sink to the bottom.  Fortunately for them, they can hold their breath a long time (um, need BW drowning rules?)
4. Rock of Ages - Tarrax will not die of old age, but unlike Avalir, will show it.  They still age per the standard human aging table.  They are also very patient, and generally stoic, and sleep longer at night (assume a human requires six, the Tarrax require 8).
5. Unerring Compass - Tarrax know the lines of the Earth, and can always determine which way North lies.
6. Earthsculpting - Tarrax can move through natural soil and rock half as quickly as they can walk on the surface (never faster).  They may choose to leave a tunnel behind them if they halve their time again, or may close it behind them.
7. Racial Magic - Something craft-related.  Specifics TBD, but generally speaking its their items/buildings that are imbued, not themselves.  NOT the same as Dwarven Crafts.

*Note:  Tarrax men are traditionally craftsmen, and their women warriors.  A Tarrax warrior male is a rare sight.

Khan
------------------
1. Forged in Flame - Khannish bodies are strong and large, the tallest of the five races - Power can reach B10, and increase the Speed exponent by 1 for the purposes of calculating distance moved.  In addition, they are tough, like steel - Mortal Wounds round up, and add 1 to the Superficial Wounds score.
2. Wildfire - Khannish bodies are quick - round up when calculating Reflexes.  They are also hyperactive and impulsive, and may call on this trait to add a die to perform the first action that pops into their heads.
3. Hungry Blaze - Khans are eternally hungry, fueling the machine that is their body.  They also sleep less - generally requiring no more than 4 hours a night.
4. Burning Eyes - Khannish eyes can see beyond what human eyes can, glimpsing the fire that burns within all things.
5. Blowing Smoke - Khannish noses are very sensitive, able to discern one individual from another by scent alone, and track as well as a wolfhound.  This is basically verbatim from "Wolf's Snout" of the Great Wolves.
6. Rage - The fire that defines the Khans is insidious, and burns inside them, occasionally overflowing in Rage.  Rules TBD
7. Racial Magic - At first I was thinking some sort of physical adept type thing, but a recent thread at burningwheel.org is now making me seriously consider tantric magic.  Bah.  Rules TBD

[Luke]

hi Lx,

Don't back off now! These need to be playtested. I would sit down with your players and say, "These are your choices." I wouldn't give them a choice otherwise.

Also, what LPs carry Gliding, Aria Training, Blood Magic?, Lifeline Training, Earthsculpting (needs a rating), Tarrax Magic (got to at least come up with an idea!) (perhaps Spirit Summoning to bind earth spirits to their creations and give them special qualities?).

Go with Physical Magic for the Khan it fits and Tantra will fit into it. (Think all enhancing animas).

Go go go! You've got to playtest it sometime; toss yourself in the fire!
-Luke

[Lxndr]

Earthsculpting just is.  No skill necessary.

As for the rest... I'm working on it!  Eventually, I'll have the Aerial Navy Sub-setting ready and rearing to go.

True, Tantra can just be one more way of accessing physical magic.

Thanks for the brief pep talk.  I'mready to go for tomorrow, apart from a few details.

[Luke]

I really recommend giving Earthsculpting a rating. There is no reason it should come down to an arbitrary decision by the GM or wheedling on the part of the player.

Perhaps base it on Power? or Will?

pep-talk is my middle initial, or something.
-Luke

[Lxndr]

What would the rating be used for?  That's what I'm wondering about.

It's "half walking speed through natural rock/soil, or quarter that if leaving a tunnel behind."  Where would a rating come into play?

[Luke]

Maybe it should be Speed based then.

Let the roll determine the quality of the "sculpture" or the distance travelled. Set a time for tests, say 5 min per test? Extra successes reduce by 10% each if applied to Working Quickly.

-Luke

[taepoong]

Sounds like it should be a Training to me.

but that's just me.

[Lxndr]

It's definitely not a training, tae.  It's something all Tarrax learn, just like all races learn how to walk, et cetera.  It's just something they can DO, period - a natural ability.  It's just meant to be movement through loose soil and natural rock - it can't affect brick or stone walls, or solid stone.  Just natural rock and soil, like a gopher or prairie dog burrowing.  That's not skill, it's just an ability they all know - Earth just MOVES from them.

Anyway, I'm not sure why it'd be a skill, or even require a roll at all.  Just a movement value, which I've already given it.  What am I missing?

[taepoong]

Ah, then it's definitely a Trait. Just as the Flying Trait gives Demons special movement rates through the air, so shall your Earthsculpting will give the Tarrax special movement rates through earth.