Kara-Tur - Some Thoughts - Part 2 - Race Ideas

Besides the races mentioned in the previous blog entry, here's a rough list of other potential Races.

BullyWugs: This race has organized themselves as the bankers of Kara-tur.  They are known for being very petty and often compensate for their own limitations with their wealth.

Dragonborn: Lung's affect both dragonborn and sorcerers:

Yu Lung (Carp Dragon)
This is your childhood/teenage years of being a Dragonborn. You figure out your adult state after exams.

Chiang Lung (River Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: create rain, control weather, tsunami
associated element: acid (closest damaging effect to rain)
closest associate sorcerer: Storm Sorcerer (see key powers for why)

Li Lung (Earth Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: Earthquake immunity, Earthquake, Roar
associated element: Thunder (basing it on the roar)
closest associate sorcerer: Storm Sorcerer (ua doc) if available, shadow sorcerer (li lung hide in shadows and rubble)

Lung Wang (Sea Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: steam breath, scaley command
associated element: Fire (steam breath like a dragon turtle)
closest associate sorcerer: Sea Sorcerer (UA doc) if available, Storm Sorcerer if not

Pan Lung (Coiled Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: constrict, scaley command, water-fire
associated element: radiant (closest power I can find to waterfire)
closest associate sorcerer: divine soul (guardian with a celestial mandate)

Shen Lung (Spirit Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: scaley command, vermin barrier, waterfire
associated element: radiant (closest power I can find to waterfire)
closest associate sorcerer: divine soul (although I can justify wild mage. Shen lung are the bringer of fortune)

T'ien Lung (Celestial Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: breath weapon (fire), control weather
associated element: Fire
closest associate sorcerer: Divine soul (they are the most divine dragon in the celestial bureaucracy)

Tun Mi Lung (Typhoon Dragon)
Key powers of the dragon: air and water immunity, the divine wind
associated element: Lightning (could probably justify acid again, but it's another aspect of thunderstorms and it's a fun switch)
closest associate sorcerer: Sea Sorcerer (UA doc) if available, Storm Sorcerer if not

Purple (deep) dragon (because of my Koryo changes)
Key powers of the dragon: cone of energy, the burst of power, and blade of energy.
associated element: Necrotic
closest associate sorcerer: shadow sorcerer

https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/26_UASorcererUA020617s.pdf

Elves:  The Maraloi, or Snow Elves, Live in the land of the Snow Demons.  While normally incredibly isolated from outsiders, the last sundering caused great damage to their homelands.  This has started a sort of Cold War between them and the Spirit folk, as both have their own opinions about "restoring the lands."

Gensai:  The Elementally atuned are not very common in Kara-tur, but there are a number of elemental locations in the horseclans areas which attact such beings as gatekeepers of oasises.

Goblins:  Lesser Bakemoto team out of the Oni Lands of Kozukura, and the Hordelands.  While many are endless hordes, many have ended up in Shou Long Seeking a better life.  Many follow the path now which seems to have a side effect of making them much bluer in tone.

Gnolls:  These are common in the Hordelands and the plain of horses.    From the Mountain of Iron to the Ken-YenShan, these monsters plague those that stray too far from the hubs of Kara-Tur.  Some have been drafted by the Tuigan as shock troops in the upcoming wars.

While originally forged by Demons and usually the acolytes of slaughter and senseless destruction,   many have been abandoning their baser attitudes.  Some claim it was adventurers who broke this link.  Others claim the Monkey King did it as a joke.  But at any rate, some gnolls have been adopting the Path as a means for a different life.  Old habits die hard and often a Gnoll will casually and politely suggest something horrific before immediately apologizing.  This path is dangerous as their brethren wish to bring them to "justice" for abandoning their nature, but it also lays the groundwork for the greatest of adventurers.

Gnomes: Gnomes are very rare, but not unheard of.  During the Sundering, A large Gnome colony located at the The Great Spire of the Ice Sea was destroyed and forced the survivors south.  They ended up in the northern locations of Shou Long where they created their own villages with their strange gods (Gond) and insular mentality.

Kobolds: They have done well in the merit-based society of Shou's lung and often rise to a position of some sort of bureaucrat.

Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of all type abound in Kara-tur and in particular Kozokura  The most common types are Inugami(dog), Kitsune (Fox), Bakeneko (Cat), and Tanuki (badger).  While there are many communities sprinkled across the world, they are a sort of a superstition and fear to the point where they often have to register themselves with the local magistrate to have protection against mobs.  In fact, many a Hengeyokai starts their adventuring career by being run out of town.

Hobgoblins: Once invading marauders, the hobgoblins now line the armies of both Shou and T'u Lung. In fact, the great warrior Wo Roku of Shou Lung is known for his great integrity and tendency to kill the corrupt and has gone into exile multiple times because of his honor (a cough, cough Worf, cough, cough)

Kenku: Their "murders" are best described as flocks of bandits. they descend on an area and tear from the land before going away. However, they are also known for being excellent teachers of the mystic arts.

Korobokuru:  They are most common in the Northern Parts of Kara-Tur, particularly the northern islands of Kozokura and Wa (concept was originally from Ainu mythology).  There is some debate whether they are an offshoot of Dwarves or Gnomes, but at any rate,  these small, but strong humanoids often adventure because they have been exiled from their clan and need to prove themselves to come back.  They were originally incredibly isolationist, but have forced to make regular contact since the increase of demonic activity since the resundaring.

edit: after rereading the original tale, I'm completely convinced they are forest gnomes, just reskinned.

Me-Zu Oni:  The original commanders of the oni, they have had a fall from grace during the great sundaring.  These horselike demons have had many of their gifts taken away and have been emmanciated.  They now are found in Kozukura trying to make a living, as well as in the hordelands as one of the many "allied monsters" under the Tuigan.

I'm mainly including them because the Scarred Lands Player's Guide includes a version of them known as the Ironbred  (or Sutak) that is already converted to 5e.

Minotaur: The ox head demons are one of the larger citizens of kara-tur. While crude, they are hard working and very stubborn. They are also very family orientated and will do anything for them (which usually includes their adventuring party).

edit: including link of stats
http://www.dmsguild.com/product/203993/The-Minotaurs-of-the-Stonelands

Orcs: Imagine an entire race of Zhu Bajie, that occupy the lowest ranks of Shou and T'u Lung society. Their massive criminal organization has ties everywhere in Kara-Tur.

Spirit Folk:  These Spirits made flesh often have a spiritual connection to untouched wilderness.  They are most common in the Jungles south of Malatra and north of Shou Lung for bamboo.  The Great mountains around Talbot is another area where Spirit folk dwell.

There is also the Guge of the hollow crown mountains. These mountain spirits folk are known for their decadance and evil. and fractured between the religions of Bhaal and Cyric.

Tabaxi: For some reason, they seem to excel at restaurant and hospitality business within Shou Lung (samurai pizza cats).

Tako:  While originally not wanting to do anything to do with surface dwellers, these strange sentient octopuses have become citizens to the local kingdoms.  They are particularly common in Kozukura where they are fisherman that live on the relatively shallow continental shelf and come up for market day.  They are renown troubleshooters as a species and often sent by their local magistrates to deal with strange situations.

Thri-kreen: This massive hives of the northern wastes are known for their silk, which is a side effect of their larval young. Despite their outsider status, they have this coming of age ceremony where they must return with a name of a great deed to earn their place within the society. They also have invaded shou lung in the past in a manner that would make the Bugrom from el hazard proud.

Tiefling: Wo Mai dalliances have been many and it has bred true throughout Kara-tur. Additionally many former humans were transformed during the sundering, especially in Kozakura.

War Born: As an attempt to reduce the numbers games, Wo Mai has forged a number of Terra Cotta soldiers with life. Many of these become dissatisfied with their profession and have deserted the dark armies to seek a life of their own.

Kara-Tur - Some Thoughts - Part 1 - Overview

I started stewing on rpg.net and decided to compile it here for ease of access.

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any who my two cents.

1. It's going to be called Kara-tur - Lands of Enlightenment rather than Oriental adventures.  The way I see it, it's a more suitable title.
2. This is going to be as historically accurate to Asia as dungeons and dragons are to Europe. in other words, barely enough to count.
3. I'm taking full advantage of the fact that we've had two sunderings since the last book has been done so it can be reshaped as we see fit.
4. I'm going to follow the "points of light" model. aka most of the places are scary, at least until the big damn adventurers show up to kick ass.
5. I'll reskin and reuse most of the time, at least unless I feel something is missing.  we have a ton to work with.
6. I like races other than humans so expect a ton of them.
7. the following is chocked full of pop culture references so I apologize in advance.

okay with that in mind, here are my thoughts.

Shou Lung: aka the celestial kingdom is in shambles.  The last emperor is nearing death and he was rendered infertile, thus creating a future power vacuum.  As a result, each of the major families is jockeying for position to control the throne.  But their's a rumor that the emperor is seeking lichdom to extend his "mandate of heaven."

Shou Lung is a very multicultural and multiracial place as even those monster hordes that invade usually become Shou within a generation or two.  It also is known as the middle kingdom and has a similar property to sigil when it comes to accessing other planes of note.

T'u Lung:  In contrast, the T'u lung has never been stronger.  the acorn of Wo Mai was broken during the last sundering and now he rules these lands with an iron fist (think Aku from samurai jack for a sort of results).  This has continued the war between Shou and T'u for hundreds of years.  If Shou were united, they would have brought the smackdown, but Wo Mai's spies and warlocks are everywhere and continue to sow discontent in their northern neighbor.

Koryo:  The land of the Dragon Turtle main race is Dragonborn, not Human.  They are a proud people that have been split between the glorious purple empire of the north and the golden kingdom of the south.  They also see themselves as under siege from their neighbors and it is their pets that allow them to stay free, for just a little while longer.    In between the two Dragonborn kingdoms is the Kappa Kingdom, who keeps playing both factions off each other.

Kozakura: The Waring states are jockeying for position in the land of the samurai and ninja.  The last sundering has caused it to be known by it's another name: the land of a thousand oni.  Many were reshaped into monsters in body, if not in spirit.  Imagine the old anime hyperpolice with a healthy dose of war of all against all.

Talbot:  This isolated kingdom of Vanara is rumored to be in its own demiplane.  Despite being a peaceful place, these "yeti monks" often leave their homeland to seek "enlightenment" which usually causes problems for those that cross their path.

Wa:  The black demon ships of Wo Mai broke Wa's peace and they have been forced to look outwards, not inwards to adapt to a changing world.  think Ninja Scroll with a healthy dose of Rurouni Kenshin.  These can be played as humans against monsters or as horrible xenophobes based on story needs.

Plain of Horses:  The horseclans were once united under the great Yamun Khahan.   He created a Grand Army of the Tuigan who conquered a vast amount of land between Faerun and Kara-Tur until his death. After the resundering, a mysterious figure has returned to the clans.  Claiming to be Eke Bayalun, the wife of the great Yamun Khahan, she has managed to reunite many of the clans, despite being a woman.  Her contact with the spirits is unmatched anywhere in Kara-tur, as she claims she has been in the spirit world for centuries.  She sends her horseman everywhere in the known world, searching for Artifacts of previous eras, recruiting of people and monsters and using a hidden area as a natural conduit for ensuring that they return to glory and conquer all known lands.

Khazari:  Bayalun has been using this location as her diplomatic and communication center.  It has become a Casablanca like place where people from all over Kara-Tur interact on behalf of the great powers.

Ra-Khati:  This isolationist community has had no contact with the outside world since the spell plague and the sunderings, but recently it has been billowing purple smoke.  Is it a discovery of new magic?  Is it a beachead of evil forces from beyond the planes that they have become acolytes of?  Or maybe it's an announcement to the world that they are back and will use their secret weapon on any invaders?

Petan:  Even though it isn't quite right, A while back I heard an offhanded comment that Thailand was treated as the Transylvania of asia in media and asked about it.

aka a place of black magic, vampires and ghosts.

combine that with Angkor wat and historical Vietnam and Cambodia and serious potential for gaming.

Petan is a great place for that creepy place just before you get to horseclan territory, not unlike Transylvania in Europe.

Purang Tribes:  The Elemental Tribes were reborn during the resundering, with roughly a quarter becoming Gensai and a good chance that their children will become so.  Still fragmented, the four clans unite against outsiders as they were ethnically distinct even before the elemental transformation.   Raids on their neighbors are common, often complimented by elementals.

There were five clans, but one was exiled and driven underground for their heinous ways and all records of this tribe were stricken from all written records and stories.

Lathoan:  Once a small kingdom that warred with its neighbor, the mysterious Psycho Army, driven from both Shao Lung and T'u Lung, marched here.  Led by the mysterious M. Bao, who says it is her birthright to one day rule the entire world.  It has connections all over Kara-Tur, where it often muscles it's way into other criminal organizations and extorts far and wide.  A sizable chunk of its forces are Orcs that have been transformed into an effective fighting force and are often empowered by dark energy.  She uses massive concerts and auditoriums to keep her "minions" entertained that use mind control on the audience.

M. Bao is always looking for new fighters, new techniques and new forces where she has a once a year tournament where she recruits the brightest and the best and is willing to invite anybody in Toril.

She's also is known for having multiple magical clones of herself, not unlike alias in the finder stone trilogy, complete with magical tattoos that she uses to send as assassins as a "message."


Kuong Kingdom: The Kuong Kindom is the India analog of the area and where the originator of the Way came from.  This one mighty empire has been shattered into seven noble castes that vie for dominance in the name of the Lords of Creation and the Maharajah:

Bhallukha:  Monster Hunting Caste
Gandharva: Arcane Caste
Lakshmana: Courtier Caste
Kokaha: Raider Caste
Naga: Ascetic Caste
Singha:  Warrior Caste
Vriscika: Spy Caste

Many Devas make up the ruling castes and remember so everybody else doesn't have to.  This results in few written records beyond administration needs.

It is believed that this is one of the places where the Yuan-ti once ruled with an iron fist and are rumored to still pull strings to this day.

The resundering has shaken this order to its core.  A new religion from the underclass has started to rise up and has vowed to throw off their oppressors.  While it is claimed that the Yuan-Ti might be responsible, but it might be simply that new gods arose during this turbulent time and now want in.  What is known is the leader is simply known as Mr. X.

It is the land where Elephants are used for construction, Tigers are used as companions and Monkey's plague the streets.  Some of which are awakened and as intelligent as many human and can even assume humanoid form.  Many of these are responsible for the recent caste uprising.

<inspired by the oriental adventure enhancement done for the 3rd edition era>.
http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20011019a


Malatra:  This area is now the home of the Saurial Tribes (because dinosaur people are awesome) who live in the land of the Kaiju.  Great megafauna and dinosaurs roam this land and often go on rampages that go far beyond their borders.  This may have been influenced by a Godzilla marathon. :p

Come to think of it, saurials already kinda have a caste system, so another point for using them in this area (that and their official standing in the area).

edit: including link to saurial stats
http://www.dmsguild.com/product/194578/The-Saurials-of-the-Lost-Vale?src=newest_in_dmg

The Island Kingdoms: This area usually covers everything from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, to Borneo, so hard to give it's own feel.  I do want a Singapore type city that acts as a place of exiles from other areas.  Throw in islands of aarakocra, dwarves, ghosts, giants, gnomes, goliaths, headhunters, minotaurs, pirates, underwater kingdoms, vampires, and a couple of dragons that have been exiled and seek revenge and it becomes the sandbox the gm can play in hard.  Need an artifact that has been missing from generations, a teacher of forbidden magic, or a monster that is very rare whose parts can cure an otherwise incurable disease?  start at the island kingdoms.

I'm going to triple it's size and make it as an archipelago of Kar-tur.  A lot of these places world is a small location of a single tribe in a lagoon and sealed off from their neighbors.

I'd probably put the Singapore type city on an island closest to the Kara-tur mainland and put it in conflict with everybody, especially T'u Lung due to proximity.  Perhaps a redoing of Bwa with this flavor.

Lords of Chaos - Part 13 - Damn Dirty Apes

Part 1
Part 2

Our heroes go to hell.

We Dis Showbiz.