In a somewhat fairytale style of fantasy setting (as opposed to the D&D style of cultural mishmash), what are the most obvious monster cultures/races other than:
Goblin, Troll/Ogre, and (possibly) Dark Elf.
What would be fun to play as characters?
Satyrs, ghosts, talking animals, dwarves (fairy-tale dwarves, like Rumpelstiltskin), witches.
Dragons, flying monkeys.
Fairies, gnomes, sprites, and pixies....
Centaurs, Minotaurs, tree spirits, sprites, the fey, wolves, foxes, owls, ravens and crows.
Imps,Dwarves,Gargoyles and 'Hellhounds'
What makes a being "monster"...?!
:)
Well i have ideas for a twist on the frp formula, but i have difficulty pitching it correctly. I don't think it should be brutal and monstrous, but neither should it be kitsch and twee. Something in the vein of Beetlejuice with a hint of Dungeon Keeper; twisted but in a fun way, as opposed to 'you are a ravening horde of raping monstrous pillage...roll to eat hobbits'.
So:
The players are traditional fantasy monster types, comfortable in their role but not truly evil. They are caught between the expansionist but overextended righteous White Kingdom, and the brooding, true evil of the All Hallows Army. It is the Lord Reverends of the White kingdom, and their Templars, that have unwittingly stirred the All Hallows Army into action.
The All Hallows Army and it's ruler, The Halloween King, seek to awaken the tombs of the Dark Gods that once had the monster races as thralls and bend them to his will. Meanwhile the White Kingdom believes in notions of purity and a belief in the Family God - a holy trinity representing moral correctness and duty.
The Tyranny of Sacrifices offers those monsters that seek to stand not only against their traditional enemies (in the guise of the White Kingdom), but enslavement at the hands of the Halloween King.
Fear is a resource the players can generate to use. In order to appeal to the GM, players can offer sacrifices.
If the characters are too evil they risk strengthening the Halloween King. Conversely if they act too much against their monster natures they bolster the White Kingdom.
The Cathedrals of the White Kingdom are adorned with stone gargoyles intended to frighten the masses into good behaviour. They are created by magic applied to captured monsters who are subsequently petrified to serve this purpose forever. This process is irreversible.
Character creation is resolved as a backstory (similar to SotC), starting with the most Cunning character as he recruits his fellows in order of that stat. ostensibly the initial character is driven by the realisation he is caught between the All Hallows Army and the White Kingdom; their emissaries have moved to his territory and he has to choose between his freedom and their heel.
Possible Stats:
Cunning - intelligence and wit.
Might - strength and stamina.
Guile - dexterity and reflexes.
Possible Races:
Goblin - excellent tinkerers and stealthy, but physically weak.
Dark Elf - knowledgeable in the Dark Arts (kewl powerz/magic), frail but charming.
Troll - strong and enduring, though not terrible smart
Restless Dead - enduring and quick though susceptible to magic.
Verminion - knowledgeable in the dark arts, quick footed (Skaven without the lawsuit).
Hags
Fomorians
Lycanthropes
Quote from: Esgaldil;412782Hags
Fomorians
Lycanthropes
Nice...:)
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;412780LOT'S OF COOL STUFF
I like it. Very forgy.
As for a race, a More Or Less Noble Wild might be good. Man-Eating Minotaurs might fit in. They are not brutes like the trolls, they know about strategy.
Well thanks, though some may find the term forgy to be the kiss of death. I tried posting some ideas on there ages ago (for a different concept) and found it...unproductive.
But I do like gimmicks. :D
However the idea is that the monster types, the character choices, need to be iconic and fairly traditional. Man eating Minotaur doesn't really fit that.
So how could this be made to work without it becoming angsty or just unpleasant? It's ok when the player is the hero slaughtering orcs and goblins in FRP, but if the player is a goblin how do you turn the tables without it becoming either a joke or just an unpleasant baby eating venture.
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;412876However the idea is that the monster types, the character choices, need to be iconic and fairly traditional. Man eating Minotaur doesn't really fit that.
More traditional than a man-eating minotaur? You must be kidding. (OK, the original one wasn't quite that sociable.)
Quote from: 1of3;413028More traditional than a man-eating minotaur? You must be kidding. (OK, the original one wasn't quite that sociable.)
Ha, I thought the same thing.
Goblins, Trolls, etc.
Iconic monster types.
Man eating Minotaur is not what I'm looking for.
Talking animals, giants, and evil humans.
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;413025So how could this be made to work without it becoming angsty or just unpleasant? It's ok when the player is the hero slaughtering orcs and goblins in FRP, but if the player is a goblin how do you turn the tables without it becoming either a joke or just an unpleasant baby eating venture.
Savage Worlds: Necessary Evil might have some relevant ideas.
Quote from: Ghost Whistler;412780The players are traditional fantasy monster types, comfortable in their role but not truly evil. They are caught between the expansionist but overextended righteous White Kingdom, and the brooding, true evil of the All Hallows Army. It is the Lord Reverends of the White kingdom, and their Templars, that have unwittingly stirred the All Hallows Army into action.
The All Hallows Army and it's ruler, The Halloween King, seek to awaken the tombs of the Dark Gods that once had the monster races as thralls and bend them to his will. Meanwhile the White Kingdom believes in notions of purity and a belief in the Family God - a holy trinity representing moral correctness and duty.
Apparently it used to be believed in England that fairies, goblins etc were angels who had rebelled against God along with Lucifer, but then had partly repented and chose not to follow him into hell.
It sounds like this would be easy to work in to your idea.
Should this go into Design & Development?
Quote from: 1of3;413028More traditional than a man-eating minotaur? You must be kidding. (OK, the original one wasn't quite that sociable.)
Maybe he means "more English" rather than "more traditional"?