If you have already started drinking the 5th edition cool-aid and want some more flavors, check out my friend's blog

My friend (and Estarion player) Rich Howard has been busy playing with 5th edition and developing some materials for the game.

First of all, Rich studied Marine Biology many moons ago in Santa Cruz, which grew out of his love of the ocean and unhealthy fascination with Aquaman. Well, maybe not obsession. But he like Aquaman before it was cool. Because it will totally be cool some day. In fact, in my game he is playing a cleric of Poseidon named Arturius Courius. Because we like a good comic book in-joke. The upshot of this is that he has created a series of aquatic builds for PC classes and races:

• Barbarian aquatic build
• Bard
• Cleric
• Druid and Ranger
• Fighter
• Paladin
• Race: Sea Elf
• Race: Selkie

 He also has some monstrous races built out as PC options:

• Aaracockra
• Minotaur
• Soulbound Revenant

 I present all of these to boost some awareness of cool things a friend is doing and to just share some of the general sense of DIY vibe that I think can come out of the new rules.

Earthmen as PCs

In my mind, Athanor exists in the distant future of Earth, long after it has faded from glory. If humans survive, they do so beyond the scope of travel to Athanor. However, it is true that the alien nature of the campaign  or players’ desire for a familiar character type to run may make it hard for some players to get into playing an Athanoran character.

Earthmen on Athanor have arrived through some sort of temporal or dimensional portal. Most will be from some point in the 20th or early 21st century, arriving through strange portals such as are found in the Bermuda Triangle, by wormholes as astronauts, or by magical or weird-science accidents. They may want to return to Earth, but this would be a major story arc and will not be intended to be an easy goal! Earthmen are standard humans, just like Zamorans in all respects except as follows:

Class Advancement
    Earthmen will not begin trained as magic-users. Most will be Fighters. A few may be rogues with magical potential, but no training.

Skill with Ancient Technology
Earthmen, used to 20th century or 21st century technology are more familiar with technological items.  They gain a +2 to saving throws to use Ancient technology.

Weapon
Earthmen begin play with a sidearm. This can be a six-shot revolver or a ten-shot automatic pistol. In any case, the weapon does 1d6+2 damage, range 50feet, RoF 1, and takes one round to reload. The character begins with a full weapon and 1d6 reloads of ammunition.

While this is a convenient weapon, it is up to the player to find a way to get more ammunition….
 
Miscellaneous Technological Items
    Earthmen begin with 1d3+1 other useful modern items such a lighters, flashlights, etc. These are likely to wear out over time.

Background Skills
Earthmen may choose from the following  type II skills in addition the usual background skill options: Archaeologist, Astronaut, Electronics, Mechanic, Pilot, Scientist, Soldier.

The Skills
Archaeologist
    Archaeologists are adept at deciphering signs, symbols and languages, understanding cultures, and understanding traps and other dangers in old ruins. (+4 saves) They also have a sense of what items are of value among the ruins of ancient civilizations and are adept at appraising them.

Astronaut
    Astronauts know how to operate spacecraft and gain a +2 bonus to saves to use Ancient technology.

Electronics
    This ability allows characters to repair and operate electronics devices (+4 saves). This grains a +2 to saves to use Ancient technology.

Mechanic
    This ability allows characters to repair and operate mechanical devices. This grains a +4 to saves to disarm traps, perform basic repairs, and to fix  non-electronic items.

Pilot
    This is the ability to pilot, repair, and operate aircraft (+4 saves).  With practice, this can apply to Athanoran airships.

Scientist
    Scientists are skilled in identifying and analyzing physical phenomena. Choose a field. Chemists can do the same tasks as characters with the Alchemy skill; Biologists can identify animals and plants and predict their behavior; etc. This gives a +4 bonus to appropriate saves. This grains a +2 to saves to use Ancient technology.

Soldier
    Soldiers understand tactics, weaponry, and outdoor survival (+4 saves).

Weirding Up the Intelligent Races, Part I: The Barbarian Races

Following the lead of Burroughs' Barsoom, I have made the intelligent races of Athanor essentially human, except for the weirdness of the Ghul, who are essentially Nehwon's Ghouls, as in Leiber's Fafhrd and Grey Mouser series. After reading some posts about Cactus Men of Planet Algol, though, I thought that maybe I could make the barbarian races of Athanor, the Ghul and the Throon, a bit less ordinary. Here's a draft of an alternate version of the two races, including some minimal changes for the Ghul, and a very changed vision of the Throon....

Ghul

The Ghuls are superstitious, cannibalistic savages who live in small, insular clans. They are ruthless raiders who are known for not taking prisoners. They regard non-Ghul as little more than semi- or fully-intelligent animals, and consider only other Ghuls as human. They worship chaos and believe that might in combat and glory in death are the highest ideals.

Ghuls have transparent flesh and blood, with only their bones and eyes clearly visible. This is a terrifying sight to most others, which the Ghuls take advantage of. Ghuls often fight wearing only a battle harness consisting of small armored portions connected by studded leather straps. In the hands of a trained Ghul, this armor provides protection equivalent to leather armor, with a similar cost. They prefer great, curved swords.

Class Advancement

Ghuls use either the Fighter or the Rogue advancement chart. They may advance as high as sixth level.

Weapon and Armor Restrictions

As noted for class. Ghuls prefer curved, slashing swords.

Ghuls wear ceremonial battle harness that functions identically to leather armor. Ghul warriors sometimes carry shields, but most carry two-handed weapons.

Combat Frenzy

Ghuls are brutal combatants. When in combat, they may add +2 to their attack rolls, but may not wear armor heavier than Ghul battle harness.

Throon

Throon are nomadic bariarian who live as a variety of tribes. The Throon tend to fight with each other as well as with the people of the Five Kingdoms. Some act as bandits, others raid civilized outposts regularly. Still others live at peace with the Five Kingdoms. They have their own martial code of honor, but are not beholden to the ways of the Five Kingdoms.

Throon are ochre-skinned and hairless, and stand some seven feet tall. Though they are human in general form, they are actually mobile and sentient fungi, with silicate bones and thick, fibrous flesh.

Though Throon eat and drink as humans do, they also are able to absorb nutrients from decaying matter and from rich soil. Their children are born from spores that they produce once per year. Few Throon children grow to adulthood. As Throon get older, their flesh gets tougher, and the elderly become unable to move, and are settled into sacred Elder Groves.

Throon Racial Abilities

Class Advancement

Throon use the Fighter advancement chart. They may advance as high as sixth level.

Weapon and Armor Restrictions

Throon favor slashing weapons, with a particular love for axes in combat. Like any warrior, they may use any weapons.

Throon disdain the use of armor, but are protected by their own tough, fibrous flesh. This gives them a +4 to Armor Class.

Fungal Body Chemistry

The Throon process poison differently. Throon gain +2 to saves vs. poisons and toxins.

Fungal Brain

Throon gain a +2 to saves vs. charming, holding, and dominating magic.

Fibrous Flesh

Piercing and blunt weapons automaticially do minimum possible damage.