Teleportation Pools Once, long ago, the far flung regions of the Metal earth were connected by a network of teleportation pools. Traders and travellers used the pool system, utilizing submersable barges to move through what was known  then as The Between Sea. The trip was so short, though, that in most cases,  teams of swimmers, usually comprised of Reptarch Longfin (now thought to be extinct), could tow all but the largest items from place to place. Able bodied humanoids of every race had no trouble making the trip. Like so much else, this golden time is all but lost to memory- today, most people don't even know the pools exist.

During the current time period The Between Sea is tainted and unsafe for travel. Huge undead angler fish, known as ghostfins prowl the waters, as well as a host of other evil and undead creatures. Distances seem longer as well. what once took but a few moments now requires hours- or longer. The pools are still usable, but the passage is  very dangerous, and few who enter the water came out.


Pools range from about the size of bathtub to slightly larger than an olympic swimming pool. Many cities have them, but few residents- even those in charge, know they exist. Evil creatures such as the Changers and the Slavers of Gear make use of them to further their vile and twisted schemes.

Aside from the large scale pool network many large sites featured closed networks of pools. These may or not share the taint of the open Between Sea.

Quote from: Aos;233743Hey! Do I gum your threads with meaningless chatter- er, I mean, yeah...  how about that Koltar?

Hey, at least you know some people are reading your thread.

As more on-topic comments, I don't like the humans are rare and exotic thing.  It seems to be trying too hard to go against the norm.

I do like the map, including the place names.  Very cool.

Actually, I wasn't trying to so much go against the norm as I was trying to make Humans cool. I was thinking to the Tarna sequence in Heavy Metal actually. I do see your point, though, but I've got this idea in my head...

Edit- Also, I usually play humans and I thought it would be neat to be play a human and have everyone think you were dangerous trash.

Quote from: Aos;233803Teleportation Pools Once, long ago, the far flung regions of the Metal earth were connected by a network of teleportation pools. Traders and travellers used the pool system, utilizing submersable barges to move through what was known  then as The Between Sea. The trip was so short, though, that in most cases,  teams of swimmers, usually comprised of Reptarch Longfin (now thought to be extinct), could tow all but the largest items from place to place. Able bodied humanoids of every race had no trouble making the trip. Like so much else, this golden time is all but lost to memory- today, most people don't even know the pools exist.

Stolen sucker ! Or rather Whirlpools in my setting.

Regards,
David R

I'm glad you like it!

This is ten kinds of awesome. Keep it up.

Thanks, man! Now, however, I must sleep.

Quote from: Aos;233809Actually, I wasn't trying to so much go against the norm as I was trying to make Humans cool. I was thinking to the Tarna sequence in Heavy Metal actually.

But Tarna wasn't the only human.  She was simply the only Taarakian.  The humans were divided up into different peoples but they were still human.  The role humans serve in many fantasy settings is to be the race that people can play when they don't want to be exotic.  It's the safe choice.  I'm not sure that leaving out a safe and familiar choice in order to make every choice cool is a good idea.  It's sort of like the point about making fighters cool in D&D 4E at the expense of having them be simple and safe to play.  I don't know about your audience but I do know that there is one player in my group who likes to play basic humans and gets a bit annoyed when that option isn't available to him.

Well, I can meet you halfway John- The Island of Xal is where i started my last campaign and it is totally human dominated- so if someone wanted to run a campaign where humans were the norm- they could start there, it's big enough for a  whole campaign (I'll post maps when I unearth them, I just moved last week). this is so much the case that when the Human ranger left the island and found out about the difference between there the other islands and the continent he was totally shocked- which was actually really cool.

Quote from: Aos;233843this is so much the case that when the Human ranger left the island and found out about the difference between there the other islands and the continent he was totally shocked- which was actually really cool.

OK.  That sounds interesting and pretty cool.  Carry on.

Quote from: AosIn the Metal Earth women go topless all the time.

Even while wearing heavy plate armor...?

Quote from: Fritzs;233868Even while wearing heavy plate armor...?

Of course not. Then they just have metal bra's. With a smattering of dangerous spikes.

 AOS, keep up the fun stuff

Anyway, this kind of setting bore me... it has been done before and there is nothing interesting (except topless chicks, but Tekumel did this better I think)...

...but I can be made interesting and more METAL, my first sugestion is to cut all the wierd races and let there be only humans (clones, cyborgs, mutants everything count as being human, they recieve different staring equipment and ability modifiers)... the races are both wierd (which is not flaw) and boring (which is BIG flaw), so it will IMO work better without them...

Quote from: Silverlion;233919Of course not. Then they just have metal bra's. With a smattering of dangerous spikes.

Chainmail bikinis, ' nuff said.


The Slavers of Gear
The slavers are mysterious humanoids. slavery is common in the regions around the Ruingulf and the Slavers of Gear have a virtual monopoly on trade. Their slave taking steamships are the scourge of  southern Ruingulf and the Archipelago of Nom.
The slavers seem to be impervious to heat- or perpetually cold, they are always bundled up in thick furs despite the weather. They do not shor their faces either; each wears a loose, eyeless hood. It is also said that they smell of rotten meat and orchids.

Quote from: Fritzs;233939Anyway, this kind of setting bore me... it has been done before and there is nothing interesting (except topless chicks, but Tekumel did this better I think)...

...but I can be made interesting and more METAL, my first sugestion is to cut all the wierd races and let there be only humans (clones, cyborgs, mutants everything count as being human, they recieve different staring equipment and ability modifiers)... the races are both wierd (which is not flaw) and boring (which is BIG flaw), so it will IMO work better without them...

The topless chicks line was a joke Fritzs. As for your other concerns, please see the bolded note at the top of post 1, and keep in mind that I am editing all the time. And really, all but two of the races ARE human variants. I'm sorry to bore you.