Note: everything that follows is made of fail and suck, adjust your expectations accordingly. Also the semi-insulting obscenity laden tone of some of the text is not intended to offend or piss anyone off, it's just my pathetic juvenile idea of what's funny.

The Metal Earth is a gonzo, hardcore blood and guts points of light science fantasy setting with a twisted up Cthulu fetish and juvenile politics and sexuality.  So like sneak some booze out your parent's stash, burn some of that shit you bought from the Good Humor man, crank up the volume and rock on- it's the end of the fucking world. Time to roll some dice.

The world is immusurably old. Civilizations without number have come and gone; glaciers have crawled across the land, dwindled and returned time and again. Continents have drifted, shifted, sunk, risen and reformed countless times. The sun is dim. The moon is shattered. This is the waning epoch, The Iron Time, this is...

The Metal Earth:
For best results put on AC/DC's Back in Black, or maybe the sound track to Conan....

I’ll start with this crappy map and the PC Primer (format stolen from Pseudo).  After a very general overview of  settlements and geography, I’ll do something a bit more in depth with a smaller region (also with a crappy map) suitable for beginning adventures.

Note on the Map: A word about place names- the names here may seem a bit corny, but that’s kind of what I’m aiming for. I don’t really expect players to read through pages of background and history, so I want them to get an idea of what things are like just from a glance at the map. That said, this is not the map players should see at the beginning of the game. It is actually a treasure map- but not in the traditional sense. It does not show the location of treasure, it is treasure, or rather the knowledge of the world one can glean from it is. I will eventually replace this map with a less crappy version  if any one exhibits an interest, that is

Races to be:

...first there came the humans, risen from the primordial muck in a time so distant that it is not even a memory. They made the others, some by accident, others by design. But the humans were wicked and red handed, as cruel to their servants as their foes. A day came when the other races banded together and threw down their masters. A terrible war ensued. human power was broken, but with it, so was the world...

-A fragment from The Wall of Loss at Ssaur.


A word about customizing the setting-

The Metal Earth is fucking huge, far larger in land area than our earth- how much larger? Nobody knows. Why is it larger? Fucked if I know; it just is. Now, fuck off and get over it. The races listed below are only suggestions, one could easily change them out for different races. That said, the list might prove useful for any GM who needs to fill a tavern or a city- or you can just use them as suggested. After all, it's your world. Bitch.

Mutants, Mongrels, Cyborgs and Freaks: these are perhaps the most common residents of the Metal Earth. Almost anything goes on the Metal Earth, all sorts of strange twisted creatures live and mingle among the more pure strain races. The social status of such creatures is variable- often completely dependent on how fucked up they look. Character generation for each of these would have to be dealt with on a case by case basis. For Savage worlds and True20 (revised or w the companion, this shouldn't be a real problem). For D&D 4e I suggest tapping into the back of the Monster Manual for ideas on racial abilities- and/or make some up yourself- it's stupid easy.


Humans: The most exotic and least common of the races. Human diversity and flexibility are legendary; this very real aspect of the race, coupled with their extreme rareness has made them an object of distrust. “As shifty and inconstant as a human,” is a common slur. Some myths suggest that the other races are descended from or were outright created by humans. As in times past, human customs and mores vary widely from group to group, however, humans of the Iron Time tend to avoid large racially diverse cities, and are more likely to be found in small, often hidden woodland settlements.
D&D Use humans

True20: Use High Man stats (pg 21 of companion).

Savage worlds: As in the core, with the Outsider Hinderance, and one additional edge.


Note: Mur Madlings (see below) are humans- with one notable difference; they can tap the Arcane power source without a visit to the fountain. If anything, they are even less trusted than run of the mill humans.

D&D: Humans with access to Arcane power source. At 1st level, all Mur Madlings begin the game as Sword Mages.

True20:Unlike other humans, Mur can be Adepts without visiting the fountain.

Savage Worlds: As above, but the additional edge slot is occupied by Arcane Background edge.

Human Option : Anachronism: this is a human from another time, perhaps the twentieth century, or the age of sail- or really any time at all- see post 54. These characters can be made by the standard rules in True20 and Savage worlds. The same goes for D&D, unless there is a desire to simulate a character from a non martial culture, such as the Urban Western Culture of the 20th century. In which case use the class below.

Untrained
Role: inept outsider
Power Source: none
Key Abilities: All
Armor proficiencies: none
Weapon Proficiencies: none
Bonus to defense: none
Hit points at first level: 0+ Constitution score
Hit points per level gained: N/A see below
Healing surges per day: 4
Trained skills: none
Build options: none
Class features: none

At will powers:
Melee Basic Attack
Ranged Basic Attack
Both are detailed on page 287 of the 4E PHB

The character will progress to level 1 of a (martial) class of his/her choice after earning 500 XP- theses XP don’t vanish, though, and the character will still progress on to level 2 after gaining 500 more XP for a total of 1000.
This is option might well lead to unbalanced parties- but the Metal Earth isn’t about balance, so piss off.




Grod: The second most common of the mammalian races, Grod are horned and tailed humanoids thought to be a hybrid of Humans and Minotaurs, or perhaps humanoid offspring of Devilgoats. Some scholars believe that Grod are a mixture of humanity and infernal sources. All this is, of course, mere conjecture.The truth is lost somewhere in the mist of time. Grod are largely urban and often dominate the political structure of multiracial settlements.

D&D: Use Tieflings.

True20:
Ability Adjustments: +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence,
Bonus feats :  Natural weapon (Gore +1 attack), Night Vision, Connected, rage

Savage Worlds:
Edges: Connection, Berserk, +2 charsima.


Minotaurs: The most common of the mammalian races. Minotaurs, along with Leafeaters (see below) make up the foundation of most large settlements. The last great empire, which was destroyed during the Wars of Unreason, (see below) was dominated by Minotaurs. Minotaurs along with Leafeaters make up most of the agricultural peasant class on the Metal Earth. Minotaurs have an odd fascintation with mazes and labarynths, so much so that even the home of simplest farmer is likely to feature twisty corridors, fake doors, and dead end passages.

D&D: Minotaur Pg 278 Monster Manual

True20: Minotaur Background:
Ability adjustments +2 Strength, +2 Endurance -2 Charisma -1 Intelligence
Bonus feats: Night Vision, Natural Weapon (Gore +3 attack), Toughx2

Savage Worlds:
D8 Strength
Size +2
Horns Strenght +2 damage.
Gore: (requires at least a 6” running start) +4 to damge total.
Edges: Fleet Footed, Beserk


Reptarch: The Reptarch are a saurian species that come in two varieties, Leafeater and Speartooth, of the two only the second is a suitable player character choice. All Reptarch are born as sexless herbivores, at the age of twelve they either sex or remain neuters, no one knows why. Sexed Reptarchs are known as Speartooth and unlike their unsexed counterparts, they eat meat- and if rumors are to be believed, sometimes it is the meat of Leafeaters. Speartooth are both more intelligent and more aggressive than Leafeaters, and they run Reptarch settlements. Although Reptarchs are occasionally found living in heterogeneous urban areas and villages, they more often keep to homogenous agricultural settlements.
D&D: Use Dragonborn for Speartooth Reptarch.

True20: Speartooth background
Ability adjustments +2 strength, +2 Constitution +2 Toughness (tough hide)
Bonus Feats: Toughness, Elemental Blast (prerequisites not necessary).

Savage Worlds:
D6 Vigor +1 size
Edge: (arcane)Burst with 10 PPs using Shooting as the skill.

Autonm: Bipedal constructs of wood stone and metal, almost certainly created by humans for some forgotten war. Autonms are nearly as rare as their creators, and often travel in their company due to a special affinity the two groups have for one another. Unattached Autonms wander the world as mercenaries or adventurers.

D&D: use Warforged.

True20: Autonm Background:
Ability Adjustments: +2 Strength, +2 Constitution -2 Charisma
Bonus Feats: Diehard, nightvision

Savage worlds:
D6 Strength, D6 Vigor
Edge: Armor
Hinderence: Outsider


Shae: Thought to be only slightly less elder than the humans. Shae are sorceress being who tend to live in urban environments. They are often associated with magic and science both. Like a Mur Madlings, Shae can draw upon the arcane power source without a trip to the fountain. Appearence wise shae look very much like humans except they lack all body hair.

D&D : Use Eladrin.

True20: Shae Background
Ability Adjustments: +2 Intelligence, -2 Strength
Bonus Feat: Teleport (limit 10 Meters)

Savage Worlds:
D6 smarts
Edge: (Arcane) Teleport
Hindrance: small


Beastkin: another human hybrid, that occasionally even live among humans, and are often lumped in with them by the ignorant. Beastkin are more savage in appearance and more physical than humans in general. They are, however, more likely to live as a minority underclass in cities dominated by the other races.

D&D: use Shifters.

True20: Beastkin background
Ability adjustments +2 Strength OR +2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 charisma
Bonus Feats: Rage, Regeneration (creature trait)

Savage Worlds:
D6 Vigor, D6 Strength or D6 Agility (player choice) -2 Charisma
Edge: Fast healer
Hindrance: Outsider


War Ape: Huge horned Simians from the tropical jungles of the sweltering southland, War apes sometimes travel in the settled lands working as mercenaries, bodyguards, or even just as wandering adventurers.

Note:  The Hindrances listed in the Savage Worlds stat block should really come into play whichever system you are using.


D&D
Average Height: 10’ 6”-12’  
Average weight 400-500 lb.
Ability Scores: +3 Strength, +2 Constituion, -3 Charisma
Size: Large
Vision: Darkvision
Languages: Common, Ape
Skill bonuses +2 nature, +2 perception,
Intimidate: You can release a earth shaking roar which grants you a +3 on all combat related bluff checks.
Racial Powers (Only one at a time):
Goring charge- same as Minotaur
Ferocious Charge- same as Gnoll

True20: War Ape Background:
Ability adjustments:
+3 Strength, +2 Constitution,
Bonus feats: Rage
Level Lag: 1

Savage Worlds:
Size +3
D6 Strength, D6 Vigor
Edge: Brawny
Hindrances:
Extreme Outsider: same as outsider, but many settlement will not even allow War Apes within their walls. Many people will think they are monsters and attack or flee on site.

Large: War apes require roughly twice as much food as other character races. They also have difficulty finding gear (such as armor) that fits them and they must spend up to twice as much on it.

So this is apparently a D&D setting. I'm not seeing much "Earth" in your map (that may be due to geographic unfamiliarity though on my part.)

What is your aim? What themes will your game address? (I.e what makes Metal Earth so METAL!)

I might try and work some real earth names in there mutated a bit (like Granbreton, of Hawkmoon fame)

Thanks for your questions -
So far the only metal showing is the fact that two of the pc races have horns, and another has a breath weapon. That said, I'm just getting started so cut me a bit of slack, and one person's metal is another person crap.
As far as the geography, I'm taking a page from Vance and Wolfe- it is so far in the future that the entire geography of the world has changed- not once, but many times, so I don't want any Earthly place names.  now is so long ago that it is not even a memory. Beyond that the name is pun.
This is a setting designed to appeal to the inner 14 year old, if your not down with that (which is fine by me) than you're probably not going to be interested in it at all.

As to weather or not it's a D&D setting- see the note at the top of post 2 and for a disclaimer see the edited in note at the top of post 1.

The Mur The Mur are humanoids who live in the island group of the same name. All Mur are sexless clones grown in vats at Zil. Legend has it they were created by human sorcerer scientists to help fight some ancient, now forgotten, evil. According to the same legend they eventually destroyed their creators, although it is thought that Mur imitate their folkways. Mur travel in packs of three to ten individuals, known as Murders. Each pack is a hivemind, or rather a packmind, and its members are not so much individual actors, as they are appendages of the whole. The more appendages a Murder has, the more powerful and socially esteemed it is.  All Mur are albinos. As far as appearance goes, think androgynous, albino sorcery wielding Vikings. Mur murders travel Ruingulf in longboats raiding villages and taking slaves to work their land.
Occasionally, one of the members of a Murder becomes gendered and develops an identity separate from the whole. Sometimes all but one member of a pack is killed, forcing the packs entire identity into one human brain- which will also trigger the gendering process. These beings have no choice but to flee their fellows. They are known as Madlings and are a PC option.

Classes-
D&D: All races have access to the martial and divine classes, although Clerics and Paladins are very rare, for reasons that will be explained as I go on. Arcane powered characters are available only to the Eladrin and Mur Madlings.  Humans can gain access to the Arcane power source by visiting a mysterious place known as "The Fountain" and drinking of its waters. The location of the fountain is a closely guarded secret held only by a few, some believe it is on an uncharted island in the Ruingulf, others say it is somewhere in the Warwaste- hardly anyone knows for sure. Only a few humans have made the trip in living memory, and they aren't sharing the secret.

In the Metal Earth women go topless all the time.

Quote from: Silverlion;233677So this is apparently a D&D setting. I'm not seeing much "Earth" in your map (that may be due to geographic unfamiliarity though on my part.)

What is your aim? What themes will your game address? (I.e what makes Metal Earth so METAL!)

I might try and work some real earth names in there mutated a bit (like Granbreton, of Hawkmoon fame)

i've added some intro text to the first couple of posts. To be honest, i didn't actually expect anyone to read any of this, so I've had to rethink the presentation a bit.

Quote from: Aos;233709i've added some intro text to the first couple of posts. To be honest, i didn't actually expect anyone to read any of this, so I've had to rethink the presentation a bit.

No worries. I like your take on the concept. (I like the Mur) but I'd ditch the D&D "races" (unless your explicitly using D&D, which if you are it makes sense) that or I'd change them to be nigh unrecognizable.

Like Dragon men who are really mutant alligator stock who spray acidic phlegm as a "breath weapon", Shifters are human with already obscene physiques that pack too many teeth in a human mouth--until they "shapeshift" to bestial form (which may not be a LOT different but I think I'd give them more animal like heads and of course clothes would rip and fall off.)

Plus you need cyborgs, yes must have cyborgs, even if they are cyborg zombies.

I am using D&D, but the setting is an adaption of my old True20 setting of the same name. Shifters and Dragonborn- as Beastmen and Reptarch were already there, the breath weapon is new, though. I used the D&D names because I thought it would be more easily understood by more people- but i think in the end you are right. I think i'll use my own names and tag the end of the entry with the D&D name. Thanks for the interest!

Quote from: Aos;233701In the Metal Earth women go topless all the time.

You're just trying to get Koltar to reply, aren't you.

Koltar will probably tell us his female players go topless all the time.

Regards,
David R

Hey! Do I gum your threads with meaningless chatter- er, I mean, yeah...  how about that Koltar?

Quote from: Silverlion;233717No worries. I like your take on the concept. (I like the Mur) but I'd ditch the D&D "races" (unless your explicitly using D&D, which if you are it makes sense) that or I'd change them to be nigh unrecognizable.

Like Dragon men who are really mutant alligator stock who spray acidic phlegm as a "breath weapon", Shifters are human with already obscene physiques that pack too many teeth in a human mouth--until they "shapeshift" to bestial form (which may not be a LOT different but I think I'd give them more animal like heads and of course clothes would rip and fall off.)

Plus you need cyborgs, yes must have cyborgs, even if they are cyborg zombies.

I've gone ahead and done a bit of name changing. In my notes I have a PC race called the Halfdead, I may add them as well. It's funny you mention cyborg zombies, because they are on the way too. As well as Vulture mounted ratmen calvary, roadwarrior orcs, Devilgoats and a whole bunch of other crazy shit.
Thanks for your input.

I've edited PC races again and the intro post:

The Changers: Sometimes science goes wrong- or worse yet, as in the case of the Changers, scientists go wrong. The changers are a mysterious group of scientists who delight in capturing other creatures and performing strange experiments on them. Sometimes they change out hands for flippers, or give a beautiful maiden the head of an ant. Other times they release someone with virtually no physical changes, but with new and unwholesome apatites or manias. Although they are based on the island that bears their name (Southern Ruingulf) the Changers have access to large areas of the ME, because they understand the mostly unused network of Teleportation Pools and are accomplished at avoiding or negating the many dangers of the Between Sea. they delight in exploring new territory and collecting unique "specimens". No one can say what a Changer is likely to look like, because they have altered themselves as well.