New 4E Races

[ThatSeanGuy]

I didn't see a thread for brainstorming on good ways to intigrate the new races in 4E, so I figured we could use one.

Tieflings: I think the simplest way to bring these guys in is to have them be descendents of powerful Awnshaghen or other corrupt bloodlines. It plays into the whole "Sins of the father, not you." schtick of the Tieflings, while tieing them to Birthright's whole bloodline theme. Personally, I don't mind there being devils in Birthright, they add to the midevial Eurasia feel more than they detract from it, but I figure keeping the option loose is best.

Dragonborn: These guys were tricky, but I think you'll like this: They're what's left of the free Masteans. The Serpent lied to the world about just what happened to his people; the last Masteans were herded to the Serpent's island where he preformed foul experiments on their blood in an attempt to breed a race of super-soldiers with which it would conquer the world. They were released early when one of the legendary true dragons of Cerilia learned that the Serpent slew one of its siblings to power his vile experiment and attacked the Serpent's island; the majority of Dragonborn reject the Serpent and everything the awnshaeghen stands for, though some do believe that it is their destiny to rule Cerilia as a superior, hand crafted species.

Eladrin: For me, these fellas were the hardest. Cerilia's elves were allready pretty darn Eladrin, after all. Then I remembered Tuar Anwyn, and it came to me: The Eladrin were groups of elves who, rather than submit to a human-dominated Cerilia, journeyed into the Shadow World/Shadowfell, hoping to force a perminant path to the Feywild. It didn't work out. Hundreds of harrowing years later, the Eladrin returned to Cerilia, changed on a spiritual level by their journey; some renounced their bitterness, joining their forgiving elven cousins and even coming to live in some of the more civilized human realms. Others claim to be of finer stock than any current elf ruler, muttering about dirt-blooded commoners and trying to sieze power, if not outright rulership, of their domains; Lullibright was the first to fall, but may well not be the last. Finally, a group of Eladrin are rumored to have sworn allegiance to a twisted awnshaeghen known only as 'The Demon Queen of Spiders', a bitter creature who's creed of hate against any race that isn't Eladrin has human, goblin, dwarf and elf telling stories of nightmarish raids by these 'dark elves', these 'Drow'.

The return of the Eladrin could mean a return to greatness for the elven nations of Cerilia...or the final fall of those proud peoples. Only time will tell.

[kgauck]

Since I'm not ill disposed to being a wet blanket, I'll point out that in other threads the general plurality seems to favor not introducing new races. Finding a place for every new bell and whistle that comes along dilutes the setting into just another niche in the overal D&D universe with but a faint wiff of distinction, rather than being some place special and distinct.

That said, as long as no one is expecting a warm welcome, I say have at. It never hurts to consider these things.

And finally, dragonborn=hydrakin.

[Thelandrin]

I particularly think that Drow in Cerilia is a very bad idea

[AndrewTall]

the elves of Tuar Annwyn could be the local equivalent of drow - some may be tainted with the Shadow World for example. They'd probably be better off built from a different base however.

Strictly a drow (well, their body) was in Warlock of the Stonecrowns, they don't appear anywhere else in BR canon, and have no apparent place in Warlock, but they, along with an equally out of place Dracolich are written in the module.

[irdeggman]

I worry that this would go the way of Eberron. "Everything in D&D has a place in Eberron".

That sort of logic detracts from what makes a setting to me.

Why only look at the races in the PHB? Every setting introduces new races?

So why not look at the PHB races for comparisons but yet keep the setting the way it was envisioned - races are different there.

[bbeau22]

We don't have to go crazy with adding all of the races. Tiefling really doesn't have a good spot certainly not the dragonborn simply because of the dragon situation in Birthright.

Now I have added I do think that Eladrin and Elves can both be considered elves ... different types from different parts of the world, much how there are different human races. I think this is how I would do it in my campaigns.

If you really wanted to add Tieflings then make them a race that lives on the shadowworld. Maybe a few have made it out and are starting trouble.

[Wilenburg]

with so little done with the shadow world it would be cool to develop that it could be a twited version of what the rest of cerilia considers to be human, or it could be another part of cerilia like the ancient place were humans came from that were making packs with azrai. With that arguement can also be applied to the warlock there are at least 2 other continents that were never develop and Raesane crated a very good outline for a second one and the third one no has touch hardly at all.

They are just some possibilities that could be done with the new races, but the biggest thing is it should be written so the DM can make desicions for their campaign. That was the biggest thing I enjoyed about 2nd the vague outline meant the DM can add detail and make each realm in the world unique.

I worry that this would go the way of Eberron. "Everything in D&D has a place in Eberron".

That sort of logic detracts from what makes a setting to me.

Why only look at the races in the PHB? Every setting introduces new races?

So why not look at the PHB races for comparisons but yet keep the setting the way it was envisioned - races are different there.

He does have a point instead of trying to make everything fit from every other dnd setting just let it be up to the DM to make it there preference.

[geeman]

If there`s a big need to introduce the hydrakin as a 4e Birthright
race I`d go first to the lizardfolk write up in the new MM before
turning to the dragonborn. First off, the original idea seemed to be
closer to the 2e version of lizardmen, and the lizardfolk are the
updated version of that original idea. Secondly, the write ups
describe more much similar creatures--swamp dwellers, lizards (as
opposed to magical beast/dragon) relationships, insular, etc.

BR elves really need their own write up in a 4e conversion. A few
characteristics from either the 4e elven races are apt, but they
aren`t one or the other in particular.

Gary

[kgauck]

We don't need the hydrakin. I prefer not to use exotic races in BR, and would like to either run all human, all dwarf, or all elf. I rather think that the inclusion of races like the dragonborn and tiefling are based entirely on "kewl" factor more than anything else.

[Vicente]

I wouldn't add tieflings or dragonborns to the setting, they didn't exist in Birthright 2e and the setting is not changing in the conversion, so there's no good way to put them in.