hobbygamers ~ View topic

BJ raised a point in the "In Discussion" thread about trying to incorporate Filipino elements into the setting, and it's interesting. I'm in with that one. The setting won't be wholly Filipino-esque, I think, but we can incorporate stuff like language, setting, fey creatures, weapons, fighting styles, art look&feel.

Brainstorm! We are still in the wild ideas phase right now, so almost anything will be listened to and examined.

I'm cooking up a fae short story right now, which introduces my "razormane tikbalang" (who's that hero at DotA? just change pig to horse..)

We'll see what other stuff I can cook up..

Think about this a second... the new world is a post-apocalyptic, almost futuristic world where plague and famine ravages the land and people have to really struggle to survive, right?

That sounds plenty Filipino to me Laughing

The inclusion of Filipino flavored elements in the setting is a good idea.

After brainstorming with supertotoy, here's a rough draft of the latest thing we cooked up...

The three Natural Races.

Fae are Biagtan's first-born, spirits of nature itself that talk to Creation, encouraging it's growth. These babaylan cared for Creation, but was apart from the rest of Biagtan's children.

As more and more mortals populated Creation, fae began to accept them as part of their care. But as spirits, the mortals simply could not understand them. For they were beyond fickle mortal minds. As such, some fae took the ultimate sacrifice and became mortals themselves. The elves, though still aloof, were mortal enough to lord over the rest of the humanoids. They became the Datu.

Biagtan's third children came upon the dreaded hours of the Gadfall War. In the guise of a hunter, he required smiths. He required warriors sturdy as stone. As such he made the dwarves that could outfight even the nastiest goblin that the unnatural gods could create. He created Kapres to toil on the smiths, attended by his dwarven cousins. These panday supplied Biagtan with javelins that ride the Wind.

The elves of today might have been long since removed from these ancient ancestors, yet their seafaring culture reflects these three children. Of the Balangay, three elves rise as the most influential among them:
*The babaylanic spirit shamans, who converse with the fae,
*The Datu, who rule the others with fairness, and
*The Panday, the tribe's chief warrior, boatmaker, and weaponsmith.

Basically, Godfall elves are our "pinoys". What do you think?

btw, we changed Pono's name to Biagtan.. Razz

And also note that we are giving Kapre association with the dwarves...

I like. I really like. Will try to post some recommendations this morning, or we can talk at Glorietta.

Old Dragon Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 413 Location: Limbo

Lesser Kapres - These are the kapres that we see commonly today, descendants to the legendary smiths who have forsaken the art of craft since the Godfall War. Since the death of Biagtan, they have sworn to never to lift the hammer again. Many millenia have passed, and most have forgotten the ancient art of their ancestors, who rivalled even the Eternal Smiths of heaven. Though it is known that they still maintain their affinity with the Sons of Fire, they have been roaming Kal Dathra, in dirt and curse and shame. A shadow of their former glory.

(More to come...)

The buildings of the small town are quite small, similar to many other towns in our world. After all, you can only do so much with clay, the blunt, sticky substance which comprise much of the barren land. Small bungalows dot the place, but yet, our town is extraordinary in his own right...

For the small huts surround what seems to be a few acres of woodland. Thin but tall trees with little leaves seem as claws reacing for the inconstant daystar. small patches of grass seem to rustle with intelligence, speaking epithets at those foolish enough to enter the forbidden wood.

Folklore around the place tells of an ancient pact between the settlers' ancestors and the woodland diwata (spirit). They can live around the wood, but never venture within.

In return for the "protective shell" that the humans will provide, the diwata promises fruits and herbs whenever Sinaghari first stares away the dark.

A shaky bargain, at best. We all know the daystar is inconstant, sometimes having the dark rule the skies for very long periods of time. and yet the diwata keeps her promise; at daybreak, baskets of fruit are found in the various town squares, ready to nourish the people.

And what of the people who venture into the wood? No one knows. From the kids with silly bets to blissful couples who are too in love to think rationally, each and every one were never seen again.

But we all hear the screams. We all know it's the missing ones. We know... None of them are dead. For with every new foolish one to go, the screams during the dark grow stronger.

Yes, they were foolish. So what does that make me?

Another addition to the choir.

I pack my travelling spellbook and clutch my wand tightly. Fresh out of the academy, I return home to find that my sister is in there. In trying to flee from a monster outside, she ventrured to the wood.

I stand over the troll that scared her away. This one has lurked the town since my childhood, and it was known for the sick things it does to young women. It has been tied with metal chains to the ground, made of hardened clay. My fellow townsfolk finally captured it after it chased my sister stupidly through town (it must have been desperate). But waited for me to pass judgement.

Two long sunsets, and 141 short ones the creature endured. Long enough for a man to grow a beard to his chest. Now I'm finally here.

I pointed my wand at the monster's head. A few utterances, and a ray of flame pierced through his forehead.

I was merciful. As I look into the treacherous wood, I know the diwata won't be.

But I have to go. No one who ventured inside ever came out. but then again, none of them were wizards.

**********

There. We've been discussing things on a macro scale too much. Perhaps this one will give us a better feel for the setting.

I need a name for the town, btw, plus a name for the wizard.

Just continue writing and you would come up with a name. Once it has solid flavor naming shouldn't be much of a problem.

Old Dragon Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 431

just an idea:

cabeza- think of them as the guards and sentries
vinta- traveling merchants
plaridel- scholars

Whoa! Juaberman is rolling! We can definitely use that names.

Old Dragon Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 413 Location: Limbo

Those names could be put into use for future characters... Very Happy

I don't like Plaridel though... Laughing

As much as possible, try transform them (real world name references) into unique sounding, and flavorful names. Nice try, juaberman, we need people like you here! Laughing

Note: Filipino names are for elves and fae (generally... I don't know what the others' opinion) You can use anything, just as long as you think that it belongs to this world. Cool

Old Dragon Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 413 Location: Limbo

Old Dragon Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 431

more filipino-esque names:

Inabim- wordplay on "mabini", scholars or advisers
Ok'hum- a judiciary court of some kind, from "hukom"
Ylgapi- clerics other than the babaylans, they can be like rival churches or whatnot, from "aglipay, supreme archbishop of the first nat'l filipino church... hahaha"

for orcs/other malevolent creatures referring to elves, these can all mean "elves in a degratory sense":

ni'yod- indio
tan'ipu- blunty put, wordplay on "pinoy cuss"

please feel free to jumble up these suggestions, cause im really not sure if the last two words fit in with the language and all.. Very Happy

Old Dragon Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 413 Location: Limbo

Yglapi sounds cool... Very Happy

Wow, you're really into this juaberman! Laughing

Old Dragon Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 431

haha... just wanna do my part.. and i wanna start crank up my creative juices again.. the juaberman story didnt even get to erwindude's part..wahahah

A namer is a true asset in team. Very Happy

All thanks to his Kas1 Razz

Old Dragon Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 431

Kas5?

Old Dragon Joined: 04 Oct 2007 Posts: 431

ANYWAY.... i have a question:

if elves are supposed to be filipino-esque, how about the other races? will they have specific influences too? cause it will be better if we start naming them too...

Twisted Evil

YESSS... MORE NAMES FOR THE NAME GODS!!!! Twisted Evil

Old Dragon Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 413 Location: Limbo

Exactly my point juaberman... a trading culture could, for example, have Italian influences, nomadic cultures could be anything else. If in case "filipino" is our common, then what about, say, infernal? it should be of your own invention then... Very Happy

I'm not exactly sure but my idea is a filipinocentric culture. Filipinos are the main stars, the protagonists of the set. There may be Italian (read: Roman), Greek, and/or Arab cultures but prolly not as widespread as the Filipino's.

In a filipinocentric setting we must have subculture for each class niche. In example, an igorot culture for barbarian/shaman tribe niche and another culture (could not think of a name) for a fighter/wizard (or cleric) baranggay niche. Maybe another for wizard (mangkukulam/mambabarang/albularyo/bruha) classes (Siquijor yebah!).

Am i getting somewhere or what? .... Brain not exactly working 100% efficiency.

Tikbalang culture .... Kapre culture .... dwende .... nuno .... lambana .... few races on top of my head.

PS:
Flash of thought.

I think I want a Filipinocentric model with NO other cultures. This approach will be like a Rokugan in which the name implies the setting.

Prolly after our Filipinocentric world (1st sphere) we can have Rokugan-like (Japan as well as korea and japan) as filipino neighbors (2nd sphere). Maybe also Indonesian, Indian, and steppes culture if we feel.... hard working.