Demihuman Relics - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Demihuman Relics

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
havard
Apr 17, 2008 7:02:40 This is something I have been wondering about lately. Why does each demihuman race have their own relics? Why are these the only races to possess such items? While we have explainations like Ilsundal creating the Trees of Life, I feel that this begs for some greater explaination. Why were these three races chosen above all others? Or do all races have their own Relic, though most are yet to be discovered? Are Racial Relics the ultimate gift an Immortal can bestow upon his followers? Why don't humans have one? Or is that position filled by the NotS?

Havard
#2
Hugin
Apr 17, 2008 11:53:08
Why does each demihuman race have their own relics? Why are these the only races to possess such items?

In game-design terms I'd say it's because they are the playable races and as such each had to have one if one of them had one. In game-world terms I'd say they aren't the only ones to have relics.

As for why humans don't have a similar concept, I think it would be because humans are the race of 'diversity', meaning they don't cling to a universal idea that unifies them all. Instead, they have relics relating to either religion or powerful arcane practices.

This is another reason why I have humans IMCs created by a group of Immortals instead of just one like the various demihumans or other monstrous humanoids. Humans have no single Immortal patron and so many Immortals seem interested in them. They were born of diversity (many creators) and into diversity (three distinct main groups).

We could come up with some relic ideas for some of the other races. Or even relics from ancient human civilizations.
#3
traversetravis
Apr 17, 2008 22:55:59 Do the Gnomes have a relic in canonical Mystara? Also, I wonder if a 4e version of Mystara would include relics for the Tiefling and Dragonborn races. If so, I wonder what they'd be. And would Eladrin in Mystara have Trees of Life?

Travis
#4
johnbiles
Apr 18, 2008 0:05:39
Do the Gnomes have a relic in canonical Mystara? Also, I wonder if a 4e version of Mystara would include relics for the Tiefling and Dragonborn races. If so, I wonder what they'd be. And would Eladrin in Mystara have Trees of Life?

Travis

The gnomes probably attached wings to their relic and it flew away.

I'd say that in 4E Mystara, the Eladrin were the elves who got into Blackmoor technology and didn't follow Ilsundal and so they don't have clan relics but they do have bits of blackmoor tech that requires tending by their clan elders.

The Tieflings will likely be the Diaboli in my 4E mystara; I like the idea of them having Clan Cauldrons, full of shadow-water, which makes things dryer when you coat them with it.

(Shadow-water being the nightmare dimension element of water, as blackflame is Nightmare flame)
#5
Cthulhudrew
Apr 18, 2008 1:23:00 The gnomes in CM4: Earthshaker! have a relic inside their Earthshaker. Some kind of magical timepiece/clock, IIRC. It's what they use to make the machine move.

I don't recall offhand if there is any mention of a relic for the Skygnomes of PC2.
#6
rhialto
Apr 18, 2008 14:22:52 PC2 makes no mention at all of a gnome relic. Canonically, only elves, dwarves, hin, and CM4 gnomes have clan relics.
#7
olddawg
Apr 22, 2008 18:36:56
Why does each demihuman race have their own relics?

Because they had level limits that would otherwise have made the Companion set less useful for players of DH characters (aside from Attack Ranks, special saves).

There is no reason that a human culture or other race couldn't also have a relic using the same design principles.

-OldDawg
#8
johnbiles
Apr 22, 2008 23:32:18
There is no reason that a human culture or other race couldn't also have a relic using the same design principles.

-OldDawg

The giant twinking device of the little isolated kingdom in the Serpent peninsula whose name I am blanking on is effectively a clan relic for them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 havard Apr 17, 2008 7:02:40	This is something I have been wondering about lately. Why does each demihuman race have their own relics? Why are these the only races to possess such items? While we have explainations like Ilsundal creating the Trees of Life, I feel that this begs for some greater explaination. Why were these three races chosen above all others? Or do all races have their own Relic, though most are yet to be discovered? Are Racial Relics the ultimate gift an Immortal can bestow upon his followers? Why don't humans have one? Or is that position filled by the NotS? Havard
#2 Hugin Apr 17, 2008 11:53:08	Why does each demihuman race have their own relics? Why are these the only races to possess such items? In game-design terms I'd say it's because they are the playable races and as such each had to have one if one of them had one. In game-world terms I'd say they aren't the only ones to have relics. As for why humans don't have a similar concept, I think it would be because humans are the race of 'diversity', meaning they don't cling to a universal idea that unifies them all. Instead, they have relics relating to either religion or powerful arcane practices. This is another reason why I have humans IMCs created by a group of Immortals instead of just one like the various demihumans or other monstrous humanoids. Humans have no single Immortal patron and so many Immortals seem interested in them. They were born of diversity (many creators) and into diversity (three distinct main groups). We could come up with some relic ideas for some of the other races. Or even relics from ancient human civilizations.
#3 traversetravis Apr 17, 2008 22:55:59	Do the Gnomes have a relic in canonical Mystara? Also, I wonder if a 4e version of Mystara would include relics for the Tiefling and Dragonborn races. If so, I wonder what they'd be. And would Eladrin in Mystara have Trees of Life? Travis
#4 johnbiles Apr 18, 2008 0:05:39	Do the Gnomes have a relic in canonical Mystara? Also, I wonder if a 4e version of Mystara would include relics for the Tiefling and Dragonborn races. If so, I wonder what they'd be. And would Eladrin in Mystara have Trees of Life? Travis The gnomes probably attached wings to their relic and it flew away. I'd say that in 4E Mystara, the Eladrin were the elves who got into Blackmoor technology and didn't follow Ilsundal and so they don't have clan relics but they do have bits of blackmoor tech that requires tending by their clan elders. The Tieflings will likely be the Diaboli in my 4E mystara; I like the idea of them having Clan Cauldrons, full of shadow-water, which makes things dryer when you coat them with it. (Shadow-water being the nightmare dimension element of water, as blackflame is Nightmare flame)
#5 Cthulhudrew Apr 18, 2008 1:23:00	The gnomes in CM4: Earthshaker! have a relic inside their Earthshaker. Some kind of magical timepiece/clock, IIRC. It's what they use to make the machine move. I don't recall offhand if there is any mention of a relic for the Skygnomes of PC2.
#6 rhialto Apr 18, 2008 14:22:52	PC2 makes no mention at all of a gnome relic. Canonically, only elves, dwarves, hin, and CM4 gnomes have clan relics.
#7 olddawg Apr 22, 2008 18:36:56	Why does each demihuman race have their own relics? Because they had level limits that would otherwise have made the Companion set less useful for players of DH characters (aside from Attack Ranks, special saves). There is no reason that a human culture or other race couldn't also have a relic using the same design principles. -OldDawg
#8 johnbiles Apr 22, 2008 23:32:18	There is no reason that a human culture or other race couldn't also have a relic using the same design principles. -OldDawg The giant twinking device of the little isolated kingdom in the Serpent peninsula whose name I am blanking on is effectively a clan relic for them.