An original D20 setting, for your amusement and possible interest
Posting this because some people have shown interest. Go on, take a look, it might be fun.
In a world much like our own, but different...
The presence of magic has altered the course of history. Wars which would have been decisive due to one side's superior technology became bloody, protracted affairs and vice versa due to the intervention of powerful magi. Firearms exist, but with the capacity for even non-magi humans to ascend to the level of hero (a person who through study, conditioning, and/or willpower has managed to go beyond what should be physically possible: not necessarily a "hero" in the RL modern sense of the word), melee combat will always have a place on the battlefield. Technological advancement has been erratic due to the varying needs of societies for such things. Religion has changed as well; Christianity in its real world form never existed as anything more than a fringe movement; the most powerful magi, rare though they are, can duplicate the miraculous feats of Yeshua and are still demonstratably human (although veneration for the man as something like a saint is still common). Judaism still survives, and in fact thrives as most deiologists (scientists using magical detection methods to study the gods as scientifically as is possible) believe the religion's sometimes capricious yet incredibly powerful creator deity to be the Father of the Gods refered to in other ancient belief systems.
Countless creatures - some no more harmful than the vast majority of ordinary animals, others horrifying monsters - have evolved to take advantage of the occasional warping of physics. Perhaps most striking, humanity itself has split along evolutionary lines due to the dark force's pressure on evolution. Baseline humanity now coexists and competes with:
The dwarves (more commonly known as dvergar in northern Europe, where they seem to have originated), pale, short, nearly blind subterranean beings, well versed in arcane magic and the creation of wonderous technology incorporating it.
The fair folk (a.k.a. elves, sidhe, aos si, or whatever they want to be called), an offshoot of humanity which became magically attuned to its environment to the point where every member of the species could be considered a minor nature deity. Typically arrogant as hell, the nice ones will give you a warning if you offend them on accident and only call down horrible curses on you if you screw up twice. The not-so-nice ones inspire nightmares.
Many, many fey offshoots of the above. Human-related innately magical sentients (including the dvergar and fair folk) are generally divided into two groups. The seelie are still recognizably human in appearence, and not psychotic... by default at least. The unseelie are humanoid perhaps, but only a blind man could mistake them for human, and the heavy mutations brought on by their overexposure to magic often leave them little more than cunning predators. An exception to this occurs in the unseelie relatives of the dvergar commonly known as goblins or kobolds, who are hideous by most human standards, but civilized. Mostly.
Meanwhile, beneath the ocean's surface, the creatures known as the Deep Ones, indisputed masters of the earth's oceans, with numbers nearly equaling those of all the land-dwelling sentients combined, watch their land-going counterparts with equal parts amusement and contempt.
Where you come in:
Whether through a total inability to fit into society, a unhappy past leaving you with a grudge against the world, or just plain greed, you've found yourself seriously considering Captain Armaros Dinah's request that you join his crew... who've just finished boarding the ship you were on, looting the valuables, and killing anyone stupid enough to fight back. Sure, it'd be the end of any hopes for legitimate sucess, but what hope did you have of that anyway? You might have some family or friends who'd be displeased with the idea of you becoming a pirate, but they aren't here, are they? And even if they were, they aren't that influential. In any case, since you possess a useful skill, you'll probably be forced to join up regardless of your wishes; perhaps you should just make the best of it?
Playable Species:
Humans: As standard human. What is there to say? The most numerous sentients on the planet, save for the Deep Ones, and they don't leave the water enough to count. They should be played as standard humans, obviously.
Dvergar: As deep dwarf (Monster Manual pp.92, but basically the same as standard dwarves except they trade the ability to not be dazzled by sunlight for better darkvision and better saving throws versus spells/poison). The dvergar weren't "blessed" with the raw magical power of the fair folk, but nor are they as naturally... unpredictable... as the elves. On the other hand, they're nearly-albino cave-dwellers and that bothers some people. They pride themselves on their craftsmanship, their magical abilities, and their ability to combine the two. They are also incredibly hard to kill (especially considering the very tallest of them are about 5'0") and will fight like berserkers if given a good reason to. If a dwarf PC isn't a magician with the ability to craft magical items, s/he will most likely be wearing dwarf-made gear as s/he charges screaming into battle. Sungoggles (like glasses, but more secure!) are popular for those who must interact with other species and can't do it at night.
Elves: As standard elf, plus use the best mental ability modifier for determining energy points rather than the worst, and elves learn non-class spells in half the time other species take. However, elves start with 4xWis Sanity as opposed to 5xWis for everyone else, and tend to be slightly megalomanical as a result of their anarchic society (possible -2 penalty to some Cha-based skills, DM's descretion), though they can be friendly, clever and (considering the weakest of their kind can reach seven hundred years old, and it's not unheard of for them to claim lifespans well into the four digit numbers) patient as well. It's important to note that elves are not always or even usually psychotically evil despite their quirks, and they can be quite fond of other people. However, their long lifespans and extra connections to the dark force tend to make them outsiders in most non-elf societies, and they often come across as either extremely arrogant or patronizing ("Look at the human magician! See how he tries to be like us!"). In any case, most members of other sentient species find them a bit disturbing.
Goblins: See www.goblindefensefund.org for decent PC goblin stats (in addition, all goblins have the option of being dazzled by daylight in exchange for another 30ft of darkvision). Due to their unseelie genetics, goblinoids are found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (goblins, kobolds, hobgoblins, etc...) that are nonetheless all the same species, capable of interbreeding. Goblins are pretty much the lowest species on the proverbial totem pole everywhere except within their own communities, as a result of them being nearly as chaotic as elves, but way uglier, and without a working concept of private property. Whereas elvish sensibilities run towards the glorification of the individual, goblins sleep ten to a room and take whatever they want from the communal pile of stuff, which is a communal pile of stuff largely because there no point in trying to keep it for yourself in a room full of goblins. It would almost be a communist utopia, except in the absence of leaders with a vision and enough hobgoblin muscle to enforce it, the average goblin doesn't have much ambition beyond fulfilling day-to-day necessities. Some consider this barbaric, though the more thoughtful goblins have noted that there was an entire human philosophical system devoted to promoting a similiar lifestyle at one time. In any case, most goblins have few compunctions about stealing what they need from people who have more than they need, as there's precious little use in anyone hoarding wealth. Everyone else sees the goblins as thieving little bastards who want their stuff and occasionally raid towns to get it. Both sides have a point.
Half-seelie: As standard half-elf. The offspring of seelie (especially elf) and human pairings, or full-blooded elves born weaker than normal and cast aside, possibly used as changlings if their parents were especially lacking in empathy. Yes, elves in this universe sometimes steal babies and replace them with their own subpar infants. It's just how they roll. Angst may or may not ensue.
Half-unseelie: As standard half-orcs. These individuals are either the children of human/unseelie pairings, or humans warped by dark magic while still in the womb. Angst may or may not ensue.
Other species may be availiable depending on the kindness of your DM!
Edit:
Originally, I was going to run this campaign with a number of variant rules. Then I realized that I had three totally new players on my hands and it would probably be best to start with the rules as written before adding anything crazy. So that's what we'll do. I'm game for most anything that's not totally game-breaking, but just in case, ask me if your completed character concept is allowable before going outside core. I still wouldn't mind using a Sanity score for some horrific events, but if we do decide to go with that, I'll think up something different for the elves as a counter to their innate mild derangement. Or just make their predisposition to madness an RP only thing. If anyone decides they want to play one, talk to me and we'll work something out.
~Chaotic Neutral
P.S. - The sections are supposed to be divided by bold text, but LJ is too busy sucking for that to work. Sorry about that.
In a world much like our own, but different...
The presence of magic has altered the course of history. Wars which would have been decisive due to one side's superior technology became bloody, protracted affairs and vice versa due to the intervention of powerful magi. Firearms exist, but with the capacity for even non-magi humans to ascend to the level of hero (a person who through study, conditioning, and/or willpower has managed to go beyond what should be physically possible: not necessarily a "hero" in the RL modern sense of the word), melee combat will always have a place on the battlefield. Technological advancement has been erratic due to the varying needs of societies for such things. Religion has changed as well; Christianity in its real world form never existed as anything more than a fringe movement; the most powerful magi, rare though they are, can duplicate the miraculous feats of Yeshua and are still demonstratably human (although veneration for the man as something like a saint is still common). Judaism still survives, and in fact thrives as most deiologists (scientists using magical detection methods to study the gods as scientifically as is possible) believe the religion's sometimes capricious yet incredibly powerful creator deity to be the Father of the Gods refered to in other ancient belief systems.
Countless creatures - some no more harmful than the vast majority of ordinary animals, others horrifying monsters - have evolved to take advantage of the occasional warping of physics. Perhaps most striking, humanity itself has split along evolutionary lines due to the dark force's pressure on evolution. Baseline humanity now coexists and competes with:
The dwarves (more commonly known as dvergar in northern Europe, where they seem to have originated), pale, short, nearly blind subterranean beings, well versed in arcane magic and the creation of wonderous technology incorporating it.
The fair folk (a.k.a. elves, sidhe, aos si, or whatever they want to be called), an offshoot of humanity which became magically attuned to its environment to the point where every member of the species could be considered a minor nature deity. Typically arrogant as hell, the nice ones will give you a warning if you offend them on accident and only call down horrible curses on you if you screw up twice. The not-so-nice ones inspire nightmares.
Many, many fey offshoots of the above. Human-related innately magical sentients (including the dvergar and fair folk) are generally divided into two groups. The seelie are still recognizably human in appearence, and not psychotic... by default at least. The unseelie are humanoid perhaps, but only a blind man could mistake them for human, and the heavy mutations brought on by their overexposure to magic often leave them little more than cunning predators. An exception to this occurs in the unseelie relatives of the dvergar commonly known as goblins or kobolds, who are hideous by most human standards, but civilized. Mostly.
Meanwhile, beneath the ocean's surface, the creatures known as the Deep Ones, indisputed masters of the earth's oceans, with numbers nearly equaling those of all the land-dwelling sentients combined, watch their land-going counterparts with equal parts amusement and contempt.
Where you come in:
Whether through a total inability to fit into society, a unhappy past leaving you with a grudge against the world, or just plain greed, you've found yourself seriously considering Captain Armaros Dinah's request that you join his crew... who've just finished boarding the ship you were on, looting the valuables, and killing anyone stupid enough to fight back. Sure, it'd be the end of any hopes for legitimate sucess, but what hope did you have of that anyway? You might have some family or friends who'd be displeased with the idea of you becoming a pirate, but they aren't here, are they? And even if they were, they aren't that influential. In any case, since you possess a useful skill, you'll probably be forced to join up regardless of your wishes; perhaps you should just make the best of it?
Playable Species:
Humans: As standard human. What is there to say? The most numerous sentients on the planet, save for the Deep Ones, and they don't leave the water enough to count. They should be played as standard humans, obviously.
Dvergar: As deep dwarf (Monster Manual pp.92, but basically the same as standard dwarves except they trade the ability to not be dazzled by sunlight for better darkvision and better saving throws versus spells/poison). The dvergar weren't "blessed" with the raw magical power of the fair folk, but nor are they as naturally... unpredictable... as the elves. On the other hand, they're nearly-albino cave-dwellers and that bothers some people. They pride themselves on their craftsmanship, their magical abilities, and their ability to combine the two. They are also incredibly hard to kill (especially considering the very tallest of them are about 5'0") and will fight like berserkers if given a good reason to. If a dwarf PC isn't a magician with the ability to craft magical items, s/he will most likely be wearing dwarf-made gear as s/he charges screaming into battle. Sungoggles (like glasses, but more secure!) are popular for those who must interact with other species and can't do it at night.
Elves: As standard elf, plus use the best mental ability modifier for determining energy points rather than the worst, and elves learn non-class spells in half the time other species take. However, elves start with 4xWis Sanity as opposed to 5xWis for everyone else, and tend to be slightly megalomanical as a result of their anarchic society (possible -2 penalty to some Cha-based skills, DM's descretion), though they can be friendly, clever and (considering the weakest of their kind can reach seven hundred years old, and it's not unheard of for them to claim lifespans well into the four digit numbers) patient as well. It's important to note that elves are not always or even usually psychotically evil despite their quirks, and they can be quite fond of other people. However, their long lifespans and extra connections to the dark force tend to make them outsiders in most non-elf societies, and they often come across as either extremely arrogant or patronizing ("Look at the human magician! See how he tries to be like us!"). In any case, most members of other sentient species find them a bit disturbing.
Goblins: See www.goblindefensefund.org for decent PC goblin stats (in addition, all goblins have the option of being dazzled by daylight in exchange for another 30ft of darkvision). Due to their unseelie genetics, goblinoids are found in a wide variety of shapes and sizes (goblins, kobolds, hobgoblins, etc...) that are nonetheless all the same species, capable of interbreeding. Goblins are pretty much the lowest species on the proverbial totem pole everywhere except within their own communities, as a result of them being nearly as chaotic as elves, but way uglier, and without a working concept of private property. Whereas elvish sensibilities run towards the glorification of the individual, goblins sleep ten to a room and take whatever they want from the communal pile of stuff, which is a communal pile of stuff largely because there no point in trying to keep it for yourself in a room full of goblins. It would almost be a communist utopia, except in the absence of leaders with a vision and enough hobgoblin muscle to enforce it, the average goblin doesn't have much ambition beyond fulfilling day-to-day necessities. Some consider this barbaric, though the more thoughtful goblins have noted that there was an entire human philosophical system devoted to promoting a similiar lifestyle at one time. In any case, most goblins have few compunctions about stealing what they need from people who have more than they need, as there's precious little use in anyone hoarding wealth. Everyone else sees the goblins as thieving little bastards who want their stuff and occasionally raid towns to get it. Both sides have a point.
Half-seelie: As standard half-elf. The offspring of seelie (especially elf) and human pairings, or full-blooded elves born weaker than normal and cast aside, possibly used as changlings if their parents were especially lacking in empathy. Yes, elves in this universe sometimes steal babies and replace them with their own subpar infants. It's just how they roll. Angst may or may not ensue.
Half-unseelie: As standard half-orcs. These individuals are either the children of human/unseelie pairings, or humans warped by dark magic while still in the womb. Angst may or may not ensue.
Other species may be availiable depending on the kindness of your DM!
Edit:
Originally, I was going to run this campaign with a number of variant rules. Then I realized that I had three totally new players on my hands and it would probably be best to start with the rules as written before adding anything crazy. So that's what we'll do. I'm game for most anything that's not totally game-breaking, but just in case, ask me if your completed character concept is allowable before going outside core. I still wouldn't mind using a Sanity score for some horrific events, but if we do decide to go with that, I'll think up something different for the elves as a counter to their innate mild derangement. Or just make their predisposition to madness an RP only thing. If anyone decides they want to play one, talk to me and we'll work something out.
~Chaotic Neutral
P.S. - The sections are supposed to be divided by bold text, but LJ is too busy sucking for that to work. Sorry about that.