The culture vote is going to work differently now, right? But unless subculture stuff changes, there'll still be 3ish cultures. I'm curious if we can have 2 Old-One injected cultures in one race?
Either way, I'm sure we can have a culture that has warpstone knowledge and one that's more focused on scientific stuff. I also don't think that warpstone knowledge doesn't preclude normal science. But if we do go with separate 'warpstone' and 'normal science' cultures, I'd absolutely go with Arabic names for the latter and maybe 'normal' Skaven names for the former?
that already a thing there the main cul then the second and third cul option become minor cul in the species, elves, the nomadic people and the turtle elves for example
Dude, it's been repeatedly mentioned that the Skaven's ability to mess and use Warpstone was meant as a contingency. As in case something happened that would make normal use of magic impractical or they are unable for some reason to help with cleanup of magical toxic materials. Also don't think that Geomancy works like that.
What would the point of giving Geomancy that is specifically meant to channel and manipulate the magical winds to a race that can't use said winds? Because the shunting magic thing seems pretty sub optimal compared to a race that could manipulate magic on a much finer scale. And should note you can have a magical race that is also mutation resistance as well. In fact seems like it would be more practical to give them magical stuf like witch eyes as well since that lets them actually see magic along with manipulate it as well.
That's is one of my issues with it. You are shaping a race's technological development on a contingency, utilizing a material that is not present and with no means of producing it other than the Old Ones deliberately choosing to create toxic waste with the situation remaining that way for thousands upon thousands of years.
And even then it is a mterial that, while they are resistant to it, are not immune. These beings will be able to tolerate it better than other races, but tolerate does not mean that they.
Really if we want to implement a means to deal with warp stone might as well educate all the races on them and then how to dispose of it.
And as for the Geomantic Web, we still haven't gotten feedback on how useful it would be to this species, and until we do so I am not going to be changing my opinion on that.
No offense but do you actually know the lore about the Skaven and their technology? Because I'm getting the impression you don't know it that well. Because despite Warpstone being magical it could be used to outright power technology in place of other conventional fuels along with having unique traits. And alongside that the idea is to have Skaven focus on technology while also studying magical stuff to help out the other races research wise.
As in even without Warpstone they would still have a lot of scientific knowledge. Heck, a magically propperled bullet would still be going as fast a bullet against an anti magic shield. Because the point of Warpstone is that it has a ton of uses besides solely magic use.
I do know what it is and that does not change my stance of it. If it is used only as a power source then the C'tan stomp because anything of the physical universe they control utterly or are better at it. If it is just using magical effects for major effect then the outright magical race like the Elves and Luminaries are going to be better at doing it.
And no, technological development does not work like that. If you engineer something to make use of a power source like Warp Stone with all of its mystical effects, re-engineering something to run off of conventional fuel sources is going to be a hellish task, especially since Warp Stone is often more than just a power source.
And like I said again, if the focus is a race that does not depend on magic, then simply have them not use magic, and embrace non-magical technological development instead of using a material that does not exist in the world right now.
Should note we made the Luminaries amicable, meanng that they literally by nature are not only non violent but have a hard time considering even using force. So I doubt war is certain, and I imagine that they would be far more open to talking.
Also we could just make a god to help protect against negative influences like that. Also IIRC Dhar builds up over time, meaning it might be possible to figure out a way to avoid Dhar build up or even a different form of Warpstone considering that the Luminaries figured out new ways to use magic that even the Old Ones haven't considered.
Hasn't stopped them from fielding armies of Mantis with them providing magic support.
Amicable means that they do not like resorting to war, not that it is impossible for them. I can see the Luminaries going to the not-Skaven and demanding that they stop using Dhar/Warp Stone and if they refuse, well it is a religious tenet to oppose the use of Dhar.
What do you mean by Geomancy? Their ability to use the geomantic web? Well, it's a bit tough to say. Dwarfs developed runes without the aid of elves or witchsight. Catching the winds and binding it to an object without allowing it to stagnate into Dhar. However the waystone network was only developed with the help of elves. I'm leaning towards you need some spellcasters to tap into the network or create something like that. There's other stuff that directed winds to them, like the black pyramid of Nagash or the compass of Cathay.
The Old Ones wouldn't want to want to tell their creations how to tap into the geomantic network they've already set up. It's theirs. They're using it. They don't want somebody else tapping into it to redirect magical power elsewhere. That's their power, they've already set it aside for something.
[] Plan: Good boy Skaven
-[] [BAS] Base Species: Mammalian
-[][SER] Non-Servant
-[][TRA] Warm Adapted
-[][TRA] Prolific
-[][TRA] Keen Senses
-[][TRA] Mutation Resistance
-[][TRA] Magic Resistance
-[] Name: Skaven
-[] Description: Skaven are slightly less large than humans on average, with a tendency towards thin and almost gaunt builds. Properly groomed and fed, they look like sleek white furred rat-men or women, with shiny fur and long tails that can be theoretically used as whips (Not that this is common.)
-[] Location: Araby
=== We're Rats, We're Rats, We're the Rats
===
The debate was long and arduous. It required a run off vote to decide the Committee's next project. At the onset it seemed like another Turtle Clique situation might develop with interest evenly split between the titans and rats. The pro-titan members spoke at length about the raw physical power they'd possess, like unstoppable living siege engines. They would shatter mountains and trample the world in their wake when they were rallied for war.
That was, however, until logistical questions arose.
"What would they eat?"
Nobody could deny the might the titans would possess but there were serious concerns. The region selected for them did have herds of mammoths and smaller creatures that they could tame and hunt, but it had less megafauna than other neighbouring mountain ranges. They'd inevitably have to migrate to follow their herds and avoid overpopulation, which risked them becoming an obstacle to future creations. The pro-titan members found themselves shifting their preferences to the rats after much consideration.
In the end, the rats had become the Committee's pick and a 'Titan Clique' hadn't emerged to take issue with it. The rats were relatively straightforward, perhaps simple in their design but that was deemed acceptable. There were less issues that would arise from their creation compared to the titans. They would be well suited to surviving the desert's heat, surviving off the limited water sources in the interior, thriving in the fertile regions, and avoiding the worst of the heat by navigating by night. Their population would grow quickly to spread them far and wide.
Obtaining samples was easy enough. Uxmac was pleased that he didn't have to bother with a round of tedious negotiations with the locals. It was no issue grabbing thousands of rats, many of which were found trying to access granaries of temple cities to no avail. Specimens were practically offering themselves up to the Old Ones without even realizing it. The ones saved from being fed to the war beasts found themselves the test beds for the process of creating their newest project: skaven.
It was a relatively straight process at first, much like creating the saurus or axolotl. The creature was already fairly intelligent and social, which served as a good foundation to build upon. Their bodies were enlarged to a similar size as the axolotl, while their digits were adjusted to have better grasping hands. Their minds fine tuned to be smarter than clever creatures, granting them greater awareness than they previously possessed. Their already keen senses were enhanced and maintained. The metabolism was fine tuned so that it required less water to function to conserve water usage in their future habitats and a generally higher tolerance for heat, including the ability to sweat.
Their impressive reproductive rate was adjusted to avoid overpopulation, reducing the amount of young per litter and increasing the length of time until individuals reached sexual maturity. It still put leagues above anything else the Old Ones had created on the Fated World. The rats could produce generations of numerous offspring during their relatively short lives. On average they'd produce two to three children per pregnancy after a six month gestation period, a far cry from their wild ancestors. They were the only species so far that did not have a supernaturally long lifespan, reaching seniority in their 60s and dying in their 70s and 80s with room for outliers. It was dramatically shorter compared to the seemingly ageless turtles, moths, or elves.
The key traits though was a double laying of mutation resistance and a resistance to magic. The reasons for this were numerous, even if it provided a somewhat marginal benefit. Their souls and bodies would defect the magic of the winds off themselves, preventing it from easily reaching inside of them. Their bodies were hardened to resist the negative byproducts of magic, strengthening their soul in the process. On top of that was doubling down on their resistance to mutations, adding another layer of production beneath the previous one. Should magic enter their bodies it will pass through with a greatly reduced effect. It did not make them immune to it, but was fairly durable and resistant to any harmful byproducts, such as Dhar corruption. It had a minor side effect of slightly improving the rats' overall health, reducing their chances of developing cancer.
Their short lives did make it easier to refine them in a shorter period of time. It took less time for them to mature, making flaws more evident within specimens soon, which meant adjustments could be made on the next test batch. It was pleasantly straight forward. The end result was a bipedal rat that stood at roughly the same height as an axolotl. Their eyes twitched and flicked every as they took in their surroundings with curious eyes and furry faces.
The skaven came out exactly as designed. There was not a single flaw with them. They were social, intelligent creatures ready to learn and be spread across the desert.
It was just… the Committee was disappointed. They'd made intelligent vermin: short lived, fast breeding, and incapable of magic. What good were they really? They were better than the titan proposal but what did that really mean? Skaven were rat things that'd spread across the world wasting their little lives on pointless tasks taking up space and resources that could have gone to their betters, dying before accomplishing anything of note. Their saving grace was their resistance to magic which gave them a slight novelty and how little resources it took to produce them. Otherwise they were pathetic creatures, single note creatures that'd never amount to anything, besides perhaps being servants and fodder for better creations.
Such harsh words were shared by many on the Committee, however there were a few defenders of the rats. These Old Ones argued that the rats had great potential as smiths and foot soldiers of the Great Plan. Numerous in numbers and strong in spirit they had potential that had yet to be observed. There was not a single flaw with them, save for the shallow criticisms found by the biased members of the Committee. There were others that were neutral on the rats, but had already begun drafting plans for their education and didn't want to see their ideas go to waste.
The axolotl attendants also voiced their support in favour of the skaven. The rat things were perfectly adequate and functional. They were no worse than the moths or any other creation of the Old Ones. Their words were noted with polite indifference and begrudging nods of agreement. Tlazcotl had enough of the bickering, deciding the Committee was moving to the next stage in the process regardless of the critiques raised. If enough members wished to dump the rats onto the world without an education then so be it, but it was not up to a few vocal critics to decide. They moved forward like previous creations…
===
Culture
Warhammer Fantasy is very over the top, even more toned down editions are often exaggerations of real life peoples. This is for comedic purposes and to facilitate its nature as a war game, since any given battle should be considered plausible canon. It makes it more engaging. It also relies heavily on stereotypes, cultural references, and running jokes mixed with genuine historical knowledge. The Tomb Kings are obsessed with slavery, despite the fact in real life many of Egypt's monuments were built by very skilled labourers that were paid for their work. There were some workers providing labour as a tax, though they weren't slaves.
We're going to go with more toned down interpretations of factions, rather than over the top self destructive versions. Don't feel obligated to copy a real life culture nearly one to one when writing a plan. Feel free to take inspiration from other works of fiction, even other fantasy settings.
These are a few questions to keep in mind when creating a culture. What's their political organization? How is their military run? What's life like for the average person? Who is the ruling class? How do they enforce their rule? How is food produced? Who controls the means of production? How is their religion organized? How does magic fit into their world view? These are basic questions that any society and state have to grapple with.
Remember that the Old Ones will play a role in their education, so they will feature in their history and likely in creation myths. Don't let that restrict your creativity though. It's valid for a people to have creation myths about the world outside of the Old Ones. Maybe something in their mythology led the Old Ones to the world. What's some stuff the Old Ones might teach their creations too? In canon they had the slann teach elves how the eight winds of magic worked, and likely played a role in teaching dwarfs about mechanical principles.
Consider where the culture is located and how that will affect them. That will affect what materials are available for construction, the growing season for crops, what food is available, etc. People that don't live on the coast or near rivers probably don't have experience sailing or a lot of seafood in their diet, unless they trade with someone else. People who live in a desert build their houses very differently than people who live in tundras. Climate may influence building design, but isn't the sole indicator of style. Don't feel obligated to put Nordic style buildings only in the cold north or Roman style buildings only in a Mediterranean climate, outside of the aforementioned "materials available and heat management" issues. Put Rome in a jungle if you want or Indian Buddhist temples in temperate forests.
Consider the physiology of the species receiving the culture. Humans living in cold tundras wouldn't appreciate open air buildings, but maybe bear people with thick fur wouldn't mind it so much (as long as there was still a warm den available).
The plan with the most votes will be the majority culture, while the second and third place plan will be minority cultures that are likely syncretized with the majority. That's to give some diversity to starting cultures. Keep in mind that a society will grow and develop even after they've been put onto the world. The elven tradition of phoenix kings didn't start as a tradition until Chaos invaded the world. Dwarf ancestor gods emerged after the Old Ones moved on from the dwarfs.
The layout on the culture vote has changed too. I'm no longer using civics because I feel it's a bit too shallow. Instead we'll be using this system below. It's more in depth than the previous system.
-[] Culture/People Name: Name for the culture, what they refer to themselves. Please try to keep accents to a minimum. I don't know how to type them.
-[] Names: Their naming scheme. It makes it easier to write to have it for reference.
-[] Architecture: What their buildings look like. It's easier to write. It should somewhat reflect the resources they'll have at their disposal.
-[] Sacred Tenets: things considered sacred to their society, everyone is expected to do and failing to adhere to it is seen as a personal failing. It's generally stuff that's considered righteous, common morals, things that kids are taught by adults. Does not mean religious but it will likely be part of the dominant religion
-[] Cultural Tenets: These are things central to society but not sacred, common cultural practices that a lot of people do. It's also values that people hold, though less strictly than Sacred Tenets.
-[] Cultural Facets: Fun quirky things about the culture, like fashion, hobbies, music, pets, etc. The types of things you'd notice when walking down the street or visiting a home.
-[] Government: How society is organized politically. If theocratic put here rather than in religion.
-[] Religion: What their belief system is, how their religion is organized, what's its connection to power, etc. Please feel free to name a god or two, but do try to keep it to a reasonable amount. Do not spawn a dozen plus gods.
-[] Economy: Who owns what and how is labour organized. It should tie back into the ruling class, since land and production is a powerful source of wealth. Free feel to keep this brief, since it's generally assumed that the government and/or religion has a lot of influence over the economy.
-[] General: Anything else you want to describe, put it here. Can also be considered the general vibe of society, if you want to keep other sections brief.
-[] Gift(s): Something given to them by the Old Ones, like knowledge of how the winds of magic function or knowledge of steam engines. Also includes knowledge of other intelligent species, a map of the globe, etc. There are some limits, since the Old Ones won't share their best technology with their creations. Feel free to spend as many words as you want here.
The option to orphan a species is also more explicit. If you don't wish to create a culture for a species and leave it up to the whims of fate, i.e. me and dice rolls, then simply dump them on the planet. This counts as 1 plan, so you may vote for other options. If it ends up in the top three slots it'll cause a run off.
-[ ] Orphan
There will be a limit on votes too. People can only vote for 3 plans.
The limit for plans is 500 words. It can be split up into as many planks as you want. Category names like "Cultural Facet" don't count towards the word limit. Remember that society is interconnected, systems feed into each other to reinforce each other and themselves. If people want to use canon languages for names simply write that in.
Here's an example of a write in plan.
[ ] Plan: Example
-[ ] Culture/People Name: Cyrodilic
-[ ] Names: Roman/South Slavic
-[ ] Architecture: Classic Fantasy Elves/Gondor
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: Guilty Before Proven Innocent
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: Loyalty to the Empire
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Imperial Cosmopolitanism
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Battlemage Nobility
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Service in the Military or State is fairly common
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Widespread Pescatarianism
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Facial Tattoos are popular among sections of the population, marking family heritage, religious affiliation, or interests.
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Literacy, paper books are easy to produce and people are generally taught how to read and write by multiple sources.
-[ ] Government: Founded by a conquering warlord that was recognized by the gods as the rightful ruler. Rulership is passed by patrilineal descent to eldest sons of the current emperor. A council drawn from major noble families, merchant companies, military, and cults help handle the day to day affairs of the Empire. Major cities are ruled by local nobles with the assistance of guilds and vassals. The military is the most organized institution within the Empire, answering directly to the state rather than any individual commander or noble.
-[ ] Religion: Worship of the Nine Divine alongside numerous cults for saints, heroes, emperors, ancestors, and even constellations. Temples are run by priestly orders that operate with state approval and funding, but are not directly controlled by the state. There's tolerance for sanctioned heresies, but they receive no support and are encouraged to remain removed from public life.
-[ ] Religion: Nine Divine are Akatosh, dragon god of time; Arkay, god of death and cycles; Dibella, goddess of beauty, art, and sexual pleasure; Julianos, god of wisdom and magic; Kynareth, goddess of wind, rain, and patron of sailors; Mara, goddess of love and nature; Stendarr, god of justice, mercy, and righteousness; Zenithar, god of work and commerce.
-[ ] Economy: Farms are owned by yeoman families, noble estates, and state farms held by the crown. Officially licensed guilds handle production for most commodities. Merchants are organized into private and state sponsored companies to handle trade.
-[ ] General: A people whose cultures and traditions are closely tied with imperial glory. They benefit greatly from the riches it draws to them. The Empire is a sign of progress, wealth, and prosperity over the backwards warring neighbours that once surrounded it. All are equal in the Empire and stand to benefit from it if they work within the system.
It was just… the Committee was disappointed. They'd made intelligent vermin: short lived, fast breeding, and incapable of magic. What good were they really? They were better than the titan proposal but what did that really mean? Skaven were rat things that'd spread across the world wasting their little lives on pointless tasks taking up space and resources that could have gone to their betters, dying before accomplishing anything of note. Their saving grace was their resistance to magic which gave them a slight novelty and how little resources it took to produce them. Otherwise they were pathetic creatures, single note creatures that'd never amount to anything, besides perhaps being servants and fodder for better creations.
The axolotl attendants also voiced their support in favour of the skaven. The rat things were perfectly adequate and functional. They were no worse than the moths or any other creation of the Old Ones. Their words were noted with polite indifference and begrudging nods of agreement.
we could gift them some basics on channeling magic into geometric shapes based on the Varanus' Leylines. might help with runes or that idea on Islamic rug art that can influence the winds someone had.
It shouldn't be so surprising that the people who weaponized the Warp to the point of breaking it into Chaos are a bunch of imperialistic asshats. The Soul-Frog Council sits around alot being very judgemental.
For more mad science, Electro-alchemy and electricity in general. The Old Ones might not want to hand down budget geometric web technology, but they could reveal what they know about more physical processes--and electricity might be seen as a good low-hanging fruit. So things like voltaic piles and gravity cells--or something like a more sophisticated Baghad Battery--but also the link between electricity and magnetism allowing the Skaven to make electrical generators and motors. And then from there electrolysis, electroplating, electric lights, and so on.
I say any gift should probably take into account the Skaven being incapable of Magic, maybe some secrets of metal Working early or hell Knowledge of mathematics to help influence a more physical science based culture.
But aside from that, I think these Skaven should be Nomadic people, sort of thinking in a similar vein to some of the Khajit of the Elder Scrolls, travelling their desert homelands, but I can be persuaded to maybe make them more centralized and build actual setlements not on the constant move.
[ ] Plan: The Rats are the true Imperials
-[ ] Culture/People Name: Cyrodilic
-[ ] Names: Roman
-[ ] Architecture: Mixture of Roman and Fantasy Dwarven
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: We all Lift Together
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: Loyalty to the Empire
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: All roads lead to Skaventium
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Clan Skills are honed often
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Service in the Military or State is fairly common
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Pack bonds transcend clan bonds in most cases
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Grooming is an important part of everyday life
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Literacy, paper books are easy to produce and people are generally taught how to read and write by multiple sources.
-[ ] Government: Lead by the Emperor and the Senate of 101, the Emperor leads until they (Male or Female) reach the age of 70 where the Senate goes through 3 rounds of votes to choose the next Emperor. Any sitting monarch is supposed to act in the interest of the Empire as a whole instead of just their clan though this isn't always the case. The Empire uses a series of governors who serve 10 year terms before either being replaced or reinstated by the sitting monarch, thought a supermajority vote by the Senate can veto this. Through this governorship, they rule over portions of the Empire making sure that the bureaucratic engine is able to effectively run.
-[ ] Religion: Worship of the Nine Divine alongside numerous cults for saints, heroes, emperors, ancestors, and even constellations. Temples are run by priestly orders that operate with state approval and funding, but are not directly controlled by the state. There's tolerance for sanctioned heresies, but they receive no support and are encouraged to remain removed from public life.
-[ ] Religion: Nine Divine are Akatosh, dragon god of time; Arkay, god of death and cycles; Dibella, goddess of beauty, art, and sexual pleasure; Julianos, god of wisdom and magic; Kynareth, goddess of wind, rain, and patron of sailors; Mara, goddess of love and nature; Stendarr, god of justice, mercy, and righteousness; Zenithar, god of work and commerce.
-[ ] Economy: Farms are owned by yeoman families, noble estates, and state farms held by the crown. Officially licensed guilds handle production for most commodities. Merchants are organized into private and state sponsored companies to handle trade.
-[ ] General: A people whose cultures and traditions are closely tied with imperial glory. They benefit greatly from the riches it draws to them. The Empire is a sign of progress, wealth, and prosperity over the backwards warring neighbours that once surrounded it. All are equal in the Empire and stand to benefit from it if they work within the system.
[ ] Plan: Clan Stuff
-[ ] Culture/People Name: Virtuous Skaven
-[ ] Names: Descriptor + Arabic
-[ ] Architecture: Arabic, though with a marked tendency towards underground dwellings.
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: Impure Magic Should be Purged
-[ ] Sacred Tenet: Knowledge Should be Discovered
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Love of Mystery and Secrets
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Live Life to the Fullest
-[ ] Cultural Tenet: Yes-yes, no-no. Tendency to repeat words, and a maniac cheer.
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Cleanliness is paramount.
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Being recorded in history is one of the largest goals.
-[ ] Cultural Facet: Literacy, paper books are easy to produce and people are generally taught how to read and write by multiple sources.
-[ ] Government: The base of government is the clan, a group of families who focus on a particular field of work / study. Recognized clans form a council. This council elects a Sultan for life.
-[ ] Religion: Worship is centered around five concepts. Discovery, Joy, Compassion, Death, and History. These are considered the cardinal truths that one should acknowledge.
-[ ] Religion: Philosophical, not focused on gods so much as being a virtuous person. The goal is to contribute to the world, species, clan, and self, in that order. Naturally this is difficult, but the pursuit is part of the journey. Gods are to be recognized and honored if their virtues align, otherwise opposed and suppressed.
-[ ] Economy: Principally areas are owned by one or two clans who focus on preserving and developing the area. They then trade what's produced with other clans. Negotiations can be rather cutthroat agreements are upheld to both the spirit and letter.
-[ ] General: The Virtuous Skaven love to poke at things and discover what they can. They have a significant drive to discover the world, and also to preserve it when they can. Their clans can be a bit mono-focused, but culturally they trust other clans to cover their back.
-[] General: There are five founding clans. Scribes, who handle recording and the basic archival. Entertainers, who sooth and bring joy. Scientists, who discover the world, and provide knowledge for other clans. Assassins, who bring death to those who need it, and tend to the dead. Healers, who sooth and eliminate mutations where they discover them.
-[] Gift: A series of beautifully crafted and near indestructible books that contain knowledge, riddles, and secrets. They are meant to challenge the readers, and are the most sacred texts the Skaven have. The simplest lessons contain methods on how to bind / contain magical creatures using an artistic form of writing and how to handle / use dangerous magical materials, including warpstone, as well as machines in increasing complexity. The books are meant to both instruct and challenge. (And potentially give the Skaven a chance to impress the Old Ones, slightly.)
For more mad science, Electro-alchemy and electricity in general. The Old Ones might not want to hand down budget geometric web technology, but they could reveal what they know about more physical processes--and electricity might be seen as a good low-hanging fruit. So things like voltaic piles and gravity cells--or something like a more sophisticated Baghad Battery--but also the link between electricity and magnetism allowing the Skaven to make electrical generators and motors. And then from there electrolysis, electroplating, electric lights, and so on.
I like the idea that electricity could be a medium infused with faint traces of a given Wind of Magic for various purposes, letting you make things like a green lamp that's good for health and makes plants grow faster. It still has that pulpy super-science vibe, but a lot more wholesome than Warpstone.
I like the idea that electricity could be a medium infused with faint traces of a given Wind of Magic for various purposes, letting you make things like a green lamp that's good for health and makes plants grow faster. It still has that pulpy super-science vibe, but a lot more wholesome than Warpstone.
So, something like:
-[]Gift: Electrothaumaturgy: Not only do the Old Ones grant the [x] the secrets of electromagnetism to harness for their own purposes, but also the means to 'tune' electricity itself to a wind of magic, allowing electrical circuits to sense and manipulate the Winds in all the ways the Skaven cannot.
...Wait, actually, do we know if there's a way to crystallize the other Winds of magic, and have those crystals act as a bridge between an electrical circuit and their particular Wind, like a crystal radio? And in a way that the Skaven can replicate? @Fission Battery ?
Just going to say it but it feels like people using the argument that Warpstone is toxic to not use it is one of the most ridiculous arguments out there considering how many toxic stuff that humans have used throughout it. For Pete's Sake we use uranium and nuclear materials for our own power purposes! And the QM confirmed that the rats are ridiculously resistant to the point that they could clean up an area hit by a Warpstone shower using nothing but gloves and masks. Which is like a lot of cleaning material real life human use.
But above all one of the reasons I really like the idea of using Warpstone is that it's one of those iconic things from the series. Since it's a Warhammer quest people expect Warhammer stuff. And Warpstone is one of those unique things from the setting.
-[ ] Religion: Worship is centered around five concepts. Discovery, Joy, Compassion, Death, and History. These are considered the cardinal truths that one should acknowledge.
-[ ] Religion: Philosophical, not focused on gods so much as being a virtuous person. The goal is to contribute to the world, species, clan, and self, in that order. Naturally this is difficult, but the pursuit is part of the journey. Gods are to be recognized and honored if their virtues align, otherwise opposed and suppressed.
Warhammer does have a few... non-god gods. The Greater Good and Dark Muses. The former is a much more stratified de-individualizing, while the latter is mythologizing past figures into the epitome of a new depraved culture. I would suggest either mentioning a way to include the group, or talk up how individuals Cultivate into these virtuous figures.
-[] General: There are five founding clans. Scribes, who handle recording and the basic archival. Entertainers, who sooth and bring joy. Scientists, who discover the world, and provide knowledge for other clans. Assassins, who bring death to those who need it, and tend to the dead. Healers, who sooth and eliminate mutations where they discover them.
Two Suggestions:
1. Alter the clans so that each is expected to cover a bit of everything, but each one has a thing they're best at. Less chance of one clan getting wiped out and depriving the species. Even if everyone does act in good faith, wishes can't be fishes. Have some minimal standards.
2. Skaven love Numerology, so why not go for seven? The lucky number. Scribes, bureaucrats and archivists. Artists, those who create pleasing aesthetics and tend to the mind. Scientists, who research technology the Old Ones have long moved beyond. Assassins, who seek and search. Healers, to mend the body and treat mutations. The Warriors, who field large numbers of well-equipped, well-trained soldiers. The Alchemists, who through the study of the ancient mathematical geometries and certain materials create the power sources for their technology.
But above all one of the reasons I really like the idea of using Warpstone is that it's one of those iconic things from the series. Since it's a Warhammer quest people expect Warhammer stuff. And Warpstone is one of those unique things from the setting.
I like the idea that electricity could be a medium infused with faint traces of a given Wind of Magic for various purposes, letting you make things like a green lamp that's good for health and makes plants grow faster. It still has that pulpy super-science vibe, but a lot more wholesome than Warpstone.
The thing is, from the Old Ones' point of view warpstone is this bizarre toxic waste, in that anything you can do with it, you could do better in some other way.
Our lack of interest in it is firmly in character.
We should make the Skavens worship the Great Mother Rat so when their counterpart get the Horn Rat here it will help balance the two and also lead a fight against who really deserves to be god
I think if we set up the Scraven as high risk science and engineering heads, if warpstone winds up being available, then they will be all over it, but we don't need to start them on it. Giving them the tools to be ready is enough.
Give them math, metallurgy, and agriculture, and let them build from there. Perhaps electricity that is just electricity. No magic, no ways to cheat not having magic like runes or alchemy. Let their magic resistance aim then at seeing what they can do without any winds. Then see what they discover as they encounter magic in the world.
I would be interested in Warpstone, but I'm gonna be too busy trying to translate the various cultures I already came up with into the new system to try and make one up for the Skaven.
