First of all, thanks for your help in advance to anyone who does reply to help me with this. Essentially I am looking for suggestions on a custom race.
In a nutshell, I am looking to apply the Conan rule system in a somewhat original world, although inspired by many real-world cultures. For the most part it is pretty easy, most of the races in Conan had Earth inspirations too, so only minor modifications have been needed.
However, an Aztec-inspired culture is important for this, for which the Conan system uses Tlazitlans.
The problem with this is I am aiming for something closer to the historical Aztec Empire or Triple Alliance (but with magic), and nearly all of the Tlazitlan racial traits not only do not fit but outright contradict them. The terrain bonus fits (although change from plains to jungle or tropical), but the rest seems very inappropriate.
I will go over why the other racial traits are inappropriate for the culture I am aiming for, hopefully it will give a clearer idea what I am after in case you want to make suggestions.
Corruption penalty – Aztec society valued self-control and discipline, and harshly punished drunkenness or intemperance. Nobles who committed crimes were often punished more harshly than commoners (because higher standards were expected of them). Not really fitting with the depravity and indulgence of being susceptible to corruption.
Intimidate & Profession (torturer) – Aside from not much economic potential for that profession, avenues for it were fairly limited. Mistreating one’s slaves was punished with slavery. Physical punishment for children or harsh corporal punishment of criminals was common, but hardly more so than most of Europe and Asia, certainly not a skill every member of society would need.
Feud – Maybe a little, but this was a culture that launched ritual wars to gather sacrifices as if expecting no hard feelings. Obsessive grudges seem a little out of place.
Terror penalty – This was a culture fairly accepting of death, and since these are going to be fairly high magic like the Picts or Stygians it seems they would be somewhat more accustomed to the supernatural.
Background skills – Not to repeat points mentioned above. The Telpochcalli and Calmacec provided a nearly universal public education, including trade skills, basic military training, the “sayings of the old” (a combination of history and religion).
Anyway, that is why Tlazitlan does not fit. So I am looking to create a new set of racial traits and background skills for this culture far closer to the Aztecs. I am thinking possibly something that a combines elements of Picts, Chaga and Stygian.
Important features of the culture that might affect traits:
Near universal public education system (skill bonuses for education).
Extremely active religiously (Perform: ritual & Knowledge: arcana bonuses).
Basic military training as part of the Telpochcalli (weapon proficiencies, cultural weapon bonuses).
Well-maintained road system for trade (not sure if any bonus is appropriate).
Jungle hazards being a fact of life (+1 wilderness skills in jungle or tropical regions).
Background skills I am not sure of, I think any one Craft or Profession would be important, Perform (ritual) is likely. For the other two skills I am not sure, I just know nothing on the Tlazitlan list fits.
Basically any suggestions are welcome (except for “use Tlazitlan” of course), I would like to know what people think would be appropriate and balanced.
Once again, thank you to all who help.
In a nutshell, I am looking to apply the Conan rule system in a somewhat original world, although inspired by many real-world cultures. For the most part it is pretty easy, most of the races in Conan had Earth inspirations too, so only minor modifications have been needed.
However, an Aztec-inspired culture is important for this, for which the Conan system uses Tlazitlans.
The problem with this is I am aiming for something closer to the historical Aztec Empire or Triple Alliance (but with magic), and nearly all of the Tlazitlan racial traits not only do not fit but outright contradict them. The terrain bonus fits (although change from plains to jungle or tropical), but the rest seems very inappropriate.
I will go over why the other racial traits are inappropriate for the culture I am aiming for, hopefully it will give a clearer idea what I am after in case you want to make suggestions.
Corruption penalty – Aztec society valued self-control and discipline, and harshly punished drunkenness or intemperance. Nobles who committed crimes were often punished more harshly than commoners (because higher standards were expected of them). Not really fitting with the depravity and indulgence of being susceptible to corruption.
Intimidate & Profession (torturer) – Aside from not much economic potential for that profession, avenues for it were fairly limited. Mistreating one’s slaves was punished with slavery. Physical punishment for children or harsh corporal punishment of criminals was common, but hardly more so than most of Europe and Asia, certainly not a skill every member of society would need.
Feud – Maybe a little, but this was a culture that launched ritual wars to gather sacrifices as if expecting no hard feelings. Obsessive grudges seem a little out of place.
Terror penalty – This was a culture fairly accepting of death, and since these are going to be fairly high magic like the Picts or Stygians it seems they would be somewhat more accustomed to the supernatural.
Background skills – Not to repeat points mentioned above. The Telpochcalli and Calmacec provided a nearly universal public education, including trade skills, basic military training, the “sayings of the old” (a combination of history and religion).
Anyway, that is why Tlazitlan does not fit. So I am looking to create a new set of racial traits and background skills for this culture far closer to the Aztecs. I am thinking possibly something that a combines elements of Picts, Chaga and Stygian.
Important features of the culture that might affect traits:
Near universal public education system (skill bonuses for education).
Extremely active religiously (Perform: ritual & Knowledge: arcana bonuses).
Basic military training as part of the Telpochcalli (weapon proficiencies, cultural weapon bonuses).
Well-maintained road system for trade (not sure if any bonus is appropriate).
Jungle hazards being a fact of life (+1 wilderness skills in jungle or tropical regions).
Background skills I am not sure of, I think any one Craft or Profession would be important, Perform (ritual) is likely. For the other two skills I am not sure, I just know nothing on the Tlazitlan list fits.
Basically any suggestions are welcome (except for “use Tlazitlan” of course), I would like to know what people think would be appropriate and balanced.
Once again, thank you to all who help.
