Just made a worldmap for a Merfolk RPG. Anyone want to do anything with it?

[malinghi]

Yesterday I stumbled onto a blog (http://www.fantasticmaps.com/) of a guy who professionally makes maps for fantasy novels and games, and it made me want to make a map for a world populated by merfolk. Here's the world I made, as it would appear on maps by humans and merfolk.

It wasn't my intention at the time but now I kinda want to make an RPG to go with it. The way I picture it, the merfolk can survive at all depths but they really only live in the photic zone (depths that sunlight can reach). On the map that's about four or five lines out from the landmasses. The merfolk do have architecture and cities and aquaculture. Humans exist in this world, with a level of development similar to the Victorian era. Merfolk keep their existence a secret, although pretty much all sailors have seen one or believe they exist. Magic does exist but its not common. Different nations of merfolk exist, some with good relations and some with bad. Any of this can totally be changed, this is just some brainstorming.

What do you guys think? Anyone want to turn this into something?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/944813_575253625876414_504464812_n.jpghttps://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1489092_575253632543080_1565651247_n.jpg

[Aziara]

Dude.... Do it! What sort of RPG are you thinking of? Text based, MMORG like WOW, or something different? I played a text-based Narnia themed game a long time ago, it was really fun.

[malinghi]

Dude.... Do it! What sort of RPG are you thinking of? Text based, MMORG like WOW, or something different? I played a text-based Narnia themed game a long time ago, it was really fun.

Either tabletop like D&D, or text based. Some people on this forum actually started making an online text based RPG a while ago but never finished. It would be awesome to finish making that one or make something from scratch. Would you like to help? What do you have in mind?


By the way, here's the thread from when we discussed an RPG a while ago: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?1516-What-would-you-want-in-a-Mer-Role-Playing-Game

And here's a forum for the RPG that Mermaid Courtney made: http://underwatertales.proboards.com/

[Aziara]

I'm not sure how I can help, but I'd sure like to. What was done so far on the online text based RPG? The one I played on years ago ran on a MUCK system I think, I don't really know much about programming other than player commands (lol), but I wouldn't mind learning.

[malinghi]

I'm not sure how I can help, but I'd sure like to. What was done so far on the online text based RPG? The one I played on years ago ran on a MUCK system I think, I don't really know much about programming other than player commands (lol), but I wouldn't mind learning.

Truthfully I don't actually know how it would work. As we were making it, it didn't involve programming. It was just a message board where people could collectively tell a story somehow. We should ask Joy&Raptors, he was very involved in designing the RPG.

[Merman Dan]

Very nice! I've been using 3.5e and the World of Greyhawk; its maps, mythos, and mysterious places for my undersea RPG.

[malinghi]

Very nice! I've been using 3.5e and the World of Greyhawk; its maps, mythos, and mysterious places for my undersea RPG.

Hmm, maybe I should walk before I run. It is a bit crazy for me to try to make an RPG considering that I have so little experience playing them. I'm just really enjoying making a world for this. Plus I love the idea of a world designed around a map that works for merfolk, instead of making it for humans and then adding merfolk as an afterthought.

Can you tell me more about 3.5e and Greyhawk?

[Joy&RaptorsUnrestrained!]

Yesterday I stumbled onto a blog (http://www.fantasticmaps.com/) of a guy who professionally makes maps for fantasy novels and games, and it made me want to make a map for a world populated by merfolk. Here's the world I made, as it would appear on maps by humans and merfolk.

It wasn't my intention at the time but now I kinda want to make an RPG to go with it. The way I picture it, the merfolk can survive at all depths but they really only live in the photic zone (depths that sunlight can reach). On the map that's about four or five lines out from the landmasses. The merfolk do have architecture and cities and aquaculture. Humans exist in this world, with a level of development similar to the Victorian era. Merfolk keep their existence a secret, although pretty much all sailors have seen one or believe they exist. Magic does exist but its not common. Different nations of merfolk exist, some with good relations and some with bad. Any of this can totally be changed, this is just some brainstorming.

What do you guys think? Anyone want to turn this into something?

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/944813_575253625876414_504464812_n.jpghttps://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/1489092_575253632543080_1565651247_n.jpg



Hmmm... questions/ideas:
1. Do any other intelligent creatures exist besides merfolk and humans?
2a. If the humans have Victorian Era levels of technology, what level of tech do the merfolk have?
2b. Does merfolk tech allow for aquatic equivalents to human tech (marine fires, gaslights, steam, factories, waterproof paper and inks, printing, firearms, electricity, etc)?
3. If merfolk can survive anywhere but only live in the Photic zone, then that's probably a limitation to their food... something that only survives in that zone (the same way fewer people live in deserts and arctic regions). It could also be a limitation of their religion or physiology, or of the threat of creatures that hunt them in the deeper waters, though. Are merfolk sensitive to cold (i.e. are there as many merfolk off the coast of the northern and southern continent as there are off the more equatorial landmasses)?
4. Is this map the whole world, or just a section of it? The continent to the left seems to be cut off.
5a. Do all merfolk have magic, or only some?
5b. Is magic a learned or genetic trait?
5c. Do humans (or other species from question 1) have magic, and if so, does their magic differ from that of merfolk, or is it similar?
5d. Does magic require tools (tridents, necklaces, hats, wands, belts, skins, etc), gestures, words, or is it an act of will?
6. Do the different mer nations bear similarities to the cultures of earth (is there a mer version of the Ottoman Empire, or China, or India, or England, or France, or the United States?)

[Prince Calypso]

I love this idea. we should really do a forum for RPGs or something like that
the map is very well done

[Seatan]

This is a great idea!

[SeaSister]

I LOVE doing text based RPGs! I'm a member of a couple of RPG sites actually, and I'm not new to roleplaying merfolk haha. I even have a go-to merman character at the ready. :P

I've done a lot of thinking about this too, and I really like the idea of multiple "tribes/pods". Like dolphins, the pods are actually family units and have names that identify them as a part of that family. The character I made is "Mellock Swift-fin", part of the Swift-fin family pod. The merfolk all live in a patrilocal/patrilineal society, meaning that when "married", the female goes to live with the pod of the male and changes her last name to that pod. So, if "Mellock Swift-fin" were to marry "Dallani Bright-tail", she would then become "Dallani Swift-fin". In addition to these names, there are different species as well. The "Bright-tails" and "Swift-fins" might be families that are collectively known as the "Sun-Reef Merfolk", which are adapted to living in warm, shallow water alongside tropical reef fish, while the "Blue-eye" and "Sky-dancer" families would make up the "Frost-Water Merfolk", which are adapted to cold, sub-arctic climates.

Anyways, these are all ideas that I had come up with on my own before. I'm not claiming that that's how a merfolk roleplay SHOULD be done, but it IS something I think about a lot haha. I have lots of other ideas too, especially involving plots, history of the merfolk, religion, legends, you name it. Basically, I would want in on this thing and I would be willing to invest a lot of thought into it haha.

EDIT: In response to Joy&Raptors questions, in my own humble opinion...

1. Do any other intelligent creatures exist besides merfolk and humans?
I never really thought of it, but I suppose there easily could be. If merfolk could go for so long without having their existence known, why not wood nymphs or elves?

2a. If the humans have Victorian Era levels of technology, what level of tech do the merfolk have?
2b. Does merfolk tech allow for aquatic equivalents to human tech (marine fires, gaslights, steam, factories, waterproof paper and inks, printing, firearms, electricity, etc)?
To me, the idea of merfolk using modern technology sounds extremely unlikely. Mind you, it IS a fantasy roleplay, so I suppose anything could happen, but I do like a bit of realistic elements involved as well. I think the merfolk would be more primitive, sort of like early humans.

3. If merfolk can survive anywhere but only live in the Photic zone, then that's probably a limitation to their food... something that only survives in that zone (the same way fewer people live in deserts and arctic regions). It could also be a limitation of their religion or physiology, or of the threat of creatures that hunt them in the deeper waters, though. Are merfolk sensitive to cold (i.e. are there as many merfolk off the coast of the northern and southern continent as there are off the more equatorial landmasses)?
Beluga whales live in the coldest waters of the world, why not merfolk? Of course, their physiology would have to be much different - whereas tropical mers could survive with the slim figures that are most often attributed to merfolk, arctic mers would have to have a thick layer of blubber around them to protect themselves from the cold.

4. Is this map the whole world, or just a section of it? The continent to the left seems to be cut off.
Yes, it looks like it's only about half the world, lol. But I think it's enough to go by for now. After all, think about what the world map looked like a few hundred years ago, before North America had been discovered! It could be a totally new, undiscovered portion, which is why the map is incomplete.

5a. Do all merfolk have magic, or only some?
Hmmm good question. I think only some, to be honest. Maybe there's like a pod/species of mers that have magic flowing through their blood and this makes them the rulers or peace-keepers of the mer world. There could be some interesting plots around this (ie, prohibited relationships between magic/non-magical mers, class distinctions, etc.)

5b. Is magic a learned or genetic trait?
As mentioned above, it would be genetic in my humble opinion.

5c. Do humans (or other species from question 1) have magic, and if so, does their magic differ from that of merfolk, or is it similar?
No, I wouldn't think so.

5d. Does magic require tools (tridents, necklaces, hats, wands, belts, skins, etc), gestures, words, or is it an act of will?
Again, I don't think it's an external thing... more just that certain mers are born with the ability to harness and use magic, while others are not.

6. Do the different mer nations bear similarities to the cultures of earth (is there a mer version of the Ottoman Empire, or China, or India, or England, or France, or the United States?)
Yes, no doubt! This is why I mention the species differences. Some would be adapted for certain climates than others, just as indigenous peoples of Africa would have lived much different lifestyles than indigenous peoples of Siberia. Indubitably, they would also have major cultural differences as well.

[malinghi]

Here are my answers to Joy&Raptor's questions. They're not final and I don't have the last word, just my opinions.


1. Do any other intelligent creatures exist besides merfolk and humans?

I think it would be interesting if the RPG were to center on merfolk and their relationship with the human world.

2a. If the humans have Victorian Era levels of technology, what level of tech do the merfolk have?

Hard to characterize- they don't have electricity and wear next to nothing, but not because they're primitive. I imagine they're fairly developed, with advanced farming techniques and industrialization, sprawling cities, domesticated sharks used like horses. Their main building materials are stone and strong cables made of kelp.

2b. Does merfolk tech allow for aquatic equivalents to human tech (marine fires, gaslights, steam, factories, waterproof paper and inks, printing, firearms, electricity, etc)?

Not really, but they may have things we don't, like lighting made from sacks of bioluminescent plankton. Workshops that need fire for metalworking are constructed in shallow water near uninhabited islands.

3. If merfolk can survive anywhere but only live in the Photic zone, then that's probably a limitation to their food... something that only survives in that zone (the same way fewer people live in deserts and arctic regions). It could also be a limitation of their religion or physiology, or of the threat of creatures that hunt them in the deeper waters, though. Are merfolk sensitive to cold (i.e. are there as many merfolk off the coast of the northern and southern continent as there are off the more equatorial landmasses)?

I think most parts of the ocean are the same temperature as you get deeper. I imagine all merfolk are invulnerable to cold temperatures.

4. Is this map the whole world, or just a section of it? The continent to the left seems to be cut off.

Its not the whole world. I can't decide how big it is though.

5a. Do all merfolk have magic, or only some?

I'd like it to be rare. It could be useful from a design standpoint to include it but I picture it being uncommon.

5b. Is magic a learned or genetic trait?
I dislike when merfolk are magical. I feel like they are simply part human and part fish, so unless fish can cast spells, being one shouldn't give you magic powers.

5c. Do humans (or other species from question 1) have magic, and if so, does their magic differ from that of merfolk, or is it similar?

I imagine magic being something that simply exists in this world, like thermodynamics. Anyone who studies it long enough can learn to use it, but some societies know more about it than others.

5d. Does magic require tools (tridents, necklaces, hats, wands, belts, skins, etc), gestures, words, or is it an act of will?

It would probably require tools.

6. Do the different mer nations bear similarities to the cultures of earth (is there a mer version of the Ottoman Empire, or China, or India, or England, or France, or the United States?)

Maybe. I'd rather draw inspiration from existing cultures but make them somewhat unique.

[Merman Dan]

Can you tell me more about 3.5e and Greyhawk?

In 1998 I started my first undersea D&D game, a play-by-post I called Beneath the Pinnacles of Azor'alq. My prior game had been a first edition AD&D arctic adventure set in World of Greyhawk, my campaign setting of choice since the early 80s. I kept the same ruleset and campaign world for BPAA as a matter of familiarity. Over the years BPAA converted to 3e/3.5e before it finally dissolved. In 2007 I started Heirs of Turucambi, a 3.5e undersea chat-based game.

As I mentioned, I choose the World of Greyhawk mainly for familiarity. Granted, not a lot is mentioned about the undersea realms, so I get to devise most of the monsters, magics, and locales myself. I also incorporated a handful of "Mysterious Places", mentioned in some of the rule supplements, with names like Turucambi Reef, The Sinking Isle, and the Jungle of Lost Ships.

As for 3.5e, one of the compelling reasons I kept using that edition was the d20 System Reference Document (http://www.d20srd.org) , a simplified version of the ruleset available online for all to use.

[Merman Dan]

And just for the halibut:

1. Do any other intelligent creatures exist besides merfolk and humans?
Absolutely. D&D is chock full of intelligent “monsters” and other races. The undersea realms are no exception. In addition merfolk, sea elves, locathah (gill-men) and the like there are aquatic varieties of more familiar beasties like trolls, ogres, goblins, and so on.


2a. If the humans have Victorian Era levels of technology, what level of tech do the merfolk have?
Tech for Drylanders is “medieval fantasy” plus or minus a few anachronisms here and there. The water dwarves have discovered volatile crystals they call “frozen thunder”. The use of pearlsteel is not unheard of.


2b. Does merfolk tech allow for aquatic equivalents to human tech (marine fires, gaslights, steam, factories, waterproof paper and inks, printing, firearms, electricity, etc)?
There are always undersea analogs for Drylander tech. Undersea illumination is provided by containers filled with bioluminescent fish and clams. The written word may be stored upon shells or sharkskin, though many races record their language with bits of seaweed and shells.


3. Are merfolk sensitive to cold (i.e. are there as many merfolk off the coast of the northern and southern continent as there are off the more equatorial landmasses)?
Where there are fish, there may be merfolk. Some merfolk are more accustomed to warmer waters while some prefer colder climes. I also limit them to living at certain depths. Only certain fish can frequent the abyssal zones. It stands to reason that fewer known “monster races” would dwell there as well.


4. Is this map the whole world, or just a section of it? The continent to the left seems to be cut off.
http://ghmaps.net/onlinemap/onlinemap.html


5a. Do all merfolk have magic, or only some?
Only some, deferring to D&D rules, here.


5b. Is magic a learned or genetic trait?
A bit of both. 3.5e D&D has wizards (learned magics), sorcerers/warlocks (innate magics), and more. Never mind psionics (mind magics).


5c. Do humans (or other species from question 1) have magic, and if so, does their magic differ from that of merfolk, or is it similar?

Most intelligent races have the capability to learn magic. Undersea races have learned a few magics unique to their realm, such as Nacremancy (pearl magic) and the use of Phosphyre (the waters which burn).


5d. Does magic require tools (tridents, necklaces, hats, wands, belts, skins, etc), gestures, words, or is it an act of will?
It often does.


6. Do the different mer nations bear similarities to the cultures of earth (is there a mer version of the Ottoman Empire, or China, or India, or England, or France, or the United States?)

No.

[Mermaid Shayna]

I love this idea! I'm not good at technology though, so I can't really help. But I'd love to join, though I don't have much RPG experience ^^;