Scottoro-Ramblings

Making a dedicated post for this meme-redraw because its probably the single highest effort piece of art I've ever made.

First the context in case you somehow missed it, its from some mobile game add or something, but the wording just so comedically awkward that the whole thing is iconic.

@istheremorethanburrito rightly declared that there needed to be a dungeon meshi version, and I decided I needed to be the change I wanted to see in the world.

I debated on if Marcille or Cithis should be the "Beautiful Elf" tm, but I decided it would be funnier if everyone was less than thrilled about thier titles. Also the backgrounds are from the anime production, I got them from https://setteidreams.net/settei/dungeon-meshi/!

I ended up pretty proud of the section of Laios's armor that the "Now With Mushroom!" covered up, so here is the textless version.

And of course the mushroom itself!

*His Majesty the Worm Stat Page below*

Mimic

Beast {Crustacea} Brute

Mimics are crustaceans, specifically hermit crabs, which have been scaled to a horrifying size and learned an even more terrifying hunting technique. They lurk inside of artificial structures in dungeons, most famously chests but any appropriately sized structure will do, and when an adventurer comes over to investigate they lunge out skewering them with their razor sharp pincers.

Since mimics shells are scavenged from the dungeon they are indistinguishable from harmless objects while at rest, but this does come with some downsides. Each shell must be big enough to contain the mimic when curled up, but small enough to be carried with them, so mimics have to cycle though a range of them while growing. Additionally since the shells cannot be repaired a damaged one must be discarded and a new one scavenged from the environment.

Attributes: SWORDS 4 PENTACLES 2 CUPS 1 WANDS 0 Health/Defense: 2/6 Likes: Tree Nuts, Rotting Meat, Unwary Lock-picks Hates: Acids, Other Mimics (Territorial), Treasure (Frightening)

Notes

Ambush Predator. If the mimic successfully ambushes an adventurer it always goes with Tactic 3 and deals Critical damage in place of a standard wound. Carpentry Camouflage. As mimics use real dungeon structures as shells, they cannot be visually distinguished from an ordinary non-lethal chest, cabinet, or box before they move. Without a shell they have 0 Defense, and are very easy to spot. Tough. Actions that target mimics must exceed (not just match) their Initiative.

Lesser Dooms

Pincer. On a successful Attack the target is also either Rooted or Tripped (GM’s choice)

Greater Dooms

*His Majesty the Worm Stat Page below*

Earth Golem

Also known as a Clay Golem or Soil Servant

Sorcerous {Golem} Brute

Earth golems are among the easiest and cheapest golems to create, and despite being composed of tiny lose particles of stone are surprisingly strong and reliable. An earth golem will generally do exactly what it was instructed to do by the arcane script inscribed on it’s core, and when that fails they generally default to random violence.

While this last quirk makes them rather troublesome for most tasks above ground, it makes them idea for guarding dungeons, since violently crushing intruders is usually what dungeon lords want them to be doing anyway.

Attributes: SWORDS 4 PENTACLES 3 CUPS 1 WANDS 1

Health/Defense: 1/8

Likes: Following Orders, Mild Sunlight

Hates: Borrowing Animals, Looters, Erosion

Notes

Buried Golem Core. The earth golem cannot take piercing damage if you do not know where in its body its magical core is located. If you deal a wound targeting an area near the core that reveals its location.

Construct. Earth golems treat Notches as 2 Wounds.

Can You Dig It? Attacks with a shovel have favor (+3) and can deal piecing damage if you know where the core is located.

Lesser Dooms

Plant. On a successful Attack, the target both takes a Wound and is Rooted.

Greater Dooms

Deadly Attack. When the golem Attacks, discard a greater doom card to deal a deadly attack. If successful, deal 2 Wounds instead of 1.

Cook’s Corner

Earth golems are 99% sand, gravel, or clay. In theory edible plants could grow on one, but please don’t try eating them

Anyway here is the the statblock stuff!

Snow Wasset

Beast Brute

Outside of the snowbanks they call home, a Wasset is a sad strange creature. If you see one writhing and galumphing across the ground it might even be surprising that they could survive in a dungeon at all. But their strange legless body is merely specialized for one singular purpose, swimming through the snow as it was water. When in their preferred environment Snow Wassets are viscous lightning fast predators, able to rip larger creatures limb from limb in mere moments. When you spot blood in the snow, or hear their howls on a cold moonless night, be wary. Be wise. Watch for the Wasset or it’ll be your demise!

Snow Wasset

Beast {Mammalia} Brute

Attributes: SWORDS 3 PENTACLES 3 CUPS 0 WANDS 2

Health/Defense: 2/6

Likes: Snow, Thievery, Magic, (Other’s) Misfortune

Hates: Steam, Weddings , Late August

Notes

Sno’w Legs. When outside of a snowbank, Snow Wassets cannot take the dash action and all wounds recived are treated as piercing wounds.

Tough. Actions that target the Wassat must exceed its initative

Lesser Dooms

Bite. On a successful Attack the target is also either tripped or disarmed (GM’s Choice)

Wasset Howl. Play a lesser doom card and compare its value to the Initiative of each character in the same zone. If the Wasset does this on its turn, it adds its Wands to the total value. Adventurers it succeeds against are Deafened, and if already Deafened, Stressed.

Greater Dooms

*Mild Worldbuilding Spoilers in the lore

Artificial Beast-Men

Souls are far from immutable, they can be damaged, stretched or even mixed. That is when we see the most fascinating interactions. -Tainnel Solas, disbarred ancient magic researcher

Artificial beast-men are not a people, they are a consequence. Certain types of taboo and often illegal ancient magic can meld the souls of people and beasts together, and the resulting mixture creates a new type of being. The particulars of this new being depends on the process, but the result is always the meshing of traits from the two source creatures.

Ancient and Taboo

In the distant past the creation of beast-men was much more common, with whole divisions of them made as shock troops for the front lines of battles. Due to the devastation caused by these ancient warriors, and the lasting mental effects on the transformed, this practice fell out of favor. The magic was banned in most realms, and remains highly obscure in others. In modern times only disreputable types seeking an edge at any cost modify themselves in this way. Illegal black mages, underground pit fighters, and bounty hunters make up the majority of the population. There is no unified culture for artificial beast-men and no settlements of them, unless you count the seedy establishments that tolerate the practice.

Artificial Beast-Men Names

As they are sourced from people across the world, artificial beast-men do not have a consistent naming scheme. Some will modify their name or give themselves a nickname reflecting their new beast part, but that is far from universal.

Artificial Beast-Man Kin

Different ancient magic rituals produce different types of beast men, and while there are records implying the existence of many variations, in the modern day only two are recorded.

Shifters

In the rituals to create a shifter beast-man, a beast is sacrificed and its soul is loosely bound to the recipient by a set of arcane tattoos. At the conclusion of the ritual the recipient will not look noticeably different, but will be able to pull on the power of the beast soul to transform into a powerful hybrid body. The specifics depend on the type of beast transformed into, but all of the hybrid forms feature supernatural toughness and enhanced abilities. Some animal forms require specific builds to function, like bear and tiger forms requiring exceptional musculature, so wolf forms are the most common. Smaller people are limited to smaller forms, with half-foots limited to small speedy animals like rats. All forms leave a mark psychologically, and even outside the hybrid form shifters will display some animal instincts.

Kin Talent: Were-Beast

Choose another kith and kin, this is your original form. When not in your hybrid form, you can spend a resolve to use that kin’s Talent for a watch. Spend a resolve to transform into your hybrid form, to stay in this form as a watch passes you must spend another. Upon transforming you automatically drop your pack and any armor you wear. While transformed you cannot wear armor but gain the following benefits.

Your choice of swords or pentacles increases by 2, which can increase the value past 4, and cups and wands decreases by 1

You can wound this talent 2 times before it stops functioning and you are forced back into your regular form. When not transformed this talent can be healed with a single charge

While transformed you never count as unarmed, and attacks with your hybrid forms natural weapons deal 2 wounds against any target which is unarmed or Tripped

Soul Chimera

Far rarer than shifters and almost never sought out, soul chimeras are a type of artificial beast-man produced by a rituals where a person is sacrificed and their soul is tightly bound to a beast. The beast then painfully morphs into a humanoid approximation of the sacrificed person, retaining features like fur, claws and a tail. Because sentient souls are more powerful, the resultant being usually thinks of itself as the sacrificed person and retains most of their memories, but also will display far stronger animal instincts than other beast-men. While the lack of arcane tattoos makes soul chimeras less obviously artificial, their unique morphology and detectable traces of black magic will make it obvious with careful inspection. Because of deep bonding of their souls, the process of making a soul chimera is almost always irreversible.

Kin Talent: _____ as a _____

Write the beast you are fused with in the second blank and a trait that beast is associated with in the first blank. You can use the name of this talent as an additional motif. Additional your beast traits can give you a natural weapon. If it does you never count as unarmed and when your Attack value is at least twice that of your opponents initiative, your natural weapon deals Piercing damage.

Arete

Artificial beast-men gain arete by preforming the following deeds:

Defeating the type of beast you are melded with in single combat or at a task they are known to be skilled at

Uncovering the secrets behind your creation

Being adopted into a family, or being recognized as a hero in a settlement

When an artificial beast-man accomplishes all three arete triggers, they gain one the following talents:

Shifter arete talent: Sliver Hide

Shifters who have truly mastered their hybrid forms are able to project energy from their soul bond into their hide, making it impervious to most mortal weapons. You cannot be dealt wounds from non-silvered iron or steel weapons.

Soul Chimera arete talent: Perfect Instinct

When a soul chimera is fully at peace with themselves and their form, they are able to make the most of their animalistic traits. Whenever you draw with favor due to your kin talent, the value of any card is treated as 9 if not already higher.

Shifter role-playing concepts

There is a sizable subculture on the south central continent of shifter underground pit fighters. Tiger and bear forms are the biggest crowd pleasers, but they are less common than wolf forms due to the psychological effects and physical requirements.

While half-foots with rat hybrid forms often work for these same arenas they rarely fight. They don’t get a significant strength boost and are rare, so they are far more valuable entertaining the crowd.

The hybrid forms’ features depend on the physicality of their base form. A large muscled bear hybrid form reflects a hulking build, while a wolf hybrid form built off an elf would be slender with longer ears.

Shifter enchantments are not inherited, as the beast soul is only loosely bound and does not fundamentally change the nature of their base form.

Shifters normally try to hide their tattoos while in public, as they are evidence of procuring illegal black magic

Soul Chimera role-playing concepts

The process of creating a soul chimera involves the death of the original person, so despite the creation of a new being with those memories, most nations consider creating one murder.

As most soul chimeras were forced into the ritual, they tend to resent their new bodies and animal instincts.

Half-Foots

There exists no people in the wide world more widely looked down on then the half-foots, and of course I mean that in both the physical and figurative sense. -Flint's Guide for the Practical Traveler

Half-foots are the smallest, weakest, and shortest lived of all the human races. Additionally their large eyes, wide faces, and lessened sexual dimorphism makes them look similar to the children of tall-men, who themselves are viewed as clumsy and childlike by the robust dwarfs and graceful elves. In their homelands where there is nothing to compare to, these traits cause little issue, but things get difficult when they live among other peoples.

Most half-foots take great care to highlight their maturity, by wearing formal serious clothes, or using course language, but there is a small portion that revels in being underestimated. Scammers who prey on peoples’ sympathy for children, pickpockets who know folk don't tend to look down, even assassins who use their innocent charm to get close to targets. This group of scammers and scoundrels are more likely to travel far and wide, seeking new marks, so tend to be most communities introduction to half-foots. Thus the reputation of half-foots is soiled by the time more honest folk arrive, causing all of them to be treated with suspicion or disdain.

Thieves, Servants and Scouts

The actions of criminal half-foots limits the options for those seeking legitimate work, as most businesses owners would prefer to hire others if possible. Some find work as scouts for armies or lookouts on ships, where their superior senses can be a valuable asset. Others do service work where their small size is an asset, like sweeping chimneys or cleaning sewers. There is even a niche of being an amusingly tiny butler or maid for a noble family, but most half-foots find sewer cleaning less demeaning.

Being a forward scout for dungeons is a lucrative but dangerous profession which has grown increasingly popular. Half-foots are too light to set off most traps, and their enhanced senses can provide forewarning of monsters or hidden mechanisms, so just about any party could benefit from one. But their diminutive size means that they can do little to harm most monsters, and their reputation as greedy swindlers generally puts them low on healing priority if they do get injured. Half-foot guides must rely on their party more than most adventurers, but can trust them less.

Proper Paranoia

Being small and frail in a world of big dangerous creatures, able to hear every footfall of approaching danger but unable to do much about it, has left a permanent nervous edge in the half-foot psyche. While this certainly has manifested in negative ways, such as prevalent alcoholism in half-foot communities as they try to find peace in oblivion, it has also fueled their uniquely impressive set of folktales.

Half-foot folktales have be adapted for and enjoyed by all races, where somewhat sanitized versions now comprise the bulk of children’s fairy tales. Amusingly this has cause some misconceptions of early half-foot communities to spread. Like the existence of demi-human monsters called trolls, which is based on early hostile interactions with tall-men, or changelings, which aren't creatures at all but a consequence of a type magical mushroom.

Half-Foot Names

Traditional half foot names follow a three part naming scheme. The first part of a name can be used alone by family or very close friends, but as it implies a great deal of intimacy the general use personal name attaches a second part. This full personal name is joined by a last name derived from the half-foot's father. The last name is the first part of their fathers name, plus a z or s.

For example a half-foot who has a father named Chilchuck, could be named Puckpatti Chilz, and be called Puckpatti by most and Puck her family and closest friends.

Half-Foot male names

Archalek, Bowjack, Branlin, Chilchuck, Dandan, Darman, Maxmur, Mattjan, Mickbell, Norscott, Robaac, Samwise, Timtuck, Tomabob, Waywes

Half-Foot female names

Caitcat, Dorabel, Flertom, Halluna, Hazhanna, Joelena, Kathkari, Puckpatti, Magimar, Marglili, Meijack, Melbella, Skysaunder, Tamlinn, Wyrwinnie

Being small and frail in a world of big dangerous creatures, able to hear every footfall of approaching danger but unable to do much about it, has left a permanent nervous edge in the half-foot psyche. While this certainly has manifested in negative ways, such as prevalent alcoholism in half-foot communities as they try to find peace in oblivion, it has also fueled their uniquely impressive set of folktales.

Half-foot folktales have be adapted for and enjoyed by all races, where somewhat sanitized versions now comprise the bulk of children’s fairy tales. Amusingly this has cause some misconceptions of early half-foot communities to spread. Like the existence of demi-human monsters called trolls, which is based on early hostile interactions with tall-men, or changelings, which aren't creatures at all but a consequence of a type magical mushroom.

Half-Foot Names

Traditional half foot names follow a three part naming scheme. The first part of a name can be used alone by family or very close friends, but as it implies a great deal of intimacy, the general use personal name attaches a second part. This full personal name is joined by a last name derived from the half-foot's father. The last name is the first part of their fathers name, plus a z or s.

For example a half-foot who has a father named Chilchuck, could be named Puckpatti Chilz, and be called Puckpatti by most and Puck her family and closest friends.

Half-Foot male names

Archalek, Bowjack, Branlin, Chilchuck, Dandan, Darman, Maxmur, Mattjan, Mickbell, Norscott, Robaac, Samwise, Timtuck, Tomabob, Waywes

Half-Foot female names

Caitcat, Dorabel, Flertom, Halluna, Hazhanna, Joelena, Kathkari, Puckpatti, Magimar, Marglili, Meijack, Melbella, Skysaunder, Tamlinn, Wyrwinnie

Half Foot role-playing concepts

Most of the world is not sized for half-foots. Downside, your feet won't touch the ground once you climb on most chairs. Upside, beer comes in pints!

Half-Foots generally have little understanding of magic. Part of this is due to poor education and a short lifespan, but their low innate mana reservoir also means they tend to make themselves sick if they experiment with magic.

Most half-foot populations idolize dwarves as the height of strength, reliability, and handsomeness.

Due to their bad reputation and shorter lives half-foots are viewed as more disposable by other races, to the point that some adventurers intentionally use them as bait.

Some adventuring half-foots have been organizing unions to ensure better treatment, requiring proper pay and protections if a parties wants to hire any half-foot guide.

These unions normally include the most experienced half-foot guides, but there are plenty of scabs willing to undercut union rates to avoid paying dues.

*Below are the His Majesty the Worm Game Mechanics, so if you are just here for the world building feel free to stop

Half-Foot Kin

There are half-foot populations across the world, with nearly as much variation as tall-men in language, skin tone, and facial features. The largest populations are in the hill-lands of the Eastern Continent and deltas of the West Southern Continent, but small populations exist everywhere. Despite this, all half-foots are defined mostly by their stature and exceptional senses.

Kin Talent: Ear Out for Danger

Half-foots are adept at using their heightened senses to avoid and locate danger. You have favor on tests of fate to perceive things using your five senses. Additionally you hear and are effected by auditory charms and effects from two zones farther away than normal.

Arete

Half-foots gain arete by preforming the following deeds:

Saving someone's life though trickery or stealth

Be recognized by everyone in your guild as an expert at your job

Gifting something very valuable to someone in need

When a Half Foot accomplishes all three arete triggers, they gain the following talent:

Half-Foot arete talent: Nimble-stepper

Ultimately decided to go with the bug drawing for the final PDF version, but still pretty happy with how the illusion version turned out!

*His Majesty the Worm Stat Page below*

Succubus

Also known as Qarinah or Tempters

Beast Strategist

Succubi are rumored to be shape-shifting demons which take the form of your deepest desire to lure you away and steal your soul, but the truth is actually far weirder. They are actually magical parasitic insects with an innate and powerful command of illusion magic.

With these illusions they distract and enthrall their victims, until they can get close enough bite. But even running their prey though with a barbed proboscis isn’t enough to shatter the illusion, as they produce a secretion which overwhelms their victim with euphoric bliss, leaving them helpless till the last dregs of life are sucked away.

Succubus

Beast {Insecta} Strategist

Attributes: SWORDS 1 PENTACLES 2 CUPS 1 WANDS 4

Health/Defense: 1/0

Likes: Flowers, the color Red, Flushed Skin, Bananas, Beer, its Nymphs

Hates: Cold, Dry, Garlic

Notes

Irresistible*. When a succubus sees a group of adventurers it will choose one at random, and project an illusion of that persons’ greatest desires. Attempting to move away from or take a hostile action towards a succubus projecting thier illusion causes that action to fail and the adventurer to be Stunned.

*These illusions do not affect those with two souls, like Soul Chimera Artificial Beast-men.

Less Lethal. Whenever a Succubus would deal a fatal wound the target is Knocked-Out instead.

Lesser Dooms

Euphoric Anesthetic. On a successful attack the adventurer spends 1 resolve and can also remove Stressed. One watch after suffering this doom the adventurer becomes Stressed as massive welts appear.

Greater Dooms

Gnomes

Lacking the arrogance of the elves and the greed of the dwarves, gnomes seem less threatening. But their combination of magical power and righteous conviction ensures you’ll have hell to pay if they think you’ve done wrong -Darman Ways’ Peddler’s Handbook

The second shortest of all humans, being slightly shorter then dwarves but lacking their muscular bulk, gnomes are primarily distinguished by their strong connection with the spirits which has made them impressive mages. Unlike elves who view magic as commanding physical phenomena, gnomes it as a co-operative act. Careful stewardship of the spirits and their environment is forges a connection with a mage, who can call on them for power.

As a result of their focus on understanding and maintaining maintaining relationships with spirits, gnomish societies have a strong religious focus. Parishes are the primary structure of gnomish society, responsible for maintaining the local spirits in addition to secular responsibilities like maintaining communal spaces, licensing businesses, and defense against external threats. While parishes often join together into congregations to share resources and collaborate on larger efforts, these are voluntary organizations and their borders are neither continuous nor stable.

Due to a strong cultural taboo against violence towards other gnomes, and long standing tradition of settling disputes by consulting the spirits, wars between different congregations or parishes are unheard of. These protections do not extend beyond their own people, and gnomes have frequently warred with outsiders especially if they are seen as mistreating their local spirits.

In Harmony with Spirits

While magic is not used quite as causally as it is in eleven lands, gnomish settlements still seem miraculous to most who visit them. Undines flit though gardens sprinkling water wherever needed, Salamanders crackle from ovens where they brown bread and kilns where they melt glass, and walls grow up from the dirt as earth elementals build them. Maintaining these elementals requires some concessions to keep the spirits happy and thriving, but gnomes are well used to sacred forests winding through the city city, or relying on rainwater to keep a holy stream unpolluted. Most parishes even have complex waste management systems that collect every last bit of mana to feed their elementals.

These elementals are the most obvious sign of how partnership with spirits has benefited gnomes, but it has also allowed them to excel at many other forms of magic. Magical healing is accessible and commonplace, with gnomish healers being well known for doing truly miraculous work. Construct magic is another area where they excel. Gnomish golems are world renowned for their strength and ease of command, though some errors caused by desperate attempts to keep up with demand have diminished their popularity.

The convenience offered by magic and their religions focus on simple harmonious living means most gnomes can live lives of relative ease and reflection, confident that their parish will provide a safety net if needed. Most gnomes use this to live comfortable lives at a relaxed pace, and generally stay in their own tight knit communities. Those who leave tend to be either ambitious social climbers seeking more than a comfortable life, ideological radicals who would be shunned in their home parish, or bleeding-hearts who are looking to help less fortunate peoples.

Helping Hands

While elves and dwarves are known for their continuous interference in global affairs, gnomes can seem largely absent on a world stage for one of the three long-lived races. In clashes between the other two, gnomes usually side with the dwarves, as eleven magic is blasphemous to them due to is disregard of the spirits, but they still manage to position them selves as a third party. They may supply magic devices, mediate disputes, or train others in their magic, but it is rare that they instigate anything.

While some of this can be chalked up to gnomes’ less competitive societies, its also an intentional strategy for most congregations. By staying out at of the spotlight gnomes are widely accepted everywhere, and by only helping other factions along they dodge much of the blame when things go poorly. Even their conquests on the southern and western continents have produced surprisingly little bad blood, as their parishes only took over areas that where being mismanaged by their dwarven allies after the war. Arriving with food and offerings to placate the angry local spirits.

The positive perception of gnomes also bolstered by their greater willingness to share their knowledge with others. While dwarves would sooner die than share the secrets of their technology, and elves rarely tolerate the short-lived learning their arts, gnomes happily teach their magic to all of humanity. While half-foots struggle to wield enough mana, and ogres are to rare and isolated to make common students, tall-men have taken full advantage of gnomish instruction. The majority of tall-men mages work with some variety of gnomish magic, most of whom where taught directly by gnomes. While the benefits to the tall-men kingdoms are obvious, this practice is also hugely beneficial to gnomes. Not only does it further their reputation as wise and generous, it also ensures that they’ll have allies in pretty much every tall-man noble court and center of learning.

Gnome Names

Gnome names tend to be relatively simple, and follow the same personal-name surname pattern seen in dwarves and tall-men. Despite this they put far less stock in bloodline than dwarves do, and introductions normally end at the personal name unless more information is needed. Because gnomes consider long names unwieldy and impious they will regularly shorten names and omit titles when speaking to other races.

Gnome male names

Aber, Bizen, Dwale, Ford, Guad, Ham, Hatt, Holm, Mino, Null, Pinion, Saltern, Seto, Tansu, Tre

Gnome female names

Bee, Bindle, Firth, Honba, Ita, Leder, Mede, Nara, Pike, River, Te, Verd, Washi, Wick, Yarn

Gnome surnames

Barmkin, Blanding, Buffe, By, Cester, Dodger, Feil, Floke, Glynde, Lesning, Rundle, Russet, Sangen, Sanshin, Yawl

*Below are His Majesty the Worm Game Mechanics, so if you are just here for the headcanon feel free to stop

Gnome Kin

While gnomes now live across the world, with settlements as far off as the western continent, this is a relatively new development. Gnomish culture has had little time to drift since they settled in these far off lands alongside the Dwarves after their counter-offensive, and the religious disputes that cause the majority of gnomish division generally seem trivial to outsiders. Thus regardless of where you come from as gnome you have the following kin talent.

Kin Talent: Beloved of Spirits

Whenever you spend resolve on casting a spell or using a talent you can choose to draw from the minor arcana deck. If you drew a King or Queen you get the resolve spent back, but if you draw an Ace or below the spell or talent fails. If you draw the Fool you take a piercing wound as the angry spirits take their due in blood.

Arete

Gnomes gain arete by preforming the following deeds:

Befriending a powerful and ancient spirit

Having or adopting a child

Winning a religious debate with a local leader

When a gnome accomplishes all three arete triggers, they gain the following talent:

Gnome arete talent: Medium

You can communicate with spirits, even if they cannot normally speak. Additionally you can spend a resolve to immediately change the disposition of a spirit by two steps.

Gnome role-playing concepts

Gnomes tend to have worse eyesight then other humans, and as such have developed an expertise in making glasses.

Formal gnome clothing consists of a conical red hat and loose fitting robes. While new styles featuring wild shapes appear occasionally, they never seem to stick around.

Gnomes have large hands relative to their body size, which makes them a bit clumsy with precise movements and fine details.

Rounder features are generally considered more beautiful for gnomes, particularly for ears where too sharp of a point is seen as ugly.

Dwarfs

Dwarf loyalty is legendary, there is no length they won't go to defend their clan or true companions. But that loyalty is hard-won, and dwarven society has no place for those who stray.

This strength was crucial during their wars with the elves. Despite their lack of magical talent, and being a loose defensive alliance against an united empire, the Dwarves pride themselves in giving as good as they got. These wars also tempered dwarf society into the structured, reliable, and prescriptive form that it currently takes.

Bonds of Blood and Iron

Collectively dwarfs are a major world power, so many are surprised to learn just how decentralized their governments are. It's rare that a dwarven government controls more than a city and its hinterlands, and their leaders do not have the level of control that an elven magistrate or even tall-man king can muster. But this is because any dwarf society must accommodate the true core and seat of power, the clans.

Clans are technically extended families, though as each one has a primary trade, and will regularly adopt dwarves with no relation if the have valuable skills, their function is some ways more like a guild. Clans can have a vast degree of power, enforcing laws, choosing jobs, and even arranging marriages for its members. While larger and less traditional clans allow their members far more autonomy, arrangements between clans still underpin dwarven societies. Villages will often be populated one or two clans, while cities will have dozens or hundreds held together in complex alliances and hierarchies.

One's rank in dwarven society depends on the power of your clan, and your standing within it, and there is usually very little mobility. Each dwarf has a personal sigil issued by their clan, which affirms their membership and rank to any other dwarf that reads it. This sigil is normally set once a dwarf reaches 40 years, and their rank alongside it, barring exceptional circumstances.

The efficient set structure of dwarf society has produced some of the finest smiths, artisans, and engineers in the world. They can draw on generations of experience to prefect their craft, and their mastery has earned dwarf made goods a reputation for excellence across the world. Assuming they play their role it also provides exceptional stability and support to individuals.

Technical Wonders

Like all long-lived races, most dwarves have a standard of living your average tall-man or half-foot would struggle to imagine. Some find this surprising, considering that the power and privilege of elves and gnomes is tied to their talent for magic, which dwarfs famously lack. But, as is apparent to anyone who has been to a dwarven city, their technical expertise fully makes up for their poor personal command of magic.

Dwarf buildings can be over a dozen stories high, assuming they don't build down into old mine-shafts and conquered dungeons instead, and thanks to a complex series of water towers and aqueducts most even have running water. Hot water and personal stoves are less common, but public baths and restaurants are so plentiful that these personal luxuries are hardly missed. Transportation is also remarkably advanced, with networks of lightning trams and funiculars sprawling under and though ever city. Assuming you have the right combination of passes for each clan’s lines, you can get anywhere in even the most sprawling dwarven city in under an hour. Like many of the most impressive dwarven constructs, these transports rely on ancient magic devices maintained by gnomish magic, and their mechanisms and nature are a highly guarded secret.

Those who Stray

As with any perfectly tuned machine, dwarf society cannot abide cogs that don't mesh. These are the outcasts, those exiled by their clans for major crimes or dishonoring them, as well as their unfortunate children. Outcasts are viewed with suspicion by other dwarves, who usually assume they are criminals, and are only willing to give them the most menial and lowly of work. While outcasts can eventually rejoin a clan if they prove themselves loyal and hardworking, in the decades it takes they are unable to get a consistent job, buy property, or even shop at dwarven markets; all of which require showing a sigil of your clan.

As rejoining the dwarven clans once you are exiled ranges from difficult to impossible, most exiles find other ways to support themselves. Some commit fully to a life of crime, becoming bandits who prey upon the trade routes between the grand dwarven cities. Though this tends to end poorly once the big clans send out mercenaries to deal with the threat to thier business. More outcasts have been traveling out to lands ruled by short-lived races, accepting the drop in living standards for more acceptance. Becoming an adventurer is also a popular option for outcasts, to the point that the majority of dwarven adventurers are outcasts despite being a small fraction of dwarves overall. Adventuring is dangerous work, but the gamble can pay off if you win enough gold or glory to regain your former standing.

Dwarf Names

Dwarf names tend to be simple, based either on minerals or professions, and in place of last name they use the town of their birth. No-one is quite sure why they don't use surnames, especially given that they value blood ties more than many who do. Some suggest it was an ineffectual attempt to combat clan factionalism in cities, or due to folktales of fae spirits stealing your true name, but the true reasoning is lost to time.

Dwarf male names

Ardit, Brigan, Corun, Feld, Galen, Gillin, Invar, Ishiku, Kol, Senshi, Suigin, Totan, Tourm, Voski

Dwarf female names

Beryl, Daya, Electra, Fidda, Fluori, Garnet, Kaba, Kaolin, Kin, Mica, Namari, Pyrope, Shinsu, Suzu

Major dwarf cities

Anhk-Mourn, Bonnario, Dolom Trak, Dozahk, Farra Brud, Izganda, Kakha Brud, Karst, Lotzanno, Magnierna, Rundom, Sadena, Spars, Tektio, Yutkana

*Below are His Majesty the Worm Game Mechanics, so if you are just here for the headcanon feel free to stop

Dwarf Kin

While dwarf cities and clans are deeply independent, and vary significantly in traditions and structure, the ties between them are strong. Economic agreements and ancient communication technologies, alongside the biological adaptations for cramped underground conditions and heavy lifting, have keep dwarf societies relatively consistent. Thus regardless of where you come from you have a following kin talent.

Kin Talent: Hotblooded

Dwarfs run hot, granting them heat resistance and exceptional strength, at the cost of quickly running out of steam. You take one less wound from heat based harm, be it dragonfire or boiling gravy. Additionally in Challenges you draw one additional card at the start of the first round, and then one fewer at the star start of each of the following rounds, to a minimum of two cards.

Arete

Dwarfs gain arete by preforming the following deeds:

Winning the support of local leaders and being officially honored by them

Being recognized as a master at your craft

Restoring an ancient dwarf artifact to proper functioning

When a gnome accomplishes all three arete triggers, they gain the following talent:

Dwarf arete talent: Clan Backing

Your achievements earned you a place of privilege within your clan. Your clan will cover a Common level of upkeep during your city phase, and any items you commission from artisans in the clan can have an additional 5 syllables of detail for no additional cost.

Variant Dwarf arete talent: Outcast Together If you gain arete while being outcast from your clan you can choose to create your own clan with other outcasts. You can choose a trade and design a sigil for your clan. They don't have the resources of an established clan, but can scrounge around to find just about anything you need. Each city phase they can gift you one piece of Luxurious gear regardless what upkeep you paid for.

Dwarf role-playing concepts

It is a popular rumor that dwarf women also grow beards, but most don't grow much more facial hair than could be found on gnome or tall-men women.

Given that dwarf cities are far too densely packed for livestock, most lower rank dwarfs get most of their protein from small rat-like creatures called cavys. Which are traditionally served with a sweet and sour tomato sauce.

To help navigate complex clan negotiations dwarfs have created equally complex economic arrangements. They are particularly fond of joint-stock companies which have been used to finance everything from mine-shaft expansions, to colonies, to even military campaigns.

*His Majesty the Worm Stat Page below*

Dungeon Rabbit

Also known as the Headhunter Rabbit, or The Blurring Death

Beast Brute

Should you ever venture deep into the dungeon and spot what looks to be a peaceful field of rabbits hopping about, you should turn right around and run. For, those are no ordinary rabbits! They are most foul, cruel and bad tempered rodents you’ll ever set eyes on! Most adventurers underestimate them due to their appearance, but even the wary rarely survive an encounter with these beasts. Once one leaps upon you, digging their razor sharp spurs into your neck, death is only instants away. Many have watered the grass of dungeon rabbit meadows with their blood, and fewer still have their tales of these vicious creatures believed.

Dungeon Rabbit

Beast {Mammalia} Brute

Attributes: SWORDS 1 PENTACLE 5 CUPS 0 WANDS 0

Health/Defense: 2/0

Likes: Fresh Clover, Sunlight, Boxing for Dominance, Its Own Poop

Hates: Anything Larger than it, Loud Noises, Dancing (don’t ask)

Notes

Easy Squeezy!. If engaged with a dungeon rabbit an adventurer can deal it Critical damage with a successful attack Extreme Speed. Adds pentacles to all attacks Headhunter. Unless the target is wearing a Reinforced Gorget, or a Helm and a full set of metal Armor, whenever a dungeon rabbit would deal a wound it deals Critical Damage instead.

Lesser Dooms

Second Spur. On a successful attack, if dungeon rabbit’s total attack value is double the Initiative of the target deal an additional wound.

Greater Dooms

Evasive. Dungeon rabbits can play a greater doom as a Dodge action

Cook's Corner

Prep: Standard

Other than thier supernatural speed and lethal spurs, dungeon rabbits are largely normal rabbits and anatomically and can be butchered and cooked as such

Servings: 1

Several of the dungeon names are based on classic D&D adventures. Let me know if you can spot any of them!

Anhk Mouru is the largest city in the world, populated primary by dwarfs. The Adventure's Bible says the southern continent has the largest dwarf city, and that island in the strait between the two halves was seemed the prefect place to set it. I picture it as halfway between Istanbul and NYC, though yes the name is a Discworld refence.

Which the exception of the eleven universities, all of the magical academies reference mythological and folkloric witches. I choose Befana Academy for the canon magic school because the old gnome instructor gave me similar vibes to the kindly witch, and Italian vibes for favorite elf!

A few names in the Eastern Archipelago are ripped straight from the Journey to the West! I also put the names in Chinese characters as I imagine them having a shared writing system (just like how most of East Asia used Chinese characters before developing thier own systems) despite several local languages being spoken.

All the noted ruins except for Utaya are remains of the ancient Ogre Empire, which I am imagining once ruled the majority of the world before they collapsed.