Hey guys! It’s gonna be a while before any new updates roll around. I have a bunch of stuff written up, but really want visuals/art to go with them that aren’t just random pics I find somewhere online, so in the meantime, I’m gonna ramble a bit. And post old, OLD sketches.
Catheridge was actually originally conceptualized as a video game idea I had when I was like, a freshman in High School. See, I was really into MapleStory at the time (don’t laugh), and was digging the idea of a side-scrolling MMO, so I took one of the many, many spare notebooks I had that were supposed to be for school notes and started writing down pages upon pages of what I figured a cool game would be like, and basically, from a vacuum, came up a world map that would eventually turn into Catheridge.
Behold, the incoherent scrawlings of a 15 year old.
God, this thing is awful.
Anyway, that was gonna be the initial world map of the game I had conceptualized with the working title “Lost Fables.” Not even my closest fucking friends ever saw this when I was in school, and I didn’t even show it to my later inner circle well until the setting came unto its own and I needed a quick reference to where Ambition City was. There’s actually an older version tucked away somewhere, drawn on lined notebook paper, but the one I have here is already killing me of embarrassment, so I’ll elect not to share it.
The more final product will be much cleaner, a bit larger, and hopefully make more geographic sense (The plains and desert will have swapped locations, a few less inexplicable mountain ranges, actual rivers, a better coastline, etc.). But the one thing that will and has always remained the same is Ambition City.
A bit of an awkwardly modern name for what’s supposed to be one of the oldest settlements in the world’s lore, isn’t it? But the name just kind of always stuck. In my head I’d always be thinking “Ambition City is an awful name, I could be way more creative than that,” and yet my D&D circle never seemed to mind, and, in fact, have, on several occasions, started campaigns there.
Ambition City is a blog post for another time, though. As time went on, I realized that I would eventually need an entire world map for this thing, and drew that too. Not sharing that here for aforementioned embarrassment reasons, but at that point I realized I had something here that wouldn’t ever really leave me. A world.
Lost Fables, obviously, never came to be. Once I told my dad I had aspirations to make a video game, he went and dropped two full C++ and Java coding manuals on my face and promptly turned me off of the idea of ever making a video game on my own (despite the fact that making an MMO like that, on the scale I envisioned, would require a full-blown studio, and I wouldn’t necessarily need to know how to program the thing to make it a reality). But I kept the world, haphazard as it was, and just slowly tweaked and worked on it over the next decade until I had enough I felt I could share.
Here’s the first public draft of the Kanin, the iconic race of Catheridge! Check it out below the break! Note that their racial traits are geared for Pathfinder, and not D&D 5E.
Art is, of course, by @slightlysimian.
Kanin
“Pity? When wos it my concern when the fair people of Ironfar failed to protect their own borders? They got cursed; let ‘em wallow in it. Maybe next time they won’t keep all the money to ‘emselves!” ~Keaton Ericson, Novice Adventurer
The Kingdom of Ironfar was the center of human power in the otherwise wild and untamed land of Eurreach. A noble and just king once ruled it, though he was also overzealous and greedy, and made many enemies. The kingdom lived in prosperity and wealth for a great many years, and brought peace to the land, until a mysterious figure, known only as the Shadow Witch, appeared, and in a single coup, overran the city with an army of dark, shadowy creatures and killed the king. She attempted to curse the people of the city into creatures of the woodland via a massive and powerful transmutation spell, but was forced to botch the ritual thanks to the young prince of the kingdom, who slammed into the Witch before she could finish the spell and barely fled the city with his sister and his life afterward.
And thus the kanin were made, the cursed people of Ironfar. The kanin still, to this day, seek to find a way to undo the curse upon them and their nation, and many travel the world, searching far and wide for a cure. While they are still humans at heart, their bodies are small and beast-like, and they search for a way to return themselves and their kingdom to its former glory, sometimes through any means necessary. At large, it is believed that a cure lies in the aurgems of Xer. Priceless coins minted during the ancient god-king’s rule and believed to be gifted with the power to grant any wish, regardless of the will of the gods or the mysterious laws of magic governing such power. As such, Ironfar seeks to gather every coin together to undo the curse upon them, for it seems to be their only hope of removing it.
Physical Description: Kanin resemble humanoid, walking, talking, woodland critters. They have small, furry bodies with large, round eyes, and simulate several small animals. By and large, most kanin look like hares or rabbits, with large, open ears, but ones that resemble squirrels, foxes, cats, and dogs, or any mix of all of the above (thanks to breeding) are not unheard of. They’re small in stature, hovering around three to three and a half feet in general. They have small, thin arms, but strong digitigrade legs, capable of propelling them great distances for creatures of their size. Their fur color ranges from whites, grays, browns, and blacks, with the occasional blonde or auburn among them. Their eyes speak of their human nature, bearing the same breadth of colors and shapes regular human might possess.
Kanin wear clothes that resemble regular human clothing, sized and shaped for their bodies. They favor breeches or shorts with tunics and vests made from simple cloth or leather. Most forgo shoes, due to the difficulty of crafting them for their altered legs and the padding on their feet being sufficient enough. Kanin armor is typically just metal plates and pieces strapped directly on their bodies, since their fur is sufficient enough insulation and prevents chafing. This allows the kanin to remain flexible even in armor.
Society: Kanin wander the entirety of Catheridge in search of the Xerian Aurgems, and as such tend to be traders, travelers, and adventurers. Some have pledged themselves as servants to wealthy nobles with the promise of receiving a single Aurgem for nearly a lifetime of servitude. That aside, most Kanin still reside in their homeland of Eurreach, in the city of Ironfar, working to maintain the peace and order the land, just as it was before their curse. Kanin have a chivalrous, friendly society, always eager to make friends instead of enemies, and gathering wealth for the betterment of their people instead of greed and excess. They recognize the king or queen of Ironfar as their sovereign lord, and each one since the creation of the race has always encouraged their people to find the Aurgems and bring happiness to those around them.
Kanin tend to either travel alone or in groups, hoping to trade goods and services in exchange for Aurgems, while others delve lost tombs and ruins, hoping to find caches and chests of Xer’s lost treasures. They always maintain a hopeful, bright, and endearing attitude. This combined with the general charming appearance of their bodies makes them a remarkably hard race to hate or turn down.
Relations: Kanin try not to make enemies, and try and keep trade open and honorable between all the races of the land. Fauns and High Fey tend to find them adorable. Garoh find sympathy in their plight, but can do little to help them. Centaurs remember that they are still humans on the inside, and remain indifferent to them. Minotaurs view them as barely more than snacks. Nagakin have an interesting relationship with them, to say the least, considering that their kingdoms and empires contain a fair amount of Aurgems hidden away in their coffers. Paeraens sympathize with the kanin, and generally try and help them whenever they can.
Alignment & Religion: Many kanin are friendly, determined, and chivalrous, hell-bent on removing the curse on them and regaining their humanity. As a result, most Kanin are good in alignment, but do swing between lawful and chaotic. Some kanin have no interest in removing their curse and do attempt to just live out their lives in neutrality.
Adventurers: Many kanin take up dangerous jobs, scouring the far reaches for a dead currency that used to be traded across the world, while others pursue knighthood and attempt to bring unity to the scattered races and countries of Catheridge, and take up heavy arms and armor, despite their small, weak bodies. Kanin are well suited to being bards or rogues, but many also do become fighters, paladins, and clerics.
Playing a Kanin: In broad strokes, kanin on the whole tend to be brave, hopeful, and even heroic. As a kanin, you have a small body, but a big heart. You know at your core that you’re human, though you look nothing like one. Despite the fact that there isn’t a living kanin today who was human before the Shadow Witch, when you look at a human you feel a sense of kinship and familiarity, perhaps even longing. You should be able to easily share a drink and hold a conversation with a human from your city, town or even country. You instinctively know that you should be human, but something is wrong. You feel the magic tainting your veins and you know it’s not natural. It’s not an uncomfortable feeling, physically, but the reminders are there and they are constant. Use this facet as fuel for your character. How do you feel about the curse and what do you want to do to resolve it, if anything? Have you brushed up on your history and do you feel Ironfar got what it deserved? Do you wish to make things right, or do you just want to live out your life as best you can, being as ambitious as any other human?
Male Names: Barrus, Ector, Lance, Hayes, Oswald, Ransford, Shaw, Vaynard,
Ability Score Racial Traits: +4 Dexterity, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength, -2 Constitution. Kanin are remarkably swift and endearingly hopeful, but frail and weak due to their small bodies.
Type: Kanin are Humanoids with the Human and Shapechanger subtype.
Size: Kanin are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
Base Speed: Kanin are fast for their size and have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Kanin can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim lighting.
Shred of Humanity: Kanin hold fast to their humanity, despite their bodies and the often-encroaching animalistic instincts granted to them by their curse. On character creation, choose either to receive a bonus feat at first level, or an extra skill rank each level. Once made, this choice cannot be changed.
Body of Prey: Kanin receive a +2 Racial Bonus to Acrobatics and Perception skill checks and treat both skills as class skills.
Cursed Body: The kanin race are the result of a dark witch’s (botched) curse, and as such their bodies bear this curse from generation to generation. Transmutation spells with the polymorph subschool, such as alter self, polymorph, beast form, etc., as well as spells that would undo or dispel such magic (though only in regards to returning them to a human form), automatically fail to function on a Kanin.
Languages: Kanin begin play knowing Common. Kanin with high Intelligence scores can learn any language they please.
What Your Traits Mean for You
Ability Scores: The curse on your body was long ago meant to transform you and the rest of the citizenry of Ironfar into small woodland creatures of prey; rabbits, squirrels, mice, weasels, raccoons, and the like, with the occasional fox, cat, and dog in the mix. Among the most common traits of all these creatures is their remarkable dexterity. All kanin are just naturally agile, and are born and raised learning how to use their bodies. Of course, another thing these animals have in common is their general frailty and lack of raw power. A human will have little to no issue punting a kanin across a small room, and that kanin is going need some time to recover from the resultant injuries. Your body will break much more easily than others, and your small frame simply cannot hold in much musculature. A kanin’s bonus to charisma stems more from a cultural change if anything. Sure, you look cute. A small, walking bunny rabbit in little clothes with bright eyes has undeniable appeal for most people, but looks alone only contribute little to charisma and confidence. Before the turning of the age, Ironfar and the newly formed kanin were at the center-stage as the world turned and changed around them. It was Ironfar and the kanin who united all of Eurreach and Catheridge together to combat a common enemy and survive the apocalypse. It was the kanin of Ironfar that kept the peace and helped the world settle down after the changes. As a result, the kanin naturally became better ambassadors and newborns grow up learning how to deal with and talk to strangers, and put on a good impression. Not all kanin embrace this approach, of course, but their culture ensures that very few kanin are shy or bad with words.
Type: Kanin have the shapechanger subtype as a result of their curse. The Shadow Witch was nothing if not exacting in that this was how she wanted the people of Ironfar to live out the rest of their lives. It is very hard for kanin to become a not-kanin and stay that way. The Shapechanger subtype simply enforces this rule.
Base Speed: Most small playable races have a base speed of 20 for their size, but a kanin’s bestial leg structure ensures that they move just a swiftly as any other human. Kanin typically move in bounding, hopping or skipping strides, easily covering the height of their body in a single step. Always remember that you’re small and fast, as its one of the few mercies you’re afforded with your body.
Shred of Humanity: The Shadow Witch’s curse has left you and your people less than human. And the part of humanity left in you is something you cling onto jealously. It should be something that drives you forward, reminds you of what you are. Remember you are human. The Witch’s spell has left you plagued with the occasional instinctual thought, the urge to flee from danger, every kanin deals with these instincts, and it’s your shred of humanity that keeps you cognizant. It is your shred of humanity that sets you apart from being a simple “beast race.” You still have the potential to be skilled and talented, but your body and instincts hold you back from being as flexible and skilled as a regular human.
Body of Prey: While you indeed stand upright, have the capacity to use tools, and are quite intelligent, there is no denying that you are small, you are weak, and you would make a very tasty meal for a pack of wolves. The animal part of your curse has instilled in you the instincts of a creature of prey, when answering the flight or fight response, your instincts usually tell you to take flight. Whether or not you do is entirely up to you, but most kanin are subconsciously on the lookout for danger, and are physically ready and able to run, scamper, jump, and climb to safety, regardless of their chosen profession.
Cursed Body: The Kanin curse is just that, a curse, and while mechanically it does give quite a few “benefits,” there are drawbacks to it as well. The curse emotionally and psychologically devastated the people of Ironfar at its conception. Not only did they lose their city and the bulk of their army to the Shadow Witch’s invasion, but they were then turned into small, weak, bestial creatures, who now have to look up to any other creature they meet. Kanin have to worry about being overlooked, tripped on, hunted by animals, and treated as lower class citizens or not worthy of attention among other societies. On top of this, the curse has “firewalls” in place that prevent it from being easily dispelled or changed. In addition to being unable to benefit from any polymorphing spell, spells that also remove or cure spell effects fail to restore a kanin to human as well. Indeed, not even Wish or Miracle can or has cured the Kanin Curse. Ironically, the curse has made kanin immune to the very spell that was used against them, Baleful Polymorph. Let it never be said there isn’t a silver lining. As a side note, the curse only directly affects spells and spell-like abilities. Extraordinary and Supernatural Abilities, such as a druid’s Wild Shape, still work as intended.
That’s enough of me rambling on, let’s actually get into some rules of the setting.
The first big thing about the world of Catheridge you should look at when playing in it is this:
Any of the core races in the Pathfinder/D&D core rule books that aren’t humans are non-existent.
Other races or optional races (such as Aasimar, Kitsune, etc.) are on a case by case basis, but for the most part, assume no.
Next to humans, there are nine other custom made races available for play in Catheridge. They are:
Centaurs: Your standard half-human half-horse hybrid.
Fauns: Fey with the legs and horns of a goat or deer.
Garoh: Humans native to the northern lands with the ability to take the form of a humanoid wolf. They fight giants!
High Fey: Descendants of Oberon, literal fairy princesses, and princes. Come in all shapes and sizes, but generally have a similar humanoid form.
Kanin: The iconic race of Catheridge! Cursed descendants from the kingdom of Ironfar. Most resemble small, walking rabbits, but other woodland critters are also commonly seen, such as squirrels, chipmunks, raccoons, and so on.
Lizardfolk: Scaled natives of the Valmean Islands.
Minotaurs: Humanoid bull-folk once native to the depths of the labyrinth that lies under the world.
Nagakin: Former Paeraens who made a pact with the Royal Naga, Sarnus, when he conquered their homeland, they have a snake tail instead of legs.
Paeraens: Nomadic desert folk who once had a great kingdom ruled by a dragon, until Sarnus conquered it.
I’ll be sharing official stats and lore for each of these in the days to come!
Catheridge is a deceptively simple world at its surface. It has a mainland and several continents and islands of varying sizes and shapes surrounding this mainland. There are only 8 real countries across the map, most of which encompass entire continents or chunks thereof and a king can truly say that he is the ruler of all that he sees. However, where it lacks in multitude it makes up for in quality. Every country is rife with culture and history. Each kingdom is its own beast, very different from the next.
This isn’t to say that Catheridge is a world of patchwork, where cultures and races clash and every element of fantasy plus the kitchen sink has been integrated into the world. In Catheridge, less is more. Each country has an origin and a state of relation with the other, whether it is at peace or war. This approach is both limiting and liberating to the world at large and establishing it as a setting. On the one hand, it leaves little to work with or draw from, but on the other, it establishes clear boundaries for the world and helps make each country truly unique and divergent from the last. A traveling party will have a truly different experience with every country and visited, without the world feeling clichéd, clashing, or truly unoriginal. The basic elements of fantasy and romanticized adventure are still there, but not to an overwhelming degree. There is a land based off oriental myth and fantasy, true, but it doesn’t attempt to throw every legend from oriental history at you, it instead has its own legends and history to explore, with its own culture and creatures. Just as the land located in the frozen north, where you’d expect Vikings and Norse myth from, has its own culture and history. Nothing seems cramped or placed awkwardly next to each other, which allows more room for DMs to truly craft their own stories and focus on the adventure more than the setting. A lot of the map in Catheridge is left deliberately empty, perhaps more to a degree than one would usually expect.
The 8 provinces of Catheridge are Palagaia, Fulheim, Xeria, Eurreach, The Shattered Isles, The Valmean Islands, The Cold Wastes, and Revana Te Ra. Each will be detailed in their own posts and sections on this blog in due time.
Catheridge is a fantasy and campaign setting that focuses more on allowing stories and legends to thrive as opposed to setting up dungeons and monsters to fight (though trust me, it has plenty of both). It’s a response to a trend, particularly in Pathfinder and D&D, where players are more focused on their next level, or the loot and money they get, or having cool powers, spells, and so on.
Catheridge is a world where myth and fairy tale actually feel wondrous and magical. It’s a world where magic is a rarity and viewed with awe or terror and monsters are truly monstrous. It’s a world where being cursed is legitimately a terrible thing instead of just a hit to your stats.
Catheridge is a setting of myth, legend, and fairy tale. Where the forests are enchanted, the fey are mysterious, playful, and alien, and magic is terrifying and wondrous. It’s made to facilitate GMs and Players who want more wonder in their games. To bring the fantastic elements back to their world of fantasy. Catheridge is a world of masterfully blended low and high magic, a world of contrasts, where a hero could wander from a mundane, simple kingdom of knights and kings into a forest realm of mystery and magic, where nothing is as it seems. It is a world where witches inflict curses on the unwary and faerie maidens offer their guidance and help. It is a world where there is no real such thing as a “+1 Flaming Longsword” or “+2 Righteous Full-Plate of Speed.” It is a world where magic is as mysterious as it should be, and not a toy for PC wizards to exploit and misuse. It is a world of prophecy and fate. The language in Catheridge is antiquated and everything has a name and purpose.
Subsequently, it’s also a world where the PC’s aren’t quite as powerful as they would be in the higher levels. Some people like a challenge, and not everything in Catheridge has to end in violence. Players in Catheridge are encouraged to use their wits and put their acting or writing skills to the test, because there’s a good chance they won’t be completely decked out in magical or mythical gear by level 10, 15, or even 20. The best a PC might be given is something as simple as a masterwork short sword and they might be expected to use that sword very late into the game. Catheridge, like any good campaign setting, exists to change the formula of an otherwise regular tabletop game. So as a GM, make sure your players are quite ready to change they way they play the game.
Of course, this isn’t for everyone. And the setting is flexible enough that if you just want to use the world and the races without handling all the rest of the mechanics changes, you can easily do so. It’s a fantasy setting first and foremost, and that will always be priority before needing to play along with any rules changes.
So without further ado, let’s dive right into the world of Catheridge!
Life’s tough when your entire kingdom gets cursed by an evil Witch and your people are turned into various, small, weak, humanoid woodland critters. It’s even tougher when the rightful surviving heir, your older brother, is so traumatized by the event that he can barely leave the bed. What’s a little sister to do?
Take his place I guess.
Meet Elaine! The Princess of a cursed kingdom set in my Pathfinder/D&D Setting, Catheridge. She’s a Kanin, a member of the kingdom of Ironfar who was cursed to the form of a small, bestial woodland critter. The spell was supposed to be closer to the standard Baleful Polymorph, but uh, something went wrong, and instead they became this. Catheridge is my brainchild, and I’m overjoyed to share it’s first official piece of art on the newly created Catheridge Blog!
