Get your hands off me you damned dirty baboon!
Am doing the whole doubting what im doing on blogger and patreon and some social media at all. If I dont know get feedback for months i slow down. Recent responses have been good on this cave stuff topic. Being getting into reading comics, games, novels and listening to music. My assessment at school been put off by 5 weeks which stops me from working for another month sigh.... Assessor telling me stuff contrary to the assignment which does my head in.
Basic Tribe Generators
d6 Tribal Size
1 Isolated family of 12-25
2-3 Family group with some family ties to other groups
4-5 Family group with allies and other kin groups
6 Part of a megatribe that meet up seasonally with 4d4 families
d12 Racial Stock
1-2 Abhuman
2-7 Human
8-9 Demihuman
10-11 Humanoid
12 Exotic
d12 Abhuman Clans
Abhumans are mostly animal hybrids made by the gods long ago or to be slaves for the monster empire. Some are closer to human. Other types exist such as fish folk, elemental folk, lamprey folk, eel folk, shark folk but these below are the main ones in the campain area. Many of the evil races fled deep into the earth after the age of darkness ended.
1 Ape Folk - mostly chimp or gorilla with orangs in jungles far south or white apes in snow
2 Monkey Folk - playful, mischievous and thieving, various types with tails
3 Baboon Folk - can be aggressive and territorial but also strong families and good parents
4 Cave Folk - these mighty proto humans are stooped, hairy and with thick skulls.They consider humans to be on their territory and edible
5 Barbarians - these were humans bred to be soldiers by monster kingdoms. They are nomadic and hate all who use magic, their weapons are for killing humans not hunting
6 Wolf Folk - these hunting folk howl at the sky and often fight with humans
7 Lion Folk - fierce hunters who mostly avoid humans unless conflict over hunting territory
8 Bear Folk - these compete with humans for food and lairs and often conflict
9 Elk Folk - these guard woodland and wilderness protecting it from humans
10 Bull Folk - these minotaurs are fierce warriors and often man eaters
11 Lizard Folk - ancient civilisation crumbled and many now as crude as humans but some retain relics of past or preserve old technology. Quite alien to humans
12 Snake Folk - ancient civilization, many savage and degenerate but a few retain wizardry
d12 Human Clans
These are the common humans who are in the process of seizing the world since the old monster kings have been vanquished. They are rapidly advancing in territory and technology. Abhumans are often seen as distant kin as are beasts and plants. Humans are developing specialists, most notably users of spells which is giving them an edge. Many other races resent humans rapid change and attempt to master magic and technology.
1 Nomadic hunters constantly on the move never remaining anywhere more than a season often following the great herds wherever they go
2 Hunter clans who seek cave and rock shelters as bases for a territory
3 Hunter clans who build own shelters moving every year from site to site
4 Sedentary clans who do hunt but build fish traps and encourage plants they enjoy changing local ecology to make life easier
5 Farming clans who gather grains, nuts, acorns, legumes and seeds for making flour and storage and till soil to promote root vegetables
6 Nomads who have domestic animals, usually a herd for milk and meat and often dogs. Goats, deer, pigs most common but some have cattle
7 Settled folk who build huts and keep and breed small animals like turkeys, guineapigs, ground rats, rabbits, hens, ducks and often keep dogs. Encourage and gather foodstuff for their animals
8 Cannibal clan who hunt and eat rival humans and sacrifice them and keep slaves
9 Mutant clan tainted by elder magic and shunned by others, mostly nomadic or move seasonally and frequently eat things other find disgusting
10 Druidic clan worshipping nature and using magic and elaborate rote learned lore. Hunter gatherers who build shelters and move seasonally but magic and lore make them superior at finding food. At great seasonal gatherings they work on erecting stone monoliths
11 Priest clans worshipping the and rediscovering the gods from creation. Build villages and temples and often wooden walls. Their god often dictates their food sources but some livestock farming and hunting
12 WIzard clans serve despotic wizards. They often live in caves or even ruins seeking elder lore for the masters and their students while others gather food. The wizards use magic to destroy enemies which keeps tribe tolerating their despotism. 1in6 are necromancers who often keep zombie ancestors as helpers and tribe members
d12 Demihuman Clans and Humanoid Clans
Demihumans are like humans in many ways but predate them having been made to serve gods in the beginning of the world. Many rebelled with humans against the monsters but humans breed faster and are rapidly progressing to eclipse them all.
1 Hill Dwarf clans with quality stone tools who dig own underground tunnels. Often cultivate fungus and hunt and stay in their hidden lairs. Some are secretly using copper weapons and and stone working tools but keep them hidden from other peoples
2 Morlock clans are a dwarf tribe who enslave and eat other peoples especially humans and elves. Their slaves are cared for but obey their morlock gods and willingly go to slaughter when masters call them
3 Derro are evil dwarves who hate all other races. They practice ritual torture and sacrifice to their demon gods preferring humans as victims. They demoralise rival peoples with poison, magic and psychological warfare while hiding in secret sometimes right under humans in their tunnels
4 Wild elves live as nomads in forests and wild places often spreading trees and aiding animals. They live nomadically and are wary of humans progress while they live in nature and use druidic magic and worship ancestors. Some keep goblin slaves
5 Bright elves were stranded when most of their kin fled to faerieland at the end of the dawn age. They did once live with advanced technology and serve the gods as priests. Over ages this technology has been lost. They often live inside hills in hidden halls with remnants of their past glory. Their craft is very fine but they have forgotten many arts and spend much of their time in religious rites and pleasure. They are dying out and know they are the last of their kind and other peoples seek to enslave and plunder them
6 Dark elves practice forbidden wizardry and live in caves growing mushrooms and domesticating giant spiders, beetles and lizards. They often use undead humans and goblinoid slaves as servants. Rarley come to the surface except to torment or kidnap humans
7 Wild Gnomes live closely with animal friends often in burrow complexes but some live with beavers or inside large trees. Hidden they live in comfort and peace and might even help humans in secret. Able crafters some willing to trade or teach humans new skills. They use druidic magic
8 Deep gnomes live in dark caves deep under the earth eating fungus and domesticated rodents and lizards. They use arcane magic and often use golems which their clans use for generations. They also experiment with various metals and are greedy for shiny things. Avoid other races and live in secret
9 Black gnomes live as wild gnomes but are despicable worshipping evil gods and tormenting and eating humans for pleasure. They particularly like to enslave children who they eat at adulthood
10 Bush Halflings are ferocious hunters who used pet dogs and live in burrows. Will eat humans and often have exotic missile weapons. They are hairy all over and have pointed teeth. They often engage in sacrifices and savage rituals
11 Cave Halflings are cave dwelling hunters who live much like humans and will even trade with them but due to their size are wary of trusting big folk. Once they get along with humans they may live near them or among them. Their guerilla fighting style and missile weapons are used to keep their territories but slowly they are diminishing
12 Hill Halflings. Practice simple agriculture and keep goats or pigs and smaller animals. Their clothes and weapons are of fine quality and their burrows are comfortable after generations of improvements and well hidden. Quietly civilised and wary of other races but might trade
d12 Humanoids
Humanoids are kin of faerie folk and demihumans but mostly are savage and worldly. The first goblinoids were bred by elves to wage wars and be a buffer with other races but long ago ran wild. Kobolds are kin of gnomes but went separate ways long ago. Orcs were originally made from dead elves by evil wizards and even desperate elves needing to replace themselves. In the monster age wizards learned to make them from humans and then mud. They revolted and helped end the monster king age of darkness and now they breed true as other races.
1 Kobolds these tiny red skinned humanoids live in burrow colonies often hunting with dogs and scavenging kills from others. Good with traps and stone craft and fire. They breed fast and have double numbers of most tribes. Skirmishing and guerilla tactics make them feared but some find them good slaves and even entertaining pets
2 Norkers are crude stupid goblinoids with huge overbides and thick sloping heads. They mostly use clubs and throw rocks and bite and hate everyone exept goblins who occasionally they live with
3 Cave Goblins are black skinned goblins who live deep in the earth and farm fungus. They domesticate bats for milk and mounts. Some are wizards or priests and they have own sophisticated petroglyphs. Often serve dark elves
4 Hill Goblins are green skinned and live in rough terrain in burrows with their pet wolves they ride. They raid others and ravage any other peoples they find weaker than themselves. They often work with orcs as scouts and skirmishers
5 Marsh Goblins are yellow skinned living in swamps and water ways living of fish, frogs and lizards. They practice self mutilation and pierce themselves with bones and teeth. Practice bizarre noisy rituals led by belligerent shaman. Leave hideous fetishes, mutilated enemy corpses on posts and totem poles around their territory. Hostile but cowardly outside their home areas
6 Hobgoblins appear when goblins wage war for several generations and they begin to eat each other. Eventually they become hobgoblins and undergo many changes notably growth in height. They often live among goblin kin but more and more hobgoblin tribes live separately. They are very disciplined and hard working but prone to violent vindictive tantrums if insulted.They often use weapons for war rather than just hunting and work together to exterminate enemies not just skirmish as most peoples do
7 Bugbears are the next stage of goblinoid evolution induced by cannibalism and constant warfare in a community. Singly they are deadly and silent head hunters. As a group they are fearsome warriors. Might live with goblins and serve as champions but whole clans of bugbears are more common now. They like to use strangling cords and weapons of war rather than just hunting. They will negotiate peace for food
8 Thoul these green skinned goblinoid-troll-ghoul hybrids made by wizards in the time of darkness are in decline due to their inability to breed naturally. Many are joining other humanoid tribes as champions or guards. They use little technology and eat anything. Not bright the see benefits of more advanced peoples but their attempts to copy them fail. Often ally with other local humanoids who respect and fear them
9 Marsh Orcs are red skinned and came from dark and dismal swamps living in stilt houses or reeds, catching fish and using canoes and rafts to move around. Some come out of the swamps to hunt and occasional their swamps dry out and the whole clan moves. Their weapons are often tainted by filth or mild poison
10 Cave Orcs are white skinned albinos and live in deep dark underland caves and come to the surface to raid mostly by night. Many serve dark elves as slave warriors. They will hunt most other races for food. They are bow legged and stooped over from cave living
11 Hill Orcs are green skinned live in rocky barren areas for protection and raid more affluent surrounding areas. Expert skirmishers and prefer missile attacks. They get along with humans better than most goblinoids and hate elves. They prefer raiding by night and are mostly peaceful by day living in their entrenched semi underground huts
12 Great Orcs are mighty black skinned orcs bred as troops by the monster empire but they too like humans revolted and helped to bun that empire to ashes. They are savage hunters often employing pet wolves or even dire wolves. They constantly wage war against humans and demihumans and are actually more like abhumans (d12 HD) than other orcs and don't mind sunlight. Some serve evil priests and wizards
d12 Exotic
Most of these lie in half size clans and often alone. They are thought of as supernatural
1 Fox Spirit Changeling are mischievous folk who often try to steal and murder and use trickery for a easy kill or theft. If one lives with humans it is often up to some evil plot
2 Tree Spirit Changeling live mostly as trees but occasionally adopt human form to act as protectors of woodlands and their inanimate tree kin
3 Cat Spirit Changeling are cunning hunters but often curious about humans and will trade with them or live with them
4 Rat Spirit Changelings who lived in ancient cities long ago serving as agents of evil and plague gods
5 Snake Spirit Changeling related to serpent folk who hybridised with humans to survive
6 Hare Spirit Changelings are mischievous tricksters who mostly avoid others especialy meat eaters. They sometimes weave grass huts and are nomadic but might live among humans for protection
7 River Spirit are kin to river gods and swell underwater in service to their greater divine kin. Will protect water purity and might go live humans and explore the surface
8 Diabolic Spirit Changeling spawn of devils from hell who served monster empire long ago. Many are evil but some keep their taint hidden and live among humans
9 Trolls in the dawn age were civilised and magical but most perished long ago or are sleeping deep in the earth. Most remaining are cancerous chaos abominations bred for war long ago but instead spread like a plague. They live in caves and burrows, use no tools and hate fire
10 Ogre are lesser kin of giants and man eaters. They use simple weapons like clubs and rocks and are very dim witted. Some are mutated and a few are smart enough to worship evil gods
11 Giants are man eaters and waged war with the gods and lost in the dawn age. The most advanced giants are hidden in far away places but hill giants are the most common seen today. Use crude weapons and no fire but some will have a pet like a bear or lion or boar. Some young giants pass as human until they grow too huge
12 Tako are octopus faeries originaly from the sea who came to explore the surface. Many stayed living in caves and woods. Most are shy and cowardly but can be friendly and playful. Some worship dark gods, nature or prefer arcane magic. They are very alien and seldom ever seen. They like to live near water, among rocks or thick vegetation to hide. Build crude shelter and use simple tools and still distrust fire
Technology
d6 Technology
1 Simple
2-4 Standard
5 Single exotic
6 At least three exotic
Simple Technology
Most primitive cave folk and many abhumans
fire hardened wood spear, clubs, thrown rocks, stones used as axes, throwing sticks, flint scrapers, no fire (but if find any can keep alive or transport it) no weaving, hunting and gathering, nomadic or find or enhance natural shelters, use log to cross water
Standard Technology
Most common technology for most tribes
flint or obsidian tools, knives, javelins, darts, spears, hafted stone axe, flint fire starter, weaving (rope, baskets, thread, traps, houses), hide tents, simple construction (sticks, mud, stone, mammoth tusks), built stone fish traps, encouraging food plants near homes or paths, canoes and rafts, druidic nature magic
Exotic Technology
Tribes might have a few of these forms of technology if advanced, demihumans are often masters of several of these forms of technology.
short bows, slings, bola, mace, blowpipes, 2-h weapons (spear, axe, maul), atlatl or woomera (with javelin or darts), woven cloth, needles (improved clothing), fish hooks, some copper tools, moving monoliths, pictographic language, stone carving and sculpture, painting, large scale earthworks, some domestic animals (small animals of larger herd animals) and plants, bread and flour, beer, clay pots, shields (wood or whicker), leather armour, simple leather helmets, wheel, granary, building villages or temples or ritual sites, priestly and wizardly magic
Customs
Each tribe has a core alignment.
This can vary within the tribe but leaders and shamans are biggest influences.
To change alignments major changes to the hierachy must occur.
Chaotics are more likely to have loose societies and nomadism and lots of bickering
Law are prone to rigid hierarchies from a leader or assembly of elders
Balanced groups will become more hierachical in a crisis and looser in good times
Good tribes are friendly and look after the welfare of the whole group
Evil societies are cannibalistic, brutal and practice slavery and murder
Nuetral societies look after themselves and kin first, outsiders are treated warily
More easy going and less desperate people tend to live equally and will debate issues over communal gatherings like meal times. Age and skill are main sources of authority. When such big decisions are made many submit to wisdom of the assembly of elders and experts. In moments of a great crisis like war or dealing with a monster a great warrior or hunter strongman may be elected as a temporary ruler. Sometimes these rulers don't give up position of authority. In some cultures brute force is the rule all the time but they might consult elders or experts on some manners. Parents are usually obeyed by children. Some tribes prefer one gender. Next stop is kingship....
Adornment
1 Naked as often as possible weather permitting
2 Wear symbol of a sacred totem creature on clothes, skin or jewellery
3 Dress as a sacred totem creature
4 Always wear special jewellery
5 Tattoos or scarification over body
6 Piercings like rings or bones or lip plugs through flesh
7 Cover selves up as much as possible with clothing or furs
8 Fanciful hair styles that they spend lots of time with
9 Cover themselves in mud or ochre or paint
10 Always wear masks for occasions or in sight of strangers
11 Wear elaborate head dresses or hats
12 Wear certain colours, possibly vary for certain conditions or occasions
Below is a table of customs but I would consider the racial type first and what sort of tribes you want players to meet. In my setting there are strong brutish tribes using strength with sub normal technology. There are some tribes that will become friends but require careful negotiation and encounters first. Helping a tribe or a tribe member might make surprising friends. A mutual enemy such as a tribe of hyena folk arriving and eating locals might make traditional foes unite.
d10 Customs Types
1 Politics
2 Others
3 Violence
4 Territory
5 Food
6 Children
7 Gender
8 Death
9 Rituals
10 Magic
d100 Tribal Customs
1 Tribe squabble and feud over every decision at group gatherings
2 Tribe defer to wisdom of tribal elders
3 Tribe defer to wisdom of specialists experts and most talented
4 Tribe vote on various decisions
5 Tribe elect a chief in times of trouble until crisis past
6 Tribal chieftain seizes control mostly by violence
7 Tribal chief is inherited
8 Tribe prefer leaders to be male or female
9 Tribe refer to tribal magicians on all kinds of matters
10 Tribal magicians read omens and divination to direct group decisions
11 Tribe regard themselves as the one true people all others are trouble
12 Tribe believe other tribes are monsters who are to be avoided
13 Tribe shun certain peoples for one of their unwholesome customs
14 Tribe will try to trade with others warily but don't mix
15 Tribe will marry outsiders and often seek outsiders as mates
16 Tribe kidnap mates from other peoples
17 Tribe practice slavery to others who are not really like them
18 Tribe are cannibals and others fit for cattle
19 Some tribes recognised as kin and seasonal meetings occur
20 Tribe fears they are small and weak and adopt outsiders
21 Enemy peoples and fights are best avoided
22 Enemy people are to be abused and insulted but avoid fights
23 Enemy people if found will have rocks thrown at them till someone gets hurt then flee
24 Enemy tribes are insulted till a fight breaks our and first injury ends conflict
25 If a enemy is wounded or killed further fighting is avoided with compensation and gifts
26 After a fight tribe will offer to exchange hostages like children to ensure peace
27 Enemies are to be hunted and exterminated preferably by ambush
28 Enemies are to be driven away with repeated skirmishes
29 Enemies are to be robbed at every opportunity for heroic status
30 Enemies are confronted and battled to the death till all dead or they flee
31 Certain areas are forbidden to tribe members or spirits are offended
32 Lands occupied by other lands are best shunned and avoided
33 Scouts are constantly searching for new resources and lands to utilise
34 Certain resources in area belong to tribe and defended (water, caves, ochre)
35 Certain holy places are sacred to tribe and defended or ancestors angered
36 Territories are marked with totems to ward off other tribes and bad spirits
37 Certain areas belonging to another tribe is required for a yearly pilgrimage
38 Another people occupy land considered tribal property causing conflict
39 Other lands considered tribal property are inhabited who disagree
40 Other people must be made to obey the tribe demands or leave area forever
41 A certain animal is important ancestor to the tribe and revered
42 Tribe members have personal or clan totems and certain ones must never marry
43 A certain animal type is shunned and other eating it causes great distress
44 An important ritual food is hard to find and obtaining it gets harder and harder
45 Tribe only mainly eats one type of food they rate above all others
46 Tribe only cook some foods, many are eaten raw or even alive
47 Tribe burn and cook everything for some reason
48 Tribe anoint all food with water before eating it
49 Tribe ritually eats a important drug plant or fungus featured in their religion
50 Tribe shun drug abuse and drinking and scorn those that do
51 Children are initiated with scarification or tattoos when adult
52 Children must survive a quest or ordeal to become adults
53 Children live apart but near adults and older ones look after young in their own tribe
54 Children are raised by whole tribe and all elders are their parents
54 Children are initiated when they marry an elder
55 Children have own taboos for food and where they may travel
56 Unusual or unwanted children are abandoned and left to perish in a bad place
57 Children wear distinctive clothes, decorations and hairstyles until adults
58 Children are tormented by adults dressed as monsters to toughen them up
59 Children are spoiled and play until they are initiated as adults
60 Children have a separate religion or spirits until they are initiated as adults
61 Labour is divided by gender such as hunting or gathering or fighting and childcare
62 Certain tasks and rituals require certain genders and getting it wrong upsets tribe
63 Certain magician types are always certain genders
64 Certain magicians or specialists are considered both genders or no gender
65 Tribal members are assigned or select a gender when initiated
66 Genders live apart and seldom are alone together unless married
67 Genders have own distinct rituals, taboos, dress and even language
68 The tribe treat all genders the same and think it odd to do otherwise
69 Families buy and sell their children for arranged marriages
70 Tribe prefer to marry their close relatives
71 Dead tribe members are ritually cooked and eaten by whole tribe
72 Dead tribe members are mummifies and hidden, but brought out in rituals
73 Tribe has a sacred burial ground they visit seasonally for rituals
74 Parts of the dead are carried about as trinkets or artworks by kin
75 Dead are exposed for a certain holy animal to devour
76 Dead are shunned and not mentioned for several years so they don't return as undead
77 Dead family are consulted via shrines, rituals and dreams and merely changed form
78 Dead are buried in a ancient tomb within a hill or cave used for centuries
79 Dead are cremated and ashes cast into water or wind
80 Dead arise as as labourers or guards, by magic or at certain forbidden locations
81 Tribe erect monuments like monoliths, totem poles or earthworks at seasonal events
82 The tribe perform elaborate rituals for days before confronting a enemy83 The tribe have periods of mourning for the dead where they all wail and sob
84 Tribe seasonally spend days dancing to please the spirits and ancestors
85 During certain times tribe must shun from letting blood flow but strangulation is fine
86 Tribe challenge rival tribes to contests of athleticism or magic as part of celebration
87 Tribe play a brutal sport often with captives and might sacrifice winners or losers
88 Tribe obsessed with omens and portents, watching signs in nature at certain festivals
89 Tribe select a scapegoat they attach their sins too then drive them from their lands
90 A tribal specialist absolves all tribe members of sin and impurity in a ceremony
91 Tribe shun all magic as evil and blasphemous, practitioners are killed
92 Tribe fear all magic and rely on own magicians to keep them safe
93 Tribe worship ancestors whose bloodlines often are kin to a sacred beast or spirit
94 Tribe worship nature, plants and animal spirits through druids
95 Tribe worship a great spirit or god through a idol at a sacred site
96 Tribe only tolerate their own form of magic and shun others
97 Tribal magicians are frauds with no powers but they fear real magicians
98 Tribe have wizard who works in their lair often with an assistant
99 Tribe have necromancer who speaks with dead and enslaves enemy fallen as undead
100 The tribe has multiple magicians of various types for various purposes