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Nohr, the first Nightlord

Now THAT is a dark souls-ass title (I mean, it's near identical to Heolstor's title but that's by-the-by and with v different context)

I truly, genuinely am debating how much info to drop on this individual, for how much he pertains to the overall lore of Nohria. For one, giving the continent it's name (he'd get along great with Elisa in the egomaniac club), and I think it's appropriate for it to have changed name considering just how fucked it got by the Descension.

I have already mentioned the story of how he created the title, by murdering his partner and ally, taking matters into his own hands. Nohr himself would eventually be slain by his successor, firmly establishing his new order as his final, indirect, act.

He also has a cool fucking sword. Very important detail.

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Probably nice to just have here as well as a baseline.

In before I bring Mole People to the tabletop setting. (They’re called Talpas btw. Singular Talpa)

With like, writing stuff, and choosing Nohria as my setting, I have decided that there is a clear difference between story/comic Nohria and tabletop rpg Nohria.

The development of one can inform my development of the other, but they do not have to comply with each other. And if I write something that only pertains to story Nohria (like, fucking, Mole People), I won’t put it on the dnd blog unless I decide to make it pertain to Tabletop Nohria.

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When the party got Eve to draw the mugshot of Ezekiel but she draws him like a bishounen character

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What If... 'Holden' becomes a true conduit for his patron?

He basically becomes an analog horror creature crossed with the Void from Thunderbolts*, I guess.

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Latest key art for the Homebrew Subclasses, my current random fixation of the College of Dance!

I won't draw feet to save my life. A lucrative career in art isn't in my prospects.

I kinda debated on how overtly seductive to make the class... but the archetype holds strong and true in my heart so I said fuck it. and of course I decided they'd be a Tiefling.

As far as context within Nohria, main one I have in mind is that Dancers are another feature of Vetrheim military parades, so really they are very exuberant and lively events, it almost makes the populace forget the iron fist the Nightlord has. Which is the intent.

Dancers, like many bards, are also often offered the opportunities to serve a court or house, as entertainers of course.

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It’s funny that for most of the homebrew subclasses, I’ve been sticking to dark/moody theming that fits within Nohria specifically

Nightmare Barbarian: 😈

Dragon Communion Blood Hunter: 😈

Bramble Druid: 😈

Surgeon Rogue: 😈

Cursebearer Sorcerer: 😈

Void Warlock: 😈

And then

Dancer Bard: 🕺

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Da more Subclasses

Hey this homebrew thing is wildly fun isn't it, I sure hope things aren't hilariously poorly tuned.

I've briefly mentioned the Warlock subclass, but a new addition is one for Bard, so just the Charisma casters huh.

If I decide I want to do another playtest session these'll be on the table, and I've also made a plethora of adjustments to the old classes, but nevertheless here are these first drafts of new ones:

Warlock: The Void

This ended up theming itself around gravity way more than I originally planned, but it was a way more interesting avenue. I think gravity well is an actually ridiculous crowd control tool, the 1st level feature might be the strongest part of the kit.

The aura ability feels a little out of place, but it only really kicks in once it gets the 14th level upgrade, and especially when it synergises with the two spells that the subclass gains access to (which basically make giant force damage AOEs with forced movement, that you can just float through like a supervillain when your aura is active).

Bard: College of Dance

This was designed to appeal to one fantasy/RPG trope that I feel other Bards don't really capture, that being the Dancer! Main examples for me are those seen in Octopath Traveller and Fire Emblem, but the role of a Dancer is one I've always really wanted to actually play in D&D, but it can only really come through in flavourful descriptions and rp.

A dazzling combatant who uses carefully controlled movements to inspire and enthrall. Overall the subclass sorta has DNA of Swords bard and Glamour bard, with the Dances echoing Blade Flourishes, and the Artful Distraction being akin to Mantle of Majesty, but they are ultimately different abilities at play.

The 14th level ability is something I really wanted to work out, in direct homage to how Dancers work in Fire Emblem, granting another action to another unit. To make it a slightly more selfish ability, this also grants the Dancer another action, which I think is extremely neat and probably super strong.

The polearm proficiency thing is almost entirely for flavour and style, and makes the subclass centered around pole dancing. Lmao.

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An extremely rough late-night doodle, felt the urge to draw something dramatic so we got Anathaema being a dedicated hater.

That attack she got during artfight has rewired my brain in how I look at this character and I feel like there's a lot of potential I need to work out.

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Welcome to the House of Arcane Pleasures, where your reality can be anything you I want it to be...

Proper rendition of this ones design, since brain worms are strong.

I also just really wanted to make use of that little slogan that I never got round to dropping in-session, the whole shtick beyond being your regular brothel is that they can and do make heavy use of illusion magic, providing their customers with whatever experience they can imagine. Of course, all being nothing but an illusion, right?

If I was going to take an NPC that has appeared in the campaign and use them as an oc for artfight, Sonya is a top contender, but alas we are literally in the last days lmao.

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So I submitted both Lady Anathaema and Camilla to artfight, and they’ve both been attacked and I’m completely insane over both of these. (Linking bc I don’t wanna just post the art publicly without permission)

Anathaema: https://artfight.net/attack/11831831.cleansed-by-fire

Camilla: https://artfight.net/attack/12264664.camilla

Like I’m genuinely obsessed and so thankful that random people wanted to draw my evil ladies 🥲 Camilla’s looks like key art from some indie game like crypt of the necrodancer or something, and Anathaema’s is just so dramatic and gorgeous.

I can’t believe the vibes of my blorbos were captured so perfectly.

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I don't think I'm a dedicated enough weeb to passionately develop Mokushu in the same way as I have Nohria.

The vibes are established and that's what counts

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New Gods VS their original concepts

So I've mentioned that 5 of the so-called "New Gods" are adapted from a previous writing exercise I did where I made up a whole pantheon, which consisted of 10 gods in total.

With the shake-ups in the Omnian pantheon, 5 of those gods (which I called 'major powers' in that pantheon) have been adapted and largely demoted, most of them being changed heavily from their first iteration.

As a spot of fun, and additional context/background to these New Gods, I thought I'd run down their origins in the Major Powers Pantheon, and what changes were made to have them fit into Omnia. This will also feature design doodles, few of which will remain unchanged for various reasons. I did these designs back in January, and I like to think I'm a little better at drawing + designing things now than I was then, but who can say really.

Also worth noting that the names of every New God is new to Omnia! In the Major Powers Pantheon they were only ever referred to with titles, most of which have remained.

Dreor, The Wounded Mother

Starting with this one because she has maybe changed the least from her original concept.

In her first iteration, she also bore the title of "The Blood Martyr", and was a goddess of Martyrdom and Suffering in a similar manner to Ilmater, hence I've cut it. She was also a goddess of water in the original pantheon, as a roundabout reference to 'water of the womb', as she has always been a goddess of blood and birth as well.

The main thing that has been lost is that one of her symbols in the original version was a Leech, which I was so proud of for symbolising both the blood aspect and medicine, but I decided it read as too sinister for a goddess who is intended to be good-aligned.

I haven't decided what her final design will be, maybe something similar to the original sketch, but I feel like "woman drenched in blood" is a bit simple or on the nose.

Mamor, The Quieting Wing

Mamor has changed a bit more, but mostly lost out in the switchover, so I'm keen to give him a little more pizazz as I develop things.

His original titles included, "The Silence", "The Long Dark", and "The Death Bird", and his domain used to include Death and Winter. Both of those are, of course, already covered by other gods, so Mamor has been left with only Sleep from his original portfolio.

I'm interested in giving Mamor a little more work, especially considering he is intended to be the major icon of worship among the Highlanders, so I may give him some aspects that align him more with their ways of life. Maybe he can be a god of scavengers or something.

I really dig his original design, there's something so uncanny about it that really fits a god of death and winter. I think a potential redesign will be more serene and peaceful, closed eyes will definitely be a feature.

Fyr, The Wild Ancestor

Fyr has also not changed very much! I was always pleased with this concept, and among the Major Powers he was the main "nature god".

In the original pantheon, Fyr was also the god of Spirits and the Fey, so was overall a very kooky deity.

The intent with Fyr's appearance is for him to be a general "beast" with a mishmash of traits that point to all kinds of creatures. A canine head, antlers, a bovine body, clawed paws, and a feline tail. His antlers in the sketch even closely resemble the symbol I recently made, which was incidental. This design is probably one that will stay mostly intact.

Aurelia, The Darkmoon

Aight, so we're left with the two that have undergone the most changes, starting with Aurelia.

A lot of her vibes have remained intact, as in her first iteration she was the goddess of all magic, as well as the moon, stars, and night.

With the port to Omnia she is relegated to the goddess of the settings second moon, and loses out on governing the night to her new aunt, but she still practiced magic under the tutelage of Mystra.

Goodness gracious this design is changing. The multiple arms is funny, a nod to Ranni from Elden Ring (which the whole character basically is) in a way, and with the intention of her carrying multiple books, scrolls, or staves. But it's quite a lot, so I'll either cut down the number of arms or just make her normal. The hat is also getting made bigger, what kind of pathetic excuse for a witches hat is that.

Sigure, The Scarlet Dancer

Now for the god that has absolutely changed the most, in almost every aspect.

I'm pretty sure the only thing that has stayed intact for Sigure is her having the portfolio of revelry, dance, music, and alcohol, as well as being female.

In the original pantheon, this goddess was the goddess of Agriculture, Alcohol, Revelry, as well as Decay (I thought the god of Alcohol also being the god of Decay was a particularly inspired idea). Of course, with Chauntea and Mila existing, this portfolio had to be adjusted, so Sigure is left with her current domains.

Her original theming leaned way more into the Rot, so her titles included "The Bone Weaver" and "The Dancer of Decay", both of which I love, but no longer fit with the new portfolio, so "Scarlet Dancer" it is.

This design will probably also have to change a bunch, as she was intended to appear like an emaciated, rotting corpse clad in flamboyant dancing attire, which was a fun juxtaposition, but again was based on the rot element. Which reminds me I've not eluded to Mila's design yet. It's not very similar to this design, but we'll get there.

I will probably keep the red or pink hair, as Sigure is a daughter of Sune, who is famed for her red locks, and it's like part of her title.

And that's the lot! I don't expect that I will bring any of the other Major Powers into Omnia, since their concepts as a whole already tread covered ground (there's a god of chaos and destruction akin to Tharizdun, and there's a god of fire and smithing akin to Moradin, for example).

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Behold a scrungly Aurora Guard to illustrate a concept I’ve had in mind for a bit now.

What’s a good absolute authority without a salute eh?

The right arm raised at a right angle from the torso, with the fist closed and placed against the chest. A rigid, orderly pose.

Also means doing it with gusto can result in a solid clang, and some chest-thumping, which is always good.

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It’s highly unlikely there’d be an opportunity for it, but Hammer of Justice from the deltarune ost is absolutely Sir Geoffrey’s battle theme

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Symbols n shit innit.

Some of these are familiar, some not, but in order we got: Aurelia, Dreor, Sigure, Mamor, Fyr, The Raven Queen, Mila, and The Weaver.

Funnily enough I did these by mega-boosting the contrast on stuff I'd drawn on paper, and then manually cleaning up some of the mess, but not all of it, I think the paper grain really added something completely unintentional to these

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Shoutout to one of my New Gods for being the only Chaotic Neutral deity in the pantheon, and I'm actually very pleased with the execution of it.

Fyr, the God of Beasts and Change. Essentially a God of adaptation and speciation as well.

One who presides over the random processes in nature that abide by no laws or reason, just small instances of chaos spread over such a time span that they balance out into something that functions. I think that's a perfect idea of a chaotic neutral deity, and fits into something that has an overall different scope than Silvanus and Malar, who do have similar themes.

While Silvanus is the macro-scale nature god, looking at environments, ecosystems, and the overall balance of Nature, Fyr is the micro-scale, everything that makes up that big-picture.

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Vetrheim Cultural Events

The city of Vetrheim is the most prominent sphere of civilisation in Nohria, and so I've come up with a few cultural practices that occur within the city, and are well known among the populace. Both of the examples I've got here exist to enforce the power of the city and the Nightlords authority, in case there was a question of the tone being set.

The first is that of Gladiatorial combat. Fights staged in colosseums throughout the city are a popular form of entertainment, especially among the lower classes of Vetrheim. This typically involves incarcerated individuals, or desperate combatants looking for gold or glory, being placed against each other or potentially captured monsters, to the delight and catharsis of the crowd. Such events have a practical purpose, keeping the prison population of the city moderated, but there are also occasions where the might of the city is enforced.

If an incarcerated gladiator is particularly successful, and the city does not wish to grant their freedom any time soon, then they may be put up against a member of the Tempests. Such a match is always woefully unfair, and serves to prove the might that the city has over its people, in a most brutal fashion.

The second event, somewhat similar in function, is that of military parades conducted through the streets of Vetrheim. Most often it will be the ranks of the Aurora Guard, alongside the Tempests, marching through the city to remind the populace of their presence, and spread the word of "Fighting to protect the city" and being "Always vigilant", potentially recruiting civilians to the force in the process. On rare occasions, the Nightmaidens may also be involved in such a parade, and if the event is particularly extravagant, then the Nightlord herself will make an appearance, paraded through the streets to survey her subjects.

These parades have got appropriate accompanying tunes, of course, and I imagine that heavy drums and bagpipes are involved in the standard Vetrheim anthem. Because why not.