Talk:Necroxis Paar (Pandlechron Supplement)

Questions

The whole concept behind this intrigues me greatly, but there are places where I have questions. Namely, you maintain that there is no slave labor, but there is an excess of zombies on the Astral Plane whose primary purpose it to serve as a defense force.

1. Why is there no zombie slave labor?
2. If Necroxis Paar is a giant floating island, how does tourism work, exactly?
3. You give mechanics for the brands received by Dredges, yet the opening sentence states the spellcasting is boosted without offering a mechanical explanation. Why not say +1 caster level/save DCs or something similar?
4. Where do mummies fit in with the rest of the intelligent undead (if they do at all)?
5. How do vampires feed, given a largely undead populace and a lack of slave labor?
6. Perhaps being a re-usable snack, so to speak, could be a manner in which Dredges can pay off their debts, with extra compensation or something akin to it should a vampire accidentally kill them?
7. What does their hierarchy look like within Deios? For example, lichs > vampires > mummies, or something similar.
8. Perhaps you could give average level examples for each class system? Obviously not everyone is the same, but if you have lich and pitfiend Mataar, vampire Deios, and so on, what does your average Tolian or Dredge look like? Does he have a few NPC levels or something, perhaps?
9. This one's a little iffy, but what about reproduction/population concerns? Being an island means there is a limit to what you can hold, and yet if we assume undead cannot procreate, it is only the Tolian who really have any incentive to have children, since the Dredges are just bringing children in a life of slavery. Or perhaps Dredges have children for just that reason, so upon death they have some means to continue to pay their debt, which would (perhaps) prevent them from being raised as zombies once they have passed. Anyway, there's both sides to the issue (potentially): controlling the population (it's an island with limited space), and maintaining the population (especially if there's no zombie slave labor).

That's all for now (have to run), but I'd be interested in hearing what you have to say on the subject. -- Jota 14:45, 31 July 2009 (MDT)

I haven't been clear enough in the article it seems, so I'll have to correct several of your concerns. One major thing that will answer most of your questions is that the population is largely mortals (living breathing dying humanoids). Their primary goal in life is to become undead. That is the ultimate achievement for a Tolian. Now to try to answer your questions in order:

1. I had a reason when I originally thought up this place, but I will have to try to remember it... One major part of culture in Necroxis Paar is that become a zombie is the equivalent in their beliefs to hell. I think that the reason had something to do with the idea that bringing zombies up to do the same work as Dredge basically means that they think nothing of the Dredge at all. But they do have some regard for Dredge -- some families just hit hard luck and that may take 10 generations to reverse itself.
2. They don't need or want tourism. Other societies would find them very unnerving.
3. Yep I probably should. I was intending on creating an actual spell to include a link to.
4. It is just a personal pet-peeve of mine to mix undead mythologies. Mummies just don't seem to make sense beside vampires. In different parts of the world, maybe.
5. Blood banks -- I'll include something. They pay (usually Dredge) to feed on them. The undead are the upper class and make up a very small part of the population (but make up most of the culture).
6. Yep -- that's the idea. I'll include that.
7. Lich = Vampire = Other immortal undead (all Mataar). Mataar > Deios > Tolian > Dredge. Deios are dragons, devils, elementals, or any other immortal creature that has found its way into Necroxis Paar. The only Mataar that is not undead is the pitfiend treasurer (I'll be mor clear in his description).
8. Level is somewhat irrelevant. If they are intelligent undead, they are Mataar. Most Mataar would likely be high level, of course. Deios are just whatever creature they are, so they vary greatly. Tolians are the regular folks and can include mid level NPCs and probably the PCs.
9. I also should have been more clear here. Dredges do want to have children because the way of life in Necroxis Paar basically is a religion. Family names mean everything and it almost runs on the American Dream ideals. Anyone can become rich and famous (even a particular Dredge), but it is a lot easier for some, rather than others. You could ask why poor people here would have children (being brought into a life of poverty). Tradition is important. The tougher question is how is population controlled. Maybe I should make Necroxis Paar a continent. They magically expand it as they need space. Maybe. Any ideas?

Thanks for the interest and comments. I'll hopefully get some time over the weekend to flesh this out. --Aarnott 20:09, 31 July 2009 (MDT)