AMERU-KA 300: POST RAGNAROK AMERICA

Looks like I will be starting up a new Blood and Treasure Campaign! And so I am throwing together a grim and somewhat gonzo fantasy setting for the occasion. This setting is partially inspired by this article by John Stater, but also by my favorite cartoons, comics, books and of course Norse and other examples of classic myth and folklore. This game will use the Blood and Treasure 2nd Edition rules.

THE SETTING

The War of The Gods came and went. The Aesir, Vanir, the Jotun and their allies were all destroyed (most of them anyways) along with the majority of the planet. This mighty conflict also coincided with nuclear, biological and chemical wars between the Earthly powers. Now, three hundred years after this war, mankind has emerged from the wastelands, and is busy re-building civilization amidst ruins of the past, and struggling against the remnants of the Jotunn hordes and each other.
The game world will center on the post-war continent of North America, renamed Ameru-Ka (Realm of the White Worm). Most of this land has returned to primeval wilderness, but magical, biological and chemical poisons and radiation have twisted the land, and many monsters from the Jotun hordes haunt the land. It is a land of constant danger, but also a chance for glory.


THE NEW ASGARDIANS (Clerics)

Most of the Old Gods are now gone, slain during the battles of Ragnarok. A handful remain, and lead the New Asgardians. Standard Lawful Clerics serve the entire pantheon of New Asgardians or individual members. They must be of Lawful Alignment (LG, CG, NG), and have the abilities of standard Lawful Clerics. Neutral clerics who serve the New Asgardians, or who wish to revere a particular type of god or goddess must be specialty priests (see page 16-18 in the Blood and Treasure PHB). Below is a small list of the pantheon:

Balder (Beaver)- The son of Odin has returned from the dead, and now leads the New Asgardians. His specialty priests are Paladins and members of a Creation cult. 

Alvíss (Mr. Cricket)- Gnome god of knowledge, wisdom and invention. Married to Thrudd. His specialty priests are members of a Scholar Cult.
Eldora (Lady Nossa)- Eldora is an Elven Goddess who belongs to the tribe of deities known as the Vanir. Eldora is a Goddess associated with beauty, desire, grace and lust. Her specialty priests are members of a Trickery cult.

Magni/Modi (The Little Thunders)- Twin sons of Thor, these two young gods are still children, but are inheritors of Mjolnir. Specialty priests of the Twin Thunders are members of a Fighting cult.

Paul Bunyan (Big Joe Mufferaw)- Giant-sized god of the wanderers and lumberjacks. He appears as a huge man or giant with an axe, accompanied by a huge Blue Ox. His specialty priests are Beastmasters (Barbarian varient).
Rasselbock (Peter The Hare, Jackrabbit)- Wily Jackalope god of travelers, spring and secret pathways. He appears as an anthropomorphic hare, Jackelope or as a halfling wearing a rabbit-skin coat. His specialty priests are members of a Travel cult.
Smokey Pete (Bollox, Sooty Pete)- Fiery god of frustration, boilers and engines. Appears as a half-machine person bellowing smoke. His specialty priests are members of a Machine cult. 

Thrudd (White Buffalo Woman, Lady Liberty)- Thrudd is the daughter of Thor and the leader of the new Valkyries. She appears as a powerful and beautiful human or dwarf woman. Her specialty priests are  members of a Guardian cult.
Sister Wyrd (Aunt Nancy Arachnae): Sister Wyrd is the goddess of weaving, prophecy and strange dreams. She appears as a stout black woman, a huge spider, or a mix of the two. Her specialty priests are members of a Weird cult.
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Other gods certainly exist but either keep to themselves or are among the surviving Jotunn and monsters. Druids are very active in the world, as are of the Shaman class (Druid variant). 

RACES
This setting has the following races available for play:
Humans- All of the modern races mixed though necessity, with many variations of white, brown and black skin tones. Some are more one than another.

Dwarves (Awwakkulé, Nirumbee)- These beings have returned from the realm of Nidavellir one of the Nine Worlds, and are quickly becoming a power in Midgard. They are great craftsmen and traders.

Elves (Kachina, Star People)– The Light Elves often return to Midgard from the heavenly realm of Alfheim to visit and have even set up kingdoms. They are generally considered a lazy and self-indulgent people who use their magic and beauty to beguile and enslave others. 

Gnomes (Jogah, Nikommo)- The Gnomes came to Midgard after Ragnarok, looking to re-settle old lands. Many are master salvagers, traders and magicians. Many gnomes travel the wastes in Landships seeking salvage and trade and out of a love of testing their magical devices.

Halflings (Atosee, Bohpoli)- This small folk returned to Midgard from otherworld’s and from hidden places in Midgard. Halflings have integrated strongly with mankind and have their own lands. Many halflings work as cooks, laborers, farmers and craftsfolk.

Half-Elves – All elves are beautiful, and many a mortal has been smitten by elven charm. Half elves are not hated, though many are envied for their longer lives and beauty.

Half-Orcs- Orcs are not present in the setting, and thus no half-orcs. These are replaced with Half-Ogres. See below:

Half-Ogres 

“I am what I am, an’ I’m not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,’ my ol’ dad used ter say, ‘there’s some who’ll hold it against you, but they’re not worth botherin’ with.” -Rubeus Hagrid 

Ogres (Lofa, Kolowa) were foot-soldiers in the armies of the Jotnar, and so mingling of Ogre and Human is inevitable. Half-ogres are the children of humans and ogres. They look like brutish humans with swarthy and dull complexion, dark and lank hair, and large canine teeth. Half-ogres have no society of their own. If they live with ogres, they are the quick-thinking members of the tribe, ever on their toes to prove themselves worthy. If a half-ogre is reared in a human community, he learns to live with suspicion and fear, and often turns to a military or solitary occupation.
In the lands of Ameru-Ka, half-ogres can be found working alongside humans as laborers and soldiers, and are generally allowed to live their lives. Though this is not to say that they are liked by most folk. Memory of giant raids and tales of man-eating ogres are to recent. Dwarves and gnomes in general hate ogres and half-ogres, and halflings fear them. Most half-ogres live in the border marches near giant country, but some dwell in the ruins more to their liking.

Half-ogres average 84″ in height and are built like gorillas. They have a movement rate of 30′ per round. Half-ogres live to be 80 years old. They start the game speaking Common and Ogre plus bonus languages for high intelligence. They can see 60′ in the dark.

At character creation, half-orcs add +1 to strength and constitution (max. of 18) and subtract 1 from their starting intelligence and charisma (min. of 3).

Half-Ogres can wield large weapons as though they were medium weapons.

Half-ogres may dual-class as do humans.


CLASSES 
All of the basic classes found in Blood and Treasure are allowed except for the Monk. Added to the available list are the following classes:

Animorph: Shapeshifting warriors.
Guardian : Superheroes of a fantasy sort.
Spider Mage: Mutant followers of Sister Wyrd, The Spider Goddess (see above).