I feel like doing some worldbuilding, if you guys want to join in, go ahead

Pigmen fill the niche humans usually do, as the adaptable, versatile race of the setting. Hogmen fill the niche orcs usually do, as the primitive, warlike race. Pigmen are almost entirely hairless and have short tusks, whereas Hogmen are furry and have long, sharp tusks.

The Pigmen have built a large, Romanesque empire, which is slowly but steadily collapsing to decadence, corruption, and barbarian hordes. Already, many of the empire's former vassals have declared their independence, and are feuding among themselves the legions the empire can spare.

Undead are called Baconmen, and they're crispy.

I approve of this, pigs are fucking awesome and bros.

Where would Boars fit into this? I'd assume they'd be right assholes and maniacs, personally.

> *And the legions.

One of the most common types of magic in this setting requires the summoning of spirits from other dimensions who will perform acts that defy the laws of physics at their summoner's behest, in exchange for a favor.

Delicious.

I was thinking something along the lines of Huns, Mongols, Germanic Tribesmen, and Norse Raiders. Do you have any better ideas?

A Boar could refer to a particularly aged, edlerly Hogman. A sort of title of reverence, both for the immense strength and skill needed to reach such a position and age, along with a banner to untie under. Boar's lead the varying tribes of Hogmen scattered throughout the lands, and it is said that should they unify, none could stand their wrath

The empire's continent is very warm and in some places, tropical, or desertified. An almost impenetrable mountain range has shielded the uppermost third of the continent from the empire's advances, and there they have little territory.

I like it, I like it a lot... How long do Pigs and Hogs live in real life? We could upscale that to a decades-long lifespan.

nimble jungle dwelling peccaries with a culture and aesthetic influenced by both south american and african societies

Penguins fill the niche of the high elves, because they are call penmen, having penned down all of ancient history within their reclusive wintry hinterland realms.

Brilliant. Their cultures use horns, repetitive drum beats, and smoke signals to communicate over long distances.

Not to clear on exact ages, but might be Pig's live shorter live than Hogs.
Could help reinforce the more decadent, hedonistic aspects of the Pig's fading Roman empire. Ya know, live fast, die young etc?

>live in a fantasy-esque land (The Eternal White)
>can have both North and South variants, for added racial drama about how best to keep track of history
>preserve scrolls of knowledge and lore utilizing a special variant of ice, so they may outlast the ages

Sounds good, I'll go do a bit of research and come back later.

Pennmen are skilled astronomers and navigators, and their sailors know the seas like the backs of their flippers. During the cold seasons, they trade exotic goods all across the world

Could they have a system where messages are relayed by a primitive "guild" or even caste that operates in communes that communicate with each other to send messages? Messages could be prefixed with a certain location value, then the encrypted message transmission is sent afterwards

could be too autistic, idk

thanks

also, strong, savage, and hairless babirusa who have a primarily seafaring culture influenced by a blend of vikings and polynesian tribal cultures

Messages could be suffixed with a "signature" to "encase" the transmission and erase confusion as to which transmissions are part of the same message.

According to a quick search, pigs live 6 to 10 years when domesticated, but can survive up to 20 in the wild, which fits the decadent, short-lived angle for the Pigmen. Let's say Pigmen live 20-30 years, and mature by 5, and Hogmen live 40-60 years, and mature by 10.

It was just supposed to be a shitty pun, but I like where you guys are taking it. Thank you.

Nice, fits nicely too...

I like this, but how about instead of Norse, their cultures are similar to the Assyrians or Aztecs, and the Pennmen are somewhat like peaceful, scholarly Finn+Norse analogues?

Trolls in this setting is a blend of Bear and Badger. Basically very strong, very irate, and very individual isolationists that gets violent at the drop of a hat. They also like to make dens in hilly places.

Isn't Finnish almost impossible to learn? What if their racial language is nigh incomprehensible to outsiders, and they only use it when communicating with each other? And what if, their speech was filled with random expletives, metaphors, riddles, obscure references, and an intricate code to make it even more impossible for outsiders to eavesdrop on them?

assyrians or aztecs merged with polynesians works well.
savage raiders coming from the horizon to pillage settlements and sacrifice captives to their many gods...

Nice, and there could be a few different subraces for different beaver/bear species, like ice badger-bears, or grizzly badger-bears or something, to add variety.

A good mental image, and it's refreshing to have sea raiders that aren't just reskinned Vikings.

wombat-groundhog-like creatures replace dwarves since badgers are taken by elves are replaced by chickens since they are all cocks anyways.

We need a name for them, though. Badge-bears or Beardgers don't sound real fantasy-ish. Iratus, since they're irate? Mellivores, from the latin for badger? Medveds, russian name for bear, and also literally meant honey-eater?

Elves as flightless birds sounds neat. Jungle cock wood elves?

straight up maori would work nicely for sea raiders. more of a solidified culture basis plus they had the sacrifices i believe.

personally, i feel "straight up" adaptations of any culture is a bit too cliche in fiction. I think you end up with more interesting societies when you take multiple different real world sources, blend them, and grow from there

also, guinea pig pygmy tribes

So you'd say that they're Guinea Pygmies?

They could be inhabitants of some of the island archipelagoes that are now under the rule of Babirusa conquerors? Of course their islands are more jungle than open land. They'd be the Goblin equivalent, maybe?

> not calling undead Porkmen, Porkers or Porkies

Just call them Pigmies.

Shouldn't the Dwarf equivalent be gophers?

i would love to play a campaign in this world...

also a near mythical race of wise giant elephant men based primarily on buddhist monks with some flavoring from other monastic traditions?

>pic related

Why not Jungle Parrots for the Wood Elf niche?