Game Development

Continuation of an earlier post, detailing the races of Middlecrest in the latest release.


Lytans - Once possessing the largest empire in Mitrayan history, it stretched across the lands of The Levat, Ispanda, and Zakra. It lapped the shores of Nordlund and claimed portions of both modern Brytholm and the Southern Desert. Ingenious tactics and an open mind to technology and learning allowed them to conquer and lay the groundwork for much of Mistrayan civilization. Most Lytans are educated to a basic level and they were the first civilization to urbanize to a massive degree. They delight in public works and oratory. Their houses of debate served as the seed of the modern Ispandan political system. Their civilization is proud, laying to the east of Ispanda. Ongoing skirmishes with the Levatians have caused bad blood between the two peoples for centuries.

The Lytans are a combination of Ancient Rome, Byzantium, and the Qin dynasty. I wanted an imperial civilization, like Rome, that had once controlled the continent and passed down a legacy of cultural innovations. I also have a fascination with ancient empire cultures that are pre-scientific but still technology-centric.

Abilities and Bonuses: They are one of the only widely literate cultures in the continent. They are bureaucratic and imperial and so many of their other affinities are political or weapon/legion based.

( Levatians and Amoricans )

Here is a sneak peak of some of the races present in Middlecrest, a description about them, and some development notes.

Generally speaking, Middlecrest's world is low-fantasy, so all the races could be considered "human" in generic RPG terms. The extent to which traditional fantasy races like dwarves, elves, various fae, goblins, etc, and how they will be incorporated into Middlecrest, is still to be decided. The tact, however, is to treat those races like their mythological counterparts -- more withdrawn and unconcerned with the world, uncommonly seen, and tending more other-worldly affairs. They typically won't be playable (except maybe some half races).

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Southron - To the south of Ispanda sits a vast, unforgiving, inhospitable, and remote desert. The inhabitants have been forged by unrelenting conditions into a strong and stalwart people. The desert's remoteness has cut them off from most of the world and their culture stands in stark contrast to the civilizations surrounding them. They are largely a mystery to others, since their land offers very little in trade, value, or other interest, although the peoples of the southern deserts do rely on their neighbors for luxury and exotic goods. Very few venture into the deserts to see the secrets of this secluded people.

Inspired by the module Dark Sun (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, 2nd edition), the ideas for this character race are taken from historical Aztec cultures, with some slight Egyptian touches, and a healthy dose of weirdness.

Abilities and Bonuses: The harsh environment they live in generally makes them more hardy than other races, and able to resist high temperatures. They are generally more versed in simple martial weapons (staves, slings) and unarmed combat. Due to their scarce environment, they generally have an aptitude for thievery and scavenging.

( Brython and Keltian )