This here is the largest tribe of skeletons, living out in
stabblledpoison swamp, where they are left alone by the Flesh dwellers
Here we see a friendly warforged, a living construct, attempt to to make
contact. Detecting him as a living being they chatter their teeth in an
intimidation tactic, brandishing scimitars. However, as their serrated
poisoned tipped spears have little effect they realize he has no flesh
and he is accepted into the tribe. There will be celebration tonight.
The full moon draws near, the skeletons of the Stabbleedpoison swamp
tribe adorn themselves in ceremonial poisonous barbed armour. Spear and
scimitar in hand they make sacrifices to their fertility gods for a
large bounty. Under the light of the full moon they march out, tonight
there will be a flesh reaping.
The skeletons return as the sun rises, their bounty contains in cocoons
of grass and mud. The harvest bore much fruit this year, but it was not
without loss, the bodies of the fallen skeletons carried home by family
in sacks on their back, to never forget the burden of continuing their
tribe.
As night settles in the grass cocoons are submerged in the ichorous pond
in the centre of the village and large ceremonial pyres are lit. They
will dance until midday, returning the dead to the ash we all come from,
as they greet in open arms the youngest of their tribe as they emerge
from the sacred waters.
The winter comes to Stableedpoison swamp, and it is time for the young
to become adults. Each hopeful is given a ritual rusted scimitar and
ramshackle wooden shield and is to set out for a cave or dungeon to find
and slay an adventurer or traveller. Once returned with proof of their
kill they will be accepted as adults. Not all will return from this
journey, but those who do will help strengthen the tribe.
This winter is particularly harsh for the Stableedpoison tribe. A record
cold season has frozen their ichorous pond of spawning, and wilted the
plant life from which they craft their armour. As well hunters encroach
on their lands. Clerics of the Golden Fist Church stalk the frozen
swamps. Not content to merely destroy the members of the Stableedpoison
tribe they adorn themselves in the flesh of animals to further infuriate
them.
The noble hunters of the swamp must use all their cunning to defeat these flesh laden intruders.
The Golden First Clerics prove to be cunning but fallible quarries.
Their initial underhanded tactic of smothering their flesh in metals
proves at first to be difficult to overcome, in time however the poisons
of the swamp prove to be too much. However this bleed shed does not sit
well with the clan's adviser, Metalbones, who argues for peace.
Eventually they set out on their own to meet with the Golden Fists to
come to an agreement, hoping their position as neither fleshbearer nor
bonekin will give them leverage.
The tribe itself prepares for war.
Talks reveal that the Golden Fist Church is here to stop the moonthly
Flesh Reaping, a hallowed night for the tribe members of Stableedpoison
Swamp. Metal-bones purposes an agreement where every full moon local
villages bring out those no longer using their bones as tribute to the
bonekin. Neither side is too pleased with the propitiation, but it gives
the two sides pause to think and plan their next move.
It is the Golden Fist Church to first reveal their treachery. Summoning a
being from beyond this world, what few clerics remain able to walk
march on the Stableedpoison village. Fortunately the tribe elder was
prepared, and calls forth their great protector, a gigantic bone dragon.
The battle rages on for some time, but in the end the Stableedpoison
tribe is victorious, but there is no celebration. Heavy losses, and the
destruction of their ancient guardian alone would be enough to mourn but
with the Spawning Pools still frozen none may join the tribe until this
winter is over.
The aftermath of the attack continues to affect the tribe, their
previous elder slain in combat its second in command takes lead and
proves to be a paranoid traditionalist. Accusing the construct
Metal-Bones of betraying them to its fellow 'Livings' they administer
the worst punishment they could reasonably carry out on Metal-Bones:
Exile. Striped of all markings the warforged is sent out into the frozen
swamp lands, where it will likely continue to not require food or sleep
and will reach the other side with no real hardship.
Back at the village the new elder sets about to thaw the ichorous pond
through their own means, for the full moon draws close and this will be a
flesh reaping for the ages.
As the full moon rises the entire tribe prepares for the harvest, none shall remain behind to prepare. Splitting into different groups the Stableedpoison tribe intends to regain numbers lost from the last attack. As they set out into the lit night it is not long until smoke and screams fill the air outside of the swamp, this will not be a night soon forgotten. As dawn falls onto the land the bonekin return home, carrying a bounty not seen in generations. their permanent smiles well deserved today as much greater numbers than normal also return home.
They will work tirelessly to prepare their birthing rituals, the pool finally liquid enough to use. The new tribe Elder receives much praise this day, as his reign promises much prosperity.
Once again, the young burst forth from the ichorous pond inside the
Stableedpoison Village but the celebration has a dark cloud over it.
while the next day is typically a day of celebration of new life this
time instead to settle down to the tireless task of rebuilding.
Fortunate that they can not tire as it will take them several days to
simply restore the buildings to their formal glory, let alone new
lodging for the young.
It does not remain bleak for long however, as new adults begin to return
to the tribe in record droves. Free of the bitterness left from the
Golden Fist Church attack the tribe has a chance to heal at long last.
There appears to be a rift forming within the tribe of Stableedpoison
Swamp, as the young adults returning home are having difficulty to the
changes that have gone on since the attacks. Many are unsure that is
such a large reaping was a good idea, while others are not able to
simply grieve over their losses due to the rest having moved on already.
Tension is on the raise these days, as spectral blood metaphorically
boils, it is only a matter of time before one of the young adults
challenges the elder's right to rule.
One of the young adults seems to cultivating a following as they begin
to openly challenge the Elder's rule. Adorning themselves in face paint
to show their displeasure and calling for a new way forward. They have
since abandoned the traditional rusted scimitar in favour for a weapon
resembling a bulawa as a symbol of defiance, and is openly encouraging
others to join them. The Elder of the Stableedpoison Tribe has taken
note of this, but in the light of Angryface's popularity their choices
of handling the situation are limited. Excile might start a rival tribe,
and execution would could start open revolt.
After much conflict the one called Angryface has finally issued
challenge. Surprisingly thereis not a lot of tradtion around such an
event and they are forced to improvise. The terms are agreed to be a
fight until deanimation with the winner serving as the new tribe leader.
Both prepare themselves for a fight to the end while the Stableedpoison
tribe prepares for possibly having the youngest Elder of all time.
The duel started at moonrise, in a stage above the spawning pool. The
current Elder armed with shield and scimitar, while e young upstart
Angry face is armed with buckler and bulawa. The fight is unexpectedly
brutal, Angryface losing his shield arm just moments in but the
advantage of his crushing weapon proves to be enough as the former
Elder's head and chest easily cave in.
Drunk on victory the elder once known as Angryface dives into the
ichorus pool wi the corpse of the form and emerges a changed being.
From the ancestral spawning pools rises an entirely new being. The one
formally known as Angryface returns triumphantly now bear four arms and
appears to be taller than before. At first they are greeted with
apprehnension but soon the tribe accepts the rule of Four-Arms the
Tyrant Slayer.
As a new Flesh Reaping draws near, the new leader of the Stableedpoison
Tribe orders restraint. The last reaping has produced so many juveniles
that despite the larger numbers helping to rebuild, training for
hunting, gathering, and spookery have slowed to a crawl. Instead, those
who will go out for the harvest are ordered to follow restraint. Though
some understand the wisdom in this, those who once backed the previous
Elder claim it is a sign of weakness. None would would openly defy this
new Elder, being an eight foot tall four armed monstrosity, but a new
season of distrust is brewing.
Luckily as spring comes to Stableedpoison Swamp, the fear of the Golden
First Church is finally dying down. Perhaps with external threats
removed time can smooth over the bumpy past.
The spring remains peaceful for the Stableedpoison Tribe as they fall
back into their normal cycle of training, hunting, and birth. Though not
fully recovered, many feel safe once more. The search for a new
guardian is a point of frustration however, as the once large lizards of
the area have died off ages ago, and the creatures that replaced them
are not nearly an impressive. As they resign themselves to thoughts of a
small horde of bone crocodiles instead of their once proud bone dragon,
a hunter in training comes running into the village square claiming to
have found the perfect replacement. Lead back to a cave just outside of
the swamp, looking to have been untouched by any being for an
insurmountable time they discover what the young hunter spoke of. Bones
of beasts none alive or otherwise have ever laid as on. Something so
old, they don't even have words for them.
Four-Arms calls out in celebration, a new village guardian has been found.
The retrieval of the new guardian is slow moving. Despite the tribe's
excitement, the task is proving more difficult than originally thought.
The bones of such an ancient being requires them to be a level of
delicate they are not accustomed to, as well as they are working outside
of the swamp they much be careful while moving its bones typically only
moving in the dark of night. Luckily things are otherwise quiet for a
time.
When the new Flesh reaping comes, the tribe elder sends the hunters out
to one of the flesh settlements reaped hardest. It is their hope that
that will ensure another small harvest. Four-arms doesn't realize how
small until none of the young hunters return the next day.
The next night Four-Arms sends out a veteran band of hunters to discover
the location of the previous party. Though some don't see the point of
the search, assuming they have just failed in the harvest something does
not sit right with their leader. It is not until the next day they
begint o gt a glimpse of what is happening. One of the hunters returns,
half mad, raving about a flesh bound shaman stealing the minds of the
others. Through the flapping of his meat face and a have of his hands
the other hunters turn one one another in a terrible fight.
A necromancer now sits outside of Stableedpoison Swamp.
2012/03/26
MRE: Poltergeist
Poltergeist are a collective of semi form ghosts conglomerated in a single location.
First and foremost is should be noted that there is no singular entity in a poltergeist, it is infact a psychokinetic mass of semi formed beings that if more powerful might have formed into ghosts focused into one area. though the term "A poltergeist" is technically correct, to deal with it as though it was a singular intelligence would be a mistake.
Poltergeist are an unintelligent form of incorporeal undead. That isn't to say they aren't capable of cleverness, but they operate on pure emotions rather then any kind of rational plan. They lash out simply because they hate. there is nothing deeper there. as well, as more semi-formed ghosts are made part of it, the more powerful it becomes, even reportedly being able to over power entirely formed semi intelligent incorporeal undead.
In such an event the poltergeist can become a devastating event to deal with, formidable as it is normally. comprised of multiple memories, goals can become confusing, and tactics varied. It is note worthy that despite extreme cases poltergeist are bound to a single area, though maximum size isn't set until it's creation, one recorded covered over 3 square kilometres and was able to terrorize its entire length for long periods of time.
Poltergeist however, are not naturally forming and are generally tied to an event or reason for being there. mass suicides, disrupted rest, and mass murder are among the chief reasons they form, but there are possible others. Learning their reason for existing is the primary way to deal with it. usually by exacting revenge, stopping the cause for mass suicide or settling the 'spirits' there are often the easiest way that does not involve vast amounts of magical resources to directly combat the force of the poltergeist.
Direct confrontation is never advisable, and often entering the area it exists is dangerous until the time in which you are going to set them to rest.
Detection methods are similar to ghosts, however as they are necessarily malicious what starts of as simple shows of power, stacking chairs in odd ways, causing food left in an area to rot incredibly fast, ect, can quickly turn violent and if you suspect an area to be inhabited by a poltergeist vacate immediately and research this location.
Under no circumstances should you ever return unprepared. items left behind are forfeit, and sending other persons to retrieve them will resault in loss of life.
First and foremost is should be noted that there is no singular entity in a poltergeist, it is infact a psychokinetic mass of semi formed beings that if more powerful might have formed into ghosts focused into one area. though the term "A poltergeist" is technically correct, to deal with it as though it was a singular intelligence would be a mistake.
Poltergeist are an unintelligent form of incorporeal undead. That isn't to say they aren't capable of cleverness, but they operate on pure emotions rather then any kind of rational plan. They lash out simply because they hate. there is nothing deeper there. as well, as more semi-formed ghosts are made part of it, the more powerful it becomes, even reportedly being able to over power entirely formed semi intelligent incorporeal undead.
In such an event the poltergeist can become a devastating event to deal with, formidable as it is normally. comprised of multiple memories, goals can become confusing, and tactics varied. It is note worthy that despite extreme cases poltergeist are bound to a single area, though maximum size isn't set until it's creation, one recorded covered over 3 square kilometres and was able to terrorize its entire length for long periods of time.
Poltergeist however, are not naturally forming and are generally tied to an event or reason for being there. mass suicides, disrupted rest, and mass murder are among the chief reasons they form, but there are possible others. Learning their reason for existing is the primary way to deal with it. usually by exacting revenge, stopping the cause for mass suicide or settling the 'spirits' there are often the easiest way that does not involve vast amounts of magical resources to directly combat the force of the poltergeist.
Direct confrontation is never advisable, and often entering the area it exists is dangerous until the time in which you are going to set them to rest.
Detection methods are similar to ghosts, however as they are necessarily malicious what starts of as simple shows of power, stacking chairs in odd ways, causing food left in an area to rot incredibly fast, ect, can quickly turn violent and if you suspect an area to be inhabited by a poltergeist vacate immediately and research this location.
Under no circumstances should you ever return unprepared. items left behind are forfeit, and sending other persons to retrieve them will resault in loss of life.
2012/03/25
MRE: Spectre
Spectres are spirits of the deceased returned with a vengeance. Bound to physical objects they are reminiscent of an incorporeal lich.
This sounds as if it would be a creature far deadly then the lich could dream of being, but sadly due to their limitations it can never be true. Unlike the lich who are free thinking capable of amending goals and even completing them and moving on to find new goals, the spectre exists largely for one goal. Once this goal is achieved they tend to go into a rest period until such a point where it can be achieved again or an outside source forces them awake.
In addition, Spectres tend to have rules to their method. Such as can only kill victims when they scream, can only attack while they're sleeping, only people wearing purple, so on. the allows you to better fight them as any weakness learned can be exploited. As well, what they are bound to in the after life is directly based on their life. A spectre of a doll maker for example would be bound to one, some, or most of his dolls for example. The destruction of this link is enough to destroy the spectre permanently, unlike the lich who can rebuild from just their body.
These disadvantages however do not make them easy to deal with. as intelligent in death as they were in life and with a host of new ghostly abilities the spectre tends to set up long term plans for whatever their twisted goal is. sending parts of the things they are bound to for a wider area to spread their terror is a common trend, or is used as a lure if they are trying to kill specific people.
the are aware of their weaknesses, know what they are bound to, and can plan accordingly. often if multiple objects are involved one or more may be hidden as a fail-safe against discovery. possessing skills from life they can usually utilize them in their schemes. this becomes less useful for a spectre of a construction worker, but for an former actor or puppeteer it becomes invaluable, able to lead people to their untimely death.
A spectre's creation is never the same for any one of them. Typically it involves the person being connected to dark magic and being murdered in a traumatic manner. There are those who choose this fate on their death bed figuring revenge is better then a peaceful rest, and there are even some who had no intention of becoming such and happen into it. All said, the person the spectre was was largely evil to begin with, and death removed any good once held within them. The new creature while identifiable them, possessing all their memories, and for all intents and purposes are them, possess none of their good qualities and exist only to bring about death for whatever purpose they desired at the time of death.
Goals typically include death of a blood line, or of people who laughed at them, people who do a certain act, really anything that might have annoyed them in life or is related to their death could be a target.
Hunting a spectre involves finding out a lot of good information about the person they were as they are so interconnected to their former lives. Knowing how they died and what they did in life will greatly increase your chances of defeating them. As well they are one of the few types of undead where indiscriminate property damage is advisable. burning down the former doll maker's out int he middle of nowhere workshop where he tried to make a living doll will greatly improve your ability to destroy it. Not only was the bulk of their connection there, they might become frightened enough to go into hiding for a while. This allows you to regroup, study more and hunt down their remaining parts with little interference. also, it's pretty satisfying.
Each Spectre is highly unique, so general advice is hard to come by, however for fending them off most weapons tat handle ghosts will work to hold them off but will never be enough to destroy them. Learning what needs to be true for them to kill is also important, it it takes physical cues rigging a system where that possibly happen is a good idea, for example clamping your mouth shut to not scream or laugh when seeing it.
Just because it has gone dormant doesn't mean you have defeated it is an important thing to remember. Spectres, while driven by revenge, aren't stupid. hiding because a arsonist is trying to destroy them is a very solid plan from their end. short of any kind of magic, discovering what they have made and trying to trace it down is the best bet when they seem to have been defeated. They will typically still move to defend the last parts of them, and are just as powerful with one functional connection as they would be with all of them so do not assume you have them nessarily on the ropes. however, with fewer resources their available actions are a bit more liited, and unless they have the ability to connect to more after death you can leave them in a reduced state for some time before they even attempt revenge again.
In summary, Spectres are a diverse bunch, require learning about their life before death, and can be largely solved by large amounts of property damage.
This sounds as if it would be a creature far deadly then the lich could dream of being, but sadly due to their limitations it can never be true. Unlike the lich who are free thinking capable of amending goals and even completing them and moving on to find new goals, the spectre exists largely for one goal. Once this goal is achieved they tend to go into a rest period until such a point where it can be achieved again or an outside source forces them awake.
In addition, Spectres tend to have rules to their method. Such as can only kill victims when they scream, can only attack while they're sleeping, only people wearing purple, so on. the allows you to better fight them as any weakness learned can be exploited. As well, what they are bound to in the after life is directly based on their life. A spectre of a doll maker for example would be bound to one, some, or most of his dolls for example. The destruction of this link is enough to destroy the spectre permanently, unlike the lich who can rebuild from just their body.
These disadvantages however do not make them easy to deal with. as intelligent in death as they were in life and with a host of new ghostly abilities the spectre tends to set up long term plans for whatever their twisted goal is. sending parts of the things they are bound to for a wider area to spread their terror is a common trend, or is used as a lure if they are trying to kill specific people.
the are aware of their weaknesses, know what they are bound to, and can plan accordingly. often if multiple objects are involved one or more may be hidden as a fail-safe against discovery. possessing skills from life they can usually utilize them in their schemes. this becomes less useful for a spectre of a construction worker, but for an former actor or puppeteer it becomes invaluable, able to lead people to their untimely death.
A spectre's creation is never the same for any one of them. Typically it involves the person being connected to dark magic and being murdered in a traumatic manner. There are those who choose this fate on their death bed figuring revenge is better then a peaceful rest, and there are even some who had no intention of becoming such and happen into it. All said, the person the spectre was was largely evil to begin with, and death removed any good once held within them. The new creature while identifiable them, possessing all their memories, and for all intents and purposes are them, possess none of their good qualities and exist only to bring about death for whatever purpose they desired at the time of death.
Goals typically include death of a blood line, or of people who laughed at them, people who do a certain act, really anything that might have annoyed them in life or is related to their death could be a target.
Hunting a spectre involves finding out a lot of good information about the person they were as they are so interconnected to their former lives. Knowing how they died and what they did in life will greatly increase your chances of defeating them. As well they are one of the few types of undead where indiscriminate property damage is advisable. burning down the former doll maker's out int he middle of nowhere workshop where he tried to make a living doll will greatly improve your ability to destroy it. Not only was the bulk of their connection there, they might become frightened enough to go into hiding for a while. This allows you to regroup, study more and hunt down their remaining parts with little interference. also, it's pretty satisfying.
Each Spectre is highly unique, so general advice is hard to come by, however for fending them off most weapons tat handle ghosts will work to hold them off but will never be enough to destroy them. Learning what needs to be true for them to kill is also important, it it takes physical cues rigging a system where that possibly happen is a good idea, for example clamping your mouth shut to not scream or laugh when seeing it.
Just because it has gone dormant doesn't mean you have defeated it is an important thing to remember. Spectres, while driven by revenge, aren't stupid. hiding because a arsonist is trying to destroy them is a very solid plan from their end. short of any kind of magic, discovering what they have made and trying to trace it down is the best bet when they seem to have been defeated. They will typically still move to defend the last parts of them, and are just as powerful with one functional connection as they would be with all of them so do not assume you have them nessarily on the ropes. however, with fewer resources their available actions are a bit more liited, and unless they have the ability to connect to more after death you can leave them in a reduced state for some time before they even attempt revenge again.
In summary, Spectres are a diverse bunch, require learning about their life before death, and can be largely solved by large amounts of property damage.
2012/01/13
MRE: Game Demon
Game demons are arguably one of the most encountered types of demons. Most any story about a Ouija board, or game that plays its self contains such a creature.
The demons themselves are formless in real space, and often are tiny in the abyss, but that doesn't mean they are powerless. They are keen soul thieves, and cruel beyond compare. They also have a host of psychic abilities such as mind reading, thought projection, and the ability to cause their victim to hallucinate.
The ability to read minds is by far their greatest tool, allowing them to sucker you in with promises you want, or keeping you drawn in to write some wrong it claims to have committed.As well, the price for losing is your soul, and quite obviously, death.
Commonly these are found in old board games, if it is a two player game they will commonly take the form of the second player in a game with possibly the highest stakes. if it has multiple players, it will prey on all of them, hoping to lead them to violence against one another. However, they have been breaking into electronic media. Luckily they don't seem to have the same power over optical media, and all digital media lacks physical form and thus can not be possessed so in a few years this might not even be a concern anymore.
The common game demon will often start of simply toyign with its prey. showing signs that soemthing is not as it seems, maybe game pieces are wrong (headless knights), or things in the game don't normally exist (Hellscape Terrace), to wrong audio cues. Over time however, it starts to show its real face. outwardly taunting the victim with horrible things that no other could know. Often trying to make it seem as though they have been responsible for every bad thing in the victim's life, but if they win here their luck might turn around. This however, is completely a lie.
Luckily, they are bound by rules. both by the rules of the game, which can be broken if the player consents such as money for landing on park place and other home rules, and by ones defined by some other power. Firstly they can not control the player. they can not read the player's mind to predict their next move, and they can not outright kill the player once the game has begun. Breaking these rules is often met with instant backlash from an unknown source and will lead to the eventaul downfall of the demon if they are not careful.
This is also not to say that they can not game around these. There has been cases where a game demon in a chess board trained their prey to play chess over years. They became an expert chess player under the tutelage of the demon, however, once it sprang its trap, knowing only the demon's tactics they were quickly beaten. The motivation for this however, is unknown. It is suspected that they rave challenge in games, and to simply beat a child or novice is no fun.
Defeating a game demon is not overly difficult. Destroying its vessel will return it back to the abyss, and destroying it within the proper confines will kill the demon outright as they can not exist in our world independently.
However, once you have engaged a game demon in its game, expect a mental onslaught forcing you to face your greatest fears, and if you do not possess the mental fortitude to persevere as your dead relatives tell you everything they hate about you while murdering your mother, it is best to just destroy your next game demon before seeing what makes it tick.
The demons themselves are formless in real space, and often are tiny in the abyss, but that doesn't mean they are powerless. They are keen soul thieves, and cruel beyond compare. They also have a host of psychic abilities such as mind reading, thought projection, and the ability to cause their victim to hallucinate.
The ability to read minds is by far their greatest tool, allowing them to sucker you in with promises you want, or keeping you drawn in to write some wrong it claims to have committed.As well, the price for losing is your soul, and quite obviously, death.
Commonly these are found in old board games, if it is a two player game they will commonly take the form of the second player in a game with possibly the highest stakes. if it has multiple players, it will prey on all of them, hoping to lead them to violence against one another. However, they have been breaking into electronic media. Luckily they don't seem to have the same power over optical media, and all digital media lacks physical form and thus can not be possessed so in a few years this might not even be a concern anymore.
The common game demon will often start of simply toyign with its prey. showing signs that soemthing is not as it seems, maybe game pieces are wrong (headless knights), or things in the game don't normally exist (Hellscape Terrace), to wrong audio cues. Over time however, it starts to show its real face. outwardly taunting the victim with horrible things that no other could know. Often trying to make it seem as though they have been responsible for every bad thing in the victim's life, but if they win here their luck might turn around. This however, is completely a lie.
Luckily, they are bound by rules. both by the rules of the game, which can be broken if the player consents such as money for landing on park place and other home rules, and by ones defined by some other power. Firstly they can not control the player. they can not read the player's mind to predict their next move, and they can not outright kill the player once the game has begun. Breaking these rules is often met with instant backlash from an unknown source and will lead to the eventaul downfall of the demon if they are not careful.
This is also not to say that they can not game around these. There has been cases where a game demon in a chess board trained their prey to play chess over years. They became an expert chess player under the tutelage of the demon, however, once it sprang its trap, knowing only the demon's tactics they were quickly beaten. The motivation for this however, is unknown. It is suspected that they rave challenge in games, and to simply beat a child or novice is no fun.
Defeating a game demon is not overly difficult. Destroying its vessel will return it back to the abyss, and destroying it within the proper confines will kill the demon outright as they can not exist in our world independently.
However, once you have engaged a game demon in its game, expect a mental onslaught forcing you to face your greatest fears, and if you do not possess the mental fortitude to persevere as your dead relatives tell you everything they hate about you while murdering your mother, it is best to just destroy your next game demon before seeing what makes it tick.
2011/12/10
MRE: Dryad
Dryads are a type of earth fey (writer note, earth and wood are now one, it makes more sense then just dirt) related to nymphs, with close ties to trees.
Each Dryad is connected to a specif tree, typically the one they are birthed from, however some are not birthed from trees, and will later find an uninhabited tree to bond with. That tree is their anchor, and while they may leave that tree at will, the more time spent apart typically the weaker they become. If the tree is destroyed, the effects can be dire on a dryad, many will not ever recover from such an event.
At a young age, dryads typically appear as young nymphs. Perfect skin, lithe bodies, outrageous coloured hair (typically colours of leaves or flowers of their tree), and always female. As they age, their skin tends to become more bark-like, and their fingers can become long and claw like. this is the first adult stage they will reach. from there they become more tree like. A full grown dryad becomes paired perfectly with her tree and can simply animate it with her will. However, many are able to take on forms of their younger selves, through methods not fully explained. though a form of astral projection is assumed.
When becoming an arch fey, they will take over any uninhabited trees surrounding them, their will and consciousness spreading to all of them until they become one in many bodies. however their original tree will remain the largest in the grove. If that is destroyed however, the recovery time is much shorter, as they have support in other bodies to keep sane.
Dryads are a female species, able to reproduce through a number of means. There is the more, human method of sexual intercourse as we know it. the female of the union will produce another dryad, the male will typically be a male of the other species, or sometimes an elf. And there is a method more akin to how plants reproduce. There is a number of insect like fey, if a male of one of these properly pollinates a dryad's tree while she inhabits it, the fruit or seeds of the tree produces from that will eventually row into trees that will bear young dryads. We are speculating on the nesary of the gender of the other fey, as none of us are proper botanists, and really are working from second hand knowledge. all we know is they are considered the father of the children born, even if they do not attempt to raise the young.
Due to the second form or reproduction dryads appear to be the species with the most controlled growth. typically living in groves of arch fey, their life is greatly affects by their arch fey. Typically a mother of many previous generations, their tree is directly influenced by the arch fey, and thus they too are directly influenced. Able to be spoken to while in their tree directly from the arch fey as well as how their tree ages, a dryad hundreds of years old, might still be in her first stages of life by the will of her great mother. while a younger sibling may be in their last phases of life.
Dryad in combat are cruel and un caring foes. At least for their opponent. Fighting on the defence of their forest they will not stop until the transgressor is dead. they are able to call on animals of the wild, as well and ents and other low ranking earth fey. It is best to avoid known dryads at all costs.
Each Dryad is connected to a specif tree, typically the one they are birthed from, however some are not birthed from trees, and will later find an uninhabited tree to bond with. That tree is their anchor, and while they may leave that tree at will, the more time spent apart typically the weaker they become. If the tree is destroyed, the effects can be dire on a dryad, many will not ever recover from such an event.
At a young age, dryads typically appear as young nymphs. Perfect skin, lithe bodies, outrageous coloured hair (typically colours of leaves or flowers of their tree), and always female. As they age, their skin tends to become more bark-like, and their fingers can become long and claw like. this is the first adult stage they will reach. from there they become more tree like. A full grown dryad becomes paired perfectly with her tree and can simply animate it with her will. However, many are able to take on forms of their younger selves, through methods not fully explained. though a form of astral projection is assumed.
When becoming an arch fey, they will take over any uninhabited trees surrounding them, their will and consciousness spreading to all of them until they become one in many bodies. however their original tree will remain the largest in the grove. If that is destroyed however, the recovery time is much shorter, as they have support in other bodies to keep sane.
Dryads are a female species, able to reproduce through a number of means. There is the more, human method of sexual intercourse as we know it. the female of the union will produce another dryad, the male will typically be a male of the other species, or sometimes an elf. And there is a method more akin to how plants reproduce. There is a number of insect like fey, if a male of one of these properly pollinates a dryad's tree while she inhabits it, the fruit or seeds of the tree produces from that will eventually row into trees that will bear young dryads. We are speculating on the nesary of the gender of the other fey, as none of us are proper botanists, and really are working from second hand knowledge. all we know is they are considered the father of the children born, even if they do not attempt to raise the young.
Due to the second form or reproduction dryads appear to be the species with the most controlled growth. typically living in groves of arch fey, their life is greatly affects by their arch fey. Typically a mother of many previous generations, their tree is directly influenced by the arch fey, and thus they too are directly influenced. Able to be spoken to while in their tree directly from the arch fey as well as how their tree ages, a dryad hundreds of years old, might still be in her first stages of life by the will of her great mother. while a younger sibling may be in their last phases of life.
Dryad in combat are cruel and un caring foes. At least for their opponent. Fighting on the defence of their forest they will not stop until the transgressor is dead. they are able to call on animals of the wild, as well and ents and other low ranking earth fey. It is best to avoid known dryads at all costs.
2011/12/07
Kongthf urf Weapon dump.
Proton Pack +2 1d10 damage 5/10 Protonic Technomogy, Anti-ghost
Proton sword, +2 1d8 Protonic, Heavy blade Technology, Anti-ghost
Proton sword, +2 1d8 Protonic, Heavy blade Technology, Anti-ghost
Anti-ghost weapons deal full damage to insubstantial creatures.
Protonic weapons as a catagory deals one die damage larger to undead creatures.
Ghost trap
Close Blast 5 +6 vs Will
Target: Any bloodied insubstantial undead creatures in burst.
Target is stunned, immobilized, and can not teleport. (saves ends all)
3 failed saves: Target is imprisoned within the ghost trap. The ghost trap can not be used again until all things imprisoned are removed.
Paragon tier: +15 vs will 2 failed saves
epid tier: +i don't even know, first failed save.
Pocket Knight:
This small item combines the speed of a short sword, with the power of a long sword, as well has a built in shield for those travelling alone in dangerous ares, but can't afford the space or weight all these items would cost.
Short blade
+3 1d6 Heavy blade Technology, off hand, Defensive
Longblade
+3 1d8 Heavy Blade Technology, defensive
You can switch between long or short blade as a minor action, but must still follow normal handed rules. (this needs better wording)
Owlbear mace
Owlbears are the combination of an owl, and a bear. there is no way you can combine those creatures without it being terrifying. it is a bear, with perfect night vision that can stare right into your very soul. you want some fucking mace to fight those fuckers off. And normal bear mace doesn't work. So get some owlbear mace. starting at the low low price of 4gp!
owlbearmace (heroic tier) +7 vs fort close blast 2: every creature in burst. target is dazed and blinded (save ends both)
New exotic Weapons!
One handed Range
Light Pistol +3 1d8 10/20 30gp 1lb Gun Load Free, Technology
Heavy Pistol +2 1d10 10/20 30gp 2lb Gun Load Free, Technology, High Crit, Versatile
Two handed Range
Light Rifle +3 1d12 20/40 30gp 4lb Gun Load Free, Technology
Heavy Rifle +2 2d6 20/40 30gp 5lb Gun Load Free, Technology, Brutal 1
Shotgun +2 3d4 5/10 25gp 6lb Gun Load Free, Technology, Brutal 1, High Crit.
Light Pistol holds 17 rounds in a magazine takes a move action to replace the magazine
Heavy Pistol holds 8 rounds in a magazine, takes move action to replace
Light Rifle holds 30 "
Heavy Rifle holds 20 "
Shotgun holds 6 "
Weapons with the technology keyword can only be used with basic attacks or with powers with the technology keyword
New Feat:
Gun Expertise
Requirement: most be proficient in at least 2 gun types.
Benefit: You can use weapons with the Technology keyword with powers with out the Technology keyword.
You add +1/+2/+3 to attacks using guns by tier.
Tech Expert
Requirement: Must be able to use two types of Technology weapons.
Benefit: You can use weapons with the Technology keyword with powers with out the Technology keyword.
2011/11/29
MRE: Random Undead Dump
Ash Wraith
Occouring around sights of large fires where in people died. they are similar to ghosts as they are aspects of the minds of th epeopel who died, though most are compisits, some a single person, however they have now also metaphorically been consumed by fire. these pyromanic spectres strive to burn everything. As time goes on they gain pooiwer, and gain more of a mind. Eventaully seeking to destroy all they reminder from their life. Probably in hope to reclaim their lost life in same twisted way.
While they rarely possess any pyrokentic ability, their embers are forever red hot, and can easily start fires on contact. These can be used as projectiles, giving them a limited ability to attack at a range. However most likely they will just attempt to start the fire and flee when confronted.
If the embers are cooled or smothered the ash wraith will dissipate, but if their ashes are ever relit, they might return.
Glowing Screaming Skeleton
How these creatures came to be remains a mystery at large. What is known is that despite the fact they both give off light, and are constantly emitting a blood curlicuing scream of death, they are masters at ambush.
This is due to their ability to teleport. How or why they do so is unknown, but you can quickly find yourself surrounded byt he warm glow and cry of death these monsters bring, and just like that they leave once more, their victum claimed.
Luckily they are no more durable then a typical skeleton, but do attack with out cause or warning.
Walking Skin
A rather disturbing form of undead, used due to their cheapness to make, and as well the fact that when utilizing skeletons it allows you to use the remains. Literally the reanimated skin of a creature, commonly humans, they move around slowly and are really gross to look at, luckily they are easy to deal with, light and think, bladed weapons take them apart.
But Seriously. super. gross.
Semi-Truck-Demi-lich
Right now just a theoretical being, however, if such a being was created it would likely spell the end of the world. the power and knowledge of a demi lich combined with the pure brute strength of a semi truck. my god.
Psedu-Corpse
Not really undead persay, but is typically a still living being under the effects of a reanimation spell, such as create skeleton. This leaves the victum as an unwilling thrall, but with out the benifit of being dead and unaware of their fate. Complicated to create, they are rarely seen, but worth noting as that killing the victum doesn't do anything, they simply become whatever undead they were being controlled as.
Some cults dedicated to liches undergo this process willingly in hopes of gleaming a sort of immortality from it, however just end up being utilized as reusable pawns.
Occouring around sights of large fires where in people died. they are similar to ghosts as they are aspects of the minds of th epeopel who died, though most are compisits, some a single person, however they have now also metaphorically been consumed by fire. these pyromanic spectres strive to burn everything. As time goes on they gain pooiwer, and gain more of a mind. Eventaully seeking to destroy all they reminder from their life. Probably in hope to reclaim their lost life in same twisted way.
While they rarely possess any pyrokentic ability, their embers are forever red hot, and can easily start fires on contact. These can be used as projectiles, giving them a limited ability to attack at a range. However most likely they will just attempt to start the fire and flee when confronted.
If the embers are cooled or smothered the ash wraith will dissipate, but if their ashes are ever relit, they might return.
Glowing Screaming Skeleton
How these creatures came to be remains a mystery at large. What is known is that despite the fact they both give off light, and are constantly emitting a blood curlicuing scream of death, they are masters at ambush.
This is due to their ability to teleport. How or why they do so is unknown, but you can quickly find yourself surrounded byt he warm glow and cry of death these monsters bring, and just like that they leave once more, their victum claimed.
Luckily they are no more durable then a typical skeleton, but do attack with out cause or warning.
Walking Skin
A rather disturbing form of undead, used due to their cheapness to make, and as well the fact that when utilizing skeletons it allows you to use the remains. Literally the reanimated skin of a creature, commonly humans, they move around slowly and are really gross to look at, luckily they are easy to deal with, light and think, bladed weapons take them apart.
But Seriously. super. gross.
Semi-Truck-Demi-lich
Right now just a theoretical being, however, if such a being was created it would likely spell the end of the world. the power and knowledge of a demi lich combined with the pure brute strength of a semi truck. my god.
Psedu-Corpse
Not really undead persay, but is typically a still living being under the effects of a reanimation spell, such as create skeleton. This leaves the victum as an unwilling thrall, but with out the benifit of being dead and unaware of their fate. Complicated to create, they are rarely seen, but worth noting as that killing the victum doesn't do anything, they simply become whatever undead they were being controlled as.
Some cults dedicated to liches undergo this process willingly in hopes of gleaming a sort of immortality from it, however just end up being utilized as reusable pawns.
2011/11/14
MRE: The Lich
The lich is by far one of the most powerful undead out in the world. The magic alone necessary to make one denotes how powerful the person was in life. several rituals are known for the process, all typically requiring a significant amount of magic to perform and often human sacrifice. the lich's soul is then kept in a vessel, typically a ring, or something easily hidden acting as a phylactery As long as it exists, the lich is functionally immortal.
However time does ware on the lich's body. over time bones do become more brittle, however its powerful magical essence will stop it from ever truly falling apart. Many embrace this change, seeing it as transcending into demi-lichdom, with powers rivalling a demi-god with knowledge of thousands of years. Others fear this, and go to lengths to see it stopped, even going as far as bronzing their bones, giving their body more durability and a form that will never truly rot away.
All liches are skeletal. during the ritual, their blood becomes a slight acid, making them feel untold pain, and burning away all flesh from their bones. Though there is a ritual that does not do this, the flesh still rots away in time, even with proper embalming, they will never pass as human again. However, most have powerful enough magic that this no longer matters, they can control thralls to acquire whatever they might need, or even have willing servants going out into the world for them.
Event he weakest of the liches rival the most powerful archmages human have to rival. if a lich so despires, much of the world could lay in ruin at their feet. Luckily liches are typically short sighted, and as tiem goes on earthly desires die entirely and they begin to gleam a bigger picture, that largely leaves them just to study their magic, and explore unearthly places.
Luckily, despite their power, liches aren't impossible to deal with. like most mages, they require specif movements to cast spells, their bones grow brital with time, so with proper distractions and close combat, they can be rendered generally ineffectual. however, they are able to channel their power into their touch, causing rot similar to that of a mummy, so if a hunter leaves and opening, it might be their last. Luckily this seems to be rather taxing so all but the very desperate, or very powerful tend to avoid using this. As well, there are a number of rituals available to track the essence from the defeated lich's body to its phylactery, which then properly dealt with destroys the lich forever.
It is commonly beleived that destroying the phylactery before defeating th elich will weaken it, this is not true, and sometimes the reserve can be true. Though killing it then will kill it forever, since part of it is left in the phylactery, you effectively just made th elich whole for the time being, though most tend to keep just the basic power in its phylactery, some leave a lot of pwoer there, causing you to just make a deadly foe more deadly.
It is worth stating that when the MRE has gone up against powerful liches in the past, there has often been pledged support from outide factions. Typically the MRI like to assist in hopes of learning more secrets of magic, as well to steal tomes or at least stake a claim to them so that the MRE is forced to share whatever secrets may lie with in. However, there has been times where Witches of the white have sent a small ditactment to assist, requesting no payment, and as well choirs of angels have appeared to assist in the final push in more then one lich assault. The Order of the black lotus' suggestion 'just attack its hand and library' have not been helpful however.
Most intereswting of all however was when a small band of dwarves appeared, and in clear english announced that they were going to help destroy this lich once and for all. It is beleived that the lich had been at war with these dwarfs, but all the same this was a one of a kind event. the dwarf ritualist proving to be almost a match for the lich its self. However after its defeat the dwarfs were nto to kind at helping the contact team leave its liar, claimign it as part of their dominoin, and it wa sonly by their good graces the contact team was not killed on sight.
In closing, Liches are powerful foes, but with proper planning, and ability, they are not much more difficult to deal with then a living wizard, however, they are never to be under estimated, as they are wily as they are old, and their liars and minds are laden with traps.
However time does ware on the lich's body. over time bones do become more brittle, however its powerful magical essence will stop it from ever truly falling apart. Many embrace this change, seeing it as transcending into demi-lichdom, with powers rivalling a demi-god with knowledge of thousands of years. Others fear this, and go to lengths to see it stopped, even going as far as bronzing their bones, giving their body more durability and a form that will never truly rot away.
All liches are skeletal. during the ritual, their blood becomes a slight acid, making them feel untold pain, and burning away all flesh from their bones. Though there is a ritual that does not do this, the flesh still rots away in time, even with proper embalming, they will never pass as human again. However, most have powerful enough magic that this no longer matters, they can control thralls to acquire whatever they might need, or even have willing servants going out into the world for them.
Event he weakest of the liches rival the most powerful archmages human have to rival. if a lich so despires, much of the world could lay in ruin at their feet. Luckily liches are typically short sighted, and as tiem goes on earthly desires die entirely and they begin to gleam a bigger picture, that largely leaves them just to study their magic, and explore unearthly places.
Luckily, despite their power, liches aren't impossible to deal with. like most mages, they require specif movements to cast spells, their bones grow brital with time, so with proper distractions and close combat, they can be rendered generally ineffectual. however, they are able to channel their power into their touch, causing rot similar to that of a mummy, so if a hunter leaves and opening, it might be their last. Luckily this seems to be rather taxing so all but the very desperate, or very powerful tend to avoid using this. As well, there are a number of rituals available to track the essence from the defeated lich's body to its phylactery, which then properly dealt with destroys the lich forever.
It is commonly beleived that destroying the phylactery before defeating th elich will weaken it, this is not true, and sometimes the reserve can be true. Though killing it then will kill it forever, since part of it is left in the phylactery, you effectively just made th elich whole for the time being, though most tend to keep just the basic power in its phylactery, some leave a lot of pwoer there, causing you to just make a deadly foe more deadly.
It is worth stating that when the MRE has gone up against powerful liches in the past, there has often been pledged support from outide factions. Typically the MRI like to assist in hopes of learning more secrets of magic, as well to steal tomes or at least stake a claim to them so that the MRE is forced to share whatever secrets may lie with in. However, there has been times where Witches of the white have sent a small ditactment to assist, requesting no payment, and as well choirs of angels have appeared to assist in the final push in more then one lich assault. The Order of the black lotus' suggestion 'just attack its hand and library' have not been helpful however.
Most intereswting of all however was when a small band of dwarves appeared, and in clear english announced that they were going to help destroy this lich once and for all. It is beleived that the lich had been at war with these dwarfs, but all the same this was a one of a kind event. the dwarf ritualist proving to be almost a match for the lich its self. However after its defeat the dwarfs were nto to kind at helping the contact team leave its liar, claimign it as part of their dominoin, and it wa sonly by their good graces the contact team was not killed on sight.
In closing, Liches are powerful foes, but with proper planning, and ability, they are not much more difficult to deal with then a living wizard, however, they are never to be under estimated, as they are wily as they are old, and their liars and minds are laden with traps.
2011/11/09
MRE: The Fey
I wrote a guide on demons, and it wasn't really, fitting to my standards, which are shockingly low. So, i'm trying to think of better ways to work with the fey.
So, what are the fey?
The fey are in some respects nature spirits, but they aren't of this realm, in fact coming from what i am right now calling "The Green" because i'm original as fuck. However, they still represent aspects of earth's nature, similar to dragons. So that means there is fey for each spiritual element.
Earth, Wind, fire, water, wood, steel, and that's probably all of them? All that comes to mind.
So, in theory, all fey can be fit into one of the six categories. steel could be included in earth, but let's not get intot hat yet.
Anyway, so yeah each fey can be tied to these, can manipulate them to high degree and whathave you. liek the dryad is a wood fey, and as such most of their magic is related to wood (boner joke) such as tree stepping, barkskin, as well as commanding lesser wood fey creatures like ents and such what.
Nixie and nymphs would be water fey, capible of basic to more advanced hydromancy, as well as illusions and ice, and cold. Water is a powerful element, but then Water is a powerful thing.
Wind would be the domain of sylphs and pixies, be shit like flying pushing, sumoning whirlwinds, and so on. Wind is a powerful but indirect element, wind slwoly breaks you down, but can also just some in and smash you apart though for a limited time, this is soemthign that should be reflected. as well as should be storms. so a lightning fey would be a wind fey
Earth is a hard element, maybe iw on't use it since that would be they wouldn't necessarily have. i will look into it. but right now, it's with steel in that it might not be the best thing to use
Fire is the death leading to new life element. though fire destroys all it touches, in nature it brings on change. Also fire is really unrepresented in mythology. Fire is typically tied to evil forces (logically so, it destroys homes and needs to be controlled to be a tool) but i got some idears for that. right now is an unnamed branch of creature with basically the opisate sex dis morphia of that of humans. females are larger, more muscular, valuing strength and muscle, where the men are shorter whisp, this taken to some extremes, because they fey should be about the extreme. as well the Salamander could be a fey creature. id didn't tie to the demonic, so it's still up for grabs.
Steel, iunno, i kinda like the idea of elven like creatures, that are a mix of knights in shining armour and the tin man. though clearly not tin, cause for reasons i have not yet reasoned, tin fucks fey magic. maybe steel fey are the one that can get around it.
simple sprites are from every element, where as pixies are about 3 feet tall, sprites are about half that, as well, they aren't too bright. able to follow instruction, but their child like mind doesn't really let them be too useful. These are creatures often looked on with distaste and if they are tempting someone to become fey blooded quickly will be sacrificed to give them their blood.
Then there are the arch fey. who excist above others, they are not nesarily bound to an element, generally being of several, or all of them. They however aren't really born as made. Though fey are functioanlly immortal, as some age they get mor epwoerful, these will eventaully become arch fey. They are hundreds of thousands of years old, some of them lost any human like apperance they once had and now are more the elements that made them. like one would be a small lake with trees surrounding them, they are still very aware of their area, and are able to manifest a form if they need to directly interact, but it seen as petty to do so.
fey have alien minds, they don't think and reason like humans would. Urgency is not a concern, as the fey are basically immortal (even elves living for thousands of years) and come from a wholly different world. this is the hardest thing to convey, as it is being written by a human, human like motives are attached or they just seem directionless and stupid.
This is soemthing i will need to plug away on. i got some interesting ideas design wise, but it is hard to put into words.
So, what are the fey?
The fey are in some respects nature spirits, but they aren't of this realm, in fact coming from what i am right now calling "The Green" because i'm original as fuck. However, they still represent aspects of earth's nature, similar to dragons. So that means there is fey for each spiritual element.
Earth, Wind, fire, water, wood, steel, and that's probably all of them? All that comes to mind.
So, in theory, all fey can be fit into one of the six categories. steel could be included in earth, but let's not get intot hat yet.
Anyway, so yeah each fey can be tied to these, can manipulate them to high degree and whathave you. liek the dryad is a wood fey, and as such most of their magic is related to wood (boner joke) such as tree stepping, barkskin, as well as commanding lesser wood fey creatures like ents and such what.
Nixie and nymphs would be water fey, capible of basic to more advanced hydromancy, as well as illusions and ice, and cold. Water is a powerful element, but then Water is a powerful thing.
Wind would be the domain of sylphs and pixies, be shit like flying pushing, sumoning whirlwinds, and so on. Wind is a powerful but indirect element, wind slwoly breaks you down, but can also just some in and smash you apart though for a limited time, this is soemthign that should be reflected. as well as should be storms. so a lightning fey would be a wind fey
Earth is a hard element, maybe iw on't use it since that would be they wouldn't necessarily have. i will look into it. but right now, it's with steel in that it might not be the best thing to use
Fire is the death leading to new life element. though fire destroys all it touches, in nature it brings on change. Also fire is really unrepresented in mythology. Fire is typically tied to evil forces (logically so, it destroys homes and needs to be controlled to be a tool) but i got some idears for that. right now is an unnamed branch of creature with basically the opisate sex dis morphia of that of humans. females are larger, more muscular, valuing strength and muscle, where the men are shorter whisp, this taken to some extremes, because they fey should be about the extreme. as well the Salamander could be a fey creature. id didn't tie to the demonic, so it's still up for grabs.
Steel, iunno, i kinda like the idea of elven like creatures, that are a mix of knights in shining armour and the tin man. though clearly not tin, cause for reasons i have not yet reasoned, tin fucks fey magic. maybe steel fey are the one that can get around it.
simple sprites are from every element, where as pixies are about 3 feet tall, sprites are about half that, as well, they aren't too bright. able to follow instruction, but their child like mind doesn't really let them be too useful. These are creatures often looked on with distaste and if they are tempting someone to become fey blooded quickly will be sacrificed to give them their blood.
Then there are the arch fey. who excist above others, they are not nesarily bound to an element, generally being of several, or all of them. They however aren't really born as made. Though fey are functioanlly immortal, as some age they get mor epwoerful, these will eventaully become arch fey. They are hundreds of thousands of years old, some of them lost any human like apperance they once had and now are more the elements that made them. like one would be a small lake with trees surrounding them, they are still very aware of their area, and are able to manifest a form if they need to directly interact, but it seen as petty to do so.
fey have alien minds, they don't think and reason like humans would. Urgency is not a concern, as the fey are basically immortal (even elves living for thousands of years) and come from a wholly different world. this is the hardest thing to convey, as it is being written by a human, human like motives are attached or they just seem directionless and stupid.
This is soemthing i will need to plug away on. i got some interesting ideas design wise, but it is hard to put into words.
2011/11/07
MRE: A stab at game deign
Alright, so a MRE table top game is something i've been trying to decide on for a while, it's something that would fit and as well would partner with the guides, allowing them to serve a secondary purpose. they might not have stats, but hopefully the game will be modular enough that reading something about death knights would let you add in different parts and make the new monster in this purely fluff book. That is the design idea anyway. Monsters won't so much just be just bits and pieces of key words, but a health does of key words combined with judgment and rolled into the mechanics should allow you to make any kind of monster.
frankly in a lot of table top games, surrounding and element ties and a few special abilities is what really makes a monster, so a design like this doesn't really take anything away from it it just kind of lays it out flat. but even with int he key words there should be some wiggle room. It's a design idea i currently like, and largely how i design. I look at something, break it into parts, and then just play with the parts it can be don't on multi levels, and hopefully this can be reflected somewhat int he end product.
the game right now is a d100 system idea, i like it because it's rather clean cut. you roll you have a chance to do soemthing, at it's base it is the easiest to explain to some one "okay, roll these it will give you a number, if it is lower then the number on yoru sheet you passed." As well, degrees of success should come into play. sure you have a 40% chance of doing it,but you should also have a chance of doing it better. it shouldn't ever be game breaking, but it should always be impactful, right now i am going with a system of ten. every ten lower you rolled then the nessary number is a degree of success. so if you had a 46 and get 27 you get one degree of success where as 26 would be two. degrees of success is where things would be markably different. combat it might improve your chances to hit, where as climbing it might give a bonus to movement.
It's not a difficult concept and right there dictates a lot of how the game will be played. As well oposing roles are a concept i like. For melee combat it adds a sense of dynamic combat, you're actively rolling against someone, rather then static defences. So let's say character A has 50 in attack, and Character B has 50 in parry. character A attacks, get a 50 dead on. character B simply has to pass his parry to black the attack. Character A gets a 29, now B has to roll under 30 thanks to A's 2 degrees of success. a very successful Parry i'm not sure right now, perhaps a bonus if on their next turn they atack the person whom attack them. So if A rolled 50 and B got 23, and B's attack is also 50, if on his next turn he attacks A he counts as having a 70. This is also where degrees of success would come in handy, as A still only has a 50 in parrying, A still stands a good chance to block, but B has a longer range for degrees of sucess thus is more likely to succeed. This would work well in melee combat, in ranged combat a similar system could be used, however a super successful dodge granting a damage bonus doesn't make the most amount of sense. this will be addressed in the future.
Stats! They will be a out of 100 as well, allowing them to be tested directly. Currently there is 8. Strength, Endurance, Reaction, Agility, Intuition, Logic, Willpower, Personality.
These are of course highly subject to change, and likely will be. but as it stands, here we are.
strength is clearly your heavy lifting, throwing, melee damage and so on stat.
Endurance will determine things like hit points, how well you stand up to being poisoned, stuff like that.
Reaction is a reactionary (a shock) stat used for dodging, likely parrying, might get rolled into agility if i can't do too much with it. will also likely be your initiative score and one you use for whack-a-mole
Agility: Aka Quickness, Aka, Dextarity, AKA, the hitting stuff, walking a tight rope, doing a cartwheel, nimble fingers, stat.
Intuition, your gut feeling, Something isn't right. We should trust him, This looks like the grounding wire, i think. It's your first mental reaction to a situation.
Loagic, this is used for math, computers, detective work, actual bomb defusing, if you know how electronics work. Stuff like that.
Will Power: your force of will. this is a more passive stat, it keeps you out of getting conned, working while you want to pass out, driving you forward when you just want to sleep. Or stopping you from doing something compulsive like eat all the sandwiches when you just ate a bagel
Personality: Also could be presence. This how well people take notice of you. When you enter the room, does it hush, does no one notice, as well this is what makes you the smooth talker or the best person to convince the terrorist to put his gun down because you are just so overwhelming, your threats to blow up the world if they don't stop first is actually convincing.
Stars will range from 1 to high, pure blooded human maximum is likely being put at 75, though those of mixed race might find themselves able to raise it above, though as a price. Average should be about 30? it's a decent chance of success, but isn't really going to do it all the time. body builder and such will have like 50 strength and what not.
Update!
Now it's capped at 50, assumed average is 25.
Special Stat: Knack. Knack measures one's magical ability, this starts off much lower. and the human maximum is around 50 or 60. I figure each character baring defects would start with a knack of 10, this representing a chance to just happen into magic. but any more is purchased during character generation like any other stat, and as well levels up like an other stat.
Update: knack is now capped at 40. starts at 5. for free.
Skills!
I have no fucking idea right now. Can't just use straight stat + skill points, can i? mechanically i have a system for going over 100, but it's not really something i designed to be progressed into. Another idea is to use 1/10th of their stat as the base and from there it is bought up, so by virtue of being kinda strong, you have a 5% chance of doing anythign strength related. maybe you add in half. one fifth? there needs to be some kind of single system here. and i need to figure this out. I will talk to some other design people, see what they think. and get back to this.
This right now is my hardest part. i can easily figure out what skills do, how they interact, but not what they are or how i get them.
system for going over 100 (kinda)
Basically, at 90, your chances of success are so great, it's pointless to roll, right? that is why nothing will ever reach 91. instead we get into theoretical. Basically rolling for 45 and under twice is the same as rolling once for 90 and under. And so this is what happens. it might get changes to 80, so there's no real point where you are like "aw yeah, always win time" So it would be represented as (1)45, the number in brackets being how many extra d100s you roll for this skill or stat check.
With this, if either roll was under the designated number it is a success. however, degrees of success only enter into it when both are rolled under. this means you are likely to succeed but not necessarily super win. Alternate idea, degrees of success if one is over is halved? i'm not sure the language to use, but basically 25 and 60 would be a success with one degree of success under this.
the number in the brackets is functionally infinite, but each time it is set back to 45 (40 is 80 is used) each time you add a number to it. so (1)90 becomes (2)45, and so forth.
frankly in a lot of table top games, surrounding and element ties and a few special abilities is what really makes a monster, so a design like this doesn't really take anything away from it it just kind of lays it out flat. but even with int he key words there should be some wiggle room. It's a design idea i currently like, and largely how i design. I look at something, break it into parts, and then just play with the parts it can be don't on multi levels, and hopefully this can be reflected somewhat int he end product.
the game right now is a d100 system idea, i like it because it's rather clean cut. you roll you have a chance to do soemthing, at it's base it is the easiest to explain to some one "okay, roll these it will give you a number, if it is lower then the number on yoru sheet you passed." As well, degrees of success should come into play. sure you have a 40% chance of doing it,but you should also have a chance of doing it better. it shouldn't ever be game breaking, but it should always be impactful, right now i am going with a system of ten. every ten lower you rolled then the nessary number is a degree of success. so if you had a 46 and get 27 you get one degree of success where as 26 would be two. degrees of success is where things would be markably different. combat it might improve your chances to hit, where as climbing it might give a bonus to movement.
It's not a difficult concept and right there dictates a lot of how the game will be played. As well oposing roles are a concept i like. For melee combat it adds a sense of dynamic combat, you're actively rolling against someone, rather then static defences. So let's say character A has 50 in attack, and Character B has 50 in parry. character A attacks, get a 50 dead on. character B simply has to pass his parry to black the attack. Character A gets a 29, now B has to roll under 30 thanks to A's 2 degrees of success. a very successful Parry i'm not sure right now, perhaps a bonus if on their next turn they atack the person whom attack them. So if A rolled 50 and B got 23, and B's attack is also 50, if on his next turn he attacks A he counts as having a 70. This is also where degrees of success would come in handy, as A still only has a 50 in parrying, A still stands a good chance to block, but B has a longer range for degrees of sucess thus is more likely to succeed. This would work well in melee combat, in ranged combat a similar system could be used, however a super successful dodge granting a damage bonus doesn't make the most amount of sense. this will be addressed in the future.
Stats! They will be a out of 100 as well, allowing them to be tested directly. Currently there is 8. Strength, Endurance, Reaction, Agility, Intuition, Logic, Willpower, Personality.
These are of course highly subject to change, and likely will be. but as it stands, here we are.
strength is clearly your heavy lifting, throwing, melee damage and so on stat.
Endurance will determine things like hit points, how well you stand up to being poisoned, stuff like that.
Reaction is a reactionary (a shock) stat used for dodging, likely parrying, might get rolled into agility if i can't do too much with it. will also likely be your initiative score and one you use for whack-a-mole
Agility: Aka Quickness, Aka, Dextarity, AKA, the hitting stuff, walking a tight rope, doing a cartwheel, nimble fingers, stat.
Intuition, your gut feeling, Something isn't right. We should trust him, This looks like the grounding wire, i think. It's your first mental reaction to a situation.
Loagic, this is used for math, computers, detective work, actual bomb defusing, if you know how electronics work. Stuff like that.
Will Power: your force of will. this is a more passive stat, it keeps you out of getting conned, working while you want to pass out, driving you forward when you just want to sleep. Or stopping you from doing something compulsive like eat all the sandwiches when you just ate a bagel
Personality: Also could be presence. This how well people take notice of you. When you enter the room, does it hush, does no one notice, as well this is what makes you the smooth talker or the best person to convince the terrorist to put his gun down because you are just so overwhelming, your threats to blow up the world if they don't stop first is actually convincing.
Stars will range from 1 to high, pure blooded human maximum is likely being put at 75, though those of mixed race might find themselves able to raise it above, though as a price. Average should be about 30? it's a decent chance of success, but isn't really going to do it all the time. body builder and such will have like 50 strength and what not.
Update!
Now it's capped at 50, assumed average is 25.
Special Stat: Knack. Knack measures one's magical ability, this starts off much lower. and the human maximum is around 50 or 60. I figure each character baring defects would start with a knack of 10, this representing a chance to just happen into magic. but any more is purchased during character generation like any other stat, and as well levels up like an other stat.
Update: knack is now capped at 40. starts at 5. for free.
Skills!
I have no fucking idea right now. Can't just use straight stat + skill points, can i? mechanically i have a system for going over 100, but it's not really something i designed to be progressed into. Another idea is to use 1/10th of their stat as the base and from there it is bought up, so by virtue of being kinda strong, you have a 5% chance of doing anythign strength related. maybe you add in half. one fifth? there needs to be some kind of single system here. and i need to figure this out. I will talk to some other design people, see what they think. and get back to this.
This right now is my hardest part. i can easily figure out what skills do, how they interact, but not what they are or how i get them.
system for going over 100 (kinda)
Basically, at 90, your chances of success are so great, it's pointless to roll, right? that is why nothing will ever reach 91. instead we get into theoretical. Basically rolling for 45 and under twice is the same as rolling once for 90 and under. And so this is what happens. it might get changes to 80, so there's no real point where you are like "aw yeah, always win time" So it would be represented as (1)45, the number in brackets being how many extra d100s you roll for this skill or stat check.
With this, if either roll was under the designated number it is a success. however, degrees of success only enter into it when both are rolled under. this means you are likely to succeed but not necessarily super win. Alternate idea, degrees of success if one is over is halved? i'm not sure the language to use, but basically 25 and 60 would be a success with one degree of success under this.
the number in the brackets is functionally infinite, but each time it is set back to 45 (40 is 80 is used) each time you add a number to it. so (1)90 becomes (2)45, and so forth.
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