tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63172361618309501182024-03-26T23:35:56.711-07:00Sailing The Stygian SeasJanethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-46095778557825395232023-11-11T16:13:00.003-08:002023-11-11T19:18:23.466-08:00Kith and Kin: Character Creation (And Basic Mechanics)<p> Hard, unbending mechanics are not the system I feel Kith and Kin should be represented in. Fully freeform isn't my favorite way to run a game, but FKR fits a certain level of comfortable flexibility for me.</p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHued_p_clm_HhHalQMx0fbBzr5DvxCNmFDjODx926jnrUDDzApkEMuMPz26dA0I7q03kej3ZSI8mIuJTs4jFjN18cBZKN1UIe1SHv2UxJ6c8GQm4cshS-AGNqrcTO_EKqLIHqBLr7FhFgLvEF6z2PFvZh1bcyYqTfAMqovJuhhOW8rqElAd_HvwHQYqM/s1280/Cavepainting_SantaCruz-CuevaManos-P2210651b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHued_p_clm_HhHalQMx0fbBzr5DvxCNmFDjODx926jnrUDDzApkEMuMPz26dA0I7q03kej3ZSI8mIuJTs4jFjN18cBZKN1UIe1SHv2UxJ6c8GQm4cshS-AGNqrcTO_EKqLIHqBLr7FhFgLvEF6z2PFvZh1bcyYqTfAMqovJuhhOW8rqElAd_HvwHQYqM/w400-h300/Cavepainting_SantaCruz-CuevaManos-P2210651b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cueva De Las Manos, "Cave of the Hands" in Argentina.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Core Mechanic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">If a player character or other acting thing within the world attempts something, consider whether it will automatically succeed or fail. I default to these to keep the game going. Sometimes I'll instead have the referee (so, me) roll for certain results, if they rely on things outside the players control.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In cases of ambiguity, such as combat or other contests where participants and circumstances lead to difficult to predict outcomes, I prefer a 3d6 roll. It has almost the range of a d20 roll, with a rather nice bell curve that makes even small bonuses useful.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQWuaOU4SCvjQr3F7ZJ7i9AalsuyMru7fuJwAp-R3L4U2oWG0v8cb-_I03WgaSmNVlY1dNUWu1ZF_XEXFRjKxfdBJwFoHtidjTQ7E-K6omwy0zZuH4ClPKFF30k4sPnsvqM5U2dw-fs66pN_DJvF42SqQ7LzXtoeixTM58iqIpFUwQC3H_D9kD2f475I/s378/3d6_Probability_Spread.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="212" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPQWuaOU4SCvjQr3F7ZJ7i9AalsuyMru7fuJwAp-R3L4U2oWG0v8cb-_I03WgaSmNVlY1dNUWu1ZF_XEXFRjKxfdBJwFoHtidjTQ7E-K6omwy0zZuH4ClPKFF30k4sPnsvqM5U2dw-fs66pN_DJvF42SqQ7LzXtoeixTM58iqIpFUwQC3H_D9kD2f475I/s320/3d6_Probability_Spread.PNG" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thank you <a href="https://anydice.com/">Anydice</a>.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">This roll is either attempting to meet or exceed a target number, or is against an opposed roll. I prefer the later, personally, it makes things more difficult to predict in these circumstances.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Modifications to this core mechanic are easy and possible. Tiny bonuses are okay, but I prefer biasing the rolls in other ways.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Specifically, advantageous traits and circumstances can allow you to roll additional dice in the pool, and drop the lowest number of dice equal to the additional ones. You can do the other way too, with disadvantages, just dropping the higher dice instead. This is described as giving one or more "dice" of advantage or disadvantage.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Advantages and disadvantages cancel each other out, to an extent, unless there's a reason for one of them to simply not apply. Then its not really an advantage or disadvantage.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">This is used in character creation in other games sometimes. It pushes up the probability spread a bit. I like it, its rather basic and still leaves room for error (though unlikely the more dice you add).</p><p style="text-align: left;">For combat, I just take how much the attacker succeeded by, and whatever weapon they're using, and sort of eyeball how badly they hurt their target. Wounds are narrative, but can work as disadvantages too.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I also use "clocks" with "ticks" for things like bleeding out, disease, certain curses, etc. Smarter folks than I have explained those before. Again these aren't hard mechanics, more shorthands for my convenience than anything else. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">This core mechanic is my default system for FKR games. Of course, if it gets to the point where you think someone would just succeed, or just fail, then just go with that and don't even roll.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW_2izHXPT4Z5P52XtExOVSVfe04pYFCAtd2mYVaJpaahv_4khr8fTwPV7Bp56Dhyphenhyphen9d3zvi4Tk29K-Wt882Z0Iju5rrLLN0iKb5iNYEJMCiAfGxSz06Rz-7KPhwjcuJlKIuVQ7WNs2-ZGZwFEIjlqA4wdkXq-Gvx6FtiF9evXFFQfgf8W3NOco9BZqwA/s750/Human_Species_Ettore_Mazza.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAW_2izHXPT4Z5P52XtExOVSVfe04pYFCAtd2mYVaJpaahv_4khr8fTwPV7Bp56Dhyphenhyphen9d3zvi4Tk29K-Wt882Z0Iju5rrLLN0iKb5iNYEJMCiAfGxSz06Rz-7KPhwjcuJlKIuVQ7WNs2-ZGZwFEIjlqA4wdkXq-Gvx6FtiF9evXFFQfgf8W3NOco9BZqwA/s320/Human_Species_Ettore_Mazza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">By <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ettore.mazza/?hl=en">Ettore Mazza<br /></a></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Character Creation</h3><p style="text-align: left;">First, select a <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2021/11/kith-and-kin-races-revisited.html">people</a>. This will provide some one dice advantages and disadvantages based on the group you select.</p><p>Some possibilities are</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Youngfolk: Can use projectile weapons without a spear-thrower or sling thanks to having a waist. Higher self-control. Can switch rolls or skills faster than others. Look young. Tallest. Frail for their size.<br /></li><li>Broadfolk: Tough and strong. Resist cold easier, more neutral on heat. Better visual perception. Require more food.</li><li>Smallfolk: Smaller. Require less food and drink. Can work together and get along with others easier. Weaker and more fragile.</li><li>Treefolk: Smaller, but less so than smallfolk. Can climb much easier. Using tools is a bit more difficult unless built by them (hands work a bit differently).</li><li>Elderfolk: Hodge-podge of benefits from other "Kin" groups depending on the Elderfolk. Either less specialized or hyper-specialized.</li><li>Wildfolk: Hard time speaking, but have fur. This makes you tougher, able to survive cold easier, but less endurance in heat. Easier time climbing. The more wild, the more primate-like, the harder it is for you to relate to the tools and behaviors of the Kin, the better "natural" traits you have.</li><li>Underkin: (Not done yet. I swear I'll make a post on them eventually. They deserve their own.)</li></ul><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsCpMyn-nSjRx69IcxicTevCYUk_VOCtrbxjvSl1oyBSe0tIoDF4kJcHvzEdSBgvuyIiyJnWi8bNch7mn7xVfAWlJ4IV1G6cLSJ2KpxHZFxkVb0q2UM3uyZ4XWUSGLcbRtc1OYPw7tfZsan87eOqJeIfJ29G-TXYJSB0epF3hf0iPRUURS1WUf0GD7hc/s1248/neanderthal_with_sapiens.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="702" data-original-width="1248" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtsCpMyn-nSjRx69IcxicTevCYUk_VOCtrbxjvSl1oyBSe0tIoDF4kJcHvzEdSBgvuyIiyJnWi8bNch7mn7xVfAWlJ4IV1G6cLSJ2KpxHZFxkVb0q2UM3uyZ4XWUSGLcbRtc1OYPw7tfZsan87eOqJeIfJ29G-TXYJSB0epF3hf0iPRUURS1WUf0GD7hc/w400-h225/neanderthal_with_sapiens.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Neanderthals with Modern Humans (By the Kennis Brothers)</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">Next, select what role your character played in their former society. This will provide some skills and potentially even some other advantages. Skills usually allow you to simply do things that others might have to roll for, and lets you roll in circumstances others might just fail. Other times they might provide a dice of advantage. Some possibilities are...</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;">Craftsperson (provides skills in a handful of crafting disciplines. Can include cooking.)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Forager (everyone can forage, you're just really good at it. Includes fishing if bodies of water were in the area. Probably line or net fishing.)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Hunter (combat and tracking. Also includes fishing, though probably more spear-fishing.)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Wise-one (herbalism and spiritualism. An initiatory <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-magic-system-arcana-secrets-with-power.html">secret</a>...)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Entertainer (song and dance, storytelling, Performance)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Leader (Keeping people calm and/or effective, Being heard, Making sense)</li><li style="text-align: left;">Farmer (Farmwork. Ideal conditions for plants and animals. Selective breeding. Less useful as a nomad.) <br /></li></ul><p>Others are possible. The bits in the parenthesis are meant to be skills you can have, and are more of a rough guide than anything concrete. Bit of a theme this post, it seems.</p><p>Some can be from more settled cultures, but will provide less useful advantages to surviving in the wild.</p><p> <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-eg6X6qylppm4SaniWqNRfTa-RAIRgF2Co83YREeAhA5T9CU_ipWe66Ce76QmEiYPEeCiA1Oa7mtjWu7e_9VG_knS100m7ZTEQD5VU0-__bHXbWkwQVRx_pPBtaDysS9P-yRUcebSujVlQ2I5qjPx4ot6hDLkDTmX4gjBAojJW-HAeLv2wyCJ7LorRw/s1435/Primal_Grey_Ape.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1435" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx-eg6X6qylppm4SaniWqNRfTa-RAIRgF2Co83YREeAhA5T9CU_ipWe66Ce76QmEiYPEeCiA1Oa7mtjWu7e_9VG_knS100m7ZTEQD5VU0-__bHXbWkwQVRx_pPBtaDysS9P-yRUcebSujVlQ2I5qjPx4ot6hDLkDTmX4gjBAojJW-HAeLv2wyCJ7LorRw/w400-h173/Primal_Grey_Ape.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Looks-wise, these are somewhat-kin-adjacent Wildfolk. Behavior-wise,</span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">it varies. Some are nice, some are not. Just like people. (From Primal, the show)</span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Next, select one (or more, depending on the ref. I'd require more disadvantages to take more than one) secondary quality to add some depth. This is like the role you had, but is less categorical. Some possibilities include...</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Physically fit (Overall more athletic than your fellows.)</li><li>Iron Guts (Hard to poison or get drunk/inebriated. Resist venom.)</li><li>Ascetic (Need half as much food, drink and comfort. Just not as affected by their absence.)</li><li>Spiritual Affinity (Can more easily slip into altered states of consciousness. Useful for sorcery, spiritualism and mysticism. Might accidentally slip into them sometimes, especially if something is trying to catch your attention.)</li><li>Learned (More likely to just know things. Biased towards the culture you are from.)</li></ul><p>Again, others can be possible. Work with your ref.</p><p> </p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikypVHBE4TDhCBDAhub6jgkmZn-M5IznkemuyAtZzgZJKAylTgjCLsmOUUOe5jtrtDs_cXbiokr0BrrBW2ribJxdZgAw2i9s51mtPdOfoIBaFycIEFpDgt7MAbhetQ92HtSEIMfjwckyNpVzOR2FwePPI9N51TMI11zyqpPopkk4ns5W19w1JbAm9g6lk/s640/Gabillou_Sorcier.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikypVHBE4TDhCBDAhub6jgkmZn-M5IznkemuyAtZzgZJKAylTgjCLsmOUUOe5jtrtDs_cXbiokr0BrrBW2ribJxdZgAw2i9s51mtPdOfoIBaFycIEFpDgt7MAbhetQ92HtSEIMfjwckyNpVzOR2FwePPI9N51TMI11zyqpPopkk4ns5W19w1JbAm9g6lk/s320/Gabillou_Sorcier.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Gabillou Sorcerer", I'm unsure how accurate<br />this interpretation is. Its cool regardless.</span><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>Finally, determine why you were exiled from your former culture. These are mixed advantages and disadvantages. Some possibilities include (but are not limited to)...<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>You made trouble. For whatever reason you simply were not compatible with the culture or authority of your former tribe. Sadly, you're prone to making trouble in other large groups too, but you're definitely good at stirring up peoples animosity towards leadership...</li><li>Sacrificial treatment. You were either selected for a sacrifice, or your banishment was the sacrifice. Either way, this weighs on you in some way. It might lead to preferential treatment by some unusual things though.</li><li>You were taken, not banished. In a raid or war, you were taken as a prisoner. You escaped. Fortunately, your old tribe would welcome you if you found them again. Unfortunately your former captors would also welcome you back if they found you again.</li><li>Endling. Your tribe was obliterated, somehow. This is unlikely to be your fault, but that might not be entirely the case, depending on the situation.</li><li>Forbidden Sorcery. Gain an initiatory <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2023/08/a-magic-system-arcana-secrets-with-power.html">Secret</a>. If you were a Wise one, you may choose to gain another or deepen your understanding of your selected initiatory secret, or gain the favor of a forbidden spirit. The more powerful, the less attention and differential treatment you'd get. You might owe something.</li><li>Mutant. Some physical difference sets you apart from others. Real-world disability and disorders probably don't fit here, since there are entire tribes in which these differences are just a natural facet of that culture. Its probably something clearly unnatural. How did you get it? What is it?</li><li>Cursed. Highly variable. Perhaps you are a therianthrope, haunted by a spirit, or worse. Work with your Ref to determine how this works out.</li></ul><div><p style="text-align: left;">Lastly, select one or two items/objects for each section up above. Food and drink for a few days as well as some tools are recommended. The groups should have at least a few weapons as well.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Your goals are survival... And whatever goals you make for yourselves, or develop naturally from your interactions with the environment and peoples. <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-11781702740654178092023-09-28T22:19:00.001-07:002023-09-28T22:20:05.693-07:00Kith and Kin: (Not) Extinct Animals and Domesticates<p> For the blog carnival.</p><p>The themes anthropology and archeology, so why am I talking about animals?</p><p>Well... Animals feature in the cultures of people, because of course they do. Domestication and the like are all part of cultural body of knowledge.</p><p>Additionally non-domestic animals feature as elements of mythology and culture. This isn't always just "sacred animal" ideas, its sometimes quite complicated.</p><p>And in a world with things like animal spirits and other strangeness, there's gonna be ways that bleeds into the cultures. I mean, these already feature in real world cultures.</p><p>Anywho-</p><p>(i may update this with pictures later)<br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Archaic Humans</h3><p style="text-align: left;">The most obvious, and most mentioned, extinct animals that are not extinct in Kith and Kin are people. You get to play these.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Summarizing them is difficult, after all the <i>majority</i> of people in the setting are archaic humans, and there's very little in the way of consistencies even within a species of people. However some notable things are...</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;">Broadfolk tend to be less social than Youngfolk (homo sapiens). While Youngfolk have networked relations between bands and tribes, its even more severe with Broadfolk, since their groups are actually quite a bit lower (a few dozen at most). Of course, this can and does absolutely change based on environment. This trend tends to result in cultural deviation occurring more frequently.<br /></li><ul><li style="text-align: left;">This is actually realistic for them as people. Neanderthals and Denisovans seem to have lived in much smaller groups than Homo sapiens.</li></ul><li style="text-align: left;">Smallfolk, conversely, are far more social than Youngfolk. Starting as islanders, but slowly spreading from there to coasts and more inland regions, Smallfolk learned to survive by emphasizing social bonds and collective identity. An individual Smallfolk is more at home with a group at the larger end of a Youngfolk group, and this would be considered moderate to small. Due to this, Smallfolk are among the first to have developed quasi-urban societies, and tend to vary less in terms of social drift from each other, but as always exceptions are common.<br /></li><li style="text-align: left;">Treefolk, Wildfolk and the Kith are harder to summarize. The former two tend to lie between Broadfolk and Youngfolk, and the Kith cannot be summarized in any easy way.</li></ul><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Domesticates</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Many forms of technology are much older in Kith and Kin than in the real world, while others are far off or regularly lost. Much domestication occurred in the real world between twelve thousand years ago, to just a few thousand years. The earliest firmly domesticated animals are dogs, roughly 13,000 years ago, but prior to that there is evidence of cohabitation.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Of course, this becomes a bit weirder in Kith and Kin. Though there is a common trend that animals with existing social structures will often be the ones to be domesticated.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;">Canines have been domesticated for a vast amount of time in Kith and Kin, given the <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2021/11/kith-and-kin-races-revisited.html" target="_blank">pushed up timeline</a>. I say canines rather than dogs or wolves because the extended timeline means that other social canines have long been domesticated too. This lends itself to a much greater variety in "dog breeds." The wild counterparts to these animals still exist, of course, but as a short list...</li><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Wolves, the classic, lead to domestic canines as we understand them, which are effectively a subspecies of the Gray Wolf.</li><li style="text-align: left;">African Wild Dogs, as social canines that support the weaker members, already had an existing social structure Kith and Kin could interact with. Canines from this grouping are thus often more protective of their young, and of the young of others. There are, of course, morphological differences between them and canines familiar to us<br /></li><li style="text-align: left;">Jackals, Coyotes, Dholes and other "Less social" canines are not fully domesticated, but uneasy truces are easier to form and maintain with them. They are at least, mostly, tame in regards to their behavior towards the Kith and Kin, but are not fully cooperative.<br /></li><li style="text-align: left;">All of the above is mediated by the Dogpact, an ancient spiritual bond between the Kith and Kin and the Canine spirits whom act as the collective representatives of the Canines. This will be detailed later in this post. <br /></li></ul><li style="text-align: left;">Goats, Pigs, Sheep and Cattle are all potentially on their way to domestication, but maintain a degree of wildness that makes mass farming them impractical at <i>best</i>. They are hunted, fearfully avoided and rarely, worked with.<br /></li><li style="text-align: left;">Felines as a whole maintain their aloof and predatory nature, but some smaller kinds have taken interest in the Kith and Kin. This cannot be said of some of the larger kinds. Its not wise to rely on the tameness of asocial predators. Its fortunate that for the most part they are more considered with actually filling meals.<br /></li><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Lions are not asocial, quite the opposite, but are not tamed nor domesticated. Most Kith and Kin would give them a wide berth, and vice versa.<br /></li></ul><li style="text-align: left;">Some plants have been selectively bred to provide nutrition, but mass scale agriculture is still rare, though not rare enough that most Kith and Kin have not at least heard of a "City." The eldest city is fed by the vastest collection of these domesticates.<br /></li><li style="text-align: left;">Beyond this, mild and limited progress exists towards domestication of other animals and plants. Some corvids and other birds, however, have shown enough intellect to form a very different kind of relationship with the Kith and Kin. A diplomatic kind.</li></ul><p> </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Beasts of Old</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Extinct animals and plants yet live in the world of Kith and Kin. Some of these existed at the rough time that Kith and Kin is "set." However, the setting is intentionally anachronistic and so animals that never co-existed do so in this setting.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Think less "flintstones" and more "Avatar: The Last Airbender" but stone age and extinct animals occupy the role the hybrids do. Or perhaps "Primal." I cannot list all extinct beings that are in this setting, but a small taste is possible.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Note that when I say "Extinct" I mean extinct in our real world. Generally assume any extinct animal is <i>somewhere</i> in Kith and Kin.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;">Mammoths and Mastodons still walk the planet. Respected and revered by the cultures that rely on their meat for survival. There are spirits that resemble them, and their vitality and strength are revered.</li><li style="text-align: left;">Other Extinct Afrotherians cannot be summarized easily. Breaking tone for a moment, currently not extinct afrotherians also can't be summarized easily and I am kind of losing my mind over it. What do you <i>mean</i> the closest extant relatives of elephants that are not elephants are fucking manatees and dugongs? What do you <i>mean</i> the golden mole is more related to elephants than other moles?</li><ul><li style="text-align: left;">Apologies. Additional Afrotherians in Kith and Kin include wolf-sized shrew-like predators, hippo-like trollish beings, bizarre relatives of elephants and giant manatees. I doubt that extant people would recognize their relation, but its certainly possible...</li><li style="text-align: left;">If so, then the Afrotherians might be seen as some sort of strange vast family of creatures. Canines and Felines all somewhat resemble each other, but the Afrotherians? Each is its own being. Seems like a fitting mythologization.<br /></li></ul><li>Extinct canines were bigger and less social. Borophagine, Amphicyon and more exist, and fill a niche somewhat akin to bears. Similarly, they are feared as bears are. Though these are, perhaps, a little bit faster.</li><li>Woolly Rhinos are revered similarly to Mammoths, with an additional "warlike" quality thanks to their aggression and near-blindness. <br /></li><li>Cave Bears and other giant bears are revered as something between demons and petty gods in the northern regions they inhabit. Fortunately they're not extremely prone to hunting Kith or Kin, they're often much too small for that, but its unwise to trust a bear to not eat whats available to it.</li><li>Sivatherium, Paraceratherium and other mammalian giants are often revered similarly. In the places were Paraceratherium inhabits, its seen somewhat similarly to Mammoths or Elephants. Its names in these places often mean "Noble Giant" of some kind.</li></ul><p>A small break before the next section. Non-Avian dinosaurs do exist in Kith and Kin, though they are rare in the regions I have focused on thus far. But, I would hesitate to call them rare <i>overall</i>. Kith and Kin is not a world limited by earthly geography, after all.</p><p>Reasonably, its hard to imagine what the perception of non-avian dinosaurs would be in the paleolithic world. But given the awe that is reasonably regularly afforded to existing giant animals, and the fear that existing, much smaller, predators are given...</p><p>Needless to say, the Kith and Kin find an odd sort of kinship with the mice and rats when these beasts make themselves known.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Raptors, even the smaller kind, are seen in a way that would remind one of big cats and avian raptors, perhaps being named for them even. The largest of them, Utahraptors and their kin, might have a degree of the cleverness that pop culture grants them, though not as extreme as might be thought. A feather from their tail would be seen as a noble trophy, certainly.</li><li>Ceratopsids might be seen as something similar in mind to a rhinoceros. Less blind, but perhaps no less aggressive. Less prone to intra-group conflict, perhaps.</li><li>Ankylosauria would resemble turtles, for a moment, before the crushing tail and superior size and speed are noticed. Still, a worthy hunt and a grand meal. But quite dangerous.<br /></li><li>Stegosaurians have similar defenses, being closely related, but the spikes and plates would certainly be given significance as trophies or other objects of reverence.</li><li>Sauropods grew to sizes that, recent analysis suggests, might have rivaled the blue whales in weight. Hunting the largest of them is a non-option. They are groups of organisms vast enough to be landscapes. They might be revered, scavenged and followed perhaps, but not hunted.</li><li>Tyrannosaurids dwarfed all currently extant (and paleolithic) land predators. They were also likely not a "rushdown" group, more like tigers or sabre-tooth-cats. Fortunately they would probably ignore Kith and Kin alike, unless they threaten their brood. Humans could, theoretically, out-run them, but not by much and not forever.<br /></li></ul><p> </p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-61481425972976368062023-08-23T17:21:00.001-07:002023-10-27T14:23:23.939-07:00A Magic System: Arcana (Secrets With Power)<p>I don't even know how you'd define this magic system. Its not quite freeform but its not quite limited either. Maybe "Diegetic Magic"? It definitely is a magic system that works with FKR games thats for sure.</p><p>The origins of this magic system lie in my enjoyment of the game "Noita" and its magic system. Its spells have properties that you can learn and exploit to ridiculous effect. The game is kinda <i>about</i> that.</p><p>However, while generic spells and modifiers work for Noita, Tabletop games require a bit more work. And so, after some time, this "Arcana" system was born.</p><p>The idea is to incentivize exploration and experimentation, and to make magic feel like something truly embedded in how the world works, rather than a game abstraction. <br /></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_qCytJ3qHNszvMb7AvIe2-YtRtzhZp0wRToqxpWiH8PTA_s3jHsKQWnp9rCAXTOH62owWwxTjI5vxLpem1mfvfyN6xkYyB3IJwpI1Mc8To5jp_qBrmZHO10yDwNxy5fXsIT67m9Vmik6jm1OOOK8LYnDbZu395VJukzbfOtVitUKEk_N4j9B01hS6F4/s1880/Magic_Circle.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1880" data-original-width="1255" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_qCytJ3qHNszvMb7AvIe2-YtRtzhZp0wRToqxpWiH8PTA_s3jHsKQWnp9rCAXTOH62owWwxTjI5vxLpem1mfvfyN6xkYyB3IJwpI1Mc8To5jp_qBrmZHO10yDwNxy5fXsIT67m9Vmik6jm1OOOK8LYnDbZu395VJukzbfOtVitUKEk_N4j9B01hS6F4/w268-h400/Magic_Circle.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Making a potion can be easy, but it can also be like if chemistry really wanted to eat your soul. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_William_Waterhouse_-_Magic_Circle.JPG" target="_blank">Source</a>)<br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Arcana</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Arcana is anything that knowing about can grant some form of supernatural advantage. That isn't to say that knowledge of it is inherently powerful (conversely, thats not to say that knowledge of it <i>isn't</i> inherently powerful either), rather knowing about it opens up the capacity to interact with it or make use of it in some way.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Arcana can be anything, but as a list of examples they can be supernatural skills, languages, esoteric energies, otherworldly forces, groups of entities, anomalous mathematical principles, systems of logic, beliefs, states of consciousness, other realities, subtle aspects of this reality, gods, concepts, substances, processes, properties of otherwise natural things, psychological complexes, a series of specific actions, anomalies in how the world works, natural laws taken in bizarre directions and basically anything else you can imagine.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Arcana aren't spells. They're not rituals. They're not magic items. They're not (strictly) powers and they're definitely not a "class feature." They're meant to be the building blocks of these things, however (except for class features, maybe). Think about how during a ritual the magician calls upon various entities, draws magical circles, and more. Arcana are like <i>these things</i> rather than the ritual itself.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Whats important is that Arcana have <i>properties</i> and that these properties can potentially interact under the right circumstances. This doesn't mean you need to have a huge list of how different arcana interact, just that there needs to be at least consistency. If one arcana is an altered state that involves extreme self-awareness, and another is a psychic parasite, these can probably be used together in some fashion (perhaps as a way to control the parasite? It depends on how the two work exactly).</p><p>There's no hard categories of Arcana. Some are more broadly applicable, some are more useful in specific contexts, some are quite dangerous, some are relatively benign. The point is they can be theoretically <i>anything</i> that has supernatural properties that can be learned and made use of.</p><p>Some actual examples of Arcana might be</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A species of psychic parasite, existing on a "Psychic" or perhaps "astral" layer of reality. They have specific things they feed on, byproducts, favorable environments and behaviors, all of which might be useful in some contexts.</li><li>The Astral Plane (And Astral Projection in general) and how it interacts with the world. Things probably can't physically step into the astral plane, it probably requires specific mental states.<br /></li><li>An "otherworldly sense" that doesn't correspond to any of the major or minor senses known by science, but might be interpreted as "feeling" at a distance. It can probably be honed and trained to provide more information, and training synesthesia into it might have some <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2014/05/optional-rule-wizard-vision.html" target="_blank">interesting effects</a>.</li><li><a href="https://archonsmarchon.blogspot.com/2023/02/random-numbers.html" target="_blank">Clearly unnatural mathematics.</a></li><li><a href="http://themansegaming.blogspot.com/2018/10/50-terrible-knowledges.html" target="_blank">Any of these things really.</a></li><li>A set of beliefs that, when reinforced through ritual repetition of important aspects of the beliefs, can be treated as true by participants and temporarily enforced via certain methods.</li><li><a href="https://caput-caprae.blogspot.com/2021/10/language-for-wizards.html" target="_blank">Languages</a> that let you speak to things that normally cannot understand or act.</li><li>A method of lucid dreaming that allows one to escape the confines of their dream and access others. Perhaps it can let you access a <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2014/02/psychonauts-of-floating-realm.html" target="_blank">collective experience</a> shaped by all dreamers, or perhaps things stranger even than this.</li></ul><p>This could continue forever, but you get the idea. A true list would have more details and useful information, though some Arcana might be deceptively simple in their presentation.</p><p>Ideally as well this allows for competing or otherwise paradoxical magic systems to exist without rendering a setting completely incoherent. Entire perpendicular or parallel cosmologies could exist, separated only by the relative ignorance of those who have yet to discover a way the relevant Arcana bridge the gap.</p><p>Generally speaking the user of an Arcana should not know <i>everything</i> about it, and if a new one is discovered they should know just about nothing about it. The idea is to incentivize experimentation and discovery, after all. <br /></p><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2pexbGdld9TwZzGQhVzEWqg95zKrFijjsGbK6XlBle-jnyTOttIzNS01vcExJrao3V_LtlcR6HHFhVu96Eaxdjc8Qi9ZskQ1EYXOJiqEvR0MZon3AtMRwadha7RlAC7gY9RZYjCMOqhcUtiOiWddDBlSwwQXlNu8ulsXEFD7DQZB-PKXzxGnVsg5bSM/s800/The_Sorceress_(1913).jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="517" data-original-width="800" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2pexbGdld9TwZzGQhVzEWqg95zKrFijjsGbK6XlBle-jnyTOttIzNS01vcExJrao3V_LtlcR6HHFhVu96Eaxdjc8Qi9ZskQ1EYXOJiqEvR0MZon3AtMRwadha7RlAC7gY9RZYjCMOqhcUtiOiWddDBlSwwQXlNu8ulsXEFD7DQZB-PKXzxGnVsg5bSM/w400-h259/The_Sorceress_(1913).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">God damn it I forgot to account for microcosmic-macrocosmic correspondence. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:The_Sorceress_by_John_William_Waterhouse">Source</a>)<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Applying Arcana</h3><p style="text-align: left;">By this system, "Magic" isn't just one thing. Its not a single "energy" or "force" but rather the application of (typically multiple) Arcana to achieve an effect.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Lets run through a few examples of how this might go.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Taevalis, a practitioner of the Arts, prepares a silver pentacle engraved with specific sigils. They then place the pentacle in the center of a ritual chamber and begin to chant prayers and exaltation to the great one Vo-te-na-shu, a deific consciousness native to a realm of pure mind and logic (of which it itself is the primary component, akin to "space-time" for our own reality). Taevalis expertly enters an altered state of consciousness that allows their mind to cross the boundaries of realities, allowing the great one to use their mind as a channel of influence to our reality.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The sigils on the pentacle serve to communicate to the channeled aspect of Vo-te-na-shu that it is to reinforce the pentacle with its own psychic might, allowing it to serve as a protective object for the duration of the ritual. This works because Taevalis knows that the great one can understand the meaning of the sigils by way of its access to Taevalis' own mind and that Vo-te-na-shu is a perpetually curious being, which Taevalis is exploiting to orchestrate its willing participation in the ritual.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Taevalis then shifts their mental state slightly, and directs a degree of channeled entropic energy against the boundaries between their reality and one they have been studying for some time. The pentacle, due to geometric properties, the double-meaning of several of the sigils engraved on it and how silver interacts with the forces of the accessed reality, serves as a magnetic "net" for a being composed of illusion, flame and roaring sound from this reality. The ritual is successful, though there is a moment of uncertainty as the being strains against its bindings. Taevalis concludes the ritual by "imprinting" Vo-te-na-shu's power into the pentacle, exploiting how psychometry works to allow an "echo" of the power to remain without constantly channeling the great one.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>At the conclusion of the ritual, Taevalis has successfully bound an otherworldly being to the object. Now they just have to figure out how to get it to do what they want, when they want it.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the above example, the Arcana involved are Vo-te-na-shu, the state of consciousness that allows Taevalis to access other realties, the entropic energies utilized to break down the barriers between other realities (this might count as two, the entropic energies themselves and the barriers themselves), the other reality with its various inhabitants and the properties of Psychometric imprints left on objects.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The pentacle itself is a mundane tool. Its only by how this mundane tool interacts with the distinctly not-mundane elements that it gains its mystical importance. Without any of the Arcana involved, it would be a pretty trinket perhaps, but little more than that.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuL3w_GbjVZP8kj2QTlCjnDQBM7GEdx1tgKXN7lMWh23CqN6j8W3j-gPZMVXXDpqI3MgVMUR6PMuu8plLsvU71p2pFCwPdUKetYvCq5IrzUinCTamnHLeaTBU4C3UWSjXJugvNHyWX3QLAPKdJaUOeafyyBlmRdsbS-jGZcedyUIUDrdIEdcxwbjjt5A/s1600/Dr_Strange_Disease.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1041" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWuL3w_GbjVZP8kj2QTlCjnDQBM7GEdx1tgKXN7lMWh23CqN6j8W3j-gPZMVXXDpqI3MgVMUR6PMuu8plLsvU71p2pFCwPdUKetYvCq5IrzUinCTamnHLeaTBU4C3UWSjXJugvNHyWX3QLAPKdJaUOeafyyBlmRdsbS-jGZcedyUIUDrdIEdcxwbjjt5A/w260-h400/Dr_Strange_Disease.jpg" width="260" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Modern doctor strange stuff has some cool (weird) stuff in it. Can't remember the exact issue this is from.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;">A second example, set somewhere (and when) very different.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Thalia and Zoe are two magicians who have been wanting to cooperate on a project for some time, but utilize very different sets of Arcana to accomplish things. However they have discovered a way to work together to further both of their knowledge of Arcana.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Thalia knows a specific method of lucid dreaming that allows her to wander metaphorical realms, and even into other realities via their more dream-aligned aspects, such as by entering the dreams of its inhabitants. Unfortunately she's not particularly capable of determining how dangerous it might be to access a given realm.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Zoe has a variety of psychic powers, developed through specific practices and disciplines geared towards developing such things. Most important to their goals are Telepathic and Extrasensory capabilities.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Thalia falls asleep while Zoe remains awake, using Telepathy to scan for when Thalia begins lucid dreaming. When she does so, Zoe telepathically weaves herself into the dream, effectively linking their minds and falling asleep as she does so, while remaining lucid.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Together they explore a variety of metaphorical landscapes over the night, using Zoes extrasensory abilities to determine if they should steer clear of a given location, experience, realm, mental construct and so forth. This is aided by Zoes moderate specialization into specifically "danger sense" ESP.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>When they awake they quickly write down what they remember that they consider worthy of further investigation and experimentation. These include realms, locations, mindstates, entities, experiences and far more abstract things.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">In this example, there's only two main arcana that are being used. The lucid dreaming method, and the psychic powers, but together they allow the two magicians to accomplish far more than they could individually.</p><p style="text-align: left;"> </p><p style="text-align: left;">Not every magical working is capable of succeeding, however. Which the next examples should demonstrate.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Nathan has downloaded a number of PDFs that, unfortunately for him, do contain genuine occult and Arcane information. He wants to perform a ritual to summon one of the Eye-Theives of Ovolomithia, a relatively small faction of otherworldly humanoids composed of layers upon layers of leathery tissue. They are known for stealing eyes, but also giving strange other eyes if they feel generous.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Unfortunately, Nathan has no knowledge of the Arcana that the writer of the PDF assumes the reader is familiar with, and is unable to truly perform the more abstract mental exercises involved in the ritual as a result, as well as having no ability to truly gather or shape the necessary energies involved. Nathan attempts to perform the ritual, and gets only a fascinatingly bizarre experience with psychoactive substances as a result.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">The exact ritual isn't important in this context, just that the lack of understanding of the Arcana involved means that the ritual is, mystically speaking, not really doing anything. Granted such rituals might have a more mundane but profound effect on the participants, and there's always the vague chance that despite lacking knowledge one might accidentally tap into something real, but these are <i>very</i> distant possibilities. Akin to a one-in-billion chance.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">However, knowledge of Arcana but an incomplete understanding of them can be far, <i>far</i> more disastrous than simply a ritual not working. Lets revisit Nathan at a later date...</p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Nathan now has a more genuine understanding of the Arcana involved in mystical practices, though he's not really done much to experiment with their limitations and interactions yet. This is unfortunate as he attempts to perform a ritual granting him passage through the All-Hallways, a bizarre realm consisting of hallways, backrooms, linked rooms and various other building interiors, all seemingly growing off of each other. The realm technically can lead anywhere, and this is an enticing possibility to Nathan.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>The All-Halls is, unfortunately, fairly easy to access. Nathan prepares a closet door appropriately, by engraving the statement "To All Places" or its equivalent in several dozen languages, setting a resin that has been ritually prepared with energies associated with movement, otherworldly passage, space and time, and exploits an associative property of these energies to easily open a doorway to the All-Halls. Nathan has underestimated the All-Hallways, however, and does not realize just how confusing and disorienting of a realm it is.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>Nathan enters the now-open passage to the realm and attempts to find his way to a door that leads into a hotel, somewhere, but the shifting halls and rooms over the next half-hour unsettle him. He attempts to find his way back to his entrance, but the pathways have closed off. Panicking, he tries to find a doorway that might lead somewhere familiar and accidentally falls down a flight of stairs, spraining his ankle.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i>He decides to leave through the closest doorway he can find, and emerges from an closet in an abandoned home, on the other side of the city he calls home. Thankfully, the All-Halls have some small measure of co-spatiality with reality, meaning that you're not likely to find yourself across the planet or in completely alien worlds with just a short stroll through it. Nathan, thankfully, did not encounter any other visitors of the All-Hallways, nor any of the deeper anomalies of the place.</i></p><p style="text-align: left;">In the above example, Nathan clearly understands the useful mechanisms of the various energies he treats the resin with, and demonstrates a creative use of their properties and associations between the phrase he engraved and the result he desired and how to exploit that to achieve it, but he did not have sufficient knowledge of the All-Hallways to usefully exploit them as a travel medium. He didn't know how to <i>use</i> what he got.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">This is still an optimistic failure. If Nathan were to learn magical ways of finding directions to a goal, or found some way to influence or predict the nature of the shifting paths in the All-Halls, he could very easily render them into a useful medium.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Of course, not every failure is this much of a teaching moment. Some simply reach too far too soon, and find themselves at the mercy of forces they wished they understood better.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some Arcana interact in clearly detrimental ways. If two classes of spirits hate each other, would you <i>really</i> want to invoke them in the same ritual? Probably only if you have some way to keep them from knowing about each other. What about mutually destructive energies? Forces which prohibit certain effects? Entities which you overestimated your capacity to bind and command? <br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Next post should be a list of more in-depth Arcana, and some more examples! Everyone loves examples, right?<br /></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-42560240516277827732023-05-21T15:43:00.004-07:002023-05-21T15:55:05.830-07:00Some More Spirits<p> People seem to like spirits, so have some more. Only four this time though. More to come later.</p><p>Still for Kith and Kin, though they can be adapted for elsewhere. At some point I want to make a system/setting that has a more Bartimaeus Sequence style of spirits, but for now I'm content with... Whatever you would call these.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Old Man of the Deep</h3><p style="text-align: left;">He is not a spirit often called upon, for his dominion lies far deeper than any since the First Wanderers have dived. The true Depths are his home, and he learns much from the alien things that dwell there, whispering wisdom of a realm not meant for us.</p><p style="text-align: left;">His complexion is a result of apparently being carved from basalt stone. Or at least his skin is textured and just as tough as such, though it flexes and deforms just as skin and flesh would. Blades appear incapable of piercing him.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Striding along the horizon, one would be forgiven for mistaking him for an oceanic stone tower-island, distorted by heatwaves, reflected sunlight and exhausted delirium. Perhaps it would be easier to believe he exists, if such things were not required to summon him. He stands so tall that even the mighty longboats made to traverse the oceans are just barely longer than his extended arm. His rages are known to toss such boats horizons off course, or send them careening into the cliffsides, reduced to naught but splinters.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He has no hair. Instead great suckered tentacles grow from his scalp and face, writhing with his movements. They give the impression of wild and unkempt hair, each tentacle only the width of a mans arm, that nevertheless remain untangled, flowing in wind that does not exist.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Such tentacles grow only from his head. On his body, it is the growth of algae and kelp that give the impression of either great masses of fur or hair, or green clothing of a strange variety. Like an immense wildman of the deep.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He is not alone.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The depths that he has claimed are his, and he must display his authority somehow. To this end he has forged a pact with an ancient being of the depths, which manifests as strange horns, or perhaps a crown, of coral growing from his scalp.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are as alive as he. You can see the giant (eye-sized) pale polyps dart in and out of their exoskeleton. They taste the currents, the air, the ether. They whisper things to him. He has gained a reputation as a seer. He knows that they might wish to manipulate him, though they seem individually simple, together they form a spirit far older than he is.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Invocations to him are scarce, but if successful he offers the wisdom of the deep. Be wary, however. This wisdom comes from a world built for beings much more ancient and vast than those that dwell upon the surface. The mind may be poisoned by such truths.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Effigy Receptacles</h3><p style="text-align: left;">They are people. All the spirits thus far have no origins among the mortal folk, at least none that can be truly said to relate to us. These are different. They have bodies. They have villages. They have children.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are dead.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sometimes one must not let death be the end of the transmission of wisdom, and so steps must be taken to ensure that knowledge otherwise lost can be retained. Or perhaps a people have need for folk who will never tire through mortal action, never want for food or drink, never fear death and who will need only to repair themselves before they can move again.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Alas, these folk have no such strengths. Though they need no food, drink or sleep, they were still mortal once. They still feel the cold eyes of The First To Die upon their backs. His hand upon their shoulder.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They must sleep. When they do they return to His land. It is by his will that they are allowed to exist in this state at all.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The ritual is intensive. Traditionally, the excarnated skeleton of the deceased is laid out, and used as a scaffold to build the new body. Skin is woven of fabrics, flesh of dead grasses or furs. Hair of threads, or ropes, or whatever else that they might find appropriate. The final piece, before the ritual, is a mask of some make. Ideally one that portrays the character of the one who is to be returned.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Eventually a body is completed, and The First To Die is invoked with but a whisper. Something must then die by sacrifice, often an animal captured for such, but sometimes some unlucky folk is taken and given instead.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The false body stirs.</p><p style="text-align: left;">At first their attachment to this new false life is tenuous. They must be allowed to slake their thirst and hunger with the sacrifice, letting the fading life be captured by their receptacle to fuel their new existence. If the returned is not willing to, then it is here were things may first go wrong.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Perhaps once they were allowed to live among the living, but it has long been known that such things invite envy. The Returned envies the life of those who still live, those who live envy the robustness of the returned. All manner of tragedies and abominations have been unleashed, the actions leading to such things stoked by such feelings.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And so they live separately. In sacred places, or villages carefully and lovingly made for and by them, where they may converse with others like them and exist in comfort. Where they may act as if they live. They may visit their living Kith and Kin, but must not live alongside them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Yet perhaps they need not act. Upon and within their bodies life stirs. Upon the brows of some, within their chests, within their skulls. Seeds sprout, flowers blossom, and the flaws with their new existence seem to give way to entirely novel experiences. The First To Die begins to call them less and less, begins to treat them like the living guests, and not like the resident dead.</p><p style="text-align: left;">What they are to become, none can say for certain. Death begets Life, just as Life begets Death.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hearth-Heads</h3><p style="text-align: left;">An elderly humanoid, often seemingly woven from still living wood, with hair (and sometimes fur) of moss and standing anywhere from a hands breadth tall to a height that makes their heads scrape the ceiling. Their name comes from the statues carved for their inhabitation, a wooden head depicting the head of the particular spirit inhabiting the home.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are newer spirits, relatively speaking. Still ancient beyond comprehension to the mortals, but they only emerged with the first cultures that drew a distinction between "Home" and "Wilderness." They exist along this boundary, dwelling within the Proximal Space of the Home, yet carrying the Distal nature of the Wilderness with them. They are only one of many spirits of their sort, of course, and most common in the western regions of the northern continent.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Manners are important to them, but they are understanding and will explain the rules with an often off-putting intensity. Like a child explaining their current obsession. Hospitality is their main dominion and so they will respect guests to the homes they reside in, and expect to be respected in turn. Offending them is easy, but they are often willing to explain the nature of the offense, and are quick to forgive if action is taken to remedy it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Depending upon the local culture, ownership of the home falls either to the current residents or the attendant heart spirit. In the former case, the Hearth-Heads may seem more frustrated. They feel as if the home belongs to them, but are unwilling to go against the local customs. Like many (though not all) spirits, they are beings of rules, following the conventions of society more than the conventions of physics.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Summoning them is relatively easy, though more difficult outside of the lands they typically reside. Carve a representation of their head, allowing your instincts to guide the creation of the details of the object. The final touch is, of course, placing it in an appropriate spot of respect in a home. They may deny the invitation if they suspect trickery.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The benefits are more domestic than some may wish. As a guest, they will aid with the cleaning of the home, but only when none within the home may witness them doing so. They cannot always tell if someone is asleep, of course, so some may catch them by surprise.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Particularly respectful or kind homes may receive gifts, though they may seem like mere toys at a careless glance. These gifts often have spiritual properties, which may become apparent with time (or with sufficient insight into such matters). Discarding them is a grave offense, of course, but gifting them to another is far from such, and may even win greater favor from them.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The First To Die</h3><p style="text-align: left;">He was born to rule the world.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It was his birthright, as the first being to be born. Alas, there was no world to rule, so he gave his life in sacrifice. From his body, the world and its inhabitants were forged.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As the first to die, he went where all who perish go. There. The Hereafter. Or perhaps it did not exist before he perished. Before him nothing had died, so perhaps he impressed his divine mind upon the fabric of the All and forged another world from his very spirit.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And so that world is his by deathright.</p><p style="text-align: left;">He stands thrice as tall as any observer, with great black vulture wings each thrice as long as he is tall. An immense Crown of Horns emerges from his crown and scalp. He wears nothing but a simple wrap-around skirt, or loincloth, for modesty. He is at once beautiful and horrifying. An Androgyne of unsurpassed beauty and vitality, and a ragged rotten corpse empty of all, and a mummified prince of the highest authority, and a sheer incomprehensible shadow over all of creation, and all the memories of all that have ever died and will ever die acting as one.</p><p style="text-align: left;">All at once. It is utterly maddening to be in his presence without some form of coping mechanism. He is no mere "greater spirit" but a fact of the world. A facet of the incomprehensible entity that is Everything. The stories presented thus far are merely one cultures understanding of what he is. He may manifest in other, stranger, or more familiar ways. Paradoxically all at once, oftentimes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Those who die venture forth into his realm, his kingdom. Slowly they grow closer to him. Eventually, they are indistinguishable from him.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And then, they are reborn. He is no jailer. A King, certainly, but not a tyrant.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Those who remain in his kingdom longer than most are often those cursed beyond death, who escape to wander the living world at the first opportunity. Such beings are the origin of the Blood Drinkers, the Flesh Eaters, the Ghosts and more.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Not all who remain in his kingdom beyond death for long are cursed or afraid. Some remain to guide the next generations, staving off their rejuvenating metempsychosis for their sake.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The First To Die allows it, and so it may happen. It is unknown if he can truly be resisted, or if his factual nature is more akin to the flow of a river, that one can go against... Or perhaps sidestep completely?</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-80245282079517865502023-04-29T20:08:00.001-07:002023-04-29T20:08:27.902-07:00Some Sapient Aliens<p> The Flourishing Void is my own take on "optimistic sci fi." I'm going for mostly hard sci fi with a few "big lies." Maybe I'll make a post about that sooner or later.</p><p>These are basically citizens of the Galactic Community, with some effort you can sort of squeeze yourself into the right mental states to understand their own instincts and point of view, and they can for you. There's aliens that are <i>much</i> weirder than this, but this post is long enough as it is.</p><p>For all of these I have yet to put significant thought into the actual biochemistry of them, though that's definitely something I plan to do in the future. So expect possible changes to any references to fun biochemical weirdness. Crustaceomorphs are kinda the exception cuz its part of their thing that they're biochemically compatible with earths biosphere, in a case of sheer cosmic coincidence.</p><p>Also included is their perception of humans, explored through some metaphor.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMnnPpS42IONAN-pzW7zigTWD9Tzseg3ZsHquDwYg_VRoE_NUxunIr58dyrzBtyMoe_badarSFGfu4qERXevLgZb-plc8fhii_qdhjG3OEWMPW6sL_5jmRdXr6jzUkbHu16vBld3bxoirVvipbqJJwuDil3kTFUOO5ewEkgaUEjTWlGYkE-yIk1-P/s800/chuul.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="800" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguMnnPpS42IONAN-pzW7zigTWD9Tzseg3ZsHquDwYg_VRoE_NUxunIr58dyrzBtyMoe_badarSFGfu4qERXevLgZb-plc8fhii_qdhjG3OEWMPW6sL_5jmRdXr6jzUkbHu16vBld3bxoirVvipbqJJwuDil3kTFUOO5ewEkgaUEjTWlGYkE-yIk1-P/s320/chuul.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Chuuls from D&D look like scrawny, monochromatic<br />Crustaceomorphs with too few limbs.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>1. Crustaceomorphs</b></h3><p>Nicknamed "humanities twin" despite their considerable number of differences. This is because they were the first higher lifeforms humanity actually managed to contact, and due to sheer cosmic coincidence were at essentially around the same capabilities, technology-wise. Further similarities exist. They essentially filled the niche of "social troop-forming organisms descended from tree-analog dwellers" leading to similar baseline instincts. Shockingly the majority of their biospheres biochemistry is actually compatible with earths, though "cross-contamination" is still of little concern due to subtle differences that mostly impact pathogen development.</p><p>The cooperation between both Homo Sapiens and Crustaceomorphs was swift following first contact. While both were willing to cooperate and communicate, they did not have any way to know if other species would. Though these fears proved to be mostly unfounded, this initial goodwill proved well-placed for both species, as most polities involving one almost inevitably involve the other in the modern day.</p><p>While cultural details could continue from here, there is only limited space on the internet to put entries, and the Crustaceomorphs have a cultural landscape every bit as rich and diverse as humanities and all other species in this list, and yet completely distinct from them.</p><p>Physiologically they are quadrupedal, possessing two additional limbs for fine manipulation, and two more "pincer" limbs for when force and strength are necessary. The "head" structure contains sensory organs, including a number of "feelers" that engage in somatosensory and chemoreceptive roles. Their exoskeleton consists of several layers, the outermost being formed of chitin and the inner layers giving way to calcified tissues akin to human bone. Internal musculature is ring-shaped, and can both push and pull with the same muscular structures, leading to an organism overall more robust and strong than their human companions.</p><p><b>Perception of Humans:</b> Soft, fragile, weak and impossibly graceful. Like a person between molts, but even more so. Faster too, though stamina falls within normal range. They are singing by default, when they try to speak your language (what of it they can speak) it sounds painful for them, though they try so very hard. They seem like they should fall over the moment they try to move, and for a moment you think they are falling and your hearts skip a beat, but then they land perfectly and are already on to the next fall.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlZ3wkJ62alVB-0VZGDvDcK8vkXtff9NcVdfGhB20zeumsoihYnAPdbN2DgSWKhIs4jhB0iY6swSzRzoksE_kYGozWzkqoDgikjRneh8v1ct68JYWwhNgUJ9z1OmimLNnetYt3WUHWEr8-U6Zx1P-f6OvAQUf0kdjyhYJ7XtlS5G2RxSmoxUl7KZG/s1920/Scotoplanes_globosa_and_crab.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlZ3wkJ62alVB-0VZGDvDcK8vkXtff9NcVdfGhB20zeumsoihYnAPdbN2DgSWKhIs4jhB0iY6swSzRzoksE_kYGozWzkqoDgikjRneh8v1ct68JYWwhNgUJ9z1OmimLNnetYt3WUHWEr8-U6Zx1P-f6OvAQUf0kdjyhYJ7XtlS5G2RxSmoxUl7KZG/w400-h225/Scotoplanes_globosa_and_crab.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Anosteous Sapiens are like if Sea pigs were also elephants, snails and trees. </span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>2. Anosteous Sapiens</b></h3><p>At first glance the name "wise boneless ones" brings to mind organisms like the Octopus or Slug, but incredibly intelligent, a staple trope of Sci Fi. The Anosteous Sapiens, however, are far less "amorphous" and "wet" than these organisms, as tough structures within their biology are formed via cells that possess analogs to "cell walls" rather than via typical biomineralization. This is a feature of many ambulatory organisms of their biosphere, as for a significant portion of its early history, typical minerals useful for the biomineralization process were nearly totally absent from the biosphere, only entering during subsequent collisions with minor celestial bodies.</p><p>This means that most hard tissues in their body are actually composed of cellular structures. An example consequence of this is most organisms are able to regrow and/or heal teeth and claw analogs without worrying about needing to regularly "file them down" so to speak.</p><p>Physiologically, they resemble something akin to a three meter long, meter tall opaque and skeleton-bearing analog to the "sea pig", possessing a large cephalothorax as their primary bodily mass, with ten blunt "legs" for movement. Internal musculature allows them to move fairly swiftly for their size, but still slower than a more gracile organism would be capable of.</p><p>Eight sensory tendrils closer to the top of the head, resembling eyestalks of snails but including chemoreceptive and audio receptive organs, allow them to percieve a 360 field of view and lend themselves to audio-spatial sensing as well. Twelve manipulator tendrils tipped with a dexterous "cup" akin to the trunks of proboscideans, line the "mouth" of the organism. Finally, four radula are are contained within the "mouth" for grinding and processing food. The numbers provided only reflect an average, as approximately ~30% of their population possesses an unusual number of these organs, and of these ~83% possess more than the standard number, seemingly a bias that was selected for historically.</p><p>Their niche could be described as "herd scavenger-grazers." Historically living in herds of hundreds to thousands, with a fairly clear competitive hierarchy, one would expect their societies to trend towards hierarchical despotism, and this does seem to be the case throughout history. However, modern Anosteous polities trend towards a more collectivist bias, forming large migratory communities. This has occurred following a relatively unstable period in their political landscapes, which led to a disillusionment with existing structures.</p><p><b>Perception of Humans:</b> Like if a small and thin tree with too few branches was a person, faster than you, and moved around by acrobatics all the time. Weirdly inflexible digits on the upper manipulator limbs, and a weird inflexible orifice for feeding. Restless, like someone high on a stimulant. Their eyes flick around like they can't focus on one thing at a time, like to get the full picture of what's going on they need small snapshots every few seconds. Their voices are choppy, though some of their languages are a bit more (or less) so. This makes them seem almost like they're constantly ending their statement, and then beginning it again. Despite this they're just as thoughtful as anyone else, they see their experience as seamless and it gives interesting insights.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWHSlrUxBEIZqe3OAwM-r_DG0k2Vh2B0P_g6rMMpoC0QHo486d1rYA1tmwo45pYs25zc7CLcKJigoM1ApHLdTLLqqoZHrPoI9kg8gs33V21JWb2PgFUbErNg3vYjQFlpM00LyWELm64dc2EJ8VuMCTRttJKyTVNP-PWd6P6Ye3HDEXVJ4qhZ3TQnE/s1280/Coral_Outcrop_Flynn_Reef.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigWHSlrUxBEIZqe3OAwM-r_DG0k2Vh2B0P_g6rMMpoC0QHo486d1rYA1tmwo45pYs25zc7CLcKJigoM1ApHLdTLLqqoZHrPoI9kg8gs33V21JWb2PgFUbErNg3vYjQFlpM00LyWELm64dc2EJ8VuMCTRttJKyTVNP-PWd6P6Ye3HDEXVJ4qhZ3TQnE/w400-h300/Coral_Outcrop_Flynn_Reef.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Coral Hives are called that for a reason. Much of their population is sessile support structures<br />that look a bit like corals or barnacles. Mobile workers vary in appearance too.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>3. Coral Hives</b></h3><p>Eusocial organisms with a complex life cycle, consisting of sessile and mobile morphs and colonies that differentiate based on chemical and genetic signals, as well as possessing eusocial caste differentiation. One of the most alien species that still acts as standard citizens of the Galactic Community, though the vast majority of their species is not sapient.</p><p>The sheer complexity of their life cycle is astounding, but the basic "larval" form is a radially symmetrical organism with a central "lobe" of sorts, the whole organism being roughly a fingernail in size, though eventually reaching up to a fist in size. Bilateral symmetry is sometimes introduced later, in addition to greater sizes depending on the caste.</p><p>The typical "Citizen" of this species is one of the sessile "Queen" morphs and their support-colony, ironically acting as both a controller <i>and</i> a reproductive caste, in contradiction to the standard earthly eusocial norms. Per Galactic Community standards, the non-sapient members of the hive, as well as its sessile structure, are considered extensions of the Queen, and extracting them from this is seen as morally equivalent to extracting a brain and placing it in a support structure bereft of the ability to manipulate the environment.</p><p>The "Queens" resemble a half meter tall "barnacle" of sorts, with feeding and reproductive orifices dotting the base, and a series of sensory and command structures extending from the top, like a tree of sorts. These "topmost" structures are modified limbs and sensory structures, the process of metamorphosis is quite extensive.</p><p>Queens command drones via pheromones, electroreception, photon and sonic signals, and may have other means as well. The sheer complexity of their communication and life cycle, as previously mentioned, has led to many theories regarding the "Coral Hives", further spurred on by the extensive ruins in the regions near the center of their space, including their own home-world. Some of these theories include that they are of artificial origin, though evidence of this is sparse to nonexistent.</p><p>Coral Hive culture is exotic, even by the rather broad standards of the modern day. To them, other species seem as if they are hyper-developed sub-units that have grown into fully fledged people, so the feeling is somewhat mutual. Though not a common sight by any stretch (their "nomad" population consists of a bafflingly small few hundred billion), they remain a staunch member of the Galactic Community, their "nomad" population often serving as valuable members of a crew, their hives being able to use their smaller units to get into very small spaces for repair and surveillance. Their more habitat and planet bound populations often aid with construction and repair in a similar capacity.</p><p><b>Perception of Humans:</b> An entire species of disabled queens, who all act as each others workers and create technology to act as prosthetics. They are so bereft of basic capabilities that they need entire prosthetic clonal worker complexes (buildings and vehicles) to do basic tasks. They are almost insensate, struggle to make even the most basic concepts understandable to each other, lacking every capability that a worker morph could provide. And yet they work together in ways that we struggle to. Each one of them is a queen and a worker of each other. We could learn something from that.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7gKETt9HHNuLTxT0j5iTE9igXuRovSEBQfVaWHAo_tty1nvt3jIFa4Ymiym-ANtcLXJEbKiNXeTHqf3iHlMT03EdRwJ4pYaCzgcxF_qOiA9QYGUcI4qUjYfGVIAzkj4nGth1nikU8rgfoz7GQMQza-Ol9gRMMTHpOQWE5lw72Cu-_7UntHOz539/s2400/cstlandscape_full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="2000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk7gKETt9HHNuLTxT0j5iTE9igXuRovSEBQfVaWHAo_tty1nvt3jIFa4Ymiym-ANtcLXJEbKiNXeTHqf3iHlMT03EdRwJ4pYaCzgcxF_qOiA9QYGUcI4qUjYfGVIAzkj4nGth1nikU8rgfoz7GQMQza-Ol9gRMMTHpOQWE5lw72Cu-_7UntHOz539/w334-h400/cstlandscape_full.jpg" width="334" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Vitaegel anatomy is biochemistry. Its kinda like this, but uses<br />different shapes, because its not earthly life. <a href="https://www.digizyme.com/cst_landscapes.html" target="_blank">Source</a>.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>4. Vitaegel</b></h3><p>Multicellular life is not the only path towards complexity and, ultimately, awareness. Some life takes a different path. Slime Molds on earth are an amalgamation of countless individual amoebic organisms that have merged into one enormous cell for the purposes of movement, nutrient acquisition and overall protection.</p><p>The Vitaegel are similar, though distinct in a great number of ways. For one, they are not the merged forms of amoebic lifeforms, but rather similar to multicellular life in the sense that they reproduce, gestate and develop complexity in similar fashions.</p><p>The basic structure of the Vitaegel is a gelatinous substance, fluids contained in networks of complex chemical chains. Suspended within this gel are organelles of varying size and complexity, by default distributed throughout the organism. This includes stores of genetic information. The entire structure is often enclosed by a tough outer membrane and threaded with a complex immune system. They vary in shape more than humans vary in skin tone, eye color and hair color combinations, leading to their alternative name: Polymorphs. This is also due to their ability to redistribute organelle distribution and directly command very baseline levels of their biochemistry.</p><p>Evolutionarily, the planet Vitaegel are native to is unusual. Multicellular life seems to have been repeatedly out-competed by more bizarre alternatives. In fact its unclear if Vitaegel are even a distinct <i>species</i> when compared to the flora and fauna of their homeworld.</p><p>The "brains" of Vitaegel are organelle complexes that utilize altered genetic material as a medium to store information. These complexes consist of several layers, the outer sphere being simply to isolate the sensitive structures, the middle membranes are responsible for much of the complex activity around producing, manipulating and packaging and ultimately transmitting the gene-synapses, and the central structure itself. This central structure consists of the aforementioned former genetic material.</p><p>Communication is achieved via packaging these "genetic" structures in a packet of sorts, redundantly so as to avoid the potential for miscommunication, and then physically exchanging it with another. In some sense, talking is mating to the Vitaegel, as they can use the communicated information to make alterations to their biochemistry.</p><p>Vitaegel were actually contacted prior to achieving spaceflight, due to a series of mishaps leading to the realization that their planet was inhabited. They have rapidly become a fixture of much of the local galactic community, their adaptability and reproductive rate is beyond compare after all.</p><p><b>Perception of Humans:</b> Weirdly inflexible clonal colonies of extraordinarily specialized individual lifeforms. Thoughts do not arise normally, instead arising from the simple communication of billions of individual lifeforms. They communicate abstractly, using wave-patterns of various kinds to make information known. The concepts communicated are simple, but act as "keys" to complex abstract objects. Essentially just another alien. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzouyUaZrQR2yJMuOnO93y7WQs4Mi1DCe2eZNqq0PACGdr6G6t79ny75wsUXC1c6PBx_7-SRVCj8ymZOYE6055cDFZ9LvVNZ7fpLcEFvRDb2zPiC7GgucRZbLm_QlEBgj1ztEVIYjVrZ--qtaS8_0AqJc5R9tb-Ll_NFPpNpdEve26qxoabnLvxAN/s800/Lava_Aa_large.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzouyUaZrQR2yJMuOnO93y7WQs4Mi1DCe2eZNqq0PACGdr6G6t79ny75wsUXC1c6PBx_7-SRVCj8ymZOYE6055cDFZ9LvVNZ7fpLcEFvRDb2zPiC7GgucRZbLm_QlEBgj1ztEVIYjVrZ--qtaS8_0AqJc5R9tb-Ll_NFPpNpdEve26qxoabnLvxAN/w400-h250/Lava_Aa_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pictured: Intolerably cold conditions for a Lithomorphic lifeform.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;"><b>5. Lithomorph-48</b></h3><p>Deep in the mantle and outer core of terrestrial worlds, it is possible for obscure chemistries to take place. The variety of these that can occur is beyond the ability of any one person to list, but the most relevant are the complex irregular crystalline structures that form in particularly chemically diverse worlds.</p><p>These crystals, at the basic level, can perform specific processes. They are naturally occurring machines, powered by local heat gradients, exotic chemical reactions, kinetic energy and electromagnetic phenomena generated by the planetary core. These machines, in many places, have formed dense clusters which eventually achieved homeostasis, and self-replication. Cellular life of sorts. Abiogenesis, in a completely alien environment.</p><p>Life has many challenges as it reaches to the stars, if it ever seeks to. It must ensure that its units survive in the hostile environment of space. It must ensure that they can resist the gravitational pull of the celestial body they develop on. It must ensure that they do not perish in the return trip.</p><p>Though equally (perhaps more) common than carbon-based life, lithomorphic life has many many more challenges. The heat and pressure requirements for them to survive are extraordinary, the alloys required to maintain such things are exotic even by their own standards. All of this, and they must have the desire to reach for the stars, and some way to get through the tough, cold upper mantle and life-consuming cold of the crust.</p><p>Lithomorph-48 won the cosmic lottery in this regard. Their proximity to their star scoured the atmosphere of their planet and rendered its surface molten. The regular solar flares deposited enough materials to maintain the planets mass, even as it might have otherwise very slowly fallen apart under the intense conditions. This contributed to a regular influx of exotic elements deposited at the surface, encouraging experimentation.</p><p>Physiologically, it is difficult to describe Lithomorph-48. Their shape might not be too out of place in an oceanic abyss, a meter long "trunk" that branches into multiple "arms" on one end, with a "bell" of sorts for moving through their medium. Their technology is mostly their equivalent of "biotechnology", taking advantage of their naturally evolved chemically flexible "glands" to grow technologies that aid them. These "glands" seem to have originated as a number of individual synthesis zones for the rapid production of important biochemicals that were favored as they slowly underwent a progressive development.</p><p>Early Lithomorph-48 space programs involved chemically induced and focused "supervolcanic eruptions" that launched strange ships into the void. These ships were composed of extremely dense and heat-retaining metal alloys and metamaterials, a requirement for them to even consider going to space. These bizarre contraptions (that would resemble a jet-black chrysalis of some monstrous butterfly to a human observer) kept their interiors within acceptable temperature and pressure ranges, though the residing lithomorphs had to enter their "slow" state to do so. Modern ships resemble these older ones, but the material composition is far more exotic, far more efficient and propulsion is achieved via reactionless drives (as is standard).</p><p>Settling and terraforming planets is rare in the Flourishing Void. Life-supporting planets are usually observed from afar, or closely in a controlled manner when more exacting science is desired/required. In the rare cases where a planet is settled (usually a lifeless one with surface or sub-surface habitats) then Lithomorph-48 volunteers will often begin to settle its deep interior, working with the surface world in symbiosis.</p><p><b>Perception of Humans:</b> Extremophiles of the highest order, living far beyond where all life should be rendered impossible, composed of strange chemistries that can only operate at all-consuming life-obliterating cold. Not even twice the total length and volume of one of us, but over ten times as diffuse. Their senses turn to the void and they can impossibly percieve other celestial bodies, other stars, without instruments of interpretation. If they entered our habitats, they would collapse into only so much exotic chemistry. They are strange, delicate, diffuse, alien and beautiful, drifting at the edge of possibility.</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-18668931938781818672023-04-15T13:52:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:57:44.129-07:00Four Settings<p> Some stuff I've thrown together. Just some summaries.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uWbwhBsniFwJAdWzdql7Scf0jiuFBcZj9FF6aiHtoFlrUkJ9VH4tk7xVJplIud94fA0CPo6rCDGXHMJ_eeexhh0gbrod0yrNFmKqLRyoTg84w--scJBuVPJA7klPb2YLNVSe9LOhZURTfELqpLDUPVS7ItNO9P9bYoJ94TUATFQYTMNHpWJs4p5a/s750/Human_Species_Ettore_Mazza.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7uWbwhBsniFwJAdWzdql7Scf0jiuFBcZj9FF6aiHtoFlrUkJ9VH4tk7xVJplIud94fA0CPo6rCDGXHMJ_eeexhh0gbrod0yrNFmKqLRyoTg84w--scJBuVPJA7klPb2YLNVSe9LOhZURTfELqpLDUPVS7ItNO9P9bYoJ94TUATFQYTMNHpWJs4p5a/s320/Human_Species_Ettore_Mazza.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Human Species, By Ettore Mazza</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>1. Kith and Kin</b></p><p>Most common one I've posted about thus far. A stone age/copper age/very eary bronze age survival ttrpg. The focus is most often survival, but Kith and Kin is a personal setting with a lot of my own ideas thrown in, so its got some strangeness in it.</p><p>"Races" are various species of human and sometimes other things. The setting is animistic and generally speaking the timeframe of "technology" is pushed up. Things are a bit anachronistic but instead of leaning into it for comedy I'm leaning into it to show how alien the world is. Its not Earth, but it should feel somewhat familiar.</p><p>Tone varies based on location. The main broad region is two continents that form a huge sea between them (just called the Northern and Southern continents right now) which sort of act as rough analogs to Eurasia and Africa (geographically at least, I've done very little in terms of making real world cultures part of Kith and Kin for a number of reasons I might go into later). There are also rumors of more distant lands. The Land of the Turtle is a rumored land, supposedly with just as much people and variation as the two continents thus far, and there's at least two more beyond that.</p><p>I've written quite a bit about it already.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojlGcb7W1nLx3Oo-nIqSNqBchKB1KmmWoGTtTG2HhOflg6ButZqXmpkce0iIvPIrWiW8y7FuaV0n11AYLQjZd6OQMvuiamYkQN4plDffoxCp6HHUWxXiFyH8fM34DAUQhUV_N9BHPtmqZw6SkH0NpGdp7qtLDRXp72hlxVAG3jTNxWqRcAL6HLs2h/s1350/Trevor_Henderson_Rest_Stop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1350" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojlGcb7W1nLx3Oo-nIqSNqBchKB1KmmWoGTtTG2HhOflg6ButZqXmpkce0iIvPIrWiW8y7FuaV0n11AYLQjZd6OQMvuiamYkQN4plDffoxCp6HHUWxXiFyH8fM34DAUQhUV_N9BHPtmqZw6SkH0NpGdp7qtLDRXp72hlxVAG3jTNxWqRcAL6HLs2h/w320-h400/Trevor_Henderson_Rest_Stop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Rest Stop, 4:36 am. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CmF44ObMUP3/" target="_blank">Source</a>.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>2. Hidden Worlds</b></p><p>Modern "new weird" and occult horror setting. Been a little bit underdeveloped for a while, but its essentially the real world with a lot of paranormal shit going on. People are at least vaguely aware of it but its about as distant to the average person as specific criminal organizations on another hemisphere are. This setting is less concerned with broad scale differences and more with the weird shit on a more personal level, though there is some broad scale differences regardless. Regardless this setting is best conveyed through lists of oddities, rather than descriptions of whatever broad scale stuff there is, so I'm going to save that for its own post.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>3. Upon The Deathless Corpse</b></p><p>A planet-sized alien "deity" has "died" but the remnants of its worshippers across many worlds, internal and external fauna, divine servants and so forth have lead to an ecology forming. Where decay holds the planet might seem almost like the real world, albeit with larger mushrooms, alien skies, and an abundance of alien fauna. Elsewhere its flesh yet lives and grows. In some places its growth has gone wild and given birth to monsters and demigods, like tumors born from its flesh.</p><p>Its divine animus is indestructible, so it must take new shapes, it incarnates in the things born from its corpse. This death is more a transmutation. Its divine psyche is also indestructible, but can be splintered and fragmented. This has given rise to an astral realm, a proto-afterlife, and strange spirits. Its divine will is also indestructible, and has led to the slowly forming new gods in its psyche and corpse.</p><p>In some sense its tragic, this god is dead, but in other senses its not dead at all. The gods of this world are born from its fragmenting will and psyche, and so remember being one with it. Maybe they are still one with it?</p><p>An alternative version has this as a whole <i>multiverse</i> that was a corpse, the corpse of some impossible meta-being. The cosmology forged from its deathless corpse. I like that version too so I'm mentioning it, but its not the main version. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxhmkMadBUuCTOE9t8VrbhuDXq_NRJ20EfIPFLMi2BljQCEgoWhwgkCi2fB0lzriyeMebezARxE4lhKRMmfxS9uMM35lz8DxBgsqfj-JlPCm6ipKlTbuj8tBZLPOqidAt6sYu5NOWEXHmCS_XDqHY5Gzq1UbXeMfcyX1bL7M49gHH6-YHJ0-vi8Kh/s1072/deep-fieldsmacs0723_web.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1072" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxhmkMadBUuCTOE9t8VrbhuDXq_NRJ20EfIPFLMi2BljQCEgoWhwgkCi2fB0lzriyeMebezARxE4lhKRMmfxS9uMM35lz8DxBgsqfj-JlPCm6ipKlTbuj8tBZLPOqidAt6sYu5NOWEXHmCS_XDqHY5Gzq1UbXeMfcyX1bL7M49gHH6-YHJ0-vi8Kh/s320/deep-fieldsmacs0723_web.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">James Webb Deep Field.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>4. The Flourishing Void</b></p><p>Semi-Utopian Sci Fi. Skerples <a href="https://coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2023/03/sci-fi-optimistic-setting-sketch.html" target="_blank">beat me to it</a> but I'm still gonna post about it because its been in the works for months by now. It began when I was watching star trek and thought "wow life is so common in this, but what if they were genuinely alien?"</p><p>The feeling its meant to convey is a sort of awe. Life on earth is complex. Animals are just one branch of the eukaryotes, and don't even show up in their own category on the cladogram that shows up on Wikipedia. And Eukaryotes are just one Domain of three (Eukaryota, Bacteria, Archaea). Life is fractally complex on earth. We only see so much at once but there are 2.16 million described animal species alone, and an estimated 7.77 million total. And this changes as new ones slowly split off and evolve.</p><p>Now imagine a cosmos where life is abundant from world to world. Not "more common" than lifeless worlds but common enough. Imagine the sheer diversity of each individual world, even primordial ones that have not yet had their "Cambrian Explosion" analog. Imagine each one just as intricate and complex as our own. Now remember that alternative biochemistries exist in this cosmos and try to imagine just how much more diversity that injects into it.</p><p>The closest and longest-standing allies to humans are Crustaceomorphs, a quadrupedal species with four manipulator limbs, two for dexterity and two for crushing strength. Through sheer cosmic coincidence their biosphere is roughly compatible with our own, biochemically, and they occupied a similar niche to humans in their history, leading to a bizarre familiarity between the two. Other aliens, even ones with minds radically distinct from our own, are also allies, or at least cordial and friendly. Many have learned that cooperative tactics, symbiosis and mutualism are pathways forwards, and so tend to adhere to these principles.</p><p>There are a few "big lies" in the setting that allow for some other weird stuff. Warp Drives work, forming a distortion of spacetime in front of and behind the star ship that uses them (these <i>might</i> work irl but they have some problems that need to be accounted for). Certain hyper-tensile materials exist, allowing for the construction of megastructures. Most populations live in Dyson swarms around lifeless suns. Psionics exists, but has specific scientific principles that I can lay out in another post ("Mind" has a field of its own, like electromagnetism, the Higgs field, Etc.)</p><p>Part of the inspiration also came from when I saw that the federation in star trek had 350 member worlds at its peak. Sorry, <i>what?</i> The milky way galaxy has 100-400 <i>billion</i> stars. So there's a sense of scale here that I want to convey as well.</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-19176928027970047922023-03-20T16:57:00.000-07:002023-03-20T16:57:14.394-07:00Kith and Kin: d12 Campaign Settings<p> Some settings in Kith and Kin. These are all survival-sandboxes, just with a different (likely changing) status quo for each one. Some are easier to survive in than others.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>1. Verdant Labyrinth</b></p><p>Life flourishes in the eternal rainforest, even the fires from the heavens or the monuments of great empires only scar it for a generation, before the Green closes in and reclaims what rightfully belongs to it. Tribes cautiously migrate among the tangle of life, for while the tangle feeds all equally, so too does it hide both hunter and hunted. They are not alone, as animal life surges with equal vitality to the green itself, and things far more alien dance on branches that should not hold their weight. Even the plants themselves can be dangerous, to those who lack knowledge. The berries of one tree may make a feast, while those of another may be filled with the most potent of poisons. Yet these are said to barely compare to the secrets hidden deep in the tangled green itself. Some of these hidden secrets are sure to still live, not a ruin swallowed by the rainforest, but a place in tandem with it.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>2. Along the Great River</b></p><p>For generations many tribes have called the savannahs home, the era has been one of peaceful stagnation. Now, however, some have settled along the great river, building monuments to their revered leaders and to spirits who's names you have never heard, and who's nature is different to those you are familiar with. <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2023/03/some-spirits.html" target="_blank">The spirit of the river</a> grows restless, and thus so do all other spirits along its bank. Soothsayers see fires on the futures horizon, but if they are the fires of a warm hearth, or of a great conflagration, none yet can say. The future remains unwritten, even as some prepare for conflict, and some prepare for new alliances.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3blMtV_5G-L9nFkaCC2dZnQmB7nQDIwPXXX3HMwuHxpfLLwK5aTI1SQzstH6hlYT27KGSa2jXI7fYO6xJlO5Z1zLAdZba-f6qgPhGRq8v2c1YmkdO6k1XWmhpW5PX4l2IST5Ue6S2unPzc5XUcepPe2Xta20pR4NfXhtoaVhYQotZCmYUYUZ4wHe/s1280/Ring_of_Brodgar_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3blMtV_5G-L9nFkaCC2dZnQmB7nQDIwPXXX3HMwuHxpfLLwK5aTI1SQzstH6hlYT27KGSa2jXI7fYO6xJlO5Z1zLAdZba-f6qgPhGRq8v2c1YmkdO6k1XWmhpW5PX4l2IST5Ue6S2unPzc5XUcepPe2Xta20pR4NfXhtoaVhYQotZCmYUYUZ4wHe/s320/Ring_of_Brodgar_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ring of Brodgar, Orkney</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>3. Valley of Megaliths</b></p><p>The stones were here before all others. Great matricies and concentric circles of immense megaliths, set into the earth to ensure their lasting stability. Many are etched with strange symbols and diagrams of a nature unknown. Their very presence seems to charge the valley with a spiritual presence. Who built them, none who still live can say. As new cultures establish themselves in this strange place, the spirits grow restless. Rumors and stories of strange figures with burning eyes, wearing cloaks as black as pitch, of man and beasts with with masks that depict the other and of things far far stranger still, emerging from hidden places deep within the earth, and wandering among the great megaliths. The entire valley holds its breath, waiting.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>4. The Archipelago</b></p><p>Humanity thrives, the islands and the sea grant bounty incomprehensible, but the spirits of the sea remain ineffable and inhuman. Each island, or small cluster of islands, holds but one tribe that lives by the grace of the islands spirit, the tribes patron. A comfortable situation, for most, as even an uncaring spirit may show kindness on a whim. But spirits that have been active for generations have grown silent, and spirits that have laid dormant for ages have begun to stir. Mountains that billow plumes of smoke and ash whisper prophecy, and things who's forms belong to no animal recognized by the islanders reach for the surface and invade the dreams of mortals. Few are unaffected, especially as strange groups have started to form, seeking to understand the mysteries of the deep.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>5. The Eternal Winter</b></p><p>Creeping ice and snow is all that is known to the tribes who dwell here. The night, temporarily held at bay by the soft rays of the sun, laughs with glee. The dead grow restless as the dark encroaches, and spirits darker still creep between the pines. The glacial spirits of the great mountains of ice hold their court with no concern for the brief flickering flames of mortal life. Food is scarce, even between the evergreens. But still the living endure, even as things that never should be named lurk just beyond the edge of the camps, eager to snatch away what scraps of life they find. When summer comes, there is brief respite as the latest of snow melts under the brief surge in the suns strength, but when the deep winter returns, the daylight is swallowed by midnight for an entire moon.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH99CqDPN3dQrwoNREZ-goD_jCvsHeoM9gdDioyurZNUruwZ6L-r-oGPAO5supF9TqFq6WAEfRdykhHAzZyw9nDA5tUSbuhWe8M6DrT9VwlxPuvab3a09xrZo82T1soE_2-K4X2viFw2gUppA_gzjIkP9dZNMdId4amWZlm1Gd9gHgR5hMCZi_sv5y/s1280/Thorn_Tree_Sossusvlei_Namib_Desert_Namibia_Luca_Galuzzi_2004a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH99CqDPN3dQrwoNREZ-goD_jCvsHeoM9gdDioyurZNUruwZ6L-r-oGPAO5supF9TqFq6WAEfRdykhHAzZyw9nDA5tUSbuhWe8M6DrT9VwlxPuvab3a09xrZo82T1soE_2-K4X2viFw2gUppA_gzjIkP9dZNMdId4amWZlm1Gd9gHgR5hMCZi_sv5y/s320/Thorn_Tree_Sossusvlei_Namib_Desert_Namibia_Luca_Galuzzi_2004a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Thorn Tree, In the Namib Desert</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>6. The Deserts Due</b></p><p>The Desert is a harsh land. Its shifting dunes and mirages confound even the keenest of senses. Yet even here, humanity endures. The hardy plants that grow here act as a source of nurturing water, their roots and berries filled with the essence necessary for life itself, and game is equally vital to the survival of those who dwell here. The great tribes that dwell here migrate between great oases, who's spirits favor may be the life or death of entire cultures. Yet even those who do not rely on the oases may survive. Spirits of illusion, flame and sand rush through the desert, and all pay their due to the great storm spirits, for when the rain comes the harsh scarcity of the desert is banished for a short time.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>7. Herders of the Steppes</b></p><p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammoth_steppe" target="_blank">mammoth steppes</a> are a testament to the vast power and scale of the great Mammoths, for their very presence forces the spirits to acquiesce to their will. While the mammoths are hunted occasionally, the cultures here prefer to herd smaller animals. Goats, Yak, Auroch and more. This has been for millennia, but strange times are always ahead. The spirits the herders so revere have begun to recognize the presence of a few mighty spirits, who's potency and scope are said to cover the whole of the steppe, and who's wisdom is said to elevate them yet further. This new paradigm has split the herders, some of whom differ to these new mighty spirits, some of whom wish to continue the elder ways. A few, however, turn to darker things, sorcerous arts to enslave spirits, either to field against the new paradigm, or for it.</p><p><br /></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7FekFBmh5w437Dkdfza64UB9KTwh-MkfqmsinDk9JOBJ5F6GkXRJV9V8cza2YfZvvJ-JuEST9KiqRylnjErSloZviS4xbDb7icey8oiWu3w9u0hGmPYc8wbNtE962I1l_-uVyJmpVcxy0_BKnugfJvi1SSTQFJ7GZtNtDIpzdVQaFaELlQsLyjdM/s1920/tianzishan_wulingyuan_zhangjiajie_2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1920" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga7FekFBmh5w437Dkdfza64UB9KTwh-MkfqmsinDk9JOBJ5F6GkXRJV9V8cza2YfZvvJ-JuEST9KiqRylnjErSloZviS4xbDb7icey8oiWu3w9u0hGmPYc8wbNtE962I1l_-uVyJmpVcxy0_BKnugfJvi1SSTQFJ7GZtNtDIpzdVQaFaELlQsLyjdM/w320-h160/tianzishan_wulingyuan_zhangjiajie_2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h1 class="firstHeading mw-first-heading" id="firstHeading" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; flex-grow: 1; font-family: "Linux Libertine", Georgia, Times, serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="mw-page-title-main"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China</span></span></h1></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>8. Sky-Spires of the Alchemists</b></p><p>Great spires of earth reach for the heavens and in the forests between them people make their lives. The peaks of these great mountains are reserved for the most sacred of shrines, wisest of mystics and the spirits themselves, for few others even survive the treacherous journey. Rope-bridges and ladders make the journeys easier, but the fear alone makes even these journeys harsh. In recent years, some trained by the mystics and who possess knowledge of the stones and herbs have taken to a novel path of study, refining and studying the physical and metaphysical properties of the substances of the world. The spirits aid and hinder this path equally, and the old authority is split. Does this new path equate with Sorcery? Or Mysticism? Or is it something entirely new?</p><p><br /></p><p><b>9. Endless Village of Stone</b></p><p>Where land meets sea at the mouth of a great river, the First City sprawls. Founded so many generations ago that none know its true origin anymore, it stretches from horizon to horizon and beyond, its great concentric walls divide it both from the outside, and the inside. The hundreds, potentially thousands, of spirits once of the land it now occupies, were granted shrines and temples to satisfy their need for a dwelling, and they have grown potent and strange off of the worship, sacrifices and environment of the city. The culture of the city is far different than you are used to, there are classes and inheritance and poverty, but so too is there strange hope and joys. Yet there are whispers of something beneath the city, that it was not the first to stand here, that the sewage system connects to deeper tunnels where things stranger than spirits dwell.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>10. The Sacred Delta</b></p><p>Of all the lands, this delta holds the most sacred substances known. A vast delta that becomes an even vaster wetland. There are dozens, perhaps hundreds of different entheogenic substances here, such that even some animal life is said to bestow visions when consumed. The great spirit of this place is not a passive occupant, like others. A many-headed serpent-crocodilian of venom and poison, who slays by simply severing the spirit from the flesh. Yet it is not an evil spirit, merely wild and protective. A necessary trait to have, for those from outside the delta sometimes seek to conquer it for its rich mystical bounty, wielding enchanted and metal weaponry, yet none have succeeded thus far.</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>11. Desolation</b></p><p>Mountains upon mountains, climbing high into the clouds. Lava flows and noxious fumes plume into the skies, and the rains carry the very hunger of the earthly spirits themselves, eating away at metal and flesh. This land is the most hostile to life of all mentioned thus far, its spirits are wild and uncaring for the living and even other spirits. Burning serpentine beasts wheel through the heavens and hungering beasts descend from the clouds of noxious fumes, riding the acidic rain itself. So few dwell here that some call it bereft of all folk. Yet there are pockets of life even here, clustered in caves and rock shelters, only daring to leave to hunt and forage when things are relatively calm.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>12. Islands Woven by Hand</b></p><p>In the open ocean, life is lived by boat or by island. The seas bring bounty that cannot be measured, but so to does it bring doom and hardship. Most of the open ocean live by the sails of their great ships, pausing briefly at islands and beseeching the spirits of wind and storm to aid them in their travel. Yet a new innovation has arisen. Certain sea plants can be forced to grow upon other structures, anchoring too them. It was first used by those nautical nomads, to cultivate food as they travel, supplementing their diets, stabilizing their ships (albeit slowing them down a fair bit), and acting as a lure for aquatic game. However, some island cultures have learned to use it to artificially expand their island homes, weaving vast nets of tough sea-plant anchored to cliff-faces, coral reefs and other tough shallow places. Thanks to this innovation, the population and power of these island-tribes has boomed. Yet the sea may not tolerate much more intrusion into its dominion, and though these floating villages are hardy and flexible, they have yet to become fully immune to the ravages of the great storms.</p><p><br /></p><p><b>Inspiration List</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Verdant Labyrinth is inspired by how some rainforests, if given the right infusion of soil-repairing nutrients, can transform a very deforested and lifeless zone into more rainforest in just a decade or two.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Along The Great River is basically proto-Egypt or proto-Mesopotamia. Any "river valley leads to sedentary culture" case really.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Valley of Megaliths is inspired by the various megalithic sites around the globe, and the notion of living among the remnants of a much older culture.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Archipelago is mostly inspired by, of all things, the How To Train Your Dragon books, but its mostly my invention. If it lines up with any real cultural stuff that'd be neat, but I kind of doubt it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Eternal Winter is basically circumpolar land meets a bunch of undead, dark spirits and ice-fairies.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Deserts Due is mostly just inspired by how desert forager cultures live, with little else. The spirit description is probably inspired by Djinni and similar concepts though.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Herders of the Steppes is inspired by some of the history around the Proto-Indo-European cultures, the idea being that this is before even <i>them</i>, the "Gods" are <i>new</i> in this one.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Sky-Spires of the Alchemists is inspired a little bit by Avatar: The Last Airbender (with mystics living on the top of spire-like mountains), but is mostly an excuse to have the emergence of Alchemy (neither "western" or "eastern", ideally an invented tradition) in this setting.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Endless village of stone pulls a bit from <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/2021/02/city-of-hundred-gods-part-110-city.html" target="_blank">City of A Hundred Gods</a>, but also from pretty much every other fantasy metropolis.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Sacred Delta is an old setting of mine (initially for <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/search/label/Pariah" target="_blank">Pariah</a>), and probably has <a href="http://elfmaidsandoctopi.blogspot.com/2020/01/a-lotus-for-all-seasons.html" target="_blank">these</a> floating in the rivers and wetlands (but more in line with pariahs <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/2020/07/entheogens.html" target="_blank">entheogen</a> format).</p><p style="text-align: left;">Desolation is inspired by "The Great Dying", the worst extinction event that has occurred thus far on earth, but also by the Siberian Traps, which are the result of the volcanic shit that caused it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Islands Woven By Hand is one of my favorites of these, but I think I need to write out a full post before I'm actually satisfied with it. The seaweed-net stuff is cool, but I think I'll need to go into detail about it before I'm fully fine with it. Inspiration-wise I'm unsure.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The places where its harder to survive have less "plot" going on since the likely focus is going to be "survive." Not that I wouldn't put some shifting status quo in the background...</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyways, I'll probably have more of these locked and loaded sooner or later. These being both settings and lists/tables like this.</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-41689578783306736602023-03-17T19:12:00.000-07:002023-03-17T19:12:14.503-07:00Some Spirits<p> System agnostic and/or FKR. Your pick. Even if I was making them for OSE, I wouldn't give them stats. Spirits aren't mortal, and you aren't going to be able to hit them hard enough to do anything permanent to them. You don't get that luxury.</p><p>(That isn't to say you can't physically punch a spirit. It might be possible, especially with those who have very material manifestations, but its not going to do much more than buy some time.)</p><p>CW for the "Skindog" entry. Body horror, mutilation, (both specifically around skin and eyes), desecration of the dead, and a fucked up fantasy disease (like hypothermia on sterioids).</p><p>The others are nicer I promise.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Great River Spirit</h3><p style="text-align: left;">It is the spirit of the river that fuels all life at its banks, and the savannahs beyond it. A serpent covered in green fur, or perhaps river-algae, nine paces wide and of a length that cannot be estimated. Some say it winds forever, slithering through both the material and immaterial worlds.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Around its head, the "fur" forms a great mane, like that of a lions, though green as the rest. It has the face of a human, androgynous and breathtakingly beautiful, though its ears are pointed, furred and swivel like those of a deer. A bulls horns sprout from its head, a crown one is truly born with. It opens its mouth and there are great fangs as long as scimitars, rows and rows and rows that seem to open to eternity. Its eyes are like great black pearls set into its face, with rings of glowing gold set in as irises.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Though its manifestation is great, it is not a showy spirit. It manifests infrequently, more often as a mere premonition. Ripples in the river that go against its flow, impossibly. A glimpse of its fur, the glint of gold in the silt. These glimpses are held by the wise ones to be signs of its favor, or its displeasure. Though most often it alternates between passive disinterest and cautious curiosity.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It is a spirit that comes and goes as it pleases. Only the truly mighty and skilled could ever hope to summon, bind or exorcise it. And even then, it likely would not stick...</p><p style="text-align: left;">To channel a fraction of its power grants one a measure of control over the currents and flooding of its river, and a degree of influence over any river one may encounter, as their spirits would instinctively recognize the favor of their kin.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It is said to be able to teach one the arts of the serpents, to strike empty handed and yet leave venom in your foes blood, to twist and flex in impossible ways, and to take upon the very form of a serpent, but if so it has not shared this secret in generations.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Mushwisps</h3><p style="text-align: left;">They dwell beneath the soil of forests of many kinds, though they favor those that grow the sacred mushrooms. They are spirits of connection, of mutualism and symbiosis, and so it is kindness and aid that can bring their favor.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Their appearance is preceded by the sprouting of sacred mushrooms, typically in circular, spiraled or networked patterns. This is a gift they give willingly and freely, as the mushrooms would have to sprout regardless.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They do not often manifest, but one can see them if they partake of the sacred substances. They look like glimmering cobwebs, dancing on winds that do not exist. The "cobwebs" flicker and glow with different colors, dancing between them all at once. Other sorts of spirits, unique or common, may dance among them, as they are an easy companion to make.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They often congregate in great numbers, for individually they are little more than a flicker of power. They are never alone, even when they are not congregating, and they will favor those that seek companionship and help, as well as those who give it, drawing them together.</p><p style="text-align: left;">All spirits are difficult to channel, but these ones require little in the way of convincing. However one cannot channel only one of them, and it is very difficult to convince only a few of them to, for they are reluctant to part individually.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If one succeeds, they find that they grow luckier in opportunities for mutualistic relationships, in forming relationships, and if they are learned in the Arts they will find that sympathetic magic gleefully springs to their fingertips. However, the host will come to find that perishables that remain in their presence for more than a day are prone to sprouting mushrooms. These will often be common ones, but occasionally rarer ones may emerge...</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Lunar Owls</h3><p style="text-align: left;">They are meddlers, and prefer to manifest, rather than simply observe. They are preceded by the sight of blood diffusing in waters that are illuminated by a full moon. This is a major component of rituals to summon them, which must be conducted under the full moon.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They sometimes simply take the form of an owl, albiet one in impossible shades and sizes. Like the owl, they fly silently and hunt with absolute precision, but this is not why they are summoned.</p><p style="text-align: left;">More often, they take a theriocephalic form. They appear as nude figures, of any gender or combination, albeit lacking genitalia and nipples. They have an owls head with eyes like the full moon, dextrous birds-feet with great talons for feet and hands, and either great wings with a wingspan of six times their considerable height, or a cloak of owl-feathers.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Their skin is extraordinarily smooth, like that of a baby, or like silk, and so pale as to almost be luminescent under the moonlight. This gives them their most common euphemism, "Ghost-Owls."</p><p style="text-align: left;">They deal in memories, blood and secrets, and they will exchange these with a subject. They are not hunters, despite their skill, they "partners" and "patrons." They will exchange much for blood, and when it is agreed to be given their beaks will open, and a long spiny tongue will emerge to swiftly swipe away their payment.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It is said that there are very few of these spirits who descend to the earth regularly. They are prideful and find the mortal world to be beneath their interest. Those that do offer arcane and sorcerous secrets in exchange for blood, but the blood required to learn such things is far to much for just one to bare. This concerns them little.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They can be warded with certain herbal smokes and ritual chants, protective circles, as well as by the coming of the dawn, and by lunar eclipse.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To channel their power, one must regularly offer blood. The source is irelevant, but they enjoy variety. Do this, and they will grant you their ability to see through illusions and lies, to move silently, and to move through the air impossibly. Please them especially well, or provide genuinely enthralling entertainment, and they may offer arcane secrets for very little or even no blood. However, to host their spirit is to take upon their thirst, and while normal food and drink will sustain you, nothing with match the rush of fresh blood.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Skindogs</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Conjured by sorcerers of a darker disposition, these spirits make a dangerous, though valuable, reperitore of servants. Native to the darker pits of the Lands of the Dead, these spirits coagulate from bloodshed, venom, defilement and hatred that persists beyond death.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Their unmanifest presence can be ascertained by the clotting of blood, the unforeseen worsening of the effects of venoms and poisons, and the nervousness of animal life, which will become quiet as they move through the world.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are horrifying when manifested. Imagine a dog that can walk upright as a man, imagine it can hold tools and weave delicately with its hands, imagine it stripped of all its skin, with its eyes left as pitch black pits in its skeletal face. Imagine it may laugh a pitched laugh and descend upon its victims with claws and fangs dripping with dark malice. Imagine what act must be performed to bring such a thing into this world.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Their claws and fangs are not venomous in the way a snakebite is. They carry a dark curse, rather than a physical venom. Victims will find themselves with a horrific fever, that slowly gives way to a dark chill. Unlike freezing to death, there is not the mercy of an eventual warmth as your body ceases to be able to recognize the cold. This curse will force the chill to grow impossibly deeper.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In the terminal stages, visions assail the victim. They can glimpse the world of the dead. Far more unfortunately, the Skindog will be able to track the victim so long as the curse exists in their veins.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Those unfortunate who fall victim to them will perish, but the Skindog may yet inhabit their corpse, driving it to further horrors. The spirit will tend to mutilate the body ritually, stripping away skin and eyes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are summoned by a defiling blood rite. A corpse must be ritually prepared, for the spirit to emerge from, and a bowl of blood must be mixed with a toxic substance of some kind. The resulting mixture must be poured over the body and its eyes and lips (at the very least) must be removed. If successful, the creature will inhabit the corpse, and may yet emerge from it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If channeled, they allow you to infuse your weapons, bites and magic with their accursed venom, though you will suffer from constant pain that you will never, <i>never</i> grow completely used to.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Binding it is a different matter. Exorcisms involve salts, healing herbs, spices and incense, all of which drive the spirit to a destructive fury, yet force that fury inward. Though not guaranteed to succeed (unless an impressive amount of each substance is used), the spirit will likely appear to tear itself apart from sheer rage. The spirit <i>has</i> in fact, died. However the spirit was already dead, and may yet be summoned again. Similar treatments can purge its curse from its victims, and must be done so before or after its death, for if the victim does die in the later stages the spirit can use them as a way back into the land of the living.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Thing That Fell</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Of all the spirits presented thus far, this one is most associated with a physical location.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As you approach it, the rainforest grows more and more tangled, and more and more active, until you are fighting against actively coiling vines and swaying trees to get through. They hold no malice, they do not even realize you are there. Cutting through will only cause them to grow more tangled, as they supernaturally burst with yet more vitality. Move with the plants, and you will find passing through a simple (though drawn out), process.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Eventually you will emerge from the tangle, into the crater itself. The plant life refuses to move or grow into the crater itself, forming a wall of sorts.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The crater is enormous. A kilometer wide and half a kilometer deep, and there at its heart, that which fell from the heavens.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Once you come within a quarter of a kilometer of the great thing, the sky will change. Regardless of the time, it will be lit as if it were twilight, and stars will be visible. Strange stars you have never seen, in colors that stars never are.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It will be like the night sky completely unblemished by light that would interfere with you seeing it, yet alien. No milky way, but spirals and networks and contorted globular formations. All alien. All beautiful.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Reading this sky may reveal many things, but this is beyond the scope of this post.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The object at its heart is impossible. A glossy black geometric object of uncountable and ever-shifting sides and vertices, etched with constantly shifting glyphs and sigils. It is ten meters wide, and when coming within tens of meters of it, reality will seem to become more fluid. You will find inconsistencies in how you percieve the earth beneath you, the rainforest beyond and even the dimensions of space and time. The sky will remain unchanged, and the fallen things position and properties will be unchanged. All else will seem inconsistent.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Making contact with the object will allow you to channel its power if you possess the necessary skill, otherwise you will fall into a trance and find yourself outside of the crater, having lost several hours of time. If you succeed it will grant you some strange property or ability which defies the rules of creation. What you gain is not consistent. Perhaps you can find faster ways between two places than a straight line, or perhaps you can impose a bit of its destabilizing nature on the world around you, or perhaps you learn the secret to some strange new form of sorcery.</p><p style="text-align: left;">When you dream, you will dream of the Fallen Thing and the alien sky. You will dream of strange places that you've never been. You will dream of other skies as well, all alien, many with objects you do not have names for. When your mind wanders, the sky will seem to warp into these alien skies.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Perhaps there are spirits you will find in these dreams, in these alien lands and skies.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If the Fallen Thing can act, it never does. If it can think, it shows no signs.</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-25045928758538766332023-01-01T08:26:00.002-08:002023-01-01T08:28:15.927-08:00The Books Were Wrong: Gnolls<p> Sort of a play report, I suppose.</p><p><a href="https://chivu.itch.io/the-books-were-wrong" target="_blank">The Books Were Wrong</a> is a "Sourcebook-Altering" game. Dan did a thing for it <a href="http://throneofsalt.blogspot.com/2021/10/play-report-books-were-wrong.html" target="_blank">here</a>, about Kobolds. Since its basically a game about empathetic fantasy anthropology, I think it was inevetable that I would do this at least once.</p><p>I choose Gnolls because their entries read like either the most heinous propaganda you've ever read, or like a report using only said heinous propaganda as sources.</p><p>Using the monster manual entry from 5e. Maybe I'll do the volos guide to monsters one later, but that ones long as shit. I'm still calling the author "Volo" out of spite though.</p><p>This can be said to be a part of my Kith and Kin setting, but but the only "canon" parts are the ones that don't contradict other things.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">On Gnolls</h2><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Gnolls are feral humanoids that attack settlements along the frontiers and borderlands of civilization without warning, slaughtering victims and devouring their flesh.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Volo states that Gnolls attack settlements on "frontiers" and "borderlands" which would be the most notable element of this opening, if the entire thing were not one of the most egregious examples of demonization that I have had the misfortune of encountering.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The culture Volo was part of was a particular Youngfolk culture native to the northern coasts of the southern continent. While several centuries prior to this document this culture had been relatively confined to these regions, it rapidly expanded through both violence and diplomacy, establishing a wide territory, which lasted until a few centuries ago, with a total "lifespan" of aproximately 500 years, give or take two or three centuries based on a few ambiguities of what constitues a direct successor-state.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Volo appears to be referring to Gnoll retaliation against forces which were encroaching on traditionally Gnoll-held savannahs and rainforests at the time, characterizing this retaliation as offensive, rather than defensive. While the aggressive expansionism would be more than enough to suspect this, consultation with Gnoll oral historians appears to confirm this, and provided insight into some unexpected elements of this document.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is characterized as "Feral" in this document, which is such an egregious example of dehumanization that I must conclude this document was intended as a propaganda peice to further galvanize military action.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Demonic Origin. The origin of the gnolls traces back to the time when the demon lord Yeenoghu found his way to the material plane and ran amok. Packs of ordinary hyenas followed in his wake, scavenging the demon lord's kills. Those hyenas were transformed into the first gnolls, parading after Yeenoghu until he was banished back to the Abyss. The Gnolls then scattered across the face of the world, a dire reminder of demonic power.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Appears to be a garbled version of a cosmogenic tale common to gnolls. While gnolls do possess distinct cultures, this tale appears to be common among the majority of the ones I had the pleasure of interacting with, though certain details differ. This is notable due to the distance these cultures had with each other (in some cases, essentially on opposing sides of the southern continent itself).</p><p style="text-align: left;">The most consistent features of the cosmogony that are relevant to this document is that some entity that embodies primordial instinct is loosed upon the world shortly following its creation, devours a vast amount of food, and then mates with itself to produce the first bands of Gnolls. The typical Gnoll conception of most divinities is that of neutral and impersonal forces which are responsible for the creation and persistence of coherent reality, which differs from the Imperial conception of divinity as "Ideological Paragons." Reverence for the spirits is seen as a direct way to empower and sustain these forces, which contrasts with the Imperial policy of binding, banishing or enslaving spirits that did not submit to them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">"Yeenoghu" appears to be a mangled mistranslation of a Hyena spirit reveared by some savannah gnolls, which was then conflated with this "Instinctual creator." Notably Volo uses this to characterize Gnolls as originating from <i>hyenas themselves</i> rather than addressing their status as one of the Kith, though admittedly I am unsure if Volo was aware they more closely resemble tall, bipedal baboons than Hyenas. I suspect he may have never left the central territories of the Imperium throughout his entire life.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Notably the Gnoll sources I consulted on my travels did not object to the idea of the cosmogenic entity being a "demon" as the morality of this entity is both nonexistent and irrelevant to Gnoll religion. It is revered, but mostly as an embodiment of instinct and animal wisdom, and frequently plays second fiddle to local spirits.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Nomadic Destroyers. Gnolls are dangerous
because they strike at random. They emerge from
the wilderness, plunder and slaughter, then move
elsewhere. They attack like a plague of locusts,
pillaging settlements and leaving little behind but razed
buildings, gnawed corpses, and befouled land. Gnolls
choose easy targets for their raids. Armored warriors
holed up in a fortified castle will survive a rampaging
gnoll horde unscathed, even as the towns, villages, and
farms that surround the castle are ablaze, their people
slaughtered and devoured.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">The majority of this appears to be complete fabrication. I can find no official Imperial sources or Gnoll histories of them "razing buildings, gnawing corpses and befouling land." Even the statement armored warriors holed up in fortifications is inaccurate, as if one was at war with a Gnoll band, they would most likely be more than capable of scaling fortifications.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This appears to be pure propaganda, characterizing Gnolls as slaughterers of civilians, which is immensely hypocritical of Volo as Imperial forces are well recorded as having targeted noncombatants for terror purposes, which Volo would be aware of if he were half as informed on military exploits as he claims to be. Of course, the propagandistic nature of this text means that it is likely that Volo was outright lying for political purposes.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Gnolls rarely build permanent structures or
craft anything of lasting value. They don't make
weapons or armor, but scavenge such items from the
corpses of their fallen victims, stringing ears, teeth,
scalps, and other trophies from their foes onto their
patchwork armor. </b></p><p style="text-align: left;">Verifiably untrue, even Imperial sources contemporanious to Volo mention fearing the bone-hewn spears and blades of Gnolls, and making mention of Gnoll encampments in locations clearly altered and shaped for maximum comfort and habitability. The trophy hunting is, however, attested by modern Gnoll practices, oral historians and imperial sources. Make no mistake, Gnolls are warriors, but the trophy hunting is seen as a way to honor ones enemy, and is a variation of the relic-keeping funerary rites common to both Gnolls and the Broadfolk of the north (though this appears to be coincidence). The Gnolls repelling imperial aggression at the time this document was written did engage in this practice, which suggests that they felt the need to honor their fallen enemies in death despite have every justification to simply leave them to rot.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Thirst for Blood. No goodness or compassion
resides in the heart of a gnoll. Like a demon, it lacks
anything resembling a conscience, and can't be taught
or coerced to put aside its destructive tendencies. The
gnolls' frenzied bloodlust makes them an enemy to all,
and when they lack a common foe, they fight among
themselves. Even the most savage [Wild-Folk] avoid allying
with gnolls.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b> </b>More propaganda. These are all verifiably untrue, and Gnoll bands frequently trade, ally, intermarry and share resources with Wild-Folk either native to the same area, or simply passing through. The rest is simply more demonization that doesn't even meet the minimum requirements for burden of proof to be necessary.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The culture of Gnolls is not a pacifist one, and does involve a degree of competition, but its to a similar degree that Imperial culture was, merely performed differently. The hypocrisy here is almost a tangible substance.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>The alpha of a gnoll pack is the pack lord, ruling by
might and cunning. A pack lord earns the best of a gnoll pack's spoils, food, valuable trinkets, and magic items. It
ornaments its body with brutal piercings and grotesque
trophies, dyeing its fur with demonic sigils, hoping
Yeenoghu will make it invulnerable.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">A mischaracterization of the leadership of a Gnoll band. The leader is typically one that is selected by the population of a band for being an exceptional leader, warrior or wise person. The ornamentation is not worth commenting on, and they tend to simply be in charge of distributing resources, rather than actually being in possession of them. While the position has been claimed by violence or underhanded methods and been abused in the past, the scale to which they can enact injustice is lower than that of imperial leadership, and comparable to other nomadic cultures that Volo was perfectly willing to sing the praises of.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The specificity of the last sentence leads me to believe he was mischaracterizing a specific wartime ritual, likely a form of reverence to a specific spirit or "god" in exchange for patronage. It is difficult to say for sure though, as despite the specificity of the ritual itself, Volo seems to be scant on details, though notably it does resemble a variation of the rites done before hunts in Gnoll culture. These rites are less in-depth than Volo describes, the fur is painted but with no "sigils." I believe the ritual described here to be a wartime variation, and thus more solemn and in-depth.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Gnolls celebrate their victories by performing demonic
rituals and making blood offerings to Yeenoghu.
Sometimes the demon lord rewards his worshipers
by allowing one of them to be possessed by a demonic
spirit. Marked as Yeenoghu's favorite, the lucky recipient
becomes a fang of Yeenoghu, the chosen of the Gnoll
Lord. In much the same way Yeenoghu created the
first gnolls, a hyena that feasts on a fang's slain foe
undergoes a horrible transformation, becoming a fullgrown adult gnoll. Depending on the number of hyenas
in a region, a fang of Yeenoghu can lead to a startling
increase in the gnoll population. Finding and killing the
fang is the only way to keep that population in check.</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">As standard for this document, Volo describes vaguely defined cultural practices as "demonic." The blood offerings comment is interesting, as it may describe a form of ritual sacrifice (animal or human, Gnolls are as variable as any other culture group) enacted in celebration of a victory. The most interesting element is the description of a Gnoll being possessed by a so called "demonic spirit." This seems to be a demonization of the traditional Gnoll spiritual practices in the area, where they would invite a spirit to temporarily inhabit their own body as a way to channel their power and wisdom. The descriptions of the rapidly increasing population and "keeping them in check" grimly conclude Volos views on the Gnolls.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Having previously established the creation myth Volo described as being essentially of his own invention (albiet taking minor features from Gnoll creation myths) the details about the supposed "Fang of Yeenoghu" being able to supernaturally increase the Gnoll population is likely a misunderstanding of fertility rites that Gnoll holy folk lead, being then framed in a way to justify supression of Gnoll culture, or ousting from their traditional lands.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">End Document</h2>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-82494966948681793822022-03-28T20:22:00.000-07:002022-03-28T20:22:00.291-07:00Sitovi Guild (Glog Class): The Undying<p>Congrats, you died, but you figured out how to survive anyways. People probably think you're nasty and more than a little bit cursed (if you're a carrier for diseases then they're arguably right) but the perks more than make up for it. Probably.</p><p><b id="docs-internal-guid-f582591c-7fff-cc7f-462e-31cefbd0368d" style="font-weight: normal;">This is a little bit incomplete, theres no list of prosthetics for example. When I make a list of those I'll either include them here or make another post.</b></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;">You may notice that the higher levels are a bit broken. They rely on a resource you need to take time to harvest, however, and if you're a greedy motherfucker who hoards all that life force then you deserve to be able to flip the table and punch the fucker giving you shit at least once.</b></p><p><b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>
First Level </li><ol><li>Undying: You cannot die from blood loss or feel pain. Or rather, you can feel pain but it's numbed. What kills you must be the “instant death” effects on the death and dismemberment table. Slow death effects will render you catatonic with pain (despite your normal immunities) for 1d12 hours before you recover (assuming you are not killed in the meantime). </li><li>Macabre Prosthesis: You get “Prosthetic Slots.” These are either designed or salvaged body parts. You can only have up to twice your undying level at once. However, you get “free” slots if you are missing body parts. Essentially, replacing a limb does not take up a slot, but adding them does. </li></ol><li>Second Level </li><ol><li>Undead: You are undead (though you were likely considered one already). This means that you no longer take damage from poisons or diseases (previously they could interfere with the channels of life energy in your body, or outright damage your cellular structure). You can still act as a “carrier” for these things, however, so be careful. Furthermore, you do not require food to survive, but may eat to recover hit points. Similarly, you do not require water or air to survive. </li><li>Revenant: When parrying, if you succeed you deal damage to the opponent equal to your undying level. You may choose to waive this for whatever reason. If you succeed you may optionally choose to take the damage anyways, in exchange for a free attack/gambit. </li></ol><li>Third Level </li><ol><li>Hungering: You may harvest life force. A corpse is always viable to harvest, but the total amount of life force you may extract is reduced by one die per day it has been dead. This may not apply in certain cases however (preservatives, or extremely difficult to kill entities). Life force dice are expended when used, but using too many at once can put a strain on your body. </li><li>Overcharge Prosthesis: You can expend life force to “overcharge” a prosthesis, the exact effects of which depend on the prosthesis in question and how many Life Force dice you spend. The maximum amount you can spend at once is equal to twice your undying level. </li></ol><li>Fourth Level </li><ol><li>A Third Way of Being: You now count as “alive” when it would be beneficial to you and “dead” when it would be beneficial to you. This means you can heal normally again, and retain the immunities of undeath. </li><li>Life Force Mastery: You may now spend life force dice to heal, or to attack others directly with it. When you spend the dice to heal, roll the dice you spent. Their Sum is how many hit points you heal. Damage works similarly, but you may split the sum between further attacks, or release them as a single ranged attack. </li></ol></ol>Prosthesis Format <div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Prosthetic: [Name/description] </li><li>Slot: [Where it goes, what it replaces. If it's not replacing a lost part, it takes up a prosthetic slot]</li><li>Ability: [What it does with no modification. Can be passive, active, or whatever.]</li><li>Overcharge: [What happens when you force life force through it.]</li></ul></div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-83277244750923592812021-12-21T00:42:00.001-08:002021-12-21T00:42:29.499-08:00Transing your Gender (But in the stone age)<p> Just having some fun with it. D12 table of stone-age ways to trans your gender. These will vary based on the culture and area, but there is generally no overwhelming transphobia, though modern terms might not apply to a few of these. Some of these will not address dysphoria, while others may <i>exclusively</i> address that.</p><p>If none of these fit with how your character desires to transition, other possibilities exist. In fact, what is possible outnumbers what is impossible Infinity to one.</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Socially transition. Nothing else is required, as there is no division of labor, ritual or role between genders or sexes here.</li><li>Deep in the stranger groves in the forests of the world lie herbs with mysterious and impossible (perhaps unique to that grove) effects. These areas are often guarded by spirits, but so long as you address them properly and do not take more than you need, you should be fine.</li><li>Sorcerers and Healers of every kind exist throughout the world. Speak to one, and they are certain to have at least one answer.</li><li>Why rely on some other Sorcerer for aid? Learn <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2021/12/sympathy-real-magic.html">magic</a> yourself and develop a ritual of your own. Such a ritual will only last [Sum]+[Dice] days, at least until you learn how to bind a permanent effect to a person. If you are only making subtle changes, these may be permanent, allowing for gradual attainment of your ideal.</li><li>While rare herbs can produce sudden and dramatic effects, a mixture of common herbs can produce a slower, but no less dramatic, change. It will take some time, experimentation and skill with herbalism, but with time boundaries can fade to nothing.</li><li>Spirits possess power that might be termed "magical" by those who do not understand. Whatever the case, a deal, a quest, a trial, a request or even the simple personal favor of a spirit can grant you what you seek.</li><li>Take upon the social role of that which you truly are. In time, your old role will be forgotten. If your desires transgress the boundaries, you may have to distance yourself from your old society, but you would not be the first. There are others like you out there.</li><li>Magical artifacts exist in the world, and are either formed by the hands of skilled sorcerers, the machinations of spirits or the natural processes of the world. You have heard stories of one that can grant you what you seek. Sifting the truth from the rumors may take some time, but will be worth it.</li><li>Tricksters and underdogs are valued by many Kin cultures. If you trick a malevolent spirit into "cursing" you with what you desire, you may not just receive what you want but be whispered about as something to aspire towards.</li><li>Journey deep into the, or a, spirit world and speak to <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/2021/06/how-to-stat-goddess.html">an intelligence of vast and indescribable potency</a>. A risky proposition, but such a request is as trivial as any other wish to them. You will require preparations and significant mystical skill (or someone willing to do so for you).</li><li>Request a new name from either your parents, grandparents, leaders or Mystics of your tribe. Refusal may be grounds for challenging them, depending on your culture.</li><li>Mutation. Probably the riskiest option here. Honestly you should just go on some quest rather than try to do this one.</li></ol><div>More are possible, I just can't think of any right now. Lmao.</div><p></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-45390381697556867042021-12-08T06:39:00.002-08:002021-12-08T06:39:38.461-08:00Sympathy: "Real" Magic<p> One of the details of my own game that I have changed from its inspiration is moving away from the idea that "All magic is a spirit" or "spells are alive."</p><p>That isn't to say those are a bad way to treat magic, it just doesn't quite fit with my game.</p><p>I was initially frustrated with how magic would work (both mechanically and in-universe) in Kith and Kin.</p><p>Then I found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCZVQ0kQn3A">this</a> video about "Sympathetic Magic." No need to watch it if you really don't want to, I'll summarize the points here.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYHWcqsGIY5qTwLQ5DDfBTfbgX6kjU7XiMmuB9hebtIZNCWJa1RoYfLLQ5KA14GAVDVgo-V7dBeuNbO6qMA74AxMveFxKIaB738b9C3YhEWBFdAFmIbDJCy7FFAKJTB0j2svr8HFZKZLJJxhDvN712kFC9ckS23rmJZ94mh2hsxzMbArLNKcalMEZx=s1280" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1280" height="228" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYHWcqsGIY5qTwLQ5DDfBTfbgX6kjU7XiMmuB9hebtIZNCWJa1RoYfLLQ5KA14GAVDVgo-V7dBeuNbO6qMA74AxMveFxKIaB738b9C3YhEWBFdAFmIbDJCy7FFAKJTB0j2svr8HFZKZLJJxhDvN712kFC9ckS23rmJZ94mh2hsxzMbArLNKcalMEZx=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">European "Poppets." Used to curse, communicate, heal, protect and more.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p style="text-align: left;"></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Principles Of Sympathy</h3><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;">There are more details to these, but the three main points of Sympathetic magic are as follows.</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Similarity:</b> That which is alike something else may act upon it at a distance. An effect will resemble its cause. </li><li><b>Contagion:</b> Things which have acted upon each other in the past continue to act upon each other from that point forward. A part of something can be used to affect the whole of it.</li><li><b>Relevance:</b> Concerning Contagion, the effectiveness of the magic is reliant upon the relevance, scale, intensity and frequency of the contact. Concerning Similarity, the effectiveness is reliant upon how similar the alike objects are.</li></ul><p>Combining the principles is not only possible, but frequently necessary.<br /></p><p></p>Magic takes the form of "Rituals" in my game, with physical and narrative components depending on the desired effect. A simple example would be using an effigy and a lock of hair to effect someone at a distance, and ritually destroying representations of eyes, to cast a blinding curse upon someone.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Mechanically though, how does this work?</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-tIu9-hetpKUgPvxlp-bfuvpU5mCne46oGdv57nidoFBi2qCiL8Lpj0wNGKYzUlTYxra8dj7jdWyAPIWZ6tL2uqe3PXA9hmWzTC4ITQaK3u2fD6R8lEUPLkgNzoRUvM1imiu5u_TE8QnqqA0yXXD1TvMKn7pE1TLTLNU-pblCusxDXYKR6yxGE5rC=s1920" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1920" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-tIu9-hetpKUgPvxlp-bfuvpU5mCne46oGdv57nidoFBi2qCiL8Lpj0wNGKYzUlTYxra8dj7jdWyAPIWZ6tL2uqe3PXA9hmWzTC4ITQaK3u2fD6R8lEUPLkgNzoRUvM1imiu5u_TE8QnqqA0yXXD1TvMKn7pE1TLTLNU-pblCusxDXYKR6yxGE5rC=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Voodoo doll." Voudou does not actually use them. The dolls nailed to trees<br />serve as guides to benevolent Lwa.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Nitty Gritty</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Some details about my system are necessary for this next part to make sense.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Ability checks, skill checks and saving throws are all the same thing. This is because the things used in them can be improved.</li><ul><li>If the DC is equal to or below the ability score used, its auto-success.</li><li>If the DC is above the ability score used, roll a skill dice and add the entire stat. Ranging from 1d4 (unlearned), 1d6 (beginner), 1d8 (trained), 1d10 (skilled), 1d12 (expert), 1d16 (master) and 1d20 (legend). You have to roll over DCs to succeed, and a roll of 1 is always a failure.</li></ul><li>No classes and no levels. I use the "X" based improvement as created by Meandering banter for "<a href="http://meanderingbanter.blogspot.com/2019/02/die-trying-v1.html">Die Trying</a>" and adapted by Sofinhos "<a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/search/label/Pariah">Pariah</a>."</li><li>Characters have differing sizes for their Hit Dice (d4s, d6s, d8s or d10s). Characters with higher hit dice can take and dish out damage better. Characters with lower hit dice start with more skills and are better at magic.</li><li>Hit dice can be <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/2019/05/hit-dice.html">spent</a> to do some things. They return to you when sleeping.</li><li>Magic is mostly freeform, the effects determined by the [dice], [sum], magical skill and ritual performed, as determined by the ritual caster (and approved by the GM).</li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">Okay with the relevant stuff out of the way, the mechanics.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To perform magic, the sorcerer must perform a ritual lasting at least one exploration turn (10 minutes). The sorcerer describes the magical effect they desire beforehand (which determines the ritual they need to perform), and chooses how many magic dice (d6s) they want to attempt to conjure (0 or more). This determines the DC of the magic check. At the conclusion of the ritual the Sorcerer makes a check using their Knowledge (intelligence) stat and the relevant magical skill. If they succeed, they cast the spell at the magic dice they choose. If they fail, see the failure section.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Another ability score may be used under certain circumstances, but will usually be Knowledge and <i>always</i> be a mental ability score (Knowledge, Charisma or Willpower).</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is mostly compatible with GLOG spells, but ideally these should be a <i>bit</i> more powerful, as you're casting them over longer periods of time, taking more resources to do so and probably in anticipation of a threat. Curses may last for several days (unless its bound to something with another ritual). The [dice] and [sum] are the important values still, just liable to provide more. Things may last for hours, days or even weeks depending on how subtle or blatant the magic is.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Outside of magical items, I would avoid directly-damaging magic. Unless its bound to an object</p><p style="text-align: left;">DCs are a base of 20 for a 0 dice "cantrip-like" effect, with the DC raising by an amount equal to the size of your magic dice for each magic dice you add. Thus a 2 magic dice effect would be either a dc of 28, 32, 36 or 40 depending on your hit dice size.</p><p style="text-align: left;">However, depending on what is used in the ritual, you gain bonuses to this roll. A roll of 1, regardless of bonuses, is a failure. This incentivizes you to improve your skill with the magical skill, and to also perform more complex rituals.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Bonuses as below. Not comprehensive, but it does cover a lot. "Relevant" means its associated with the effect through the above laws of sympathy. If you wish to affect someone at a great distance, a Taglock is required (an extremely good effigy, a lock of hair, etc). This is a lot but its not <i>that</i> hard to remember I think.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>+1 for a relevant Physical Components</li><ul><li>+2 instead if many of the same component is used (a sack filled with one type of flower for example), and +3 for truly ridiculous </li><li>For magical items used as ritual components, an additional +1 is used for every magic dice stored within. </li></ul><li>+1 for each type of major action taken as part of the ritual (Dancing is one. Singing is another. Major means it happens across most of the ritual time).</li><ul><li>Additional participants of the ritual may add bonuses as above.</li></ul><li>Scaling bonus for additional time taken for the ritual.</li><ul><li>+0 For 10 minutes (base)<br /></li><li>+1 for 30 minutes.</li><li>+2 for an hour</li><li>+3 for 3 hours.</li><li>+4 for 6 hours.</li><li>+5 for 12+ hours.</li></ul><li>For each HD you spend in the casting, +1 (Hit dice return as normal when sleeping).</li><li>For each HD of animal sacrifice in the ritual, +1.</li><li>Scaling Bonus for <a href="https://shutteredroom.blogspot.com/2020/10/altered-state-subsystem-wip-with-cw.html">altered states</a> (ignore penalties).</li><ul><li>+1 for mild altered state.</li><li>+3 for strong altered state.</li><li>+6 for overwhelming altered state.</li></ul><li>Ingesting an entheogen (similar to altered states, but biased and doesn't require a roll except to avoid side effects).</li><ul><li>+2 for low dose (+3 instead if associated with magic being performed).</li><li>+4 for powerful dose (+6 instead if associated with the magic being performed).</li></ul><li>Performing at sites dedicated to entities associated with the magic being performed.</li><ul><li>+2 if at a shrine.</li><li>+5 if at a temple, megalithic circle or other impressive site.</li><li>+9 if at a grand temple, immense megalithic complex or other extremely impressive site.</li></ul></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;">Oh Fuck Its a Wizard</h3><p style="text-align: left;">I like <a href="https://coinsandscrolls.blogspot.com/2018/05/osr-oh-fuck-its-wizard.html">this</a> rule. So im adapting a version of it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Magic doesn't always <i>look</i> magical. Certain spells will always be subtle, and certain ones will always be blatant, but if not otherwise specified by the sorcerer, spell or GM, then this scale can help out. Numbers are the amount of Magic Dice. </p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>0: Difficult to impossible to recognize as mystical, except to one who has used magic or can see auras or something similar.</li><li>1: So subtle that one might not even be able to tell magic has been cast.</li><li>2: Relatively meager and subtle, but noticeably magical. </li><li>3: Obvious and somewhat impressive. People may be stunned for a moment.</li><li>4: Magnificent and impactful. Morale tests required by most. </li><li>5: The area may seem to quake with their power for a moment. Even lesser spirits may hesitate for a moment.</li><li>6+: The area heaves as a mighty power forces itself into creation. The sky may darken in the area for a time, Major spirits will be impressed, and greater spirits may take notice.</li></ul><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Failure</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Failing the check results in the magic dice instead being wild dice.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Roll the wild dice and check for doubles, triples etc to determine the type of failure. 0 or 1 magic dice effects obviously won't cause higher types of failure. Multiple doubles, triples etc count together, adding one less than their tuple to the largest one rolled (so two doubles counts as a triple, two triples counts as a quintuple, three triples counts as a quadruple, a triple and a double count as a quadruple etc).</p><p style="text-align: left;">Failures are as follows.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Singles: Spell simply fails.</li><li>Doubles: Spell rebounds in some way.</li><li>Triples: Spell rebounds in some way, and the caster develops a superficial mutation.</li><li>Quadruples: Spell rebounds and caster develops a mutation.</li><li>Quintuples: Spell rebounds, caster develops a mutation and gains a curse template</li><li>Sextuples+: Spell rebounds, caster develops a mutation and gains a curse template. Also reroll for another chance at failure.</li></ul><h3 style="text-align: left;">Magic Items</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Magic items come in two main types. Lesser magic items contain magic dice, until they are interacted with in a specified way (or destroyed), at which point they unleash their magic dice in a specific spell effect, either on the one interacting with it or to be used by the one interacting with it (as specified by the item and on creating them). These are essentially "potions" and "scrolls."</p><p style="text-align: left;">Greater magic items contain magic dice and either have a passive effect based on the number of magic dice within, or allow you to access the magic dice to create spell effects spontaneously. These are magic items, wands, staves etc. When rolling the magic dice bound to such a device, they return to the device except on a "6." When out of magic dice, they are still magical items, but can only create 0 dice "cantrip" effects. Rituals can be used to add magic dice back to them at this point. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Binding magic dice to an object is effectively a ritual performed after the ritual used to conjure the magic dice. The caster must state beforehand that they are summoning the dice to bind them, and weather they are creating a lesser or greater magic dice. Ill post more details about that in the next post, which will give examples of rituals/effects.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some magic items are created by spirits, or simply naturally occurring. These might be altered by human hand, but not too significantly. (Thanks GURPs ice age for the idea, even though you're outdated as hell).</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Magic Skills</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Non-comprehensive list of magical skills.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Binding: Magical restrictions. Creation of magic circles, magic items etc. Binding spirits to things or people. Rendering effects permanent, or conditionally permanent.</li><li>Charms: Beguiling the mind. </li><li>Conjuration: Pulling things from elsewhere. Summoning spirits. Can't be used to generate endless food or water.</li><li>Divination: Reading randomness to gain true information.</li><li>Dream weaving: Sleep, Dreams, Traveling through dreams, manipulating the dreams of others, inducing or preventing nightmares.</li><li>Flames: Manipulating fire, creating, destroying, protecting against or divining with it. </li><li>Heavenly Arts: Weather manipulation, conjuring lightning, rain, sun or wind. Atmospheric effects.</li><li>Illusions: Befuddling the senses.</li><li>Necromancy: Power over life, death, undeath. Raising corpses as servants. Healing. Summoning and contacting spirits of the dead. Decay and entropy.</li><li>Spiritualism: Channeling, Contacting, Exorcizing and Banishing spirits. Interacting with them in ways other than Summoning and Binding.</li><li>Transformation: Becoming something else. Transforming someone else into something else.</li><li>True Language: Being heard from great distances. Being understood without words. Understanding and being understood by animals. Does not necessarily convey details or important information that mundane means would.</li></ul><div>Next up, a post with some examples of rituals, and some possible effects. </div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-87927360699594501742021-11-12T18:48:00.000-08:002021-11-12T18:48:04.114-08:00Kith and Kin: "Races" Revisited<p> My <a href="http://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2021/05/kith-and-kin-20-questions-and-races.html">old post</a> on the "races" (more accurate to say species) of my fantasy setting is a bit outdated at this point. This time I'm going into better depth, providing picture inspiration, and such.</p><p>First I gotta get some facts out about the setting.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF0-2JC45FBs78pYBdQwdpRLf1ovSu-GgIQcW-bZcyHYZUvJQ0vYcjfoltW3GbbVdzq5gVaDbED8iaYvLKPIrz-KvqpP3nEAGJk1tY9Vm61N72vtrKEHjxvFV-hejZl6QDS6OKn8U3tDOYj3hNGyF-PIhObXByP1ZyjcYwOXbC7aO7sCuej5FyqXVh=s750" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF0-2JC45FBs78pYBdQwdpRLf1ovSu-GgIQcW-bZcyHYZUvJQ0vYcjfoltW3GbbVdzq5gVaDbED8iaYvLKPIrz-KvqpP3nEAGJk1tY9Vm61N72vtrKEHjxvFV-hejZl6QDS6OKn8U3tDOYj3hNGyF-PIhObXByP1ZyjcYwOXbC7aO7sCuej5FyqXVh=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Various Human Species, by Ettore Mazza</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;">Important Bits</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Technology was "discovered" much earlier in our evolutionary line in this setting. Stone tools and fire are older than bipedalism (cooking too), and Agriculture started to crop up about when Bipedalism started to become more common.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This is different than the real world, but not to the levels of unbelievability I think.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Metallurgy shows up just about when the genus "homo" (the Kin) splinter away from their fellow bipedal primates, but seems to get lost and rediscovered several times.</p><p style="text-align: left;">"Higher" technology crops up at a few points, before some cataclysm seems to knock technology back to stone tools. No one knows why exactly.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Wars are quite rare, though territorial disputes and violence aren't uncommon. "State" societies are the exception, not the norm.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rather than cities people have what we would call "Proto-Cities," settlements with both urban and rural features, often lacking something we think of when we hear "cities" (such as roads or centralized planning).</p><p style="text-align: left;">Current technological level fairly anachronistic. Nautical travel is fairly advanced, but otherwise weapons and metalworking are "copper age" at best, late stone age at most. Clothing (when it is worn) is similarly anachronistic. Fabrics are fairly advanced and used for clothing and sails, but people frequently use hide and fur as well. The regular fluctuations in technology across history have led to this anachronism, though admittedly its not <i>that</i> unrealistic.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The world is animistic, and this seeps into all religions as a result.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Alright. With that bit out of the way. Lets talk species.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Kin</h3><p style="text-align: left;">The lines between the Kin and other people of the world is blurry at best. However most agree that the Kin are all capable of having children with each other. These children may have health issues and infertility, however this does not occur universally. The origins of at least one of the Kin is a result of continuous hybridization like this.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Human = Kin. These are all (inspired by) members of the Genus "Homo."</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwz3VBBN3dq42kcbqK_bt-g48RRnRcHjekGXP4DGRLbwacH20Cau0Q1X1fsE1sNr3xrqs6QqRcyor9LQSObVKG28hDflKutB3CYx3LOx2ENGamqPxmqazwMJpAtp6jpPD6hRfrKv6PuDoOCw24mVw4suFkjaVWD7fhudA_Nd6G2T6G7udUMzDxSrQR=s1024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="504" data-original-width="1024" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwz3VBBN3dq42kcbqK_bt-g48RRnRcHjekGXP4DGRLbwacH20Cau0Q1X1fsE1sNr3xrqs6QqRcyor9LQSObVKG28hDflKutB3CYx3LOx2ENGamqPxmqazwMJpAtp6jpPD6hRfrKv6PuDoOCw24mVw4suFkjaVWD7fhudA_Nd6G2T6G7udUMzDxSrQR=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Homo Sapiens, By The Kennis Brothers</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Youngfolk:</b> Tall and frequently slender folk of the southern continent. Dark skin and complexion, though those that historically live in the norther regions of the continent trend towards more bronze complexions. Clever, though not beyond the realm of possibility for other species, and youthful in appearance. Tend towards nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyles culturally, though River Valleys and contact with others have led to the development of significant sedentary cultures. Impulse control is higher than average for Kin as a whole.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPzg1LMpVJj04nWIZ_Grzygp5VtejVyrsxgWaSJcX-Z_fmy8Mu3R5U5Z0A8GiAV7ratbXrND-MtzUR7RzkTXo0fK5dV4kG9_B2GoaZ1bO99Ea0dfGdyQzBjqYkyEUzCAVfxWK0g7QwpBbvLPbSRkgI0M5l_waVv6xsQAlyaQkSXF03gjbtSV1z1bN6=s800" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="566" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPzg1LMpVJj04nWIZ_Grzygp5VtejVyrsxgWaSJcX-Z_fmy8Mu3R5U5Z0A8GiAV7ratbXrND-MtzUR7RzkTXo0fK5dV4kG9_B2GoaZ1bO99Ea0dfGdyQzBjqYkyEUzCAVfxWK0g7QwpBbvLPbSRkgI0M5l_waVv6xsQAlyaQkSXF03gjbtSV1z1bN6=s320" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Untitled, Probably a Neanderthal, By Tom Björklund</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Broadfolk:</b> Strong, physically broad people of the northern continent and peninsula. Skin tones range from bronze to porcelain complexion. Highly observant and very very skilled hunters. Asocial compared to the youngfolk, forming tight-knit but smaller bands as part of larger cultures. Tend towards nomadic hunter-gathering but some eastern broadfolk have begun to cultivate domesticated plants. Cold resistant, but struggle in warmer climates.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsi7T0V9Asy3cBqsFb_0GydJlwFPvuY_h7b7L9CqWZCSBMEzrnEyKr0EupX5DQwTIGJurUsQoWCTpKzJ1QHEkPuqt2Rw4Y51JVDfszYDbiXgVj9kG9qsIilngHo7t7s5LkwLOgG2inqPAWGKW1Au3XLa2pvD1Fw2XVRThmPW_Kgr9ObLkJAEuPu8jk=s350" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsi7T0V9Asy3cBqsFb_0GydJlwFPvuY_h7b7L9CqWZCSBMEzrnEyKr0EupX5DQwTIGJurUsQoWCTpKzJ1QHEkPuqt2Rw4Y51JVDfszYDbiXgVj9kG9qsIilngHo7t7s5LkwLOgG2inqPAWGKW1Au3XLa2pvD1Fw2XVRThmPW_Kgr9ObLkJAEuPu8jk=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Homo Floresiensis, By John Gurche. Why does nobody cite him for this specific statue?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Smallfolk: </b>Physically small people, but highly <i>highly</i> social. Towns are more like massive extended families, as are neighborhoods of urban Proto-Cities. The most urban societies are built by them, and their cultures are some of the only ones to have developed (somewhat) significant maritime power. The Cerulean Thalassocracy is <i>mostly</i> Smallfolk. Smallfolk also tend to avoid attempts at colonial power, preferring diplomatic arrangements over direct control or conquest. This is an extension of their highly social psychology, but Smallfolk "Empires" have existed in the past.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht0LM0snJnPpa9I3qqBhoL1bxpiFcKfXdpOTXssw7mE6sbRAlNf_DbvyfHwVppSZRDXyGZJzoCO2aBl1oNmCx3EbWYJrvmp-AZlUWnf7ZJtrfhpUranBBFeQij-8QDKfvKxlmYr7srrmDHn0KHNWL3wxWeM4TMLgf_GrNIuMAVLtg-YRpLvVHIGzEo=s350" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="350" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEht0LM0snJnPpa9I3qqBhoL1bxpiFcKfXdpOTXssw7mE6sbRAlNf_DbvyfHwVppSZRDXyGZJzoCO2aBl1oNmCx3EbWYJrvmp-AZlUWnf7ZJtrfhpUranBBFeQij-8QDKfvKxlmYr7srrmDHn0KHNWL3wxWeM4TMLgf_GrNIuMAVLtg-YRpLvVHIGzEo=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Homo Naledi, By John Gurche</span><div class="vector-body" id="bodyContent" style="color: #202122; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: calc(0.875em); line-height: 1.6; position: relative; text-align: start; z-index: 0;"></div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Treefolk:</b> Smaller than most, but not to the degree of the smallfolk. Able to walk, use stone tools and use fire like others, but are also adapted for arboreal movement. When not in settled villages they tend to weave temporary "nests" in the trees, much like other primates. The most distantly related of the Kin, able to trace their linage back to very near the beginning of the Kins existence. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-zmDdYSel6MrVxPB2hAOUoXa7eED2lL5AB2wl0JhFfCm8cQ54KGURJp7Ia_w8ItDpk0ypOUphLhEVvvc7KLGNEMryJB5uKn6JYIbsv3Kh335DH-1kpt1elIwtNftzgu8yWUd4g6goXEzMx-qSvZZ8WQ64eIWJAMr9KNNyg6CqVNDG6EFoPNnyr4_P=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1200" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-zmDdYSel6MrVxPB2hAOUoXa7eED2lL5AB2wl0JhFfCm8cQ54KGURJp7Ia_w8ItDpk0ypOUphLhEVvvc7KLGNEMryJB5uKn6JYIbsv3Kh335DH-1kpt1elIwtNftzgu8yWUd4g6goXEzMx-qSvZZ8WQ64eIWJAMr9KNNyg6CqVNDG6EFoPNnyr4_P=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Homo Erectus Female, Also by John Gurche.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Elderfolk:</b> Average in size for kin, not quite reaching the height of Youngfolk and definitely taller than the Smallfolk, dark of complexion and strange in their ways. The Elderfolk are a subspecies of the legendary First Wanderers who were the first of the Kin to step beyond the southern continent in significant capacity, and who built a society of incomprehensible tools and magic. While the Elderfolk have much less technology than their legendary predecessors, they do seem to be one step ahead of the curve compared to other cultures in general.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Kith</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Everyone else is grouped into the "Kith." While the Kin all have relatively the same body plan and statistics (mechanically only rerolling a stat and having a passive ability or two) the Kith significantly alter the playstyle of one who plays them. Kith are not guaranteed to be bipedal, able to speak, or able to make use of tools as effectively as other species. The only Kith species I'll put here is the Wildfolk, as I haven't gotten into much detail with the others as yet.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There are also the Underkin, a parallel genus to that of "Homo" that lives deep underground. I've figured out even less about them, and they deserve their own post.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJyo0oL7wAtPhrRiUYQMiQCt3bu7H3b9nlfnCxVg56zdWQT6698I-b_chsgKhur6g0gCUQ0blow-vMZal7F5ZMbth5IBqCyiml1DMFeHDPSreiSQaflbEg3PVtBCXo63oPxZ3MIPwT_tqgEGLVe_VaxDT13OT6mqKGYUck3Uu67eI3rJzp-QZu1IOp=s1960" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1307" data-original-width="1960" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJyo0oL7wAtPhrRiUYQMiQCt3bu7H3b9nlfnCxVg56zdWQT6698I-b_chsgKhur6g0gCUQ0blow-vMZal7F5ZMbth5IBqCyiml1DMFeHDPSreiSQaflbEg3PVtBCXo63oPxZ3MIPwT_tqgEGLVe_VaxDT13OT6mqKGYUck3Uu67eI3rJzp-QZu1IOp=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lucy, By the Kennis Brothers. An Australopithecus Afarensis</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Wildfolk:</b> A collective term for a number of different bipedal, furred primates. Technically Homo Habilis is a member of this, though they are a human species irl, in the world of Kith and Kin the thing we use to distinguish between australopithecines and members of our genus is available to almost all primates (fire). Thus, Wildfolk are distinguished by their significant covering of body hair. The settled wildfolk there are tend towards simple agrarianism or herding, but a significant number of them are nomadic hunter-gatherers.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-37916806887640581982021-10-15T09:57:00.000-07:002021-10-15T09:57:25.004-07:00Five Point Magic (Part 1)<p> Alright this is like draft five, had to scrap the last one cuz it was getting to complex and boring to read about. We don't want that now do we?</p><p>This is part one. Later posts are gonna be about specific settings, mechanics and individual examples of the following.</p><p>Magic in my games almost always takes one or more of the following five forms.</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Ritual Magic</b></li><li><b>Skill Magic</b></li><li><b>Rule Magic</b></li><li><b>Extrinsic Magic</b></li><li><b>Intrinsic Magic</b></li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Exactly how they function mechanically depends on which one it is, and the game. As do the more diegetic elements like what you need to <i>do</i> for the rituals.</p><p style="text-align: left;">All of these cross over a lot. They're not distinct categories, just sort of features of the games I run (and I enjoy tying mechanics together in ways that simplify the game).</p><p style="text-align: left;">In detail however...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1zpvyQ5I3t-kD3aRJ8-Cv0Mmc_Yoc1S7VIdIN09KtxoDZxJ2rbmqMKwxH9zZ_qOq6aaHnCs8aq0dny4xoNxRoJkGZ_gAja9fWGX93DVb8EMDTfcDdbMKAZSrmblC2YzT_MV-filJlQTeQImZfLHcT14jJF6dwnSlICuSSseyz5W1D98qvDKtPFij3=s389" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="389" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1zpvyQ5I3t-kD3aRJ8-Cv0Mmc_Yoc1S7VIdIN09KtxoDZxJ2rbmqMKwxH9zZ_qOq6aaHnCs8aq0dny4xoNxRoJkGZ_gAja9fWGX93DVb8EMDTfcDdbMKAZSrmblC2YzT_MV-filJlQTeQImZfLHcT14jJF6dwnSlICuSSseyz5W1D98qvDKtPFij3=s320" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Soulcatchers Aerie from Magic the Gathering. Thank <a href="https://pilgrimtemple.blogspot.com/">theisticGilthoniel</a><br />for enabling me.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="text-align: left;">Ritual Magic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Typically works like <a href="https://aloneinthelabyrinth.blogspot.com/2020/07/rituals.html">this</a>, in that they have specific costs and require specific actions to gain specific results. Often they require some special method of teaching or learning them, a grimoire, scroll or ancient tablet won't cut it, but might be your "key" into actually learning it if that makes sense.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rituals with specific effects will have specific costs, while rituals with scaling effects will have the necessary cost scale proportionally.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some rituals may be a bit more flexible or powerful than others, these ones are often especially costly.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Skill Magic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">This is for anything from <a href="https://caput-caprae.blogspot.com/2021/10/language-for-wizards.html">weird languages</a> to <a href="https://themarquisat.blogspot.com/2018/07/mancy-or-why-divination-is-cool.html">divination methods</a>. Mechanically this is usually bound up in the skill system, if there is any. If not then they're liable to have their own sub-system. Either way this is for skills which allow you do to weird things. They aren't spells, and there isn't really a limit to how often you can do these, but they do not guarantee an effect (imagine trying to convince a boulder to get up and crush some heads).</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Rule Magic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">This refers to the metaphysical rules that interact with magic. Think the metaphysics behind "true names" or the "paradigm" in Magical Industrial Revolution that lets you experiment with stuff. In my own games this takes the form of True Names bestowing a moderate amount of power over the being/person, The Law of Similarity (poppets), The Law of Contagion (using someone's favorite shoes to divine facts about them) and the law of Synecdoche (a lock of hair can be used to cast magic upon someone at a distance).</p><p style="text-align: left;">Generally this is a modification to the previous two forms of magic, mechanically its more of a "theme" that persists throughout my games. "Realistic" magic, that resembles actual magical practices (but with much of the ambiguity stripped away).</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Extrinsic Magic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Anything that comes from the external world. In some games this is just magical objects (think the oddities or arcana of Into The Odd) but in many others this is natural things that can be found and have mystical applications. Possibly the most ambiguous, as healing herbs are often nonmagical but still count under this.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Entheogens (psychoactives/psychobotanicals taken for ritual purposes) count under here too. If it comes from things you find, its here.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Intrinsic Magic</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Magical "powers." The simplest mechanically. Here is something you can just do. Not necessarily magical in nature, as above, but includes magical things in it. Can also be weird without being magical (psychic powers, pyroclastic glands, other stuff like that).</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">No Spells? What about wizards?</h3><p style="text-align: left;">Nope. I find the traditional way magic is run in games to be fairly bland, and it often seems to try to count a number of different things under the mechanics that frankly shouldn't be under them. Some spells are blatantly rituals while others are implied to be supernatural-quality herbal remedies.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My games typically do not have classes anymore. I prefer to soft-specialize characters without totally removing their ability to do certain things. A "wizard" character would be a character who chose a starting package that granted them rituals or magical skills, who then improved or expanded their skills and knowledge in-game.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If you want some form of Vancian-like casting, some rituals provide temporary power, and while "Pacts" are not mentioned as a type of magic up there, thats because they're a function of several of the previously mentioned ones. A Pact or Covenant of some kind may be able to grant you power beyond your wildest dreams... At a price of course.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Because that's the prime rule of magic right? It always has a price.</p><p></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-86495110872916702512021-09-11T20:29:00.000-07:002021-09-11T20:29:24.366-07:00Awakening: Modern Occult Horror<p> It is time.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIgBVI0Mva1JF_bw9ZqTLtmBxtshA-DpXxfA6uhajjYgUMVIxXJLLzE65F8WDHoSmyKltbsriXKqyRDe2-JydYVa-1bWuGtvFTLVUiMzkCE9JeyibxZAxIEn0axjK8S2If_Kmd6X9s7Y/s1000/Bill_Cipher_Wheel.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIIgBVI0Mva1JF_bw9ZqTLtmBxtshA-DpXxfA6uhajjYgUMVIxXJLLzE65F8WDHoSmyKltbsriXKqyRDe2-JydYVa-1bWuGtvFTLVUiMzkCE9JeyibxZAxIEn0axjK8S2If_Kmd6X9s7Y/w400-h225/Bill_Cipher_Wheel.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Gravity falls is a huge inspiration to me.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">History</h2><p style="text-align: left;">For nearly all of human history and prehistory, the mystic and the occult have existed alongside us. Those who understand and utilize mystical forces have been called many names, and inhuman entities always have and always will exist alongside our "mundane" reality.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In the past, this was open and blatant. However, as the Church grew in power, and as those in power grew suspicious of those with preternatural capabilities, repression and secrecy have been the norm for the last few centuries. Enlightenment era philosophy and strict control over society have forced the occult even further into the backdrop.</p><p style="text-align: left;">However, such things cannot last.</p><p style="text-align: left;">With the advent of computer networking and global communication networks, it was inevitable that something would happen that would finally shatter the dam of unbelief.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In 2005, something awoke. A series of protoplasmic lifeforms from the depths of an undercity emerged and wreaked havoc on the local population of continental Europe. Significant firepower, and occult bindings, were deployed to finally quell the menace, but not before several buildings, hundreds of lives and thousands of livelihoods were ruined.</p><p style="text-align: left;">That was sort of the final nail in the coffin of the "masquerade." Global communications weren't too advanced but they were good enough to finally burn that thin veil down.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Its believed the previous event is one of the main causes for the 2008 market crash, and other less mundane disasters.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It is now 2025. A mere 2 decades after the occult was fully revealed. This is where we are now.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Imagine if a sword and sorcery weird/dark fantasy world progressed to the modern age, and the enlightenment resulted in a repression of inhumans, occult practices etc. Then the internet (and weird Lovecraftian slimes) busted open that façade. That's the setting.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1JMYyRdyVDMIwWtV9S2bOEy8vn1U39vDvCTLHdEL6LobZF3pvabwr8J8FSl8cZT_0zAMJHsrk0m0v8gSeRYHkHQ7ni4vuo6WL7hO9BtBoOXEq-sH_pDbX5yGaTtuOdxvEkaym_ZF7Ig/s915/SCP_Rituals.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1JMYyRdyVDMIwWtV9S2bOEy8vn1U39vDvCTLHdEL6LobZF3pvabwr8J8FSl8cZT_0zAMJHsrk0m0v8gSeRYHkHQ7ni4vuo6WL7hO9BtBoOXEq-sH_pDbX5yGaTtuOdxvEkaym_ZF7Ig/s320/SCP_Rituals.jpg" width="224" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Scp Foundation too. Souce: "Sunny Clockworks"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">Tone and Themes</h2><p style="text-align: left;">The idea is to not be overly pessimistic about the innate evils of humanity, while also going full throttle into the horrors humanity can be.</p><p style="text-align: left;">"Humans are the real monsters" is boring, but some humans are certainly monstrous. So players will encounter some fucking evil people, but most people don't want to murder them in their sleep.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Most.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Magic isn't unilaterally 100% evil. It is, however, <i>dangerous</i>. The mechanics reflect this.</p><p style="text-align: left;">You can play as inhuman beings, but there are things much worse than you out there. There always will be.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Basically, its horror but its not judgmental about humanity as a whole. Just those with too much power, hatred or lack of care for other lives. Monstrous things still exist though so you're not off the hook.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGikA1aeoTd9WIDYdn1G17YRQxu0ZTExipLXA8gqalPp9x3pY4BWL30G1U6m6scoIujCWVNDnq9XtlEKgTr-Bz_GW-N5m2ORB_lyFYx_fdAqxdtbeaavYNbQ71UnPGPYmUSip4GLuLU8/s512/Ogdru-Hem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="351" data-original-width="512" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOGikA1aeoTd9WIDYdn1G17YRQxu0ZTExipLXA8gqalPp9x3pY4BWL30G1U6m6scoIujCWVNDnq9XtlEKgTr-Bz_GW-N5m2ORB_lyFYx_fdAqxdtbeaavYNbQ71UnPGPYmUSip4GLuLU8/s320/Ogdru-Hem.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">B.P.R.D. too. Ogdru-Hem and Ogdru-Jahad are awesome.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">The World</h2><p style="text-align: left;">I'm sort of "Arkhamizing" the world. Cities and towns exist basically in the same areas, but renamed and shuffled a bit, culturally, due to differences caused by the weirdness.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Deep time is as real life, but weirder things are woven into the fabric of it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The world is being generated with Silent Legions and Esoteric Enterprises methods. They're good books for that.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Other realities sort of exist "alongside" our own. These range from a room that shouldn't be able to fit into a house, to an earth sized (or larger) realm with its own rules and laws of physics. These are collectively referred to as earths "Shoals" (singular, Shoal) due to them not being full universes. At least not obviously, some definitely have things in the sky that imply there's more to them, but that's neither here nor there.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Otherwise the specifics of the world are up in the air. Different games can and should result in different plots and cults being uncovered, different threats and different gods.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My personal setting is going to take place in the deep south of the United States. Urban, Suburban, Rural and Wilderness shits all throughout there so it should be fun and variable. No reason characters can't go to places outside, but that's the "setting" for my personal game.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eQXahyrZwT1UJS1DcuGdSYl7omkaxn1sYVTGxdEkAKzK8Q8Q1TAplCkNb7OVK2eTSM0NbI3OrunoMDPkjzQ2aXwG2eqpNuQbng_MEwUB7oOkqfP1Uubs7Q9Q997DrtehQPXxCpm4aXA/s900/Trevor_Henderson_Old_Dish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eQXahyrZwT1UJS1DcuGdSYl7omkaxn1sYVTGxdEkAKzK8Q8Q1TAplCkNb7OVK2eTSM0NbI3OrunoMDPkjzQ2aXwG2eqpNuQbng_MEwUB7oOkqfP1Uubs7Q9Q997DrtehQPXxCpm4aXA/s320/Trevor_Henderson_Old_Dish.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Trevor Hendersons old found footage art too. <i>Gods</i> this is cool.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">The Mechanics</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Heavily modified from Esoteric Enterprises, mixed with a number of mechanics found around the web. I'll link inspirations or direct sources for certain mechanics if I can remember them. A post for character creation will be up soon, and then magic.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">I'll make a masterpost of all the rules at some point, for players and people wanting to run with the system.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Anyways, thats it for now. Just needed to get this out so I can move on to working on the nitty gritty of the system.</p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-3057184145126051552021-06-29T04:27:00.002-07:002021-06-29T08:39:32.943-07:00Lord Mountain-Roc: A pariah NPC<p>Lord Mountain-Roc was named for the mighty spirit of the mountains that exist close to his home jungle.</p><p>His exact age is unknown, as his troop does not keep track of moons or seasons, existing in a quixotic timeless state of mind.</p><p>Mountain-Roc was initially seen as the weakest of his many siblings, however he was clever beyond his fellows.</p><p>He learned that the other wandering people utilized strange plants to contact the spirits that his troop feared and did not understand, and so he found the Mystics Mushroom and the Sorcerers Vine and learned of the realms of Dawn and the ancestral There.</p><p>From the inhabitants, he forged a covenant, learning the secrets of sorcery in the process.</p><p>Lord Mountain-Roc is also a very very big Gorilla. Just like his family.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdFRjlDMIulq4hqLNph6vBeior06DW1RoW8vyvLXpQPMLoUCdOnkdOyKyifKDL2xrPY4KGJYO0-YjDgpXX0t_Qex1wIzoi4BZG4kW1iq_gbO-U8x7fTLMy9v1DFKFX_h-OJ-nsvGG-Nc/s1015/Gorilla_Eyes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="571" data-original-width="1015" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdFRjlDMIulq4hqLNph6vBeior06DW1RoW8vyvLXpQPMLoUCdOnkdOyKyifKDL2xrPY4KGJYO0-YjDgpXX0t_Qex1wIzoi4BZG4kW1iq_gbO-U8x7fTLMy9v1DFKFX_h-OJ-nsvGG-Nc/s320/Gorilla_Eyes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Among his peers, Lord Mountain-Roc is a legend already, a great culture hero. Among the settled people, he is a great forest demon who conducts raids against their food storage.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lord Mountain-Roc has great ambitions, plans that would sound alarmingly human to anyone who heard them.</div><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He has a <b>Goal</b>. It is the indefinite survival of his troop, and its expansion into a major jungle power. He does not want to be seen as a dumb beast. He is <i>not</i> a dumb beast. He wants his troop to become too powerful for the settled people and their ilk to consider threatening. He speaks softly, but he would like a much larger stick.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He has a <b>Plan</b>. It is alarmingly clever. He knows of the mystical properties of the Mystics Mushroom. He can be understood with its power. He will offer it. He will offer alliances. He will offer protectors and he will offer resources. They are bribes, he is honest about this. He wants to establish trade with other nomads as well as the settled people. He wants to incorporate other troops, and create a true culture. He does not revel in violence, but he considers it a tool as any other. Don't piss him off.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">He has an <b>Itch</b>. His children are grown up, and he wants to pass on his knowledge of sorcery and mysticism. He wants his troop, his culture, his people to learn and know the arts he considers sacred. He is frustrated by their lack of interest. If any Pariahs can convince his children, or at least the children of his troop, to ignite their spark of curiosity, he would be deeply indebted to them.<br />He also desires to know of the other Realms. He is familiar with Dawn and There (as well as the Here and Now, clearly) but Sun, Moon and Dusk confuse him. If any Pariahs can share knowledge and access to these realms, he would be deeply indebted, but that knowledge could be quite dangerous...</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQyG6RXQYWpbhPEcHTlSi0pevgSbSk4KrpBV5kPW0rY6gd9_AF5_4Fxx0bwmJ2k-U0uGDblWJh9G79GhQFuuC_tcP6kZaSlLkOdSwRJx56Wz9HHGHeo3v15LQjCdUTR2hbGr_f4UzzZ0/s960/Gorilla.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBQyG6RXQYWpbhPEcHTlSi0pevgSbSk4KrpBV5kPW0rY6gd9_AF5_4Fxx0bwmJ2k-U0uGDblWJh9G79GhQFuuC_tcP6kZaSlLkOdSwRJx56Wz9HHGHeo3v15LQjCdUTR2hbGr_f4UzzZ0/s320/Gorilla.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The legendary Beast-King.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>His troop count as a major nomad tribe, with the following Strengths, Weaknesses, Hopes and Fears.</div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Strengths:</b> They're god damn gorillas. They're strong and have a strong internal structure. One of them could take on several warriors and come away alive and ready for more. They also have a surprising willingness to negotiate.</li><li><b>Weaknesses: </b>They can't communicate without the Mystics Mushroom. Despite the troop having incorporated several other gorilla troops, it still has relatively low numbers, making establishing themselves difficult. They lack a certain amount of curiosity, and technology.</li><li><b>Hopes</b></li><ul><li>To establish trade with settled people and nomadic people.</li><li>To gain knowledge of (or at least access to) the Dusk, Sun and Moon.</li><li>To incorporate the remaining gorilla troops throughout the region.</li></ul><li><b>Fears</b></li><ul><li>Internal struggles will tear them apart.</li><li>External threats will remove their power.</li><li>Violence will consume the humans, and them.</li></ul></ul><p style="text-align: left;">The following stat blocks are for Mountain-Roc and generic Gorillas. The first ones will be for Pariah as written, the second ones are for my own heavily edited system.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Note that "Mutant Pariah Clone" just refers to my house-ruled version of Pariah.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Generic Gorilla, Pariah</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">No Appearing: 2d6<br />HD: 4d10+8<br />Defense: 15<br />Attack: 1 Bite/ 2 Punches (16, 1d8/1d8/1d8)<br />Speed: 30' (90')<br />Morale: 9<br />Size: Humanoid<br />Mind: Bestial, Curious, Sapient, Social, Territorial</p><p style="text-align: left;">Treat as strength 18 skill 1d8 for grapple.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Generic Gorilla, Mutant Pariah Clone</b></p><p>No Appearing: 2d6<br />Flesh: 2d10+6<br />Grit: 2d10+4<br />Defense: +5<br />Attack: 1 Bite/ 2 Punches (+6, 1d8/1d8/1d8)<br />Speed: 30' (90')<br />Morale: 9<br />Size: Humanoid<br />Mind: Bestial, Curious, Sapient, Social, Territorial</p><p>Treat as strength 18 skill 1d8 for grapple.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Lord Mountain-Roc, Pariah</b></p><p style="text-align: left;">No Appearing: Unique, found among 2d6 Gorillas as part of a gathering/pathfinding party, or found among his tribe (Him + 45 gorillas, 5 of which have bound spell-spirits.<br />HD: 6d10+12<br />Defense: 15<br />Attack: As gorilla or bound spell-spirit.<br />Speed: 25' (75')<br />Morale: 7<br />Size: Humanoid<br />Mind: Curious, Sapient, Social</p><p style="text-align: left;">Lord Mountain-Roc is an NPC that you probably won't start out fighting. He's not unreasonably violent. He's likely to be a quest-giver or the like. Directly fighting him is unlikely. His tribe is immensely protective of him. He has a bound spell-spirit of the Dawn, a necklace with 5 stones, one of which has 3 bound spell-spirits of the here and now, another having 2 bound spell-spirits of There. The other stones are empty. He's saving them for other realms.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>Lord Mountain-Roc, Mutant Pariah Clone</b></p><p>No Appearing: Unique, found among 2d6 Gorillas as part of a gathering/pathfinding party, or found among his tribe (Him + 45 gorillas, 5 of which have bound spell-spirits.<br />Flesh: 2d10+8<br />Grit: 4d10+8<br />Defense: +5<br />Attack: As gorilla or bound spell-spirit.<br />Speed: 25' (75')<br />Morale: 7<br />Size: Humanoid<br />Mind: Curious, Sapient, Social</p></div><div>This part involves actually hashing out my magic system, so until I get that done just use it as pariah.</div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-76909096250086330782021-05-20T19:24:00.001-07:002021-05-20T19:27:28.617-07:00Kith and Kin, 20 Questions and "Races"<p>This is meant to function as a Primer for both players and just people who wanna know about my fantasy setting. The exact genre is probably up for debate (I'm catching a "weird anachronistic bronze-age middle fantasy" vibe from it) but this isn't really concerned with genre. Anyways, I'm going to write about a few core things and then move on to setting/game questions posited by different lists.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">People of the World</h2><p style="text-align: left;">The people of the world are split into two rough categories, somewhat anthropocentrically. There are other sapient beings out there but these are the things you can <i>play</i>. The Kin and The Kith. The actual real-world versions are given in parenthesis at the end for each of the Kith and Kin.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Kin can all interbreed with each other. They may have differing traits and adaptations, but they are not far enough away for it to be weird. They are all "Human," Not fantasy people. In fact they are fictionalized versions of various archaic human species. Hence the differing adaptations, but capacity for having viable children with each other.</p><p style="text-align: left;">They are:</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Alfun. Very small, often more dexterous folk. Three and a half feet tall average. Native islanders, and at least one of their cultures is a naval and economic superpower (the Cerulean empire, named for the Cerulean Sea and Cerulean Coast which it controls). Have a much more complex social structure and higher "Dunbar's Number" than other people. Their small size has given them an intense sense of honor. Best not to fuck with them outside of friendly teasing. Like most of the Kin, they have a sloped forehead and varying skin tone. (H. Floresiensis)</li><li>The Naedr. Tend to be around the lower half of Five feet, with women being shorter on average. Protruding brow is prominent. Native to the northern peninsula, where they are most densely populous, but have just as much (possibly more) individuals in the Polar region. Adapted to colder climates, suffering less than other Kin in such areas, but suffer more in Tropical regions (including the Equatorial sea, the center for trade in the continents). Have paler skin than most other Kin, due to their climate. Stronger and bulkier on average than the other Kin. (H. Neanderthalensis)</li><li>The Jada. Vary fairly wildly in height, but mostly taller than other Kin, at the upper half of five feet, even pushing into the lower half of six feet. Name means "Strider", both due to their taller form making them seem to stride everywhere and their mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles. Native to the Savannahs of the southern continent, but have a significant presence in the great Central Steppe in the northern continent. Voices are relatively baritone compared to other Kin. Their versatility is their strength but they pay for it with a higher rate of mutation. Jada sub-types are usually just people with dramatic mutations. (H. Sapiens)</li><li>The Sova. Native to mountainous regions. Comparable to Naedr in physiology and appearance, but darker skinned. Capable of holding their breath for significantly longer than other species, due to requiring less air overall. While adapted for a mountain habitat, they do not particularly struggle outside of it, though many have a mild hydrophobia due to being physically denser than other Kin, though their ability to hold their breath offsets this somewhat. (H. Denisovans)</li><li>The Adama. Archaic relatives of the other kin. While the Kin have diverged from their common ancestor culture, the Adama remain relatively unchanged from this base form, counting as a subspecies of that ancestral "Ur-Kin" rather than a descendant. Quite rare and mysterious, native primarily to isolated regions in the Southern Continent. Carry ancient wisdom and knowledge, they are favored by the Spirits of the World. Despite this they do not necessarily know Kinspeech, and must pay for it like any other language. (H. Erectus)</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Other Kin exist, in isolated areas or in distant unheard-of lands. The world is vast, vaster than we may know, and many mysteries still abound.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Kith are distant cousins of the Kin. The Kith are unlikely to be able to interbreed with each other or any other species. Kith vary wildly in sapience and sentience, though all are known to use tools and fire. Many cannot speak any form of Kinspeech, but can utilize sign language. There are many varieties of Kith but major intelligent ones are listed as follows.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>The Giants. Primarily Knuckle-walking dwellers of the forests. While on their knuckles they stand easily at 6 feet tall, and when standing to their full height they average out at 10 feet. Isolationists, but will often form covenants with rural communities to protect them, in exchange for food and materials that they are incapable of gathering or forming on their own. Native to the eastern section of the Northern continent. (This is gigantopithicus)</li><li>The Goblinoids. A large variety of furry ape-creatures. Fanged, territorial and violent. Complex social structures but not at the levels of other Kith or Kin. Can be bargained with or pressed into service, but they are a violent and rowdy bunch. (These are baboons and mandrills)</li><li>The Bugbears. Larger than goblinoids. Have figured out more complex structures and tool use. Often raid settlements, but can be driven off with a loud enough display of aggression. Doing so may even make them subservient or allied to the community. Though peaceful communities may willingly choose to work with local communities. (These are Chimps and Bonobos)</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Yet more Kith exist, far more than the Kin for sure. These are simply the most well known and numerous.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Culturally the Kith and Kin are both varied beyond number, even within their own species. Their vast numbers mean any single culture cannot dominate their species consciousness. There is just too many and over too much space.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Geography</h2><p style="text-align: left;">I'll do this once I can actually figure out how to draw a map.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">41(!) Questions</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Taken from <a href="http://jrients.blogspot.com/2011/04/twenty-quick-questions-for-your.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://gibletblizzard.blogspot.com/2017/11/20-more-rpg-campaign-questions-plus-one.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Might be shooting myself in the foot trying to answer all of these but eh.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Set the First!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>What is the deal with my clerics religion?</b> Religions vary, but in general they are all derived from the basic core of "Living correctly." In terms of figures of worship, they can be spirits (ancestral, saintly, natural or otherwise), Godlings (powerful spirits, but not utterly overwhelming) or Broad archetypical beings that don't interact with the world too much, or if they do through vague means, such as omens. I'm probably gonna just make a post about religion.</li><li><b>Where can we go to buy standard equipment?</b> You start with some pretty standard equipment. Most settlements on trade routes have basic provisions and things you can buy. More rare and advanced things may require you to go to an actual city.</li><li><b>Where can we go to get platemail custom fitted for this monster I just befriended?</b> Might be a bit of an issue, but a city smithery will probably be able to take custom commissions for extra pay.</li><li><b>Who is the mightiest wizard in the land?</b> This is difficult to ascertain. Wizards are just one group of mystical people, and power between them is mostly a matter of available resources and/or sheer cleverness, and willingness to sacrifice. If we allow beings <i>pretending</i> to be wizards, then at least one godling often takes the form of one to enact mischief in the mortal world.</li><li><b>Who is the mightiest warrior in the land?</b> Yet again, difficult to tell. Individual power is not as important as numbers and tactics. So in terms of this, perhaps a Jada Nomad-King. Raw individual power probably goes to a Naedr warrior somewhere. There are some spirits and godlings which take the form of warriors.</li><li><b>Who is the richest person in the land?</b> Emperor Akapa Lahma the Third, who rules over the Cerulean Empire in the east (named for the Cerulean Sea and Cerulean Coast, which it controls). The Empire began as a series of disconnected Alfun island-nations, and has grown into a Mercantile union/Protectorate system. The vast coffers of the empire are fueled by its control over maritime trade (and underhanded agreements with pirates).</li><li><b>Where can we go to get some magical healing?</b> Druids for explicitly magical stuff. Wizards could do it too, but druids have a specific cultural <i>duty</i> to. Herbalism can <i>seem</i> magical in what it can do, but it isn't considered magic by those in the world. Each town probably has a handful of local herbalists who can aid you.</li><li><b>Where can we go to get cures for the following conditions: poison, disease, curse, level drain, lycanthropy, polymorph, alignment change, death, undeath?</b> So in order.</li><ol><li>Poison: Many herbs are known to cure poisons, or draw them out. The Herbalism skill is probably one you want <i>someone</i> to have.</li><li>Disease: As above. Some cures require strange admixtures and unfortunate experimentation. Depending on the disease, a Druid or someone else trained in spiritual healing can probably help.</li><li>Curse: Gonna need magic for this one. Curses are powerful spirits or afflictions of the soul. Will vary. Some require hard fucking work to overcome. Some cannot be cured after a point. Some are placed by spirits and you will have to do something for them first.</li><li>Level Drain: N/A. Levels aren't a thing here.</li><li>Lycanthropy: A curse. Will have to make peace with the spirit that placed it or get a druid.</li><li>Polymorph: Probably just wait. They usually aren't permanent. It may be able to be undone with specific circumstances that you <i>will</i> know about somehow.</li><li>Alignment Change: Alignment isn't a thing like in other games. Closest thing is having a patron, which cannot be forcefully changed.</li><li>Death: There's probably something you can do here. Ghosts can be summoned and bound to things. Magic can animate stuff but that doesn't bring you back to life. Im sure you can think of <i>some</i> way to basically reanimate someone, but problems will probably still occur.</li><li>Undeath: Usually just wait for the corpse to drop dead again. All magic requires sacrifice and if it runs out then you're good. Some undeath is caused by a curse or a spirit possessing a corpse, which is far more difficult to unravel.</li></ol><li><b>Is there a magic guild my MU belongs to or that I can join in order to get more spells?</b> Its a prerequisite, actually. Sort of. Okay not a Guild specifically but initiation is required to gain access to magic. You probably have contacts if you know magic, even if they aren't Kith or Kin.</li><li><b>Where can I find an alchemist, sage or other expert NPC?</b> Depends really. For the given examples, most cities have them. But nomadic groups will probably know stuff that city folk don't about herbalism, spirits and foraging. Ask around!</li><li><b>Where can I hire mercenaries?</b> Big cities. Jada nomads will sometimes sell their service to someone with money, but those are for specifically warrior cultures.</li><li><b>Is there any place on the map where swords are illegal, magic is outlawed or any other notable hassles from Johnny Law? </b>Openly carrying weapons in most public areas requires a license of some kind. Magic is looked down on in some cities and nations, but usually if people know you're a magic user they're just going to want to pay you to do shit.</li><li><b>Which way to the nearest tavern?</b> Just down the road! Got the big sign. Can't miss it.</li><li><b>What monsters are terrorizing the countryside sufficiently that if I kill them I will become famous?</b> Spirits and cursed people are sometimes sufficiently monstrous that you need to put them down, though that won't often stick (especially spirits. they don't die.) There are other monstrous things out there that aren't just "spirits" or "cursed people." The Northern Peninsula is famous for its strange chimeric abominations that frequently require slaying.</li><li><b>Are there any wars brewing I could go fight?</b> The Cerulean Empire is butting a lot of heads. There is usually at least one war happening in the Northern Peninsula, though its relatively localized to just that small part of that subcontinent. Jada nomads aren't all good guys. Some are maurauders or raiders.</li><li><b>How about gladiatorial arenas complete with hard-won glory and fabulous cash prizes?</b> Again, the Cerulean Empire has combat-sports. Most cultures have them. They aren't specifically arena-based and usually you're discouraged from killing your opponents but hey you probably weren't planning on doing that anyways, right?</li><li>A<b>re there any secret societies with sinister agendas I could join and/or fight?</b> Sure. And they might have magic. Mystery cults are a type of religion (they aren't usually evil, just mysterious).</li><li><b>What is there to eat around here?</b> Depends! Lots of shit. Depends on the location or the culture.</li><li><b>Any legendary lost treasures I could be looking for?</b> Oh yes. Plenty. Many cultures have arisen and fallen over the eons. Adama may be isolated and relatively technologically limited <i>now</i>... But this wasn't always the case.</li><li><b>Where is the nearest dragon or other monster with Type H treasure?</b> A lot of things are called "dragons." From spirits to animals to sapient creatures to chimeras and much much more.</li></ol><p style="text-align: left;">Set the Second!</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Wh<span style="font-family: inherit;">y were settlements founded here?</span></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> Trade routes. Resources. Choke-holds. Holy-sites. Spiritual demands. The usual stuff.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What are the local funeral customs?</b> It varies based on culture. Cannibalism isn't common but isn't unheard of. Cremation, burial, excarnation, anything you can think of can be found in this world. Not following it usually causes a ghost to emerge, but worse things can happen depending on the person.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>How do settlements communicate with each other?</b> Local settlements will slowly spread news through trade, courier or pigeon. Long range communication uses trade routes, but magic might be able to help.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="color: #222222;">How dramatically does your campaign location change from season to season?</b><span style="color: #222222;"> Again, location </span><span style="color: #222222;">dependent</span><span style="color: #222222;">. The southern continent has wet and dry seasons, the northern continent does too but its far north regions have winter. The northern peninsula does as well.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What are the three biggest local celebrations each year?</b> The Festival of the Auroch is a common Kin celebration. Often accompanied by a manifestation of <i>The</i> Great Auroch. The Compact is also a common celebration, where dogs are thanked and pampered for a six day week. This is per agreement with the Wolf God. Lastly, there is a northern holiday, who's name translates to "Hearth-Consecration." Its celebration is said to consecrate the home on the darkest day of the year, to prevent it from being overrun by malevolent spirits. Farther north than <i>that</i><span> where the darkest day of the year is an entire lunar cycle, it is not celebrated in the same way.</span></span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Where is the safest place for someone to stash a considerable sum of coins and treasure?</b> The bank. They charge per interaction. Certain types of dragons run the most successful banks, which is pretty good insurance it will be safe.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What is the local standard of medical technology in replacing missing bits and body pieces?</b> Bio-alchemists can do wonderful things, but there may be side effects. Contact your bio alchemist if your arm begins to act on its own, spontaneously mutate, develop gigantism, atrophy or otherwise interfere with proper functioning.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What are some local superstitions?</b> Oh a great many. Mostly boils down to "don't insult the spirits" but it varies based on the culture, local animals and other environmental factors.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What is the scariest local myth?</b> The Jada have a great many, many of which are true. The Ghoul and its derivatives, the Demons of the Upper Air and other Dark beasties are all common. Of course, some Naedr worship/fear Bear spirits/demons, so it really depends on what you find <i>scary</i>.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Who collects tribute and taxes for the Powers that Be?</b> In the Cerulean Empire there are tax-ships. In other places, usually just a tax collector, who may or may not just skip some small locations if there's barely anyone there. Jada nomads are self-sufficient and don't pay tribute to anyone.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What are the best places to get a drink around here?</b> There are some larger enterprising taverns (especially in the Cerulean Empire), but every local area swears their drinks are the best. Its sorta just how people are.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Where can you buy animals around here?</b> Anywhere animals can be found, really. As long as who you're buying from values what you're offering. Barter is more common in Jada territory, but various currencies abound.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What is the local settlement missing?</b> Something is always missing, but not necessarily for long. Healers and herbalists tend not to live in most settlements, being that they often require natural environments that urban society does not provide.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What is the local mascot of the town or region?</b> Many areas do not have mascots. The Cerulean Empire has the "Cerulean Serpent" which may be an actual draconic being, or just a metaphor for the Imperial Families power. Many beings use Dogs of Bulls, for hopefully clear reasons. Pigeons are popular, but not often used as a mascot. They're simply an omnipresent backbone of society.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Where is the best place to pick up a few hired Hands?</b> People will do a lot for money, but not anything. Jada who are coming from nomadic clans and seek to settle in sedentary society will often be available for hire, but will not make significant sacrifices for it.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What's</b><b> the local take on the end of the world?</b> Not really a concept that comes up. Its possible some ancient godling of immense power is waking up somewhere, but the end of the world isn't a threat that this setting will face. Not truly. Not yet.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Is there a local hedge wizard, witch or shaman of no great power but one who cares for the locals who helps deal with their tribulations? </b>Yep. Anywhere there are people who live in close proximity to nature there's bound to be at least one. In urban environments, it would be a hedge wizard, which is less common but not particularly rare.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What games do locals like to play?</b> Wrestling is a common way to settle scores or disagreements. People don't want to die, so duels to the death aren't common. Its also a popular spectator sport. Dice games and card games are also common.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>What crimes are punishable by death?</b> Very few, but rape or murder are going to have it considered. Exile is more common, often with the addition of a tattoo or brand that marks you for your specific crime (and probably renders you unprotected by law).</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Have any great disasters destroyed local settlements?</b> A Cerulean settlement was recently swallowed by a volcanic eruption. They are trying to figure out exactly what happened, and why the local volcano spirit did so.</span></span></span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;"><span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Where can you find maps of the local region?</b> Cartographers are present in cities, and are sometimes present in towns if you're lucky. Local people probably know more about the "intuitive" geography of the place, so they could probably make you a map of sorts.</span></span></span></li></ol><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; float: none; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></ol><p></p><p></p><p></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-63657471396598511062021-05-19T01:42:00.001-07:002021-05-19T02:38:11.691-07:00The Cost of Magic (Aka, Oh god another magic system).<h2 style="text-align: left;">Oh boy yet another god damn magic system</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Magic sure is fun, isn't it? Doing things which would otherwise be impossible through whatever means. And there are a lot of really good magic systems out there.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There's the classic spell slots system, with its endless permutations within mainstream D&D and Retro-clones. That's a familiar system and one that offers a genuinely interesting system to work with, as long as the rules and rulings cover more than just "point at x to blow it up."</p><p style="text-align: left;">The GLOG has a wonderful magic system, as I'm sure 95% of people who read this will agree. The magic dice, mishaps and dooms all characterize magic as potentially extremely dangerous and unpredictable, as well as ensuring that the casters don't <i>quite</i> know how many spells per day they have, adding to the whole mystique.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Buuuut for my own personal system, these feel a bit inadequate. There are probably more magic systems out there (in any form of media) than there are species of beetle. Do you know how many species of beetle there are? If you guessed anything lower than 100,000 you're going to be terrified when you look it up.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Aaaanyways. The previously mentioned two magic systems are good, but mechanically they convey very different <i>styles</i> of magic. Magic mechanics occupy this weird space in game design where they can't <i>just</i> be an abstract mechanic. The way the rules operate is <i>very</i> tied into how it works, and I was kind of dissatisfied with the different systems presented in games.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I think magic should have a price, and I want anyone capable of using magic to be able to somewhat gauge what they can do, but I don't want players to spend an abstract easily-regained resource for huge dramatic effects, at least not within my current system.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Then, I found <a href="http://killitwithfirerpg.blogspot.com/2021/03/sympathetic-magic.html" target="_blank">this </a>post. Its like... Less than a hundred words and basically just musings on a topic, but I wanted to build off of this core idea. So I did. Quite a bit.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some important details going forward.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>My homebrew game system is classless and level-less (mostly. see below). Based off the lovely "Die Trying" and "Pariah" systems.</li><li>It also takes inspiration from Esoteric Enterprises. There is a Grit/Flesh/Horrible Wounds system. This is somewhat relevant.</li><li>I prefer freeform but somewhat intuitively understandable magic systems. Magic Words is good, but also not <i>quite</i> what I want to do.</li><li>Despite there being no classes in my system, there are Glog-Like templates. <a href="https://caput-caprae.blogspot.com/2020/11/using-templates.html" target="_blank">Δ Templates</a> to be exact. <i>Only</i> Δ Templates. Its going to be extremely rare to start off with one in my games, and many things are locked behind these. This leads directly into the magic system.</li></ol><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">I want to do the impossible.</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Alright, first, you need a Delta Template. I'm going to come up with a list of these, and they all have conditions, but long story short you need to undergo a fairly rigorous initiation. It doesn't have to cause permanent damage, or be morally repugnant (though it can be), but it does have to be extreme. Like, drugging yourself into another dimension and half-burying your body under a tree for a few days.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Once you fulfill the requirements for the template, congratulations! You can do magic! Though you may have to perform some form of maintenance to keep it "active."</p><p style="text-align: left;">(Side note: Inactive templates within this system do not give certain benefits, but may still give others. It varies and is a mechanic I want to explore in more depth.)<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">So, in addition to some sweet perks, maybe a some required maintenance, you can now do the impossible!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Okay but what can magic do?</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Anything!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Well kind of.</p><p style="text-align: left;">You see, all magic has a price. It can be personal, or it can be something else. It all depends on the context. Its a freeform system after all. The only real restriction I have is that they must be thematically linked to the desired outcome in some fashion.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Lets list out some examples.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Summoning something requires a sacrifice of 1 flesh dice per flesh dice summoned. Whatever is summoned probably has grit dice equal to their flesh dice (or it may be broken between many summoned entities). Flesh dice can also be spent to give it magical abilities.</li><li>Animating a corpse isn't extremely difficult. Bringing it back to full life is nearly impossible, but simple animation is fairly easy. Living things require food to survive (2 rations/day in my system, minimum). So by burning rations, you can animate a corpse. Each ration is 12 hours of animation, and the corpse may still perish.</li><li>Animating parts of a corpse is easier. crawling hands are relatively easy to make.</li><li>Animating constructs is similarly simple, requiring food.</li><li>Permanent animation may require summoning a spirit of some kind. Binding a spirit will probably require a sacrifice equal to or more than its flesh dice, but you could just... Talk to the spirit. Its an NPC after all, and not totally unreasonable (barring some extreme examples).</li><li>Grit is worth less than flesh, and so sacrificing it allows for only minor magics, often things you could already do but in impossible ways. Summoning a small flame, picking up a keychain, etc. These are basically cantrips.</li><li>Time is also a sacrifice. Time spent performing rituals can be used to offset other sacrifices. I'd say an hour = A flesh dice but you can probably eyeball it.</li><li>Like the example in the link above, digging a key into your hand (dealing 1 flesh damage and disabling that hand for the rest of the day) could unlock a door, but so could destroying a lockpick. (you might just want to use the lockpick on a door, but if it requires a passcode then the lockpick would still probably work)<br /></li></ul><p style="text-align: left;">And you can probably see the sorts of things this can do. Every impossible action carries a cost. I would probably come up with a table of relative costs and the sorts of things they can do. What dice equal how much time equal how much action and such. Generally thats going to vary from system to system though so I'll include it in the full document of my system or its own post.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">But what about divination? Potion making? Artifice?</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Urg, okay.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Divination is a skill in my system, using the same skill system as Pariah. Its not magic, at least not in the same way as the above system is.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In Pariah you roll a 1d6 and add it to your stat to see if you succeed at any given goal. If its over the target number you succeed. Skills just increase the size of the dice, up to a maximum of 1d12.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For divination you just roll the appropriate skill dice, no target number, and compare it to the following table (adapted from <a href="https://themarquisat.blogspot.com/2018/07/mancy-or-why-divination-is-cool.html" target="_blank">here</a>). Each type of divination has its own separate skill dice.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><span> 1-4: Vague, extremely cryptic and symbolic. Very very hard to interpret.<br /><span> 5-8: Cryptic, but less vague and with obvious clues.<br /><span> 9-12: Clear answer, but still a little bit mysterious. Details are vague, the rest isn't.<br /></span><span> 13+: Clear as crystal. No need to interpret anything.</span><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span><span>Certain things add bonuses to this, and some forms of divination require tools. I'll make a list of that later. Each time you do this, the maximum roll on your dice is reduced by 1. A full day without divining anything will clear this malus.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">Herbalism<span><span><span>, Brewery and other such things are also skills in my system, but how they work is a bit different. There are ingredients, with a variety of effects and interactions. I have a format for it in my head so I'll just make that its own post.<br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span>Artifice is just making real things. Swords and such. Making <i>enchanted</i> things or otherwise magical objects requires a sacrifice as above. Probably a long ritual too (which is a sacrifice, of time). Again, I'd eyeball it based on your system.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Other Ideas</h2><p style="text-align: left;">Permanent magic powers require further initiation, or permanent sacrifice, or both. They're less versatile than the above system but they can be done basically at will. They may still have some freeform elements to them, depending on the ritual or sacrifice.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Restricting certain senses can expand other senses. Or a specific sense. Either improving them or adding supernatural ones.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Some monsters and forces may have an easier time with magic, especially Godlings.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Getting power from faith and religion requires an initiation rite (obviously, love me some initiation rites) and certain rites and devotions can do specific things. These are ritualized and often easier than the above system, but joining a faith comes with complications (both political and magical). Or you can just have religion work differently, like insulting a god giving a chance of being cursed. That works too.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Going into the Otherworld (or other worlds in general) requires drugs. Psychoactive entheogens. Taking lower doses of those can also count as a sacrifice.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The death of an entire town isn't because of the curse, it probably caused it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This won't be the last I talk about this system, but this concludes my current thoughts on it. Ciao for now.</p><p></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-60267055742401913602021-01-05T12:06:00.001-08:002021-01-05T12:06:30.607-08:00Magic User Origins<p> The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cunning_folk" target="_blank">Clever Folk</a> come from many walks of life and learn in many different ways, and are called many different names. Collectively they are feared and respected and beloved and reviled, though attitudes will differ from kingdom to kingdom, hell even village to village.</p><p>(If you couldn't tell by the Wikipedia link this is for my pre-Christian pseudo-European setting. Any anachronisms are either intentional or stuff I don't care about. these tables are sort of designed with that "kind" of setting in mind, but you could probably use a slightly reskinned one in any game.)</p><p>In terms of rules, I'm trying to keep this system-agnostic, but they are sort of designed with my own magic system in mind. these are things you add onto your magic user characters that provide an additional benefit.</p><p>Roll 1d6</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>You read a scroll and accidentally changed your perception of the world forever. Start with <a href="http://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2014/05/optional-rule-wizard-vision.html" target="_blank">Wizard Vision</a>.</li><li>You studied under a learned master. The specifics of your relation to the master are up to you and the referee (antagonistic? understanding? apathetic?), but you start off knowing of them and being able to contact them. They are level 3+1d6, if that ever becomes necessary.</li><li>You studied in a guild/college of magic. The total number of students any given year probably weren't higher than a few dozen and the passing rate is fairly low, so you know of a handful other Wizards. You probably have a debt though, which is probably why you adventure.<br /></li><li>You are self-taught. Perhaps you were a servant sneakily stealing books from an incompetent noble or you found the ruins of another wizards stronghold and managed to learn the basics from there. Maybe you learned the way the first magic users did, whatever that is. You have a bit of a charm compared to other magic users. The distrust most feel regarding magic users doesn't touch you as much as anyone else.</li><li>You were born the seventh child of a seventh child (or the fifth child of a fifth child, or something else equally mystical.) This seems to be a bit of a big deal with certain entities and other magic users.</li><li>Someone or something meddled in your birth/conception. Weather you are a failed antichrist, the child of a strange creature or an experiment of some sort, you are distinctly "other" than most. Start with a mutation relevant to whatever it was, and a lingering sense of unease.</li></ol><p></p><p>This is what i can think of for <i>now</i>. Whatever the final version of this table is will probably be bigger as I pour over different stories and superstitions.</p><p>Anyways check out these sick as shit magic users I found while procrastinating actually posting this.<br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuw_69WikdnQNfCYOZTVHmhVNXyQET2UgYvVzSFQi56zgv17_4jF2hG6DwJh-Ow1BAD5tnyKs4W5eWIG9uN4buxHkwXOw2CgB6FsSFNFiMqk-d1h-TEK56qi5tK0aYhDV8DqyetCWYoM/s2000/sick_80s_lightning_wizard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="1403" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtuw_69WikdnQNfCYOZTVHmhVNXyQET2UgYvVzSFQi56zgv17_4jF2hG6DwJh-Ow1BAD5tnyKs4W5eWIG9uN4buxHkwXOw2CgB6FsSFNFiMqk-d1h-TEK56qi5tK0aYhDV8DqyetCWYoM/s320/sick_80s_lightning_wizard.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">You wish you were this cool. (Can't find the artist and a reverse image search brings up pokemon stuff.) </span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BQfqaW5AHdsdfSnr4wsBuzTRExT4dTfdUeAyXIARaQGPR2VFlIHYVWt4F9oN4qUdcx4Ta5gc4jg0HL5apl6FEpW7N-sAU8sFyr1bLkrPgtk8P4Yv_9mbxMkFMSNflAmpZQftTvha0_M/s392/Urgence_Evergreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="281" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4BQfqaW5AHdsdfSnr4wsBuzTRExT4dTfdUeAyXIARaQGPR2VFlIHYVWt4F9oN4qUdcx4Ta5gc4jg0HL5apl6FEpW7N-sAU8sFyr1bLkrPgtk8P4Yv_9mbxMkFMSNflAmpZQftTvha0_M/s320/Urgence_Evergreen.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Check out his sick as shit armor. Its useless I love it so much. (Adventure Time)</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Thats all I found.<br /><p><br /></p>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-3972531084851334672020-05-30T09:21:00.003-07:002020-05-30T09:31:51.183-07:00Stygian DarknessThis is mostly just for my players. Its a document for my ruleset.<br />
My personal ruleset is a combination of several versions of the GLOG, various b/x clones and my own stuff.<br />
There's probably more influences that went into it but for now that's all i can recall.<br />
(<a href="http://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/">Obligatory link to Arnolds blog</a>, he made the glog, and im using his rules for inventory, advancement and death and dismemberment. please check it out if you somehow haven't already and are interested in design philosophy)<br />
The game is in silver standard, (1 gold = 100 silver = 1000 copper)<br />
<br />
<b>Character Creation</b><br />
Roll 3d6 three times, recording each result. Apply each result to one of the following six ability scores. Charisma, Constitution, Dexterity, Ego, Strength and Willpower.<br />
Charisma is how charming you are, your social poise and skill.<br />
Constitution is how tough and healthy you are.<br />
Dexterity is a combination of manual dexterity and agility.<br />
Ego is your characters mental coherence and sense of identity.<br />
Strength is your characters ability to enact physical change in the world via raw power.<br />
Willpower is your characters mental strength and their ability to resist things that affect their mind.<br />
<br />
Modifiers to rolls of that type are as follows.<br />
3: -3<br />
4-5: -2<br />
6-8: -1<br />
9-12: +0<br />
13-15: +1<br />
16-17: +2<br />
18: +3<br />
<br />
Following this, you choose a class. The currently written classes are Fighter, Expert and Magic User (clerics on standby until i can figure out how to make them interesting).<br />
<br />
Then select your alignment. Certain classes require certain alignments. Alignments are not related to ones morality, personality or philosophy in any way. They merely determine the paranormal forces that your character is attuned to. They are Lawful (if the forces are axiomatic and maintain the ultimate inevitable truth of reality) Neutral (if there are no forces affecting you) and Chaotic (if the forces are discordant, howling beyond the veil of reality and defy all known laws of creation).<br />
<br />
Finally, fill in the blanks on the character sheet with what your classes give you. You start at level one and if your class is human you may play as any variation thereof with no mechanical effects. All characters have a set of normal civilian clothes and a backpack in addition to what their class gives them. Characters also have 3d6*10 Silver pieces, which they can spend on items before play (just use <a href="https://goblinpunch.blogspot.com/2017/06/adventuring-gear-alchemy-items.html">this </a>table, ignoring the alchemy section).<br />
<br />
<b>Inventory</b><br />
You have inventory slots equal to your strength. A number of these slots equal to half your dexterity are fast slots (you can reach them at will) otherwise they are normal and require 1d6 rounds of shuffling about to get a hold of the item. This is only if you are wearing a backpack. If you dont have one you just have your hands/pockets, and some bags/packs might be better or worse. You cannot have more slots than your strength, though they may all be fast slots.<br />
<br />
<b>Doing shit and shit being done to you</b><br />
The two main rolls you take are checks and saves. Checks are a roll of variable difficulty, typically (but not always) a 1d20 vs 5, 10 or 15 (meaning you have to roll higher than that). Ability checks are a standard roll as described in the previous sentence, adding the ability bonus as a modifier, as are ability saves. Contests are the same except you have to beat each others rolls.<br />
Combat works a lot like an ability check, except you only add your attack bonus to the roll (0 for most characters) and have to roll over the opponents armor class (which is 10 for an unarmored human). If the character succeed on the combat roll, they roll for damage based on the weapon used. If they fail the opponent takes no damage.<br />
<br />
<b>Combat, But the fun part</b><br />
You can do two major actions per round (a few seconds) in combat. Such as attacking and moving, attacking twice, moving twice (running), shoving someone, tripping someone etc.<br />
Turns are different. Turns are 10 minute units of time used for exploration.<br />
All of this happens at once, unless they directly affect someone else, in which case a dexterity contest is rolled for who goes first.<br />
Death and dismemberment! When you take damage in excess of hp you usually gain wounds. When you gain wounds, you start dying.<br />
Damage is only taken if the thing has a reasonable chance of killing you. A rat bite wont kill you (the disease might though).<br />
HP stands for Hit Points, and are your ability to minimize any incoming damage.<br />
Wounds subtract from your max HP, but never below zero.<br />
While you have wounds you start dying. Make stabilization saves at DC 10+wounds (roll higher than 10). A natural 1 means you die, a failure means you gain another wound, a success means nothing happens and a roll of 20 or higher means you stabilize and wake up in 10 minutes with a scar and a shitty after-pain. If the wounds were from a critical hit, you roll on the dismemberment table (unless common sense tells you what would happen, like falling.)<br />
Non lethal damage in excess of your hp will knock you out for 1d6+overflow rounds.<br />
Emotional damage will give you stress and some additional effects based on the source.<br />
<br />
Stress subtracts from your max hp but not below zero.<br />
When you gain stress roll 1d20 vs a DC of 5. If you fail you have a breakdown. Roll a random one. All further breakdowns will be this. Also roll for a derangement which activates when you have stress and only de-activates when you're in a safe place.<br />
<br />
Some things can bypass hp entirely. Being helpless while attacked will do so, as well as extremely personal emotional attacks or <i>extremely</i> lovecraftian things.<br />
If wounds or stress is in excess of 10, you cease to be a playable character. For physical damage you die, for emotional damage you go insane.<br />
Tables (adjusted for my games) will be provided at the end of this post.<br />
<br />
If you and your adventuring party engage in fun activities (parties, carousing) you can become cheered, where you have a collective 3 temporary hit points.<br />
<br />
<b>Skills</b><br />
Skills are broken into two types. Basic and Complex. Basic skills begin at a 1 in 6 chance of success and the skill done most often in a session may be improved by 1 if the character succeeds at a dc 10 ego check. Basic skills may go up to 6 in 6, the character must roll 2d6 and only if both come up 6 does the character fail. Basic skills are never social, perception, stealth or directly helpful in combat in any way.<br />
Complex skills start at 0 in 6 (rolling a 2d6, and only succeeding at 2 ones.) Complex skills have unique mechanics for each one.<br />
Theres no set list of skills, or a set list of what you can do with skills. Some things can reduce your chance of success, and some things can increase them (preparation and research for example)<br />
<br />
<b>Classes</b><br />
Classes have a starter hp, a hit dice type that is rolled for hp beyond that level, and then hp gained at level 10.+ HP gained is modified by a characters constitution for every level except ten and up. Furthermore, the character can choose or randomly roll a title and skill, then choose or randomly roll a starter set from the title.<br />
<br />
<b>Fighter</b><br />
Fighters are trained to be able to kill at a moments notice. Either through military training, natural environment or other factors, they know how to kill, and how to do it well. For this reason, many turn to a life of adventure, unable to settle down comfortably due to their experiences.<br />
Starter HP: 8<br />
Dice Type: 1d8<br />
HP at level 10 and beyond: +3<br />
Combat Training: Fighters have an attack bonus equal to their level. Attack bonuses higher than 10 add the bonus above 10 to damage (thus an attack bonus of 12 is +10 to attack rolls and +2 to damage.)<br />
<br />
<b>Expert</b><br />
Magic users adventure because they are unwelcome anywhere else, fighters because they cannot settle comfortably due to their violent training. Experts may join for any number of reasons. Perhaps they desire treasure, fantastic adventure or more. Experts are somehow both the most and least normal of the core classes.<br />
Starter HP: 4<br />
Dice Type: 1d6<br />
HP at level 10 and beyond: +2<br />
Skillful: The expert gains 4 "skill points" at level one that they may spend to increase their characters skill chances (note this on their character sheet). They gain +2 each level.<br />
Basic Combat training: The expert has an attack bonus equal to half their level (rounded down) up to a maximum of 5.<br />
Arcane assistance: An expert may assist a magic user in arcane endeavors. (described in a future post)<br />
<br />
<b>Magic User</b><br />
Magic Users are feared, as most of the world shuns magic and the power it brings. Most of humanity clings to their pockets of civilization, stability and comfort, unwilling to confront the supernatural truths that lie immediately outside their perception. The magic user, however, immerses themself in arcane secrets and forbidden knowledge, ruthlessly pursuing arcane might with wild abandon.<br />
Magic users are rare, extremely so, due to their overwhelming power over the forces of reality.<div>Magic users are always chaotic<br />
Starter HP: 4<br />
Dice type: 1d4<br />
HP at level 10 and beyond: +1<br />
Spell-casting: The magic user can cast spells. To do this the caster chooses the level they wish to cast the spell at, and rolls a d20 against the spells d20. The caster adds their level to their roll and the spell adds the level its cast at to its roll. If the caster wins, a basic success occurs. If the caster wins by a great margin (5+the spells level) then a greater success happens. If the caster wins by a massive margin (19+, or twice a great margin if higher) then a grand success happens. Conversely, if the spell wins then a basic failure will occur. If the spell wins by a great margin, a greater failure will occur and if the spell wins by a massive margin a grand failure will occur.<br />
<br />
A list of starter spells and magical activities will be provided in an upcoming post.<br />
<br />
The rest of this post is just a copy of arnolds tables, altered to fit my campaign. Skip them if you have your own or prefer that version.<br />
Dismemberment Table [d6]<br />
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<br />
<table class="tg">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="tg-c6of">1</th>
<th class="tg-ycr8">Arm Missing/useless</th>
<th class="tg-ycr8">Lose 1 Strength</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tg-ycr8">2</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Hand Missing/useless</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Lose 1 Dexterity</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-iks7">3</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Crushed Ribs</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Lose 1 constitution</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-ycr8">4</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Leg Missing/Useless</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Lose 1 strength. Movement reduced</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-ycr8">5</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Coma</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Assuming prompt medical attention, return in 1d20*1d20 days unless either comes up as a 1<br />
50% chance of gaining an astral projection skill (complex) at 1 in 6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-ycr8">6</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">Missing Eye</td>
<td class="tg-ycr8">-2 to ranged attacks</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Breakdown Table [d6] (these last 10 minutes)</div>
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</style>
<br />
<table class="tg">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="tg-0lax">1</th>
<th class="tg-0lax">Fight</th>
<th class="tg-0lax">Attack the source of your stress until it is destroyed or removed</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">2</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Flight</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Flee the source of stress until you are three rooms away or it is removed</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">3</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Faint</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Fall unconscious. 1 in 6 chance to awake each round.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">4</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Vomit</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You vomit and fall to 0 hp.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">5</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Scream</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Scream until the source of stress is removed or destroyed. You cannot <br />
stop yourself from screaming but others can try. Each round an encounter<br />
check occurs.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">6</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Cling</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You grab a random adjacent pc and refuse to let go until the source of the<br />
stress is removed.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Derangement Table</div>
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.tg .tg-0lax{text-align:left;vertical-align:top}
</style>
<br />
<table class="tg">
<thead>
<tr>
<th class="tg-0lax">1-5</th>
<th class="tg-0lax">Proximal Phobia</th>
<th class="tg-0lax">Phobia based on whatever gave you the stress</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">6</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Claustrophobia</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Gain 1 stress when you end a round in small places</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">7</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Acrophobia</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Panic when around a fall (within 5' of a 10' drop)<br />
Gain 1 stress when you fall.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">8</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Thalassophobia</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You panic when above or in deep or murky water.<br />
If you end a turn in deep or murky water, or fall in,<br />
gain 1 stress</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">9</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Nyctophobia</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You panic when without a light source. Each turn<br />
ended in total darkness gives 1 stress.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">10</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Thanatophobia</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You panic when exposed to death, the dead or undead<br />
Gain 1 stress each time you touch a corpse, are affected<br />
by the undead or a party member dies.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">11</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Talking to Yourself</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Never surprise enemies. Enemies get a 1 in 6 chance of<br />
surprise</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">12</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Reluctant</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Whenever you're about to leave town or a campsite or a<br />
similarly save environment there is a flat 50% chance you<br />
refuse. You may try again a day later.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">13</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Escapism</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Always loose initiative.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">14</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Guilt</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Cannot gain levels</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">15</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Self Hatred</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Each time you critically fail, take 2 emotional damage.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">16</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Pacifist</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Each time you attempt lethal harm, take 2 emotional damage<br />
You can inconvenience opponents for your allies though.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">17</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Depression</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">You cannot benefit from cheer, and have a 50% chance of<br />
temporarily abandoning the party when they attempt to gain<br />
cheer, due to distress.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">18</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Comfort Object</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Pick an item in your inventory. When its out of your possession<br />
gain 1 stress and panic. This item doesn't change when this is<br />
inactive</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">19</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Sadist</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Once you attempt lethal harm, you may take no actions except<br />
to attempt to kill the target.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="tg-0lax">20</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">Morbid Curiosity</td>
<td class="tg-0lax">When encountering a weird and possibly dangerous thing the<br />
GM can ask you to make a wil check in order to resist<br />
investigating (such as reading the latin inscription out loud, or<br />
touching the glowing rock etc)</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-28139105665465369312019-09-18T21:10:00.000-07:002019-09-18T21:10:11.317-07:00Optional Rules for MinidndThis requires that you read <a href="https://thestygianseas.blogspot.com/2019/09/minidnd-ruleset.html">these</a> rules. They're really simple.<br />
<br />
<b>Damage Types</b><br />
There are four main types of damage.<br />
<br />
Bludgeon: Hard wacking. Clubs and fists and hammers. Also hitting the ground and crashing into stuff. Blunt attacks.<br />
Bleed: Stuff that pierces, tears, cuts or otherwise breaks flesh. Knives and fangs and bullets and speed-of-sound teeth.<br />
Burn: Mostly elemental/chemical/alchemical/magical damage. Lighting, fire, cold (kills cells so it "burns"), chemical damage (acid), radiation burns etc.<br />
Bane: Eldritch and mystical bullshit. Psionics, thaumics, raw necrotic energy, soul shredding cosmic fluctuations emanated by the cosmic horror etc.<br />
<br />
<b>First Aid</b><br />
Administering first aid takes one minute. In stressful situations it requires a savvy roll (eyeballed by the game master, but target number should generally fall between 10 and 15). This stabilizes the target (they are no longer dying on a failed death pys save) and wakes them up in the same situations. It doesn't heal anything, unless combat isn't happening in which case hp is restored. (completely)<br />
You <i>cannot</i> administer first aid without the proper tools. These tools vary based on the damage type(s) taken.<br />
Bludgeon: Splints/supports.<br />
Bleed: Bandages/stitches.<br />
Burn: Creams/ointments<br />
Bane: Magical bullshit, therapy etc.<br />
<br />
<b>Character Advancement</b><br />
The first way you advance is increasing hit dice, you do this by gaining scars.<br />
The first time you fail a death pys save you get a wicked scar from it. You get 1 hd from this. Permanently. Sweet huh? Roll that dice! Get those hp!<br />
After this, if you fail a death pys save and you roll a 1 on a d6 (yes you have to roll a d6 now) you get an <b>Affliction</b>. And 1 hit dice.<br />
Three hit dice is your maximum.<br />
The affliction depends on the attack, but missing hand/foot/eye is recommended. Curses/mutations might occur under certain circumstances.<br />
<br />
<b>Exploding Dice</b><br />
On a maximum roll, subtract one and roll again. This takes care of "impossible" numbers.<br />
<br />
<b>Magic</b><br />
Magic is done through rituals. These rituals require rolls against target numbers, or contests against opposing mystical forces/other beings. These rolls can be improved with magic circles worth 100 cp, or a (sapient) sacrifice. Each circle and sacrifice improves your roll by 1 but can only be used once. An example below.<br />
(general warning, some of these are somewhat graphic)<br />
<br />
Clotting Servant<br />
The caster must acquire at least gallon of blood, a phial of potent venom and a shard of quartz carved with runes representing life and bondage. Human blood isn't required but if it is gathered from a sacrifice as above the bonus is retained. Then, they must place it within a stone basin.<br />
The caster must chant for thirty minutes over the pool of blood, after which they allow a droplet of their own blood to fall into it, at the same time as a very potent venom.<br />
This will cause the blood to clot, and after the caster forces the shard of quartz into the heart of the clot, it will animate as a number of blubbery coagulated blood hommunculi equal to the number of gallons of blood used, willing to serve but not all that effective. This requires a savvy contest against the mystical forces at play. The gm rolls a d20 and adds 1 for every gallon of blood used plus 1.<br />
Blood Hommunculi Stats<br />
Hd:1 Hp:3<br />
Dex:5 Pys:10 Sav:5<br />
Deals 1 damage by smacking target. A number of them can work together to deal a maximum of 6 damage.<br />
Doesn't make death Pys saves, and immune to "dying." Will still die when hacked down to 0 pys though. Whan sav is reduced to 0 control moves to the one who damaged them, until they regain their sav.<br />
Immune to everything a mass of clotted blood would be (bleed damage, not bludgeon, burn or bane though).Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6317236161830950118.post-231401931131404362019-09-18T17:51:00.002-07:002019-09-18T18:12:35.107-07:00Minidnd RulesetOh look, another dnd clone. <i>That's</i> original.<br />
Anyways, here's the rules I use. It'll be much easier to post stuff after this.<br />
<br />
<b>Character Creation</b><br />
Roll 3+2d6 three times and write the numbers down. This will give you a range of 5-15 and an average of 10.<br />
Then assign the numbers to which stats you want, or randomly assign them.<br />
The Stats are...<br />
<br />
Dexterity: Abbreviated as Dex. This is for agility and manual dexterity. Slight of hand and dodging thrown hammers. Also shooting people.<br />
Physique: Abbreviated as Pys. This is for physical strength and fortitude. Resisting poison and breaking down doors. Also swinging things really hard.<br />
Savvy: Abbreviated as Sav. Social and practical skill. Charming and keeping order and enforcing your will socially. Also used to keep you sane.<br />
<br />
Modifiers are the stat-10. So modifiers range from -5 to +5. Cool.<br />
<br />
Next roll a 1d8. This is your HP. Your HD (hit dice, amount of dice you roll for hp) starts at 1.<br />
After that roll a 1d6. This is how many copper pennies you have. This game runs on a <b>copper standard</b>. (10 cp =1 sp. 100 sp= 1 gp) So if you wanna run a different standard just replace all instances of "cp" with "gp" or whatever your standard currency is.<br />
You also have AC, Armor Class. This is a base of 10+ dex modifier. This can be changed by armor and weird stuff though.<br />
Other abilities at a case-by-case basis or in optional rules.<br />
You get a weapon that deals 1d8 damage, a couple changes of clothes, rations for a week, 50 feet of rope, and a bedroll (to begin with).<br />
<br />
<b>Doing Things</b><br />
Like any other rpg, you can do stuff anyone can do for free (except it takes up time, and maybe patience of other players).<br />
Things that are difficult require a roll at target number or above. (sometimes its a "contest", in which you roll against an opposing force and have to beat them to achieve an affect).<br />
Target numbers are...<br />
5: Something easy, but still carries a not-insignificant chance of failure.<br />
10: Somewhat difficult. 50/50 chance of failure for average human.<br />
15: Difficult. Carries a major chance of failure.<br />
20: Extremely Difficult. Almost impossible to do for average human.<br />
25: Almost Impossible. Even trained professionals will nearly always fail at this.<br />
Higher?: Downright Superhuman. Anything beyond that.<br />
<br />
<b>Combat</b><br />
Roll a dexterity contest against the enemy when you engage directly with them.<br />
Then roll a physique or dexterity check against the enemies armor class.<br />
If you succeed roll for damage.<br />
Then they take their turn.<br />
Things not happening that directly involve others happen simultaneously.<br />
Damage comes off your Hp. Excess damage is taken to your Pys typically.<br />
Each time you take damage in excess of your hp you make a pys check, the target number being the opponents attack roll, in order to avoid getting knocked out and start dying.<br />
If you are dying you will die in an hour unless you get medical attention.<br />
At pys 0 you die outright.<br />
At dex 0 (damage done through shocks/paralyzing things) you can't move.<br />
At sav 0 you snap temporarily and roll 1d3. 1: Freeze. 2: Flee. 3: attack anyone in the area.<br />
Damage types will be described in the optional rules post.<br />
Hp damage heals after combat. Other damage takes a week to restore (or less, if using some optional rules).<br />
<br />
<b>Magic? Other things?</b><br />
Those will come in a later post. "Optional Rules." These are just the framework. The skeleton if you will. The meat will come soon.Janethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12975772319839361784noreply@blogger.com0