the world with no name has FIVE MOONS which orbit the planet.
THE GRAVEYARD
the largest of the five moons, and also the centerpiece of a major religion. this moon looks brown and green and grey from below, and that is because it is all those colors. The Graveyard is a the physical location of the god/being/force of the same name, filled with dead, dying, and decaying things of all sorts from all places from all ages. more regarding this moon is forthcoming.
LUPINUS
a medium-sized moon, grey and brown and pocked with crater holes. this moon is home to the lycanthrope worms, which turn normal lizard people into the disgusting werewolves. these things writhe in the dirt of the moon, and when they are introduced to animal creatures from the planet below, a pandemic of violence and mammalian features will break out below.
VEN
the surface of this medium-sized moon is a bright and vibrant green. most of the people in the world believe that the greenness is from heavy forestation, and that the moon is vibrant with life of all sorts. in reality, ven is a desolate land, dominated by algae-filled water and earth, but it is hard to differentiate the two. it is inhabited solely by agents of the moon itself, humanoid and otherwise creatures made from algae. They sometimes will extend a tower of algae down onto the planet to steal away and sneak around for their own unknown means.
QUICKLER
this incredibly small moon flits and flies around the skies during both the night and day. its orbit is so fast that it can move completely around the planet in a matter of hours. There are rumors of creatures who move and think so fast so as to be completely alien, but these are typically disregarded as sensational stories. the reality of what is on this fast moon is much stranger.
ICHTHO
ichtho is dominated completely by water, with the actual crust being very, very far below. it experiences seasons similar to the world, but in an opposite direction to the world below. it experiences winter when we have our summer, and the surface of the moon freezes. it experiences summer when we have our winter, and the surface is pure liquid. sometimes shapes can be seen, swimming and writhing under the surface of the astral ocean. what weird alien sea-life lives up there is unknown to even the most conjectural scientists and theorists.
SPACE TRAVEL is not too widespread. most travel to other worlds is through strange dimensional hoo-ha and magic, but some travel through the void of outer space is possible. some more industrial nations are sending expeditions to the moons, including an upcoming expedition to LUPINUS set forth by the government of the city state of karm. of course, travel with spacecraft to farther parts of the universe is possible, but with most of the present technology and magic it would take forever and ever to get beyond the star the world orbits around. however, some places in the universe have different, more advanced techniques of spacecraft and space travel, with the ability to take a risk by traveling extremely quickly or by bending the fabric of reality to get to further and further places. one such place is the galaxy of ANDROMEDA, where many intergalactic species of creatures thrive together thanks to advanced, more scientific and technological ways of space travel.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Monday, December 28, 2015
ANOTHER WILDLAND
PLANT LIFE
witch lilies are green knobbly plants that grow on the murky waters of this wildland. they are tipped by a conical fruit which tastes sour, and can be powdered/cut up/boiled/whatever to turn it into a drug which can give the eater magical powers for a time.
pyramid blossoms are pyramid-shaped flowers which are produced by trees with the appearance of yellow or green mangroves. the hidden inside world are the homes of the PYRAMID MONKEYS.
HERBIVORES
tomb monkeys are scrawny, almost hairless things which swim and trawl through the stagnant water, eating fallen plant matter and the slimy underwater flora. they are called so because of their prominence on the PESTILENT ISLAND and because of their proclivity to crawl through corpse-laden areas, feeding on the fungus and plants growing in the cadavers.
pyramid monkeys are rarer creatures than the tomb monkeys. they crawl through the branches of the pyramid blossom trees, and live within the large pyramid blossom fruit. they have dry yellow skin and are completely hairless.
CARNIVORES (and APEX PREDATOR)
marrow falcons are large yet thin pale birds which roost in the upper branches of the trees that cover this swampy wildland. they fly down to prey upon creatures in the water below, breaking their bones to weaken them and (later) get to the marrow within.
machine lynxes are aquatic creatures. they are truly like small submarines, stylized as if they were big cats. they eat mostly small fish, but will fire upon low-flying birds and swimming monkeys with their ranged claws and teeth.
flayed gorgons are intelligent and humanoid. they use this intelligence to their advantage, as they are the most effective and powerful predators in the entire biome. they look like a lithe humanoids with heads of short prehensile tentacles (some say snakes), but with no skin. this is their most fatal of weaknesses, as they are always susceptible to pain.
SCAVENGERS
totem gulls are very small birds which swarm around the sites of MARROW FALCON kills, snatching at the rotting meat and taking away what few bones are left to be incorporated as parts of their nests. they carve these bones with their beaks to decorate them.
river urchins are small ghoulish humanoids that look like grimy children. even though they eat rotting materials and meat primarily, they are constantly battling with the tomb monkeys for their food sources. they swim through the dirty water just like the tomb monkeys do, but they are also fond of trawling and crawling through more solid mud. there is a population of them on the PESTILENT ISLAND, kept by the flayed gorgons there.
THE CELESTIAL IMP
every night, when the stars shine above the one spot in the wildland open to the sky, the celestial imp descends. this creature floats in the air, and it looks like a chubby baby with the head of a small bird. it shines in the night, and it is obsessed with the cleaning of the wildland, making it pristine and orderly. however, all of the creatures in this biome are very opposed to this, especially the ones that live in the PESTILENT ISLAND, which is the one spot open to the sky.
LOCATIONS
the frozen summit is a pile of once rotting garbage, corpses, and fallen trees to the northern edge of the wildland. now it is frozen, and home to relatively little life. however, a small population of tomb monkeys crawls on its surface.
the silver fountain is a spring of surprisingly clean water. the celestial imp loves this place, but most animals avoid it because of the high concentration of MACHINE LYNXES
baker's clearing is the gathering place of a cacophony of river urchins who have learned some spoke word. their favorite words to say are typically swear words and the word "baker", which they screech from the muddy riverbanks.
the pestilent island is the disease-filled home of a large family of FLAYED GORGONS who mastermind and manipulate the bestial creatures of this wildland to their agenda. they keep a breeding family of RIVER URCHINS as servants, and they are stalwart enemies to the CELESTIAL IMP. their raw flesh is pocked with open sores and seeping pus-filled pimples from their many illnesses
witch lilies are green knobbly plants that grow on the murky waters of this wildland. they are tipped by a conical fruit which tastes sour, and can be powdered/cut up/boiled/whatever to turn it into a drug which can give the eater magical powers for a time.
pyramid blossoms are pyramid-shaped flowers which are produced by trees with the appearance of yellow or green mangroves. the hidden inside world are the homes of the PYRAMID MONKEYS.
HERBIVORES
tomb monkeys are scrawny, almost hairless things which swim and trawl through the stagnant water, eating fallen plant matter and the slimy underwater flora. they are called so because of their prominence on the PESTILENT ISLAND and because of their proclivity to crawl through corpse-laden areas, feeding on the fungus and plants growing in the cadavers.
pyramid monkeys are rarer creatures than the tomb monkeys. they crawl through the branches of the pyramid blossom trees, and live within the large pyramid blossom fruit. they have dry yellow skin and are completely hairless.
CARNIVORES (and APEX PREDATOR)
marrow falcons are large yet thin pale birds which roost in the upper branches of the trees that cover this swampy wildland. they fly down to prey upon creatures in the water below, breaking their bones to weaken them and (later) get to the marrow within.
machine lynxes are aquatic creatures. they are truly like small submarines, stylized as if they were big cats. they eat mostly small fish, but will fire upon low-flying birds and swimming monkeys with their ranged claws and teeth.
flayed gorgons are intelligent and humanoid. they use this intelligence to their advantage, as they are the most effective and powerful predators in the entire biome. they look like a lithe humanoids with heads of short prehensile tentacles (some say snakes), but with no skin. this is their most fatal of weaknesses, as they are always susceptible to pain.
SCAVENGERS
totem gulls are very small birds which swarm around the sites of MARROW FALCON kills, snatching at the rotting meat and taking away what few bones are left to be incorporated as parts of their nests. they carve these bones with their beaks to decorate them.
river urchins are small ghoulish humanoids that look like grimy children. even though they eat rotting materials and meat primarily, they are constantly battling with the tomb monkeys for their food sources. they swim through the dirty water just like the tomb monkeys do, but they are also fond of trawling and crawling through more solid mud. there is a population of them on the PESTILENT ISLAND, kept by the flayed gorgons there.
THE CELESTIAL IMP
every night, when the stars shine above the one spot in the wildland open to the sky, the celestial imp descends. this creature floats in the air, and it looks like a chubby baby with the head of a small bird. it shines in the night, and it is obsessed with the cleaning of the wildland, making it pristine and orderly. however, all of the creatures in this biome are very opposed to this, especially the ones that live in the PESTILENT ISLAND, which is the one spot open to the sky.
LOCATIONS
the frozen summit is a pile of once rotting garbage, corpses, and fallen trees to the northern edge of the wildland. now it is frozen, and home to relatively little life. however, a small population of tomb monkeys crawls on its surface.
the silver fountain is a spring of surprisingly clean water. the celestial imp loves this place, but most animals avoid it because of the high concentration of MACHINE LYNXES
baker's clearing is the gathering place of a cacophony of river urchins who have learned some spoke word. their favorite words to say are typically swear words and the word "baker", which they screech from the muddy riverbanks.
the pestilent island is the disease-filled home of a large family of FLAYED GORGONS who mastermind and manipulate the bestial creatures of this wildland to their agenda. they keep a breeding family of RIVER URCHINS as servants, and they are stalwart enemies to the CELESTIAL IMP. their raw flesh is pocked with open sores and seeping pus-filled pimples from their many illnesses
a WILDLAND
WILDLANDS are similar to CITIES FROM OUT OF SPACE (and out of time), in that they are in some pocket dimension or similar cosmic area. however, a WILDLAND is on the opposite side of the spectrum from a CITY FROM OUT OF SPACE, in that they are wilderness dimensions, rather than the developed principalities that can also be without the world. below is a WILDLAND that i based off of randomly generated results from the biome generator by +Dunkey Halton
PLANT LIFE
royal nettles are found in small patches of sharp blades and spiky spines. they are crimson and gold, and many have jewelry, incense, paper, etc. placed around them by the OCHRE ENGINE (see below). the ochre engine considers them the true ruler of the wildland, and reveres them with sacrifices and fancy things. none of the other creatures care about the royal nettles, beyond eating them or avoiding the spiky surfaces.
phase moss looks like normal moss. however, it is able to phase out of existence to avoid being eaten, destroyed, etc. there are many different subspecies and variants which have different triggers for their phasing, such as the moon moss (phases out of reality when moonlight touches it), tooth lichen (phases out of reality when bitten or chewed by anything (except the GHOST ELF and IMAGINARY SCARAB (see below)), etc.
HERBIVORES
ghost elves are small humanoid herbivores. they look like spectral androgynous children, but with eyes devoid of pupils and teeth made for the cutting and chewing of plant matter. they feed almost exclusively on the PHASE MOSS, but won't pass up an opportunity to damage a patch of the royal nettles which can, surprisingly, damage them. ghost elves are not true elves, but share many physical similarities with them. they are very mischievous, and love to trick the BLIND TROLLS and OCHRE ENGINE (see below)
prismatic turtles are huge reptiles with a giant hard shell. growing on this shell are the colorful rainbow crystals which give the turtles their name. these lumbering reptiles are immune to the stings of the royal nettles, due to the strong plates that cover their mouths and faces. the ochre engine hates every prismatic turtle to the core and tries to destroy as many as it can. the BLIND TROLLS have little difficulty killing prismatic turtles, as the light from the crystals does nothing to them, for they lack eyes.
CARNIVORES (and APEX PREDATOR)
thunder cobras are small serpents with blue and yellow scales that stand out against the drab orange dirt. their flesh and bite are electrified, which they use to hunt their prey foods of ghost elves and prismatic turtles. due to their electric flesh, they tend to not be eaten by anything, but some plucky blind trolls will attempt to swallow some of these serpents from time to time.
shield spiders are more defense-oriented arachnid predators. their hard exoskeleton makes them relatively immune to damage from all but GHOST ELVES. instead of having any sort of venom, they simply have sharpened and hard fangs which they use to stab and pierce their prey.
blind trolls are the apex predator of the wildland. they are lithe and strong, with pale wet skin coated with sparse hairs. they have gigantic tusks and bulging skin-covered eye sockets. They are weakened in sunlight, and so crowd under the boughs of trees. during the day it is not unusual to find huge cacophonies of blind trolls, all crowded under the same tree. however, during nighttime, the blind trolls are quick and strong, and if it weren't for their sweaty scent, they would be completely effective predators.
SCAVENGERS
imaginary scarabs were dreamt up by the ochre engine long ago. they look like scarab beetles that just feel slightly wrong, as they are truly on partly real. the imaginary scarabs come in a dazzling array of colors, and it is very common to see huge patches of phase moss or a huge animal corpse being chewed upon by innumerable rainbow-hued translucent beetles.
half-worms are big fat annelids that come in a handful of colors and shades. when two half-worms wish to mate, they fuse together into a full-worm, with one worm becoming the mouth end and the other becoming the anus end. the worms tunnel through the ground and (in some subspecies) crawl through ponds and lakes, searching for rotting matter to feed upon.
THE OCHRE ENGINE
the ochre engine is the self-appointed ruler of this wildland. it looks like a huge machine, complete with pipes and wires and orange exhaust which spews forth incessantly. the ochre engine is not a natural part of the ecology of the dimension, but it is integral to its existence. it is believed that the ochre engine created this wildland, mainly due to the orange tinge that everything (especially the soil) has. the ochre engine has many strange obsessions and thoughts, such as its hatred of prismatic turtles, its reverence of the royal nettles, and how it considers all blind trolls to be friendly.
LOCATIONS
the shipwreck forest is the only place in this biome which shows major signs of civilization. the high up boughs of the trees here, on the edge of the world, hold up many crashed ships and barges, and its darkened leafy area holds many ghost elves and violent blind trolls. there might be small villages in the decks of the ancient boats.
the dragon pond is electric. this relatively small lake is home to an aquatic subspecies of thunder cobra which makes the water dangerous to enter and drink from, unless you happen to be a prismatic turtle. if you are a prismatic turtle, then your thick mouthplates make the lightning water feel like only slight tingling on your beak. since half-worms cannot survive for long in the water, dead things simply float to the surface and dont decay due to the lack of scavengers and the electrification.
the widow's cove is the hilly hideaway of a large family of unusually intelligent shield spiders. the ochre engine finds them extremely annoying and aggravating.
the crawling plains comprise the majority of this wildland's flat land. it is mostly dirt with a sparse covering of light grass, and with the occasional tree or lake. crawling through these plains and hills are all sorts of the animals which comprise the ecosystem of this world. typically, the ochre engine can be found trundling through this grassland, experimenting and speaking with the animals and plants.
PLANT LIFE
royal nettles are found in small patches of sharp blades and spiky spines. they are crimson and gold, and many have jewelry, incense, paper, etc. placed around them by the OCHRE ENGINE (see below). the ochre engine considers them the true ruler of the wildland, and reveres them with sacrifices and fancy things. none of the other creatures care about the royal nettles, beyond eating them or avoiding the spiky surfaces.
phase moss looks like normal moss. however, it is able to phase out of existence to avoid being eaten, destroyed, etc. there are many different subspecies and variants which have different triggers for their phasing, such as the moon moss (phases out of reality when moonlight touches it), tooth lichen (phases out of reality when bitten or chewed by anything (except the GHOST ELF and IMAGINARY SCARAB (see below)), etc.
HERBIVORES
ghost elves are small humanoid herbivores. they look like spectral androgynous children, but with eyes devoid of pupils and teeth made for the cutting and chewing of plant matter. they feed almost exclusively on the PHASE MOSS, but won't pass up an opportunity to damage a patch of the royal nettles which can, surprisingly, damage them. ghost elves are not true elves, but share many physical similarities with them. they are very mischievous, and love to trick the BLIND TROLLS and OCHRE ENGINE (see below)
prismatic turtles are huge reptiles with a giant hard shell. growing on this shell are the colorful rainbow crystals which give the turtles their name. these lumbering reptiles are immune to the stings of the royal nettles, due to the strong plates that cover their mouths and faces. the ochre engine hates every prismatic turtle to the core and tries to destroy as many as it can. the BLIND TROLLS have little difficulty killing prismatic turtles, as the light from the crystals does nothing to them, for they lack eyes.
CARNIVORES (and APEX PREDATOR)
thunder cobras are small serpents with blue and yellow scales that stand out against the drab orange dirt. their flesh and bite are electrified, which they use to hunt their prey foods of ghost elves and prismatic turtles. due to their electric flesh, they tend to not be eaten by anything, but some plucky blind trolls will attempt to swallow some of these serpents from time to time.
shield spiders are more defense-oriented arachnid predators. their hard exoskeleton makes them relatively immune to damage from all but GHOST ELVES. instead of having any sort of venom, they simply have sharpened and hard fangs which they use to stab and pierce their prey.
blind trolls are the apex predator of the wildland. they are lithe and strong, with pale wet skin coated with sparse hairs. they have gigantic tusks and bulging skin-covered eye sockets. They are weakened in sunlight, and so crowd under the boughs of trees. during the day it is not unusual to find huge cacophonies of blind trolls, all crowded under the same tree. however, during nighttime, the blind trolls are quick and strong, and if it weren't for their sweaty scent, they would be completely effective predators.
SCAVENGERS
imaginary scarabs were dreamt up by the ochre engine long ago. they look like scarab beetles that just feel slightly wrong, as they are truly on partly real. the imaginary scarabs come in a dazzling array of colors, and it is very common to see huge patches of phase moss or a huge animal corpse being chewed upon by innumerable rainbow-hued translucent beetles.
half-worms are big fat annelids that come in a handful of colors and shades. when two half-worms wish to mate, they fuse together into a full-worm, with one worm becoming the mouth end and the other becoming the anus end. the worms tunnel through the ground and (in some subspecies) crawl through ponds and lakes, searching for rotting matter to feed upon.
THE OCHRE ENGINE
the ochre engine is the self-appointed ruler of this wildland. it looks like a huge machine, complete with pipes and wires and orange exhaust which spews forth incessantly. the ochre engine is not a natural part of the ecology of the dimension, but it is integral to its existence. it is believed that the ochre engine created this wildland, mainly due to the orange tinge that everything (especially the soil) has. the ochre engine has many strange obsessions and thoughts, such as its hatred of prismatic turtles, its reverence of the royal nettles, and how it considers all blind trolls to be friendly.
LOCATIONS
the shipwreck forest is the only place in this biome which shows major signs of civilization. the high up boughs of the trees here, on the edge of the world, hold up many crashed ships and barges, and its darkened leafy area holds many ghost elves and violent blind trolls. there might be small villages in the decks of the ancient boats.
the dragon pond is electric. this relatively small lake is home to an aquatic subspecies of thunder cobra which makes the water dangerous to enter and drink from, unless you happen to be a prismatic turtle. if you are a prismatic turtle, then your thick mouthplates make the lightning water feel like only slight tingling on your beak. since half-worms cannot survive for long in the water, dead things simply float to the surface and dont decay due to the lack of scavengers and the electrification.
the widow's cove is the hilly hideaway of a large family of unusually intelligent shield spiders. the ochre engine finds them extremely annoying and aggravating.
the crawling plains comprise the majority of this wildland's flat land. it is mostly dirt with a sparse covering of light grass, and with the occasional tree or lake. crawling through these plains and hills are all sorts of the animals which comprise the ecosystem of this world. typically, the ochre engine can be found trundling through this grassland, experimenting and speaking with the animals and plants.
Monday, December 21, 2015
GEAR and TRAINED SKILLS
so i read this post over on scrap princess' blog and I thought about putting something like that over in my system. so something like that is going in my system.
at character creation, you may choose a background/past life/whatever that helps determine what kind of thing your character is, and also helps determine some starting gear and trained skills. TRAINED SKILLS are very fluid, and are anything that could be said to pertain to your character's background. if you can say how it is related, then you receive a +2 bonus to your chances with the skill check. a past life will also describe what your armaments are like, but those will tend to be determined individually.
all of the pasts listed in scrap's post are options for your character, in addition to the ones below (more are forthcoming):
1. CLERGY of AHJAX
Starts with:
The Olde Booke of Saints and Things, holy symbols of some saint, a mouth filled with holy words
your weapons and armor are:
simply crafted and varied
2. FOLLOWER of THE GRAVEYARD
Starts with:
a pet of some sort, rotting clothing, a corpse-like body, symbiotic fungus or plants
your weapons and armor are:
old, dusty, rusty, and rotting
3. INDUSTRIALIST
Starts with:
a wallet full of cash, a factory somewhere, the prototype of some new machine (very flimsy)
your weapons and armor are:
fancy and state-of-the-art
4. DRUID
Starts with:
nothing but the skin on your back and the teeth in your mouth. maybe some stuff made from sticks
your weapons and armor are:
fur, skin, sticks, poop, blood
5. BROUGHT UP by ORCAS
note: this is one of only two backgrounds chooseable by orcas, but it can also be chosen by other races
Starts with:
the skin of your mother/father, a sack filled with fish
your weapons and armor are:
made of bone, teeth, driftwood, and skin
6. GOBLIN CHILD
Starts with:
chamberpot, piece of junk, a handful of dirty mice
your weapons and armor are:
made from garbage and human waste
7. FACTORY WORKER
Starts with:
a meager paycheck, a dirty uniform, shoddily-made product, factory slang
your weapons and armor are:
hand-me-down, cheap
8. TIME TRAVELER
Starts with:
things that do not exist yet
your weapons and armor are:
shiny, futuristic
9. NEWBORN of a ROVING FACTORY
note: this can only be chosen by robot characters
Starts with:
small pieces of tech, nothing else
your weapons and armor are:
parts of your body
10. REHABILITATED MONSTER
note: this is one of only two backgrounds chooseable by orca and elf characters
Starts with:
beautiful grey uniform, pleasant manners, nice books, packed lunch, brainwashed mind
your weapons and armor are:
clean and pristine
11. CANNIBAL
Starts with:
cooking utensils, On Person Preparation (a cookbook), bloody apron
your weapons and armor are:
actually cooking gear
12. ELFIN SADIST (or CHANGELING)
note: this is only chooseable by elf characters (unless your character is a child stolen by the elves)
Starts with:
torture gear, weird alien pet, otherworldly outlook and appearance, sharp teeth and claws
your weapons and armor are:
edgy, violent, bloody, alien
13. MAMMAL ENTHUSIAST (or FURRY)
note: this can only be chosen by non-mammals
Starts with:
fursuit, book on mammals, lice
your weapons and armor are:
patterned after claws and other mammal-things
as stated earlier, more are forthcoming
at character creation, you may choose a background/past life/whatever that helps determine what kind of thing your character is, and also helps determine some starting gear and trained skills. TRAINED SKILLS are very fluid, and are anything that could be said to pertain to your character's background. if you can say how it is related, then you receive a +2 bonus to your chances with the skill check. a past life will also describe what your armaments are like, but those will tend to be determined individually.
all of the pasts listed in scrap's post are options for your character, in addition to the ones below (more are forthcoming):
1. CLERGY of AHJAX
Starts with:
The Olde Booke of Saints and Things, holy symbols of some saint, a mouth filled with holy words
your weapons and armor are:
simply crafted and varied
2. FOLLOWER of THE GRAVEYARD
Starts with:
a pet of some sort, rotting clothing, a corpse-like body, symbiotic fungus or plants
your weapons and armor are:
old, dusty, rusty, and rotting
3. INDUSTRIALIST
Starts with:
a wallet full of cash, a factory somewhere, the prototype of some new machine (very flimsy)
your weapons and armor are:
fancy and state-of-the-art
4. DRUID
Starts with:
nothing but the skin on your back and the teeth in your mouth. maybe some stuff made from sticks
your weapons and armor are:
fur, skin, sticks, poop, blood
5. BROUGHT UP by ORCAS
note: this is one of only two backgrounds chooseable by orcas, but it can also be chosen by other races
Starts with:
the skin of your mother/father, a sack filled with fish
your weapons and armor are:
made of bone, teeth, driftwood, and skin
6. GOBLIN CHILD
Starts with:
chamberpot, piece of junk, a handful of dirty mice
your weapons and armor are:
made from garbage and human waste
7. FACTORY WORKER
Starts with:
a meager paycheck, a dirty uniform, shoddily-made product, factory slang
your weapons and armor are:
hand-me-down, cheap
8. TIME TRAVELER
Starts with:
things that do not exist yet
your weapons and armor are:
shiny, futuristic
9. NEWBORN of a ROVING FACTORY
note: this can only be chosen by robot characters
Starts with:
small pieces of tech, nothing else
your weapons and armor are:
parts of your body
10. REHABILITATED MONSTER
note: this is one of only two backgrounds chooseable by orca and elf characters
Starts with:
beautiful grey uniform, pleasant manners, nice books, packed lunch, brainwashed mind
your weapons and armor are:
clean and pristine
11. CANNIBAL
Starts with:
cooking utensils, On Person Preparation (a cookbook), bloody apron
your weapons and armor are:
actually cooking gear
12. ELFIN SADIST (or CHANGELING)
note: this is only chooseable by elf characters (unless your character is a child stolen by the elves)
Starts with:
torture gear, weird alien pet, otherworldly outlook and appearance, sharp teeth and claws
your weapons and armor are:
edgy, violent, bloody, alien
13. MAMMAL ENTHUSIAST (or FURRY)
note: this can only be chosen by non-mammals
Starts with:
fursuit, book on mammals, lice
your weapons and armor are:
patterned after claws and other mammal-things
as stated earlier, more are forthcoming
Sunday, December 20, 2015
AMPHISBAENA
AMPHISBAENA are completely mundane and natural creatures. their two-headed nature was evolved to allow for more trickery with the hunting of their preferred prey-the mouse. a mouse expects a single fanged head of a serpent, but when there are two it isn't able to leave its burrow without being bitten. a good and valuable adaptation for a predator.
Amphisbaena are creatures sacred to Jujuvinia, Ahjaxian saint of poison, innocent assassins, and small knives. many say that they were crafted by the saint herself, from discarded snakeskin, four slivers of glass, and other holy materials. Holy followers of Jujuvinia are able to create their own amphisbaena using her techniques, but they are never quite right.
amphisbaena were made long ago by the elves, to be used in weirdly complex assassination attempts. that's why they can stiffen into a rod, poisoned fangs at either end. they were made to be living daggers. how and why they are no longer in use by the elfin murderers is a mystery.
Amphisbaena are completely mundane and natural creatures. their second head is, in reality, a FALSE head, evolved only as a ruse for much larger and more dangerous predators. it cannot bite, and if it is cut off it will regrow within a few days.
Amphisbaena are a metaphor for the nature of lizard people. they have two heads because the people of the world have two sides to their personality; a side that they show the world and a side that they show none. Some more confusing philosophers claim that there are actually three or even four sides to a personality, and thus there are three or four-headed amphisbaena.
amphisbaena are a kind of serpentine animal spirit, who serve any number of reptilian snake-gods. you can find them squirming through the mud and dirt of the spirit forest.
If you cut an amphisbaena in half, it will split off into two normal snakes.
If you cut an amphisbaena in half, it will die just like any other beast or serpent.
Amphisbaena and Hoop Snakes are connected in some way. maybe amphisbaena are what hoop snakes grow up into?
there is a subspecies of Winged Amphisbaena that you can find in The Southlands. the Crocmen talk of how much they love hunting it, and everybody can trust the Crocmen!
amphisbaena are creatures associated with the Allied Pantheon. their two-headed forms mirror the neverending and always changing cycle of everything. followers of those gods claim no connection to them, but nobody can trust them (the high council of the concordance of Ahjax says so!)
Amphisbaena are a kind of alien demon, who take a more mundane form to watch us. if you hear a clicking and whirring when in the woods, you are being watched by the camera-eyes of these two-headed serpents.
Amphisbaena are creatures sacred to Jujuvinia, Ahjaxian saint of poison, innocent assassins, and small knives. many say that they were crafted by the saint herself, from discarded snakeskin, four slivers of glass, and other holy materials. Holy followers of Jujuvinia are able to create their own amphisbaena using her techniques, but they are never quite right.
amphisbaena were made long ago by the elves, to be used in weirdly complex assassination attempts. that's why they can stiffen into a rod, poisoned fangs at either end. they were made to be living daggers. how and why they are no longer in use by the elfin murderers is a mystery.
Amphisbaena are completely mundane and natural creatures. their second head is, in reality, a FALSE head, evolved only as a ruse for much larger and more dangerous predators. it cannot bite, and if it is cut off it will regrow within a few days.
Amphisbaena are a metaphor for the nature of lizard people. they have two heads because the people of the world have two sides to their personality; a side that they show the world and a side that they show none. Some more confusing philosophers claim that there are actually three or even four sides to a personality, and thus there are three or four-headed amphisbaena.
amphisbaena are a kind of serpentine animal spirit, who serve any number of reptilian snake-gods. you can find them squirming through the mud and dirt of the spirit forest.
If you cut an amphisbaena in half, it will split off into two normal snakes.
If you cut an amphisbaena in half, it will die just like any other beast or serpent.
Amphisbaena and Hoop Snakes are connected in some way. maybe amphisbaena are what hoop snakes grow up into?
there is a subspecies of Winged Amphisbaena that you can find in The Southlands. the Crocmen talk of how much they love hunting it, and everybody can trust the Crocmen!
amphisbaena are creatures associated with the Allied Pantheon. their two-headed forms mirror the neverending and always changing cycle of everything. followers of those gods claim no connection to them, but nobody can trust them (the high council of the concordance of Ahjax says so!)
Amphisbaena are a kind of alien demon, who take a more mundane form to watch us. if you hear a clicking and whirring when in the woods, you are being watched by the camera-eyes of these two-headed serpents.
some INFORMATIONS regarding MANY THINGS
ABILITY SCORES have changed since last i spoke of them. now, rather than having set bonuses for different kinds of actions, your character spends points of the ability score to receive bonuses while also reducing the value rolled against for saving throws. see below for what different ability scores may be spent on:
- VIOLENCE: for every point spent, +1 to either the attack roll, or +1 damage die rolled for the attack (when rolling multiple dice, take the higher value)
- SKILL: for every point spent, +1 to any physical skill check (see below for rules on skills)
- STRENGTH: for every point spent, +1 to forcing open some door/gate/container, or being able to carry huge amounts of weight
- STAMINA: cannot spend; stamina is only reduced when it takes damage from attacks after hit points are all gone.
- CHARISMA: for every point spent, +1 to reaction rolls and other social-based rolls
- INTELLIGENCE: for every point spent, +1 to any knowledge skill check (see below for rules on skills)
- MAGIC: for every point spent, +1 to roll for casting of spells, in addition to other magic-based checks
- COSMOS: for every point spent, +1 to rolls of a cosmic nature, such as getting miraculous gifts from a spirit or summoning some weird creature
SKILLS come in two sorts: physical and knowledge. physical skills include the picking of locks, climbing walls, sneaking, hunting, etc. knowledge skills include deciphering languages, knowing things about some monster, etc. different difficulties of skill have different chances, but when you spend points of Skill on it, these chances increase by 1 for every point spent. you may choose to be trained in a skill or some skills, in which case your base chances with it will increase by 1 point.
- Trifling Predicament: 10 in 20 chance of success
- Modest Predicament: 8 in 20 chance of success
- Worthy Predicament: 6 in 20 chance of success
- Significant Predicament: 4 in 20 chance of success
- Confounding Predicament: 2 in 20 chance of success
In the small country of VORARE, all that anybody cares about is eating. the sorcerers here use a specific brand of spellcasting that uses up bodily reserves of energy, meaning that they are constantly stuffing themselves with food. very powerful wizards might be incredibly corpulent and obese, but suddenly emaciated with the casting of a single incantation. To go up in the chain of command here, one must kill and eat one's higher-ups. The Queen is sometimes called the High Cannibal. most small animals are eaten whole and alive. the rich have huge pet snakes, which some claim to be gifted with intelligence via magic. No metal currency is accepted here, and all of your mice, rats, owls, fungi, slaves, etc. must be traded in for the real version in the nation's ports. Questing Beast coins are never accepted for this reason.
there is a small island which is currently named Rule. you can find in this island nation the Fairest Court System in the entire world. if anything happens to you, the perpetrator will be found and exactly what happened to you will be inflicted upon the criminal. An Eye for an Eye, a Tooth for a Tooth, a Theft for a Theft, a Death for a Death. however, every 39 years, the city cycles over to a mirror-city named Corrupt. here, nothing is ever punished. everything is burning and stolen and killed and nobody will ever own up to it and take a punishment for it. there is no court system and there is no ruler. currently, the island has been Rule for 26 years, which means in another 13 it will cycle over to Corrupt.
RELIGION is incredible in its variety, complexity, and weirdness, both in the real world and in The World with no Name. the most widespread faith in the region we will be playing in is The Concordance of Ahjax, really not so much its own religion as innumerable smaller cults that grouped together under the same moniker. then there is the chaotic otherworldly spirit with the ever-watchful eye and the angular form, which is hostile to all other religion and hostile to the world as a whole. there are three major gods that form a sort of pantheon of friends, where different groups will worship one specific spirit but will also respect and acknowledge the existence of the other two. The customs, rituals, and strange strictures from each religion are multi-layered and complex, as are the relationships between major religions. This doesn't even include lesser cults, sects, and faiths that one might find hidden in the area.
the major religions of the area are as follows (posts regarding each of these faiths and philosophies are forthcoming):
- The Concordance of Ahjax: a monolatric faith where the followers hail an immense multitude of saints, demigods, demons, spirits, godlings, etc. each worshiped being is connected to a great god named Ahjax, and they are said to be aspects of it.
- The Pantheon of Friends/Allied Pantheon
- The Graveyard: a religion regarding life, death, decay, and the impermanence of all things. The Graveyard is both a physical being/location (it is one of the 5 moons of the planet), but it is also an indistinct metaphysical location where all things go after death. the concordance of ahjax considers following The Graveyard a heresy, punishable by jail and torture (note: this punishment is only possible within the nation-state of the concordance of ahjax)
- Growl: a deity of energy and of cosmic things. it is energy, and it can work with energy, and so can those creatures and people connected with it. the concordance of ahjax considers following Growl a heresy, punishable by jail and torture (note: this punishment is only possible within the nation-state of the concordance of ahjax)
- Makoto: the being known as Makoto is a chaotic deity, associated with natural disasters and change. the concordance of ahjax isn't certain as to its opinion regarding Makoto, but the high council says to be wary of followers of this deity, as they might be connected to followers of the more heretical other gods.
- Bill Cipher, the Weirdness Demon, the Ever-Watchful Eye, the Pyramid, He Who Makes and Breaks Promises: i literally stole this god from a cartoon, just go watch it it is very good. he is a chaotic being of unnatural disasters, of pure unadulterated unpredictability and of neverending change.
the concordance of ahjax is the most widespread religion in this region, and it is much more personal and the more distant and impersonal allied pantheon and ever-watchful eye. the saints and godlings of the concordance are much closer to the people than the strange spirits of the pantheon. The Concordance has gods of fertility, harvest, hearth, hunting, fighting, etc. that feel close to the people, whereas the allied pantheon has only distant and alien gods that embody vast and important cosmic concepts. Bill Cipher is just incredibly weird and dangerous, and yet there are many who follow him.
of course, there are also many, many demons, spirits, ghosts, alien beings, devils, godlings, etc. that are smaller in scope than any of the faiths described above.
of course, there are also many, many demons, spirits, ghosts, alien beings, devils, godlings, etc. that are smaller in scope than any of the faiths described above.
Friday, December 18, 2015
the city of KOSSUM
KOSSUM is a city from out of space and from out of time
CITY FROM OUT OF SPACE (and out of time)
noun
a large town or village that happens to be in an extradimensional space or pocket dimension, which follows its own strange rules of reality and politics.
KOSSUM is a large city. it is always warm here, and the air is always damp with humidity. if it weren't for the town guards, everything would be covered with layer upon layer of mold. the sky in Kossum is always the color that the sky is at twilight, but the sun still moves through the sky. the sun has a huge black spot on it from where the ruler of Kossum, the Possum Queen, can watch the goings-on in her principality
in KOSSUM it is illegal to kill any marsupials and any rodents. because of this rat populations have skyrocketed, but it's okay, for they work as spies for the Possum Queen. this also means that if You happen to be carrying the mainstays of the lizard person's diet, the fried mouse and rat-on-a-stick, you will be arrested and probably executed.
in KOSSUM it is illegal to talk about midday. some even go so far as to avoid doing anything when the sun is at the top of the sky for fear of arrest. however, discussion of midnight is encouraged and rewarded, even though there is no easy way to determine whether it is midnight or not (there is no moon in Kossum)
in KOSSUM, all books must be written in the nigh incomprehensible scratches and stains of the opossum tongue. if any book written in any other language is found, it is promptly snatched up and burned.
in KOSSUM, a parent must have at least 10 children. until you have 10 children, realistic doll replacements will suffice, for a time. all children must be with one of their parents at all times, and this includes the doll-children. being a parent means carrying with you a lot of children.
in KOSSUM, there are no farms. all food is gotten from scavenging, hunting, and gathering. however, this still produces enough food for everybody somehow.
in KOSSUM, all news is spoken word only, and you will usually have it whispered into your ear by a mouse or lesser possum, so that you dream of the happenings in your sleep.
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in KOSSUM, all laws are enforced by the Town Guard, a battalion of militiamen who wear armor of furred skins and metal nails. they are usually busy with combating mold, however, and so most of the laws are actually enforced by the rat spies, rather than the bumbling town guard
in KOSSUM, all art is required to have no deeper meaning beyond what is clearly visible. for this reason, political cartoon has become like it is today, with literally every single part of the image explained clearly. poetry is possibly the only offence punishable by fine.
in KOSSUM, speaking lies about the Possum Queen is the worst felony. however, most positive statements regarding the Possum Queen are complete falsehood. because of this, all citizens are constantly berating the Queen and talking about her obsession with worms and dirt and shiny objects.
in KOSSUM, there is no sewer system. the roads do not have paving. the roads are made from waste that has turned into dirt, and slightly more recent waste on top of it. plant life flourishes in the roads. only the road up to the Possum Queen's hideyhole is paved, and it is paved with asphalt. the plants of the waste-roads are nurtured, but sometimes there is collateral damage to combat the Mold
in KOSSUM, the Possum Queen holds an annual competition for a breeder, where she selects the best of her (mostly) human citizens to assist in her creation of a marsupial heir to her throne.
in KOSSUM, it is illegal to own a weapon smaller than a butcher's knife. butter knives count as weapons, and so they are very large in this town.
in KOSSUM, the economy is stimulated by an ever-growing trade in Teeth, mostly human and rodent teeth, especially between the city and the Realm of the Tooth Fairy. the Tooth Fairy is on good terms with the Possum Queen, and some even say that they are lovers
in KOSSUM, any kind of hound, no matter the species, is illegal. the Possum Queen fears them, and no matter if your hound is a reptile, a man, a canine, a predatory avian, or a huge amphibian. if a hound is captured, it will be put down by the Possum Queen or by the Town Guard
in KOSSUM, the Possum Queen will deem it illegal to touch the ground for one full day. the citizens must then crawl through the trees and on the rooftops. this day is determined seemingly at random.
in KOSSUM, the buildings are made from soft wood and rope-like vines, sometimes with the skins or corpses of animals incorporated into them. some of the richer houses are made from living trees, grown into a house-like shape.
YOU CAN GET TO KOSSUM IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS
CITY FROM OUT OF SPACE (and out of time)
noun
a large town or village that happens to be in an extradimensional space or pocket dimension, which follows its own strange rules of reality and politics.
KOSSUM is a large city. it is always warm here, and the air is always damp with humidity. if it weren't for the town guards, everything would be covered with layer upon layer of mold. the sky in Kossum is always the color that the sky is at twilight, but the sun still moves through the sky. the sun has a huge black spot on it from where the ruler of Kossum, the Possum Queen, can watch the goings-on in her principality
in KOSSUM it is illegal to kill any marsupials and any rodents. because of this rat populations have skyrocketed, but it's okay, for they work as spies for the Possum Queen. this also means that if You happen to be carrying the mainstays of the lizard person's diet, the fried mouse and rat-on-a-stick, you will be arrested and probably executed.
in KOSSUM it is illegal to talk about midday. some even go so far as to avoid doing anything when the sun is at the top of the sky for fear of arrest. however, discussion of midnight is encouraged and rewarded, even though there is no easy way to determine whether it is midnight or not (there is no moon in Kossum)
in KOSSUM, all books must be written in the nigh incomprehensible scratches and stains of the opossum tongue. if any book written in any other language is found, it is promptly snatched up and burned.
in KOSSUM, a parent must have at least 10 children. until you have 10 children, realistic doll replacements will suffice, for a time. all children must be with one of their parents at all times, and this includes the doll-children. being a parent means carrying with you a lot of children.
in KOSSUM, there are no farms. all food is gotten from scavenging, hunting, and gathering. however, this still produces enough food for everybody somehow.
in KOSSUM, all news is spoken word only, and you will usually have it whispered into your ear by a mouse or lesser possum, so that you dream of the happenings in your sleep.
in KOSSUM, all laws are enforced by the Town Guard, a battalion of militiamen who wear armor of furred skins and metal nails. they are usually busy with combating mold, however, and so most of the laws are actually enforced by the rat spies, rather than the bumbling town guard
in KOSSUM, all art is required to have no deeper meaning beyond what is clearly visible. for this reason, political cartoon has become like it is today, with literally every single part of the image explained clearly. poetry is possibly the only offence punishable by fine.
in KOSSUM, speaking lies about the Possum Queen is the worst felony. however, most positive statements regarding the Possum Queen are complete falsehood. because of this, all citizens are constantly berating the Queen and talking about her obsession with worms and dirt and shiny objects.
in KOSSUM, there is no sewer system. the roads do not have paving. the roads are made from waste that has turned into dirt, and slightly more recent waste on top of it. plant life flourishes in the roads. only the road up to the Possum Queen's hideyhole is paved, and it is paved with asphalt. the plants of the waste-roads are nurtured, but sometimes there is collateral damage to combat the Mold
in KOSSUM, the Possum Queen holds an annual competition for a breeder, where she selects the best of her (mostly) human citizens to assist in her creation of a marsupial heir to her throne.
in KOSSUM, it is illegal to own a weapon smaller than a butcher's knife. butter knives count as weapons, and so they are very large in this town.
in KOSSUM, the economy is stimulated by an ever-growing trade in Teeth, mostly human and rodent teeth, especially between the city and the Realm of the Tooth Fairy. the Tooth Fairy is on good terms with the Possum Queen, and some even say that they are lovers
in KOSSUM, any kind of hound, no matter the species, is illegal. the Possum Queen fears them, and no matter if your hound is a reptile, a man, a canine, a predatory avian, or a huge amphibian. if a hound is captured, it will be put down by the Possum Queen or by the Town Guard
in KOSSUM, the Possum Queen will deem it illegal to touch the ground for one full day. the citizens must then crawl through the trees and on the rooftops. this day is determined seemingly at random.
in KOSSUM, the buildings are made from soft wood and rope-like vines, sometimes with the skins or corpses of animals incorporated into them. some of the richer houses are made from living trees, grown into a house-like shape.
- eat a possum. in your dreams, you will be jailed in the city. you will not wake up until you leave the city, and no time will have passed outside of your mind.
- crawl into the tree that a possum happens to be living in. you will crawl out of a similar tree in Kossum
- get lost in a city following a possum or some rats. you will walk out of an alleyway in Kossum once you get sufficiently off track.
- get ferried there by The Tooth Fairy, for a price.
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