After watching The Jungle Book and a National Geographic documentary on tigers, I decided to write down a few more thoughts about the temple of Venkatesh. I did this without re-reading the old posts and found that I duplicated myself in several respects.
1. I am not sure if the trappings of the temple and the surrounding jungle should resemble the Aztecs and Latin America, the Malaysians and southeast Asia, or a mix of both. The desire for the latter comes from the Jungle Book and National Geographic, both of which also tie into point two.
2. In addition to human and other PC race slaves, the yuan-ti could have a group of weretigers or werejaguars as warrior-slaves. If the Aztec motif is chosen, these slaves also serve in the arena as the championship team of ball players.
3. Duplication the first - the temple has surrounding buildings. In this case, I listed several buildings that I knew would be found at an Aztec temple or that just made sense: residential areas for yuan-ti, slave pits for slaves, a ball court, and a palace. Old posts have shown that an ossuary-reliquary-evil creepy temple of bones is also needed. I figure, after reading the old post, that the yuan-ti place the bodies of the sacrifices on the outside walls of the reliquary until scavengers and the elements have eroded all but the bone. The clean bones are then moved inside the building to serve as raw necromantic material, creepy building material, or sorted for decorations (as needed and definitely with a wall or mini pyramid of skulls). Should the reliquary be a separate building or part of the main temple structure? One level of the temple could be adorned on the exterior with the rotting bodies and the inside of that level would then serve as the reliquary. This ensures that the PCs do not have to invade/investigate a separate building in order to use all the cool imagery and undead potential.
4. Duplication the second - the upper levels of the temple are only for snake-bodied yuan-ti and they use footstep-based traps to ensure this. This is all old-hat but watching Fritz the Cat (at the end with the revolutionaries who are going to blow up the power plant) gave me the idea that the simple sound of footsteps is an automatic alert on these levels to the presence of someone who shouldn't be there.
5. The body of the explorer (and his half of the map) could be among the bones of the reliquary. Perhaps the possessions of the sacrifices are stored in the treasure chamber and they could find the map therein.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Come Right In: The Open Door Trap
More Secret of NIMH stuff.
When Mrs. Brisby first enters the rose bush (the home of the rats of NIMH), she pushes aside a branch to get through a hole. This branch is connected to a door by a string and pushing the branch causes the door to open.
The trap is simply a similar set-up where an obvious entrance opens but it is an incorrect, overly long, booby-trapped, or otherwise deleterious path. The actual entrance is hidden by the very act that makes the alternate, incorrect path obvious (such as the door swinging "open" to the wrong path and thereby covering the opening to the right path).
When Mrs. Brisby first enters the rose bush (the home of the rats of NIMH), she pushes aside a branch to get through a hole. This branch is connected to a door by a string and pushing the branch causes the door to open.
The trap is simply a similar set-up where an obvious entrance opens but it is an incorrect, overly long, booby-trapped, or otherwise deleterious path. The actual entrance is hidden by the very act that makes the alternate, incorrect path obvious (such as the door swinging "open" to the wrong path and thereby covering the opening to the right path).
The Great Owl: Spirit of Knowledge
As with the other recent posts, I am moved to steal ideas from animated movies.
The Secret of NIMH includes the Great Owl, a terrifying source of knowledge and wisdom to those who are willing to brave his home and attention (as Mrs. Brisby notes, "Owls eat mice"). The cool thing about the Great Owl is that the inside of his home (an exceptionally large hollow tree trunk) is rife with age and neglect. It does not resemble a home so much as a violate tomb, as cobwebs hang from every surface and bones lie strewn across the ground. The Great Owl himself is covered with cobwebs as though he has stood unmoved for years (though he leaves after speaking with Mrs. Brisby and the impression is that he leaves every night to hunt). Pests share the Great Owl's home as evinced by a large moth accosting Mrs. Brisby as she slowly makes her way to the audience chamber and a very large spider (she could fit beneath is legs) stalking her from the shadows before the Great Owl crushes it with a talon.
Plenty of ideas there. Since Trokair thrives on personifications of abstract ideals, Knowledge could very well be an unmoving, contemplative, giant owl entombed within a supernatural/fantastic library containing the sum total of wisdom throughout all time. Gaining an audience with Knowledge would be an epic task indeed.
The Secret of NIMH includes the Great Owl, a terrifying source of knowledge and wisdom to those who are willing to brave his home and attention (as Mrs. Brisby notes, "Owls eat mice"). The cool thing about the Great Owl is that the inside of his home (an exceptionally large hollow tree trunk) is rife with age and neglect. It does not resemble a home so much as a violate tomb, as cobwebs hang from every surface and bones lie strewn across the ground. The Great Owl himself is covered with cobwebs as though he has stood unmoved for years (though he leaves after speaking with Mrs. Brisby and the impression is that he leaves every night to hunt). Pests share the Great Owl's home as evinced by a large moth accosting Mrs. Brisby as she slowly makes her way to the audience chamber and a very large spider (she could fit beneath is legs) stalking her from the shadows before the Great Owl crushes it with a talon.
Plenty of ideas there. Since Trokair thrives on personifications of abstract ideals, Knowledge could very well be an unmoving, contemplative, giant owl entombed within a supernatural/fantastic library containing the sum total of wisdom throughout all time. Gaining an audience with Knowledge would be an epic task indeed.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Painted Window
I do not remember what inspired the idea but it came while watching The Aristocats (coming right after a post based on The Rescuers, one might conclude I am watching old Disney movies; one would be correct). I realize now that it bears some resemblance to a quest in Oblivion but that was not in mind until I started typing this post.
The idea is simple: a painting serves as a window into ours or another world. The fantastic properties of the painting lie undiscovered for some time because the painting remains fixed in place, hanging on the wall of a manor. Rumors of ghosts and possession have, in the past, risen up due to perceptions of movement in the painting but they were often attributed to the house in general and no specific investigation of the painting was made.
The use of such a painting is quite obvious: as a window providing view into another plane of existence, it can be used to explore and investigate this world. Whether the painting updates its view continuously (if I take it down from the wall, does its face change instantaneous to depict the altered perspective into the other world) or gradually (you have to hang it on another wall to get another view) is up for debate. Whichever serves the ultimate purpose of the painting is fine.
The idea is simple: a painting serves as a window into ours or another world. The fantastic properties of the painting lie undiscovered for some time because the painting remains fixed in place, hanging on the wall of a manor. Rumors of ghosts and possession have, in the past, risen up due to perceptions of movement in the painting but they were often attributed to the house in general and no specific investigation of the painting was made.
The use of such a painting is quite obvious: as a window providing view into another plane of existence, it can be used to explore and investigate this world. Whether the painting updates its view continuously (if I take it down from the wall, does its face change instantaneous to depict the altered perspective into the other world) or gradually (you have to hang it on another wall to get another view) is up for debate. Whichever serves the ultimate purpose of the painting is fine.
The Devil's Eye - Adventure Idea
Did you know that Disney's The Rescuers actually makes for a decent adventure?
In the movie, a woman named Medusa and her accomplice, Mr. Snoops, discover a hidden cave in Devil's Bayou that was used by pirates to bury their treasure. The only entrance to the cave (that they know) is a small sinkhole. Neither of them are small enough to fit through so they kidnap Penny, a girl from an orphanage, and force her down into the cave. Despite plenty of other gems, jewelry, and valuables, all Medusa cares about is the Devil's Eye, a huge diamond.
There is a large hole in the cave, probably 4 feet across, that blocks Penny from getting to the other side where the Devil's Eye is hidden in a skull. During high tide, the seawater enters through this hole in huge gushes as the waves crash into the cave entrance far below.
This adventure could take place in the Hoach or in a cave near the Hoach (same cave system but no connections large enough for PCs to traverse). As mentioned, there is another entrance to the cave besides the sinkhole. A party of unscrupulous treasure hunters kidnap one or more children from the nearby town of Fortune and force them into the cave during low tide to seek out the treasure. This party might have tried to enter the cave from the larger, sea-level entrance and had to turn back due to the length of the route (high tide comes before they could reach the treasure and get back out), traps (if pirates buried treasure here, they might have trapped the cave), obstacles (hidden cave passages or rockfalls blocking off a route), monsters (they were just too wussy to fight their way through), or a combination of these. The sinkhole puts the child beyond most of these obstacles but not beyond all danger.
PCs would investigate the missing children, discover the sinkhole, and, if they wanted the treasure for themselves, fight their way through the obstacles from the cave entrance (or have a small PC solo the sinkhole challenges).
Edited to add: Challenges seen in the movie include a pair of alligators, a colony of bats, the waterspout in the cave, Medusa, Mr. Snoops, a skeleton (inanimate but frightening; there were multiple skeletons in the cave), and fireworks.
Helpful characters included the Swamp Folk (an overweight, motherly figure; a drunken hillbilly; a civil-war old-codger; a deacon; a hillbilly fisherman; a miner; and a dragonfly who could not talk and served as a boat's motor and a messenger).
Friday, August 28, 2009
It's from a Medical Condition
Quote (paraphrased) by Adkit2 in episode 13 of his Neverhood LP:
"Sometimes I have difficulty differentiating between my left and right. It's from a medical condition ... called stupid."
"Sometimes I have difficulty differentiating between my left and right. It's from a medical condition ... called stupid."
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I Want My Stuff Back
I am playing Epic Battle Fantasy 2 and it seems that the characters are maxed out from Epic Battle Fantasy 1 (which I have played but I remember very little of it) because they have 9999 hit points and 999 magic points and tons of magic and special attacks and alternate weapons. At the end of the first level, you get to level up and increase an attribute and gain a special bonus of your choice.
I stopped there because I had an idea. I assume that we will somehow be knocked back to low-level standards since there really is no place for our hp, mp, spells, or items to go. I am probably wrong.
The idea was akin to any of the later Metroid games where you start out with all the special gear from the previous game but something conspires to set you back to square one (specifically, I recall the opening of Metroid Prime).
My idea was for a fantasy or sci-fi game that defies the "start at level 1 with crap gear" convention and gives you everything at the beginning. Then, after you get into the game's plot and mechanics, you lose everything. The game then allows you to choose which pieces of your equipment to recover first. In this way it differs from Metroid; if I really like the Morph Ball and Morph Bombs, then I should be able to go after them before the High Jump Boots.
The game should be open-ended so the player is truly free to pursue the items in any order. Some may make it easier to gain others but none should be required. Also, the game should be difficult but not impossible to beat without any items, just for the hell of it.
I stopped there because I had an idea. I assume that we will somehow be knocked back to low-level standards since there really is no place for our hp, mp, spells, or items to go. I am probably wrong.
The idea was akin to any of the later Metroid games where you start out with all the special gear from the previous game but something conspires to set you back to square one (specifically, I recall the opening of Metroid Prime).
My idea was for a fantasy or sci-fi game that defies the "start at level 1 with crap gear" convention and gives you everything at the beginning. Then, after you get into the game's plot and mechanics, you lose everything. The game then allows you to choose which pieces of your equipment to recover first. In this way it differs from Metroid; if I really like the Morph Ball and Morph Bombs, then I should be able to go after them before the High Jump Boots.
The game should be open-ended so the player is truly free to pursue the items in any order. Some may make it easier to gain others but none should be required. Also, the game should be difficult but not impossible to beat without any items, just for the hell of it.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Ars Mortis - An Undead Taxonomy
The following post is by Yobgod from OYT:
I've mentioned the basis of this idea in other posts, but this seems like a suitable place to flesh it out a little better (except the skeletons, of course).
As a theory, it's applicable to non-D&D systems, but I'll focus on the D&D interpretation here.
There are seven main "types" of undead, based on the retention or loss of the three primary qualities of the original creature, those being:
Body - The corporeal form, possibly decayed to a greater or lesser extent. (Strength, Dexterity)
Mind - The capacity for independent thought and reasoning. (intelligence, Wisdom)
Spirit - The sense of self, memory. (Charisma)
Most of the undead one may encounter are powered by negative (unlife) rather than positive (life) energy, although the latter are theoretically possible and would tend to be less corrupted by the hatred for life that our standard undead possess. In any case, this leads us to the following forms of undead:
The Animated Corpse (Body only)
Examples: Skeletons, Zombies and everything in between
Description: These common pests are merely the shells of the deceased made to move again by the energy of unlife. They lack both a sense of self and the capability for reasoning. When created by a Necromancer or Cleric they can be made to follow simple instructions, otherwise they simply move towards and attempt to destroy living creatures. Skeletons require more magical energy to animate, since more physical form must be compensated for with magic, but as a result tend to be much nimbler than the shuffling zombie.
The Hungry Corpse (Body and Mind)
Examples: Ghouls, Ghasts, Mohrg, Wights* and similar creatures
Description: These corporeal undead can be significantly more dangerous, as they retain their intelligence and cunning. Lacking a sense of self, however, they are completely driven by whatever hungers the hateful negative energy powering them has focused on. They are crafty and ruthless and remember nothing of life, seeking only to kill and to slake their insatiable hunger.
The Corrupted Corpse (Body and Spirit)
Examples: Trap Haunts, certain Tomb Guardians, Wights*
Description: These sad creatures retain their form and retain a sense of who they were, but have lost the capacity for independent thought. Often they endlessly relive their last moments or carry out their last commands, interpreting the present through both the distorted lens of time and the corruption of unlife. Unfortunate or not, they can still be extremely dangerous. Appeals to the emotions of their past may help, but appeals to reason will fail, and evidence of their current state is likely to drive them into a killing rage.
Sidebar: Wights - There have been several different creatures known as Wights, some of which are clearly Hungry Dead (3.5 MM Wight) while others fall more clearly into the Corrupted Dead classification (Tolkien Barrow Wights). Confuse them at your own peril.
The Corrupted Spirit (Spirit only)
Examples: Haunts, most Ghosts
Description: Similar to The Corrupted Corpse (and actually more common), these undead retain a memory of their identity and emotion, but have lost both their body and mind. Incorporeal, they are often tied to a particular place or longing. While some are relatively harmless, the negative energy that animates them makes their touch anathema to the living, whether they intend harm or not. Sometimes these are corrupted corpses whose corporeal forms have worn away to nothing.
The Hungry Spirit (Mind only)
Examples: Shadows, Wraiths
Description: Nothing but an evil will, fueled by hunger and hate for life, hungry spirits can, like their corporeal brethren, be cunning and manipulative.
The Lost Soul (Spirit and Mind)
Examples: None I know in D&D.
Description: This is the essence of a person stripped of their corporeal shell, corrupted by negative energy and left to roam the material planes. Having both thought and memory, unless they were particularly evil beings to start with, they are likely to be somewhat tortured by their current state and prone to fits of both rage and sadness. Sometimes, an evil creature will become a Lost Soul in order to bind themselves into an object or other prepared form in order to approximate eternal life. Sometimes an even more evil creature will use similar techniques to bind an unwilling soul into an object or form.
The Unliving (Body, Mind, Spirit)
Examples: Vampires, Liches, Death Knights
Description: These evil creatures voluntarily embrace undeath through one means or another and thus retain their form (often augmented) and facilities. The conversion to run on clean burning coal negative energy often takes it's toll however, and slowly corrupts the mind of all but the strongest of wills. Those wills that are already wholly evil in nature have no problen with this.
It is theorized (depending on your setting), that there can also be alternate forms of undead that remain powered by positive energy, despite no longer having a functioning metabolism. There are several of these (which are generally more suited to PCs). In some cultures Mummies are believed to fall into this category, may have any combination of Mind, Spirit, or both, and are left as tomb guardians. In other cultures they are fueled by evil like any other undead. Caution, as always, is advised. Other examples include Graveborn, Revenants, Petitioners and all other cases where thought and motion is maintained by magic and positive energy rather than normal bodily function. Some would seek to lump Warforged into this category, but they are different because they do rely on a functional metabolism... an artificially created one, but a metabolism none the less.
The positive energy fueled combination of Mind and Spirit is likely to be what we usually refer to as "the soul", which normally travels on to the outer planes once the body ceases to function, although religious representatives have declined to comment on this. This explains why a creature who has been converted into any undead with Mind or Spirit is unable to be raised from the dead or move on to their final reward/punishment. Many, however, believe that even having your corpse raised as a simple Zombie or Skeleton is sufficient to prevent the soul from moving on or coming back. It may be that the soul maintains an attachment to it's physical remains and that the infusion of those remains with negative energy taints the soul as well through that link.
If positive-energy undead exist, some form of unliving is the most appropriate option for an undead PC. Any form of mindless undead is obviously unsuitable for a PC, although you could play one with no spirit as a free-willed undead who has merely lost their memory and general sense of self. (Maybe it was stolen and they are questing for it?)
I've mentioned the basis of this idea in other posts, but this seems like a suitable place to flesh it out a little better (except the skeletons, of course).
As a theory, it's applicable to non-D&D systems, but I'll focus on the D&D interpretation here.
There are seven main "types" of undead, based on the retention or loss of the three primary qualities of the original creature, those being:
Body - The corporeal form, possibly decayed to a greater or lesser extent. (Strength, Dexterity)
Mind - The capacity for independent thought and reasoning. (intelligence, Wisdom)
Spirit - The sense of self, memory. (Charisma)
Most of the undead one may encounter are powered by negative (unlife) rather than positive (life) energy, although the latter are theoretically possible and would tend to be less corrupted by the hatred for life that our standard undead possess. In any case, this leads us to the following forms of undead:
The Animated Corpse (Body only)
Examples: Skeletons, Zombies and everything in between
Description: These common pests are merely the shells of the deceased made to move again by the energy of unlife. They lack both a sense of self and the capability for reasoning. When created by a Necromancer or Cleric they can be made to follow simple instructions, otherwise they simply move towards and attempt to destroy living creatures. Skeletons require more magical energy to animate, since more physical form must be compensated for with magic, but as a result tend to be much nimbler than the shuffling zombie.
The Hungry Corpse (Body and Mind)
Examples: Ghouls, Ghasts, Mohrg, Wights* and similar creatures
Description: These corporeal undead can be significantly more dangerous, as they retain their intelligence and cunning. Lacking a sense of self, however, they are completely driven by whatever hungers the hateful negative energy powering them has focused on. They are crafty and ruthless and remember nothing of life, seeking only to kill and to slake their insatiable hunger.
The Corrupted Corpse (Body and Spirit)
Examples: Trap Haunts, certain Tomb Guardians, Wights*
Description: These sad creatures retain their form and retain a sense of who they were, but have lost the capacity for independent thought. Often they endlessly relive their last moments or carry out their last commands, interpreting the present through both the distorted lens of time and the corruption of unlife. Unfortunate or not, they can still be extremely dangerous. Appeals to the emotions of their past may help, but appeals to reason will fail, and evidence of their current state is likely to drive them into a killing rage.
Sidebar: Wights - There have been several different creatures known as Wights, some of which are clearly Hungry Dead (3.5 MM Wight) while others fall more clearly into the Corrupted Dead classification (Tolkien Barrow Wights). Confuse them at your own peril.
The Corrupted Spirit (Spirit only)
Examples: Haunts, most Ghosts
Description: Similar to The Corrupted Corpse (and actually more common), these undead retain a memory of their identity and emotion, but have lost both their body and mind. Incorporeal, they are often tied to a particular place or longing. While some are relatively harmless, the negative energy that animates them makes their touch anathema to the living, whether they intend harm or not. Sometimes these are corrupted corpses whose corporeal forms have worn away to nothing.
The Hungry Spirit (Mind only)
Examples: Shadows, Wraiths
Description: Nothing but an evil will, fueled by hunger and hate for life, hungry spirits can, like their corporeal brethren, be cunning and manipulative.
The Lost Soul (Spirit and Mind)
Examples: None I know in D&D.
Description: This is the essence of a person stripped of their corporeal shell, corrupted by negative energy and left to roam the material planes. Having both thought and memory, unless they were particularly evil beings to start with, they are likely to be somewhat tortured by their current state and prone to fits of both rage and sadness. Sometimes, an evil creature will become a Lost Soul in order to bind themselves into an object or other prepared form in order to approximate eternal life. Sometimes an even more evil creature will use similar techniques to bind an unwilling soul into an object or form.
The Unliving (Body, Mind, Spirit)
Examples: Vampires, Liches, Death Knights
Description: These evil creatures voluntarily embrace undeath through one means or another and thus retain their form (often augmented) and facilities. The conversion to run on clean burning coal negative energy often takes it's toll however, and slowly corrupts the mind of all but the strongest of wills. Those wills that are already wholly evil in nature have no problen with this.
It is theorized (depending on your setting), that there can also be alternate forms of undead that remain powered by positive energy, despite no longer having a functioning metabolism. There are several of these (which are generally more suited to PCs). In some cultures Mummies are believed to fall into this category, may have any combination of Mind, Spirit, or both, and are left as tomb guardians. In other cultures they are fueled by evil like any other undead. Caution, as always, is advised. Other examples include Graveborn, Revenants, Petitioners and all other cases where thought and motion is maintained by magic and positive energy rather than normal bodily function. Some would seek to lump Warforged into this category, but they are different because they do rely on a functional metabolism... an artificially created one, but a metabolism none the less.
The positive energy fueled combination of Mind and Spirit is likely to be what we usually refer to as "the soul", which normally travels on to the outer planes once the body ceases to function, although religious representatives have declined to comment on this. This explains why a creature who has been converted into any undead with Mind or Spirit is unable to be raised from the dead or move on to their final reward/punishment. Many, however, believe that even having your corpse raised as a simple Zombie or Skeleton is sufficient to prevent the soul from moving on or coming back. It may be that the soul maintains an attachment to it's physical remains and that the infusion of those remains with negative energy taints the soul as well through that link.
If positive-energy undead exist, some form of unliving is the most appropriate option for an undead PC. Any form of mindless undead is obviously unsuitable for a PC, although you could play one with no spirit as a free-willed undead who has merely lost their memory and general sense of self. (Maybe it was stolen and they are questing for it?)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Yadri Tippits: Conditional Perfection
Just need to get this down. I thought it up yesterday at dinner and told myself to go home and type this up immediately. Note "yesterday at dinner".
I was at Subway eating dinner. I drink Diet Coke but I always mix something else in to add a tinge of flavor (just a small spritz totally changes the taste for me). I like to start off with Sprite or Dr. Pepper and then move towards Cherry Coke (if I want sweet) or Barq's Root Beer (if I want bite). Too often Subway will have Coke Zero instead of Dr. Pepper and it really limits me (I will mix Sprite and Cherry Coke but neither goes with Barq's, so I go from 6 flavors to 3).
Anyway, as I was mixing my drink, I noticed someone looked at me adding two different flavors to my Diet Coke. They were not watching me or giving me a disapproving look, but it did bring the concept of conditional perfection to mind.
Conditional Perfection is a label I give to things that are perfect in certain circumstances but not others. If I want a sweeter drink, such as when I get a Turkey sub, Cherry Coke and Sprite make the perfect drink. But if I get a Roast Beef sub, Cherry Coke and Sprite are no longer the perfect drink; instead, I want Barq's Root Beer.
In a world where the Gods of Law oppose the Gods of Chaos, is there room for conditional perfection? Would one not assume that the Gods of Law have a set and unchanging ideal of perfection? I oppose any relation between Chaos and Perfection but sterility and uniformity do not account for differing circumstances.
Yadri Tippits, a priest of Derrgan, the Wandering God, has long had the quirk of collecting rain water from the petals and leaves of various plants. For one who's palate is properly cleansed and sensitized, these waters provide a myriad of tastes and combinations that can accentuate and perfect any meal. Of course, to the boorish and uncouth drinker, they all taste like water.
Yadri uses his waters to teach the lesson of conditional perfection (along with food, music, painting, and other arts). "Which is perfect," he would ask, "the red wine or the white? Each is perfect in its own place: the red wine with steak, the white with fish." This music is perfect for joyous celebration while this is perfect for sorrow. If you switch them around, neither seems perfect.
I was at Subway eating dinner. I drink Diet Coke but I always mix something else in to add a tinge of flavor (just a small spritz totally changes the taste for me). I like to start off with Sprite or Dr. Pepper and then move towards Cherry Coke (if I want sweet) or Barq's Root Beer (if I want bite). Too often Subway will have Coke Zero instead of Dr. Pepper and it really limits me (I will mix Sprite and Cherry Coke but neither goes with Barq's, so I go from 6 flavors to 3).
Anyway, as I was mixing my drink, I noticed someone looked at me adding two different flavors to my Diet Coke. They were not watching me or giving me a disapproving look, but it did bring the concept of conditional perfection to mind.
Conditional Perfection is a label I give to things that are perfect in certain circumstances but not others. If I want a sweeter drink, such as when I get a Turkey sub, Cherry Coke and Sprite make the perfect drink. But if I get a Roast Beef sub, Cherry Coke and Sprite are no longer the perfect drink; instead, I want Barq's Root Beer.
In a world where the Gods of Law oppose the Gods of Chaos, is there room for conditional perfection? Would one not assume that the Gods of Law have a set and unchanging ideal of perfection? I oppose any relation between Chaos and Perfection but sterility and uniformity do not account for differing circumstances.
Yadri Tippits, a priest of Derrgan, the Wandering God, has long had the quirk of collecting rain water from the petals and leaves of various plants. For one who's palate is properly cleansed and sensitized, these waters provide a myriad of tastes and combinations that can accentuate and perfect any meal. Of course, to the boorish and uncouth drinker, they all taste like water.
Yadri uses his waters to teach the lesson of conditional perfection (along with food, music, painting, and other arts). "Which is perfect," he would ask, "the red wine or the white? Each is perfect in its own place: the red wine with steak, the white with fish." This music is perfect for joyous celebration while this is perfect for sorrow. If you switch them around, neither seems perfect.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Trokair's Monastery - Xian Gi Wo!
I cannot for the life of me remember what the name of the monastery was near the ruins of Trokair. I remember lots of things about it, and I know I had a notebook with the name written inside because I listed three separate monasteries near Trokair and differentiated between their teaching styles, but I do not recall more than it started with X and was two words. This was not all that long ago either as I used the radio tower in the mountains visible from my community college's adjunct campus's second floor as the basis for the monastery.
Xong Guo?
Xia Shou?
Xin Gao?
Nothing rings true.
This post brought to you by Kung Fu Panda, which I am watching right now.
Xong Guo?
Xia Shou?
Xin Gao?
Nothing rings true.
This post brought to you by Kung Fu Panda, which I am watching right now.
Pharmacist's Prayer
Lord, as I work behind this counter
may I feel your presence here.
Help me to fill each prescription
with knowledge, love, and cheer.
May I always be humbled by the
privilege that is mine
of making life more comfortable
and giving peace of mind.
For all who seek assistance
give me wisdom to meet their needs
And for each encounter I pray,
Dear Lord, that I follow as You lead.
Amen.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Faces of Fear, Fangs of the Wyrm
Had this idea while in the shower.
Today's Cool Comic Book Moment on Brian Cronin's Are Comics Good? blog was Skurge the Executioner holding off the armies of Hel at Gjall while Thor, Balder, and some mortal warriors escaped back to Asgard (the mortals were originally being held captive in Hel). The moment is quite poignant and Skurge comes off as quite heroic since holding the bridge was certain death, even for a god like Skurge. I was thinking about a similar moment for my campaign.
The obvious, non-psychopathic enemy group would be the Fangs of the Wyrm. The Dragon King, Demitri von Rhinestadt, would be the only member whose word would be his bond as Groder worships the god of murder, Rath revels in mindless violence, and Marhault's entire modus operandi is based on lies and betrayal. I envisioned a scene wherein the party had to work with the Fangs to each group's mutual survival. Demitri vouches for the other Fangs when the party rightly questions whether they can be trusted, being devotees of murder, rage, and deceit. Demitri's rule of the Fangs is based on a combination of birthright and personal power; he vows that any Fang who breaks the truce would answer to him. This is far greater incentive than even personal survival.
This scene then brought to mind the various villain parties I had created. At first, I could only recall the Faces of Fear. Having started to write this, however, I recalled that Rath was a member of the Fangs and that the Fangs each have their own extensive entourages: Groder has his undead companions (the crazed skeleton and methodical zombie serial killers) and a virtual undead army; Demitri has his half-dragon sorcerer and dragon mount in addition to the troops he can levy and the awaiting demon army of his father, Ashardalon; Marhault has his devoted defender and traveling troupe (truly the weakest force of arms among the Fangs); and Rath has his Ravager companion and loyal followers among the Sons of Wrath cult.
I had always wanted a witch-type villainess on the Fangs and envisioned a pair of sisters, a siren and a harpy (in theme, if not in form). However, unlike the other members of the Fangs, these two never saw any development past that point. Tonight, I briefly thought about Saren filling in that roll but I feel her self-importance and particular philosophy do not fit particularly well with the Fangs. I can envision a manner in which she could fit, namely that she seeks to free those who would break the present order and expose true reality. Ashardalon could easily be the Face of Fear who speaks to her in her dreams and visions. But the crazy religious cult overtones of the Faces does not quite fit with the Satanic, overarching power of Demitri as head of the Fangs. And Saren's great insistence on self mutilation and grotesquerie is likewise incongruent with the Fangs' nobility and respectability. In Demitri's world order, there is a place for grotesque mutilation; it is in the dungeons and it is reserved for his enemies. No way would he defile himself in that way. So the Faces of Fear are not quite right to integrate into the Fangs.
But that still leaves the door open for them to work together. In particular, I imagined that Garrett would be encountered with the Fangs. The party would already know Garrett and the Faces, likewise the Fangs, and would wonder why he was working with the other group. In a just world, the party would be scared to death at the thought of these two groups cooperating. Their minds would boggle at the depths of evil they would seek together. I imagine Garrett is involved with the Fangs in one of two ways: either he is trying to infiltrate the group for some end (in which case he really tries to silence the party to protect himself) or he has taken leave of the Faces of Fear and has sought another powerful group to enable his cruelties (which would probably be my way of getting him more screen time when the Faces were geographically removed from the campaign, as the idea of Garrett is rather independent from the Faces).
God I miss D&D.
Today's Cool Comic Book Moment on Brian Cronin's Are Comics Good? blog was Skurge the Executioner holding off the armies of Hel at Gjall while Thor, Balder, and some mortal warriors escaped back to Asgard (the mortals were originally being held captive in Hel). The moment is quite poignant and Skurge comes off as quite heroic since holding the bridge was certain death, even for a god like Skurge. I was thinking about a similar moment for my campaign.
The obvious, non-psychopathic enemy group would be the Fangs of the Wyrm. The Dragon King, Demitri von Rhinestadt, would be the only member whose word would be his bond as Groder worships the god of murder, Rath revels in mindless violence, and Marhault's entire modus operandi is based on lies and betrayal. I envisioned a scene wherein the party had to work with the Fangs to each group's mutual survival. Demitri vouches for the other Fangs when the party rightly questions whether they can be trusted, being devotees of murder, rage, and deceit. Demitri's rule of the Fangs is based on a combination of birthright and personal power; he vows that any Fang who breaks the truce would answer to him. This is far greater incentive than even personal survival.
This scene then brought to mind the various villain parties I had created. At first, I could only recall the Faces of Fear. Having started to write this, however, I recalled that Rath was a member of the Fangs and that the Fangs each have their own extensive entourages: Groder has his undead companions (the crazed skeleton and methodical zombie serial killers) and a virtual undead army; Demitri has his half-dragon sorcerer and dragon mount in addition to the troops he can levy and the awaiting demon army of his father, Ashardalon; Marhault has his devoted defender and traveling troupe (truly the weakest force of arms among the Fangs); and Rath has his Ravager companion and loyal followers among the Sons of Wrath cult.
I had always wanted a witch-type villainess on the Fangs and envisioned a pair of sisters, a siren and a harpy (in theme, if not in form). However, unlike the other members of the Fangs, these two never saw any development past that point. Tonight, I briefly thought about Saren filling in that roll but I feel her self-importance and particular philosophy do not fit particularly well with the Fangs. I can envision a manner in which she could fit, namely that she seeks to free those who would break the present order and expose true reality. Ashardalon could easily be the Face of Fear who speaks to her in her dreams and visions. But the crazy religious cult overtones of the Faces does not quite fit with the Satanic, overarching power of Demitri as head of the Fangs. And Saren's great insistence on self mutilation and grotesquerie is likewise incongruent with the Fangs' nobility and respectability. In Demitri's world order, there is a place for grotesque mutilation; it is in the dungeons and it is reserved for his enemies. No way would he defile himself in that way. So the Faces of Fear are not quite right to integrate into the Fangs.
But that still leaves the door open for them to work together. In particular, I imagined that Garrett would be encountered with the Fangs. The party would already know Garrett and the Faces, likewise the Fangs, and would wonder why he was working with the other group. In a just world, the party would be scared to death at the thought of these two groups cooperating. Their minds would boggle at the depths of evil they would seek together. I imagine Garrett is involved with the Fangs in one of two ways: either he is trying to infiltrate the group for some end (in which case he really tries to silence the party to protect himself) or he has taken leave of the Faces of Fear and has sought another powerful group to enable his cruelties (which would probably be my way of getting him more screen time when the Faces were geographically removed from the campaign, as the idea of Garrett is rather independent from the Faces).
God I miss D&D.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Magical, Musical Battle-Axes
From a post by High Priest Syriax in a thread about adding anachronistic elements to a fantasy game (specifically, axes that are also magical electric guitars wielded by barbarian/bards):
The more I think about it, this is the way I would go with any "musical weapon." A series of holes and grooves along the weapon itself make sound as it is swung at varying speeds in a trained combat style. Each maneuver/attack sequence produces different notes. The location and pattern of the holes/grooves on each warrior's weapon produces a slightly different voice/quality, which uniquely identifies that warrior to the other members of the tribe. When they are fighting together they can pass short communications along the battlefield via sound, and when fighting in concert they can even weave their individual combat maneuvers/songs into an ensemble which produces greater magical/morale effects for the entire tribe and drives their enemies before them.
The more I think about it, this is the way I would go with any "musical weapon." A series of holes and grooves along the weapon itself make sound as it is swung at varying speeds in a trained combat style. Each maneuver/attack sequence produces different notes. The location and pattern of the holes/grooves on each warrior's weapon produces a slightly different voice/quality, which uniquely identifies that warrior to the other members of the tribe. When they are fighting together they can pass short communications along the battlefield via sound, and when fighting in concert they can even weave their individual combat maneuvers/songs into an ensemble which produces greater magical/morale effects for the entire tribe and drives their enemies before them.
Prison Ship
We already have The Boiling Rock but the (not as terrible as you would think but still pretty terrible) GI Joe movie gave me another idea for a sea-based prison. They lock Cobra Commander and Destro up in fancy laser-cages in the hull of an aircraft carrier at sea.
The prison ship would not be an aircraft carrier. In fact, it does not possess any alternate means of transportation (no helipad, no lifeboats, etc). In a fantasy setting, the ship might not even have doors leading inside. Supplies are dropped hours ahead in the path of the ship and are collected by guards or even the prisoners over the side of the hull without the supply ship coming within sight. The ship travels an endless circuit in the midst of the ocean, never approaching within a few hundred miles of islands or the coast. The message is plainly that if you are on this ship, heading into the water is a good way to be lost to death.
Of course, such a prison ship leaves many open questions. Are there guards on the ship? If so, do they get breaks or vacation and how are they replaced? How are new prisoners brought to the ship? What stops the prisoners from staging a riot and gaining control of the ship? Since there are no other ships within sight (to prevent prisoners from swimming over and stowing away), how would anyone respond to the prisoners taking control of the ship?
Lots of problems, many of which are easily solved in a fantasy setting. Prisoners are teleported into the sealed, magically guided ship that provides food or even a field of sustenance.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Giant Centipedes in Trokair
Centipedes live in moist areas so they should be in the sewers, the forest, and in trash heaps by the bandit and orc camps as well as under large rocks and by fallen logs.
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