Void and Phlogiston Nature Spirits

[Tanis Frey]

I am running a Fantasy Hero game in the old TSR Spelljammer setting.  One of the players is a Druid, so I should come up with some nature spirits for her to deal with.

 

Has anyone stated up a package to add to the base Nature Spirits in the Hero Bestiary to create Void Spirits or Phlogiston Spirits.

 

For those of your not familiar with Spelljammer, the Phlogiston is a hyperspace like area that you must enter to travel from star system to star system.  It is a rainbow sea of swirling colors that is explosive to flame.  It is separated from Star Systems by a Crystal shell.

[Mzimwi]

well, i have some fluff for you - about shadow elementals/mirage djinn. setting - a group congenitally insane Savage Elves are discussing technological advances in their evilness....

 

 

Aa'hui is clearly pleased with himself, looking at the others expectantly. After a moment there is smattering of forced applause, after which Thuksula moves on the next order of business, indicated the Director of Technology, Ekonosoli Shadowmaster. He wears a sequined rose and blush ball gown with adamantuim  breast cones. His tattooes are electric blue lightening streaks. For most of the meeting, he busily twirls the salmon color hair at the apex of his head around his finger, stopping only when it comes his turn to speak.

 

"Project Tenebrae...." He pauses for a moment and cocks his head to the side, then growls sotto voce, "Later, bitches, I'm busy"  Returning his attention to the board, he continues "Our world is interwoven and mirrored by an assortment of elemental planes -  I'm sure this is not news to any of you, nor that our actions and those of the djinns have effects that translate with indirect consequences.  Project Tenebrae is an attempt to exploit this, to, in effect, take advantage of the side effects of our efforts.  In particular, our 'funding', let us say, of the spirittraps has an especially useful effect on the Shadow Plane. By means of techniques acquired from the Dark Elves, we have been able to communicate and coordinate with the elementals, to our mutual profit. They capitalize on the dimensional echoes of our architectural endevours, and we get mirage djinn slaves. It is my pleasure to announce that the controlling technology for the djinns has been perfected and standardized to the extent that it will be available soon for general use. Their utility is of course limited by their incorporeal natures, but they excel at stealth - they are fully intelligent and adaptable agents, even creative. Yet they are utterly enslaved, as our children are, with true name spirit tokens.

 

"The nature, the very substance of these beings, is illusion. They occupy space, but have no mass. They generate no energy of their own, but can distort existing energy into mirages with light, sound, heat components and, in some cases, auras that register as smells. Their knowledge is limitless but parasitic - their ability to draw images from the minds of observers to create believable illusions is uncanny.  They can be harmed by coherent light, concentrated sonics, and, I assume, psychic attacks, but left to their own defenses can easily dodge any of these. Yes, fellow Directors, these beings can dodge sunbolts. They are, of course, totally immune to any kind of damage from kinetic energy...-"

 

"Meaning they can't DO anything. What are you going to do, Shadowmaster, scare people to death? Haven't you tried that already?" remarks Akee'zha Truthmaster. The rest of the Directors giggle and titter, excepting Thuksula, who has the air of an indulgent grandparent.

 

"Since you mention it, dear Akee'zha, yes, that has been known to happen. Unconsciousness it more common - in cases of attacks with  illusionary weapons people feint." He waits for a moment, but the only reaction is a few impatient glares. "In any case, I think a demonstration is in order . . . " He is interrupted with chuckles, amused grins and nose-tapping, but just looks back at the other Directors, perplexed.

 

"Whatever," he conceeds, "watch and learn." He removes a small black iron box from his bustierre and places it on the table, flicking open the lid as he does.  Nothing of significance seems to happen. "Normally, the names of elementals are keep secret, but this is irrelevant to Shadow Elementals. Thnmbthk (?), come out - full coverage" The sound he makes, apparently the creature's name, is utterly incoherent. In any case, nothing continues to happen.

 

"As you can see, we are now totally immersed in the shadow deamon, in a sense, we are inside it," he begins.

 

"No I don't. See, see what? Why did you make that noise, that razzberry sound? Did you spit something at me!?!," they all interrupt at once. Ekonsoli purses his lips and waits to let them finish.

 

"First Executive, if I may petition for silence? All questions will be answered in time"

 

"Very well, point of order" agrees Thuksula, who gestures to the juju. The little creature strikes the gong again, making no sound at all. All of the seated Directors reach up and finger-zip their lips together in unison.

 

"Where was I?," he says and cocks his ear. "Ah, so, thank you, Phthlmnp (?) As I was saying, we are now inside a completely interactive illusionary environment. Witness, exhibit delta!" Suddenly all of the Directors are looking at each other instead of Ekonosoli, twisting their heads right and left like agitated birds, while Thuksula looks on in bemusement. "End delta. " The confusion lasts only a few seconds, then attention is returned to the speaker. "Each of you experienced a completely separate illusion, a layer of distorted light just above your eyes, moving with you, while the Executive saw, well, nothing more unusual than could be expected. " He gives them a moment to digest this. "While the last exhibit was prearranged, it need not be. Mirage Djinns have a multifocus consciousness, which can create many separate illusions totally impromptu. What was that, Hhlrrpmh(?) Ah, yes, a volunteer from the audience, that should be educational. Any suggestions?" He looks around expectantly. There is a round of silent eye rolling and teeth clenching before Thuksula gets his cue and gestures to the gong, which emits a spontaneous deep bass ring.

 

"Well, a request, anyone?" he asks. Most of the Directors put on a play of studied disinterest, except Aganti Ticklemaster, the Director of Acquisitions, whose eyes are wide with childish delight. He wears a black top hat and coat with tails, no shirt, and puffy translucent gray pantaloons. Aganti's tattoes are varicolored handprints, the one centered on his left cheek most noticeable. "Can you do . . . butterflies? PLEEEZE!" He raises his hands before him in prayer position and claps in anticipation.

 

Ekonosoli smiles indulgently and winks. "Very well. Llhmnph (?), proceed." Suddenly the room is awash in vivid technicolor butterflies of all sizes. Rather than flitting aimlessly, as is normally the wont of such, these insects are engaged in vicious aerial combat. Apparently their wings are made of ultrafine glass panes - sharp and brittle.  Damaged butterflies crash into the table, collapsing into piles of shards with a musical tinkling. The Directors seem interested in this, at least aesthetically. Aganti himself is wonderstruck, mouth agape. "This particular format is purely from the imagination of the elemental, and, to a degree, from the mind of Director Aganti. As I was saying, the creatures have a positive talent for design - it is part of their nature. Okay, enough, Phfmlphm (?), back in the box." The display vanishes, and Ekonosoli closes the box.

 

"To answer an obvious questions first, the names. If you do not know the true name of the djinn, you cannot hear it correctly. In a sense, the name itself is a distortion. This is also a part of the nature of this particular variety of elemental, and very convienent - it is autoencrypting. Given the information economy of the Dark Elves, this is to be expected with much of their technology.  It is one of the few bits of knowledge they will allow us until the completion of our Humourous Grimoire, a subject I shall leave to our Director of Commerce (bow to Umsa'an). The second concern is range.  Shadow elementals do not function well independently. It is best that they stay in a locale that is familiar, or that they accompany their keeper. This largely a problem of focus - they are very distractable and can in fact become lost. "

 

"Initially, our primary use of mirage djinn technology should be military, I'd suppose. Once our enemies become familiar with such tactics, they will be of less use, and thus can be phased out and used as high value trade items. Though we do not have a sufficient supply yet of these beings for casual use, yet, I would say, we have reached at point at which further in house testing would be redundant. On that note I will close, unless you have questions?"

 

[Lucius]

 

Tell us more about Void and Phlogiston.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary looks forward to spirited discussion

[Tanis Frey]

This setting has elements of Star hero with Fantasy.

 

There are flying sailing ships capable out of one planet atmosphere and journey to another planet through the airless void of Wildspace.  The magics used to power these ships also drag a bubble of air that protects the crew from the vacuum of space.

 

Most planets are part of a system of planets, all orbiting a primary Fire world (aka a star).  Most planets have a central body of rock or water or fire with an atmosphere about it.  But some just a atmosphere with a few rocky bodies floating inside of it.  Others have no atmosphere.  Some have rings, some are spherical or a cube.  A few are a flat disk or some other strange shape.

 

Beyond the Orbit of the most distance planet of the primary is a crystal shell of grey material.  Most Planets hang on their own within the crystal shell in one plant.  But some Crystal shells have giant creatures called star beasts that hold up the planets and cause them to orbit.  There are even Gigantic trees that hold up the planets in a handful of crystal shells.

 

The inner surface can have a series of gates to the plane of fire to make up the stars you see from a planet.  Other have gems that radiate light.

 

There is no true faster-than-light travel in the setting but to the crystal shells.  Mages and Clerics can cast spells that can temporally open a passage through a crystal shell and allow a ship to travel into the Phlogiston.

 

The Phlogison is often called the rainbow ocean because it constantly changes color and is common for a ships crew to see a dozen or more different colors in it at any one time.  A ship must extinguish all flames before entering the Phlogison because it is highly explosive.  Even a spark can ignite a fire ball that is 3 meters across.  Navigation in the Phlogison would be almost impossible if it were not for the fact that it flows in "rivers" from one crystal sphere to another.

 

If one falls off the ship in the flow, you do not die from lack air.  The Phlogison can be breathed in but it will cause your senses to over load if you are away from the air bubble of a ship.  It will preserve you form starving or aging while you helpless drift.

 

Those who drift in the Phlogison usually end up changed when they are rescued at some point in the future.  Sometime after decades or centuries of drifting they become an undead knows as a Survivor, who craves slaves and sensory input which it was starved of for so long.

 

Some sages think that the Phlogison is the leftover chaos matter from the creation of the multiverse.  But on one can prove this because it cannot be bottled and brought within a crystal sphere.  Many have tried and just found the Phlogison to have disappeared from their bottle.

[Lucius]

Phlogger

 

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

20+25 STR 10 13- / 18- Lift 400.0kg/12.8tons; 4d6/9d6 [4]

8 DEX -4 11- OCV: 3/DCV: 1

5 CON -5 10-

8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11-

13 EGO 3 12- ECV: 3 - 5

20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6

 

3 OCV 0

1 DCV -10

3 OMCV 0

5 DMCV 6

4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12

 

6+5 PD 0 Total: 6/11 PD (5 rPD)

6+5 ED 0 Total: 6/11 ED (5 rED)

6 REC 2

25 END 1

20 BODY 10

Total Characteristic Cost: 25

 

Movement:

Teleportation: 7m/56m

 

Cost Powers END

"It's life, captain, but not as we know it."

36 1) "An alien mind, yet it can communicate. It learns, but then it forgets": (Total: 86 Active Cost, 36 Real Cost) Mind Link , Any Willing Target, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +¼), Uncontrolled (+½), Usable Nearby (+1), MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1) (56 Active Points); Side Effects, Side Effect occurs automatically whenever Power is used (Side Effect affects both character and recipient of Power's benefits, Side Effect occurs when character stops using power; When anyone drops the link, everyone (including the one dropping) experiences Mental Illusions; -2), Always On (-½), No Range (-½), Perceivable (-¼) (Real Cost: 13) plus Rapid ( x100) with Mental Group, Area Of Effect (4m Radius; +¼), Usable Nearby (+¾), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used (20 Active Points); Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -¼), Physical Manifestation (-¼) (Real Cost: 13) plus Cramming (Real Cost: 5) plus Cramming (Real Cost: 5) 2

30 2) It can be hurt, yes.: (Total: 45 Active Cost, 30 Real Cost) Resistant Protection (5 PD/5 ED) (45 Active Points); Requires A Roll (13- roll; Must be made each Phase/use; -½) (Real Cost: 30) 0

16 3) "That's a weapon, easy to break but it just makes another one in seconds.": (Total: 52 Active Cost, 16 Real Cost) Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 1d6-1 (d6 - 1 / 1d6 w/STR), Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+½), Penetrating (+½), Transdimensional (Related Group of Dimensions; +¾), Does BODY (+1), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Power Def; +1 ½) (52 Active Points); OIF Bulky Fragile (-1 ¼), STR Minimum 10 (-½), -2 Decreased STUN Multiplier (-½) (Real Cost: 16) 5

45 4) "You can't get used to it. Even a nonhostile one will drive you insane over time.": (Total: 45 Active Cost, 45 Real Cost) +5 PRE (Real Cost: 5) plus Damage Over Time, Target's defenses only apply once, Lock out (cannot be applied multiple times) (33-64 damage increments, damage occurs every Turn, +5 ½) for up to 5 Active Points of PRE, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (40 Active Points) (Real Cost: 40) 0

Notes: Every Turn make another PRE attack, and add 1d6 each Turn

62 5) " A phlogger is always conscious, as far as we can tell": (Total: 62 Active Cost, 62 Real Cost) Life Support (Sleeping: Character only has to sleep 8 hours per year) (Real Cost: 2) plus Takes No STUN (Real Cost: 60) 0

6 6) "Sprouts limbs and organs at will..": Extra Limbs (100), Inherent (+¼) (6 Active Points) 0

4 7) "It LIVES out here between the worlds, do YOU think cold and heat bother it?": Life Support (Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat) 0

10 8) "One part of it is much like another": No Hit Locations 0

21 9) "They fear and hate fire. So do I, out here!": Regeneration (2 BODY per Turn) (32 Active Points); Does Not Work On Some Damage ([uncommon attack]; Fire; -½) 0

Notes: Does not regenerate fire damage - and it knows this

-15 10) "Sages say their perceptions are completely alien": (Total: -4 Active Cost, -15 Real Cost) Blind and Deaf (-60 Active Points) (Real Cost: -60) plus Spatial Awareness (Mental Group), +3 to PER Roll, Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Perceive into a related group of dimensions, Telescopic: +3 (57 Active Points); Limited Power Cannot percieve the crystal spheres or anything inside them. (-¼) (Real Cost: 45) 0

Notes: "Sees not, hears not, yet it knows we are here and what we are. At least, as well as we know what IT is."

77 11) "I ain't sayin' it don't measure distance like we do, I'm sayin' it don't understand the CONCEPTS of distance or dimension!": (Total: 89 Active Cost, 77 Real Cost) Stretching 7m, x8 Noncombat, Does Not Cross Intervening Space (+¼), Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+¼) (25 Active Points); Concentration (½ DCV; -¼) (Real Cost: 20) plus Adjacent with Mental Group (Real Cost: 5) plus Teleportation 7m, x8 Noncombat (17 Active Points); Can Only Teleport To Floating Fixed Locations (-½), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), Leaves A Trail (-0) (Real Cost: 10) plus Teleportation: Floating Fixed Location (1 Locations) (Real Cost: 5) plus MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1) for up to 25 Active Points of Stretching or Teleport, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (37 Active Points) (Real Cost: 37) 4

Notes: Parts of it, able to manipulate, strike, and percieve, can manifest at a distance from other parts of it, up to 7 kilometers. After being partially present in any location for a Turn, it may teleport the rest of itself to that location.

15 12) It has no constant shape: (Total: 46 Active Cost, 15 Real Cost) Shape Shift (Sight and Touch Groups, any shape), Persistent (+¼), Inherent (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (46 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), Always On (-½), Affects Body Only (-½) (Real Cost: 15) 0

Notes: Its shape shifts, constantly

26 13) "If we're lucky, there's one way it can help....": (Total: 72 Active Cost, 26 Real Cost) Faster-Than-Light Travel (1 Light Years/week), Instant Lightspeed, Sticky (+½), Usable Nearby (+¾), Grantor pays the END whenever the power is used, Grantor controls the power totally, Grantor can only grant the power to others (72 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), Only to Activate, -¾), Leaves A Trail (-½), Costs Endurance (Only Costs END to Activate; -¼), Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 Week which Recovers every 1 Week (-0) (Real Cost: 26) 7

26 It has no constant size: Multipower, 79-point reserve, (79 Active Points); all slots No Conscious Control (-2)

5v 1) As Big as Can Be: (Total: 75 Active Cost, 25 Real Cost) Growth (+30 STR, +10 CON, +10 PRE, +6 PD, +6 ED, +6 BODY, +12 STUN, +3m Reach, +24m Running, -12m KB, 801-6,400 kg, +4 to OCV to hit, +4 to PER Rolls to perceive character, 5-8m tall, 3-4m wide), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (75 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) (Real Cost: 25) 0

5v 2) As Small as Can Be: (Total: 75 Active Cost, 25 Real Cost) Shrinking (0.0625 m tall, 0.0031 kg mass, -10 PER Rolls to perceive character, +10 DCV, takes +30m KB), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (45 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) (Real Cost: 15) plus Density Increase (3,200 kg mass, +25 STR, +5 PD/ED, -10m KB), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (30 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) (Real Cost: 10) 0

5v 3) Bigger than Can Be: (Total: 79 Active Cost, 26 Real Cost) Growth (+15 STR, +5 CON, +5 PRE, +3 PD, +3 ED, +3 BODY, +6 STUN, +1m Reach, +12m Running, -6m KB, 101-800 kg, +2 to OCV to hit, +2 to PER Rolls to perceive character, 2-4m tall, 1-2m wide), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (37 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) (Real Cost: 12) plus MegaScale (1m = 1 km; +1), Cannot alter scale (-¼); No Conscious Control (-2) for up to 37 Active Points of Growth, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (42 Active Points) (Real Cost: 42) 0

Notes: Up to 3 km across

"You have roused its wrath!", all slots Only In Alternate Identity (-¼)

98 1) "Astral, Physical, Ethereal, it's all the same to the phlogger!": (Total: 196 Active Cost, 98 Real Cost) Affects Desolidified Any form of Desolidification (+½), Transdimensional (Related Group of Dimensions; +¾), Indirect (Source Point can vary from use to use, path can change with every use; +1); Only In Alternate Identity (-¼) for up to 50 Active Points of STR, Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+¼), Constant (+½) (196 Active Points); Concentration (½ DCV; -¼), Physical Manifestation (-¼), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -¼) (Real Cost: 112) 17

15 2) "It interacts with non-phlogistonic matter in ways hard to comprehend.": (Total: 52 Active Cost, 15 Real Cost) Severe Transform 1d6-1 (Any nonphlogiston into anything, Powerful magic, or lots of time), Costs Endurance Only To Activate (+¼), Partial Transform (+½), Sticky (+½), Constant (+½), Penetrating (+½), Improved Results Group (+1), Area Of Effect (16m Surface; +1) (52 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), No Range (-½), Cannot Use Targeting (-½), STR Minimum 5 (-¼), Only In Alternate Identity (-¼) (Real Cost: 15) 5

Other Powers as needed

 

Talents

3 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty)

 

Skills

3 Power: Phlogger 11-

10 Defense Maneuver I-IV

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 503

Total Cost: 528

 

600+ Matching Complications

375 Base Points

10 Accidental Change: Berserk 8- (Common)

20 Physical Complication: No long term memory (Infrequently; Fully Impairing)

10 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Double damage or effect from any attack with an attack roll of 3-5 (Uncommon)

15 Susceptibility: non-phlogistonic matter 1d6 damage per Minute (Very Common)

25 Enraged: Berserk in combat (Very Common), go 8-, recover 14-

25 Unluck: 5d6

20 Susceptibility: Mental contact deeper than EGO +10 1d6 damage per Segment (Uncommon)

 

Total Complications Points: 528

 

Background/History: "If one rolls a pair of knucklebones enough times, evnetually, one will roll seven consecutive sevens. Blindfold and spin an archer then grant an endless supply of arrows, and the target will eventually be struck. That the ceaseless flux of quasi-substance that is Phlogiston should give rise to persistent and apparently 'living' entities seems remarkable only if one ignores its unthinkable vastness. The crystal spheres inhabited by our kind of life are but tiny bubbles widely seperated in an endless sea. That such things as phloggers exist is not some improbable marvel, but an inevitablility." Dwong Zuh.

 

Personality/Motivation: "Judging by their behavior, some Phloggers are curious, some are indifferent, and others so irritated at non-phlogistonic life as to seek to drive it back to confinement in its proper spheres or to end its existence entirely." Mune the Mage

 

Quote: (Always via mental communication) "How do you remain the same from moment to moment? WHY do you want to? That's wrong and unnatural!"

(After a ship escapes into a crystal sphere) "Joy! The things that should not exist stopped existing!" (Phloggers do not percieve the spheres at all.)

 

Powers/Tactics: "Their size, shape, and even abilities can change in the blink of an eye!" Many a panicked star sailor.

 

Campaign Use: Driving home just how strange the phlogistonic realm is to normal mortals

 

Appearance: "It is shaped like itself." Shakespeare

 

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Stranger than a palindromedary

[Lucius]

What do you mean by "void?"

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary goes to Japan to look it up

[Lucius]

Did anyone ever get any use out of the Phlogger?

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary thinks it can be repurposed for an astral plane encounter