Eosin Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 I thought that I would throw this one out to see what folks thought. The bad guys in my fantasy game are a version of undead ghoulie/vamp type things that can corrupt with their touch...They are "infected" with Undead'ness and can spread it. The common folk call them by dozens of different names but Malagant and Enwrathi are the two most common. They are keeping with the notion "Do not stare to long into the abyss, lest the abyss stare back into you." Jhoren looked into the great hall. Bodies lie broken amid the furniture, bodies of his friends. Nervously he wiped the sweat from his hands. The creature was down here somewhere. The warrior chucked when he had first heard tale of the "Malagant." He had thrown the sell sword from his great hall, immediately taking command of a scouting party to find this wild animal that plagued the small folk. Now, he was hunted in his own keep by some inhuman beast. Hearing a noise he moved toward the kitchen. A small evil, looking man peered towards him from over the savaged body of one of the cooks. Jhoren blinked trying to make sense of what he saw. For a moment he could have sworn that black threads of smoke lifted the cooks body into the air. He had assumed that a beast had done the killing because of the size of the bite marks suffered by the victims but looking into the gaping maw of the man-creature that stood before him a terrible dread overcame him, the legends were true. His sword flashed towards the creature, nearly cleaving its head from its body. The creature faltered, then lunged grabbing Jhoren's head. A terrible coldness penetrated him. It penetrated his spirit, the black smoke.the black smoke. Hours later Jhoren stood from where he had fallen. Some of the others had already risen. There were so many of them and they needed food. Jhoren licked his lips and summoned his men to him. They would raid the Akin's Thorpe close to dawn while the peasants still slept. He smiled an inhuman smile.The creature had not been a beast, like Jhoren, he had once been a man but was now corrupted. Enwrathi Transformation: Weak Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1 Pip (Human into an Enwrathi) cumulative (+1 3/4) total of 64 BODY, Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 8- (-2), Restrainable (-1/2). (40 Active Points, 10 Real). Standard Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1/2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi) cumulative (+1 1/2) total of 64 BODY, Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 9- (-1 1/2), Restrainable (-1/2). (78 Active Points, 22 Real). Strong Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1/2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi) cumulative (+1 1/2) total of 64 BODY, Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 10- (-1 1/4), Restrainable (-1/2). (78 Active Points, 24 Real). Greater Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1d6 (Human into an Enwrathi) cumulative (+1 1/2) total of 128 BODY, Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 11- (-1), Restrainable (-1/2). (116 Active Points, 39 Real). True Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi) cumulative (+1) total of 96 BODY, Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Explosion (+1/2), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Penetrating (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2) (248 Active Points, 165 Real). Only three beings are True Enwrathi and they are basically gods. Even the Greater ones are akin to strong liches or elder type vampires. Explanation of the power: This is a spiritual transform. Exposure to pure evil tends to have a cumulative effect rather and vary slow dissapation (1 REC of healing per year). No one can resist the transformation, if you are in the grip of evil you will be converted. The dark power only works at close range and sporadically at that (the act roll is though of in two terms - power and proximity. The more powerful or the better contact the higher the more likely a character becomes infected). Only time and perhaps some unknown manners can remove the taint from your soul. It surely cannot be dispelled The power is only vaguly visible but you know when it is hitting you The power is usually projected throught the hands so could be restrained. True Enwrathi just plain suck...don't go near them. Commens? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hierax Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Purity/Faith to Resist? And Insidiously Gradual I have 2 suggestions: 1. Purity/Faith I'm not sure what your campaign's cosmology/mythos is like but if it is a typical good vs. evil thing, you might want to consider letting those of exceptional purity of spirit or strong of faith to be able to resist (or be immune to) this corruption; it could be a power that the 'good' priests have build with their own points, or a limit built in on the corruption powers themselves to allow the faithfully pure to stand out from the corruptable masses with a means (however slim) of avoiding this foulness. Again, this may or may not fit your game, just a suggestion. 2. Insidiously Gradual Another thing is that to make the corruption more insidious you could make it a 'Gradual Effect' to make it slowly take them over bit by bit and stretch out the drama of the transformation. Here, I'm thinking something like what occured in Clark Ashton Smith's Story "the Double Shadow": http://users.crocker.com/~lwm/shadow.html or http://home.eol.ca/~command/shadw.htm Hope that helps... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snarf Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Ooh that's a nasty power I like it! I've never heard of people gradually healing from undeadness. They usually get more rotten over time, if anything. I think you should consider the option on transform where it stays forever or cures instantly under a specified condition, if you haven't already. Anyway, if that's how it works in your game then that's how it works. It'll definitely make people hesitate before going into close combat with these guys. Another thing, the explosion damage is going to drop to 0 pretty quickly with a 2d6 attack. It might be more effective to buy Area of Effect: Radius. Or buy some extra range on the explosion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intrope Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 That's a cruel (and clever) creature. Cumulative isn't needed for the Transform power though (it's already cumulative with no upper damage limit). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monolith Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 I really like this concept a lot. Thanks for letting me steal it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ndreare Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Just a little game mechanics interuption here. You Do Not Need Cumalative For Transform. As a power that does damage the transform is inherantly cumalative, and can be healed in most cases simular to othert damage dealing powers. (if you do not believe me check the book and the FAQ.) However I like the powers in general. Do you Creatures have "Free Will" or are they just walking ghoul like killling machines or do they have the full gambamnt? Either would have a use but I am just curious what you are thinking. "Hours later Jhoren stood from where he had fallen. Some of the others had already risen. There were so many of them and they needed food. Jhoren licked his lips and summoned his men to him. They would raid the Akin's Thorpe close to dawn while the peasants still slept. He smiled an inhuman smile.The creature had not been a beast, like Jhoren, he had once been a man but was now corrupted." Makes me think sentiant but I am just curious what you were thinking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted January 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 The Enwrathi run the fun gamut of sentience. More powerful ones are free willed, while lesser ones are zombie like creatures. The change into Enwrathi does a few things: 1) You become a source of "infection," that is you get the corruption power. 2) DF - Enwrathi (may express itself in variety of ways...like the Ghoul in story or perhaps like a lich or a vampire.) 3) Physical Lim - may be commanded as undead. 4) Psych Lim - hunger for "life force" Explosion - I have the greater with Explosion so that the power does fall off quickly. Even still it is unsurvivable by nearly everything. The TRUE Enwrathi are also the only ones who "radiate" the corruption. Cumulative - I wondered about Comulative and I bought it because you can be attacked by one creature and get 9 body corruption and then 6 months later the character could be attacked by a different Enwrathi and the two transforms would stack. Since the return rate is 1 year this really is a long term effect andslow transition. It makes the "monster hunters" leary of the monsters for even when you win, you can loose. EVERYTHING. Thanks for the thoughts....I will see how I can adjust the write ups to factor in some of the thoughts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted January 5, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Purity --- there are ways to counter the corruption but some of my players frequent the boards They will need to discover that in game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsel Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Originally posted by Eosin Purity --- there are ways to counter the corruption but some of my players frequent the boards They will need to discover that in game. And I'm one of them. This sort of thing is exactly why I'm running an archer-type character in your game. I not getting near them if I can help it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victor Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Standard and Strong are both identical, aside from the activation roll... perhaps write up Strong as 1d6-1? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemming Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Originally posted by Ndreare You Do Not Need Cumalative For Transform. As a power that does damage the transform is inherantly cumalative, and can be healed in most cases simular to othert damage dealing powers. (if you do not believe me check the book and the FAQ.) Just to back you up and to point out, that wasn't how pre-fifth did it. Which may be why there is an occasional confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 Revised Enwrathi Transformation: Weak Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1 Pip (Human into an Enwrathi), Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 8- (-2), Restrainable (-1/2). (31 Active Points, 8 Real). Standard Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1/2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi), Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 9- (-1 1/2), Restrainable (-1/2). (63 Active Points, 18 Real). Strong Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1/2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi), Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 11- (-1), Restrainable (-1/2). (63 Active Points, 23 Real). Greater Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 1d6 (Human into an Enwrathi), Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2), Activation Roll 14- (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2). (94 Active Points, Real 38). True Enwrathi Effect: Major Transform 2d6 (Human into an Enwrathi), Damage Shield, may be used as attack (+3/4), Explosion (+1/2), Healing (REC once per year) (+2), Difficult to dispel x 4 (+1), Penetrating (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Reduced END (0 END) (+1/2), Always on (-1/2) (218 Active Points, 145 Real). Does that look correct? I still like the explosion, so I kept that on the True Enwrathi. I also changed the act roll on the Strong and Greater giving them a little more distance to the Standard. Now I will write up one of the Strong Enwrathi, one of the Standard Enwrathi and maybe even one of the Greater Enwrathi (Greater are something like demi gods). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 The White Witch Player: NPC ENwrathi Velanna, the Witch of the Trollstones Mystra - ½ blooded The Witch of the Trollstones was born of a celestine and human princess in the First Ages of men. Her mother was taken in the great wars of that age by servant of Dheymos to his great fortress of Tor Nadrick. Velanna came to this world in that bleak pit of despair. Dheymos was captivated by the beauty and purity of the young mystra and took her to his breast for training as one of his captains. During the sundering of his fortress, Velanna met the mighty Bron in battle and though her power was vast she fell to the celestine. Velanna survived the battle but lay near death. She took shelter within the frigid ice of the northern wastes while her body healed. Velanna remained encased within ice for hundreds of years and over time she began to cast her spirit about while her body lie trapped. She found fertile soil in the primitive minds of trolls and goblins who still wandered these lands. In 1043, she was finally able to free herself from her icy prison. She has slowly begun to build her armies and probe the wealthy lands of Middea. Within 20 years, Velanna or as the men of Middea now called her the Witch of the Trollstones had constructed her new domicile [the White Fortress] that was built atop the ruins of an anchient keep, perhaps the exactly where she fell so long ago? The Trollstones are now a land of ice and snow where summer has been forgotten. Orcs and trolls walk the lower moors while worse is believed to stride the higher lands. The Witch appears as a beautiful princess of regal bearing. Standing over 5'10" tall, she is graced with platinum-blonde hair and delicate features. However, beneath her flowing robes her body is foul and corrupted. She is covered in innumerable ice-blue scales strong as dragon plates. These scales go all the way up to her neck and to her wrists but are covered by her robes. The only obvious (uncovered and un-disguisable) corrupted elements of her appearance are her eyes, which are a solid blue, the glowing blue of glacial ice. The air about her is cold. The Witch is rumored to posses the Cask of Winter, an artifact known to give one command over the weather and ice. A few who have returned from her realm report seeing a large column of blue glacial ice hidden deep in the bowels of her tower that is said to be enchanted with the powers of winter and able to pierce the veil of time. An object can barely be made out through the deep blue ice, an object of flames. Visions occasionally appear within the column of ice and can be seen by anyone who sees the column of ice. Val Char Cost 25 STR 15 18 DEX 24 28 CON 36 17 BODY 14 20 INT 10 23 EGO 26 30 PRE 20 28 COM 9 13 PD 5 13 ED 4 4 SPD 12 12 REC 2 56 END 0 50 STUN 6 6" RUN02" SWIM05" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 183 Cost Power END 33 Enwrathi Corruption: Transform 1 1/2d6: Human into Enwrathi (Major), Difficult To Dispel (x4 Active Points) (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Sight Group; +1/2), Reduced Endurance 0 END (+1/2), Persistent (+1/2), Custom Modifier (+1) (100 Active Points); Activation Roll 11- (-1), Always On (-1/2), Restrainable (-1/2) 20 Enwrathi: Life Support , Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents, Longevity: Immortal, Safe in Intense Cold, Sleeping: Character does not sleep 15 Enwrathi Resistance: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% 10 Enwrathi Restiance: Physical Damage Reduction, 25% 27 Elan: Magic Reserve (150 END, 12 REC) (27 Active Points) 17 Ritual Boost: Aid: Magical Powers 10d6, Requires A Skill Roll (No Active Point penalty to Skill Roll +0) (100 Active Points); Extra Time 1 Hour (-3), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4), Self Only (-1/2), Incantations, Requires Incantations throughout (-1/2), Gestures, Requires Gestures throughout (-1/2) 100 Sorcery Spells: Magic Powers - Cold and Necromantic (100 Active Points) (uses END Reserve) 10 Powers Cost: 222 Cost Skill 13 Power (EGO-based) 19- 6 KS: Arcane Magic (INT-based) 16- 3 KS: Arcane and Occult Lore (INT-based) 13- 3 KS: Legendary Magic Items and Artifacts (INT-based) 13- 3 KS: Magical Diseases and Curses (INT-based) 13- 3 KS: Magical Research (INT-based) 13- 3 KS: Necromancy (INT-based) 13- 3 KS: Undead Lore (INT-based) 13- 3 Acting 15- 3 Analyze: Magic 13- 3 High Society 15- 3 Interrogation 15- 3 Inventor 13- 3 Paramedics 13- 3 Persuasion 15- 3 Seduction 15- 3 Stealth 13- Skills Cost: 64 Cost Perk 150 Follower (x50, 125 Base, 75 Disad) 90 Follower (x21, 75 Base, 75 Disad) 27 Contact (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own, Contact has: very useful Skills or resources, Contact is slavishly loyal to character), Organization Contact (+2) (27 Active Points) 11- 10 Money: Wealthy 10 Reputation (A large group; 11-) +5/+5d6 65 Vehicles & Bases (75 Base, 75 Disad) Perks Cost: 352 Cost Talent 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) 15 Combat Sense 13- 32 Danger Sense (Area: General Area, Function as a Sense, Intuitional, Sensitivity: Any Danger) 13- 4 Environmental Movement (no penalties on/in Snow, Forest, and Mountains) 3 Perfect Pitch 22 Custom Talent 14- [Notes: Detect magic, sense, analyse, discriminitory] Talents Cost: 82 Total Character Cost: 758 Val Disadvantages 10 DF - Enwrathi: Enwrathi Corruption (Concealable; Extreme Reaction; Detectable Only By Unusual Senses) 0 DF - Arcana: Charged with Elan (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable Only By Unusual Senses) 5 DF - Mystra: 1/2 Celestine (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Uncommonly-Used Senses) 10 Psychological Limitation: Cruel (Common; Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Hungers for warmth of the living (Common; Strong) 20 Reputation: The Witch of the Trollstones 14- (Extreme) 10 Vulnerability: 2 x BODY True Steel (Uncommon) 5 Hunted: The Good Peoples of Middea 11- (Less Pow; Watching; Extensive Non-Combat Influence) Disadvantage Points: 75 Base Points: 50 Experience Required: 633 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eosin Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 Wow...that worked well. Cool me tickled with HD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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