Help with Islanders

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

So tiki are some sort of religious-right propoganda then?

 

I thought they were Green.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Armor: I'll have the prefab up in a few days, I'm kinda busy this weekend

 

 

Soft Leather - Made from pigskin, as pigs are the only large (non-human) mammal on the islands.

1/1 armor

 

 

Hard Leather - Also made from pigskin, but soaked in a chemical cement which hardens it and toughens it. It is still flexible, but not very.

2/2 armor

 

Coconut - Coconut armor is made of woven and felted coconut fibers (not the shells) and human hair. In real life, it is tough enough to fend off blades and thrown spears. Sadly, helmets made of this stuff aren’t very effective at keeping your skill from cracking, so reduce the defense of the helmet to 2/2.

3/3 armor

 

Mo’o Skin - A warrior who kills a Mo’o in single combat, and survives, is allowed the honor of taking its skin, which can be made into armor. While most warriors would prefer a suit of crocodile hide or Koa Armor for practical reasons, the Mo’o skin is tougher than most other armors and is covered in spikes. The spikes make it a little awkward when first using it, and can make getting into and out of the armor painful. Unfortunately, the Mo’o also wear this stuff, and so aren’t seriously affected by the spines.

3/3 armor plus a 1pip HKA damage shield

 

 

Crocodile - Large saltwater crocodiles are known to inhabit the islands, some of them growing to monstrous sizes. Sometimes warriors who kill one singly or in a small group will have sets of armor made for themselves from their skin. It is the toughest leather on the island. Most suits are reinforced with bone backing stitched into them, giving them added toughness and a definite shape.

4/4 armor

 

Bone/Shell - Bones and seashells are among the hardest materials that are available in quantity to the islanders, and so they are often made into a hard armor. Either or both materials are sewn together in long strings which are skillfully wrapped around the body to provide protection. Very large conch shells can be fashioned into helmets.

4/4 armor

 

Koa Slats - The toughest and most valuable armor is made from Koa wood and is often highly decorated. Slat armor is made from strips of Koa wood bound together by the same type of material as coconut armor. While more restrictive than leathers, it is more flexible than Koa armor, but it doesn’t provide as much protection.

4/4 hardened armor, ablative

 

 

Koa Armor - Not only is it difficult to gather enough large pieces of this material to create a full suit of armor, but the largest pieces are very hard to find, making this type of armor very difficult to fashion, repair, or replace. Only a handful of full suits have ever been made. The most common piece is the helmet, followed by the breastplate. Greaves and bracers can also be made. Each piece of armor is carved from a single piece of Koa wood, and tends to be quite thick – meaning that it is very tough, but very restrictive.

6/6 hardened armor, ablative

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Allright, I finished the prefab (took all of 2 minutes)

I decided to make bone/shell armor ablative, also - it is just as brittle (if not more so) as the Koa armor.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Wow, this is creepy.

I've been looking up and/or finding names for the stuff I've posted so far, but for proper names (of islands, people, etc...) I've just been making things up that sound like they're from a polynesian language.

Like the word I've been using for the lizard-people, Mo'o

For important parts of any game, when I use a name/word I like to google it to see what it means, if anything.

I found out that Mo'o means lizard or dragon in hawaiian.

Creepy coincidence, huh?

[Captain Emu]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

This stuff is all wonderful and thank you for posting the .hdp files for the gear. I may run a lost world/island game at some time and this saves me a lot of leg work and provides me with a ton of good prefab material.

 

I have, in other games, run lost world games where I had worked with paleolithic exotica. It's fun to take some fact, mix in some creativity and come up with somethign that is at once fantastic, but at the same time believable.

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

The correct title for the book I saw is "Lua: The Art of the Hawaiian Warrior". FWIW.

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

I found out that Mo'o means lizard or dragon in hawaiian.

Creepy coincidence, huh?

 

Mo'o are little house lizards (geckos) that average 6 inches in length and are light brown/tan in color. They are considered good luck, but poop all over the place. Expert bug killers.

 

Naming your lizard people Mo'o would fit quite well.

[etherio]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Mo'o are little house lizards (geckos) that average 6 inches in length and are light brown/tan in color. They are considered good luck, but poop all over the place. Expert bug killers.

 

Naming your lizard people Mo'o would fit quite well.

 

Shadowpup,

 

How come you didn't suggest they have the Psych Lim; 'Foolishly Hang Out in Doorjambs'?

[etherio]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

There have been a lot of comments here about real-world anthropological facts, and some are refreshingly accurate considering how little most people understand about the Pacific. However, even though I grew up and live in Hawaii, and much of my college education was on anthropology of Pacific cultures, I say forget the facts, baby.

 

You've obviously decided to mix a lot of very different cultures into your setting, including the most salacious parts of each. I see bits of Melanesian, Micronesian, Southeast Asian, and Polynesian all represented. I would take that a step further and instead just go all-fantasy with an Oceanic feel.

 

I assume that your campaign will take place in a fictional land, so I suggest that you forget about accuracy, picture in your mind's eye what would be cool in a pulp-ish kind of way, use the real stuff only for inspiration, and go for it. Anthropological accuracy in this campaign would likely be lost on your players, and would probably restrict the fun.

 

 

Specific suggestions for coolness and playability:

 

- If, as I assumed, you'll have a fictional setting, come up with your own names for the weapons, armor, titles, people, etc. so that they have a more consistent sound within each of your setting's cultures. One good way to do so is to Google up a list of baby names for a particular Oceanic language (like Samoan), name all your stuff for one group using the sounds and words found there, then Google up a name list in another language (Tagalog?) and do another group.

 

- Sort the weapons and armor into "styles," and assign them to your different tribes, cultures, or species. For example, one could be all about sharktooth-edged weapons and crocodile leather, another could use elaborately carved club weapons and masks, and yet another could have an elaborate "men's code" fighting style that restricts them to the use of tripping weapons and elaborate unarmed techniques. Forget about anthropological precision; make them cool and distinct from each other.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

You've obviously decided to mix a lot of very different cultures into your setting' date=' including the most salacious parts of each. I see bits of Melanesian, Micronesian, Southeast Asian, and Polynesian all represented. I would take that a step further and instead just go all-fantasy with an Oceanic feel.[/quote']

 

You hit my intent right on - I'm trying to create something fun and islandy, with believability coming in much later - most of my players know only a little more than I do about this subject (I suppose after all my internet research in the past few weeks, I may have surpassed their casual knowledge) and won't be bothered by any inconsistancies that may bother someone like you, Etherio, who has actually spent money, time, and effort in order to educate yourself on the subject.

 

Specific suggestions for coolness and playability:

 

Great suggestions, I did this a little bit, but mostly just stuck with the names of weapons and the like if I found them and made everything else up. Since this game is only going to last <6 sessions or so (most likely 2 or 3), I'm not going to put in the effort (right now at least) to create a plethora of island cultures - just the one will do fine.

I may expand on this even more in the future, especially if my players express an interest in a long-term game in the setting - in which case I'll be sure to keep posting to so as to keep y'all informed as to my progress.

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Shadowpup,

 

How come you didn't suggest they have the Psych Lim; 'Foolishly Hang Out in Doorjambs'?

 

I thought that was part of the racial package.

 

-3 INT

1d6 Luck, only useable by others.

Clinging

+4" Running, Once per Turn

 

Disads

No Control of Bowels.

[etherio]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

I thought that was part of the racial package.

 

-3 INT

1d6 Luck, only useable by others.

Clinging

+4" Running, Once per Turn

 

Disads

No Control of Bowels.

 

Funny...usable by others Luck. Perfect.

 

Funny, I had the impression you were one of the non-HERO gamer forum members. HEROphiles in Hawaii seem few and far between. We've had trouble finding players.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

The volcano spirit I'm going to use is basically the Lava Elemental straight outta the HSB, but I'm removing flight and changing his powers a bit so his attack multipower looks like this:

 

Fire&Earth Attacks: Multipower, 90-point reserve

1) Lava Blob: RKA 2d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Penetrating (+1/2)

2) Withering Aura of Heat: EB 3d6, Uncontrolled (+1/2), NND (LS pSafe Environment (Intense Heat)]; +1), Continuous (+1), Area Of Effect (5" Radius; +1); No Range (-1/2), Increased Endurance Cost (x2 END; -1/2), Concentration (1/2 DCV; -1/4)

3) Lava-Filled Fissure: EB 8d6, Area Of Effect (8" Any Area; +1 1/4) (90 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), Only vs Foes In Contact With The Ground (-1/4)

 

Also changing his ignite so that it affects everything any of his attacks touches:

 

Ignite: RKA 1 point, Sticky (only affects flammables; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Uncontrolled (lasts until extinguished or flammables burn themselves out; +1/2), Continuous (+1), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; Attached to all attacks; +1); Only Works On Flammable Objects (-1/2)

 

Any suggestions to how I should make it a good volcano spirit for this setting?

 

Oh, no prefab cuz it's pretty much straight outta the book - if you want one I can build it sometime, though.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

This is the character sheet I'm using for the Mo'o (lizardmen) - I intend for them to be challenging, but not overwhelming (like the volcano spirit is supposed to be)

 

Mo'o

 

Val Char Cost

15 STR 5

13 DEX 9

14 CON 8

13 BODY 6

10 INT 0

10 EGO 0

16 PRE 6

10 COM 0

 

7 PD 2

5 ED 0

3 SPD 7

6 REC 0

28 END 0

28 STUN 0

 

7" RUN 2

4" SWIM 2

3" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 47

Cost Power END

10 Claws: HKA 1/2d6 (1d6+1 w/STR), Autofire (2 shots; +1/4) (12 Active Points); Reduced Penetration (-1/4) 1

10 Bite: HKA 1d6 (2d6 w/STR) (15 Active Points); Restrainable (Gotta Grapple; -1/2) 1 6Scaly Skin: Armor (2 PD/2 ED) 0 1At Home In The Water: Life Support (Extended Breathing: 1 END per Turn 1 END per Turn) 0 3Reptilian Senses: +1 PER with All Sense Groups 0 5Tail: Extra Limbs , Inherent (+1/4) (6 Active Points); Limited Manipulation (-1/4) Cost Skill

3 Stealth 12-

2 Survival (Marine Surface, Tropical Coasts/Pelagic Environments) 11-Skills Cost: 5Cost Talent

3 Environmental Movement (no penalties on/in Water) Talents Cost: 3

 

 

Total Character Cost: 189

 

 

 

 

The following templates will be added to the ones I want to make extra scary. Type 1 will wield a weapon of some sort- likely a club, axe or 'sword' similar to what the islanders have access to, and some throwing darts

 

 

 

Warrior Type 1

3 1) +3 STR 1 3 2) +1 DEX

4 3) +2 CON

4 4) +2 BODY

2 5) +2 PRE

1 6) +2 PD (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

1 7) +1 ED

0 8) +1 REC (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

0 9) +4 END (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

0 10) +4 STUN (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

5 11) +1 with HTH Combat

4 12) WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons

3 13) Teamwork 12-

Warrior Type 2

2 1) +2 STR 1 6 2) +2 DEX

6 3) +3 CON

2 4) +1 BODY

2 5) +2 PRE

1 6) +1 PD

1 7) +1 ED

0 8) +6 END (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

0 9) +4 STUN (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

6 10) +2 with Martial Maneuvers

3 11) Teamwork 12-

5 12) Offensive Strike: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, +1 DCV, 7d6 Strike (5 Active Points) 0 4 13) Fast Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 5d6 Strike (4 Active Points) 0 3 14) Tailsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, 4d6 Strike, Target Falls (3 Active Points) 0 3 15) Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 25 STR for holding on (3 Active Points) 0 5 16) Flying Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove (5 Active Points) 0

War Leader

5 1) +5 STR 1 9 2) +3 DEX

6 3) +3 CON

8 4) +4 BODY

4 5) +4 PRE

3 6) +3 PD

2 7) +2 ED

0 8) +1 REC (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

0 9) +6 END (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

0 10) +8 STUN (Figured from Increased Characteristics)

16 11) +2 with All Combat

4 12) WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons

3 13) Teamwork 12-

3 14) Tactics 11-

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

I'd add Clinging. It adds character and a bit of surprise.

 

Not sure if the bite or the Extra Limb are necessary. Extra Limb is only needed if you intend for them to manipulate stuff with the tail.

 

Speaking of Extra Limb, how do you do the "Tail falls off providing a trashing distraction to predators thing"?

[Old Man]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Funny...usable by others Luck. Perfect.

 

Funny, I had the impression you were one of the non-HERO gamer forum members. HEROphiles in Hawaii seem few and far between. We've had trouble finding players.

 

Agreed. I spend most of my time wargaming at Other Realms Monday Knights (Ward Warehouse, Mondays). My time is usually limited though but I'd love to join in if possible.

[etherio]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Agreed. I spend most of my time wargaming at Other Realms Monday Knights (Ward Warehouse' date=' Mondays). My time is usually limited though but I'd love to join in if possible.[/quote']

 

We've been playing Wednesday nights up until a couple weeks ago, but one of our guys has a serious illness in the family, so we've been on a break. I'll see what the others want to do and send you a PM.

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

a good idea, clinging is - gecko-men I will make them!

[Frenchman]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

Arg, I let my inner Yoda out (name of my cat, coincidentally) That'll teach me to post before I've had my coffee and shower (yeah, I slept in)

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Help with Islanders

 

The correct title for the book I saw is "Lua: The Art of the Hawaiian Warrior". FWIW.

 

I didn't see mention of this on the thread, so in case it hasn't been, the Lua martial art style is detailed in The Ultimate Martial Artist, pp. 44-45.

 

For a possibly useful RPG reference, you might want to take a look at a recent release, Atlantis: The Second Age by Morrigan Press. This is about the only book of its type that I've found that gives details of mythical/antediluvian Polynesia, to the degree that it's actually playable. There may be something there that you can use. If you'd like to see a review of the book, I recommend this one.

 

I also suggest looking over the section on Polynesian Mythology from the Encyclopedia Mythica, here.