4/27/2012 1:52:49 AM
Topic:
Odds and Ends
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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The Forge is all about excelerated evolution, so how much life is there in the Vault? Could there be forests where the trees were saved by druid intervention, filled with weird cold adapted creatures that have survived since the ice age began?
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4/16/2012 3:31:10 AM
Topic:
General questions
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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No, I mean evolution as in how species come from previous species. The thing that turned some drow into wygrith.
Does it create plagues? Do diseases become weird, new life forms? Do they become resistant to cure disease spells? Etc.
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4/16/2012 3:26:59 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Vol, Winter
No. Enc. 1 (d4)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 210' (70') burrow 60' (20')
AC 6
HD 5
Attacks 2 (claws)
Damage d6/d6
Save F3
Morale 9
Hoard Class VII
Name Vol, Summer
No. Enc. d12 (d12)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 180' (60') climb 90' (30')
AC 6
HD 2
Attacks 1 (bite)
Damage d6
Save F1
Morale 7
Hoard Class VI
Vol are egg laying, 6 legged bear-like creatures found in Wildwood, Penance and the Vault. The egg floats in the air and where it hatches determines the adult form. Those that end up in Arena and Eclipse die from heat and lack of light respectively. Vol lay dozens of eggs per month in places where the wind can take them. The eggs themselves hatch into d6 (winter) or d20 (summer) pups that will hunt together. When two packs meet, they exchange members for breeding purposes.
Winter vol are restricted to the Vault not suprisingly. They are the size of black bears, have thick legs and fur and use their claws to dispatch prey. Some have learned to make pit traps by digging into the ice and tunneling near the surface. These pits are rarely deeper than 15', though some are on top of rotten ice and the fall can be much greater (this also means the vol loses its meal).
Summer vol are the size of wolves, have thin legs and attack with their fangs. They can climb trees with their front two pairs of legs and ambush prey from above. They also ignore the first 40' of a fall (subtract 4d6 from falling damage) and if they do ambush from 10' or higher, they inflict falling damage on their target (if they hit of course). Those born on the plains are reduced to hunting like incompetant wolves- they have a -2 to hit. Few packs on the plains survive for very long.
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4/15/2012 10:11:23 PM
Topic:
Seven Stars?
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
So when is it to be released?
We are doing final edit now, so bascially in a few weeks plus however long it takes the proofreaders to finish. Todd is finishing the art and stuff now too. So... hopefully very soon.
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4/15/2012 9:02:24 PM
Topic:
General questions
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
Are vampires that are immune to the sun affected by positive energy spells (like sunlight) as undead or as living creatures?
Undead, but immune to the damage or negative effects.
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4/15/2012 9:01:49 PM
Topic:
General questions
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
Did Annoxus have any children before becoming a member of the flock? If so, are there any descendants left?
It's possible. None exist in my mind, but we would never say he didn't, so you could easily work that into your game.
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4/15/2012 9:00:46 PM
Topic:
General questions
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
Is there any noticable increase in air density due to the depths of Eclipse?
Yes. It's why the max fall damage is less. We didn't go crazy with the mechanics because it seemed too complicated to throw into a game. You can try if you have a good idea on how to do it though.
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4/15/2012 8:58:56 PM
Topic:
General questions
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
How are diseases affected by the quickened evolution of the Forge?
Quickened? Do you mean metabolized? I'd imagine any times in the disease description would be cut in half.
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4/15/2012 8:45:42 PM
Topic:
New Products - Feedback
Greg Dent
Administrator
Posts: 166
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Derek Holland wrote:
So far there are 3 races that are evolutionary offshoots due to the effects of the Forge- wyrgith, wild frey and war valco. How about some more? It would be interesting to see how thorns, pickers, silvers, haze, dovers, faust, deep fey and others have subspecies that are location specific (at least in origin).
Yeah, I like that. We could almost do a whole product on each race with different variations given adapted to different places. Don't know when we'll get a chance, but maybe something for Anvil.
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4/15/2012 3:37:35 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Life Worm
No. Enc. 1 (1)
Alignment Lawful
Movement see chart
AC 7
HD see chart
Attacks 1 (touch)
Damage poison
Save M(HD)
Morale 8
Hoard Class see chart
The life worm is a non-lethal parasitoid very popular with some people on the Forge. The adults are intelligent beings- most become magic-users, though a few become fighters or clerics. They are parthenogenic females and lay single eggs in sapient creatures (usually humanoid, but anything that can support their biology). The host carries the resulting larva for a year, having his biology altered in that time. When the young worm emerges, she will be magically bound to her host. The host no longer feels the effects of aging. When one dies, the other does as well. If seperated by more than 25', the host and worm are paralyzed until they are rejoined. The worm's touch is toxic to all creatures but its host (see chart for the strength of the poison). For the first 300 years, the young worm lives in a container that the host carries around. It has no effect on its host for those years beyond the distance limitations of the bond. After that, the host becomes more and more enslaved to his or her life worm. Their minds fuse and the worm's personality takes over. Eventually there is nothing left of the host but hands and feet used by the worm. Still, a human that gains 1200 years of additional life, 3/4ths of that mostly free to do as they will, is a strong incentive for many people to act as host. After 1200 years, they don't have a mind left to contemplate their fate.
Unlike most creatures, life worms do not gain hit points from its class, only its hit dice. The level limits are 15th for magic-user, 6th for fighter and 12th for cleric (druid if the AEC is used). It lives outside its host and usually hides within clothing or armor when it doesn't want to be noticed. Even the largest worms are still very slender and it is easy for them to hide. Life worms do no have eyes yet can see to 60'. Otherwise they have human level senses.
Age (years) Hit Dice Notes
1-300 1/8 poison does 5/15, worm is 3" long
301-500 3 poison does 5/25, worm is 3' long, worm gains 1st level, host loses d4 points of intelligence, host must save versus spells to resist worm's instructions
501-800 6 poison does 10/50, worm is 5' long, host loses d4 points of intelligence, save has -2 penalty
801-1200 9 poison does 10/death, worm is 8' long, host loses d4 points of intelligence, save has -8 penalty
1201-3000 12 poison does 20/death, worm is 12' long, host has no free will
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4/15/2012 3:37:19 AM
Topic:
Seven Stars?
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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So when is it to be released?
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4/14/2012 5:55:55 AM
Topic:
Have a solution to the Cryothan problem
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Don't give it stats, rather give it a version of the focus of the lodes from Arena. Instead of being a danger itself, it has thousands (or millions) of minions. It might even have the largest army on the planet.
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4/14/2012 5:37:42 AM
Topic:
General questions
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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How are diseases affected by the quickened evolution of the Forge?
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4/13/2012 3:18:56 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Need more dinosaurs on the Forge.
Name Thunder Lizard
No. Enc. d4 (0)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 150' (50')
AC 4
HD 25
Attacks 1 or 1 or 1 (tail whip or stomp or tentacle)
Damage 3d12 or 5d8 or 2d6
Save F15
Morale 9
Hoard Class none
Another result of alchemical pollution, this mutant sauropod comes from Wildwood. Its body is 50' long (120' with neck and tails) and has d4+2 tails. One is the characteristic whip and the others are short, stubby limbs that have different functions. Roll on a d6 for every tail after the first to see what it is or does. There can be duplicates for each type.
1) Shield. This tail is broad and very boney. Every tail of this type gives the lizard a -2 to armor class for attacks from the rear.
2) Tentacle. This tail is much more flexible than the others. It is used as a grasping limb and constricts for 2d8 points of damage per round.
3) Antenna. This limb is covered with sensory organs. The animal can see and hear better with this tail than its head. Suprising the lizard is impossible if it has one of these tails. The lizard also has +2 to hit with its whip and tentacle tails per antenna.
4) Gland. The dinosaur can spew a noxious chemical from this tail. The goo is emitted as a 25' long by 10' wide cone and everything within it that fails a save versus poison is stunned (retching) for d6 rounds.
5) Home. This tail is honeycombed and is home to some kind of flying critter. Use the stats for a giant rat (or something else) and give it a fly speed of 180' (60'). There are usually 4d8 such critters. There are different creatures for different groups of thunder lizards.
6) Elemental. This tail is made up of one of the four elements. It can be dropped and acts as a 16 hit die elemental that defends the lizard.
Otherwise the thunder lizard is a herbivore that consumes a wide variety of plant material as it is immune to poison. There are different populations that group by having similar numbers and types of tails. Some of the flying critters act as "pollinators" for their hosts and the result are healthier dinosaurs (27 hit dice). Those with glands have the disgusting spray 99% of the time and other chemicals (poisons, adhesives and other) the other 1%.
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4/12/2012 3:41:04 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Bog Newt
No. Enc. 1 (1)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 90' (30') swim 60' (20')
AC 8
HD see chart
Attacks 1 (bite)
Damage see chart
Save F (1/2 HD)
Morale 6
Hoard Class VII
Alchemical pollution is common all over the Forge and many mutants result. Bog newts come from Arena, a wizard laboratory near the Wildwood border. Some are used as war beasts, at least until they transform and consume their trainers. The newts go through several adult forms, each with its own powers and abilities (i.e. there are no spells that "roll over" after a transformation). All spells are 3/day and have a caster level equal to the newt's hit dice. Those that turn 41 months lose control over their undead, those that turn 51 months do not lose control of their monsters (mass charm takes over) and those over 51 months reincarnate their prey to provide more food and their dead allies to charm again.
Age (months) Hit Dice Notes
3-6 1 bite does d4, casts purify food and water and light
7-10 2 armor class 7, casts striking and silence 15' radius
11-15 3 bite does d6, casts lightning bolt and mirror image
16-24 4 armor class 6, casts confusion and move earth
25-40 6 bite does d8, casts animate dead and cloud kill
41-50 8 armor class 5, casts charm monster and feeble mind
51+ 10 bite does d10, armor class 4, casts mass charm, maze and reincarnate
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4/11/2012 4:09:13 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Star Frog
No. Enc. d8 (5d4)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 180' (60') swim 150' (50')
AC 6
HD 5
Attacks 1 (bite)
Damage d8 + special
Save C5
Morale 6
Hoard Class none
Star frogs are 100 pound, 4' long critters infused with positive energy, the result of a ravid nest near a pond in Wildwood. The frogs are carnivores that simply hop onto their prey and bite it to death. Against undead and other negative energy powered creatures, the bite does double damage. Star frogs are popular for not only their ability to destroy undead, but for their aura. It cures sterility and increases fertility. A star frog in a cage affects all those in 100'. Four hours of exposure results in a year's worth of effect. Very wealthy farmers and gardners can also use the frogs- one week of exposure is equal to a Plant Growth spell (caster level 15) for 10 acres. There is a downside as well- the aura encourages all growth, including disease. Those affected by the frog's aura have a -6 to their saves versus disease for the entire duration of the effect.
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4/9/2012 5:19:38 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Man Crab
No. Enc. d4 (d4)
Alignment Lawful
Movement 120' (40') swim 90' (30')
AC 4
HD 3
Attacks 2 (claws)
Damage d6/d6
Save F3
Morale 11
Hoard Class VI
Man crabs are 6' tall arthropods that live to serve others. In fact they were created several thousand years ago to do just that. Each has six arms- two with claws, two for heavy lifting (strength 17) and two with hands. Man crabs are not very intelligent and serve to their best capabilities, including self sacrifice. Except every once in a while, one will say no, moreso when they are put into danger (morale 10). This impacts who hires or buys them as some want completely obedient slaves. Man crabs are easy to breed, though it takes time. Just cut off their arms and place the limbs in salt water with some food (algae, small fish, etc.). This is an all or nothing affair as even the loss of one limb will kill a man crab (this was part of their creation and meant to be a way to instill fear). Each limb turns into a 2' tall man crab and it takes 18 months before they grow to maturity (it also costs ~250 gp each in food).
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4/7/2012 3:24:02 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Barber Mite
No. Enc. 3d4 (10d10)
Alignment Lawful
Movement 90' (30')
AC 6
HD 1/2
Attacks 1 or 1 (weapon or bite)
Damage weapon -1 or d4
Save T1
Morale 5
Hoard Class VI, XII, XX
Even the most lowly creatures can become so much more on the Forge.
Barber mites are semi-humanoid arachnids 3' tall and best known for their diet, hair and feathers, and their ability to produce art. Their race is divided up into clans, each working with a different material. In the hands of an adult mite, this material is putty and very easy to reshape. There are no known mites who can work with metal (they were killed off very long ago) and the three largest clans work with stone, bone and wood. Families within the clans have their own subspecialty such as maple wood, fish bones or granite. But the interbreeding within the clan means that there is no over specialization, no families that are stuck with a material that is in decline (either in popularity or is actually decreasing in amount). Clans are cooperative but the families are competitive. There are well known rivalries over who does the best art in different styles. As client desires change, so do the works of the barber mite. Some of the more valuable ancient art is that of early mites that can still be found in the depths of the City of Penance.
Barber mites tend to be wealthy and pay very well for hair, feathers and the occasional claw or horn (those made of the same material). They are never starving as their clerics can cast Create Food and Water. Their god, Cill, has an uncanny resembleance to the orange, hairy creature in Bugs Bunny cartoons (I wish I could remember his name). There are not many magic-users and clerics among their ranks, but those who exist are leaders that use their magic for the good of the race. Wizards specialize in art and defensive spells. There are no fighters among the barber mites- though they do hire a lot of mercenaries if they are threatened. Not that that happens often- nothing preys on them usually and other artistic races work in different styles from the mites. In fact they have spread over the entire Forge because they are so weak physically- not a challenge for those who search for glory in battle.
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4/6/2012 5:10:36 AM
Topic:
Creatures for the Forge
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Name Glass Twig
No. Enc. 0 (10d10)
Alignment Neutral
Movement 10' (3')
AC 1
HD 8
Attacks contact
Damage 2d6
Save F6
Morale 12
Hoard Class XX
The result of thousands of generations of water elementals taking the foci of the green and the small, glass twigs are 2-6 inches tall, are filled with green liquid and retain the strength of their ancestors. They can only be harmed with magical weapons and take double damage from fire and heat based magically attacks. Glass twigs are harmless unless they are touched. Those creatures that come into contact with a glass twig has its moisture drained (save versus death for half damage). Creatures without water content are not affected nor are those in heavy armor or using heavy gloves to move the twigs.
Glass twigs are hazards in the wild but are popular pets in many domains. They are easy to breed, have a very wide array of shapes and colors and move very slowly. Breeders with the most desired twigs can make as much as 250,000 gp per twig. As they do not require food or water for survival, just sunlight, keeping glass twigs is easy for anybody above ground. The only time they need water is to reproduce, yet too much is actually lethal to them (strange but then they aren't really water elementals anymore). Hard rain can wipe out an entire region's glass twig population. When a creature loses any hit points to a twig, it buds off one offspring per point absorbed. Feeding them normal water produces low quality offspring, mundane creatures produce medium quality and magical creatures produce high quality. In fact a breeder who is magical (such as a picker or silver) can direct some of the growth with a save versus spells if they allow the twigs to feed on their own bodies. Success means an increase of 2d6% in price. Failure means a drop in 5d4%.
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4/6/2012 2:28:36 AM
Topic:
General questions
Derek Holland
Posts: 299
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Is there any noticable increase in air density due to the depths of Eclipse?
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