| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Tyranthraxus |
Posted - 04 Mar 2011 : 13:38:05
I've finally found some players interested in D&D. Because some of them are new to PnP RPGs and/or D&D, I wanted to make a list with novels, comics, and video games that could serve as an inspiration for characters.
So far I came up with:
Lord of the Rings
Conan
Assassin's Creed
Prince of Persia
X-Men (great for Spellscarred characters)
Further suggestions would be welcome. |
| 30 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Icelander |
Posted - 15 Mar 2012 : 14:03:14
What I tend to do is look at societies, the forces that move them and their interactions with other societies.
What sort of people does a society produce?
What sort of people find themselves having trouble fitting into the society as it stands?
What new opportunities are there being born from a recent change in the society or by contact with other societies?
What kind of people would make use of them?
What professions or ways of life are wavering after the change?
What kind of people would fight against that?
Who is likely to be thrown on their own resources and have to seek a new career?
And then I start to wonder if any of the above fit into the campaign. Which of them are likely to come into contact with the characters or be embroiled in the various conflicts likely to influence the campaign?
Are any of these interesting?
This kind of thinking usually gives me enough for hundreds of NPCs, enough to populate any place the PCs visit. It also gives me a lot of potential PCs, so I can suggest various ideas to players wondering about a background for their characters. As the players in my games have avoided the kind of meta-game thinking that has big 'PC' markers flash above characters controlled by an actual player, the adventuring party cum main owners of their merchant house and mercenary company are actually about half NPC and half PC, with everyone having the same importance in the campaign.*
*Well, apart from the 'camera focus' of gaming sessions inevitably following the PCs and whoever is travelling with them, with any adventures that NPCs have on their own occuring out of the PCs' gaze. But there is no guarantee that one is any more important to the world or the PCs' own position in it than the other. |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 02 Apr 2011 : 13:41:18
I haven't decided on an origin yet. I'm thinking I'll have them the result of hylden experimintation on humans. If not I'll probably leave it mysterious.
What I have settle on is them having lost a major war against the humans in recent memory, and having them summon and bind powerful angels to drain of radiant energy. That was an idea I'd used in a previous setting years ago(before WoW did the blood elves draining the light from the naaru thing). |
| The Sage |
Posted - 02 Apr 2011 : 01:42:27
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
I'd forgotten about Vashar. Any thoughts about how they'd interact with the gith races?
The Vashar always slightly remind me of the Deviants from Marvel Comics, with their rapacious and violent ways. I even replaced the concept of the demon lord in their creation myth, with one of my Renegade Celestials...  |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 02 Apr 2011 : 00:30:21
I'd assume they'd interact with them the same way they'd interact with everyone else; attempted murder and rape. Some of the more experienced ones might think to work together for mutual benifit in certain situations before the afformentioned rape and murder, but those would certainly be the end result. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 01 Apr 2011 : 17:22:35
I'd forgotten about Vashar. Any thoughts about how they'd interact with the gith races? |
| Chosen of Asmodeus |
Posted - 01 Apr 2011 : 14:52:40
I'm thinking I'm going to add vashar/vasharans into my homebrew with some trappings of the helghast from Killzone. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 05:34:17
Moander is NE. He does as he likes and is constrained by no divine compact unless it can be enforced by a greater power. Bane has had moments of feeble impotence (quite shameful for a strong god of tyranny, no?) ... other (evil) gods could have easily taken some of his stuff. Tyranthraxus is a bit of a handful but perhaps a useful enough minion to defy even Bane's wrath; "Tyranthraxus the Darkbringer's Flamed One, Decaying Spirit of Possession, Carrier of Burning Contagion" would be a juicy treat, helluva lot more cred in the hearts of evil faith-shoppers than that silly little martinet, Xvim Baneson.
On the other side of the coin, Tyranthraxus has always thirsted for power and fanatically schemed to free himself of dependance from the Pool of Radiance (which is his gateway to the Realms, seemingly controlled by Bane) ... what kind of nutjob would want to live under Bane's iron fist? An opportunity to seize upon a bit of divine immortality would remove his only vulnerability and ensure his petty plans for world domination would be forever unobstructed. Moander might be thought of as a convenient pawn. Moander might be thought of as a powerful sponsor. Either way, Tyranthraxus might see himself as capable of manipulating the arrangement to his benefit. He might even like the concept of being able to "seed" himself within the world, even if only in the minds and bodies of Moander's faithful.
Two great tastes that go together. It might be contingent on Moander planting one of his rotting seeds into the Pool of Radiance ... whether Tyranthraxus agrees or not. Then again, Tyranthraxus can body-jump at will and would be immune to physical rot (is he immune to spiritual rot?) ... either way, he'd serve as a perfect carrier to spread Moander's love. The Pool of Radiance might even serve as a reservoir capable of caching away some divinity for lean times, it may even serve as a conduit to infect Bane. |
| Fellfire |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 05:23:11
Interesting ideas, Arik. As one of the Seven Lost Gods, I thought Bane already had dibs on Tyranthraxus. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 05:05:49
Your ideas about TM-Venom are worthy of consideration, Sage ... I haven't yet pondered it too deeply, I'd thought that T and M are both power-hungry evil bastards so it's not too unlikely for one to seek and attempt to subvert the other ... inadvertently spawning this unfortunate monstrosity. TM-Venom might be a puppet of either one, or a hateful being tormented by the conflicting (evil) drives of both. Or an unfortunate (ancient white wyrm, heehee) who was discarded when T or M (or both) withdrew from their mental stalemate. Yes, it might still retain some echo of the "psyches" or "programming" installed by its creators. Perhaps Moander was urged (and of course betrayed) by Talona or some other deity into forcing this vile union ...
The idea of such a thing being able to spawn or spread is also worth considering.
Then again, a foul cursed shadow-mimic-jelly creature might do as well ... Gotta give Juiblex his day in the sun, it's been so long since he's been able to come out to play ... hmmm. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 04:54:53
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
Oh, it could work. A Tyranthraxus-Moander hybrid might do nicely. A more mundane solution might be an evil-aligned parasitic creature which completely subverts the host, much as illithids do. You might even model such a beast after the "symbiotes" in Stargate or Armus (the amorphous tar-liquid "Skin of Evil" creature from Star Trek).
Of course. I'm not discounting the possibility of a curse. I just think the EBERRON symbiont grafts more appropriately reflect the nature of Venom and the struggle between host and symbiont. At least in D&D terms.
...
The possibility of a Tyranthraxus-Moander hybrid is intriguing, though. Maybe the Rotting God was responsible for the disembodied spirit of Tyranthraxus (?) -- by corrupting the physical vessel of Tyranthraxus due to some ancient divine slight.
...
The hybrid may have been born from the remnants of the rotten remains of Tyranthraxus. A treasure-seeker suddenly finds himself ferried away from the Realms and onto a strange alien world where the forces of good and evil are pitted against each other for the curiosity of some Being-Beyond[er]-Awesome-Power. Desperate to escape the conflict, our hero eventually finds a long forgotten and decayed crypt, and discovers a heavily rotted form that possess some unusual curative/protective properties. [Perhaps the physical form of Tyranthaxus was cast away to this other world?] Seeking to survive the growing conflict above, the treasure-seeker makes physical contact with the rotted form, triggers a strange reaction. Perhaps it was the lingering remains of Moander's touch, or just psychic echoes of the evil ambitions of Tyranthraxus. Whatever caused the spark of sentience in the rotten form to awaken, it senses the presence of another living being. Inclined toward its own survival, it immediately lashes out, and subsumes the treasure-seeker, whereupon the transformation occurs.
Thus is born... Realms-Venom! |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 04:25:30
Still, I'm all excited by the concept of having my Tyranthraxus "infected" by the Darkbringer ... just one more dimension of hell for my poor widdle players to endure. |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 04:15:46
I'd have more fun with Toxin, personally- gotta love a symbiote that has the moral-bearings of a five-year-old! I'm picturing him as one of Waterdeep's city Watch. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 04:07:36
Oh, it could work. A Tyranthraxus-Moander hybrid might do nicely. A more mundane solution might be an evil-aligned parasitic creature which completely subverts the host, much as illithids do. You might even model such a beast after the "symbiotes" in Stargate or Armus (the amorphous tar-liquid "Skin of Evil" creature from Star Trek). |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:51:01
quote:
Originally posted by Arik
Venom seems more like an evil sentient curse than a symbiote to me (in D&D terms, that is). Possessing and transforming the host in a fashion similar to vampirism, though with a different mechanism. Tyranthraxus seems Venom-like in this regard.
True. But that doesn't really work well with how the Venom symbiote -- in comics terms -- would shift from host to host.
Granted, a curse can be inherited, or even transferred to another individual. Though, part of the traditional conception of the Venom symbiote, is the struggle with the host creature, and the desire to merge completely with it. That's not so easily represented with a curse. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:47:41
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
Some of Dark Sun's grafts might work, as well.
Ooooh! I forgot about those. And the 4e interpretations offer some cool side-benefits too. |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:38:17
Well, unfortunately, the inn here has rules against brawling- something about the monks throwing people out for getting too violent- and if that don't work, they sic the dragon-ghost down in the catacombs on em! Or so I've heard. *snickers* If you want those types of NPC's, there are plenty of them in there right now, lol! |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:30:58
I've thus far avoided Candlekeep's Inn. Too little discretion yet not enough brawling for my tastes. Besides, I already have my hands full attempting to emulate Master Greenwood's style of populating my inns with boisterous, ebullient, garrulous, enthusiastic, suspicious (and yet largely uninformative and frustrating) NPCs ... to this end I have selflessly endeavoured to accompany my players on a good number of research expeditions to local pubs and drinking establishments. |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:16:35
Head over to the inn. There's one there who might need a bit of a Gibbs-smack. My pali just got a bit big for his trou for a second.... Sage, I might use those Eberron symbionts, but I also seem to remember a graft or something that added powers to its host from one of the other source-books. There is also a magic item somewhere that created some sort of Evard's Tentacles-type effects controlled by the wearer, IIRC. Venom was one that seemed sort of difficult to pull off for D&D. I did have some fun making Johhny Storm, however- fire genesi elementalist, with flight, of course. Phoenix would also be great to play. I see her as a psionicist/pyrokinetisist, with a bit of force/fire mage thrown in, perhaps. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:08:32
True enough, I suppose, Fellfire ... the good scribes of Candlekeep who have (finally) met the PCs in my Realms are an astonishingly dangerous pack of individuals. They are many things, but "gentle" is unlikely to be one of them. |
| Fellfire |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 03:01:50
Gentlemen? Where? Organize a search party, I want them hunted down and destroyed forthwith. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 02:51:48
I recall some flesh golem horror lore from Ravenloft; the spirit within these golems is more of a monstrously unliving/cursed/tormented remnant of the original bodies than some obedient semi-mindless automaton from the planes.
This might be adapted to allow a Venom-inspired quasi-golem sort of character, perhaps a maimed hero who is healed and "reconstructed" with desperate grafts from unsavoury "organ donours". The noblest and purest of champions might be corrupted with the hands of a strangler, a serpent priest's tongue, a troll's blood, and the beating heart of a pit fiend. Faster, stronger, better, subtly malificent. Gentlemen, we have the technology. |
| Fellfire |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 02:43:46
I've always wanted to use the Living Steel monster, possibly as a familiar. Similar to Warblade from the Wildcats. I particularly enjoyed the storyline where they went back to Khera and he met up with the Shapers Guild. |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 02:25:48
Venom seems more like an evil sentient curse than a symbiote to me (in D&D terms, that is). Possessing and transforming the host in a fashion similar to vampirism, though with a different mechanism. Tyranthraxus seems Venom-like in this regard. |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 02:24:20
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
LOL!! He's great! I built him as a human wiz/monk/enlightened fist, and used energy substitution of sonic energy instead of fire or electric for the enlightened fist abilities (for that comic-book feel, lol!). He's so much fun to play! I even use the "Parker Luck" in the form of a couple of flaws, and gave him some feats to simulate his Spider-sense and fighting abilities, and magical bracers for the webs. Spells I used included Spider-climb (of course), Web, and some buffs (Bull's Str, Cat's Grace, Expd Retr, Haste, Jump, etc). And I also used some skills to play up his nerd qualities- craft alchemy, craft engineering, and most of the knowledges, along with heavy ranks in balance, tumble, and climb for the physical powers.
That's so cool, Alystra.
Hmmmm. I wonder... How would you handle the Venom symbiote in D&D terms?
I'm thinking maybe something like the daelkyr symbionts from EBERRON. An extension of the living breastplate -- that encompasses the entire body -- would be perfect, because the descriptions for the various symbionts describe them as complete creatures that seek unity with flesh-and-blood mortals. Much like the Venom symbiote.
Some of Dark Sun's grafts might work, as well. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 01:34:33
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
LOL!! He's great! I built him as a human wiz/monk/enlightened fist, and used energy substitution of sonic energy instead of fire or electric for the enlightened fist abilities (for that comic-book feel, lol!). He's so much fun to play! I even use the "Parker Luck" in the form of a couple of flaws, and gave him some feats to simulate his Spider-sense and fighting abilities, and magical bracers for the webs. Spells I used included Spider-climb (of course), Web, and some buffs (Bull's Str, Cat's Grace, Expd Retr, Haste, Jump, etc). And I also used some skills to play up his nerd qualities- craft alchemy, craft engineering, and most of the knowledges, along with heavy ranks in balance, tumble, and climb for the physical powers.
That's so cool, Alystra.
Hmmmm. I wonder... How would you handle the Venom symbiote in D&D terms?
I'm thinking maybe something like the daelkyr symbionts from EBERRON. An extension of the living breastplate -- that encompasses the entire body -- would be perfect, because the descriptions for the various symbionts describe them as complete creatures that seek unity with flesh-and-blood mortals. Much like the Venom symbiote. |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 00:49:03
LOL!! He's great! I built him as a human wiz/monk/enlightened fist, and used energy substitution of sonic energy instead of fire or electric for the enlightened fist abilities (for that comic-book feel, lol!). He's so much fun to play! I even use the "Parker Luck" in the form of a couple of flaws, and gave him some feats to simulate his Spider-sense and fighting abilities, and magical bracers for the webs. Spells I used included Spider-climb (of course), Web, and some buffs (Bull's Str, Cat's Grace, Expd Retr, Haste, Jump, etc). And I also used some skills to play up his nerd qualities- craft alchemy, craft engineering, and most of the knowledges, along with heavy ranks in balance, tumble, and climb for the physical powers. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 25 Mar 2011 : 00:20:20
quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
I had thought about Iron Man but i just don't know how to work it using 4E. Do I make him a Warforged? Do I make him a guy in a built up suit of armor? What Power Source do I use?
I suppose that depends on which version of the Avengers we're talking about, and which Iron Man.
Classic Iron Man, I suppose, would just be an genius-level human with no particular physical strengths, strapped into a specialised suit of armour -- perhaps enchanted with certain abilities that mimic Iron Man's patented repulsors and/or chest-beam technology. The ability to float/fly, is also a must.
...
Oooh! Take a different tack, and borrow from his Silver Centurion armour which, along with the aspects I mentioned above, also had cloaking/chameleon abilities. Which, I would think, would translate as invisibility and/or polymorph self magicks in D&D.
|
| Diffan |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 22:07:46
Admittedly 3.5 is a much easier system to re-create playable super heroes as the multi-class system is so versatile. However, 4E would be easy to create them as per the monster building rules. So I guess its up to their role. How'd Spidey work out Alysstra? |
| Alystra Illianniis |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 20:31:41
So you're going classic Avengers, huh? I've done Spidey, Wolvie, and Human Torch all using 3.x rules, and had plans for Storm, Deadpool, and Nightcrawler. DC characters would be funt to tinker with, too- especially Batman and Supes. He would of course be difficult to pull off, though. |
| Diffan |
Posted - 24 Mar 2011 : 18:02:10
I had thought about Iron Man but i just don't know how to work it using 4E. Do I make him a Warforged? Do I make him a guy in a built up suit of armor? What Power Source do I use?
I guess If I were to make him up he'd be a Warforged Sorcerer/multi-class paladin (cus of Charisma synergy, some defender-ish abilities and ranged blast spells). Of course, this isn't supposed to be an exact replication, but it's the best I can do. |
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