Hello everyone,
We're halfway through our kickstarter and almost two-thirds funded, thank you very much for your support. To celebrate, from now until the end of the kickstarter, I'll be posting regular exclusive updates here at Enworld. If you can, please pop over to the Frog's website and have a look, you'll find lots of other updates too. Huzzah!
Insects and Insectum
One of the more unique aspects of the Blight is the use and profligacy of insects in life. The insectum is a powerful ally in many ways; their poisons can enhance or debilitate, and as they are not magical abilities, they can stack with magical enhancements.
More mundane insects are everywhere in the Blight, a peculiarity even the wisest find difficult to explain. In summer the night air boils with them, whilst even in the depths of winter a hive of enormous elephant cockroaches may be seen huddling behind a hearth, or a black batmoth fluttering around a pyrelantern glow in the snow.
Insects are peculiarly large in the Blight, and unique. They have an alarming habit of swarming, and occasionally such swarms have stripped the flesh from a dog or small child, as well as killed adults in their anger.
The chart below (an extract of which has been lifted for your delectation) lists the more common type of Insectum. In each case the insect is used; possibly as a leech would be—a live attachment with beneficial (or deadly) effect—or it may be swallowed (Injested). Insects that bite (Bi) cause the damage listed as well as the bane. In each case the insectum has a boon, which it grants for a given time, as well often (but not always) as a penalty for its use. The price listed is the common price—insectum dealers vary their prices by demand and as few official dealers are granted a licence by their corrupt guild (the Insectum Guild). A host of illegal street dealers peddle their ways, which are often more unpredictable in quality. Imbibers should beware of these disreputable dealers, they sell inferior, sick or even dangerous insectum, and whilst even guild members are not spotless they do at least have the fear of stripping their guild status and of having (generally) a fixed address or place of work.
Cockerel Spider I Angry voice adds +2 to intimidate checks for a day Spider is mildly poisonous (Fort DC 15), 1d3 Dex 40gp
Darkwasp Bi Poison hardens skin DR2/- for 1d3 minutes 1d8hp/1d3 Con 175gp
Dolor crabrao Bi Rage (2d6 rounds) Hornet stings and dies. 1d6hp/1d3 Con (Fort DC 20) 275gp
Eyeleech Bi Darkvision, all visual Perception checks at +2 for 1d3 hours Leech attached to eyelid 1d3hp 125gp
Festerfew I +2 to all saves against poisons and disease for 24 hours Eat a handful of live lice, Fort (DC 20) or nauseated for 1 hour after eating 75gp
Fingerlice Bi Gain Deft Hands feat for 2 hours Maggots writhe under skin for duration, 1d3 temporary Con loss 35gp
We're halfway through our kickstarter and almost two-thirds funded, thank you very much for your support. To celebrate, from now until the end of the kickstarter, I'll be posting regular exclusive updates here at Enworld. If you can, please pop over to the Frog's website and have a look, you'll find lots of other updates too. Huzzah!
Insects and Insectum
One of the more unique aspects of the Blight is the use and profligacy of insects in life. The insectum is a powerful ally in many ways; their poisons can enhance or debilitate, and as they are not magical abilities, they can stack with magical enhancements.
More mundane insects are everywhere in the Blight, a peculiarity even the wisest find difficult to explain. In summer the night air boils with them, whilst even in the depths of winter a hive of enormous elephant cockroaches may be seen huddling behind a hearth, or a black batmoth fluttering around a pyrelantern glow in the snow.
Insects are peculiarly large in the Blight, and unique. They have an alarming habit of swarming, and occasionally such swarms have stripped the flesh from a dog or small child, as well as killed adults in their anger.
The chart below (an extract of which has been lifted for your delectation) lists the more common type of Insectum. In each case the insect is used; possibly as a leech would be—a live attachment with beneficial (or deadly) effect—or it may be swallowed (Injested). Insects that bite (Bi) cause the damage listed as well as the bane. In each case the insectum has a boon, which it grants for a given time, as well often (but not always) as a penalty for its use. The price listed is the common price—insectum dealers vary their prices by demand and as few official dealers are granted a licence by their corrupt guild (the Insectum Guild). A host of illegal street dealers peddle their ways, which are often more unpredictable in quality. Imbibers should beware of these disreputable dealers, they sell inferior, sick or even dangerous insectum, and whilst even guild members are not spotless they do at least have the fear of stripping their guild status and of having (generally) a fixed address or place of work.
Cockerel Spider I Angry voice adds +2 to intimidate checks for a day Spider is mildly poisonous (Fort DC 15), 1d3 Dex 40gp
Darkwasp Bi Poison hardens skin DR2/- for 1d3 minutes 1d8hp/1d3 Con 175gp
Dolor crabrao Bi Rage (2d6 rounds) Hornet stings and dies. 1d6hp/1d3 Con (Fort DC 20) 275gp
Eyeleech Bi Darkvision, all visual Perception checks at +2 for 1d3 hours Leech attached to eyelid 1d3hp 125gp
Festerfew I +2 to all saves against poisons and disease for 24 hours Eat a handful of live lice, Fort (DC 20) or nauseated for 1 hour after eating 75gp
Fingerlice Bi Gain Deft Hands feat for 2 hours Maggots writhe under skin for duration, 1d3 temporary Con loss 35gp
