Chronicles of Riddick future setting

[PJ-Mason]

The names really bothered me when I saw it in the theater, but by the time the DVD came out I was excited about it for the parts I enjoyed. And you're right: it's not exactly a new tradition to give things pretty obvious names, whether in sci-fi or in real life.

I still have trouble swallowing "Necromongers," though -- it drips a little too heavily with self-conscious, I-pull-the-wings-off-of-butterflies-and-wear-black-armor cool.

I wonder they didn't call the Underverse, the Necro-Verse instead.

As for wierd planet names, explorers and scientists have sense of humors, too.
Not to mention, if you're some deep space explorer who has spent months or years isolated and under pressure, you're bound to be a bit loopy. I say be happy the names are even recognizable!

 

[Roudi]

Yeah. Same with that Herbert guy. I mean come on, Dune? For a desert planet? Laaaaaame.

If I recall correctly, the planet's actual name was "Arrakis." Dune was just the common name for it (which is pretty understandable for a fricken desert planet).

In fact, Frank Herbert's naming conventions were pretty unconventional. Bene Gesserit? House Corrino? House Atredies? Muad'Dib? Most of the names in Dune are pretty creative and don't follow the "name that describes the thing" pattern of Riddick. Except for, perhaps, names like "Zensunni," but even then you'd need a passing knowledge of theology to pick that one up.

 

[drnuncheon]

If I recall correctly, the planet's actual name was "Arrakis."

The sound you just heard is the joke sailing over your head on its way to parts unknown.

J

 

[John Q. Mayhem]

Really, the only thing that irked me anout the CoR names were the little changes; I wouldn't have minded a planet called Desert, Hellhole, or Incineration, but the Crematoria irritated me.

Necromongers, of course, just sucks all kinds of different ways. As mentioned, pretentious for the NMs themselves, and not something a commoner would think up.

Helix Warrior does, indeed, look like a great class for Riddick-like characters.

 

[drnuncheon]

Necromongers, of course, just sucks all kinds of different ways. As mentioned, pretentious for the NMs themselves, and not something a commoner would think up.

I thought it fit just fine with the whole Warhammer 40K vibe I got. But then again, I may have gotten that by conflating Necromongers with Necromunda.

J

 

[dwayne]

Necromonger Lord

Here is my Attempt at making a nercomonger lord template.
I used the lich as a bases.

NECROMONGER LORD: the holy half dead
A necromonger lord is a undead being that has been to the undervers and returned, usually a powerful necromonger whose made the journey and came back as more than what he was.
A necromonger lord appears just as he did before the transformation but darkness seems to fallow him about.
necromonger lord speak Common plus any other languages they knew in life.

CREATING A NECROMONGER LORD
“necromonger lord” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature.
A necromonger lord has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: A necromonger lord has a +5 natural armor bonus or the base creature’s natural armor bonus, whichever is better.
Attack: A necromonger lord has a touch attack that it can use once per round. If the base creature can use weapons, the lich retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A necromonger lord fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A necromonger lord armed with a weapon uses its touch or a weapon, as it desires.
Full Attack: A necromonger lord fighting without weapons uses either its touch attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a touch as a natural secondary attack, provided it has a way to make that attack (either a free hand or a natural weapon that it can use as a secondary attack).
Damage: A necromonger lord without natural weapons has a touch attack that uses negative energy to deal 1d8+5 points of damage to living creatures; a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 necromonger lord’s HD + necromonger lord’s Cha modifier) halves the damage. A necromonger lord with natural weapons can use its touch attack or its natural weaponry, as it prefers. If it chooses the latter, it deals 1d8+5 points of extra damage on one natural weapon attack.
Special Attacks: A necromonger lord retains all the base creature’s special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 necromonger lord’s HD + necromonger lord’s Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Fear Aura (Ps): necromonger lord s are shrouded in a dreadful aura of death and evil. Creatures of less than 5 HD in a 60-foot radius that look at the necromonger lord must succeed on a Will save or be affected as though by a fear power from a psion of the necromonger lord’s level. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same necromonger lord’s aura for 24 hours.
Grasp of Death (Ex): Once per day A necromonger lord can surround its hands in a nimbus of black flame that remains until he touches someone. A character touched by A necromonger lord (with a melee touch attack roll) must make a successful Fort save (DC 10 + 1/2 necromonger lord’s HD + necromonger lord’s Cha modifier) or die instantly.
Paralyzing Touch (Ex): Any living creature a necromonger lord hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any power that can remove a curse can free the victim (see the bestow curse power description).
The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a necromonger lord seems dead, though a DC 20 Spot check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive..
Special Qualities: A necromonger lord retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Damage Reduction (Ex): A necromonger lord’s undead body is tough, giving the creature damage reduction 15/bludgeoning and concussion.
Immunities (Ex): necromonger lords have immunity to cold, electricity, polymorph (though they can use polymorph effects on themselves), and mind-affecting attacks.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2. Being undead, a necromonger lord has no Constitution score.
Skills: necromonger lords have a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature + 2.
Alignment: Any evil.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4.

 

[Rikandur Azebol]

Nice template ! But, from my point of view a bit overpowered. I would drop type change ... and most other things like Natural Touch Attack, special attack I would change to "at will", soul tearing is fun.
I would also drop Natural Armour bonus, and DR ... And give Strength +6. Everyone saw how he were throwing people around, don't we ? And bit more Charisma ... but it's just me. And another special quality, "Haste" at will. And dread aura ? Chmm ... nothing that couldn't be done with high Charisma and a moderate Intimidation score, bit it's just my opinion.

And one more thing ... someone told that Lord Marshall is breaking the Necromonger line int the league of guys/girls who don't feel pain. And where is said that he converted himself ? He just became "half-dead" as Necromongers are stating and were sort of a living-saint. He's not necesarilly one of them, guy is uniqe.
Och, guy was unique.

 

[hero4hire]

Didnt Riddick explode with some sort of Furyan-energy in the Director's Cut?

Thats obviously superhuman.

Those mind-probing "half-dead" also didnt like whatever was going on in his noggin' (didnt they whine about energy?)

I would have to say Furyans deserve different racial stats then humans. They played it up too much. Not that it matters much since Riddick is the last one.

 

[PJ-Mason]

Those mind-probing "half-dead" also didnt like whatever was going on in his noggin' (didnt they whine about energy?)

Yep. Although i like the willl save bonus as the answer to that. Furyans defintely seem strongwilled to me.
I don't doubt that Riddick had some extra juice, its just difficult to seperate what is Riddick and what is Furyan.

I would have to say Furyans deserve different racial stats then humans. They played it up too much. Not that it matters much since Riddick is the last one.

Well, to start that movie, Riddick was the only left, then we found out that he wasn't. There is always at least one more, just like there is always another jedi around the corner in Star Wars when they need one, even though they are extinct!

 

[PJ-Mason]

I seem to recall as most of the "superhuman" things that took place were on Crematoria (or whatever that planet's name was). I just assumed that it had slightly lower than normal gravity, which would account for a lot of it.

I totally missed this post! Thats not a bad explanation. Riddick wasn't the only one doing crazy stuff on the planet. Jack also did some wire work in the fight, as did the Necromonger Captain guy. I put some of it up to action points (even though i am not crazy about them).