Spelljammer Converting Spelljammer creatures

[Cleon]

A dessicated spider-like creature with withered fur and empty eye cavities filled with phantom lights in its serpentine head.

Work better for you?

Well neogi are also partially eel-like, and that description makes no mention of its arms.

Also, I doubt fur can be "withered" - it's not a fleshy organ like a leaf or limb. Furthermore, the original description of the Undead Old Master says they are "hairy, brightly-colored" although they fade with age. Clearly, they maintain the Neogi habit of dying their fur in caste/status patterns.

Hmm, since the fur colour is dye I infer that some Old Masters are proud/vain/old-fashioned enough to keep their fur dyed while others just let the colour fade. That suggests we should leave the brightness/fadedness of the fur to the background text and just mention its coloured in patterns in the description.

How about.

A hideous monstrosity resembling a dessicated spider with the neck and head of a withered eyeless eel. A brittle coat of short fur covers its spider-body, colored in elaborate patterns. Two spindly arms fold out from under its eel-neck, ending in clawed hands. The empty eye-sockets in its anguilliform skull are holes filled with phantom lights.

Description: Fur coloured/faded according to taste.

 

[freyar]

See, I was trying to avoid "eel-like" as being a bit too close to the original wording. But I suppose this will do...

By the way, the tactics you have in post 727 are good (dropping the duplicated line at the top).

 

[Cleon]

See, I was trying to avoid "eel-like" as being a bit too close to the original wording. But I suppose this will do...

By the way, the tactics you have in post 727 are good (dropping the duplicated line at the top).

Hmm, I wonder how that line got copied.

Updating the Neogi Undead Old Master Working Draft.

 

[freyar]

Man, I had a start on some background, then the server crashed. Let's see what I can remember.

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have used their spellcasting ability to avoid transformation into the bloated and mentally incapacitated great old masters crucial to the reproduction of their species. Instead, they have transformed themselves into undead and fled neogi society with as many of their slaves and possessions as possible.
....

 

[Cleon]

Man, I had a start on some background, then the server crashed. Let's see what I can remember.

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have used their spellcasting ability to avoid transformation into the bloated and mentally incapacitated great old masters crucial to the reproduction of their species. Instead, they have transformed themselves into undead and fled neogi society with as many of their slaves and possessions as possible.
....

Hmm, I think we can get that phrased a bit better...

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have transformed into undead to avoid becoming great old masters, the bloated and witless reproductive stage of their species. They have fled neogi society...

 

[freyar]

Working draft.

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have transformed into undead to avoid becoming great old masters, the bloated and witless reproductive stage of their species. They have fled neogi society with as many of their slaves and possessions as possible. Their appearance is largely similar to that in life despite the withering and fading of their flesh; some even choose to maintain the fashionable coloring of their fur, while others allow it to fade.

Undead old masters are all accomplished spellcasters. ...


Do you have any more to add to this?

 

[Cleon]

Working draft.

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have transformed into undead to avoid becoming great old masters, the bloated and witless reproductive stage of their species. They have fled neogi society with as many of their slaves and possessions as possible. Their appearance is largely similar to that in life despite the withering and fading of their flesh; some even choose to maintain the fashionable coloring of their fur, while others allow it to fade.

Undead old masters are all accomplished spellcasters. ...

Do you have any more to add to this?

I'd polish the wording a bit.

Wondered about adding a height and weight but can't seem to find any numbers for 3E Neogi except for Dwarf Neogi. Better just say size is the same as in life, although we could say they're a bit lighter due to the "withering".

How's this...

Neogi undead old masters are elder neogi who have transformed into undead to avoid becoming great old masters, the bloated and witless reproductive stage of their species. They have fled neogi society with as many of slaves and possessions as they could seize. Undead old masters appear much as they did in life, except their flesh is withered and faded and they have no eyes. Some choose to maintain the brightly dyed fur neogi use to signal their status and fashionability, while others allow the colors to fade.

Undead old masters are all accomplished spellcasters. Sorcerers are most common, followed by wizards. Their undead immortality gives them plenty of time to study and practice their magic. They exist only to gather enslave others and gather treasure. Undead masters trust nothing and lust to destroy anything they cannot control.

A neogi undead old master is the same size as it was in life, but weigh X [three-quarters?] as much.

Undead old masters speak whatever languages they knew in life or learned in undead. Most know at least Common, Undercommon and Terran.​

OK?

 

[freyar]

Yes, that's ok, including the X=three-quarters. Is that it for them?

 

[Cleon]

Yes, that's ok, including the X=three-quarters. Is that it for them?

Updating the Neogi Undead Old Master Working Draft.

I think we have everything. What's next?

 

[freyar]

Loading them into the CC when the time comes?

The unconverted critters list for Spelljammer is here, updated last June. I believe we'd had a vote for the mortiss at some point, and we also got a request in November for the porton and skykine. Any of those tickle your fancy?