Exotic Materials

[garrowolf]

I am working on my Nexus D20 game system and I have an idea I need some help on. I am working on a Mad Science system for the game. What I want it to do is be able to really make interesting changes to a setting for the inclusion of a specific exotic material. Many systems have various exotic materials but they seem to have little effect except as material components for high level equipment. I want something more.

The first one I came up with is Cavorite. I found the name online but it is a mineral that floats in a gravity well. Think about the floating mountains in Avatar. There are a few more examples of that in fantasy paintings and even in a Gorillaz Inc. video. Basically I am thinking of having it for things like steel age airships, early industrial age floating aircraft carriers, etc. Imagine floating castles as ways for nations to attack each other. Very fantasy type settings. Maybe it would allow for early pulp comics style huge robots that use cavorite to take most of their weight.

Then I was thinking about connecting this material with Telekinesis. Basically this would be the natural material that would focus that kind of magic.

Instead of having a magical material that would only work for the magic users I was thinking of exotic materials that each one could change the setting if it was common enough AND augments a certain kind of magic.

So far I have Cavorite. I was thinking about something called Ember as a source of Fire. Basically it would look like the embers from a log but if you blow on it then it would get hotter and brighter. It could power steampunk style tech.

Anyway looking for more ideas!

 

[Stormonu]

(Cavorite is from H.G. Welles First Men on the Moon - it's named for James Cavorite, the professor who invents it in the story).

Aqua Regia ("Royal Water") might be another element you want to include.

Crystals are commonly associated with scrying or mental powers. Any sort of exotic crystal name could be used

Space 1889 uses Liftwood - essentially tree wood with the natural effects of cavorite (perhaps something in the sap?)

Lodestone (magnets) could be given slightly mystical effects, making their use exotic.

I suggest looking into some information on Alchemy - I think much of what you're wanting to do is covered in that "science".

 

[tuxgeo]

I am working on my Nexus D20 game system and I have an idea I need some help on. I am working on a Mad Science system for the game. What I want it to do is be able to really make interesting changes to a setting for the inclusion of a specific exotic material. Many systems have various exotic materials but they seem to have little effect except as material components for high level equipment. I want something more.

The first one I came up with is Cavorite. I found the name online but it is a mineral that floats in a gravity well. Think about the floating mountains in Avatar.
< snip >
Anyway looking for more ideas!

Cavorite: Stolen Homaged shamelessly as "Upsidaisyum" on a certain 1960's cartoon show.

Xertican Spinning Beans - when any one of them gets within 4 squares of another one, each one begins spinning slowly. Not useful to power a fan, but a great warning device (as long as they don't become pervasive enough to occupy most squares, and thus keep spinning all the time!). Put one into a bundle that you want to bury for later recovery; this helps locate the spot where you hid it, by carrying another one and watching for it to spin.
(Or you could go really Rube Goldberg and have the spinning of the bean wind up a thread that pulls a lever that drops a weight that opens an umbrella, etc.)

Sympathetic Shy Vines - Two cuttings of the same plant are given to two of your underlings. One underling goes far away. When you growl menacingly at the one near you, both Shy Vines recoil in horror; when you swing a sword at the one near you, both Shy Vines duck. (Even at a distance.) You could work up your own Morse-style code for the bobbing and weaving of the vines; but you'ld have to be brief each day, because the vines tire easily.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Stormonu got most of the ones that sprang immediately to my mind.

Check out texts of alchemy. The Alchemy Wiki includes links to other wikis about the materials created in this "science": Aqua Vitae, Alkahest and so forth.

Check out comic books- there's all kinds of weirdo materials in them.

 

[garrowolf]

well one of the things that I want with these is for them to be useful at many different tech levels. Basically the Cavorite would change a world no matter the tech level, just by it's presence. Major exotic materials.

 

[DMH]

Do you want existing sources with OGC? ST Cooley has the Enchiridion of Treasures and Objects D'Art (pdf only AFAIK) and Mad Kaiser's Bazaar Book C (though A and B have lots of good stuff as well) have tons of useful materials, from hides to fantasy metals.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Not really what you may need but you may want to check out:
Seventh Sanctum - Technology

 

[Doug McCrae]

This is pretty much the motherlode for sci-fi ideas -

Glossary of Science Fiction Ideas and Inventions

Here's the section on Materials.

 

[Henry]

You must have Unobtainium, or it ain't real mad science.

What does it do? Doesn't matter, but you should have it somewhere in there. In The Core, it was an indestructable metal that apparently refracted heat and light.

 

[Hand of Evil]

This is pretty much the motherlode for sci-fi ideas -

Glossary of Science Fiction Ideas and Inventions

Here's the section on Materials.

EXCELLENT LINK -- I have to spread the love before I can give to you again!!!!