Grover Cleaveland
First Post
linky to this thread
Far Realms insanity, let's melt minds.
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RedWick
First Post
I keep trying to figure out a way to describe a place where, in much the same way that gravity is subjective (meaning that whichever way somebody wishes to be down becomes down for them), size is subjective. A place where if you're running away from somebody and you want a quick way of hiding, you're able to grow or shrink in size to an unimaginable level. If you grow in size, then you end up becoming the surface that your pursuer is running upon. If you shrink in size, then you end up hiding somewhere on your pursuer.
And just to trick things up even more, I'd differentiate the different levels into colors, and have the size changing wrap into itself. Like this:
Red -> Orange -> Yellow -> Green -> Blue -> Indigo -> Violet -> Red -> ...
So you could grow in size from green up to Red, and somebody else could shrink in size from Green to Red, and you'd end up meeting eachother.
It's probably not particularly workable in game terms, but if you're looking to capture the sheer incomprehensiblness of the Far Realms, making size subjective would help to create that kind of atmosphere.
And just to trick things up even more, I'd differentiate the different levels into colors, and have the size changing wrap into itself. Like this:
Red -> Orange -> Yellow -> Green -> Blue -> Indigo -> Violet -> Red -> ...
So you could grow in size from green up to Red, and somebody else could shrink in size from Green to Red, and you'd end up meeting eachother.
It's probably not particularly workable in game terms, but if you're looking to capture the sheer incomprehensiblness of the Far Realms, making size subjective would help to create that kind of atmosphere.
Kesh
First Post
Ever notice how when you put something into water it looks bent? And how it's hard to grab something underwater because it looks to be just a little off from where you're grabbing?
Imagine a section of the Far Realms where everything responds like that. Creatures native to the realm are used to it, but non-native creatures who lack true seeing or other abilites suffer from a miss % in combat, as if the target were under a displacement effect.
Imagine a section of the Far Realms where everything responds like that. Creatures native to the realm are used to it, but non-native creatures who lack true seeing or other abilites suffer from a miss % in combat, as if the target were under a displacement effect.
Ambrus
Explorer
How about if the creatures of the far realms are four dimensional rather than the regular three dimensions we're used to? Although PCs could see such a creature they could only perceive parts of it at a time. As it moves it would appear to change shape and size and would appear organic but have an unrecognizable/incomprehensible anatomy. The creature could even surround the PCs by moving through its unseen fourth dimension, which for the PCs would appear that it was disapearing and reapearing in different locations. Not limited to three dimensions it could also effectively flank several opponents by itself with parts of its body appearing on different sides of them at once. A particularly nasty tactic would be for the creature to move through its extra dimension to circumvent the PCs' defenses, by reaching past their armor, shields and flesh it could attack their inner organs directly, effectively tearing them apart from the inside out.
For instance imagine encountering a huge-sized "creature" that at first appears to be a disconnected group of six green scaled ovoids only a foot or two in diameter and floating above the ground. What the PCs are seeing are only the parts of a single creature which happen to be intersecting their three dimensions. As the "creature" notices them it turns to face them in a defensive posture by presenting the more heavily armored parts of its body. The scales on the six ovoids begin to flow accross their surfaces becoming heavier and rougher until some of the ovoids merge together into two smaller spheres covered in bone-spurs and horns. As it moves to attack the two horned spheres grow larger and sway from side to side as the creature approaches. As it attacks, the two spheres appear to burst appart into a collection of twelve writhing masses covered in razor-sharp barbs that move quickly at the PCs from every direction but don't seem to hit them though they feel a searing pain in their chests as the creature tears their soft flesh apart from the inside. The twelve spheres then quickly reform into the two larger horned spheres as before.
The monster can never disapear completly since some of its body is always visible in our three dimensions. It is however impossible for the PCs to see all of the creature at once since they simply can't see its four dimensional body. Does anyone get what I'm describing?
For instance imagine encountering a huge-sized "creature" that at first appears to be a disconnected group of six green scaled ovoids only a foot or two in diameter and floating above the ground. What the PCs are seeing are only the parts of a single creature which happen to be intersecting their three dimensions. As the "creature" notices them it turns to face them in a defensive posture by presenting the more heavily armored parts of its body. The scales on the six ovoids begin to flow accross their surfaces becoming heavier and rougher until some of the ovoids merge together into two smaller spheres covered in bone-spurs and horns. As it moves to attack the two horned spheres grow larger and sway from side to side as the creature approaches. As it attacks, the two spheres appear to burst appart into a collection of twelve writhing masses covered in razor-sharp barbs that move quickly at the PCs from every direction but don't seem to hit them though they feel a searing pain in their chests as the creature tears their soft flesh apart from the inside. The twelve spheres then quickly reform into the two larger horned spheres as before.
The monster can never disapear completly since some of its body is always visible in our three dimensions. It is however impossible for the PCs to see all of the creature at once since they simply can't see its four dimensional body. Does anyone get what I'm describing?
Ambrus
Explorer
To expand on my previous idea, consider that although the four dimensional creature shares three dimensions with the PCs, they don't all have to be dimensions that the creature itself is aware of. What I mean is, considering that the creature can reach through an extra dimension past the PCs' armor and flesh to attack them from the inside out, perhaps one of the creature's dimension is likewise vulnerable to the PCs. Imagine that as the rounds pass, the PCs notice that between its defensive and offensive positions the creature unknowingly has its vulnerable parts similarly exposed for a few second. Perhaps when the two horned spheres split apart into twelve, some of the spheres are soft, fleshy and pulsing. If the PCs ready an action they could target these fleshy parts and so attack the creature from the inside out as well even if they can't tell that's what they're doing.
That had occured to me too, though it would be a little more one sided. If these flat creatures, lets say they look like flat star shapes on the ground, attacked the PCs they could only target those parts of the PCs that they could see, in this case the soles of the PC's boots that are on the ground with them. To become completely invulnerable to the 2D creatures the PCs would simply have to fly to stay above them and effectively invisible. The PCs could then attack the 2D creatures' soft insides from above. On the plus side though, the 2D creatures would be immune to bludgeoning attacks since, being flat, they can't be crushed any thinner. It might make an interesting role-playing encounter but 3D creatures have too many advantages over 2D creatures unless you attribute them some special attack form.trollwad said:
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Aaron L
Hero
Have everyones equipment get nasty personalities and start talking to the owners. Or maybe to everyone BUT the owner.
Have the party followed by a group of children whispering that they are the PCs children, but dissappear if pursued.
"Yer my mommy! Know what today is? It mommys day!"
One of the PCs gets an eye on his hand, and one of the other PCs can see through it.
All of the partys food becomes worms. Still tastes the same, but it is worms.
One of the PCs starts melting. No mechanical effect, but the flesh melts from his bones until he is a skeleton covered in maggots.
Everyone in the party sees a different sky, or the view out any windows is different for everyone.
Have the party followed by a group of children whispering that they are the PCs children, but dissappear if pursued.
"Yer my mommy! Know what today is? It mommys day!"
One of the PCs gets an eye on his hand, and one of the other PCs can see through it.
All of the partys food becomes worms. Still tastes the same, but it is worms.
One of the PCs starts melting. No mechanical effect, but the flesh melts from his bones until he is a skeleton covered in maggots.
Everyone in the party sees a different sky, or the view out any windows is different for everyone.
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