(IR) The 5th IR - 3rd OOC Thread (OPEN)

[Edena_of_Neith]

DralonXitz, I've put you in the roster. Check out the rosters of other players in the Megapost on page 1. It'll give you a feel for what to do, to create and fill out your power.
Look at the bottom of the megapost for areas remaining to be claimed. Remember that Anakeris and Aquaria are small CONTINENTS, so if you claim them, you could put a whole horde of beings there, and be creative about what your power is all about. Or, you could claim something already claimed, and contest it with the other player (you and the player would have to work that out.)
The RULES for the IR are on the first post after Darkness's post on page 1. Serpenteye created them (he is the DM of this IR, not me!) and they are pretty fascinating. Have a look!
And welcome to the 5th IR.


Festy Dog, I added all your information. Check out your roster.

Sollir, I put Lynn in your roster, since you claimed it. Check your roster. Can you give me a description of Lynn? Do you have any other claims?

Uvenelei, the best way I know of to explain how to go about setting up your power, is to look at what the others have done. Look at the rosters of players who have fully completed theirs. It'll give you a feel for what to do.
If you want vast hoards sweeping across the continent, the Tharquish Empire is still claimable, or you could claim Anakeris. You could claim Lynn, and share it with Sollir: after all, Lynn is a BIG place!!

We now have a glut of good powers.
We need some more neutrals and evils! Anyone out there want to create a new, neutral or evil power?

Incidentally, NONE of the Underdark races (except the drow, kuo-toa, illithid, and some of the aboleth) are claimed. Powerful underdark races like the derro, meanlocks, grimlocks, and gray dwarves remain completely untouched.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

If we do get James' map up and colored, it will seem that there is unfairness: there will be all these big powers in the west and central areas, and little powers in the east.
But that's deceptive: size doesn't count, IC/PL counts.
Or, as once said: 'Judge me by my size? As well you should not! For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is.'

 

[Kalanyr]

Yes, your notes were useful William, with a bit of luck I'll have the details for Gigantea, my revised Miranda and Hyperborea up tonight, your suggestions and Jame's notes have proven useful.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Just post them on the thread, Kalanyr, and I'll put them in your roster.

Edena_of_Neith

 

[Creamsteak]

Anybody object if I claim Meepo the Kobold and Iyov the Beholder. Perhaps their goblin friend as well.

Source: http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20041225x

Obviously, I'm using sinisterly evil "cuteness" as a shield against any attacks.

Lastly, I want the "eyekin" added to my servitors that come from the beholders. Not a big deal, but they are sort of similar to the voidminds that I've already got for the flayers.

 

[Kalanyr]

This is Gigantea's description. (Could you update my claims of the area to represent the additional inhabitants please Edena ?)

(Next up a description of Hyperborea, followed by a revised Miranda and the Marchwards and finally followed by a more complete backstory for the Eladrin. (Some of which may have wait until Tomorrow or the day after.))

Gigantea/Jotnumheim: Is a vast territory, roughly the size of Zinda (based on the map), however the eastern half the land is mountainous terrain. And the entire northern half (and the mountains of the south) are subject to frigid winds and ice and snow from Hyperborea. The frozen northern reaches of Gigantea are home primarily to frost giants and evil cloud giants and titans (where they were driven in conflict with the elves of Miranda and their more noble kindred centuries ago), as well as a variety of creatures native to the icy environments including a small number of white dragons. The southern mountains are inhabited largely by titans and cloud giants of good and neutral alignment, and storm giants, a few silver dragons and stone giants can also be found in the area. Apart from the differents in alignment few differences are found between the northern and southern reaches, the titans of both areas and their giant allies/servants have constructed tremendous cities high in the mountains that are hidden from discovery by normal mortals by both clever use of the dangerous terrain and its hazards, and by the potent magic of titanic and storm giant spellcasters. These cities in structure and politics resemble democratic Rome and Greece, with rule by a meeting of the people of the cities. Despite the difference in world view there are some relations in trade between the cities of the north and south and limited migration and travel between them. There are also barbarian tribes, both human and their neanderthal kin spread throughout the non-mountainous areas, who worship the dragons, giants and titans as godlike beings. The titans refer to their civilization as Jotunheim and the sea to the west takes it name from this, although the human inhabitants of the area have long forgotten the origins of the name and assume it is related to the occasional rogue frost giant bands that are encounted in the mountains.

In the higher mountains and the frozen north many other beings from Hyperborea can be found, including Yeti's, Snow Maidens, various ice fey, many wild animals, beasts and monsters. There are also several glacier dwarves delves spread through the northern mountains, and a dream dwarf enclave can be found in the southern mountains. In the non-frozen parts of southern Gigantea fey creatures from the Elven Lands and half-elven immigrants from the Kingdoms of the Marches can be found.

Oreads, Galeb Duh and other moutain spirits are relatively common throughout the mountain region and tend to be either more inclined to striking bargains or vastly more potent than their Flaanesse kin, due to the power of their titan and giant neighbours, little is known of this mountain fairies but it is said that they have members in the Faerie Court of Miranda (these rumours are indeed true).

 

[Kalanyr]

And now Hyperborea! (Again could you please update the other parts of my roster to reflect the new information Edena ?)

Hyperborea: Hyperboea is a massive frozen land, large parts of which are merely ice, with no earth, large chunks of which occasionally break away from the mass. However despite the inhospitable nature of the area life finds a way to continue, in addition to the monsters and cold adapted beasts animals there are many small human (and neanderthal) villages scattered in various places (resembling Eskimo culture), as well as relatively advanced settlements of arctic gnomes. In the vast ice glaciers of Hyperborea there can be found numerous deep carven cities of the glacier dwarves, tunelling miles into some of the towering glaciers, with a network of icy tunnels connecting various cities. At the tops of many of these glaciers as well as several of the mountains of Hyperborea, the ice elves have their beautiful cities of carved ice, despite the isolationist attitudes of both the dwarves and the elves, they have a reasonably strong relationship simply due to the sheer difficult of surviving in their chosen habitats. The ice elven cities are occasionally visited by the yuki-no-ona (the ice maidens) of the north, where the strange and sometimes benevolent or malevolent ice fey are treated as spirits of the ice and divine messengers.

In the most remote glaciers of Hyperborea the occasional snow and ice weirds can be found, and these creatures are sometimes sort out by the other inhabitants for advice on the future. In these remote peaks the legendary monastery of the Cloud Anchorite monasteries can also be found, the immortal ancient masters of this place have played an important role in several clashes between the monsters and civilized beings of Hyperborea but they rarely interact with others except in a time of great need. And in the largest glacier of all there are a settlement of the powerful and skilled Midgard dwarves, who the greatest arctic dwarven smiths visit to perfect their craft.

In addition to these creatures there are numerous fairie folk such as the.domovoi (CG small fey), frost folk (usually evil), rimefire eidolons (fey, CG), oreads, rusalkas (fey, usually CN), and the aforementioned uldra and yuki-no-ona, who as is the tradition of the fey folk are loosley led by a fairie court consisting of the eldest and most potent fairies. The fairie court has a reasonably friendly relation with the ice elves and the arctic gnomes, and are more favourably disposed to arctic dwarves than is usual because the arctic dwarves ice carving is far less destructive to the nature of the area.

There are also visitors from the elemental planes from portals to the planes of air, water and ice, high in the mountains, such as the qorrashi genie and various elementals, which the races of Hyperborea occasionally magically bind or strike deals with for service.

Monsters and animals like ice toads, giant ravens, and yeti, that serve as both allies/servants and enemies to all races. The strange intelligent bear-like magical beasts known as urskans also frequently work with whoever they think will benefit them the most.

There are also snow goblin and snow orc tribes that serve to harrass the other civilizations as well as tribes of frost giants.

The snow elves of Hyperborea through mystical means occasionally converse with their kindred in Miranda from where they moved millenia ago and it is by this means they have been brought in on the alliance the eladrin are trying to form, and they have convinced many of their good and neutral aligned allies to join them.

The ice elves of Hyperborea have formidable druidic and wizardly spellcasters, to maintain and shape their ice cities, (of which their are approximately 10, with about 10 000 inhabitants each). In all of these cities several baelnorn exist, guiding their mortal kindred through the dangers of life, and using their magic and ancient knowledge to preserve the cities, when the living spellcasters fail. In truth these baelnorn practically rule the cities as living repositories of knowledge and magical power. In and around the cities ice adapted trees and treants can be found as can the usual elven pets/companions, cooshees and the strange and fickle elven cats adapted to their frozen environments. Although the ice elves are relatively isolationist they have in the past helped the humans of the area when they were under threat by snow goblins and orcs and as such have a tenuous alliance with these folk.

The gnomes live in small collections of burrows beneath the ice, each settlement guided by the eldest living gnome, usually a druid, bard or sorceror. These gnomes are strange even by the standards of the gnomes of warmer climates and are hard to tell apart from the fey urdra who they are said to be distantly related to.

The glacier,arctic and Midgard dwarves have similar dwellins, carved into the hearts of mountains and gigantic frozen glaciers. The arctic dwarves have potent innate magical abilities related to the frost and often serve as counsellers and mystics in the glacier dwarf communities. These cities are culturally similar to the dwarven cities of the Flaanesse although the difficulty of surviving and their ice focus means they get along much better with the elves of the area.

The Midgard dwarves (long ago immigrants from Ysgard) have their own settlements seperate from the other dwarves and have a more relaxed society, although they are dedicated to their craft and can forge potent magical weapons without knowledge of spells.

 

[Kalanyr]

A just noticed the Elvanian forest has both 12 and 28 IC depending where on the list you look which of these is correct?

 

[Festy_Dog]

Just thought I should let people know that I may not have net access for the next few days as I'm going on a bit of a holiday. In other news I may have convinced another friend to join in the IR, so I'll see where that goes.

Also I'm going to wait from feedback from Serpenteye before I go posting anything IC.

In regards to my PC, Hachiman is going to be a major character but I think PC status will go to a powerful underling this time, probably one of the Guardinals.

Festy Dog ! Welcome, welcome !!! I can see that Kalanyr and Edena are busy with recruitment as bees or ants. I could envy that.

And You two are giving much needed boost for the Good side of the Oerth. Dark side is strong enough with current players, I think.

Thanks.

I figured I should play something plenty different from what I did in the 3rd, and it so happened the good guys needed some help at that time, so it wasn't a hard choice.

 

[Edena_of_Neith]

Hey there Creamsteak, Kalanyr: I've updated both your rosters.

Kalanyr, it is probably 12.
The territory's potential IC is 30.6 ((510,000 x 6) / 100,000) but Serpenteye ruled that none of the territories in the game (with a few exceptions) are optimalized: their peoples and systems aren't fully set up yet for the technological and magical arms race, or prepared for war. Thus the lower IC value.
Once you optimalize it (which you must work out with Serpenteye) it's value will increase to something closer to 28.

Furthermore, it's total IC value will drastically increase as you progress in the technological arms race (see Serpenteyes' rules on page 1.)