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ISO Feedback: Lithosynes: Living Crystal Batteries (3.5e)
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<blockquote data-quote="_Michael_" data-source="post: 9581985" data-attributes="member: 7045276"><p>So, I'm designing a game world that's low-magic but with a high magic/technology past (using 3.5e), and one of the ways I finally figured out how to (maybe) pull this off is through the use of a creature I created called a Lithosyne. They're basically sentient crystal lifeforms, but they were used like living batteries in the past to power the clockwork automata through magical taps (think: energy drain, but very slowly) in the machines. Not sure whether the lithosynes cared much as the energy drain would have been negligible in terms of power needs because of other magical deus ex machina devices in place (I don't want them to burn out rapidly)--perhaps the power was being siphoned off from higher planes through the Lithosyne, which acted as a "lens." When the Schism occurred, the lithosynes incorporated into what would become the Protea (self-aware, evil machines that turned on their organic masters) were corrupted and cut off from the Light Web. No idea how the interplay between Lithosynes and the Light Web work yet, as I'm still kind of feeling this out.</p><p></p><p>However, any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I made the Lithosyne an aberration rather than a construct because it is a living being, just one that is completely alien to what is normally considered "life." I even had some ideas that perhaps the Lithosynes were like "lenses" by which beings in higher dimensions/planes, i.e., the after life, could tap into to communicate, and if that's the case, it would likely be Myconians due to their strange relationship to the Light Web as caretakers and gardeners. I'll include the write up for the Myconians as well so you can get a better idea of where I might go with it. Like I said, any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ahead of time!</p><p></p><p>One other quick reference: The "Evergloom" is my version of the Underdark, and it's comprised of three layers: Uppergloom, Mid-Gloom, and Undergloom.</p><p></p><p>The Lithosyne:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]395853[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]395854[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>For reference, the Myconians:</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]395855[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]395856[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]395857[/ATTACH]</p><p></p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]395858[/ATTACH]</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="_Michael_, post: 9581985, member: 7045276"] So, I'm designing a game world that's low-magic but with a high magic/technology past (using 3.5e), and one of the ways I finally figured out how to (maybe) pull this off is through the use of a creature I created called a Lithosyne. They're basically sentient crystal lifeforms, but they were used like living batteries in the past to power the clockwork automata through magical taps (think: energy drain, but very slowly) in the machines. Not sure whether the lithosynes cared much as the energy drain would have been negligible in terms of power needs because of other magical deus ex machina devices in place (I don't want them to burn out rapidly)--perhaps the power was being siphoned off from higher planes through the Lithosyne, which acted as a "lens." When the Schism occurred, the lithosynes incorporated into what would become the Protea (self-aware, evil machines that turned on their organic masters) were corrupted and cut off from the Light Web. No idea how the interplay between Lithosynes and the Light Web work yet, as I'm still kind of feeling this out. However, any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I made the Lithosyne an aberration rather than a construct because it is a living being, just one that is completely alien to what is normally considered "life." I even had some ideas that perhaps the Lithosynes were like "lenses" by which beings in higher dimensions/planes, i.e., the after life, could tap into to communicate, and if that's the case, it would likely be Myconians due to their strange relationship to the Light Web as caretakers and gardeners. I'll include the write up for the Myconians as well so you can get a better idea of where I might go with it. Like I said, any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ahead of time! One other quick reference: The "Evergloom" is my version of the Underdark, and it's comprised of three layers: Uppergloom, Mid-Gloom, and Undergloom. The Lithosyne: [ATTACH type="full" width="465px" alt="Screenshot_2025-01-30_at_10.09.23_AM.png"]395853[/ATTACH][ATTACH type="full" width="480px" alt="Screenshot_2025-01-30_at_10.13.27_AM.png"]395854[/ATTACH] For reference, the Myconians: [ATTACH type="full" width="472px" alt="Screenshot 2025-02-09 at 10.38.01 AM.png"]395855[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="478px" alt="Screenshot 2025-02-09 at 10.38.59 AM.png"]395856[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="466px" alt="Screenshot 2025-02-09 at 10.39.34 AM.png"]395857[/ATTACH] [ATTACH type="full" width="474px" alt="Screenshot 2025-02-09 at 10.40.39 AM.png"]395858[/ATTACH] [/QUOTE]
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