Author Topic: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember  (Read 31380 times)

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veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #60 on: February 26, 2011, 12:37:58 AM »
For dream, perhaps a collective unconscious dreamscape 'extruded' outside the world, such that they can exceed the limits of reality and draw inspiration from without. I got one such structure at hand.

Take Dream, a realm that metaphysically exists simultaneously inside every thinking being's head and as a multilayered plane. Dream's geography is based on metaphor and relations, people who think alike, or have strong emotions towards each other are connected by paths and tunnels. Those of common faith generally form a nexus in their dreamscapes. It does have some correspondence to real places, if only because many people dream of real places and thus are connected to the common concept-space of that location(that is to say, someone who lives in New York is going to be mentally linked to the concept space of New York).
Each being exists as a blob of thought, its surface hard and difficult to penetrate while awake and focused,  liquid and permeable when dreaming. When dreaming, it expands and flows to touch other minds and also the larger Dream.  Each such mind-bubble is itself a layered demiplane, its contents the dreamer's mind and imagination, with the outermost layer consisting mostly of imagination and dreaming, the middle of memories and attachments, the core of personality and motives. Most of the time, only the outermost touch, imagination leaking between dreams.
When dreamers wake however, their minds withdraw back into their shells, and sometimes things get left behind. Sometimes creatures, sometimes thoughts, emotions or entire scenes and locations. This detritus forms the 'main' dreamscape, particularly for places of significance common to many people. These debris fade over time, unless they gain reality or reassertion in some way, so those creatures tend to invade dreams, to reinforce their own existence.
When a dreamer dies however, the mind blob grows brittle and shatters, filling Dream with what he used to be. Most tend to fade unnoticed, but some of these become strong loci for many minds to link to.

Now as to how this relates to the Far Realm, when a dream pierces too far outside of the protection of shared thought, dreaming of things beyond reality, it opens a vulnerability, and things Outside can influence and take the form of things of Dream, and from there, gain reality and leave Dream to ravage the world, or simply feast of reality in these minds.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #61 on: February 26, 2011, 12:44:49 AM »
My god that took longer than I expected.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #62 on: February 26, 2011, 07:28:09 PM »
...that was actually very, very awesome, Veekie. Beautiful even.

Do you use that for your campaign? Either way I'd like to yoink that if I may. It is almost exactly what I'm going for but never got my thoughts collected for.

Over hill, over dale, through bush, through briar, over park, over pale, through blood, through fire...

A Dying Ember
(Campaign Setting)

veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #63 on: February 26, 2011, 08:08:47 PM »
Would have used it if I HAD a campaign. :)
Yoink away!
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

Agita

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #64 on: February 26, 2011, 08:22:09 PM »
Would have used it if I HAD a campaign. :)
Yoink away!
You do. :p
It's all about vision and making reality conform to your vision. By dropping a fucking house on it.

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veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #65 on: February 26, 2011, 08:32:55 PM »
I meant a full setting!(come on, Starfall Lake is just an oversized adventuring location)
The concept needs sample location, inhabitants and adventures to really 'set' the imagery right, since a lot of it is sorta abstract and metaphorical.
Plus it takes the right sort of players to do Dream without getting a  :psyduck
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #66 on: February 26, 2011, 08:39:43 PM »
Fires of Life has been updated.

I meant a full setting!(come on, Starfall Lake is just an oversized adventuring location)
The concept needs sample location, inhabitants and adventures to really 'set' the imagery right, since a lot of it is sorta abstract and metaphorical.
Abstract and metaphorical thingies are always the most fun  :D

Quote
Plus it takes the right sort of players to do Dream without getting a  :psyduck
I actually had a campaign going based on Dream, or at least the parasitic plane leeching off of it and infecting the minds of the world. When GITP kicked me out a few weeks ago kinda put it on hold. Still trying to get a hold of my players to get it back going again...

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A Dying Ember
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bkdubs123

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #67 on: February 27, 2011, 04:32:12 AM »
1) @Veekie: Whoa. Yeah, that Dream + Far Realm crossover is pretty damn awesome! Nice job!

When GITP kicked me out a few weeks ago kinda put it on hold.

Also, I noticed that you'd gotten banned. What the heck happened there?

veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #68 on: February 27, 2011, 05:27:47 AM »
Thanks. It also amusingly enough, allows psychotherapy by namely walking into the mindscape and slaying inner demons. :D
Of course, trying to fight aspects of a person inside his own mind would be an...interesting endeavor. Or more interestingly, taking the person into his own mind, recursion ahoy.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #69 on: February 27, 2011, 09:45:06 AM »
Also, I noticed that you'd gotten banned. What the heck happened there?
This'll tell you all I know....

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A Dying Ember
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TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #70 on: February 28, 2011, 12:55:57 PM »
Ok, query. We have a race that hates the cold, but often lives inside large creatures. Hearth is FULL of large creatures. There are also lots of nice, steamy geothermal hotspots of water where they might be comfortable. However, not sure if they really fit the theme of this world.

Think I should add them?



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« Last Edit: February 28, 2011, 12:57:38 PM by TheVorpalTribble »
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veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #71 on: February 28, 2011, 01:16:26 PM »
Hmm, sounds like they'd be nicely adapted to living in the more extreme environments(why use resource intensive survival tactics when you can obtain symbiosis with say, a herd of dire mammoths). Sorta like nomadic herders, except they live in the herds.

Literally.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #72 on: February 28, 2011, 02:18:36 PM »
Basic Far Realm and Introvertia (dream) write up added. Special thanks to Veekie  :thumb :pie

Hmm, sounds like they'd be nicely adapted to living in the more extreme environments(why use resource intensive survival tactics when you can obtain symbiosis with say, a herd of dire mammoths). Sorta like nomadic herders, except they live in the herds.

Literally.
Yeah, suppose I could add them in. Be very interested to see how a character of the race would be played.

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Bozwevial

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #73 on: February 28, 2011, 02:24:47 PM »
I would definitely add them. Also, out of curiosity, why do they have a level adjustment? It seems like they wouldn't be unbalanced as a LA +0 race.

Agita

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #74 on: February 28, 2011, 02:25:52 PM »
Interesting. Just a mechanical comment: LA +1 seems a bit high for these. Charnel Nose and Gutborn are really specialized abilities, Parasitic Heritage is outright negative in all cases Not sure if the stat modifiers (even total, though a good trade for any character not focused on Cha), Monstrous Humanoid, Small size, a meager natural weapon, and immunity to two specific kinds of poisons add up to +1.
It's all about vision and making reality conform to your vision. By dropping a fucking house on it.

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TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #75 on: February 28, 2011, 02:45:04 PM »
Suppose they'd do alright as a +0 LA. Added them to the races page with adjustments to their info as Hearth inhabitants.
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veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #76 on: February 28, 2011, 02:46:22 PM »
Quote
When a dreamer dies however, the soul's spark explodes, filling Dream with a nova. Echoes of what he used to be. Most tend to fade unnoticed, but some of these become strong loci for many minds to link to.

Thus one often notices when a loved one has died through the psychic resonance of their severed connection. It is also through this constant touch and release, connection and dissolution, echoes and whispers back and forth through time that many can gain information of past and future.

Fun thought, a genocide level event(like say...a certain deep impact) would cause an enormous number of simultaneous detonations,  probably causing untold damage to the psyches of survivors even if they are related by the barest hint, and probably thrusting a million form-kernels deep into the Far Realm for the things there to inhabit.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."

TheVorpalTribble

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #77 on: February 28, 2011, 02:54:35 PM »
Quote
When a dreamer dies however, the soul's spark explodes, filling Dream with a nova. Echoes of what he used to be. Most tend to fade unnoticed, but some of these become strong loci for many minds to link to.

Thus one often notices when a loved one has died through the psychic resonance of their severed connection. It is also through this constant touch and release, connection and dissolution, echoes and whispers back and forth through time that many can gain information of past and future.

Fun thought, a genocide level event(like say...a certain deep impact) would cause an enormous number of simultaneous detonations,  probably causing untold damage to the psyches of survivors even if they are related by the barest hint, and probably thrusting a million form-kernels deep into the Far Realm for the things there to inhabit.
You trying to get me to add some far-realm race now? ;)
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Agita

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #78 on: February 28, 2011, 03:00:33 PM »
Quote
When a dreamer dies however, the soul's spark explodes, filling Dream with a nova. Echoes of what he used to be. Most tend to fade unnoticed, but some of these become strong loci for many minds to link to.

Thus one often notices when a loved one has died through the psychic resonance of their severed connection. It is also through this constant touch and release, connection and dissolution, echoes and whispers back and forth through time that many can gain information of past and future.

Fun thought, a genocide level event(like say...a certain deep impact) would cause an enormous number of simultaneous detonations,  probably causing untold damage to the psyches of survivors even if they are related by the barest hint, and probably thrusting a million form-kernels deep into the Far Realm for the things there to inhabit.

Go ahead. Say it. I know you want to.
It's all about vision and making reality conform to your vision. By dropping a fucking house on it.

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veekie

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Re: [Campaign Setting] A Dying Ember
« Reply #79 on: February 28, 2011, 03:03:33 PM »
Just thinking of how much of a psychic shock the survivors would feel, though come to think of it, gestalt entities comprised of Far Realm beings 'seeded' with the torn mental shreds of the apocalypse dead. The stronger wills might even come back recognizably.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

I wish I could read your mind,
I can barely read mine.

"Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. At 2:15, it begins rolling up characters."

[spoiler]
"Just what do you think the moon up in the sky is? Everyone sees that big, round shiny thing and thinks there must be something round up there, right? That's just silly. The truth is much more awesome than that. You can almost never see the real Moon, and its appearance is death to humans. You can only see the Moon when it's reflected in things. And the things it reflects in, like water or glass, can all be broken, right? Since the moon you see in the sky is just being reflected in the heavens, if you tear open the heavens it's easy to break it~"
-Ibuki Suika, on overkill

To sumbolaion diakoneto moi, basilisk ouranionon.
Epigenentheto, apoleia keraune hos timeis pteirei.
Hekatonkatis kai khiliakis astrapsato.
Khiliarkhou Astrape!
[/spoiler]

There is no higher price than 'free'.

"I won't die. I've been ordered not to die."