What is Norbayne?

[Clockwork]

There must be some other warm blooded creatures in Black Fens? Maybe a bipedal creature that has webbed feet suited to crossing a marsh? Cross a frog with a classic demon (horns, tail, red skin, black eyes) appearance wise, solitary, nocturnal creatures about man size. Good thing the swampdogs are edible too, gives the inhabitants something to eat.

Yeah I knew about both of those sea creatures but I wanted a reason for my guy to go to Varr specifically. Perhaps it can just be a disappointing trip?

Mercrabs are an awful idea, not to be implemented at all

Although I hadn't thought about this, creating a character in your world that is a taxonomist is quite a good way of keeping a beastiary without losing immersion when it comes to compiling the total works together. If you want to take this route with a character of your own devising and motives I'll keep away from that subject when writing.

[Phoenixguard09]

That's a very good idea regarding the taxonomist. Very cool. Feel free to use the idea yourself but I definitely like it. A very good way to present the various creatures with some fluff as well.

Yeah, very nice.

I'll respond to the rest later, I'm a little busy at the moment,
Cheers,

EDIT* Okay, here's the response.

Demon-frog-man-vampire thing? Sounds great. Just need to figure out what sort of relationship they would have with the Linyati. Because the Linyati have a history of slaving and genocide, so these things must have a way to avoid them, a reason for the Linyati not to have used them.

The only at least partially sea-going predator I can think of with regards to Varr is the ulvenseigl. Check out the Ecosystem thread for details on it mate.

Cheers again,

[Clockwork]

Glad you think so

The demon-frog-vampire-things are completely nocturnal, and used as guards/night shift workers during the night while the Linyati are drowsy from the cooler night air so they actually were used as slaves. They were attemted to be genocided (it's a word) by the Linyati which is why there are so few of them left. Only a handful per region, their numbers are growing in relation to the now opulant food source (swamp-dogs) whose population has boomed ever since the genociding (also a word) of the demon-frog-vampire-things.

Yeah I've read and reread the ecosystems to try and get a feel for what kind of creatures you want here, I'm looking for a 'Nessie' type thing really, going to as many continents and seeing as many peoples as possible gives me a chance to do a social commentary on them and show how the different populations interact with the various races that the party will be made from.

EDIT: I was also thinking about a disease that causes skin necrosis while increasing adrenal gland function. This works with two game mechanics - one: it'll make your character more combatually powerful with say, higher initiative and a couple of points per hit increased damage in melee but take a huge charisma drop, second, once infected there is only a brief amount of time before adrenal failure occurs and the body goes into shock. One might intentionally infect oneself with the disease to kill a mammoth but then have the cure on hand before any really nasty stuff starts happening.

[Pentagathus]

About your dog people and their attitude that war is a game; a) I love this and b) is this because they have a nonchalance towards their own death and if so where does this come from? I'd had an idea for demonish type beings that inhabited a spirit/other world and believed that they were already dead and living in heaven, so weren't bothered whether they died again and thought that mortals should be grateful to them if they gave the mortals a chance to die well and go to their heaveny thing. Which now I think about it is a lot like Prachett's pictsies. Damn you Pratchett, stealing my ideas before I've even had a chance to think of them. The sneaky devil.
Also have you given thought to giant armadillos or armadillo-men?

[Phoenixguard09]

1: Demon-frog-vampyre-things: Very good. The problem is, I can't see them evolving from anything mammalian or avian, ruling out warm-blood.... Unless.... What about if they had primate/Australopithecine type features? Say, for instance, a primate analogue, something like swamp monkey in terms of size and appearance, though of a dark red colouration and with small, stubby horns. They would also be nocturnal.

When the Dark Fen flooded, these 'monkeys' grew larger so they could go down to the flooded forest floor and remain with their heads above water, developing a bipedal gait and slightly webbed appendages in the process. This semi-aquatic lifestyle would also lead to losing their fur. The eyes would be cat-like.

This leaves us with animals of chimpanzee intelligence, no fur, horns, deep red skin, a prehensile tail and a bipedal gait, plus webbed feet developed to help with swimming. I'd think about five foot tall? But hunched slightly as well. I must get LD to draw one. I think they could be very creepy. I think I also like the face being very gorilla-like, with perhaps slightly elongated jaws. They are predatory after all. They also need claws I think.

2: Nessie: Well, I'm not sure. I did not plan on having marine reptiles so far north. I would expect them to remain in more southerly, warmer waters. A pliosaur equivalent, something like Liopleurodon, would be one of the apex predators in the Midland oceans, but not too far north. To tell the truth, I like the idea of oceans populated by creatures other than fish. But I'll have to get back on that one.

3: Adrenal Necrosis: Sounds pretty damned awesome actually. I can see I'm going to have to really work out how it's going to work mechanically.

4: Invarrians and Death: Invarrians are just incapable of taking things seriously. No, that's not entirely true, but they live in the moment, taking all they can from it. Their nonchalance towards death stems from an astounding racial mix of pragmatism and optimism. Like most dogs, they're just really playful. So their view of everything being a game is a direct result of their optimism, while they realise that, for instance, death, is something everyone must go through. Who knows? It might even be fun. Getting to this point has been, death might be too.

5: Armadillos: Assuming you mean actual armadillos and not excrement , I have given thought in the sense that there is a large glyptodont type creature living on the Boltmoors. Beyond that though, no. Although an armadillo-people might be pretty interesting. Natural armour and the like. If I can think of an interesting culture for them, I might just have to pinch it.

Cheers both of you,

[Clockwork]

Glad you like the disease. I'm pretty pleased with it

Swamp-Gorilla-Frog-Demon-Vampire-Things? Awesome

Claws are pretty cool, retractable cat claws I think might suit them better than perma-razors. Perma-razors make it difficult to pick things up.

If Invarrians are living for the moment,  they'd have more adventurers than the average humanoid, so I'd imagine they wouldn't be an uncommon sight in the midlands. That would stop their island becoming overpopulated too plus the fact that it's incredibly difficult to survive in the frozen north. Just as a side thought. Or not.

Nessie was intended more as a concept than as an actual sea-dinosaur. There could be an aquatic reptile with the same sort of properties as a whale but without the need to come up for air, I don't know haven't thought about it all that much.

[Phoenixguard09]

With regards to the Invarrians, the majority of their male population takes some part in the reavings. So while they don't necessarily come so far south, they do leave the island on a regular basis. The race as a whole tends to be slow to propagate as the females can usually only have one litter before becoming infertile.

The following information is perhaps a little sensitive for younger readers.

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

As you can imagine, rape is considered a very serious crime among Invarrians, as it can very easily lead to the end of a family line.

And retractable claws are a good idea. I hadn't thought about that.

As to the aquatic reptiles, as reptiles need air, that would have to be factored in, but crocodiles can go a very long time on one breath, so that's always a possibilty.

[Clockwork]

Can't it have gills and lungs? That would make it a reptile if it had all other reptilian properties I think, though actually I'm not too fussed about the idea. I don't like it anymore

Nice addition to the Invarrains, pretty cool

New disease: one which causes hair loss and palpatations that make it difficult to carry anything or do any activity that requires any sort of motor dexterity. Actually, perhaps as an STD? Gives obvious physical symptoms to link people together for a detective type plus gives a stat drop if PC's need to learn a lesson or two about visiting Norbaynes brothels

Another one: Causes the victim to experience auditory hallucinations, neural parasite released in vapour from monster x as defense mechanism. Different races hear different things, swamp dogs might hear howling, a midlander might hear singing, an Invarrain might hear...Err howling again? You get the idea anyway, it causes panic and a feeling of discomfort for anyone subjected to it. Easily bottled into grenade form....Perhaps

Not a strong submission this time, sorry. Little off my game for some reason. Better suggestions will be suggested next time

[Phoenixguard09]

No, not a problem at all. Very interesting submissions and with a little bit of work, I will take both of them.

1. Aquatic Reptile: I don't know of any reptiles with both. I think a creature like you are suggesting would have to be an amphibian. Perhaps an estuarine predator in the south akin to Koolasuchus. On my iPod so linking a picture is difficult at the moment, but they are certainly interesting animals.

2. STD: Very good. I imagine something of the like would need to be delicately handled in the book, but a simple clause like it being contracted by contact with an infected person's body fluids would cover it nicely, without being too explicit for twelve year olds and the like.

3. Symbiotic Parasite: Very nice. Need to figure out the host though. I'm thinking something subterranean.

Cheers,

[Clockwork]

Actually that was another thing I was wondering... You want it to be for all ages but also want adult themes and horror. Is it possible to get the best of both or are you going to have to lose one or the other? Bearing in mind that kids don't read the PEGI labels on anything anyway and given the increasing popularity of dark, adult horror themes I think there should be a clear winner. Also PnP RPGs are going to be on the rise soon as they're getting more media attention at the minute.

[Phoenixguard09]

Ah, I tried to answer this a second ago and it decided to delete it on me.

The idea is to have the core rules cover the exploration of a new world, while an Advanced Rules sections will cover the grisly details and horror.

Basically it's a game about fantasy stories. The horror and STD's are just the side-dish.

[Clockwork]

Sounds like a genius plan

Next week I'll be able to dedicate a full day or two to WHTW, get that bit I'm doing finished then I'll be able to spend a lot more time writing and stuff (assuming Jubal doesn't require me further). And err getting a job...that too..I guess.

[Pentagathus]

Not the most appetising side dish if I'm honest.

[Phoenixguard09]

Better than a main course of horror, STD's and rape. I'm a-leaving that to Fatal.

[Clockwork]

Given that I'm on the zetaboards site as well as here, which is the best place to put suggestions? For now I'll continue to use whichever one I happen to be on at the time of thinking of it.

Disease: Causes paralysis of the brain stem as it 'feeds' from the impluses (pretty sure brain stem has the largest concentration, could be horribly wrong though) which I think would lead to loss of all motor control but would allow the person to still think. Incurable.

Reason to include: Allows for a genius locked inside his/her own body who must practice magic to be able to speak to people. Possibility for a good guy that's using a vast fortune to root out evil/save the world. Or an evil mastermind playing puppetmaster with the lives of countless inhabitants of Norbayne purely out of spite and hatred for the unfairness the world has put upon him/her.