Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 incenjucar Apr 08, 2004 4:42:04	I figure, since I've been using a fire polar as my online persona, and I've finally started closing in on their statistics and forms, it wouldn't hurt to wag them at the public. I'm going to start with general information, then put up the information on each of the four types, and, then, eventually, the statistics to each, planes be willing. ----- Elemental Polar Traits Elemental polars are creatures composed of one of the core elements, both negative and positive energy, and the quasiplanes that form between them. These mostly humanoid outsiders are as enigmatic as they are powerful, and, while they are mostly neutral in temperament, are usually working towards the removal of organic existence from either the inner planes, or from the multiverse itself, though for a variety of reasons and with a variety of methods in mind. It is believed by some that the polars are some sort of immune response on the part of the inner planes themselves, reacting to the increasing presence of beings from the prime material, the outer planes, and the border planes. Other theories involve angry spirits from the natives of the inner planes, or the purposeful or accidental result of experiments by some other force. The polars themselves have barely more knowledge as to the matter, as they all claim to have awakened, alone and fully formed, in the depths of their primary element. Shortly after their ‘birth’, polars gain the ability to seek out their nearest kin (of any element), but lose that ability forever as soon as they find a member of their own kind, which many believe is proof that they are designed. Whatever their origin, polars have a strange love-hate relationship with the other planes. Most polars are deeply fascinated by the doings of mortals, and the history of how the rest of the planes were made. While polars usually have a bit of arrogance in regards to “fleshy” beings, there is rarely any malice towards them. However, polars, whether solitary or organized, are almost always seeking some leverage or secret of the multiverse that will allow them to purify away the presence of organic life, whether by moving them all out to where they originated from, by converting them to elemental forms, or by ending their existence. Despite, polars generally do not wander around slaughtering mortals or forcing them to leave the inner planes on penalty of death, but rather try to convince them to leave, or work on grand schemes to eliminate them in one fell swoop. Some even seek to collapse the entire planes in on the inner planes, to unify existence in the elements, and start a new cycle of planar expansion. The four kinds of polars, (Air, Earth, Fire, and Water), all share similar qualities and abilities, but express them based on their elemental makeup. All four are composed of shifting amounts of the primary element (that which they are named for), and the quasielements that are made when they mix with positive and negative. Though their bodies are filled with both positive and negative energy, it isn’t expressed in their physical composition. The polars, in their most basic states, are somewhat vaguely-shaped humanoids, with more or less human dimensions. They have two arms, two legs, with three blunt-clawed digits on each, and a head that cannot be easily distinguished from the neck and shoulders (much as if a human draped a cloth over their head). All of the polars have at least two eyes in this form, but the features of the head and ‘neck’ differ between the four types. While these default forms are what the polars are born to, the mutable nature of their composition allows them to adjust their bodies to fit a wide variety of similar forms with no effort, allowing them to choose their features. Few if any polars utilize their base form once they have experimented with other shapes, and often emulate organic humanoids in appearance, though their solidified elemental composition remains the same. All polars are mistresses or masters (they are not known to have a natural gender) of the elements of which they are made, and can exude, control, enhance, or dampen them for attack, defense, transportation, or other uses. Their unique tie to both energy planes provides polars with a number of benefits, allowing them to dwell amidst either force without risk of overloading. As noted above, polars as often solitary as they are social. Of those that do work with others, some gather in groups of their own kind, some gather in mixed groups, and some dwell amidst other beings, often disguised and claiming to be some form of elementalist wizard. When congregating, mixed groups of polars usually meet on the energy planes, or on any plane that allows them all to survive reasonably, even locations beyond the inner planes. In fact, while most polars remain in the inner planes, a growing number are spreading beyond, especially to the prime and the Outlands. Notably, they avoid making themselves known in Sigil, lest news of their existence, weaknesses, and strengths, become too well known in the multiverse. Strangely enough, polars have been known to show surprisingly humanoid emotions, both amongst each other, and with other beings. Despite being seemingly unable to reproduce their own race, there have even been suggestions that some genasi and half-elemental creatures are the children or grandchildren of polars. This is despite the fact that, while most polars compose their forms of one gender for most of their existence, there’s no evidence of this being anything more than personal preference. ---- "Yes, it's true, we eventually plan to destroy you and every other entity in existance. But that's not going to happen for quite awhile yet, so relax and have some tea. I made it myself." -Sea Mist, a water polar, to an inquiring, and confused, paladin.
#2 incenjucar Apr 08, 2004 20:36:26	Water Polar Water polars are composed of elemental water, salt, and steam. In their base forms, their limbs and body are composed of swirling currents of brine that constantly kicks up wafts of mist. Collections of salt crystals form at their extremities, and around their rounded eyes. Three gill-like ridges at each side of their ‘necks’ are also edged in salt, though the “gills” have no known function. Water polars usually separate the water and salt in their bodies, using the former for musculature, and the latter for accents and weaponry, such as a watery mermaid-like form, with salt crystal claws, teeth, and hair. Others prefer to use their salt to form skeletal structures or inner forms, using the water as skin and muscle. In most cases, their steam is used as an outer accent, such as hair or non-functional wings, or simply an aura, but some use it internally to form bubbles or apparent gaps. It is fairly common for water polars to absorb small objects and substances, such as chips of mica or sea shells, to accent their appearance. Most prefer to produce fins, webbed limbs, or spines, even when on land. When in the water, they usually adopt eel-like forms, or exotic forms of merfolk (such as shark or dolphin lower halves). Largely for the sake of irony and tradition, water polars often carry tridents and nets.
#3 incenjucar Apr 15, 2004 0:42:07	Fire Polar The living essence of the consuming, illumination nature of fire, ash, and radiance, Fire Polars are surprisingly swift and exceptionally willful. Their base forms are composed of ash, enveloped by dark-hued flames, from which blossoms a brilliant, blinding radiance equal to bright daylight, but a thousand fold more colorful. The ash, fire, and radiance are always layered so that they radiate outward, with a core of pale ash, or radiating upwards from ashen limbs and forearms within the confines of gravity. The sole exception to this pattern is the fire polar’s “face”, which bears two piercing, black eyes, and a dark, fanged, gaping maw that can be seen even through the blaze. Due to the nature of their composition, fire polars have a great deal of flexibility in their choice of forms. They can assume any hue or combination of hues, and almost any intensity of light, and can even absorb light to a degree to appear shadowed. They are also able to assume the liquid and solid forms of flame found on the plane of Fire, the latter giving them a mirror-like sheen. Fire polars alter their forms on a situational basis more than other polars out of necessity, dampening their radiant nature and condensing the flame in to solid form, or using ash for their primary composition, particularly when stealth is required. Popular forms for use on the lower planes include shapes with fiery, non-functional wings, ashen bodies, and dark, writhing flames flowing across their bodies. On the upper planes, forms tend to include shimmering, solid-flame bodies, with soft white ash to suggest pale skin, and hair of rainbow hues cascading behind them. Fire polars, whether by design or simply by nature, have a fondness for reptiles, swords, and dancing.
#4 incenjucar Apr 17, 2004 5:38:35	Air Polar Miniature, sentient storms, air polars are composed of the turbulent flow of air in to vacuum, and the powerful surge of lightning it produces. The least humanoid of their ilk, air polars basic forms bear a center of shadowy, twisting vacuum, which constantly absorbs the swirling mass of air that composes the majority of the polar’s form, while arcs and surges of electricity play about their form, both within and without, often forming temporary spheres that look like stars, before those too flow again through the ever-driving, semi-transparent storm. This spiral of air and static is so intense that, despite having no truly solid composition, air polars can manipulate objects, wear clothing, and alter their shape as easily as any of their brethren, albeit with a much more limited plethora of hues and textures. Bearing little hope of appearing even remotely normal, no matter how carefully they choose their shape, air polars usually aim for purely aesthetic forms, or those that produce a useful effect, such as fear or awe. Common forms include dark humanoid forms composed largely of vacuum, with an extremely concentrated ‘skin’ of air to make them ‘solid’, while tiny motes of ball lightning dance like electric stars all over their bodies, offsetting their transparency, and making them look much akin to walking pieces of the night sky. Another popular style is to sheath their bodies in lightning, creating it as a layer between air and void, as often in a revealing web-like pattern as a glaring bright sheet. Yet another popular style is to emphasize air, while applying various vapors, either from much rarer forms of air (such as chlorine gas), or from their surroundings. Some popular touches are blazingly electric eyes, akin to their natural forms’, a swirling pile of leaves, shrapnel , or colorful beads within their forms, or ‘hair’ composed of fluttering lightning discharges, similar to how some fire polars use radiance. While they have no need for them for flight, air polars often create wings of lightning when flying amongst an audience, or when dealing with other winged beings. There is an odd, but friendly rivalry between air and fire polars as to whom has the greater association with darkness and shadow. Fire polars argue that ash, as the opposite of radiance, is as much the opposite of light as it is heat, while the air polars claim that vacuum is pure lack, just like a shadow is a lack of light. While this often becomes a lengthy philosophical debate, the only real consequence is that both breeds have a strong tendency to study shadow magic, and occasionally have non-lethal duels utilizing it.
#5 incenjucar Apr 24, 2004 14:34:58	Earth Polar Earth polars are composed of elemental Earth, Mineral, and Dust. As sturdy as mountains, and as devastating as earthquakes, earth polars are powerful melee combatants and extremely deadly adversaries. Their base forms are composed largely of stone and earthen chunks, suspended in sand and dust, and replete with veins of metals and outcroppings of unpolished gems. They have four eyes, one pair below the other, composed of gold covered in a thin layer of mercury. Despite their rocky natures, Earth polars are as capable of shifting forms as their kin, though their forms are much more stable in nature. Earth polar forms have the widest ranges in texture and minute details, as they can manifest any non-magical mineral substance, including many sorts of alloys. Most Earth polars adopt a smooth, statue-like contour when dealing with mortal beings, utilizing stone or mineral primarily, with dust mostly used to form joints and soft physical features. Popular features include metallic or gemstone blades or plates, suspended pools of mercury, “hair” of flowing sand, and crack lines. They often form their exteriors to resemble worn armor, sometimes with slowly-shifting patterns and “carvings”. Earth polars often have a fascination with tarantula spiders and similar non-mammalian burrowers, and are often accomplished smiths and artisans. They often work with other polars to produce exceptional weaponry for sale or use.
#6 zombiegleemax Apr 28, 2004 16:16:56	I love new monsters in general, especially Planescape ones. Your monster entry also harkens back to the quality-over-quanity days of 2ND-Edition's Monstrious Compendiums, which I get tearful over when I think of them. Thankyou Incenjucar. Could I interest you in working with me on a New Planescape Monstriuous Compendium?(3rd edition stats...2nd edition style).
#7 incenjucar Apr 28, 2004 23:52:30	The offer's appreciated, but once fall hits, I've got at least two semesters of 19 credits in English and Language courses, so I can't really promise anything. However, once I'm done statting up the polars, and have had a chance to edit their information a bit more, you're more than welcome to use them. I also intend to keep dabbling in elemental creatures, equipment, and locations, so just ask and you can add as they arrive.
#8 incenjucar May 01, 2004 21:41:11	Just an example of some of the abilities some of the polars are getting. Earth polars will have a much stronger version of this ability, and the other polars will lack it entirely. --- Form Weapon (Ex): As a free action, a water polar can form a weapon to replace a claw/slam attack. Weapons that can be used one or two handed can only be used one-handed in this manner. A water polar can change the form of the weapon in the middle of combat without penalty, allowing them to strike with a longsword, axe, and club, all in the same round. Formed weapons can be treated as manufactured or natural weapons, depending on which is more favorable. Weapon Focus (Longsword) and Weapon Focus (Formed Weapon) would both work on a formed longsword, but would not stack. Any ability that normally extends through a water polar’s claw/slam attack extends through a formed weapon as well. Formed weapons cannot be permanently enchanted or separated from the water polar intact, and cannot be sundered. Form Armor (Ex): As a free action, a water polar can form a crust of salt crystals that act as armor, giving them a +4 armor bonus. There is no armor check penalty or risk of casting failure from this armor. Formed armor cannot be sundered or removed. Formed armor is reabsorbed by the water polar upon death. Any enchantments that can be placed on armor can be placed on formed armor, but any such spell ends anytime formed armor is reabsorbed by the water polar for any length of time.
#9 incenjucar May 25, 2004 20:59:48	For those few actually interested in seeing the polar stats, I'm afraid I'm going to have to delay them for quite some time. After getting the XPH, and noticing how bloody extensive my abilities have been to write up, I'm more or less going to HAVE to create an "Elementalist" class, based on the new psionics rules, so that I'm being about fifty times more productive rather than just writing a class's worth in to each polar. The good news is that this will allow me to make polars weaker, so you can simply advance them, rather than having to deal with them only at high levels. Sorry for the delay.
#10 zombiegleemax May 26, 2004 7:48:50	Just letting you know I'm interested in what you have to offer. A race w/culture formed of three similar sub-elements sounds intriguing.
#11 incenjucar May 26, 2004 16:28:10	Thanks. Always nice to have some support. Just wish these bloody things didn't require spell-like abilities without existing spells to cover them.
#12 MephitJames Jul 13, 2004 14:55:46	I think they sound great too, I'm always a fan of more dynamic Inner Planes. Is the "elementalist" class you're working on going to be a base class or a prestige class? It seems silly to have a polar learn to pick locks before it learns how to reshape itself. Maybe it'd be best as a monster class (ala Savage Species) although that would require them to take all the polar levels before they take anything else. That seems right, though, since only matured polars would expand their knowledge that much. Keep us informed.
#13 incenjucar Jul 14, 2004 0:50:24	The Elementalist class would be a core class, trick is, I really really don't have the will for it right now (I'm fairly certain I won't be playing D&D for the next two years, and I don't feel comfortable with the rules without actually using them). I can babble about the concept day and night, but if anything, I'll probably get to them around, oh, 4th edition. Wish it was otherwise, but I can't afford heavy distraction. If it's worth noting, I was going to base them off of the new psionic rules in the XPH, and had converted an OA spell as an experiment.