I don't have the PlHB, but some of the web features have gotten me to think about Planar Touchstones, and how those mechanics could be used in Mystara. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, check them out here:
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/ex/20040706a&page=2
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20040613a&page=3
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/we/20040730a
The first thing that jumped into my mind was the NoS and CoS. Although they're not technically "planar," they still might function well as touchstones (I haven't figured out what their exact powers would be though).
Some other "planar" touchstones in Mystara might be:
1) The Arch of Fire in Norwold.
2) Sunken Sundsval and the Maelstrom.
3) The Rainbow Bridge.
Can anybody else think of others?
Now the arch of fire and the maelstrom on the Norworld map are both permanent planar gates and I think would be extreemly unsuitable to be touchstones.
The Rainbow Bridge (from "The Tree of Life") - now that has definite possibilities, it being extraplanar and very unusual - so why not
Sunken Sundsval - I can't remember enough to comment.
If you really want places of power that are on the prime plane (which I think is against the spirit) then I completely agree with the NoS and CoS.
In some ways the Nucleus of the Spheres is what is described - a point of power that you can attune too - but with a horrible corrupting side effect. (This could be interesting if an unsuspecting traveller spots the power and binds to it directly - after all the published Radience effects are for those that use it through a focus...)
The prison from Twilight's Calling might well be another touchstone, as could the tower of night in M5. In fact all the Master level moduls are worth perusing for which points might be planar touchstones...
Originally posted by Kheldren
The way I read the links (OK I only skimmed them) was that these are particular points of power WITHIN the outer planes.
If you really want places of power that are on the prime plane (which I think is against the spirit) then I completely agree with the NoS and CoS.
This is what I intended. If that goes against the spirit of planar touchstoned (and I don't really think that it does), well then so be it. ;) The way I see things is this... Planar touchstones are simply a mechanic that describes a place of power, and provides the PCs with some motivation for going there. In other words they make excellent plot hooks. And besides isn't the 'Prime Material Plane' still a 'plane'? ;) It deserves it's own touchstones IMO.
In some ways the Nucleus of the Spheres is what is described - a point of power that you can attune too - but with a horrible corrupting side effect. (This could be interesting if an unsuspecting traveller spots the power and binds to it directly - after all the published Radience effects are for those that use it through a focus...)
The prison from Twilight's Calling might well be another touchstone, as could the tower of night in M5. In fact all the Master level moduls are worth perusing for which points might be planar touchstones...
Cool. After reading this I immediatly thought of the hollow world and those two burrower towers. Perhaps they could be touchstones of a sort. Here are some other possibilities:
- The Lighthouse
- The Smoking Mirror (from HWA1?)
Thinking back on the NoS and the CoS, I wonder if it might be a good idea to impose extra limits on thier use as touchstones. Perhaps some detrimental effects for using their Higher Order Abilities more than once per year. Use it too often and you might end up like Brannart...
The Nucleus of the Spheres
The Nucleus of the Spheres was formerly the power source for an alien space vessel called the F.S.S Beagle. After the vessel crashed on Mystara the Nucleus was modified by both the Immortals and the Old ones and is now an artifact of epic proportions.
Those who enter the Nucleus are immediately affected by its deadly emanations. Unprotected characters suffer 1d3 points of radiance damage for each round of exposure. Only living, corporeal, organic creatures are affected by the radiance. Constructs, undead, elementals, and outsiders with and energy subtype do not suffer damage.
A small brotherhood of mages in Glantri has devised a way to manipulate the Radiance from a distance, using Radiance Receptacles. This is not the only way to access the powers of the Radiance however, and there are some benefits to accessing the Nucleus directly… if one can manage that.
Location: 500 miles underneath Glantri City
Initial Encounters: Roll on the NoS encounters table when the characters visit the Nucleus for the first time, or the first time in over a year. The constructs are created by the Nucleus as a defense mechanism, while the extra planar creatures are drawn to its power.
NoS Encounters
d% Encounter
01-05 Small Animated Object (MM CR 1)
06-15 Medium Animated Object (MM CR 2)
16-30 Automaton (MM II CR 3)
31-45 Xag-Ya (MotP CR 4)
46-61 Xeg-Yi (MotP CR 5)
62-69 Ravid (MM CR 5)
70-77 Nimblewright (MM II CR 7)
78-80 Shield Guardian (MM CR 8)
81-93 Brass Golem (MM II CR 10)
94-100 Iron Golem (MM CR 13)
Subsequent Encounters: Once the characters clear out the Nucleus, it’s theirs. However, if they fail to visit the site for more than a year, they must roll for encounters as if never having visited the site.
Base Ability: You receive the Radiance subtype as in the feat, Touched by Rad, but do not need to actually take the feat, or qualify for any of its prerequisites.
Recharge Condition: Immersion in the reaction chamber for 10 minutes (which inflicts 5d6 points oft radiance damage.
Higher-Order Ability: The ability to ingest radiance (as the feat of the same name), and to cast radiance spells. Radiance spells can be cast spontaneously, and can even be cast by non spellcasters.
Higher-Order Uses: Special. See the feat Ingest Radiance.
FEATS
TOUCHED BY RAD [GENERAL]
Prerequisite: Int 13.
Benefit: You gain the Radiance subtype and the ability to take Radiance feats, as well as cast radiance spells (if you are a spellcaster).
INGEST RADIANCE [RADIANCE]
Prerequisite: Must have acquired the Radiance subtype.
Benefit: You are able to consume a number of Radiance points equal to your character level. The radiance points may be used to power radiance spells (at one point per spell level), or they may be expelled causing a 10’ radius radiance blast centered around the user that deals 1d6 points of radiance damage per point expelled.
Radiance spells cast in this way do not count toward a spellcaster’s normal allotment of spell slots, though they do need to be prepared in advanced (they are not cast spontaneously). Each time a radiance spell is cast, there is a 1% chance per spell level that it will corrupt a part of the caster’s body (hands, arms, legs, head, etc…). This corruption can not be healed by any mortal means. Once ten body parts have been corrupted in this manner, the caster becomes a Radiance Lich.
Normal: You are not able to ingest any radiance points.
IMPROVED INGEST RADIANCE [RADIANCE]
Prerequisite: Must have acquired the Radiance subtype, Ingest Radiance.
Benefit: You are able to ingest a number of radiance points equal to your character level times 2.
RADIANCE FORTITUDE [RADIANCE]
Prerequisite: Must have acquired the Radiance subtype.
Benefit: The chances of corruption when casting a radiance spell is decreased by 4% (to a minimum of 0%).
Normal: The chances of corruption when casting a radiance spell is 1% times the spell level.
IMPROVED RADIANCE FORTITUDE [RADIANCE]
Prerequisite: Must have acquired the Radiance subtype, Radiance Fortitude.
Benefit: The chances of corruption when casting a radiance spell is decreased by 8% (to a minimum of 0%).
Edited base and higher order abilities and added some radiance feats.
Originally posted by chimpman
Here is a really rough first pass at the NoS as a touchstone. I'm still not sure about what the higher order ability should be (or even if the base ability is appropriate). Oh well. Tear it up guys :D
The Nucleus of the Spheres
The Nucleus of the Spheres was formerly the power source for an alien space vessel called the F.S.S Beagle. After the vessel crashed on Mystara the Nucleus was modified by both the Immortals and the Old ones and is now an artifact of epic proportions.
Those who enter the Nucleus are immediately affected by its deadly emanations. Unprotected characters suffer 1d3 points of radiance damage for each round of exposure. Only living, corporeal, organic creatures are affected by the radiance. Constructs, undead, elementals, and outsiders with and energy subtype do not suffer damage.
Location: 500 miles underneath Glantri City
Initial Encounters: Roll on the NoS encounters table when the characters visit the Nucleus for the first time, or the first time in over a year. The constructs are created by the Nucleus as a defense mechanism, while the extra planar creatures are drawn to its power.
NoS Encounters
d% Encounter
01-05 Small Animated Object (MM CR 1)
06-15 Medium Animated Object (MM CR 2)
16-30 Automaton (MM II CR 3)
31-45 Xag-Ya (MotP CR 4)
46-61 Xeg-Yi (MotP CR 5)
62-69 Ravid (MM CR 5)
70-77 Nimblewright (MM II CR 7)
78-80 Shield Guardian (MM CR 8)
81-93 Brass Golem (MM II CR 10)
94-100 Iron Golem (MM CR 13)
Subsequent Encounters: Once the characters clear out the Nucleus, it’s theirs. However, if they fail to visit the site for more than a year, they must roll for encounters as if never having visited the site.
Base Ability: You receive the Radiance subtype and gain the ability to cast Radiance spells.
Recharge Condition: Immersion in the reaction chamber for 10 minutes (which inflicts 5d6 points oft radiance damage and has a 5% chance of crippling a random limb with the Radiance Wasting). Each limb so crippled causes a loss of 2 Dex. Once a character has suffered the effects of 5 Radiance Wastings they become a Radiance Lich (see Brannart McGreggor).
Higher-Order Ability: ???
Higher-Order Uses: ???
Interesting read. How about a Fortitude Save DC ?? to avoid Radiation poisoning? You might invent new categories of conditions similar to "fatigued" and "exhausted" from the DMG; mild radiation sickness, moderate sickness, severe sickness. Seeing the movie K-19 with Harison Ford and Liam Nesson should give everyone a good idea of what happens when you are exposed to severe radiation...
:-) Jesper