Real Life shaped items - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Real Life shaped items

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 0:14:31 Ever notice that few life shaped items that survived never duplicated effects stronger than 3rd or 4th level spells? What could you come up with if you went for higher level spell effects??

Maybe a myst of spores that coats an area creating a contageon effect against a particular DNA or group of people? (Like other life shapers/benders)

Maybe a construct that would perfectly Clone you?

Maybe something that holds organic matter in suspended animation? (space travel pods for the rhul thaun, granting a localised time stop :P)

Maybe a seed or spore that swiftly grows creating a strange structure that can be used like a Daerns instant fortress? It might be permanent or temporary, depending on it's genetic structure..

Any other thoughts??
#2
zombiegleemax
Mar 21, 2005 10:03:41 Sky's the limit when it comes to organic constructs, in my opinion. I cite the Vorlons of Babylon-5 as precedent. And the Yuuzhan-Vong!
#3
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 13:25:11 good limit, however, can you say that the rhul thaun could craft them? or just rajaat?
#4
zombiegleemax
Mar 21, 2005 14:57:39 I'd say the Ancient Rhulisti. The Rhul-Than have forgotten a lot of stuff. I'm thinking also that the Ancient Halflings that descended along with the Messenger would have a good grasp of the concepts involved. Heck., they grew the Messenger itself, which, granted, whe don't have any stats or solid info on, but it's definetely an organic spaceship, and that would take a huge degree of skill to create
#5
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 15:02:30 Can we make that organic ship something like the various ones in sci-fi stuff?? like the Vorlon Ships of Babylon5 or the living ships of Species 8472 from Voyager? Or if you wanted to stay to what they have in D&D there are some spelljammer vessels that are supposed to be living creations (outside the spelljammer itself..) look at the weird spelljammer only races, there's a spider like one that has living ships.

Just a thought.. (personally i'd like to see it be like one of the sci-fi types myself) maybe instead of one ship, three small ones that can come together

And do they get the chance to scope out the planet before they return? I'm sure they would be a bit surprised to find their blue world is now green in some places and mostly dust elsewhere.. (like planet of the apes, a stupid disaster.. "get your danged hands off me you darned dirty apes!!" & "you bastards! you destroyed it all!!!") is that last one a decent quote??
#6
zombiegleemax
Mar 21, 2005 18:50:16 Excellent and relevant quote. I'm down with the organic ship, but I was thinking something more along the lines of a Yuuzhan Vong ship, an asteroid with various organic components melded in. Living engines, navcom, life support, etc, but not an entirely grown ship. It seems to me thay would have made it in a hurry, and since there's only one we know of, they'd have to kind of piecemeal it.
#7
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 18:54:38 Made it in a hurry? that makes me think (without knowing any better) that they left to escape the brown tide, to return after it had died off, and to try to repair and repopulate the planet.. while three may emerge from the ship, they have the ability to clone/rejuvenate/revive whatever you wish, many of their previous race.. most importantly though, they have a lot of power and the ability to genetically alter life.. and even to restore the first building block the rhulisti learned to use... that porous rockstuff
#8
zombiegleemax
Mar 21, 2005 19:28:16 I'm thinking the bulk of the ship would be made of the porous rockstuff. It would be convenient to bring a large supply of raw material along for their ride, and it would be efficient to use it for the hull of the ship, thus freeing up cargo space for other lifeshaped objects.
#9
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 19:31:28 there should be, for sake of style if nothing else, one to three unique items onboard, maybe weapons or utility items of the masters themselves.. stuff that's real powerful.
#10
zombiegleemax
Mar 21, 2005 19:40:39 I'm thinking they'd bring a whole treasure trove of useful things with them, sufficient to begin a terraforming operation on a mostly wrecked ecosystem. Some lifeshaped creatures for reprocessing dead soils, maybe some type of engineered microbes. Some plants engineered for rapid growth to provide roots to hold the new soil in place. Maybe some lifeshaped creatures designed to seek out water and bring it to the plants that will so desperately need it. And , perhaps most importantly of all, a living database of knowledge on how to use the awesome powers of the Pristine Tower to help reverse the damage done by others who abused the tower and tainted the sun.
#11
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 19:47:39 I like that, perhaps they could undo any changes Rajaat made to the tower.. considering his magical alterations like a poison or a mutation.. which they would cure That gives them the perfect reason to join up with PC's (which could be a decision that isn't unanimous among them) and have the PC's help clear out the tower or keep them safe from it's inhabitants..

They should have swiftly growing plants, yes, it's true, and they should also have a way to restore the oceans.. perhaps the reason they went to space in the first place was to change the sun, or research how to change the sun back..

Perhaps the life bender among them, becomes aware of the many races on the planet, and wishes to fassion a plague in the tower to rid the world of them all, then start fresh.. while the others wish to peacefully coexist and discover more on these new races..

(one who wished to destroy the races would have free access to the tower from it's current inhabitants, with mor authority than even Rajaat had.. even rajaat might pay respect.. if he wasn't so insane that he might reject that halfling as well and go on a total rampage :P)
#12
lyric
Mar 21, 2005 19:49:30 perhaps when the tower is fully functioning, (turned on by a nature master) it glows the blue color of the young Athasian sun.. (just a thought on special effects... ) but it would be nice, though mostly a bonus, if the tower also rid the surrounding area of the defiler taint that mutates...
#13
jihun-nish
Mar 23, 2005 15:46:30
good limit, however, can you say that the rhul thaun could craft them? or just rajaat?

Neither of them could CREATE life shaped
#14
lyric
Mar 23, 2005 16:17:45 am I switchin names here? I think I may be.. I'm trying to mention the halflings of the blue age, but I think I mix their name with the ones on that forested ridge...
#15
nytcrawlr
Mar 23, 2005 16:29:02
am I switchin names here? I think I may be.. I'm trying to mention the halflings of the blue age, but I think I mix their name with the ones on that forested ridge...

Rhulisti = halflings of the Blue Age
Rhul-thaun = descendants of those said halflings
Athasian Halflings = those that exist in the Crescent Forest and the Forest Ridge.

And, as far as I can remember, the rhul-thaun *are* able to create life shaped items.
#16
Sysane
Mar 23, 2005 17:41:17
And, as far as I can remember, the rhul-thaun *are* able to create life shaped items.

True, but I think their issue is they can't create new or original life shaped items. They can only replicate the ones that their Rhulisti fore fathers designed.
#17
nytcrawlr
Mar 23, 2005 17:58:44
True, but I think their issue is they can't create new or original life shaped items. They can only replicate the ones that their Rhulisti fore fathers designed.

You're probably right, I can't remember the specifics of that though.

Ah well, going to start reading up on all of that again soon anyways.
#18
zombiegleemax
Mar 23, 2005 21:24:18 Rhul-Than lack the ability to design new life-shaped items, and fear to try because of disasters that have occurred when they tried. They can only produce a limited number of different ones, as well. Read Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs.
#19
lyric
Mar 24, 2005 5:24:57 why didnt someone tell me my first post had an obvious typo?? (its fixed now)

I thought of another concept for life shaped stuff..

Spores in your lungs that create oxygen, but swiftly dehydrate the user if used for prolonged periods.. (hence the oxygen mask replacing it)

mutated versions of the above that make a character sick for a few weeks, and drain his con by 2-4 points temporarily (I'm sick right now myself, of course I'm gonna come up with this one..)

A tentacle like plant that always points to true north, slowly bending in the propper direction, handy for navigation.

two different colored oozes that are smeared on the users body and also ingested by him in some cases.. the overall effect is to protect him from the harmful effects of heat or cold, sometimes adding a minor protection against smoke or other impure airs..

a symbiot suit much like other armors crafted, but this one mutated over time or by defiler taint, gaining a crude intellect, and when adorned by a user, grants the effects of (whatever the name of that oozelike armor is called, the one that hardens on impact..) and also grants the wearer a heightened combat sense, granting a +2 enhancement on hit and damage rolls in melee (not ranged), however, this comes at a price, as time goes on (I'll leave this up to you to flesh out the mechanics) the wearer becomes more and more savage and beastlike, eventually adopting an animal like desire to hunt and kill. Eventually this suit takes over its host and is no longer removable.. bonding their DNA's together.

Ok, that's enough outta me for now... but, one last thought..
does anyone else ever imagine a Venom like symbiot suit in a major life shaped artifact (whether it has psionic powers or the effects are genetic is up to you :P)
#20
zombiegleemax
Mar 30, 2005 11:28:05
Ok, that's enough outta me for now... but, one last thought..
does anyone else ever imagine a Venom like symbiot suit in a major life shaped artifact (whether it has psionic powers or the effects are genetic is up to you :P)

I did, in the Mistery of the Ancients adventure it ocurred to me. I intend to do another adventure in which the final vilain would be a life-shaped artifact that (also) went mad (the vilain would be venon, or the symbiot).
#21
lyric
Apr 11, 2005 20:58:06 Now this may be slightly off topic.. but has anyone considered the ramifications of psionics and life shaped objects??? If a Psion were dying, and his only choice were to store his conciousness in a life shaped item, dominating it and taking over.. what would the result be?? how would you handle that?? Would all the Psions powers be available?? Only some? Could he progress in levels still (like with a Clairsentient or Telepathic power??)
#22
terminus_vortexa
Apr 11, 2005 21:46:22 I'd run it like a permanent mind switch. All powers intact, only physical scores (STR,DEX and CON) would change, which wouldn't affect his powers thanks to the awesome rules in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. He'd still be able to progress in class levels, as well.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 lyric Mar 21, 2005 0:14:31	Ever notice that few life shaped items that survived never duplicated effects stronger than 3rd or 4th level spells? What could you come up with if you went for higher level spell effects?? Maybe a myst of spores that coats an area creating a contageon effect against a particular DNA or group of people? (Like other life shapers/benders) Maybe a construct that would perfectly Clone you? Maybe something that holds organic matter in suspended animation? (space travel pods for the rhul thaun, granting a localised time stop :P) Maybe a seed or spore that swiftly grows creating a strange structure that can be used like a Daerns instant fortress? It might be permanent or temporary, depending on it's genetic structure.. Any other thoughts??
#2 zombiegleemax Mar 21, 2005 10:03:41	Sky's the limit when it comes to organic constructs, in my opinion. I cite the Vorlons of Babylon-5 as precedent. And the Yuuzhan-Vong!
#3 lyric Mar 21, 2005 13:25:11	good limit, however, can you say that the rhul thaun could craft them? or just rajaat?
#4 zombiegleemax Mar 21, 2005 14:57:39	I'd say the Ancient Rhulisti. The Rhul-Than have forgotten a lot of stuff. I'm thinking also that the Ancient Halflings that descended along with the Messenger would have a good grasp of the concepts involved. Heck., they grew the Messenger itself, which, granted, whe don't have any stats or solid info on, but it's definetely an organic spaceship, and that would take a huge degree of skill to create
#5 lyric Mar 21, 2005 15:02:30	Can we make that organic ship something like the various ones in sci-fi stuff?? like the Vorlon Ships of Babylon5 or the living ships of Species 8472 from Voyager? Or if you wanted to stay to what they have in D&D there are some spelljammer vessels that are supposed to be living creations (outside the spelljammer itself..) look at the weird spelljammer only races, there's a spider like one that has living ships. Just a thought.. (personally i'd like to see it be like one of the sci-fi types myself) maybe instead of one ship, three small ones that can come together And do they get the chance to scope out the planet before they return? I'm sure they would be a bit surprised to find their blue world is now green in some places and mostly dust elsewhere.. (like planet of the apes, a stupid disaster.. "get your danged hands off me you darned dirty apes!!" & "you bastards! you destroyed it all!!!") is that last one a decent quote??
#6 zombiegleemax Mar 21, 2005 18:50:16	Excellent and relevant quote. I'm down with the organic ship, but I was thinking something more along the lines of a Yuuzhan Vong ship, an asteroid with various organic components melded in. Living engines, navcom, life support, etc, but not an entirely grown ship. It seems to me thay would have made it in a hurry, and since there's only one we know of, they'd have to kind of piecemeal it.
#7 lyric Mar 21, 2005 18:54:38	Made it in a hurry? that makes me think (without knowing any better) that they left to escape the brown tide, to return after it had died off, and to try to repair and repopulate the planet.. while three may emerge from the ship, they have the ability to clone/rejuvenate/revive whatever you wish, many of their previous race.. most importantly though, they have a lot of power and the ability to genetically alter life.. and even to restore the first building block the rhulisti learned to use... that porous rockstuff
#8 zombiegleemax Mar 21, 2005 19:28:16	I'm thinking the bulk of the ship would be made of the porous rockstuff. It would be convenient to bring a large supply of raw material along for their ride, and it would be efficient to use it for the hull of the ship, thus freeing up cargo space for other lifeshaped objects.
#9 lyric Mar 21, 2005 19:31:28	there should be, for sake of style if nothing else, one to three unique items onboard, maybe weapons or utility items of the masters themselves.. stuff that's real powerful.
#10 zombiegleemax Mar 21, 2005 19:40:39	I'm thinking they'd bring a whole treasure trove of useful things with them, sufficient to begin a terraforming operation on a mostly wrecked ecosystem. Some lifeshaped creatures for reprocessing dead soils, maybe some type of engineered microbes. Some plants engineered for rapid growth to provide roots to hold the new soil in place. Maybe some lifeshaped creatures designed to seek out water and bring it to the plants that will so desperately need it. And , perhaps most importantly of all, a living database of knowledge on how to use the awesome powers of the Pristine Tower to help reverse the damage done by others who abused the tower and tainted the sun.
#11 lyric Mar 21, 2005 19:47:39	I like that, perhaps they could undo any changes Rajaat made to the tower.. considering his magical alterations like a poison or a mutation.. which they would cure That gives them the perfect reason to join up with PC's (which could be a decision that isn't unanimous among them) and have the PC's help clear out the tower or keep them safe from it's inhabitants.. They should have swiftly growing plants, yes, it's true, and they should also have a way to restore the oceans.. perhaps the reason they went to space in the first place was to change the sun, or research how to change the sun back.. Perhaps the life bender among them, becomes aware of the many races on the planet, and wishes to fassion a plague in the tower to rid the world of them all, then start fresh.. while the others wish to peacefully coexist and discover more on these new races.. (one who wished to destroy the races would have free access to the tower from it's current inhabitants, with mor authority than even Rajaat had.. even rajaat might pay respect.. if he wasn't so insane that he might reject that halfling as well and go on a total rampage :P)
#12 lyric Mar 21, 2005 19:49:30	perhaps when the tower is fully functioning, (turned on by a nature master) it glows the blue color of the young Athasian sun.. (just a thought on special effects... ) but it would be nice, though mostly a bonus, if the tower also rid the surrounding area of the defiler taint that mutates...
#13 jihun-nish Mar 23, 2005 15:46:30	good limit, however, can you say that the rhul thaun could craft them? or just rajaat? Neither of them could CREATE life shaped
#14 lyric Mar 23, 2005 16:17:45	am I switchin names here? I think I may be.. I'm trying to mention the halflings of the blue age, but I think I mix their name with the ones on that forested ridge...
#15 nytcrawlr Mar 23, 2005 16:29:02	am I switchin names here? I think I may be.. I'm trying to mention the halflings of the blue age, but I think I mix their name with the ones on that forested ridge... Rhulisti = halflings of the Blue Age Rhul-thaun = descendants of those said halflings Athasian Halflings = those that exist in the Crescent Forest and the Forest Ridge. And, as far as I can remember, the rhul-thaun are able to create life shaped items.
#16 Sysane Mar 23, 2005 17:41:17	And, as far as I can remember, the rhul-thaun are able to create life shaped items. True, but I think their issue is they can't create new or original life shaped items. They can only replicate the ones that their Rhulisti fore fathers designed.
#17 nytcrawlr Mar 23, 2005 17:58:44	True, but I think their issue is they can't create new or original life shaped items. They can only replicate the ones that their Rhulisti fore fathers designed. You're probably right, I can't remember the specifics of that though. Ah well, going to start reading up on all of that again soon anyways.
#18 zombiegleemax Mar 23, 2005 21:24:18	Rhul-Than lack the ability to design new life-shaped items, and fear to try because of disasters that have occurred when they tried. They can only produce a limited number of different ones, as well. Read Windriders of the Jagged Cliffs.
#19 lyric Mar 24, 2005 5:24:57	why didnt someone tell me my first post had an obvious typo?? (its fixed now) I thought of another concept for life shaped stuff.. Spores in your lungs that create oxygen, but swiftly dehydrate the user if used for prolonged periods.. (hence the oxygen mask replacing it) mutated versions of the above that make a character sick for a few weeks, and drain his con by 2-4 points temporarily (I'm sick right now myself, of course I'm gonna come up with this one..) A tentacle like plant that always points to true north, slowly bending in the propper direction, handy for navigation. two different colored oozes that are smeared on the users body and also ingested by him in some cases.. the overall effect is to protect him from the harmful effects of heat or cold, sometimes adding a minor protection against smoke or other impure airs.. a symbiot suit much like other armors crafted, but this one mutated over time or by defiler taint, gaining a crude intellect, and when adorned by a user, grants the effects of (whatever the name of that oozelike armor is called, the one that hardens on impact..) and also grants the wearer a heightened combat sense, granting a +2 enhancement on hit and damage rolls in melee (not ranged), however, this comes at a price, as time goes on (I'll leave this up to you to flesh out the mechanics) the wearer becomes more and more savage and beastlike, eventually adopting an animal like desire to hunt and kill. Eventually this suit takes over its host and is no longer removable.. bonding their DNA's together. Ok, that's enough outta me for now... but, one last thought.. does anyone else ever imagine a Venom like symbiot suit in a major life shaped artifact (whether it has psionic powers or the effects are genetic is up to you :P)
#20 zombiegleemax Mar 30, 2005 11:28:05	Ok, that's enough outta me for now... but, one last thought.. does anyone else ever imagine a Venom like symbiot suit in a major life shaped artifact (whether it has psionic powers or the effects are genetic is up to you :P) I did, in the Mistery of the Ancients adventure it ocurred to me. I intend to do another adventure in which the final vilain would be a life-shaped artifact that (also) went mad (the vilain would be venon, or the symbiot).
#21 lyric Apr 11, 2005 20:58:06	Now this may be slightly off topic.. but has anyone considered the ramifications of psionics and life shaped objects??? If a Psion were dying, and his only choice were to store his conciousness in a life shaped item, dominating it and taking over.. what would the result be?? how would you handle that?? Would all the Psions powers be available?? Only some? Could he progress in levels still (like with a Clairsentient or Telepathic power??)
#22 terminus_vortexa Apr 11, 2005 21:46:22	I'd run it like a permanent mind switch. All powers intact, only physical scores (STR,DEX and CON) would change, which wouldn't affect his powers thanks to the awesome rules in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. He'd still be able to progress in class levels, as well.