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View Full Version : Findelwald's Planar Afflictions, Codex the Second



Eldan
2011-01-25, 06:01 AM
A continuation of this thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129929)

More Planar Diseases

Dedication:
Dedicated to my dear and respected colleagues, Kimskelrod Skeltine and Uskrod Rakler-Shkanf, whose article 27 theses on the flaws and errors contained within Findelwald Tungsten Codex of Planar Afflictions, and an exhaustive listing thereof I found to be an absolutely delightful read, especially their analysis of my writing style and the many novel and unusual adjectives applied to it.
If my esteemed and gentlemanly colleagues ever wish to test their own ideas on the cure and healing of various diseases, I would be more than happy to provide them with adequate samples of the heretofore incurable Blue Splanchnic* Liquefaction, or the Steaming Brain Putrescence, though it appears to me that their research into the latter is already well underway.

Incorrectly Aligned Personal Gravity

Traveling along the stem of the great world ash Yggdrasil can be, for those unaccustomed to it's peculiarities, an unsettling and, I am assured, quite confusing experience. Winding through it's own particular fold of the Astral Plane - or so my theory, for the exact nature of this planar pathway is still under vivid discussion in scholarly circles - the world tree (which connects Niflheim, Loki's Hall, Ysgard, Mimir's Well and all the worlds from which the Norse Pantheon draws its power) the world tree is home to several interesting gravitational anomalies.
While on a branch of the tree, many of which have a diameter which shames even the mightiest trees of mere natural forests, gravity does indeed, as is normal with trees, pull towards the nearest ground, or otherwise conform to local circumstances, on the stem itself, it does not point toward what primes tend to think of as "downwards", but indeed towards the center of the stem, so that entire cities are sprouting outwards from the great tree.
I first found out about the fascinating planar phenomenon I am dedicating this chapter to after having to escape from Baldur's Hall Breidablik rather hurriedly after an unfortunate incident involving a company of svartalfar artificers, an alchemical analysis of a barrel of ale gone astray, an unfortunate misreading of the rune "wunjo" as "thurisaz" on my part and a fire giant in disguise, which left me running along a branch of Yggdrasil fortunately placed nearby in the company of three dwarves I had brought along to carry my alchemical equipment.
When we arrived at the main stem after dodging the worst of a rain of thrown battle axes and loosened arrows, three of us quickly made the adjustment to changing gravity with the help of more or less graceful leaps.
The third bearer, however was not so lucky. As he reached the stem, he could not walk along it as we did, but instead instantly fell down, and began to slide along the stem at a rapid pace, as if he was rolling down a steep incline. Only with the application of an Expeditious Retreat spell and the use of a Lasso, my proficiency with which stems from my days as a Dire Buffalo rancher on the planes of Bytopia, did we manage to catch the by now severely battered and bruised dwarf.
After we carefully roped up, donned our studded and spiked boots and tied the dwarf in question to a stretcher so he could no longer fall, we proceeded along the stem, until we came to a village which, luckily, was home to a portal to the Outlands, from where we made our way to Mechanus. I asked my old friend and esteemed colleague Moraumangolor, an Inevitable sage in charge of gravity, for help, and he was all to happy to provide us with the spells and cures necessary for the disease, which I will detail below.


Persistent Gravitational Anomaly

This rare disease can be contracted in planar environments where gravity can suddenly change, or, even rarer, when under the effect of gravity magic, such as levitation or reverse gravity.

Infection: Special
DC: As the spell causing the disease or fortitude DC 18, whichever is lower.
Effect: Gravity influencing the subject is changed, so that it pulls at it at an angle, instead of directly down. Upon infection, the subject has to make a strength check DC 20 or start sliding along the ground, taking 2d6 per round damage as if from falling. Jump checks are no help, but a tumble check halves the damage. At the beginning of each round, the subject can take a reflex save, DC 15, to catch itself, which allows a new strength check to resist falling.
If successful, the check has to repeated whenever the subject sits down, stands up, jumps, falls or is subject to a trip or jump attempt. Being tied to a stationary object means that no checks have to be taken, while holding on to anything or wearing spiked or studded shoes gives a +4 bonus on the check.
Cure: There are several cures for this disease, none of which simple. A Reverse Gravity spell, followed within one minute by a Remove Disease spell removes the disease, but is not easy to come by. Instead, the subject can find a planar environment with changing gravity and make the transition between the two states again. This has a 5% chance per attempt to remove the effect.
Finally, an alchemical preparation of lodestone and lead (which, despite it's ingredients, is not poisonous) can cure the disease. The preparation costs 200 gold pieces to make and takes a DC 20 craft: alchemy check to prepare.


*an actual word (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/splanchnic). I think I'm in love.


I thought I'd dig out this old thread and make a few more of these diseases. I already have ideas for two more, and I'll try to keep going for as long as possible.

LOTRfan
2011-02-21, 08:16 PM
This could be very interesting. I eagerly await the next disease (if you are still doing this, anyway)

Temotei
2011-02-21, 09:10 PM
word (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/splanchnic).

That's risible.