Xervous
2013-04-11, 04:54 PM
Vyrek
The Vyrek are a diverse lot of creatures, ranging in power and appearance from a simple commoner to a colossal multiheaded lovecraftian monstrosity. So I'll start here with an overview.
Vyrek are complex creatures formed of shadow given substance. As such, the sun is death to them (in varying degrees by subject), bright light may either blind or blur their vision. The holy magics produce similar effects upon Vyrek as they would upon creatures of evil. Vyrek also have no shadow, however this does not extend to their clothing, so Vyrek often shroud themselves in layers of cloth to avoid detection and the harmful rays of the sun. Additionally, contact with silver produces similar effects to sun exposure.
Vyrek blood is a sticky black substance that crystallizes as it solidifies (it doesn't really dry). Exposure to light will hasten the process and weaken the crystals. Sunlight will cause the blood to rapidly crystallize and then sublime into thin shadowy vapors with a noxious scent that dissipates quickly. Vyrek who die crystallize in anywhere from seconds to as long as a minute (in relative darkness), and severed members behave similarly.
Most Vyrek exhibit some form of fast healing, with the more powerful beings possessing the ability to regenerate lost limbs in seconds. Legends tell of Vyrek like Felren the Great who regenerated from little more than a pile of black ashes. Fast healing or regeneration, it functions slower by degree of exposure to daylight, and holy or sunlight based damage heals off at a normal rate.
Every Vyrek is a bonding of two physical concepts, two creatures as one. So far one of these forms has always been human or at the very least humanoid in appearance, while the latter varies depending on the subject. Monstrous forms of animals, exotic creatures, and less often magical beasts are the scope for this second form (here I use second as a listing notation, scholars have debated for most of recorded Vyrek history over which form may be called primary, secondary, or whether they are both or neither). A hybrid presentation of these forms is frequently possible in those that display the ability to manifest both forms. Vyrek in their hybrid or secondary forms are far more vulnerable to sunlight exposure.
Less often, it happens that a Vyrek comes about in possession of more than one mind in his body. Typically the minds align themselves with a specific form, the Loi is generally a humanoid mentality whereas the Set is whatever sort of mind would correspond to the secondary form. Hybrids of these two mind types occur very rarely, as do mind counts in excess of 2. Generally, the more powerful a Vyrek, the more likely they are to have multiple minds. A fabled state of enlightenment exists where all minds join and remain separate in equal parts, yielding a metamind known as the Vyr. Such enlightened beings are viewed in equal parts awe, envy, and fear by Vyrek, for their utter mastery of the selves opens many doors to power and knowledge.
When addressing individual minds in recordings of internal dialogues, or when speaking with separate Vyrek, the mind being addressed is added as a prefix to the individual's name. i.e. Sul the Vyrek, containing Loi-Sul the humanoid mind and Set-Sul the panther mind.
It is rumored that the greatest of Vyrek eventually succumb to at least one form of depravity, madness, insanity, etc.
For a look at the evolving setting that Vyrek are natural to, Click Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14629923#post14629923)
Type | DR / X | Fast Healing | Natural Armor | Con/Str/Dex bonuses | Alt form Size | Light Aversion| LA
Least | ~ / Silver or Good | 1 | ~ | 0 | Medium |Sensitivity | ???
Lesser| ~ / Silver or Good | 1 |1 | 2/0/0 | Medium | Blindness | ???
(Basic)| 2 / Good | 2 | 1 |2/2/2 | Large | Blindness| ???
Greater| 5 / Silver and Good | 5 | 2 |4/4/2 | Large | Blindness | ???
Grand | 10 / Silver and Good | 10 | 5 | 6/4/4 | Huge | Sensitivity| ???
Epic | | | | |
Things as of yet undecided...
Because I have conceived a non linear relationship between the overall type of a Vyrek and how much it suffers from being in the sun in humanoid and secondary forms, what should sunlight do to them mechanically? (what combination of damage, con damage, fatigue / exhaustion ... Save or Die...?) Also, since the deadliness of sunlight exposure is proportional to the degree of exposure (clothing or clouds mitigate it), how am I to represent this in a simple enough way that still allows for my original concept to translate in a semi-direct way to game terms?
Current in the works stuff: Sunlight has a DC of 30.
LR-DC is straightforward, subtract the DC from the LR of the Vyrek and look at the chart. I plan on filling in the gaps for each individual value between -30 and 30, the end result of which will be large, but tame compared to a THAC0 table.
{table] Status|Seriously Dead | Dead | Seriously Wounding | Wounding | Mildly Wounding | Tickling | null
LR-DC| -30 | -20 | -10 | ±0 | +10 | +20 | +30
Damage|20 con, 30 damage| 10 con, 20 damage | 5 con, 15 damage | 2 con, 10 damage | 6 damage | 2 damage |
[/table]
{table] Vyrek Type| Least | Lesser | ~ | Greater | Grand | Epic
Human Form| 50 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60
Alternate Form| 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50
[/table]
As for how "cover" affects this damage...
{table]Cover |Change in sunlight DC |Examples of such Cover
0% | 0 | Outside on a sunny day in warm weather clothing
25% | -10 to DC | wearing a good amount of cold weather clothing on a sunny day, or very little on a partly cloudy day
50% | -20 to DC | little clothing on a cloudy day, or a decent amount of clothing on a sunny day
75% | -30 to DC | a good deal of clothing on a sunny day, moderate amount on a partly cloudy day
90% | -40 to DC and can be healed off with fast healing | wrapped up like some naruto cosplay in direct sunlight, or a good deal of clothing on a cloudy day.
100% | no damage | indoors, indirect sunlight doesn't count for much at all.
[/table]
Sunlight damage, unless otherwise listed, bypasses a Vyrek's fast healing.
Current thoughts on benefits of two minds:
-Mental ability score mod is higher of humanoid and secondary form
-Bonus to saves vs. mind affecting
-Extra mental standard action for the more powerful Vyrek, perhaps functioning similarly to Schism (and overriding the bonus to saves vs. mind affecting in that case?)
Note: Least Vyrek are never of two or more minds.
{table]Type| Save vs. Mind affecting | Bonus Standard?
Lesser | 2 | No
(Basic) | 3 | No
Greater | 4 | No
Grand | 5 | Yes
Epic |
[/table]
And now, the Kyr, coming in two varieties, Kyr-Kai (weapons) and Kyr-Dai (clothing and armor).
The making of Kyr is a rather gruesome and well kept secret among the elite Vyrek. To use general terms, the making of weapons involves alloying the subject's flesh and blood into the weapon (with hearty helpings of magic), and armor almost invariably involves skinning them alive as one of the first steps. The final product is something reflective of the uncertain state in which Vyrek exist, partly one thing, partly another.
Kyr, when in contact with its master, are as much a new appendage in addition to whatever they appear to be. The master is aware of pain/tactile sensations that a Kyr is feeling or has felt. He (hereafter meaning the master) is able to manipulate a Kyr's form within certain limits, with more powerful Vyrek being able to shift their Kyr more towards their whims. For example, a Vyrek wielding his Kyr rapier penetrates chainmail with ease, willing the blade's point through the weakest section of the mail. More powerful Vyrek maintain a connection with their Kyr even when not in contact, allowing for uncanny feats like dagger throws at unseen targets beyond rooftops that have a near certainty of striking (however few Vyrek who have lived long enough to grow so powerful would toss around such a powerful tool so simply).
Kyr-Dai is simply a second skin that just so happens to be very similar to armor. Of course, comparing a given instance of a Kyr-Dai to the armor it was based on would show that the Kyr-Dai is far more durable and lighter, allows for a wider range of motion, and (like the Kyr-Kai) possesses fast healing because it is alive. In action, the keenest eye can spot how a Kyr-Dai shifts to better ward its master from incoming blows, both those seen and unexpected.
Being partly of its master's essence, a Vyrek can absorb his Kyr partly into his body. Kyr-Dai(armor) typically does not exhibit any visible qualities when held within, however Kyr-Kai often appear as full scale tattoos of the object in question. To entirely absorb or release a Kyr-Dai consumes a Vyrek's concentration, (for DnD terms, full round action, provoking AoOs). Kyr-Kai can be produced or hidden in the blink of an eye (probably a free action).
(actual stats are still in the works)
The Vyrek are a diverse lot of creatures, ranging in power and appearance from a simple commoner to a colossal multiheaded lovecraftian monstrosity. So I'll start here with an overview.
Vyrek are complex creatures formed of shadow given substance. As such, the sun is death to them (in varying degrees by subject), bright light may either blind or blur their vision. The holy magics produce similar effects upon Vyrek as they would upon creatures of evil. Vyrek also have no shadow, however this does not extend to their clothing, so Vyrek often shroud themselves in layers of cloth to avoid detection and the harmful rays of the sun. Additionally, contact with silver produces similar effects to sun exposure.
Vyrek blood is a sticky black substance that crystallizes as it solidifies (it doesn't really dry). Exposure to light will hasten the process and weaken the crystals. Sunlight will cause the blood to rapidly crystallize and then sublime into thin shadowy vapors with a noxious scent that dissipates quickly. Vyrek who die crystallize in anywhere from seconds to as long as a minute (in relative darkness), and severed members behave similarly.
Most Vyrek exhibit some form of fast healing, with the more powerful beings possessing the ability to regenerate lost limbs in seconds. Legends tell of Vyrek like Felren the Great who regenerated from little more than a pile of black ashes. Fast healing or regeneration, it functions slower by degree of exposure to daylight, and holy or sunlight based damage heals off at a normal rate.
Every Vyrek is a bonding of two physical concepts, two creatures as one. So far one of these forms has always been human or at the very least humanoid in appearance, while the latter varies depending on the subject. Monstrous forms of animals, exotic creatures, and less often magical beasts are the scope for this second form (here I use second as a listing notation, scholars have debated for most of recorded Vyrek history over which form may be called primary, secondary, or whether they are both or neither). A hybrid presentation of these forms is frequently possible in those that display the ability to manifest both forms. Vyrek in their hybrid or secondary forms are far more vulnerable to sunlight exposure.
Less often, it happens that a Vyrek comes about in possession of more than one mind in his body. Typically the minds align themselves with a specific form, the Loi is generally a humanoid mentality whereas the Set is whatever sort of mind would correspond to the secondary form. Hybrids of these two mind types occur very rarely, as do mind counts in excess of 2. Generally, the more powerful a Vyrek, the more likely they are to have multiple minds. A fabled state of enlightenment exists where all minds join and remain separate in equal parts, yielding a metamind known as the Vyr. Such enlightened beings are viewed in equal parts awe, envy, and fear by Vyrek, for their utter mastery of the selves opens many doors to power and knowledge.
When addressing individual minds in recordings of internal dialogues, or when speaking with separate Vyrek, the mind being addressed is added as a prefix to the individual's name. i.e. Sul the Vyrek, containing Loi-Sul the humanoid mind and Set-Sul the panther mind.
It is rumored that the greatest of Vyrek eventually succumb to at least one form of depravity, madness, insanity, etc.
For a look at the evolving setting that Vyrek are natural to, Click Here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14629923#post14629923)
Type | DR / X | Fast Healing | Natural Armor | Con/Str/Dex bonuses | Alt form Size | Light Aversion| LA
Least | ~ / Silver or Good | 1 | ~ | 0 | Medium |Sensitivity | ???
Lesser| ~ / Silver or Good | 1 |1 | 2/0/0 | Medium | Blindness | ???
(Basic)| 2 / Good | 2 | 1 |2/2/2 | Large | Blindness| ???
Greater| 5 / Silver and Good | 5 | 2 |4/4/2 | Large | Blindness | ???
Grand | 10 / Silver and Good | 10 | 5 | 6/4/4 | Huge | Sensitivity| ???
Epic | | | | |
Things as of yet undecided...
Because I have conceived a non linear relationship between the overall type of a Vyrek and how much it suffers from being in the sun in humanoid and secondary forms, what should sunlight do to them mechanically? (what combination of damage, con damage, fatigue / exhaustion ... Save or Die...?) Also, since the deadliness of sunlight exposure is proportional to the degree of exposure (clothing or clouds mitigate it), how am I to represent this in a simple enough way that still allows for my original concept to translate in a semi-direct way to game terms?
Current in the works stuff: Sunlight has a DC of 30.
LR-DC is straightforward, subtract the DC from the LR of the Vyrek and look at the chart. I plan on filling in the gaps for each individual value between -30 and 30, the end result of which will be large, but tame compared to a THAC0 table.
{table] Status|Seriously Dead | Dead | Seriously Wounding | Wounding | Mildly Wounding | Tickling | null
LR-DC| -30 | -20 | -10 | ±0 | +10 | +20 | +30
Damage|20 con, 30 damage| 10 con, 20 damage | 5 con, 15 damage | 2 con, 10 damage | 6 damage | 2 damage |
[/table]
{table] Vyrek Type| Least | Lesser | ~ | Greater | Grand | Epic
Human Form| 50 | 40 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 60
Alternate Form| 0 | 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 | 50
[/table]
As for how "cover" affects this damage...
{table]Cover |Change in sunlight DC |Examples of such Cover
0% | 0 | Outside on a sunny day in warm weather clothing
25% | -10 to DC | wearing a good amount of cold weather clothing on a sunny day, or very little on a partly cloudy day
50% | -20 to DC | little clothing on a cloudy day, or a decent amount of clothing on a sunny day
75% | -30 to DC | a good deal of clothing on a sunny day, moderate amount on a partly cloudy day
90% | -40 to DC and can be healed off with fast healing | wrapped up like some naruto cosplay in direct sunlight, or a good deal of clothing on a cloudy day.
100% | no damage | indoors, indirect sunlight doesn't count for much at all.
[/table]
Sunlight damage, unless otherwise listed, bypasses a Vyrek's fast healing.
Current thoughts on benefits of two minds:
-Mental ability score mod is higher of humanoid and secondary form
-Bonus to saves vs. mind affecting
-Extra mental standard action for the more powerful Vyrek, perhaps functioning similarly to Schism (and overriding the bonus to saves vs. mind affecting in that case?)
Note: Least Vyrek are never of two or more minds.
{table]Type| Save vs. Mind affecting | Bonus Standard?
Lesser | 2 | No
(Basic) | 3 | No
Greater | 4 | No
Grand | 5 | Yes
Epic |
[/table]
And now, the Kyr, coming in two varieties, Kyr-Kai (weapons) and Kyr-Dai (clothing and armor).
The making of Kyr is a rather gruesome and well kept secret among the elite Vyrek. To use general terms, the making of weapons involves alloying the subject's flesh and blood into the weapon (with hearty helpings of magic), and armor almost invariably involves skinning them alive as one of the first steps. The final product is something reflective of the uncertain state in which Vyrek exist, partly one thing, partly another.
Kyr, when in contact with its master, are as much a new appendage in addition to whatever they appear to be. The master is aware of pain/tactile sensations that a Kyr is feeling or has felt. He (hereafter meaning the master) is able to manipulate a Kyr's form within certain limits, with more powerful Vyrek being able to shift their Kyr more towards their whims. For example, a Vyrek wielding his Kyr rapier penetrates chainmail with ease, willing the blade's point through the weakest section of the mail. More powerful Vyrek maintain a connection with their Kyr even when not in contact, allowing for uncanny feats like dagger throws at unseen targets beyond rooftops that have a near certainty of striking (however few Vyrek who have lived long enough to grow so powerful would toss around such a powerful tool so simply).
Kyr-Dai is simply a second skin that just so happens to be very similar to armor. Of course, comparing a given instance of a Kyr-Dai to the armor it was based on would show that the Kyr-Dai is far more durable and lighter, allows for a wider range of motion, and (like the Kyr-Kai) possesses fast healing because it is alive. In action, the keenest eye can spot how a Kyr-Dai shifts to better ward its master from incoming blows, both those seen and unexpected.
Being partly of its master's essence, a Vyrek can absorb his Kyr partly into his body. Kyr-Dai(armor) typically does not exhibit any visible qualities when held within, however Kyr-Kai often appear as full scale tattoos of the object in question. To entirely absorb or release a Kyr-Dai consumes a Vyrek's concentration, (for DnD terms, full round action, provoking AoOs). Kyr-Kai can be produced or hidden in the blink of an eye (probably a free action).
(actual stats are still in the works)