[Setting] Manaʻolana

[Fax Celestis]

Contents
I. Introduction
II. Classes in Mana'olana
III. Feats in Mana'olana
III.i. Altered Feats
III.ii. New Feats
IV. Magic in Mana'olana
V. The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana
VI. Additional Rules
VII.i. Item Taint
VII.ii. Cybernaughtics
VII. Prestige Classes
VII.i. The Cybernaught
VIII. The Lands of Mana'olana
IX.
X.

I. Introduction
Mana'olana is an ancient place, once a bastion of technology to rival the likes of Mechanus, but no more. The ways of technology have fallen by the wayside, losing favor due to a crushing worldwide war that left many dead and others changed forever.

Most of Mana'olana is still suffering the effects of this war, but a small portion of it has returned to a state of natural beauty--civilization has been pushed back to small refuges underneath the ocean, as the oceans have frozen over in an incredible, magic-induced ice age.

Mana'olana is different from most worlds: magic is impermanent at best, unless properly crafted--and only devils hold the secret to their permanency.

II. Classes in Mana'olana

[Fax Celestis]

III. Feats in Mana'olana
III.i. Altered Feats

Craft Magic Arms And Armor [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster level 5th, Amala subtype
Benefit: You can create any magic weapon, armor, or shield whose prerequisites you meet. Enhancing a weapon, suit of armor, or shield takes one day for each 1,000 gp in the price of its magical features. To enhance a weapon, suit of armor, or shield, you must spend 1/25 of its features’ total price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of this total price. The XP from crafting using this feat must come from captured souls (See The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana).

The weapon, armor, or shield to be enhanced must be a masterwork item that you provide. Its cost is not included in the above cost.

You can also mend a broken magic weapon, suit of armor, or shield if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place.

Craft Rod [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster level 9th, Amala subtype
Benefit: You can create any rod whose prerequisites you meet. Crafting a rod takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. To craft a rod, you must spend 1/25 of its base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of its base price. The XP from crafting using this feat must come from captured souls (See The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana).

Some rods incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. These costs are in addition to those derived from the rod’s base price.

Craft Staff [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster level 12th, Amala subtype
Benefit: You can create any staff whose prerequisites you meet.

Crafting a staff takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. To craft a staff, you must spend 1/25 of its base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of its base price. A newly created staff has 50 charges.

Some staffs incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. These costs are in addition to those derived from the staff’s base price. The XP from crafting using this feat must come from captured souls (See The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana).

Craft Wondrous Item [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster level 3rd, Amala subtype
Benefit: You can create any wondrous item whose prerequisites you meet. Enchanting a wondrous item takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its price. To enchant a wondrous item, you must spend 1/25 of the item’s price in XP and use up raw materials costing half of this price. The XP from crafting using this feat must come from captured souls (See The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana).

You can also mend a broken wondrous item if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to craft that item in the first place.

Some wondrous items incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. These costs are in addition to those derived from the item’s base price. You must pay such a cost to create an item or to mend a broken one

Forge Ring [Item Creation]
Prerequisite: Caster level 12th, Amala subtype
Benefit: You can create any ring whose prerequisites you meet. Crafting a ring takes one day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. To craft a ring, you must spend 1/25 of its base price in XP and use up raw materials costing one-half of its base price. The XP from crafting using this feat must come from captured souls (See The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana).

You can also mend a broken ring if it is one that you could make. Doing so costs half the XP, half the raw materials, and half the time it would take to forge that ring in the first place.

Some magic rings incur extra costs in material components or XP, as noted in their descriptions. You must pay such a cost to forge such a ring or to mend a broken one.

IV. Magic in Mana'olana

[Fax Celestis]

V. The Role of Outsiders in Mana'olana
V.i. The Amala Subtype
Certain demons and devils have the Amala subtype.

An amala creature possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature’s entry).
* Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision.
* Racial bonus on all Craft checks equal to their HD.
* Resistance to electricity 10 and fire 10.
* +4 racial bonus on saves against poison.
* Demon Secrets (Ex): Amala creatures know how to bind the soul energy of the departed into items. This is an evil act, as it forces a departed soul into servitude instead of allowing them their eternal rest. See Additional Rules: Item Taint for more information.

VI. Additional Rules
VI.i. Item Taint
Items crafted by amala creatures are inherently evil, as they bind the souls of the departed into eternal servitude. Characters who use amala-crafted items carry a taint of this evil upon their souls and suffer penalties due to it.

Each soul used in crafting an item provides the item one point of taint, but also pays for 200xp of the crafting cost. Amounts less than 200xp still consume one whole soul and provide one point of taint. Scrolls, potions, and wands, unlike most items, do not need to be amala-crafted, do not generally carry taint, and use the xp of the crafter to craft the item. Scrolls, potions, and wands who are crafted utilizing the energy of a soul do carry taint as normal.

Amala-crafted items have a 10% chance of carrying on the personality of one or more of the souls used to craft the item--generally, creating a minor intelligent item.

VI.ii. Cybernaughtics
Cybernaughtics are generally the only kind of item that is both craftable by the more "mundane" races and that do not carry taint. This is largely in part due to the fact that cybernaughtic items are not fueled by the energy of souls, but rather through mechanics.

Most cybernaughtics are driven by a small steam engine, which is powered by a pair of interplanar gates: one connects to the Elemental Plane of Fire, while the other connects to the Elemental Plane of Water. Generally, these are very small gates which can be shut off by removing the focus crystals used to create the gates.

Unlike magical arms and armor, cybernaughtics are generally not so much weapons as they are grafts or implants. A character initially cannot have more cybernaughtic grafts and implants than their Constitution modifier, though feats and prestige classes may alter this number.

A cybernaughtic graft is an external application, such as a replaced arm, an augmented leg, or armor plating.

A cybernaughtic implant is an internal application, such as enhanced eyes or augmented metabolism.

There are also upgrades available for cybernaughtic implants and grafts, though these are more expensive. Upgrades to cybernaughtic implants and grafts do not count additionally towards a creature's maximum number of cybernaughtics unless they explicitly state otherwise.

[Fax Celestis]

VII. Prestige Classes

[Fax Celestis]

VIII. The Lands of Mana'olana
Map courtesy of Zeta Kai (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/member.php?u=22797)NEW MAP FORTHCOMING PLEASE STAND BY

Mana'olana suffered a great war which triggered an ice age. Now, more than 90% of the planet is under ice.

Most of the creatures who were on the surface during the Final Strike perished due to the effects of the Final Strike. Those who survived that through some miracle quickly succumbed to the encroaching ice and the sudden drop to arctic temperatures.

Life, then, has moved to underneath the oceans. Domes created through magic before the war managed to survive under the waves and have become the primary means of life. Aquatic strains of races have been bred or magically coaxed into being, and cybernaughtical gill-grafts are some of the most popular grafts on the market. Up until recently, only magical domes have been created, but advances in cybernaughtics have formed one or two tenuously created cybernaughtical domes--many people don't trust these domes, but they have proven themselves just as resilient as the magical ones so far.

[Fax Celestis]

Placeholder V: The Placeholder Strikes Back.

[Fax Celestis]

Placeholder VI: The Return of the Revenge of the Son of the Placeholder's Niece's Nephew's Cousin Thrice Removed.

That should do it. No more placeholders. Now for some work.

[Emperor Tippy]

Placeholder for commenting when you finish. :smallwink:

[puppyavenger]

Placeholder for commenting when you finish. :smallwink:

placeholder for emoticon recognizing the joke.

[Fax Celestis]

Base framework updated.

Item Taint basis created--200xp per soul is the going rate at the moment, but I'm not sure about that number, as it means an item costing 16,000gp carries a taint score of 4 (16000/25=640, 640/200=3.2, rounded up to 4). Also not sure about what the penalties for taint should be (Alignment shift, maybe? Or something more mechanical, like HP loss, WIS penalties, or in severe cases like a paladin, loss of class features?).

I do know I will be putting in an item enhancement that doesn't require the amala subtype (and therefore can be added without soul-burn), but not sure on the pricing of this. Perhaps 2k for -1 taint, 4k for-2, 8k for -3, etc., but that seems a little cheap, especially considering how prevalent I want taint to be.

[Ivius]

Maybe subtract taint (probably multiplied by something) from effective paladin level?

[Fax Celestis]

Maybe subtract taint (probably multiplied by something) from effective paladin level?

Actually, since I use my version of the paladin, I could make taint count as a penalty on paladin level when determining the effects of mantles. That might work.

But what about other characters? I mean, probably not class feature denial (except possibly in the case of good clerics), but some sort of penalty is in order. That's kinda the whole point of item taint.

[Emperor Tippy]

Good characters get -1 per 2 taint points on all roll's made against evil characters.

A good fighter with 10 points worth of taint takes -5 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, ac, and every other stat when fighting the evil wizard. Flip it around for a good wizard and an evil fighter.

Granted, this does significantly increase the odds of an evil party. Perhaps an in setting reason that being evil is bad.

[Thane of Fife]

I somewhat think Taint should encourage constant acquisition of more Taint. I'm not entirely sure how, but I can totally imagine Devils making what amount to addictive magic items.

[Ivius]

Actually, since I use my version of the paladin, I could make taint count as a penalty on paladin level when determining the effects of mantles. That might work.

But what about other characters? I mean, probably not class feature denial (except possibly in the case of good clerics), but some sort of penalty is in order. That's kinda the whole point of item taint.

Is taint inherently evil or inherently bad? A Lawful Evil paladin would have no qualms whatsoever about consorting with devils, but if it degrades the character somehow...

EDIT: And for clerics, I guess the equivalent penalty would be to caster level.

[Fax Celestis]

Good characters get -1 per 2 taint points on all roll's made against evil characters.

A good fighter with 10 points worth of taint takes -5 on attack rolls, damage rolls, saves, ac, and every other stat when fighting the evil wizard. Flip it around for a good wizard and an evil fighter.

Granted, this does significantly increase the odds of an evil party. Perhaps an in setting reason that being evil is bad.

Hmm. Well, there's a fluff reason (evil souls are more accessible to those who craft items, so you're more likely to spend your afterlife as a sword), but a mechanical reason...Hm. Low taint maybe gets DR/good (which an amala-crafted item cannot bestow) and some SR v. spells cast by creatures with higher taint and evil creatures? So, sort of like a miniaturized VoP, then: the higher your level and the lesser your taint, the more blessing you receive from above?

[Fax Celestis]

Is taint inherently evil or inherently bad? A Lawful Evil paladin would have no qualms whatsoever about consorting with devils, but if it degrades the character somehow...

I should've clarified. Paladins and Rebels would be affected adversely by taint; Tyrants and Reavers would not. Taint is evil, then, not bad.

[Ivius]

What about a setting specific paladin mantle that gives bonuses to fighting tainted creatures?

[Fax Celestis]

What about a setting specific paladin mantle that gives bonuses to fighting tainted creatures?

Ooh, good call. "Virtue"? "Truth"?

[Ivius]

With the help of Eragon a thesaurus, I'm thinking about sanctitude, innocence, or holiness.

[Meek]

With the help of Eragon a thesaurus, I'm thinking about sanctitude, innocence, or holiness.

Why did this make me laugh so hard? :smallamused:

[Emperor Tippy]

Purity ?

[Ivius]

Purity?

That was my first thought, but it was taken.

[Emperor Tippy]

Hmm, Untaintedness?

[Thane of Fife]

Redeeming, perhaps? Cleansing?

[Zeta Kai]

Fax, my only question is this: Do you need a map?

[Fax Celestis]

Fax, my only question is this: Do you need a map?

Very much yes.

[Zeta Kai]

Very much yes.

PM me any geographical notes that you may have. I'll do what I can.

[Fax Celestis]

PM me any geographical notes that you may have. I'll do what I can.

I would if I had any. The only thing I know of so far is "old craters".

[Zeta Kai]

I would if I had any. The only thing I know of so far is "old craters".

Well, if you want, I can make it all up from scratch (I work best that way). But do you want mostly small islands, many small continents, few large continents, or one super-continent? Do you want an ice age, a temperate world, or a desert? Just pick a few basics, & I'll give you a preliminary map.

[Fax Celestis]

Well, if you want, I can make it all up from scratch (I work best that way). But do you want mostly small islands, many small continents, few large continents, or one super-continent? Do you want an ice age, a temperate world, or a desert? Just pick a few basics, & I'll give you a preliminary map.

Mostly medium-sized islands with one or two larger continents. Ice-age would be interesting. This is an old planet, and it's been through a lot, including a war that--presumably--triggered an ice age. Also, circular crater-cuts out of the edges of the larger continents (or even creating some of the islands in that fashion).

[Zeta Kai]

Mostly medium-sized islands with one or two larger continents. Ice-age would be interesting. This is an old planet, and it's been through a lot, including a war that--presumably--triggered an ice age. Also, circular crater-cuts out of the edges of the larger continents (or even creating some of the islands in that fashion).

I'll get to work. You'll have it by Tuesday night.

[Samurai Jill]

Sounds interesting. I'd like to see a map.

[Fax Celestis]

Basic framework for cybernaughtics updated. Not sure how I want it to interact with magic items. Options for cybernaughtic/magical interaction are as follows:
Cybernaughtics and magic are disparate effects, and have no relation on each other. This is the freest, but the hardest to balance.
Cybernaughtics and magic interfere with each other to a minor degree. Items that enhance one area (such as a cybernaughtical arm) and a pair of magical gloves would interfere with each other. This is easiest to balance, but doesn't make much sense.
Cybernaughtics carry their own "taint-like" score. Taint is not "evil", it's "negative", and cybernaughtics are "positive" (or vice versa, whichever). If you've played Arcanum, you know what I'm talking about. High power magic and high power cybernaughtics require a character to have a high score in the appropriate "taint." This, however, mitigates the issue of magic items being "evil", which is something I rather liked.

[Fax Celestis]

Section VIII added. Map included (thanks Zeta!).

[Samurai Jill]

Good grief. What did you do the map with, Zeta?

My only real nitpick is that there shouldn't be crater-pocks at the edge of what I'm guessing is sea ice. And maybe some snow at the top of the equatorial mountain ranges...

[Thane of Fife]

The map looks quite lovely, although the ice caps look a bit big (though that's probably just how the map is stretched).


Cybernaughtics and magic interfere with each other to a minor degree. Items that enhance one area (such as a cybernaughtical arm) and a pair of magical gloves would interfere with each other. This is easiest to balance, but doesn't make much sense.

You could make this sound justified without too much difficulty - something like, the souls trapped in the magic items can feel the presence of the gates in the cybernaughtics, and try to escape through them, but are too strongly tethered to their items. As such, they pretty much 'clog the pipes'.

[Fax Celestis]

The map looks quite lovely, although the ice caps look a bit big (though that's probably just how the map is stretched). This is due to a receding ice age.

You could make this sound justified without too much difficulty - something like, the souls trapped in the magic items can feel the presence of the gates in the cybernaughtics, and try to escape through them, but are too strongly tethered to their items. As such, they pretty much 'clog the pipes'.Ooh, that's a good call. I may go with that.

[Lappy9000]

Good grief. What did you do the map with, Zeta?

My only real nitpick is that there shouldn't be crater-pocks at the edge of what I'm guessing is sea ice. And maybe some snow at the top of the equatorial mountain ranges...

You haven't seen them before? The man's done maps for about half the campaign settings that are are still updating. As usual, the map looks great. Fools, his plot for multiversal take-over is almost complete!

I'm rather liking this place, Fax. Just the word "Cybernaughtics" sells it for me. Just one question: How do you pronounce Mana'olana? (Mana Oh Lana?)

[Fax Celestis]

Just one question: How do you pronounce Mana'olana? (Mana Oh Lana?)

"MAHnah-OH-lahnah".

[Zeta Kai]

Good grief. What did you do the map with, Zeta?

Photoshop CS3.


My only real nitpick is that there shouldn't be crater-pocks at the edge of what I'm guessing is sea ice. And maybe some snow at the top of the equatorial mountain ranges...

The craters aren't cut into the ice; they are cut into the land, presumably where large cities used to be. The ice then formed over that pockmarked land, making it look like they had been cut into the ice when seen from hundreds of miles up.


You haven't seen them before? The man's done maps for about half the campaign settings that are are still updating. As usual, the map looks great. Fools, his plot for multiversal take-over is almost complete!

Thank you very much. I would have gotten you, too, if you hadn't made a map for yourself. I'll get you one day, though, Lappy. One day. :smallwink:

[Samurai Jill]

Photoshop CS3.
Okay. But, I mean how did you get the particular effect of landmasses and height mapping, etc?

The craters aren't cut into the ice; they are cut into the land, presumably where large cities used to be. The ice then formed over that pockmarked land, making it look like they had been cut into the ice when seen from hundreds of miles up.
Yes, but it's unlikely that the margins of the ice would precisely match the contours of the land during an Ice Age. The ice would either be receding, leaving land behind, or advancing, covering the open ocean.
I mean, the point is that beyond a certain latitude, it should be more-or-less continuous ice, (apart from things like drifting icebergs and cold/warm ocean currents.)

Again, this is just a nitpick, and it looks great.

[Fax Celestis]

*is struck by Divine Spark of Inspiration.*

*pushes capslock because it's CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.*

ZOMG THIS IS SO RAWSOME CHECK IT

FORGET THE WHOLE WAR HAPPENED THEN CYBERNAUGHTICS ROSE SCHTICK

WAR HAPPENED, SOMEONE ESSENTIALLY CAST HEIGHTENED ZOMG BRING ABOUT NUCLEAR WINTER AHEAD OF SCHEDULE AND MESSED IT ALL UP

ICE AGE HAPPENS PLACE IS FROZEN AND PEOPLE NOW LIVE UNDERNEATH THE OCEAN BECAUSE THEY CAN'T LIVE ON THE SURFACE

*PUSHES CAPS LOCK again*

Sorry. This is just rox. Also, updates to World of Mana'olana section.

[Samurai Jill]

Okay... how long were they under the ice? I mean, did they have enough food stocks?

[Fako]

Okay... how long were they under the ice? I mean, did they have enough food stocks?

Well, based on the "World of Mana'olana" section, it is still under ice, turning this into a mostly Aquatic setting.

Fax, your introdution contradicts your world section...the introduction still says that most of the planet has returned to its natural beauty...

[Samurai Jill]

The problem is that in a world entirely covered by ice, the only energy sources available for biosynthesis would be geothermal.

[Zeta Kai]

No, the problem is that in a world entirely covered by ice, I have to make a new map from scratch because Fax switched gears. :smallwink:

[Fax Celestis]

Well, based on the "World of Mana'olana" section, it is still under ice, turning this into a mostly Aquatic setting.

Fax, your introdution contradicts your world section...the introduction still says that most of the planet has returned to its natural beauty...

That's because the fora went down yesterday before I had a chance to fix it. I'll get to it today.


The problem is that in a world entirely covered by ice, the only energy sources available for biosynthesis would be geothermal.

Handled.

[Samurai Jill]

So, any updates..? Just thought I should 'check in'. I can't see anything dealing specifically with energy sources for biosynthesis...

[Zeta Kai]

Have patience, dear Jill. It's a holiday here in the States. More is coming soon, I'm sure.