[3.5, Campaign Setting] Traveler's Guide to Zaaman-Rul!

[arguskos]

Well, that allows for some interesting options. Could a trepek have only it's "claws" made of hizagkuur and be an actually useful monk?

Luckily, it can be a useful monk style character already.

I've looked through this thread again and can't find where I found this potentate ruling Intolar idea. Rarr.

Don't look at me.

If a trepek did the hizagkuur claws thing, would it have to have some sort of ground/rubbber so it wouldn't take electricity damage each round? Could a trepek be wielded as a weapon by say, an ogre? If it was wielded like this, could it use all 5 claw attacks?

Eh. Hizagkuur is a dangerous material, and I'd likely say that it overrides anything short of electric immunity, to prevent abuses of the material.

On the ogre question, yes. If a trepek is held like a shield by someone else, it is now free to use all its limbs each round for attacks. Doing so requires a lot of trust and some adept movement, but it can be done.

Finally, do any more avianes (sp?) exist or did the moon kill all of them?

The Avians were nearly wiped out in the Catastrophe. However, a small pocket of them still do exist in a hollowed out rock the size of Rhode Island that orbits Zaaman-Rul. They're in deep hibernation up there, and no living creature is aware of their existence (or even that the rock is there, it orbits Z-R along the terminator line, where nothing can really see it).

[Zetapup]

Luckily, it can be a useful monk style character already.

Fine, even MORE useful.

Could a trepek be attached to someone's back as a backpack scissorsword? Not quite sure about how USEFUL it would be, but it'd be pretty cool.

Do the Kiran-Hi artifacts exist in Zaaman-Rul?

[arguskos]

Could a trepek be attached to someone's back as a backpack scissorsword? Not quite sure about how USEFUL it would be, but it'd be pretty cool.

I guess so?

Do the Kiran-Hi artifacts exist in Zaaman-Rul?

Yes. Kiran-Hi was not a genocidal maniac in Z-R though, but instead was a member of the Nihrain who descended into insanity, believing that elven body parts were the best fuel for his magical powers. He became a serial killer, but was eventually captured and killed for his crimes. There's more to it, but that's the gist of it.

[Fable Wright]

Hm... I haven't really been asking questions lately...

Trepeks: With regard to the original idea of Trepeks replacing their actual parts, how does it work? Can they just say off a limb, forge a new one out of X material, and then just stick it on? Or is it an imbuing process, in which they make a magic item to serve as the limb? Or is it irreparable until they get a regeneration spell? If they can make new limbs, what parts can be replaced? For example, can a whole trepek be reconstructed from the remains of one arm? If the center is reparable, if it was cut in half, would it be possible for two copies of a trepek to be made from the halves? Are there any known trepeks who do reforge their bodies? How are they viewed by the trepeks and dragons at large? What materials would commonly be used if they were reforged? What impacts do they have on game mechanics, if it was just one limb or so replaced? Finally, what impact would the reforged trepeks have if/when they become reintegrated into the creche-forges from which they came?

Dwarves: So, you say that the dwarves occasionally scribe their memories and thoughts in the stone around their village. However, you also attribute them to having a hivemind, with each individual knowing the thoughts of each other individual. Why do they need to record the memories, if they're being stored within the minds of each dwarf in the settlement? When dwarves pass away in the city, their minds have been connected with the community for their entire lives. Why aren't their memories and thoughts stored within the communial hivemind, or within the minds of other dwarves? Also, what is it like for the dwarves to be in the hiveminds? As in, how do they keep their sense of self, small that it is, when they just receive thoughts from everyone around them, critiquing their idea? How do the hiveminds prevent themselves from forming a limited sentience that directs the workers on their tasks, similar to the Elder Brains in Orlyndol? How do the Dwarves and Illithids react? How do the dwarves respond to immersion within Orlyndol, Xortal, or any other place that has a hivemind within it, or one major prevailing mind that directs other minds? Within the hivemind societies, why would a dwarf ever become an adventurer? Others can shoot the idea right out of their minds. Also, are there any stats for the powers of a dwarven hivemind, or is it just DM jurisdiction? Can the dwarves within a hivemind manipulate the thoughts of others in the hivemind? Can the community at large do it, forming a censorship dictated by the will of the community? Do Dwarven Psions have any racial substitution levels, and/or special powers within the hivecities? Their mind contains powers beyond what a normal dwarf's does. How would the presence of a new, powerful psychic power potentially influence a hivecity? For example, a high or epic level Wilder dwarf getting integrated into a hivecity. What could be expected? Also, what kind of deed would have to be done for the hivecity for you to earn the right to stay there and be welcomed as a guest? What effect would the hivecitymind have on, say, a Servitor from Orlyndol? Or an illithid? Finally, what actually destroys the dwarven hive-cities? Their power is imprinted on the actual stone of the city, and it can be moved by the mind. What can destroy the cities to such an extent that it doesn't immediately reform after the catastrophe happen? What can cause the birth of a new hivecity? What effects does the Worldspirit of the Lattice have on the dwarven cities in the deep?

[Zetapup]

Could a trepek be attached to the front of a creature larger than itself? Could it attack with all limbs without penalty? Could the creature it's attached to also attack? This makes me think of a trepek wielding 5 double daggers and easily dealing 10d4+x dmg per round. Bwahaha.

[arguskos]

Hm... I haven't really been asking questions lately...

Cause I haven't been around. Don't sweat it.

Trepeks: With regard to the original idea of Trepeks replacing their actual parts, how does it work? Can they just say off a limb, forge a new one out of X material, and then just stick it on? Or is it an imbuing process, in which they make a magic item to serve as the limb? Or is it irreparable until they get a regeneration spell? If they can make new limbs, what parts can be replaced? For example, can a whole trepek be reconstructed from the remains of one arm? If the center is reparable, if it was cut in half, would it be possible for two copies of a trepek to be made from the halves? Are there any known trepeks who do reforge their bodies? How are they viewed by the trepeks and dragons at large? What materials would commonly be used if they were reforged? What impacts do they have on game mechanics, if it was just one limb or so replaced? Finally, what impact would the reforged trepeks have if/when they become reintegrated into the creche-forges from which they came?

In order:

• Yes, they can just remove limbs. It causes damage of course, but magical healing can help forestall that. It's basically surgery.
• The parts of a trepek that can be replaced are the limbs and the eye. If the eye is destroyed, the trepek is blind until it is replaced. If the core is destroyed, the trepek is dead, do not pass go, do not collect $200.
• Trepek are not starfish, they don't naturally regenerate nor can you create two trepek out of one if you cut one in half. They have a spiritual aspect that can't be duplicate without a créche forge.
• There are trepek who specialize in body reconstruction. In fact, that's the idea behind trepek components, which are exactly what they sound like. Trepek were designed to be modular, and they are very good at it. There are examples of trepek with bolt rifles attached to turrets that rise out of their core, trepek with tank-like treads on the bottom of their core, and trepek with magically powered jets in their limbs that let them fly with amazing precision. Each trepek's components are unique, and trepek as a race treat their components as part of their identity.
• Game mechanics are sticky. Generally, I'm going to go ahead and say that reforging like this is just a case of a trepek getting a new component, and adjudicate based on the individual case.
• None. If a trepek is returned to a créche forge, they are melted down and turned into a new trepek. The dragons who run the forges aren't sentimental.

Dwarves: So, you say that the dwarves occasionally scribe their memories and thoughts in the stone around their village. However, you also attribute them to having a hivemind, with each individual knowing the thoughts of each other individual. Why do they need to record the memories, if they're being stored within the minds of each dwarf in the settlement? When dwarves pass away in the city, their minds have been connected with the community for their entire lives. Why aren't their memories and thoughts stored within the communial hivemind, or within the minds of other dwarves? Also, what is it like for the dwarves to be in the hiveminds? As in, how do they keep their sense of self, small that it is, when they just receive thoughts from everyone around them, critiquing their idea? How do the hiveminds prevent themselves from forming a limited sentience that directs the workers on their tasks, similar to the Elder Brains in Orlyndol? How do the Dwarves and Illithids react? How do the dwarves respond to immersion within Orlyndol, Xortal, or any other place that has a hivemind within it, or one major prevailing mind that directs other minds? Within the hivemind societies, why would a dwarf ever become an adventurer? Others can shoot the idea right out of their minds. Also, are there any stats for the powers of a dwarven hivemind, or is it just DM jurisdiction? Can the dwarves within a hivemind manipulate the thoughts of others in the hivemind? Can the community at large do it, forming a censorship dictated by the will of the community? Do Dwarven Psions have any racial substitution levels, and/or special powers within the hivecities? Their mind contains powers beyond what a normal dwarf's does. How would the presence of a new, powerful psychic power potentially influence a hivecity? For example, a high or epic level Wilder dwarf getting integrated into a hivecity. What could be expected? Also, what kind of deed would have to be done for the hivecity for you to earn the right to stay there and be welcomed as a guest? What effect would the hivecitymind have on, say, a Servitor from Orlyndol? Or an illithid? Finally, what actually destroys the dwarven hive-cities? Their power is imprinted on the actual stone of the city, and it can be moved by the mind. What can destroy the cities to such an extent that it doesn't immediately reform after the catastrophe happen? What can cause the birth of a new hivecity? What effects does the Worldspirit of the Lattice have on the dwarven cities in the deep?

• The recording has to do with how dwarven language works. See, dwarves communicate naturally not with words, but with runes and telepathy in conjunction (this is actually in the Language section on the first page). Dwarven telepathy is limited, it can only deal with emotions, intentions, the intangibles. Dwarven runic script handles the hard facts, numbers, dates, places, punctuation, etc. Together, they form a unified communication method. To record history, dwarves have to inscribe the facts into the stone, so that they can be referenced again and again over the generations (since simple word of mouth may be lost, forgotten, or misunderstood). Combined with the hivemind, which can communicate the emotional impact of the historical murals, you have a living historical record.
• Dwarven memories are retained after death, kind of. Their grave marker is added to the city, and contains both the factual record of their existence and the emotional impact they provided the city with (again, recorded by the hivemind).
• Dwarven sense of self again comes from the quirky behavior of their language. Their ideas can't be critiqued through pure telepathy. Also, dwarves have some control over their "broadcasting" as it was. Base-level contact with others is akin to radar, you know where someone is. It takes an act of will to seek their emotional state and to make contact. Think of it like our sense of hearing. I can hear everything around me, but without some focusing, I might not catch the particulars of the sound. Same idea.
• The hiveminds ARE sentient, much like Orlyndol's elder brains. However, where Orlyndolians have true telepathy, the dwarves have their odd variety, which transfers to their hiveminds. Hiveminds exist as repositories of information and for civic functions, not as taskmasters. Think of a dwarven hivemind like a comforting presence in the back of your mind, always there if you need it, but it never actively bothers you or bosses you around.
• Dwarves and illithids understand one another well, actually. Dwarves appreciate the illithid dedication to tasks and their formidable mental acuity, and illithids appreciate dwarven tenacity, determination, and growing mental powers. Illithids do tend to look at dwarves as still in the throes of evolution though, which is probably right, given that dwarves are a relatively young race.
• Dwarves integrate well into other hiveminds. In Orlyndol, they fit perfectly with the elder brains, though dwarves tend to think of the elder brains as a bit pushy. In Xortal, dwarves are at home, with the jungle feeling much like their hiveminds.
• Dwarves adventure out of a sense of boredom. Dwarven society is... rigid. They are not flexible people, much like the earth they live in. Many young dwarves wish to exercise their abilities, explore the world they are a part of, and to bring this knowledge back to their cities and share it with the hivemind for future generations.
• Mechanically, the hivemind of a city is up to the DM. Personally, since it's not even a real being in a sense we understand, I wouldn't bother stating it out. If you absolutely must, I would only stat out the largest hiveminds, and they'd be zeitgeists, from Cityscape.
• Censorship is unknown in dwarven society. Their telepathy is not powerful enough to censor thoughts (not even illithid telepathy is that strong by default), and dwarves see little point in censoring ideas. Instead, censor-worthy thoughts are put to a vote through the hivemind (which has true telepathy and can function as a relay station if required), and if it is agreed, the thought is rejected by the hivemind. This doesn't mean you can't have it, just that it's not going to be implemented.
• Dwarven Psions will have racial substitution levels, as will Psychic Warriors.
• Integration into a hivecity is fairly simple. If you ask it of the community, they again put it to a vote through the hivemind (like the censorship thing), and if the community decides you're cool enough or whatever to deserve it, then the hivemind links to your thoughts. However, and this is critical, you MUST have some form of psionic ability to link into a city. If you are in a hivemind with a dwarf already, that counts.
• Servitors are mindless, existing as pure extensions of the will of the elder brain. If you somehow got one to a dwarven hivecity, I'd imagine they wouldn't know what to do with it.
• Hivecities are created from large concentrations of dwarves, and are sustained by their presence. Only the very oldest and largest of hivecities are established enough to actually have suffused the rock itself. Any hivecity that isn't that established (read: almost all of them) can be dissipated via just killing or driving away all the dwarves that composed it. However, the older hiveminds that are connected to the earth can't be so easily destroyed, and can endure without dwarves for years, decades even. You could manage to kill that one though, by destroying every mural and piece of history in the city along with killing/driving off all the dwarves. Seems a bit extreme though.
• The Lattice does indeed hold two of the World Spirits. The Green One, sleeping deep beneath Xortal, and one other. The identity and nature of the third World Spirit is unknown, and what effect it might have on the Lattice, and its inhabitants, is equally unclear.

Could a trepek be attached to the front of a creature larger than itself? Could it attack with all limbs without penalty? Could the creature it's attached to also attack? This makes me think of a trepek wielding 5 double daggers and easily dealing 10d4+x dmg per round. Bwahaha.

In theory, yes. As for attacks, depends on how it is attached, but it is theoretically possible, yes.

[Zetapup]

Is it at all possible for non-goblins to rule a goblin tribe, i.e., an ogre or somesuch defeating the previous leader, etc. Do the different goblinoids mostly keep to their own species besides traders like the orogs? If kobolds make darkfire frequently in their living spaces, wouldn't some of the powder spill onto the floor and lead to fire hazards? Or do kobolds only make darkfire in alchemical labs which are cleaned regularly?

[arguskos]

Is it at all possible for non-goblins to rule a goblin tribe, i.e., an ogre or somesuch defeating the previous leader, etc. Do the different goblinoids mostly keep to their own species besides traders like the orogs?

They keep to their own people when in the wilds of Khavghotan. In the cities, it's much more cosmopolitan, but racial tensions run high of course.

Note: the traders are the varags, not the orogs.

If kobolds make darkfire frequently in their living spaces, wouldn't some of the powder spill onto the floor and lead to fire hazards? Or do kobolds only make darkfire in alchemical labs which are cleaned regularly?

They work in polished stone caverns and are meticulous with their clean-up duties. Of course, accidents are accidents, and the kobolds have a word to describe this, tssikiat. In Common, it's known as blow-out. Tssikiat is the phenomenon where loose darkfire powder ignites spontaneously, causing a massive chain reaction throughout the entire warren that's almost always 100% fatal to the entire clan. Tssikiat is rare, at best, but when it happens, it's a remembered event.

[Zetapup]

Note: the traders are the varags, not the orogs.

I thought that their airships might aid in shipping for transportation and so I inferred they might also be traders.

Nice to know kobolds take precautionary measures.

Were the Dark Five around at the time that the orogs were floating on the Spirit Wind? If so, wouldn't they go to them because the qualnargan created orogs? Still, the idea of many spirits forming into a deific entity is pretty cool. Could other numerous beings that are determined to not go into the afterlife join together, or is it too rare for souls to resist the flow of the spirit wind? This has me now thinking of Starcraft archons.

[arguskos]

I thought that their airships might aid in shipping for transportation and so I inferred they might also be traders.

It does, but that's between nations. Inside of Khavghotan, the varags are the kings of trade. There's very few airship docks inside the country.

Nice to know kobolds take precautionary measures.

They make fire, of course they do.

Were the Dark Five around at the time that the orogs were floating on the Spirit Wind? If so, wouldn't they go to them because the qualnargan created orogs? Still, the idea of many spirits forming into a deific entity is pretty cool. Could other numerous beings that are determined to not go into the afterlife join together, or is it too rare for souls to resist the flow of the spirit wind? This has me now thinking of Starcraft archons.

Were the Dark Five around? Debatable. See the spoiler below for details.

However, the question of the orogs is valid, and the answer is no. Kor'tel'ress was formed precisely because the orogs had nowhere to go. The qualnargan were not treated as gods by the orogs, merely as terrible and foul slavemasters. Even if the Dark Five existed then, the orogs certainly wouldn't worship them.

As for the idea of other beings resisting the Wind in a similar fashion, perhaps. The orogs didn't really "resist" the Wind, it's just that they had no destination. If you somehow acquired millions of souls with no afterlife waiting for them, they too would drift upon the currents of the Wind like the orogs did, and perhaps another divine gestalt might form. However, such an event is vanishingly unlikely. Some few sages though, theorize that just this happened with the avians in the Catastrophe, but since they had no one left to worship the created being, it simply died of spiritual neglect. Such a death would be... horrifying, to say the least.

Aside about the Dark Five:

Spoiler

Show

The creation of the Dark Five is curious. Their exact ascension date is unclear. Some scholars of divinity believe that the Dark Five ascended upon the creation of the qualnargan. Others think that the Dark Five ascended during the Shadowstar Wars. The majority though, believe that they managed to steal a portion of the power of the Emperor of Intolar (around the year 300 OM, by most estimates; also around this time, the creature that empowers the Shadows came to be trapped under Xanteld, and it is thought that this creature was a sixth qualnargan that failed in their bid to steal divinity and was imprisoned for his trouble) and used that to empower themselves to true divinity, bypassing one of the Rules of Divinity (the one about worship, though likely worship sustains them now). As there's five of them, Rule #10 basically can't apply to them, since they never turn on one another and there's not enough divinities to remove one of them without the consent of the others, meaning their "hack" into godhood has gone unchallenged. The Dark Five are mistrusted and hated by the other gods, who view them as pretenders above their station.

[Zetapup]

For some reason I like the word orog more than varag. Hmmm. I figured that they were both interchangable as far as trading went. Ah well.

Nice to know more about the Dark Five. What's the mininum number of worshippers required for a being to gain no power, but not die? What's the average number of goblins in a tribe and of kobolds in a warren? How much dark fire do the kobolds have at any one time? Do kobolds trap the warrens? If so, what sort of traps are they?

[arguskos]

For some reason I like the word orog more than varag. Hmmm. I figured that they were both interchangable as far as trading went. Ah well.

I do too, but so it is.

What's the mininum number of worshippers required for a being to gain no power, but not die?

There isn't a clear lower bound. It depends on the god. Theoretically, one being's worship could sustain a very weak god indefinitely. The Dark Five managed to cheat the system via theft and collectivism.

What's the average number of goblins in a tribe and of kobolds in a warren?

Goblins: Average across all the tribes? Oh I don't know, let's call it a few hundred.
Kobolds: Again, averaged across all the warrens? Hundreds.

How much dark fire do the kobolds have at any one time?

Joke answer: See below.

Real answer: Depends on the warren. The more secluded the warren, the more darkfire they have on hand at any given moment (they stockpile it).

Do kobolds trap the warrens? If so, what sort of traps are they?

Yes. All of them, all at once, all the time, forever.

[arguskos]

A friend of mine IRL has a slew of good questions, so I thought I might answer them here, for all those to see. Buddy, hope you don't mind!

INTOLAR
1) What's Intolar's geography like? You only mention desolate and cold, which seems incongruous given that they grow all their own food. I recall seeing some pictures of red earth?

It's a scrubland, basically. It's not warm (average summer temp is around 60-65˚ F), but it's warm enough to sustain crops. The landscape is much like that of the Dakotas in the US, red and orange outcroppings of rock, dirt and scrub as far as the eye can see.

2) Is there much communication within the Intolar church? Any infighting? While you did mention that the organization of the church as a whole is vastly more significant than the clergy of any single god, the diametric opposition of some gods coupled with the secular positions of power available in the priesthood seems like it might encourage some rivalry.

There's quite a bit of inter-faith communication, actually. The faith of Ean unifies the others into a whole that's fairly workable. There is also quite a bit of jockeying for position and prestige. However, the unified Church of the Nine-Faced Lords has a ruling council of eleven members, the high priest of each faith and the church patriarch, currently High Inquisitor Darrius Alexander. The patriarch is elected from the ranks of the council (his old position being filled in by another member of his faith), and no one church can have two consecutive patriarchs come from its ranks, thus ensuring that the position rotates at least somewhat between faiths.

3) Why is the current High Inquisitor focused on claiming the position of Emperor? It seems highly unlikely that the artifacts would choose him; he's one in a nation of millions.

The working of the election artifacts is unclear. Darrius is gambling that by extending his life and showing extreme devotion, he can goad Pyaray into bargaining with his siblings for Darrius's selection to the Throne. Whether or not his theory has merit is unknown.

4) The Arcane Institute conscripts sorcerers, from what I understand. Do they also train wizards? Can anyone learn magic in Z-R (I'm almost certain this was answered with a 'no' at some point)? If no, what determines whether or not someone can become a mage?

Magic is called The Art and The Gift in Z-R, much like the Forgotten Realms, and they're apt titles. Magic in Z-R is the fundamental life energy of the universe, what everything is constructed on. Much like a great artist, such as Monet or Beethoven, not everyone can see The Art or has The Gift. It's a rare talent, and though it can be taught to some degree, true mastery is rare and cannot be taught, imparted, or duplicated. It's essentially random.

For mechanical purposes, it's irrelevant of course. If a player wishes to be an arcanist, they easily can be. Mechanically speaking, anything about Caster Level 5 or so can't really be taught, and can only be achieved by someone with the gift of magic.

5) Are the majority of Intolar's political position's appointed? The government seems to be essentially a 'Divine Right' sort of deal, but how does say an average citizen attempt to work their way into the bureaucracy? Do military officials occasionally hold civilian posts as well?

It's a theocratic meritocracy, for lack of a better way to explain it. Yes, there's a lot of "The Emperor appoints them" going on, but a citizen of merit can easily and swiftly rise through the ranks. Lowly citizens have gone from being farmers to advisors to the Emperor himself in the past, and it could easily happen again.

As for military officials, yes, some do retire from service and take up civilian posts. Others are career military, much like our world.

KHAVGHOTAN
6) What's transport like for the average Khavghotani? I assume the average citizen can't afford airships, and roads are likely nonexistant. The rocky nature and hellish weather make horses seem an unlikely option; do they have some other mount that is often used? For some reason worgs spring to mind, I think LotR has made me automatically associate worgs with goblinoids.

I was going to actually get around to creating a unique mount. Currently, the best explanation I have for it is that yes, there is a mount they have, a sort of furred lizard thing with 6 or so legs that they ride and can navigate the terrain fairly easily. Haven't named it yet though.

Think of the Acklay from Star Wars 2 (that big spider-like thingy), make it somewhat smaller and furry, and you're pretty much there.

7) How extensive are the caverns under Khavghotan? I assume they have a substantial underground ecosystem, since aboveground is freezing and mining produces and exposes a large number of caves.

The Upper Lattice is thick there, about 2 miles through, and is shot through with a lot of caves (many mined out originally). One could easily lose yourself in the cavern system there without much trouble.

8) Does Khavghotan maintain an actual military?

Yes. The Khavghotani Council maintains an "official" military, but in reality each councilman and each race maintains their own private armies. If you brought them all together, you'd have somewhere in the vicinity of a good 3-4 million warriors. Never happens though. Didn't even happen during the Shadowstar Wars.

9) I'd like to know a little more about airships. Are they magical, mechanical or both? Why is docking a necessity, beyond obtaining supplies/dropping off travelers? Is the technology to build airships widely available; are they seen at all outside Khavghotan? I assume if the illithidae mastered space flight they could manage an airship. How quickly can they travel? Are they the main method of transport across the oceans? And how much distance separates nations over the water, while we're on that topic?

The airships are both. They're functionally zeppelins with a heavily guarded secret magical propulsion system that involves funneling magically enhanced darkfire powder (bought by the orogs from a kobold clan living in one of the mountains of Jor'koth) into a furnace that burns it at a far higher potency than is chemically possible. This furnace powers a field that surrounds the ship and produces a powerful air current that pulls the ship forward. Think of it like this: the airship makes its own currents and floats on them).

Docking is needed because the furnace is either on or off. If it is on, they're moving. If it's off, they're just floating. Getting up and down from the ground is difficult (they never developed propellers or anything that our zeppelins have), so they instead build large spires to dock with for loading/unloading supplies and passengers and refueling.

The technology to build airships is a closely guarded orog secret. Even bigger of a secret is that they didn't figure it out. An illithid did, and sold it to Jor'koth in exchange for a cut of their future profits from the device. That nameless illithid gains 1% of Jor'koth's yearly profits, a not insignificant amount.

Airships aren't super fast. Call it around 50 mph.

They're the main method of transport to and from Theactgkatic. Ships are easier though, and more common.

Z-R is about twice the size of Earth. The central ocean (I need to name the oceans, by the way >_>) is around 1.5x the size of the Atlantic Ocean.

10) Orog souls join with Kor'tel'ress upon death, correct? Is their individuality subsumed into the collective?

Yes, and yes.

11) Is there any class structure in Khavghotan? Obviously not in the rural areas beyond 'BLAR I AM BIG AND THEREFORE CHIEF, DO WHAT I SAY' but in areas like Theactgkatic, I can easily imagine vast gulfs between the rich and poor and more privileged races living in their own compounds while gnolls and goblins are relegated to the slums and ghettos.

Of course there is. Basically, it's "we have money, so do what we say". There are the gulfs you imagine. Think of anything you've seen in real life, and it applies here too.

ALYKANDOR
12) Is worship of the Dark Prince prevalent in Alykandor? It seems as though the true elves have not been exposed to the populace on any large scale. How many true elves are in Alykandor anyway? There was mention of a camp of a few hundred, but the population number would indicate around a hundred thousand.

There's a little under 100,000 true elves in Alykandor, give or take. Many are itinerant wanderers, observing and not really settling down. There's a lot of contact between Stular and the Lattice below. There's only one permanent camp of purely true elves on the surface, and that's the one you referenced. The remainder of the population of them are just mixed into the population of Alykandor (one true elf even serves in Myshella's court).

13) What does an average middle class elven home look like (assume moderate political stance, if such a thing exists). Is steam cheap enough to be applied by relatively well off citizens on a daily basis? What about in industry? What about in like...farming? Do farmers use steam-sickles, that would be both hilarious and awesome, though I suppose some kind of tractor-like device would be more practical. Do Traditionalists bother making their own steamblades/bows? I recall mention that homes featured were often open to the elements; are there exceptions on Loheb due to the weather?

An average middle-class (meaning merchant, artist, teacher, military officer, etc) elven home depends pretty heavily on if they're a Technologist or Traditionalist. If you're talking about the moderates, they make generous use of steam technology, but not to excessive degrees. A merchant might have a steam-powered sorter for his store, allowing him to sort and shelve things rapidly, but he might use a traditional till for sales. A sculptor might have a cheap steam-powered golem to help him move around heavy materials, but would sculpt everything by hand. That sorta thing.

Steam is cheap enough to be used in every day life, though not excessively (unless you make it, steal it, or have money). Farmers do sometimes use large steam-powered devices like tractors if they can afford it. There are steam-scythes, by the way.

Traditionalists do make steambows and steamblades. That's part of the culture and has been for almost a thousand years. Their homes are a bit more open, but those are mostly the megalith homes.

14) Are the famous Alykandorian bridges made out of stone? Are they supported by physical properties alone, or are they sustained by magic? Is erosion of supports an issue? The image of Kahlai as pristine white stone towers rising out of the ocean, at the heart of three bridges is pretty damn awesome.

Yes and no. The bridge itself (the part you walk on) is made from thin sheets of Alykandorian marble (a pristine white marble that is amazingly resilient and doesn't scuff) laid overtop of plates of force. The supports take a cue from reinforced concrete, but instead of concrete and rebar, it's high-tensile steel and bars of magical force. Think riverine.

It's... technically possible to erode the supports, but it'd be so difficult you might as well just flat-out invade the country.

Kahlai is indeed made from Alykandorian marble.

15) Megaliths. I'm just gonna apologize in advance for the retarded questions I ask here. The force magic that moves the stone can't be affected, but what about the stone itself? What's the effect of addition of mass to the monoliths; does their velocity remain constant? If so, have elven scientists looked into using the monolith's motion to provide energy? What would happen if I cast stone shape and tried to expand a monolith by fusing additional stone to it? What if I cast wall of force in the path of a monolith? What if I break off piece of a monolith, does it continue to orbit?

'sallgood man.

The megaliths themselves seem to be immune to magic that alters them in any way. You can chisel into them, but you have to do it manually, can't do it with magic. That means that though the elves did look into using them as power sources, you have no real way to control them or alter their forms. The best you could do is run fans off of them, but then you still don't have a way to get that energy into a useful form (no one's invented capacitors or batteries, after all).

If you intersect the path of a monolith with something, it wins, pretty much always. If you break a monolith, there seems to be an area within it stays in the orbit it was holding, but if the piece is taken out of that area it becomes inert rock. This was discovered in the Shadowstar Wars, when the qualnargan used siege weaponry to blow a monolith that the military was using as a weapons platform out of the sky. A lot of pieces stayed together in a kind of cloud. Eventually, it was dispersed by the qualnargan.

16) Did the dessication effect of E17 pass through the vacuum? Magic can exist in a vacuum right?

Yes and yes.

17) Is the Body Politic elected or appointed? What about local government? If Solith Kajuth took a side, the Body would still be unable to act, since a 2/3 majority is needed, right?

The Body Politic is appointed, but local government is elected in general.

If Solith takes a side, that side now out-numbers the other by one. They could then simply deny the other side's motions and actions by weight of numbers until of the others switched sides, making it 6-3 and forcing through a viewpoint on the E17 situation.

18) Are the Nihrain organized? It seems like they'd want to share their results, but on the other hand I imagine organizing would make them that much easier to track down.

They're a webbed organization, meaning that each member of the Nihrain knows about three others and that's it. Even the leadership only knows a few others, preventing leaks (if you want to get from Joe the low-level grunt to the leader, you have to literally capture and interrogate like 19 people, and hope you get lucky). Additionally, the Nihrain use code names and disguises when they meet. Almost no one in the organization knows anyone else's true identities. They share information in this fashion, passing it along via word of mouth through disguises, intermediaries, and minions. There's only a small handful of "true" Nihrain, maybe only a thousand in all of Z-R, with a great number of servants and minions. Each member is a zealot for the cause of technology and almost all are considered equals.

ORLYNDOL
19) Is the illithid lifespan significantly above 126? It seems like all illithids manage to live long enough to undergo reabsorption, so it stands to reason there's either very little variance or they live much longer on average.

It's unknown. There's been like 3 illithids in their entire history who've avoided reabsorption, and they're universally criminals or in hiding with the Gashtek (only one is alive today, and has only reached 130; he shows no physical ailments out of the ordinary).

The current working theory of the Gashtek is that illithids have been designed to exist perpetually. Their biology seems to continually rebuild itself with no end in sight. It is believed that, if left alone long enough, the system would eventually develop enough transcription errors that the illithid would die, but it could take hundreds of years for that to happen. So far, it's never been tested.

20) Does Orlyndol have a banking system? Their currency is completely awesome but it seems like large transactions would get quite weighty, and I'm sure their culture is developed enough to sustain such a system. For that matter, do any other cultures use banks? Are they mostly private sector, or do any governments support the banking system (assuming they y'know, have one).

Orlyndol does have a banking system, enforced by the will of the elder brains. However, it is only for inter-city transactions. When buying something in your own city, it's cheap enough that they just pay with crystals. Additionally, the banking system of Orlyndol is not open to outsiders for any reason, nor does any other nation recognize their banknotes.

Basically no one else has such a system. The trepek do provide occasional banking services for special clients, but that's a case-by-case situation.

21) Do the illithids have any other bioengineered servants besides the servitors? Is bioengineering a field that's occasionally selected by illithids?

Yes, there are other creations. For example, living steel, and the sentients that they once used as food. Are there going to be others? Yeah, probably at some point in the future.

Also, yes, many illithids do select bioengineering as a field of study.

22) New illithid cities have been built in the past. If each city has an elder brain, are elder brains created explicitly to colonize new areas, or are new spires built whenever a new elder brain arises? How do elder brains come to be?

No city has been created in thousands of years and the process is unclear. In fact, Orlyndol has been LOSING population recently. The elder brains have been generating less and less tadpoles each year for almost a hundred years now, ever since the Shadowstar Wars. The brightest minds of Orlyndol are trying to find a reason and a solution, but one hasn't been reached yet.

As to the actual question, the process would likely involve all the elder brains communicating between one another and generating a new one (which would require the willing sacrifice of dozens, if not hundreds, of brilliant illithids to impart their minds and knowledge to the nascent elder). Then, it would be installed into a spire created for it. The task would require the unified effort of most of the race, it's not a light task.

23) Are the glass spires that house the illithid completely transparent? What about the interior, are all the walls transparent as well? I assume the glass is magically reinforced?

The city walls themselves are... complex. Made from a unique kind of transparent ultra-hard glass and sheathed in a magical repellant field, the towers are nearly indestructible (in fact, it was the tower construction that permitted Orlyndol to remain unconquered in the wars, the qualnargan weren't quite sure how to breach them and never managed to). Their opacity is at the whim of the elder brain. For the most part, they are mirrored, meaning they can't be looked through from the outside but can be from the inside. Interior walls are made from the same material (sans the repellant field) and are alterable in color and opacity at whim.

24) How dangerous are the jungles of Orlyndol? I get the impression that they're relatively harmless, at least as far as jungles go. Are explorers permitted to enter the jungle; it seems it would be difficult to prevent them from doing so. Are the majority of the creatures in the jungle natural, or illithid made?

Fairly, actually. However, everything that lives and moves in those jungles has been altered in a very minor way: illithid telepathy scares and harms them, and they flee from it naturally. This permits illithids to move about without fear of danger, but causes trespassers trouble since the wildlife has no qualms about eating them.

NORTHWIND
25) Do the trepek buy information, as well as sell it?

Yes.

26) Do the trepek need to eat? If so, can they farm within their bubble, or do they import everything they (and their guests) need?

No, they do not need to eat.

27) Do many trepek leave Northwind? I personally can't imagine wanting to live there, and I doubt the information brokers there could get all the information they need just from travelers; a few well-placed agents could go a long way.

Yes, most do in fact. The trepek in Northwind are not the entirety of the race.

XORTAL
28) Flora are affected by Xortal, but what about fauna? Is there a pronounced effect on beasts who live on Xortal for long periods? What about sentients? What about those that eat food that's 'native' to Xortal? What would happen if you force fed a beast dirt from Xortal over an extended period?

Yes, animals suffer the same effect as plants do. However, sentients seem to be immune, or at least so resistant that no such effect has been yet reported on them.

Also, if you force-fed a bear Xortal dirt, it'd die. Bears don't eat dirt, after all.

29) Any unique diseases on Xortal? I shudder to think of the effect Xortalian hostility and growth would have on microorganisms.

Oh yes, all sorts of them.

30) Where exactly is the Green One? Is its body the jungle itself, or somewhere beneath it? Is it a localized physical presence, or a spiritual force?

The Green One's physical body is located in the Deep Lattice, around 30 miles down, beneath the Serpentes citadel at the base of the world. Its feelers reach from that deep resting place all the way to the surface, interfacing with the forest above.

31) Could you give an example of a unique plant and a unique beast native to Xortal? Seems like it'd be fun to come up with a few creative critters. Does Xortal have a great deal of water? Lakes? Rivers?

The Xortal Spider Plant is a good plant that exemplifies Xortal's effect on plant life. It's a sticky moss-like plant that appears to be green spiders overlapping one another in a carpet of moss that covers everything. The plant is carnivorous, covering any fleshy thing that stops on it too long and beginning to dissolve it with a powerful acid that the moss produces. It can be found basically everywhere and is symbiotic with certain trees, passing on big boosts of nutrients from captured and killed animals to the tree in exchange for the tree providing it with general sustenance when the moss can't capture anything.

A good animal example is what the Intolians call a treeleaper. Treeleapers are small furred sloth-looking creatures that move rapidly through the trees, eating fruits, leaves, birds, small snakes, etc. They have a primitive pack mentality, and pack wars are common. Their teeth and claws are well-developed for climbing and come in handy during fights. They nest high in the canopy, where they can sun themselves when not hunting or gathering.

Xortal does have a good deal of water, with a decent number of large rivers that run from the center of the nation out to the ocean. There's no known major lakes.

32) What race is most prevalent in the Khavghotani city? Hobbies?

Fairly even, but likely hobgoblins are most prevalent. Their military mindset keeps the city running.

Hobbies? Uh... not dying.

33) What do the serpentes look like? What was their race like before they were forced into self-sacrifice to save their world? How talented are they magically?

The Serpentes are basically the Sarrukh from Forgotten Realms, so they look like this. Their coloration changes a great deal, of course, they've existed for so long that their original, natural, forms have been lost, even to them.

In the mists of pre-history, when they were a dominant race, the Serpentes were very in-tune with the natural world. They created jungles just to see if they could and created life like gods. They were an areligious race. After all, why do you need gods when you basically are gods, right? They were peace-loving, but as the global situation deteriorated, turned their knowledge of life into a weapon, unleashing terrible plagues and devastating diseases on the avians, aquians, and dragons. It was their actions that provoked the draconic mages into drawing on shadow magic and it was as penance for their abominable crimes that they volunteered to attempt to fix what had been done. In the final tally of that nightmarish war, the draconic scribes of Tharkrixghantix estimated that over 50% of the casualties of the war had been directly caused by the plagues and diseases of the Serpentes druids.

As for their magical talent, the handful of remaining Serpentes have a mastery over areas of magic that the lesser races aren't even aware exist. They can manipulate the building blocks of life on a level that even we today in reality are barely grasping at. DNA? Easy, a snap for them. Their lesser mages could write DNA like computer code, altering and reshaping it at their whim. Their great mages and druids could create new life from thin air, using the fundamental elements of creation to their advantage. Even the dragons have yet to match their prowess in this, though such knowledge is fantastically dangerous. In the Serpentes vaults in Xortal are stored every spell, all their knowledge, every remnant of their once-mighty race. If it was to be rediscovered, the knowledge therein could destroy the world with little effort. Zaaman-Rul is too weak to survive another war of that scale.

EDGE
34) What percentage of the globe does the edge cover? I imagine it covering about a third. Is there a 'lip' to the Edge so the world's oceans just don't drain into it? They might anyway if there were any underwater caves at all though, huh. When in doubt, the explanation is magic.

About half of it, maybe 45% if you want a number.

As to the oceans, that's a good question. The Edge has water, actually. The oceans of the world flow all the way around it. It's not entirely clear how or why they do this. Nothing lives in the Edge's oceans though.

35) Are the qualnargan proficient in shadow magic? Are they the only practitioners? What exactly are the goals of the qualnargan? I assume they want the shadow magic, right? If they were originally the strongest of the explorers who reached the world's heart, and they're even stronger now, it stands to reason they could find their way back, and tear out the power they want at its source.

The qualnargan are indeed proficient in shadow magic, and indeed are the only practitioners of it. Shadow magic is so absurdly dangerous to use that even they don't make much use of it. Think of reality as a faucet and magic as water. When you turn the faucet, water comes out. When you coax reality, you get magic. Ok, cool. Shadow magic is like if you took a hammer to the faucet and just ripped it open, letting the pipes run freely. Yeah, you get water, but you get it EVERYWHERE and in an uncontrolled fashion.

For example, shadow magic was used during the Shadowstar Wars on three occasions. The most memorable was during the first true engagement of the war, the Siege of Xanteld, where the qualnargan Entropy used shadow magic to annihilate the city as a warning to the rest of Intolar. He conjured a miniature sun made of darkness, and let its dark rays roast the city alive. Within an hour the city was devoid of all life but Entropy was unwilling to let that be the end of it. He moved the orb into position over the city and detonated it with the force of a hydrogen bomb. Xanteld was vaporized instantly. It was from this event that the wars were so named, as Entropy declared that "The shadow star has set on mortality."

The second occasion was when Inferno requested that a ogre-led Khavgotani force surrender to him, rather than endure a bloody battle. The goblinoids declined and attacked the qualnargan (who was alone against them). Inferno annihilated them with a firestorm of such potency that the average temperature in that region of Khavghotan was raised by six degrees. It still is raised, actually, but only by four degrees.

The final occasion was in the Breach of Tharkrixghantix, where Dream ensnared a draconic regiment (ten fully grown dragons, any one of which can obliterate armies of lesser sentients) with strings of shadow magic and used them like puppets against their allies. Supposedly, they were conscious and aware of what was happening as it happened.

As for the qualnargan's goals, it's actually not entirely clear. They seem to desire dominance over the entire planet, but to what end is not certain. The Serpentes (who were unaffected by the war) believe that they wish access to the life web that suffuses the planet so they can use it for their own nefarious purposes. Regardless, their true goals remain unclear.

36) The qualnargan created the orog, right? Do the orog need to eat/drink/breath/sleep? How did the qualnargan control the orog?

Yes, they did, and yes, the orog do all of those things. They were controlled by the same method you might control your pet ants: the qualnargan were as gods incarnate to them and the orogs obeyed out of fear/love/whatever.

LATTICE
37) I'm a little confused by your comment that the elves are true nomads, but have almost permanent settlements. Are they actually nomads, do they normally forage for food/water? Are food/water easily available in the Lattice? Presumable dwarves farm?

The vaaaaast majority of their race are nomads who indeed forage for food/water/supplies. However, they have one or two settlements that farm. As to the availability of supplies, it varies by region, much like anywhere else.

Also, dwarves do indeed farm.

38) Despite their hivemind, dwarves still possess individuality, right? They still choose their own professions, how to spend their time, etc?

Of course.

GENERAL
39) Has there been any exploration of the depths of Z-R's oceans? Is such a thing possible, magically or mechanically, by any of the races at present?

No, there hasn't been any by the current races. The old dominant species did of course explore the oceans, and one of the old races was even aquatic (the aquians). As to if it is even possible, yes, on a small scale. If any one race turned their full attention to it, then sure, it could be done on a large scale.

40) This was going to be a teleport question but it turned mechanical. Basically, what happens if you use a short range teleport spell and try to go through a wall? Speed increase can't really account for that.

Sure it can. You move around the wall to the other side really really fast. Now, going into a closed space is harder (read: not actually possible). There has to be some way to get to the destination.

[Fable Wright]

The qualnargan are indeed proficient in shadow magic, and indeed are the only practitioners of it. Shadow magic is so absurdly dangerous to use that even they don't make much use of it. Think of reality as a faucet and magic as water. When you turn the faucet, water comes out. When you coax reality, you get magic. Ok, cool. Shadow magic is like if you took a hammer to the faucet and just ripped it open, letting the pipes run freely. Yeah, you get water, but you get it EVERYWHERE and in an uncontrolled fashion.

For example, shadow magic was used during the Shadowstar Wars on three occasions. The most memorable was during the first true engagement of the war, the Siege of Xanteld, where the qualnargan Entropy used shadow magic to annihilate the city as a warning to the rest of Intolar. He conjured a miniature sun made of darkness, and let its dark rays roast the city alive. Within an hour the city was devoid of all life but Entropy was unwilling to let that be the end of it. He moved the orb into position over the city and detonated it with the force of a hydrogen bomb. Xanteld was vaporized instantly. It was from this event that the wars were so named, as Entropy declared that "The shadow star has set on mortality."

The second occasion was when Inferno requested that a ogre-led Khavgotani force surrender to him, rather than endure a bloody battle. The goblinoids declined and attacked the qualnargan (who was alone against them). Inferno annihilated them with a firestorm of such potency that the average temperature in that region of Khavghotan was raised by six degrees. It still is raised, actually, but only by four degrees.

The final occasion was in the Breach of Tharkrixghantix, where Dream ensnared a draconic regiment (ten fully grown dragons, any one of which can obliterate armies of lesser sentients) with strings of shadow magic and used them like puppets against their allies. Supposedly, they were conscious and aware of what was happening as it happened.

Two questions here:
1. Can we get a timeline of the events of the Shadowstar wars, preferably with image accompaniments?
2. Is there a method for player characters to get access to this magic in the setting? Would it be possible to make a prestige class for it?

Also, how do the Quarlnargan know how Common (Or how does the rest of the universe know Quarlnargan? )

Additionally, how were any of these events recorded? Aside from the last one, it seems that anyone near enough to witness the event clearly would be blasted to bits, their mind would melt at the sight of it, and certainly nowhere close enough to hear Entropy's call.

EDIT: Also, looking over the Orlyndol article, and you mentioned some of the master crafts. Specifically, the masterworks. First, how do you preserve mindsculpting? What is mindsculpting for the illithids? And what mechanical effects would Mastercraft music have?

[arguskos]

1. Can we get a timeline of the events of the Shadowstar wars, preferably with image accompaniments?

Sure. I'll hack one together, a rough one though, understand.

Rough Timeline:

Spoiler

Show

2,900 OM: The qualnargan strike suddenly into Z-R. The Siege of Xanteld is the first incident of war. Entropy sends a message to every government, announcing the war. Pundits christen it the Shadowstar War. The qualnargan Entropy is revealed.

2,900-2,904 OM: The war has not been on long and already it has ground into an ugly stalemate. The qualnargan have set up in-between Intolar and Khavghotan, occupying the center stretch of that continent, and engage in naval warfare with Alykandor and Orlyndol. The qualnargan that would become the Dark Five, Daggoth, Zasz, Nargil, and Kagg, are revealed. Araq's existence is mentioned, but he is never seen.

2,904-2,915 OM: Slowly, bit by bit, the orog armies led by Impulse and Revenant push deep into Khavghotan. By the end of 2,915 OM, only Theactgkatic and Thijis remained free. The qualnargan Impulse and Revenant are revealed.

2,915-2,928 OM: Alykandorian politics begin to degenerate at a rapidly accelerating pace. It is discovered by Queen Myshella that the qualnargan Memory had infiltrated their government. After a brutal fight with the Alykandorian Royal Guard, Memory is repelled from Kahlai. Alykandor stabilizes but loses ground in the naval war with the qualnargan. The qualnargan Memory is revealed.

2,928-2,944 OM: The wars are slow and little progress is made until the end of 2,944, when Inferno and Efreet reveal themselves and blitz Khavghotan's final lines of defense. Khavghotan is conquered by the end of 2,944 OM. The qualnargan Inferno and Efreet are revealed.

2,945 OM: The Dark Five infiltrate Shining Intolar City through secret passages deep beneath the city and confront Emperor Intolar 40 directly. The conflict is unclear, as there are no witnesses to it, but the Dark Five escape with a spark of the Emperor's divinity. They are not seen again for the duration of the war.

2,945-2,957 OM: Unable to break Alykandor and Orlyndol's naval defenses and having difficulty pushing into Intolar, the qualnargan resort to trickery. Phantasm and Dream infiltrate Intolar and Alykandor respectively, and alter army placement orders to open vulnerabilities in their defenses. Chontian and Sorana fall to the orog armies, and only the most desperate actions of the Alykandorian and Intolian militaries halt the qualnargan advances. The qualnargan Phantasm and Dream are revealed, though their presence isn't realized for several decades.

2,957-2,958 OM: The illithids, tired of the defensive and feeling secure in their own borders, stage a counter-offensive against the qualnargan. In the Second Battle of Chontian, Orlyndolian forces manage to defeat the qualnargan Entropy and drive back the qualnargan lines almost to the mountains. The illithids withdraw before the Intolian forces arrive.

2,958-2,988 OM: For the next thirty years, Phantasm and Dream continue to subvert the defenses of Alykandor and Intolar, but the internal auditors of both nations track them down, manage to uncover the qualnargan infiltration, and expel them. The war stalls for the time being.

2,988-2,999 OM: A wave of fresh orog warriors from the Edge arrives, as large as the first wave of warriors in 2,900 OM, led by Horror. The defenses of Zaaman-Rul are weakened from almost a century of warfare and Horror's new soldiers break them. Alykandor is reduced to Kahlai and Bakra by 2,990 and just Bakra in 2,999. Intolar is reduced to just Shining Intolar City by 2,999. Orlyndol's resources are stretched to the breaking point and they estimate that they'll be unable to continue the war effort in under two years. The qualnargan Horror is revealed.

3,000 OM: The qualnargan unify and breach into Tharkrixghantix, ending the war when the dragons respond by nearly eradicating the orogs and their masters with a purification by fire. The qualnargan Echo and Shadow are revealed.

3,001 OM: The Shadowstar Accords are signed by the surviving nations. Emperor Intolar 40 leaves the throne and Intolar 41 ascends to the Golden Throne. The war is ended.

2. Is there a method for player characters to get access to this magic in the setting? Would it be possible to make a prestige class for it?

Shadow magic is so dangerous, so absurdly nightmarish to use and interact with that it's not a wise idea. I mean, it could be done I think, but I cannot recommend against it strongly enough.

Mechanically, shadow magic is related to epic magic, though I haven't worked out the details yet.

Also, how do the Quarlnargan know how Common (Or how does the rest of the universe know Quarlnargan? )

Spies and magic, of course. Note that Qualnargan is a hidden language, meaning you have to have access to a language source for it.

Additionally, how were any of these events recorded? Aside from the last one, it seems that anyone near enough to witness the event clearly would be blasted to bits, their mind would melt at the sight of it, and certainly nowhere close enough to hear Entropy's call.

Again, magic. The Siege of Xanteld was publicized by the qualnargan as a fear tactic. The other two events were recorded by illithid eye in the skies, a network of mechanical constructs that were used for information gathering on the qualnargan. After the war, the events with Inferno and Dream were released to the public for viewing.

EDIT: Also, looking over the Orlyndol article, and you mentioned some of the master crafts. Specifically, the masterworks. First, how do you preserve mindsculpting? What is mindsculpting for the illithids? And what mechanical effects would Mastercraft music have?

Mindsculpting is... unsavory to outsiders. It consists of an illithid who uses his developed telepathic abilities to invade another creature's mind, alter their emotions, experiences, and feelings, then projects them into the minds of everyone in the audience. It's a very invasive process but creates unique effects that are beyond compare or description. The best mindsculpting targets are highly intelligent humanoids. Sadly, there is a danger with mindsculpting. It is invasive enough that mental resistance can force the sculptor to use excessive force and break the resistance, which can hurt the subject deeply.

Preserving mindsculpting is difficult. Only the impression on the audience can be preserved, and that is held by the elder brain as a memory.

Also, I have no idea what masterworks would look like mechanically. Haven't thought about mechanics much.

[Fable Wright]

Were there no Quarlnargan casualties during the war?

Also, I think I have an idea for making Shadow Magic work, and will be using it in the Prestige Class Contest, with the Epic Destiny of becoming a Quarlnargan. Do you have any good images for Shadow Magic/OH MY GOD MIND EXPLODE Eldritch Abomination?

[arguskos]

Were there no Quarlnargan casualties during the war?

No. No qualnargan have been killed. In fact, it's not even clear if they CAN be killed.

Also, I think I have an idea for making Shadow Magic work, and will be using it in the Prestige Class Contest, with the Epic Destiny of becoming a Quarlnargan. Do you have any good images for Shadow Magic/OH MY GOD MIND EXPLODE Eldritch Abomination?

I'm curious how you are doing that. Also, please, do remember to give me some credit, yes? I'd like to see how you do it, since it's epic magic in all but name.

Also, images for the effects of shadow magic:

Spoiler

Show

The first and last are from deviantArt and have their artists in the URLs. The second is just from the internet somewhere. Don't know where it's from, sorry.

I am... very very curious how you're going to work that out. Let me know, and if it looks appropriate, I'll add it to the mechanical thread if you're willing.

[arguskos]

Double post yadayada sorry kiddos, but I have a question for anyone who actually reads this thread.

I've been pondering the situation with the ibixians for sometime now, and I'm not very happy with them as it stands. However, I recently created a race that I AM happy with, the motramr or powerhouses, found here. Yes, they're based on pokeymanz shut up they're an awesome race.

My question to you folks: do you think it'd work to replace the ibixians with the motramr, and if so, would you be interested in seeing that? I would of course write new fluff for the motramr of Z-R.

Also, I'll be including a curious little section for each critter in the Pokémon thread that includes where you can find them in Z-R.

[Fable Wright]

Also, I'll be including a curious little section for each critter in the Pokémon thread that includes where you can find them in Z-R.

This sounds epic. Are there any items that can use Leomund's Secret Chest and Charm Monster at the same time in the setting?

Double post yadayada sorry kiddos, but I have a question for anyone who actually reads this thread.

I've been pondering the situation with the ibixians for sometime now, and I'm not very happy with them as it stands. However, I recently created a race that I AM happy with, the motramr or powerhouses, found here. Yes, they're based on pokeymanz shut up they're an awesome race.

My question to you folks: do you think it'd work to replace the ibixians with the motramr, and if so, would you be interested in seeing that? I would of course write new fluff for the motramr of Z-R.

The Ibixians, while somewhat non-fluffed, could work fine as an NPC race, or just a flavor point. However, replacing them outright is kinda too much... first, I like the place Ibixians fill in with the plot- they make powerful weapons and armor. This could be a plot point in a campaign, and/or something cool. However, I would like the Motramr in the setting; after a bit of a complete defluffing and fluffing for the setting. However, it would be awesome for them to be included after that. And/or after a slight power fix... as they are, they are strictly better than any melee fighter at level 3 for an adventurer. Possibly require more BAB before giving them cross chop and Quad-Arms? That would not only let them scale properly, and be decent choices at level 3, but also a slight evolution mechanic. And a way to tell low-level PCs not to fight with this particular NPC, given that their 4 arms are indicative of 3~5 class levels.

[arguskos]

This sounds epic. Are there any items that can use Leomund's Secret Chest and Charm Monster at the same time in the setting?

Absolutely not.

I included them because I like them as monsters, not to permit pokeymaning.

The Ibixians, while somewhat non-fluffed, could work fine as an NPC race, or just a flavor point.

Eeeeeh, I dislike using an entire goblinoid race as a flavor point or an NPC only toy, thus my desire to change them.

However, replacing them outright is kinda too much... first, I like the place Ibixians fill in with the plot- they make powerful weapons and armor. This could be a plot point in a campaign, and/or something cool.

I like the armor/weapons thing too, and was thinking I might keep it for the motramr.

And/or after a slight power fix... as they are, they are strictly better than any melee fighter at level 3 for an adventurer. Possibly require more BAB before giving them cross chop and Quad-Arms? That would not only let them scale properly, and be decent choices at level 3, but also a slight evolution mechanic. And a way to tell low-level PCs not to fight with this particular NPC, given that their 4 arms are indicative of 3~5 class levels.

Eh. They already have racial hit dice. I will make a single change though. Cross Chop no longer deals Slamx4 damage. Instead, it deals the base dice of Slamx4+your Strength mod. The difference is as such: instead of 4d6+16, you're doing 4d6+4. That's a HUUUUUUGE difference and makes it non-broken.

Also, I ran some tests with the Motramr (using both the old and new cross chop) against a few critters, and found a few very interesting facts. Against either an ibixian or a flind (I had MM3 at hand >_>), the motramr tends to win unless the random number gods decide to hate on it and/or love the other guy. The ibixian specifically had this tendency to randomly crit-kill the motramr. The flind was tricky due to the AC issue (attacking AC 18 with +7/+5/+5/+5 is not very fun), but generally died in a few turns.

I then ran a scenario of flind+ibixian against a motramr, and found that when I was using Cross Chop, the motramr lost with anomalous frequency. I had been expecting it to roll decent damage and kill one guy a turn, but it turns out the attack roll was the issue. It just couldn't hit reliably enough and wasn't assured of a kill, letting the other two guys beat on him till he broke. When the motramr switched to using just slams, it tended to do better, just because it got more chances to connect.

This isn't 100% guaranteed of anything, of course, but it was an interesting trend. I ran about 10 battles of each, enough to assure me that the motramr is a strong CR 2. He couldn't challenge a dracotaur AT ALL (spit fire+scary full attack+AC+lots of life was ugly). He was hard pressed to damage a voidmind grimlock (high AC+two strong attacks+good grapple+constrict was rough). I think the motramr is good as he stands, both in CR and in LA with the Cross Chop change.

[Zetapup]

My question to you folks: do you think it'd work to replace the ibixians with the motramr, and if so, would you be interested in seeing that? I would of course write new fluff for the motramr of Z-R.

Hmm. On the one hand, I like goblinoids and like the idea of reclusive smiths working in the mountains. (Very easy to write a quest for a new weapon.)

On the other hand, I don't know the stats of Ibixians and if I ever made an NPC one, my PC's would probably try to kill him/her.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't have much of an opinion either way. (Although I would get a laugh at the look on my PC's faces when I describe one of the best known smiths as a machop. )

[arguskos]

Hmm. On the one hand, I like goblinoids and like the idea of reclusive smiths working in the mountains. (Very easy to write a quest for a new weapon.)

Ibixians are 2 hit dice goatpeople from MM3 who gain limited combat bonuses when fighting in a big pack. Otherwise... they're not super exciting.

I guess what I'm saying is that I don't have much of an opinion either way. (Although I would get a laugh at the look on my PC's faces when I describe one of the best known smiths as a machop. )

Machamp, bro, Machamp.

Here's a draft of the replacement fluff for motramr if they were to replace the ibixians:

Spoiler

Show

Motramr: The bizarre motramr at first blush have little tying them to the goblinoid races of Khavghotan, but magical tests have confirmed that the motramr were once goblins, before the plague that split that ancient race into the handful that now call themselves goblinoids. High in the Irontooth Peaks, the reclusive multi-armed motramr live and work in their high cold towers, content to hone their bodies and minds to perfection in seclusion. This perfective mindset carries itself over to their goods and crafts, and they are renown weapon and armor smiths. Motramr do not often leave their citadels, but are welcoming to anyone hardy enough to reach them in the peaks. They're even welcoming to humans who find their way to the motramr's walls, unlike any other goblinoid race. The motramr hold a seat on the Khavghotani Council, but rarely deign to travel to meetings unless something of direct importance to the motramr's agenda is under debate.

[Zetapup]

Machamp, bro, Machamp.

It's been a long, long, long time since I've done anything pokemon related.

That actually sounds pretty good. If I didn't already know the original source, I wouldn't think it was from pokemon. And they're still goblins. Awesome. Would the motramr (I'm not going to try pronouncing that) have a bonus to craft or other such skills because of their multiple arms?

[Dire Ferret]

I rather like Ibixians, but categorizing them as goblinoids seemed rather strange to me. The Motramr, on the other hand, match what I would expect a goblinoid to look like. I say go with the Motramr.

[arguskos]

That actually sounds pretty good. If I didn't already know the original source, I wouldn't think it was from pokemon. And they're still goblins. Awesome. Would the motramr (I'm not going to try pronouncing that) have a bonus to craft or other such skills because of their multiple arms?

That's the idea. I've got a great picture for the motramr as well, so that helps.

The pronunciation is something I'm actually working on putting together a guide for at the moment. I'm not a linguist though, so I have to acquire some help with it.

Also, no, they wouldn't get a craft bonus. It's a purely fluff thing, though they might have unique racial feats towards that end.

I rather like Ibixians, but categorizing them as goblinoids seemed rather strange to me. The Motramr, on the other hand, match what I would expect a goblinoid to look like. I say go with the Motramr.

I did feel like I was reaching a little for the ibixians, much as I love me some goatfolk.

I dunno, I'll think on it a slight bit more, but at the moment I'm leaning pretty heavily towards replacing the ibixians with the motramr. Are there any really strong objections to this, mechanical concerns about the motramr aside?

[Zetapup]

The creature that made a pact with the first Shadow was the sixth qualnargan planning to steal part of the Emperor's divinity, right? If so, how is it held in Intolar? What kind of wards does the prison have? How did it make a pact if (and I'm presuming this is how magic dampening wards would work) the wards would stop anything from happening? If the wards don't prevent magic, what keeps the creature there?

How many people know of the imprisonment of this qualnargan? Could the qualnargan just be faking imprisonment in order to infiltrate Intolar and/or get close enough to assassinate people in positions of power?

I'm probably making a few stretches here, but if the Green One can control the forests of Xortal, could the Death Beast control the qualnargan because it technically created them? Can the Green One control trees and wildlife outside Xortal?

What exactly constitutes worship? Does a divine being gain more power if for example, someone lighted incense and prayed at every moment available versus someone just going to church once a week? Can someone be tricked or coerced into worshipping a divinity? Could someone worship a divine being in their sleep? (The last one is mostly just because the idea of the aviane's gods still alive, if barely, is awesome)

That should be all for now. I honestly didn't expect to have so many questions.

[arguskos]

The creature that made a pact with the first Shadow was the sixth qualnargan planning to steal part of the Emperor's divinity, right?

That is the current theory, yes, though no one is 100% sure.

If so, how is it held in Intolar?

In a cell, obv.

What kind of wards does the prison have? How did it make a pact if (and I'm presuming this is how magic dampening wards would work) the wards would stop anything from happening? If the wards don't prevent magic, what keeps the creature there?

Well now, isn't that a good set of questions. I wonder, I do, what the answers might be.

Snarkless Answer: What you'll want to do is answer them yourself. I am leaving that open to interpretation, though I know how I'll play it personally (and no, you don't get to know). The Creature In The Shadows is a mystery on purpose.

How many people know of the imprisonment of this qualnargan?

Very few. The Emperor knows of the prisoner. The First Shadow knows. Most of the other shadows know of the legend of the prisoner. Otherwise, not many folks.

Could the qualnargan just be faking imprisonment in order to infiltrate Intolar and/or get close enough to assassinate people in positions of power?

Quite possibly.

I'm probably making a few stretches here, but if the Green One can control the forests of Xortal, could the Death Beast control the qualnargan because it technically created them?

Nidhoggir, the Death Beast, does not function exactly like The Green One. They're "siblings" in name and coincidence only.

So, no. The qualnargan were a side-effect of Nidhoggir's presence, nothing conscious.

Can the Green One control trees and wildlife outside Xortal?

Theoretically? Yes. Practically? No idea. It's yet to be observed, so quite possibly no.

What exactly constitutes worship?

That's an interesting question. The answer is pretty shaky, since I don't really know. Worship would likely be understood as the giving of your voice to something else's name in veneration. Alternatively, check out the actual factual religious definition.

Does a divine being gain more power if for example, someone lighted incense and prayed at every moment available versus someone just going to church once a week?

Yes, more activity=more power.

Can someone be tricked or coerced into worshipping a divinity?

No, that's a big issue with the Rules of Divinity. The praise must be genuine and free-willed.

Could someone worship a divine being in their sleep? (The last one is mostly just because the idea of the aviane's gods still alive, if barely, is awesome)

No. Well, kinda? Maybe? It's complicated. The avians are in what we might understand best as enforced hibernation, similar to the serpentes. However, where the serpentes keep one member of their race awake at any given time, the avians do not. They slumber, dreaming whatever alien dreams they envision, waiting for a time when their race returns to prominence.

See, that group of avians went to sleep before the end of the global war that engulfed all the progenitor races. They believed that by sleeping out the war in orbit, they would survive whatever atrocities befell the planet and that when their race inevitably emerged successful, they would awake and rule as kings with their advanced technologies (for they felt, like Einstein, that the next war would be fought with sticks and stones, not technology). Unfortunately, the rest of the avians were obliterated and none survived, meaning their pre-set trigger never fired, and so they remain in stasis for countless ages.

As to if they dreamingly venerate their dark deities, perhaps. If so, the divinities have so little impact that they are utterly unknown.

That should be all for now. I honestly didn't expect to have so many questions.

'sall good. Sorry for the slow turn around, and utter lack of activity on this front. I've been... swamped. I DO have some ideas for revamps of the setting, specifically something I want to talk about more (the dust cloud surrounding the planet, something I've only mentioned in passing once or twice).

[Zetapup]

How much of the elements can be withdrawn from the portals until they go dormant? How long do they go dormant for? How many pounds of E17 are in existence? Do the other planes know how to combine the elements into E17? Do elves have gliders or other air technology?

[arguskos]

How much of the elements can be withdrawn from the portals until they go dormant?

Not much. The portals "leak" their respective elements slowly. There are containment methods in place to capture the leakage for later use. Each portal has a different output but they're all small amounts, less than a pound a year.

After they produce their limited amounts, they shut down for a time.

How long do they go dormant for?

The time a portal is dormant is low, under a few weeks.

How many pounds of E17 are in existence?

Currently, less than a pound.

Do the other planes know how to combine the elements into E17?

No. Daruth invented it himself, and has kept the method secret to himself. All element 17 in existence was created by the professor personally before he fled to Xortal.

Do elves have gliders or other air technology?

Yes, they have captured a few zeppelins and have updated them with steamtech thrusters.

[arguskos]

Yes, it's been dead on this front recently, but I had a brainwave vis a vis naming conventions, and felt like sharing it.

Intolian

Spoiler

Show

An Intolian has three names, the face name used with others, the family name used with family and friends, and the faith name used with clergy and the divine. Face names are their most commonly understood and heard names and tend to be short monosyllabic names. Family names are typically hyphenated, each individual portion is similar to face names. It is worth noting that family names are often, but not always, an amalgam of an individual's parents names (ie. Qwib Jol-Gah is the child of Jol and Gah). Finally, the faith name is a name kept private between the individual and their clergyman, and is used in confession and other matters of faith. Faith names are often long compared to face and family names.

Sample face names: Qwib, Jut, Tak, Barc, Oli, Mort
Sample family names: Jol-Gah, Neh-Bav, Sat-Xum
Sample faith names: Jumlith, Raghof, Visurgk
Sample full name: Tay Gih-Pur Wednaih

Khavghotani

Spoiler

Show

Most Khavghotani have a single name they go by and then a clan or tribe designation. Their names, like their language, are guttural and harsh. Clan names are descriptions of the clan, thematic markers that describe the nature of the clan.

Sample names: Grakk, Kerrn, Rrarg, Verrz, Torlg, Tazok
Sample clan names: Bloodspill, Render, Harvester, Gutter, Fireholder, Steelspitter
Sample full name: Jerr Burnsword

Orlyndol

Spoiler

Show

The illithids, not using spoken language, do not have names as other races understand the concept. Instead, illithids identify themselves via a succession of rapid-fire telepathic images that include their birth city, occupation, notable achievements, friendships, mentor/apprenticeships, and other such indications of character. Since such a barrage of images is nigh-impossible for non-illithids to interpret, much less respond to, illithids generally
adopt a designation to go by that others can understand, much like a name. However, these illithid designations are not considered names among the illithids themselves and hold no emotional or sentimental value. Many times, an illithid wishing to change their image among non-illithids will change their designation at a whim, indicating a change in personality or nature.

Sample designations: Qootil, Zxart, Kzeel, Vtaran, Ssvaki, Juquott

Alykandor

Spoiler

Show

The elves are much more poetic than other races when it comes to their name, showcasing their racial bias towards artistic expression. Alykandorian naming conventions include an individual's given name (first name and family name) and at the age of adulthood the personal name is selected. The first name is the name used to identify a specific individual, as the family name is shared among the family. The personal name is chosen by the individual and is highly personal. In Alykandorian culture, sharing the personal name is a sign of great trust and respect. Personal names are as varied as the weather, and cannot be generalized in any way.

Sample first names: Seltor, Liliet, Felcar, Muykan, Poissir, Culu, Harssih
Sample family names: Weaill, Jaeiu, Hazieu, Koaef, Malion
Sample full name: Jefaf Gultian Moonflower

Trepek

Spoiler

Show

Trepek, much like illithids, don't see the utility of names in their own culture. All trepek are provided with a serial number upon creation and as their language is numerically based it works easily to simply provide the serial number as identification. However, other species have proven to have difficulty remembering 8-digit serial numbers, and so trepek often choose a mathematical designation of some variety. The exact designation is up to the trepek in question, but is usually something simple, often a play upon the trepek's serial number. For example, a trepek with serial number 94827440 might choose 4x3 as his general designation.

Sample designations: 12/4, 8x6, 3^3, 9-1, 2√4
There is a single unbroken rule of trepek designations worth noting. Trepek never choose a designation involving the number 0 or the ∞ symbol, believing that such designations are reserved for the divine entity 1/5 (despite that entity lacking either a 0 or ∞ in its designation).