Terra Macabre Discussion-Culture and Creatures

Steampunk Knight · October 31, 2011, 11:34:17 AM

Quote from: Xathan Of Many Worlds
Datrick, the Void Above The primary element I'm thinking about stealing from this setting is the idea of the Lowlands, vast, underground caverns that are a combination of the Underdark and Journey to the Center of the Earth. I can see these either emerging as part of the Earth Spirit's attempt to undermine the Great Old Ones, an effect of the reality warping powers of the GOOs, or the deliberate creation of either them or some other, yet unnamed power. Perhaps they've always been there, but the paths to them just now opened, and they house old temples of Elder Things and nightmare landscapes and creatures - but the hidden lore in those sunken temples may hold the key to driving the Great Old Ones form Earth - or cementing their power.

Think any of these ideas would fit the setting really well. My vote is that they are created by the Earth Spirit in its attempt to drive off the G.O.O's. maybe they vent some type of strange mist that repels the G.O.O's and their creations. Or they are pathways for minions of the earth sprint to travel quickly between any points on earth and depending on how benevolent you want the earth spirit to be also it could be attacking the humans on Atlantis as well. Even if the tunnels are created by the earth spirit they still could run next to or through sunken temples of the elder things or other creatures.

Quote from: Xathan Of Many Worlds
That, and the Mirrored Paths. While I'm planning on revising them to make them less cyberpunky, the basic concept (a combination of Robert Jordan's The Ways and Cyberspace, using mirrors as doors) still fits this world. It adds a bit more magic, but at the same time is creepy and alien enough of an alternate dimension to fit, as well as adding an additional adventure path players can take - or areas where horrors can attack them through. And since it's not the classic "Blasty" magic that I'm trying to avoid here, I see them fitting pretty well.

Reminds me of John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness. I think it would fit very will in your setting.

Quote from: Xathan Of Many Worlds
Life in the Aether Essentially, this would be a vehicle that would allow for Renaissance-era space exploration without having to advance the technology too much. (The basic concept of the Aether is that space is breathable and doesn't contain nearly as much nasty cosmic radiation, not to mention the planets are closer together and easier to access) Again, opens new adventure paths, plus opens up the entire solar system (at least) for the homes of creatures like the Mi-Go that seek to inhabit the Earth - not to mention colonial battles for a verdant moon, and DaVinci-Tech Space Stations. My only problem here is the same problem I always have when I open Space as an option - it can make too large and feel overwhelming. But if I "lovecraftian" them a bit more, I can see them being an awesome element - thoughts here are greatly appreciated, because I'm on the fence here.

Anyway, those are my three main ideas I'm thinking of Cannibalizing here - what say you all?

If you are going to use this I would limit it to only our solar system, or maybe even just the inner planets. Like you say in your post it might make the setting too large. But if you do want to go this route here is an idea. There is a G.O.O. that covers the entire surface of the moon its byproducts cause an atmosphere to form making it habitable for people to live on. The residents from a symbiotic relationship with the G.O.O.; they form their buildings from its flesh and grow food in its pores. In return the people must make sacrifices of the old, sick, and injured on a daily bases to the G.O.O. Sometimes, if the G.O.O. doesn't feel that there have been enough offerings it will take victims from their homes or right of the street. Since everything is made from the G.O.O. it just absorbs them directly into itself. Maybe its skin is somewhat translucent and you can see the person being digested.

That idea might be a little morbid.

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 12:03:49 PM

QuoteThink any of these ideas would fit the setting really well. My vote is that they are created by the Earth Spirit in its attempt to drive off the G.O.O's. maybe they vent some type of strange mist that repels the G.O.O's and their creations. Or they are pathways for minions of the earth sprint to travel quickly between any points on earth and depending on how benevolent you want the earth spirit to be also it could be attacking the humans on Atlantis as well. Even if the tunnels are created by the earth spirit they still could run next to or through sunken temples of the elder things or other creatures.

...Not to mention the new creatures that arose from the G.O.O's arrival would be able to inhabit it - the bat people, lizard people, etch that were mutated by their arrival would be able to inhabit it, since they're technically "of Earth", so that opens a whole new ecosystem for them to play in. Alright, that's in.

QuoteReminds me of John Carpenter's Prince of Darkness. I think it would fit very will in your setting.

Thanks. I just need to give them a bit of work to make them fit better, and make them hostile enough where using them is kind of a last resort option - unless you're a Misbegotten or Servitor.

QuoteIf you are going to use this I would limit it to only our solar system, or maybe even just the inner planets. Like you say in your post it might make the setting too large. But if you do want to go this route here is an idea. There is a G.O.O. that covers the entire surface of the moon its byproducts cause an atmosphere to form making it habitable for people to live on. The residents from a symbiotic relationship with the G.O.O.; they form their buildings from its flesh and grow food in its pores. In return the people must make sacrifices of the old, sick, and injured on a daily bases to the G.O.O. Sometimes, if the G.O.O. doesn't feel that there have been enough offerings it will take victims from their homes or right of the street. Since everything is made from the G.O.O. it just absorbs them directly into itself. Maybe its skin is somewhat translucent and you can see the person being digested.

That idea might be a little morbid.

It's a lovecraftian horror world where Elder Things have ruled the Earth for about 400 years - morbid is kind of the point. :P

As for that idea, I love it. If I do go that route, I'll almost certainly steal it - I just have to decide if I will. Definitely limiting it to our Solar System if I do, though I want to leave the Gas Giants as options so it'll go beyond just the Inner Planets. Good news is, I can start the setting without making a decision here yet, so I might let it simmer on the backburner for a bit before I do.

Steerpike · October 31, 2011, 12:09:36 PM

"A little too morbid" is an oxymoron.

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 06:33:20 PM

Okay, I'm going to organize this into a coherent setting - or at least attempt to. This will be the discussion thread for it. But, while I'm pondering how to best do so, here are some races (and need some suggestions for names, since not 100% happy with what I have.) NOTE: unless otherwise specified, all races are between 5-7 feet tall. Also, no notes on culture here, just physical appearance and a bit on habits.

The following four races are all native to Earth.

Chiropetri - The bat-folk. Large, hairless, with a head that looks very bat-like. They walk in a simian, almost gorilla-like when on the ground, able to fold up their wings into their arms enough to use the hands as well as crawl. Can fly as well, of course, but rather ungainly when not gliding. Completely eyeless - rely entirely on hearing and smell, and primary food source is blood.

Celphatul - Original thought to be Elder Things, the Celphatul are actually a mutated form of the octopus. Their natural shape is somewhat similar to that of an actual octopus, although their tentacles are fairly rigid and have a somewhat segmented look to them, giving them the motion on land that's a vulgar cross between spider and tentacled slithering. However, like their ancestors, they have immense control over the shape and coloration of their body, able to mimic a huge range of shapes and sizes - when clothed, they can even pass for human, so long as they completely cover all but hands and face. They have an omnivorous diet.

Rethulid - A twisted form of a spider, a Reluthid has six legs placed beneath its abdomen. From the center of the abdomen rises the torso, a vaguely human-shaped construction that sprouts two arms - each of which split after the "elbow," giving them 4 forearms and hands. (The hands are 6 digits spaced radially away from the wrist.) Their heads are arachnid as well, ending in venomous fangs. Their vocal chords limit their ability to speak the human tongues well. They weave webs, and have a carnivorous diet.

Dutvine - Unlike the prior mentioned species, Dutvine are twisted from humans - and one of the few species of such to survive. A Dutvine looks fairly human, though their skin color is various shades of light gray and their eyes are sharply slanted and solid black while their hair is wiry strands that end in barbs. However, those differences are not what the make Dutvine truly unique from humanity - instead, it is the bond they share. Every Dutvine is born as a pair of identical twins, and between those two bodies one mind is shared. All that one knows and thinks, so does the other, on a level humans can't even begin to comprehend. Occasionally, identical triplets or quintuplets are born, sharing the same gestalt intellect.

Sifting through the races of Lovecraft right now to determine what goes in, as well as seeing what other horrific creatures I can come up with, both native and Elder.

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 06:36:12 PM

Quote from: Steerpike
"A little too morbid" is an oxymoron.

BTW, Steerpike, did you see that I responded to your earlier questions? iPad forced me to respond to you and Steampunk separately.

Steerpike · October 31, 2011, 07:32:06 PM

Yeah, I caught the answers! I like the understated approach - clockwork technology is a little more advanced, but not to an extreme degree.

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 07:38:49 PM

Glad to hear it! Though I might be upping the clockwork technology, especially from that game you ran tonight - very inspirational.

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 07:40:46 PM

oh, found a good image for what a Rethulid looks like torso-wise:

Source: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=spider+monster#/d2da6am

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 07:50:35 PM

The Chiropetri (ignore the eyes)

Source: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=bat+creature#/d2oj4nc

Steerpike · October 31, 2011, 10:31:01 PM

Whoa, those are so cool!

Xathan · October 31, 2011, 10:37:05 PM

Glad you like! I love deviant art - those fit what I was looking for perfectly.

Xathan · November 01, 2011, 12:38:15 PM

The first part of the campaign thread is up. I will be doing the campaign thread (other than the system, which I'm still working on) entirely IC, mainly through the history writing of Benjamin Franklin, because Benjamin Franklin is awesome and I feel one of the best candidates to tell the story in an objective fashion. Note that most languages are translated to English, but assume the writer is using their native tounge or R'lyehian, the commonly spoken tongue - and most languages include a peppering of R'lyehian slang, since Steerpike's idea there is awesome, but those are translated as well, since I don't have a working lexicon up yet.

Xathan · November 02, 2011, 02:48:52 PM

New race up, in full detail. Also - anyone know of a 14th century biologist/naturalist?

Superfluous Crow · November 03, 2011, 01:48:58 AM

I bet 5 imaginary dolllars that Steerpike will comment on the slang before the end of the day :p (if he hasn't already. Time got confusing after the Old Ones took over)
Personally, I thought it was nice, evocative, creepy and very imaginative. Sadly, I can't imagine players using it too much simply because of the sheer difficulty of remembering how to spell it. I especially love the glosses/transliterations which imply a more alien (mis)understanding of human life and emotion.

Steerpike · November 03, 2011, 02:19:58 AM

:)

Can I use it in future Sixguns sessions?

Especially "Ygotha'ai n'gha gof'nn." I wish the call of death on your children. Now that's how to challenge someone to a duel!

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