James Maliszewski
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Creatures of sha-Arthan
🕑 Added 2022-11-30 23:20:26 +0000 UTCTo be clear, this is another work in progress. Some of the entries are incomplete; others have not yet been updated to the new format. In addition, there are many more entries that have not been written and are thus excluded from this draft. Nevertheless, the PDF describes more than forty creatures and can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_d9V3vOI1Ed4MtywtEOUjdpYJQ-C_UjD/view?usp=share_link
One thing I'd very much like to hear from anyone who takes the time to read the file is the your opinion about the descriptions. I've varied the length and detail of the descriptions, with some being quite long and others very short. This is intentional, as I'm still not entirely sure how "meaty" the final descriptions should be. Ideally, they should strike a good balance between being flavorful and information and concise.
Left to my own devices, I'd probably ramble on describing many of them. At the same time, I recognize it's important to give sufficient information to the referee, so that he can adequately understand and use these creatures in play. In the final version, every entry will have an illustration accompanying it, which should help with visualization, but there are other important details beyond appearance.
In any case, I'd be grateful for some guidance on this matter.
Comments
James Maliszewski
This is very helpful. Thank you! My main difficulty is in finding ways to describe creatures without reference to Earth animals, since there are no (or few) such animals on sha-Arthan. It's hardly an impossible task, but it does require care on my part.
Stephen Vossler
I would also add; The sound of Akun swarming may attract predators wanting to take advantage of confused and fleeing prey.
Stephen Vossler
Your post requests our feedback and appraisal of your format and depth of your narrative of the creatures. I think you have done an adequate job after evaluating what is necessary for basic play. To give guidance to a perspective GM I would suggest a smattering of color commentary that may make no difference to the game mechanics but helps the players imaginations in visualizing your world. A word or two about their motivation or method of attack would give guidance to GMs on how to use them in the adventure. This could be in the form like Traveller (ambush predator, opportunists, territorial defender, etc.) or just some commentary on their behavior. Take the Akun; I can imagine them as reptilian bats, or winged anoles, or even miniature wyverns. Are their wings feathered, leathery, or insect like? Is damage they inflict due to bites, claws or stingers? Is the confusion they cause when they swarm due to visual stroboscopic effect or do they flap their wings in a way to make a dissonant noise? These characteristics will not have an influence on the combat mechanics but would be helpful to the player’s imaginations. I would suggest: Akun (Night Flyer) Akun are small, nocturnal flying reptiles, not much bigger than a bat, that frequently dwell in caves or ruins, where ever they can find small stone cavities to hide in. They emerge in numbers at night or regular intervals in subterranean environs, and drive off any creatures within the territory of their warren. Akun attack in a swarm, flying about their targets head or eyes. While swarming their wings beet together to produce a frightening sound and reflective surfaces of their four dragonfly like wings display a disturbing bioluminescent visual effect to confuse the interloper. Akun use a sharp sliver thin scale on the end of their prehensile tails to inflict minor but painful wounds. DR 13, HD 1hp, Att 1 × swarm (confusion), AB –1, MV 9’ (3’)/ 120’ (40’) flying, SV F14 D15 M16 E17 S18 (NM), ML 6, XP 5, NA 1d100 (1d100), TT None ► Swarm: 10 akun can swarm around a target’s head, causing confusion: –2 to attack rolls and saves; unable to cast spells. ► Flighty: Unless magically controlled, akun check morale every round.
