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Post by Achaius Winter-Wolf on Apr 4, 2015 15:36:40 GMT
This thread is to be used only for discussing ideas for the RP and future content additions.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 29, 2015 3:50:19 GMT
Well, some suggestions I compiled with input from a few others, concerning the Undead/ Cursed creatures (Or rather, the lack of description and clarity for). Not a complete list, and certainly extremely open to suggestion.
These would probably mostly be found in Necropolis, although I suppose they might exist in smaller numbers in certain graveyards and crypts elsewhere.
As a note, these are now mostly canon, and can safely be referred to.
The Undead creatures found throughout the galaxy are almost all fueled by Unlife force, or the energy associated with death. Residual Unlife force is enough to reanimate some corpses, but many Necromancers work to summon more advanced types of beings. Exact magical resistance is hard to generalize, as certain spells can be effective against certain features. However, overall, fire and holy magics are the most effective choices for slaying the Undead, with Necromancy being a more specific approach. A skilled Necromancer can recognize each creature's exact weaknesses, and can either bend it to their will, or steal away all Unlife force from it in order to render it lifeless.
Firstly, basic Undead. Spawned from residual dark magic and unlife force, they're fairly common in darker parts of graveyards and are rampant in crypts. They'd probably be similar in appearance to draugrs from Skyrim, and be generally rotting with only what equipment or clothing they were buried with. They wouldn't be much of a threat, and would only be sufficient to kill someone in either very large numbers, or if that person was unarmed and untrained, or maybe severely injured. Deeper within the crypts, these enemies might become much tougher, as the reanimated corpses of certain warriors would be very well equipped and fortified, and might even retain some of their combat instinct.
Ghuls: Smaller and individually less deadly than Undead, they are much faster, and share a hive like mind. Maybe a meter tall on average. They generally reside in nests, but when one sees danger, a near torrent of ghuls often overwhelm many adventurers. Ghuls are controlled by Ghul Minds, which are a rare type of Ghul that is a foot or two above the average human. These Ghuls are much more intelligent, and reside deep within nests. Drawing out these masterminds is difficult, and once one lures them, the fight is no breeze. Minds are much stronger and swifter than they appear, and can upset the balance of most fighters with relative ease. Ranged weaponry and attacks is most effective, although a skilled fighter can also slay these creatures. (As further clarification, I did intend to spell it as Ghul. Not Ghoul. Also, someone asked how Ghuls reproduce. They're essentially grown/ composed from flesh, they're not just midget corpses.)
Abominations: These are very rare creatures, but are deadly, especially when faced alone. Towering above most at an average of 8 feet high, these creatures are extremely reclusive, and in order to find one, one must generally be both an avid hunter and familiar with the area. The beasts are an abomination, true to their name, and are twisted masses of flesh with vaguely humanoid characteristics. They have no head, only an animalistic and ruined face on the upper part of their bloated torso. The exact appearance of each abomination is unique, as they are a combination of many creatures combined with dark magic. Some have tentacle based arms, some have claws, some, metal clubs of a sort. All are deadly. Their walking speed isn't very fast, but they can jump long distances horizontally to close gaps, and are most deadly within large, open rooms due to this trait. These beings are rarely found naturally within crypts, and are more often created by various Necromancers, with varying degrees of success. Many overpower their unprepared creators and wander off to take up residence in some pit.
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Mausoleum Crypts
Mausoleums are staging areas for the Cult of Sho'vothar, a Cult which was long abandoned in these places by creators now unknown to the world. The Cult is comprised purely of Necromancers, and the seeming goal of this group is to raise as many undead as possible. Their exact purpose is unknown- they may be trying to incite chaos, build an army, or simply are lost in their ways, forgetful of their original purpose. The Mausoleums they reside in are expansive structures that drift throughout the Rift. However, these tombs are connected to various Crypts, one of which is the Necropolis, in order to maintain a steady supply of corpses and Unlife energy. The Necromancers raise many types of advanced undead from select bodies held deep within the Crypts, those belonging to past warriors of legend or members of royalty. While their names are forgotten, their bodies still make for potent Cursed creatures.
Psion Drifters: These are undead raised from the bodies of those who once had latent psionic abilities. Drifters are of an average height, relating to the race of the corpse, but are gifted with Psionic abilities, and can propel themselves through space. In addition, they do possess combat capabilities, abilities like mental fragmentation of opponents or simply using waves of force to defeat intruders. Psionic abilities, however, do increase with the addition of more users, and a large group of Drifters is almost impossible to escape from, much less destroy. The Cult of Sho'vothar uses these creatures as scouts, tasked with locating valuable corpses within the labyrinthine crypts.
Gatekeepers: Raised from extremely strong Paladins and Knights, Gatekeepers tower above all, as they are magically enhanced to reach heights of around 12 feet. Equipped with magically enhanced armor and weaponry, these knights are deployed in pairs to defend the gates that provide access to Mausoleums. While they are bulky, they are certainly not slow, and are extremely agile creatures. Their behavior is extremely defensive, and they will not attack anyone unless they come within striking distance. Luring these guardians from their posts is impossible, and they are adept fighters with overwhelming strength and resistance. Killing these stalwart creatures is almost impossible, even with large, skilled parties, and it's usually advised to simply ignore them. However, if one should require access to the Mausoleum, the fact remains that there are only two at each gate, and that they can only hold off 5 or 6 people at once, depending on who they are. Running past them in the middle of combat is possible for nimble adventurers, but it is ill advised, as the Mausoleums themselves are certainly more dangerous.
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Unique Beings (Things that don't fall under basic undead, or that wouldn't be fought normally)
Lich: These are the reanimated corpses of the most adept Necromancers, ones so skilled in their craft that they were able to resurrect themselves well after death. While their bodies are usually in decay, their souls are well preserved, and many are prone to conversation, rather than mindless combat. Each Lich is unique and rare, and each has their own quirks and habits, although most are extremely eccentric due to their practice and isolation. Liches not only retain their immense skill in Necromancy, but have their powers accentuated by the sheer amount of Unlife energy surrounding their resting places. Their Phylacteries are absurdly valuable and unique, as each one contains the most treasured magic spells and skills acquired by the Lich. It is simply impossible to truly defeat a Lich, no matter what race you may be or how adept you may be in combat. However, some Liches will ask for a test of skill, and are known to intentionally restrain themselves in combat in order to entertain themselves. These ancient mages reside within the deepest niches of the Crypts, so deep that not even the Cult of Sho'vothar dares to venture. Only a few adventurers have ever traveled so deep and lived to tell the tale, and most come out with either sadistic curses or disturbing knowledge.
The Fallen: (I'm not really quite sure what these should be, but I figured I'd give it a shot.) The Fallen are ancient servants of primordial Gods, ones who have lost their purpose and path. Due to their disconnection with the gods, they have lost most of their power and now are mere shadows of themselves with fragmented and splintered minds. These beings wander throughout crypts, and are much stronger at night. They appear to be shadowed and whispy demons, with tattered wings and a lack of eyes. It should be noted that a lack of eyes does not refer to simply not having eyes. Their eyes are instead a deep, black abyss, one darker than the emptiness of space, one more empty than the Void. Staring into the eyes of The Fallen for prolonged periods of time results in a complete loss of self, and the eradication of the soul. In combat, The Fallen use weapons forged of pure Obsidian, reinforced by dark magic. Every unit has a unique weapon, from broadswords to spears, and the ranks of The Fallen even include mages of every practice, although their magic is heavily corrupted and darkened.
The Forsaken: Not much is known about these creatures, other than that they are similar to The Fallen. It is rumored that these beings were once minor gods, ones who were all but destroyed in the war of the Gods. Now, they are beings of white flame, ones who reside in unique and dangerous rooms, which appear to be created by each Forsaken being. The only common thing between the rooms is the white stone which they are made of, and the absurdly intricate architecture. Each Forsaken being is extremely dangerous, but more than a few have been slain. Upon death, the Forsaken's remaining power is stored in a weapon, a relic of sorts, and contains unique and powerful abilities, in addition to being a flawless and unbreakable weapon. These Artifact Weapons are only whispered about, and the adventures who wield them are vigilant about keeping it hidden.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 29, 2015 4:25:19 GMT
Expansion Post
Some more creatures suggestions.
Lesser Lich: The result of a weaker Necromancer being revived. Unlike Liches, Lesser Liches are not intentionally revived, and are instead reanimated by residual Unlife energy in their area. They do not retain their souls, and know only rudimentary Necromancy. They can summon average Undead units, and also know several offensive type spells, usually in the range of weak fireballs and dark energy blasts. Lesser Liches are easy to destroy if one is quick and experienced, and they only pose a real threat when they can successfully reanimate a more heavily equipped or special corpse. They are somewhat resistant to most magic, although Holy magic does seem to be more effective against these creatures.
Hounds: Simply called Hounds, these are reanimated corpses of various beasts, most commonly dogs or wolves. They're fast, and hunt in small packs, making them extremely adept at killing weaker prey, although they can easily be taken care of with a skilled blade. It should be noted that poisons have little effect against these creatures, as they often are filled with plague and virus themselves.
Skeletons: Skeletons are reanimated corpses of average civilians and combatants, and have rotted away to the point of bare bones. In combat, they're slightly faster than the average Undead, although less resilient to physical attacks. Their main strength lies in the fact that arrows, fire, poison, and other similar ranged weaponry have little to no effect on them.
Banshees: These are vengeful spirits of common mages who died with extreme rage, or a large amount of 'unfinished' work. They have somewhat ethereal bodies, but are still tangible enough to be struck by physical means. Banshees are extremely fast, and can dodge around the battlefield with ease. Banshees commonly employ basic elemental magic, usually in the form of Wind type spells, but also have latent vampiric abilities, and can quickly drain a soul if they attack a civilian or take a warrior by surprise. Their bodies are resistant to elemental attacks, and have only a mild resistance to other magical abilities. Physical attacks, whether ranged or melee, are the most effective way to destroy these apparitions.
Bonefiend: Bonefiends are an elite type of enemy, and are not naturally found. Bonefiends are the result of a type of Necromancy, one that fuses bones and malevolent energy from many sources to create a singular being. Generally standing at 6 or 7 feet tall, Bonefiends are comprised of solid bone, and have blade-like appendages, both for feet and hands. While the exact type of blade varies, it usually is similar to a scythe or katana, with a natural curvature to it. Bonefiends are resilient against all attacks, whether magical or physical, and it requires a particularly strong strike to destroy them. For this reason, it is impossible to injure a Bonefiend. The killing blow must be singular and sufficient to kill, there is no method by which to 'whittle' the health of a Bonefiend down. In addition, these creatures are extremely agile, and are prone to attack any creature in sight, undead or living. For this reason, a strong strategy for destroying Bonefiends is to lure them to Ghuls or the Undead, in an effort to distract it while preparing a singular, intense strike to destroy it. Explosive type magic is the most effective type of magic against this creature, although other magics can also result in it's death depending on their strength.
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Post by Carin on Jul 29, 2015 19:41:00 GMT
I would like to suggest an outline of Holy Magic in particular when its affects are considered against the above outlined undead.
Normal magic considered, unless outlined above, I think undead should take maybe 0.5x damage from the arcane. Holy magic it should be roughly 1.5x unless that creature has a special characteristic that nullifies specifically holy magic. Like, a powerful Lich may have, in his former life, studied how to prevent holy magic damage, et cetera. Does this sound about right? Since most of the magical creatures who developed powers in their lives would have studied the arcane.. and if they did, they would know to defend against it.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 29, 2015 19:51:50 GMT
I would like to suggest an outline of Holy Magic in particular when its affects are considered against the above outlined undead. Normal magic considered, unless outlined above, I think undead should take maybe 0.5x damage from the arcane. Holy magic it should be roughly 1.5x unless that creature has a special characteristic that nullifies specifically holy magic. Like, a powerful Lich may have, in his former life, studied how to prevent holy magic damage, et cetera. Does this sound about right? Since most of the magical creatures who developed powers in their lives would have studied the arcane.. and if they did, they would know to defend against it. I would think that most Undead, save for those with magical gifts, would actually be less resistant to magic, as they wouldn't have any natural life force protecting them, and their physical bodies are rotting and vulnerable. Certain arcane arts, like those involving electricity or life force manipulation, would be next to useless, but I wouldn't think they'd have an overall resistance. It would largely depend on the spell used, I'd say. |
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Post by Carin on Jul 29, 2015 23:27:03 GMT
I would like to suggest an outline of Holy Magic in particular when its affects are considered against the above outlined undead. Normal magic considered, unless outlined above, I think undead should take maybe 0.5x damage from the arcane. Holy magic it should be roughly 1.5x unless that creature has a special characteristic that nullifies specifically holy magic. Like, a powerful Lich may have, in his former life, studied how to prevent holy magic damage, et cetera. Does this sound about right? Since most of the magical creatures who developed powers in their lives would have studied the arcane.. and if they did, they would know to defend against it. I would think that most Undead, save for those with magical gifts, would actually be less resistant to magic, as they wouldn't have any natural life force protecting them, and their physical bodies are rotting and vulnerable. Certain arcane arts, like those involving electricity or life force manipulation, would be next to useless, but I wouldn't think they'd have an overall resistance. It would largely depend on the spell used, I'd say. I see your point. I think I should simply change my suggestion to reflect a desire for resistance in Lich or other reborn Necromancers.. don't you think that makes sense? I do like your ending comment. I think it would be difficult to make a "standard" reaction for all spells, so it does make more sense that resistance depends on the spell and on the creature. I thought perhaps there should be some overarching theme about it, but maybe it is better just to outline each individual creature's particular strengths and weaknesses. |
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 30, 2015 4:17:51 GMT
Suggestion: Continued Depth into Mausoleums and the Cult of Sho'vothar.
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Lore/ Organization: The Cult of Sho'vothar steadfastly worships the primordial god, Sho'vothar, who was once the instigator of the War of Gods. According to their own legends, Sho'vothar himself established the group as an army of sorts, a spy network, a perfect force for his ends, but it is unknown whether these rumors have any ground. Their cult is made up of many races, but all wear red robes, in an effort to show their devotion to Necromancy over a devotion to self. Ranking within the cult is largely decided by talent and raw skill, but the leaders of the group are the 13 Lich Subservients. Their name is somewhat misguiding, as none are full Liches, but all have undergone Necromantic transformations to turn their bodies to one more suited to the magic, and are nearly immortal. This council ultimately makes all the decisions for all Mausoleums, and exist in an extremely isolated space in the Rift, protected from all forms of attack. At this point, many say that the Cult has lost it's true purpose, and now lives on in false ideals, but their belief is fervent nonetheless.
Mausoleums are the terms for individual units of the Cult of Sho'vothar, and are equivalent to a hybrid of castle and warship. Mausoleums are tasked with maintaining and increasing their supply of undead troops, and each Mausoleum operates largely independent of others, with the exception of the Subservient's orders. Each Mausoleum is lead by a Blight Arcanist, which is a student of Necromancy that has successfully severed their own soul from their body. This form of existence greatly expands their minds, making each Arcanist a master strategist. In addition, Arcanists are able to comprehend the complex spells and rituals required for the creation of the most elite creatures, and are individually capable of leading every aspect of their army.
In addition, each Mausoleum is an independent warship and staging center. In truth, these Mausoleums drift through the null space known as the Rift, but each is forced to connect to a Crypt somewhere in order to harvest Unlife energy and maintain a steady supply of unique and strong corpses. Ritualists are responsible for the raising of new, special undead within the Mausoleum, and are very gifted in the art, although they often have a deficiency in combat skills. Other than basic Necromancers for small tasks and general coordination, the rest of the Mausoleum is maintained and guarded by various undead creatures, who have been bended to be completely subservient to the resident Arcanist. The ongoing task of each Mausoleum is to continually summon undead, and store the creatures for use in later conflicts.
Mausoleums are interesting buildings, able to stay intact even when battered by the Rift. This is possible due to the 4 Void Flayers attached to each Mausoleum. Void Flayers are massive abominations, often reaching to well over 500 meters in diameter alone. They posses film-like wings, and 3 tentacles extending out from the back of each Flayer, which attaches itself to a Mausoleum soundly. Each Flayer is composed painstakingly by an Arcanist, through a process that takes almost a year to complete. Flayers are encased in a tough patchwork of skin, and are immune to most all attacks. However, their interiors more closely resemble machines, and are largely hollow. The interior of a Flayer is encased in metal plating, which is salvaged from the hulls of many captured ships. However, even though it's salvaged metal, it's extremely well kept, and is devoid of flaws or leaks. Flayers serve several purposes: Firstly, Flayers are dropships. Each flayer can hold hundreds of thousands of undead units, and can fly through the rift using Psionic propulsion to reach a target. In addition, Flayers have expansive, yet thin, wings, resembling a stiff film. These collect Solar energy to keep the Mausoleum powered. Lastly, Flayers serve to keep each Mausoleum perpetually in motion and away from prying eyes. It should be noted that the destruction of a Flayer is nigh impossible, as it's skin can adapt to almost any condition almost instantly, whether it be pressure, heat, impact, or puncturing force.
For some time now, the Cult of Sho'vothar has been largely passive, and merely continues to build up an army of immeasurable size. For this reason, they are still largely ignored as a potent threat, although many Necromancers recognize otherwise. It is unknown when, if ever, the Cult may decide to make a move, only that if it does, the results will be disastrous.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 30, 2015 16:00:02 GMT
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Post by Carin on Jul 30, 2015 19:47:03 GMT
I would like to talk about Resurrection as a concept in Dragonstar Galaxy in this post. resurrection (n.) " the revitalization or revival of something. " Typically, it has a religious connotation, so on that basis it should be treated as something associated with very high level holy magic or necromancy. For more information on how that might apply to necromancy, see Nox's Necronomicon. As if this moment, holy magic has not been outlined to a great extent, or to any extent at all to be honest, but this could be the first step to feeling in that direction. Let us consider that resurrection is actually possible here, because if it were not, we would simply define it as an impossibility. That is an acceptable conclusion as well, but for the purpose of discussion, let us theorize that it can be done. The difference between some other reanimating spells that necromancy may offer, is that high level consciousness-restoring, persona-restoring & all inclusive body-restoring magic is not covered by necromancy. That is not to say that it will not be, but rather that it is debatable whether that should be possible through that dark art. Talking about the necessity for resurrection itself, death, we must understand first what happens when death occurs. Typically, we can understand it as a separation of the soul from the physical body, and the death of living tissue. Those are almost two different concepts to be covered in themselves, but let us treat them as one for now. As the soul separates, the level of separation is important to know, as well as where the soul goes upon complete separation. It has been discussed that murder and assassination would leave at least some connection, varying on person and situation, of the soul to the body.. where-as natural death or a more battle-oriented understandable death so to speak, would result in the very immediate/quick separation of soul from body. The level of separation should determine the difficulty of performing resurrection; if a soul is completely separated, resurrection may as well be impossible. There may be a follow-up discussion on what can be done with a soul post-separation, but that is undeveloped as of now. Given what we have about souls and their importance with resurrection, we now must discuss limitations on resurrection as a "skill." There can be limitations based on the following points: * Time limitation (temporary resurrection, revival for only a period of time * Diminishing soul connectivity (if revived once, connection is lessened each successful revival, or completely limited to only one reconnection before the soul rejects corporeal form completely ) * Other negative effects of resurrection (diminished intelligence, diminished energy, diminishing personality or other mentality related things, and any other diminishing qualities to be determined ) * Whether or not complete and total resurrection is permanently possible ( a very debatable point ) The finality of death is to be discussed; my understanding of it is that death occurs naturally throughout the universe, but that resurrection can offer either a temporary reprieve from it, or a second-chance, given that there are individuals skilled enough with revival itself to do so. Varying levels of skill could be required, in addition to varying ways souls are treated in regards to resurrection (whether one particular soul refuses a corporeal form, or whether souls have an innate limitation for out-of-body existence, and where they go, etc). |
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Post by Andion on Jul 30, 2015 21:06:56 GMT
Perhaps it could be said, that attempts to resurrect someone who dies within or close to the Dragonstar Galaxy, are more difficult than other places in the universe.... as if it were a local phenomena localized to the setting, so its not being imposed on wider foreign settings that might come into play.
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Post by Carin on Jul 30, 2015 22:58:20 GMT
I will now discuss, outline and define the qualities of Vivamancy: Divinity, Divine Magic, or Holy Magic however one may see it. This volume will be known as the Vivanomicon. First, it is important to note that the terms divinity, divine magic and holy magic are mutually inclusive and define all magic that is sourced to the Gods, as utilized by mortals. The term to be used for the discipline in dealing with holiness, gods, divinity or divine magic, is Vivamancy.Divine Magic is the counter, or opposite, to Necromancy in functionality, but similarities can be seen in that they both manipulate "life" and work with "souls," though divinity is concerned a great deal more with soul work than Necromancy. For more information regarding the distinguishing characteristics of Necromancy to Divinity in terms of magic and effect, please consult Nox Falon's sharp, distinguishing information within the Necronomicon. Gathering & Utilizing "Divine Energy" :Most essentially, this topic concerns the concept of the "soul" heavily, but for an immediate grasp of how to gather and utilize Divine Energy, the explanation is simple; it is obtained through divine aimed prayer, meditation, & divine spiritual focus through divine alignment.
* Divine Aimed Prayer: Fairly straight forward-- one prays for the boons of a deity. This is the most basic and common form of gathering divine energies to execute related spells. * Meditation: Related to prayer, it is merely the extended duration of prayer, where-in one enters a state of trance designed to commune with the deities desired and channel their strength. * Divine Spiritual Focus: Not to be confused with Meditation, spiritual focus is achieved when one places a strong effort on one particular deity for strength, and dedicates their efforts as such to the deity. * Divine Alignment: Simply the act of being aligned, or allied, with the gods. This is the more divine inspired decision, given that the gods may not recognize one's individual efforts particularly, or shine upon one individual in particular, unless they are drawn to. Utilization comes in the form of spells, which are outlined by the basic disciplines of Divine Energy: * Restoration: These are spells focused on restoring health, by either instant revitalizing means, physical wounds, status ailments, or healing extended over a period of time (slow, constant effect) * Smiting: As the name suggests, this means to utilize Divine-based energy as a weapon, to harm opponents. * Fortification: This is divine magic concentrated to protect, adding defense based buffs to the self or others. * Miracles: A rarer, high level form of Divine Magic; those who are truly devout to the gods may utilize the power of miracles. Within this branch of Divine Magic, you may find the spells of Resurrection, and other yet to be discovered miracles that would be as divine inspiration from the gods, acted out from the mortal shell. On the "Soul," & the Containment of Divine Energies:The soul is the most complex piece involving Divine Energy, essential and pre-defining for nearly every aspect of Vivamancy. In this segment, its use in Vivamancy will be outlined. * Souls are containers for Divine Energy: The power of any given diviner's spell, at least in one part, is reliant on the amount of divine energy they will dedicate to the spell's usage. This implies there is a given amount of divine energy in the soul of the caster, and this is true-- however, there is a maximum for every soul, and thus, they act as containers. The maximum is determined by dozens of factors, including but not limited to the proximity with which they worship their god or gods, the intentions of their actions, their willpower, and so on. The complexity of this matter is something only the gods could anticipate, but naturally it is assumed Vivamancers gain strength (and thus capacity for divine energy in their soul) as they progress in their righteous lives as Paladins, Monks, Priests and so on. Think of Divine Energy as fluid, rather than a certain amount is required to perform spell x; the reality is that any spell can be attempted, but its effectiveness (if it does anything at all) is at least partially determined by the amount of divine energy put into it. * Soul purity/impurity is directly correlated to Divine Energy: This is the most prominent measure of intensity and reception of Vivamancy. Will your smite be powerful? Under this simple question, there come at least two more. Is the enemy's soul corrupt? Is your soul corrupt? In another scenario, you are attempting to revive an ally. Is his soul strongly connected to his corporeal form? Is he corrupt or pure? By how much? How corrupt or pure are you? How much divine energy can you put into a spell? These are the kinds of questions that Soul purity/impurity with relation to divine energy, as well as the above explained soul container quality, can help to answer. How Divine Energy Affects Beings:Divine energy takes a light and bright form. Why is that? It is because of the way divine energy is channeled and the way it manifests in nature within beings. * It is a shared energy: Divine energy originates as a hope extended from the mortal to the god, where it is translated into the energy "spared" by the god. That energy can take absolutely any form-- however, the only form that it manifests while within a mortal soul container is a light and bright energy, because that is the way nature ended up manifesting this light form of energy within mortals. It is possible that certain gods change the form in which their gifted energy appears, but they generally do not (except for the poignant example in Sho'varath, who is associated with Necromancy) * It is grounded in the mortal Soul: Even though it is spared, or shared by the gods, Divine energy is grounded by the mortal soul. That is, it appears as it does because it inherits the mortal soul which it inhabits as its container, and mortal souls reflect in this way in nature. This also means that the energy is primarily the mortal's own soul energy, and that the god only grants boons based on the soul's capability of accepting such boons. This helps explain the direct relation between soul, god, and divine energy. * Based on the Soul, it harbors varied effects: As explained above in detail about the soul itself, the target will be affected on the basis of their soul. This point is expanded throughout different stages of the Vivanomicon. The Mechanics of Divine Energy:Thus far, we have formed the foundation for understanding, studying and even utilizing divine energy. Now, to understand how it works behind the scenes, we have a simple, loose and pragmatic approach. * Divine Magic works in relation to both the caster and the target: Importantly, not only the purity of the caster is considered in the usage of this magic. If the target is corrupt, that will change the outcome of the magic. For example, the target is a very corrupt undead-- that will result in higher damage if a smiting prayer is used, or even negative healing effects if healing is used.. as opposed to if the target is an ally with a corrupt soul, where the ally may be hurt by healing rather than helped. The effectiveness of resurrection is also strongly coordinated by the souls of both the target and the caster. This point is outlined in the Soul point below, and also in the above description of the Soul itself. * Divinity is a kind of defined, practical working magic: Divine Energy has physical effects, and is visible as a light/bright colored energy when used; this point is emphasized in the way Vivamancy is used for healing and restoration as explained with corporeality below. Compare/contrast with Necromancy being a manipulation of Life and Unlife, rather than a tangible, corporeal and permanent effect. * The Soul itself pre-sets the effectiveness, capacity and capability of maintaining, using and containing Divine Magic: The purer your soul, the more effective your connection to the deities, and thus, the stronger your divine magic may become. Corrupt individuals are hard-pressed to perform divine magic well, if at all. Also, a more complete soul will result in a larger container for divine energy, making exhaustion less likely, and so on. * Divine Energy has permanent and corporeal effects: If your arm is completely severed, divine energy can be used to reattach your arm flawlessly, and with potentially permanent functionality; compare/contrast this to the usage of Necromancy to merely "re-animate" and bring "temporary control" to corpses, etc. Please note that outside of the Vivanomicon, the "Soul" will have additional details appended when and if necessary. This particular explanation of the Soul is related almost exclusively to Divine Energy and Vivamancy, but can be used to interpret the Soul in different areas or disciplines of the universe. |
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Post by Carin on Jul 30, 2015 23:30:03 GMT
@ Andion, I think that would be a good compliment to the situation involving revival.
@ My own post, this serves as an "expansion" on the "healing" portion of the Dragonstar Galaxy website, where healing magic was not explained in lengthy detail. It is pending approval as of my post.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 31, 2015 0:15:47 GMT
I was poking around the site, and noticed that the Sectors of the Galaxy section isn't very fleshed out. The overall division is fine, but my issue is that notable places, like the center of the Caledonian empire, are unspecified. Also, it mentions the Futuran Federation, which I assume is like a large band of mercenaries (of a sort), but with much stronger political and economical establishments, that may try to appear more like it's a trading empire, when in truth it's based on smuggling/ other illegal ventures. In addition, the Rift is rather... blank. It would be interesting to see more clarification on what types of resources may be found there, and any other interesting things about why it's so uninhabitable.
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Post by Nox Falon on Jul 31, 2015 4:58:51 GMT
Another suggestion: Expansion to Undead Creatures, specifically those created through Necromancy.
Bone Golem: A creature similar to Bonefiends, it towers much higher, generally closer to 13-15 feet high, with advanced units rivaling 20 feet. These creatures are made of fused bones, rather than a plate of bone, and generally have an extremely large amount of skulls incorporated into their bodies. They have an extremely humanoid shape, but no distinguishable head, and are veritable titans. Most fight unarmed, but some have fashioned clubs or swords made of bones, and these are marks of more advanced Necromancers. These creatures are capable of performing a powerful strike on the ground around them, stunning and occasionally knocking down everything in a short vicinity. Bone Golems are resistant to most types of magic, save for blast and impact based spells. Strong cuts over time can slowly destroy a Bone Golem.
Wraith: Wraiths are spectral beings, similar in concept to Banshees. The main difference lies in the fact that, firstly, Wraiths are created by Necromancers rather than naturally formed, and, second, that Wraiths are much more insubstantial than a Banshee. Physical attacks have no effect on Wraiths, as well as most types of magic. Wraiths are among the most deadly beings a Necromancer can summon, due to a single distinguishing factor, their wit. Wraiths are fully sentient, and have a heavily corrupted version of a soul, and are therefore gifted in dark magic, specifically Unlife draining and mental corruption. Some Wraiths also have corporeal shadow weapons which are capable of cutting down opponents manually. In addition, Wraiths can warp in and out of existence through an ability called Shadow Dashing, in which they fade into a flickering, hard to track shadow and move swiftly to a point before popping back into shape, ready to strike. The difficulty in creating Wraiths lies in the fact that a Wraith is a disembodied soul, forcibly corrupted by Unlife energy. For this reason, Wraiths are exceptionally hard to control and create, but are deadly when managed successfully. Killing a Wraith is ill advised, and the best strategy seems to be the use of Divine magic or Necromancy to keep it at bay until it decides it is unable to attack you.
Homonculi: These are very basic composite creatures, and their exact body form is decided by the Necromancer. These beings are rather weak, but have their uses in recon and spying, as well as covert assassination, depending on the creature created.
In addition, several more minor undead:
Morhg: The result of the corpse of a serial killer or murderer being reanimated. The impurity of their souls in life causes quicker reanimation when dead, and the result is a Morhg. These creatures are less rotted, due to their faster reanimation, and move much faster than normal undead, and are prone to hiding among normal undead until the last second, in an effort to catch their opponents off guard.
Shadows: Nobody knows precisely where these creatures originated from. These silhouettes blend rather well with natural shadows in rooms, but become extremely obvious in the light. Their only method of attacking is to touch their opponents. Contact with Shadows results in rapid draining of Life force and corruption of the Soul, and, if one dies to the touch of a Shadow, they become a Shadow themselves. However, Shadows can be dispersed with most any attack, and their only strength is their speed and stealth abilities.
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Post by Carin on Jul 31, 2015 5:10:49 GMT
The "Soul," in Dragonstar Galaxy
As such a pervasive and all-encompassing concept, a key is needed to discuss and define the Soul as per the Dragonstar Galaxy. The below points are some fundamental principles of the Soul. * The Soul is the primordial essence of 'beings,' carrying qualities such as sentience, attachment to the mortal plane, & life force/energy:
This principle, being perhaps the most fundamental, basically dictates a living being's existence. - Individual consciousness is recorded within the soul. The divine, or perhaps even very skilled occult disciples, can access the soul as a book, reading its information, and understand a given individual. - Individuals are attached to mortality, and maintain their sentience/consciousness through the bond of a soul and a body, typically, and death occurs when the soul and body separate. This separation can occur a variety of ways, but the most typical is by obvious physical death. One a soul has left its shell, barring resurrection, it is a basic impossibility to restore it. As explained in a point below, this separation creates unlife energy. - Finally, one's soul determines their overall life force and energy, and whether that energy is positive or negative has to do with the purity of the soul. A soul starts out as pure given that it is not cursed in some way or created artificially as described below. Through the course of a soul's existence, it may increase in purity, gaining positive energy from doing so (thus allowing it to harbor more Life energy, which is described in the next point) or decrease from its original luster, considered as gaining impurity, which may also be referred to as corruption. Different actions beget different results in terms of purity or impurity, but almost certainly the fine line between pure and impure is divided in discipline by Vivamancy and Necromancy respectively. A powerful example of corruption would be the continued detrimental use of necromancy, as it is a crime against nature (of sorts) in many cases, or purification in the case of devout worship and praise to a divinity, or the leading of a righteous lifestyle, or using of Vivamancy for positive ends. Do not mistake the association of purity and impurity to divine force only, as the soul is manipulated and abused or repaired in ways separate from a gods tampering. It should also be noted that this quality of the soul very powerfully determines the effectiveness or difficulty (in performance) of vivamancy, and to some other extent, necromancy. For more information on how the soul and Vivamancy/Necromancy work, please read the Vivanomicon or Necronomicon respectively, located in the link list here. * The Soul is responsible (and necessary as a component) for harboring Life and Mana energy types: Think of the Soul itself as a container in this case, with varying capacities dependent on the individual (the obvious devout will have a larger capacity for divine magic, the skilled arcanist will have more mana, and so on). Life energy can be interpreted as divine magic, and is associated with Vivamancy as explained in the Vivanomicon. Mana is associated with the arcane (elemental) and other disciplines of magic, however not typically associated with necromancy. One cannot have Life energy or Mana without a soul. Substitutions for Mana are available, but Life energy is fundamentally reliant on the soul itself. * The Soul is necessary for high-level intelligent life (but there are "exceptions"): In order for high-level intelligence to be achievable, a Soul is a generally basic requirement. Examples of exceptions to this rule would be artificial intelligence, but it is only an exception to a certain degree before the fallback naturally lands under the category of being soulless. This quality is more explained below in how Souls act as containers created divinely for existence itself. * The Soul in its complete, full and genuine form, is a unique and divinely inspired/created unit: Replica souls can be created by incredibly skilled individuals, but it is impossible to fully and completely create a genuine soul. Each soul is unique in its entirety, responsible for consciousness as explained in the first point above, leading to individuals. * Absence of the Soul begets Unlife Energy: Self-explained point, but more specifically, Unlife energy is prevalent in Necromancy, in which some creatures utilize it in the absence of a soul to cast spells (per the Necronomicon). Please note that this is a draft of the concept, and also a very open piece of work, ready for critique and reinterpretation. Comments, suggestions and discussion is very much desired to modify and perfect the concept.
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