First Goal Reached! - Time for Special Contest

I actually want to ask you that, it seems that your post is gone? it should be near Evan's comment, but It's nowhere to be found... I notice it just now when I'm about to write down everyone's submission to my personal archive. EDIT: It's even gone from my notification history...

Sinlaire

Is anyone able to load the older comments? I cannot load the section where my post is at.

Zevrad

[VOTE]

[VOTE]

Vala

I think, for now, I'll wait for another week to see if any other Curators want to submit their idea. Then I'll move the entries here and create a separate polling post.

Sinlaire

I think that poll thing is a good idea too, give like a few days for ideas, and then set those ideas into a poll to be voted

ASP-Ian

[VOTE] (I wasn't sure if we were allowed to vote for our own thing so I figured I'd just do it and see)

Evan

Thank you :D Although I use a certain setting for the trial of ink, and use the same one in the back of my mind when designing both Barathrum and Bookwyrm, I kinda want to make it a bit vague for now so that I can make any creature and character without being too constraint by a fixed setting. but perhaps bit by bit, I'll start to develop and reveal a more established the setting as we go. and I think that might be a good idea. If the number of people voting turns out to be rather too low, then I'll try to make a poll toward the end.

Sinlaire

Yeah, I don't know if you'd already established things in regards to a setting, I only know what I read in Trial of Ink, which was really amazing! I was blown away when I saw your work on it last year. As an RPG writer, it definitely makes me want to do some system writeups at some point, if that'd be alright. On a different note- for the voting, it might be better to set up an formal poll using Patreon's polling tool towards the end of the month? Just a thought.

ARBco

That would be cool to see.

Hoo~ it's both character and new druidic circle, interesting :D It would be interesting to make the visual appearance for this druidic culture~

Sinlaire

[SUBMIT] ｢Melinoë, Keeper of Ruòn｣ ⦑ Main Text ⦒ Civilized folk see druidae magic as a wild, unfettered craft. But in truth, they're simply attuned to a pattern larger than most can see. Their work is not like the rumination of bibliomancers or the frenzy of an ignist, but instead stems from a preternatural symbiosis with nature. Most druidae attune to the woods, mountains, rivers, and watch over them, seeing that the dangerous creatures of the wild are kept at bay from civilization with their standing stones, and teach communities the safer paths through their lands. It is rare that they take their vigil into the ruins below, but it is here the order of druidae known as the lampade reside. Their vigil is more dangerous, as they seek to ensure the overworld is not beset by drakes, deadnoughts, or the perdidit populum (aka "lost ones"). But it also makes them formidable, as they bond with strange creatures rarely seen in the lighted world. Some presume them no longer human, but that matter is unclear. Amongst them, Melinoë is a traditionalist. Lost early in life, she was taken in by a lampade as a ward and apprentice. She has outlived her teacher by many decades, having attuned at a younger age and benefited from the life-extended secrets of the druidae earlier, and become the keeper of Ruòn, one of the eight known great chamberdeeps. Being more isolated from humanity, she has little patience for adventurers that come into the buried lands seeking the lost treasures that reside there, but has a soft spot for those who have simply lost their way or have been brought by mishap. After all, she was once like them as a child, and has not forgotten the kindness shown by her fallen mentor. ⦑ Illustration ⦒ Melinoe has an elaborate gown and gloves of rough igneous stone, with crystals sprouting here and there, and possibly something odder like an eye or burrowing creature poking out. She probably has a few small subterranean creatures resting on it, with a rough wooden staff topped by a glowing worm wound around the tip. Her feet are bare, and heavily dirty and callused as a result. She has a hood of similar stone, with loose, wild hair that obscures one of her eyes, coming out of the hood in locks down towards her waist. Her bangs curl inward towards her cheek like hooks. In general, she has a wary demeanor born from her task, but is unconcerned about hiding emotions and might come across as extremely open and awkward at times since she isn't very self-aware. (I'm keeping the details a loose for interpretation, feel free to ask for full references if selected.)

ARBco

No problem at all~ thank you for sharing. I like to read ideas like these, so no need to delete it in case anyone has any feedback or comment for you. perhaps just edit out the 'submit' tag so it won't confuse others,

Sinlaire

Oh~ interesting, so in a way, you actually had a first-hand encounter with the beast? XD If this one gets picked, I wonder If we can put a small 'interview with a witness (your D&D character)' section on the last page XD

Sinlaire

Oops :p I'm quite new to Patreon, I didn't realize! My Bad!

The monster actually came from a D&D campaign being run by a friend of mine. We were lucky to have some alchemists fire but if we didn't it probably would have gone badly.

Thank you for sharing your idea, Amy, unfortunately for this occasion, only Curators can enter the contest, while others can vote instead, despite that, this is a rather interesting character. Sounds like he could be an actual character/staff for The Archive~ :D

Sinlaire

Emmanuel S. Adrackan is known far and wide throughout his world, although he'd rather it be otherwise. His works on biology and his intense study of both flora and fauna can be found in nearly every library in the world. While most know of his works, not many know of him especially. An awkward, slim man with unkempt dirty blond hair and a soft demeanor. He carries his work wherever he goes, whether it be in vials around his waist, or in the hundreds of notes he keeps...somewhere. He tends to lose quite a lot, with his numerous sketchbooks and journals, he's a passionate man after all. His studies have most recently led him to the mysterious island shrouded in a near-deadly fog, to study flora and fauna endemic to the mysterious island. He's left behind his two sons, but his studies will surely prove fruitful - and thus worth it.

Thanks! It's a fun species a friend of mine made, he's been working on it for a long time now. Different hives are controlled by Princesses and they have a tendency to butt heads and have turf wars over resources, though some Princesses end up evolving enough to become Regional Queens. Those ones keep clusters of hives in check and report directly to the actual Queen.

Evan

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" literally for these guys. In D&D as a player races these guys would probably be rather tricky to pull of especially with their bodies mutating in response to damage probably make for an interesting boss fight though but as a Player a Hybrid variation would probably work as I imagine in terms of D&D it would be like a Dragonborn/Half-Orc type their mutations maybe not being very potent or dramatic and shed off like snakes skin after a few days I can see this opening opportunities for players/ DMs to experiment with the mutations.

Thanks! One can only hope this gets the voted needed though

ASP-Ian

I have the same image in my mind~ the concept of each battle scar and near-death experience makes you even stronger, and not just temporarily, but permanently instead, it is quite interesting. I wonder if It'll work as a playable race in D&D... (or perhaps, if there's a hybrid variation of them) PS: don't worry, I made the contest this way so that this kind of discussion can happen~

Sinlaire

Glad you think its interesting and your thoughts on their culture/ tribes is rather spot on and on the notion of the more mutated they are the higher their position is I had imagined myself that they have a sort of High Chieftain/ King a special member of their race that has survived not only a "head injury" but also the "burning" and has retained their reasoning this individual regardless of what tribe they are from is basically treated like a king by all members of this race as the "burning" to them in an inescapable warriors death and to survive that in this race's eyes is to have defeated Death itself in combat. Sorry for rambling I am just happy to talk about my ideas :)

that's quite terrifying, a whole intelligent race and civilization of body-snatching smile + insect... It would be really interesting to see how they interact with other humanoid species with their natural need to absorb other creatures in order to reproduce and how others see them. and also what led them to declare ceasefire...

Sinlaire

simple yet very unique~ I can already see it being used to terrorize my player in my D&D home game, with those umber color and bark like exoskeleton I imagine it'll have advantages when hiding near trees, imagine seeing a bunch of normal-looking tree trunk/branches suddenly moving and staring at them when they accidentally walk into their territory~

Sinlaire

yay character entry~ love the hydra idea, I can see her treating them like a pet and each has a different personality~ and I like the gap-moe idea for her personality there XD

Sinlaire

Oh~ Interesting, I can imagine If honor, battle experience, and physical prowess are highly regarded in their culture/tribe, I wonder if the more mutated body they have (which implies that they survive more battle) will put them in a higher position in their tribe/group.

Sinlaire

[VOTE]

ASP-Ian

[VOTE]

[SUBMIT] Body snatching symbiotic bug creatures called Slimesects. They are an intelligent invasive species whose main strength is their ability to assimilate the genetic strengths of the species they bring into their hives. Their eggs only "hatch" by absorbing a new species and converting it into a new Slimesect. Their bodies appear to be made of a semi-translucent goo, though their forms are relatively stable and have some solid parts in the form of hardened chitin. They are roughly classified into three categories with Workers being the most common, followed by Soldiers and the most rare being Princesses. Their overall Queen has ordered a ceasefire against other intelligent species for the moment.

Evan

[VOTE]

[SUBMIT] Barkhounds are a species of wolf native to temperate forests. Their fur is umber in colour and they're somewhat stockier than the common wolf. However, what truly sets them apart is the dense bark that grows in patches on their body. When threatened this bark spreads to cover more of their form, providing protection from the claws and teeth of would-be predators. They are territorial and seldom found near civilization.

[SUBMIT] An acidic/mutation themed witch named "Ms. Hazard" or "Bio Hazard", with a habit of mutating her body and limbs in the middle of combat, and firing loads of magical projectiles like she was some kind of touhou character. She conducts experiments on creatures and monsters to mutate them to see what kind of things she can make. There are 3 Hydra heads that sprout from her upper back, and can spit acid. If they get cut off, they regrow in quick order, unless cut off with fire. She may seem evil and malcontent at first, but if you get to know her, you'll see she's really kind and loves cute things. She just has a little bit of a "mutagenic" personality.

ASP-Ian

[SUBMIT] A hulking Draconic Gorilla like race these brutes are as smart as orcs but seem to have a high sense of honor for some reason perhaps due to some “draconic pride” and that would be it for these behemoths if it weren't for one nasty biological mystery, they posses a mutagenic regenerative healing factor whatever damage they take their bodies mutate and their wounds become weaponized making these simple brutes more like living siege engines with near unstoppable might one of the only know ways to take them down is to swiftly remove their heads as their body seems to stop healing without their heads unfortunately though this method is a double edged sword if the head isn't completely removed and these goliath heal from a “head injury” they become berserk beasts their mutagenic ability burning up their bodies in fury their bodies literally bursting with flames rampaging till these flames consume them destroying their bodies and leaving nothing but ash.