Hades and Dyval seem to be the two standby big bads realms of evil, chaos and destruction, but afaik, far from the only ones, with Wormwood and the Nightlands being the most fleshed out "alternate realms of darkness" that i can recall, beside mentioned but not really all that described kingdoms of a number of evil gods or their nemeses in Pantheons of the Megaverse.
But somehow i doubt that would stop people from getting creative and making up their own stuff.
So, what kind of weird supernatural predators or dimensions of rapacity and evil beside Hades, Dyval have you developed or at least toyed with in your games? Be it for Rifts, Palladium, Beyond the Supernatural, Dead Reign, Heroes Unlimited or whatever other setting you prefer, i would like to hear of other people's creations on the subject.
The 1st Land of the Damned book has random monster tables in it that can be used to create monster races. There is another Mos. Creation table in the latest 3G book.
There is a Dimensional Realm creation table in one of the earliest rifters (single digit) that was based off the astral realm creation tables in Between the Shadows.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
drewkitty ~..~ wrote:The 1st Land of the Damned book has random monster tables in it that can be used to create monster races. There is another Mos. Creation table in the latest 3G book.
There is a Dimensional Realm creation table in one of the earliest rifters (single digit) that was based off the astral realm creation tables in Between the Shadows.
About Land of the Damned and the 3G random monster tables i was aware already, though the Dimensional Realm one is news to me, thanks for the info.
But as an aside, random can be good for quick fun, but i was really looking for was hearing of other people's actual creations, unique demon races and kingdoms that actually got more than one-shot use in their games and in what kind of ways. It's tales of the Dormammus, Sargeras and homebrewed weird forces or hosts from other GMs i'm more interested in.
Last edited by SolCannibal on Wed May 25, 2016 8:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The races I've created have been posted in one of the fan race topics (RDB & PF forums) or were submitted as part of larger articles to the rifter.
May you be blessed with the ability to change course when you are off the mark.
Each question should be give the canon answer 1st, then you can proclaim your house rules.
Reading and writing (literacy) is how people on BBS interact.
While the basic idea of the Nightbane game was cool, I often felt the execution was only so so. And its not very often that people want to play in it... So I stole bits of it for one of my hells/places you never-ever want to visit.
The World Beyond The Mirror. Any child can tell you. There is a world on the other side of a mirror...and any child will also tell you, in a very small voice that you never ever want to see it. For those unlucky few that manage to mirror walk through the mirror to the Other Side they will find a world that is the mirror of their world. Every building every plant, every vehicle is present. There are no animals...but there are people. Almost every person on earth has a mirror person present. A doppelganger (as per the books un-awakened doppelganger) who listlessly goes through the motions of mimicking the mortal life on the other side of the mirror. If you are unfortunate enough to stay long you will start to hear and see things though. Things that do not fit in, that are in the corer of your eye or the edge of hearing. You will start to encounter the true denizens of the Mirror.
The Mirror is also the home for Living Nightmares. When ever a Nightmare is finally forgotten and banished from dreams...it goes beyond the mirror and takes up its new residence in the Mirror. They are trapped here unable to leave...but able to almost live out their desires on the doppelgangers. And any who visit. And visitors are treasured. Treasured like a prized wine or choice steak is treasured. For if a non-doppelganger dies in pain and horror in the mirror their soul will never leave. They will become the other denizens...Ghosts. The kind of ghost created will depend greatly on the form of death and the person dying. Beautiful ghosts, harmful ghosts, and many others though stalk the streets and fields. Lonely and seeking comfort. And worst of all, some times ghosts can be seen through mirrors...
The rules are not a bludgeon with which to hammer a character into a game. They are a guide to how a group of friends can get together to weave a collective story that entertains everyone involved. We forget that at our peril.
Edmund Burke wrote:The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
“He who follows the Golden Comet’s tail into the lands of the east shall become king of all he surveys. His house shall be in ascendancy, and his name shall be glorified in his conquests.”
“CosmoKnights HATE these bastards; not only are they agents of despair, but they’re magic, and thus a threat to the ‘knights. They travel through space just like them too, so they’re a threat that the Cosmos HAVE to face off against.”
“First time one of these bastards showed up in the Orbitals, it ripped through more than a few of the smaller indies; thing took particular delight in popping the inflatable hab modules and tossing the occupants out into space. Opened up a few of the ‘cans too and poisoned the life support, made a lot of people sick. Dodged the orbital militia sent after it; made them look like first-time dirtsider fumble-bums the way it raced around them. One of the metaheads over on Outcast somehow figured out the thing was susceptible to wood, natural wood, not just cellulose, and broadcast it to the rest of Earth Orbit. Normally we don’t give much shrift to what the ‘Mutes say, but this time people listened and we scoured the whole Station community for anything so much as a matchstick. Damned near impossible, and the whole time that thing was picking off random spacers. I think we wound up breaking up some Eurostation exec’s antique picture frame for CROSSBOW BOLTS and damned near wasted all of them trying to hit the comet-bastard. It left sometime after that, but now I hear another’s coming our way. A lot of Orbitals are quietly looking at ways of acquiring more wood, but trees aren’t exactly hydroponics dome-friendly. Times like this, I wish we could temporarily set aside the Quarantine and nip down to Earth and steal a few trees; all that green just out of reach and we don’t dare touch it for fear of bringing back something even worse.”
Aurcles are bizarre demonic beings that both resemble, and are associated with, comets. Aurcles resemble hideous disembodied demonic (or devilish)heads with mouths full of sharp teeth, and two long clawed arms emerging from where the neck would join the head in a proper body. Thick tendril-hair waves from the back of the head, as well as a bright ‘tail’ of incandescent gases that stream back from the Aurcle. Aurcles do not walk or run, but fly. They can hover in place, or fly effortlessly through atmosphere or space. Aurcles are comet-like also in that individual monsters will stake out a territory and patrol it on a regular schedule, terrorizing targets of opportunity along the way. On Rifts Earth they rarely hang around an area more than 1d4x10 days before wandering off someplace else to spread terror, not returning to a particular region for 2d4x10 months(see Attitudes, below). This may grant communities unfortunate enough to be on an Aurcle’s ‘orbit’ some small consolation; if they can survive the monster’s visit, they are unlikely to be bothered again for a while, giving them a chance to recoup their losses, marshal defenses, or move out of the demon’s territory. Aurcles delight in being harbingers of misfortune and death. Their visits always portent somebody suffering. A favorite tactic of theirs is to sweep their long tails over communities and crowds, poisoning them with the magic miasmas contained therein. Other favorite pastimes include casting curses, inflicting magical illnesses, or inciting violence, often by using their magical abilities to disguise themselves as bearers of GOOD fortune to people, contingent on those people following certain dictates and conditions(such as going to war with somebody else), or misleading the gullible into thinking that the omens are right for ill-conceived action. If manipulation games don’t work, or the Aurcle loses patience with its pawns, the creature will swing into rage-mode, attacking directly. When enraged, they take perverse pleasure in poisoning entire villages, burning forests, tearing apart spacecraft and spacestations, and throwing victims into deep space. In space, Aurcles are known to infest certain real comets and may exist as parasitic hitchhikers on Demon Planets. Demonstars are also known to carry complements of the living space predators. However, Aurcles are actually slightly weaker in the depths of space than they are near life-bearing planets, and this has led many demonologists to speculate that they are attracted to planets to feed on the greater ambient PPE. Their orbital paths and regular visits and retreats back into the void may be because deep space has some factor that keeps them alive, or, as some have further speculated, Aurcles as a species were cursed at some time in the distant past to be unable to remain near planets on a permanent basis. The concern is that the intervention of Demon Planets and other outside parties may be able to break this conditioning, giving the creatures the opportunity to linger around hunting grounds. Neither speculation has been proven definitively. Despite being most often called a ‘demon’, Aurcles appear to be Infernal free-agents, truly loyal to only themselves. During the Minion War, Aurcles serve on BOTH sides, and sometimes the same monster will serve as a herald or portent for armies loyal to different sides, just to egg both armies into fighting each other solely for the Aurcle’s entertainment. It’s for that self-interest that neither high-rank Demons nor Deevils entirely trust Aurcles or place them in positions of any great responsibility. Aurcles are typically encountered alone; if more than one is encountered, it suggests the nearby presence of a Demon Planet or other malign cosmic phenomenon, in which case ‘swarms’ of dozens to hundreds of Comet-Demons/Devils are possible(planetary alert!).
*Historical Sidenote: Astrologers D’Angos and Lund both independently identified an Aurcle that swept through their Earth-analogue solar system in 1875 A.D. Both claimed credit for the identification, but refused to share credit with the other as they announced their discovery virtually simultaneously. Their bitter feud persisted for several years after the creature’s scathing and thankfully quick visitation to their world, a fact that would doubtlessly have gladdened the monster’s dark spirit had it known of it.
Alignments: Miscreant and Diabolical. Life Span: Unknown Size: 6 ft from chin to brow. The arms can reach some 15 ft. The tail can stream back 3d6x10 ft. Appearance: A disembodied demonic head, with jagged teeth, wild hair, leathery dark skin, and two sinewy arms attached just behind the head. A long tail of glowing gas streams back behind the head. Aurcles can use magic to take on a more angelic or benign appearance, deceiving onlookers that they are messengers of good portents or harbingers of victory.
Attitude: Aurcles tend to be cunning, deceptive, scheming monsters who love inflicting misery. They love the adulation of ‘inferiors’ and tend to be bold and self-promoting; a n Aurcle will not often be found ‘laying low’ or trying NOT to be conspicuous. They tend to be mercurial in temperament, going between clever deception, lying, and manipulation games, and mad-dog rampages of destruction, where they spread wanton damage and death. There is some suggestion that the long lonely and cold periods of dormancy traveling between planets may drive the Aurcles insane or just plain deathly bored, so they become devoted to packing in as much excitement and cruel entertainment as possible during their planetary visits. Aurcles also seem possessed of wanderlust, whether natural or the sort of some sort of curse; on most worlds they will rarely stay in a particular area more than 2d4 days, or on a planet more than 2d6 months before vanishing(being banished?) back into space for 3d6 years. On PPE-rich worlds like Rifts Earth, they may linger in areas as long as 1d4x10 days and stick around on planet for as long as 2d4x10 months before they feel compelled to leave.
Physical Attributes: IQ: 2d6+6 ME: 2d6+13 MA: 2d6+2 PS: 4d6+24(supernatural) PP: 2d6+13 PE: 3d6+20 PB: 1d4+2 SPD: (Flying) Hover to 1d6x100 MPH, no altitude limit (Space) x10 in space (PPE): 3d6x10+P.E. Within 230,000 miles(roughly about the distance between the Earth and the Moon) of a life-bearing planet(or Living Demon Planet), the Aurcle’s PPE INCREASES by 50%. They can also boost their PPE by being near leylines and nexi.
MDC: 2d4x100 +(P.E.x10) Horror Factor: 14 Natural Abilities: *Extremely Acute Vision---Eagle-like; can read a street sign from 3 miles away.
*Fly--- In lieu of legs, Aurcles can fly at will, by some mystic means.
*Dormancy---In the deep cold of space, Aurcles can go ‘cold’, assuming the appearance of just another cold space rock. In this form they have only a 10% chance of being discerned as anything other than another piece of space debris. However, it takes them 2d6 hours to cool down into this state. They will still register to PPE sensors in this form.
*Mesmerism---An Aurcle’s glowing tail looks just SO fascinating, that onlookers may be effectively hypnotized by the sight. The demons use this ability to distract and trap victims, setting them up for attack by other means. Effective range is 500 ft, and those gazing on the terrible BEAUTY of the Aurcle’s tail must save versus Horror Factor or be temporarily awed/shocked; rather than flee, those who fail their saving throw will feel compelled to stay and gaze at the Aurcle until physically attacked(will be -2 to initiative, dodge, and parry, and NO bonuses to strike for the first melee afterwards).
*Magically Understands All Languages
*Tail Gases---The Aurcle can magically switch, at will, the composition of the mystic gases that make up its tail: *Miasma *Mist of Death *Cloud of Ash *Stench of Hades These effects are equal to a 10th level of spellcasting proficiency, although they cost the creature no PPE.
Magic:(All spells are performed at a 10th level of proficiency) *Charismatic Aura(10) *Illusion Booster(15) *Multiple Image(7) *Starburst(12) *Impervious to Energy(20) *Invulnerability(25) *Spoil(food/water)(30) *Aura of Doom(40) *Meteor(45)---The Aurcle can actually cast this spell for slightly LESS than normal. *Minor Curse(35) *Sickness(50) *Shockwave(45) (Space) *Hide in Space(10) *Cosmic Armor(45) *Micrometeorites (55) *Magic Tether (10/15 in atmosphere) *Magic Tug Tether(22) *Space Fire Stream(20) *Shooting Star(18) *Sub-Light Space Flight (60)
Vulnerabilities: *Wood---Wood isn’t naturally occurring in space, so wooden(naturally grown, can’t be shaped cellulose) weapons actually do DOUBLE damage to Aurcles. This helps explain why many take the opportunity to set forests ablaze when they visit planets.
*Atmosphere/Gravity---Though Aurcles may increase in PPE and other factors in and near gravity-wells, the fact of the matter is that long term exposure to a planetary atmosphere and gravity actually weakens the Aurcle. If they stay over their 2d6 month ‘wanderlust limit’, an Aurcle’s flesh begins to undergo a deterioration akin to melting and sagging, losing 10% of their MDC and mass per week. If they lose more than 50% of their MDC in this manner, the Aurcle’s speed drops by 20%, and their bonuses to strike, dodge, and parry drop by -1, and P.S. by -2 per every additional 10% of mass/MDC lost. Upon reaching 0 MDC, the Aurcle dissolves into a last cloud of miasmic steam and a rapidly evaporating puddle of poisonous water.
Combat: Attacks per melee: 7 Damage: Bite 4d6 MD Claw 3d6 MD +P.S.(Supernatural) bonus damage Body Block/Tackle 1d4x10 MD High Speed Ram(2 attacks) 2d6x10 MD Bonuses: (In addition to attribute bonuses) +1 Perception +4 Initiative +2 Strike/Parry +4 Dodge +2 Roll with impact +7 save vs Horror Factor Impervious to gases and poisons, and the vacuum of space.
Skills: Astronomy 90% Astrology 90% Navigation:(Air) 86% Navigation: Space 90% Movement: Zero Gravity Lore: Monsters and Demons 75% Lore: Magic 50%
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"
“I’d unknowingly picked up one of these bastards in my teens....It haunted me for decades, following me around, prying away at my self-worth and self-confidence until I was ready to cut my own throat...Abomination just kept hounding me into middle-age...When I discovered the immortality in my family, the bastard still continued to feed off me...It must have figured it had hit the jackpot, what with me sticking around longer and unable to enjoy my longevity...except that immortality also brought me Second Sight....Once I figured out my health wasn’t going downhill and that my negative impulses were coming from OUTSIDE myself, I was finally able to see the monster and turn the tables on it...I’m finally rid of the bastard, but I’m afraid it did its damage...It ruined the formative years of my life, and if I live to ten thousand years, I ain’t getting those years back...”
Chakaiser are vicious little demonic beings who get high off of promoting negative emotions, especially depression. These stealthy, if not terribly physically prepossessing, beings delight in using their powerful psionics to bring peoples’ spirits down, destroy morale, and promote suicide, by playing on insecurities, fears, and suspicions. Psychosomatic illnesses, suicidal tendencies, morbid obsessions, unsolicited dark thoughts...all can be signs of a Chakaiser at work, warping one’s soul. They rarely stoke a victim into homicidal rages against others....it’s not their style; among demonic corruptors, they’re introverts who’d rather enjoy the black hole of a closet manic-depressive collapsing on himself than the violent bloodbath of a deranged killer. Chakaiser are not beholden to any one Infernal realm, but are independent operators, occasionally hiring themselves out as mercenaries to the Lords of the Infernal Realms and other monsterous beings. The Minion War has seen an unprecedented concentration of Chakaisers, the creatures flocking to undermine worlds in the path of the demonic armies, and following refugees to hound them. They delight in destroying people with vast personal potential; the arts and cultural scene of many a world has been the poorer for the depredations of Chakaiser whispering in the minds of their victims. Chakaiser try to avoid open confrontations at all costs; even a relatively weak normal human being can pose a threat to them if the human is determined enough. The demonic creatures would rather lurk in the shadows, playing on people’s negative emotions and turn them against themselves, than take direct action on their own. Modern weaponry would tear them apart(though they get along much better in modern societies, where disbelief in the supernatural, and the stresses of modern life, combine to create a perfect feeding ground for the little monsters). Alignments: Evil only Lifespan: Unknown Size: 3 ft tall, 20-30 lbs Gender: Asexual Physical Description/Appearance: Look like crosses between a particularly rag-eaten moth and a bat; small, slight, flattened out, with a moldy, feathery, mottled-gray, hide. Their heads are small and bat-like, with a round, nearly bald, head, tiny black eyes, slit mouth, slit nostrils, and two large pointed ears. They have four short clawed limbs, and a set of claws on their wings. Chakaiser can flatten themselves out , the better to hide under furniture, vehicles, and other cover. Their voices are soft and hissing, barely audible(border on the sub-vocal subliminal). Disposition/Attitudes: Vicious petty little creatures who delight in spreading and promoting misery for their own entertainment and nourishment. They are addicted to tormenting other beings, psionically whispering in their minds and turning them against themselves with self-doubt and anxiety. Their favorite tactics are to churn their victims into worry with suggestion (“You’re terminally ill! You won’t live another year!”, “It would be so easy to kill your own parents, don’t you think? But why are you thinking such things? Unless...you’re evil and worthless, you rotten selfish child!”, “You’ll be alone all your life, losing everything because you can’t do -anything-, and then you’ll die, and there’s -nothing- after that...nobody will ever remember you or what you were...except what you did wrong!”) that emphasizes fear and anxiety. They then wallow in the insuing bad vibes. Inhumanly cunning and patient; a Chakaiser may stalk a victim for years, haunting and cultivating their psyche towards the negative emotional state, driving them into insanity. Most Chakaiser like to end their games with their victim committing suicide, the extra PPE burst of death marking a successful campaign...Others like to leave their victims hopelessly broken and insane(and all the better if they can come back later and destroy any recovery!). Chakaiser try to avoid physical contact and face-to-face confrontation, fleeing if discovered(though they’ll try to sneak back later to continue their campaign of psychological torture)..If cornered, they’ll try to bargain and bluff, trusting in their persuasive personalities to convince their opponents to let them go, or to fall back. Only as an absolute last resort will they attempt to physically fight back. Strong, happy, emotions generally revolt and disgust Chakaiser, and a good party or warm emotional atmosphere will send the creatures packing, unless they see that such a state is only temporary, and can be used to further their torture of a target. Physical Attributes: IQ: 2d6+4 ME: 2d6+10 MA: 2d8+6 PS: 1d4+1 PP: 2d6+9 PB: 1d4+2 PE: 2d6 SPD: 4d6 (Flying) 6d6 (ISP): 2d4x10 +M.E.+4d6 per level of experience(use Mindmelter Exp. tables) (PPE): 6d6 Hit Points: 10 SDC: 20 Natural A.R.: 7 MDC: In megadamage realms, the Chakaiser becomes a (minor) megadamage being Horror Factor: 1d6+9 Natural Abilities: *Superior Nightvision----Sees perfectly well in darkness *Acute Hearing---Equivalent to a dog’s *Climbing/Clinging Claws---1d4 damage *Flexible Bone Structure--Can flatten themselves out to about three inches thick; good for squeezing under furniture and through narrow opennings Vulnerabilities: *Bright Light--Cannot stand direct, bright, light such as sunlight or spotlights, and avoids being exposed *Fire--Fire does DOUBLE damage to them, and even in megadamage realms, fire does equivalent megadamage to them. *Supernatural Vulnerabilities---Chakaiser, being (minor) demonic beings, are subject to the same sorts of vulnerabilities as other supernatural/demonic beings...They are generally repulsed by holy symbols, and held at bay by wards and Circles of Protection. Psionics:(Master) *Empathy *See Aura *Telepathy *Mask ISP & Psionics *Mind Block *Object Read *Sense Magic *Empathic Projection(Double Range) *Hypnotic Suggestion(Double Range) *Bio-Manipulation(Double Range) Magic: *Shadowmeld(no PPE cost) Cybernetics/Bionics: None Available OCCs: None; instinctive predators, rely on their own abilities rather than training. RCC Skills: Prowl 90% Climbing 98% Tracking 80% Camouflage 80% Detect Ambush 80% Detect Concealment 75% Pick Locks 50% Language: Demagorgon Four Languages of Choice(+5%) W.P.: Two ancient W.P.s of choice Actions/Attacks Per Melee: 2 physical, 4 psionic attacks per melee Bonuses: +1 to Initiative +2 to Dodge(+ physical bonuses) +5 save versus Horror Factor +2 save versus Magic Culture: Nomadic loners. Rarely are more than two or three Chakaiser encountered(usually working on a family or group). Chakaiser occasionally meet with others of their kind to exchange information and stories of their prowess.
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"
The Chakaiser? Born of those long dark times of the soul when you suddenly wonder if maybe somebody or something is trying to drive you up the wall or down in the pits, because you're REALLY giving yourself the bad works....
-------------
"Trouble rather the Tiger in his Lair,
Than the Sage among his Books,
For all the Empires and Kingdoms,
The Armies and Works that you hold Dear,
Are to him but the Playthings of the Moment,
To be turned over with the Flick of a Finger,
And the Turning of a Page"
