Supernatural Intelligences...or not.

[DhAkael]

Here is a brain bender for you all out there.
The Splugorthians are, according to canon ("THE WORD" as laid down by Kevin Siebiada) like younger versions of the great old ones. Kinda like nephews or nieces (gender? what is this gender you speak of meat snack?).
Anyways, back to topic: how does one go about role-playing the (supposedly) mind boggling intelligence and near omnipotence of a Splugorthian?
So far all I've seen 'written' has been that they have vast amounts of Kittani and Kydian soldiers, rune magic (which in later books has become almost as commonplace as toasters), and a near pathelogical need to bet and trade on chaos and pain.
This does not make them the movers and shakers of the megaversal realms.
Sure, they have "plans within plans" and severall millenia of power base construction, but so far, the only Splugorthian that seems to have his crap together is Splyncryth. Splyn has Atlantis, and is more than happy to JUST have Atlantis (at least on Rifts Terra), with a few base camps on the mainlands of the other continents for 'resource aquisition'.
All the rest described in subsequent books after 'Atlantis' seem to either be incompetant morons, or basket weaving (so to spaek) nut-jobs.
So again, how DOES a person role-play or write up one of these tentacled eye-balls to not be an embarrasment to it's unatural kin?

[cornholioprime]

Here is a brain bender for you all out there.
The Splugorthians are, according to canon ("THE WORD" as laid down by Kevin Siebiada) like younger versions of the great old ones. Kinda like nephews or nieces (gender? what is this gender you speak of meat snack?).
Anyways, back to topic: how does one go about role-playing the (supposedly) mind boggling intelligence and near omnipotence of a Splugorthian?
So far all I've seen 'written' has been that they have vast amounts of Kittani and Kydian soldiers, rune magic (which in later books has become almost as commonplace as toasters), and a near pathelogical need to bet and trade on chaos and pain.
This does not make them the movers and shakers of the megaversal realms.
Sure, they have "plans within plans" and severall millenia of power base construction, but so far, the only Splugorthian that seems to have his crap together is Splyncryth. Splyn has Atlantis, and is more than happy to JUST have Atlantis (at least on Rifts Terra), with a few base camps on the mainlands of the other continents for 'resource aquisition'.
All the rest described in subsequent books after 'Atlantis' seem to either be incompetant morons, or basket weaving (so to spaek) nut-jobs.
So again, how DOES a person role-play or write up one of these tentacled eye-balls to not be an embarrasment to it's unatural kin?

The few OF NOTE are, indeed, an embarassment to Intelligencekind.
HOWEVER........
Amongst his (unnamed) peers, Splynncryth is said to be something of an underachiever ("....Look at that!! Bet you that he's the RUNT of his Litter!! Why, Ol' Splynnie over there has ONLY three Worlds under his firm control......)

In earlier books, it was alluded to that Splynncryth's holdings are minor for his species.
It is also alluded to, in the "Panthoens of the Megaverse," that the power and armies of just ONE Splugorthian Intelligence was enough to drive a whole PANTHEON out of its original Dimension.

Today, despite their power, they are in roughly the same position as the major Pantheons in the Megaverse: while most of them have more than enough power/forces to crush any Force in the Megaverse besides the Promethians and some of the Surviving "Super" Intelligence (Nxla, the Lord of the Deep, the Dweller Below, that unnamed 'Thing' with a single eye 10 Miles Across, etc.), what stops them is the fact that even if they defeat a given Power, their own forces would be damaged/depleted to the point of making them vulnerable to other Forces around them.

Including OTHER Splugorth.

Oh well, that's all consuming evil for you. When they're not devouring something else, they're turning on each other.

At least their lives are never dull..............


****Page from a stolen Splugorth Instruction Manual****

1. Make sure that the OTHER fool goes to war for YOUR Advantage. On a good day, he'll destroy your Rival AND leave himself vulnerable to you.....
2. Take time out from a busy day to hunt down and snack on some sentient creatures. Everyone has to have some "me" time.
3. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
4. Encouraging paranoia and distrust in your Minions towards one another increases 'workplace' Productivity.
5. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
6. Get out for little while. See the sights. You know, the Trees, the Flowers, the Slave/Food Pits.....
7. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.

8. Repeat.

[Vrykolas2k]

This is a easy question to answer.. CHEAT!!

If your players spoil your plans. Just change your plans to make it look like you wanted them to do that, do this 4 or 5 times in a row before you actualy let them win.

Sounds like a good way to lose players...
Anyway, Rune Weopons are nowhere near common... I don't see where you get the idea they're as common as toasters, I think you need to read some books again...
As for the Slugorth, they are individually powerful and their IQ average is quite high; add to that their minions, and its little wonder they're feared.

[DhAkael]

This is a easy question to answer.. CHEAT!!

If your players spoil your plans. Just change your plans to make it look like you wanted them to do that, do this 4 or 5 times in a row before you actualy let them win.

Sounds like a good way to lose players...
Anyway, Rune Weopons are nowhere near common... I don't see where you get the idea they're as common as toasters, I think you need to read some books again...
As for the Slugorth, they are individually powerful and their IQ average is quite high; add to that their minions, and its little wonder they're feared.

Not going by raw numbers on the Sploogs, just description (flavour text), and most of the NAMED Sploogies ARE gimps. Question was, how can Splugorth be RP'd not to be emarrasing to their other MUCH more terrifying siblings (not counting minions; elder gods can always get more minions)?
As for the Rune weapons / magic, I have read the books..cover to cover.
They are almost as numourus as toasters...using ironic exagerration as simmili
No, you can't just go over to 'Abdul Goldbergs used rune weapon emporium' and pick one up for a few creds, but in later books after Atlantis, practicaly ever other book had another race able to manipulate rune magic..trust me..I've been running this game from the time the first core book hit the shelf. And half the contradictions that get written by Siembiada himself leave me scratching my head; one of which is the pleathora of rune weapons created NOT by Sploogorth.

[cornholioprime]

".....I think someone on this board posted that the "Kreeghor" have something in common with "Kryygorth" and that they originated from Sploog bio-wizardry or experimentation......"

Yep a Sploog spliced them together from only the Dark Gods know what, and they served him/her/it well as a Warrior Slave Race for a good long while.

Then the Dweller Beneath showed up, gave some of the Populace Genetic Improvements, handed out Witches' Pacts and SN Abilities to the others, and had them start a sucessful Revolution.

[ZEN]

First and foremost, you have to take into account that Splugorth have impressive mental statistics, so they can rewire a computer system after reading the manual.. if they feel like it.. but they are also sadistically evil in the same way as a cat will happily torture a small animal to death and leave it's half eaten corpse on your pillow.. not because it is leaving it as a gift (as some limp wrist cat lovers will tell you) but because it is bored with it and really doesn't care what you do with it.
Cats are also blameless in this behavior because they are natural predators and playing with small critters is entertaining for them.
Splugorth are natural predators, except they don't eat meat, they hunger for dominance.. a Splugorth is never happy, it is feeling at it's best when it is just sitting back and watching it's minions perform it's every whim, no matter how depraved and degrading that task is, if the minion shows any resistance.. the Splugorth then has the entertainment of having another minion kill for it.. it takes no pleasure from the killing, but from the act of domination that results in the killing act.
Thus a Splugorth is likely to have pets, and may even seem to be kind to them.. but only because they are completely under it's control.
Splugorth hate creatures who will not bend to it's will and they vex the Splugorth by their very existance.. so a Splugorth will be driven, constantly, to deal with the source of irritation.
Slavery, war, even trade.. all of this is for the accumulation of money, influence and power.. all of that is for one purpose.. control.
The best way to represent you Splugorth bad guy is thus..
Pick up a large glass, jar or some other resonant container.. make sure your Splugorth is only making a personal appearance when the characters are surrounded, out gunned, out numbered and very worried..
Speak with a loud and deep voice (extend the sibiliant 'S's in every word, to represent the inhuman nature of the Splugorth's speaking apparatus) and speak into the jar so that it sounds funky and otherworldly..
"BOW DOWN TO ME MORTALSs FOR I AM YOUR MASsTER.. YOU CAN NOT RESsISsT MY POWER AND LIVE.. THROW DOWN YOUR PUNY WEAPONSs AND PROSsTRATE YOURSsELF BEFORE ME OR I SsHALL IMPRISsON YOUR SsOUL WITHIN YOUR OWN SsEVERED HEAD AND BATHE IT EXCREMENT FOR A THOUSsAND YEARSs"
Keep in mind that the Splugorth can and most certainly will do this if it is not instantly obeyed.. not because it keeps all it's promises.. but because it makes good on all it's threats.

[Ishmael]

It is also alluded to, in the "Panthoens of the Megaverse," that the power and armies of just ONE Splugorthian Intelligence was enough to drive a whole PANTHEON out of its original Dimension.

Actually it stated that the Sploog had the help of several evil gods and the Asuras. And it was just a dimension they had moved into.

[cornholioprime]

"BOW DOWN TO ME MORTALSs FOR I AM YOUR MASsTER.. YOU CAN NOT RESsISsT MY POWER AND LIVE.. THROW DOWN YOUR PUNY WEAPONSs AND PROSsTRATE YOURSsELF BEFORE ME OR I SsHALL IMPRISsON YOUR SsOUL WITHIN YOUR OWN SsEVERED HEAD AND BATHE IT EXCREMENT FOR A THOUSsAND YEARSs"

And i just realized that with the Bio-Wizardry at their disposal, they could carry out such a threat....

1000 years, huh???

I could get used to the SIGHT of my own poop, even though the view would get rather dull after the first Century.

But the TASTE.........

[Jefffar]

I agree with the cheat option in this case.

The Alien Intellegence is far, far smarter than the Game Master could ever be. It is logical to assume that it would have coem up with a contingency for just about every scenario.

That being said, I tend to make it difficult for the AI to understand or prepare for the players to take actions that are based on goodness, selflessness, generosity and compassion. It serves as a weak spot for the big bad, and gives the players a reward for being good guys.

[Borast]

****Page from a stolen Splugorth Instruction Manual****

1. Make sure that the OTHER fool goes to war for YOUR Advantage. On a good day, he'll destroy your Rival AND leave himself vulnerable to you.....
2. Take time out from a busy day to hunt down and snack on some sentient creatures. Everyone has to have some "me" time.
3. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
4. Encouraging paranoia and distrust in your Minions towards one another increases 'workplace' Productivity.
5. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
6. Get out for little while. See the sights. You know, the Trees, the Flowers, the Slave/Food Pits.....
7. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.

8. Repeat.

Um...this sounds suspiciously like material plagerised from the Wally-World Management manual...minus the part about shutting down profitable stores to prevent the successful formation of a Union...!

[cornholioprime]

****Page from a stolen Splugorth Instruction Manual****

1. Make sure that the OTHER fool goes to war for YOUR Advantage. On a good day, he'll destroy your Rival AND leave himself vulnerable to you.....
2. Take time out from a busy day to hunt down and snack on some sentient creatures. Everyone has to have some "me" time.
3. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
4. Encouraging paranoia and distrust in your Minions towards one another increases 'workplace' Productivity.
5. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.
6. Get out for little while. See the sights. You know, the Trees, the Flowers, the Slave/Food Pits.....
7. Torture Fairies and make them into PPE Batteries.

8. Repeat.

Um...this sounds suspiciously like material plagerised from the Wally-World Management manual...minus the part about shutting down profitable stores to prevent the successful formation of a Union...!

I see your and raise you a

[Borast]

I see your and raise you a

Then you'll really love this...you also left out the "sell crap for pennies on the dollar, and good stuff for dollars on the dime, then 'mark-down' the price to make people think it's a good deal!" (ie: get 'em in the door and pick their pocket for as much as you can!

Anyway...my break is (almost) over...time to return to work!

[pblackcrow]

Torture Fairies

And why not? After all, they are little bloody pains in the arse!

[pblackcrow]

PROSsTRATE YOURSsELF BEFORE ME

Prostrate yourself before me...HUH??? You expect us to drop our pants spread our legs and bend over? Well...Okay!

[Borast]

PROSsTRATE YOURSsELF BEFORE ME

Prostrate yourself before me...HUH??? You expect us to drop our pants spread our legs and bend over? Well...Okay!

Um...ONE of you is a real sick puppy...

Problem is...I can't tell which