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Vancian Spell Names and a Call for Whimsy

Every few months, the Dying Earth Spell Generator is traded around. I'm glad because despite having it bookmarked, I tend to forget that it is available. For those that think like me, here is the link: Dying Earth Spell Generator.

I've seen this posted somewhere, but I cannot find it. Essentially, someone said that they were taking a break from dark fantasy. This person still wanted fantasy, but something that was light (as in positive) fantasy. In other words, instead of dread and misery, a world of wonder. Yes, maybe even a bit of whimsy.

As hard as it is to imagine, I get a sense of wonder from many of the resutls of the Dying Earth spell generator. For example, Baiti's Vocal Backbone makes me think that some bard made individual vertebrae capable of singing harmony with him. Why the backbone? So that the voices would come from behind him, making his voice stronger and still a lead voice. Hearing a bard perform in this magical way, the typical PCs would examine the instrument, his gloves, his hat, his necklace, bracers, etc. etc. etc. They would never ever guess that it was a spell, and a spell that vocalized his vertebrae.

There's wonder in that for me.

I will be posting a review of James Hutchings, A New Death and others in a couple days. I think there are stories in this tome that can evoke a similar kind of wonder. I read more than one story that make me think "magic should work this way" or "a world like this would be fun to explore." It reminds of when I was collecting Hot Wheels and I found a red Cobra Mustang. It felt to me like I had one of only three in the world (they made more, this is just a feeling) and I had endless delight imagining myself behind the wheel of one of these bad boys.

So I am off dark fantasy for a while. Sure, lurking undead and tentacled horrors from beyond the stars are awesome, but I ready for dragons that are actually awe-inspiring, magic that can't be explained well and creatures that are totally unexpected, but not always evil. Make the good guys cool, too.

That also means a shift to rewarding exploration. I like Greyhawk Grognard's idea of awarding xp awards for finding certain places scattered over the world. I'm going to use that. I'm also going back to when defeating monsters granted xp, not necessarily killing them. Sometimes, attacking a goblin just to get 5 xp will benefit you nothing at all. (No gold farming, please.)

Maybe whimsy is a poor choice of words, but the gist is to look for something with a bit more wonder.

Item Creation for the ACKS Psionicist

Who knew? I actually got to do some coding over the past few days at work. My evenings have been very full as well. That has left me no time at all to work on fun stuff. To that end, I'm posting everything pre-alpha so that folks can use it however they wish.

I already put out the ACKS Psionic Combat on Google+. The psionicist character is d4+2 and 2200XP for 2nd level. The psionicist also has +2 to save against all Illusions and Charm spells. I mentioned the phrenic scourge as one of the creatures in the bestiary.

What's left? Item Creation.

ACKS Item Creation relies on spell levels to determine time and cost. Since psionic powers use point costs instead of levels, this makes the formulas very tricky. Determining the level from the point cost is not too terribly complex, but it makes for a major slowdown in creating items. In an attempt to speed up item creation and to make the psionicist more weird, I've made item creation for psionics contingent on creating one of two substances. Feel free to do what you like with these ideas. Let me know if you use them. Any and all editing help welcomed. Despite having an English degree (well, Medieval British Literature, Non-Chaucer), I've never been able to adequately edit my own writing.

I will say that some things mentioned here are detailed in other documents I haven't posted yet. For example, ghosts are mentioned but no stats are provided. Monday's post will have Wild Talents. Thursday's post will have detailed psionic combat.

Here's the details on Psionic Item Creation to this point:

Quintessence and Heptessence

Psionicists are able to create two unique materials based on their knowledge of how other planes of existence interact our world. Quintessence is the fundamental substance contained in all non-sentient things like stone, wood or metal. Heptessence is the fundamental substance that imbues life to all creatures, except for plants. Each of these materials exist in three different forms: raw, distilled and purified. The raw form is the least potent and the purified form is considered the most potent.

Psionicists use these materials to create items charged with psionic power such as enchanted stones, dorjes, astral constructs or potions.

Quintessence – The properties of this material allow the mending an object, healing constructs or provide base material for the Exchange proficiency. Quintessence is also required for creatin Astral Constructs.

Raw Quintessence costs 500gp and two days to manufacture. Distilled Quintessence requires 4 days and 1000gp to create. Purified Quintessence requires 1 week and costs 1500gp to create.

Raw Quintessence can mend a small object, restore 1 hull point to a ship, restore 1d6 hit points to any construct and provides 200gp of value for use by the Exchange proficiency. Distilled Quintessence has double the power of Raw Quintessence. Purified Quintessence has double the power of Distilled Quintessence.

Heptessence – The properties of heptessence, include healing, curing posions and reversing the effects of aging caused by the touch of a ghost. As a distilled form of life force, this cannot be used as a base material for the Exchange proficiency. Heptessence is necessary for the creation of an enchanted stone and a dorje.

Raw Heptessence can heal 1d6+1 hit points of a living creature, reverse 1d4 years of aging caused by a Ghost, and allow a psionicist to place a Talent inside an Enchanted Stone or Dorje. It costs 500gp and requires 4 days to manufacture.

Distilled Heptessence can heal 2d6+2 hit points, provide an antidote for any non-magical poison, reverse 2d4 years of magical aging, and allow a psionicist to place a Technique inside an Enchanted Stone or Dorje

Purified Heptessence can heal 3d6+3 hit points, provide an antidote for any posion, Cure Disease per Divine Spell, Cure Blindness per Divine spell, reverse 3d4 years of magical aging, and allow a psionicist to place a Practice inside an Enchanted Stone or Dorje.

Enchanted Stone – An enchanted stone is a gemstone imbued with one charge of a psionic power. To create an Enchanted Stone, a psionicist will need a gemstone with worth 50gp per power point cost and the appropriate form of Heptessence. An Enchanted Stone requires one week per two power points (rounding down) to create. The time required for creating an Enchanted Stone with a Talent that costs 1 power point is 3 days.

Dorje – A Noble Stone, or dorje, is a gemstone or specially crafted metal object imbued with multiple charges of a psionic power. To create a dorje, a psionicist will need a gemstone or specially crafted metal object worth 100gp per power point cost and the appropriate form of Heptessence. A dorje requires one day per power point cost times the number of charges to create.

Worst. Day. Ever.

I was going to post an Alpha of the ACKS Psionicist tonight, but I just finished dealing with crazy work stuff that included working this Saturday. Will post Wednesday. Sorry for the delay.

Haven't even been on G+ today at all.

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