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| Thread: Faction Idea: Ooze | |
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Crayfish
Known Hero
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posted May 02, 2011 12:25 AM |
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Edited by Crayfish at 13:33, 02 May 2011.
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Faction Idea: Ooze
Foreword
This ended up taking longer than I thought it would but I am happy with the overall vision for the faction. Unfortunately I am not an artist in any way and can not do the creatures justice. The appearance I imagine for creatures is whitish-grey skin covered in large pulsating boils, deformities, especially body parts of exaggerated size and antler like growths or short writhing tendrils projecting from the skin. Upgraded versions always have more exaggeration of body features. I wish I was more artistically inclined and so that I could bring them to life properly. With that in mind, please do not judge this faction based on the pictures, which are at best vague guides to creature appearance.
Faction Name: The Ooze
Associated colours: White and grey
Worship: Created by Sylath, the White Dragon, but unaware of this.
Core philosophy: "Discover, Merge, Know"
Country / kingdom: An unexplored semi-tropical forest to the far South of the Holy Griffin Empire.
Capital city: Enanea
Architecture: Cities are laid out like huge termite hives but with elaborate, ornate features and distinct buildings, towers, gates etc.
Background and lore
Deep beyond the wildest forests and darkest swamps of Ashan lie mysteries best left undisturbed. Still, the curiosity of the elder races is insuppressible. On occasion, brave adventurers driven by legends of treasure or the thirst for adventure have found their way into the unfathomable heart of the ancient forests. Here, in a secluded, canopied mangrove of bubbling mud springs, each explorer has met their end in a most unusual and horrifying way. Those who walk near the springs or stop to marvel at the deep bubbling within find their feet firmly entrapped. Slowly, the crawling, living mud draws in the terrified wanderers. Those who are so engulfed are not devoured, but irrevocably altered. What emerges after days from the mud bares only a passing resemblance to the creature that was trapped by the Primal Ooze. Now under the command of this strange sentient organism, the unfortunate host becomes the Primal Ooze’s eyes and hands in the world. The Primal Ooze has only recently awakened into sentience, yet great cities have already arisen in this most remote of places.
Although few adventurers fell upon such unhappy fortune in the early days of the Primal Ooze’s awakening, these first Merges brought many animals of the wild, travellers and forest people to their new beginnings. Although the Primal Ooze must use other species, it is a young organism with a great intellectual curiosity and a desire to make an imprint on the world. It does not wish the extinction of other races but rather seeks a way to fit into the world of Ashan in its own right. However, like all creatures, it will let nothing stand in the way of its own survival.
The Primal Ooze gained awareness suddenly in the deepest forest. It had no knowledge of Asha or Urgash, nor the elemental dragons, nor magic. In truth, it was given life and intelligence by the dragon Sylath, the White Dragon who is given to moving in esoteric ways. Having lacked influence on Ashan since the Wars of Fire drove the Holy Falcon Empire to worship Elrath, the Ooze represent Sylath’s new presence on this world and the culmination of centuries of creative energies. Sylath’s plans are unclear, as ever his plans were to all but himself.
Though the Ooze began as a single mind, once it has given a part of itself to Merge with the host, the Merge is a distinct entity that integrates in some part with the personality of the host. Most Merges regularly synchronise with the Primal Ooze by returning to the mud springs, a process that the Primal Ooze values as a way to gain knowledge of the world it cannot experience alone. However some Merges, especially once separated from the springs for a long time, come to regard themselves more and more as distinct entities.
Creatures
Core
Maggot / Mulch Crawler
Servant / Hammerfist
Glider / Claw Glider
Elite
Merge Stalker / Merge Panther
Elk Rider / Elk Charger
Will Mage / Will Sorcerer
Champion
Ooze Giant / Abductor
Maggot
These insect larvae are extremely common in the deep forest and their soft, slow bodies make them easy to capture for the servants of the Primal Ooze. Maggot Merges are one of the great builders of Ooze city-mounds, excreting a fluid that hardens over time into a hard resin.
Attack: Maggots rear up and lunge at the opponent, biting with their fanged mouthparts.
Statistics: Maggots have low speed and initiative but reasonable damage, defense and HP. They are about average in cost.
Specials: Spit resin (activated ability, once per battle). The maggot spits resin as a ranged attack. This attack does normal damage (with range penalty applied) and lowers the target stack’s speed by 50% for 2 turns.
Mulch Crawler
Mulch Crawlers are the larvae of a rarer forest insect. Mulch crawler Merges are excellent recruiters of forest animals due to their paralysing venom spit.
Attack: Mulch crawlers rear up and lunge like maggots, but spit a glob of poison. Their melee attack is the same as maggots.
Statistics: Mulch crawlers have a ranged attack with a low number of shots subject to range penalty. Otherwise their statistics are similar to maggots, with slightly higher cost and HP. They have no melee penalty.
Specials: Poison spit. The mulch crawler’s ranged attack has a 40% chance of paralysing living opponents. Paralysed opponents move 50% more slowly and deal 33% less damage for one turn.
Servant
Humans and elf merges are the rank and file warriors and builders of the Ooze. Servants manifest physical distortions of the host body, particularly large, hardened club like hands with which they batter their opponents on the battlefield.
Attack: Servants swing their huge hand in a circular motion to club their target.
Statistics: Servants are mid-speed melee troops with good attack and HP.
Specials: Stunning blow. Servants have a 40% chance to stun on attack, preventing retaliation.
Hammerfist
Veteran Merges develop even more extreme adaptations of the host body. Hammerfists are completely specialised for war. Their huge right hand is fused into a permanent fist covered in hard bumps and spikes.
Statistics: Hammerfists have a good boost to attack, defense and HP.
Specials: Stunning blow (same as Servant above).
Glider
Many forest creatures have been captured for service with the Ooze, including many of the nut-eating gliders that soar in the tree canopy of the forest. The Ooze Merge has provided these peaceful creatures with strong claws and teeth for battle.
Attack: The Glider hisses, bites and scratches with one clawed hand.
Statistics: Gliders are fast with extremely high initiative, average attack, defense and damage, but low hit points. They are also quite cheap.
Specials: Running take off (once per battle). Gliders can prepare for battles with a long run up, allowing them to glide to enemy positions extremely rapidly. On the first turn of battle gliders may move to any square and attack as normal. Agile. Gliders move quickly and have the reactions of a wild animal. They have a 40% chance of receiving 50% reduced damage from all physical attacks.
Claw Glider
Glider Merges continue to develop over time. After many moons their claws grow ever larger and their senses and reactions are honed even beyond those of wild Gliders.
Statistics: Claw Gliders have better attack and damage, higher cost and slightly higher HP than Gliders.
Specials: Running take off (same as Glider), Agile (as for Glider but 50% chance of triggering).
Merge Stalker
A formidable predator, Forest Stalkers move in silence through the shadows of the deep forest, ambushing their prey as if from nowhere. The Ooze Merge heightens these abilities of stealth and toughens the Forest Stalker’s claws and teeth to tear through armour.
Attack: The Merge Stalker crouches and then stands high to bite and then buffeting the target with both claws.
Statistics: Merge Stalkers are fast with high initiative. They have middling damage, high attack and reasonable HP.
Specials: Ambush. If the Merge Stalker attacks its target directly from behind it deals 150% damage and receives no retaliation. Large creature.
Merge Panther
Merge Panthers are larger, stronger and have lightning reflexes. They have huge teeth and their head shape is longer. Their jaw protrudes forwards from the head as bone with more forward curving teeth.
Statistics: Merge Panthers have increased damage and slightly higher HP.
Specials: Ambush (same as Merge Stalker); Unlimited retaliations. Large creature.
Elk Rider
Elks are giant, peaceful beasts of the forest. Elk Merges have enlarged and virtually unbreakable horns. However, having almost no natural predators in the forest, elks are dim and slow to react even after long Merges. The elk’s humanoid Merge rider is bound to the elk through Ooze tendrils, allowing them to act as a single Merge combining the mind of the rider and the physical power of the elk. Elk riders carry maces, but the elk itself acts as a living battering ram and a second blow is often not needed.
Attack: The Elk rams the enemy with large horns. After enemy retaliation, the Rider hits with its mace.
Statistics: Elk Riders have average speed and damage, high defense and high HP.
Specials: Double strike. Creature strikes again after enemy retaliation but only does 50% damage on the second strike. Large creature.
Elk Charger
Long term Elk Merges develop even larger horns and powerful legs to carry them to their enemies with unstoppable force.
Statistics: Increased speed, slightly higher damage and increased HP.
Specials: Double strike (as for Elk Rider). Thunderous Charge. The elk charges at its target and bowls it over with incredible force. This ability operates only within the elk’s range of movement and only in a straight line. It hits with 150% damage, decreases enemy defense by 10% per square charged until the target’s next turn and suffers no retaliation (double strike does not activate with this ability). The enemy is pushed back by two squares. Large creature.
Will mage
Will mages are Ooze Merges with magic users. The Merge adapts the magical abilities of the host to transmit the essence of the Ooze, allowing it to heal allied Merges and affect the will of enemies.
Attack: Ranged attack raises an oversized hand and fires a white glowing ball with a subtle trail. Attack subject to range penalty. Melee attack slaps opponents with the large hand. Attack subject to melee penalty.
Statistics: Average damage and defense, low attack and slightly below average HP.
Specials: Caster. Casts spells Bend Will and Heal Merge (or in game equivalents). Has enough mana to cast Bend Will once and Heal Merge twice, or Heal Merge five times. Bend Will puts target enemy stack under player’s control. Enemy stack takes its turn immediately but can only move, not attack or use abilities. Enemy stack misses its next turn. Maximum HP of target stack for Bend Will depends on the number of Will Mages in the casting stack. Heal Merge heals and removes all negative effects from a friendly Ooze stack.
Will Sorcerer
Will Sorcerers are Merges that have developed their understanding of magic and the essence of the Ooze to a higher level. Will Sorcerers are able to project the Will of the Primal Ooze itself.
Statistics: Slightly higher HP and attack.
Specials: Caster. As above for Will Mage. Invigorate. Will Sorcerer uses its turn to project the formidable Will of the Primal Ooze onto a friendly stack, raising their attack, defence, speed and initiative for two turns. Project Will. Stacks hit by Will Sorcerer are momentarily confused and move a random number of squares (maximum is their normal movement) in a random direction.
Ooze Giant
Even a few of the enormous, reclusive giants of the deep forest have been trapped by the Primal Ooze. These gigantic creatures are submerged in the bubbling pools of the Primal Ooze for months or years, emerging distorted and immensely powerful. The tongue of Ooze Giants becomes a strong, toughened appendage that it uses to deal savage blows to its opponents. The wild and unstoppable strength of Ooze Giants is such that even its allies must stay their distance on the battlefield.
Attack: Ooze Giants have an enormously distended tongue that lolls permanently out of their mouths. They turn their head to the side and then use their whole body to swing the tongue, smashing through all opponents in its path.
Statistics: Ooze Giants have average speed and initiative but high damage and very high HP.
Specials: Swinging blow. Ooze Giants attack the five squares to their front and sides, hitting both friendly and enemy stacks. Small creatures are knocked back one square and do not retaliate (large creatures retaliate as normal). Large creature.
Abductor
The strongest Ooze Giant merges are specialised to capture creatures to deliver to the Primal Ooze within the walls of Enanea. Almost nothing can resist the raw strength of an Abductor, allowing it to bind victims with its mighty tongue and carry them home immobilised to the Primal Ooze.
Statistics: Slightly higher speed, increased attack, damage and HP. High cost.
Specials: Swinging blow (same as Ooze Giant). Constrict. The Abductor uses its immense tongue to pull an enemy stack from 2-3 squares away, dealing normal damage. The target stack is bound in place until the Abductor’s next turn (it may still retaliate and attack). This ability cannot be used on enemies in adjacent squares. Large creature.
Heroes
Might heroes
Neutral: Commander
The Commander is a Merge with a host of unusually powerful will whose mind and personality remain largely intact. Like all Merges, Commanders are ingrained with the plans and emotions of the Primal Ooze, but their host’s great presence of mind allows them to cultivate a high level of strategic knowledge; concepts that the Primal Ooze itself, being relatively inexperienced in this world, may not be able to fully comprehend alone.
Special abilities. Unified Mind (passive ability). The powerful will of the Commander is imbued on a deep level into his or her troops during synchronisation sessions. All troops have a 50% chance to resist mind-affecting spells (such as Frenzy, Puppet Master, Confusion).
Tears: Empath
Commanders with the greatest presence of mind strongly affect the feelings of the Merge, introducing emotions that are unknown to the Primal Ooze. These strikingly individual Merges have a connection of loyalty and compassion with their troops. This unique form of empathy between entities that are at the same time the same and not the same spurs Empaths and their forces to go to special lengths to protect each other.
Special abilities. Unified Mind (see Commander). Empathy. The Empath establishes a connection with the target stack and passionately protects it from harm, reducing all damage for several turns (activated ability, percentage damage reduction depends on hero level).
Blood: Deliverer
Individuality is a rare phenomenon in Merges. Some, like the Empaths, diverge emotionally from the Primal Ooze. For others, individuality is expressed on an intellectual level. Deliverers are highly intelligent and, like the Primal Ooze, very curious. Their unique combined mind allows them to look at the world from a completely new perspective, making their battlefield strategies completely unpredictable.
Special abilities. Unified Mind (see Commander). Surprise Tactics (activated ability). The Deliverer’s strange tactical ingenuity comes into play. He or she may choose to switch the positions of any friendly stacks on the battlefield. Stacks whose positions are switched strike any enemies adjacent to their new position with no retaliation. The number of stacks that may be switched depends on hero level.
Magic Heroes
Neutral: Arcane
Powerful magic users are among the most prized Ooze hosts. Merging with the essence of the Ooze alters the flow of ethereal energies in a distinct fashion. Those who stand against Arcane Merges are assaulted not only by familiar forces of magic, but by the astonishing will power of the Primal Ooze.
Special abilities. Primal Surge (activated ability). The essence of the Primal Ooze is focused through the Arcane Merge’s magical power. The minds of an enemy stack are filled with incomprehensible thoughts and feelings, causing them to miss their next turn. Hero level determines whether Core, Elite or Champion units can be targeted.
Tears: Mystic
Over time, Merges of greater age develop magic in affinity with the nature of the Ooze. Mystics are attuned to the pain of other Merges. The emotions of wounded Merges feed magic that alters the very physical structure of the Ooze.
Special abilities. Primal Surge (see Arcane). Transformation (activated ability): The body of the target merge grows hard and razor spined for several turns. Damage is reduced and reflected on attackers. Percentages depend on hero level.
Blood: Transfecter
Transfecters are Merges of distinction who have applied their magical studies to the Primal Ooze itself and garnered a deep understanding of its nature. Armies under the command of a transfecter fight as with one mind and strike together as a single blow. “If there’s one Ooze in front o’ yer, there’re three at yer back!” Arrin Riverson, veteran of skirmishes in the Guala Forests.
Special abilities. Primal Surge (see Arcane). Togetherness. The Transfecter provides a friendly Ooze stack with magical tendrils allowing it to synchronise with other Merges. Next time the affected stack attacks, all friendly Ooze stacks within two spaces of the affected stack strike its target using a standard ranged attack or a melee strike and return with no retaliation. This ability applies only to physical attacks and only to the first target.
Thanks for reading  Suggestions are welcome!
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intelligence
Adventuring Hero
The Sacred Guardian
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posted May 02, 2011 03:08 PM |
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isn't the last creature venom from spiderman?
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No great genius has ever existed
without some touch of madness.
-Aristotle
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Crayfish
Known Hero
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posted May 02, 2011 03:35 PM |
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Well.. obviously the picture is! I couldn't find anything with a long enough tongue, that's the best I could come up with.
I was imagining something of approximately Venom build but more deformed looking and white/grey with boils etc. as mentioned. It would be just a little shorter than a H5 cyclops, sort of hunched and have a REALLY long, thick tongue (flopping around down to its knees and drooly).
It runs slightly sideways with a lolloping gait and is light on its feet for its size.
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shooshima
Adventuring Hero
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posted May 03, 2011 02:51 AM |
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This is very interesting and cool. I like it!
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It's not hard to be smart, all you need is Common Sense
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