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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted July 25, 2012 04:19 PM |
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Weeeellll...
Oh, ok, I'm just as impatient to continue on as you are to begin I suspect... And it is always worth it to be accessible by newbies 
So - The combination is:
male - water - crafting - animals - smug - mischievous - elf - industrious
So: Smug and mischievous Water God of crafting and fauna whom is worshiped by industrious elves.
Two notes here
1. Since there is still a distinct possibility to get another (or even more than one depending on interpretations) elven faction, it will take some seriously good writing to score points if you make this divinity the creator of elves.
2. While industriOUS is not the same as industriAL, for coolnesses factor worth, either as well as both are perfectly acceptable.
The tentative enddate will be 12th, but reasonable extensions are a possibility.
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LizardWarrior
Honorable
Legendary Hero
the reckoning is at hand
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posted July 25, 2012 08:50 PM |
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Industrious elves,that means something high-tech like forge or I can use something more appropriate to medieval times like DaVinci's machines or steampower?
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted July 25, 2012 09:03 PM |
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Either. Really it's only limited by your imagination~!
____________
Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted July 25, 2012 09:15 PM |
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either. but that is industriAL. IndustriOUS means that they are assiduous in work or study; diligent.
Still, if it is industrial that you decide to go for, I'd prefer if it doesn't get more advanced than DaVinci/Clockworkpunk/magitech
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted July 26, 2012 12:27 PM |
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Edited by Jiriki9 at 17:20, 25 Aug 2012.
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nice. I think this time I may manage some faction again, though I don't know how good. 
...so well, since this post is white and I've time now...let's start it out...
brainstorming...
a smug and mischievous god of water, crafting and animals. and a folk of industrious elves, or industrial ones...well...look out for the...
Seafolk
Town Name: Lagoon
Aka: The Buccaneers
Symbols: Silver Dolphin; the Weeping Hammer (an upright Hammer with Water dripping from the top)
Colour: Blue
Motto: "Seize the Day"
Main Race: Sea Elves
Worship: Allaon, smug and mischievous god of Water, animals and crafting
Country: All Seas of the World. However, there is a certain Island range especially under their control, called „The Saphire Islands“ by the Seafolk – and „Corsair Islands“ by others.
Capitol: Noalle, "Pearl of the Oceans"
In a nutshell:
The Seafolk is a strange one to the other folks. They are feared as Pirates, but also famed, extremely-skilled craftsmen. Their pretty, clean, light-coloured cities teem with animals and beasts. It's easy to forget caution being there - but if you do, prepare to find yourself confused and out of pocket on some dark, small side-alley...
Line-Up:
Core:
-Pirate > Corsair/Swashbuckler (Melee/Ranged)
-Dancer > Water Dancer/Concubine (Melee/Support)
-Stymphalian Bird > Silverbeak/Toxic Stymphalid (Ranged))
Elite:
-Ship's Kobold > Waveling/Klabowter (Support)
-Kraken > Armed Kraken/Strangler (Melee)
-Roc > Empereal Roc/Stormbird (Flyer)
Champion:
-Leviathan > Sea King/Giant of Depth (melee)
Units
Frequent abilities:
-Aquatic Creature(This creature normally lives in water. Thus, it takes no water damage, only 50% Fire damage (Wet skin!), but double Ice and Lightning damage. Also, it gets a penalty on MaxHP when fighting on Desert, Volcanic or Snow Terrain.)
-Waterchild (Gives units a bonus for Attack, Defense, Speed and initiative on ship battles and a lower bonus on battles on wet Terrain (like swamps))
Pirate:
Pirates are sailors and fighters at the same time. They live on robbing from ships of other factions, some even from other Seafolk Ship. But they also dwell on trading or selling their skills with the rapier, their favoured weapon, which they carry to battle. In battle the pirate is a male Sea Elf with blonde hair and a tattoo on their cheek, wearing sailors clothes.
Corsairs are a special kind of Pirates. They act in direct service of the Diplomat Guild, and attack only ships of antions declared as enemies by the guild. They have a much better reputation than normal pirates, however, and use the finest pistols and rapiers. They wear much finer clothes, as well, and a hat. Swashbucklers now are a different kind. A bit aggressive, more than a bit daring and in love with their blades, they do not take a pistol into combat. Their clothes are mostly dirty, and they have an eyepatch.
Strengths: Good damage output, numerous
Weaknesses: HP and defense could be better
Changes to Corsair: Increased defense and HP
Changes to Swashbuckler: Increased Speed, Initiative and damage.
Abilities:
-Waterchild [All]
-Buccanneer [All] (When you win a battle on Ship, or conquer a building on the Adventure map, your pirates give you a loot of gold. The number depends on the stack size and on what was conquered.)
-Pistol Shot [Pirate&Corsair] (Activated Ability. Can, one time per Battle, perform a ranged attack with double damage, but strong range penalty)
-Cylinder of 6 [Corsair] (Can use 'Pistol Shot' 6 times per battle instead of 1 time.)
-Swashbuckling [Swashbuckler] (Melee strikes (=in attack and retaliation) by this unit have a small chance to disarm any unit with a weapon, halving it's attack for the remaining battle. The Chance depends on the relation of swashbucklers (number) and enemies. The ability cannot trigger on large units.)
Dancer:
These female Sea Elves are masters of the Art of dance, and of stunning beauty, even to non-Elves. Learning their trade is a long, hard and exhausting thing, but who masters it, can count on his reputation for a long time and gets most things she wanted. The Dancer wears a thin dress, revealing more than concealing the weapons of a women. It may be astonishing but the dancers have also been fighters for a very long time and are quite proficient in using their two daggers.
Water Dancers are dancers focused on the Dance of Baldes, great fighters and highly respected. They wear more cloth than an oridnary dancer, and go into battle with two short swords. Concubines are Dancers as well, but o fthe special kind. Masters of the art of lovemaking, it is said they can finish a man just with one look of their eyes. They wear not much mroe than normal dancers, except of jewelry.
Strengths: Quick, good Defense and attack through abilities (Evasion)
Weaknesses: Weak HP and very Weak Damage!
Changes to Water Dancer: Boost on speed, attack and Defense
Changes to Concubine: HP gets a bit up, Speed and Attack go down
Abilities:
-Waterchild [All]
-Captivating [All] (There is a small chance for any male humanoid unit that it denies to attack this unit.)
-Dancing Movement [All] (Evades 20% of any not-areal melee damage.)
-The Gift Dance [Dancer+Water Dancer] (This unit can sacrifice it's own turn to give a friendly unit an immediate extra(!!!) turn. This does not work if the strength relation is to imbalanced. (So you can't have 1 stack of 10 Leviathans and 6 stacks of few water dancers and let the Leviathan act agian and again!))
-Water Dance [Water Dancer] (This unit can ignore any water obstacles and water moats and walk over them as if they were normal ground.)
-Blur Dance [Water Dancer] (There is a 50% chance that enemies don't retaliate against this unit.)
-Seduce [Concubine] (Activated Ability. Once per battle, the concubines can use this ability to seduce a stack of non-large humanoid units. The seduced stack is under your control until until it is the last enemy stack on the battlefield. This does not work on stacks even a bit too strong!)
Stymphalian Bird:
Stymphalian Bird are a strange breed of Birds. Big as a crane, and looking similar to a cormoran, their beaks and feathers are of Iron and it is said, that Allaon himself crafted the metal feathers into them, though the Macqa claim it was a mighty Mage-Crafter of the Sea Elves. Stymphalian Birds eat Fish, but also Meat, and are used in battle for at least 400 years. Close to the enemy, they
Silverbeaks are a deadly and beautiful race of Stymphalian Birds, the Feathers and the Beak shining, sharp silver. The proud, agile Hunters are said to devour man-flesh, but are honoured by hte seafolk nonetheless. Toxic Stymphalids are not honoured, but as oft used in battle as their beautiful brothers. All about them is toxic and poisonous: The dung, The Blood, the Feathers. Thus, it is difficult to deal with them, but once trained, they are a perfect weapon.
Strengths: Speed
Weaknesses: HP
Changes to Silverbeak: HP and Attack up
Changes to Toxic Stymphalid: Attack and Damage up, HP down
Abilities:
-Flyer, Shooter, Waterchild [All]
-Iron Feathers [All] (When this unit has no shots left, it can still range-attack, but each ranged attack then decreases it's Defense by 10% and it's current Max-HP by 5%.)
-Sharp Feathers [All] (The body of this unit is covered by Sharp Feathers. Any unit attacking it in Melee will suffer damage.)
-Toxic Remains [All] (When this unit moves from a field, this field is for 2 turns filled with the poisonous remains of the Bird, inflicting poison to anyone who walks through them.)
-Poison Resistance (50%) [Stymphalian Bird + Silverbeak] (This unit will resist 50% of any poison damage, be it to HP or stat-decreasing.)
-Piercing Feathers [Silverbeak] (This unit's Range-Attack ignores 25% of the enemy defense.)
-Pierce to the Ground [Silverbeak] (Active Ability. Once per battle, this unit can perform a special Ranged attack, dealing 75% of normal damage and preventing the Target unit to move on their Next turn.)
-Poison Immunity [Toxic Stymphalid] (This unit cannot be inflicted with poison and is immune to any poisonous effect.)
-Toxic Feathers [Toxic Stymphalid] (This unit inflicts poison on Ranged attack and on anyone who strikes it in melee.)
Ship's Kobold:
It is said that Kobolds once were a mighty species, with different races, living in forest and on mountain, in desert and in ice. Today, msot of these are gone. A kind who remains are hte Ship's Kobolds. Beings of the sea, these little fellows dwell in ships as long as ships exist, and, depending on their nature, either help or haunt the crew. However, they are friend to the Sea Elves, mostly, so they fight alongside them if they are called, and help them. In exchange, the Elves allow them to live in their ships and towns, and protect them from harm, as well as giving them what they need and cannot get themselves – for example Pipes and tobacco. A Ship'sKobold looks similar to this, with a greenish skin, and is about 1 Metre high.
Wavelings are probably closer to the Ship's Kobolds origins, akin to water, and able to turn their body into water, even. They are a bit easy to fall in rage, but elsewise friendly. They wear no clothes, and their skin is blueish. The skin of a Klabowter is neither green nor blue, but dark, almost black. The little fellows are highly mischievous, yet they and the Sea Elves get along and they are often to be found on Pirate ships.
Strengths: Statwise, none.
Weaknesses: Weak stats overall
Changes to Waveling: HP, initiative and speed rise strongly
Changes to Klabowter: HP, attack and damage rise.
Abilities:
-Caster, Waterchild [All]
-Kobold's Luck [All] (Increases the Luck of friendly units by 1 and decreases the Luck of enemy units by 1.)
-Storm Resistance [All] (This unit takes 50% less Water, Lightning, Wind and Ice damage.)
-Kobold's Gift [Ship's Kobold + Waveling] (Activated Ability. Can be used all 3 turns only. Target friendly unit gets +50% of a random stat for 2 turns.)
-Waterform [Waveling] (Activated ability. Once per battle, the Waveling can shift into Waterform. In Waterform it cannot cast any spell and deals less damage, but ignores 50% of Physical damage, any Fire damage and absorbs any Water Damage. Absorbing damage in Wave form allows the Waveling to ressurrect fallen units, even.)
-Haunt [Klabowter] (Activated Ability. Oncer per Battle, the Klabowter can choose one enemy to haunt 'em. For Haunting, the Klabowter vanishes for the remaining battle. The enemy gets a very strong malus on Initiative, whose strength depends on the strength relation. If the Initiative should reach 0 through this, the unit can not act for the remaining battle.)
Spells:
Some buffs and some debuffs, all about stat de-/increasing. Waveling gets 1 Water Damage & 1 Cure Spell, Klabowter looses all Buffs, but gets a Dark Damage spell and more Debuffs.
Kraken:
The Kraken are sacred to Allaon, a fearsome beast of the seas. Originally, they couldn't leave them, but, assisted by magic, the Seafolk bred a species that can. Now, these are amongst their deadliest fighters, and many sailor shivers in fear only when he whispers of them.
Armed Kraken wear a strange Armour, that has been made part of their body, and works both as means of defense and as weapon, being sharp and spike on the outside. Stranglers are an aggressive Kraken breed, which deserve their name quite well.
Strengths: Attack, Defense
Weaknesses: Speed, HP
Changes to Armed Kraken: HP, Defense and Damage Up, Speed sharply down
Changes to Strangler: Initiative, Damage and Attack up, HP and Speed Down
Abilities:
-Aquatic Creature, Large Creature, Waterchild [All]
-Eight-Armed Attack [All] (Krakens attack all(!) units around them. Still,only the target unit retaliates!)
-Ink [Kraken+Strangler] (When Retaliating, uses not his arms but shoots Ink on the Enemy, dealing no Damage but htaking away next Enemy Action or Retaliation (whatever would come first.).)
-Grab [Kraken+Strangler] (Activated Ability. Targets an enemy unit with a melee attack. Deals no damage, but Prevents the enemy from Attacking or Retaliating.)
-Eight-Armed Retaliation [Armed Kraken] (Retaliates to All(!) Surrounding Squares.)
-No Enemy Retaliation [Armed Kraken]
-Strangle [Strangler] (Activated Ability. Targets an enemy, grabs it and keeps it at place. The enemy unit cannot move, retaliate or attack/target anything but the Kraken, as long as it's strangled, and gets Damage every turn. The Kraken cannot act or retaliate while Strangling. Strangling lasts up to 3 Turns.)
Roc:
The Roc, though not a Bird of water, has allways inspired the Seafolk, because it is strong and mighty, proud and – free. How it came that these intelligent Birds agreed to dwell amongst the Sea Elves instead of killing them is a story too long for this entry, and one of the tales told most often in the quayside bars. Rocs look like gigantic Eagles, mostly, with light brown Feathers.
Empereal Rocs have a darker Brown of the Feathers, but white feathers at the Head. They are more muscular, stronger and more intelligent, and better fighters for that. Stormbirds are smaller than normal Rocs, and their feathers grey. Their eyes shine in a bright blue, and it is said they are masters of the wind.
Strengths: Reasonable Speed, good Attack and HP
Weaknesses: Defense very low, Damage could be better
Changes to Empereal Roc: HP rises further, Defense rises as well
Changes to Stormbird: Speed, Attack and Damage rise, HP falls
Abilities:
-Flyer, Large Creature [All]
-Stormflyer [All] (This unit cannot be slowed down, nor can its „Flyer“-ability be by any means removed or ignored.)
-Rescue [All] (Activated Ability. When activated, the creature flies away (like with nosedive). Next time a friendly unit would get attacked in meele, the Unit which performed Rescue carries the attacked unit to a free field, if possible out of the attackers range and lands next to it.)
-Wings of War [Empereal Bird] (Adventure Map Ability. Using this Ability, Empereal Rocs can travel between Armies, Garrisons, Towns and anything else that can stack armies you control. They are not seen at the map, and the time it takes until they arrive depends on the range, of course. If the target army/etc is not available when they arrive, they fly back. If then their origin is not available as well, they are lost.)
-Winds of War [Stormbird ] (Adventure Map Ability. These units can go on harrassing Missions against enemy armies, towns or adventure map locations controlled by enemies. Doing that, they fly there (takes a bit time, depending on range), do their damage, and return (takes time). The damage they do depends on the target and the stack size. Generally, Armies, cities and garrisons will suffer losses; in cities, buildings may be destroyed; Adventure Map locations' effects are decreased or negated (for example mines would produce less/No ressources for a while) A stack must wait as long as the last mission took until they can act again.)
Leviathan:
“Oh Titan of the Deep, grandest and greatest beast of all. Oh King of the sea – oh, hail Leviathan!“ From 'the Sea-Sheperds Compendiu, this passage is an example for the high honour and respect the Seafolk have for the mighty Leviathans, the true Rulers of the Sea, and most sacred animals of Allaon. Looking at it, the Leviathan mainly is ...huge! It has a bulky body with four extremities which are a strange mix of legs and fins. On their back is a long fin and they have a tail, though a short one. They have no eyes to be seen, but huge Nostrils, and a Gigantic Mouth full of grand, sharp teeth. They Skin is blue-grey.
Sea Kings are lighter of Colour and a bit less bulky, but nonetheless even stronger than Leviathans. Every being in the Water bows down or flees when the Sea King comes along. Giant of Depth is the Sea Elven name for a more sinister Leviathan race. Of a dark blue-grey, with black Streaks, they look dangerous and vile – and they are. But they are also old, older than most other things, and some claim if one could ask them they could tell the answers to the oldest questions.
Strengths: Outstanding Hitpoints and Defense
Weaknesses: Really Slow!!!
Changes to Sea King: Even more Hitpoints and Defense. Speed goes up a bit as well.
Changes to Giant of Depths: Attack and Damage rise, Initiative falls
Abilities:
-Aquatic Creature, Large Creature, Waterchild [All]
-Huge [All] (This creature is so huge it inspires awe in all smaller creatures. Any enemy small creature on the battlefield suffers -2 morale .)
-Thick Skin [All] (The Defense of this unit cannot be ignored.)
-Trample Down [All] (When small creatures stand in this creatures path, the Leviathans just trample over it, dealing a good deal of damage and decreasing their initiative for 1 turn. This also concerns friendly units!!!)
-Call Flood [Activated Ability. Once per Week, this unit can call a Flood upon the battlefield, dealing heavy water damage to all (!!!!) units on the Battlefield.)
-Lord of the Sea [Sea King] (As long as this unit is on the battlefield, all friendly units with „Waterchild“ get +3 morale.)
-Odem of the Depths [Giant of Depths] (Any unit ending their turn adjacent to this unit or being attacked by it get their morale and defense reduced for 2 turns.)
-Stomp [Giant of Depths] (Activated ability. Using this ability, all small units around this unit are stunned for 1 turn. Stunned units cannot retaliate or act.)
Hero Classes:
Might Class: Guildmaster
Guildmaster is a special title, granted to certain masters of their profession by a guild. There are masters of any Guild and most are not only masters in their trade, but also charismatic figures, and reasonable fighters at least – at least those that one can see outside the guildhalls.
Magic Class: Druid
The Druids are an ancient order of Spellcasters worshipping Life. In Elder times, it is said, they were responsible for all that lived, even the unmoving plants. But, thousands of years ago, there was an internal conflict, leading to a terrible schism, and those druids proficient with plants went away, formed their own order, and changed until they would not even call themselves Druids anymore. The Druids however focused on animals and sentient beings, and soon came to worshipping Allaon and joining the seafolk, theree also expanding their knowledge, gaining power over sea and storm.
Town:
The Sight of the Town has a Specialty: part of the Buildings are underwater, you look at them through the surface of the water. At a coastal town, they are in the ocean. At an Inland-Town, the town has a huge lake, in which the buildings stand. These buildings are, in this list, marked with a *
Also, many buildings have the special building „Port“ as prerequesite, which is only available at Sea. On inland-Towns, you instead get the „Fisher's Port“, which serves as the prerequesite for these buildings then. The buildings requiring Port/Fisher's Port are marked with '**'. Generally, you will find that many of the special buildings are either for Inland, or for Coast Towns, giving different boni depending on where they are.
Dwellings:
-Hidden Cave: Allows you to recruit Pirates
->Treasure Cave**: Allows you to upgrade Pirates and recruit Corsairs and Swashbucklers
-Saloon**: Allows you to recruit Dancers
->House of Pleasures**: Allows you to upgrade Dancers and recruit Water Dancers and Concubines
-Stymphalian Pond: Allows you to recruit Stymphalian Birds
->Stymphalian Lake: Allows you to upgrade Stymphalian Birds and recruit Silverbeaks and Toxic Stymphalids
-Docks**: Allows you to recruit Ship's Kobolds
->Old Docks**: Allows you to upgrade Ship's Kobolds and recruit Wavelings and Klabowters
-Chasm*: Allows you to recruit Krakens
->Abyssal Chasm*: Allows you to upgrade Krakens and recruit Armed Krakens and Stranglers
-Cliff Nest: Allows you to recruit Rocs
->Peak Nest: Allows you to upgrade Rocs and recruit Empereal Rocs and Stormbirds
-Ocean Palace*: Allows you to recruit Leviathans
->Abyssal Palace*: Allows you to upgrade Leviathans and recruit Sea Kings and Giants of Depth
Special Buildings:
The lagoon Special buildings are all quite versatile and it's all about choosing the effect which serves you most. Also, there are different Special Buildings for Coastal Towns and Inland-Towns.
Port
Requirements: Only for towns at coast.
Effect: You can choose one Effect: Either counts as an additional Market for all Trade Purposes. Or gives you 250-500 Gold per Day, +50 for each other Port you control (Note: maybe the numbers woudl ahve to be tweaked for balance reasons)
Fisher's Port
Requirements: Not for towns at coast.
Effect:You can choose one Effect, and switch it in the building: Either Increases the Growth of your Pirates, Dancers and Ship's kobolds. OR increases the Growth of your Stymphalian Birds, Krakens and Rocs.
Quayside Bar
Requirements: Tavern, Hidden Cave, Town Hall, Port;
Effect: Agian, you can choose one Effect, and switch it in the building:
1. This building decreases the recruitment and upgrade costs of your Pirates, Dancers and Ship's Kobolds.
2. You can buy Artifacts here.
3. Heroes can learn Special Perks/Subskills here, for money. These all have to do with sailing, water and such.
All 3 effects are growing with time, so you can't just switch between them directly. For 1, the costs are decreased more, the longer the effect is active. For 2&3, you can buy/learn more, the longer the effect is active, and buying/learning is cheaper as well.
Fountain Shrine
Requirements: Stymphalian Lake, Town Hall, Fisher's Port;
Effect: Again, you can choose one Effect, and switch it in the building:
1. This building decreases the recruitment and upgrade costs of your Stymphalian Birds, Krakens and Rocs.
2. You can recruit a random animal unit here. The unit changes each weak.
3. Heroes can learn Special Perks/Subskills here, for money. These all have to do with animals/beasts.
All 3 effects are growing with time, so you can't just switch between them directly. For 1, the costs are decreased more, the longer the effect is active. For 2, the chance for stronger units grows and the chance for weaker units decreases. Also, the building has a small „growth“-rate, as long as you don't recruit or switch effect. For 3, you can learn more, the longer the effect is active, and learning is cheaper as well.
Lighthouse
Requirements: Docks, City Hall, Only for towns at coast.
Effect: You can choose one Effect, and switch it in the building : Either increases the movement of all of your Ships. Or decreases the movement of all enemy ships.
Craftmen's Guild
Requirements: Blacksmith, City Hall, not for towns at coast.
Effect: You can choose one Effect, when building: Either decreases the Cost for War Machines and buildings in this Town. Or slightly increases the effectiveness and hitpoints of your War Machines on the whole map.
Defense Information:
Background:
The Sea Elves:
The Sea Elves are a well-known people, spread out over the world. They are small and slender, with the typical Elven long, pointed ears and big, colourfull, and allways blue eyes. Their skin is strangely variable and not determined at birth, but within the first few years of their life - so a Sea Elf growing up at a hot Desert coast would have a dark, even black skin, whilst one living in the cold north will have a skin pale as ice.
For their habits, they easily get bored, so you will seldomly find a sea elf doing nothing. Thus, there are allways enough willing workers and helpers for any task, which makes the Seafolk quite effective. Also, they are often curious or perfectionists - or both. They are often proud, arrogant, vain and sometimes surprisingly aggressive in both speech and deeds.
Professions are not as fixed for Sea Elves as for many other people, but still many are better in one thing than in another. Most are proficient in at least one craft, many are reasonable fighters as well. Yet, while only few are totally focused on one profession, these are masters hardly comparable. Many a unique artifact was crafted by a Sea Elf - and the deeds of some Buccaneer Captains are Myths told all over the world.
Religion:
“Life comes from Water. Water is the Domain of Allaon. Thus, it is ra logical conclusion to say: Life comes from Allaon!“ These words are from the Seafolks Creation Myth, and tell some things about the Seafolk, but also about their Belief. For them, Allaon is the Creator of all life – not of the lifeforms, but of the Energy of Life itself. He is also the one who keeps all things alive, and thus is to be praised and protected. This belief is strengthened by the fact that animals – the walking embodiment of life aside sentient beings – are his domain as well.
“And Prinu said: 'We are cold, and it is dark!' So Allaon gave them tools and skill, so they could make Fire. Than Yna said 'We are hungry, and nothing grows by this coast!' So Allaon gave them a net and the skill to use it, to catch his beloved Fish. But the First Couple was still not satisfied. They asked for more and more, and long, Allaon gave it to them: Skills and tools to build, to hunt, to farm, to tailor, to pot and many more, but still they wore not satisfied, and Allaon grew angry and impatient and asked the two, with a seemingly friendly smile: 'Tell me, you two, do you want the greatest Gift of all?' And the First Couple answered, yes, of course they wanted it. And Allaon smiled and said: 'So be it. I give you the gift to be responsible for yourself,a nd thus free.' And he took away all their possessions and the skills he gave them, but gave them the ability to learn and the ability to make tools, and never talked to them again, nor helped them. So they would have to start from anew, and have to learn things for themselves, instead of getting them from him.“ Another passage from the Seafolks Creation Myth, telling even more than the last one. We learn about Allaons character – that he is not as friendly as other goods, that he loves his people, and that he is cunning – something which the smug god wants everyone to believe, certainly. Also, it seems to be known that Allaon, skilled Crafter that he is to be believed, can make any tools he desires. We also learn that the Seafolk value things done by yourself much higher than gifts. And we learn that the art of making tools is of high religious importance.
And sacred to Allaon are all the things that breathe, be it water or Air. Sacred are the beasts of the lands, from the smallest mouse to the biggest Mammoth. Sacred are the Scaled and the Slimey, be it Lizards, Snakes or Toads. Sacred are the Birds which roam the skies, from Roc to Sparrow. Sacred are even the many-legged Insects and Spiders. But sacred above all are the Water-Breathers, Allaons most beloved children, more loved, even, than the Sea Elves. He loves them all, the Strong Kraken, the mighty Leviathan, and the smallest Fish, and cursed is everyone who kills them for anything but to save their life. This quote from the Rite of the Beginning of the New Year speaks for itself, I think, to show that the animals, all animals, belong to Allaon and are thus sacred. It should be noted, by the way, that „killing to save their life“ includes killing for food – else the Seafolk would have a hard time to justify their large Fishing Fleets. Nevertheless, I want to mention here that not anyone my jsut fish. You need a permission by the local, or, for larger masses, the high Temple of Allaon, and may not fish too much. Nor may you by fishing harm sacred beings like Krakens or Whales.
On the whole, I hope the three quotations give you a good overview of mainreligious idea of the belief of allaon. There could be written books about it, fo course, but I do not have the place for that here  One last stanza remains, however:
Religious Practices
The Seafolk may be not seem religious as many other folk, but they do love their god and pray to him,. Especially sailors seek the Favor of Allaon, to protect them on their journeys. But also craftsmen, to bless their works, fighters to lead their arms, Fishers for a good catch, Mothers for their children, etc. There are also not few holidays with a religious origin, but aside some rites, most are mostly big celebrations. Some important events are also celebrated with rites: Birth (also of animals,a side the smallest and most numerous!), Wedding, the naming of Ships, Death... Finally, the Elves have adopted the key character features of Allaon, seing them as godly, and, thus, worthy – yes, even the mischievousness. But more important than mischief, for most, is to be „clean“ and „good-looking“, though many other folk would say „smug“ is a better word of it – yet you should be careful to mention this to a Sea-Elf, unless you are fond of feeling pain.
So overall, though they do not seem to other people as pious, Relgion does have quite an impact on the Seafolk.
Society:
The Sea Elven Society is basedon the belief, that everyone deserves the chance to „craft their fate“. Influence and wealth are based on the works and deeds of a person, rather than on birth, money or virtues. They make good use of money and wealth, mid you – but mostly for dealing with outsiders. Amongst themselves, they do not pay each other, at least not with money. Instead, those who are deemed worthy get what they need – and others not. Thus, a Sea Elf needs to make him- or herself a name, become known. If he is known enough as hardowrking lad by the next-door Fishermen, he will get enough fish from them to survive. If he becomes known by the local Captains they may offer him to sail with them. If he then makes himself a name as good sailor, he may become mate. And so on, from the lowest station to the highest. There are no truly such things as „Noble Families“. Nor does one stay „rich“ if they has once accomplished a great deed, necessarily. It may well be that if they rests on their „wealth“ that suddenly doors close before them and they are alone and hungry on the street. There are exceptions on this structure: it is considered sacred to care for crippled, retarded or otherwise disabled people of their folk by the sea elf, and a crime. And of course children below and old people above a certain age do not need to prove themselves so much, either. A difficult point to understand is property as well. In the Eyes of a sea Elf, a house, for example, belongs to the one who keeps it standing, clean and living. In a small house this may be the person who built it, living their alone. In a large hosue it may be the one coordinating the people who do the work. So, generally spoken, property has to be kept by proving that one values them. It is a complex system, and most outsiders cannot udnerstand it works – but it does, and since a long time ago.
Aside this structure, there still is a law, written down and constituted, and people working hard to obtain it. Crimes forbidden in this law are many, and the punishments for them vary from just telling people about them (Which will decrease the „wealth“ of the criminal, as described above.) over taking away property up to death penalty.
An important thing as well are the Seafolk's guilds, which are institutions of the different professions, because the Seafolk knows that organization is necessary. Working in any guild gives a Sea Elf a good repute, thus makes them „wealthy“. The most important guilds are:“Sailor Guild“, „Merchant Guild“, „Builder Guild“, „Fishermen Guild“, „Diplomat Guild“ (responsible for any foreign affairs that need the attention of more than a few persons), „Guild of Order“ (Pratically the arm of the law, police, courts and lawmaking together. Firemen are also in the guild of Order), „Fighter Guild“ and of course the different Crafts' guilds, but there are many more, of course.
Architecture:
The Architecture is a mix of Classical mediterranean style – Roman and Greek – and a „Pirates of the Carribean“-ish style. (Not sure which century that is) Many (rich) buildings, especially inland, are made of marble, there are statues and pillars, fountains and Gardens, Atriums and Bathhouses to be seen. Near the water, however, close to the docks, many buildings are wooden, including part of the docks themselves. Some are on the Water, standing on stilts. Those which are not wooden, close the water, are stone instead of Marble, often. So, overall you have a mix that may be called weird, but could be wonderful, imo.
Faction Relations:
Celestials:
The Celestials and the Seafolk are absolutely no friends. The Seafolk view the Celestials as aggressive, violent fanatics with no humour and a strange view on the world. There have allready been many wars between them, although the Seafolk don't seek the open conflict, usually.
Macqa:
Macqa and Seafolk are good friends. The Monkey-People are not aggressive, and allthough they have a different society, they and the Sea Elves are still not that different in character and get along well, trade much and have oft fought alongside each other.
Petrim:
The Stonefolk and the Seafolk are neither enemies nor friends. They do no harm to the Seafolk, and have valuable things to trade, but they are not really living beings; are secretive, calm and...stoney. The Seafolk does not understand them and many mistrust them.
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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted July 27, 2012 05:32 PM |
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Veree nice jiriki!
As usual this suggestion comes free of charge or any obligation to use it, but if you have trouble coming up with that one creature might I sugest some kind of giant hermit crab with balista/arbalet team on the shell (its an idea I had for tank expy for a fantasy tactical tabletop me and a friend of mine were running)
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted July 27, 2012 06:05 PM |
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Hmmm, not sure, I'm not that a fan of Ballistas on back of big animals...
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted July 28, 2012 03:56 AM |
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I'll be going with a more... magitec style of elf~
Also, we should probably update old factions with their relationships to new winners... *Goes to do this with the celestials*
Faction name: Free Cities
God name: Veltos, Master of Illusion, Lord of the Seas and all that lives within them, and God of Innovation. (All self-proclaimed titles smug little son of a.)
Symbol: Water (or tear) drop.
Colors: Blue, silver, green.
Architecture: Meso-American
Core philosophy: "Create and play to improve this world and our lives! The world is just one large toy, and you must make sure your toy does not break. Otherwise, how can you play with it?"
Values: The elves of the seas love to play games with others' minds, and the place great stock in the value of those that are both intelligent and creative. So much do they value these three traits that their leaders are actually those that display the greatest skill in them. The Master of Whispers is the greatest illusionist and the spymaster of the cities, the Lord Tinkerer is the greatest inventor, the Grand Advisor is the most logical and intelligent of the elven people, and the Lord Councilor is the one who displays the greatest balance of all three skills (Generally he or she is also very skilled in all three areas). They have small sub-committees as well, often arranged in much the same fashion.
Though it is most often the elves that gain rank in the Free cities, if someone of a "Lesser" race shows a particularly large amount of innovation and cunning they can rise in the elven society. (Generally only to sub-committee level)
The elves also value the vast treasure that is the oceans of the world and they have made it a goal to map it out completely, from sea floor to the very corners of the world. Using magic and their prototype clockwork vehicles, the elves hope to accomplish this in a few hundred years.
Veltos found this race already divided like it is to this very day, and it amused and pleased him that they displayed a personality much like his own. He adopted the elves under his wing, and often brags to the other gods that they are quite simply the best races that he has ever given patronage to. The other gods don't really invite him to their family reunions much.
Races: Elves, half-elves and magitec-constructs of gears and (often) silver. The ruling class is most often entirely elven, though with the "Freenes" of the "Free" Cities, there is sometimes someone of "Impure" blood that becomes quite important in the council.
Worship: Since he sort of adopted him, they worship Veltos. Often this worship is prayers for calm seas, bountiful fish and inspiration to make the next technological breakthrough. It is more of a loose give-get worship, since the Elves know that their aloof God does not really want to be seen bending to the will of anyone too many times...
Country: A massive sprawl of islands that covers almost 40% of the world, the country known as Velanoss is the home of the elves. While large, the population of the elven country is not that much more than its mainland counterparts, since they are often confined to small islands.
Capitol: Actually the smallest island, the elven capitol is known as Valis. It is just one large building, and depopulated of everyone except the Grand Advisor, the Master of Whispers the High Councilor and their staff. The Lord Tinkerer is not around because he generally has better things to do (and is usually a puffed-up git that no one likes anyway).
Magic: The elves of the Free Cities love to practice magic, though it is something that they must struggle to learn. They focus primarily on three schools:
Water Magic: The most common magic among the elves, water magic is used in a variety of ways. From war to fishing, the waters of the world provide any elf of any skill with a near-limitless resource. Since it is in the air itself and the bodies of every living being, water magic can be used almost anywhere. These mages are commonplace but are often the most powerful and respected of the elves.
Metal magic: Often used most by the tinkerers and smiths of the elves, metal magics allow the elves to make the silver of their constructs hold and reinforce enchantments. These enchantments are often tied to water magics, so a tinker usually has skills in both. These casters generally make up the brunt of the melee forces and they tend to see to the repairs of any damaged constructs.
Mind magic: Also often used in partnership with water magic, all elves have a natural ability to influence the senses in one way or another. Mages skilled in mind magic can confuse their foes and if this magic is combined with the magics of water, the mind mage can often create illusions that are powerful and believable enough to kill their target. Usually, though, it is used for pranks and more "fun" games.
In a nutshell: The Free Cities are a large collection of allied islands, and the elven peoples of these islands love to play tricks on their visitors, allies and enemies. Despite this, the sea elves are very serious about their new duty as the patron race of Veltos, and they see it as a duty and privilege to preserve and improve the seas they live in. Their thousands of inventions make them the single most technologically advanced race, and they prize those that can create and have a little fun at the same time. They do not like war, and rely more on their technology and bestial companions if they are forced to fight.
Line up: The Elves use machines fused with magical abilities to augment their troops, and they also have many aquatic animals to assist them (Most of them tamed). Many creatures are ranged, and they have a decent amount of casters. Upgrades tend to have either a "Water" or "Metal" alignment, with a few rare ones having a "Mind" upgrade.
Core:
-Wave Rider (Ride aquatic lizards )
--Tidal Knight
--Silver Dancer
-Scavenger
--Reaver
--Hunter-Seaker
-Magitec Gunman
--Sharpshooter
--Siege Breaker
Elite:
-Council Guardian
--Winter's herald
--Mind Breaker
-Assault engine
--Spitfire Juggernaut
--Magic cannon
-Serpent
--Armored eel
--Electric eel
Champion:
-Leviathan
--Hunter-killer
--Dragon Golem
Units (Expanded):
Common ability: Aquatic. All creatures of this faction are aquatic, so they may move on water tiles freely in ship and coastal battles, and they have 50% resistance to water attacks/ spells.
Also, unless it is specified otherwise all creatures in this army are living creatures.
Core
-Wave Rider: Fast, trained and mischievous all describe these elven coastal raiders. They ride upon large, aquatic reptiles and fight back foes with their long, silver lances. These light warriors are trained with their mounts from their second name day (birthday), living more in the water than on land. Thus it is in the water that these creatures shine the most, becoming truly lethal and threatening the well-being of even the best trained soldier.
Appearance: a lightly armored elf in silver plate, he bears a long pike and sits astride a four-legged, fin-tailed lizard. The lizard is a teal-green.
Abilities: Aquatic, large creature, ocean raider*
Strengths: Good growth, high health, above average stats in water.
Weaknesses: Below average in every other stat out of water.
Upgrade 1: Tidal Knight (Water)
Upgrade 2: Silver dance (Metal)
--Tidal Knight: Master riders and veteran raiders, the Tidal knight has seen basically everything the ocean can throw at him. Used as defenders of the Free Cities, they carry new equipment and enchantments. Their lance soaks foes that it strikes, and his armor ensures that those that strike him have a very... chilling experience.
Appearance: Armor is painted a deep, dark blue. Also, the lizard has a blue half-helm and shoulder plaits.
New abilities: Veltos's trident*, Chilling armor*
Stat bumps: Higher min damage, slight bump to hp, defense and initiative.
--Silver Dancer: Metal benders of a fine order and great skill, the Silver Bender uses his metal magics while astride the lizard he has grown up with. He can be used for on-the-spot repairs for machines that break down, bending the metal and animation magic back into place. He has abandoned his lance for metal magic itself, and he throws spinning razor sharp disks at foes that get to close.
Appearance: Heavily armored, his mount is very armored as well. Both have full-plate armor covering everything but their joints.
New abilities: Repairing bend*, Razors*
Stat bumps: Higher attack, defense and health.
-Scavenger: "Just because something is broken does not mean that it cannot be used. The scavengers are little magitec clockwork robots commissioned by elven smiths to get new and used material from, really, anywhere it can be found. Battlefields, the ocean floor, grandma's kitchen stove, really anywhere. They are rarely used in direct combat because of their frailty, but their speed and after-combat specialties ensure them a place in any elven army."
Appearance: Depends on the battlefield. If it is a land battle (so most commonly) it has the appearance of a metallic skeleton of a dog. If the battle it on the sea, then it looks like the metallic skeleton of a plaeseosaur (An aquatic dinosaur). In both forms, a blue glow comes from its chest and up though the neck before finally stopping at the eyes.
Abilities: Aquatic, scavenge*, magitec*.
Strengths: High defense, speed and growth.
Weaknesses: Low attack, damage and health.
Upgrade 1: Reaver (Metal)
Upgrade 2: Hunter-seaker (water)
--Reaver: "Why wait for something to break before you take it? That is the idea behind the reaver, and they are designed to follow it religiously. Often used in mines, their application can also be turned to the battlefield, where the reaver will strip the enemy of any equipment they have, quickly leaving the elves' foes naked and unarmed. Many a foe has run home, dying more from embarrassment than the wounds of his foe."
Appearance: More fully metal now, gears no longer show and the glow can only be seen in its eyes and mouth.
New abilities: Disassemble equipment*.
Stat growths: Slight bumps all around.
--Hunter-Seaker: "Of course, even the frivolous elves know that sometimes there will be no choice but to wage war, so the Hunter-Seakers were developed. Modified and programed for war, these scavengers really are not that popular in elven society and they tend to gather dust until such a time as they are needed. Then, every smith works as hard as he or she can to make thousands of the buggers. Its main purpose is to find living beings and alert the people's of the Free Cities to the danger. Because of this, it is also often seen as a protector of the elven people."
Appearance: Made of somewhat rusted iron instead of silver, the blue glow from before is now slightly purple.
New abilities: Heart seeker*, blood poisoning*.
Stat boosts: Large bumps to attack, damage and initiative.
-Magitec Gunman: " Magitec guns are often laughed at, because the vast majority of the time they are used as harmless toys. From shooting a grumpy old dwarf in the rump to making a coco-nut fall on someone's head, civilian class guns are just meant for fun. The military, on the other hand, has much more serious things to do with them. These hand-guns guns fire super-condensed balls of magic that make a burst of lethal energy a second after they have been fired, damaging any tissue they touch. Often wildly inaccurate, magitec guns must be used in formation to maximize effectiveness and coat an enemy formation in deadly magic."
Appearance: Unarmored elf with what appears to be a clockwork hand-cannon. He wears blue and has blond hair.
Abilities: Aquatic, shooter, magic spray*, magic attack*.
Strengths: Plentiful numbers, attacks are unaffected by defense and hit a wide area.
Weaknesses: Lower health, below average initiative, their ranged attacks deal rather low damage.
Upgrade 1: Sharpshooter (Mind)
Upgrade 2: Siege breaker (Metal)
--Sharpshooter: "Elves who have trained with magitec weapons for generations can focus all of their concentration into a well placed shot, ignoring all obstacles and enemies that get in their way. This unerring accuracy makes them both deadly and frightening."
Appearance: Dressed in a very light silver armor, this elf now carries a rifle.
New ability: Focused shot*.
Stat boosts: Raised initiative, large spike to damage.
--Siege breaker: "Walls and such are so much of a bother on the battlefield. Why not remove their distraction entirely and be done with it? The Siege breaker's magitec guns have been modified to do just that, allowing them to assist the catapult in destroying enemy fortifications with the heightened explosiveness of their ammunition."
Appearance: Holds two magitec guns with larger barrels. Has a pack on with glowing, fist-sized blue pellets on its back.
New abilities: Explosive rounds*, tear down*.
Stat boosts: None.
Elite:
-Council Guardian: "Highly trained warriors that are assigned as elite personal guards, the Council Guardian often is found directly in front of the Councilor providing his ward a final shield against all harm. He is often an accomplished smith and metal bender, and he does not need any weapons to fight the foes of the elves. He is the ultimate shield, punishing all that would try to harm his ward no matter how quickly they come."
Appearance: Silver armored man in a helm. The armor has no seem to it, and it seems to be almost fluid. When he attacks, metal comes from his hand like a spear.
Abilities: Aquatic, flawless armor*, unlimited retaliation*.
Strengths: High attack, defense and health.
Weaknesses: Low growth and very high cost.
Upgrade 1: Winter's Herald (Water)
Upgrade 2: Mind Breaker (Mind)
--Winter's herald: "Women that have mastered the glacial forces of winter make up this cor of lethal warriors. Their presence is chilling and their ability to freeze enemies solid without touching them gives them a terrible reputation that strikes fear into the hearts of wise foes. Most other elves tend to look upon them with respect and admiration, as their powers are used in service to the high council to keep peace and protect the elven people."
Appearance: Wears deep blue and white armor. Ice grows from her hands like spiked gauntlets.
New abilities: Frost aura*, ice bolt*.
Stat boosts: raised defense and health.
--Mind Breaker: "Incredibly powerful and dangerous elves join the mind-breaker cor. They are the secret service of the elven society, hunting down dangerous criminals, spying on other countries and carrying out assassinations when necessary. They are trained in the darker arts of mind magic, so much so that they can infect an enemy with insanity with a mere touch. Their minds are also fortresses, repelling any attempts a foe makes to influence them without any noticeable effort."
Appearance: Streaks of dark purple go down the helm. His armor no longer transforms when he attacks. His hands now glow a pale white.
New abilities: Impenetrable mind*, Madness strike*.
Stat boosts: Attack and damage.
-Assault engine: "Large, heavy and brutal are three words that can describe the Assault Engine. It is basically a large golem without any hands that fires magic propelled shrapnel from its tube-like arms. The projectiles launched from this juggernaut can rip through the armor of three men standing side by side, and with careful aiming it often does. This clockwork construct is the pinnacle of war-time engineering."
Appearance: A silver golem-like creature with large constantly-turning gears. It has two cannon-like openings in its arms and in its shoulders are two, large, blue, magical fuel cells. They are replaced every shot by two elves that stand next to it at all times. The death animation is the fuel cells rupturing violently, creating a pillar of blue light for a moment before fading away, leaving nothing behind.
Abilities: Aquatic, magitec, large, shooter, penetrating shot*, siege weapon*.
Strengths: Very high health
Weaknesses: Very low speed and initiative.
Upgrade one: Spitfire juggernaut (Metal)
Upgrade two: Magic cannon (Water)
--Spitfire juggernaut: "Technology modified to fight swarms of enemies at once, the Spitfire juggernaut lives up to its name. Though the projectiles it fares are smaller, they can be fired at a greatly increased rate, and the arms of the juggernaut can fire at two targets simultaneously."
Appearance: A fully silver, much more stream-lined golem that still has some gears showing. Has a short clip on the top of both arms that falls out after each attack.
New abilities: Rapid fire*, Split target*.
Stat changes: Decreased damage, raised initiative and defense.
--Magic cannon: "Going the more 'Magic' way of magitec machinery, the Magic cannon has an infinite fuel cell and no longer relies on metal to fire. Instead, it uses highly pressurized water that either freezes or boils the instant it strikes its target. The cannon's powerful attacks can be shot over any obstacle and thousands of meters, causing wide-spread damage wherever they land."
Appearance: A blue mass of golem-shaped energy with the edges of metal holding the frame together. It levitates slightly above the ground.
New abilities: Boil and Freeze*, Splash*.
Stat changes: Higher damage and attack, lower health.
-Serpent: "These creatures have long been rumored to be giant aquatic snakes, and while they do look like they have scales in a storm, which is the only time wild ones come to the surface, these large creatures are actually overgrown cousins of the eel. While they tend to enjoy living in the water more, the elves have discovered they they can be trained to live on the land as well, and unlike their smaller cousins they can thrive on the land."
Appearance: A large, slightly scaly, eel. It is a bluish-green color.
Abilities: Aquatic, Large creature, Constrict*.
Strengths: No bad stat
Weaknesses: Nothing stands out as "Good" either, all stats are average.
Upgrade 1: Armored eel (Metal)
Upgrade 2: Electric eel (Water)
--Armored eel: "The most domestic of Sea Serpents allow themselves to be clad in armor by their elven masters, and they sometimes allow a specially trained animal handler to ride on their backs. These giant eels are used to defend the Free cities from invaders and cargo ships from pirates or their wild cousins."
Appearance: The same creature, but covered in silver, ridged plates or armor.
New abilities: None.
Stat changes: All stats get slight bumps, with health and defense getting the largest.
--Electric eel: "Slightly more feral than most, the Electric eel is the hardest serpent to tame, and one of the most lethal. Their skin secretes a substance that, in air, causes electricity to surround their body. Coming in contact with an Electric eel can often times prove fatal to even the best-armored of soldiers."
Appearance: A lighter green version of the Serpent, energy crackles along its body at random and between its lower and upper jaw.
New abilities: Static body*.
Stat changes: Higher attack and speed.
Champion:
-Leviathan: "Gargantuan creatures that live on the ocean floor, the Leviathan is truly a ferocious beast. Allied with the elves because Veltos commanded them to be, the Leviathan are used only in the grimmest of wars. To make them more effective on the battlefield, the elves have engineered armors that grow along with the leviathan, to make it a machine-animal hybrid. These giant creatures are often used to transport the elven armies across the oceans and battlefield, and they ignore any fortifications that get in their way, either climbing through or just simply walking over them. These creatures are truly the closest a living mortal can come to being unstoppable."
Appearance: Giant lizard-like suit of armor with seats and shield-like plates of metal extending from their back. The scales of the beast itself are a blackish-blue, and the metal is pure silver.
Abilities: Aquatic, large creature, transport*, unstoppable*.
Strengths: Very, very high defense and health.
Weaknesses: Initiative is almost non-existant, speed is below average.
Upgrade 1: Hunter-killer (Metal)
Upgrade 2: Dragon golem (Water (Huh?))
--Hunter-killer: "A leviathan that has been modified much like a hunter-seeker, only to a far more... lethal degree. Instead of seeking out and warning about threats, the Hunter Killer seeks out and destroys anything that might get in the way of the elven war machine. Its reflexes and joints have been fine tuned to make them act faster and move as far as it can with every step. Its body is serrated so that any enemy foolish enough to get in its way quickly learns the folly of their actions."
Appearance: The same creature, but with more spikes and a little bit of rust.
New abilities: Heart Seeker (Note, this stacks with the Hunter-seeker), Machine of war*.
Stat changes: Higher attack and initiative.
--Dragon Golem: "A machine, yes, but more of a living creature than metal monster. This version of the leviathan emulates the dragons of lore, with their wings of magic-reinforced steel and their ability to breath super-heated water on any foe that stands against the might of the elves. Though their armor is thinner, the living being inside of it is able to act far more quickly to anything that thinks it can threaten it."
Appearance: More draconic now, this beast has wings of metal that stretch rather far. Its skin is a lighter blue, there are a few gears showing at the wing, tail and leg joints and the metal on it is a pure, shining silver.
New abilities: Magitec, Sheltering wings*, Boiling breath*.
Stat changes: Lowered defense, but greatly increased initiative. Slight bump to speed.
Abilities compendium
-Ocean Raider: This creature receives bonuses to its attack, defense, damage, initiative and speed in a battle where it is in water. Passive.
-Veltos's Trident: Creatures struck by the Tidal Knight have the "Soaked" effect applied to them and are dealt extra damage from all air sources. Passive.
-Chilling armor: Creatures that damage the Tidal knight in melee have the "Frozen" effect applied to them. They lose defense, initiative and speed for 2 turns due to this effect. Passive.
-Repairing bend: Target construct or magitec creature is healed for a small amount per creature, can resurrect. Two turn cooldown, three charges.
-Razor: Attacks penetrate a small % of enemy defense. Passive.
-Scavenge: After battle a hero with scavengers or any of their upgrades in their army will gain resources based on what they fought. They will gain 2 gp for every defeated core creature, 10 gp for every slain elite creature, and 1 rare resource for every fallen champion creature. Passive.
-Magitec: Denotes a magitec creature. They are not considered living creatures for the purpose of magic, moral and ability effects.
-Disassemble equipment: This ability actually depends on the creature's appearance and base stats. If the creature uses a weapon, then every strike from the Reaver lowers attack. If the enemy's animation has armor, then their defense is lowered with every attack. Both effects can be applied if the enemy is both wearing armor and using a weapon. This ability only affects the base stats of any particular creature, hero bumps are ignored completely. Passive.
-Heart seeker: If a hero has the Hunter-Seeker present in his or her army, then the hero gains a special bonus to his line of Sight. If a living creature stack or hero that has living creatures in his army moves within 5 spaces of the elven hero with Hunter-Seekers maximum sight range, then the elven hero can see them though actual numbers are hidden.
-Blood poisoning: The rusted metal of the Hunter-Seeker causes painful cramps and slows any enemy attacking them, crippling the victims movement and initiative.
-Magic spray: Ranged attacks made by the Gunmen deal less damage the farther your target is away, but it also deals 35% of its (total) damage to enemies to the left and right of the target (So the target is only hit with, at most, 65% of the damage). Passive.
-Magic attack: Ranged damage dealt by this creature is considered magic damage, and is subject do magic resistance instead of defense.
-Focused shot: A special ranged attack that delays the actual damage of the Sharp Shooter until the end of the round. When it does manage to fire, the sharp shooter ignores all penalties (including creature and hero abilities) and deals 125% of its normal damage to the target. One turn cooldown.
Explosive rounds: All attacks made by the Siege breaker have a 25% splash effect and the damage does not decrease over distance. Passive.
Tear down: The Siege breaker may attack walls with their ranged attack, dealing 1/10th normal damage to them. Walls have a base defense of 25 for the purpose of this attack. Passive.
-Flawless armor: The defense of the Guardian may not be lowered by any means, and the spell iron skins is permanently cast on him.
-Unlimited retaliation: The Guardian retaliates against all melee attacks unless forced not to by a spell or ability.
-Frost aura: Enemy units close to the Herald are slowed for as long as they are adjacent to her.
-Ice bolt: Once every three turns the Herald of Winter may cast the ice bolt spell on any enemy not immune to water magic. This spell is single target and deals moderate damage.
-Impenetrable mind: The Mind breaker is immune to all hostile mind-affecting magic and all fear effects. Passive.
-Madness strike: Every time the Mind Breaker attacks there is a 25% chance that the enemy will be driven mad. Enemies that are mad suffer from an effect much like frenzy, but instead of increasing damage and initiative both stats are lowered and the effect is not dispelled by being attacked and cannot be cured. Lasts 3 turns. Passive.
-Penetrating shot: The ranged attacks of the Assault Engine (and the assault engine only) pass through up to three creature stacks, dealing half damage each time it passes through anything. Can harm friendly creatures as well. Passive.
-Rapid Fire: The Spitfire Juggernaut may attack the same enemy up to three times. Passive.
-Split target: The Spitfire juggernaut may attack two enemies at once with tits ranged attack. Only attacks each enemy once. Passive.
-Boil and Freeze: On all ranged attacks, the Magic cannon has a 50% chance to deal 25% extra damage and a 50% chance to freeze the target. Only one effect may be applied per attack. Passive.
-Splash: All ranged attacks made by the Magic cannon hit adjacent enemies for 25% damage and apply either the boil or freezing effect. Passive.
-Siege weapon: The Magic cannon does not suffer ranged penalties for long range or fortifications/ obstacles. Passive.
-Constrict: The eel may make one special attack per combat where it wraps around and immobilizes a stack of equal or lesser size. This stack can still act, but can only attack the Serpent and cannot move or use active abilities. The serpent will retaliate freely against this stack and deals a small amount of damage every turn to the target stack. If this stack dies, then the serpent will spend the next turn consuming it, removing the body and healing the top Serpent to full health. Cannot revive.
-Static body: Any creature that strikes the electric eel in melee is dealt a moderate amount of air damage in return. This effect adds to damage dealt by the constrict ability.
-Transport: The leviathan may carry up to three stacks of small creatures on its back. While carried, these creatures only take 35% of all damage directed at them and they may use active abilities or ranged attacks. Their initiative is decreased by 20% though...
-Unstoppable: The Leviathan may move over walls and through obstacles and fortifications without penalty. It cannot be affected by any teleportation-like ability (It's too fat...  ).
-Machine of war: The Hunter-killer cannot be converted or recruited by any means beyond its initial hiring (Immune to mind magic, diplomacy, charm, etc). Furthermore, if the Hunter-killer is attacked in melee, the attacker receives physical damage as a % before retaliation.
-Sheltering wings: Any creatures within two spaces of the Dragon golem take 25% less damage from ranged attacks.
-Boiling breath: All attacks deal an additional 25% damage after applying defense, and they may strike creatures behind the original target.
Creature dwellings:
Core:
-Costal cave: Allows you to produce Wave riders.
--Training pen: Allows you to hire Tidal knights/ Silver dancers.
-Tinkerer's workshop: Allows you to produce Scavengers.
--Machine shop: Allows you to hire Reavers and Hunter-seekers.
-gun foundry: Allows you to produce Magitec gunmen.
--Firing range: Allows you to hire Marksmen and Siege Breakers.
Elite:
-Guardian's academy: Allows you to produce Council guardians.
--Specialist trainer: Allows you to hire Winter's heralds and Mind breakers.
-Magitec foundry: Allows you to produce Assault engines.
-War factory: Allows you to hire Spitfire juggernauts and Magic cannons.
-Serpent cove: Allows you to produce Serpents.
--Sea cave: Allows you to hire Armored eels and Electric eels.
Champion:
-Deep sea trench: Allows you to produce Leviathans.
--Holding pen: Allows you to hire Hunter-killers and Dragon golems.
Faction Unique structures and abilities: The faction unique ability makes all magitec (Guildmaster) or animal (Councilor) creatures more effective by increasing attack and defense by small amounts. Both of them, though, have the same ability called "Mischief," (Guildmasters have Mechanical Mischief, Councilors have Animal Mischief) which lowers the enemy's luck by a small amount, more every few levels.
One faction-unique building the Free Cities have is the Silver foundry, which allows you to equip your heroes with minor or regular artifacts. It also allows you to sell artifacts for either resources or gold, or even other artifacts! This building also increases the growth of Scavengers and the attack/ defense of your assault engines. This is meant to signify both the industrious and crafting nature of the elves.
The Monument of Mischief is a building that allows you to randomly cause one of the following effects: Reduce the output of lumber mills and ore mines, lower enemy luck in battles, increase your luck in battles, decrease enemy experience in battles. Also, this structure lowers the luck of troops that attack this town by 2. This structure, of course represents the mischievous nature of the elves.
Another faction unique building is the Harbor Master's Hut, an extension to your seaport (if you are allowed to build one). This building adds a few extra points to your movement peed on sea with all heroes and ships, and also increases hero attack and defense while at sea.
The final building is the Temple of Veltos, an extension to your mage guild. This building adds one more random water spell to each level of the mage guild, giving you a total of 4/4/4/3/3 spells in each level of the mage guild (2/2/2/2/2 of them being water spells). Spells provided are completely random, but they will never repeat.
History:
"The elves are the first of the young races, and the last ones to see time as a single flowing stream instead of ages. This division of the species started out as curious, aquatic nomads, sailing the seas on crude barge-cities and exploring new lands as they happened upon them. Eventually, one bloke or another got it into his head that maybe settling on one of the more fertile islands would mean that he no longer hand to fish every single day and eat goll-fish for his efforts, (if he actually managed to catch anything that is,) and after a century or so many of his people realized that he had the right idea and they settled down as well.
One of the first races encountered by the abyssal and celestial beings, these oceanic elves were taught by both in many arts, while they developed their own connection to the life of the sea and the islands that they called home. They were also the first ones to be experiment with both light and dark magics, and the only peoples to absolutely ban both types from their society. The power of darkness was too corrupting (hence the quote "Even the surest of sailors can lose himself in the night"), and light was banned for its influence on those that used it as well (hence the quote, "Stare at the sun too long, and you will not see the rocks as you fall"). This made the Elder races curious about the once-nomadic elves, but not enough so that these long-lived mortals truly turned any heads.
Though a certain god began looking closely at them once they began to develop technologies that were leaps and bounds above that of other races. Veltos began to study the sea elves very carefully, keeping tabs on the inventive little trouble makers as they advanced in society and equipment while many other races had just developed agriculture. Their little games with the other races that sometimes caused pretty severe conflicts amused the God of the Waters, and the fact that they called the seas their home was just an added bonus. So it was about three thousand years after the elves first settled down that Veltos decided to adopt them, and gave them a connection to oceanic life that the elves had never dreamed of.
The Free Cities system is rather recent, a cultural revolution that is only about two hundred years old (which is a little more than one lifetime's length, for an elf). They pride themselves on being the most advanced in everything, which they could very well be, and have begun opening up their borders to the exchange of information and beliefs. The Free Cities are places of trade and semi-equality, though they are still dominated by elven populations. Only time will tell if this new "Council" system will work out, and if the other races are ready for the wonders the elves can give to them.
Faction relations:
-Macqa: Funny little monkey people that are always looking for something, the elves get along rather well with them. Though the Macqa often times have tricks pulled on them by the mischievous elves, the two races have not truly gone to war in over five hundred years. The elven lands offer many wonders for the monkey-men, and the Macqa often pay for their instructing in resources and sometimes aid in the most recent elven project. The two are very firm allies.
-Celestials: The Free Cities elves hate the celestials, and they have many good reasons to do so. Their atrocious acts of genocide and the absolute blind arrogance makes the angelic creatures ignorantly destroy the beauty of the world around them. Their Goddess commands them to butcher the sick, old and young, they use the forbidden magics of light and darkness, and above all these "Angels" are a threat to all life in the world. These delusional freaks must be put down, permanently, before they can cause too much damage...
((The Celestials' view of the elves: Though these Elves are opposites of the angelic hosts in many things, they are not absolute enemies. The elves worship the water god and are overly ambitious and arrogant like their patron deity, yes, but they also seem to have a resistance to the corrupting influences of this world that many other races lack. If this were the only factor in determining peace between the two races, these elves would be completely spared from the flames of judgement. However, they also commit the dual blasphemies of rejecting the sacred flame and the purity of light, so they also must be destroyed. Though it will be a sad day when the last of these child-like beings is slain...))
-Petrim: The petrim are a constant source of frustration for the peoples of the Free Cities. The secrets that the sentient stone beings keep trapped within themselves could easily help advance the many discoveries that the elves have made in the realms of artificial life. Because the pertim refuse to let the elves study them or the secrets that the keep in their stupid land-locked vaults, the silvan peoples do not understand them. And the old adage that "You fear what you do not understand" is absolutely true in this case. The elves are often openly hostile to this terrestrial race.
Heroes
The Might hero of the Free Cities is the Guildmaster. He adds most to defense, then knowledge and attack, with only a few spare points going to his spell power.
The guildmaster is a great craftsman, a master of whatever skill he chooses to specialize in. He or she represent the best of the best in the craft of their choice, and they take upon themselves the responsibility of protecting the islands of the Free Cities. Guildmaster is synonymous with "General" in the sea elven society. Any army marching with a Guildmaster will have machines that function better than they would if a less skilled commander led them.
The Magic hero of the Free Cities is the councilor. She adds most to knowledge, then spellpower and defense, with only a point or two going to attack.
Councilors are masters of the magics that sea elves practice, and they are also spiritual leaders among their people. For this reason, Veltos grants a councilor both a better connection to the plains of water and connection to the animals that a guildmaster or normal elf lacks. They move at Veltos's command, striking down the foes of the Water God and defending his land from harm.
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Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted July 28, 2012 11:02 AM |
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Ýou gonna be a tough opponent, I think.
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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted July 28, 2012 11:23 AM |
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Yes he will jiriki, yes he will
Btw, gnomes, aren't you forgetting something? something like the second of the gods minor domains?
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted July 29, 2012 12:34 AM |
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Crafting? I guess I can add a footnote...
No waaaaaait.... you mean animals.
...
*Whistles innocently* *Adds animals to the creature lineup*
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Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted July 29, 2012 11:09 PM |
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So...I think it will come down to some big animal with a group of spearmen on their back (we hadn't had ranged spearmen on one of the winning factions, yet, did we?!). Maybe a Turtle/Tortoise, maybe a Crab... however I'm not happy about it, but I need a ranged still, and have no better idea...
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted July 30, 2012 06:58 AM |
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The valkyries are ranged spearwomen, so you should be fine. 
Added my lineup, tell me if I need to change anything.
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Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted July 30, 2012 08:44 AM |
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Gnomes - all looking promising. Can't wait to see it fleshed out.
Jiriki - Have I got a suggestion for your ranged Styphalian birds Just remembered those things. Since they are, at least partly, metal I guess they sort of do fit in...
As always, no obligation, no difference, yada, yada, yada... to use 'em
LizardWarrior - hope you'll join us soon
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted July 30, 2012 09:25 AM |
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These Birds seem indeed interesting, thanks. Never heard of them before. However I'd than have 2 Birds in the lineup, and they'Re more Core than elite. ...maybe I'll take out the Roc then. So 2 Elites missing...
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gvozdengrom
Known Hero
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posted August 09, 2012 01:28 PM |
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Come now people, the time is running out.
Don't tell me you'll need extensions for a challenge this simple.
Heck, I could wipe out a reasonable one from scratch, and you've already got such great starts...
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted August 09, 2012 01:31 PM |
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I'm still unsatisfied with my lineup aaand had not mcuh time the past week but I think I'll rush-finish this tomorrow
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted August 10, 2012 06:56 AM |
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Woop! Legitimately forgot about this for a while... ^^'
I'll be pulling a me here and get this done tonight. OPERATION ALL NIGHTER, GO!
... OK, maybe I'll work on it a bit tomorrow too...
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Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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Jiriki9
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Altar Dweller
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posted August 10, 2012 10:04 AM |
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I can say I'm just now working at it and had a good creative phase the last hour. Finished Dwellings and Special Buildings and general information except motto. Also I decided to keep the lineup
Now I'm going to the background infos I think, before continuing with the units.
Note: and, yes, you can't see it yet: 'cause of browser incoherency, I do it in open office
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gnomes2169
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Duke of the Glade
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posted August 11, 2012 12:24 AM |
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Edit: Never mind, unless you want me to make dwellings, I am officially done with my faction~!
Hope you enjoy it~
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Yeah in the 18th century, two inventions suggested a method of measurement. One won and the other stayed in America.
-Ghost destroying Fred
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This thread is pages long: 
