Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tifus Artwin 01-23-05, 11:48 AM	Not sure if this is in the right place, but here it goes. Im starting to build a new caimpaign, centering around the 7 stones of creation. one of each element, and one to control the rest. what im needing at the moment, is a description of the stones, the fire i have already desided on. What would you suggest on the others though? Fire: a Pheonix. Water: ? Earth: ? Air: ? Life/Positive: ? Death/Negitive: ? Each stone ranges from about 6 inches, to 1 foot tall, and masterfully rendered into the form of an animal/beast/being. So they can look like anything, im just not sure on what they need to look like. Any help here? Some Background. These are the stones that came about when the First Gods created the multiverses, the Deitys enchanted the stones so that they have to remain on the material plane, but could reside on a demiplane as long as it can only be accessed on the material, IE, its on a Demiplane, but you have to go to the tallest mountain in the world to find the gate to it. And the gate has to always be open, even if its only an inch hole. The stones are very stong, but i dont have any powers for any of them yet, i was thinking giving them the powers to allow the holder to cast upto 9th lvl spells from a set list, IE. the Stone of Fire lets you cast only Fire based spells, upto 9th lvl. Also, the stones have the power to either, unmake the the world, and remake it in the form of the holder of ALL the stones, or to remake the holder into a Deity. This was also going to take place in a homebrew, with limited magic, (no spells above 5th lvl for any class). So I was thinking, that the stones could allow the holder to cast more powerful spells, and if a caster class got them, could change the lvl of magic in the world, and allowing upto 8th lvl spells, 9th lvl spells will come in later if this happens, as im sure it might. So, does anyone have some Ideas on the Looks of the Stones, as well as the powers that they could hold? Thanks in advance, Tifus
Lxarth 01-23-05, 01:54 PM	Perhaps for Earth or Water a gourd. Air could be a Feather. Another for Earth could be a staff, as in the staff of life (aka food).
The Shaman 01-23-05, 02:29 PM	Another for Earth could be a staff, as in the staff of life (aka food). "Staff of life" means bread - it's not a wooden stick. Earth - a lump of clay Water - a blue sapphire carved to resemble a wave crashing Air - a white diamond in the shape of a dragon Life/positive energy - a topaz carved into a rayed disk Death/negative energy - obsidian flaked into a spear point or a jet sphere
Vharuck 01-23-05, 02:33 PM	For something like this, keep it simple and not strange references. Water: Fish Earth: Groundhog or Plant Air: Bird or Feather Death: Skull Life: Baby
Tifus Artwin 01-23-05, 09:18 PM	Thanks for the post Guys, and i like the idea for the diamond, as well as the obsidian sprear. vharuck, Im wanting complecated, if its to simple, then they can figure it out and while i want them to, i dont want them to figure it out TO soon, if you know what i mean. Might get them killed, or attract attention that they really cant deal with at the moment. Im going to be starting this at 5th lvl, and building from there. The first hint they will have, is by comeing acrost this strange and beautifully carved stone. It will be several lvls after that that they start to learn of the stones powers, and they might have to track it back down if they have sold it. Another adventure, so i wont stop them from doing it. Anyway, Im still needing ideas on the looks, So far I have: Air: Diamond Dragon Fire: Ruby? Pheonix Death/Negitive: Obsidian Spear (miniture) Any other ideas ? Again, thanks for your time Tifus
ThatDarnCat 01-23-05, 10:07 PM	Do the items have to be actual minerals? For fire, how about a brillian red gemstone carrved in the shape of a living flame. The magical nature could allow the crystal to look as it were actually moving becuase of the intermal facets that reflect and focus the light striking the gem. For Life you could have a plant that appears to be constantly growing, but never gets any bigger, kind of like the burning bush from the Bible. The bush is burning, but is never consumed. I like the idea of a skull for death, but how about a crystal skull carved from transluscent obsidian (google Apache Tears) so that it's not completely clear, nor completely opaque. Water is harder. I like the idea of a fish, but it's too obvious. How about a magic 'zen waterfall' that continuously pours over rocks. The water isn't really water, but a fluid stone harder than iron and cold as ice. The whole thing would have to be transported as the 'water' cannot be seperated. As for powers. I thought that if you had the earth, fire, air and water to close to each other they would combine magical auras to create a 'zen' atmosphere that would bring peace and comtentment to those within X feet/yards/miles. This would make all contented and those who don't make a will save every X amount of tie would sit and contemplate the universe until they died from exposure/hunger-thirst... No, honest. I'm not a cruel GM at all.
Tifus Artwin 01-23-05, 10:58 PM	I like the Idea about the "Living Material" and i might use that one, well see i guess. The Skull for Death/Negetive would work, but that might come off as more for Undead, and thats something i dont want, its not evil, it just encomposses the power of Death, and thus forming the circle of life, Life, Death, Rebirth. And thats what these stones are about. The Creation of all things, the Death of all things, and the Rebirth of all Things. The origanal Gods made this knowning that they would one day be replaced by newer Deitys, and wanted the Mortals, that they created and Loved, would have a way of surviveing if one of these new Deitys became to powerful, and wanted to remake the world the way they wanted. Granting, if they got these stones, then it would happen anyway, but becuase they have to stay on the material plane, mortals atleast have a chance, where they wouldnt if the stones didnt exist. Ok, that was more a rant then giveing information, but im hopeing it clearifys .... err something. As to the powers, im still not sure yet, maybe the Pheonix can grant a True Ressurrection on its possesser? Skull would make the holder immune to death? Life, grant the powers of a Cleric to heal others? Earth, an increase to physical stats? well, anyway, I was thinking that the powers would be inline with the form that the stone takes. Or atleast, have something that would help identify it. Well, I guess we can have a Crystal ball with a whirlpool as Water Im keeping the Pheonix as fire, but i think ill add some life to it as ThatDarnCat suggested. Make it a living construct of sorts. I also like the idea of the plant for Life, so ill use that as well, or maybe use that for Earth? Air, that could be a psedodragon, made from what? crytalised energy, air, maybe fog in the shape of something.... Death, that ones still stumping me, the skull would work, but if theres a better idea to conve its powers, and its purpose .... still need a good one for earth, any ideas? the groundhog wouldnt work, as that would make them think of animals, and thats not the right thing, maybe that obsidian spear head .... Again, thanks for your Time, Tifus
Vharuck 01-24-05, 12:18 AM	-Death can give Death Touch ability as the Death Domain special ability (IIRC). -I don't know about resurrection for the phoenix, seems more like a life ability. -Life sounds good, able to channel positive energy to heal, maybe so many points per day like a paladin. -Earth seems like it could be cool, maybe give the bearer DR 10/- and Earthglide special qualities. If you want obscure then, does anyone remember the four symbolic animals Plato connected to his elements? I'm pretty sure salamanders were fire, but what were the others? Along those lines, make the references really weird and absolutely no sense to anyone anymore. Like a dog on the death stone. Maybe, when the stones were created, the deities sent a dog to collect the souls of the dead, kind of like the Grim Reaper. Be creative then and have them go to a library or sage and do some research.
ThatDarnCat 01-24-05, 12:24 AM	What if al the pieces fit together like a puzzle? And as the peices are assempled (a la Rod of Seven parts) the whoe thing gets more powerful. Earth could be the base into which all the other pieces fit. Like a largeish stone tablet with recessed notches for the other elemental objects. Them you add Air, there is a constant breeze blowing in the area around the objetc. Add the water item and water flows on the stone base. Add Fire and it gets a lighting effect like day/night. Add Like and plants seem to grow. Add death and it takes on a life cycle effect. This would be a special effect with nothing to do with other magic powers it might have.
Tifus Artwin 01-24-05, 03:19 AM	Thats a Good Idea Cat. Ill have to think about that, becuase if i go with it, then that will change ALOT of things i have planned thus far. But if it will add to the Roll-Play value, then ill work on this for another year if i have to.
ThatDarnCat 01-24-05, 04:44 AM	The wind object still has be puzzling, though. I like the idea od 'moving/living' things for each of the elements, but I can't picture anything for Air. But it should make a constant breeze in its immediate vacininy or increase any existing air currents. One of it's powers could include always having breathable air around it since it is the magical embodiment of the essence of air. Having each of the elemental items be the embodiment of that element could allow the use of elemental spells/powers, but only for a specific type of priest. You could make it a PrC. Then as you combine the parts you get one additiona effect. Normal Abilities: This could be something new or you could give the priest holder access to the Domain spells for that element/aspect. I would allow for additional spells in the case of Domain access. At least one extra spell per day per item. These are uber artifacts after all. Air: Turn/rebuke air critters. Earth: Turn/rebuke earth critters. Fire: Turn/rebuke earth critters. Water: Turn/rebuke water critters. Life: There is no Life domain so make something up like rejuvination or healing that sustains life. Death: Deathtouch once per day. Combined abilities: These are in addition to any other powers. Air + Earth: Air + Fire: Fireball Air + Water: Ice Storm Air + Life: Air + Death: Earth + Fire: Earth + Water: Earth + Life: Earth + Death: Earthquake, but limited to the lvl of the bearer. Fire + Water: Fire + Life: Fire + Death: Water + Life: Water + Death: Life + Death: Resuurection. These abilities could be once per day or a few times per week and act as spell-like abilities rather than spells. And all these are cumulative. If you plan to take this into Epic levels you could add some really interesting level based powers so that having the completed object would never become boring, since the player would all look forward to something new that might appear. This could happen even at non-epic lvls too, though. Erf... I give up. You can easily fill in the combined powers. Just throw in some wizard spells for fun. You could go for 3 set abilities, but I didn't want to figure out all the premutations on that one.