Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cowczar 01-10-08, 06:00 PM	Welcome to the first ever CowCon: The CowCon Gnomish Inventions Contest, a contest where you create the craziest, yet functional Gnomish invention! There are two different items that can be created (same category) in this contest: Mundane Items and Wondrous Items. That means that you can create a Mundane (non-magical) invention, such as a clockwork pony, or a Wondrous Item such as a magical submarine (Kwalish’s Apparatus anyone?) Firstly, all entries must follow the Code of Conduct. 1) These rules may change at any point, and entries not complying to these rules will be disqualified. A grace period of one (1) hour will be given after rule changes to change entries that are in violation with the new rules. If the entry is changed for the aforementioned reason, the changed portion must be mentioned in your edit reason, otherwise the entry will be disqualified. 2) All entries must be submitted by the date and time given by the Head Judge. Any late entries will not be judged, but may still be displayed for the sake of other players. A grace period of one (1) hour immediately after posting may be used to edit your entry. Any longer is not allowed. 3) One entry per contestant, and this entry must be the original work by the contestant. More examples may be posted later by the same contestant, but only the first will be judged. Only post if you want your entry to be judged. If you do not, post after the contest closes. 4) The three V3.5 core books (Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, Monster Manual) and Unearthed Arcana may be used. This information may all be found on d20srd.org. Restricted matter includes: psionics (may be updated later). 5) The judges reserve the right to disqualify any entries in violation of these rules or the Code of Conduct. Scoring is based mostly on background and wackiness of the entry. The scoring uses the categories of: Backstory (10), Creativity (15), Clarity (10), Mechanics (15) and Gnomishness (20). Backstory: How and why was this invented? Who invented it? What happened later on? Points are awarded on creativity, succinctness and logic. Creativity: Has anyone else ever thought of this? Points are awarded on originality, good rule use, etc. Clarity: Do we understand what you’re saying? This is marked on grammar, spelling, S-blocks, etc. Mechanics: Is the item fairly priced and levelled? Are the spells (if applicable) used in creation sensible? Are the rest of the rules fair? Gnomishness: Does this item reflect the wackiness, playfulness, intelligence and eccentric nature of Gnomes? Mundane items: What about a cool outfit, an exploding tankard? Think outside the box. Wondrous items: Let your imagination run rampant! Current judges: Cowczar, happydude. All entries receive a prize, and higher-ranking entries get other prizes. All entries may put this line in their signature: :ayyyy!:I competed in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) Fifth place: :w00t: I placed fifth in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) Fourth place: :cheer: I placed fourth in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) Third place: :bravo: I placed third in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) Second place (eligible to be a judge in future CowCon contests): :bounce: I placed second in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) First place(eligible to be a judge in future CowCon contests): :king: I placed first (that's right, FIRST!) in the first CowCon: Gnomish Invention Contest! (http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=976815) :dancin: Judge: :$$:An unbribable (don't look it up) judge of the CowCon contests! :$$: Jutter Stolide Rosisha JulesCARV ObscureInfo Thubby 1) Rosisha 2) ObscureInfo 3) Thubby 4) Jutter 5) Stolide 6) JulesCARV And if you've made it this far, the contest starts now (11:00 PM WotC time, January 10) and goes until Saturday, January 26 at 11:59 PM WotC time. CONTEST OVER
Etarnon 01-11-08, 03:24 AM	The device of Invisible Text. This magical device is certified to win all online contests involving magical devices. Its properties can never truly be seen or know, except by the Gnomish inventors. It looks like:
Cowczar 01-11-08, 06:36 AM	No spamming please. Or perhaps you didn't know that there is no internet in D&D.
Jutter 01-11-08, 10:06 AM	Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder exists of a strange apparatus, attached to the the bottom of a ladder. On activating the apparatus (by filling the kettle and lighting the furnace), steam will escape. This activates the attached broomstick, that will swing around wildly in a horizontal circle (and acting as a gyroscope, keeping the monstrous apparatus in balance). Steam will escape from two cilinders, creating enough force to move Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder and a small creature holding the ladder upwards at a speed of 10 feet per round. The creature holding the ladder can have a maximum weight of 60 pounds. Any creature weighing over 60 pounds will cause the ladder to descent with a speed of 10 ft/round. Lighting the furnace takes a fullround action. After the furnace is lit, the ladder will start it's upward motion as soon as the water in the kettle starts boiling (two minutes after the furnace is lit). The ladder will continu to move upwards for 10 rounds, after which all the water has evaporated and Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder will start it's descent. Unless proper measures are taken, the descent will destroy Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder. A creature holding Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder during it's upward motion needs to succeed on a DC 10 balance check every round or risk turning the ladder upside down. Used in the upside down position will cause Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder to start an accelerated descent, dealing an additional 1d6 falling damage to all creatures holding Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder on impact. Leaving Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder during it's upward motion is possible. To do so savely, a suitable ledge must be within reach, and the creature holding the ladder needs to succeed on a DC 20 reflex save. Failing this save by 4 or less means the creature is still holding the ladder. Failing the save by 5 or more causes the ladder to turn upside down and immediately crash into the ground as described above. When Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder reaches a ceiling during it's upward motion, it turns in a random direction (throw 1d8) and starts falling. Creatures holding the ladder will get falling damage as normal, and land 1d4x5ft. in the previously determined random direction due to the horizontal accelaration caused by the steamvents. Price: 500 gp Weight: 80 lbs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bimpkin "Bump-on-the-head" Screwdriver invented the first prototype, naming it Bimpkin's infinite ladder. His goal was to climb to the stars and get a few to decorate his workplace, which was described by the love of his life Raskar Screwdriver as a 'sad, dark place, where he will never see the light'. The first prototype toppled over, after which Bimpkin added the broomstick for balance. The second prototype didn't move at all, after which Bimpkin added another cilinder. The third prototype smashed into the ceiling of his workplace, after which Bimpkin moved his experiments outside (and got his current nickname). His first succesful flight was next to an apple tree. During the upward motion, Bimpkin managed to pick an apple 'for the road'. He reached an altitude of about 50 ft, after which the kettle ran out of water and the device crashlanded and exploded. A worried Raskar ran towards the black cloud of smoke, only to see Bimpkin emerge sootblack from the smoke, eating the apple, and thinking of new ways to improve his device. She made him promise never to fly again, assured him she liked his workplace just the way it was, and took him home. Their gnome community doubled the device "Bimpkin's (not quite) infinite ladder", after which it was forgotten. Bimpkin later sold the idea to a dwarven mine owner Bofar Gemcutter, who thought this was a great way to leave his mines 'in style'. Much to his embarrasment, the ladder refused to took off on his first try. After adressing the weight issue to Bimpkin, Bimpkin advised him to use the ladder for entering the mines instead of leaving them. This caused Bofar's employees to burst out in laughter every time the dwarf entered the mines. Not one to give up easily, Bofar Gemcutter formed a partnership with Bimpkin to produce more (not quite) infinite ladders and sell them to explorers and mountaineers. Several thieves' guilds have found the ladders useful as well.
Cowczar 01-13-08, 02:35 PM	:bump:
Stolide 01-13-08, 03:52 PM	Gyro-glaive... a pole arm with two glaive heads on a clock work motor. You turn it on and even the most combatually ineffectual gnome can take on anything. With spinning glaive heads on the end of a pole no one will want to approach you. It also has whistles on it so that it makes an ear piercing screech futthering intimidating foes. http://i17.tinypic.com/7xxleec.jpg (sorry I forgot to rotate it...) Invented by the famous Gnome Tinkerer Stolide Levus Demens (it was one of my charecters) He invented it because spinning blades and whistles can convince an Orcish barbarian in a rage not to charge him thus giving his clock-work minions a chance to overwhelm his foes. Because of the potential over-poweredness of this weapon I let the dm decide what it did. I think it did 1d6(1d6) points of damge and it took a move action to fire it up. And I think I caused Fear(or made you unable to approach me, you get the idea) if you failed a dc 17 will save. Something like that. It was very funny though :D
Rosisha 01-13-08, 04:40 PM	Gnomish Portable Analytical Engine Gnomes are inventive, and one gnome, Gavish the Reasoned, thought that perhaps the elements of the gnomish mind that sought invention, could be replicated into a machine, just as a pony could be replicated into automatia. And although he would work on his idea for the rest of his life, he never achieved his goal. What he did achieve, and left behind, would forever change the approach of gnomes to natural philosophy. One thing that he did achieve was the design of the portable analytical engine, a tool the size of a small orb (8 to 10" diameter) inside which was a collection of gears, all centered around an insertable core. The outside of the orb is a brass shell, often carved with an intricate and artistic gnomish script. The middle is a series of small buttons which can be pressed. They represent numbers and letters, and act as the input device. The inside of the machine is made of extremely miniature gears. They form the bridge between input and output, and are designed to interact with the core. The core is a brass rod carved with tiny little female connectors. when inserted the gears move and change to adapt to the core, becoming solidly connected. Each indention represents a bit of data, and the core is carved with a mathematical table, converted into the obscure programing language that Gavish developed, and when used for a specific craft, will grant a bonus. A simple core (DC 20 to create) will grant a +1 bonus to any skill that it is designed for (Craft, Profession, or Knowledge). A complex core will grant +2, +3, +4, or even +5. However, to make one requires Craft (Metalworking) of 5 or more ranks, and Knowledge (Gavish Programming) of 5 or more ranks, which is difficult to attain. The most common way to gain cores is to find those that Gavish made before he disappeared. When wound up, the orb hums and clanks as it calculates whatever figures that the gnome places in it. The answers emerge as the appropriate keys extend out of the orb in the order they are to be read in. So if the answer to a question was 42, the number 4 would emerge, and then the number 2 a few seconds later. Usually the machine takes a few minutes to work, and a single calculation will use up most spring power. Answers can be given up to 32 decimals. Cost: Orb: 1,500gp Core: 250gp (+1); 500gp (+2); 750gp (+3); 1000gp (+4); 1500gp (+5) Plot Hook Gavish's Final Invention: It is important to note that Gavish never stopped working on his orb design, and eventually, legend tells, he succeeded. Somewhere, floating in the multiverse, is a giant brass orb, clacking away, a perfect gear and clockwork replica of Gavish's mind. It might even have created small sized automations to act as servants and caretakers, and occasionally they are sent out to recover cores that can be added to Gavish's knowledge... ================ Enjoy! Rosisha
Cowczar 01-14-08, 07:21 PM	Excellent ideas so far... keep them coming! I'll post a FAQ if you need more guidelines. We still need judges! I need at least one.
JulesCARV 01-14-08, 08:13 PM	Gnomic Projection This is a way of projecting the surface of an elipsoid onto a plane invented by gnomish sailors. Its most notable property is that great circle arcs are always shown as straight lines, sometimes simplifying navigation. However, area and shape are greatly distorted and less than half of the elipsoid can be show in a map. Geometrically, this projection is created by projecting from the center of the elipsoid onto a plane tangent to the elipsoid's surface.
ObscureInfo 01-15-08, 12:03 AM	Snarble's Windless Sailboat: At first glance, this appears to a regular sailing ship. But upon closer glance, there is a strange device located between the main mast and the captain's cabin. It appears to be a large propeller attached to a pole about half the size of the mast. The back of the propeller connected to a chain and a series of gears in a strange and weird-looking way. The chain goes down into the deck through a 1 ft diameter hole and comes back through another 1 ft diameter hole. Beneath the deck the chain is attached to another series of gears and these gears are attached to two sets of pedals with a hortizonal bar about 4ft high. The pedals and bar are perfectly set for a gnome-size person to use the bar to steady themselves while pedalling. The Ingenius nature of the the pedals, the gears, and the propeller is such that it takes very little effort on the pedals to create a much larger force on the propeller. So the two gnomes on the pedals go for a walk and create a strong wind to fill the sail. If the gnomes pedal hard, they can create the equivalent of a gust of wind spell (30 mph). Cost: 20,000gp (includes the 10,000gp sailing ship) Winton Snarble was a navigator and engineer on several sailing ships. He loved sailing and travelling by boat. But he hated getting becalmed. And once while becalmed, his ship was set upon by pirates using oars. They scuttled the ship and little Snarble escaped death by lashing himself to a piece of driftwood and was later picked up by a passing galley. While he was drifting for a day and a half, he thought about what had happened and how he could somehow prevent this. "If I could only control the wind somehow," he thought. While he was recovering from his ordeal, he noticed how the crew loading and unloading their cargo. The crew used a series of pulleys and ropes to lift a much larger cargo than they could have lifted by themselves. This gave him a brilliant idea. What if he could use the same principles to generate a continual breeze to fill the sails and keep a ship sailing? He became obsessed. He worked for years on the sequence and size of the gears, the placement of the chains, the size of the propeller. He learned the hard way that he needed to reinforce the apparatus to the ship hull. Finally, after a decade of work, his dream was completed. He and his cousin were the first two pedalers. They laughed and joked as they slowly turned the pedals. Both gnomes remarked at how easy it was to pedal. Up on deck, the propeller started to turn. It turned faster and faster until everyone on deck could feel the breeze. Once it got up to an extremely fast rate, it generated a fairly strong breeze, one that filled the sails and moves the ship. Meanwhile the two gnomes below kept walking at a brisk pace, not having any idea the amount of wind they were generating. After a half-hour of working the pedals, the two gnomes were replaced by two other crew members. Snarble explained that if they rotated the men in two-men shifts, they could easily power the ship for 24 hours per day continually for the entire journey. Two men shifts insured that the pedalers didn't get bored, as they could talk and joke for their shift. The Windless Sailboat was really only useful on windless and low wind days. Snarble never could get it large enough to power a galley, only a sailing ship or smaller. It was vulnerable to the elements and so he designed a tarp covering that could be easily draped over the propeller and gears to insure that the weather didn't wreck the machine. The propeller could be locked in place, so on windy days, it would not interfere with the normal operation of the vessel. Winton Snarble smiled. Because he knew he would never have to worry about the calm again. The cost of the apparatus would insure that it would not become commonplace upon sailing ships, as well as the complexity of the device. But he was satisified that he had created something wonderful.
Thubby 01-15-08, 03:10 AM	gnomish boots of slightly less height disadvantage gnomes the world over have been plagued by their lack of height since the great gnome shrinkage of 800 b.w.t.d.n.d.u. (before whatever time dnd uses), because we all know gnomes were once huge, or at least large. regardless, tinkerer gregory mcwhosywhatsit set out to rectify this egregious error. essentially a series of gears in place to regulate the expansion of large coil springs fixed to the feet, the invention worked when not stressed, despite having the appearance of 2 accordions strapped to the wearers feet. it was when one of the first buyers of the devices (a merchant now known as "springy mgee") was beset by orcs that the boots showed their true potential. in the stress of battle the regulators broke, sending poor springy flying 30ft. in the air and landing on top of the orc leader, knocking him unconscious. since then, the boots have been redesigned by various tinkerers over the years to perform this miraculous leap in a controlled manner, granting gnomes everywhere a serious height advantage. the most popular version to date uses magic to compress and hold the springs, but little else. the wearer's jump distance is no longer restricted by his/her movement speed, and his/her verticle jump roll is divided by 2 instead of 4 for determining the height the wearer jumped. they also impose a -10 ft. speed penalty because they are so clumsy. market price: 6,000GP there is an upgraded version that relies much more on magic, but is less cumbersome than its predecessor, and more powerful. these do not have any speed penalty, and grant a +10 bonus on jump checks. they appear to be heavy, silvered boots. market price: 12,000 GP requires jump spell to craft
Cowczar 01-15-08, 05:54 AM	Very good entries so far. I'd like to make a post to welcome our new judge, happydude.
Cowczar 01-17-08, 04:17 PM	:bump:
Cowczar 01-20-08, 07:10 AM	:bump:
Stolide 01-23-08, 09:35 AM	"Time left:9 days 1.5 hours" It's been 9 days and 1.5 hours for a long time...
Cowczar 01-23-08, 01:07 PM	The time has been corrected... 3.25 days left, everyone! And another judge would be nice, as I am not getting any answer from happydude.
Cowczar 01-25-08, 01:30 PM	Just over a day left! Last chance to enter! As soon as this contest ends, the next will begin...
Cowczar 01-26-08, 05:54 PM	Well, I figure if this post is second page, 1.5 hours before the conest ends, it's safe to end it. Thus, THIS CONTEST IS OVER. So first, some comments. I really appreciated the great entries to this contest. I found reading the entries a lot of fun. I really hope that you all enter in my next contest (starting today), and that the top two of you judge the entries. It was really hard to judge these entries. They were all so great. I ended up marking each one multiple times, and asked my friends to judge them as well (more to see if I was marking well... their marks weren't actually added). You will notice that the scores are, with one exception, all in the sixties. It all came down to a couple numbers in the stats blocks, paragraph placement, etc. First off, some constructive criticism for all entrants. Jutter- A very Gnomish invention. Well done! Just make sure you put in some paragraph breaks in there and spellcheck your entries. Stolide- Deadly! Good job. Try spellchecking your entries, and put in full stats for your item. Excellent picture! Rosisha- Extremely creative. I really liked the included plot hook. JulesCARV- JulesCARV, I don't know what happened. This was a subpar entry for a player of your greatness. It was very interesting, nonetheless. ObscureInfo- Gnomish all the way! Maybe put more paragraph breaks in. And what is required to craft? But I really liked it. Thubby- What's more Gnomish than stilts? Very great. Make sure you capitalise your capitalisable letters. The item was very balanced. But what does it take to craft the normal version? All marks out of 70. From last to first place: 6) JulesCARV- Good try, man. 5) With 62 points... Stolide! 4) A 64 pointer... Jutter! 3) Third with 65 points... Thubby! 2) Second (and able to judge now) with 67 points... ObscureInfo! 1) Last, the winner, with an incredible 68/70... Roshiha! I hope you'll judge the next contest. And now, some dancers for these brave entrants! :clap: :cheer: :dancin: :cheer: :dancin: :cheer: :dancin: :cheer: :dancin: :cheer: :clap: Make sure you all put your forum sig lines in. And check out this next contest: (link to be inserted) New judges, please PM me if you are interested in judging.
Thubby 01-27-08, 12:26 AM	for the record, there was no requirement to craft the normal ones beyond having the crafting feat and gold. it was my intention that anyone could make them because they required so little magic. and yes, my grammar is terrible :D
Cowczar 01-27-08, 07:22 AM	But there is no crafting feat, right? By the way, feel free to edit your entries now.
Thubby 01-27-08, 11:29 PM	But there is no crafting feat, right? By the way, feel free to edit your entries now. got me there. craft wondrous item *walks off to edit* btw, gratz Rosisha. (Cowczar, his/her name is misspelled)
MrCustomer 01-28-08, 01:08 AM	Cronish the Barbarian (Orc) has the following Gnomish inventions: Mundane Gnomish Devices: Gnomish Door Stop: Cronish take one Gnome, place in door jam and slam door on Gnome until it senseless and no crawls away. Gnome lean against door to keep open. Gnomish Disposable Bottle Opener Cronish put bottle in Gone mouth and hits on head and twists bottle. Bottle is open. Gnomish Bottle Opener is disposable because it has no teeth now. Gnomish Seasoning Salt, Spice, Garlic, Dried Tomato Flakes, Paprika. Gnomish Club Cronish tie Gnome shoe laces together and hold by feet. Make good club but go squishy after awhile. , 1-Handed, 1d6 damage, 20/x2 critical, Exotic Weapon Proficency (Gnomish Club) Gnomish Woopie Cushion Take Gnome and slip under Ogre as he sits down, Gnome make funny noise. Wonderous Items To make any of the above a wonderous item, use gnomes with class levels in Wizard.