Always friggin' awesome, Ouroboros. I've always liked your entries, and this one's really very interesting. I've always found it kind of interesting to look at machines sort of as bodies, so this fits in perfectly. It makes me think of some Chaos taint from Warhammer 40,000: the kind of thing that would have a normally emotionless techpriest hopping up and down in rage, desperately trying to find a way to stop the spread of the cog-devils. These could be used as the beginning of a story-line for something...

There's a game I play called Iron Grip: Warlord, where almost all technology is steam-based (I believe that they're a little more advanced than the Locastans, but don't have access to magic). The nation of Atelia is fighting for its freedom from the neighbouring nation of Fahrong. So, just imagine this: an Atelian warfleet (in steam-powered airships) appears in the skies over Locastus, currently in the midst of a great battle with a larger Fahrongian warfleet. After a few hours, during which the cannon shells that missed rained down from the skies, destroying buildings at random (the Atelians are much better marksmen, so most of those stray shells are from the Fahrong vessels), the Atelians are victorious. Setting down near the center of Locastus, they ask for permission to dock and have the local engineers make repairs to their vessels so as to escape home. The Locastan leadership reluctantly allows this, but only if the Atelians permit Locastan units to stay stationed around their vessels to prevent any monkey business. The Locastans do a fine job with the vessels, but within a few days of reaching home, it becomes clear that the vessels have been infected with Cog Devils! Soon enough, the infection spreads throughout the warfleets, and even ground vehicles, such as the hard-hitting tank battalions whose bold counter-attacks against any Fahrongian attack are holding the front together-barely. In desperation, and with their hearts burning for vengeance, the Atelian High Command sends the PC's, who are semi-disgraced officers trying too regain their honor, and their units aboard the single uninfected vessel back to Locastus. Once there, they are once again guarded by the elite units of the Locastan military, but now the situation has changed greatly. You see, the annual fete is in town, and the Bloated Moon herself has come out to watch the festivities... and her new "guests." Under constant supervision by both the Locastan soldiers AND perhaps the most powerful sorceress in the world, the PC's must formulate a plan to kidnap one or more Locastan mechanics and shuttle them back to Atelia so they can figure out how to save the most important pieces of their defense network. What could make this even more interesting would be if then, the PC's were then ordered to go on a mission to infect the Fahrongian fleet with the Cog Devils, then return the Locastan mechanics to their home city without being butchered by the Locastan troops or the city's all-powerful patron.

Whaddya think? Go to Comment

Even though my focus right now is on pure fantasy, your work is so evocative that it makes me want to read through all the Locastus subs.

There are so many ways the mayhem these critters cause could bring about difficulties and misunderstandings, that they are sure-fire conduits to adventure.

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I have a soft spot for techromancy, and this could have great applications in a steampunk game. "Oh no, we need this device to run and save the town! But it's infested with cog devils!" I don't know why I think of these little things as adorable, but I do. While they don't really need an origin story it would be nice if there were some theories. 

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"He who speaks with his fists" Love it. Great character. Person of depth who has no speaking lines. Awesome littel enigma without a real answer. Great job painting and picture and I love the quotes scattered. Really put it all together and gave me enough to want to stay the hell away from him. Too bad PCs will have to learn the hard way!

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Thank you for the chuckle. An immortal(?) creature of great power, that you can easily plop into any random poor neighborhood. And there ARE PCs, who would find a lesson or two from the hermit valuable (you can't help but see, that someone would send them to him).

A very proper fantasy NPC. Go to Comment

I really like this idea; it's a great twist on the notion of the hermit, and doesn't involve the cliche that if the hermit is able to defend himself, he must be a wizened old master of some obscure martial art. I can, to a degree, even empathize with his nature; exposure to the worst portions of humanity can certainly kindle an anger of incredible proportions.

While he might not be much in most RP systems, he's certainly a colorful figure, and would likely do well in a more story-oriented session, or as a color figure in a written story. Perhaps one of those moldy old books he has contains some information of value, and since the hermit would rather knock your teeth out rather than give up that book, perhaps someone needs to be hired to sneak in and retrieve it - which will undoubtedly incur the hermit's total wrath when he finds out about it.

I am certainly amused by the section about his ability to dent Aphex plating, since this speaks volumes of the strange power he has; given that the substance has specific criteria for how it interacts with various forms of energy, you have to wonder what strange force the hermit's might embodies. A kind of Torque-like force, perhaps, bludgeoning the universe violently into the shape it wants. Go to Comment

Perhaps she should be one of your quest subs. ;) Go to Comment

When the hermit's elemental rage finally does overcome him, can we expect to see a rampaging brute that will destroy everything in its part until he is finally put down? Go to Comment

Has he ever been attacked by the forces of Law and Order? Go to Comment

Here is an HOH from me. Go to Comment

If he developed magic he would make a great Rage Mage .

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I'm imagining a very Samson-like ending...The parallels one can draw are quite notable. Go to Comment

Hm. An interesting piece of scenery to place here and there in your sessions, perhaps as a reminder to the PCs that there are always those greater than they. Sidenote: I love the imagery evoked by the fact that he can dent Aphex. That sort of interweaving (verisimilitude?) is what makes worlds like yours so great. Nice work. Go to Comment

Okay, this got a good snort from me - I do like him a lot! I love the writing style too. Let me know WHEN you write your Locastus book - I'll pick up a copy :P Go to Comment

It would appeal more to my sense of tragedy if he killed himself when his control finally slips.... Go to Comment

yes, oh yes... that would be fitting, going out with a bang of biblical proportions... Now who will play his Delilah? Go to Comment

Partly, this was inspired by Urko Crust, a minor character of Steven Erikson´s Malazan series, who also solved most problems with a fist in the face, usually the face of his superiors.

Mostly, though, I just wanted to experiment with a more Pratchettesque style of writing, mixing quite sophisticated philosophy with understated humor, in the British comedy tradition. It´s actually harder than it looks, too much humor and it turns into slapstick, too little and the humor just seems lost, sad and out of place, instead of becoming a medium in which to address serious philosophical matters. Used right, humor is such a powerful tool.

There are a few true masters out there: Pratchett, Douglas Adams and Iain M. Banks, for example. Guess there is a reason why so few can do what they do..

Hope you have all had a nice Halloween!

/David Go to Comment

My, my, what a fiery little character, while he wouldn't hold much for me in a campaign, he could be given a mention in one.

Besides i believe that what manfred said about them possibly learning something from him, would indeed be interesting to see...

..even if it were nought but a blow to the face. Go to Comment

Very interesting, especially useful for settings blending science and magic, or where magic and science are interchangeable. Nice job, Ouroboros! Go to Comment

This is a fascinating concept; not likely under the rules which my steampunk world operates on - magic itself is too inherently dangerous and the degree of energy involved would give good odds of both drawing every Whisp for miles and provoking a severe case of thaumic fallout every time it was produced.

However, given the somewhat different rules in operation here, it's awesome. I particularly like the way it gives things coated in it a misshapen, lumpy, and organic appearance, even if the underlying object is a thing of angles and planes.

And I am glad you appreciate the term tossed out to describe this kind of thing - thaumatech just sounds better than 'magictech' or 'technomancy' in the sense of a steampunk feel, don't you think? Go to Comment