I'm curious about just how many adventurers would take these islands at face value: Accustomed to seeing plots and traps around each corner, the average (rabidly paranoid) adventurer is likely to cause himself trouble from overreacting to the unfathomable friendliness of the islanders:
GM: "Rempiki, the fish trainer you met, seems to like you. He is asking if you'd like to spend the evening at his hut, as his four grown daughters have come to visit."
Player: "O.K. I'm taking my retainer with me, I'm not taking off my armor and especially not eating anything..."
GM: "So, you're not eating any food while you're there. Rempiki's lovely daughters, seeing that you're apparently not hungry, ask if you'd like to go with them to gather shells at moonrise, before the tide comes in."
Player: "No way! I'm not risking going to the beach at night!" Go to Comment
I had no idea that the name carried any particular meaning. I suppose that the charming Zwitter Island women may have gifts seldom seen on the mainlaind... Go to Comment
A very good submission. The only thing that I felt was missing was information pertaining to individual islands within the chain. Such information as the names of these islands and perhaps unique features or customs would go a long way to increasing the rich depth presented. Go to Comment
I am so disgusted with this, that I have given it the Poison freetext. :)
I could see that in places where this is at least somewhat common, the locals might be a little suspicious of anything metallic, especially things found or being given as a gift. Is there a way to 'clean' a metallic item? Would careful oiling remove, or at least dilute the poison? Also, there's bound to be some group of bandits, universally hated, that coats their weapons with this... so even if one survives their raid, it won't be for long.
Pretty good one, Wulf. Short and... logical. Go to Comment
Possession might be reasonable cause for execution, but I can see it being coated on the treasure in a Chieftan's burial chamber, or what not. Does repeated contact make the poison work faster? Go to Comment
Because of the burning, itching sensation, and visible discoloration of the active toxin, I didn't think that repeated contact was likely.
I envisioned the poison as something associated with random killings, as some sects use it to coat various items that will be sent to their enemies' towns. Since it takes days to become lethal, they will have plenty of time to evade those who will seek vengeance. A man with a rag covered with the stuff could wipe it onto armor, weapon hilts, buckles, tools, pots and pans, and other items, then wait for it to transform into deadly poison days later. Go to Comment
That probably depends on how exposed it is. In places where it is protected from weather, probably weeks, months, or even years. Without that, it would degrade within a few days. Go to Comment
As it appears to be an oil-based material that alchemically reacts with iron, solvents that remove oil or grease should break it down and materials that remove rust should eliminate it. I'd be careful what I did afterward with the rags that were used. Go to Comment
You'd have to be pretty bold to put this stuff on arrowheads; as it's a contact poison, all you'd have to do is accidentally brush one against your bare skin...
If it is in danger of becoming too common, the weeds it is derived from might turn out to be more uncommon than I had suggested. In a realistic game, I don't see this stuff becoming very commonplace: There are real-world substances that are comparably unpleasant, but they aren't often seen on the weapons or booby-traps of terrorists or criminals. Nasty poisons like this are just dangerous to keep around.
Overall an impressive poison, however there are some areas where clarification would be useful.
First off, I'd like to say that the poison strikes me less as a weapon of random terror, and more as a poison commonly applied to traps. There are two bits of information which I think would also be useful. While the duration of the major effects is covered, the amount of time for the onset of the poison would be useful. Additionally, while I found the damage that the poison does when the victim comes into contact with it wonderfully described, a short note on the possible effects if this poison was injected (i.e. if the person was attacked and cut with a weapon coated in this poison) or ingested (though why anyone would be licking several of the common objects made from the applicable metals is beyond me) would be useful as well. Go to Comment
You can take this as a horror unleased angle. You can have a lost child mystery. Spilling undead. Haunting that requires the body to put to rest. Heck she could be undead in there. Perhaps you stopped the tyrant and are looking for his heir. Things to be done.
I like all the little details (pardon the unavoidable pun). It shows an attention to detail that I like in a submission. Two paws and a tail up. Go to Comment
Locations (Area) (Water)
GM: "Rempiki, the fish trainer you met, seems to like you. He is asking if you'd like to spend the evening at his hut, as his four grown daughters have come to visit."
Player: "O.K. I'm taking my retainer with me, I'm not taking off my armor and especially not eating anything..."
GM: "So, you're not eating any food while you're there. Rempiki's lovely daughters, seeing that you're apparently not hungry, ask if you'd like to go with them to gather shells at moonrise, before the tide comes in."
Player: "No way! I'm not risking going to the beach at night!" Go to Comment