Interesting things/ Things to work on.. **

[MoonHunter]

This is a thread of ideas that merit entries, but I don't have time to do it right now, or I don't have enough enthusiasm to do a proper entry from them (at this time).  So I am stashing these ideas here, so we can work on them or someone else can use them as an inspiration.

Also Feel free to do the same with any ideas you want to post up in here.

DarkSteel: Imagine a giant war golem for an age gone by. By Giant, we are talking Godzilla sized humanoid golem made of metal the thickness of battleship plating. The war it fought is over, but it is still striding the land looking for the enemy.  It pays no attention to anything man/elf/dwarf made in its path, so towns, cities, villages, etc are often crushed as it walks through.  

Arkths or Ravagers:  These are large landbound crablike creatures about the size of Grizzly Bears.  They live partially in the astreal plane.  Their food is magic. They can sense it at huge distances. Since spells and such are hard to eat (being in motion) and magical places are the equivalent of a sea of krill to them, they are looking for magic stashed in concrete places.  Their primary food source is magic items, alchemical potions, and enchantments.  They do a pretty good job of mangling/ eating the physical aspect of said items in the process of chowing down. These things will be the bane of dungeons everywhere, as they will slowly eat away much of the treasure (and the magical traps... so it can be advantagous to follow these things).   Note: They will attack people with highly magical natures (i.e. high magic powers).  They will probably kill the person in the process of sucking out the power.    

Prysm Tower:  This "place" is a large floating tower with a broad base. (Imagine a fluted stemware with a very small glass on top.).  The presence of the tower makes magical energies easier to regain and magic easier to cast.  If the tower is anchored to the land, it's effect is exteneded a hundred fold.  Anyone sitting in the tower's throne room can make the tower float and move, thus many owners will protect the tower and the throne room with ingenious traps.  

A CatFolk maybe...
They have been given the gift from the God of the Lost. What ever they need (and if said item is currently lost), it will appear in their hand.  

Mirror of Eldritch Reflection: This 2 decimeter (9" or so) octogonal mirror will reflect any spell or magical effect (dragons fire, item powers, magical special abilities) cast on (or in the area containing the target) back at the caster.  The catch is the item has to be out and ready, hanging from the hand of the wielder. These items are not unbreakable, so you are carrying a mirror that is not in a frame from your hands in adventuring conditions.....   This is a common item, something that can be easily achieved, but they break so often they are seldom used.  

The Sword of Fire and Ice:This greatsword is made of magical fire and ice. It does twice the damage of a normal greatsword. It effects targets that are normally immune to either effect normally.  The catch is that is does damage to the wielder when used, as mortals can not channel two opposing powers at once. (equivalent of a dagger strike).  If your skill is not great, you might do more damage to yourself than the target wielding this weapon.

[Iain]

Regarding DarkSteel, this would probably have a huge effect on the lands in which it roamed. Given how huge it is it must move fairly fast (stride length) so if you start building a city the odds are its going to get crushed in a couple of decades. I could see the people living in this area having a semi-nomadic culture; they would make temporary dwellings out of wood rather than building grand edifices of stone. To such a culture the golem would pose little danger as you can see it from so far off and then easily get out of its way.

Another possibility is that although you said it paid no attention to the men/elves/dwarfs etc. in its path, perhaps some people have figured out a way of making some sort of signal (magical or otherwise) to which it is attracted. This "signal" would have to create an effect that made it seem (to DarkSteel, when he was in the distance) that the enemy who he was originally created to fight in this ancient war was over there, so he would alter his path to go and investigate. You could thus have an advanced city-building culture which would have teams of people stationed all over the country near the major cities who would have to go and divert him off another way if he came near. Off course, accidents would occasionally happen, but it would be no worse than tornadoes/earthquakes etc. today.

[Shadoweagle]

Ideas I want to work more on.  They may be items.
DarkSteel: Imagine a giant war golem for an age gone by. By Giant, we are talking Godzilla sized humanoid golem made of metal the thickness of battleship plating. The war it fought is over, but it is still striding the land looking for the enemy.  It pays no attention to anything man/elf/dwarf made in its path, so towns, cities, villages, etc are often crushed as it walks through.  

After decades of living in the nomadic lifestyle due to this giant golem of old, the powers of the country decide it is enough. Adventurers are hired, with great rewards for the one who can concoct and play out a scheme to disable or destroy this thing. Due to its enormous size and magical resistance, as of yet nobody had found a way.

Some theorists have suggested that the golem may in actuality be a shell, and that if someone were able to get inside it, they could attack it where it is weak. Perhaps there is a nerve center of some sort within there.

What if, when adventurers get in there, they find human-sized golems inside, maintaining and repairing the machine (so many years of walking and searching can cause a lot of wear-and-tear). Naturally, since the ancient people did not want their enemies getting in and destroying the golem, these smaller golems are hostile.

[Strolen]

Arkths or Ravagers:  These are large landbound crablike creatures about the size of Grizzly Bears.  They live partially in the astreal plane.  Their food is magic. They can sense it at huge distances. Since spells and such are hard to eat (being in motion) and magical places are the equivalent of a sea of krill to them, they are looking for magic stashed in concrete places.  Their primary food source is magic items, alchemical potions, and enchantments.  They do a pretty good job of mangling/ eating the physical aspect of said items in the process of chowing down. These things will be the bane of dungeons everywhere, as they will slowly eat away much of the treasure (and the magical traps... so it can be advantagous to follow these things).   Note: They will attack people with highly magical natures (i.e. high magic powers).  They will probably kill the person in the process of sucking out the power.  

Images of the beatles in The Dark Crystal come to mind. Just these creatures being alive has probably caused much destruction to many places where wizards may have visited/lived therefore magic would probably be outlawed in many cities/towns or at least VERY controlled. They probably have developed some kind of shielding for it that the scavangers cannot sense through.

For them to be active in the world there would have to be some kind of natural magic source then do you think? Some places naturally magic that spew forces like a underground spring perhaps. These places can be tapped by wizards...and I am sure they know where they are...but the sheer number of scavangers just sitting there eating makes it impossible to use. A limitless magic source that is impossible to get to. Even if they succeed in clearing the scavangers that are currently there, many other immediately take their place.

They might be good for beasts of burden too. The typical "carrot" dangled in front of their face, just enough to (they are mindless right?) lure one scavanger, then attach a plow, put on a saddle, attach a wagon and lead it with the magic item on a stick. Perhaps there is market for items that slowly release magic so the creature, as long as it is following directions, is getting an individual magic feed from the item. Could be a whole market of these things.

During winter, the top part of the shell could be used as a slide for big hills. Lots of fun!! Shields, perhaps even put on the outside of walls if the shell is strong enough...is it fireproof? Used as shingles on roofs, nomad cultures would probably find great uses for it as well. Is their claw serated enough to be a saw? sharp enough for anything? Cleaned out carcasses could probably provide waterproof storage of items like a small shed, food smoking, bird bath....

The Sword of Fire and Ice
This greatsword is made of magical fire and ice. It does twice the damage of a normal greatsword. It effects targets that are normally immune to either effect normally.  The catch is that is does damage to the wielder when used, as mortals can not channel two opposing powers at once. (equivalent of a dagger strike).  If your skill is not great, you might do more damage to yourself than the target wielding this weapon

Need the Gauntlets of Ice and Fire to counter it.

Wielders with immunity to one or the other power do not feel the backlash of the sword, but their immunity is taken away when using the item. Maybe through their immunity they cancel out the identical effect of the sword so that if they are immune to cold/ice then that power is canceled out of the sword or the opposite power is canceled, whatever...since the sword balances the opposing powers this sort of makes some sense.

[Iain]

Mirror of eldritch reflection

This has enormous potential for defending fortresses, etc. You would just need a few of these in corridors and your mage could stay nice and safe inside and blast these down some dog-leg corridors with mirrors at the bends. Of course, this is a dangerous tactic as the enemy could blast back once he figured out what was going on.

Another idea along the same line is an "artillery spotter" tactic. Your mage stays nice and protected a way back from the front lines of the battle. You then send up some poor soldier on to a hill or other useful point with one of these mirrors. He then uses the mirror to reflect your mage's spells down to the enemy. If they counter-attack and kill him - well, the poor guy with the mirror is less valuable to the kingdom than their top mage.

Another less combative use would be to create arrays of mirrors to focus spells (possibly in a room). If they were arranged right I think you should be able to focus a diffuse spell such as a fireball in to a tiny spot like a laser. Maybe you could make a portable device with these inside (the mirrors inside would be very fragile though). You could maybe make some more advanced optical devices (e.g. Fabry-Perot Etalon's; interferometers, etc: these use either just or mainly mirrors) to do stuff; without thinking about it a lot I'm not sure exactly what these would do to spells but I'm sure they'd have some kind of interesting effect. In fact, it could be a top area of research with some wizards: "Hey, what happens if we examine each "wavelength" of this fireball/polymorph/healing spell separately?" Perhaps they might discover key "spectral lines" in them, thus allowing them to identify the crucial elements of magic in a spell (which would help in creating new ones).

[MoonHunter]

Golden Egg of Qnatar Dawn: This is a golden egg, the size of a ostrich egg, with a flat piece of blue glass in the center.  This piece of glass glows softly when one of the six eggs is charged, and is dull when it is not. (It takes 3 solar years for the egg to recharge from each use.).  When activated by someone holding it, it returns everything in a 26 meter radius to its original state and place of origin/ home.  Every person is returned to their place of birth or some place that is truly their home.  Manufactured items are returned to their location of manufacture.  Every magic item is returned to its original resting place.  This could be bad if the item came from a legendary place or one difficult to get to.  

*****BloodSeeker: A magical broadsword allows the wielder to strike all the blooded creatures immediately around it, with a single strike. (One action allows you to make attack rolls against every blooded being within 2 meters of you).  The attack is as per some kind of master created broadsword. Note: this effect is not selective, so hostages and friends in that area will be attacked as well.  The weapon is useless against foes without blood (most undead, golems, etc).  It will deal one element of damage if you manage a successful attack against one.  This is not an artifact sort of weapon. I could see these popping up like regular old +2 weapons.  

*****BlackHearts: These are ancient dueling weapons from a society long lost. These blades come in a variety of sizes, but all are distinguished by the black and reddish sheen to the blades and the red stones in the pomels.  When fighting another, the BlackHeart will automatically hit a target (apply damage normally), if the target's weapon is larger (or more effective) than the BlackHeart.  So the wielder of a BlackHeart Broadsword, would  score automatic hits against targets using long swords, great swords, poleaxes, halbards, battle axes, etc.  Against weapons of the same size or smaller, attacks must be made normally.

     BlackHearts will not allow you to disengage and retreat until the oppenent/ target allows you.  If you attempt to, the weapon shocks the owner with damage equal to twice its weapon strike.  Now backing up or moving and still fighting is allowed, even though it might be at a run.  

     BlackHearts have a third property.  Damage done by a BlackHeart can only be magically healed IF the wielder allows.  This includes death and dismemberment, so various spells to solve these issues will be blocked by magical resistance.  This block continues until the owner release it OR the BlackHeart meets another weapon in combat.  

    BlackHearts's last property is that it can also give back damage.  The target can be given back half the damage done (or one critical/ killing strike healed).  Thus a forgiving BlackHeart wielder can magically heal half the damage they have done to the target, or repair a lost limb, or even bring someone they killed back to life (though this must be done nearly immediately).  This healing must be given before the next time the BlackHeart meets another weapon in combat.  

Blade of Dominance: This is another general class of magical weapon.  Weilders of Blades of Dominance can only be attacked (in melee or hand to hand combat) by those of greater skill than themselves. Those of lesser skill can not bring themselves to attack the wielder.  The magic makes thems feel inadaquite. So a Journyman fighter can not be attacked by an apprentice or another Journeyman, but can be attacked by a Master Fighter. Notes: These weapons are found in armies and in cultures where the nobles must be great warriors.  

I am contemplating a few orbs too.

[MoonHunter]

I see the giant war golem more as a force of nature than just some large monster.  Like Godzilla is in the original movie.  It just goes where it wants with little regard to what the buzzing humans do around it.  Now I could see it walking fairly slowly and carefully, but its huge strides would eat up ground quickly.  You could probably plot the course of DarkSteel.  I could see a city have a few weeks if not more to prepare for an upcoming visit by DarkSteel.  So like a Hurricane, it comes and destroys with nothing you can do about it.

Given posts on the problems with Mecha, any strides made by a giant are fairly slow.  This givens them chance to achieve balance and allows them to compensate for sliding into the softer earth. While their strides would take them a good distance, they walk slowly in proportion to a man. (Why Gears in HeavyGear have wheels in their feet).  

I could see it only travelling in the lands of its' creators enemies.  So it might have boundries that it will not cross.  This could limit the area of destruction.  It might even travel across a sea, which means it might not be seen for decades at a time.  Perhaps also it follows a set path, a track a few hundred miles wide. It will patrol through that area every few years.  

Even given the danger, people are not rational.  They build expensive houses on cliffs and hillsides that will fall in the rain, or along faultlines or in floodplains.  Just because it is dangerous or silly, some people will just see it as an "opportunity with some risks".  Thus there will be villages and cities in the way of this thing, just because they think it won't happen to them.


Strolen, I like your Ideas about the Arkths. It would be a natural occurance in the response to these things.  

As for the mirrors, their very existance completely changes the face of warfare and magic. They make magic less of a factor in most prepared combats, like battles.  This will bring more of the medival feel to the battles, as careful use of mirrors will stop the wizards.  (Mirrors also keep mages from taking over the world).  Making these things easy to make, perhaps even alchemical, changes the complexion of the world and its response to magic.

I also see the mirrors only reflecting back the spell at the caster.  If you could just redirrect any spell with one of these, you could create a set of three of them and "capture" a spell in beween them and unleash it at any target you wish.  You could even stack several spells, so instead of one fireball, you could rack up a few dozen, then unleash them at once.  Spell deflection is a bad thing, so the spells should only reflect back at the caster.

[manfred]

I see the giant war golem more as a force of nature than just some large monster.

Forces of nature, even big destructive ones, are studied, evaded, and if possible controled, or at least tried to be channeled for some useful effect.

If there is a pre-set path it patrols (+/- a few (hundreds ) of miles at random), the people will soon learn. The whole kingdom will likely adapt to it. Most civilisation will be seated in places it avoids, the little villages may play nomad freely around. Of course, if the period is about 1000 years, your problem...

From the ecologies point of view, the trampling of such a giant is bad for the soil, but since the people are likely to give it some rest while moving elsewhere for some 50 years, it offers time to regenerate.

It would be interesting to analyse the impact on the landscape. Hundreds, if not year of overcoming (=leveling) obstacle is likely to destroy extremes as abysses and even mountains to a degree. This may open new passes and business opportunities (and war-opportunities), and ruin them at golem's next walk. Well, Darksteel giveth, Darksteel taketh away...

From the role-playing point of view, dungeons are quite threatened, as the minor eqrthquake on two legs shambles around. Mines even more! It is likely these folks will concentrate a lot on sturdiness of underground locations, if they want them.

---

If it is to be used, the most important thing to know is who were its enemies? From the mythical ages of past, little hard evidence remains. Were they a known race at all? Is it enough to wear a special colour to be marked as enemy, or does it somehow sense it? Did anyone managed to provoke it? Are special spells needed to make it notice, or weapons? It is a Mecha, were its enemies too? So if a fake is built (looking very cheap, and pushed around on wheels, of course), will it attack and so ignore the city in its course?

[manfred]

A different idea struck me:

 What if it is not a war type of golem, but more a peace-keeper type of golem?

 Maybe it truly patrols and seeks conflicts of a magnitude or type that don't happen anymore. (I don't know what kinds, say gigantic magical duels that were fought here, because of easily available large amounts of magic? Magic is gone, duelists too. Some weird places may stay behind.)

 Maybe the race that built it were giants, too, and never thought of the impact their "Shirriff-2000" would have on little peoples that came here later.

 Maybe... the not so rare evil option... there is a great evil buried somewhere, and the golem is a part of a complex ritual to ward before it. It renews the seals magic with its seemingly random walks, and might battle it should it fail. Hmmm... what will logically happen if the heroes destroy it?

[krichaiushii]

Just some thoughts and questions regarding some of your items.

Regarding Darksteel, it sounds reminiscent of the Bolos stories by Keith Laumer.

The Mark XX Bolo in particular.  Basically, this huge machine is created to fight a war. Its intelligent, and the strategy it decides on doesn't take humanity into account.

Anyhow, perhaps your Darksteel is still fighting its war, but the strategy its decided upon doesn't take natural life (or flow of time) into account.  Martially defeating it is nigh-impossible, but perhaps it can be convinced via diplomacy (or bluff) to change to another strategy - preferably one that involves not moving or travelling to another plane and not returning.

I seem to recall other sci-fi stories about rogue superwarmachines, but can't recall names or authors.  If you can find them, steal those ideas.

The Prysm Tower - who currently holds it, and how is it that it changes hands frequently?  Is there a nasty - unknown - curse associated with using its powers?  And is there a special ritual to anchor it to the earth, or will any old chain to a boulder work?

As to the Mirrors of Eldritch Reflection, you mention that they break easily.  What happens (beyond a cut up hand and a broken mirror) when they break?  Do they explode, cause a random magical effect to target the wielder, have some nasty curse, or what?  Also, if you make use of the Mirror Master PrC from Malhavoc's Book of Eldritch Might 1 (presuming you use the D&D 3.x ruleset) or other mirror/reflection based magics, then carrying mirrors on your person could be very dangerous, indeed.

The Sword of Fire and Ice sounds usable, but shouldn't the damage dealt to the user be of fire and cold damage, perhaps with a critical hit resulting in ALL protections evaded (after all, it could be a minor artifact, by the description).

[MoonHunter]

We live in a world of mechanical transportation. We do not really understand the world of horses.  Carts and coaches were as common as trucks and luxary cars are today, yet we seldom see those in games.

Carriage of Hellride
An evil carriage that protects the (evil) owner. The owner's soul is bound to the carriage. It will take occasional payments of innocent souls... taking them away never to be seen again.  If it does not get its due, or the evil character is "busted", it will take the owner away.

Carriage of Silver Wings
It is a smooth and fast carriage with innate beauty.  It will shock any who touch the carriage with the intent of hurting or stealing the occupants.  It will also protect those who are forced to open it.

Carriage of zepher flight
It flys. It also travels upon the earth quickly.

Carriage of mountain's might
Holds any great weight and treats it as a minor load.  One hourse can now pull as a team of four.  A full set of four has yet to encounter anythign that fits in the carriage that it can not pull.  

Note: Mountain's might is often applied to carts

[CaptainPenguin]

In the Armorican Kingdoms, those would be chariots, but no real change.

[Shadoweagle]

Mmmm, Soul-stealing carriages Yummy.

[Feathers Of The Raven]

Like The Mummy when he gets hes soul stolen away by that spell thats a charriot...

[Iain]

The Roots of Unity    
Small wooden discs about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and between 5 and 10mm thick (see below). They are rumoured to be made from the roots of the great tree Unity that supports the centre of the world. They are made of a fine-grained dark-golden wood, and are all exactly identical. They are symmetric if cut in half down the edge (i.e. in to two thinner circles).

The most noticeable features about the roots is their pattern of thickness. The discs are not of the same thickness across their whole surface, giving a rippled, contoured effect. The exact thickness of the disc in any place is as follows:
Holding the disc vertically, an infinitesimally thin line joining the top to the middle will be 5mm + 5mm thick. The line joining the point halfway round from this (i.e. the bottom) to the middle is 5mm + 2.5mm thick. The two lines joining the points 1/3 and 2/3 of the way around to the centre are 5mm + 5/3mm thick. The line joining the four points 1/5 of the way round are 5mm + 5/5mm (i.e. 5mm + 1mm) thick. This continues so that the lines joining the middle to a point (1/n) of the way around is (5 + 5/n)mm thick, where n is every prime number from 2 to infinity. The thickness of the disc thus varies infinitely quickly from point to point, but still appears smooth.

The discs are extremely common in the land (there are more discs than people). A farmer ploughing a field will typically upturn several dozen. They are almost unbreakable and practically impossible to chip or carve and will only burn in a very intense fire. They have no apparent use or magical properties whatsoeverl however, they are widely used as good-luck charms. Almost any house would have several over the doorway, on mantle pieces etc. and people frequently carry them on their person. Folk lore says that the discs are made from the roots of the great tree Unity, the tree that supports the centre of the world. Whether this is true or, if not, what the truth is, is unknown.

[MoonHunter]

I like the mythic explanation for these tree runners/roots.  It is an excellent folk (or even "scientific"/"educated") explanation for the roots.  It reinforces the mythic existance of the Unity Tree.  (Is this part of the local religion, or just a folk addition like Mother Earth is to most modern people (which came from truly ancient sources... but I yet more digress)).  

This one looks ready to go. It appears done. What sort of things were you looking for to improve it before you post it?

[Iain]

OK, I have posted it as an item. I wasn't too sure in my mind whether it was ready for item status or not so I thought I'd post it here first to see what people thought. Partly the reason I was unsure of it was that it was a "name first" idea: I was daydreaming in a maths lecture and heard the lecturer say the phrase "roots of unity" when I thought, "Ah, that would be a good name for a role play item though I've no idea what it is or might do: what can I think of?" Sometimes you can get fairly bad ideas by doing it this way!

A couple of days ago I posted a much more rough version of this as an idea. If I'm posting it as an item now, shall I delete the idea?

[MoonHunter]

Kingdom's Hall :
Palace District  Basically the palace, grounds, fortifications that look like a normal building, and associated buildings.

****Embassy Quarter:
The walled off area where foreign dignitaries can rule a small section of the country (the walls of their compound)

***Ring Town
Circus expired

****Terminus: Gate Plaza
where once a day the city's gateway opens.  Around it are supporting travel industries and traders. Military presence.  Include notes on gate network

Gaol:

***Arcade:
Arcadey creek became a water control project, which eventually became abandoned.  Between two major streets, it was lined with foot bridges across.  This has become the place for entertainers, games of chance/ skill, gambling, and suitable "fun" stories to be found.  It is now three stories, the creek section, the first level and the second level.  

**Skyship District:
Here the Lyran skyships dock on tall towers, and there are coops for gryphons and dragonets.  In fact one dragon lives here, liking the urban lifestyle.. trading secrets and wisdom for food and goods.  

**Lyrans:
New Take on Elves.  The come from "The West". Humans with Elvenesk eyes and looks, not Elves at all. (Yet the Elves traveled to the West, and they come from it... so)  They travel by flying ships.  While they are all quite magical (Lyran education includes cantrips), they have an understanding of technology that far exceeds the common/ medieval tech of this day.  They have technology equal to the 1890s (which was far more advanced than most people give our gret grand parents credit for), instead of the 1250s of most fantasy worlds.  They have used that technology in more interesting ways, yet at all times keeping in mind the Lyran Mother, the planet. Ecologocially minded.

Antioch areas
**Temple Compound/ Street
(wrong)Crafterland (a joke that has stuck)
**Princeland (rich neighborhood, with locked gates and private guards
**CentralPlaza/ DiPlaza
(wrong)MarketWard: half of one of the crafterwards
Dungeon Park: (optional.. it was so munchkin... but)... okay this is part of the original design of the world. There is a "dungeon" being run by a mad magical gremlin who keep summoning new things and rebuilding broken undead.

[MoonHunter]

***scarabomantus  He is an epic villian. The kind that makes the D20 allignment system break (Ends Justify the Means and I know what is best for all of you.). A brilliant and driven man, he has emerged as a major merchant from the sands of Aviontix.  He does not want to take over the country, he wants the world... for the good of everyone.  Under his rule, everyone would be equal (no serfs, nobles, or special people), goods and food would be equally distributed.  He is a careful plotter, not a fantatic.  If one aspect goes south, he retreats to along well planned escape route, drops clues that shows the blame on others, and walks away, to try again another day.  The mask villian his minion know is normally a meglamantic facade, carefully crafted to hide his identity.  

****Zaradee This is a small centrally located country town. Scarabomantus keeps a country estate here. It is his favorite place to retreat to after a plot has been foiled. Here he experiements with his theories.  Though he is insanely rich by local standards, he lives only slightly better than the locals.  He gives to the locals, allowing them to have better homes, more goods, and public works.  The locals adore him and would do anything for him... including hiding him, lying for him, jumping those that would harm him, and ignoring the little irregularities that sometimes occur at the villa.  He is the defacto leader of the area.

[MoonHunter]

DONE

The Nine Coyns are items of destiny.  They are not magic items to throw into a campaign, they become items that define the campaign.  

Each Coin has a color. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, White, Grey, and Black. Each one has a purpose and a destiny.

They were created long ago in one realm and duplicated have projected themselves to other realms.  In each realm they manifest a power that is intune with that world, be it enhancing natural powers, granting energized weapons, granting exceptional abilities, or allowing one to ride dragons.  

However, there was a cost in creating the coyns, coyns are on both sides of the eternal conflict.

The Black Coyn grants tremendous power to its bounded wielder. That wielder can to a limited extent define aspects of reality.  The wielder has powers that make it a formitable foe against a group of coyn users.  It also can distribute power to loyal (and somewhat loyal) minion.

The white Coyn always attempts to protect the world from the Black Coyn's influence. Its powers are those of wisdom, seeing, and longevity.  The white coyn wielder almost always becomes the Keeper of the Box.

The Grey Coyn is the maintainer of coyns and their powers.  In times of non crisis, the grey coyn maintains the box, usually hiding it so only the destined can get it, and creates tools that utilize the powers of the coyns. The Grey coyn is inset in the box.

Red, Yellow, and Blue Coyns are always on the forces of Good.
Red is of /DriveStrength, Yellow is of Will/Speed, and Blue is of Mind/Skill.

The Orange Coyn is always a reluctant member on the side of good.  He is the anti-social member, the square peg in a round hole.  

The Purple Coyn will be on either side, but once choosing a side will not change.

The Green Coyn is an odd one.  It is a coyn of great power. It grants powers equal to three coyns. It is not quite as powerful as the black coyn, as it can not split its power, but the green coyn weilder is the strongest personal coyn.  The destiny of the Green Coyn is a tangled one.  The coyn wielder is either betrayed or controled (and in some cases both).  It is sometimes a semi-interested third party, but thing occur to cause him to join the then loosing side, who will eventually be the winning side. Sometimes it will be a force for good, but eventually be seduced to the side of the Evil Black Coyn.  Sometimes it will be a pawn or minion of Evil, only to be turned to good after being betrayed by Evil or freed from control.

[MoonHunter]

***Merideth
This name now has the same meaning as Damion Hellspawn.  This powerful and ruthless leader amassed an army of Beastmen and mercenaries and took over the Six Lands. The Six Lands were always divided and competitive. Because they were unable to work together, he was able to play them off each other and use his army to rule.  He oppressed the people for a decade ruling a significan portion of each of the six lands.  Given enough time, he would of ruled all the Six Lands.  

(It is unclear if he was a magnus or not, or if he had magical powers from a magic item of great power).  

He was a handsom figure by most reckonings.  He had flowing black hair, well groomed beard and mustach, and piercing blue eyes.  He also had a large hooked nose and square jaw, but these elements did not detract from his looks, but added to them.  Though he was good looking, he was every inch a warrior.  

***Sleeping King
The Sleeping King is a near mythic figure that has a presence in real history. Originally called the Lost King, he came from a Land to the East, where he had been a King.  He left his Land because he felt he had failed his people (thought the details are vague upon this point).  He was powerfully built, but had wrinkles, age old scars, and white hair (and beard).  He too had piercing blue eyes, a point brought home in a poem about Merideth's and Kings first and last conflict.  

The Sleeping King was charismatic and tatically a savy leader.  He managed to lead his rag tag rebels to stunning defeats of Merideth's armies.  He managed to unite the remainders of the free Six Lands under his banner.  With such a force, he managed to drive the Beastmen and mercenaries back to Merideth's keep, through military might and clever strategies.  

The final attack occured.  The Mercenaries had either died, surrendered, and deserted by this time.  All Merideth had was his Beast Men.  The "Six Armies who where One" attacked his keep.  While Beastmen were vastly better warriors than the rag tag 6AWW1, they fought for their freedom, for those that had been lost, and for the King who united them.  Their passion let them beat back the powerful Beastmen.  Eventually they breached the Keep. Merideth took the fight to the warriors of the 6AWW1. He was cutting down everyone. The people kept saying, "You can take one of us, but it only takes one of us to stop you." He cut down 120 fighters of the 6aww1 searching for this "Lost King".  Eventually the two confronted each other from across the field.  The Lost King fired an arrow (which some say was golden and glowed) and killed Merideth.  

Upon the victory, the peoples wished to make the Lost King their king.  He declined, saying,"I am tired of leading people. I need to travel to my true rest." He took and broke the arrow that slayed Merideth into six pieces.  Some accounts say they then flew off into the sky (others accounts mention six loyal followers who took them and hid them).  "If you need me, I will return to you. If your need is great enough, unite the pieces, and I will return from my slumber to lead you in your time of need."  With that, he rode off to the West.

For a time, the Six Lands worked together. They were known as the Six who were one.  Yet their natures eventually exerted themselves.  The Six Lands that were one, became the Six Lands once more.  

Someday a great evil will return.  It is up to the people of the Six Lands to unite once again to fight against it... and the Sleeping King will lead them.

[MoonHunter]

Isochron Sphere:  
This item absorbs the energies of all magics in its area, if the manna cost or level of said spell is equal too or less than a spell specifically fed into it.  The spell absorbed can be released at a later time. If a spell is released a new spell must be cast directly.

Why do we care about an overly powerful item?  Because someone stuffed an Open Elder God Gatespell into it.  For the last centuries people have been vying for the item in an attempt to release the spell OR keep the item to casually stop the next group of cultists who open one, or clear the spell by absorbing something else.

Oblivion Stone
A gift left to the world. The item slowly marks every thing on the world (said mark can be seen only by those who have had a simple spell cast on them or have learned of the magic technique.  It marks one item in the world every heartbeat of the world (12 seconds).  (if an item is broken or changed, it must be remarked). It starts with the area closest to it and spirals outward. When the stone is activated OR after it has managed to mark everything in the world (unlikely in a living world), everything marked will cease to exist.  

Welcome to saving the world.  You must find this thing and stop some madman from activating it.  

Glimmervoid
This is an echo of the past (and sometimes of the future).  A moderately powerful spell or a gate item can take you to one of these "places" where dreams of the past are made manifest.  Lots of applications.

[MoonHunter]

***Lady Julia:
She is a spitfire of the Court. She is smart, sassy, and well versed. She fights for female rights and being rights and smart planing in the court.  Think a young Catherine Hepburn. Her main quirk is that she wears conservative (but pretty) clothing.  She may advance the cause of rationality and women's rights, but she will set fashion back a few decades.  

Connor and Heather:
Connor is an Urban Paladin, more interested in Law and People than fighting EVIL in a dungeon somewhere.  He has been nearly disowned by his church, as he is the Dirty Harry sort of Paladain. But his God still invests him with power, even th

Heather is his sidekick.  Being of a clerical magical bend, she is interested more in helping people than in church politics and obligations.  The yin and yang team of Connor and Heather are very effective as his pragmatism is balance by her optimism, her enthusiasm and idealism are tempered by his cautious paranoia, his wounds are healed by her, and they are NOT a couple.

Weechn
A shapeshifting Droppelganger. He is not Evil per say. He just likes meddling in people's lives.  He manipulates groups of people, lets say a court, for his own admusement, by impersonating people and occasionally hypnotizing others.  Think of him as the first Sims player. He sets situations up, just to see them play our.

*****Master Simonus
He is a thin, nervous sort. You would never think twice about him.  He is always trying to do the right thing, getting the world to do it too. He seems to stumble and bumble his way to success.  This includes combat.  Though he seems twitchy and nervous, he is an excellent fencer. In fact his fearful and kinetic demenor actually, and his partial dodges and avoidances, give him effectively a drunken style that is very, very effective.  Think of him being played by a young Rodney McDowell.

Shira:
A young woman who is the product of the union between a woman and a POWERFUL Earth Elemental. Imagine a human being with all the powers of a green earth elemental.  She can manipulate stone and plants, travel great distances by moving through the Earth, and heal. She is the thing of legends, almost a demi-goddess. So why is she living in this little hick village, trying to be a barmaid?

Hiding.  Everyone wants a piece of her.  She has currently managed to get a stalemate with several of the beings that see her as either a threat or a tool.  She is trying to live her own life, thank you very much. She is hiding from those who think they might be able to manipulate or control her. She is also avoiding adventuring types because they are always trying to drag her along.  She just wants to be left alone, to tend her gardens, and raise a family.  

I see her as Kathy Ireland.  

*** Lorning
He is a dashing and suave minor functionary. He has no title or lands. He works with the Seneshall procuring ducks and minor supplies. He occasionally travels just to get spices and such.  In fact, he often travels with nobles visiting other courts to assist some more major domo in arrangements. He likes travelling because he can be more extravagent on the coin of the Kingdom.  Except for that he is very charismatic, he would be a total background character.

He is also the Dark Hand of the King.  An agent of great skill and cunning, he inflicts policy (death) on those the King deems, steals what the King needs, and has literally saved the world four times.  Sean Connery, eat your heart out.

[CaptainPenguin]

Isochron Sphere:
This item absorbs the energies of all magics in its area, if the manna cost or level of said spell is equal too or less than a spell specifically fed into it. The spell absorbed can be released at a later time. If a spell is released a new spell must be cast directly.

Why do we care about an overly powerful item? Because someone stuffed an Open Elder God Gatespell into it. For the last centuries people have been vying for the item in an attempt to release the spell OR keep the item to casually stop the next group of cultists who open one, or clear the spell by absorbing something else.

I like it- whassa' Elder God Gatespell? I am intrigued.

[MoonHunter]

I am tinkering with two race ideas

****Growren:  These are Ursoids, bear people.  They are bigger than people and proportioned more like Teddy Bears (think limbs) than normal bears.  Strong, Tough, Endurance, with heavy fur, things you would expect. They are a fairly happy and friendly folk, perhaps a bit deficient in the mental prowess department.  The twist for them would be that Humans uplifted them to civilization the way Elves are said to "bring civilization" to Humans.  Of course once you give them civilization (which seems like such a good idea at the time), you are stuck with them.  Now your "children" are doing stupid things, competing with you for resources, and mucking with your world.

Ardens: These are humans, or were humans.  They have become more because the Living Forest of Arden has made them one with the forest, becoming plant symbiotes. Now the forest is smarter, has moble agents that are independent, and has hands. The Humans have plant elements intwined with them, so you have people with leaves in hair, an occasional vine or root in them.  For this symbiosis they gain wisdom, magic, and longevity.  

World Ideas
World of Seven Moons: Each moon is a different color. Each one controls a different magical and chakra aspect.  Magic is about moonspheres. Humans come in three flavors Humans, Lunars (Humans that are weaker, but magically more powerful) and Blocks (Humans with no magic, immunity to some of it, and bigger/ stronger).

The Others: Shidhe like people, with magical might, are gated from their world which is in the process of being destroyed by some dark disaster.  They pour into a world where The Empire (Roman analog) is just falling.  They take over the Estate system, which is the precursor to Feudal system. Religion here is a three as one, near monotheistic religion.

Guardian's Realm: Long ago, superheroes were pulled to The World to save it from the Spider Queen.  They became the nobles of the World. Nobility has super powers.

Kaija:  What happens when a fantasy-ish world begins to have Gigaforms? (The monsters are from an alien intelligence mutating existing things).  We are talking 300 foot tall, tank shell deflecting, 200 hitdice, Japanese Monster movie monsters.  Fantasy Godzillas meet Fantasy Ultramen and (Robot)Knights.

Celts vs Empire: Island Peoples being slowly invaded by Empire. Empire is divided between old poly religion and new religion. (Thus slowing down the empire giving our island people a chance.

Manamutant: Too much magic. People begin to change, having magical mutations.