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History: The Qwards were just another type of goblinoid race -a bit more odd than most- living in the cramped dark spaces. While durable and intelligent, they could achieve no level of dominance. They are relatively weak. Upon the advent of Technology, their natural aptitudes came forth. They are technically inclined. Their ancestors’ odd lifestyle has given them an impressive three dimensional memory, an instinct for vibration/ forces and the ability to climb inside machines.
Appearance: They are humanoids are between one foot to two feet fall. They are greenish in hue, with oversized eyes, maniacal grins, and long limbs. Their feet and hands are identical, allowing them to manipulate with all four limbs. Their skin is damp. With the correct pressure applied, it allows them to stick to almost any surface.
Their bones, if they can be called that, are flexible… almost unbreakable. This not only allows them to take a great deal of impact trauma, but it allows them to contort in a number of unnatural positions. They can also be stretched to unnatural positions. With these abilities, they can squeeze themselves in almost any space.
Mentality:
Their personality has been likened to that of a Jackal. They are scavengers, pack oriented, and vicious (when they think they can get away with it). In more civilized packs, vicious is more social - insults and taunts- than aggressive. They are instinctively cowardly unless they are in large numbers, generations of being "low beings on the totem pole" has breed that into them.
They have been poor for so many generations, they are almost more comfortable scavenging than earning a passible living in a machine shop or engine. A task which they are infinitely suited.
They dislike wide open spaces. Their eyes dislike full sunlight as well. They are most happy in dark, cramped spaces, preferably with moist steam. Steam Works are ideal.
Their unique gifts were unappreciated until the advent of Technology. Their durability, flexibility, and mechanical aptitude makes them exceptional mechanics. They can repair many devices and engines from the inside and while the machine is still running. Many will use this talent to help people build machines, while others will use it to strip them bare so they can sell the parts (or re-use them in their own machines).
They have a little magical gift. This is not enough for them to be sorcerers or arch mages, but enough for them to work engine magics.
This race was born to be engineers.
December 2, 2005, 16:18
January 4, 2006, 22:59
I imagine them squezin' trough tiny holes, or it may be due to the fact that I am tired.
January 28, 2006, 14:35
January 28, 2006, 16:57
January 29, 2006, 1:29
Meh.
3/5.
January 29, 2006, 11:12
Unlike most goblins, these guys a) are "squishy", they can fit in small cramp spaces, b) stick to walls, c) can be pretty darn smart. So they are very different from Goblins that are nothing more than a horde of 1 hit dice to be mowed down by the PCs.
So yes, they are less useful to your average game (unless your Gnomes are insane tinkerers), but they were also built for your (CP) steam punk setting.
May 5, 2006, 18:01
March 1, 2007, 10:43
We're used to thinking of technology as something modern, but these "squishy" little fellows would find ways to use medieval technology as well. Remember, that in the middle ages they had water-powered mills, tidal mills, and windmills. Renaissance armorers hammered iron ingots with powered triphammers, then polished the planished surface of the finished steel with wooden polishing disks covered with abrasives.
Creatures such as these would gravitite to such places as mills, foundries, and other centers of industry, where they could quietly tap into the resources there to scavenge a comfortable living.
I imagine that they could be intimidated into making a variety of nasty little traps for a villain's lair, as well.
March 1, 2007, 10:54
Though they would be awsome in a zero g environment with their sticky nature. If they could survive into Technology Eras, they would eventually become more and more prevolent.
March 1, 2007, 12:00
June 7, 2007, 18:17
I would think of their bones as having turger pressure channels. Fluid is held in a channel under a bit of pressure (tiny compressed muscles?) to make something rigid and supported. As the fluid pressure goes down, the something becomes more flexible. So as they "relax" their body pressure, they become more flexible.