Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Sudowoodo! Sunflora! Donphan!)

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Scots Dragon
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by Scots Dragon »

Jabroniville wrote: Mon Sep 18, 2017 6:12 pm I just thought it was a pun on "Arcane" :).
It's a combination of the two words.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by Jabroniville »

Well I know that NOW. I was like "oh, duh" when I was told. It's just... it's clearly a tiger. Doesn't look like a dog at all. Okay, the ears are a bit floppy, but c'mon- not knowing a Shisa when I saw one, I naturally see that and go "that's a giant friggin' tiger".
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by Scots Dragon »

I always considered them dogs 'cause they were used as police dogs in the cartoon. It seemed obvious, and there wasn't another obvious option for 'dog' Pokémon in the same way that Meowth and Persian were obviously cats, and Vulpix and Ninetails were obviously foxes.

Also like...

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Thass a dog.

Incidentally Arcanines may or may not be one of my faves...
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by Jabroniville »

NAH. THASS A KITTY!! IT HAS FLUFFINESS AND TIGER STRIPES. CUTE KITTY :)!!
Last edited by Jabroniville on Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Skarmory

Post by Jabroniville »

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SKARMORY
Role:
Awesome Aerial Mount
PL 7 (139)- Minion Rank 10, Sidekick Rank 28
Normal Version:
PL 6-7
STRENGTH 6 STAMINA 6 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10)
Athletics 2 (+8)
Close Combat (Natural Weapons) 2 (+6)
Expertise (Survival) 8 (+8)
Insight 4 (+4)
Intimidation 10 (+9)
Perception 11 (+11)
Stealth 7 (+8)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons) 2, Improved Hold, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 6, Startle

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Natural Weapons- Talons & Beak" Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Reach) (Extras: Penetrating 5) [8]

Flight 6 (120 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [6]

"Steel-Type Magical Creature"
Immunity 50 (Dragon, Grass, Metal, Ground & Psychic Effects) (Flaws: Limited to Half-Effect) [25]
Immunity 5 (Poison, Dark & Ghost Effects) [5]

"Natural Size" Growth 3 (Str & Sta +3, +3 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -3 Stealth) -- (10 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [7]
"Steel Skin" Protection 2 [2]

"Air Slash" Blast 8 (Feats: Variable Descriptor- Metal Slashing or Dark Slashing) (17) -- [20]
  • AE: "Fury Attack" Strength-Damage +2 (Extras: Multiattack 8) (10)
  • AE: "Spikes" Blast 6 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Flaws: Limited to Grounded Targets) (12)
  • AE: "Metal Sound" Weaken Toughness 5 (Extras: Ranged, Affects Objects) (15)
Offense:
Unarmed +4 (+6 Damage, DC 21)
Natural Weapons +6 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Air Slash +6 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Spikes +6 Area (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Metal Sound +6 (+5 Ranged Weaken, DC 15)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +8, Fortitude +9, Will +4

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Skarmory cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.
Weakness (Electrical & Fire Attacks)- Skarmory's creature type leaves it vulnerable to certain types of attack.

Total: Total: Abilities: 14 / Skills: 50--25 / Advantages: 13 / Powers: 70 / Defenses: 15 (139)

Era: Fantasy Realms
Range: Open Plains & Cliffs in Harsh Regions
Colouring: Steel-gray
Size: Up to 10 feet long (500-1000 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs.
Diet: Hoofed mammals, humanoids, anything available.
Tactics: Dive-bomb from above with lethal weapons. Blast if they put up a fight.

-Skarmory are hardy, powerful creatures who inhabit some of the most inhospitable regions in the world. Unusually, the creatures' proximity to magical areas or Alchemy has produced a race of birds that appear to be made of the hardest possible metals. They are rare, but very dangerous.

Jab's Notes: Kreuzritter requested this one over MSN long, long ago when I first statted up Pokemon in 2010- Skarmory's a big bad-ass Bird who seems to take up the "Big Mean Pokémon" archetype in the series (see: Spearow, Beedrill). Basically, each generation seems to have those Pokémon that just act like major tools, and seem to do a lot of kidnapping or threatening of heroic characters. There are a few aversions, but for the most part, this metal bird is a douche. Skarmory modifies my Giant Eagle build with some Pokémon powers. And also- yikes. How many Immunities can a freaking animal HAVE? This must be one of the craziest Pokémon in the game for it's sheer amount of resistance. Not that it would be helpful against many types- it has a Double Weakness against the common Fire & Electricity descriptors. Note also that Immunity to Dark & Poison are both much cheaper- I can't imagine coming across those so much. Also, it's PL 7 overall, but PL 7.5 on defense.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by L-Space »

A pack of Scyther(s?) roaming around is a pretty scary thought. Also glad you gave him flight, since the games never let him learn it for some reason...

Skarmory looks horrifying in that picture.

Oh, and sorry Jab, got to agree with Scots that I've never seen Growlithe or Arcanine as anything but dogs. Cats never even crossed my mind. Oh and they are still one of my favorite Pokémon evolutions, Growlithe is adorable and Arcanine is awesome looking.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Cetaceals! Scyther! Arcanine!)

Post by catsi563 »

Jabroniville wrote: Tue Sep 19, 2017 6:12 am NAH. THASS A KITTY!! IT HAS FLUFFINESS AND TIGER STRIPES. CUTE KITTY :)!!
iz kitty *nod nod*
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Zubats

Post by Jabroniville »

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GODDAMNED ZUBAT (aka Sky Kender)
Role:
The Most Annoying Menace in the Universe
PL 6 (63)- Minion Rank 4, Sidekick Rank 12
Normal Version:
PL 2-3
STRENGTH -2 STAMINA -2 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+4)
Perception 8 (+8)
Ranged Combat (Confuse Ray) 4 (+4)

Advantages:
None

Powers:
"Echolocation" Senses 2 (Accurate Hearing) [2]
"Confuse Ray" Affliction 8 (Will; Dazed/Stunned/Transformed to Confused State) (Extras: Ranged, Continuous +3) (40) -- [41]
  • AE: "Venomous Bite" Weaken Strength 8 (Extras: Progressive +2) (Flaws: Limited to 1 Rank Per Round) (16)
Flight 3 (16 mph) (Flaws: Winged) [3]

"Small Size" Shrinking 4 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [9]
(-1 Strength & Speed, +2 Defenses, +4 Stealth, -4 Intimidation)

Offense:
Unarmed +4 (-2 Damage, DC 13)
Venomous Bite +4 (+8 Weaken, DC 18)
Confuse Ray +4 (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness -2, Fortitude +0, Will +3

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Zubats cannot speak to humans, nor use their talons to easily manipulate objects.
Reputation (Zubats)- Zubats are so legendarily-annoying that hated enemies have been known to ally with each other simply to take out a single Zubat.

Total: Abilities: -6 / Skills: 16--8 / Advantages: 0 / Powers: 55 / Defenses: 6 (63)

Era: Modern
Range: All Over Castellia
Stereotypes: Annoying.
Colouring: Grey, purple, green and pink
Size: Up to 35 inches long (6-14 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Swarms of 2-100 creatures.
Diet: Blood.
Tactics: Dive-bomb one at a time.

-In all of Castellia, no animal is regarded with more sheer hatred than the Zubats (typically called "Goddamned Zubats" after the most common appelation of the creatures). Though innocuous at first, the creatures have a tendency to randomly attack other beings with mediocre strikes that nonetheless leave continuous, debilitating poisons- adventurers thus must carry ludicrous amounts of expensive Potions & Repelling gear. Zubats are infamous for striking in order, requiring other beings to devote hours simply to wading through wave after wave of the seemingly-endless creatures, all attempting their poisonous attacks.

-Such is the hatred that Zubats inspire that sworn enemies have been known to call temporary truces simply to exterminate a suspected Zubat infestation. This is no mere legend or rumor- the great Battle of Karak-Kadar between the Dwarves and the Orcs who'd slained the Clan Chieftan was immediately halted at the sighting of a single Zubat- Orc and Dwarf alike allied for several weeks to cut down every last Zubat in the cave system until it was declared clear, at which point the battle could resume.

-Though sightless, Goddamn Zubats (and their relatives in other areas- Motherfucking Zubats, For Shit's Sake- Again? Zubats, and Thrice-Damned Zubats) maintain a sound-based sense of the area they inhabit, thanks to echolocation common to most bats. With age, the creatures increase in size, eventually growing exceptionally-large mouths. In the final stage of their lives, they grow a second pair of wings- the only mammal to possess four wings.

Jab's Notes: Zubats would have gone down as simply a generic Pokemon- uninteresting-looking but basic, and just enough different from the base species to be "Pokemon-ified", they would have been perfectly fine in that role as another forgettable early Pokemon. The stupid-looking evolution of Golbat did it no favors, but I don't think people would have minded. But then... they had to make them GODDAMNED Zubats.

-See, the original game had SWARMS of these things in every cave. Every time you walked somewhere without a "Repel", you were bombarded with them. And they're not dangerous opponents in battles, so you'd win pretty easily. But... your Pokemon would be POISONED. And they'd take a notch or two of damage every round. And post-battle, with every STEP. Pretty soon, your entire party could be dead. And then... and this is the worst part... the poison TOOK TIME in battle. Much like Confuse Ray and other annoying powers, the game designers took the insane route of making this turn-based battle game SLOW DOWN every time you were poisoned- it'd actually leave you with 2-3 screens taking up time in each round of the battle, just to tell you that your Pokemon were getting injured.

-Fans HATE these things. Cries about how awful the Zubats are ring from every corner of the fandom. Poor game design choices, plus the fact that these things are in EVERY FRIGGIN' GAME, have made them a legendary nuisance. Honestly, I think I'd actually have considered playing the games longer had Zubats and other things with Confuse Ray ("_____ is confused!" "*annoying sound plays*" "______ hurt itself in the confusion!") been dropped.

-I actually remember the episode that debuted Brock's Zubat in the cartoon- it was dealt with in a very casual way, with Brock suddenly having one, revealing that he'd caught a Zubat during a swarm attack earlier in the episode. Ash, still a rookie trainer, was disappointed that he hadn't thought to do the same. As Brock typically used Rock Pokemon, Zubat didn't see a lot of us, but managed to attain all three levels of evolution- Zubat, Golbat & Crobat.

-With these stats, I ensure the agony of facing these creatures- minor-league fighters (they go down to very little damage), but PL 6 with the annoying Poison & Confuse Ray, both of which are Continuous effects that can debilitate entire parties.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Scyther! Arcanine! GODDAMN ZUBATS!!!)

Post by Scots Dragon »

I suppose it's appropriate to add...

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ZUBATMAN!
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Quicklings

Post by Jabroniville »

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QUICKLINGS
Role:
Expendable Mooks, Wild Variety
PL 5 (82)
STRENGTH
-1 STAMINA 0 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 4 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Deception 4 (+2)
Expertise (Survival) 4 (+6)
Perception 4 (+6)
Sleight of Hand 4 (+8)

Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Equipment 1, Favored Environment (Darkness), Improved Initiative, Ranged Attack 2

Powers:
"Fey Senses" Senses 3 (Low-Light Vision, Magical Detection- Ranged) [3]
"Forest Creatures" Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation- Forests & Jungles) [2]

"Small Size" Shrinking 4 (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [9]
(-1 Strength & Speed, +2 Defenses, +4 Stealth, -4 Intimidation)

"Sneak Attack" Enhanced Strength 2 (Flaws: Limited to Striking Strength, Requires Distracted Victim) [1]
"Speed Burst" Speed 4 (30 mph) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5/day) [2]
"Natural Invisibility" Concealment 2 (Vision) (Flaws: Limited to When Not Attacking) [2]

"Spells"
"Daze" Affliction 5 (Will; Dazed/Stunned) (Extras: Perception-Ranged +2) (Flaws: Unreliable- 1/day -2) (5) -- [7]
"Dancing Lights" Environment 3 (Light) (Flaws: Unreliable- 1/day -2) (1)
"Expeditious Retreat" Speed +2 (Flaws: Unreliable- 1/day -2) (1)

Equipment:
"Tiny Blade" Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Improved Critical) (2)

Offense:
Unarmed +5 (-1 Damage, DC 14)
Blade +5 (+0 Damage, DC 15)
Sneak Attack +5 (+1-2 Damage, DC 16-17)
Daze -- (+5 Perception-Ranged Affliction, DC 15)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +6 (DC 16), Parry +6 (DC 16), Toughness +0, Fortitude +2, Will +3

Complications:
xxxxxxxx

Total: Abilities: 34 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 26 / Defenses: 5 (82)

-Quicklings are vicious, mean pranksters, greatly resembling Elves, but at Goblin-esque size. Generally pale blue to white, with white hair, these yellow-eyed creatures generally make no friends outside their own race. The exact origins of this species appears to be a bizarre combination of Elf & Goblin, created via Fey Magic centuries ago. The race is thankfully rather small in number, having only extended beyond the initial "test group" that managed to survive. Because of their origins, they despise Faeries, often attempting to kill them on sight.

Jab's Notes: Another request, I took the "Fey Origins" and just made them Elf-Goblins for fun. More or less directly taken from the 3.5e stats, though I've never seen nor heard of these things before. I probably wouldn't use them in Castellia as an actual race- just a "one-off" pest.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Scyther! Arcanine! GODDAMN ZUBATS!!!)

Post by Jabroniville »

So as this thread is basically 50% Pokemon (especially now that I'm mostly done posting races and D&D monsters, save for a handful), what was everyone's Main Party like in the games they've played? My dumb ass managed to have a pretty good team of guys in the Ruby/Sapphire era until I got to the Elite Four and realized I didn't have any Electric Types to counter the Ice-Type Trainer :).

My Original Era one went: Venusaur, Onix, Alakazam, Pikachu, Beedrill, Parasect, Pidgeot, Gyarados and possibly a couple others. I'm fairly certain I beat the game and got all the "Elites" as well.

Ruby/Sapphire (the only other one I've played- they just got too complicated!): Blaziken, Aggron, Milotic, Baragon (or whatever that thing that turns into the Dragonfly is), and a couple others. I kept farting around on Pikachu or Plusle or whatever, so my Electrics were weak.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Scyther! Arcanine! GODDAMN ZUBATS!!!)

Post by Scots Dragon »

I emphasised psychic types a lot, often with a fire type as my starter (except in Pokémon Yellow obviously), but it's been long enough that I couldn't tell you a specific party layout. The starters in question were Charmander and Cyndaquil, by the way.

I have to admit I stopped playing between Gold/Silver/Crystal and Ruby/Sapphire.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Scyther! Arcanine! GODDAMN ZUBATS!!!)

Post by L-Space »

Jabroniville wrote: Thu Sep 21, 2017 4:35 am So as this thread is basically 50% Pokemon (especially now that I'm mostly done posting races and D&D monsters, save for a handful), what was everyone's Main Party like in the games they've played? My dumb ass managed to have a pretty good team of guys in the Ruby/Sapphire era until I got to the Elite Four and realized I didn't have any Electric Types to counter the Ice-Type Trainer :).

My Original Era one went: Venusaur, Onix, Alakazam, Pikachu, Beedrill, Parasect, Pidgeot, Gyarados and possibly a couple others. I'm fairly certain I beat the game and got all the "Elites" as well.

Ruby/Sapphire (the only other one I've played- they just got too complicated!): Blaziken, Aggron, Milotic, Baragon (or whatever that thing that turns into the Dragonfly is), and a couple others. I kept farting around on Pikachu or Plusle or whatever, so my Electrics were weak.
In the original I believe I had Venusaur, Pidgeot, Arcanine, Haunter/Gengar, Gyrados, and Dragonite. Though I was always tempted to switch out some for the legendaries, but didn't much care for them as much as my team.
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Owlbear

Post by Jabroniville »

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OWLBEAR
Role:
Giant Apex Predator, Mama Bear
PL 9 (84)- Minion Rank 6, Sidekick Rank 17
Normal Version:
PL 6-8
STRENGTH 6 STAMINA 8 AGILITY 1
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 0
INTELLIGENCE -4 AWARENESS 1 PRESENCE -2

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+10)
Expertise (Survival) 6 (+7)
Intimidation 13 (+12 Size)
Percpetion 6 (+7)
Stealth 5 (+6, +3 Size)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Diehard, Extraodinary Effort, Fast Grab, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Natural Weapons) 2, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Startle

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended, Ultra & Low-Light Vision) [3]
"Owl Ear Tufts" Senses 2 (Accurate Hearing) [2]
Speed 1 (4 mph) [1]
"Natural Weapons- Claws & Teeth" Strength-Damage +1 [1]

"Natural Size" Growth 3 (Str & Sta +3, +3 Mass, +1 Intimidation, -1 Dodge/Parry, -3 Stealth) -- (12 feet) (Feats: Innate) (Extras: Permanent +0) [7]
Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Reach) [3]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+8 Damage, DC 23)
Natural Weapons +8 (+9 Damage, DC 24)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +8, Fortitude +10, Will +8

Complications:
Disabled (Animal)- Owlbears cannot speak to humans, nor use their paws to easily manipulate objects.
Responsibility (Cubs)- If you mess with a Mother Owlbear's cubs, you WILL die. Don't even try it.

Total: Abilities: 24 / Skills: 36--18 / Advantages: 10 / Powers: 17 / Defenses: 15 (84)

Era: Modern
Range: Castellia.
Colouring: Brown or white
Size: Up to 10 feet long (220-2,200 lbs.)
Encounter Groups: Solitary or pairs (congregate around huge food sources)
Diet: Plants, fruits, deer fawns, fish
Tactics: Lashing out with paws & teeth, using incredible force.

-Most Rangers in Castellia despise the "A Wizard Created a Species, Which Then Escaped To Form A Breeding Population" explanation for the odd creatures that inhabit the world. It's seen as lazy, dull and repetitive, and a way for scholars to avoid doing any serious writing on the subject. In cases like the Owlbear, it is thought to be impossible, given the sheer breadth of area these creatures cover- they are found in all sorts of habitats. However, this is one of those cases where that very explanation is 100% correct- but not in the way it's usually intended. Owlbears were not created by a single Wizard or enclave- they are actually a "Final Exam" of the Transmogrification School of Magic.

-Merging an owl with a bear creates an animal no more dangerous than the bear (simply replacing superior scent with hearing and vision), so it's seen as a "safe" option that still creates a powerful, impressive creature. Therefore, almost all Owlbears seen in Castellia are the creations of these Wizard students (or their offspring), and the creature is left out in the wild, where their power allows them to overwhelm the same prey that bears hunt.

Jab's Notes: Among the more notoriously bizarre D&D creatures, Owlbears famously combine two animals in a way that doesn't really improve the baseline creature (why would an owl's head be more dangerous than a multi-fanged bear's?). This makes them rather iconic, largely BECAUSE it's so silly.
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Re: Castellia- A Fantasy Setting (Scyther! Arcanine! GODDAMN ZUBATS!!!)

Post by Gamebook »

In regards to the explanations for the origin of monsters a common one in the myths of the ancient world was that a god did it. Some mortal person or people would annoy or offend a god (an easy thing to do) and the deity would create some monster and send it to plague them as punishment. The ravaging of the countryside would continue until some hero, usually Herakles, slew the beast. Other times a monster would be created out of a person who had done something to offend a god and the deity would transform them into a monster, such as the Medusa who in one version of the myth was cursed by Athena as punishment for being raped in her temple by Athena's uncle, Poseidon.

Another explanation I've come across in a few fantasy worlds, such as Mystara or the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, is that some monsters are actually alien creatures. They've been stranded on the primitive fantasy world by spaceship crashes, migrated through space somehow, have been left behind by alien visitors or were imported by ancient and now long gone spacefaring civilizations.
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