Thursday, February 4, 2010

Pseudo-Science and Companions

Anyone who's thumbed through the in game Tome of Koth knows that I'm a pretty big fan of pseudo-science and trying to attach semi-plausible explanations to certain elements of a fantasy setting. There's a pretty strong 'Unified Field Theory' involved in the gameworld that tries to further tie together matter, energy, gravity, time, magic, sound, etc. Thus the reason that bards can cast spells, or bards + mages = altered boom. Even the reason that the Ruins of Solvheil are a giant divot in the otherwise flat plane of the material world with everything bending around it.

There are a few good shows that also explore some of these "maybe this is why, and, what would happen if" situations. At least one of these has caused me to spit coffee across my desk, curse at my television, and rewrite things midstream because some elements were getting a little too close for comfort lol. Another reason that I'm glad the SoS trilogy is for the most part, done.

I've often thrown things into the story that were asides from my bad habit of watching the History channel (ala the Dwarven Bagdad Battery, or the Nalassian cliffside watermill). So here's another little tid-bit that will feed into the current adventure.

Silver, often revered in ancient times for its healing qualities (true) is the reason that it is a powerful ally against such afflictions such as lycanthropy or the undead. It's pure healing power is a bane to the sicknesses that twist and rot.

Silver was sometimes ingested which in some extreme cases, caused a blue tint to the skin (true). Now here's the rub:

A lycanthrope/undead hunter NPC of a sacred/secret order. This order of hunters ingests silver to purify themselves and cause their very bodies to be toxic to their prey. Naturally they sport the vague blue hue to their skin, and wear a cool looking Van Helsing-ish hat (well, maybe). I envision them using a heavy crossbow with wooden or silver-tipped bolts/stakes as they drop their foul foes. While not clergy, they do employ the divine tools of the temple such as holy-water, symbols, etc.

I've also been toying with the idea of this particular hunter companion to be taking the silver supplements to contain something within themselves as well, perhaps something to reveal late in the module as they utilize this innate ability in combat/cutscene.

This is one of those framed-out ideas that I just haven't had a chance to go flesh out. I figured I'd throw it out there to see if anyone had any suggestions or holes that could be shot in the idea before I get over that way.

5 comments:

Lance Botelle (Bard of Althéa) said...

Hi Raith,

Neat background for an NPC! The only thing that I would want to see covered to ensure appreciation of the character by a player of the module would be to divulge this same information (as your blog) to the player either just before or as they meet them for the first time. Otherwise, while your blog readers will understand the sigificance of this blue tinted NPC who hunts undead, it would be lost on those that did not.

You may be doing this (explaining the background in-game) as a matter of course, but I thought I'd just mention it ... just in case. :)

Lance.

Anonymous said...

Hi.

My name is Jason, I live by South bend IN, and had a few questions for you concerning your nwn2 projects. I have 'some' experience with the toolset as well as being a personable guy/writer.

please get back to me at your convenience mr. raith veldrin.

sincerely, Jason aka shmity72 Smith

shmity72@hotmail.com

Raith Veldrin said...

Lance:
I will definately make this a story point in the mod just to avoid giving James Cameron any credit lol. I'm still refusing to see Avatar till I see Shamylan's Last Airbender. Credit where it's due and all.

Jason:
Email sent. Thx!

Anonymous said...

Keep posting stuff like this i really like it

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