Dread Elemental Domains

[Galeros]

Seeing as how Metamorphosis is still going to be Grave + Positive, I think having the Metamorphosis Elementals be creatures that feed off of decay to be appropriate.

I agree. I'd avoid making the domain too similiar to Nosos, though. Filth, decaying carcasses, and shit everywhere isn't really the direction I'd go with this domain. Think about gothic imagery, and work inects and decay into that. A musty old closet is a 'grave' for old clothing. The moths feed on the decaying cloth. An eccentric aristocrat believes that he can learn the secrets of insect metamorphosis and apply these to humanity. Some of his killing jars are quite large, and contain more than just beetles and flies. Termites crawl through the rotted wood of a house set on a high hill above the jungle-canopy. Invaders of the house can hear the insects moving in the walls, but they never actually see the wood-eaters. The house never quite falls, but its warped timbers sag and shift in a most alarming fashion.

That can definitely work. Maybe the domain could have a Sub-Tropical climate that is frequently overcast and rainy, but with a decent amount of civilization managing to eek out an existence among the hot, wet, weather. Similar to Souragne, but less New Orleansy. People would be more scattered about and there would be much less wetlands.

[ewancummins]

Southern Gothic?

[Galeros]

Southern Gothic?

A bit, but I still want to distinguish it from Souragne. There would be no riverboats here.

I myself am in a Sub-tropical climate right now, so I guess I can draw on the imagery around here for some inspiration.

I have this image of people who live in homes in the hot and wet forest. There is a lot of dense foliage and insects always buzzing or crawling about. People are generally suspicious of others, and prefer to keep to themselves. They are all terrified of the various creatures that dwell deeper in the forest, such as the Metamorphosis elementals or the giant moths, and even the occasional Deathless.

[ewancummins]

Southern Gothic?

A bit, but I still want to distinguish it from Souragne. I myself am in a Sub-tropical climate right now, so I guess I can draw on the imagery around here for some inspiration.

• more forest and less low lying wetlands, hilly terrain
  avoid French names, go English instead
  no Voodan/voodoo

[Galeros]

Southern Gothic?

A bit, but I still want to distinguish it from Souragne. I myself am in a Sub-tropical climate right now, so I guess I can draw on the imagery around here for some inspiration.

• more forest and less low lying wetlands, hilly terrain
  avoid French names, go English instead
  no Voodan/voodoo

See my post above.

[ewancummins]

I have this image of people who live in homes in the hot and wet forest. There is a lot of dense foliage and insects always buzzing or crawling about. People are generally suspicious of others, and prefer to keep to themselves. They are all terrified of the various creatures that dwell deeper in the forest, such as the Metamorphosis elementals or the giant moths, and even the occasional Deathless.

Sounds good to me.

Just rule that the locals have no steam power, semi-magical or otherwise. Steamboats are anachronisms in Raveloft's CL system, anyway (I make them a sort of magical technology, following the lead from Dance of the Dead).

[ewancummins]

Hmmm...Texas....


It occurs to me that you could also go Spanish with some of the nomenclature.

[Galeros]

I have this image of people who live in homes in the hot and wet forest. There is a lot of dense foliage and insects always buzzing or crawling about. People are generally suspicious of others, and prefer to keep to themselves. They are all terrified of the various creatures that dwell deeper in the forest, such as the Metamorphosis elementals or the giant moths, and even the occasional Deathless.

Sounds good to me.

Just rule that the locals have no steam power, semi-magical or otherwise. Steamboats are anachronisms in Raveloft's CL system, anyway (I make them a sort of magical technology, following the lead from Dance of the Dead).

Yeah, that is not even an issue for me really.

I am split between having the Darklord be a respected member of the "Community" and no ones knows of his crime, or those who do are not telling anyone else, or having him be an outcast who lives in the deep forest.

[Galeros]

Hmmm...Texas....


It occurs to me that you could also go Spanish with some of the nomenclature.

Possibly, I may have to dig out my Spanish dictionary as my command of the language is poor.

[Galeros]

For food, I imagine the inhabitants have to go into the forest to hunt and forage, which is why only the toughest among them are chosen to go. They may also keep small gardens of vegetables to help feed themselves. The whole place would be mildly positive energy aligned, and so things would grow pretty quick, and there is actually an abundance of wild plants that are edible. People also heal a bit faster than in other domains, but the whole place is still a bit deadly to the inexperienced.

OKAY, so we actually have a pretty good idea of what Metamorphosis will look like.

I plan to start work on Mist tomorrow (Really later today), then Positive, then Negative, then Metamorphosis, and from there I will see what I can do.

[ewancummins]

For food, I imagine the inhabitants have to go into the forest to hunt and forage, which is why only the toughest among them are chosen to go. They may also keep small gardens of vegetables to help feed themselves. The whole place would be mildly positive energy aligned, and so things would grow pretty quick, and there is actually an abundance of wild plants that are edible. People also heal a bit faster than in other domains, but the whole place is still a bit deadly to the inexperienced.

Sounds good. Monsters and beasts heal faster too.

Vines may grow (not just move, but grow) over sleeping PCs, tying them down?

[Galeros]

For food, I imagine the inhabitants have to go into the forest to hunt and forage, which is why only the toughest among them are chosen to go. They may also keep small gardens of vegetables to help feed themselves. The whole place would be mildly positive energy aligned, and so things would grow pretty quick, and there is actually an abundance of wild plants that are edible. People also heal a bit faster than in other domains, but the whole place is still a bit deadly to the inexperienced.

Sounds good. Monsters and beasts heal faster too.

Vines may grow (not just move, but grow) over sleeping PCs, tying them down?

That can work.

I am going to let Metamorphosis churn around in my brain for a bit before I start working on it.

[ewancummins]

Good, good. We are coming along nicely.

Do you think we can submit some of these domains to this year's Halloween QtR contest?

[Galeros]

Good, good. We are coming along nicely.

Do you think we can submit some of these domains to this year's Halloween QtR contest?

Yup, if we are lucky we can get all fourteen of them in.

[ewancummins]

14 is a netbook, dude!

Maybe we should submit Blood, Graves, Pyre, and Mists first? Three of those four are at least partly done, and they tie in most closely with canon sources.
The other ones can be part of a follow on article or series.

If ManofEvil submits his Burning City domain for the same issue, he could possibly link it to "Pyre", as previously suggested.

I'm still down for brainstorming/doing work on all the domains, as the inspiration comes to use, of course!