Ring
Aug 9, 2018 13:21:16 GMT -6
Post by Lestat on Aug 9, 2018 13:21:16 GMT -6
Homebrew Race: Ring
Long ago there lived a monolithic empire that stretched across the Great Wheel. The members of that empire, whose true names have been lost to time, now known only as the Syrneth, held secret knowledge of magic and craft that has been long lost to time. Today plunderers delve deep into shrouded ruins to profit off the relics still left behind. However, not all who delve so deep into the past return, and some find themselves coming home with more than they bargained for.
Crafted in a time long since past by ancient smiths, each masters in their craft came works of beauty and splendor. On a select few were inscribed the meaning of each object, written in the ancient runes of the Syrneth. These objects were held as the most highborn and prized possessions of kings, and nobles, and in the fall of their great empire the relics vanished for millennia. Trapped and isolated, in that cold everlasting darkness a small will of their own began to emerge in each artifact, with only their runes to reflect upon they found their purpose. In their forlorn state some of these pieces began to reach out into the darkness around them, each whispering promises of power to those foolish enough to touch them. Now these objects, nearly indestructible in their form seek to fulfill the engravings marked upon their bodies.
Physical Characteristics
Average Height: 14-22mm
Average Weight: 0.5-15g
Languages: Trade, Syrneth
Common Personality Traits: Obsessive, demanding, stubborn, crafty, selfish
Common Physical Traits: Circular, jewel encrusted, engraved, precious metals, shiny
Example Names: Ring of Heroism, Black Band, Golden Shackle, The Holy Grail, Murmuring Circuit, Halo
Racial Statistics
Characteristic Bonus: +1 to Charisma or Willpower
Skill Bonus: +1 to Persuasion and Arcana
Power - Sentience: As a ring you can only whisper softly to your ring bearer, or any creature within 10m. You begin play with a ring bearer, a mortal possessed by you, and two extra hindrances that provide no experience that your ring bearer also gains. Your ring bearer may pass their position of ring bearer to a different willing mortal, but if your ring bearer is slain you must burn a hero point to force a mortal wearing you to become your new ring bearer. Your body is an artifact that can not be damaged or destroyed by ordinary means, and it contains a single hearthstone slot.
Ring Bearer - You may not act contrary to the ring's will; you replace all your abilities and statistics with the ring's but retain your size, racial power, and languages, but do not gain the ring's hero points or Ring racial abilities. You can access the ring's hero points, but may not burn any hero points to not die. While not wearing the ring you are always fatigued and can not gain resource points or access the ring's hero points.
Racial Feats
Glitter [Ring]
People would travel to the ends of the earth for you. If you are without a ring bearer you may sit on the floor idly, and wait for a new one to show up. In 1d10 days the exact desired race you wish to possess appears. Also, while displayed you and your ring bearer gain a +1k0 bonus to Charm, Deceive, and Persuade tests.
Possessive [Ring]
As long as you are being worn by your ring bearer, you may burn a hero point to save their life, and they may spend a hero point to resist a mind control effect, or result of social combat.
Phylactery [Ring]
Your ring bearer does not suffer any of the normal penalties from not wearing you, and still benefits from any hearthstone in your hearthstone slot. You may burn a hero point when your ring bearer dies to cause them to become reformed in 2d10 - Level days in a unoccupied spot within 10m.
Affinity [Ring]
You may purchase racial feats belonging to your ring bearer. If your current ring bearer could not purchase one or more of these racial feats you may replace them with new ones.
Intelligent Item [Ring]
Whoops, did I say ring? Instead of being a ring with a hearthstone slot, you gain an additional dot in the Artifact background to help purchase an item that can be worn or wielded to become your body which gains one additional hearthstone slot. You are still limited to 5 dots in the Artifact background at character creation. Purchase this feat only during character creation.
Paragon Racial Assets
Ring of Champions [Ring, Paragon]
Your ring bearer is considered to have a Paragon Racial Asset befitting their race, chosen upon becoming your ring bearer.
Physical Qualities
While there are other sentient magical items in the Wheel rings are by far the most prevalent. They range from simple and unadorned to gaudy and oversized. All however are of the very highest craftsmanship, and are innately magical. Non ring sentient magical items are typically made from one of the great artifact materials, but most rings are made of, or at least appear to be made of simple yet precious substances like silver and gold. Despite the assumed fragility of these materials they are artifacts nonetheless and are not an easy challenge to destroy, even if you get past the ring bearer.
Ring bearers often take on the kind of dress that pleases the ring. Typically oddly styled and strangely antiquated in the manner of ancient Syrneth nobles. A select few however wear common clothes of the modern era in order to help blend in, and keep the ring safe. The stress and demands of the ring can weigh hard upon the body of the ring bearer, but their duty never falters. Through sleepless night, and devout piety the ring bearers often have bloodshot eyes, and uncared for skin, while easier going masters allow their ring bearers to rest and relax.
Playing a Ring
Rings seem to come in two types: good and evil. The nuanced moralities and belief systems of mortals are foreign to a ring as they typically subscribe to some ancient destiny made for them by their crafters or inscriptions. Rings feel separated from the rest of society as they must use ring bearers as tools to fit in their form of life. As time passes a ring will either mellow out, and begin to see the world as mortals do, or they become wrapped up in their own self made prophecies, emboldened to fulfill some strange purpose.
Ring bearers also come in two general flavors: slaves and companions. A ring can loosen the grasp on their ring bearer's mind, and even let them go, however there is often a deep psychological scar left on the mind of any who wears a ring of such power, and it can haunt even the most strong willed of ring bearers for life. It is a cruel fate for those who are possessed by a malicious ring. Not all evil rings control their ring bearer through direct force. An unfortunate soul will wander ignorant to the powers that compel them, being called its master, but feeling like its slave, hauling them faster and faster to an early, early grave.
Possessive magical items can go unnoticed by the common folk, and exalted alike, their ring bearer receiving all of the credit and ire. Little do they know that there is a power that lurks just beyond, pulling the strings from the sidelines. Kingdoms have been toppled, and empires built on the whims of some of these items, and the items themselves might not care for the accomplishments of their bearer. So long as they are given what they seek the joys and sufferings of mortals are beneath them.
Ring Heroes
There was once a world called home to a homogeneous hivemind dedicated to making peace with all interplanetary species that made contact with them. However they had a strict policy against either leaving their homeworld, or letting outsiders in. The hivemind was sure that friendly isolation would lead them to a trouble free existence. One day a meteorite fell from the heavens leaving a fist sized rock where it landed. Upon retrieving the specimen it was apparent that it held a powerful magical force inside, with further analyses detecting a magical ring mysteriously held within. Not fearing for the life of a small sample of the hivemind it placed the unadorned black ring upon its finger and felt a wave of corruptive energy pass across its many minds. The hivemind tore at its own bodies compelled by the hatred of the ring leaving one solitary figure left standing with a black band fit on its hand.
Upon a primitive crystal sphere lived a people who worshiped the land. Dark invaders in metallic ships that could race across the sky terrorized the people, and subjected them to slavery. As the powers of the gods of the land waned they placed the last of their energy in a simple iron ring, and hid it away for one pure of heart the arise fit to wear it. Many years passed with the ring silently passing judgement on the people, their spirits broken by their masters. One night, under the auspice of a complete planetary alignment a baby was born to a family hiding deep within the desert. A bright light could be seen racing across the sky that night, as the iron ring now exuded a shining golden color heading towards the savior. Wearing the ring first on a necklace the child was naturally gifted with martial arts, could calm the animals of the forest, and healed grievous wounds with a touch. He used his wisdom to unite his people, and his rays of light could be seen at night as he fought endlessly to liberate his kind. Now the ring lies dormant, complete with its mission, it prepares itself to face new threats that would harm its people.
Korr'zek Bazgor was a demonic overlord who had been living the good life tricking mortal into summoning him so he could summon a small legion before being inevitably kicked back to hell by the typical heroic types. He made a good profit selling the various magical items he retrieved from the physical realm to his fellow demons in exchange for souls and true names. While rummaging through the pockets of some pious denizens of a mortal temple he had slaughtered he engaged in his typical wearing of every ring he found, just in case they were magical, faithful that should he be cursed that he'll just get killed by some foolish hero and let him wear it instead. Unfortunately for him the item was the opposite of cursed, as he felt a dreadful peace rest upon him. After being compelled to pray for the souls of those he had killed, and providing them with a proper burial he made a mad dash for a left behind knife, and after a small instance of trying to bring it to his throat he used it to cut the crust off the sandwiches for the children. Now he is doomed to walk the Wheel with a full company of good friends that he can't bring himself to harm. I mean it, someone put the poor devil back in his misery.