Strife

I swear this is a repeat of a few weeks ago. Yes, you can still play your snow elves as you did before, there just isn’t a specific subrace. From what I remember, the subrace was hamfisted in its implementation back in the day anyways.

hard agree, but disagree

cursed and blackpilled, +1 when do we get a malkavian curse

((MC name: strifeg0d)) Name: Kleo Vethrai Vote for Sohaer: (XX) Anethra Uradir ( ) Eredael Rhenaer

I’ve changed a few bits of wording, fixed some typos, and elaborated on a few concepts.

Ferrospore Colonies and Saproform Steel “The Teeming Metal” Ferrospore Colonies/Seeds (Raw Form) Ferrospores are microscopic organisms that form vast colonies throughout the land. Anywhere there is natural sediment, a ferrospore colony could form. While alone, they are unremarkable, a ferrospore colony can create great veins of glossy, grey-blue metal that seems to occasionally flash with a dull, blue light. The veins start by burrowing deep within the ground, reaching depths of hundreds of meters before finally reaching tough, unbreakable rock, instead sprouting upwards and out of the ground into stalagmites, approximately the height of an average human male. A mystifying, beautiful sight for any miner that would come across their lustrous beauty, but one that would be tarnished by those without trained, gentle hands. Those further unprepared would find their metallic tools being eaten away by the hungry colony in a swift manner. Applications (Raw Form) Ferrospores are living, growing microorganisms that form into long, underground metallic veins, that eventually sprout into stalagmites. Ferrospore colonies feed on sediments and metals alike, allowing slow, steady growth. Mature Ferrospore colonies can be harvested for “Seeds” from their stalagmites. Red Lines (Raw Form) Ferrospore colonies are unable to be communicated with through Druidic abilities in any significant way, and cannot be controlled by such abilities. Performing the former would result in a sensation much like being in an incredibly crowded room where everyone is speaking. The latter would simply not work. Ferrospore colonies are able to be grown, but take upwards of 300 years to mature into harvestable nodes. Ferrospore colonies are living, and therefore cannot survive in extreme tempuratures. Ferrospore colonies cannot grow in areas with volcanic activity, intense cold, or great pressure (such as deep oceans) Ferrospore colonies are flammable, but not explosive. Ferrospore colonies are non-magnetic. Harvesting Method One must take extreme caution in harvesting the seeds of a Ferrospore colony. While a botched attempt will not destroy the colony itself, a clumsy extraction will lead to the death of the Ferrospores within the harvested chunk. Along with this, attempting to mine it with a traditional, unprotected pickaxe would lead to the tool wearing away incredibly quickly, being gnawed away by the colony. This can be prevented with a thin layer of coating over it, from paint, to oil, to even a mineral solution of saltwater. A gentle, meticulous tapping away to relieve the shock of being forcibly removed from the stalagmite will yield a chunk of the colony, which will shatter and leave a varying amount of Ferrospore “seeds”, flat, round discs measuring at 1/8th of an inch of height and 1 inch of width of the selfsame material. Harvesting Red Lines A miner can only harvest the stalagmites of a ferrospore colony without endangering its integrity. Ferrospore Seeds should be represented by an Iron Nugget. Mining Ferrospore colonies will require a miner’s pickaxe to be protected with a thin layer of protection. Anything that would create another layer over it, such as paint or oil, will protect it. Unprotected tools will be chewed up after the attempt, and must be destroyed. Digging deeper, to harvest underground ferrospore colonies will compromise the colonies’ integrity, killing the colony. Ferrospore colonies, when successfully harvested, will shatter, leaving a varying amount of small, rough pebbles, referred to as “seeds”. Dead pieces of a Ferrospore colony will turn to mundane stone, mimicking whatever stone surrounds it. Harvesting the ore itself should be overseen by a LT or ST. Saproform Steel (Refined Form) Ferrospore seeds taken from a colony have a strange property in the fact that they are still living within the seed. The organisms within will enter a “hibernation” of sorts upon being deprived of life-giving sediment, but can awaken and grow at an exponentially faster speed. When introduced to a mineral suspension, something as simple as muddy water or salt water, it will begin to feed on the sediments within. It will begin to grow into a crystalline state, mildly transparent and mirroring the same blue-tinged grey. It does, however, not retain its glow. At first glance, this was nothing more than an interesting science experiment. However, the most enterprising smiths would soon realize the strength of the metal, as it grew and grew. Experiments would lead to brushing a mold with a mineral water will lead to the smith finding a blade growing in the mold, one that would retain its shape no matter what. Casted Saproform Steel’s color shifts towards a color more reminiscent of jade. The resulting metal would also be slightly transluscent, small bubbles suspended in time, thin veins of dull blue barely visible within. However, occasionally, one could see a light-blue spark within the veins, a sign of the life within. Applications (Refined Form) Saproform Steel mimicks the strength of a high carbon steel, but is slightly lighter than its mundane counterpart. When broken, a Saproform Steel item can be returned to its mold, introduced to the same solution and a similar amount of various metals. It will begin to repair itself over a course of two months (2 IRL days), and upon repair will be transformed into “Adapted Saproform Steel” of the corresponding varieties. Red Lines (Refined Form) One seed will yield the equivalent of one ingot, in mechanical terms The glowing veins of Saproform Steel cannot be bright enough to be used as a light source, nor do they add anything beyond aesthetics. Saproform Steel can no longer eat metal and sediments as quickly as before, due to being a relatively small, immature colony. Saproform Steel will take in its own weight of materials to repair itself. For example, a Saproform Steel sword made with two ingots will need two iron ingots to repair itself. Saproform Steel can only take in its own weight of materials in that two month period. Its absorption speed is capped at this. Saproform Steel cannot be used to eat gates, buildings, or structures of any sort. Saproform Steel cannot morph at will. Saproform Steel cannot be used to create a farmable node. Saproform Steel cannot use Ferrospore seeds to repair itself. Saproform Steel cannot be repaired with Boomsteel, Slayersteel, Thanhium, or Ahzl. Each of these would kill the colony. Saproform Steel is not stronger than normal, high-carbon steel. Saproform Steel is flammable. Lighting it on fire is possible, but will kill the blade and turn it to “Decaying Saproform Steel”. Saproform Steel items cannot be treated with Athin, or it will die from the extreme cold. Saproform Steel items must have an ST oversee its repair. Saproform Steel is not magnetic. Refining Technique To “grow” an item, you must first create a mold that will contain the seed. Afterwards, you must brush the mold with some sort of mineral solution. Anything from muddy water to seawater could work, as long as there is a significant amount of minerals within it. Afterwards, you must leave the seed(s) within the mold for five narrative days per seed. Designs, patterns, and other aesthetic choices can be added with a mineral solution-covered knife of some sort. Refining Saproform Steel Red Lines Saproform Steel must be given the mineral solution in its mold, or it will not grow. Growing a Saproform Steel item must be overseen by an LT/ST. Saproform Steel cannot be stored in bars/ingots, as any attempts to forge the metal would lead to the metal’s death. See Decaying Saproform Steel for more details. Adapted Saproform Steel (Refined Form) As Saproform Steel absorbs a singular variety of metal, it begins to change its properties in turn. A Saproform Steel blade fed in this way will begin to take aesthetic properties from the offered material, and eventually into greater properties such as density, conductivity, weight, strength, and even the ability to harm the supernatural. While the colony voraciously feasts on any offered metal, the rarest materials please the colony quite a bit, allowing for less investment of the most rare materials. Applications (Refined Form) When broken, an Adapted Saproform Steel item can be returned to its mold, introduced to the same solution and a similar amount of various metals. It will begin to repair itself over a course of two months (2 IRL days) if given its corresponding metal, or degrade into Decaying Saproform Steel if given a material that is not compatible. Adapted Saproform Steel made from various materials will take on their properties. Aurum and Saproform Steel would create a more durable (but still weaker than steel) slayer-steel compound. Ferrum and Saproform Steel would create a stronger, but less flexible blade, making it more prone to breaking due to the lack of “give” in the blade. Copper and Saproform Steel would create a blade that would not make sparks, but is softer than normal steel. Lunarite and Saproform Steel would create a blade that glittered in celestial light, along with a milkier tone to its metal. Silver and Saproform Steel would create a more conductive blade, but make it softer as well. Further combinations should be overseen by a knowledgeable ST/LT. Red Lines (Refined Form) Adapted Saproform Steel retains the same stipulations and redlines as Saproform Steel. Adapted Saproform Steel is only comaptible with the first type of metal that it is fed. Adapted Saproform Steel is still vulnerable to extreme tempuratures. Adapted Saproform Steel cannot shift its alloyed material. Attempts to do so will lead it to become Decaying Saproform Steel. Adapted Saproform Steel cannot alloy with Carbarum, but the colony will appreciate the treat you gave them. Adapted Saproform Steel cannot be combined with another metal than its original, or else it will reject the metal and become “Decaying Saproform Steel” An amount of metal equal to eight times of its original material investment will be needed before it begins to take on the non-aesthetic properties of the metal it is fed. For lore/node materials, it will require four times the original material investment. For example, a sword of two saproform steel ingots will need sixteen iron ingots to give it the desired properties, or eight pieces of lunarite. Refining Technique Saproform Steel will become Adapted Saproform Steel upon using its natural repairing ability. It must be put into its mold, in a broken or unbroken state, and have its surface introduced to the metal intended for alloying. It must be left undisturbed for a period of two months (2 IRL days) per set of ingots, and the metal will be absorbed by the item, creating the Adapted Saproform Steel. Refining Adapted Saproform Steel Red Lines The alloying process should be overseen by a LT/ST. The process must be recorded, as to avoid “alloy swapping”. An item can only absorb an amount of metal equal to the weapon’s own Saproform Steel content. For example, a blade of 2 Saproform Steel ingots can only absorb two iron ingots per repair cycle. Decaying Saproform Steel (Refined Form) A negligent owner that feeds their item a metal that differs from the original alloyed material will find, upon their retrieval, their blade is no longer the same lustrous sheen. A blackened, chalky lump of rock, cracking and crumbling in areas would be what replaced it. The decaying steel would not stand against a drop to the floor, much less a clash of a blade upon it. In this state, the Saproform Steel item is utterly useless, and should be thrown away. Applications (Refined Form) Decaying Saproform Steel is utterly useless, brittle, and unable to be fixed. Red Lines (Refined Form) Decaying Saproform Steel cannot be restored to its previous state. Decaying Saproform Steel cannot absorb metal, and is considered “dead”. Decaying Saproform Steel cannot be “salvaged”. Decaying Saproform Steel cannot be resurrected, unless stated otherwise by a lore piece. Decaying Saproform Steel is brittle, akin to fired clay. Decaying Saproform Steel is not magnetic. Refining Technique To get to this sorry, blasphemous state of the teeming metal, one must feed their alloyed Saproform Steel item a metal that does not correspond to its original. If given the full two months of exposure, it will resurface decayed. Another way of “refining” the metal to its state would be for the item to be set ablaze, causing the colony to die instantly and decay. Both will yield the same thing: a useless lump of crumbling rock. Refining Decaying Saproform Steel Red Lines The decaying process should be overseen by a LT/ST. A Saproform Steel blade must become decayed if introduced to incompatible metals, incredibly cold tempuratures, or fire. To ignore this would be lore-breaking. Purpose (OOC) The original write-up of Ferrospores and Saproform Steel was originally to make an anti-magic metal, but as I learned later down the line, it was unnecessary. Instead, I present a metal with a unique twist: one that lives and feeds, maintains itself, and can evolve. While it isn’t a whispering, nagging pal for you to talk to, it’s still a living, breathing metal that requires thought into its handling. It is something that blacksmith roleplayers will try to push to its limits, to see what they could do with it, to experiment. As a fellow smith, I look forward to seeing what people would do with this.

Benbo is one of two people I’d trust to write this lore, and he has not disappointed. My only worry is that current Kha players might not be able to shift to a more morose tone for their culture, but I will however give this a cautious +1.

Isn’t old hat already gone? If not, I definitely should have it at this point.

Hard disagree. Making Herald its own thing gives better roleplay to mortal followers who might not want to become Azdrazi. There is most definitely a place within the Azdrazi community for non-Azdrazi to progress, but with the current state of heralds, it is quite limiting in progression. I would also say having a magic that is objectively only a stepping stone really devalues the in-between, which is what this rewrite is advocating to enhance. Well said. I see plenty of heralds who have no interest in transforming into a dragon, myself included, and still retain the respect of their draconic allies. It’s even better roleplay that an Azdrazi could teach a proven Herald more techniques to do battle, or even to help in their missionary tasks.

Chad tier, give us awesome heralds +1

POGGERS

medic stone go brrrr +1

An ‘aheral scholar, upon reading the missive, puts a hand to his mouth in feigned surprise. “These paladins of Xan seek to harm the innocent of the Silver State? Whom is a ‘tainted herald’ to these barbarians? Is it simply any whom do not bow to their masters?” He would show the passage to another ‘aheral, with great concern for their wellbeing, afterwards clearing his throat. “But, it is to be expected. The puppets of aenguls and daemons know only bondage, and seek to drag the world into chains alongside them, or into early graves.”