Trigamar

Turnip nodded as he read the letter, grinning once more. "Yeh tell 'em, yer hoighness!"

Reformatting is major WIP, I'm pretty much **** at it. I'm thinking grey text might be cool, with some darker and lighter elements. I'll def play around with it a little. Oh, and what do you mean by rephrasing? I'll do my best to fix it.

Yeah, I'm pretty bad at formatting, but thanks for the advice! I'll get right on that.

Feat Lore - Paroth Parasitic Marvels of Evolution ~~Origin~~ The Paroth are an ancient species of parasites, who feed off a host's blood after establishing a mental connection with it. Little to nothing is known of the origins of this species, as they were undiscovered until recently, by an explorer and researcher by the name of Tacitus De Bakker. De Bakker and his one-armed research partner were exploring a series of caves on an island far out to sea, when they stumbled upon the rubble of some sort of ancient vault. Remarkably, the vault door itself was in near-perfect condition, despite the decorative structure being near dust. It is reported that ancient carvings depicted hints of what was to come, but De Bakker was impatient and began the relatively simple process of opening the vault door; a simple push was all that was required. What was inside shocked the researchers to their very cores. Quivering lumps of flesh, gaping maws that gnashed at anything that got near them. The Paroth. “It is incredible… These creatures, their capabilities, their potential! Sure, the ancient residents of this island may have sealed them away, but they did not see the Possibilities! Imagine, what we could do with this power! These… things.” - Excerpt from De Bakker’s Journal De Bakker : Quickly now! Assistant 1 : Sir, are you sure, there could be a reason that these things were… De Bakker : I am! Do it, now! Assistant 2 : *Grumbling* De Bakker : Are you still transcribing this? Stop! Stop writing! - Transcript recorded by a scribe “It is incredible… While experimenting with a portion of the Paroth, one leapt across the testing area and slammed itself into my research partner’s stump of an arm. This is progress, previously they would only pair with animals. My partner seems reluctant to continue. But this is far too much potential for me to ignore. Far, far too much.” - Excerpt from the expedition’s research logs. “It has fully paired with my partner now. He marvels at the ease of control the parasite provides. There are almost no negative effects. He does seem quite pale, and perhaps a bit more frail than he was… There is a commotion outside. I shall finish my entry upon my return.” - Excerpt from De Bakker’s Journal “The Paroth… they’ve gone mad! Their first taste of human blood in what could be milenia, they must have been starved. The things launch themselves at everyone, draining their life blood within seconds. Almost all of my research crew… dead. The power, too much power. Why, why us?” - Recovered scrap of paper. Tacticus De Bakker returned to the mainland raving mad, ranting of blood sucking monsters that he claimed to have followed him aboard the vessel that he piloted alone back to the mainland. Further inspection of the vessel revealed no evidence of such creatures, and De Bakker was taken away to a remote hospital where he could recover. Magic Explanation The Paroth are parasitic organisms who establish a mental link with a being who is missing an arm or a leg, serving as a prosthetic. However, this is at the cost of the hosts blood. A Paroth will attach itself to the stump that remains of the severed limb by clamping their maw onto it. They then leech blood from the host. At the beginning, a great amount is required for it to grow into the shape of an arm or a leg. Over eons, they have evolved and learned that by mimicking a part that is useful to a creature, they have a lower chance of being treated like the parasite that they are and removed. This is mostly instinctual, though the organism does take information from the host in order to shape itself. Paroth do not do this beyond any animalistic urges. Their instincts tell them to survive and continue existing, they have no agenda, and they cannot force their host to do anything. The limb is not perfect and has been known to spasm randomly and without warning. In addition to this, the host will feel the Paroth’s presence in it’s mind, though they cannot interact with it beyond using it as a regular limb. If the creature is totally and completely severed from the host, it dies instantly. However, this is not the end of the Paroth. After one year of drinking the blood of its host, the parasite is fully developed and capable of reproducing. From it’s maw, clamped onto the end of the stump or whatever remains of the limb, it sends several chunks of itself to burrow into the host. These chunks lie dormant until the Paroth is removed from the host fully and totally. On this event, one of the chunks burrows through the host until it is capable of exiting the stump and reattaching itself onto the host, performing the same ritual that the original parasite did when first connecting. Rambling aside, they serve as a secondary arm or leg due to evolutionary learning and instinctual urges. A Paroth is only as strong as the host's limb would be, it cannot give a halfling orc strength. If completely severed, the limb dies. The host cannot communicate with the limb beyond operating it as a limb. The parasite can only replicate arms, legs, hands, feet, and ears. My rough interpretation of what a Paroth would look like on a skin. Please feel free to get creative with these things, this one is kind of bland. Abilities Reconnect (Connection) The Paroth latches onto the host's arm, and begins to leech blood from it. While doing so, it establishes a mental link with its host so as to build it’s form to suit the host, and to enable the host’s control of the limb. While connected, the host can feel the parasite’s presence in their mind, but CANNOT interact with it beyond using it to command the arm as a regular arm. Host cannot communicate with the Paroth in any way, other than to command it as a regular arm or leg. During the connection, the host is and feels weak due to the amount of blood being leeched. This is not a deadly amount, but enough so that it MUST be roleplayed. Reconstruct If, by any means, the arm is severed, cut, or simply wounded, it will leech a greater amount of blood from its host in order to repair itself. As long as the maw of the creature is still connected to the stump, it can perform this ability. If the creature is totally and completely severed from the host, it dies instantly, so acclimated to the steady supply of blood it had been receiving. It takes 5 OOC Hours to heal any cuts or wounds on the arm. It takes 24 OOC Hours to reconstruct a limb that has been severed below the mouth of the Paroth. Cannot Reconstruct while in combat. While Reconstructing, the host feels and is weak due to the amount of blood being leeched. If completely severed, the parasite cannot reconstruct and dies. Rebirth Once the growing period of one OOC week has passed, the parasite will implant chunks of itself into the host, where they will lie in wait until the parasite is completely severed from the host. If, by any means, the arm is COMPLETELY severed, the teeth and everything below them cut away, one of the chunks will spur into motion, burrowing through the host until they are able to burst from the body and reattach themselves to where the old parasite was. Once reattached, connection begins again. These chunks are not removable without killing the host. They will only activate one at a time, and only when the previous parasite has been completely severed. Regret If some motion is made to prevent the parasite from freely consuming as much blood as it needs, such as applying a tourniquet or other methods, the parasite will slowly begin to move up the host, consuming it as it goes. It will continue to eat and gnaw at the host until whatever has been preventing it from drinking enough blood has been removed or stopped. This is generally not fatal, as the parasite will stop before eating any vitals or moving further than the shoulder. Please do NOT metagame this, if applying a tourniquet is something your character would do, do it. This significantly weakens the host, on a level similar to that of connection. Mitosis One who has been a host of a Paroth for over a week is capable of spreading the parasite to others, in much the same manner as the parasite’s rebirth. The host places the limb that is a Paroth onto the being that they wish to infect, and the Paroth will split off a chunk of themselves into the person being infected. This chunk wriggles its way to the area that requires a prosthetic, and there it begins Connection. THIS REQUIRES OOC CONSENT! The person being infected must have blood, and its blood must not be poisonous and/or have any effects to those that consume it. ‘Tier’ Progression This feat has no proper tiers, but does have a waiting time before the magic can be fully utilized. This takes a time of one ooc week, as the limb has just connected, and is still constructing itself and establishing a proper mental link. The host is and feels weak at this time due to the high amount of blood that the parasite is consuming at this moment. Not roleplaying this weakness is powergaming. After this, the limb is able to Reconstruct, and has the same strength as any of the host's other limbs, or however much strength the limb would have. Miscellaneous Information Due to the constant draining of the parasite, a host could often find themselves with bags under their eyes, and their skin becoming paler. This is purely aesthetic, and not enforced. The creation and further origins is widely undeveloped. The only confirmed pieces of information is that they were known among an ancient civilization, who eventually locked them away. I’d be happy to work with ST on events that shed more light onto the exact specifics of these parasites. A voidal amalgamation, some deities ancient plaything, an alchemical mishap, or simply a product of evolution. There are endless roads we could take this down, and I’d love to work with you all on each and every one of them. Of course, I’d be fine with the ST doing their own thing as well, don’t want to get too high and mighty. I debated on it for a while, but I’ve decided that these things do require a teacher of sorts. This is explained in the Mitosis ability, and no, this is NOT a self-teach feat. ST folks, I’d love to converse with you over whether or not this feat requires a signed prosthetic item. I’d say no, It’d just waste your time to have to sign an item every time the person died, but I’d love to hear your say, and the say of any and all commenters. I view this as a feat rather than a magic because it’s main purpose is to serve as a leg/arm, lacking abilities that could be used in combat. The flesh that makes up the Paroth sometimes quivers and spasms. Nothing large enough to impact RP, but imagine it pulsating slightly. Redlines Only as strong as a host’s regular limb would be. If completely severed, the limb dies. The host cannot communicate with the parasite beyond controlling as a limb. Can only be used as replacement hands, arms, feet, or legs. During the first connection and Reconstruction, the host feels weak due to the amount of blood being drained from them. This is not an amount large enough to kill them. Cannot Reconstruct while in combat. Once the parasite has completed its first OOC week of connection, the chunks will have been implanted, and it is impossible to remove them without the death of the character. A character without blood, or one whose blood affects the drinker in any way cannot learn this feat. A character whose blood does not flow, or is acquired from alternate methods is required to have a steady supply of blood for the parasite, or their Regret ability will trigger. A Paroth cannot drink the blood of anyone other than it’s host. A Paroth can mimic the ability of touch, but the sensation is muted and garbled. It will never be perfect, but it is there. The Paroth functions as an prosthetic when referring to the Amputation ability in Mysticism, as it is a separate entity, and not a regrowth of the arm. Purpose I was listening to some music one day, and I thought- “Huh, what if I made an arm parasite?” So I started working on this. For a good while, I left it alone in my 12+ pages of garbage lore, until I pulled it out of the doc and began working on it. I added a few features, changed a few things. None of it would be possible without those who reviewed this and helped me polish it over. Credits to them at the bottom of the lore, they’re some pretty cool people. I love aesthetics, things that you can rp and have fun with. Little magics that don’t really impact pvp or crp, but are insanely fun to rp with. I built this around that concept. It’s a small magic that has a lot of lore and rp value, but not so much with the crp and pvp. I made this to serve as something fun to rp with. People can get creative with how they treat their new companion, whether as a curse or as a blessing. Maybe they’re a religious figure, and now need to keep this thing swept under the rug, lest they be considered tainted by demons. Or maybe they're an edgy villain who just needs more edgy **** to boost their ego. Either way, thanks for reading this far, and I hope you enjoyed it. Credit to jameson_h (Discord - Tirilan) for several suggestions on polishing and naming. Credit to SantaNotic (Discord - SantaNotic) for the idea to include something similar to the Regret ability. Credit to TreeSmoothie (Discord - TreeSmoothie) for suggesting a redline regarding Mysticism and Amputation. This is neither here nor there, but I just couldn't find any reference images for this. Sorry. Edit 1 - Changed up the font a bit. Edit 3 - Patching up formatting! Hopefully this is better. Edit 4 - New redline! New credit! Thank you all!

Out of Character Username: Trigamar Discord: Trigamar#6911 In Character Full Name: Terenip Turnip Ratfoot Race: Halfing Age: 23 (24?) Job / Occupation: Teacher (Part-time), Scholar and Writer

[!] Down in the sewers, the sounds of rustling paper, mutters, splashes and then curses, could be heard. Perhaps soggy conditions are not the best when working with paper lesson plans.

I forgot I wrote this. Huh.

Ratfeet > probably nobody, it's just me Nice post, nice culture, +1

Teric Sindarin, Radis, and Ratfoot. The longest played character I've had on LOTC, Teric was created sometime around the summer before last. He was a halfling, adopted into a family he hated, blinded in his quest to reunite them, and later killed by his birth family. While I had plenty of ventures with Teric last year, playing him this year has been much more fun. He ran the Underground, the best drug den in Brandybrook, was always high, and sailed with the crew of the Spicy Shrimp.

A bit late to the party, but I’m glad to hear that I’ll be back in time for the transition.

Boris looked at the newspaper for several minutes, carefully reading it over. He coughed, and then wandered off, thanking the old halfling who, alongside his brother, had saved his life. Teric looked over the newspaper, his ghostly eyebrows raising. ”...Filililibert got eh woife?” The Specter chuckled, remembering a time the halfling had not been so fortunate with love, down in the Underground. From there, the ghost began to calculate potato stocks.

Boris stared at the ship for a few moments, before shrugging and clunking away. Broken ships held no interest to him, only whole ones. Not far away, the spectral figure of Teric Ratfoot looked curiously on at the ship, searching it’s contents for drugs as soon as he and the ship were alone.

[!] A small slip of paper is tacked onto the notice board, reading as follows; ‘I want a to stick a funny piece of paper to the notice board too.” - Boris O. [!] Below that is a similarly sized piece of paper; ”This message is brought to you by the Underground.” - Teric R., Manager of the Underground

Boris yawned, having shuffled through the notices, and clunked off to find something more interesting to hold his attention.

Boris yawned, lazily browsing the newspaper from his perch in a near-by tree. “Eh big s’orm, aye?” Shrugging, he rolled over to take a nap.

Once upon a Time [PK] Once upon a time, there was a brave halfling, who wished to sail the seas. Once upon a time, there was a smart halfling, who wished to write a book. Once upon a time, there was a young halfling, who wished to live. Once upon a time, Polo Gardner died. He died, after both sailing the seas, and writing a book. But not how he wanted. No, his sailing was that of pain, his book was that of sadness. Once upon a time, a young halfling died. Not from his sailing. Nor from his book. But from betrayal. Once upon a time, a smart halfling died. Tricked and trapped, slashed and whacked. Once upon a time, a brave halfling died. Broken. And abandoned. Isn’t that right, Mr. Robbinson? And so the time ripens, one day you’ll see, what was wasn’t right. And never will be.

Polo stares bleakly out at the wide ocean, wondering when he’ll be able to return home again.

Polo frowned, “...Das eh li’l mean, da’. Oi ‘ave bee’ groun’e’ fer tew munths now.”

Name: Polo Gardner Fort Fortified [ ] Fort Knox [X] Big Fort [ ] Devil Springs Vodka [ ]

Name: Polo Gardner What’s yer suggestion?: Fort Fortified Promise that you’re not a Demon in disguise?: Aye Did you lie on the previous question?: Nae Favorite type of Booze?: I don’t drink, I’m a child, and my Guidebook to Life doesn’t approve of it.

You are most likely right. I’ve done my best to move past this mental state of mine, with the comments telling me that magic is overrated, but it’s hard to change a mindset you’ve had for two years. Not a lot, for most of you, but it does feel like a long time to me. With the help of these coments, I think I’ve better understood that magic isn’t supposed to define a character, and that I was probably trying harder than I should’ve been to learn. So I guess I’m just going to stop. Stop trying to learn. Maybe, sometime around October, I might give it another go, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you. For the comments that have nudged me in the right direction, and for not treating me like the total idiot that I am.

To be fair, he did mention that other chaters had been destroyed- I really, really don’t want to start anything, especially with a staff member, but he did mention other charters. “The idea of a settlement being directly destroyed by staff was not as common back in those days, yet is a much more frequent occurrence in modern LOTC.” Unless that wasn’t what you were referring to, in which case, I apologize. And, yes, we have been somewhat inactive, but I think i’m starting to see a slow climb. Late mornings aren’t really the best time to go looking for us, from experience. I’d recommend closer to sometime during the afternoon or later, if you want to see a halfling, and there are usually a bunch of us at events. But then again, I could just be an idiot.