New monster and it's environment!
Posted: Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:11 pm
Now we all know that creative use of steam technology can produce devices and effects that are remarkably similar to many modern things, albeit often larger and not nearly as high tech. But that's what's cool about steampunk; after all, if we all wanted our characters to have cell phones and uzis we'd be playing D20 Modern or, for a dash of fantasy, Urban Arcana.
Now city mechs tend to be cramped even for dwarves and gnomes, and the Stenian mechs at least are built to their scale. I can only imagine the difficulties that I, with my 6'4" and somewhat broad shouldered frame, would encounter aboard such a city mech. And let's face it, a lot of bodies in cramped spaces, particularly hot and humid spaces being near a lot ofgreasy, steam powered machinery, results in some serious stank. I spelled that with an "a" on purpose, just for emphasis, btw. Ventilation ducts help, but I'd think that they do little more than prevent suffocation, particularly during the hotter months of high water season. Somebody has to take some measures to alleviate the stinkage, at least enough to keep things liveable.
Where am I going with this? Steam-tech laundromats! Even a big city mech has to have at least one moderately sized laundry room to sanitize clothing. Perhaps residence areas are seperated so that each one has a day of the week for laundry services; a half dozen full time laborers and a coglayer to keep the machinery running should be all that's necessary to operate such a service for a city mech, and even without soap a good run through a steamy washing machine should at least disinfect clothing. And after that, they get tossed into a big drying machine (some sort of dehumidifier might be used here, as well as some coal powered heat vents). Now what do we get with a powered dryer? Lint!
On the WotC forums a thread is going about random items to be found in pockets of people, if a rogue PC is pickpocketing random passerby. One individual jokingly suggested "dire lint" and I was bored enough to actualy make stats for dire lint. As I'm currently writing a DMech campaign I wanted to work this amusing creation into my game. But how? Well, that's what the first three paragraphs of this post are for. Here's the original version:
Dire Lint
Dimunitive aberration
HD: 1/4 d8 (1 hp)
Speed: 2.5 feet (1/2 square)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +1 dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Abrasion +5 melee (1d2-2)
Full Attack: Abrasion +5 melee (1d2-2)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0
Special Attacks: Static Cling
Special Qualities: Linty
Saves: Fort: +2, Ref +3, Will -1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +21 (+41 among cloth)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (abrasion)
Environment: Pockets of rarely laundered garments, anywhere it got tossed when removed from said pockets.
Organization: Solitary, pack (2-6), or swarm (5-20 plus 1-3 advanced dire lint)
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Advancement: Advanced Dire Lint (5 HD, small size)
Level Adjustment: -
Sometimes created by freak arcane surges or just being left in an unlaundered pocket for too long, dire lint is a mild nuisance at best. Many who have "defeated" a dire lint never actually knew that they were even in a fight because they simply tossed it aside. A dire lint is roughly the size of a human infant's fist.
Combat
Linty: Dire lint is composed of threads and fuzzballs and as such is immune to all piercing and bludgeoning damage. slashing damage affects it as normal, as does any form of energy damage. Due to it's anatomy, if reduced to zero HP it is simply destroyed as it comes apart.
Static Cling: If a dire lint is touched by anything or succeeds a touch attack or abrasion attack against anything it may automatically cling to that creatture or object as a free action. While clinging, any piercing and bludgeoning damage or any slashing damage dealt in excess of its total HP is transferred to the creature or object that it is clinging to. The dire lint can be removed by making a successful grapple check against it.
Now, dire lint isn't particularly dangerous and can be easily brushed off of oneself (even a wizard or coglayer shouldn't have trouble with a grapple check against it). But how many players think of that? Most I've played with would likely attack it, likely hurting themselves in the process. An amusing nuisance, really. While the players are freaking out, I'm laughing my butt off and after the encounter when I tell them that they just fought "dire lint" the looks on their faces should be priceless.
And now, for a larger version that haunts the back corners of a city mech's laundry rooms:
Advanced Dire Lint
Small aberration
HD: 5d8 (22 hp)
Speed: 5 feet (1 square)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +1 dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-4
Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft
Special Attacks: Static Cling
Special Qualities: Linty
Saves: Fort: +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +11 (+21 among cloth)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (abrasion)
Environment: Dark corners of laundry rooms.
Organization: Solitary or pack (with 2d8 standard dire lint)
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: none
Level Adjustment: -
A larger version of dire lint, also known as the "killer dust bunny." Unlike its smaller kin, this version may actually pose a threat to some creatures, but fortunately this particular creature is rarely found outside of a city mech laundry room, where it prefers to stay squished behind a large, warm dryer. If disturbed, it attacks but will retreat back to it's "lair" if its assailants retreat. Occasionally one gets sucked into a ventilation duct and expelled from a city mech, in which case it wanders aimlessly for a warm, dry place to hunker down.
Combat
Linty: Dire lint is composed of threads and fuzzballs and as such is immune to all piercing and bludgeoning damage. slashing damage affects it as normal, as does any form of energy damage. Due to it's anatomy, if reduced to zero HP it is simply destroyed as it comes apart.
Static Cling: If a dire lint is touched by anything or succeeds a touch attack or abrasion attack against anything it may automatically cling to that creatture or object as a free action. While clinging, any piercing and bludgeoning damage or any slashing damage dealt in excess of its total HP is transferred to the creature or object that it is clinging to. The dire lint can be removed by making a successful grapple check against it.
Yeah, you can tell I'm bored, I'm sure. But really, wouldn't any DMs out there just love to use this?
Now city mechs tend to be cramped even for dwarves and gnomes, and the Stenian mechs at least are built to their scale. I can only imagine the difficulties that I, with my 6'4" and somewhat broad shouldered frame, would encounter aboard such a city mech. And let's face it, a lot of bodies in cramped spaces, particularly hot and humid spaces being near a lot ofgreasy, steam powered machinery, results in some serious stank. I spelled that with an "a" on purpose, just for emphasis, btw. Ventilation ducts help, but I'd think that they do little more than prevent suffocation, particularly during the hotter months of high water season. Somebody has to take some measures to alleviate the stinkage, at least enough to keep things liveable.
Where am I going with this? Steam-tech laundromats! Even a big city mech has to have at least one moderately sized laundry room to sanitize clothing. Perhaps residence areas are seperated so that each one has a day of the week for laundry services; a half dozen full time laborers and a coglayer to keep the machinery running should be all that's necessary to operate such a service for a city mech, and even without soap a good run through a steamy washing machine should at least disinfect clothing. And after that, they get tossed into a big drying machine (some sort of dehumidifier might be used here, as well as some coal powered heat vents). Now what do we get with a powered dryer? Lint!
On the WotC forums a thread is going about random items to be found in pockets of people, if a rogue PC is pickpocketing random passerby. One individual jokingly suggested "dire lint" and I was bored enough to actualy make stats for dire lint. As I'm currently writing a DMech campaign I wanted to work this amusing creation into my game. But how? Well, that's what the first three paragraphs of this post are for. Here's the original version:
Dire Lint
Dimunitive aberration
HD: 1/4 d8 (1 hp)
Speed: 2.5 feet (1/2 square)
Armor Class: 16 (+4 size, +1 dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Abrasion +5 melee (1d2-2)
Full Attack: Abrasion +5 melee (1d2-2)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0
Special Attacks: Static Cling
Special Qualities: Linty
Saves: Fort: +2, Ref +3, Will -1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +21 (+41 among cloth)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (abrasion)
Environment: Pockets of rarely laundered garments, anywhere it got tossed when removed from said pockets.
Organization: Solitary, pack (2-6), or swarm (5-20 plus 1-3 advanced dire lint)
Challenge Rating: 1/6
Advancement: Advanced Dire Lint (5 HD, small size)
Level Adjustment: -
Sometimes created by freak arcane surges or just being left in an unlaundered pocket for too long, dire lint is a mild nuisance at best. Many who have "defeated" a dire lint never actually knew that they were even in a fight because they simply tossed it aside. A dire lint is roughly the size of a human infant's fist.
Combat
Linty: Dire lint is composed of threads and fuzzballs and as such is immune to all piercing and bludgeoning damage. slashing damage affects it as normal, as does any form of energy damage. Due to it's anatomy, if reduced to zero HP it is simply destroyed as it comes apart.
Static Cling: If a dire lint is touched by anything or succeeds a touch attack or abrasion attack against anything it may automatically cling to that creatture or object as a free action. While clinging, any piercing and bludgeoning damage or any slashing damage dealt in excess of its total HP is transferred to the creature or object that it is clinging to. The dire lint can be removed by making a successful grapple check against it.
Now, dire lint isn't particularly dangerous and can be easily brushed off of oneself (even a wizard or coglayer shouldn't have trouble with a grapple check against it). But how many players think of that? Most I've played with would likely attack it, likely hurting themselves in the process. An amusing nuisance, really. While the players are freaking out, I'm laughing my butt off and after the encounter when I tell them that they just fought "dire lint" the looks on their faces should be priceless.
And now, for a larger version that haunts the back corners of a city mech's laundry rooms:
Advanced Dire Lint
Small aberration
HD: 5d8 (22 hp)
Speed: 5 feet (1 square)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +1 dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-4
Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Slam +4 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft
Special Attacks: Static Cling
Special Qualities: Linty
Saves: Fort: +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 13, Con 10, Int 1, Wis 4, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +11 (+21 among cloth)
Feats: Weapon Finesse (abrasion)
Environment: Dark corners of laundry rooms.
Organization: Solitary or pack (with 2d8 standard dire lint)
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: none
Level Adjustment: -
A larger version of dire lint, also known as the "killer dust bunny." Unlike its smaller kin, this version may actually pose a threat to some creatures, but fortunately this particular creature is rarely found outside of a city mech laundry room, where it prefers to stay squished behind a large, warm dryer. If disturbed, it attacks but will retreat back to it's "lair" if its assailants retreat. Occasionally one gets sucked into a ventilation duct and expelled from a city mech, in which case it wanders aimlessly for a warm, dry place to hunker down.
Combat
Linty: Dire lint is composed of threads and fuzzballs and as such is immune to all piercing and bludgeoning damage. slashing damage affects it as normal, as does any form of energy damage. Due to it's anatomy, if reduced to zero HP it is simply destroyed as it comes apart.
Static Cling: If a dire lint is touched by anything or succeeds a touch attack or abrasion attack against anything it may automatically cling to that creatture or object as a free action. While clinging, any piercing and bludgeoning damage or any slashing damage dealt in excess of its total HP is transferred to the creature or object that it is clinging to. The dire lint can be removed by making a successful grapple check against it.
Yeah, you can tell I'm bored, I'm sure. But really, wouldn't any DMs out there just love to use this?