Tuesday 24 March 2015

Lammarsen/Numen

Lammarsen literally translates to 'children of the lammasu'. Individuals marked as as lammarsen have been marked by some beast, magical or simply very old, as being special in some way that is important to animals. Lammarsen do not generally manifest enough mystic powers to carry them through all their adventures, and will usually train as another sort of adventurer if that's the life they wish to lead.

(In GM terms this means that all the listed powers are taken as feats. The first feat gives you your spirit animal and sacred weapon, and then every time you think of a cool, relevant power you can take that 'manifestation of the beast' instead of a feat.)




When a venerable old animal finds a kindred spirit, they may chose to pass on something of their essence to that companion soul. There are many circumstances in which this may occur, but most commonly there will be some significant event in which the ancient beast gives up its life, and passes its geas on. You can't share your sweet powers while you're alive, obviously.

A lammarsen will adopt a number of traits from their numen. The first of these is always the body of their spirit animal, passed on very literally, in the form of body parts. A tortusen will inherit their numen's shield as a shell; an accipsen will take the wing feathers of their eagle for a cloak; a serpensen will take their numen's poisoned fangs as spears. This weapon is magical, in a way somehow reminiscent of the beast it belonged to. The second change of the lammarsen is their eyes, which will change to match the eyes of the animal that has chosen them. This is incredibly spooky, and may help them see in the dark/from great distances/underwater.

The last power, common to all lammarsen, is the bond they share with their dead animal. Or at least the bond they think they share. Once a day, a lammarsen may meditate upon a problem and come to a sudden epiphany (not necessarily about what they meditated on). They never actually hear the animal speak or anything, but, I mean, it's gotta be their spirit guide talking to them or whatever, right?


        Tortusen
A young fisherwoman will sit by a lake every day for 6 years, casting lines and smoking yuzlat gills. The ancient tortoise that lives in the lake sits with the woman sometimes, sunbathing in companionable silence. One day a dark temple bursts through the floor of the lake, spreading deadly serpents through all the delta. The fisherwoman takes up her dead friend's shell, her skin paling to green, and steps into the temple with pikespear in hand.

Scaleskin
+1 natural AC, +1 Con, -1 Dex
The tortusen's skin turns green and hardens to scale. This new flesh will naturally resist acid, and abrasions, which is nice, but it's now a lot harder to touch one's toes.

Iron Lungs
Take however long you can hold your breathe and triple it. Maybe quadruple it. Look just don't ever really think about it again. Also you can now breathe out of your arsehole, if you have one. Did you know turtles could do that? It's written on tampon wrappers here in Australia, and I don't really care if it's true or not.

Swampwend
With concentration the tortusen can control water, albeit very slowly. The more time spent concentrating the more powerful the tides produced. This power can be used to drain lakes, break dams, call or keep away rain, though it requires much patience.



        Leosen
An aging hunter prowls the savannah. She has hunted in this land for 30 years, and knows the oldest animals on the plain as though they were family. A dragon awakes in the hill to the west, and its fire burns the veldt and dries the waterholes. The great lion Mufaran, who once ruled these lands, breathes his last in the hunter's hands. She takes his pelt, and her bow, and sets out to tame the fire.

Pride
+1 Cha, -1 Wis
The mane of the lion makes its wearer charming, but proud. People will react favourably to a leosen, and will follow them into battle merrily, but leosen do not always choose their battles wisely.

Death Bellow
The leosen's jaws open wider than they should be able to, and a booming roar pours out. Anything that should be scared of lions (read: pretty much everything) is terrified by this, and must save vs fear. If you've ever stared down a wild animal bigger than you, you are immune to this effect.

Queen's/King's Mantle
The hair of the leosen twists and knots, sprouting thickly from their neck and shoulders. This great, shaggy mane provides protection from the elements, and prevents vorpal weapons from striking true. You'll take it because it looks awesome, though.

So I hear you like cat people.....


        Ariessen
The witch's fingers grip tight to the mountain she has always called home. She climbs to find the ancient, snowbacked ram that once lorded atop the pinnacles, but she knows in her heart that it is too late. Plucking goblin arrows from the shaggy hide she sets her resolve. With sacred knots the ram's skull is tied to a staff of ornwood, and the quiet mage wanders forth, to explain the consequences of hunting in these mountains.

Pan's Countenance
+1 Con, -1 Cha
Twisted and always grinning, the chosen of the goat are seedy, sleazy and very hard to kill. People that do make positive reaction rolls will always be more inclined to fuck an ariessen.

Appetite of Apathy
Ariessen can eat anything without harm, and will gain some nutritional benefit from things they consume. The downside is an inescapable desire to chew stuff, which will be very unpleasant if an ariessen is held immobile while their teeth can still work on their lips.

Surefoot
Ariessen gain a +8 bonus to jump and balance checks,while their feet twist and toughen, slowly growing to resemble hooves. Particularly old ariessen can use these hooves as a natural weapon, doing 1d4 damage with a kick.


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