Monday, November 26, 2012

The Nautiloids On Kepler 22-B

"The Nautiloids" by SaraRichard

The Nautiloids are an intelligent, tool-using marine race on Kepler 22-B. But they are not native to this world. Deft, agile, subtle, the Nautiloids have learned how to slip directly from one world to another without using spacecraft. They seek out habitats that are rich in life and explore ancient places there, gathering knowledge and technology.

The Nautiloids don't sell what they acquire, and they don't share what they learn. They colonize worlds that promise the prospect of long-term benefit for their species, but always move part of their colony population onward in search of new worlds. They believe migration and colonization are the greatest forms of wealth and leverage.

Nautiloids are highly social, live in large groups, and communicate with each other by means of subtle changes in coloration as well as by means of chemical messengers delivered tentacle-to-mouth. They feed on shellfish and other small sea creatures, and work together to harvest these creatures. They have learned how to modify their environment in order to escape predation by the numerous hostile and hard-bodied life forms of Kepler 22-B's seas - creatures both large and small. But moving in open waters always involves risk.

The Nautiloids can escape pursuing predators by releasing ink jets that obscure their immediate environment. Alternatively, they can bio-synthesize a variety of other chemicals including toxins and hallucinogens that can then be released through their water jet organ.

Nautiloids also use Enigma Boxes to create or gain access to high technology weapons, biological robots, and quick-hardening coral foam. Their connection to these artifacts underscores the Nautiloids' own alien origin, but its uncertain whether these devices came with the Nautiloids or are just another of their acquisitions.

http://dcfossils.org/index.php/gallery4/


OGL MECHANICS

NAUTILOIDS

SKILLS:
  • Super (+5): Culture/Tech 
  • Great (+4): Agility (Cloud Attack), Slug Throwers (Jabbari fish*) 
  • Good (+3): Alertness, Energy Weapons (combat), Science
  • Decent (+2):  Craft: Toxins, Navigation (space), Resolve, Survival (Oceans)
  • Average (+1): Computers (space), Craft (shape coral foam), Medical, Repair, Stealth

STRESS TRACKS: Health 3, Composure 4

STUNTS:
  • Cloud Weapon: Either release a cloud of ink to immediately move two zones away from attackers, OR place a taggable Aspect of Poisoned or Drugged on any non-Nautiloid in the same zone (+2 stress to any attack as with Diaspora poison rules, p. 113).
  • Access Engima: Spend 1 FP to use an Enigma Box to access information, produce coral foam, create Jabbari fish, or exude a beam weapon.

ASPECTS:
  • Migratory tech scavengers 
  • Machines can't keep their secrets from us
  • Swim between worlds

NOTES:
*Handle as a Throwing Knife (poisoned).

4 comments:

  1. You've managed to make them accessible and still fairly high concept, and based on what we know - or think we know - and what we don't, there's a lot to play with.

    If you're going to explore the way they cross large distances, and go with a more tangible form, you might find some inspiration in the impressive images near the bottom of this page:

    http://www.warseer.com/forums/showthread.php?310909-Tyranids-How-to-Make-Them

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  2. @Porky: Hehe, excuse my 40K ignorance. Those are fun images.

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  3. It's no ignorance for sure - a lot of 40K feels tired and lazy to me these days, but there have been some gems down the years.

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  4. These beasties really capture a Stapledonian vibe quite well. I am intrigued by these 'Enigma Boxes.' Fun stuff!

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