A Prentice's Origin: Avluela

It's no secret that I really enjoyed Robert Silverberg's Nightwings. Lots of evocative imagery, and to celebrate another reading through, I present a race that pays more than a little homage to the Flyers.

Avluela

Slender, fragile humanoids, the Avluela were created ages ago. The end result of a vain cabal of sorcerers seeking to perfect the human form, the Avluela possess the power of flight. Both sexes are slender, standing some four and a half feet tall, while possessing little body fat. Upon their shoulders, delicate wings rest, withering and folding into hard nodules when not in use.

Hit Dice: 1d4
Restrictions: Avluela must have a Charisma of 10 or higher
Class Restrictions: Avluela may be Thieves or (if available) Bards.
Night Wings: The Avluela are capable of flight. However, breath of the living sun buffets the world by day, creating winds that, while undetectable to mortal folk, wreak havoc on the wings of the Avluela. Avluela attempting dayflight are buffeted cruelly, cast about before being dashed to the earth. When taking flight after the setting of the sun, the Avluela are agile, freespirited and beautiful in flight.  While airborne, the Avluela flit about at a rate of 50 per round.

 

Flying Solo: The Quiet Year

So I recently came into possession of a copy of The Quiet Year and got the chance to sit down and play it solo. While I'm not entirely sure I did everything right, I had a lot of fun playing. 

Read on after the jump to see how it went.

A Prentice's Gear: Weapons of Dark Water

Dart Pistol
Rnage: As Dagger

These easily-concealed hand crossbows fire wickedly barbed, three-pronged darts. Often dipped in poison, even the mundane darts are a nuisance at best, remaining stuck in the target until removed. Removing a dart deals 1 point of damage.



Dreamlizard Pistol

This delicate weapon makes use of a live Glazier, or Dreamlizard, for its ammunition. When the trigger is pulled, a metal belt squeezes the lizard, causing it to belch out a cloud of noxious gas. The gas fills a diameter 10 space in front of the pistol. Victims caught in the gas must save vs poison or lose consciousness for 2 turns. While effective, the lizard within the pistol must be regularly cared for, allowed to rest and eat between uses. If neglected or used improperly, there is a 1 in 6 chance the lizard dies. This increases by 1 for each time the weapon is used  beyond the first between rests.

Eel Prod

A tube of water filled coral is fitted to the end of this spear, and from its end the head of a Thunder Eel protrudes.  This strange creature, when used to attack, produces a paralyzing electric shock. The victim of such an attack must make a successful save vs petrification or be rendered dazed and helpless for the rest of the round.

Sucker Whip

The Vampire Squid is a dangerous creature, its tendrils lined with several hollow quills that, upon grappling with a living creature, begin to drain the very life from it. More disturbing still, when separated from the host, the tentacles will live indefinitely, so long as they are regularly fed. The Sucker Whip consists of one such tentacle, its base housed in a narrow shell handle. Capable of reaching targets up to 8' from the wielder, on a successful hit the target is grappled, requiring a check of 3D6 versus the target's strength to break free. For every round held in the Sucker Whip's grasp, the target takes a point of damage.  The whip has an AC of 8 and 2 hit points, and can be severed with a successful attack, rendering the weapon useless.

A Prentice's Aspiration: Ecomancer

Ecomancer

Prime Requisite: Wisdom
Hit Dice: 1D4
Restrictions: Ecomancers can wear cloth or eelhide (Leather) armor. They can wield Daggers, dart guns, and dreamlizard pistols.

Spells: Ecomancers tap into the life force of Mer itself, channeling that energy to amazing effect. Such power comes at a cost, however. Ecomancers begin play with a pool of Ecomantic Energy equal to their Constitution score. At every level thereafter, the pool increases by 1d4 points. When casting a spell, the Ecomancer rolls to determine the drain on their ecomantic pool. Any costi n excess of the pool's total results in direct hit point damage.

Due to the destruction of the Ecomantic College of Andorus, those born with Ecomantic gifts express their gifts in unusual ways.  At first level, an Ecomancer knows 1d6 spells, rolled on the table below. At each level thereafter, the Ecomancer must seek out lost lore or other Ecomancers to expand their repertoire.

Title	Level	XP
Fledgling	1	1
Elder	2	2,501
Warden	3	5,001

1-2           Spells Costing 1d4 Ecomantic Energy

1.     Charm Person
2.     Cure Light Wounds
3.     Dancing Lights
4.     Daze
5.     Detect Magic 
6.     Detect Poison
7.     Know Direction
8.     Light
9.     Magic Missile
10.     Mending
11.     Purify Food and Drink
12.     Sleep

3.           Spells Costing 1d6 Ecomantic Energy

1.     Detect Invisibility
2.     Detect Thoughts
3.     Invisibility
4.     Knock
5.     Levitate
6.     Locate Object
7.     Magic Mouth
8.     Mirror Image
9.     Phantasmal Force
10.     Pyrotechnics
11.     Speak with Animals
12.     Web

4.           Spells Costing 1d8 Ecomantic Energy

1.     Clairaudience
2.     Clairvoyance
3.     Cure (Cause Disease)
4.     Darkvision
5.     Haste
6.     Hold Person,
7.     Lightning Bolt,
8.     Slow,
9.     Suggestion,
10.     Water Breathing

5.           Spells Costing1d12 Ecomantic Energy

1.     Charm Monster
2.     Confusion
3.     Cure (Cause Wounds)
4.     Fear
5.     Hallucinatory Terrain
6.     Ice Storm
7.     Massmorph
8.     Plant Growth
9.     Speak with Plants
10.     Wall of Fire
11.     Wall of Ice
12.     Wizard Eye

6.           Spells Costing 1d20 Ecomantic Energy

1.     Animal Growth
2.     Cloudkill
3.     Control Weather
4.     Hold Monster
5.     Magic Jar
6.     Move Earth
7.     Move Water
8.     Passwall
9.     Project Image
10.     Rock to Mud
11.     Telekinesis
12.     Wall of Stone