tl;dr: how to differentiate inhabitants of the plane of Neutral Law.
From prep for the first of the Splinters of Hope planar scavenger hunt campaign one-shots these thoughts on how to run the inhabitants of Mechanus. Three major groups live in Mechanus - how should one differentiate between them?
1. Modrons - at a low level, they act like the tin-toy versions of the Borg - unless you are in their 'task' you will be worked around and ignored. Once their focus comes upon you then the lower levels will initially come at you ineffectually but tactics will evolve as they adapt - killing some of them at range will lead to the next bunch advancing under shield wall, etc.
The higher level Modrons are going to act like stuffy vulcans 'that would be illogical' type stuff. They can be conversed with but are still operating under a completely different logic paradigm and a rule book that is completely alien. They are going to talk about being entirely logical and then come to conclusions that are bizarre. The underlying patterns they are working to are ineffable to most non-modrons to the point they can appear chaotic.
2. Inevitables - these things are bad news with attitudes ranging from Judge Dredd to a 40k Space Marine - "purge the heretic", "you have been judged and the sentence is death". Totally task focused and viewing violence as the first option. In their view, by the time they have been sent to deal with a thing, it is already long past the point of discussion. At best you are going to run into these things while they are focused on something else. Next best, they are going to turn up to engage whatever was attacking you and you can flee in confusion.
3. Formians - ant centaurs - not a complete hive mind in that individual Formians have their own sentience but they are going to be completely focused on their group activity. Ant hives provide the model for this - constructing great structures, executing incredible feats of cooperation like living bridges or waging total, scouring warfare. Formians claim everything for their queens, a colonising wave, claiming and carrying off everything, including you, for service to their hive and its ruler.
Others native creatures to be encountered:
4. Myconids - more passive, completely assured in the long term inevitability of all things coming their way and their place in the cycle. Myconids are likely to be the easiest to talk with but the hardest to rouse to any action.
5. Mognois - 2D math spirits that calculate the workings of the gears for the Modrons, resenting this distraction from their urge to calculate Pi. Muttering experts.
6. Gear Spirits - shackled to the gears by the Modrons, charged with keeping the cogs turning smoothly. Gear spirits are cranky watch-folk, lawful but annoyed at being press-ganged by the Modrons. For them Law is lived through action, they are deeply irritated by all these others infesting Mechanus who talk and talk and talk...
Mortals may also be encountered - these are for mortals who have made their way to their gods realm or planars born there. For petitioners, those who have already died and ended up in their gods realm, assume a similar attitude with a greatly reduced grip on time as they are one with eternity now.
7. Guvnors - mortals, focused on discovering all the hidden laws of the multiverse and then exploiting the loopholes in those laws to gain personal power. Attitudes like political or corporate climbers - they may or may not be nice to you depending on whether you are useful to them or in their way. They will act hide-bound and rules-governed in a way outsiders would expect the modrons to.
8. Mathematicians - mortals, certains that there is a perfect equation that if mastered will allow them to solve the multiverse. Individual motives and attitudes can vary but generally difficult to interest in the minutae of actually people living actual lives. The rules of the multiverse, as perceivable in the perfect order of Mechanus are just so much more fascinating and important.
9. Erathis - faithful of the god of invention, social order. These are likely to be people you can trade news with for assistance. Their focus is to work together since community and order are always stronger than individuals. They set up way-stations and inns to aid travellers and make the inhospitable reaches of cogs navigable to allow new ideas and inventions and news of new lands to circulate. They are likely to be helpful and interested in news.
10. Ptah - followers of the Opener of the Way - marked by their black vestments adorned with glittering white stars and shaved heads. They emulate their deity by exercising their god-given creativity in arts or crafts, traveling widely, and striving to maintain order. Very likely to assist a traveller getting to where they are going, not so interested in helping them do things once they get there.
11. Janus - god of beginnings, gates and doors. Also referred to as the god of change, transition and progress. Doors, opened and closed to mark beginnings and ends. Followers will be quite 'on the one hand, on the other hand'. Best engaged by seeking to explore all that is known about a thing rather than come to any certain conclusion.
12. Lendor - Suel god of Time, Tedium, Patience, and Study. They have a ritual for everything, formalities will be very drawn out and they will be extremely wary of doing anything that might disrupt the balance of law. You may get an answer out of them but only after a long, long wait.
Amidst all this one can find Sages - a wild card, can be anything - studying one of many aspects of the gears of Mechanus.
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