Nyaha's Various Ideas and Contemplations

(Edited out)

I really like this Mistron Ehrs! XD especially the back story and such! XD How she is arrogant and vain now but back when she was near death and saved by elves. Adds a level of complexity to someone rather than just making her vain and not have something in her past that contradicts it. The semi cult thing going on is intriguging as well and I would like to see more stuff about it fleshed out ^^ but I like religion stuff so I'm always curious about worship well thats my two cents!

(Edited out)

I'd been wondering if anybody had ideas for a porcupine-type creature in Felarya. The idea of using ones' own (disposable) body parts as true weapons to use or trade is interesting.

I'm curious as to how thick the hair-needles are: thin as human hair, or considerably thicker for rigidity? Do they also have barbs, as real porcupines do, or are the needles simply needles, and therefore relatively easy to remove? It seems giant preds would have to be resourceful and might make leather pads or gloves to wear on their hands if they wanted to add Shakala to their diet in any significant number.

Spoiler:

Yeah, they have a pretty solid defense under dry conditions.

Nyaha wrote:

I've finished talks with Karbo about the Yamarashi. We've agreed upon some changes, which I have reflected here. For those that have read this before, the changes are the name, the addition of fire as a (obvious) weakness to them, the fact of them being a subspecies of neko, the commonly-used name 'kowo neko' and the fact that most shakala find this name offensive, and the inclusion of metal in their weaponry.

Some of these seem like good additions that give them flavor (terms they find offensive) or make it so they're not unstoppable in any circumstances (fire). However, I question the reasoning for using metal weapons outside of needing to defend oneself in wet conditions. Could you explain this? Why should they be a subspecies of Neko? Is that so they already have an established template to work off of instead of being wholly original?

EDIT: Level Up! Zephyr102 is now a Roaming Thug

I questioned the neko thing myself. Let me find what Karbo said...

Karbo wrote:

I prefer them to be a species of nekos because it would add diversity to the species which is not that developed and also I prefer to flesh out existing species for now rather than add whole new ones when there is already a lot of them that are severely underused ^^;

To be honest, I'm not sure which side to take. On one hand, I'd love them to be more or less completely original, but at the same time I sympathize with Karbo not wanting to add another underused race, but on the other hand, I don't buy that nekos as a species aren't developed and diverse already, but on the other hand, like you were saying, Zeph, kowo-neko is a good nickname and their dislike of it gives them flavour. Arg! DX

They're thicker than human hair, but simply needles without barbs. Should I add this into the article or was that just for you?

As for the metal weapons, I thought it'd be fair to give them that much for hunting purposes and such, because stone seems a little overly primitive. Like they wouldn't be able to figure out how to make metals very carefully, or even just get metal weapons from other races.

One more new idea, and I'm kinda proud of this one, I think it's cool. Please comment!

Allonium Steelmeld
Very Rare

This is a metal alloy which exists between solid and liquid at all times. It is created through a very precise and difficult procedure involving the fusion of earth and water magic, and is therefore very hard to find, and expensive to make. Though useless in liquid form, by focusing one's mind, a person can force it into solid form and make it take the shape of whatever they desire it to, though it takes a great amount of concentration to do so, and breaking concentration will return it to its liquid state. Used as a weapon, it can be very useful in the hands of someone with a focused and flexible mind, though it would be difficult for most people to wield it in combat and focus on keeping it in form at the same time. Certain keys are also made out of this, often to be used by thieves, unfortunately. A weapon made out of allonium steelmeld would likely be ineffective for use against a psionic, though in the hands of one it can be extremely dangerous. One who does not have psionic powers would do well to locate a psierin gem in order to boost their concentration if they wish to wield one of these weapons with the greatest effectiveness.


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As always, any and all feedback and criticism will be considered and appreciated!

.........I want that metal ......I want that metal real bad! XD hahaha! Something I would want Saen to have if he ever become a true hero, and combat master! I blame you for making that RP that is 17 years in the future! XD just makes me think of all my characters becoming masters at what they do! XD hahaha

On a side note re-reading the Shakala again makes me really want to make a character of thay race! XD hahaha thats probably what I should have used for your RP! Xo doh I'm so dumb!

Thank you for the compliments and the comment. ^.^

It's not too late y'know. The RP hasn't nearly started yet.

True....hmmm only thing I'm worried about is the charater I have in mind wouldn't have as good as much chances to survive =o but I'll type them up and run them by you and see if they would work! XD

Another new idea! This one was very much inspired by hhhat09, so thanks go out to him for this idea. Please comment! ^_^

Dance Magic

Dance magic is exactly what it sounds like: magic performed through dance - actually a sub-type of rule-based magic. One who uses dance magic is able to evoke a wide variety of different magical effects, ranging from commanding natural elements to strengthening their allies through different bodily movements. In general, spells using dance magic involve rhythmic, repeating movements, with the effects occurring after the movements have been repeated so many times. However, some more powerful spells involve complicated dance routines, wherein the caster may need to endure two minutes straight of dancing, making sure to perform every step and movement perfectly lest they need to start over, or perhaps involve a dance necessitated to be done by more than two people performing the same movements completely in synch. Though music is not necessary to perform dance spells, a good beat may very well come in handy for the more complicated spells.



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As always, any feedback and criticism will be considered and very much appreciated. Please don't hesitate to comment!

The Shakala

The shakala are a race of humanoids that have very long, spiky hair. Due to seeming similar to nekos in that they are humanoids that bear the features of an animal, they have garnered the more commonly-known name "kowo-nekos", based off the Felaryan kowo cat. In general, many shakala find this name offensive and ignorant. The average adult shakala has full, thick, and spiky hair that reaches from their head down to their knees or lower. It is made of hard, durable hair-needles that can be used both offensively and defensively. Some shakala also have needle-y tails as well. Touching their hair, or trying to grab them and put them in one's mouth is ill-advised, as their sharp hair-needles will pierce and scratch up even a giant predator's flesh. They can roll up into a defensive ball if the need arises, or whip their hair around for a type of slashing attack. Some of them even boast the unique ability to fire their hair-needles as projectiles by using the muscles in their head to put pressure on their scalp. They can be weakened by water, however, as their hair-needles still retain liquid like human hair, meaning that if it gets wet, it becomes heavy, which, with the amount of hair the average shakala has, can really weigh them down, sometimes even to the point of total immobilization. It also makes their hair flat, too, making them harmless to the touch. This makes them very vulnerable during occurrences such as rainy days, or when they bathe - both of which are instances the shakala take very seriously. Fire is also a great hazard to the shakala; their hair is also flammable like human hair. A shakala's hair-needles grow faster the older they become, but they won't grow past a certain point, which is different for each individual. A full grown adult could theoretically regrow a full head of hair in two and a half days, give or take. Obviously, the shakala have a natural resistance to their own needles, developing tough and difficult to pierce skin, so that they don't hurt themselves or others of their own kind with them. Shakala are generally quite tall, generally reaching heights in excess of 6'5", the tallest one having measured at 8 feet even. Shakala are generally predatory by nature similar to nekos, and many eat tiny humanoid species when the opportunity to do so arises.

The shakala are a tribal people, wearing clothes made of animal hides and leather, armor pieces made of wood or stone, and often accessorizing with feathers and headdresses. They use weapons made of wood and carved stones, animal bones, and occasionally even painstakingly smithed steel blades for hunting and self-defense. For recreation and enjoyment, they play on drums made of hollow stumps and animal hide and wind instruments also made from wood and bones. They even often have various face painting or tattoos, which usually give insight into how the individual identifies his or her own personality. They do possess some unique types of weapons specific to their kind, such as a spear-type weapon, called a quill spear, made of a lock of shakala hair-needles tied together on a stick, which is able to make multiple lacerations at once. They are also make specialized bows with which individuals without the power to fire their needles can do so.

The shakala have three distinct, nomadic tribes spread across the known areas of Felarya. Each tribe is led by a chief, elected unanimously by proving his or her competence to the rest of the tribe and gaining their respect. The first tribe makes its home in the forests and jungles around the central, north-eastern, and southern areas of the main continent. The shakala of this tribe are known for having either brown or green-colored hair that allows them to blend into their surroundings. This tribe both hunts and gathers its food, eating meat, tinies, and plants. In general, they enjoy training their bodies through combat, among other things, and are aware of the fact that their hair-needle defense doesn't exempt them from their place on the food chain. The shakala of this tribe don't like to stay in one place for any extended amount of time, and thus live by moving from location to location around the areas mentioned above. Each time they move, they erect a layout of animal hide tarps suspended in the trees, on which they can relax, play, sleep, and use to keep out of the rain. A council of the chief, along with five individuals trusted by the tribe, is used to choose each migrating destination for the shakala as a whole. Their current chief is a benevolent woman known for her serene personality and rumored to have psionic abilities.

The second tribe makes its home on Shillapo Island. Their main aggressors are the many mermaids in the sea around it, as these shakala tend to frequent areas close to the water. The shakala refuse to make their home in Chioita City, preferring to be closer to the spirit of wilderness which is ingrained in their psyche. Not only do they hunt and gather from the tropical forest and mountainous region on the northern and eastern sides of the island, but they also are able to trade their unique weapons for money, which they then trade for food, among other things, in Chioita City. The shakala here don't have any use for permanent camouflage due to moving between fields, forest, and mountains, so hair colours generally range that of normal human hair colours, being black, brown, blonde, and even red. Many also dye their hair for fun. The island tribe's current chief is an energetic young man known for his love of mirth and jubilee, who apparently changes his hair coloring every eight days.

The third tribe makes it's home in Lamina, the mountainous region west of Akaptor Desert. The members of this tribe generally have blonde, or even straight white hair, which reflects the rays of the sun and allows them to survive easier in the heat. It is not unheard of for shakala of this tribe to have their hair pulled out before being consumed by one of the area's harsh predators. Thus, it should come as no surprise that these shakala are said to be the strongest and fiercest of the three. Similar to the other predators of the area, they generally prey on the various animals in the area, and won't hesitate to attack sapient adventurers and kill them for a meal as well. Because of the harsh terrain and brutal predators, the mountain shakala tend to come off as the most savage-seeming, with the forest shakala and then the island shakala taking second and third respectively. The mountain tribe's current chief is a downright warlike woman known for her brutality in any situation, however, it's said there is nothing she will not do if it's for the good of her people.

--Known Shakala

Kahina, the forest tribe chief

Terrence, the island tribe chief

Zakaria, the mountain tribe chief

Kinara

Circee

Minare (belongs to Saen_Kel)

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If you have trouble imagining them in your head, watch this video and skip to 0:35. The guy with the red hair, Calgara, is the character who inspired the idea in the first place. ^_^

Nyaha wrote:

Dance Magic

Dance magic is exactly what it sounds like: magic performed through dance - actually a sub-type of rule-based magic. One who uses dance magic is able to evoke a wide variety of different magical effects, ranging from commanding natural elements to strengthening their allies through different bodily movements. In general, spells using dance magic involve rhythmic, repeating movements, with the effects occurring after the movements have been repeated so many times. However, some more powerful spells involve complicated dance routines, wherein the caster may need to endure two minutes straight of dancing, making sure to perform every step and movement perfectly lest they need to start over, or perhaps involve a dance necessitated to be done by more than two people performing the same movements completely in synch. Though music is not necessary to perform dance spells, a good beat may very well come in handy for the more complicated spells.

I really like this idea, and I honestly see nothing wrong with it. Dance has been used as a source of magic in the past by different cultures, so I see no reason why it wouldn't be here in Felarya. The only downside I see in this is that it might be unreliable in the Felarian Wilderness, and it would be best used as a supporting magic source. If a Naga catches you off guard, you're not gonna have enough time to dance out a spell.

Still, it is an excellent idea to add. And I can certainly see it being used to create, say, protective barriers over small villages and such.

Kaheksa

The kaheksa is a variety of large flower that grows in the Dridder Forest. They grow naturally between the heights of two inches to fifty feet. Their stem, leaves, and petals are all white, much like the trees of the forest in which they grow. However, they have the distinction of having a black spot, or "eye", on each of their eight petals. What makes these plants strange is that they seem to turn and bend towards sources of movement. A number of adventurers have spoken of the experience of carefully minding their own business in Dridder Forest, only to suddenly find themselves being stared at by eight large eyes. This seems to be caused by their attraction to vibrations in the air and soil around them, the energy from which they use to accelerate their photosynthesis. Besides being very disconcerting, however, the plants themselves present no threat whatsoever. Danger can be near them, however, as some dridders have been known to attach strands of silk to these plants and wait for them to move, which allows them the chance to locate prey from afar. Some herbalists use kaheksa petals in concoctions said to improve vision, while alchemists use the plant for certain types of potions and spells.

It's a great idea ^^
original and that fits well in the zone. And I could imagine how unsettling it would be XP

Nyaha wrote:

Kaheksa

The kaheksa is a variety of large flower that grows in the Dridder Forest. They grow naturally between the heights of two inches to fifty feet. Their stem, leaves, and petals are all white, much like the trees of the forest in which they grow. However, they have the distinction of having a black spot, or "eye", on each of their eight petals. What makes these plants strange is that they seem to turn and bend towards sources of movement. A number of adventurers have spoken of the experience of carefully minding their own business in Dridder Forest, only to suddenly find themselves being stared at by eight large eyes. This seems to be caused by their attraction to vibrations in the air and soil around them, the energy from which they use to accelerate their photosynthesis. Besides being very disconcerting, however, the plants themselves present no threat whatsoever. Danger can be near them, however, as some dridders have been known to attach strands of silk to these plants and wait for them to move, which allows them the chance to locate prey from afar.

Wow! Why do these remind me of of those weird eye ball statues in the Legend of Zelda? The ones they always seemed follow your movement no mater which way you were facing? XD Seriously awesome idea. I think it'll help make the Dridder Forest even more creepy. As if that were possible. Though I have question if they aren't harmful has anyone tried to pick one and see if they are beneficial? At the least they might improve one's hand to eye coordination temporarily at most mabye they give one better eye sight if consumed in tea? Just saying most plants in Felarya that don't eat you seem to have some effect if used in Herbology.

Do you think I should add something like that to the idea or let other people come up with ideas like that on their own? O.o I don't want to get into my habit of being overly detailed.

(Edited out)

Nyaha wrote:

Do you think I should add something like that to the idea or let other people come up with ideas like that on their own? O.o I don't want to get into my habit of being overly detailed.

I think you should at least hint it can be made into something medicinal then let others decide on what that is? I think that'd leave some guidelines but leave it open to interpretation.

jedi-explorer wrote:

Nyaha wrote:

Do you think I should add something like that to the idea or let other people come up with ideas like that on their own? O.o I don't want to get into my habit of being overly detailed.

I think you should at least hint it can be made into something medicinal then let others decide on what that is? I think that'd leave some guidelines but leave it open to interpretation.

That seems like a good plan. I've done that now.

Uhrrp...

Nyaha, being caught in a lake doesn't sound like it's good for the mermaid, and having an elven city around it doesn't sound like it's good for the lake either.

I'm also somewhat hesitant to understand what kind of protection the mermaid's capable of providing. If the lake's big enough to live in, it's gotta be big enough to make her need some time to get to any point of its periferia. I don't know if this is important, but if she needs a mental connection with every chief in every cardinal point, the lake's probably too big for her to do anything else but be there for show: it sounds very unlikely the mermaid's going to be able to protect more than a tiny swath of the coast at a time, and even being a river mermaid won't help her case much against landbased threats. You might want to point out the elves can put up a bit of a fight on their own too.

Alternatively, having the city be placed in an inlet within the lake, or even be built in an island accesible by bridge, would help her be more effective (it'd be sort of a reverse Anko lol). Otherwise, the city ought to be as small as possible, unless you're aiming for a city all around the lake in the first place.

Any of that sounds like it could help?

You have brought up some very good points. I do like the idea about there being an island instead of the town being built around the lake, that's definitely something I'd like to consider. Also, she's not technically trapped in the lake at present day; she can leave if she needs to, of course, and there's always more fish and such being drawn in from the river. To be honest, I was influenced by the Jungle Bowl a little in this idea, but I wanted to put a different spin on it; the protector using the residents for occasional, if not regular, selfish gains.

To be honest, yes I was aiming for a city all around the lake, but after what you've pointed out, I don't see how that'd be as plausible as your suggestion of the island. Assuming that I haven't moved on from the idea already and don't care anymore, I'll give it some more thought and make an adjustment later.

Conducting

Conducting is a very obscure magic art, such because so few people can actually use it to its full extent. At its core, Conducting is using music to manipulate the movements of other people. The music created using the magic of Conducting can act as signals once it has entered the brain through being heard. At a high level, these musical signals can block the signals that a person’s brain produces to move their limbs, robbing them of their volition, and subsequently take the place of these signals in order to control a target’s body. However, the amount of focus, skill, and knowledge that is required to do so is immense, so much so that very few people find the time or motivation to pursue learning the craft. One of the problems with Conducting is that different musical signals are required for different steps of the process, and thus, the ability to play multiple instruments at once, whether by hand or using magic, is required. In order to do so properly, one must be able to think on multiple levels at once - something only so many people are able to do effectively. Added on to this is the fact that on must have knowledge of: their intended target’s biology in order to effectively manipulate them, how to play different musical instruments, how to properly influence the target’s brain signals to avoid things like stopping their breathing, heart pumping, removing subconscious inhibitors and causing the target to crush their own bones; and above all this, the mage must be able to focus well. However, one who has mastered Conducting can be quite a scary force to deal with.

Conducting, like all forms of magic, has its weaknesses as well. The main fact of the matter is that multiple instruments are needed to achieve the full effect. One instrument is likely enough to impede a target’s movements through blocking their brain signals; two can likely achieve full immobility, three can allow for limited control i.e. one limb at a time. Four or more instruments would be needed to achieve proper movement control. Another downside is the mental and physical strain Conducting causes; playing a song to control one person might only be sustainable for up to an hour, pending the mage’s abilities, and may only be consecutively used a maximum of two times before complete fatigue is reached. There is also the fact that deaf people will not be affected, as their brains will not register the musical signals in the first place. Sound frequencies can also pose a problem; instrument sounds that are on frequencies that certain species don’t pick up will not be able to send their signals to their brains, and thus, choice of instrument against certain targets needs to be considered. Mastery of Conducting can be worth it, though. There are a variety of ways to be creative with it, and it tends to be quite useful for spies, especially those that are able to control the direction in which their musical sound is carried.

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I've discussed this idea with a number of people. I think I've got a good amount of detail and invention without it being tl;dr for people. I'm always looking for more feedback, though, so if you have anything at all to say about it, whether it's just "good job"/"looks good", or a nice, in-depth critique!

I hate double-posting, not only because it is advised against here, but also because it kinda shows me that fewer people are interested in commenting on my ideas and giving feedback than I'd like, but that's really here nor there. I got some feedback from Asaenvolk which was very nice and I am grateful for it. Sadly, I seem to have misplaced Mistron Ehrs' bio. I ultimately decided upon being too lazy and unable to remember the details to type it all up again, and have worked her back into the article here. I apparently neglected to mention how she defends the village despite being a mermaid, which I think may have confused some people in the absence of her bio.
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The Lake of Mistron Ehrs

The Lake of Mistron Ehrs is an elven community built around a sizeable lake not located on any currently know map of Felarya, in the northern region of Oloonde Lakeland. The lake is best known for being inhabited by a giant mermaid by the name of Mistron Ehrs, thus the lake’s name. Supposedly, the community first began almost 200 years ago when the mermaid was saved by a group of elven adventurers after she became trapped in the lake due to a vanishing land cutting off the lake's source of water.

The community encompasses the entire lake, comprised mostly of numerous buildings reaching two or three floors off the ground. There are shops, inns, tailors, brothels - it is a completely self-sufficient community. There are also a number of statues commemorating the heroes who saved Mistron Ehrs, made of stone, all around the village; in the area at the southern bank of the lake, there is a statue situated where the heroes were said to have first laid eyes on the dying Ehrs. It features their leader along with his six teammates. It was 42 years ago that the group set out into the wilderness to continue the exploration that they started so long ago. Nobody in the village knows their current whereabouts, not even Lady Mistron.

Due to the luck she experienced in her rescue by the elves, Mistron Ehrs is seen as a figure representing positive karmic energies by a number of people, whether or not they are living in the village. Adventurers may occasionally make the trek out to the lake in pursuit of a blessing of good luck from Lady Mistron herself. The elves, mainly the four chiefs presiding over the southwest, northwest, northeast and southeast regions of the village, which share strong telepathic links with Mistron Ehrs, judge those looking for Mistron Ehrs’ blessing by spending time with them to see if they’re simply good-natured people. Those who the elves deem unworthy, as well as any criminals caught disrupting the peace in the village, be they residents or travelers, are sometimes fed as sacrifices to Lady Mistron. She also demands a sacrifice of an elf volunteer every month or two, claiming that she will be able to better protect the village with the help of their spirit (though this is actually a lie - she simply feels that her saviors wouldn't mind letting her have a small reward for doing such a good job protecting their descendants). Sometimes the individual is very willing, other times, they are elected by their peers against their will. Any elf sacrifices are given pain-numbing herbs to make the ordeal less painful for them, though Ehrs often encourages them to 'keep busy' inside her (to make it more enjoyable for herself, of course).

Mistron Ehrs is proficient in light-based magic, which is what she uses to defend the lake. One of her main spells, known as Piercing Light, allows her to fire large arrows of light that are able to inflict pain on targets without causing any actual physical damage. She also is able to use a spell known as Sunblight, which creates a rather flashy spectacle during preparation that most of the village's elves are able to recognize. After the elves shield themselves from the spell (some occasionally will get caught by it anyway), it will loose a blinding light over the entire village, causing a prolonged but temporary blindness to anyone and anything that sees it. She does have other spells at her disposal in addition to those. Her methods as a light mage often involve persuading threats to leave without causing any permanent harm to them. Due to her protection, the elves that are born in the village are not generally as proficient in magic or combat as other kinds of elves tend to be, and many (not all) tend to rely on Ehrs perhaps too greatly for their own good, but that does not mean they are completely defenseless on their own. If needed by their guardian, they may rally together to drive off threats with their combined might.

The elves living in the lakeside community are somewhat at odds with the Kadyns elves living at the Lake of Souls, who claim that Mistron Ehrs creates falsehoods for self-gain and that the elves and those who travel to the lake are worshippers of a false god. The two sides don't fight physically over the disagreement for the most part; verbal squabbles are much more common. This peaceable quarrel is able to be due to the fact that the residents of the Lake of Mistron Ehrs don't actually worship her or any god which she may claim to represent, they simply help her keep happy in return for the many years of protection she has given them. That isn't to say that many of the elves know of Mistron Ehrs false claims, however...

Devil's Mari

An edible fruit that grows exclusively in Evernight Forest, usually on trees. They are alike in appearance and feel to black mari (balls used in the sport of kemari, hence the name), ranging 10 centimeters to 5 meters in diameter, which, when touched by a living creature, drain their physical energy and use it to expedite ripening, becoming juicier and their taste more intense. This makes them extremely dangerous to handle, as anything more than a minute spent in contact with one would typically be enough to put a human in a coma of exhaustion. In order to handle safely, one would need special protective wear, especially on the hands, magically enchanted to prevent one's energy from being sucked out. When handled properly, they are edible (their skin is tough, and they have a taste best described as a mix of sweet and spicy), as bitten-off pieces of the fruit will begin to die, preventing them from sapping one's life, although a person would usually still feel a little tired after eating. An interesting property they possess is how they react to sunlight; when it shines on them, they begin to spontaneously 'cook', and rather quickly. This not only removes their energy-sapping properties, but also makes them softer to chew and less spicy-tasting. Overexposure will cause burning, however, and eventually turn them into nothing more than black dust.

Oh-ho! Fruit that wants to drain you! I like that one, Nyaha! Though... well, fruits, once plucked, can't really grow. Maybe you could make it ripen instead when it's handled, getting juicier and sweeter as you grow deader?