Found this quest recently and decided to author up an act for it. Hope you guys like it.
[] Write the Book of Horrors, telling of all of the horrors of the world. [Lesser Act]
Somewhere, in the void, a maker looks upon all that has occurred. The wonders and joys, the creatures big and small.
And they look at the horrors.
Some were mere results of circumstance and misfortune. Such as the Goliath Bird, or the terrible warped Deep Algal 'Abominations' resulting from improper shaping. Some might even see Ardent Algals as to be feared. There was the somewhat unexpected ruthlessness of the White Ants, and their Queens.
But then there were the ones that they themselves had wrought.
The Outer Gods. Weakened they may be now, they still could pose quite a threat if the Void-Huntress were not constantly seeking them out.
The Tyrant of Gold. That consuming territorial monster. Although thankfully for the mortals of the world, it stuck to its mountain throne.
The Orgres. Hidden in plain sight, just until they begin their cannibalistic feast.
The Yamas. To fall to them is to be denied the spirit's rest in the Unseen.
There were others, too. More subtle ones that had yet to truly appear.
The Volcanic Turtle Vixith, sooner or later it would blow, and burn the land asunder.
The Winged Lizard of Potential. Someday it would begin a terrible feast, would it not?
There was the plans and acts of the other makers, wishing to bring new horrors to accompany the rest. They would likely succeed in such.
Well. If it is to be an age of horrors, so be it. But they would be known.
And so the maker began to write.
This is just information, right? A Demi-Act would be enough.
[ ] Create the Tyrant's Legion (Lesser Act): With a tremor of the earth, great forms rise to stand above the surface, indistinct in form for only an instant before assuming one that can be recognized, though standing head and shoulders above any living specimen. Clay is their flesh, and bronze is their skin. The nearby trees shape themselves into impossibly sharp weaponry, oozing with agonizing toxins, and as one they begin their march. The Tyrant's Legion is created to be a tool of the infamous alone; their only purpose is to find the single most feared being upon Creation, and serve them unquestioningly, taking up the shape of each new master's species. Yet, the Legion is terribly capricious in its obedience; their previous master need not have died for them to take a new shape and march to the service of a different menace, only to no longer be the most feared upon the world. Their metal skins do not rust, their wooden armaments do not rot. Their flesh of clay joins together and reshapes itself to mend any damage. Yet, they have no aid to their march, save an instinctive knowledge of where their newest overlord can be found, and until commanded by them will march heedless of the world around them, crossing the oceans by walking along the seabed.
Would this qualify for the Act bonus,
@Photomajig?
It's a bit borderline, but I think I'll deem it fitting enough for the bonus. It'd certainly scare me to know such a thing existed!
What act tier would this get?
From the sound of it - many powerful armies - definitely Grand Act.
[] With a Heart
The World-Sea may with a price of blood and their direct attention, strengthen their currents temporarily, fracture themselves unto new bodies of water, or lastly, to unite themselves for a time. They are limited by effect, time, and blood, with greater feats being matched with a price of time not being able to do such a feat and the price much higher than smaller acts.
Is this Demi or Lesser in power though? Edit: Hopefully enough of a limitation and scope.
Lesser seems appropriate.
@Photomajig
Would creating a being able to know what the Historian is recording be a lesser or a demi-act?
If that's their only power, you can probably get away with a Demi.
@Photomajig does this qualify for the epoch bonus? It's intent is destructive and horrible in nature but the horror is not exactly guaranteed.
Hmm. I'm inclined to say no, as horror is not its primary intent or effect. I okayed the Tyrant's Legion Act because I felt like knowing of their existence would be a cause of fear for the peoples of the world, whereas this is something secretive and one-time thar they won't necessarily even learn of. The Act doesn't in itself cause fear. I do like the Act and hope it passes.
I think we've already got an equivalent to that, which is what the mountain Myridna use to arm their elites. Can't remember the name, holystone maybe?
Holystone is in very limited supply carefully hoarded by the royal family. It was only created as one deposit and is not naturally occurring.
@Photomajig could I have a difficulty estimate for this? And would it count for the Era bonus?
Sounds Lesser, but I'm not sure you can just pluck those minds out of the Mantle with just a Lesser Act, since they are pretty core parts of it as I understand. Maybe it should be open to the dreams of all the Outer Gods wherever they are, instead?
This could get the theme bonus, though it is a bit passive for it since you have to make the choice of using it and withstanding the dreams. Maybe it could give nightmarish glimpses of its visions into the dreams of those in nearby areas or something?
@Photomajig
What level act is this?
Released upon the first world is the Great Mutagen, a disease both spiritual and physical. Built upon the principles of the Law of Evolution it actively mutates the organisms infected with it with changes commensurate with thousands of generations of gradual evolution often in a way that is often monstrous in nature. It stimulates the production of vigor to obscene amounts in subjects infected, making them ever greater physical powerhouses.
Yet the downside it holds in animalistic frenzy. Those infected by the disease become monsters in truth, driven to lash out and act on their instincts, regardless of intelligence, during the course of the mutagen's work. Their bodies exude the mutagen to infect all other local life forms.
What makes it worse is that it resists any and all magics rooted in the law of Evolution to change it. Shaping will not curb or stop the mutagen's work.
The only saving grace is the mutagen only remains active for a few weeks before it devours itself within the host taking with it the frenzy state that it induced and the infectivity, but leaving behind a hyper evolved monster.
----
A super plague that creates crazed monsters fits for the Age of Horror.
I love it. This is kinda on the border of Lesser and Grand. The potential to create tons of crazy new monsters pushes it over to Grand, I think.
There are also very few animals on the Second Planet. Dragons and krokorekians have only fish to hunt/domesticate.
The Cultivars are gradually seeding the Planet with more complex life (and there is natural exchange sometimes through the Cosmic Paths). Birds are starting to appear now, for example. That doesn't mean you shouldn't create life, just a clarification!
[] Strip Nehu of The Might of the OutSlayer (Lesser Act)
Since this essentially undoes a Grand Act, it would be a Grand Act too.
Dive too deep into the ocean and you end up in a new dimension with no way out, slowly being driven insane or something.... huh. Might have to do something with that. We could go full on twlight zone on it!
This evoked some kind of primordial fear from me, so you should definitely do it.
Authored Act:
[X] Create the Hound artifact (Demi-Act)
Your last Demi-Act should already been ruled a Lesser Act but I didn't do so in time. You might have noticed I toned down its powers a bit. This is definitely a Lesser Act too. Things like total invulnerability to magic on its own are generally beyond Demis, and this is packing a lot of powers.
Authored acts:
[X] Create the Fleshwarpers (Grand act/Lesser act?)
Love it. The Cultivars were a Grand Act, so a race of equal numbers and power should require a Grand Act too.
@Photomajig, should it be a Grand Act instead of a Lesser one, even though I'm not creating a ton at once?
I think this is fine as Lesser. They have the potential of becoming a more numerous race, but only with time and good luck, so Lesser is enough.
I deeply dislike everything they are giving to the orc
so
@Photomajig an act to kill him at that, what level would it have to be?
but would it be considered countering?
to this
[] whisper to asker and embla everything that the evil makers have given to the orc... with the remaining power empower them as much as possible
Whispering to/empowering Askr and Embla is not a direct counter and would pass normally. Smiting it with lightning would be opposed by the Act that makes it immune to harm from beings as strong as it or stronger, so you'd need to get more Votes than it.
@Photomajig I never got an answer to my question; does the Tyrant's Legion qualify for the Epoch's bonus?
Maybe try a little patience. I can't be here to answer questions 24/7. Your answer is above.
I know Finnish is a tough language, but it's not so scary that you need to switch to it for the Age of Horror!