Deep thought Friday

Resolving line of sight through areas like forest is a challenge in tabletop gaming. Trees? Or wood?

Heard of mycorrhizas? Turns out most plants are bonded at their root with a fungus, symbiotically. The fungus sends minerals up from the earth; the leaves send sugars down. Can these be divided?

We thought a tree was a tree - now we know it's more. But we still say 'tree', as if it's one, alone. How much interconnection does language hide..?
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The Orkosystem (2) - Spotta Squigs

Here at last, thanks largely to C'nor's reminders, is the second entry in the Orkosystem series, the Spotta Squig. The first, the Snotling Sabbatur, can be found at Roll With It.

The Orkosystem is an occasional series of unofficial homebrew upgrades created for the Orks in Warhammer 40,000. It focuses on the smaller elements in the Orks' ecosystem like snotlings, squigs and fungi, offering possible new kinds for gaming and modelling. It also hopes to encourage Ork players to experiment with units they might not otherwise. 


Spotta Squigs

The smaller Orkanisms come in all shapes and sizes, with new varieties appearing over time as the needs of a given society change. One of the later developing is the Spotta Squig, which seems to arrive when Orky ranged weaponry reaches a given complexity.

Hello, little beastie... - Living table (1) - Entries 51-70

A few more entries for the Small Creatures table here at the Expanse and over at DM Muse. They're ideas for small creatures in gaming and writing, non-system-specific.

There are 20 more, making 70 in total. Again, rolling a D70 isn't practical, but DM Muse can do the random bit. Remember, this is a living table, meaning you can add to it.

1. As a defence, this creature expands to immense size; if an attempt is made at capture or harm, it will deflate, releasing a cloud of noxious gas.
2. This elongated creature is slow-moving and muscular, and will attempt to constrict a nearby organism if ignored.
3. This creature is magnetic and exerts a strong pull on metal items.
4. As a defence, this creature produces a flash of light through its outer tissues.
5. This creature is able to focus any light falling on its body, and will defend itself by unleashing a blast of as much heat as it can muster by this means.
6. This creature has a terrifying appearance likely to cause shock upon discovery.
7. This ornately-horned or tusked creature attempts to gore any perceived threats.
8. This creature has a fungal biology and will release spores upon discovery; these will produce rapidly-maturing offspring in clothing and among possessions at a later date, at which point roll again on this table for the nature they exhibit.
9. This creature secretes a lubrication making it extremely difficult to grip.
10. This multipedal creature will respond to danger by fixing itself to the ground with its sharp claws.
11. This telepathic creature will attempt to plant suggestions in the minds of nearby organisms, encouraging its support and protection.
12. This insubstantial creature will attempt to possess the body of a nearby organism, and will be difficult to evict once in.
13. This creature is covered in a great mass of silken hair, which it will shed and attempt to abandon unnoticed; if pursued, roll again on this table, treating the same result as no additional effect.
14. This creature has the ability to pass through solid materials; if approached, it will do so, leaving an opening icy to the touch.
15. This flying creature catapults away when discovered to circle or hover far overhead, remaining there for some time, a sign for all able to read it.
16. This creature is in fact mechanical, a collection of highly advanced technologies; if approached, roll twice more on this table to determine its immediately notable systems.
17. This shapeshifting creature is able to mimic the appearance of other organisms, even those of greatly differing size, and defends itself by duplicating a threat.
18. As a defence, this creature will break itself down into increasingly small component organisms which scatter in every direction.
19. This creature is in fact a vehicle for another; if approached, roll again on this table, treating the same result as immediate emergence; upon emergence, also brought about through the death of the vehicle or attempts at friendly communication, roll once again to determine the nature of the pilot.
20. This highly-intelligent creature controls a network of other creatures spanning a vast area; if threatened, it will call upon them, at which point roll again on this table for each new arrival to determine its nature.

I've fed them in at DM Muse, but it may take a little while for them to appear. If you want to add your own ideas, or even a completely new table, go right ahead.

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The Orkosystem (1) - Snotling Sabbaturz

That's right, the Orkosystem...

The first of a fortnightly series is up now at Roll With It now, supplementary rules ideas for games of Warhammer 40,000, a contribution to the potential 40K OSR.

Each instalment will be a small, imagined facet of the Ork spore-spread ecosystem.

This week it's the dangerous Snotling Sabbaturz...
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