Monsters

Monsters are creatures — of whatever kind — with innate elemental abilities, ultimately born of a chance exposure to pure aura. Collectively, monsters span a wide range of characteristics and features, from creatures only a little out of the ordinary all the way up to unholy scourges entirely unlike anything else in the world. Monsters are collectively feared and hated, although some few may only be tarred by association with their more dangerous cousins; monsters are also the readiest source of aura crystals, and even the least harmful are hunted for that reason.

Classifications

see also Monster List

With the vast diversity of their origins and features, monsters are difficult to classify based on natures and traits. Rather, the easiest — and thus most common — means for categorizing monsters is based on the magic they possess: how many elements and how powerful their effects. Coincidentally, having more magic seems to correlate with greater deviation from mundane species; it also serves as a good guideline for the monster's threat potential, although not necessarily the likelihood of it doing harm. This scheme remains a subject of much argument among natural philosophers, with new methods proposed (and discarded) on a frequent basis.

Aberration

Monsters in this category are essentially only one step away from their mundane progenitor, and in the vast majority of cases behave much the same: preferring the same environments, eating the same things, following the same lifecycle. They are not noted for particular intelligence, but rather are characterized by drives and instincts. Their magic is always weak and limited to a single elemental effect that is either integral to the monster (e.g. stone armor, burning fur) or short-ranged and limited to one target at a time. As monsters go, Aberrations are the most common by far, though there might be only one for every hundred of their mundane counterparts, and also the easiest for even ordinary hunters to deal with.

Note: Players may self-mod encounters with Aberrations within reason.

Monstrosity

A Monstrosity is more removed from its mundane progenitor, but its ancestry remains at least somewhat recognizable in its characteristics. Often, monsters in this category have considerably reshaped bodies; they may have developed traits outside their mundane heritage (e.g. feathers, scales on a mammalian monster), and often shift towards carnivory if they were not so already. Monstrosities are likely to be intelligent; problem solving, tool use, and a theory of mind are common characteristics, and more social species may exhibit intelligence on par with humans. Their innate magic always features one strong element and may include a second weaker element; effects are again either integral or short-ranged.

Note: Players may self-mod encounters with Monstrosities provided a Storyteller has approved the plot in advance.

Horror

Note: Horrors are restricted concepts limited to Senior Storytellers and above.

Abomination

Note: Abominations are restricted concepts limited to Senior Storytellers and above.

Elemental Abilities

overview

Earth

  • induce paralysis
  • body parts made of an earth material
  • body parts made of exposed bone
  • spontaneous creation of an earth material
  • psychokinesis of an earth material
  • enhanced strength or endurance
  • slow regeneration

Air

  • spontaneous generation of electric current
  • psychokinesis of electric current
  • psychokinesis of air
  • induction of thunderstorms
  • sensitivity to or suppression of scents
  • unusually lightweight
  • enhanced agility (action speed, balance, coordination)
  • immunity to drowning / no need to breathe

Fire

  • body parts extremely hot or made of fire
  • spontaneous generation of fire/heat
  • spontaneous generation of light
  • ability to bend light (invisibility)
  • rapid growth
  • immunity to cold/heat
  • enhanced light perception (night, infrared, UV, 360-degree)
  • induction of arid environment (clear skies, drought, dry soil)

Water

  • body parts extremely cold or made of water/ice
  • spontaneous generation of water/ice
  • psychokinesis of water/ice
  • protean (able to reshape part/all of self)
  • immunity to bleeding (no blood loss, continually replenishes)
  • immunity to drowning / water-breathing without gills
  • induction of wet environment (rainstorms, mudholes/pools)
  • induction of cold environment (snow/ice)

Space

  • psychokinesis of any object
  • levitation or flight without wings
  • translocation of self (teleportation)
  • multiple instances of self (one being, multiple locations)
  • unusually heavy/dense
  • enhanced speed (movement across distance)
  • awareness of surroundings (independent of senses)

Time

  • accelerate entropy, erosion, decay
  • aggravate injuries and other conditions
  • slow or stop time in limited area
  • enhanced speed of thought; precise actions, rapid reactions
  • metamorphosis, multiple diverse stages
  • immunity to aging / immortal
  • rapid regeneration

Mind

  • induce sleep, interact with dreams
  • empathy or telepathy
  • induce fear, safety, etc. (in absence of empathy)
  • interfere with perceptions (illusions for any/all senses)
  • interfere with memory (erase/consume, immerse subject in)
  • detect other minds in vicinity
  • enhanced sociality, intelligence, or hive mind
  • able to jump between bodies
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