FEEDING:
●
All monsters need to feed off humans. This is unavoidable. With another player's permission, you are allowed to eat other monsters and this will provide equivalent nourishment, but keep in mind that eating them will go towards the devoured character's death count.
● A monster's
cravings can be anywhere from
once each week to a month or two .
Usage of skills and powers will speed up this desire. Animals will satiate monsters temporarily, but more than two months will require extreme willpower and no usage of powers whatsoever. If they go too long without feeding on humans, they will be overcome with a mad desire to eat, and will target both friend and foe until they are satiated. This is most commonly known as a
frenzy within the monster community.
●
Sharing a kill is permitted (obviously there's only one soul per kill so that can't be split).
POWERS AND CHANGES:
● As of July 2023, all monsters will have
either a Travel form or a Stealth form. Please check the FAQ compilation in the comments and the Bestiary page corresponding to your monster type for more details on how these forms apply to your character.
● The presence of
the fog has several optional effects on monsters.
♦ Fog days count as a sort of
temporal gray zone. Nocturnal monsters such as vampires and gargoyles can come out at any time, along with the diurnal Nephilim. Additionally, night-changing monsters like Werewolves and Werebears will be unable to take their human forms.
♦ Monsters
heal faster during the fog, and may even regenerate limbs and other body parts that were lost in game. Exactly how long it will take your character to recover from a serious injury is up to you! However, bear in mind that accelerated healing costs energy like any other special monster ability. Therefore, healing with this method will leave behind increased hunger.
♦ All characters who have
died in-game will come back during the fog. Please
visit the FAQ for more information on revivals and the death penalty rules.
♦ Characters with a
Fog form may transform into it for the duration of the fog. A Fog form is an exaggerated version of their monster form that appears only during the fog and is a chance to make your monster more "horrifying" during the fog.
●
Monsters are always stronger than humans, both in terms of physical strength and thanks to the monster's abilities.
♦ Monsters can take on five or less humans with ease and more than that with a little hard work. In a one on one fight between a monster and a human, there would be no contest.
♦ In monster vs. monster terms, every monster is about the same strength as every other (with various factors coming into play depending on the monster's own unique strength and weaknesses). If there is a fight between two player characters, work the result out between yourselves. If the mods have to intervene to decide the victor of a particular fight, it'll most likely come down to coin flip.
♦ Monsters who have four limbs can be faster than average. Other monsters only get faster when it's specified in their Bestiary. Travel forms are about 1.5x faster than their normal form, whereas Stealth forms are often slower or immobile.
♦ By default, all monsters will have better senses than the average human, but specific monsters will have better (specific) senses over the average monster.
● Monsters are able to
speak at all times, and this includes their animal and alternate forms.
MONSTER DESIGNS:
● We encourage players to be creative with their monster designs, so long as liberties taken are
purely aesthetic and don't serve a function. In general, anything that adds flavor and a personal flair but doesn't change the actual end result as listed in the bestiary is doable. Additionally, it is permissible to give your monsters changes that
add or exacerbate a weakness.
● Monster designs
can be based on animals or other beings which are extinct, or exclusive to a character's home world, provided they fit the monster's aesthetic. If you're uncertain whether a certain animal/being fits a certain monster, please ask the mods beforehand.
● If a character has been
dropped in the past and is then brought back by the same player, their monster form may look slightly different when they return. If so, they will need to arrive human and go through their changes all over again. When choosing the same design, characters may either return fully-transformed, or return human and go through the same changes again.
● As of
November 4th, 2022, all monsters have the
option to include one of three
cybernetic modifications on their first change log. These three body mods are: a glowing body part, a stylized tattoo in the shape of a 4 (in any language), or a subtle cybernetic ‘look’ or ‘skin’ to one body part that does not add function or durability.
This is never mandatory and it is purely for looks, and it is up to you whether you would like your character to receive a mark from the Fourth God! Players are welcome to play around with their character coming up with IC theories for its presence. Tier 3 or Priest-level Fog Followers have the option to
exchange the cybernetic mod for a fog-appropriate aesthetic mod of their choice.
✖ Do not give extra powers apart from the ones listed in a monster's page. This includes special unique traits (extra poison, special fur, etc) the creature your monster is based on would have. If you are unsure, ask in the FAQ for each monster. Who knows, we might accept your suggestion!
✖ Do
not return from death, go into a Fog form or heal faster than usual
outside of fog days unless you have some sort of bonus boon which allows for this. Please check
the calendar to verify when fog days are happening, and plan accordingly.
✖ If you apply for a character that was
dropped by another player, you may not end up with the same monster they were assigned. Monster types are always based exclusively on the current application, not the character's history under a previous player.
✖ If you apply for a character you have previously
dropped yourself, you may
not ask for a different monster type. In this instance, the character will always be assigned the same monster type as they had before. The only exception to this rule are characters who were dropped before the five new monster types were added in 2017, in which case the player may request a re-sort.
✖ If you see abuse of any powers by a monster, don't hesitate to contact us on the
mod page and let us know.
Please make sure to provide us with links to the thread(s) where the issue takes place.
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ryslighelpers) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
monsterdata2015-10-07 04:21 am
(frozen comment) MONSTER BODIES/CHANGES AND MONSTER DYNAMICS
Can a new monster's transformation process feature partial changes? That is to say, can a singular aspect of the transformation be spaced out over several months?
Yes. Monster changes for new characters are flexible so long as the mandatory changes finish within the four month time limit.
Can I push that four month time limit by having my character purchase temp time as a human from Mana?
That is possible, yes.
Can some changes take place outside fog days?
Yes! The first change log, a month after your character's arrival, will kickstart the first opportunity for changes. After that, you're free to take another step in the transformation process whenever you like.
Can we mix and match species for our monster design? For example, rabbit ears and a mouse tail for a Pooka? And can this mix transfer over to their Travel form or Stealth form?
For their usual design and their Fog forms, you can mix and match species! The point of a Travel/Stealth form, however, is to look as 'normal' as possible. Therefore, a Travel/Stealth form based on an animal can't be a hybrid and must choose one of the species.
Can we change the species used for the design later? E.g. changing a rat Pooka to a rabbit Pooka?
Yes! While this can't be done through the Mana reward system, one could either attempt to invoke a power like this through the god boon system (specifically the Fog side), or use the typical monthly change logs for this. We would ask that if the latter option is used, it must be aesthetic only and the monster cannot change back to their original species/design for at least three months. The change itself, however, can be as fast as you'd like. If you'd like to try another design after that minimum of three months, it'd be alright to rotate straight on to something new without having to revert back to the original first.
My character is unnaturally tall in their canon. How tall are they in Ryslig?
The height limit for monsters depends on the type of monster and external factors such as Mana purchases. Every monster in Ryslig will always start as a human with a height limit of seven feet. Minor height changes from the following monster transformation can be expected. For instance, hooves are essentially toes; if a monster grows hooves, their ankle could be raised higher up in the air, thereby giving them a minor height increase. With some monsters, the bestiary specifies certain additional height increases. For Nephilim, for instance, the bestiary specifies that they may grow up to an additional two feet in height, so their height limit would be around nine feet, Mana rewards and god boons notwithstanding.
Can my character physically age?
That is up to you! The monster type can play a part in the decision, but doesn't have to.
Can my character get pregnant?
No.
What is the deal with healing injuries? How fast does a monster heal, and how does the fog factor into it?
Healing can work however you'd like! In general, monsters heal a little faster than humans, and this speed increases significantly during the fog. Because of this, most injuries are completely healed by the time a fog is over. Unless you don't want them to be, of course. Whether scars are left behind or not is up to you as well.
My character lost a limb. Will it grow back during the next fog week?
That is up to you!
My character has a physical impairment in canon (for example a visual one), can they keep that impairment here?
Yes, they can.
My monster design is based on a certain animal. Can my character inherit traits from that animal? (for example, a Demon with goat legs wanting to climb things)
Yes, that's allowed!
My monster design is based on a certain animal which has a really cool possible substitute for an otherwise mandatory trait. Is this allowed, or is the mandatory trait there to stay?
This is something we often judge on a case by case basis. For example, a Naga based on a worm can have a leech mouth instead of snake fangs. A Minotaur based on a boar or elephant may have tusks instead of bull horns. You can check your monster's FAQ compilation to see if it's been asked before, and if not, check with the mods by leaving a question on the page.
Can my character have a seasonal coat, molting/shedding included?
Yes. This includes things like Nagas shedding their skin, and Harpies shedding their feathers.
Do monsters have souls which can be eaten by soul feeders?
Of course! When they revive after having their soul devoured, they will still have one. How does that work? Don't worry about it.
My monster is weak to sunlight. Would going out on an overcast/rainy/snowy day affect them, or does it have to be direct sunlight that touches them? What about if it comes in through a window? Or a reflection off a mirror? Artificial light?
They would feel more sluggish during an overcast day, and any sunlight that does peek through would cause the typical problems for your monster. Sunlight which comes in through a window counts as direct light. Whether reflected light affects your monster is up to you. Artificial light is always safe.
My character's monster form is based on a cold-blooded animal, but if Ryslig is based on a Northern European country, won't the cold weather affect them very badly? And what about monsters with a mandatory weakness to cold?
Out of consideration for monsters with heat/cold weaknesses, the weather in Ryslig is similar to the weather patterns of northern European countries but a bit more mild (think a coastal city rather than the parts of Scandinavia that are in the arctic circle). Monsters are also more durable than humans/reptiles/etc, so even monsters that are weak to cold wouldn't be affected much by the normal weather, although it might be a bit unpleasant. Cold blood/cold weaknesses would generally only matter if they were attacked by ice magic or locked in someone's walk-in freezer or something like that.
My character was assigned an undead monster, such as Lich or Waldgeist, which includes a death as mandatory change. Does this count towards the death penalty tally?
It does not. This death is a 'freebie', and you can play it out however you like.
If my undead character doesn't need to breathe anymore, does that mean they can stay underwater indefinitely?
Undead monsters aren't meant to be underwater creatures, so they can't stay submerged indefinitely without complication: their bodies can't regulate water as well as a Mer or a Kelpie, and after a while they'd feel sick and sluggish on an increasingly noticeable scale. After twenty minutes the sickness would be debilitating; after a half hour, they'd be completely unconscious and incapable of movement. It's also important to note the restrictions when diving deep down. Undead bodies aren't specifically fortified enough to handle the increase in pressure that comes with diving to, say, the ocean floor. There would be immense complications, leading to an actual death if allowed to escalate.
How many organs can an undead monster remove without it killing them?
While Ryslig's undead are quite steady on their feet, they have some issues of their own to deal with. First of all, Waldgeists and Vampires are just as susceptible as any other monster type to dying from damage to their body, so an abrupt removal of an organ is survivable, but a complete disemboweling would probably cause even undead creatures to die of shock. However, if some degree of care is taken in the process, undead creatures can survive a remarkable level of alterations to their body. Waldgeists and Vampires can survive as long as major damage is not done to their heart or brain. As for Liches, they can only be killed by destroying their phylactery (which contains their heart), so most abrupt organ removal is doable. However, if their brain were removed, this counts as the sort of severe damage which would cause a Lich to regenerate by their phylactery.
Is my undead monster immune to venom, since it can't be pushed through the bloodstream without a beating heart?
We leave the first question up to the players involved, but the undead characters aren't "immune" no matter what. Whether or not the venom moves, it will affect the injected area.
Can I have some details about monster blood?
1) The blood of undead monsters, if accessible, differs from live monster blood; this is primarily because the blood isn't recirculating and providing oxygen to the other parts of the body.
2) Simulacra can choose to have tar, oil, or other synthetic substances as blood; this might not be immediately identifiable to others as "blood".
3) Slime "blood" would effectively be a sample of the Slime's body, as they are simpler organisms (biologically speaking).
4) Blood which came from Nephilim or Demons has some very distinct holy and demonic properties, respectively. It's very useful for magic rituals, and in high demand with monster poachers.
5) Whether a blood transfusion between monsters will work is entirely up to player discretion.
Remember, there is a lot of freedom for personal expression! These guidelines about blood may be true in general, but will always allow for exceptions in certain monsters!
MONSTER TYPE DYNAMICS:
What is the difference between a Werebear and a Werewolf?
Apart from the species you may incorporate into your design, there are a few differences in abilities and instincts.
Werewolves have a transformation mechanic that's tied to day and night. They have a far more powerful bite than a Werebear; the strongest bite out of any monster type around. As an optional add-on, this bite can cause a deadly infection within humans (and monsters with player permission). Werewolves can jump very high- all the way up to your average rooftop- and thanks to their Lunar Influence, they can grow more powerful when the moon is full or near-full. Werewolves have wolfsbane as an additional weakness, and they may develop a pack instinct. Most notably, Werewolves have a Full Moon form, which not only allows them to take on their wolf form in broad daylight (on the day leading up to the full moon), it allows them to grow larger and more visually distinct on nights when the full moon is out.
Werebears have a transformation mechanic that's tied to a specific ability which allows them to become (mostly) human for up to 12 hours. They have a much larger size in their bear form; up to twice the size of their typical day form, and have more overall physical strength than a Werewolf would. Werebears have a superhuman climbing ability, allowing them to scale trees and buildings with ease. Werebears have increased awareness of their surroundings (layouts, weather patterns, knowledge of which plants are edible) and they may develop a strong territorial instinct.
Can the light of Nephilim harm Shades or other sunlight-weak monsters? And can a Shade's darkness harm Nephilim?
This would be up to both players' discretion! We feel that a mutual give-and-take between their light and darkness is interesting, and would prefer players to decide where they fall on that spectrum on a case by case basis.
Shades are incorporeal in their usual shadow form, but could a Shade potentially be touched by a Goblin in shadow form?
That is up to you! It's definitely possible.
Gargoyles turn to stone in sunlight, and Trolls have the power to control rocks. Would a Troll be able to control a Gargoyle at least in part?
To an extent and only with player consent. While a Troll would be unable to make them fly or walk, with a lot of concentration they might be able to move a Gargoyle into a silly pose. Cracking would be an issue due to the rigid state and lack of open joints for movement. Also, keep in mind that Trolls in sunlight are severely weakened themselves, and limited to a certain area around them for moving rock (which can be increased with time and practice), so summoning up the magic during the day might be a little too much for them.