Kuatoa

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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32. 12 posts. No reviews. No lists. No wishlists. 1 alias.


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RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

I can post here to ask for feedback, right?

Can one of the judges please explain why the name is so horrible? I'm just a stupid dutchman and I think I'm missing something here.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

The initial idea was a watery fireball. Then I came up with the pushing effect, and decided to change the burst into a cone because it was easier to formulate.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Luckily I don't have to sit back and start waiting, work is keeping me busy.

Clinton Boomer wrote:
How is your winning entry in this contest, along with your contry, affecting your at-the-table gaming?

Not at all, for I have to skip my next session. People here are celebrating "Sinterklaas" and I have to parcipitate.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Cumavea
"The Broken Kingdom"
Alignment: CN
Capital: Beltinos (pop 132,600)
Notable Settlements: Khauri, temple city of Fyur (pop 23,750)
Ruler: Cumavea is officially ruled by king Acestis the Third. The districts are ruled by different counts and dukes.

Description:

History

Cumavea was once a large city-state, surrounded by smaller towns and villages. The city was located south of a gigantic volcano, which clouds of smoke and ash could be seen from miles away.

One day, a group of seers from the south came to Cumavea, and with them the tidings of a major disaster. The land would be torn apart by a massive earthquake, a chasm would appear running from the volcano in the north to the sea in the south, tearing the city in two and very likely destroying it.

The king immediately ordered to strengthen the city’s fundaments and when the cataclysm came the city remained standing, spanning the chasm like an enormous bridge. However, boiling water started running trough the chasm and under the city. The place soon became uninhabitable because of the heat. The people moved out, and established new settlements outside the city. Cumavea became the Broken Kingdom.
Geography

Expectedly Cumavea’s most notable feature is the chasm which divides the country in two separated parts. The chasm is about 500 feet wide, 2000 feet deep and 600 miles long. It starts at the volcano -whose southern part is also split- and ends in a bay surrounded by high cliffs. Crossing the chasm is only possible by travelling through the city bridging it or by flight (magical or otherwise). It is impossible to build bridges because of the heat and corrosive gases. The former capital, which is nowadays mostly referred to as the “Boiling City”, lies 200 miles from the volcano. It’s an inhospitable place, for the temperature is always around 100 Fahrenheit and the air is so humid everything literally drips of water. Banks of steam drift in the streets, jets of hot water periodically erupt from the ground and in some places the air is filled with poisonous gas. Going around the chasm is hardly an option, as the volcano is part of a dark and extremely dangerous mountain chain.

Cumavea is divided into several districts, each with its own ruler. The Boiling City is flanked by the Hakaan Plains to the east and the County of Khela to the west. To the northwest of the County lies the province Sharda, where the new capital Beltinos is located, and to the southwest lies Rinji. At the eastside of the chasm the Fyur district can be found flanking the volcano, and the Elyn Coast lies to the far south.

The country overall has a mild, temperate climate. However, to the south the temperature of the seawater is rising due to the hot water flowing from the chasm. This causes the climate of Elyn Coast to shift from temperate to tropical. Marches and patches of jungle are appearing, steadily pushing forward into the Hakaan Plains and the County of Khela. Strange new creatures begin making Elyn their home, giant insects and lizards being only a few examples. The sea life is also changing, making sea voyages more dangerous.

People

As the chasm blocks passage from one part of the country to the other, being able to cross it is a major advantage. The inhabitants of the Fyur region are specialized in travelling though the Boiling City. These people are called the Firewalkers, and they are trained at the Flamelash Monasteries, which were initially meant to be temples but have been rebuild to serve as training centres. The Firewalkers serve as messengers and guides for trade caravans through the Boiling City. When their training commences, Firewalkers have to swear an oath which obliges them to offer most of their profit to the people of Fyur. This way the people can buy the food they need from other countries, for nothing will grow on the rocky waste they call their home.

The caravans crossing the Boiling city attract other people, who want to try and steal the wares they carry. These people are mostly from Rinji and Sharda. As the entrance to the city is heavily guarded by the Khelan forces, they devised an alternative route to get inside. The robbers travel to the Elyn coast and hire the services of the specialist wizards who live there. These wizards wrap themselves and their customers in protective spells, and then take them on a tour into the chasm. They travel to the Boiling City, enter one of the various tunnels underneath it, and try to get to the surface. Doing so is not only dangerous because falling into the chasm means certain death. Also, the Ethelin, huge multiheaded serpents from the volcano, inhabit its waters.

People from the Rinji district recently found a new way to cross the chasm. They build wooden towers, and use them to fly over the chasm with hang gliders of various sizes. Drifting on the hot air rising up, the gliders ascend to great heights and can get to almost every place in Cumavea. Gliders are mostly captained by Halflings.

Government

The official ruler of Cumavea (and Sharda) is king Acestis the Third, but the land is actually governed by the congress of counts and dukes, and the king hardly influences them. Each has his own special interests, and this makes the government unstable. Count Bratos of Khela and Duke Jibris of Hakaan are the most powerful members of the congress because their districts are the wealthiest, and they always try to improve their trading position. Duke Flamelash of Fyur also has considerable power. Countess Claudelle of Rinji and Count Corliss of Elyn hardly have anything to say in the congress.

DM Secrets

Firewalkers from Fyur are currently exploring the northern mountains in search for allies to help them break through Hakaan and conquer the Boiling City.

Evil fire creatures from the volcano are moving through the chasm to get to the Boiling City.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Rest? I think you will only be thinking of the villain you'll have to design when you make it to the next round. No rest for the wicked (and the superstars).

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Well, I'm ready to submit, if I can gather the courage to do so. I'm still reading it again and again, looking for points to improve. But I'm sure I will only think of improvements when I push the submit button.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

By the way, I noticed some comments on a lack of flavor. I have to say I came up with more flavor intially, but this caused me to go over the word limit. I really shortened the mechanics as much as possible, but still some of the flavor had to be cut out.

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Thanks you all for your reactions! I never thought I would make it to the top 32, and I'm currently working very hard on my next submission.

On the pricin issue: I agree it is very hard to get the pricing of a wondrous item right, and i've struggled some time before I took a decision.

I'm also very annoyed with the euro signs appearin in my text, and I really hope this isn't goin to be a problem for future submissions.

Well, going back to work, it's sunday evening here and tomorrow i'll be working in the lab all day. Good luck to the other 31 and may the best writer win!

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

Why only 1000 words? WHY?

I'm at 950 and I still haven't written down everything I think is important. But cutting things out is even harder. The horror!

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

I´m still working to get it all done in time :)

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

I was stunned when I read the email. I never believed I would make it to the next round. Timing is a bit horrible though, because I´m very busy at the moment, having exams and such. Still busy writing for the second submission, but with your support I´m sure I´m going to make it. Thank you all and good luck to the other contestants!

RPG Superstar 2008 Top 32

The orb you’re holding is cold to the touch, and water constantly drips from its surface. You can’t look through it; its depths go on forever.

This item is only useful to characters who prepare spells. A spellcaster can sacrifice prepared spells to the Orb, giving it a number of charges equal to the sacrificed spell’s level. These charges can then be used to generate the following effects as a standard action:

Children of the Ocean (1 charge): To use this power, the orb must be fully immersed in water. You create a small water elemental which understands your language and fully obeys your commands. It lasts for one hour; only three elementals can exist at any given time.

Breath of the Ocean (2 charges): Allows one creature to breathe underwater for ten minutes.

Tidal Wave (3 charges): A 30 ft cone of water erupts from the orb. Any creature caught in it is pushed back to the extend of the cone and takes 5d6 subdual damage unless it succeeds on a DC 16 Reflex save.

At the start of each day, any remaining charges on the orb disappear.

Moderate Conjuration; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item; Control Water; Water Breathing; Price 18,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.