LORAL
... is Monster Island. Greg wrote it up and I edited the
description. It's like Monster Island in the Godzilla movies
(particularly DESTROY ALL MONSTERS). Or THE LOST WORLD of Professor
Challenger.
According to Greg's original writeup, there are no humans on Loral, and any attempt by humans to land here and get the fabled loot is met by critters. In fact, Greg's "standard greeting" for Loral was "EEAARRRGGGH!!"
I'm not sure why people think there's treasure there. Probably based on the same logic as "in all this horseshit, there's GOT to be a pony". Greg had some history of the island, in which something cool was there before the Closing -- I don't remember what it was, but it wasn't monsters.
When the Closing hit, no one went to Loral for centuries. When they returned, it was filled with monsters, volcano, and jungle. No one knows where the monsters came from, or why they're there, or why they are so set against all human entry. Maybe your PCs can find out.
KUMANKU
... has two major islands, Tenenku and M'Gokokchun. Humans
live on Tenenku, and it even has a good-sized city (aka Tenenku).
Most of the population of Tenenku are Timinits. M'Gokokchun is
pretty much wilderness -- well, not wilderness exactly, but tamed by
the Timinits, not by humans, so very bizarre.
Some of the people here are insect-worshiping Hsunchen-wannabes. But not all. A Timinit does not regard another species of Timinits with any higher regard than he holds for humans. Some Timinits can work with humans, but most are too alien to do so. The Timinits here are NOT native to Kumanku -- they were imported in the First Age from Jrustela, whence they originated. The Jrusteli displaced most of the Insect People, but they have apparently returned in some force now that few humans live in Jrustela.
In Kumanku, the Timinits are a fairly powerful force, and have proven highly resistant to human attempts to codify, exterminate, or displace. A few Timinit colonies have formed on the coast of Laskal, and are thriving. No doubt they'll eventually penetrate all of Pamaltela.
Five common types of Timinits are ...
ARACHAN -- Spider people". There are real Spider Hsunchen in Laskal and Kumamku, but these ain't them. The Arachans are known to trade their silk for live food, communicating with gestures. They have six arms (two legs) and use weapons poisoned by their own saliva
EPHEMERAN -- These are the neatest timinits for roleplaying purposes, I think. I dare not say too much about them in this digest because one of my players reads it, and I have plans for these guys in an upcoming adventure. I'll just say for now that they're friendly, naive, and small (only a foot or so long).
LUCAN -- Described in Gloranthan Bestiary. A quote from my campaign -- "They never did find out who was providing the Lucans with metal weapons. It was probably the dwarfs, utilizing this simple technique to make life more difficult for wandering parties of humans in the rocky interior of their island. "
MYRMIDON -- Described in Gloranthan Bestiary. A quote from my campaign -- "The timinits had taken over the place, and alternated between attacking ferociously and completely ignoring the players. Sometimes one or two myrmidons would assault the party as if berserk, while dozens of others quietly went around their business."
VORIOLE -- For the first years of life, these are rather worm-like entities, somewhat resembling a Dwerulan or a caterpillar-centaur. Heads & limbs are non-humanoid. They are friendly to humans, intelligent, and even helpful. It is not uncommon for a particular voriole to become quite attached to a particular human or elf, and to become "best friends". I know there is a large nest of these creatures near Tortrica, on the north coast of Vralos. After a decade or so, a voriole molts and move on to their next stage -- the "flutterers", rather moth- like creatures which are differently-colored and shaped for every individual voriole. These are the adult creatures, capable of reproduction and flight, whereas the voriole was just a grub. The flutterer lives for several years, but is non-sapient, incapable of using magic, and not even particularly trainable. It retains a bit of memory from its former life, and if it had a "friend", it will make its dwelling near the pal's home. Maybe this is why the vorioles make friendships - -- in hopes that the longer-lived human or elf will tend him during his final flutterer years.
OTHER -- I know there are aquatic timinits and some kind of mantis-folk. I've also heard of locust-folk who seem to be extinct during most years, but once a century or so appear out of nowhere and eat every green leaf on the hapless island selected for their plague.
Powered by hypermail