Friendship is Dragons
Updates Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays
Page 762 - Ad Libberish
Author Notes:
Newbiespud
9th Jun 2016, 6:00 AM
edit
delete
(Pop-out)
30 Comments:
When I need an alien language, I tend to cheat by using Google Translate. Plug something in with English, and then translate it to a language I know none of my players are familiar with. Granted it'll lose a lot in grammar, but that usually isn't important for getting the point across that the language sounds foreign and unintelligible for the IC party.
One of my favorite novel series (Piers Anthony's Xanth novels) uses a Ceaser Cipher for alternate languages often enough that the simpler versions (a shift of 1 in either direction) is actually pretty easy for me to read in-the-moment. With enough practice, it's pretty easy to manage.
Now, if it's spoken, that's another story. The Al Bhed language in Final Fantasy X is essentially a modified Ceaser Cipher, and it always sounds like gibberish, even if you're capable of translating the written words relatively easily.
Now, if it's spoken, that's another story. The Al Bhed language in Final Fantasy X is essentially a modified Ceaser Cipher, and it always sounds like gibberish, even if you're capable of translating the written words relatively easily.
It's annoying, huh?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMV1dsOkkug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMV1dsOkkug
It's a time honored tradition. Star Wars has pulled from obscure languages (and apparently French too) at various parts of the films, most notably for Lando's copilot in Return of the Jedi.
I've had a character use broken Draconic right out of the Draconomicon.
I also once did a conversation in Simlish.
But the main thing for me is Al Bhed, which I have about 80% memorized. E lyr iciymmo cbayg ed uh dra vmo. E amco ycg iyln Rikku lucbmyoih "tu oui cbayg Al Bhed" yht drao ymm cyo hu.
I also once did a conversation in Simlish.
But the main thing for me is Al Bhed, which I have about 80% memorized. E lyr iciymmo cbayg ed uh dra vmo. E amco ycg iyln Rikku lucbmyoih "tu oui cbayg Al Bhed" yht drao ymm cyo hu.
Okay I gave you guys my fun character.
Now for my real one.
A blind boy went out to the forest to enjoy himself, when some mischievous pixies cause him to get lost.
Doing so, he found himself in an ancient cave.
In this cave, was six spirits.
Each having a different element.
Fire
Water/ice
Earth
Wind/lighting
Light
Shadow
He befriended them, and they taught him how to weild their elements.
Now for my real one.
A blind boy went out to the forest to enjoy himself, when some mischievous pixies cause him to get lost.
Doing so, he found himself in an ancient cave.
In this cave, was six spirits.
Each having a different element.
Fire
Water/ice
Earth
Wind/lighting
Light
Shadow
He befriended them, and they taught him how to weild their elements.
Unlike other mages, he doesn't start with magic missle(or whatever the first spells are).
Instead, he starts with these six.
Fireball
Water bomb (not strong, but a lob shot)
Mini bolt(chance to stun)
Pellet shotgun
Flare
Shadow bind(no damage, forces skip turns. Higher rolls means more skips).
For him to learn new spells, he has to
find the text(he can spell read), and get his control of the element high enough.
Before each combat, he can see the major and minor elements which is determined by location.
Major is most abundant, while minor the least.
Casting major is stronger and faster.
Minor, not so much. He has to pull the energy from somewhere.
Instead, he starts with these six.
Fireball
Water bomb (not strong, but a lob shot)
Mini bolt(chance to stun)
Pellet shotgun
Flare
Shadow bind(no damage, forces skip turns. Higher rolls means more skips).
For him to learn new spells, he has to
find the text(he can spell read), and get his control of the element high enough.
Before each combat, he can see the major and minor elements which is determined by location.
Major is most abundant, while minor the least.
Casting major is stronger and faster.
Minor, not so much. He has to pull the energy from somewhere.
I'm liking the limitations, and the origin. What I'm concerned about is the progression.
First off, though the limitations remove a lot of the 'OPness' of it, starting off with Fireball seems out of place compared to the rest of the spells- it's a large AoE even if it only does d6 per level. And the advancement you've put forth is actually what most mages are supposed to do- it's just rarely followed in-game.
What I would suggest is a slightly different advancement schema- and this is something I thought of a little bit ago.
He starts with those six spells- but doesn't get new ones, ever. Instead, they each start out very limited (cantrip level) and then as he progresses and learns to use them better, the spells themselves become stronger.
Fireball, for example, could start out as a Firebolt- 1d6 per level, single target- then at, say, level 5, it gains 2 feet diameter per level. (other gains and diminishments may apply in certain situations, or as you wish) This gives you a spell that's going to be generally on-level in strength. Maybe allow him to cast at lower levels as well.
That way you need to figure out how to use different spells in different situations, rather than just finding new spells (and where would you find them?) that fit. And each element could be used for a different type of effect- fire for pure damage, water for area control, air for movement, earth for defense, Light for support, Dark for single-target control.
First off, though the limitations remove a lot of the 'OPness' of it, starting off with Fireball seems out of place compared to the rest of the spells- it's a large AoE even if it only does d6 per level. And the advancement you've put forth is actually what most mages are supposed to do- it's just rarely followed in-game.
What I would suggest is a slightly different advancement schema- and this is something I thought of a little bit ago.
He starts with those six spells- but doesn't get new ones, ever. Instead, they each start out very limited (cantrip level) and then as he progresses and learns to use them better, the spells themselves become stronger.
Fireball, for example, could start out as a Firebolt- 1d6 per level, single target- then at, say, level 5, it gains 2 feet diameter per level. (other gains and diminishments may apply in certain situations, or as you wish) This gives you a spell that's going to be generally on-level in strength. Maybe allow him to cast at lower levels as well.
That way you need to figure out how to use different spells in different situations, rather than just finding new spells (and where would you find them?) that fit. And each element could be used for a different type of effect- fire for pure damage, water for area control, air for movement, earth for defense, Light for support, Dark for single-target control.
I don't know spell levels.
It's more fire bolt then anything.
It's more fire bolt then anything.
Just because he can't see them, doesn't mean he can't hear them.
When was the last time you heard a silent battle.
When was the last time you heard a silent battle.
Then again, he could be using his elemental powers to see, but in that case there would probably be situations where a visible enemy would be stealthed as far as this guy was concerned. (A water elemental in the water, for example)
However, there is a major rule to his power.
He is not allowed to kill sentient flesh.
Wild animals, sure.
Undead, by all means.
Monsters who can't think for themselves, blast away.
Humans, goblins, elves, smart dragons, No!
His spells can't kill, but killed by his own hands, the powers goes away.
He is not allowed to kill sentient flesh.
Wild animals, sure.
Undead, by all means.
Monsters who can't think for themselves, blast away.
Humans, goblins, elves, smart dragons, No!
His spells can't kill, but killed by his own hands, the powers goes away.
They were in the original campaign? Now i feel really bad for the DM.
... i wonder what purpose they would have served in the dark filled lands of Nightmare Moon. Maybe some adorable freedom fighters, or informants, or something to that extent.
... i wonder what purpose they would have served in the dark filled lands of Nightmare Moon. Maybe some adorable freedom fighters, or informants, or something to that extent.
Possibly just cowering, hidden NPCs whose inability to do their job is another reason the Nightmare Moon dominated landscape is an ecologically ruined one.
"You probably heard we ain't in the prisoner-takin' business; we in the squashin' Breezie business. And cousin, business is a-boomin'."
Flutter Brutter
The episode that everyone has been talking about for months
We finally meet Fluttershy's Family after 6 seasons
Mr and Mrs shy are adorable
And than we meet the Brother
Zephyr Breeze
Hipster and all around Douche
This episode wins the best use of facial expressions
Fluttershy was in no bullshit mode which was surprising and fun
Highlights of the episode
1) Fluttershy's parents home was really cool
2) Rainbow Dash and Zephyr Breeze's interactions where golden
3) Peeved!
4) Link Pony and his cart of Rupees is the 2nd best video game reference the show has done
(The 1st being the Twins from Bioshock Infinate in the season 4 episode Trade Ya)
5) The Song
Once again season 6 has been great and hasn't had a bad episode yet
We are down to one episode to go before we enter the summer hiatus
J-eagle12212012
Aka
JurriRig (hitbox)
Aka
Jamie (irl)
I've always thought that the Breezie language sounds an awful lot like Middle English.
It's their own fault.
Really, making a language for NPCs that haven't appeared yet?
The golden rule, the only advice I find just about everyone agrees on, for GM-ing is 'be flexible'
But, I guess the GM might just be into... I forget the exact term.
Con-languages?
Basically, making fake languages - it's an entire thing, especially over on Gaia Online, and a certain famous author's done it a bunch too.
I wonder how changed the Breezies are, though; So far all we know is that he took a language he'd made for them.
Presumably they'd be tiny and probably flying in the original incarnation too.
But is the pollen stuff new? What about the fragility?
That said, I would not have personally gone this far.
I mean, they ARE flexible, but so far they've seemed to only 'flex' because they have to.
Twilight (or her player, anyway) keeps screwing up their plans with fairly simple solutions, and all it took to make them want to give up on the campaign was for their Big Bad to be defeated.
I'm almost certain the Breezies had a very specific purpose, and the language was built around suiting that purpose.