Tag: srlm
Rock Worms
Posted on January 8, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Rock Worms are creatures that recently appeared slowly after about CY 7400 years in the Heartlands of the Steel Realms of Helca. They were bred and raised by the Orrish of Helca shamans of Gloombringer to chew through the rock and create tunnels into the lands of light for the Orrish forces. There are special means of controlling them known only to their Worm Keepers (Nurthlings), otherwise they tend to die on their own. They typically have off-spawns of themselves – not able to reproduce, and these tentacled worm-like creatures are crawlers amongst the carrion. It is said that the loathsome Toothed Wormme children and even more foul rites are the origins of these creatures.
They are used to create Basic Orrish Cave Settlements – one of the many Cave Complexes of the Dark Lands.
i20™ Rock Worm Details
Off-Spawn of the Rock Worms: Otyugh (for the trash pits) & Carrion Crawler (and harvested Carion crawler Mucous) that are used to defend the tunnels. Usually only a single one per area.
iCore™ Rock Worm Details
Picket Keeps of the Heartlands
Posted on January 8, 2025 in Steel-Realms
Picket Keeps of the Heartlands were at one time dotted all over the edges of the foothills and in some low hills across the Heartlands to watch and defend against the Orrish raids from the Dark Lands and Underlands of the Steel Realms. They were not large, and had only military significance, no economic or community centers were based on them. Most were bare bones and had no luxuries, and held less than 50 inhabitants (many less than half of that). Sheep, goat and hogs were grown for food & supplies, and a few valleys used for sparse crops – but most of its larder was imported by troops cycling through it on a monthly basis. All were near small springs, streams, or wells for a water supply. The massive Pacification Garrisons have come to take the place of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands – the small and numerous fortified small keeps that once dotted the landscape to watch for and be a bastion against Orrish incursions.
These locations have a World Watcher Edifice as a standard part of their functioning.
Upper Keep: This is typically a single story keep and sometimes a tower. The top is a series of fortified positions and open to the sun. Soaked canvases were often erected to counter fire arrows. Most had a stable, and a few of these contained a shrine to the Wyld Faith. All of them had a shrine to the old path of Osten-Paullus thought more often the Lightbringers in the last thousand years they were used.
Under Keep: This was mostly a single level of store rooms, hold out positions, and used for medical facilities. Other than air vents, typically there was only a single (with defensive gateway) entrance to the Under Keep.
History of Picket Keeps of the Heartlands
Information Sources: Mundane Reference | Associated Phenomenology Only | Specific Lore
Knowledge is broken down by ease of discovery/availability; Any attempt to know more than what's Pervasive will require a reference, source, knowledge, check, or access to someone who can get or provide either of these.
Pervasive Knowledge / Very Easy Difficulty
Picket Keeps of the Heartlands were at one time dotted all over the edges of the foothills and in some low hills across the Heartlands to watch and defend against the Orrish raids from the Dark Lands and Underlands of the Steel Realms. They were not large, and had only military significance, no economic or community centers were based on them. Most were bare bones and had no luxuries, and held less than 50 inhabitants (many less than half of that). Sheep, goat and hogs were grown for food & supplies, and a few valleys used for sparse crops – but most of its larder was imported by troops cycling through it on a monthly basis. All were near small springs, streams, or wells for a water supply. The massive Pacification Garrisons have come to take the place of the Picket Keeps of the Heartlands – the small and numerous fortified small keeps that once dotted the landscape to watch for and be a bastion against Orrish incursions.Over thousands of years, many were sacked, rebuilt, and sacked again – providing a sacrifice to delay the enemy and gain necessary time to organize a greater defense. Their ruins are all over the realms. Some were abandoned as the darkness grew quiet in recent times. A few are used as hold fasts by local settlements, a few captured and used by bandits and mercenaries, and a few simply taken and used as a benefit for a land claim in risky areas bordering known incursion sites.
Common Knowledge / Easy Difficulty
The Heartlands Picket Keeps don’t follow a standard footprint, but are all small and relatively remote (at least at one point). All were made from stone and lumber, with large, rough cut stones forming the base to make it harder to crack and break in fire. None of the typical ones of the heartlands were made for winter weather in particular – the hinterlands have their own style.
Reflected Illumination: One unique hallmark is the secure oil braziers that could light the entire inner courtyard nearly instantly if the walls were breached at night. The backs of the lips at the brazier well tops were lined with polished bronze to reflect light. Most ruins have had this valuable material scavenged.
Uncommon Knowledge / Average Difficulty
Most were known to have some sort of a short, narrow, cramped escape tunnel for emergencies. All of them were typically sponsored by a local lord or lady as part of tithe to a higher lord.
Scarce Knowledge / Hard Difficulty
Cornerstones: As part of their creation, most were laid with a deep cornerstone with artifacts from the sponsored builder. This would contain minor charms, artifacts, and trinkets – nothing terribly unique, but maybe something of religious power for the Lightbringers or Wyld Faith or the olden Osten-Paullus.
Rare Knowledge / Very Hard Difficulty
There have always been rumors of secret passages cut by Ducateon and dwarves that lead one way, into the deeper reaches. Several overrun keeps were re-captured multiple times and it is surmised that these were used. Each time, dwarves or Ducateon were involved in re-capturing them, nominally there to ensure damage done to them could be repaired.
Newtlings of Helca
Posted on January 7, 2025 in Steel-Realms
The newtlings are the progeny of the Draconis of the Steel Realms. The Dragon Born (now extinct), dragonnewts, dragonlings, Lizardfolk, Troglodyte, and the other minor species that once worshiped them and enhanced their power are long faded from the Helca. The lizard folk still venerate their ancient kin and are allies when needed, but most real dragons are gone from Helca.
Whip Tails vs. Weighty Tails: The violent clashes of the Lizard Folk (weighty tails) and the Troglodytes (whip tails) decimated their populations over time. When the Dragon Caves of the south were purgesd, most of both Newtlings of the realms were purged from the area. There are still a few colonies of Lizard Folk on the western shores of The Roj Sea. Otherwise they are scattered all over the realms in small communities, usually now where they can form alliances with druids. They also find salt water marshes good homes as their hardened scale or stench secretions keep the disease carrying insects at bay. These names exist as they reflect the evolution of the particular species on Helca. Their tail movements tell more about their emotions than any other part of their body:
Draconic Mystics:Both species still have a tie to their ancient Draconic heritage and leverage the Draconic spark and venerate the Ur-Dragon spirits. Their shamans can awaken the land around them, turning trees, brush, and plants into defenses and watchers. The lizard folk are far more potent in their mystic endeavors, but also less violent and aggressive.
The Whip Tails (troglodytes)
The troglodytes have a whip like thin and long tail that can do the same damage as a claw. Sometimes the more organized clans have been known to put a wooden or soft metal spike over it. These creatures are extremely hardy, existing in filthy swamps and out of the way places with murky water. They are known to employ a nasty poison made from feces and organic matter. They most often move in single file and through water to hide their numbers. The breed faster than the Weighty tails as they are less intelligent and more violent so their attrition is higher.
Combat: These creatures are known to make mud and clay towers of up to 7m tall and organize into large bands. They use stone and wood tools & weapons, rarely make armor, and employ poisons and insect swarms. They also prefer to carve out soft limestone caves in marshes and bogs. They cultivate poisonous plants and bacteria, and breed large insects – all of which keep outsiders away from their habitat and affect them not at all, due to their own stench and mucous-like coatings. They dislike fire as it dries them out, and they suffer greatly when in a dry state – much more so than their lizard folk cousins.
The Weighty Tails (lizard folk)
The lizard folk have a large alligator like tail, but it is not a weapon. It prevents people from walking directly behind them unless there is a 2m gap between them. If not, and they are not given that personal space, they cannot sustain their land movement rate. The tail is part of their balance and walking mechanisms and personal space. Usually both of the flanking spaces behind them and directly behind them. Enemies attacking them from behind, must use double movement to into these spaces to strike at them instead of the normal five, making their attacks using movement, especially in the water, difficult to make opportunities for.
Combat: Lizard folk are practiced artisans – making high quality tools and weapons from natural materials. While they have been known to refine metals, they typically dislike the heat processes to do so. They are gifted in making glues and honing edges for razor sharp weapons. They are practiced in using the blow gun and darts to get into armor from a distance, with armor piercing munitions. They are gifted botanists as well, breeding many a river, pond, or sea side plant for extraordinary flavors and sleep or paralysis toxins. They have been known to live in symbiosis with and breed giant insects – bees, wasps and the like, and keep giant snakes as guardians.