Hey @Band2 . Did you get my message?
And that’s the way it should be, ditch all the magic and load up on psionics!!!
But there should not necessarily be a 1:1 if it exists here it must exist over there, concept. Each type of SFX should have their own unique points that are not duplicated elsewhere.
I sent him a direct message already. That’s why I’m trying this.
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On the contrary, psionic items IMO should not be mirror versions of magic items, whether you keep or ditch magic items.
Just like the Psionicist 2e class was not another Cleric or Wizard.
What psionic items should be is a strong point of contention, but from what I’ve seen people (me included) demonstrate a lack of out-of-box thinking on the subject.
Most psionic items should be sentient, because thinking minds are what produces psionic energy. Simpler items, like tattoos, might feed off of people’s inherent psionic energy, like a kinetic watch.
Perhaps a sentient psionic item could be used as a kind of panacea able to do everything, depending on the skill of the user and the creator.
That’s exactly what I said. And if you didn’t understand that from what I typed, that’s exactly what I meant. So thank you for restating my point in a more clear fashion.
My comment about ditching magic was intended more humorously, since it is obvious from the horrible glut of magic crap in the athas books that someone likes magic.
Regarding thinking out the box, that is my specialty, and I’ve long held ideas about how to provide options and optional changes for psionics to become independent and unique.
I’ve been putting a lot of thought of this into my current game. I don’t want to spoil it as there are a few members here in my play-by-post… but the gist is that psionic items with personality can be combined more easily if one persona dominates another. This can drain the previous item of it’s powers and help add to the dominant empowered item.
I have a few rules fleshed out and its how the psurlon are trying to reinitiate an entire racial consciousness, the one that initially failed and caused them to dwell on the Astral. If they collect enough empowered energy, they can attempt to harness it then use evolve to a higher mental state.
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I don’t mind any of the magical stuff included in all the material produced by Athas.org. It just gives more options, that’s all. It’s up to each GM to choose his level of magic in his campaign.
Magic items wouldn’t be all that rare IMO. Between templars, druids, clerics, and preservers/defilers it makes sense they would be accessible but not as easily as psionic ones. Especially in black/elven markets.
I agree that there should have been more of a focus to develop psionic items over magic though.
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I’ve been working on a few ideas, that there are a few different classes of psionic items.
Some are created spontaneously, usually when a great emotion attached to an item is expressed. These are generally one power and hard to reason with, very one note or feeling. Like a wrist razor that was worn by a betrayed gladiator that pines after their dead fighting partner. These have more quirks than a traditionally fashioned empowered item. Said wrist razor causes sadness after the adrenaline control power is successfully activated, causing the wearer to sob, cry and react in remorse for X rounds.
The second is empowered, but I’m thinking about getting rid of the power itself and opening it up to anyone spending time, coin and PSPs to buff an item one power at a time. Cue a chart that can grant deviancy depending on power scores, etc… during the time being prepped.
Third is a hybrid. I think that any of the three ways (maybe four if you add life-shaped?): clerical, magic and psionic could be implemented in making items or artifacts. Think of the obsidian spheres or orbs as inspiration, where defiler magic and psionics allow draconic ascension or the life-shaped artifact that Orcus stole from the halflings. These very specific items would require teamwork, time and coin to create truly awesome constructs, like way gates or permanent wormholes or recreating the obsidian psionic guardians of Saragar.
The basic rules were never very consistent on this anyway … I mean, A little Knowledge , the intro adventure in the boxed set where they tell you how rare magic and metal are …
gives you a +1 metal shortsword with charges of Cure Serious Wounds .
Dealing with the power creep inherent in the math of the system was … something you had to do. One of the things I appreciated about the 4th edition stuff was that they built in a (slightly delayed) numerical boost with Inherent Bonuses. granted, 4e’s treadmill was, like, the worst, but …
Even 5e, with Bounded Accuracy, still seems to make some assumptions about this, though at least the numbers are close enough that you can survive without grabbing the + to everything …
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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zAvlahXnyjz-7UaqF2QRN1lmFvGKjfyk/view?usp=drivesdk
Here is the link to the template to use for the stat blocks.
Here are some of the summaries:
Beardpit Mines
Whitebeards, gnome Thinking zombies, priest of earth 15, or psion 15 - the rulers of Arludas in the Time of Magic. In life they were all older male gnomes
Gnome zombies - the dead Gnomes of Arludas, killed by Gallard
Gnome vengers - the dead Gnomes of Arludas, killed by Gallard
Gnome racked spirits - the dead Gnomes of Arludas, killed by Gallard
All of the Gnomes are growth mediums for fungi, with the fungi providing the gnomish undead the unusual powers
Dodam Linass, Spectre Male wizard 15 fire priest 3 necromant 3 – officer in Gallard’s army, killed during the attack on Arludas only to rise as undead shortly after the battle ended. Leads the human undead in Arludas before the black wave.
Dodam’s honor guard, wraith male and female fighters 12 -
Cairn-born male and female human zhen, wizard 5/psion 7/cerebremancer 5/necromant 8, - fallen solders of Gallard, led by favored spy-agents who did not recognize Dodam Linass as their commander even when they were alive. Became undead through the obsidian wave.
Creatures of the deep mine – haunt Arludas, cruelly twisted by the obsidian wave.
The Kingdoms of Gretch
The Kings and their Kingdoms
Gretch Morg, male wizard 5/psion 5/cerebremancer 8/necromant 10
The Uncrowned – these are powerful undead lieutenants of Gretch without kingdoms. They posses powers equal to those of that rule their own kingdoms in Gretch’s empire. All are flawed creations of Gretch.
Fnuthaar (male half-giant morg, barbarian 16),
Col’raoz (female human morg, ranger 7 psion 8),
Las-ufar, Ambassador of Gretch to Shadowmourn, male human morg, nomad 9 rogue 7 - done
Uzhgabr, morg (male dwarf morg, psion 11 fighter 5).
The Kingdom of Wujarrt
Wujarrt Morg female wizard 5/psion 5/ cerebremancer 5/necromant 2 - A preserver student from the Pristine Tower; enlisted in Uyness’s army, fought and mortally wounded at the battle at Tforkatch River. Preserved by Uyness, Gretch stole her from Uyness as she lay dying and turned her into a morg; later Gretch locked her in a dungeon and forgot about her for ages. When she was found she was a screaming maniac.
The Kingdom of Ireyul
Ireyul Flesh golem male wizard 9/necromant 5 - student of defiling magic in the Pristine Tower, only 15 years old, brilliant student with vast potential, killed by Gretch and turned into a flesh golem, a shambling mass of scars and exposed bone, standing unnaturally erect due to the steel spine inserted by Gretch, rampant paranoia and secretiveness
The Kingdom of Oskyar
Oskyar Racked spirit male wizard 11/psion 5/ cerebremancer 3/necromant 10 - an apprentice at the Pristine Tower, killed by a magical experiment. animated flawlessly, a fine, strong, handsome specimen without blemish, but is an imbecile, however, over the vast centuries he has slowly gained knowledge that surpases Gretch’s,
The Kingdom of Chuul
Chuul (T’liz male wizard 16/necromant 2) – a student at the Pristine Tower, rival of Gretch for the affections of a young lady, after being raised undead, hide his undead nature under illussions, erudite and sociable, currently imprisoned by Vassahi
Vassahi Eomwa elven male zhen, psion 25 – overthrew Chuul,
The Kingdom of Kuo’chthan
Kuo’chthan thinking zombie; thri-kreen fighter 18 psychic warrior 12 – his mind is unable to cope with being undead, driven to utter madness
The Kingdom of Ceeryl
Ceeryl Racked spirit female wizard 5/psion 5/ cerebremancer 3/necromant 7/druid 4 – failed student at the Pristene Tower turned gardener, beautiful, her body is perfectly preserved, cloaks her land in illusion.
The Gardens of Shansanar
Shansanar Unclassified undead - experiment to work life regeneration through preserver magic. The resultant creature is a strange combination of undead animal and unliving plant. Shansanar looks like a massive thick-boled tree, not unlike the oaks
The Gelada of Kiwk
Kiwk, Feylaar male thinking zombie fighter 8 wilder 9 - his form and personality are much as they were in life, vicious and violent
Zhen overseers - govern in Kiwk’s name
Praetorian guard, fallen - govern in Kiwk’s name
Nophdeh’s Gullet
Nophdeh male dwarven banshee rogue 8 - dwarf from faraway Tyr who had drifted southwards in search of his lost family – their village had been overrun by giants fleeing Dregoth’s army, and he presumed them enslaved
The Viscera
Gazwaag, Convoy Leader of the Striders, Zhen, male human warrior 7 - leader of the zhen, plainsmen and herders of Ulyan buiried in kurgans and raised by the black tide.
The Kingdom of Olnak
Tol’thak Morg male wizard 5/psion 5/ cerebremancer4/ necromant 10 - former scholar of agriculture, learned magic from Gretch after being turned into a morg
The Exilarchate of Erthne
Erthne the Exilarch, Male ogre warrior fallen 17 - one of the leading generals of Nagarvos’. He commanded the reserve corps in the army of Nagarvos’ at the Battle of Tforkatch River
The Kingdom of Nocwis
Nocwis Skeleton warrior female fighter 15
Nocwis had been a famous tribal leader of the Windborne Wheels tribe, who died when her chariot overturned in battle, her people were raiders as much as herders
Tarktas
Eddarkols Male human fallen fighter 5/ wizard 10/ necromant 8 - a high ranking general in Kalak’s army.
Fallen solider Male human fallen fighter 8 – soldiers from Kalak and Sielba’s armies who died taking Tarktas
Shumash
Jush-Esgar, the Caravan King, Zhen male human fighter 12 psion 16 - subordinate to Irikos, left to rule of Shumash after it was taken, disappeared in a bugdead invasion, believed to be at large somewhere in the Dead Lands
Shumash undead A dwarven banshee commoner 4 – citizen of Shumash
Shumash undead B orc athasian wraith - citizen of Shumash
Shumash undead C Human zhen - citizen of Shumash
The City of a Thousand Dead
The Descendants of the Chosen – researchers under Qwith
The Custodians:
Thikwasa female human zhen, psion 28 – studied positive and negative energy
Traleev-eso male human zhen, wizard 12/necromant 10– studied positive and negative energy
Magnwag female human zhen, wizard 15/necromant 1– studied positive and negative energy
Negchar male human zhen, wizard 20/fire priest 9 – researcher under Qwith, led the creation of a powerful necrotic artifact after becoming undead, current location unknown.
Stoneborers: former inner planar researchers of Earth
Ac’nac’wo male human zhen, wizard 8/psion 5/ cerebremancer 10/necromant 6 – once a minor researcher of obsidian regions of the plane of Magma, after undead has become more powerful.
Munavar the Earth priest, male human zhen, earth priest 23
Cheltagthwo the psionicist, female human zhen, psion 19
Zaprarus No-iim the defiler, (male human zhen, wizard 18/necromant 5)
Radiant Descendants: senior researchers into the planes of Fire, Magma, and Sun.
Djelj male human zhen, psion 27 – former leader of the researchers exploring the plane of Fire.
Sinker Kasgat male human zhen, wizard 20/necromant 4 - former leader of the researchers exploring the plane of Magma
Ulariss female human zhen, wizard 17/necromant 5 - former leader of the researchers exploring the plane of Sun
Shimmerers: fromer inner planar researchers of Air
Ruknis male human zhen, wizard 25/necromant 3 – focused on Air
Ebliriok male human zhen, wizard 17/necromant 4 – specialized in researching Silt
Wasagar female human zhen, wizard 6/psion 7/cerebremancer 10/necromant 1 – specializing in Rain
Pwiskathi Bone-Eyes female human zhen, psion 23 – lacks pupils in her eyes, specializies in Silt
Marooned:
Abak-Enawi male human zhen, psion 26 - specialized in Water
Kakraz the Putrid male human zhen, wizard 6/psion 6/cerebremancer 9/necromant 4 – most powerful specialist in Magma
Hashbru E’abriz male human zhen, wizard 19/necromant 3 - most powerful specialist in Silt
Rajaat’s Fugitives
Pandruj kaisharga male wizard 15/necromant 10 - preserver fugitive whose surrender was demanded by Rajaat as a pretext for the assault on ancient Nagarvos’, tortured to death by Daskinor, became undead before the obsidian tide
Tetrarchs Morg male and female various races psion 22 – leading council of Nagarvos’
The Defenders
G’dranav, Meorty male ogre psion 30 – used psionics to create a chasm, member of the guard of the Tetrarchs, armed with magical and psionic equipment created by the most powerful wizards and psions in Nagarvos’, turned himself into a meorty
Defenders, Dwarf and Ogre Meorty male and female fighters 15 psion 9 - member of the guard of the Tetrarchs, armed with magical and psionic equipment created by the most powerful wizards and psions in Nagarvos’,
The Champion’s Daughters
Commander of the Champion’s Daughters, Zhen female fighters XX psion XX - The commander of the Daughters is nameless and faceless, always wearing a mask to disguise her identity. Perhaps even the warriors among the Daughters no longer recall her name
Champion’s Daughters, Officers Zhen female fighters 16 psion 12 - reanimated dead of the Champion’s elite warriors, human females trained especially for the destruction of the other humanoid races on Athas, The Daughters’ original mission still drives their motives: to slay humanoids wherever they find them
Champion’s Daughters, Zhen female fighters 12 psion 7
The Hungry Ghosts
Kalid-Ma had recruited hunting tribes for the core of his army, and hunting techniques were foremost among his warriors; They were instructed to hunt in the city streets, killing any tari they found, but also to gather intelligence and perform thefts and assassinations.
Nukra-dzif zhen male human rogue 17 psion 15 – leader of the hungry ghosts, a wily old hunter originally from the plains south of the Estuary of the Forked Tongue
Quansak One-Ear zhen male human fighter 18 rogue 7 - major lieutenants of Nukra-dzif
Jishassagar No-Footfall Zhen female human rogue 22 - major lieutenants of Nukra-dzif
Redsmile Rog Zhen male human rogue 16/pychic warrior 7 - major lieutenants of Nukra-dzif
The “Other” Undead
Volldrager Zhen male human cleric of rain 18 - his doctrine of clerical supremacy in the planes, was a disgruntled cleric working at the Navel
three meorties - who survived the siege and sack of Nagarvos’, created in the Green Age
Guinswai the Forbidding, Zhen male human wizard 11/necromant 10
The Great One, Colossal obsidian elemental - over 20 feet tall and weighed several tons, moves through the blackglass like a bird through the air; In combat, the elemental can draw upon an effectively infinite supply of living energy (hit points) as long as it stays in contact with the obsidian shelf.
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Thank you Band2 for clarifying the status of this. This list of character descriptions will save us a LOT of time. Austin gave me the stat block for us to work on as well.
Since Christmas Ive been gathering people to join me on a Discord server to help coordinate and focus all our efforts and shared work for getting Faces of the Dead Lands done. If anyone is working on Faces of the Dead Lands on their own or in a small group, please join us! Let us all coordinate our efforts so we don’t waste work.
Message me if you’re working on it or wishing to work on it, and I’ll send you a Discord server invite. (I love the Arena forum, but we need fast communication and resource sharing to do this…)
As for our progress, we’re about 15% or so through making stat blocks for the list of names, and we’ve added in the magic items mentioned in the Secrets of the Dead Lands manuscript. Join us on Discord and I can show you in more detail.
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I do have a question regarding this project, for anyone who is listening.
What is a “wezer”? (as in Wezer Clouds)? The notes have it as “pulp bee zombie or exoskeleton”, but then some sources are saying Wezer. I know it replaced the “wasp clouds”. I’m asking because I cannot find any source materials or stats for this anywhere.
Surely we’re not talking about the 1990’s indy rock band from Wisconsin here… 
Cool. Thank you. I just found the conversion in “Terrors of Athas”.
Hey folks. I’m happy to say our stat creation for the entire list continues apace. This Faces book is a properly big project-- nearly 200 entries! But we’re getting stuck in, and we’ve already completed at least 25% of the list.
But I have another question for you lovely people:
I need to find the 3.5e stats for Pit Snatchers and Earth Weirds (bitumen). I’ve been told they’re in City by the Silt Sea, but has anyone ever converted them to 3.5 edition?
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Pit Snatcher is in Terrors of Athas. Earth Weird can be found in 3.5 Monster Manual II under the Elemental Weird entry.
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Brilliant. Thank you.
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Do you have the ENworld converted creature catalog?