Xorn Stanchion: Difference between revisions

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| Description | This squat beast is as wide as it is tall. Strangely symmetrical, it has three arms, three legs, three eyes, and one huge mouth. It appears to be made from some smooth, dense material, that most closely resembles dense potters clay, frequently embedded with grit, stones, and even cobbles of stone, arranged in pleasing patterns or simply random, depending upon the specimen.
| Description | This squat beast is as wide as it is tall. Strangely symmetrical, it has three arms, three legs, three eyes, and one huge mouth. It appears to be made from some smooth, dense material, that most closely resembles dense potters clay, frequently embedded with grit, stones, and even cobbles of stone, arranged in pleasing patterns or simply random, depending upon the specimen.


: Xorns are wildly alien compared to most creatures of the Prime Material, lacking the matching pairs of limbs, eyes, and ears, and with their apparent 'mouth' placed at the very tip of their bodies. They have no readily apparent 'front' or 'back', and watching Xorns performing everyday tasks is wildly disconcerting, as the Xorn will pass objects it is holding and working on around its body in seemingly random 'orbits', so that it surveys its activities with first one pair of eyes, then another, while the eye opposite the work seems to peer about in deep thought.
Xorns are wildly alien compared to most creatures of the Prime Material, lacking the matching pairs of limbs, eyes, and ears, and with their apparent 'mouth' placed at the very tip of their bodies. They have no readily apparent 'front' or 'back', and watching Xorns performing everyday tasks is wildly disconcerting, as the Xorn will pass objects it is holding and working on around its body in seemingly random 'orbits', so that it surveys its activities with first one pair of eyes, then another, while the eye opposite the work seems to peer about in deep thought.


: Xorns are obviously related to the elements of Earth, given their appearance, and are also obviously not natives of the Prime Material Plane, given their appearance.  Xorns are tremendously heavy, and move with a ponderous grace in twirling motions that match the way they work with their hands moving in circles. A Xorn that is moving and working at the same time either synchronizes this motion, so the object held is always towards or away from their direction of movement, or, even worse, they move things opposite their movements, so that held objects spin at dizzying speed. Xorns appear immune to the vertigo of their motions, and indeed, seem to be at least as 'creeped out' by a symmetrical creature's stillness as we are by their motion.     
Xorns are obviously related to the elements of Earth, given their appearance, and are also obviously not natives of the Prime Material Plane, given their appearance.  Xorns are tremendously heavy, and move with a ponderous grace in twirling motions that match the way they work with their hands moving in circles. A Xorn that is moving and working at the same time either synchronizes this motion, so the object held is always towards or away from their direction of movement, or, even worse, they move things opposite their movements, so that held objects spin at dizzying speed. Xorns appear immune to the vertigo of their motions, and indeed, seem to be at least as 'creeped out' by a symmetrical creature's stillness as we are by their motion.     


: Xorns, finally, seem able to walk through Earth the way other beings walk through air, and as such, the concept of buildings, privacy, and property seem confusing to them.  Many Xorn seem offended by the very existence of 'flatters', and they are violent and aggressive against what they see as lesser vermin.  This makes conversations with Xorn difficult, at best.
Xorns, finally, seem able to walk through Earth the way other beings walk through air, and as such, the concept of buildings, privacy, and property seem confusing to them.  Many Xorn seem offended by the very existence of 'flatters', and they are violent and aggressive against what they see as lesser vermin.  This makes conversations with Xorn difficult, at best.


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   <!-- Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance" -->
   <!-- Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance" -->


| Ability-1-Action-Required =  
| Ability-1-Action-Required = Automatic
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
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   <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"-->
   <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"-->


| Ability-2-Action-Required =  
| Ability-2-Action-Required = Move Action
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
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   <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"-->
   <!--Values: Sp, Su, Ex; can also include things like "disease", "poison" or "stance"-->


| Ability-3-Action-Required =  
| Ability-3-Action-Required = Move Action
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
   <!-- Values: Full Round Action, Full Attack Action, Standard Action, Move Action, Swift Action, Free Action, Immediate Action
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
                 Free Action 1/Rnd, Free Action 1/Enc, Always On, Auto At Start of Encounter, Auto Upon Death, etc.        -->
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| CombatTactics = Xorn use Earthglide to move into melee and attack with great fierceness. Xorn do not have a ranged attack, and indeed, the very concept of 'throwing' seems to baffle them completely. They rarely feel the lack, however, as anyone who attacks a Xorn with a ranged attack of any sort risks the Xorn using Earthglide to close the distance and melee them. If faced with a flying foe, the Xorn will simply leave, in which case no experience is awarded. Be wary, however, as Xorn offended in such a manner will often follow their attackers and attack in the night, once their foes are firmly upon the ground. Many a town has been brought to ruin by an attack of angry Xorn who followed an adventuring party to their favorite inn. To a Xorn, a building is just a weird sort of rock structure, and they will destroy buildings without hesitation...which can quickly end a party's welcome in the now-ruined town.
| CombatTactics = Xorn use Earthglide to move into melee and attack with great fierceness. Xorn do not have a ranged attack, and indeed, the very concept of 'throwing' seems to baffle them completely. They rarely feel the lack, however, as anyone who attacks a Xorn with a ranged attack of any sort risks the Xorn using Earthglide to close the distance and melee them. If faced with a flying foe, the Xorn will simply leave, in which case no experience is awarded. Be wary, however, as Xorn offended in such a manner will often follow their attackers and attack in the night, once their foes are firmly upon the ground. Many a town has been brought to ruin by an attack of angry Xorn who followed an adventuring party to their favorite inn. To a Xorn, a building is just a weird sort of rock structure, and they will destroy buildings without hesitation...which can quickly end a party's welcome in the now-ruined town.


: Xorn use Earth Glide to move about in battle with impunity, and will leave a combat as soon as they are severely hurt. If they leave due to damage inflicted in melee, they are counted as defeated, and treasure can be recovered from the disturbed ground as valuable minerals left in the soil from their wounds.  The GM adjudicates all such cases, as always.
Xorn use Earth Glide to move about in battle with impunity, and will leave a combat as soon as they are severely hurt. If they leave due to damage inflicted in melee, they are counted as defeated, and treasure can be recovered from the disturbed ground as valuable minerals left in the soil from their wounds.  The GM adjudicates all such cases, as always.




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| OutOfCombat = Xorns can be placated with lumps of rare ores or crystals, which they usually consider delicacies.  Woe to the adventurer who offers a xorn a mineral it despises, as they can be quick to anger if they perceive a slight or insult.
| OutOfCombat = Xorns can be placated with lumps of rare ores or crystals, which they usually consider delicacies.  Woe to the adventurer who offers a xorn a mineral it despises, as they can be quick to anger if they perceive a slight or insult.


: If made friendly, a xorn can be convinced to provide services, such as tunneling, but they are bad miners, as they tend to eat the very thing being sought.  They're feared by castle architects, who consider them an especially awful sort of termite.  They're surprisingly good guides, as long as you can stand the constant detours for "the best-tasting silver for miles around" and the like.
If made friendly, a xorn can be convinced to provide services, such as tunneling, but they are bad miners, as they tend to eat the very thing being sought.  They're feared by castle architects, who consider them an especially awful sort of termite.  They're surprisingly good guides, as long as you can stand the constant detours for "the best-tasting silver for miles around" and the like.


: If angered, Xorn will wreck towns, fortifications, roads, canals, and the like with impunity. It behooves an adventurer to end what they start with any Xorn.
If angered, Xorn will wreck towns, fortifications, roads, canals, and the like with impunity. It behooves an adventurer to end what they start with any Xorn.




Revision as of 13:50, 26 February 2021

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