Shoggoth
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| Shows the strunthlg you potentially have available to be ng'flgath. Help is available on each individual strunth. | Shows the strunthlg you potentially have available to be ng'flgath. Help is available on each individual strunth. | ||
| - | + | For a list of currently known strunth, see the [[Shoggoth strunthlg list]]. | |
| - | + | ||
| - | /---------------------------------------------------------------\ | + | |
| - | | Strunth Summary Vorgaal| | + | |
| - | >---------------------------------------------------------------< | + | |
| - | | [[Abvhath]] digestive tract 9 | --- ability to eat and drink | + | |
| - | | [[Beemeh]] integrative neural cluster 5 | --- [[Psychic integrity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Bhurvog]] coordinating neural cluster 5 | --- [[Dexterity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Buwglu-Ulwu]] immunity gland 5 | --- [[Robustness]] | + | |
| - | | [[Cheedthek]] spatial modeling neural cluster 5 | --- [[Situational awareness]] plus lotsa other stuff | + | |
| - | | [[Dhlathm-Voivog]] psychic vampirism lobe 5 | --- [[Psychic_Vampire#Psychic_Vampire|psychic vampire]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Eeumu-Voivog]] mindshielding lobe 5 | --- [[Mindshielder#Mindshielder|mindshielder]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Feddib]] channeling organ 5 | --- [[Channeling]] | + | |
| - | | [[Fenikred-Voivog]] dowser lobe 5 | --- [[Dowser#Dowser|dowser]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Fethfhau]] bone spur 15 | --- [[Slashing]] Damage | + | |
| - | | [[Fungthek]] vibration dampener node 5 | --- [[Sonic Resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ghewmth]] [[levitary]] 5 | --- permanent wingless flight | + | |
| - | | [[Ghurk-Voivog]] empathic lobe 5 | --- [[Empath#Empath|empath]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Gtekmed]] order node 5 | --- [[Order Affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Gut-Ulwu]] phlogiston gland 5 | --- [[Phlogiston]] Gland | + | |
| - | | [[Gyrluhtn]] repair gland 5 | --- [[Regeneration]] | + | |
| - | | [[Hhk-Ulwu]] thermal conductivity gland 5 | --- [[Cold tolerance]], [[Heat tolerance]] and other, unknown capabilities | + | |
| - | | [[Hngaug]] tentacle manipulator 30 | --- [[Tentacle]] | + | |
| - | | [[Hromgeel]] chaos node 5 | --- [[Chaos Affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Hurgkthorg]] emotive neural cluster 5 | --- Anthropic Sentience + ability to feel pleasure | + | |
| - | | [[Hyeleth-Voivog]] telepathic lobe 5 | --- [[Psychic_Wild_Talents#Mindreader|mindreader]] + [[Psychic_Wild_Talents#Mindspeaker|mindspeaker]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Hyvulag-Ulwu]] acidifying gland 5 | --- [[Acid affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Iggura]] pain suppression neural cluster 5 | --- [[Analgesia]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ivithuu]] olfactory antenna 5 | --- Sense of smell also boosts [[tracking]] skill | + | |
| - | | [[Keph]] head facsimile 15 | --- anthropic head | + | |
| - | | [[K'flithk]] diamond spur 20 | --- slashing weapon | + | |
| - | | [[K'thee]] vocal tube 5 | --- allows speech | + | |
| - | | [[Kaxmang]] berserker neural cluster 5 | --- allows berserkness | + | |
| - | | [[Kreglth-Ulwu]] antidote gland 5 | --- [[poison resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Lubbeeg]] structural gland 5 | --- [[Constitution]] | + | |
| - | | [[Mafghruln]] desacralization node 5 | --- Holy/Unholy resistance | + | |
| - | | [[Mfha]] auditory tympanum 5 | --- Sense of [[Hearing]], also boost [[Perception]] and [[Awareness]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ngwilgw]] light compensation neural cluster 5 | --- anti dazzle | + | |
| - | | [[Nnthurhuk]] pressure integument 40 | --- pressure resistance, maybe also force resistance | + | |
| - | | [[Oiyeuth]] grounding node 5 | --- [[Electrical resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ovogalg]] social neural cluster 5 | --- [[Charisma]] | + | |
| - | | [[Phikt]] sting 9 | --- venom-gland using stinger | + | |
| - | | [[Phlung]] stress assay neural cluster 5 | --- [[Demolition]], [[find weakness]], [[killer instinct]] and [[lack of weakness]] | + | |
| - | | [[Porg]] strength gland 5 | --- [[Strength]] | + | |
| - | | [[Pulgitl-Ulwu]] counter-eskaris gland 5 | --- [[Eskaric Resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Pulgk-Ythog]] optical receptor pod 32 | --- compound eye | + | |
| - | | [[Queq]] dynamic dampener node 5 | --- Order/Chaos resistance | + | |
| - | | [[Quifagh]] light-emitting organ 5 | --- [[Luminescence]] | + | |
| - | | [[Rheet-Ulwu]] venom gland 5 | --- venom gland | + | |
| - | | [[Rheetvu-Ulwu]] toxifying gland 5 | --- [[Poison affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Rhilth]] closed-cycle lung 40 | --- Internal Respiration | + | |
| - | | [[Ruwuthih]] fire-breathing tube 10 | --- eructant weapon | + | |
| - | | [[Stur-Ulwu]] metabolic gland 5 | --- [[recuperation]] ands [[stamina]] | + | |
| - | | [[T'skee-Voivog]] mindblasting lobe 5 | --- [[Mindblaster#Mindblaster|mindblaster]] talent | + | |
| - | | [[Thogfha]] perceptual neural cluster 5 | --- [[Perception]] | + | |
| - | | [[Thuymwh-Ulwu]] microorganism hegemonizing gland 5 | --- [[Disease affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Tlilik]] hand manipulator 9 | --- anthropoid hand | + | |
| - | | [[Trofhu-Ulwu]] alkalizing gland 5 | --- [[Alkaline Affinity]] | + | |
| - | | [[Tyltylgm]] armored carapace 40 | --- [[lack of weakness]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ueema-Ulwu]] inhibitor gland 5 | --- acid/alkaline resistance | + | |
| - | | [[Ugulgn]] analytic neural cluster 5 | --- [[Intelligence]] | + | |
| - | | [[Urgrud]] elemental balancing node 5 | --- [[Fire Resistance]], [[Water Resistance]], [[Air Resistance]], [[Earth Resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Uzhlaum]] arm structure 28 | --- anthropoid arm | + | |
| - | | [[Vek]] astral sensory organ 5 | --- [[Astral Perception]] | + | |
| - | | [[Vulk]] bone quill 13 | --- stabbing weapon | + | |
| - | | [[Wuigalk]] diamond quill 15 | --- stabbing weapon | + | |
| - | | [[Xelth]] wing 25 | --- [[Flight]] | + | |
| - | | [[Yarl]] regulatory neural cluster 5 | --- willpower, pain tolerance, resilience and steadiness | + | |
| - | | [[Yezkralk]] endoskeleton 48 | --- strength, constitution, dexterity, amorphism, massive blows & exertion | + | |
| - | | [[Yfunelunsth]] weak-spectrum sensory array 25 | --- [[Paravision]] | + | |
| - | | [[Ythog]] optical receptor 5 | --- eye | + | |
| - | | [[Zheg]] magick resistance node 5 | --- [[Magick Resistance]] | + | |
| - | | [[Zzthafgh]] light amplification neural cluster 5 | --- night vision | + | |
| - | \---------------------------------------------------------------/ | + | |
| ==Show Flgathu== | ==Show Flgathu== | ||
Revision as of 17:39, 26 July 2013
This article is about the shoggoth species and abilities. For the Shapeshifter form, see Shoggoth form.
Contents |
Shoggothim
Shoggothim are creatures of fearful legend, rarely seen but no less terrifying for that. Their basic form seems to be that of a huge, amorphous blob of ceaselessly churning black slime, but this seldom describes a shoggoth as one sees it, as they can reform this slime at will into a freakish variety of limbs and organs; an array of tentacles festooned with wide, lidless eyes commonly informs the general theme of a shoggoth's appearance. The variations thereon are endless.
Though a strange, cold intelligence somehow finds a way to exist within the shoggoth's inconstant form, they rarely deign to grow and use the organs necessary to communicate with ordinary races, or to learn our languages instead of their own eldritch Ngaathgl. In most circumstances, the best that one can hope for is being utterly ignored by a shoggoth, since the most common result of drawing one's attention is a demonstration of their most elementary mode of combat, as simple as it is horrific: flowing over their victims and dissolving them with their black slime. This can sometimes be forestalled by carrying a torch or having other items upon one that will harm the shoggoth, though such defenses are by no means completely reliable. If a shoggoth is dissuaded from enveloping a victim, it typically resorts to beating them to death with tentacles or other weird organs. The use of fire or other esoteric means of inflicting harm remains appropriate for protecting oneself, as the shoggoth's fluid consistency makes ordinary weapons nearly useless.
The origin of the shoggothim is utterly obscure, and widely considered a topic best left to the suicidally adventurous if it is to be investigated at all. The most sane response to one's appearance is near-universally thought to be avoiding it and hoping it goes away -- a hope that is, in fact, borne out often enough. Few argue that one is not better off if one's shoggoth becomes somebody else's problem.
/----------------------------- The Shoggoth Race -----------------------------\ | Attributes Strength 30 to 60 | | Intelligence 20 to 40 | | Constitution 30 to 60 | | Dexterity 20 to 40 | | Willpower 20 to 40 | | Charisma 5 to 10 | | Perception 20 to 40 | | Size 300 to 500 | | Typical Sexes Neuter | | Languages Native Ngaathgl | | Specialty Access Metamorphosis available: degree XXX, | | required: degree III, | | bonus: degree II | | Somatesthesia available: degree V | | Disguise, Equestrian, forbidden: degree I | | Jumping, and Riding | | Resistances Piercing near-total resistance | | Cutting near-total resistance | | Crushing very strong resistance | | Force very strong resistance | | Eskara moderate vulnerability | | Temporal immunity | | Traits Amorphism Yes | | Assimilativity -11 | | Diet Organivore | | Night Vision 1 | | Respiration Cellular | | Sentience Intellectual | | Physical Characteristics Anatomy Amorphous | | Natural Weaponry Very Poor | | Mental Characteristics Psi Psychically Alien | \-----------------------------------------------------------------------------/
Abilities
Vorgaal
Vorgaal (mass) refers to the substance of the shoggoth body, which is made up of carculgnath, a sort of colonial organism that can reorganize and form connections within itself in a very flexible fashion. The vorgaal associated with a strunth is the amount that needs to be dedicated to forming it. Your available vorgaal is determined by your size and the state of your health; damaged carculgnath cannot be used to form flgathu. This also means that your flgathu can collapse as you are injured; the glithmrul and fungmrul of your flgathu affect how this happens.
Zath vorgaal (central mass) refers to the amorphous bulk of your body, as opposed to any flgathu you may have ng'flgath.
Perform Flgathl
Usage: perform flgathl <strunth> [from <flgath>]
This is the mechanism a shoggoth uses to grow (flgathl) a given type of special-purpose organ (strunth). When one has ng'flgath (grown) an instance of a strunth, this is called a flgath (growth); a strunth may be though of as the 'type' of a flgath. You can use 'show strunthlg' to see the strunthlg available to you; help is available on each individual strunth.
Many strunthlg are ng'flgath (grown) from another flgath; this is detailed in the help for the strunth. You can use the 'from <flgath>' syntax for this maneuver to specify the flgath you wish to flgathl your new flgath from; one will be chosen automatically if you forego this option. A flgath to flgathl from may be specified using its name in 'show flgathu', or if you have more than one flgath of a given strunth, you can give the name of the strunth by itself to use the first flgath of that strunth that your new flgath can be ng'flgath from. You can also specify 'zath vorgaal' to flgathl the flgath from your body's zath vorgaal (central mass) rather than another flgath.
Some strunthlg have an efficacy formula that determines how well the strunth functions, based on your abilities. This is always dependent on your abilities at the time that the flgath was ng'flgath; if the relevant abilities improve significantly, you should uvgulth the affected flgathu and flgathl new ones to take full advantage of your expanded knowledge.
Fl'hlgath (growing) a flgath takes metabolic energy, in proportion to the amount of vorgaal being restructured.
Perform Uvgulth
Usage: perform uvgulth <what>
This is the mechanism a shoggoth uses to absorb (uvgulth) special-purpose organ growths (flgathu) back into itself, deconstructing them and reclaiming their vorgaal. When you have ng'flgath multiple flgathu of a given strunth, you can use the numbered designations in 'show flgathu' to specify a single flgath you wish to uvgulth, or give the name of the strunth with no number in order to uvgulth the last flgath. You can also specify 'azath' (all) to uvgulth all your flgathu, or specify the plural of a strunth to uvgulth all your flgathu of that strunth.
This process consumes metabolic energy, in proportion to the vorgaal being restructured, though considerably less of it than it takes to flgathl.
Show Strunthlg
Usage: show strunthlg
Shows the strunthlg you potentially have available to be ng'flgath. Help is available on each individual strunth.
For a list of currently known strunth, see the Shoggoth strunthlg list.
Show Flgathu
Usage: show flgathu
Shows the flgathu you currently have ng'flgath.
Set Glithmrul
Usage: set glithmrul of <flgath> to <level>
The glithmrul (importance) of a flgath is essentially how much that flgath matters to you -- specifically, how hard you will work to keep it functional. This affects what happens when you no longer have enough usable vorgaal for your current flgathu, which is most typically the result of damage. In that situation, your flgathu will collapse until you have enough usable vorgaal to maintain those remaining; the higher the fungmrul and glithmrul of a flgath, and the less damaged it is, the less likely it is to be one of those which collapse. Flgathu whose glithmrul you have not set will have glithmrul determined by their strunthlg.
You can specify a flgath using its name from 'show flgathu', or if you have multiple flgathu of a given strunth, you can give the name of the strunth by itself to specify the first flgath of that strunth.
The levels of glithmrul you can set are, in increasing order: minimal, extremely low, very low, low, somewhat low, moderate, somewhat high, high, very high, extremely high and maximal.
Fungmrul
The fungmrul of a flgath is its inherent structural stability; this affects what happens when you no longer have enough usable vorgaal for your current flgathu, which is most typically the result of damage. In that situation, your flgathu will collapse until you have enough usable vorgaal to maintain those remaining; the higher the fungmrul and glithmrul of a flgath, and the less damaged it is, the less likely it is to be one of those which collapse. The fungmrul of a flgath is determined by its strunth, and can vary with situational factors such as the number of other flgathu of the same strunth currently ng'flgath, but rarely departs much from its baseline.
The general levels of fungmrul are, in increasing order: minimal, extremely low, very low, low, somewhat low, moderate, somewhat high, high, very high, extremely high and maximal.
Show Vorgaal
Usage: show vorgaal
Shows your vorgaal, including your total amount, the amount currently usable, the amount currently formed into flgathu, and the amount available for fl'hlgath new flgathu
Perform Ghaunadu
Usage: perform ghaunadu [<ghaunadlek>] Typical Activity Cost: 22
This is the primary ingestive method of shoggoth metabolism, the ability to ghaunadu (consume) nearly any organic matter simply by flowing over it, tearing the ghaunadlek (subject) apart at a miniscule level with one's carculgnath, and absorbing the raw materials produced. Being a fundamentally different process from ghaa'ghu digestion, a shoggoth gh'hlaunadu (consuming) an object is not subject to many effects that a ghaa'ghu might suffer from eating or drinking it, such as intoxication and poisoning, but also will not receive any special benefits that might be possible.
Of course, there is no great distinction between animate and inanimate organic matter for this purpose, so ghaa'ghu beings acquainted with shoggothim most typically regard gh'hlaunadu as a particularly hideous and terrifying combat maneuver.
If no ghaunadlek is specified and you are in combat, you will attempt to ghaunadu your current opponent.
Gh'hlaunadu addresses most of your more complex metabolic needs; it does not always, however, supply enough fluids for the maintenance of healthy carculgnath, depending on what sorts of things one fl-n'ghaunadu. This is addressed very easily: simply immerse yourself in a pool, stream, river, ocean, or the like, and your carculgnath will filter pure water from it as a matter of course.
Bglaz
Bglaz (expansion) is the ongoing, potentially limitless growth naturally experienced by shoggothim. Simply keep yourself adequately supplied with metabolic raw materials, and you will slowly bglazl (expand) with the passage of time. Bglazl a sufficient vorgaal, and you can guggugl (divide), should you desire to bring more shoggothim into the world.
Perform Guggugl
Usage: perform guggugl Typical Activity Cost: 100
Guggug (division) is the shoggoth method of reproduction: splitting one's vorgaal in two, allowing part of it to take on existence as a separate individual. When you guggugl (divide), the new shoggoth takes with it not only a portion of your vorgaal, but the memories and psyche-patterns contained therein, making it a fully functional individual from the moment of guggug. As memory and psyche are holographic phenomena, this is not a matter of you simply losing everything your spawn gains; what you experience is more of a partial degradation of function, loss of clarity and forgetfulness.
Obviously, the personality of the new shoggoth is much like your own, so you should certainly expect no particular regard, obedience or sense of affiliation from it. It will, in fact, almost certainly believe itself to have just ng'guggug you. Perhaps it has. The epistemological complexity of the situation is generally thought to call for avoidance of the subject.
Despite the cost of guggug and the lack of tangible benefit to it, shoggothim do engage in it from time to time. The reasons for this vary from shoggoth to shoggoth, but fairly frequently cited as a motivation is some form of artistic expression.
There is a certain minimum critical mass of carculgnath necessary to a fully functional shoggoth; in order to guggugl, you must bglazl to sufficient size that both you and the new shoggoth are over this minimum.
