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In the Hermetic Realm, beyond the Aether Veil separating mortal and magical life, live creatures known as Homonculii. Blending the powers of the mythical elements and the four temperaments of the mind, these creatures come in many shapes and sizes, each with their own strange and powerful abilities. Talented mortals can forge bonds with these creatures, and create mighty alliances. The homonculii are eager to merge with the mortals of the Hermetic Realm, sharing their magic with their allies in exchange for the sensations and wonders of the mortal side of the veil.
This is an idea that's been floating in my mind for a while. It's sorta a mix of bits of Pokemon, Digimon and Persona, along with different mythologies and my own little touches. I call the creatures Homonculii, magical beings that can ally and merge with mortals, sharing the powers of the two. From a young age, mortals in this realm are taught the ways of the Homonculii, and when they come of age, they are tutored through summoning and bonding with their first Homonculus, as well as other basics. Adventurers can peer through the Aether Veil at times to see the Homonculii within, allowing them to form bonds with many more Homonculii.
Here's a link for your viewing pleasure. (leads to a folder in my DeviantArt profile containing the Homonculii I've finished)
That's a good variety of creatures you have there.
Am I correct in assuming they're divided along elemental lines? Or am I completely wrong?
The second answer would not surprise me...
I've heard of most of those, but I'll have to look some up.
Anyway... Quite interesting.
They're divided by element, but also by temperament, so a Fire element Homonculus with an Idealist temperament is different to a Fire one with a Guardian temperament. They advance along paths too. Each entry lists what the listed Homonculus advances from, and what it can advance to (often they'll change element or temperament, sometimes both, as they advance). Also, their 'personas' are the result of mixing their element and temperament into a more narrow typing. Eg: Fire + Rational = Fieldmarshal, a co-ordinated type excelling at strategy and command, along with proficiency with fire-based magic (obviously ). I'll list the elements, temperaments, personas and what they all mean down the line sometime (haven't quite ironed them all out yet).
Ah, I was hoping you'd put a link to those up on here...
Do you plan to have a mythology for each individual one?
Not so much mythology, since they're more species that 'advance' (like Pokemon) as opposed to individual characters, but each one does have it's own little piece of lore in the individual entries in my link.
Mmmmm....I love the Alraune and Mandragora. A note - I'd probably give a slight curve to the leaves supporting the chest and with the lower leaf on the mandragora, curving the belt as well as it gives a nice feeling of roundness to the figure.
I think you've capture the head on the cyclops and ettin perfectly and both figures feel solid and believable. With the Jabberwocky and the other long armed green homonculi, it feels like there's something...missing. Not really sure what it is but the arms need a little something extra to them.
You've also given a lot of thought to the story of each one - are you working from a setting you have planned out in your head or is each one done "as is"?
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Proof that avataring standards in the Playground have reached an all-time low:
Mmmmm....I love the Alraune and Mandragora. A note - I'd probably give a slight curve to the leaves supporting the chest and with the lower leaf on the mandragora, curving the belt as well as it gives a nice feeling of roundness to the figure.
Ahh, I see what you mean.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Succubus
I think you've capture the head on the cyclops and ettin perfectly and both figures feel solid and believable. With the Jabberwocky and the other long armed green homonculi, it feels like there's something...missing. Not really sure what it is but the arms need a little something extra to them.
Hehe, thanks.
And I'm not sure what I can do about those two... the arms are actually ethereal and transparent (not sure why I've done that, but it's a recurring trend in my homonculii. Kinda just a part of the quirky style ). Fins, maybe?
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Succubus
You've also given a lot of thought to the story of each one - are you working from a setting you have planned out in your head or is each one done "as is"?
Sort of a setting I'm kinda building as I go. Each individual creature summary is mostly done on the spot, working with other bits I've already done and bits I planned ahead to keep it cohesive.
Interesting. I like the setting, and the drawings are quite nice. Would you mind if I were to make a character in the Nexus who's bonded to a few of these?
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Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
If you'd like to invent a word with that particular plural, then 'homonculius' works well (it just has no actual ancient meaning).
(For reference, 'homunculus' is the diminutive of 'homo', meaning 'little human' and 'human' respectively.)
edit: for reference, this was not at all the impetus behind my new thread. The mistake in this topic---that the nominative plural ending of second declension Latin nouns is '-ii'---is understandably common due to the sheer volume of second declension nouns whose stem ends in an 'i' (gladius becomes gladii, triarius becomes triarii, but puer becomes pueri). Much too common a misconception to get bothered by.
Interesting. I like the setting, and the drawings are quite nice. Would you mind if I were to make a character in the Nexus who's bonded to a few of these?
Ooh, go for it! That sounds really cool!
Though I haven't got all of the creatures, or the "rules" of bonding written down, so you might be missing some info.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tylerb7
'Homonculi' (homunculi) only has one 'i'.
If you'd like to invent a word with that particular plural, then 'homonculius' works well (it just has no actual ancient meaning).
(For reference, 'homunculus' is the diminutive of 'homo', meaning 'little human' and 'human' respectively.)
edit: for reference, this was not at all the impetus behind my new thread. The mistake in this topic---that the nominative plural ending of second declension Latin nouns is '-ii'---is understandably common due to the sheer volume of second declension nouns whose stem ends in an 'i' (gladius becomes gladii, triarius becomes triarii, but puer becomes pueri). Much too common a misconception to get bothered by.
Ooh, go for it! That sounds really cool!
Though I haven't got all of the creatures, or the "rules" of bonding written down, so you might be missing some info.
I'll be sure to keep them mysterious about all of that, then.
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Plague Rat in the Playground
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grim ranger
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
I support the godly magazine idea, and hope that Eld can serve as mix of town crier and incredibly deadpan game show host in some sections. Also, for some odd reason, he will also make appearance when it comes to godly fashion tips, for even if he is grim reaper he will be the most bishounen god there is. Just you wait
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moonwolf
Damn you and your comprehensive understanding of synergistic tactics. :|
I'd just like to take a minute here to note, I am in love with these creatures you are making. So good at monster designs, and theres a reason I have you make minitures for my DND campaign
I'd just like to take a minute here to note, I am in love with these creatures you are making. So good at monster designs, and theres a reason I have you make minitures for my DND campaign
Loving the designs of them like how simple creatures become hulking giants of power also any hope for a map of the regions?
Thanks. :) Glad you like them!
And yes, there will eventually be a map. I've made a very basic outline, but there's still a fair amount of work to be done on it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Succubus
The new ones are looking good. There's an impressive level of detail on Lucifer.