Faeries as a non-playable race

If new races were to be introduced I'd like to see only one or two subtly come in.

I know fairies were mentioned previously as a joke but I'd love to see them as a new race. Not the bedtime story fairy notion entertained by children but the "true" spirit beings as described in Celtic myths.

My thoughts:

1. They live in the forests with the elves, who know of them and converse with them but have a pact to keep them secret. This could explain why we never saw them in Arcanum before.

2. They cannot be seen by mortals unless the faeries allow or in several other circumstances (eg. spell, charmed scarf, sacred ground ...I dunno, I'm brainstorming OK).

3. They are energy beings, starting their lives as small sprites (who can fly) and as they gain in age and energy they evolve through stages eventually to human size (flying becomes impossible after childhood but the wings look great).

4. They have powers but are under complete control of their queen at all times and rarely stray far from her protection. I won't go into detail unless someone shows interest.

5. Faeries can only be killed by technology. Their only protection is their ability to stay hidden and affect the minds and memory of mortals.

6. As with all races, they can be very good through to very evil.

I thought there could be a quest (not compulsory but very difficult) that leads to the faeries and if completed perfectly results in a free follower faerie sprite.

The sprites could have immense healing powers, charm (making normally angry people calmer), grow plants as needed and maybe lull people to sleep with their song. Max DX, BE, CH & CN but Zero ST, IN, PE & WP. They do not converse, simply do what they're told and what their instinct tells them ie. healing & charm.

Please note that my description of faeries essentially comes from Raymond E. Feists book "Faerie Tale" with a few modifications for Arcanum. So don't flame me for plagiarism.

So that's my no.1 wish for the second Arcanum. And I'm so ready for you guys to rip it to shreds! :lol: Just be gentle, I'm a still a newbie remember.

 

*rips the idea to shreads*

TOO powerful.

 

dude, that would be so hard to incorporate into a system that allowed you to pick from different races, how could you follow the same storyline? how could you have the same GAME ENGINE and have it be fun playing as a pixie? i dont think it would be fun to NEVER talk to ANYONE because you're invisible all the time because they cant know you exist! not that its a bad idea, it just seems innapropriate for arcanum, or any game intended for adults. i mean you can have sex with a sheep! how does tinkerbell figure into that gameplay setup?

 

Who cares how much fun the pixies are having as long as you are? The thread topic says, "Faeries as a NON-PLAYABLE race".

 

I won't go into detail because my post was already too long but as Canis said, you don't play as a faerie. That would be too confusing as they are completely unlike any other race.

I described the sprites because I thought I'd would be great to have a little helpful follower. They can't communicate because they have no IN. But as faeries grow older they develop their skills and consciousness. Older faeries are more like elves and the queen is wickedly intelligent being half-human.

 

Well, I think it's good idea, and wtih it would come the ability for your own character to age over time and grow, possibly.

 

Again, for those of you who don't read anything; THEY ARE NON-PLAYABLE. Therefore, you don't play the faeries, thus you don't age, grow, develop or do anything else a faery might. :roll:

I think it's a good idea, but they couldn't have max 4 stats and zero the other four. The creature just couldn't function. They couldn't move with no strength, cast spells such as the charm you suggested because they have no willpower, couldn't fly because they have no intelligence, of which instinct needs some, even though it is base or often genetic intelligence (ie. they are born with certain inbuilt data but they learn no more) and they wouldn't be able to see, hear, taste, touch or smell anything with sero perception, which governs the senses.

Perhaps just high and low stats, not max and min, would be a better idea. Otherwise you'd end up with a pretty little cabbage that just sits there until it evolves enough to realise it's not a cabbage. :lol:

Also, maybe instead of getting a free follower you could get a tradeoff blessing instead. Either the blessing or the follower - not both, unless you have certain circumstances like either pure evil or pure good (100% alignment - depending on the faery tribe you were dealing with - evil or good), 100% magick alignment AND maybe even a master at persuasion too. With all three you might be able to convince them that you are a good enough ally to get both.

 

Of course you're right Ferret. I wasn't thinking very hard about the stats. Just trying to get my description across clearly.

Glad you like it.

 

I (think) I have a better version with the wisps

the wisps (Love-lights) are the small version of the fairies, and as they age they first evolve to (Death-lantern, and the tactic described on the official webbie as defence to protect the specie)and after that to fairies with the invisible abbility

this should be THE most difficult quest in the game IMHO