#tfta

[tales-from-the-aether-ttrpg]

Something thats always bugged me about dnd and pathfinder’s gods is that… they are basically monotheism in polytheism wrapping AND there is no actual religion present. The lore is so obsessed with these beings as people with their extensive histories and active presence in the setting that they completely forgot to actually create religions surrounding them.

What does casual worship look like for any of these gods? Could you tell me? What does prayer actually look like? Is there specific times of the day in which you must pray for certain gods? Is there certain attire you must wear to show your faith? Are there certain foods you cannot eat? Are there certain foods that are elevated above the rest for your faith? What kind of offerings are expected everyday? Do they expect offerings everyday or on a certain day of the week? Do they expect physical offerings at all? Do they ask for sacrifices of material goods, animals, people? Why? Why do you worship this deity? How does that actually affect ur daily life? How is worship different for a cleric, paladin, priest, or casual believer? What kinds of swears, curses, exclamations, etc are associated with this religion? Are there certain activities that are banned within your religion? How strictly does the religion police its worshiper’s actions? What kind of philosophies do they preach or disavow?

These and many more are the elements that form real world religions and are absent in most fantasy “religions” including popular ttrpgs. I cant even call these faiths religions because they really arent. One god in these settings should have 20 different religions built around them that all disagree on how the god’s domain, history, and personality should be interpreted. Maybe 2 or 4 of them would be main stream but there should be more than just one monolithic faith surrounding a god. And stop calling it polytheism. Please for the love of everything. Polytheism is a type of religion that worships multiple gods at once. Faith in dnd and pathfinder is largely monotheistic because the players choose one god they like and ignore all the rest.

I am not trying to put the responsibility of creating all these religions on gms - im pointing out that the creators of these ttrpgs did all of us a huge disservice. Religion is such an expansive and fascinating and diverse concept in the real world that it infuriates me to see it reduced to choosing a god you like and thats it. And im agnostic irl!

I was talking to my cowriter about this for the lore in my ttrpg and it got me really rilled up XD Religion can be beautiful or terrible or a mixture of both. It can save people from the world’s darkness or bring out their own inner darkness. It deserves more than a cliff-notes table of deities to choose from and half baked lore about the gods without examining the actual faith they inspire in others :/

[savi-our]

Chapters: 6/? Fandom: Undertale (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, W. D. Gaster/Reader Words: 29,010

AU’s - Undertale, Underfell, Underswap, Swapfell, Horrortale and perhaps more ;)

Relationships - Various x Reader, Reverse Harem Trope

☕ I know I'm late but chapter 6 is up and ready! Its a bit inner monologue heavy but I hope you'll forgive me for that. Hope you enjoy!☕

Summary:

An unfortunate accident one dark winter night sweeps you off your feet and leads you into a chance encounter with a house full of skeletons! They’re charming, witty and punny all around, but for reasons only known to you - you escape their friendliness intending to never step foot near the woods, or the skeletons, again… or that was the plan at least. What you couldn't have expected was that they're rather stubborn, and for some reason very intent on befriending you? No matter how much you avoid them or how many excuses you provide - they just keep popping up?! Why you?! Why now? And why are there so many?!

Will you be able to ward off your new skeleton suitors and keep your age old secrets, or will you succumb to their wily charms and submit yourself to their affections despite your unnatural circumstances? Will you be able to come to terms with befriending them or will you abandon it all, leaving them and all they are in the dark…

A tale as old as time, in which the reader goes through all 5 stages of grief trying to avoid the skeletons, with very little success and a ridiculous amount of shenanigans.

[umbrenshadowart]

I’ve had a cold for a WHILE which has made it really hard to draw, but I’m feeling better enough that i rendered a random sketch i did in a park

[felstar-games]

Some elves in the Tales from the Aether style ^_^

Check out the ttrpg @tales-from-the-aether-ttrpg we are currently open for play testers to join the discord server so if that interests you send me a message!

[Image description: an image with 4 portraits of elves of various ethnicities. They all have large fox like pointed ears and light markings on their faces. End description.]

[the-fastest-things-alive]

A Light at the request of @jellyapio

[fels-fantasy-hoard]

Tales from the Aether TTRPG System: Spells and Magic

Masterpost // Previous // Next

This is a peak at some design elements of my TTRGP Tales from the Aether. This is not dnd. If you think some of these ideas are interesting, check out my Masterpost linked above and feel free to send me feedback :D

Everyone can learn magic and spells in this system very easily as every player can choose to know 1 novice Spell at level 1 regardless of whether or not they are trained in any of the Magic Skills. However, beyond character creation, it takes a bit more work to learn Spells.

The number of spells a character can learn is equal to their Magic Attribute but they may learn more depending on Ancestry or Feats. This may seem restricting but Spells work a little differently in this system. Learning a Spell is only the first step on your magical journey as every Spell has a plethora of Upgrades that you can learn to make a single spell multi purpose and escalate in power with you.

In order to learn a new Spell, it must be of a Rank you can learn. For example, my Abjuration Skill is Journeyman Rank but I want to learn an Expert Abjuration Spell. Well, I can't. I would have to hold onto the spell until I reached the proper skill level.

Now, there are four ways to learn new Spells and to gain upgrades and it may vary for your character on a Spell by Spell basis. These are: Innate Spells, Faith Spells, External Spells, and Learned Spells.

Innate Spells are Spells you just know. No on taught you them as they seem to be a natural part of you for what ever reason. These spells are thus more volatile than others and have a 1 in 20 chance of either doubling the strength and effect or failing entirely (rolling a 20 and a 1, respectively). As you grow in power, new spells and spell upgrades will reveal themselves to you - and your character may have no idea what spells or upgrades they will learn until you give it to them.

Faith Spells are Spells you harness through faith. This could be faith in a religion, faith in the self, faith in an ideal, etc. Your faith is so powerful it can literally move mountains but if it wavers, you may lose your ability to use these spells all together. Faith spells are a bit of a mixture of the three other types. Your character can strive to learn specific spells that are influenced by their faith but do not need to do research persay to learn. The spells come more naturally but can also be lost far more easily as faith can be fickle. If your character is losing faith or struggling to maintain their faith, there is a 50% chance their spells will fail. If your character has lost faith entirely, they cannot use their faith spells. If your character’s faith is strong and unwavering, their spells are as well.

External Spells are Spells given to you from an external force through a pact, parasitic relationship, or residue from an encounter with a creature or location. These spells leave a physical mark on your body when you learn them and will continue to change you the more you use them. This could be a change in hair color, tattoos or markings that appear overnight, a change in eye color or shape, or whatever you want it to be. This change represents the physical toll of channeling power that is not your own and the mark of whatever entity has given you these spells. Additionally, your character may not have a choice in what spells are bestowed upon them and the entity can remove your ability to use these spells whenever it pleases or if the contamination has naturally worn off over time.

Learned Spells are Spells you learn through research and study. These spells are the most consistent out of the three. Once you learn a spell, it is yours. However, in order to improve these spells, you will need to continue studying and experimenting with them which may involve keeping “spell books” or notes of some kind that detail your experimentation. If your notes are destroyed or stolen, you will need to start over with what you remember if you wish to continue improving the spell.

The different schools of magic are technically arbitrary constructions as magic is magic but so is violence. It takes different technique to wield a shield, a dagger, and a war hammer just as it takes a different skill set to protect, destroy, or create.

Abjuration is the school of protection and wards. This includes increasing one's Defense Bonus (will explore when discussing combat) and Resistances or creating wards that prevent creatures from approaching.

Alteration is the school of change. These spells alter the world around you such a levitating objects, transforming one creature into another, and manipulating time.

Conjuration is the school of summoning and transportation. These spells summon spectral weapons and armor as well as creatures to fight for you. It is also the key to traveling across the world or to different planes.

Evocation is the school of curses and the spirit. Oftentimes shunned, this school delves into dark places and is far more volatile than others.

Glamor is the school of the mind. These spells alter the minds of creatures to give them hallucinations that allow you to manipulate them like puppets on a string.

Mysticism is the school of knowledge. These spells allow you to see the truths of the world around you as well as what was, what is, and what has yet come to pass.

Necromancy is the school of healing and undeath. Necromancy is well known for its penchant for keeping allies up and fighting regardless of the shape they may be in.

Primal is the school of elements. These spells allow you to manipulate and invoke the power of nature through fire, plants, and more.

Next week I'll discuss equipment and durability

See ya later gamers :D

[umbrenshadow]

Aaand now…to rig…cries…

[rottenkadaver]

just a doodle of my favorite set of brothers :]

[kris-tyne]

any irl moots?

no irl moots but i have some discord friends that i’ve known for years added!

[rotkad]

man i should get back into game dev. tfta would make a great gacha rhythm game

[tales-from-the-aether-ttrpg]

Have you ever been playing dnd and found yourself wishing you could experience the full immersion of mechanics for brewing potions, charting maps, picking locks, or enchanting items that were more than simply chucking a d20 and hoping for the best?

In addition to an expansive combat system that favors player exploration and expression, Tales from the Aether encourages players to explore more facets of the fantasy and adventuring genre. Some fun examples are the Chef’s Tools and Climbing Tools mechanics.

Chef’s Tools

These tools are used to make delicious and nutritious meals that are far superior to simple rations. In order to make a nutritious meal that last the whole adventuring day, you must use at least 4 lbs of food stuff such as meat, vegetables, or roots per individual you wish to feed.

You gain a number of d6s equal to your Nature or Knowledge score. You only need to roll one dice to make a successful meal but can gamble for additional bonuses. If you roll doubles on anything other than 1s, your meal grants an additional bonus. Any effects granted from the meals lasts until your next long rest.

If you roll anything other than a 1, the meal is a success and grants a temporary increase to Hit Point maximum equal to your Nature or Knowledge score.

If you roll a 1, the meal is just an average meal with no additional benefits.

If you roll multiple 2s, the meal grants a +1 Bonus to Stamina.

If you roll multiple 3s, the meal grants a +5 to Speed.

If you roll multiple 4s, the meal grants a +1 Bonus to Awareness and Security checks.

If you roll multiple 5s, the meal grants a +1 Bonus to Diplomacy, Deception, Intimidation, and Performance checks.

If you roll multiple 6s, the meal grants double the increase to Hit Points.

Climbing Tools

Climbing long distances is a dangerous sport and can be nearly impossible without the proper tools. With these tools, a misstep may lead to a minor panic attack, not a fall to one’s death.

You gain a pool of 5 dice (1d4). For every 100 feet you climb, you must use these dice to reach a DC of 10. If you fail to meet this DC, you gain 10 points of Stress but make the distance.

The dice you get to roll is increased depending on your Skill Rank. Novice grants a 1d6, Apprentice a 1d8, Journeyman a 1d10, Expert a 1d12, and Master a 1d20.

If you are climbing with multiple people, you can share your dice to help your companions out. For example, if one member of the group is an Expert and passed the DC with 2 dice, they can share their last 3 dice with members of the group that are less skilled in Agility or Strength.

This is just a taste but there is much more to be found. If such exploration of different mechanics interests you, give a follow to keep up to date with Tales from the Aether’s progress! I may be inviting more people to the discord to take a look at the 250+ page document once its V1.2 is completed ;p

[savi-our]

Chapters: 4/? Fandom: Undertale (Video Game) Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Papyrus (Undertale)/Reader, W. D. Gaster/Reader Words: 19,089

AU’s - Undertale, Underfell, Underswap, Swapfell, Horrortale and perhaps more ;)

Relationships - Various x Reader, Reverse Harem Trope

☕ Heya! Chapter 4 is up and out and I'm happy to say its the longest one yet! Next one ill give more context on reader so I hope you guys like what I've cooked up for her!☕

Chapter Summary:

“You okay?” You turned to Sans, who had now adopted a fuzzy blue glow high on his cheeks, his brows were furrowed and eyes closed. He looked… really uncomfortable, not that you could blame him but the reason why concerned you more. Had you hurt him when you landed on him? He looked like he was in pain.

“yeah uh, just, stop moving for a second will you?” He responded, voice a bit strangled, probably due to the fact that you were right on top of him, straddling him to the net. The position would have concerned you more if he wasn't a skeleton, a human you'd have to be more conscious of, too many sensitive parts, too many social boundaries - very sensitive to touch. Sans? Yeah, no. As far as you knew, skeletons didn't have any of that…. Or so you thought anyway…

“Think you can bear with it for a bit? I think I can get us out of here if I can get to the knot.” You looked up, shifting the bundle in your arms - still squirming in your hold -  to your left arm, freeing up your right  to reach towards the top of the net.

Your position once again shifted, and as you attempted to balance your weight in the wobbly net you felt your thighs scrape against bone, before you could get very far a hand shot up to your waist with a strangled cough from below - you froze at the contact. 

Your eyes slammed down to stare at Sans whose eyelights had disappeared entirely in the blackness of his sockets, the blue hue on his face brighter now than ever - his grin forced as it strained around the corners.

[umbrenshadowart]

Yardly’s always doing pen drawings of various Sonic characters and I was bored and wanted to colour one of (his? Their? Idk) Scourge doodles

[felstar-games]

Some halflings from my ttrpg tales from the aether

[the-fastest-things-alive]

CHAPTER 19 IS HERE

[fels-fantasy-hoard]

Tales from the Aether: What is is?

Masterpost // Next Post (Player Stats)

I think I'm gonna try talking about bits of the ttrpg system I'm making as its getting to the more completed stages and I'm just polishing and expanding different areas of it but the core mechanics and game play loops are pretty much completed - I even started play testing the character creation and combat mechanics a few months ago :D but had to stop because of my health XD

Right now the document is nearly 100 pages of mainly notes that haven't been polished or expanded on - which is my main priority right now now that my health is starting to even out again (fingers crossed)

So I guess I'll start by giving some background info about it!

Tales from the Aether (name still to be determined this is a placeholder lol) is a d20 fantasy ttrpg system designed around player freedom in both creating their character and the stories they want to tell. It is a system that revolves around monster slaying as well as adventure and community. The combat system and mechanics have been designed to keep players engaged and the story moving with role play elements baked into the action. Meanwhile, there is a strong focus on activities and skills for the players to explore outside of combat such as Blacksmithing, Fishing, and Entrepreneurship in addition to a dozen others. The social aspects of story telling are just as important as brutalizing your enemies as I explore many different ways to spice up these aspects of the game with mechanics such as Reputation and Stress.

As some background for the system's creation process, we've gotta jump back over two years ago when I wanted to make a small ttrpg system to play in the Elder Scrolls setting - mainly Skyrim because yes I'm still not over that game sue me XD However, over time the system became so much more than just an Elder Scrolls adaption that I dropped that idea entirely and combined it with another game I was adapting into something wholly unique.

This system may share some traits with other fantasy ttrpg systems as those are what shaped my experience in the ttrpg community but many familiar staples such as Classes, Spell Slots, and the six attributes we know and love (strength, con, wis, etc) are no where to be seen here.

I'll go in depth into these different aspects in future posts as this is just an introduction. I am very excited to start sharing this project with you all :D