12-08-2009, 11:58 PM | #31 | |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
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One could imagine, for instance, that herbivore animals (do or do not) secrete certain pheromones when they are somehow lacking certain hormonal input that they would require in order to fulfill their symbiotic task. The predators home in on those and get rid of them. However, one problem I see for predators so far is that lion-type predators, that is ones that use an incredible amount of energy in one boost to catch the prey and then relax for the rest of the day, are unlikely. The only useful reactive for animal life in the atmosphere remains oxygen, and there is not enough to provide air for prolonged stressful tasks, especially above sea-level. Even with filter-lungs filtering out the nitrogen, they still couldn't attain the high level of activity exhibited by earth's life forms, simply because they lack the necessary oxygen (which is at 8% at sealevel on Chiron, rather than 20% on Earth) - unless they had some means of storing it... |
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12-09-2009, 01:29 AM | #32 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA USA
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
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I agree that the oxygen level will discourage large warm-blooded creatures.
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Cap'n Q When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. -- Mark Twain |
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12-09-2009, 07:10 AM | #33 | |
Join Date: Oct 2009
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
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12-10-2009, 05:32 AM | #34 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
Okay, taking that one on, how about the following:
The Psi-Warbler This semi-hexapedal creature is reminiscent of a cross between an archaeopteryx and a six-legged gecko, around 50cm in height and with a wing-span of around 90cm. The front arms' skin is webbed into crystallic wings similar in shape to those of a bat or flying dinosaur, though in colour and translucency they are more similar to the wings of dragonflies or other earth insects. Both the wings and the moveable back scales share this same, crystalline, semi-translucent quality. The other two pairs of legs are opposable, with sharp claws at their three-pronged appendages. When hunting or dormant, the warbler hangs upon fungus structures by its four legs and conceals itself by covering its belly and head with its wings. The wings then change colour to reflect and mimic the surrounding fungus. It should be noted that, unlike the chameleonids of ancient Earth, the warbler uses reflection, not mimicry, to achieve this effect. The warbler preys chiefly upon smaller or same-sized creatures, but occasionally will attack larger creatures which, like many creatures on Chiron, seek the Fungus mats when nearing their death, and are thus weaker than their brethren. When it does so, it rotates its wings to their flying position and swoops down upon its prey in one flowing motion, latching onto the back with the lower claws and severing critical arteries and nerve clusters with its upper talons. The warbler remains latched on until its prey has died, then dissects it and carries the entire remains to its nesting area in the higher fungus regions, where a part is used to feed its young, but a larger part is actually processed by fungal symbionts in the gastrointestinal system of the younger warblers. The Psi-Warbler, despite its name, actually has no known psionic abilities despite its living inside the fungal vortices. It earned its name due to the low-frequency cry it emits while filling its air-sack. The air-sack, located in the neck and protruding from it left and right in pulsating globes, is filled with oxygen stored a liquid compound, and provides oyygen for the the warbler's ferocious attacks. The characteristic cry resulting from the compression of oxygen into the compound, while not noteworthy for planetary life, is disconcerting for humans since it causes unpleasant resonances in the ear passages. Claims that prolonged exposure can cause madness or psionic fear have so far been classed as unfounded. |
12-10-2009, 01:34 PM | #35 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
P.S.: Further updates with the uploads.
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12-12-2009, 09:02 AM | #36 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
Okay, the challenge returns:
There are still two slots that would have to be dealt with, somehow.
Any ideas? |
12-12-2009, 09:20 AM | #37 | |
Join Date: Dec 2007
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
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12-12-2009, 07:43 PM | #38 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Pittsburgh PA USA
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
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A sudden fungal bloom during a riding expedition would be a nasty encounter.
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Cap'n Q When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. -- Mark Twain |
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12-13-2009, 06:19 AM | #39 | |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
Ah, sorry, I misunderstood that. Thx for the name, btw. - I'll be using it as the official name for it. That goes for all animals, incidentally - give them a name, and they'll always be called by that one in my campaign, and will of course be featured as such in the bestiary; see it as my small way of saying thanks for the help :)
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Here are some interesting critters I just came across, btw, related or not: http://www.hlug.de/medien/geologie/b...te/procyno.jpg (a similar animal could be something the terrans domesticate as pets, it is kind of cute - maybe) http://www.hlug.de/medien/geologie/b...lte/procy4.jpg (a larger cousin - more likely to be a draft animal than a riding animal, but then again, who knows...) And finally, this is actually just the leaf off some plant, but as an animal, it could really have quite a career: http://www.gigantopteroid.org/images...sporoLeaf2.jpg More on animals later... Last edited by Phoenix42; 12-13-2009 at 06:32 AM. |
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03-17-2010, 09:58 PM | #40 |
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mainz, Germany
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Re: GURPS Alpha Centauri
Okay, I've been off this for too long, the Believer campaign preparations took a broadside from my professor (real life interfering with roleplaying again... *sigh*), so I haven't been able to finish the uploads or bestiary completely, but for the former, check out the following:
http://smac.noventhehero.com/Alpha%20Centauri/ Thanks again to Noven for allowing me to upload to his webspace. I apologise for some of the files being in German. I try to keep it monolingual, but with the game being in Germany and all, it does slip in... As for the bestiary, it will come - Btw, as animal (and other) inspirations go, was anyone else sitting in Avatar thinking "okay, this is so Alpha Centauri, just with blue freaky guys thrown in"? Because I know I was - especially the centauri rhino thing, I thought I was going to bust something when I saw this. Speaking of which, any ideas on what animals one could cannibalise for AC (probably scaled down a little, and not quite over the top, in most cases, but anyway)? |
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