ftp.ee.pdx.edu/2014.02.ftp.ee.pdx.edu.tar/ftp.ee.pdx.edu/pub/frp/rolemaster/monmelon

Internet Message Format | 1993-01-08 | 9KB

From: [e-mail] (Cat)
Date: 8 May 92 19:53:54 GMT
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
Subject: RM and Moonmellons

A creature who eats any of the meat or rind of a moonmelon or drinks any of
its juice seems to be completely unaffected.  However, the effects of dining
on a moonmelon somehow disrupt the normal reproductive processes at a basic
level.  All creatures are affected by moonmelons: birds, mammals, insects,
reptiles, and even most oozes, slimes, and molds.  The offspring of any
creature affected by moonmelons are universally referred to as mooncreatures:
moonlizards, moonrats, moonbears, moonmen, etc.  The effects of eating
moonmelons last but a single generation.  The offspring of mooncreatures are
themselves perfectly normal.  Thus, a monkey who ate a moonmelon would bear
moonmonkeys for children, but the children of the moonmonkeys would be normal
monkeys.
     The effects of the moonmelons are permanent and last the lifetime of the
creature eating it unless magically cured by a remove curse or a neutralize
poison spell.  The effects remain the same whether only a small portion of a
melon is eaten or if 100 melons are eaten.  Not all alterations and changes
caused by moonmelons are negative, but they are all permanent whether harmful
or helpful and cannot be neutralized by the aforementioned spells.
     As moonmelon seeds are spread in the droppings of creatures who eat them,
moonmelon patches can appear anywhere.  D/GMs can use moonmelons to alter
almost any monster or creature they wish.  Consult the following tables for
the types and kinds of changes caused by moonmelons.  All bonuses and
penalties are cumulative.  those which effect stats should be applied to the
race bonus, and they are cumulative with the race bonus (ie if a High Elf
rolls an 11 on the dex table (+10 to Qu bonus) his/her total race bonus is 20.
Had a 2 been rolled, (-20 to Qu bonus), the unfortunate Elf's bonus would be
a -10).  Fractions round up or down.  Unless otherwise noted, all rolls are
percentile.
     D/GMs are free to change the type of plant involved to suit the needs of
their individual campaigns.  Campaigns in heavily forested areas might be
better served with moonapples, moonberries, or a generic moonfruit of some
kind, while a tropical isle campaign can contain mooncoconuts, etc.  D/GMs can
use virtually any edible plant of at least slightly spherical shape that is
indigenous to the campaign area as the "moonplant".


Size:

If the size of the offspring is increased or decreased, its appearance remains
unchanged.  The creature appears to be a larger or smaller version of its
parent.

01-04: 1/2 normal size, decrease die rolled for hit dice by 2.  Subtract 10
       from OB.
05-20: 3/4 normal size, subtract 1 from each die rolled (never < 1).
       Subtract 5 from OB.
21-80: Normal size
81-96: 1 1/2 times normal size, add 1 to each hit die rolled.  Add 5 to OB.
97-00: 2 times normal size, increase die rolled for hit dice by two (d8
        becomes d10, d6 becomes d8, etc).  Add 10 to OB.


Intelligence:

Intelligence may have a profound effect on creatures, or it may have no effect
at all.  A giant ant may have its "intelligence" raised by the maximum amount
but, being a cog in the complex social machine of the ant colony, its behavior
would remain unaltered.  On the other hand, a baboon with the same increase
might begin using weapons or take up farming.

01-04: (-20) to Me, Re; (-10) to In race bonuses.
05-20: (-10) to Me, Re; (-5) to In race bonuses.
21-80: normal race bonuses apply
81-96: (+10) to Me, Re; (+5) to In race bonuses.
97-00: (+20) to Me, Re; (+10) to In race bonuses.


Armor Type:

Changes include toughening or weakening of the hide, skin, exoskeleton, or
internal organs.  The specifics are D/GMs discretion.

01-04: Shift the severity of all <krush> criticals by two columns toward the
       higher letter (B-->D, A-->C, E-->E+B)
05-20: Shift the severity of all <krush> criticals by one column toward the
       higher letter.
21-80: Normal
81-96: Shift all <krush> criticals to the lower letter by one column (B-->A,
       A-->naught, E-->D).
97-00: Shift all <krush> criticals to the lower letter by two columns
       (B-->naught, E-->C, E+A-->D).


Constitution:

01-04: (-20) to Co race bonus.
05-20: (-10) to Co race bonus.
21-80: Normal
81-96: (+10) to Co race bonus.
97-00: (+20) to Co race bonus.


Dexterity:

01-04: (-20) to Qu and Ag race bonuses, subtract 10 from DB.
05-20: (-10) to Qu and Ag race bonuses, subtract 5 from DB.
21-80: Normal
81-96: (+10) to Qu and Ag race bonuses, add 5 to DB.
97-00: (+20) to Qu and Ag race bonuses, add 10 to DB.


Oddities:

Moonmelons cause completely unpredictable changes in a creature's appearance
and structural form.  When any mooncreature is encountered (generated), the
D/GM should roll once on this table to determine if the mooncreature has any
noticeably odd characteristics.  If the number rolled is not applicable to
the creature involved (such as extra limbs or eyes for a creature which has
no limbs or eyes), the D/GM can either choose an appropriate oddity from the
table, roll again, or consider the roll to show no noticeable oddities.

01-05: No noticeable oddities.
16-35: Radically different coloration of fur, hide, skin, feathers, etc
       (picture, if you will, a red-headed Hira'razhir with yellow wings :).
       These color changes can be either advantageous or harmful to the
       creature, dependind on whether the new color camouflages the creature
       or destroys its natural camouflage.  The specifics are left to the
       D/GMs imagination/discretion (email me if you would like a neat idea
       for the history and handling of Dark Elves in your campaign world
       -Cat).
36-50: The eyes are much different than normal.  Roll 1d6 to determine the
       type of eyes: 1=huge and protruding; 2=small and stalked like a crab's;
       3=large and turreted, move independantly like chameleon's; 4: appear
       normal but creature has 1d4 extra eyes; 5=multifaceted like an
       insect's; 6=the creature appears to have no eyes (eye sockets appear
       empty, but creature moves and reacts as if it had normal vision).
51-65: The eyes appear and function normally, except tfor the color of the
       irises.  Roll 1d6 to determine the color: 1=solid black; 2=blank white;
       3=glowing red; 4=venemous green; 5=putrid pink; 6=opalescent.
66-75: The skull or head is adorned with unusual outgrowths.  These can be
       developed as a weapon profiency at the cost of 1/<*>
       * Pure fighters=2
         Semi fighters=4
         Pure thieves=6
         Pure magic users=7
       Roll 1d4 to determine the type of adornment: 1=antlers, as a small
       deer use small horn/tusk attack table at (-20); 2=horns, as a small
       bull.  Use small horn/tusk attack table at (-10); 3=single horn, like
       a small unicorn.  Use small horn/tusk attack table; 4=curved horns,
       like a ram.  Use the ram/butt/bash/knock down/slug (small) table.
76-85: Mooncreature has a tail, or if the mooncreature is of the type which
       normally has a tail, the tail is changed in purpose or function.

       See prior note about costs to develop it as a weapon, where applicable.
       Roll 1d4 to determine the type of tail: 1=short, useless, and non-
       functioning; 2=long and prehensile, can be used to hold a shield or
       other object but cannot be used in attack; 3=long and segmented, use
       stinger attack table, small; 4=long and whiplike, use whip attack
       table, downgrade all criticals greater than B to B, unless you use
       the greater than 150 optional rules in RMC I, and the conditions are
       met.
86-95: D/GM's choice or roll again.
96-00: Multiple oddities.  Rol three times on this table, adjusting for
       duplicate or contradictory results.

(Note: another thing which might effect the mooncreature would be its
       society's reaction to physical oddities.  Some might be accepting,
       some might ostracize or hunt down mooncreatures.  -Cat)
       If you use the "appearance" stat, you might want to consider adding
       or subtracting an appropriate number from the stat itself to reflect
       any noticeable oddities.
                               -Cat)

Ok, there you have it.  Any questions or suggestions, you have just under a
week to email me.

                                    Enjoy,
              Cat, the Mystical Divinity of Unahamed Felinity
Oh if people only knew how DULL it was to live in sin!...