Hmmm, I was going to link PF2E’s Chromatic Ooze, but the stats don’t work. It’s definitely *an* ooze however.
I would probably use this spell as base to create an ability with similar effects, but short-ranged and with a 1d4 round cooldown. https://2e.aonprd.com/Spells.aspx?ID=959
Find an ooze of about the right level for the characters, keep the base stats, strip out the preexisting abilities, and add in the ocular stun ability and appropriate attacks.
I am not sure if it is mindless or not though, so there might need to be some other stat adjustments too.
It’s a good thing my DM doesn’t read this comic because he would steal this monster in a heartbeat. My character’s traumatized enough already! (my fault but still)
From an ooze survival perspective, it feels like the ooze is assessing their weaknesses more than simply giving them visions. Notice here that the ooze recognizes a recent history of Falst getting injured on his right side, and then promptly goes for an all-out attack on Falst’s right side.
Mechanics-wise, I could see this working out as something like a version of Mercer’s extract aspects from the cobalt soul monk, and then if I were running it in a campaign, I would have some sort of injuries/trauma homebrew which allows PCs to play with damage vulnerabilities, immunities, and resistances as part of their narrative arc.
Anonymous Aurora Question #0 : Is it OK if I start doing those as well? I’d like to try too since I appreciate Question Masters work so I would like to see whether I can do something similar.
Anonymous Aurora Question #1 : How many people do you think the goo already retraumatized? I mean, besides the Crustables squad?
It’s all a question of if others want participate/respond or not- which you (or I) have any control over (That’s the Moderators’ job- be thankful for OSP continuing to put up with us all. This is as much a labor of love to support Red as Red is making it free to read and comment), Just put it and see if other want to comment or not and be gracious (or considerate) to others no matter what the response. Sorry to be a mother hen again! (bows in apology)
Response to A!- Given it’s been around since the Ancients were building up their civilization then it been down here a long time. But I have no clue how many things were killed by it unless Red gives us a hint or two.
Ooze: Look. Look with my special eyes.
Falst: MY BRAND!
Oh man, that pain and sorrow on Falst’s face, his tail seemingly going slack in panel 3, how he doesn’t even cry out when hit in his side. Reminds me of how shaken he was hurting Dainix in 1-21-31 after he applied that stinging medicine.
Oh great, the slime can manipulate pieces of itself that were separated from the main body; that’s gonna make beating this thing difficult. While the could just leave/seal it underground once Alinua and Erin save the boys, they might decide it’s too dangerous to let it potentially get out and commit to it’s destruction.
That’s a lot of chaotic details in that first panel; Red’s making us work for those backstory/lore hints. I notice two long haired people top left and bottom left, bottom I think is his mum going by the small Falst hand on their wrist, and maybe the upper one is Kendal, maybe when he broke Falst’s hand in 1-10-7.
What I’m really interested in however are the chains near the top right; are those Shrike’s chains, or was he captured at some point in his life? (Speaking of, you can see Shrike’s arrow in his wrist near the top left.) The spearhead/arrow centre-top is interesting too.
There’s an image in the top left hand corner of the collage that’s very clearly depicting the moment that Falst got shot in the wrist with a crossbow bolt from Shrike. It seems like it’s attack is that it dredges up the victim’s own memories, perhaps inflicting all of the physical pain associated with those memories as a stunning or incapacitating move. I had initially thought it might be revealing it’s own memories through its eyes, but it seems less like communication and much more like a psychic attack.
I fucking adore how the panels are drawn in weird situations like this. Like here, the panels are bending a lot on the top obviously, but also still somewhat on the bottom.
the fact that one of the sound effects for the aberration in panel 2 is “gloat” just wins me.
foolish of falst to assume he cannot be taunted back, even if the opponent can’t speak in his hearing range.
The spears and chains, the foaming at the mouth. All this implies that Falst was captured and attacked at some point. The reality of how much racism Falst must have experienced in hif life is terrifying
Up at the top of the first panel, above and just to the left of Falst’s head, there are two hands reaching for another hand that’s presumably Falst’s own (it has claws and is closer to the POV). The other hands don’t appear to have claws, though- anyone know or have any ideas as to whose they might be?
I love how Dainix is like, “Yeah, that was massively unpleasant for me, but this poor guy is gonna be absolutely RUINED if it happens to him.” Falst definitely has Dainix beat in the traumatic backstory competition.
…. While his ribs are probably close to being powdered at this point, I’m just glad it was a bludgeoning attack instead of piercing. Something like that from behind could be lethal, and unlike most manga writers, Red would actually follow through….
Red, when will there be a “crack” sound that doesn’t mean bad things happening? can that be the beginning of reinforcements or a smalll animal hatching from an egg?
Calling it now: Falst’s character arc is going to continue with him writing a journal about the mysterious goo found in the ruins of an ancient, extinct, high-tech civilization that gave off colors unlike any before seen on this Earth, which will lead to his descendant receiving it on Falst’s deathbed and going off on an adventure to uncover the mysteries of the journal at their peril.
I hope we get some context soon. Falst and Dainix getting to hang is cool, but randomly falling in a hole and fighting monsters we don’t know anything about isn’t very emotionally compelling and that’s been the deal for a while now.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: he’s gotta start taking some hits on the left side, even things up a little bit
Image source: eyes
My blood pressure can’t handle this.
Sympathies @Wagstaila! I’d lend you my blood pressure pills but anxiety pounces at any age!
Aurora Question #I forgot: anyone else getting the urge to homebrew this as a D&D monster?
Abso fucking lutely
Ooze with some sort of fear effect? Maybe deals psychic rather than acid damage? Lots of possibilities
Hmmm, I was going to link PF2E’s Chromatic Ooze, but the stats don’t work. It’s definitely *an* ooze however.
I would probably use this spell as base to create an ability with similar effects, but short-ranged and with a 1d4 round cooldown. https://2e.aonprd.com/Spells.aspx?ID=959
Find an ooze of about the right level for the characters, keep the base stats, strip out the preexisting abilities, and add in the ocular stun ability and appropriate attacks.
I am not sure if it is mindless or not though, so there might need to be some other stat adjustments too.
You were on 78 the last I could find, @Q.M. My RPG days are mostly behind me but it’s still fun to speculate!
It’s a good thing my DM doesn’t read this comic because he would steal this monster in a heartbeat. My character’s traumatized enough already! (my fault but still)
Me currently writing my own D&D campaign for the first time: Well… no one would notice…
*stops breathing in sheer excitement*
i think a glort homebrew would be very cool 🙂
From an ooze survival perspective, it feels like the ooze is assessing their weaknesses more than simply giving them visions. Notice here that the ooze recognizes a recent history of Falst getting injured on his right side, and then promptly goes for an all-out attack on Falst’s right side.
Mechanics-wise, I could see this working out as something like a version of Mercer’s extract aspects from the cobalt soul monk, and then if I were running it in a campaign, I would have some sort of injuries/trauma homebrew which allows PCs to play with damage vulnerabilities, immunities, and resistances as part of their narrative arc.
More trauma, more trauma to his side as well
I’m laughing, I’m crying, as Falst goes through hell
And, as always, there’s the “CRACK” sound effect clarifying that nothing good is, in fact, happening.
Anonymous Aurora Question #0 : Is it OK if I start doing those as well? I’d like to try too since I appreciate Question Masters work so I would like to see whether I can do something similar.
Anonymous Aurora Question #1 : How many people do you think the goo already retraumatized? I mean, besides the Crustables squad?
It’s all a question of if others want participate/respond or not- which you (or I) have any control over (That’s the Moderators’ job- be thankful for OSP continuing to put up with us all. This is as much a labor of love to support Red as Red is making it free to read and comment), Just put it and see if other want to comment or not and be gracious (or considerate) to others no matter what the response. Sorry to be a mother hen again! (bows in apology)
Response to A!- Given it’s been around since the Ancients were building up their civilization then it been down here a long time. But I have no clue how many things were killed by it unless Red gives us a hint or two.
Ummm 42?
Probably enough for the ancients to recognize it as a threat and maybe more when they were sealing it away
Ooh! Th ebend in the panels is very cool.
In other news, Erim needs to hurry up.
Ooze: Look. Look with my special eyes.
Falst: MY BRAND!
Oh man, that pain and sorrow on Falst’s face, his tail seemingly going slack in panel 3, how he doesn’t even cry out when hit in his side. Reminds me of how shaken he was hurting Dainix in 1-21-31 after he applied that stinging medicine.
Oh great, the slime can manipulate pieces of itself that were separated from the main body; that’s gonna make beating this thing difficult. While the could just leave/seal it underground once Alinua and Erin save the boys, they might decide it’s too dangerous to let it potentially get out and commit to it’s destruction.
That’s a lot of chaotic details in that first panel; Red’s making us work for those backstory/lore hints. I notice two long haired people top left and bottom left, bottom I think is his mum going by the small Falst hand on their wrist, and maybe the upper one is Kendal, maybe when he broke Falst’s hand in 1-10-7.
What I’m really interested in however are the chains near the top right; are those Shrike’s chains, or was he captured at some point in his life? (Speaking of, you can see Shrike’s arrow in his wrist near the top left.) The spearhead/arrow centre-top is interesting too.
Theres a fire bottom right—erins self-sacrifice fireball?
There’s an image in the top left hand corner of the collage that’s very clearly depicting the moment that Falst got shot in the wrist with a crossbow bolt from Shrike. It seems like it’s attack is that it dredges up the victim’s own memories, perhaps inflicting all of the physical pain associated with those memories as a stunning or incapacitating move. I had initially thought it might be revealing it’s own memories through its eyes, but it seems less like communication and much more like a psychic attack.
I fucking adore how the panels are drawn in weird situations like this. Like here, the panels are bending a lot on the top obviously, but also still somewhat on the bottom.
PLEÆASE—!!!!
Mysterious Oil monster used Babydoll Eyes…. its very effective!
I like the spooky color aura around the ooze’s eyes in panel one. That’s comeuppance for Falst’s assumption he had the upper hand!
Do you think Falst got the double-trauma-blast because he got two eyes instead of one?
Double the eyes, double the trauma
hey wait a second, this creature’s form and it’s eyes…
could you say its a…mysterious color unlike any seen on earth?
the fact that one of the sound effects for the aberration in panel 2 is “gloat” just wins me.
foolish of falst to assume he cannot be taunted back, even if the opponent can’t speak in his hearing range.
Go for the eyes, Boo!
The spears and chains, the foaming at the mouth. All this implies that Falst was captured and attacked at some point. The reality of how much racism Falst must have experienced in hif life is terrifying
Was that a friggin optics joke in the description? Proud.
Mysterious colors, unlike any seen on earth
Up at the top of the first panel, above and just to the left of Falst’s head, there are two hands reaching for another hand that’s presumably Falst’s own (it has claws and is closer to the POV). The other hands don’t appear to have claws, though- anyone know or have any ideas as to whose they might be?
All jokes aside, WOW. Holy shit. Okay. That’s not terrifying at all. Poor Falst has been through the absolute wringer in this arc, pls Dainix save him
I love how Dainix is like, “Yeah, that was massively unpleasant for me, but this poor guy is gonna be absolutely RUINED if it happens to him.” Falst definitely has Dainix beat in the traumatic backstory competition.
Falst my man you gotta stop getting hit in the battle wound
Fear the floaty rainbow eyes of madness!
Red really has something against Falst’s right side doesn’t she
Falst listen to advice about eye saftey if the person warnimg you only has one!
Seems legit, heh.
…. While his ribs are probably close to being powdered at this point, I’m just glad it was a bludgeoning attack instead of piercing. Something like that from behind could be lethal, and unlike most manga writers, Red would actually follow through….
Red, when will there be a “crack” sound that doesn’t mean bad things happening? can that be the beginning of reinforcements or a smalll animal hatching from an egg?
I snickered at the chromatic abberation joke.
Also: Ooooh, ouch.
That First Panel.
Hoo boy.
Red, only you can make rainbows threating
Calling it now: Falst’s character arc is going to continue with him writing a journal about the mysterious goo found in the ruins of an ancient, extinct, high-tech civilization that gave off colors unlike any before seen on this Earth, which will lead to his descendant receiving it on Falst’s deathbed and going off on an adventure to uncover the mysteries of the journal at their peril.
TL;DR: Lovecraftian slime beast: 1
Catboy: 0
the bowling ally carpet attacks once more
Is that doctor jolon in the top right of the first panel
I hope we get some context soon. Falst and Dainix getting to hang is cool, but randomly falling in a hole and fighting monsters we don’t know anything about isn’t very emotionally compelling and that’s been the deal for a while now.
Mysterious colours yada yada