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Darsson Spellmaker
Seeker
56 Posts |
 Posted - 16 May 2011 : 05:01:01
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and seeing that it was about extremely skilled Catholic Warrior Priests that battle a vampiric menace, it really put me in mind of the clergy of Tempus.
While I'm sure most Tempuran clerics work as battlemasters, healers, and generals in armies and whatnot, I found the image of some of them as these silent, black-clad warriors, armed to the teeth, skilled with sword and spell, and working in mercenary companies very appealing. Work in some Book of 9 Swords material in there, and I think I'd actually consider playing a cleric or divine champion of Tempus (I usually just play magical/knowledgeable/wizard types).
I know Tempus emphasizes straight-forward, honorable melee combat, but he actually permits ranged combat and stealth tactics when it's a small force against a much larger one (perfect for a mercenary group or an adventuring company).
Have any of you featured Tempus or his clergy into your games? Any stories you can share?
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"Know, O mages, that there is learning, and there is wisdom, and they are very far from being the same thing."--Azuth the High One, Utterances from the Altar: Collected Verbal Manifestations of the Divine and Most Holy Lord of Spells (holy chapbook, assembled by anonymous priests of Azuth circa 1358 DR)
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 05:32:52
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| You know, it's funny- but when I saw it on Friday, I thought Hunter of the Dead, rather than a priest of Tempus. Vigilante might be another good PrC to use, and I would love to develop stats for some of the weapons in this movie! The crucifix shurikens and the cross-whip thing were two of the cooler things from the movie. I also loved the landscape- it had a very dark and gritty feel, perfect for some of the more desolate areas of my campaign. |
The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.
"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491
"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs
Lothir's character background/stats: http://forum.candlekeep.com/pop_profile.asp?mode=display&id=5469
My stories:
http://z3.invisionfree.com/Mickeys_Comic_Tavern/index.php?showforum=188
Lothir, courtesy of Sylinde (Deviant Art)/Luaxena (Chosen of Eilistraee)
http://sylinde.deviantart.com/#/d2z6e4u |
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Brimstone
Great Reader
USA
3290 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 06:57:24
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| Haven't see the movie yet. I was thinking Shadowbane Inquisitors from Complete Adventurer. |
"These things also I have observed: that knowledge of our world is
to be nurtured like a precious flower, for it is the most precious
thing we have. Wherefore guard the word written and heed
words unwritten and set them down ere they fade . . . Learn
then, well, the arts of reading, writing, and listening true, and they
will lead you to the greatest art of all: understanding."
Alaundo of Candlekeep |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 07:10:59
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Not a great movie, but worth watching.
It's too Catholic that I couldn't compare it to the Realms. Had the clergy been Tempus's [or Lathander's---seems likely since he's the anathema of undeath], he would have simply instructed the Monsignor to reorganize the priests, and probably to train more before facing the reemerging hordes of vampires.
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Every beginning has an end. |
Edited by - Dennis on 16 May 2011 07:12:56 |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4460 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 20:14:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
...and I would love to develop stats for some of the weapons in this movie! The crucifix shurikens and the cross-whip thing were two of the cooler things from the movie.
Could make them with the same stats as normal shurikens but with a highter crit. modifier, like x3 or x4? The Whip-Knife was already created wasn't it? I thought I saw something very similar in the Arms and Equipment Guide. If so, same stats could be used but with a different description or flavor. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4460 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 21:25:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
Hers was more like a whip-yo-yo thing. It could retract and it spun in and out, from how she used it. Not quite the same thing.
Hmm....sounds very interesting. I haven't seen the movie yet (decided on Thor instead which I felt was done rather well). Well, I have an idea to get the Yo-Yo style and still remain within v3.5 rules. Basically, take the whip-dagger (design) and attach that to the Rod of Ropes. Add the two together and you get a pulley, rope-flinging, retractable weapon with a very long range. Of course, you'll still have to invest in the GP value which would include the Rod of Ropes (Complete Scoundrel, 4,000gp) plus a Whip-Dagger (Arms and Equipment Guide, 25gp). It'll then go up as the weapon enhancement bonuses increase. All in all, a pretty interesting weapon IMO. |
Diffan's NPG Generator: FR NPC Generator |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 16 May 2011 : 21:38:18
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I like that yo-yo-like weapon, too.
Don't you think the battle with the hive's guardian is better than Priest's final combat with Black Hat? I like that scene where Priestess tossed the rocks so Priest could step on them to reach the guardian. On the other hand, the last fight is very predictable. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 05:28:01
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I thought that big, sharp-ended cross that Priestess gave to Priest had some special powers/characteristics. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 17 May 2011 : 06:06:41
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Indeed. They're more like aliens than vampires. But that's just because we're used to seeing vamps portrayed as undead humans. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2011 : 15:27:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Indeed. They're more like aliens than vampires. But that's just because we're used to seeing vamps portrayed as undead humans.
And with eyes! I'm all for "re-inventing" things, but the no-eyed vamp concept didnt work for me. |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Edited by - The Red Walker on 18 May 2011 15:28:22 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2011 : 16:46:48
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Who needs eyes when your other senses are a hundred times sharper than a human's?
What didn't work for me was their lack of oral language. Some gibberish coupled with subtitles would have been fine. Without that, they're reduced to ordinary monsters. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2011 : 21:39:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Who needs eyes when your other senses are a hundred times sharper than a human's?
What didn't work for me was their lack of oral language. Some gibberish coupled with subtitles would have been fine. Without that, they're reduced to ordinary monsters.
Who needs eyes speech when your other senses are a hundred times sharper than a human's?  
What really worked for me was Paul Bettany....what a fabulous talent. Remebering his sharp tongued fool from "A Knight's Tale" who would havr thought he could kick so much butt?
And Karl Urban is great as the villain...even if at first I was seeing him as a Vamp/Dr McCoy! |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2011 : 22:10:52
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Well, speech would make them sound more civilized, more sophisticated; not primal monsters. Speaking of civilized, while hives looked frightening and certainly added to the dark atmosphere of the film, I still prefer it that the vampires created their own city. There were so demoralized/dehumanized. [On the other hand, a friend said that we can look at them as the progenitors of the modern vampires (Black Hat's kind)].
Full agreement on Bettany. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
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The Red Walker
Great Reader
USA
3567 Posts |
Posted - 19 May 2011 : 12:43:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
Yeah, I though the lack of eyes or speech made them seem less like vamps and more like just any old monster from a dozen other films. Dead Space even came to mind. (And that was animated!)
It's much easier to hold the "moral high ground" when your advesaries are stripped of anything that could be a positive and reduced to priamal blood thirsty animals |
A little nonsense now and then, relished by the wisest men - Willy Wonka
"We need men who can dream of things that never were." -
John F. Kennedy, speech in Dublin, Ireland, June 28, 1963
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 20 May 2011 : 00:48:50
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quote:
Originally posted by The Red Walker
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis
Yeah, I though the lack of eyes or speech made them seem less like vamps and more like just any old monster from a dozen other films. Dead Space even came to mind. (And that was animated!)
It's much easier to hold the "moral high ground" when your advesaries are stripped of anything that could be a positive and reduced to priamal blood thirsty animals.
True. But for me, it's better to give the antagonists some positive traits, so the heroes begin to question if what they do is right or not. Shady morality. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 21 May 2011 : 13:22:31
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Haven't had a chance to see it, but I like some of what I am hearing about it here.
I have been re-working vamps in my homebrew world to fit with my planet's history (rather then the usual D&D approach of "they are just there"), and I have decided that the disease/curse which causes it can have several different effects, to allow for a variety of types. I hadn't considered anything nearly as feral as the ones from this movie, but I kinda like it.
Basically, it is a magical 'infection' developed by the Mæladrin which turns them into Shade-like beings, but it's effect on humans is highly unpredictable (actually, it is %-based dependent upon the person's bloodlines, which is a heavy focus in my setting). I'm sure I can figure out at least one bloodline that would cause such a primal result.
Or I may just combine some of this lore with my vision for my Grimlock-like Dark-Elves (my world's version of driders?) - Ælves that failed to 'evolve' with the introduction of the 'shadow-virus'. Either way, the ones from the movie remind me of the Illithid variety (not so much in appearance, but rather their bestial nature).
Love the weapons - I will have to see this. 
EDIT: Just got back from the new Pirates movie.... *Meh*
The plot had more holes then Blackbeard's sails. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 21 May 2011 19:37:05 |
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Dark Wizard
Senior Scribe
USA
830 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 02:19:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Markustay
EDIT: Just got back from the new Pirates movie.... *Meh*
The plot had more holes then Blackbeard's sails.
That's disappointing to hear. Aside from the superhero movies, Pirates was one of the movies on my summer tent-pole/blockbuster/popcorn list. |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 03:26:23
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I loved the last Pirates movie. I'm going to watch the new one tomorrow. They shouldn't have gotten rid of Knighly, though. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 14:22:34
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The movies are becoming Michael Bay-ish, in that the latest one looks like they went "Hey! What if we had Jack do this, and this, and maybe meet some mermaids along the way?" It has that hap-hazard feel of a bunch of 'kewl scenes' strung together with little regard to logic (Jack's escape from being tied to a tree is probably one of the worse examples of this - he was simply out of his ropes at the point he needed to be).
But like all the other movies, the super-pirates (and navies) in these films are still able to get anywhere in the world in about an hour. Although portrayed far worse in Pirates-3, in this one the entire movie supposedly takes place in just four days. They start in Europe and end in the Everglades. As an amateur cartographer and geography aficionado, this point particularly irks me.
There were many problems with the movie, both major and minor (like what purpose did 'The Spanish' serve in the movie? I almost feel like there are missing scenes), but that doesn't mean I didn't still enjoy it - it is what it is: jack Sparrow being Jack Sparrow, which is pretty cool. |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 22 May 2011 14:23:10 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 17:25:27
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Who read the Priest manga? I read several reviews saying the film didn't give even a mote of justice to the manga. Well, mayhap it's good that I didn't read the manga, as I really enjoyed the film, despite its flaws. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Markustay
Realms Explorer extraordinaire
USA
15724 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 17:40:07
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Usually the case.
I was told the League of Extraordinary Gentleman comic was great, after professing to love the movie (closet Steampunk fan here). I went out and got the graphic novel, and didn't like it nearly as much (which probably has more to do with the order in which I partook of the two versions, then anything related to quality).
And the two were NOTHING alike... AT ALL.
I'm still trying to figure out what movies like Starship Troopers or I, Robot have to do with the novels of the same names, other then the titles. 
And the mermaids in PotC were kinda cool... wish they had explained them more, though.... I get the feeling MUCH was left on the cutting-room floor (regarding everything).
Unfortunately, the only vampire-fan I have to see a movie with is my sis, and she doesn't go-in for the bestial type (so I will most-likely catch Priest a year from now on cable).  |
"I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me" --- Dudley Field Malone
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Edited by - Markustay on 22 May 2011 18:07:53 |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 17:53:05
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Though very few, there are adaptations that are made quite excellently. Stardust comes to mind. So many things are altered from the novel to [I guess] address the film's needs. For one, the captain is not a transvestite in the book. Also, the three witches are not that powerful in the novel. Yet, I had fun both in reading the book and watching the film. Neil Gaiman had a hand on the film, so [as many said] no wonder it's done well. |
Every beginning has an end. |
Edited by - Dennis on 22 May 2011 18:21:03 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36896 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 18:12:39
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
Though very few, there adaptations that are made quite excellently. Stardust comes to mind. So many things are altered from the novel to [I guess] address the film's needs. For one, the captain is not a transvestite in the book. Also, the three witches are not that powerful in the novel. Yet, I had fun both in reading the book and watching the film. Neil Gaiman had a hand on the film, so [as many said] no wonder it's done well.
I love both versions of Stardust. I'm looking forward to reading the book to my son when he's old enough. |
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Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
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I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 18:29:01
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He'd love it, for sure, Wooly. Perhaps more than you do.
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In terms of worst adaptation, I definitely can't say it's this movie [Priest], not only because I enjoyed it, but also because I haven't read the manga. So I'd choose The Half-Blood Prince. The scriptwriter and the director [or are they one and the same?] did a good job of turning a wonderful novel into sleep-inducing movie. I DID sleep in the cinema. [And I'm not joking.] |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36896 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 18:52:01
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quote:
Originally posted by Dennis
He'd love it, for sure, Wooly. Perhaps more than you do.
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In terms of worst adaptation, I definitely can't say it's this movie [Priest], not only because I enjoyed it, but also because I haven't read the manga. So I'd choose The Half-Blood Prince. The scriptwriter and the director [or are they one and the same?] did a good job of turning a wonderful novel into sleep-inducing movie. I DID sleep in the cinema. [And I'm not joking.]
To me, that one felt like they made the movie from an outline of the novel, instead of the novel itself. A lot of the same stuff still happened, but either happened in a different way and/or involved different characters. |
Candlekeep Forums Moderator
Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com -- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct
I am the Giant Space Hamster of Ill Omen! |
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Dennis
Great Reader
9933 Posts |
Posted - 22 May 2011 : 19:06:51
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I guess the only HP film adaptation that has a mote resemblance of the novel's excellence is The Prisoner of Azkaban. The first portrayal of the Dementors, the Patronuses, and time travel are commendable.
The amount of screen time devoted to each character has been fairly divided. |
Every beginning has an end. |
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Just saw Priest (the film)...
