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1 of 1- Spider of Leng
- Swordsman
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- From: Plateau of Leng
- Registered: 5/05/2018
- Posts: 315
Monstrous Green Centipede Inspiration?
I was stocking a cavern system last night and decided to drop a monstrous green centipede in there. In reading the description I couldn't help but recall the old 1980s "Centipede" video game, which is one of my all-time faves. Does anyone know if this was in fact the inspiration for this beast?
"Could you fancy me as a pirate bold? Or a longship Viking warrior with the old gods on his side? Well, I'm an inshore man and I'm nobody's hero. But I'll make you tight for a windy night and a dark ride."--Jethro Tull
- Eirvit
- Swordsman
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- Registered: 9/21/2016
- Posts: 616
Re: Monstrous Green Centipede Inspiration?
You inspired me to investigate this game on Wikipedia, and it is rich with possibilities!
From Wikipedia: According to the game's instruction manual from the Atari 2600 port, the player takes the role of a [url=wmfapp://host/wiki/Garden_gnome]garden gnome[/url] armed with a [url=wmfapp://host/wiki/Magic_wand]magic wand[/url] and has to defend his mushroom forest from the invasion of giant centipedes, spiders, fleas, and scorpions.
I can imagine a centipede defined by segments. Each segment has x # hp. All attacks are randomly determined to which segment is hit, and, when destroyed, the centipede splits into two, the front most part becoming a biting head. This can be exponential as long as there is more than one segment. Targeting the head requires a called shot.
A variation would have a destroyed segment becoming a fungus (in the game, the struck portion becomes a mushroom) that either has some more malicious effects or erupts into spores in a number of days. These spores would grow into more of these centipedes if they manage to land in blood or some carcass within which to grow.
Last edited by Eirvit (1/10/2020 10:48 am)
“Our own age is not one which can afford to call its ancestors savage.”
― Poul Anderson, The Broken Sword
- Chainsaw
- Warlord
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- From: South of Heaven
- Registered: 3/02/2014
- Posts: 2,138
Re: Monstrous Green Centipede Inspiration?
Spider of Leng wrote:
I was stocking a cavern system last night and decided to drop a monstrous green centipede in there. In reading the description I couldn't help but recall the old 1980s "Centipede" video game, which is one of my all-time faves. Does anyone know if this was in fact the inspiration for this beast?
Possibly subconsciously, but mostly I'm just a sick bastard who thought it would be hilarious at the table. During my play test of it, which was with Crash at Corpse Creek at the cons one year, one PC experienced its full glory while the others burst out laughing. So much fun!
Anyway, super cool to see someone using it. Thanks man. Let me know how it goes! 
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- BlackKnight
- Swordsman
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- From: Central MA
- Registered: 1/24/2018
- Posts: 337
Re: Monstrous Green Centipede Inspiration?
You inspired me to investigate this game on Wikipedia, and it is rich with possibilities!
From Wikipedia: According to the game's instruction manual from the Atari 2600 port, the player takes the role of a [url=wmfapp://host/wiki/Garden_gnome]garden gnome[/url] armed with a [url=wmfapp://host/wiki/Magic_wand]magic wand[/url] and has to defend his mushroom forest from the invasion of giant centipedes, spiders, fleas, and scorpions.
I can imagine a centipede defined by segments. Each segment has x # hp. All attacks are randomly determined to which segment is hit, and, when destroyed, the centipede splits into two, the front most part becoming a biting head. This can be exponential as long as there is more than one segment. Targeting the head requires a called shot.
A variation would have a destroyed segment becoming a fungus (in the game, the struck portion becomes a mushroom) that either has some more malicious effects or erupts into spores in a number of days. These spores would grow into more of these centipedes if they manage to land in blood or some carcass within which to grow.
Could make it worse if the segments gained haste when the total number gets to 50% or the original ammount of segments like the game...
--
BlackKnight, AKA Sausage
Older than Dirt, Crusty, and set in my ways. Been playing TTRPGs for over 45 years...
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