Venice Italy

[glitterboy2098]

i think the dislike of the gondola's has nothing to do with the boat, and everything to do with PB's history of taking something from a region, slapping MDC and some scifi and/or fantasy into it, and putting it out in lieu of something more reasonable.

[Blue_Lion]

i think the dislike of the gondola's has nothing to do with the boat, and everything to do with PB's history of taking something from a region, slapping MDC and some scifi and/or fantasy into it, and putting it out in lieu of something more reasonable.

But I liked when they slapped mdc and scifi into ninjas.

[taalismn]

You know, for all my smack talk about Venice and its gondolas, I have to give it this much: there are no Italian drivers in the old city. Seriously, Italian street traffic is scary. They treat sidewalks like another lane.

The image you just put in my mind....

And I LIKED the flying junks in Rifts China Geofront....Utterly meaningless and dangerous as hell in a congested urban environment, but they gave the impression of Technological Golden Age China a more advanced Fifth Element-style feel of China being more than 'a generation of tech behind the rest of the world'.

But right, no gondolas, no flying spaghetti monsters. The New Venetians will, where possible, have power boats(although if some of the locals are large multiple-armed/tentacled creatures, I wouldn't rule out classic oared galleys.

[Hotrod]

i think the dislike of the gondola's has nothing to do with the boat, and everything to do with PB's history of taking something from a region, slapping MDC and some scifi and/or fantasy into it, and putting it out in lieu of something more reasonable.

But I liked when they slapped mdc and scifi into ninjas.

I didn't care for Rifts Japan. Much like the New West/Spirit West books, it seemed like a collection of cultural stereotypes with MDC. Rifts is at its best for me when it's refreshingly different, when the U.S. is dominated by a fascist government, when Vampires rule Mexico, when Atlantis is arisen and ruled by the Splugorth. I don't mind using some historical and cultural references, but these work best for me when they're subtler, like the druids of England, rather than Camelot. One or two imported stereotypes is palatable here and there, but when entire books revolve around cultural cliches, Rifts gets less interesting for me.

[Leo H]

You know, for all my smack talk about Venice and its gondolas, I have to give it this much: there are no Italian drivers in the old city. Seriously, Italian street traffic is scary. They treat sidewalks like another lane.

The image you just put in my mind....

And I LIKED the flying junks in Rifts China Geofront....Utterly meaningless and dangerous as hell in a congested urban environment, but they gave the impression of Technological Golden Age China a more advanced Fifth Element-style feel of China being more than 'a generation of tech behind the rest of the world'.

But right, no gondolas, no flying spaghetti monsters. The New Venetians will, where possible, have power boats(although if some of the locals are large multiple-armed/tentacled creatures, I wouldn't rule out classic oared galleys.

Oars, well that's good but TW gondolas,wait, wait, sorry I mean TW galleys to the rescue. TW equipment for all, HAHahahahhhaa!!!

[taalismn]

WEll, I was starting to get the idea of a species of large(we're talking dragon-sized) radially symmetrical amphibious octopoids who become more sessile as they age and gain weight/body armor, like barnacles. As they mature into big stationary intelligences they develop the ability to generate multiple mobile polyps that serve as the octoids' far-ranging scouts, hunter-gatherers, and soldiers...the polyps also serve as their sexual gametes...if the polyp encounters another octoid and that octoid likes the characteristics it sees in the polyp, it fertilizes it, and the polyp becomes a full-fledged larval octoid, which then seeks to find its own place where it can mature and start spawning its won polyps to take and hold territory. If the second octoid DOESN'T like what it sees(an agent of a competitor for food and resources), it sends its own polyps to destroy it. With the ability to live both on land and in water, the octoids become dominant in their homeworld environment
Now, as, the octoids have evolved intelligence, and society, it's possible for octoids to share territory, rather than fight with each other. The technologies of agriculture and architecture and the like mean that sessile octoids have things to trade, and not just send armies of polyps against each other, The intelligent, evolved octoids still fight among themselves, but the tactics and strategies change...and anybody familiar with medieval Italian intrigues would find the octoid skirmishes, conspiracies, assassinations(poison being a favorite) rather familiar.
Furthermore, some of the octoids discover boatbuilding....by becoming sessile and integrated into a boat(like a galley), they can settle down while still being quite mobile, their great strength and many tentacles making them effective organic motors for their own ships, Thus mercantile octoids become a feature f their society, ranging far and wide, linking those octoids who chose to entrench themselves in holdfasts ashore or underwater.

All in all, I could picture these beings(who I have not yet named or stated, as this flow-of-thought) integrating with other species in a place like New Venice. The sessile octoids are house wardens, bankers, merchants, operating from their castle-homes, while the more mobile merchants are shipmasters, sailors, and mercenaries(their polyps being rather dumb and disposable cannonfodder).

[Leo H]

WEll, I was starting to get the idea of a species of large(we're talking dragon-sized) radially symmetrical amphibious octopoids who become more sessile as they age and gain weight/body armor, like barnacles. As they mature into big stationary intelligences they develop the ability to generate multiple mobile polyps that serve as the octoids' far-ranging scouts, hunter-gatherers, and soldiers...the polyps also serve as their sexual gametes...if the polyp encounters another octoid and that octoid likes the characteristics it sees in the polyp, it fertilizes it, and the polyp becomes a full-fledged larval octoid, which then seeks to find its own place where it can mature and start spawning its won polyps to take and hold territory. If the second octoid DOESN'T like what it sees(an agent of a competitor for food and resources), it sends its own polyps to destroy it. With the ability to live both on land and in water, the octoids become dominant in their homeworld environment
Now, as, the octoids have evolved intelligence, and society, it's possible for octoids to share territory, rather than fight with each other. The technologies of agriculture and architecture and the like mean that sessile octoids have things to trade, and not just send armies of polyps against each other, The intelligent, evolved octoids still fight among themselves, but the tactics and strategies change...and anybody familiar with medieval Italian intrigues would find the octoid skirmishes, conspiracies, assassinations(poison being a favorite) rather familiar.
Furthermore, some of the octoids discover boatbuilding....by becoming sessile and integrated into a boat(like a galley), they can settle down while still being quite mobile, their great strength and many tentacles making them effective organic motors for their own ships, Thus mercantile octoids become a feature f their society, ranging far and wide, linking those octoids who chose to entrench themselves in holdfasts ashore or underwater.

All in all, I could picture these beings(who I have not yet named or stated, as this flow-of-thought) integrating with other species in a place like New Venice. The sessile octoids are house wardens, bankers, merchants, operating from their castle-homes, while the more mobile merchants are shipmasters, sailors, and mercenaries(their polyps being rather dumb and disposable cannonfodder).

Interesting and fairly well thought out idea. So, you see this race having come from a place like that and intergrating into the New Venice environment? They could become a major part of the city's government.

[taalismn]

Well, I've started work on stating them)now dubbed the 'Grelfo')...got some hurdles and heavy writing to overcome, but nothing insurmountable.
But yeah they were born of my 'tentacle-driven galley' thought...that expanded to include shore-based aliens. Given the warring clans of Italy's Classic period, what if the warring houses were technically INDIVIDUALS, competing for territory and resources, with the foot soldiers being simply extensions of the individual's own flesh? Then, what aspects of civilization would cause such perforce solitary beings to want to act communally, and allow them to create a society?
And you have to admit that giant octpoid barnacle-beings are NOT 'humanoid aliens with bad skin' to plug into the location scenario.

[Leo H]

Well, I've started work on stating them)now dubbed the 'Grelfo')...got some hurdles and heavy writing to overcome, but nothing insurmountable.
But yeah they were born of my 'tentacle-driven galley' thought...that expanded to include shore-based aliens. Given the warring clans of Italy's Classic period, what if the warring houses were technically INDIVIDUALS, competing for territory and resources, with the foot soldiers being simply extensions of the individual's own flesh? Then, what aspects of civilization would cause such perforce solitary beings to want to act communally, and allow them to create a society?
And you have to admit that giant octpoid barnacle-beings are NOT 'humanoid aliens with bad skin' to plug into the location scenario.

You pose some interesting questions and I've thought of some answers if you're interested in them. I have to admit your last sentence sounds like a playful jab at a well known and loved scifi series that will remain unnamed because I don't know if that violate any forum rules.

[taalismn]

Well, I've started work on stating them)now dubbed the 'Grelfo')...got some hurdles and heavy writing to overcome, but nothing insurmountable.
But yeah they were born of my 'tentacle-driven galley' thought...that expanded to include shore-based aliens. Given the warring clans of Italy's Classic period, what if the warring houses were technically INDIVIDUALS, competing for territory and resources, with the foot soldiers being simply extensions of the individual's own flesh? Then, what aspects of civilization would cause such perforce solitary beings to want to act communally, and allow them to create a society?
And you have to admit that giant octpoid barnacle-beings are NOT 'humanoid aliens with bad skin' to plug into the location scenario.

You pose some interesting questions and I've thought of some answers if you're interested in them. I have to admit your last sentence sounds like a playful jab at a well known and loved scifi series that will remain unnamed because I don't know if that violate any forum rules.

I already have some ideas of how Grelfi society came about...writing both raised and answered the questions....Technology, with its more efficient production of food and other services, and even plumbing to remove the waste of increasingly sessile sentients, would allow for denser populations of the beings. Open warfare would be sublimed to other forms of competition, such as economic...and when some Grelfi chose to specialize in crafting or materials creation, economic blocs are formed. Non-Grelfi come into the picture initially as outside assets and allies to be integrated into Grelfi social politics and economic/resource security.

'Buck Rogers'? They were pretty keen on pasting ugly wigs and pancake makeup on actors and calling them aliens. And when the Draconians brought out 'Pandaman', I cracked up.

[Leo H]

Well, I've started work on stating them)now dubbed the 'Grelfo')...got some hurdles and heavy writing to overcome, but nothing insurmountable.
But yeah they were born of my 'tentacle-driven galley' thought...that expanded to include shore-based aliens. Given the warring clans of Italy's Classic period, what if the warring houses were technically INDIVIDUALS, competing for territory and resources, with the foot soldiers being simply extensions of the individual's own flesh? Then, what aspects of civilization would cause such perforce solitary beings to want to act communally, and allow them to create a society?
And you have to admit that giant octpoid barnacle-beings are NOT 'humanoid aliens with bad skin' to plug into the location scenario.

You pose some interesting questions and I've thought of some answers if you're interested in them. I have to admit your last sentence sounds like a playful jab at a well known and loved scifi series that will remain unnamed because I don't know if that violate any forum rules.

I already have some ideas of how Grelfi society came about...writing both raised and answered the questions....Technology, with its more efficient production of food and other services, and even plumbing to remove the waste of increasingly sessile sentients, would allow for denser populations of the beings. Open warfare would be sublimed to other forms of competition, such as economic...and when some Grelfi chose to specialize in crafting or materials creation, economic blocs are formed. Non-Grelfi come into the picture initially as outside assets and allies to be integrated into Grelfi social politics and economic/resource security.

'Buck Rogers'? They were pretty keen on pasting ugly wigs and pancake makeup on actors and calling them aliens. And when the Draconians brought out 'Pandaman', I cracked up.

So, would it be okay if some of them got caught in a Rift and started a small (relatively) colony on Earth in that area?

[taalismn]

[
So, would it be okay if some of them got caught in a Rift and started a small (relatively) colony on Earth in that area?

That's what I'm writing them in mind for.
They'd fit well into a LIMITED revival of certain aspects of Italian classic city-state culture/
The static Grelfi more inclined to economic cooperation but stll feeling a need to compete with their neighbors might adopt the idea of spending lavishly on their residences or becoming patrons of the arts. Those still inclined to fighting it out would feel constrained by the laws of neutral neighbors(including nonGrelfi) would be obliged to more subtle attacks, like assassination.
The mobile, boat-based Grelfi would become merchants, or naval mercenaries.
Didn't get any writing today because I spent most of my day doing Fall leaf-peeping/road-tripping, and a little much-needed hiking(I've really let myself slip this summer, physical outdoor conditioning-wise).

[Leo H]

[
So, would it be okay if some of them got caught in a Rift and started a small (relatively) colony on Earth in that area?

That's what I'm writing them in mind for.
They'd fit well into a LIMITED revival of certain aspects of Italian classic city-state culture/
The static Grelfi more inclined to economic cooperation but stll feeling a need to compete with their neighbors might adopt the idea of spending lavishly on their residences or becoming patrons of the arts. Those still inclined to fighting it out would feel constrained by the laws of neutral neighbors(including nonGrelfi) would be obliged to more subtle attacks, like assassination.
The mobile, boat-based Grelfi would become merchants, or naval mercenaries.
Didn't get any writing today because I spent most of my day doing Fall leaf-peeping/road-tripping, and a little much-needed hiking(I've really let myself slip this summer, physical outdoor conditioning-wise).

Cool, please keep me up to date on your thoughts. I'd appreciate it very much. You will (of course) get all the credit for them. Now that the weather is starting to get cooler, I too am trying to be more active. Which goes against what my body wants to do. Been thinking about how to get my group over to Europe. I'd welcome any ideas you or anybody else has, I'd appreciate it.

[Kiltduderackham]

I would think of New Venice as a sort of ramshackle Lake Town that is home to D-Bees and humans alike. The city caters to all forms of debauchry and decadence especially for the treasure hunters who use the city as a base camp. As for the ruins of the old city it is a hot bed of mystic energy and full of ghosts and zombies.

[taalismn]

Sorry about the delay on this....I'm pretty sure this is just shot full of errors and inconsistancies, but it's rather hard trying to translate human(oid)-based rules and abilities for something definitely NOT humanoid...

Grelfi

“Dealing with Grelfi is like dealing with a hive intelligence; there’s a lot of bustle and buzzing about, but there’s only one main intelligence at work directing the whole shebang. The Grelfi may talk to you through one of its organic drones, but don’t get attached to that particular mouthpiece; best to address the big mountain at the center. ”

Grelfi are a species of large, radially-symmetrical, d-bees that have begun to appear throughout the megaverse, courtesy of the Rifts.
Mature Grelfi have a large saucer-shaped body topped by a turret-shaped head equipped with a ring of eyes and a crown of sensory tendrils. Around the head, on the top of the body, are two respiratory orifices and two mouths, supplying two sets of lungs and two stomaches respectively. Around the endge of the body are several dozen muscular tentacles. On the bottom, the Grelfi is supported by six muscular tentacles; these latter atrophy over time to become little more than supporting stumps as the Grelfi ages.
Grelfi start out as smaller and much more mobile, but slow down and become more sessile as they mature. Under such pressure, Grelfi will seek to establish for themselves a secure location or domocile. In the distant past, the barnacle-like ancestors of the Grelfi might have grown shells around themselves, but modern Grelfi will seek to build a house or castle around themselves, and acrue resources and supplies.
Over its adult lifespan, a Grelfi will grow additional clusters of tentacles along its edges. The nerve ganglion directing these clusters develop into primitive brains, and the cluster eventually splits, head-last, from the parent body to become a polyp, a subservient moble drone extension of the Grelfi. Polyps are spawned by the Grelfi to serve as servitors, hunting and gathering food, removing waste, maintaining the Grelfi’s domocile, and protecting their spawn-host. Polyps also serve as mobile gametes, traveling to other Grelfi. If another adult Grelfi likes and accepts the qualities it sees in the polyp-gamete, it will fertilize the polyp, injecting it with some of its own DNA, causing a transition to larval Grelfi. Thus quickened, the former polyp and now sapient Grelfi will seek to find its own place in the world, find territory to stake out(typically fighting with other young Grelfi to hold new territory or claim the realms of elder Grelfi), and settle down to spawn its own polyps.

In the past, pre-sapient Grelfi fought for territory and resources, but the evolution of sapience, culture, and technology has allowed greater cooperation between Grelfi, with even some Grelfi sharing common domociles and working closely with one another. More efficient use of resources, food production, waste management, and communications allows Grelfi to work with one another in closer proximity. This isn’t to say that they aren’t still territorial; the same advances have led to Grelfi becoming even more volent or cunning in their warfare with one another, and combat, as well as assassinations, still reman common among the more traditional(or desperate) Grelfi.

Grelfi have generally split into two types; land-based and sessile and water-based and boat-mobile, though some xenoanthropologists prefer to classify them as domocile-based and ship-based. Domocile-based(be it underwater or ashore) Grelfi will establish themselves in a static residence, typically building an estate or holdfast around themselves. Such Grelfi typically become resident farmers, craftsmen, warehouse managers, bankers, and the like.
Ship-based Grelfi came on the scene when the species first started building boats. Grelfi choosing this path will typically build a large boat around themselves, their tentacles providing motive power to oars or paddle-wheels, and their polyps managing sails. As both master and motor of their boats, ship-based Grelfi become merchants and mercenaries.
Compared to humans, Grelfi are massive, cumbersome intelligences crippled by their own size and weight. However, beyond being able to produce a small army of mobile polyps to serve as their hands and sensors, adult Grelfi are expert multi-taskers.
Grelfi skill selection may appear problematic to more personally ‘hands-on’ species; but adult Grelfi can learn many skills that their ever more immobile bodies would apparently restrict them from fully practicing. However, Grelfi can memorize and even work out some skills mentally, and imprint these skills on their polyps as part of their ‘programming’. So an adult Grelfi may be unable to practice most of the aspects of an acquired hand to hand combat skill with regards to dodging or rolling, but those aspects would be applied to their more agile and mobile polyps. It must be remembered that polyps act as a EXTENSION of the spawn-host Grelfi. This allows the Grelfi to continue practicing skills even after its adult body has ceased being able to go through the moves. However, the Grelfi also tend to suffer from a certain skill bias with regards to some skill-types, such as piloting, since their bodies DO limit their abilities. For example, while Grelfi may practice driving multi-team wagons, few, if any, would learn how to pilot hovercycles(if available), since such small vehicles would only be usable by polyps.
On their homeworld, Grelfi were just starting to develop steam power, were experimenting with chemical batteries and dynamos, and had even sent a few polyps aloft in hot hair balloons when the dimensional shockwaves from the Coming of the Rifts on Earth swept through their world. A number of Grelfi have appeared over the years on Rifts Earth, mainly around the Adriatic, and the majority of the strandees have settled in the New Venice area. The Grelfi have learned quickly the need to adapt to the local conditions, including trading with the locals for megadamage protections(weapons and armor).
Initially, the Grelfi had some misunderstandings with the local humans and other sapients; the Grelfi mistook them for the polyp-form of some larger master sentience. With time, however, the Grelfi have managed to wrap their brains around the idea that humans and those like them are intelligent, and stay both their current size and keep their mobility the majority of their lives.
Grelfi in New Venice work much as they did on their homeworld. Grelfi craftsmen run small factories and workshops from within their fortfied domiciles, farmer Grelfo run plantations worked by their polyps, and merchant Grelfi operate their own boats transporting goods. The presence of non-Grelfi mean that Grelfi can now hire and direct additional workers or mercenaries. Computers and industrial robotics mean that craftsmen Grelfi can now run much larger factories. Modern ships mean that Grelfi ‘captains’ are no longer limited by muscle power, wind and tide to power their vessels.
Another change, thanks to technology, is that two or more Grelfi may share the same habitation, a previously unheard of(indeed, inconceivable) degree of trust and cooperation. And whereas adult Grelfi perviously drove off newly fertilized young Grelfi to seek their fortunes and stake out territory elsewhere, so as not to compete with their parents, modern Grelfi may keep their offspring around to add manpower to their projects, in return for using some of the profits so reaped to assist their progeny in establishing themselves(or to inherit the elder Grelfis’ territories upon passing).


Alignments: Any, but most (60%) tend to fall in the Selfish category
Lifespan: 300 years
Size: A young adult Grelfi during their still mobile period(their first 8-15 years) will typically be between 5-8 ft in diameter, 4-6 ft tall, and weigh in the range of 200-500 lbs
Adult Grelfi can grow to roughly 30 ft in diameter, 10 ft tall, with tentacles reaching up to 100 ft, and weigh up to 8 tons.
(Optional: PC Grelfi can gain 3d6x10 lbs in weight per experience level to reflect their maturation growth)
Gender: Adult Grelfi are effectively hermaphrodites
Physical Description/Appearance:
Young adult Grelfi are fat upright cylinders of leathery flesh, banded by thicker armored skin, and walking on six muscular tentacles, with a thick band of about a dozen manipulatory tentacles around their midsection, mouth and lung orifices and immature polyps growing like cactus arms from above this belt.
A mature adult is a large saucer-shaped lump of elephantine armored flesh, topped by a sensory turret ringed by multiple red eyes. Four valved orifices sprout from the upper side of the saucer main body. The edge of the saucer is fringed in multiple(1d8x10) tentacles of various lengths, plus, at any given time, several paler clusters of shorter tentacles that will grow into polyps and detach. Grelfi start out as gray or tan in color, and gradually grow to match the predominant color of their surroundings as they settle in and age.
Disposition/Attitudes:
Grelfi are mainly concerned with their own well-being, and cultivate relationships with others to further that end. They tend to be contemplative and planning, with a vivid mental life and imagination akin to running computer simulations inside their heads. They are most often doing four or more different things at once, mostly through their polyps. If a Grelfi is giving something or someone their FULL attention to the exception of all else, that only underscores how serious the situation is.
Physical Attributes:
IQ: 2d6+6
ME: 2d6+6
MA: 2d6+12
PS: 5d6+12 and considered to be Supernatural
PP: A Grelfi’s tentacles are quite agile; 2d4+18. The same Grelfi’s main body is less so, and can be considered to be 1d4+4
PB: 1d6
PE: 3d6+20
SPD: Polyps are quite fast and can run at 4d6+20.
A newly-quickened young adult Grelfi can move at about 3d6+5
(Optional: Grelfi PCs can lose 1d4 points of SPD per experience level)
A fully mature Grelfi can still crawl, albeit at about 1d8. while truly ancient Grelfi(250+ years) are effectively immobile.
All Grelfi can swim at roughly 3x their running speed.
(ISP):(Major) ME +4d6 +1d6 per level of experience
(PPE): 5d6
Hit Points: 6d6+P.E+1d6 per level of experience
SDC: 400, Armor Rating 16
MDC:
On Rifts Earth, adult Grelfi are considered to be minor MDC beings of their P.E. +20+1d6 per level of experience. A tentacle will have 1d4 MD each. This means they would be wise to acquire MDC protections, such as custom body armor or the shelter of megadamage structures.
Horror Factor: 12
Natural Abilities:
*Omnivorous---Grelfi are equal opportunity hunters, scavengers, and grazers.

*Amphibious---Grelfi can survive both in and out of water, though they prefer moist environments. Depth tolerance of 900 ft.

*360-degree Vision---It’s almost impossible to sneak up on Grelfi, due to their panoramic vision. +2 on initiative when ambushed and CANNOT be surprised from behind.

*Reduced Need for Sleep---By rotating consciousness in various sectors of its large brain, an adult Grelfi can go without rest and remain mentally active for far longer than a normal human. Grelfi can go without sleep for as long as their ME/2 in days before needing a full 22 hours of sleep. They can go indefinitely on as little as 8 hours of sleep a week, but do need periods of meditation to recharge their ISP reserves. During their downtime, they rely on their polyps (or other companions) to protect them.

*Regenerate Tentacles---Grelfi regrow lost tentacles at an accelerated rate. A single tentacle can grow back in 3d6 days.

*Spawn Polyps---A Grelfi can produce as many polyps in a month as HALF their PE rating, plus an additional 1d4 polyps per level of experience.
---(Special) A Grelfi can choose to sacrifice one or more of its skill selections to focus on producing even more polyps. Using a skill slot in this manner allows the Grelfi to create 1d6 extra polyps per month. As this means that the polyps will have less access to skills, this is a question of quality versus quantity.

*Polyp-Link---Grelfi are linked to their polyps on a telepathic level, so whatever a polyp senses, the Grelfi immediately knows it as well. The effective range of this link is the adult Grelfi’s ME x20 in miles. Polyps beyond this range will continue to follow their last instructions or, once those orders are fulfilled or frustrated, the polyp will revert to its instincts, until it gets back within range of its parent.

*Actions/Attacks Per Melee---Adult Grelfi have a number of APMs equal to their IQ divided by 2. They can use these in direct action, or use them through a proxy-polyp(s). Grelfi typically multi-task; for example, a factory Grelfi might spend three actions in a melee operating a computer, tabulating inventory, and writing a letter, and use its remaining four actions dispatching a polyp to a storeroom to fetch materials, and directing two more polyps working on lathes on how to properly turn furniture end-posts, before letting them work automatically on their tasks, like factory robots.

Psionics:
Adult Grelfi are considered to be Major Psionics; select eight powers from Physical, Healing, or Sensitive.
+2 to save vs possession
Magic:
Grelfi did not practice magic on their homeworld, due to low ambient PPE. In PPE-rich environs, they have the potential to acquire magic, but as of yet, none has.
Cybernetics/Bionics:
Grelfi are still trying to decide about this type of technology; they will not use it to enhance their polyps, because they are either expendable drones, or the implanted systems could do serious harm if a polyp is fertilized and begins metamorphing into an adult. Some older Grelfi might consider a minor implant such as a headjack or sensory enhancement, but such systems would have to be specially configured for the Grelfi physiology.

RCC Skills:
Languages:
Select 4 at +5%
Literacy:
Select 4 at +5%
Math: Basic(+10%)
Skills: Select 10 ‘other skills at Level One, plus an 2 additional at levels 4, 8 and 12.
Communications: Any
Domestic: Any
Electrical:Any
Espionage: None
Mechanical: Any
Medical: First Aid and Holistic Medicine only
Military:Any
Physical: Special; normally Grelfi are unable to take any physical skills, but for Hand to Hand skills, to reflect how adroit they are at manipulating their polyps(this is particularly true of those Grefli who specialize as mercenaries).
Pilot: Grelfi piloting skills are limited by what can bear their increasing weight, and few Grelfi bother learning piloting skills limited to use by their polyps. Few Grelfi bother, for instance, with skills like Beast Ridership or Pilot Motorcycles(if available).
More modern Grelfi can learn Pilot: Ships(Modern), Hovercraft, Spacecraft, and even Robots, provided these craft are modified to accommodate the adult Grelfi and/or a polyp crew.
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: None
Science: Again, Grelfi will be limited by their setting.
Technical: Any
Wilderness: Any
Weapons Profficiencies(W.P.): Any
Secondary Skills:
Can select 5 secondary skills without benefit of bonuses
Experience Tables: Use Full-Conversion Cyborg Tables

Culture:
Grelfi tend to be solitary and territorial, staking out secure locations and self-sustainable resources. The advent of technology has led to a growing culture of cooperation, closer and smaller territories, and an emergent community-based culture with Grelfi fulfilling specific roles (manufacturer, farmer, miner, chemist/pharmacist, merchant, mercenary, etc.).
On their homeworld, Grelfi had just begun to experiment with electricity and steam power and already had gunpowder. Since coming to Rifts Earth, they have taken well to high technology, especially such things as MDCarmor, advanced weapons, powered ships and large transport hovercraft.

Grelfi Polyps
Grelfi Polyps are often mistaken as larval Grelfi. In fact, they are more along the lines of mobile gametes. Until and unless the polyp is fertilized by another Grelfi, it is doomed to a short lifespan of 2d8 months. Adult Grelfi consider their polyps to be disposable tools or labor animals, and invest little emotional attachment in any individual polyp.
Polyps start their existence as a growth-bundle of tentacles on the flank of an adult Grelfi. The nerve gangelion controling them becomes more complex, developing into a basic brain, and the polyp eventually manages to wiggle loose to begin moving independentally of its parent-body.
Polyps can be controlled directly by the spawning Grelfi, but not always. When the Grelfi’s attention is needed elsewhere(such as in a business or mass pitched battle), the polyp can operate semi-autonomously, using basic skills ‘downloaded’ into it when it was created, along with basic instincts.
Alignments: Same as their spawn-host.
Lifespan: 2d8 months unless fertilized
Size: Roughly 4-5 ft tall, and weighing 150-200 lbs.
Gender: None, unless and until fertilized into an adult form.
Physical Description/Appearance:
An upright bullet-shaped mass of flesh, supported on six long tentacle-legs ending in large pods. Six long tentacles ring the midsection of the body, and eight red eyes ring the top of the head(these will multiply and grow into a continuous ring if the polyp is quickened into a Grelfi adult).
Disposition/Attitudes:
Grelfi polyps act as an extension or avatar of the adult form. The Grelfi adult can speak and act through a polyp, possessing it as a subset of itself.
By itself, a Grelfi polyp is essentially an organic robot, with no personality of its own.
Physical Attributes:
IQ: 2d4
ME: 1d6
MA: 1d6
PS: 3d6+16
PP: 2d4+18
PB: 1d6
PE: 2d6+12
SPD: 4d6+20 on land, swimming is PSx3 in yards/meters.
(ISP): 2d6+M.E.+1d6 per level of experience
(PPE): 3d6
Hit Points: 90
SDC: 180, Armor Rating 14
MDC: Grelfi Polyps are NOT megadamage beings, and in order to survive in a megadamage environment, must be equipped with MDC protections.
Horror Factor: 6
Natural Abilities:
*Enhanced Arc of Vision---Grelfi Polyp eye placement isn’t as all-encompassing as their adult forms, but they can still see a greater arc of the world around them; +1 on initiative.
*Amphibious---Grelfi can survive both in and out of water, though they prefer moist environments. Depth tolerance of 900 ft.
Psionics: Grelfi Polyps are considered to be Minor psychics, with two powers from either Sensitive or Physical.
Magic: None.
Cybernetics/Bionics: None; the adult Grelfi consider it wasteful to spend valuable resources augmenting a drone that will expire in a year anyway.
Actions:Attacks Per Melee: Starts out with 3. This is static unless the Polyp is 'programmed' with an equivalent hand to hand skill by its parent, whereupon it advances as normal.
Skills of Note:
Polyps can be ‘programmed’ with up to eight skills from the spawn-host adult, including any hand-to-hand combat skills.
These skills come into play if and when the adult Grelfi is not directly in control of the polyp and acting through it. These are what the polyp has to ‘default’ to when acting on instinct.
A fertilized Grelfi polyp that has become an adult Grelfi starts with the full range of skills, beginning at first level
Culture:
None; an extension of the spawn-host Grelfi.

[Zer0 Kay]

Venice Italy- My European Rifts knowledge is a bit sketchy. Is the fate of Venice Italy addressed anywhere?

The city should be included in another Underseas.

[Daniel Stoker]

Sorry about the delay on this....I'm pretty sure this is just shot full of errors and inconsistancies, but it's rather hard trying to translate human(oid)-based rules and abilities for something definitely NOT humanoid...

Grelfi

I have to say, they seem pretty cool Taalismn.


Daniel Stoker

[taalismn]

Sorry about the delay on this....I'm pretty sure this is just shot full of errors and inconsistancies, but it's rather hard trying to translate human(oid)-based rules and abilities for something definitely NOT humanoid...

Grelfi

I have to say, they seem pretty cool Taalismn.


Daniel Stoker

Thanks...I wanted something radical...I wound up with something radial.