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Inktober Day 3: Kelilah Kilyah

Posted on October 3, 2021 by eczarnik
This kidney cultist will kill ya. Kelilah Kilyah represents the Kidney among the Souls Division of the Bavel Macrostructure’s Yetzer Ra’ cult. She handles battlefield logistics and supplies the troops. Kilyah is a knavish careerist who works herself to death to achieve the End of History. On the surface she reins in her emotions, but her innermost thoughts, feelings and morals all steer toward annihilation. She also is a hoarder who always wants to collect the complete set of everything: weapons, clothing, accessories, tools, consumables — you name it. Her powerful strength lets her carry a massive lacquered Provision Pot, which boasts a near-infinite storage capacity. And in a pinch, her bean-shaped ocarina is a sonic weapon too. Kilyah was inspired by the כלי shoesh root and related family, which has to do with completion, kidneys, vessels, tools, instruments and potential. It also fulfills Inktober’s Day 3 theme of “Vessel.”

Inktober #2: Substitute Suit

Posted on October 2, 2021 by eczarnik
The Substitute blocks shots.

Tired of getting your best clothes dirty or destroyed? Wish you didn’t pass away after that finishing blow landed? Now, from the makers of “Milhamah: Fighting Words,” there’s the Substitute Suit!

The Substitute Suit reproduces clones of itself that absorb stains, damage and more before vanishing. It even deflects slaughtering knives! It’s perfect for any quests into dangerous territory. (Spare parts not included.)

The suit comes with the חלף shoresh root, which broadly refers to changes, alternatives, money exchange, passing, suits, knives, swordfish, amoebas, blight and so much more.

Purchase your Substitute Suit now for 24 easy payments of ₪118, or *hit* that subscribe button to get more “Milhamah: Fighting Words” sketches, comics and games in your social media feed. DON’T DELAY!

Inktober #1: Exalted Crystal

Posted on October 1, 2021 by eczarnik
The Exalted Crystal demands your praise.

Beware: The Exalted Crystal wants to crystallize its brilliance into your consciousness!

This enemy idol, who lives in the hills, is a massive chunk of crystal and condensed gravel rubble. Due to years of self-worship, It views itself as a tall wall and an invincibly strong fortress, and it demands that passersby praise its shininess. But the Holy Tongue Society refuses to comply!

The Exalted Crystal is based on the shoresh root גבש and its broader family, calling upon themes of crystals, rubble and exaltation.

Inktober is starting up again, and that means I’m working hard on a new batch of characters, monsters, items and more for the Milhamah: Fighting Words video game/RPG series. I’m looking forward to running at least 31 concept sketches this month, and I already have several spare ones I hope to additionally send out. The Exalted Crystal is based on the month’s first theme: crystal.

I’ll write up some stats and abilities for this character soon. If you like what you see, check out some of the progress I’ve made on the Milhamah tabletop RPG I’ve been working on!

Growing Excrescence remains at large

Posted on June 25, 2021 by eczarnik
Excrescence is a coagulated tumor. The Growing Excrescence may look like a terrifying teratoma, and that realization will only grow on you over time! This coagulated glob of skin, braided hair and more has the tumorlike power to enlarge itself several times over, crushing obstacles in its path as it bounds around. It tends to guard areas Beli Ya’al wants protected, including areas around the Migdal Bavel tower as well as the Ilan Tree. The Growing Excrescence is largely based on the גדל shoresh root, dealing with growth and magnification. Fight it yourself in Milhamah RPG, or eventually in the Milhamah video game!

Milhamah RPG stats

Shoresh: גדל Gematria: 37 Type: Abomination Rarity: Silver or Onyx Size: Large Liability Points: (4DN * 2) or 24 Merit Points: 2 Law Points: 0 Stats: DOM 4D, VIG 3D, GRA 1D, CRE 1D, WIS 1D, PEA 3D, BLE 1D Skills: None Domain Tags: Growth, Disease Standard Equipment: Habitat: Migdal Bavel, Ilan Tree, Bavel strongholds Personality: Bounds aimlessly, either by itself or in small clusters.  (For number, may roll 3DN, pick lowest number. Wild = 1) Basic Attacks:
  • Braided Hair (גדל): Qal stance, Whiplike hair lashes at the target.
    • To Hit: DOM at close range.
    • Damage: Success Margin +0D bashing or slashing damage. (User’s pick)
Speech Acts:
  • Eminent Expansion (גדל): Qal stance, Grows in size by three to seven times. Becomes heavier, stronger and more durable.
    • The Norm: On average, this speech act has a cost of 1 MP, takes one item with relevant semantic domains to prepare, takes 30 seconds to do and covers the user’s self. It lasts 3 minutes.
    • Noncombat To Hit: Roll VIG for expert (4S) base difficulty.
      • If success: Increase Size by 1 rank, +1D VIG, +1D DOM, +1 Armor
      • On natural success: Increase Size by 2 ranks, +3D VIG, +3D DOM, +2 Armor
      • If failure: Nothing happens, or the user grows a tiny bit and then shrinks back to normal. On botch, the user may shrink: Decrease Size by 1 rank, -1D VIG, -1D DOM, -1 Armor (if user has Armor)

Arid Annihilator Sword is cut and dried

Posted on June 5, 2021 by eczarnik
The Arid Annihilator will evaporate the enemy's chances at victory. The Arid Annihilator Sword is a cut-and-dried weapon used by many warriors in the Milḥamah War. Its slash wreaks havoc on an enemy’s body, but the blade rarely gets bloody since all liquids quickly dissolve or evaporate upon its surface. However, wielders have to watch out for dehydration, so they usually use this sword for limited amounts of time. The weapon is based on the חרב shoresh root, which has to do with destruction, droughts and carob.

Arid Annihilator Sword in Milhamah RPG

Shoresh: חרב Gematria: 210 Type: Melee Weapon: Sword Handedness: One Rarity: Lv. 2 (Silver) Value: ₪2400 Size: Medium Encumbrance: I triomino Base Attribute Modifiers: CRE+1D, GRA+1D Skill Modifiers: Intimidation +1D Damage type: Heat, Slashing Semantic Domains: Weapon, Destroy, Dry, Liquid Removal, Weather, Agriculture Speech acts:
  • Drought of Destruction (חרב): Qal stance. The user dwells on fiery anger or passion, imbuing his body with hydrophobic heat and causing the moisture to evaporate from objects and the air within a spherical area. The affected area might also be prone to cosmetic heat haze. 
    • Noncombat: Roll DOM or VIG to hit. On average (3S), this speech act has a higher cost (2 MP), takes two items with relevant semantic domains to prepare, two minutes to enact, lasts up to two hours and covers a radius of about 100 meters (or 300 feet). It is difficult (2S minimum required) to control well.
    • Success: The air in the affected area feels dry, plants may wither and living beings may get thirsty or fatigued. In areas with high moisture or lots of water, this skill might not actually harm ordinary living creatures and instead, for instance, evaporate pools of water or dry out soaked clothes. But in temperate or already dry climates, it may do combat damage.
    • Failure to hit: Failure can mean no dehydration occurs, or the area becomes wetter and more humid. Botching can cause the user to take 1DN Dry damage, and 1 Wound (ignoring armor) if the user has Water or Wet semantic domains. In addition, botching may cause combat damage to targets in range when unintended.
    • Combat Damage: When intending to harm, this skill on average does Success Margin +1DN Dry damage, and 1 Wound (ignoring armor) if the user has Water or Wet semantic domains.