Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

Descriptions for all immobile pretenders say that they can possess willing targets for tasks such as forging and spellcasting; do these willing targets have to cut their hands off? :)
If not, why cant they use dwarven hammers?

This is not a balance suggestion; in my book, immortal pretenders are just fine at the moment. More of a flavour one: I'd just love to see Tenar and the Nameless Ones theme in Dominions (Ursula Le Guin classics).
Mechanically, it can be done by adding a special command to the immobile pretenders - possess. Afterwards, pretender loses all magical powers and Host is created: an immortal girl (blind in case of an Oracle) with the same magical paths, standard human slots and total inability to leave home province, not even by teleportation.

I doubt it can be done by modding, though, but ... maybe in future patches? :) Or maybe not - just wanted to share an idea.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

The nameless could be as an "eternal priestess". Immortal, immobile death/blood/holy with high dominion. Then you could put the nameless and maze etc. in the description. Name her "the eaten" and you´re set.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

It can be done quite easily, as long as you don't mind the command being 'change shape'.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

I thought about it - but its feels wrong. The girl should be immortal, as in 'new girl will be found' etc. Immobile pretenders, on the other hand, arent immortal.

We can just screw the immortal theme though... its will cause balance problems anyway, under astral corruption for example. Horrors? Who cares! Wish!

If the girl is destroyed somehow - maybe it backfires on the Oracle who possessed her anyway, leaving a dead, uninhabited fountain, and calling a God more or less equals these searches for a new Nameless priestess in this case.
Maybe. After all, its not a true immortality anyway; its being able to come back when called by your worshippers. Or found in the body of a newborn girl. :)

P.S.

If there was some way to make it impossible to change shape outside your capitol...
The nameless priestess shouldnt be able to leave capitol, I think. By any means.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

Most immobiles don't care about astral corruption/any kind of assassination anyway, as they can simply cast returning.

But yes, immortality would certainly still cause problems.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

You can make the second shape immortal.

What you suggest is easily modded.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

Yeah, but not quite. Second immortal form is only good if it can never leave capitol, both thematically and balance-wise. If its a simple second form, you can teleport your pretender, then change shape.

Making all immobile pretenders immortal and able to travel the world in a human shape isnt good, in my opinion. Its not the same as just growing a pair of hands for forging.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

But you're the one suggesting it,...?

You can make a second form that can't leave the cap anyway.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

So just make both forms immobile. The human form can be immortal and have better slots while the monolith/fountain/whatever form would be mortal but tougher and able to teleport.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

Thanks for the great post. I just finished reading _The Tombs of Atuan_ this weekend, and the entire book could have been flavor text for C'tis. Well, except for the fact that they are all boring humans rather than awesome lizards.

Re: Suggestion: human/merfolk hosts for immobile pretenders
 

Maybe a special site in capitol that only a Pretender can enter? Is that even possible? Hell of a work, but then it allows an even better customization - enslaved merfolk host for Rlyeh, atlantean for Atlanis, blinded girl for Pythium etc. All immobile and really unable to leave capitol under any circumstances since they can only spawn there.