test content
  • Games
  • Social
  • Arc News
  • Support
  • Zen
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Forums > Home› Champions Pen and Paper RPG

What do Malvans look like?

Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
edited August 2010 in Champions Pen and Paper RPG
I've been searching online but it hasn't turned anything up. I know they're humanoid, and I've heard that they have pointed ears, but beyond that I have no idea.
Post edited by Archived Post on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    I'm unaware of a specific physical description meant to be typical of Malvans, but one of them, Kanrok the Acquisitioner, is described as:

    "Kanrok is a male from the planet Malva, and as such has golden-bronze skin, large
    eyes, feathery eyebrows, and reddish shoulderlength hair."

    The most distinguishing features of Ariax Thone, the Malvan-born supervillain Firewing, are apparently atypical of his species: he was transformed by the Flame burning in the Temple of Malva to have fire pouring from his eyes and the top of his head in place of hair. As susch, he is probably a bad example to extrapolate typical Malvan features.

    There is a monochrome picture of a female Malvan c. 3000 AD in "Galactic Champions"; she is depicted as basically human-like with pointy, elfin ears and apparently pupil-less (but not iris-less) pale eyes and stylized body markings that are probably tattoos.

    Although the physical description of Malvans has not been nailed down more precisely, it has been established that Malvans are the heirs of the most technologically advanced civilization the galaxy has known and, although they have been in decline for millennia they are still fairly far ahead of most other races in the Milky Way. It is not a big stretch to assume serious body modification is fairly easy and commonplace among them, so a lot of variation within the species could be possible.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Awesome, thank you! Hahah, I've actually been working on my own interpretation of the Malvans, and it's rather different than this I must say.

    Still, I'd imagine the armor being similar. What with their advanced society but love for gladiatoral bloodlust I imagine them being like Romans from space XD

    The first one is Firewing, based off a picture I saw on the web, and the second is some sort of Malvan royalty or somesuch. Lemme know what you think!

    EDIT: Made a different version of the female based off of that description. I tried to give her golden skin but it just looked like Crayola.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Aside from waiting for Champions Beyond, a book which is scheduled for late this year or early 2011, the best place to get a description of the Malvans (including an excellent illo by Andrew Cremeans) is our book Terran Empire. However, since you probably don't want to track that down, here's the basic description from that book:

    "Typical humanoids, the Malvans have skin tones ranging from dark bronze to light golden. Just above their large eyes Malvans have feathery eyebrows which are part of their sense of smell. Their hair is usually some shade of red or violet, and both genders tend to wear it long and elaborately styled. Cosmetic body modifications, tattoos, and exotic clothing are common. The Malvan birthrate has dropped to almost nothing in the past millennia. All Malvans live to great ages, and most receive immortality treatments."
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    HeroSteve wrote:
    Aside from waiting for Champions Beyond, a book which is scheduled for late this year or early 2011, the best place to get a description of the Malvans (including an excellent illo by Andrew Cremeans) is our book Terran Empire. However, since you probably don't want to track that down, here's the basic description from that book:

    "Typical humanoids, the Malvans have skin tones ranging from dark bronze to light golden. Just above their large eyes Malvans have feathery eyebrows which are part of their sense of smell. Their hair is usually some shade of red or violet, and both genders tend to wear it long and elaborately styled. Cosmetic body modifications, tattoos, and exotic clothing are common. The Malvan birthrate has dropped to almost nothing in the past millennia. All Malvans live to great ages, and most receive immortality treatments."

    Awesome, thank you very much!

    And now to try and find a picture of a Xenovore...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Frogs, they look exactly like frogs.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    DocShocker wrote:
    Frogs, they look exactly like frogs.

    Malvans or Xenovores? XD
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    The Xenovores. They're lulling us into a false sense of security with the Kermit based propaganda.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    DocShocker wrote:
    The Xenovores. They're lulling us into a false sense of security with the Kermit based propaganda.

    And here I was thinking they were a ripoff of the Xenomorphs from the Alien series ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    There are pictures of Xenovores, and Xenovore battle-beasts, in quite a few of our books, including Terran Empire, which I mentioned above. But for the full story on the Xenovores -- a lot of really cool details on their history, biology, customs, and so forth -- you should check out another of our Science Fiction settings, Alien Wars. Allen Thomas did a superb job of developing the Xenovores, making them not only dangerous but creepy as hell. ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    HeroSteve wrote:
    There are pictures of Xenovores, and Xenovore battle-beasts, in quite a few of our books, including Terran Empire, which I mentioned above. But for the full story on the Xenovores -- a lot of really cool details on their history, biology, customs, and so forth -- you should check out another of our Science Fiction settings, Alien Wars. Allen Thomas did a superb job of developing the Xenovores, making them not only dangerous but creepy as hell. ;)

    Awesome, I'll check it out!

    Managed to find Terran Empire on Amazon (or at least I hope it's the right one), but can't find Alien Wars :(

    EDIT: Found Alien Wars!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Based on what is in the book that was quoted and other little tidbits here and there - I came up with this character design.

    What do you think? Close?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Aariny wrote:
    Based on what is in the book that was quoted and other little tidbits here and there - I came up with this character design.

    What do you think? Close?

    I like it! Is that how they described the armor/clothing in the books as well?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    They didn't go into specifics so I went with the "Alien Princess" look. (*COUGH*Starfire*Cough*)

    ^_^
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Had more ideas here. For a more Malvan tech fully covering outfit.

    Oh - and I realized since learning about them that I had something in the back of my head as to what Malvan designs in clothing, architecture and tech would be.

    Sort of meld of Egyptian/Roman/Austrian/Prussian look. Which sounds bizarre. But then this IS an alien culture.

    Anybody ever seen The Five Star Stories manga? Some elements of that universe might fit the Malvans (more in their ancient past when they weren't quite as corrupt.)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Is that how they described the armor/clothing in the books as well?

    We've never described Malvan fashions, really, in part because Malvans are so individualistic (and, paradoxically, faddish) that a brief description really wouldn't do the subject justice.

    Later this year I'll be writing Champions Beyond, which will look at the Moon, solar system, aliens, etc. in the modern Champions Universe. One chapter is going to be the first truly in-depth look at the Malvans that's ever been done in the history of the game. No doubt I'll cover fashion there. ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    HeroSteve wrote:
    We've never described Malvan fashions, really, in part because Malvans are so individualistic (and, paradoxically, faddish) that a brief description really wouldn't do the subject justice.

    Later this year I'll be writing Champions Beyond, which will look at the Moon, solar system, aliens, etc. in the modern Champions Universe. One chapter is going to be the first truly in-depth look at the Malvans that's ever been done in the history of the game. No doubt I'll cover fashion there. ;)

    About THE MOON?!?!

    Yup, I am so buying that one. Need moar research!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Yup, Champions Beyond will cover the Moon. If you've picked up a copy of Champions Universe, you've already seen the art it includes of the secret Malvan gladiatorial arena up there, and read some of the juicy details. Those are based on a combination of Cryptic's notes for developing the Moon as a zone, and pre-existing Champions Universe information about our favorite natural satellite, so between the two it's going to turn out to be a fun (and surprisingly busy!) place for your heroes to visit. ;)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    HeroSteve wrote:
    Yup, Champions Beyond will cover the Moon. If you've picked up a copy of Champions Universe, you've already seen the art it includes of the secret Malvan gladiatorial arena up there, and read some of the juicy details. Those are based on a combination of Cryptic's notes for developing the Moon as a zone, and pre-existing Champions Universe information about our favorite natural satellite, so between the two it's going to turn out to be a fun (and surprisingly busy!) place for your heroes to visit. ;)

    That made my day! If you look at my signature, you'll see I'm a BIG fan of the moon zone and the Forum Malvanum!!!! DO WANT!!!!!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Loganius wrote:
    That made my day! If you look at my signature, you'll see I'm a BIG fan of the moon zone and the Forum Malvanum!!!! DO WANT!!!!!

    Notes for doesn't mean they plan to make it. The moon zone was planned at one time, but as can obviously be seen, never happened.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Silverspar wrote:
    Notes for doesn't mean they plan to make it. The moon zone was planned at one time, but as can obviously be seen, never happened.

    Hasn't happened YET. There's always a chance it'll happen. Maybe they just didn't have the resources at the time, I dunno.
    And enough with the "obviously"s already!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Loganius wrote:
    Hasn't happened YET. There's always a chance it'll happen. Maybe they just didn't have the resources at the time, I dunno.
    And enough with the "obviously"s already!

    No, because when something is obvious it is obvious :p While the moon zone get's begged for a lot, considering the absolute hate people have for Lemuria style gameplay, i don't see a moon zone working out well, not to mention making it logical.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Posts: 1,156,071 Arc User
    edited August 2010
    Silverspar wrote:
    No, because when something is obvious it is obvious :p While the moon zone get's begged for a lot, considering the absolute hate people have for Lemuria style gameplay, i don't see a moon zone working out well, not to mention making it logical.


    The Lemuria style gameplay could be easily avoided though: don't make it so people are just floating around, and don't slow down people's speed. Sure, it's not realistic, but we're talking super hero comic book physics: the standard rules do not apply.

    And what do you mean by it not being logical? The moon in Champions lore is filled to the brim with stuff to do, so much so that they're writing a whole book about it.
Sign In or Register to comment.