One of the first types of "just bad guys" that will be implemented are a set of elemental homunculi called Takwin. They are a side-effect of player presence and a convergence of magic. Their one goal is to steal your life energy.
They come in four forms in increasing difficulty:
-Wood Takwin
-Mud Takwin
-Ice Takwin
-Metal Takwin
Since takwin form from a convergence of magic energies, their deaths will often yield many of the magic crystals and gems that helped them spawn... for the player skilled at retrieving them.
There will be spoilers after the pictures so if you want to be surprised then stop reading at the pictures.
I started making some concept sketches a week ago or so. It turned into a full-blown painting but I haven't finished it yet.
Here is a mud takwin sketch:
The takwin come in multiple sizes so I added some smaller ones. (More on that in the spoilers.)
Many hours later, I had started fleshing out an environment for them... still very much unfinished but I won't be working on it for a while so I wanted to post it even in its unfinished state:
I have in mind some concept art for the wood and metal Takwin, also... but those will have to wait.
Note: the below is somewhat speculative. I believe I can do all of it eventually but any implemented takwin will be a subset of these features for a long time. Maybe forever.
---------- SPOILER ALERT ----------Players bring a special kind of magic to that world that is not native. This magic can have an effect on existing magic convergences causing new reactions. In this case, the right combination of elemental, spirit, and player+life magic will spawn these small elemental homunculi that I've called Takwin (basically a fancier name for homunculus that is not overused).
Initially, several smaller takwin will form. As they gain power and if they live long enough, they will eventually spawn a larger takwin by merging there powers. It is rare but possible that a medium size takwin may spawn right away. At least one larger size will exist if conditions are right and the battle goes poorly for the player(s).
Players have an innate abilities to sense high concentrations of magic so there will be some awareness that you might be entering an area where takwin are possible. Magic is hard to judge, though.
---------- EVEN WORSE SPOILERS ALERT ----------Wood TakwinThis version spawns from trees... in many cases, the tree will not survive this. The largest of the wood takwin will actually be a form of walking tree.
Their primary attacks are bludgeoning and potentially spikes. These are the easiest takwin to damage, though. Any bladed weapon will cut them and since they are made of wood, fire will severely damage them.
Mud TakwinThis version spawns in swampy areas where magic is high.
Their primary attacks are bludgeoning but they also carry poison, acid, and disease. The larger ones can spit any of these. Damaging them is more difficult as bludgeoning weapons will have almost no effect and a bladed weapon damage will be quickly healed unless the limb is completely severed. Given enough time, a mud takwin may reattach severed limbs. Ice and water may come into play as a decent attack against them. Also, they are very susceptible to ranged weapons, which although won't directly cause damage, carrying the weapon in their mud bodies can disrupt the magic that keeps them alive... especially if something is added to the weapon that increases this effect...
Ice TakwinThis version spawns in frozen tundra and ice caves. These takwin explode from the ice which may cause shrapnel damage right at the beginning.
Primary attacks are bludgeoning, ice spikes, and frost breath. The smaller ones can perform all of these attacks. The larger ones can actually shoot spikes and their breath is an area effect.
Against an ice takwin, bludgeoning weapons are more effective since bladed weapons tend to slide and miss. Fire is great against an ice takwin but it would have to be large flame as a) they only appear in cold in the first place, and b) they are already pretty darn cold and can breathe frost. The heat would have to be intense to melt them.
Metal TakwinThis version spawns in the deepest magic caves where the ore is rich in spirit crystals and other gems. There is a rumor that they are extremely likely to appear in the vicinity of a stone dragon.
Their outer shell is a hardened mixture of metal plates that surround a magma and fire core. They can spit either of this things at the player. The hands/claws are either metal spikes or sharpened blades. The smaller metal takwin, walk on all fours like an ape and have a metal horn for piercing. The larger ones walk upright and have spikes on their backs.
Successful attacks will melt standard steal weapons. There are currently no known good attacks for a metal takwin. Best to stay away.
---------- STILL YET EVEN WORSE SPOILERS ALERT ----------Since the takwin form from player magic, leaving will cause them to disperse again in some time that is dependent on how powerful they became. However, once a takwin has spawned in an area then it is very likely to spawn there again until killed. So a decent strategy for an inexperienced player is to run away until another day.
Once an area is cleared of takwin, they will not spawn again. By then the crystals and gems that focused them into existence will have been harvested or destroyed. ie: no creature farming
There may or may not be a few other surprises that are either too speculative or too secret to mention... probably both.
