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Mimir creation

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Mon, 2005-02-28 12:12
#1
Fidrikon
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Mimir creation

So, I was wondering, is there any place that sports the stats for a mimir? Just a normal, every day, talking dictionary?

I noticed that there wasnt one on planewalker, and figured, maybe this could be the stats on a mimir:

Mimir: small intelligent item

Mimirs are used a stores of information, and usually come in the form of some sort of skull. Although, other forms are available.

Mimirs specialize in one type of knowledge ( planes, nature, history, religion, arcana...) To their specified knowledge, the get a +10 to that knowledge check.
On all other knowledgs, they have a +5.

Normal knowledge DC's still apply.

When you ask a mimir a question, simply roll the appropriot knowledge check (If the DM can't decide what knowledge to roll, just roll a +5)

I figure that in all other respects, you just treat it as an animated item that can float, but with average int, wis, and chr.

Any objection?

(Edit: changed it to Mimir. Thanks Primus)

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Mon, 2005-02-28 12:16
#2
Primus, the One...
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Mimir creation

The word is Mimir, named for a Norse god of knowledge. Got his head cut off, pickled, and stored next to a well. Posthumusly gave answers on matters of future importance to Odin.

Mon, 2005-02-28 12:51
(Reply to #2) #3
Krypter
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Mimir creation

I use fairly arbitrary stats for my mimirs, but these ones seem good. I had a collection in my game, but it sadly was not used very much because the PCs mistook it for something else. You may want to detail how to create a mimir using spells in 3.5E terms.

I suppose there would be several grades of mimir available on the market. Silver-filled ones, Gold and Platinum. The more precious materials used to create the mimir, the more it would remember from it's former life and the longer history it would have. The prime specimens of these artifacts would the Crystal Skulls, some of which would be found in Lothar the Old's collection in the Salon of Skulls. These prized mimirs would contain the souls of one or more epic level characters who had journeyed to all parts of the multiverse.

However, in game terms there should also be a means for the mimir to mislead or deceive its owner, much like Morte in Torment. Perhaps a 1in20 chance on a topic of former interest to the mimir. They *are* talking skulls, after all, not computers. If the former "owner" (the head) was a thief or politician, then the mimir may not be entirely truthful when dispensing advice.

Mon, 2005-02-28 13:36
(Reply to #3) #4
Primus, the One...
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Mimir creation

But you forget, not all mimirs are skulls. They take the form of geometric shapes, flowers, leaves, and other such things. They're not actually made out of skulls, at least it doesn't seem so. Noone knows where mimirs come from or what they are made of, the silvery metal has strange properties that are unheard of in other materials.

Mon, 2005-02-28 14:15
(Reply to #4) #5
jordarad
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Mimir creation

A mimir is merely a recording device, nothing more. It's a glorified tape recorder. They don't know anything, they can merely play back what they have recorded.

Mimir can take the form of anything as long as it is made of a silvery metallic coloring. Skulls are common, but discs are fairly recognizeable as well. I figure the idea of a Mimir came from the merging of the god and a CD.

I really think it's up to the DM what has been recorded, not a roll. I've used a personal tape recorder for Mimir entries before, and it's worked well enough for me.

Just remember, the everyday mimir doesn't "know" squat. It has no skills, is not intelligent, and can't do much more than float and playback.

Mon, 2005-02-28 14:20
(Reply to #5) #6
Primus, the One...
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Mimir creation

Ah, but a knowledge "roll" is an easy way to represent what the Mimir knows. Just like a character can't say "My character read about this in a book so I should know" in the absence of firsthand experience a roll is needed. Knowledge (Blank) represents the chance that a mimir knows something about what is being said. Most mimirs would have Knowledge (The Planes) +10 I'd say. That way there's a good chance they know the answer to asked questions.

Mon, 2005-02-28 14:27
(Reply to #6) #7
Fidrikon
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Mimir creation

And I agree that Mimirs should come in varying degrees.
hmmm, maybe you can even by a mimer for cheeper if you buy one thats empty, no knowledge yet. Kinda usless at that point, unless your an absant minded Guvner who needs something better then a notepad.

Quote:
The more precious materials used to create the mimir, the more it would remember from it's former life and the longer history it would have. The prime specimens of these artifacts would the Crystal Skulls, some of which would be found in Lothar the Old's collection in the Salon of Skulls.

Quote:
Noone knows where mimirs come from or what they are made of, the silvery metal has strange properties that are unheard of in other materials.

Combining these two parts: maybe this is part of the point in the Yugoloths intrest in the soul trade. Think about it: Just take the knowledge from a couple soul gems, combine them, set them up as Mimirs and disperse them throughout the multiverse. Now you have a hold on some of the information passed around the multiverse, and maybe even steering Mimir owners into the plans of the Yugoloths that created them. But unless otherwise instructed, they proceed to truthfully answer any question they can, and therefor build themselves up as a reliable source of info.

Mon, 2005-02-28 14:45
(Reply to #7) #8
Krypter
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Mimir creation

"jordarad" wrote:
A mimir is merely a recording device, nothing more. It's a glorified tape recorder. They don't know anything, they can merely play back what they have recorded.

In my interpretation mimirs are talking skulls and can be intelligent and have personalities, just like Morte in Torment. That makes them much more fun, IMO. Each mimir has a slightly different 'bent', with some being tainted by evil while others are blinded by righteousness. The taint of the soul trapped within influences the knowledge it will dispense. They also break down over time if not properly maintained, with their knowledge becoming as corrupt as a musty rotten tome.

Now there has also been speculation that the mimir's strange metal comes from godsblood secreted by fallen deities on the Astral.

Mon, 2005-02-28 17:33
(Reply to #8) #9
Persephone Imytholin
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Mimir creation

"Krypter" wrote:
In my interpretation mimirs are talking skulls and can be intelligent and have personalities, just like Morte in Torment. That makes them much more fun, IMO.

Except, of course, that Morte wasn't really a mimir, and the guvner in the market ward was rather shocked that morte did have a personality.

Mon, 2005-02-28 20:35
(Reply to #9) #10
Kaelyn
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Mimir creation

"Krypter" wrote:
In my interpretation mimirs are talking skulls and can be intelligent and have personalities, just like Morte in Torment. That makes them much more fun, IMO.

That is more fun.

Tue, 2005-03-01 01:00
(Reply to #10) #11
bonemage
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Mimir creation

"Krypter" wrote:
"jordarad" wrote:
A mimir is merely a recording device, nothing more. It's a glorified tape recorder. They don't know anything, they can merely play back what they have recorded.

In my interpretation mimirs are talking skulls and can be intelligent and have personalities, just like Morte in Torment. That makes them much more fun, IMO. Each mimir has a slightly different 'bent', with some being tainted by evil while others are blinded by righteousness. The taint of the soul trapped within influences the knowledge it will dispense. They also break down over time if not properly maintained, with their knowledge becoming as corrupt as a musty rotten tome.

Now there has also been speculation that the mimir's strange metal comes from godsblood secreted by fallen deities on the Astral.

Interesting that this discussion should come up I just ran a campaign with one of these little fellows in it. In fact I used the CD from the set where the Mimir was really fleshed out which is a players guide to the outlands.

The Mimir (or version if you will) that exists in this boxet has them simply as a recording device that you can ask questions. It will then either play relevant information it has stored or tell you no information.

The CD included with the boxed set has information on the Outlands Realms and all of the Gate towns around the outer ring of the outlands. Kind of a cool little thing though some of the tracks are pretty cheesy others (like the Plague Mort (abyss gate) and Slylania (Arborea) are pretty cool and worked well in the convention adventure I ran.

But the idea of an inteligent construct is pretty cool but I really don't think that is your 'standard" mimir from everything I have read or seen.

Wed, 2005-03-02 14:49
(Reply to #11) #12
Fidrikon
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Mimir creation

Ive always though of a mimers as having very little personality, but personality none the less.

for example, in Uncaged: Faces of Sigil, the discussion with Qaida's mimir clearly shows that they arn't merely floating recorders, although I don't doubt their ability to record conversations if so intructed.

It seems that while they don't have the full fledged personality of a person, they are at least somewhat intelligent, capable of speaking for themselves if asked to, and maybe even having their own little quirks.

Any of you out there with Uncaged, please correct me if im wrong...

Wed, 2005-03-02 23:47
(Reply to #12) #13
bonemage
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Yes from that entry in Uncaged : Faces of Sigil it would seem the mimir has some sort of answering cability beyound simply recording at the very least. I don't know if I would call that inteligence but a person certainly could easily interpert that passage like that. I had never read that particular character before and did not know this type of mimir might exist.

I guess for the purposes of my campaign and that is about all I can speak to is that some mimirs might have the power to answer questions in the form like the example you just cited. However I think this type would be harder to make and therefore more rare as well as expensive. Obviously semi unique or extremlly rare items like inteligent skulls (whether thats a mimir or not I guess is up to us.)

So I guess thanks for giving me a new take on the mimir from a published source. Do anyone else have any references to these cool little things besides Uncaged: Faces of Sigil and the Players Primer to the Outlands?

I know someone mentioned Tourment but I don't own that game yet nor have I played it. I do however own all 30 campaign supplements TSR produced for Planescape 2nd edition. So I can look anything you might have up.

Sat, 2005-03-05 15:02
(Reply to #13) #14
Gerzel
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Mimir creation

My take on it is that Mimir's are probably a mixture of different magic items that are collectively lumped together because they act and serve in similar manners. A device that records and can give information back through simple conversation is a very useful thing and something for which I would guese many different people would think of making. Thus different people would make their mimir's differently. Odin's is the head of another god. Joe Mage might make his using a carefully crafted clockwork music box having the singing bird give the answers or do something different.

Not to say each mimir is unique. Their might be duplicates if the makers made them. Some mimirs might be intelligent other's might litterally be a tape recorder that fell through with some prime worlder.

Sat, 2005-03-12 00:47
(Reply to #14) #15
Fell
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Mimir creation

Approximately how many mimirs are known to exist? How long can they exist?

Sat, 2005-03-12 10:53
(Reply to #15) #16
bonemage
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I believe they aren't exactly rare from everything I have read though as with any other magical item that would depend on the DM. Personally I wouldn't make them as common as water but the locals of Sigil aren't going to be impressed a whole lot by a berk who has one would be my opinion.

Sat, 2005-03-12 22:14
(Reply to #16) #17
Fell
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Mimir creation

I've never actually considered this, but is it purely arcane magic that powers them, or something else entirely?

Sun, 2005-03-13 08:21
(Reply to #17) #18
Erik
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Well, psionics seems to fit like a glove if you want mimirs with a bit more personality. It'd be somewhat like a psi-crystal.

Sun, 2005-03-13 10:02
(Reply to #18) #19
bonemage
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I think they could very easily have many different methods of creation, personally I am a bit leery of letting psionics into my campaign. But anyway I could very well see psionic, magical, divine, or heck even rune etc. based if you have things like Monte Cooks Unearthed Arcana. They seem like a pretty simple concept that could easily be created by many different methods.

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