Converting Al-Qadim creatures

[Cleon]

A bird with a shimmering glow.

??

I can't help thinking that sounds like the start of a limerick...

A bird with a shimmering glow,
with the face of your long dead beaux.
Cries "I've come back from the dead,
To make sure you're not misled!
My real will's in the back of the bureaux!

 

[freyar]

That'll do for description and flavor.

 

[Cleon]

That'll do for description and flavor.

And an adventure seed!

 

[freyar]

Since Shade probably won't let us get away with that, let's start with this.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world due to some unfinished task.....

 

[Cleon]

Since Shade probably won't let us get away with that, let's start with this.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world due to some unfinished task.....

How about "tied to our world by their desire to fulfil some unfinished task"?

 

[freyar]

That sounds good.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world by their desire to fulfill some unfinished task. They resemble spirit birds... ???

 

[Cleon]

That sounds good.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world by their desire to fulfill some unfinished task. They resemble spirit birds... ???

Let's see...

A semi-transparent bird the size of an eagle or snowy owl. Its body glows faintly and its eyes are full of bright fire.

Hama are spirits of the dead that remain tied to our world by their desire to fulfill some unfinished task. During the day hama look like ordinary birds, although they might be of unusual size, but at night they take on a glowing ghostly appearance. The bird form of a hama invariably reflects the personality of the soul it formed from. Eagle or owl are the most common forms of hama, followed by sparrow, nightingale, parrot, falcon, peacock, and vulture.

A hama is always driven to accomplish a specific task; in most cases this task centers around a particular person or location. Hamas are solitary creatures who rarely stray far from their territory (or the subject of their obsession). If a hama's task is fulfilled the spirit bird departs for the afterlife, although good-aligned hama may delay their departure to reward creatures who helped release them from their mortal ties.

Hama can not speak, but understand all languages. They can sing or squawk like the bird they resemble, which sometimes offer clues to their intentions or desires.

 

[freyar]

Whew, you are so much better at that than I. However, I'd take out the comma before "but understand all languages."

 

[Cleon]

Whew, you are so much better at that than I. However, I'd take out the comma before "but understand all languages."

Better change it to "Hama, can not speak but understand, all languages" then!

Updating the Working Draft.

 

[freyar]

All done, right?