CBA Community Page
Last Update: 10-Mar-2025
LIFEFORM DESIGN CONTEST WINNERS
Feb 17th, 2025 - Feb 24th, 2025
The following are the results of the Feb 2025 CBA Lifeform Design Contest. The contest winners are chosen through 2 streams. The first stream is decision by a panel of judges and the second is by popular vote, open to the general public.
(In Cloudbreaker Alliance, a Lifeform is a character option similar to Race or Species in other Tabletop RPGs.)
Competition Winners by Judges’ Decision
- Centaur [Creator: Bezco]
- Phantoms (Phants) [Creator: Cameron Myers]
- The Twilitfolk (Shade) [Creator: Roulette]
These winners of the Lifeform Design Contest were evaluated by a panel of judges. The judges who evaluated the entries of this contest are: CJ Leung, Nel Celestine and Mildra the Monk.
Competition Winners by Popular Vote
- Djinn (Rebellious) [Creator: Amara I. Ahmed]
- Centaur [Creator: Bezco]
- Echoed [Creator: Adrian Ridgway]
These are the winners of the Lifeform Design Contest by popular vote, which was open to the public.
Entries Details
Centaur [Creator: Bezco]
(1st by Judges’ Decision, 2nd by Popular Vote)
Lifeform Details
Sapienoid lifeforms which evolved from Constructs, whoses bodies and minds alike were progressively mutated after being exposed to a massive quantities of cinder and radiations from mysterious metallic object, which crashed in Ulruk several centuries ago.
According to the oldest data banks Centaurs, their distant robotic ancestors once waged a war against the troll clans of the steppes, hoping to control vast deposits of cinder for their own design. While the machine-like lifeforms were successful at first, a young khan managed to rally together the disparate troll clans of the steppes and lead the horde against the Centaurs. Under the leadership of the khan, the trolls successfully managed to repel the Centaurs invasion and force them back underground. They remained there for several centuries until the constant craniophage attacks eventually forced the Centaurs to remerge to the surface.
These lifeforms appear to be a hybrid of sapienoid with chrome-like skin and a vehicle, with their lower half resembling a motor vehicle, having from two to as many wheels as their frames can fit. Some Centaurs may even display other vehicle characteristics, from a single headlight replacing their eyes or exhaust pipes on their backs.
It is unclear whether Centaurs were inspired by the vehicles or if their forms inspired the idea of vehicles in Ulruk.
If you’re a Centaur, how many wheels does your vehicle form have, and which kind of vehicle were you inspired by?
Vehicle Mode
Using a minor action, you can change into a vehicle mode :
-
- Your size remains unchanged
- Your movement increases by 10m, to a maximum of +2 zones/turn.
- You can carry up to one Medium sized creature in a passenger seat. You can convert the passenger seat into one additional Item Slot.
- You are unable to make any Attack roll.
When activated, this feature lasts for 5 minutes. You can end it early with your minor action. You can use this trait once, and it is reusable after taking a Long or Full Rest.
Car Horn
You can activate your car horn, making a distinctive sound which can be heard by all creatures in a 50m radius. Each centaur tends to customize their car horn so it sounds distinctive.
Additional Information
The vehicles form of each Centaur can wildly vary, from motorcycles, sports car, and dune buggies to smaller versions of massive vehicules like trucks, buses or even locomotives.
They're pretty much inspired by Transformers, so players are free to go wild with the designs.
Comment by Nel Celestine
The Cloudbreaker Alliance is in danger! To save it and break the clouds, we must find the Centaurs before they can be recruited for evil! It is our mission!
What can I say except that I absolutely ADORE this original lifeform. As a lifelong Transformer fan I was NOT expecting this. Imagine my surprise when I started reading “Centaur”. I figured it would just be a normal take on the half person half horse. Then suddenly, wheels? Headlights?! VEHICLE MODES!?! Needless to say I was hooked.
Not only is it a creative idea but adds a rich layer of roleplay! Small party? Make a small Centaur and carry the party around to missions. Then you can switch to combat mode or even stay in vehicle mode to assist with high speed combat for your team. Conversely if you are running a larger party, you could be bigger and hit, literally, like a truck.
Additionally, the background with the trolls makes for an interesting inter-lifeform dynamic which could be fantastic for roleplay as well.
Overall, I really loved this entry and the creative writing behind it and weaved through it.
Phantoms (or Phants) [Creator: Cameron Myers]
(2nd by Judges’ Decision)
Lifeform Details
Physiology: Their physiology is most interesting, and being a new species, still under some study. They appear to be humanoid in shape and variety with a height similar to humans, but transparent with a consistency similar to Paracelians to the touch. While requiring no food or drink to sustain themselves, they still partake in the ritual of it as a social experience (cultivating friendships, forging bonds, etc.). Phants take great enjoyment from alcohol and a few claim to actually taste it. Food found in villages are inedible to most living lifeforms (consisting of dirt, weeds and possibly poisonous mushrooms). An interesting aspect is that they make a concerted effort to remain in our world, often seeming to fade when distracted. They can appear to use this ability to 'phase' through solid objects, however most have a strong dislike for doing so, as the longer they remain intangible, the more difficult it is to 're-corporealise'.
Society: Originating near Sanctum, Phant society is friendly and welcoming, resembling that of Old Sanctum. They gather in villages, with most being farmers, tradespeople or merchants. They enjoy visitors and revel in storytelling. In each village there is section that is often avoided. As Phants are tied to our world by some lingering thread (regret, vengeance, desire, etc.) they also struggle to remain as they were. The sectioned off parts of the villages are for those that have started to lose themselves and become Vengeful or wraiths.
Intangibility
Phants can become intangible for short decreasing periods of time. Often up to 30mins without too much exertion. While intangible, they can pass through any solid object, however dense walls (such as caves) exert additional strain on the Phant. When exerting or straining themselves Phants start to lose the ability to become corporeal, reducing their ties to the world.
Mind Over Matter
Having loose ties to the material plane, Phants are not required to physically touch objects in their immediate vicinity. There are a few that can even manipulate multiple objects at the same time, however they are limited by manipulating only objects within their reach that they can see and would normally be able to carry. They also seem to be unable to inflict physical pain as any concerted effort to injure using this ability, results in no visible effect.
Additional Information
Phantoms are a lifeform that are constantly struggling to stay tethered to the world, with Earthly Bonds like friendships and family keeping them present. All the while trying to keep themselves from forming too many bonds which can turn them Vengeful or too little causing them to disappear.
Comment by Mildra the Monk
"One of the major pillars of CBA is the use of bonds and experiences over the course of a campaign, and it's nice to see that pillar turned on its head through the Phants' balancing act-like nature with their ties to the physical world. I suppose it could be analogous to the characters in various mythologies and folktales that need some form of belief to sustain themselves."
The Twilitfolk (Shade) [Creator: Roulette]
(3rd by Judges’ Decision)
Lifeform Details
The Twilitfolk, or Shades, are an odd people who have dull, shaggy hair that covers black, glassy eyes. They have long, slender forms and pale grayish skin. Upon inspection, one might notice something uncanny but hard to place about them, but when it clicks it becomes obvious: their shadows face toward sources of light instead of away from them! In fact, they seem to interact with light strangely in general. You can certainly see where they are and make out their general details...but they seem a little fuzzy and hard to focus on, as if looking at them through water. Though any who come upon them from other lands might initially recoil in fear at their lanky and unusual appearance, they would soon blush in embarrassment at potentially having caused offense to what is largely a cautious yet generous and kind race of people.
The Twilitfolk survived the early days of Cloudfall by simply hiding in the Clouds. The thick mist and darkness it brought allowed them to easily outmaneuver monsters, buying time to regroup. They also had another tool at their disposal: Intentionality Compositing (or Lucksmithing). This science operates on the understanding that each individual (of any race) has an innate luckiness or unluckiness, usually too small to have meaningful impact on day to day life. However, by banding together into larger groups with unified intention, the influence over chance could become meaningful. Groups of Shades work tirelessly to "intend" monsters to stay away.
Shadowcast
A Shade can temporarily become a two dimensional projection of themselves onto a surface. They are unable to interact with objects during this time, and they can be grabbed and pulled back into three dimensions by any hand that tries to. They can use this ability to move through small cracks and to gather information discreetly.
Fear the Dark
Though they are generally very friendly, when a Shade casts their shadow on target, the Shade can choose to embrace a fearful posture, making intimidation checks with edge and temporarily stunning any creature small enough to be fully within the shadow.
Additional Information
Those with a bad luck alignment can also be useful, but it is more difficult. They must invert their intention by hoping for the opposite of what they truly need. Lucksmithing is an integral part of their culture, even to the extent that when they choose a leader, all members of their society come together and express intention for their candidate to win. The result of the election is decided by a single coin toss, the outcome of which will essentially be the majority vote of the population.
Comment by CJ Leung
The Twilitfolk's physical features are described very vividly in this entry and their bizarre reaction to light provides the potential for unique roleplay experience. Its Intentionality Compositing ability is also quite interesting and should be featured more prominently as one of its traits.
Djinn (Rebellious) [Creator: Amara I. Ahmed]
(1st by Popular Vote)
Lifeform Details
Average Lifespan: 80 years T.V.: 16-18
The djinn are a rare lifeform rediscovered only 50 years ago. First encountered as intangible sapienoid mirages wandering the Sanctum-Ulruk borderland, locals assumed they were strange ghosts. However, the master spiritcrafter Shara recognized them not as hauntings but victims of some mysterious deep curse. She forged a means to break it after decades investigating, though never revealed how. Unbound but memoryless, the revived djinn petitioned the Church to join Sanctum society.
Djinn are classified as either ifrit or marid based on inherited traits that usually breed true. Both “houses” of djinn have jewel-tone skin and short horns but ifrit tend to have lithe or wiry bodies that manifest minor elemental traits, often fire aspected. Examples include flame-tipped horns or eyes sparkling with lightning. Marid are generally sturdier and manifest minor animal traits such as short tusks, cat eyes, or patches of scales. These traits impart no significant advantages.
While their intensity and demeanor vary, all djinn are rebellious by nature. They’re usually well-meaning rabble-rousers at heart but may resort to aggression when pushed too far. Most call Sanctum home, embracing roles as contrarians and public advocates pushing their peers to be and do better. Those who find Sanctum suffocating settle in Ulruk to embrace the freedom of nomadic life.
If you are a djinn, what kind of djinn are you? How does your rebelliousness show itself?
Flameless Smoke
As a minor action you can transmute your body into smoke or steam. In this form you can move 2 meters, hover above ground or water, and flow through even minuscule cracks. You don't trigger pressure sensitive hazards. Alternatively, you can cover or obscure creatures or objects up to Medium size. If an object or force would split you, you revert to normal. Reverting to normal is instantaneous.
As a minor action, you can change your lower body alone but will take normal fall damage in this form.
Nemesis Gaze
Tapping into your spirits' rebellious nature, your elemental or animal traits are enhanced to become undeniably threatening. For example, your eyes may glow with sinister intent, your horns may extend in length, or your flames may violently flare. For all present, the lights around you seems to dim. While in this state, you can make Intimidation Skill Rolls with Edge against creatures who oppose you.
Additional Information
These djinn were designed by starting with the Arab mythological base, especially the role of being rebellious and hard to control, and folding in elements from other media. I tried to cast a wide net while still keeping the mythological core. I also imagined them as distant cousins to the primal oni.
I didn’t include much from the genie in a lamp trope but it should be noted that you can probably capture a djinn in Flameless Smoke form with a strong vacuum.
Echoed [Creator: Adrian Ridgway]
(3rd by Popular Vote)
Lifeform Details
Average Lifespan: Depends on Host Lifeform
Some say that hope can sometimes spring from disaster, like a freak accident leading to the discovery of new and improved science. This stands quite true for the Echoed. Ever since the first cloudbreak, lifeforms across the four regions have started to manifest spectral entities who hover nearby or cling to their bodies and that look identical to themselves, except for variations in clothing, hair, mannerisms or speech. Even more peculiar are the differences in memory - for every event the main hosts say they have experienced, the entities remember those events in a different light, whether it's a simple change in the colour of a piece of clothing or a massively different outcome. Some even refer to events that had yet to come, only to express confusion when the outcome is different to how they recall.
It was later agreed upon by researchers that the entities weren't just copies of their hosts. They were, in fact, a version of their hosts from a different timeline's future, where things went horribly wrong and the Cloudfall had consumed all living beings. However, through sheer chance or an unknown attempt to save themselves from their fate, these "Echoes" have now appeared to their past selves, turning them into the "Echoed" and seeking to guide them towards a new future that will prevent the calamity to come.
Are We Sure About That?
Your echo can help you re-evaluate a person or moment within the last minute, as their future experience may give you pause for concern or might give you reason to take a second look. After any Awareness Skill Check, you may flip a coin. On heads, your echo's past mirrors your present and you may reroll the check with Edge. On tails, the echo's past does not mirror your own and you roll your next Awareness Skill Check with a Setback.
The Fork In The Road
You and your echo may have lead incredibly different lives before your echo manifested beside you. You may choose one Character Quirk that represents how different your echo is to you. It only has one rank. You may choose to use this Quirk's benefits instead of one of your own Quirks' benefits, but only once per mission.
Additional Information
You may use any Lifeform in the game for your Echoed character, but you gain none of the Traits from that Lifeform as they are replaced with the Traits for the Echoed. If your GM allows it, you may replace one of the Echoed Traits with one from the Lifeform you choose.