Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eshenaleros 06-04-07, 04:34 PM	I've come up with an idea for a campaign that takes place wholly on floating continents. I'm looking for some logical thoughts about the different races would work in this world, and the different editations i'd have to make. so far, i have: rather than boats, the people use airships any further ideas?
The Eye of Kyi 06-04-07, 04:46 PM	Hot Air Balloons, Magic Carpets, Various magic items that allow flying. OR Maybe there is no gravity in the space between the lands...
Viseryn 06-04-07, 09:32 PM	Are we talking floating above the clouds? In that case; -Water is either rare, or they have people whose job it is to get the water in some sort of flying machine. (Or see my next idea) -- Other ideas; Would natural selection favor winged animals over mammals? You could have some pretty cool birdman races, or maybe bird familiars for people that they get at birth which grant the ability to fly. In that case, is it possible to bind the bird, and what would happen to the person? What happens if it's dismissed? How would warfare be different? There might be a greater emphasis on bows rather than melee weapons, and on spellcasters over melee fighters in airship battles. Or, if people could fly, perhaps not? If so, the only situation where infantry might be needed is if you were boarded or enemies reached your homeland. Would militia do for that, or do they have a special branch of the military? Do they have cannons? In that case, are there other gunpowder-utilizing things, such as muskets or explosives? Does magic keep the airships up? Then what about the mages who do that? Do they study long and hard to learn how, or is it a normal spell that can be cast after a little work? Do they have an elevated place in society because of what they can do? Are the airship-manufacturing companies influential with the military? And, is there any way to disrupt the magic? -- If you've already got all these, sorry for wasting your time.
Mic 06-05-07, 02:31 AM	I've had the same idea to have some floating lands in my world. here's some questions for ya: Is there still a normal earthlike planet with continents beneath the floating continents? If so: what about the shade the floating continents drop? effects? If not: how high in the sky do the continents float? (remember, the higher the colder and harder to breathe: higher CON might be useful, or goliath type races (acclimated)) How large are the continents? can races survive on a single floating land, or is there a necessity to move from one to the next (in which case: how? as Viseryn pointed out. Do the continents move at all? iow are the continents static or moving through the skies? can the movement be (easily) influenced?
Dreamstryder 06-05-07, 07:10 AM	You could do what Baten Kaitos (video game series for the Gamecube) did (as far as I can tell) and give humans wings. They'd still need airships for long commutes. Sky humans could require some sort of quest to gain (thru magic or artifice) their wings or they could start witht the ability to fly from day one. Raptorans (in Races of the Wild), IIRC, had wings that gave them only a bonus to Jump & slowed their falls until level 5, when they could fly fully. In anycase, if many people fly about, castle walls need to be redone. They could be topped with domes of clear magical fields, or perhaps castles are closed fortresses just as guarded at the top as on the bottom. Perhaps the islands aren't really islands but all still-running, floating fortresses that people live inside & atop, retreating within when there's a war. Villages might change. If everyone can fly, they could be built vertically with small resting balconies. Spells such as wall of fire may not be as useful in spaces it can be flown over; maybe it changes to dome of fire? The spells fly and feather fall are used to not on oneself, but on those unfortunate enough not to be born with wings like you were. Ranged weapons and flying opponents would be more prominent. Even if you do not have humans with wings, you can still have mounted battles and races among those atop the backs of wyverns, pegasi, or hippogriffs.
Eshenaleros 06-05-07, 01:04 PM	Are we talking floating above the clouds? In that case; -Water is either rare, or they have people whose job it is to get the water in some sort of flying machine. (Or see my next idea) -- Other ideas; Would natural selection favor winged animals over mammals? You could have some pretty cool birdman races, or maybe bird familiars for people that they get at birth which grant the ability to fly. In that case, is it possible to bind the bird, and what would happen to the person? What happens if it's dismissed? How would warfare be different? There might be a greater emphasis on bows rather than melee weapons, and on spellcasters over melee fighters in airship battles. Or, if people could fly, perhaps not? If so, the only situation where infantry might be needed is if you were boarded or enemies reached your homeland. Would militia do for that, or do they have a special branch of the military? Do they have cannons? In that case, are there other gunpowder-utilizing things, such as muskets or explosives? Does magic keep the airships up? Then what about the mages who do that? Do they study long and hard to learn how, or is it a normal spell that can be cast after a little work? Do they have an elevated place in society because of what they can do? Are the airship-manufacturing companies influential with the military? And, is there any way to disrupt the magic? -- If you've already got all these, sorry for wasting your time. I'm including raptorans from races of the wild as creatures that have the samenumber of people around the world as humans, and they are flying creatures. yes, i see your point about the bows, so yeah that would have to be the smartest idea they do have gun powder and use of cannons is quite common, especially in airship battles. hehe, crazy pirates. I was planning on using the statistics for airships from the eberron campaign setting, which pretty much covers everything you just asked about for it I've had the same idea to have some floating lands in my world. here's some questions for ya: Is there still a normal earthlike planet with continents beneath the floating continents? If so: what about the shade the floating continents drop? effects? If not: how high in the sky do the continents float? (remember, the higher the colder and harder to breathe: higher CON might be useful, or goliath type races (acclimated)) How large are the continents? can races survive on a single floating land, or is there a necessity to move from one to the next (in which case: how? as Viseryn pointed out. Do the continents move at all? iow are the continents static or moving through the skies? can the movement be (easily) influenced? the "normal" earthlike place beneath the clouds that the continents float on is home to fiends, while the clouds above are celestial territory. it is always dark in one place and light in the other respectively. the air is as thick as it is in a normal D&D campaign each continent is the size of a continent, so yes the races can survive on one. continent movement is erratic, so really the only things you can map are what's on the continent, not around it. You could do what Baten Kaitos (video game series for the Gamecube) did (as far as I can tell) and give humans wings. They'd still need airships for long commutes. Sky humans could require some sort of quest to gain (thru magic or artifice) their wings or they could start witht the ability to fly from day one. Raptorans (in Races of the Wild), IIRC, had wings that gave them only a bonus to Jump & slowed their falls until level 5, when they could fly fully. In anycase, if many people fly about, castle walls need to be redone. They could be topped with domes of clear magical fields, or perhaps castles are closed fortresses just as guarded at the top as on the bottom. Perhaps the islands aren't really islands but all still-running, floating fortresses that people live inside & atop, retreating within when there's a war. Villages might change. If everyone can fly, they could be built vertically with small resting balconies. Spells such as wall of fire may not be as useful in spaces it can be flown over; maybe it changes to dome of fire? The spells fly and feather fall are used to not on oneself, but on those unfortunate enough not to be born with wings like you were. Ranged weapons and flying opponents would be more prominent. Even if you do not have humans with wings, you can still have mounted battles and races among those atop the backs of wyverns, pegasi, or hippogriffs. I'm considering it, but i want my humans to have to walk, while raptorans have their flight ability from birth
Ecalsneerg 06-05-07, 01:29 PM	Well, Shadowdancers might be much more common, using their shadow jumps to get around as couriers or bounty hunters. There could be a Shadow Dancer guild, or even variants on the concept (Shadow Ranger, Shadow Sorcerer...)
Eshenaleros 06-10-07, 12:47 AM	:bump: