Delphic Expanse [Archive] - Wizards Community

Delphic Expanse [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
tryco
07-05-07, 03:23 PM hi,

i want to make something like the Delphic Expanse (Star Trek: Enterprise) into DnD.
here is some info i got about the delphic expanse.

The Delphic Expanse was an area of space approximately 50 light years from Earth. While its exact dimensions were unknown, Vulcan scientists estimated the Expanse to have been about 2,000 light years across in the 22nd century.
At that time, it was also surrounded by thermobaric clouds that made it difficult to enter and exit the region. It was generally avoided by Vulcan ships because of various spatial anomalies existing inside; in some parts of the Expanse the known laws of physics did not seem to apply.
In the 2130s, a Klingon ship emerged from the Expanse with its entire crew anatomically inverted, but still alive. After this incident the Klingon High Council forbade all ships from entering the Expanse. The Vulcan ship Seleya was pulled into the Expanse in December 2152, with all contact subsequently being lost. The crew of the Vaankara, sent to investigate, went mad and killed each other within two days of entering the Delphic Expanse. (ENT: "The Expanse", "Impulse")
The Triannons, a species native to the area, called the Expanse the "Chosen Realm". They believed that it had been created by supreme beings they called the Makers as a paradise for their eventual return. They thought the Makers were using the anomalies to reshape the Chosen Realm into a new form. Events would eventually show that the Triannons were essentially correct. (ENT: "Chosen Realm", "Azati Prime")
In 2153, the Enterprise (NX-01) entered the Expanse in their search for the Xindi, a race native to this region, who were believed responsible for an attack on Earth that killed seven million Humans.
On this mission, the crew learned about the existence of ancient spheres scattered around the Expanse, which were responsible for the spatial anomalies and ultimately the Expanse itself. (ENT: "Anomaly") The Delphic Expanse had been created by the Sphere Builders as part of the Temporal Cold War; the Expanse was designed to continue growing indefinitely, gradually altering the space-time continuum in the Milky Way Galaxy to make it habitable for their kind. They were destined to be defeated at the Battle of Procyon V by the United Federation of Planets in the 26th century. The Xindi attempt to destroy Earth was also part of their plot to manipulate the timeline, implemented to prevent the founding of the Federation, and thus their eventual victory at Procyon.
The Delphic Expanse ceased to exist when the space within the region was restored to normal in 2154 after Enterprise destroyed Sphere 41, one of the principal spheres. The destruction of this sphere caused a chain reaction, destroying the others and removing the source of the spatial anomalies that had plagued travelers within the Expanse. (ENT: "Zero Hour")

The Delphic Expanse (commonly abbreviated as "The Expanse") was a region of space in the Star Trek universe, approximately 2,000 light years across, surrounded by thick thermobaric clouds. Its edge was located approximately 50 light years from Earth.
Intense gravitational distortions made travel through the Expanse extremely difficult as it appeared that space did not obey the known laws of physics in the region. Travellers risked injury, disfigurement, or death if their vessels were not lined with the protective metal Trellium-D.
Species native to the Expanse included the Loque'eque, the Skagarans, the Triannon, and the Xindi.
Locations in the Expanse included Azati Prime, the Calindra system, Oran'taku, Triannon, and Xindus.

History of the Expanse
Thousands of years ago, a number of spheres the size of small moons were constructed throughout the Expanse by trans-dimensional beings as a prelude to invasion. These were cloaked and their purpose was to alter the fabric of space in the region to make it habitable for the Sphere-Builders. One area of space, 700 million kilometers wide and centrally located within a group of spheres, was distorted into a bubbling particle soup with an organic appearance. The spheres used artificial intelligence and operated as a network, with several serving command functions.
Because the spheres were cloaked, their exact number was unknown. Triannons believe that there were thousands of spheres. Xindi scientists, including Degra, determined that there were at least 78 spheres.
The Triannons called the Expanse the "Chosen Realm", and formed a religion around the spheres and the mythology of their creation.
In 2037, a temporally-divergent starship Enterprise from 2154 became stranded in the Expanse. It would become a generational ship, dedicated to countering the Xindi threat destined to arise in the 2150s.
In about 2133, a group of Klingons entered the Expanse, but returned anatomically inverted (and still alive). Unsuccessful attempts to explore the region were also made by the Vulcan ships Seleya and Vaankara. The Seleya was later discovered, with its crew driven mad due to exposure to Trellium-D, and subsequently destroyed.
In about June of 2153, the Earth Starfleet ship Enterprise (NX-01) entered the Expanse to locate the Xindi. They were followed later in the year by the Andorian ship Kumari.
On February 13, 2154, Enterprise destroyed the network of Spheres, reverting the distorted space to its natural form, and gradually dissipating the thermobaric cloud barrier. The Expanse thus ceased to exist - becoming a normal, non-threatening region of space.
Although Enterprise Captain Jonathan Archer was shown a possible timeline in which the Expanse becomes a major threat to the future United Federation of Planets, this eventuality appears to have been eliminated following the successful destruction of the Spheres; no reference to The Expanse is made in any of the "later" Star Trek series.

i was thinking about using the "gates" from the far-realm, but then again, their inhabitants aren't insane, mad or anything else (maybe some are paranoid).

does anybody has some advice on how i should create the delphic expanse in the dnd world.

thanks.
Rhineglade
07-05-07, 10:20 PM Interesting concept. It would probably be difficult to accurately translate though since you are literally taking an area of space covering 2000 light years and "compacting" it onto one individual planet (assuming that this is for a standard D&D game world).

What might be interesting is to create a "parallel" world that is superimposed over your mortal world. This would be similar to a "5th Dimension" or some other such "Other World." There would be numerous doorways scattered throughout the mortal world were one could travel between worlds whether by choice or not!

I've seen stories were these doorways are found in places generally attributed to superstitions such as the space under a ladder or after a black cat crosses your path. Even certain times of the day were attributed to the "crossing over" of worlds such as at Midnight.

You might want to then develop a whole new set of "physics" for this Other World. Perhaps time moves much more slowly (such as in the Land of the Faeries) or perhaps it is a world in perpetual shadow as opposed to our world of "light." Maybe you could even incorporate a number of Trek references such as the evil alternate universe where killer unicorns and psychotic halflings butcher the poor, passive ogres and humble trolls.
tryco
07-06-07, 02:31 PM Interesting concept. It would probably be difficult to accurately translate though since you are literally taking an area of space covering 2000 light years and "compacting" it onto one individual planet (assuming that this is for a standard D&D game world).

i was more thinking of an area (something like a valley or plain) that is being reshaped into something uninhabitable for most species. area of space covering 2000 light years is very small compared to galaxy, like a valley or plain is very small compared to the world.

i was thinking of using gates (instead of spheres), that release diffrent kinds of gases, fluids and/or other stuff that make the region uninhabitable. when enough area is "converted" the creatures/monster/species who caused it would come out and begin to live there. slowly growing the "contaminated" area untill they have covered the world (and maybe move to the next) or are stopped/killed/destroyed/pushed back.

ideas are welcome.

thanks.

EDIT:
http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dmg2_gallery/90099.jpg
Abyssal Cyst

another thought, a Delphic Expanse sphere could also considered a cyst in the earth, destroying/contaminating the surrounding area, so another species could live there (maybe demons/devils/aberrations or others).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
tryco 07-05-07, 03:23 PM	hi, i want to make something like the Delphic Expanse (Star Trek: Enterprise) into DnD. here is some info i got about the delphic expanse. The Delphic Expanse was an area of space approximately 50 light years from Earth. While its exact dimensions were unknown, Vulcan scientists estimated the Expanse to have been about 2,000 light years across in the 22nd century. At that time, it was also surrounded by thermobaric clouds that made it difficult to enter and exit the region. It was generally avoided by Vulcan ships because of various spatial anomalies existing inside; in some parts of the Expanse the known laws of physics did not seem to apply. In the 2130s, a Klingon ship emerged from the Expanse with its entire crew anatomically inverted, but still alive. After this incident the Klingon High Council forbade all ships from entering the Expanse. The Vulcan ship Seleya was pulled into the Expanse in December 2152, with all contact subsequently being lost. The crew of the Vaankara, sent to investigate, went mad and killed each other within two days of entering the Delphic Expanse. (ENT: "The Expanse", "Impulse") The Triannons, a species native to the area, called the Expanse the "Chosen Realm". They believed that it had been created by supreme beings they called the Makers as a paradise for their eventual return. They thought the Makers were using the anomalies to reshape the Chosen Realm into a new form. Events would eventually show that the Triannons were essentially correct. (ENT: "Chosen Realm", "Azati Prime") In 2153, the Enterprise (NX-01) entered the Expanse in their search for the Xindi, a race native to this region, who were believed responsible for an attack on Earth that killed seven million Humans. On this mission, the crew learned about the existence of ancient spheres scattered around the Expanse, which were responsible for the spatial anomalies and ultimately the Expanse itself. (ENT: "Anomaly") The Delphic Expanse had been created by the Sphere Builders as part of the Temporal Cold War; the Expanse was designed to continue growing indefinitely, gradually altering the space-time continuum in the Milky Way Galaxy to make it habitable for their kind. They were destined to be defeated at the Battle of Procyon V by the United Federation of Planets in the 26th century. The Xindi attempt to destroy Earth was also part of their plot to manipulate the timeline, implemented to prevent the founding of the Federation, and thus their eventual victory at Procyon. The Delphic Expanse ceased to exist when the space within the region was restored to normal in 2154 after Enterprise destroyed Sphere 41, one of the principal spheres. The destruction of this sphere caused a chain reaction, destroying the others and removing the source of the spatial anomalies that had plagued travelers within the Expanse. (ENT: "Zero Hour") The Delphic Expanse (commonly abbreviated as "The Expanse") was a region of space in the Star Trek universe, approximately 2,000 light years across, surrounded by thick thermobaric clouds. Its edge was located approximately 50 light years from Earth. Intense gravitational distortions made travel through the Expanse extremely difficult as it appeared that space did not obey the known laws of physics in the region. Travellers risked injury, disfigurement, or death if their vessels were not lined with the protective metal Trellium-D. Species native to the Expanse included the Loque'eque, the Skagarans, the Triannon, and the Xindi. Locations in the Expanse included Azati Prime, the Calindra system, Oran'taku, Triannon, and Xindus. History of the Expanse Thousands of years ago, a number of spheres the size of small moons were constructed throughout the Expanse by trans-dimensional beings as a prelude to invasion. These were cloaked and their purpose was to alter the fabric of space in the region to make it habitable for the Sphere-Builders. One area of space, 700 million kilometers wide and centrally located within a group of spheres, was distorted into a bubbling particle soup with an organic appearance. The spheres used artificial intelligence and operated as a network, with several serving command functions. Because the spheres were cloaked, their exact number was unknown. Triannons believe that there were thousands of spheres. Xindi scientists, including Degra, determined that there were at least 78 spheres. The Triannons called the Expanse the "Chosen Realm", and formed a religion around the spheres and the mythology of their creation. In 2037, a temporally-divergent starship Enterprise from 2154 became stranded in the Expanse. It would become a generational ship, dedicated to countering the Xindi threat destined to arise in the 2150s. In about 2133, a group of Klingons entered the Expanse, but returned anatomically inverted (and still alive). Unsuccessful attempts to explore the region were also made by the Vulcan ships Seleya and Vaankara. The Seleya was later discovered, with its crew driven mad due to exposure to Trellium-D, and subsequently destroyed. In about June of 2153, the Earth Starfleet ship Enterprise (NX-01) entered the Expanse to locate the Xindi. They were followed later in the year by the Andorian ship Kumari. On February 13, 2154, Enterprise destroyed the network of Spheres, reverting the distorted space to its natural form, and gradually dissipating the thermobaric cloud barrier. The Expanse thus ceased to exist - becoming a normal, non-threatening region of space. Although Enterprise Captain Jonathan Archer was shown a possible timeline in which the Expanse becomes a major threat to the future United Federation of Planets, this eventuality appears to have been eliminated following the successful destruction of the Spheres; no reference to The Expanse is made in any of the "later" Star Trek series. i was thinking about using the "gates" from the far-realm, but then again, their inhabitants aren't insane, mad or anything else (maybe some are paranoid). does anybody has some advice on how i should create the delphic expanse in the dnd world. thanks.
Rhineglade 07-05-07, 10:20 PM	Interesting concept. It would probably be difficult to accurately translate though since you are literally taking an area of space covering 2000 light years and "compacting" it onto one individual planet (assuming that this is for a standard D&D game world). What might be interesting is to create a "parallel" world that is superimposed over your mortal world. This would be similar to a "5th Dimension" or some other such "Other World." There would be numerous doorways scattered throughout the mortal world were one could travel between worlds whether by choice or not! I've seen stories were these doorways are found in places generally attributed to superstitions such as the space under a ladder or after a black cat crosses your path. Even certain times of the day were attributed to the "crossing over" of worlds such as at Midnight. You might want to then develop a whole new set of "physics" for this Other World. Perhaps time moves much more slowly (such as in the Land of the Faeries) or perhaps it is a world in perpetual shadow as opposed to our world of "light." Maybe you could even incorporate a number of Trek references such as the evil alternate universe where killer unicorns and psychotic halflings butcher the poor, passive ogres and humble trolls.
tryco 07-06-07, 02:31 PM	Interesting concept. It would probably be difficult to accurately translate though since you are literally taking an area of space covering 2000 light years and "compacting" it onto one individual planet (assuming that this is for a standard D&D game world). i was more thinking of an area (something like a valley or plain) that is being reshaped into something uninhabitable for most species. area of space covering 2000 light years is very small compared to galaxy, like a valley or plain is very small compared to the world. i was thinking of using gates (instead of spheres), that release diffrent kinds of gases, fluids and/or other stuff that make the region uninhabitable. when enough area is "converted" the creatures/monster/species who caused it would come out and begin to live there. slowly growing the "contaminated" area untill they have covered the world (and maybe move to the next) or are stopped/killed/destroyed/pushed back. ideas are welcome. thanks. EDIT: http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dmg2_gallery/90099.jpg Abyssal Cyst another thought, a Delphic Expanse sphere could also considered a cyst in the earth, destroying/contaminating the surrounding area, so another species could live there (maybe demons/devils/aberrations or others).