Floating Islands [Archive] - Wizards Community

Floating Islands [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Cerebrilith
03-02-07, 03:12 PM Hi, everyone. I've recently begun creating a psionic- heavy world with floating islands serving as the only land and flying ships. I've come across a few problems with this and hope you guys can help.

First, with the floating islands thing, how would I handle gravity? I wanted only the top of each island to have people and buildings, but if I give each island its own gravity (my first idea), the island would be like a small planet.
I'd planned to have land far below, so gravity could be normal and pull everything straight down. But then I didn't want a fall to be automatically deadly, so that wouldn't work.

My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Selgard
03-02-07, 03:29 PM Eberron has a form of flying boats, using Elementals for propulsion.
"The Shining South" supplement for FR has flying ships that utilize a sort of inflated balloon above the ship to hold it aloft, if memory serves. (and it may not).

Spelljammer is a setting chock full of nothing but flying ships and boats, and that setting also handles the Gravity on ships and such issue.

Imo- let falling off the island be instant death. The players expect it.
Rhineglade
03-02-07, 04:09 PM This is perhaps one of those instances where trying to make it too realistic is NOT a good thing. Don't get so hung up on the realism that you "can't see the forest for the trees."

I too use a similar system in my world of Manawyden. There is an Upperworld, a Middleworld and an Underworld. The Upperworld consists of floating islands of elemental earth each with its own ecosystem including plants, groundcover, mountains and lakes. Each island does have its own gravity that keeps inhabitants from floating off but also prevents the islands from bumping into each other. Think of it as two positively charged poles coming together- they push each other away.

I also agree with Selgard. Falling off the island means you die unless you happen to have friends in high places that can catch you on the way down.
DragonicHeritage
03-02-07, 04:12 PM Perhaps in the past there was some sort of great cataclysm in which the world was blasted into thousands of pieces. Perhaps the core of the world consisted of magical crystal the gave the world the magic, spirits, and balance. In this cataclysm, the core may have also shattered into pieces, spread throughout the great earth pieces, and their magical nature holds all the pieces in place, sort of as if they have gravity. Maybe the mystic crystal's power fluctuates, releasing light, causing seasons, and forming clouds around the pieces of earth, causing rain. There could be some sort of magical residue of the power that caused the cataclysm somewhere, causing the orientation of gravity, i.e. it sort of pushes all things in one direction sort of, causing all the earth chunks to have an 'up' and down in the same direction relative to each other. Perhaps the largest chunks of earth could have a piece of the core imbedded into their center, causing little moons to orbit them, and essentially being mini planets of their own.

Hope this rambling helps, and good luck!

EDIT: Oh, and I forgot, if you fall off an island, you may as well die, even if it is caused by falling damage. THAT would be fun, to find someone fall out of the sky as an adventure hook. :D
KeshFerrar
03-02-07, 11:37 PM I would agree with Rhineglade -- don't worry about the reality now. Because if you had flying islands in a real world you'd also have to worry about the altitude because it changes the density of air and the air temp (its really hard to breathe over 14000 feet because there's less air and it gets really cold the higher you go).

But, if you wanted islands that flew just a few thousand feet AGL (above ground level), thats reasonable -- it would be like living in Denver, CO. Then you woruld could be a "normal world"; gravity would work as it normally does. The floating islands could contain a plentiful fictional element (metal, tree root, etc) that runs through the island that allows it to fly. The natives could then harvest the element to create their airships.

Alternatively, you could have the islands be ancient artifacts of a lost culture; they're imbued with a great psionic "machines" that allow them to fly. Ships would be constructed by using fledgling psionic talents or machines that mimic the great island machines.

Just my 1.9 cents (adjusted for stock market losses).
HomebrewedMonster
03-03-07, 02:50 PM I like the idea, but around 12th to 15th level or less, whenever the campaign is going to die, you should have the character's fall off an island or their ship goes crashing into the void.

Then they wake up.

Oooo....dreamrealms are nifty.
ssvegeta555
03-03-07, 10:55 PM My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off.

If you want to use Stormwrack rules for airships, I've done a conversion for my campagin. You can check it out here if you like (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=8447119&postcount=82).
TheLastEvilDrow
03-03-07, 11:09 PM Is there a rule already in place saying that all the islands float along the same directional plane? Their may be islands that float under some other ones, infact who knows how many layers of floating islands there are. Also, you could also make it so rings of feather fall are more common? Perhaps there are people trained for such occurances, who are capable of not only diving after, but also exceeding you in the fall and thus rescue you through their own feather fall spells and fly spells. But they would charge out the behind for such services, and failure to pay after they rescue you would require they throw you overboard to rectify their "mistake" in hoping you'd be able to pay them.

Just a thought.
yellowdingo
03-03-07, 11:11 PM Hi, everyone. I've recently begun creating a psionic- heavy world with floating islands serving as the only land and flying ships. I've come across a few problems with this and hope you guys can help.

First, with the floating islands thing, how would I handle gravity? I wanted only the top of each island to have people and buildings, but if I give each island its own gravity (my first idea), the island would be like a small planet.
I'd planned to have land far below, so gravity could be normal and pull everything straight down. But then I didn't want a fall to be automatically deadly, so that wouldn't work.

My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Apart from the perils of ripping off the animated seris known as Skyland there isnt much to discuss. A Psionic rulling class with iron golem armies lording it over the human populace. Planetary fragments known as blocks all over the place and an assortment of skyships (BBEG: The Sphere), (Goodies: The Resistance out of PortoAngel) All fighting over Water.

As to Skyship speeds:
Alphatian Flying Ship (D&D Mystara) Speed 72 miles per day.

Gravity is toward the particle cluster center. which is always down. However the realy big blocks (islands) might exert an unusual gravity field as the flying ships pass.

Cortez watched as the coffee sloshed to oneside of his mug in a slow response to the gravity well.
"Helm! What have we got?"
"A bigun Cap'n."
"Adjust our heading. 015 Down."
"015 Down Aye." replied the Helmsman.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Cerebrilith 03-02-07, 03:12 PM	Hi, everyone. I've recently begun creating a psionic- heavy world with floating islands serving as the only land and flying ships. I've come across a few problems with this and hope you guys can help. First, with the floating islands thing, how would I handle gravity? I wanted only the top of each island to have people and buildings, but if I give each island its own gravity (my first idea), the island would be like a small planet. I'd planned to have land far below, so gravity could be normal and pull everything straight down. But then I didn't want a fall to be automatically deadly, so that wouldn't work. My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Selgard 03-02-07, 03:29 PM	Eberron has a form of flying boats, using Elementals for propulsion. "The Shining South" supplement for FR has flying ships that utilize a sort of inflated balloon above the ship to hold it aloft, if memory serves. (and it may not). Spelljammer is a setting chock full of nothing but flying ships and boats, and that setting also handles the Gravity on ships and such issue. Imo- let falling off the island be instant death. The players expect it.
Rhineglade 03-02-07, 04:09 PM	This is perhaps one of those instances where trying to make it too realistic is NOT a good thing. Don't get so hung up on the realism that you "can't see the forest for the trees." I too use a similar system in my world of Manawyden. There is an Upperworld, a Middleworld and an Underworld. The Upperworld consists of floating islands of elemental earth each with its own ecosystem including plants, groundcover, mountains and lakes. Each island does have its own gravity that keeps inhabitants from floating off but also prevents the islands from bumping into each other. Think of it as two positively charged poles coming together- they push each other away. I also agree with Selgard. Falling off the island means you die unless you happen to have friends in high places that can catch you on the way down.
DragonicHeritage 03-02-07, 04:12 PM	Perhaps in the past there was some sort of great cataclysm in which the world was blasted into thousands of pieces. Perhaps the core of the world consisted of magical crystal the gave the world the magic, spirits, and balance. In this cataclysm, the core may have also shattered into pieces, spread throughout the great earth pieces, and their magical nature holds all the pieces in place, sort of as if they have gravity. Maybe the mystic crystal's power fluctuates, releasing light, causing seasons, and forming clouds around the pieces of earth, causing rain. There could be some sort of magical residue of the power that caused the cataclysm somewhere, causing the orientation of gravity, i.e. it sort of pushes all things in one direction sort of, causing all the earth chunks to have an 'up' and down in the same direction relative to each other. Perhaps the largest chunks of earth could have a piece of the core imbedded into their center, causing little moons to orbit them, and essentially being mini planets of their own. Hope this rambling helps, and good luck! EDIT: Oh, and I forgot, if you fall off an island, you may as well die, even if it is caused by falling damage. THAT would be fun, to find someone fall out of the sky as an adventure hook. :D
KeshFerrar 03-02-07, 11:37 PM	I would agree with Rhineglade -- don't worry about the reality now. Because if you had flying islands in a real world you'd also have to worry about the altitude because it changes the density of air and the air temp (its really hard to breathe over 14000 feet because there's less air and it gets really cold the higher you go). But, if you wanted islands that flew just a few thousand feet AGL (above ground level), thats reasonable -- it would be like living in Denver, CO. Then you woruld could be a "normal world"; gravity would work as it normally does. The floating islands could contain a plentiful fictional element (metal, tree root, etc) that runs through the island that allows it to fly. The natives could then harvest the element to create their airships. Alternatively, you could have the islands be ancient artifacts of a lost culture; they're imbued with a great psionic "machines" that allow them to fly. Ships would be constructed by using fledgling psionic talents or machines that mimic the great island machines. Just my 1.9 cents (adjusted for stock market losses).
HomebrewedMonster 03-03-07, 02:50 PM	I like the idea, but around 12th to 15th level or less, whenever the campaign is going to die, you should have the character's fall off an island or their ship goes crashing into the void. Then they wake up. Oooo....dreamrealms are nifty.
ssvegeta555 03-03-07, 10:55 PM	My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off. If you want to use Stormwrack rules for airships, I've done a conversion for my campagin. You can check it out here if you like (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=8447119&postcount=82).
TheLastEvilDrow 03-03-07, 11:09 PM	Is there a rule already in place saying that all the islands float along the same directional plane? Their may be islands that float under some other ones, infact who knows how many layers of floating islands there are. Also, you could also make it so rings of feather fall are more common? Perhaps there are people trained for such occurances, who are capable of not only diving after, but also exceeding you in the fall and thus rescue you through their own feather fall spells and fly spells. But they would charge out the behind for such services, and failure to pay after they rescue you would require they throw you overboard to rectify their "mistake" in hoping you'd be able to pay them. Just a thought.
yellowdingo 03-03-07, 11:11 PM	Hi, everyone. I've recently begun creating a psionic- heavy world with floating islands serving as the only land and flying ships. I've come across a few problems with this and hope you guys can help. First, with the floating islands thing, how would I handle gravity? I wanted only the top of each island to have people and buildings, but if I give each island its own gravity (my first idea), the island would be like a small planet. I'd planned to have land far below, so gravity could be normal and pull everything straight down. But then I didn't want a fall to be automatically deadly, so that wouldn't work. My other problem was about the flying boats. I;m not sure of how fast they would fly. I've got Stormwrack and have looked at all the boat speeds, but that's with water resistance. I'm not sure how much water slows down boats, so I don't know what speed they would fly at. Gravity on the boats is also a problem, as I don't want it to be immediatly deadly to fall off. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Apart from the perils of ripping off the animated seris known as Skyland there isnt much to discuss. A Psionic rulling class with iron golem armies lording it over the human populace. Planetary fragments known as blocks all over the place and an assortment of skyships (BBEG: The Sphere), (Goodies: The Resistance out of PortoAngel) All fighting over Water. As to Skyship speeds: Alphatian Flying Ship (D&D Mystara) Speed 72 miles per day. Gravity is toward the particle cluster center. which is always down. However the realy big blocks (islands) might exert an unusual gravity field as the flying ships pass. Cortez watched as the coffee sloshed to oneside of his mug in a slow response to the gravity well. "Helm! What have we got?" "A bigun Cap'n." "Adjust our heading. 015 Down." "015 Down Aye." replied the Helmsman.