Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Towel_Ninja 04-24-07, 03:08 PM	Welcome to my thread and thanks for coming! Now, i realise i have made and given up on a couple of projects in the past four months but i plan to dedicate myself to this one now that i have more free time on my hands. Sorry for lack of proper spelling and punctuation Info i have on the world: It will abe around 10,000 years old Races Humans, Elves, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Orcs, Shades Gods Only 8 gods (names are undecided) No Psionics Airships are main mode of transportation Ground Level is coverd by thick black fog Only moutains and floating islands are above the fog Steam Power was discoverd 400 years before current date. About all i got down that will for sure be in the world Undecided Stuff: Altering Some classes like Fighter, Ranger, Druid, and Barb Druids would have to live only in very small towns because its either small town, or huge town. Huge towns dont have much nature filling the streets. Fighters i would like to make more powerfull, probably going to ask one of the people with a good fix here on the boards to use their fix. Rangers are probably going to be only available as the variant Urban Ranger or i might make my own urban-style ranger Barbs are wild and less civilised so they will probably be pirates and there wont be many of them just frolicking through the city's Also considering changing some stuff about the race's im using Need Advice on: I need good technology based classes (out of almost any d&d 3.0-.5 book will do) Good steam related books other then Sorcerey and Steam
Towel_Ninja 04-24-07, 03:09 PM	Airships - Airships, suprisingly enough were created by a dwarven king who longed to soar through the air like the elves and humans. One morning when he awoke he somehow obtained the knowledge on how to make airships, and many other marvelous devices. Thus steam power was introduced to the world, and so was the airship. After months of hard work he finnaly was able to make a working airship, it was made from Cloud Wood and powered by a large steam engine which was imbued with magic so it always had water to run off of. (the above is a rough draft of the story behind the airship) Books i own or have access to: DMG 1&2, Monster Manual 1-4, Players Handbook 1&2, Allies & Adversaries, Book of Challanges, Dark Ladies, Gazetteer, Traps & Treachery 1&2, All Grimtooth's, Book of Exalted Deeds, Book of vile darkness, Complete Adventurer, Warrior, Scoundrel, Mage, Arcane, and Divine, Magic of Incarnum, Relics & Rituals 1&2, Spell Compendium, Spells & Magic, Spells and Spellcraft, True Sorcery, Shamans - The call of the wild, Aerial Books - Rulers of the Sky (Vol 1.), Sellaine Jewel of the Clouds (Vol 2.), and Sky captain's Handbook. Boat Books - Seafarer's Handbook, Seas of Blood, Ships of the Elves, Ships of the Goblinoids, Ships of War, and Stormwrack. *still have more to list but to lazy atm* Encyclopaedia Arcane Books - Blood Magic, Chaos Magic, Chronomancy, Constructs, Crossbreading, Demonology, Divination, Dragon Magic, Elementalism, Enchantment, Illusionism, Necromancy, Star Magic...
Towel_Ninja 04-25-07, 12:26 AM	Ok back online for awhile and updated the first post as much as posible for now. (Not on my computer so i dont have all the info) EDIT: Forgot the rules on bumping, wont happen again
FreAkOuTRG 04-25-07, 05:49 PM	A good way to start is with the artificer. You can reflavor the magic items to be scientific in nature. Example: Ring of Feather Falling = Ring of Antigravity/Ring of Reduce Mass, etc.
stargate525 04-25-07, 06:38 PM	If you want to get scientific, the only way you could get a steam-powered flying machine off the ground is with some kind of decanter of endless water. Sames alot of weight when you don't need to lug around the water.
taradusis 04-25-07, 07:16 PM	Perhaps effigy maker could be modified for robots.Create "gray"druids,barbarians,rangers who live in Fungles(mushroom jungles)in an underground setting or in the fog?Alchemy could be expanded as well,becoming a rudimentary chemistry?RANDOM THOUGHTS
Towel_Ninja 04-26-07, 03:55 AM	I will look into the artificer, which book is it in? Im not going to get to indepth about the workings of the airships in hope my players dont. but i thaught of finding a way that it could be powerd off of the fog simmilar to the airships in final fantasy 9.. I thaught of having druids and stuff in a more underground area. or having a solid druid based (large) floating island. I have been thinking of including alchemists as a Player class. though that could be missleading to them since they all watch full metal alchemist -I will update tommorow* with a list of books i own and/or have access to.- EDIT Look for the * (i added a word)
MagicMouth 04-26-07, 02:02 PM	The Tinker class from the Warcraft RPG is the most technological class I´ve seen. Perhaps it could be of interest?
Towel_Ninja 04-26-07, 05:23 PM	tinkerer i will look into. i actually happen to buy a copy of that few months back. havent looked through it yet.
jeffepp 04-26-07, 05:40 PM	You may want to look into winged races. Raptorians in RotW, Avriel and others in RoF. You also might want to look into some of the books on half-dragons. IIRC, the winged template is LA+1, as are many of the other winged races. So, you may want to give everybody a "free" level to spend if you go that route. As for airships, you may want to look into the spelljammer rules. A link to the "official" fan site can be found in the "Other Worlds" forum. Right now, there is a discussion on "Six-guns and Sorcery" on this forum. Some of the things on that forum on Steampunk can be adapted to yours. Please forgive any spelling errors on fantasy names.
Towel_Ninja 04-26-07, 06:12 PM	I was looking into winged races actually and i was thinking of just having some of the races already out there be winged. Like the Elves and Humans. the other races just dont seem to be winged material...maybe the halflings could have wings.. Also i will be using the no LA house rule. My players dislike it and so do i. Never been a problem with it before. except for when people do insane races with like LA +5 lol. For airships i have an idea, i will have a special wood in my world that is going to be nearly weightless but very durable. (it will be the most common wood) and that would take a hefty load off the airships weight. which would make it possible for less steam power needed to power it thus making it take less water. (correct me if im wrong in my thinking)
stargate525 04-26-07, 06:21 PM	For airships i have an idea, i will have a special wood in my world that is going to be nearly weightless but very durable. (it will be the most common wood) and that would take a hefty load off the airships weight. which would make it possible for less steam power needed to power it thus making it take less water. (correct me if im wrong in my thinking) You would be right. However, you would want to make the ships as streamlined as possible to reduce drag on the hull. If you want efficiency, you would run the engine at a (relatively) low speed, then use a series of gears to make the props spin fast. Im not going to get to indepth about the workings of the airships in hope my players dont. but i thaught of finding a way that it could be powerd off of the fog simmilar to the airships in final fantasy 9.. Well if your fog is just water, may I suggest a version of the Bussard Collectors? Basically large, retractable surfaces that give the water in the fog a place to condense, and from there the water is drained into the reservoir?
Towel_Ninja 04-26-07, 06:58 PM	Yes airships will Vary from Small and airodynamic(sp?), to Large and slow. Prapultion would be a series of Propellers on the back of the ship and also Sails. The fog is going to be a mix of Toxic Gas, and water (the water will be carrying the toxins) so it would power the engine like normal water but would also be dangerous to directly be around. Which would work if the ship needed more water make it so they have to go just above the fog to collect it. So it would be risky.
taradusis 04-26-07, 08:40 PM	Suppose you had lightwood ballista bolts with propellers on back.This would be the aerial equivelent of cavitating torpedos,possible range would be?
Towel_Ninja 04-26-07, 11:50 PM	TARADUSIS I LIKE YOUR THINKING! have wings on them xD and have intelligent ones!!! *evil thoughts* thank you for the idea. i may not log on alot this weekend but i will work as much as possible on the world and provide an update
FreAkOuTRG 04-27-07, 07:31 AM	Artificer is from Ebberron Campain Setting.
taradusis 04-27-07, 11:51 AM	On my "RANDOM AQUATIC NOTES" over at DnD General we had a short discussion about propeller driven weapons and THOMAR OF UOINTER created some stats as well?So I can't take all the credit for this sort of thinking.A modern steam engine uses cooling tanks to re-use the water?RANDOM THOUGHTS
Mazaron 04-29-07, 09:29 AM	Ground Level is coverd by thick black fog Only moutains and floating islands are above the fog ***Does anyone live on the ground? Is the fog poisonous? Where is food grown, it is grown in towers or on floaing islands? Druids would have to live only in very small towns because its either small town, or huge town. Huge towns dont have much nature filling the streets. ***Maybe the druids have the sky as their realm, with birds, creatures on wild floating islands or wild solid cloud islands, floating gaseous or gasbag creatures, that sort of thing. Maybe barbarians herd schools of these giant living ballons, or sky whales, or what have you. Good steam related books other then Sorcerey and Steam[/QUOTE] ***The novels by China Mieville that began with Perdido Street Station. His steampunk world was recently done in 3.5 stats in Dragon magazine, maybe three months ago? His novels rock and would make an outstanding campaign setting and he had airships, trains, and a tech race.
Mazaron 04-29-07, 09:31 AM	I was looking into winged races actually and i was thinking of just having some of the races already out there be winged. Like the Elves and Humans. the other races just dont seem to be winged material...maybe the halflings could have wings.. Also i will be using the no LA house rule. My players dislike it and so do i. Never been a problem with it before. except for when people do insane races with like LA +5 lol. For airships i have an idea, i will have a special wood in my world that is going to be nearly weightless but very durable. (it will be the most common wood) and that would take a hefty load off the airships weight. which would make it possible for less steam power needed to power it thus making it take less water. (correct me if im wrong in my thinking) What about aarakocra? They are a great winged race. Also harpies and gargoyles. Liftwood, I think that was used maybe in the Space 1899 setting, which you might want to Google.
Towel_Ninja 04-30-07, 10:18 PM	Yes the fog is poisonous, Food i havent much thought about but, i just got the idea of multiple level buildings with large gardens on each floor. or each island will have smaller islands attached that work as farmland. Druids will probably make their own villages on islands. dont know.... will update tommorow
Mazaron 05-01-07, 12:16 AM	Yes the fog is poisonous, Food i havent much thought about but, i just got the idea of multiple level buildings with large gardens on each floor. or each island will have smaller islands attached that work as farmland. Druids will probably make their own villages on islands. dont know.... will update tommorow Well...the questions I would ask: 1. Why is the fog poisonous? 2. Was it always poisonous? 3. Did people use to live on the ground, and if so how long ago? 4. Does anything live in the fog? That sounds interesting, I would explore that. With regards to food, I would play with floating - free floating - life forms, both plant and animal, as well as farms on cloud islands. Depending upon how alien you wanted to make it, there might be gas bag creatures, living balloons, hydrogen filed air dragons, etc.
Towel_Ninja 05-01-07, 03:50 PM	Well...the questions I would ask: 1. Why is the fog poisonous? 2. Was it always poisonous? 3. Did people use to live on the ground, and if so how long ago? 4. Does anything live in the fog? That sounds interesting, I would explore that. With regards to food, I would play with floating - free floating - life forms, both plant and animal, as well as farms on cloud islands. Depending upon how alien you wanted to make it, there might be gas bag creatures, living balloons, hydrogen filed air dragons, etc. 1. I havent quite decided but i plan for it to have something to do with the gods. In the story the gods also lifted the earth so it sounds resonable. 2. No 3. Yes they use to live on the surface, and i would say 500-1000 years ago. 4. Yes most animals are immune to the poison, and i plan to have a race live down there. (humans adapted to live down there maybe). EDIT: I dont want the animals to be that alien but, the dragon sounds like a nice touch
Radijs 05-01-07, 05:08 PM	If you want to be a bit scientific then you won't use sails to move your ships. Tacking into the wind doesn't work when the bottom of your boat isn't in the water. Most civilisations have been using steam power for quite a while apparently. Coal fires produce a lot of toxic gasses and soot. Perhaps that settled in the lower parts of the atmosphere and created that toxic cloud. A stretch I know but nice potential. This would of course have caused a migration from the surface. Only the really rich people could afford a good passage off. The poor people had to sell themselves into a kind of slavery just to escape the choking fog? As for plants, Maybe a floating jungle of some kind? Plants that support their own weight with gasbags inflated with a lighter then air gas. I think there are a few lighter then air gasses that can be created by biological life. Like there could be a small layer of compost in each bag. And as a side effect of the rotting you'd get floating plants! A symbiotic relationship of some kind.
Towel_Ninja 05-01-07, 05:26 PM	Science was never my strong point in school lol. would having sales on both the top and bottom (maybe even the sides -_-) work? because if the problem with sails is it that wind i assume would just tip it forward? if so i think having the same thing on the bottom would make it work. When the gods made the floating land it was more of a random thing, they got major cities from all five nations and tried to get as much land as possible before the fog settled. the floating jungle thing sounds kinda cool. ill think on it.
Radijs 05-01-07, 06:06 PM	Nope it wouldn't work at all. I'm a bit fuzzy on the principle but IIRC it works something like this: A ship's hull and keel are shaped so the ship moves forward more easily then it moves sideways. The wind pushes from one side against the ship, and the water pushes from a diffrent but not opposite side to keep the ship in place. The sum of those forces gets the ship its forward motion. If there is only air there is no force that wants to keep a boat in place. It would just drift away, turning into the wind and winding up going backwards. For aerial worlds I recommend reading "The smoke ring" by Larry niven, about a donut shaped cloud of gas surrounding a neutron star. Its sci-fi but has nice things about living in a world where there's practically no ground.
turalisj 05-01-07, 06:24 PM	If you had psionics, I would have suggested secrect police composed of psions, ships floating from psionic crystals. But, since you said no psionics, looks likeyou'll be missing that fun stuff. Most people, even those who don't like psionics, would agree that it belongs in a steampunk setting more than most anything. *hands Ninja a Ring of Flaming Immunity* You'll be needing this...... ... Gah, now I have to add a floating subcontinent to my world!
Mazaron 05-01-07, 08:04 PM	3. Yes they use to live on the surface, and i would say 500-1000 years ago. **So lots of ruins then, maybe entire races of creatures still live there, animals adopted to live without sunlight but to live on whatever falls from the sky, as scavengers. Probably lots of big uglies in huge mushroom forests or the deep, pitch black, dark seas. You know they decided recedntly that a fossil found way back in the early 20th century was actually a 20 foot tall fungus (though not technically a mushroom). You could have some weird stuff. I understand you not wanting to go too alien, but there I would make some strange stuff. 4. Yes most animals are immune to the poison, and i plan to have a race live down there. (humans adapted to live down there maybe). ***Animals or monsters? EDIT: I dont want the animals to be that alien but, the dragon sounds like a nice touch[/QUOTE] ***Cloud and mist dragons, not sure where they are found in 3E and 3.5E books, would be quite at home in the sky. Also cloud rays, they were in the one of the 3E monster books. Monster Manual IV had another flying sting ray type thing, and Planescape had one called the slasarath I believe. Not sure if those are too alien for you. Maybe just one gender is floating, hydrogen filled gas bag (with regard to the dragons), maybe the males run about and hunt for the female, which floats around takes care of the young?
turalisj 05-01-07, 09:05 PM	Cloud dragons are from the dracominocon (called storm drakes, CR19 and would make most cities fear for thier existence), and cloud rays are from MM2.
Mazaron 05-01-07, 11:53 PM	Cloud dragons are from the dracominocon (called storm drakes, CR19 and would make most cities fear for thier existence), and cloud rays are from MM2. Hmm. MM2 (1st edition) cloud dragons were powerful but not dangerous. They were if memory serves a weather-themed neutralish dragon that was related to gold dragons and oriental dragons (back in 1E gold dragons looked and were treated to an extent like oriental dragons but later versions dropped it). I think the one you mention sounds quite a bit different.
turalisj 05-02-07, 07:23 AM	It's neutral aligned though, but just the idea that something so big was around might scare the populace.
Mazaron 05-02-07, 12:23 PM	It's neutral aligned though, but just the idea that something so big was around might scare the populace. The cloud dragons from 1E days weren't particularly large nor particulalry scary. Things must have changed, reminds of another thread about the various vesions of the yellow dragon which appear to be wholly unlike one another. It sounds like the cloud dragon you are thinking of is completely unlike the one I was thinking of. The one I knew was long and looked like an oriental dragon or earlier verisons of the gold dragon (definitely not the 3E version), had whiskers or barbels like oriental dragons did, was able to fly without wings, snaking through the sky, lived on cloud islands, and could turn into mist or cloud (though that may have been the long forgotten mist dragon). Both of these were in the 1E Monster Manual II if anyone remembers that.
turalisj 05-02-07, 05:33 PM	http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75649.jpg That what you are looking for?
Eladrinstar 05-02-07, 06:51 PM	Have you seen Castle in the Sky. It's an anime film, very good. It could give you a lot of inspiration towards the aesthitic and visual aspects of your world.
Mazaron 05-02-07, 09:44 PM	http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/draco_gallery/75649.jpg That what you are looking for? Looks about right!
turalisj 05-02-07, 09:49 PM	Get dracominocon, it has the stats for it. There's also a dragon called a howling dragon, native to Pandemonium.
Radijs 05-03-07, 04:53 AM	If you really want sailing ships you could modify an immovable rod. Rig it so that it will only move forwards and backwards, allows itself to be rotated and then you've got a viable way of replicating the effect of the water in combination with a sailing ship. To prevent capseizing you build the rod high into the ship, perhaps one-quarter up in the mast. To control height you add a pair of wings to the ship. Like the ones on the sub here: http://www.solarnavigator.net/images/submarine_vanguard_class_nuclear.jpg Of course they have to be bigger but they don't need to create lift. By tilting them up and down a helmsman can control the ships pitch. And of course the rudder on the rear of the ship (also needs to be bigger) to control a ships Yaw.
nofxsno1 05-03-07, 08:27 PM	Would it work to build a ship shaped like a pill, but more tapered at the edges? If it had some method of staying afloat, like a lighter-than-air wood (bottle of helium?), you might be able to deploy a sail that goes all the way around the ship.... I'm not sure if that description made any sense at all :thinks:
Mazaron 05-04-07, 12:14 AM	It's neutral aligned though, but just the idea that something so big was around might scare the populace. Sure. I will have to dig up my 1E MM2, but I don't recall the original cloud dragon being especially large.
Towel_Ninja 05-04-07, 03:06 AM	Well since i dont like technical stuff and d&d is obviusly not built on technicalities. Im just going to say the airship works and move on for now. I like the sound of those dragons and ill look into them tonight or tommorow. And it is monsters and animals that are immune. I will update and tidy up stuff tonight or tommorow (if cleaning doesnt take to long >.<)
Mazaron 05-05-07, 04:53 PM	Sure. I will have to dig up my 1E MM2, but I don't recall the original cloud dragon being especially large. Cloud Dragon From MM2 (1E): HD: 12-14 Size: 66 feet long Alignment: Neutral Cloud dragons are most solitary creaturese, and 95% will be encountered as a lone individual. While some live in caves which are shrouded by clouds, most (75%) dwell on cloud islands...They dislike intrusion and will either avoid contact or attack unwanted visitors. It is 75% unlikely that a cloud dragon could be distinguished from a normal cloud, as all of these creatures can assume a cohesive gaseous form at will. Three times a day a cloud dragon can exhale a blast of of air...all creatures caught within it will be blown around if they weigh less than 10 pounds times the hit points of the cloud dragon. Spell abilities gained by age include fog cloud, precipitation, stinking cloud, cloudburst, call lightning, weather summoning, control weather, and control winds. Cloud dragons appear to be fringed and frilled gold dragons. Coloration depends on surroundings and mood, ranging from dark gray (angry) through pearly white (netural) to golden or rose-colored (statisfied or very pleased). In solid form they have a translucent, opaline coloration with color specks reflecting mood. Also Mist Dragon From MM2 (1E) HD: 9-11 Size: 51 feet long Alignment: Neutral Also solitary creatures...found only near waterfalls, seacoasts, or in areas where rainfall is heavy...can assume a cohesive gaseous form and appear as mist, which is their favored state...if annoyed or threatened, they will, of course, assume solid form and attack. Can breathe out a cloud of misty vapors. Air breathing creatures within the cloud are blinded for 1-4 rounds (no save) and must save or sufer drowing damage for each round they remain within the cloud. Pretty much same spells cloud dragons get along with the spell zephyr. Mist dragons resemble gold dragons in body form [1E oriental style basically]. They are semitransparent even in material form and have a grayish-white to blue-white color. I had a cloud dragon as a still (shhh!) unseen and unknown aide/protector/guardian to the PCs in one campaign. They suspect something is up but don't know what. The cloud dragon I am using is a druid and is fond of taking the form of a small grayish songbird to watch on the PCs. I think both types would do well in an aerial campaign.
Mazaron 05-05-07, 05:00 PM	Of course, you might have subtypes or relatives. Mist Drakes might take a page from both the mist and cloud dragons and maybe the mist or steam mephit, basically small drake or dragon-type creatures than can take gaseous form. Smog Dragon is not Neutral but Neutral Evil, is a tainted form of cloud dragon, perhaps found near areas of industry. Alternately, might be the lords of the poisonous vapor below. Maybe they even war with the cloud and mist dragons, perhaps the cloud dragons are keep the smog dragons at bay, who want to extent their realm upwards. You might also have smoke dragons or smoke drakes, perhaps also associated with industry, maybe volcanic areas, or are summoned creatures, or even power hot air balloons and blimps and the like. Maybe there is sha'ir type character who make these various types work for him. He or she could control weather, provide good winds for an airship, provide bad winds for an enemy airship, clear a path through poisnous ground vapor, and provide an extra push for airships and balloons (if not powerful itself) by his mastery of cloud, mist, smoke dragons. Maybe instead this an ability of druids on your world. Just a thought!
Towel_Ninja 05-08-07, 10:32 PM	Well i feel bad, you've come up with more ideas then i have lol. Life has gotten more troublesome but, next week i will have plenty of free time to work on the world. And i really really like the idea of the dragons being the cause of the fog! and the other dragons keeping them at bay.
Radijs 05-09-07, 02:47 AM	Ah yes, but we cheat. We outnumber you.
Towel_Ninja 05-09-07, 02:38 PM	Well if you guys cheat then is should |-|4XX0R!!!
Towel_Ninja 05-09-07, 06:43 PM	!Sorry for not editing the last post but my computer isnt liking it for some reason O.o! Ok, i just decided to help myself with this world building and i will be using a Wiki! It will help me keep information organized and as soon as i have it up i will let you all know. (PS. I will also post the link)
nofxsno1 05-14-07, 09:05 PM	I just realized how much this reminds of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles... you could even have the characters need some sort of item to create a space of breathable air to go into the "miasma"