Post/Author/DateTime	Post
wizardofowls 06-19-07, 09:50 AM	I would love to hear your opinions, ideas and advice on a campaign world I am designing. If you read this, please just drop me a line or two and tell me what you think, even if it is just to say "I hate it." Thanks in advance! Allen PS A Note in Advance: Much of the info here would not be common knowledge to players, such as how windriggers are created, and details on navigators and shard-keys. WORLD PREMISE: Oramis was once a solid world like any other. A millennium ago, a war sprang up between two formidable mages (who also happened to be twin brothers but of differing ethical beliefs). This war raged on for many days, but neither mage could seem to get the upper hand. The final blow of this Wizard War was so potent that neither mage was able to contain it, and the world was shattered like a glass ball into a thousand pieces.. Since both mages were far more powerful than the Wizards’ Guild could handle, it was powerless to stop the war. Luckily, however, the Guild (some of whom were diviners) was able to foresee this disaster months before it actually happened and was prepared. Though unable to completely prevent this event - now referred to as the Shattering - they were able at least to save the world from total destruction. After determining how the world would be shattered, the Guild devised magical devices - called shard-keys - and placed one of them on each piece of land which would someday become a shard. These devices maintain each shard's gravity, atmosphere, climate, and stability. If a shard-key were ever to be removed from the shard it was designed to protect, that shard would lose all of these things and would pose a hazard to other shards as it spun out of control. All of these shards were suspended inside a large envelope of air and set to floating within it in random, ever-shifting patterns. Millions of people died in the ensuing chaos which followed the War’s conclusion. Common people, blaming mages for the destruction and death, hunted down and slew many wizards. Much knowledge of magic was lost. Modern mages have yet to duplicate many of the marvels that have been accredited to those ancient wizards - including the magic which created shard-keys! Even today, after one thousand years, mages are still feared, shunned, and - in many places - actively hunted, despite the fact that they were instrumental in saving the world from total destruction. Undaunted they have continued to be of great service to man, creating the windriggers which provide transportation from shard to shard. (Selections from) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Air Traffic Controllers' Guild: The group which is now responsible for the creation and sale of windriggers. This Guild is rumored to be a branch of RASAMA-TAS. The Guild is completely neutral, and will sell windriggers to most anyone who has enough money to buy one. (See also: RASAMA-TAS; Windrigger.) Darkfall: Oramian term for the brief periods of semi-darkness resulting from one shard passing between another shard and the sun, temporarily casting its shadow on the other shard. Darkfall may also occur when an individual shard’s rotation causes it to briefly turn away from the sun. Darkfall can last anywhere from a few minutes to several days, depending on many factors. At least one shard, the shard called Dark Haven, is known to remain in darkness all of the time because it is somehow linked to another, larger shard, which always blocks it from receiving sunlight. (See Lexicon of Shards: Dark Haven. See also: Shard.) Dragon Lancers: Windrigger crews who actively hunt dragons to sell their bones and hides to the Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild for the manufacture of windriggers. (See also: Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild; Grays; Windrigger.) Dragoneers: Special windrigger crew members who specialize in protecting ships from dragon attacks. They often use special harpoons and lances especially enchanted for this purpose. Unlike Dragon Lancers, Dragoneers are only concerned with the protection of the windrigger they are currently working on, not with harvesting the bodies of dragons. (See also: Dragon Lancers; Windrigger.) Fragments: There are seven of these shards which are actually almost large enough to be called continents. One of these is even large enough to enclose a large inland sea. (See also: Shard.) Globe: A puzzle/game popular with Oramian children. A three-dimensional glass ball which, when disassembled, becomes miniature models of all of the shards. Curiously, when the ball is reassembled, it is hollow. Magical versions of this game have been created which can be used as oracular devices. To use one the holder simply drops the solid ball on a semi-hard surface. The pattern the pieces land in is said to be able to predict future events. However, with one thousand pieces, the possible permutations are endless. It is nearly impossible to use an oracular globe without first consulting a Pattern Book. (See also: Pattern Book; Shard.) Gray: Dragons of the Shattered World are vastly different from those of other worlds. In the Shattered World, dragon bones and skins are the major components in the construction of windskiffs and windriggers. Thus dragons are heavily hunted for these commodities which can bring high profits on the black market. Dragon females give birth to large clutches of eggs which the mother then abandons. As the young dragons begin to hatch from their eggs, those which are quicker and stronger begin to break the other eggs and eat their siblings. As the survivors grow, they leave the nest and begin to congregate with other immature grays in flocks. Flocks of grays (so-called because their hide has not yet developed a color and appears as a neutral gray) are a common site. At this point they have no more than animal intelligence. When they reach adulthood, their hide begins to take on its color, intelligence begins to develop, and a breath weapon develops. At the mature adult stage all Oramian dragons gain the ability to polymorph self. The dragons of Oramis do not follow the same patterns of those of other worlds. Skin color is NOT indicative of alignment or of breath weapon! It is entirely possible to have a chaotic evil gold dragon with a flame breath weapon! Each Oramian dragon is unique and will NEVER be found as a random encounter! Moon: Before the Shattering, Oramis - like many other worlds - had a moon called Selene. It is theorized that when the world “exploded,” the sudden loss of gravity and the force of the explosion hurled it into space, leaving Oramis moonless. If this is true, then it becomes difficult to explain why the priestesses of Selene still revere the moon and - mysteriously - still retain their spell-casting ability and other granted powers! Some sages have theorized that this can be explained in one of two ways. First, perhaps some other power has adopted the moon’s portfolio and has “adopted” the priesthood as its own under the guise of Selene. Second, perhaps the moon was not lost at all, it just isn’t visible now because of the fact that there is no longer a true night. (See also: Oramis; Shattering, The.) Navigator: Navigators are strange and mysterious beings who are present on all windriggers. No one seems to know exactly who or what they are. It has been rumored that navigators are diviners, using their magic to know exactly where any given shard is located at any given time. Navigators appear as faceless humanoids wearing midnight-blue hooded robes and have never been known to speak. It is forbidden to touch a navigator. (DM'S NOTE: The following information is NOT considered general knowledge, and as such it should not be made available to the players unless and until they discover it on their own. The reason it is forbidden to touch a navigator is because the navigator is not really there at all: it is merely an illusion projected by the ship itself. Unknown to the general public, windriggers are actually sentient beings - probably dragons - magically shaped by mages to look like ships. Somehow, possibly through a natural homing instinct or a natural magical ability, they are aware at all times of exactly where each shard is at any given moment and whether or not there are any other shards blocking a given route. The "navigator” illusion is used simply so that windrigger captains may have somewhere to direct their orders for destinations.) (See also: Shard; Windrigger.) Oramis: Setting for the Shattered World campaign. Once a solid world, Oramis was blown apart as the result of a Wizard War fought between twin brothers, both of whom were powerful mages. Due to a great deal of foresight and Foresight by diviners of the Wizards’ Guild, Oramis was saved but forever changed. Today, Oramis is composed of one thousand floating islands (called shards) suspended within an envelope of air which revolves around the Oramian sun in approximately the same position formerly occupied by the pre-Shattering world. True night is now unknown in the shards, though some shards experience brief twilight-like hours of semi-darkness (known as darkfall). Unfortunately, the moon is believed to have been blown from its orbit and is now nothing more than a fondly-remembered legend. (See also: Darkfall; Moon; Shard; Shattering, The; Wizard War; Wizards' Guild.) RASAMA-TAS: An acronym which stands for The Royal Academy for the Study and Advancement of the Mystical Arts and Thaumaturgical Analysis School. This is the formal name of the Wizards’ Guild. The Guild formally and openly receives the endorsement of the shards comprising the Kusaran Alliance, since its main goal is the Restoration of the world to its former solid shape. Branches of RASAMA-TAS, also known less commonly as the Wizards’ Guild, are known (at least to mages) to exist on many shards, however most -except for the University on Tartassos - exist in secret owing to the paranoia most mundanes feel toward mages. (See Lexicon of Shards: Tartassos. See also: Kusaran Alliance; Mundane; Restoration, The; Shard; University on Tartassos; Wizards’ Guild.) Seas: The seas of Oramis have changed, as has the rest of the world. When the Shattering occurred, seas and lakes which were not land-bound flooded off the shards into the Wind Ways. Today, the seas (and there are seven of these) resemble large, free-floating, amorphous globs of fluid. There are also several fresh water “lakes.” Some aquatic life still remains in the seas of Oramis, supported at its most basic level by plankton. Seas appear bluish-green from a distance, while lakes are blue. (See also: Oramis; Shattering, The; Wind Ways, The.) Shard: Any of the one thousand floating remnants of what was once the world of Oramis,resembling free-floating islands. They are composed of three parts: topside, shard-edge, and shard-root. A shard’s stability, atmosphere, climate, and gravity are maintained by magical devices known as shard-keys the existence of which is a closely kept secret. Windriggers must approach a shard at the shardedge. Otherwise, the shard’s gravity could possibly pull them down and result in shipwrecks. Due to the lack of a large, solid world to block the sun’s rays, there is no true night. Most shards will occasionally experience temporary periods of twilight-like darkness (called “darkfall”) as another shard’s path prevents it from receiving the sun’s rays, or, if the shard rotates, it may turn “upside-down” away from the sun. Otherwise, the shard-world is stuck in a perpetual state of never-ending day. Obviously telling time is much more difficult here than on other worlds. Luckily, all of the inhabitants of the world of shards have developed strong internal clocks which lets everyone know when it is time to sleep. How this works is unknown, but it may be a side-effect of the same magic which provides each shard with its gravity and atmosphere. Magic varies from shard to shard. Some shards have normal magic, some have wild magic areas, and still others have dead magic areas, all of which are residual effects from the unleashing of the powerful magicks which caused the Shattering. (See also: Darkfall; Oramis, Shard-edge; Shard-Key; Shard-Root; Top-Side; Windrigger.) Shard-Edge: The rim of a shard; the point from which - if one continues walking - one will fall off the shard into the Wind Ways. (See also: Shard; Wind Ways, The.) Shard-Key: Magical devices which exist on each and every shard. These devices maintain a shard’s gravity, climate, atmosphere, and stability. If a key is ever destroyed or removed from the shard it was designed to maintain, the shard will become unstable and could pose a threat to other shards as it becomes uncontrolled and uncontrollable. No two shards’ keys are exactly alike, their forms being disguised so that you would not know what you were looking at even if you saw one. On shards which have ruling families, it is usual that this family will have the shard-key under its protection, since the possession of a key would basically give the holder complete control over the shard and its inhabitants. (An old Oramian proverb says, “He who holds the ability to destroy a thing controls a thing.”) In the hands of a tyrant or other person with less than pure motives, the possession of a shard-key would be equivalent to holding the entire shard - and everyone on it - hostage, since simply by breaking it he would be sentencing everyone and everything on the shard to death. Also known as “keystones,” or simply as “Keys.” (DM'S NOTE: The following information is NOT considered general knowledge and as such should not be made available to the players unless and until they discover it on their own. Shard-keys are actually sentient, intelligent artifacts that bond with their owners. They will not bond with anyone of chaotic or evil alignment. If such a person gains possession of a shard-key, the key will attempt to take over the mind of its new owner. If this fails, it will attempt to change the person’s alignment to something more fitting. It is up to the DM to decide what powers each individual key possesses, but each should have powers designed to prevent them from falling into the hands of the wrong person, as well as defensive powers in case they do.) (See also: Shard.) Shard-Root: The underside of a shard which hangs down much like the root of a tooth. Shard-Roots are popular nesting spots for dragons. (See also: Shard.) Shipstone: A shipstone is a smaller, much less powerful version of a shard-key. It is this object which provides a windrigger with gravity. Navigators recognize the holder of a shipstone as captain and will obey only the holder’ commands. Also called “shipkeys.” (See also: Navigator; Shard-Key; Windrigger.) Topside: The upper portion of a shard. (See also: Shard.) Wind Ways, The: The space that exists between the shards. A chaotic, wind-filled area dominated by strong air currents and buffeting winds. Sometimes referred to as simply as “the ‘Ways.” There is no gravity in the ‘Ways, so anything which falls into the ‘Ways without some means of self-propulsion will be buffeted haphazardly by the winds. It is nearly impossible to determine time and direction in the ‘Ways unaided. (See also: Shard.) Windrigger: Magical conveyances which resemble normal ships but have the ability to fly, allowing travel from shard to shard. Most windriggers may also land on water. Windriggers are built from the bones and hides of young skywyrms called Grays. All windriggers have a mysterious figure known simply as the Navigator onboard. Creation and sale of windriggers are controlled and regulated by the Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild. Rumor has it, however, that one of the mages who first learned how to create windriggers has gone rogue, and is helping the Sky Pirates of Gao-Den to create an armada of pirate windriggers. (See also: Air Traffic Controllers’ Guild; Gray; Navigators; Rogue Mage; Shard; Shipstone; Sky Pirates of Gao-Den; Skywyrm; Wind Ways, The.) Windskiff: A windskiff is a small flying boat designed to accommodate no more than six people. Unlike windriggers, a windskiff is a man-made vessel. Because of this, it has no navigator, and therefore the pilot is on his own when determining direction, routes, etc. (See also: Navigator; Windrigger.)
wizardofowls 06-19-07, 11:23 AM	Here is more info about Oramis, this time dealing with magic in the Shattered World. I have repeated a couple of selections here, but only because they deal with Oramian magic. (More Selections from) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Air Traffic Controllers' Guild: The group which is now responsible for the creation and sale of windriggers. This Guild is rumored to be a branch of RASAMA-TAS. The Guild is completely neutral, and will sell windriggers to most anyone who has enough money to buy one. (See also: RASAMA-TAS; Windrigger.) Cabal, The: A group of rogue wizards who study the art of necromancy. They have banded together for the sole purpose of self-preservation, and are believed to have a covert shard base hidden somewhere. The name of this shard and its location are kept secret by members of the Cabal. They believe that the Restoration is a hopeless goal, a fool's errand, and are more interested in their own studies and goals - primarily the destruction of RASAMA-TAS. (See also: RASAMA-TAS, Restoration, The; Rogue Wizard; Shard.) Circle, The: A group of rogue wizards (mostly demon conjurers, wild mages, and necromancers) who believe in the goals of RASAMA-TAS, but believe that the solution to the problem of the Restoration lies within the forbidden schools of magic (since the Guild has obviously had no luck using the more widely accepted schools). This group desires a shard-key to study in order to unlock its secrets in the hope of achieving this goal, and will pay HANDSOMELY to get their hands on one. (See also: Demon Conjurer; RASAMA-TAS; Restoration, The; Rogue Wizard; Shard-Key.) Demon Conjurer: A type of conjurer specialty mage who specializes in the summoning of demons. Demon conjuring is considered a forbidden art, and all such conjurers are considered rogue mages. (See also: Rogue Mage.) Guild Mages: Because of the Wizard War, which resulted in the Shattering of the world of Oramis, the general public is fearful of mages. As a result, the Wizards’ Guild has had to become an underground organization. Even so, the Wizards’ Guild is a powerful organization. One of the main purposes of the Guild is to seek out new mages and try to convince them to join the Guild. There are two main reasons for this. First and foremost, it allows the Guild to keep tabs on all Guild mages. If these mages do anything to jeopardize the Guild or any of its members or goals (by the open use of magic, following forbidden schools of magic, etc.), they may be dealt with by the Guild. Second, in return for joining the Guild, a mage gets certain benefits. He has a place to go to get supplies and training if they become needed. He may recruit other mages to help in an adventure or other endeavor. He is welcome to use the Guild’s laboratories and libraries to further his own studies (as long as these do not interfere with the Guild’s objectives). One of the conditions of joining the Wizards' Guild is that the mage must agree under a binding oath that he will not create any new spells or magic items without the expressed approval of the Guild. Also, any magic items found by the mage must be viewed and approved by the Guild before they may become anyone's personal property (thus the Guild may weed out any items deemed too powerful or dangerous for use). Any mage who refuses to join the Guild is branded a rogue mage, and is actively hunted by Guild mages. The term “The Wizards’ Guild” is somewhat misleading. It is actually just another name for RASAMA-TAS. (See also: Oramis; RASAMA-TAS; Rogue Wizard; Shattering, The; Wizard War; Wizards’ Guild.) High Magus: The leader of RASAMA-TAS. The current High Magus is a female human named Salandra Norfressa. (See Who’s Who in the Shattered World: Salandra Norfressa. See also: RASAMA-TAS) Mundane: Wizard slang for anyone who is unable to harness the power of magic RASAMA-TAS: An acronym which stands for The Royal Academy for the Study and Advancement of the Mystical Arts and Thaumaturgical Analysis School. This is the formal name of the Wizards’ Guild. The Guild formally and openly receives the endorsement of the shards comprising the Kusaran Alliance, since its main goal is the Restoration of the world to its former solid shape. Branches of RASAMA-TAS, also known less commonly as the Wizards’ Guild, are known (at least to mages) to exist on many shards, however most -except for the University on Tartassos - exist in secret owing to the paranoia most mundanes feel toward mages. (See Lexicon of Shards: Tartassos. See also: Kusaran Alliance; Mundane; Restoration, The; Shard; University on Tartassos; Wizards’ Guild.) Restoration, The: The name applied by Guild Mages to the major goal of RASAMA-TAS - the restoration of Oramis into a solid whole. (See also: Guild Mages; Oramis; RASAMA-TAS.) Rogue Wizard: A wizard who has refused to join the Wizards’ Guild. Such mages are hunted by Guild mages. It is rumored that the Wizards’ Guild sometimes sells information concerning known rogue wizards to the radical organization known as the Witch Hunters. (See also: Guild Mages; Witch Hunters; Wizards’ Guild.) Windtamer: Windtamers are a special type of mage which can often be found on Windriggers. They have focused their abilities into harnessing and taming the Wind Ways, making travel therein much easier. (See Windrigger; Wind Ways) Witch Hunters: Because of the fear the general public has of wizards, Witch Hunters have become very popular. These men and women seek out and slay known mages, even Guild mages if they can do so without getting caught. Witch Hunters have an innate magic sense which they use to track down and slay wizards. It is known that the Wizards’ Guild often sells information about known rogue wizards to Witch Hunters. It is rumored that the Witch Hunters are a branch of the Children of the Light. Also referred to as Mageslayers. (See also: Children of the Light; Guild Mages; Rogue Wizard; Wizards’ Guild.) Wizards’ Guild: Unlike the guilds of most worlds, the Wizards’ Guild is a secret organization. Because of the effect the Wizard War had on the world of Oramis, the general public is frightened of wizards. Because of this, all wizards MUST be Guild mages. Those who are not are branded rogues and are hunted down by Guild mages. The primary goal of the Guild is to find a way to reunite the shards back into a solid, whole world again, and thus regain the confidence of the general public (referred to as “the Restoration”). The term “Wizards’ Guild” is misleading. The Wizards’ Guilds are actually local branches of RASAMA-TAS, a magical university based on the shard Tartassos, a member-shard of the Kusaran Alliance. (See also: Guild Mages; Kusaran Alliance; Oramis; RASAMA-TAS; Restoration, The; Rogue Mage; Shard; University on Tartassos; Wizard War.) Wizard War: The catastrophic war in which the world of Oramis was shattered into myriad shards. (See also: Shard; Oramis.) (Selections from) THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Magus: (DM 'S NOTE: The very existence of this shard, much less its purpose, is NOT considered general knowledge and as such should not be made available to the players unless and until they discover it on their own.) One of the best kept secrets of Oramis, this shard is believed to be a “graveyard” for those magic items the Wizards’ Guild has branded too powerful for use. Its location is known only to the High Magus of RASAMA-TAS and his (or her) appointed successors. Magus is one of the most highly guarded and shielded locations in the world. Obviously its very existence is not known to the general public. It is rumored to be a desert shard and an area of “dead” magic. No known spell or magic item will work here. How it retains its gravity and atmosphere are not known, since obviously a shard-key won’t (or at least shouldn’t) work here. Tartassos: Home of RASAMA-TAS (The Royal Academy for the Study and Advancement of the Mystical Arts and Thaumaturgical Analysis School). Tartassos is an ancient site with a mystical and mysterious history. Home of the legendary Library at Tartassos, which was known to exist even before the coming of the Dragon Lords! (Selections from) WHO’S WHO IN THE SHATTERED WORLD Salandra Norfressa: The current High Magus of RASAMA-TAS.
Mic 06-19-07, 11:45 AM	I really like what I've read so far. I was toying with the idea of a world of floating islands myself, and really like the way you made it happen (the shattering), as well as your explanation for the retaining of gravity (the shard keys, love 'em). Keep it going! oh and: Witch Hunters: Because of the fear the general public has of wizards, Witch Hunters have become very popular. These men and women seek out and slay known mages, even Guild mages if they can do so without getting caught. Witch Hunters have an innate magic sense which they use to track down and slay wizards. It is known that the Wizards’ Guild often sells information about known rogue wizards to Witch Hunters. It is rumored that the Witch Hunters are a branch of the Children of the Light. Also referred to as Mageslayers. (See also: Children of the Light; Guild Mages; Rogue Wizard; Wizards’ Guild.) who are the Cildren of the Light?
wizardofowls 06-19-07, 12:19 PM	Here is some more info about Oramis, this time dealing with dwarves. Please note that I am only just returning to the game after a long absence, and much of what is written here was based on second edition rules. I have not yet gotten around to updating it. (Selections from) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: DWARVES: The dwarves of Oramis are similar in many respects to the dwarves of other worlds, yet vastly different in others. As a result of the Shattering which resulted in the destruction of their underground kingdoms, the dwarves have been forced to live on the surface for the past 1,000 years. This has taken its toll on the stout folk. The dwarves have become a very dark, somber, and brooding folk who spend much of their time drinking and telling sad tales of the glories of their lost kingdoms, especially Ostoria which was considered to be the crown jewel of the dwarven race. Today the dwarves have taken to other means of finding their place in the world. Many have become prospectors, traveling the Wind Ways in windskiffs, searching the shards for traces of gold and other metals. Others have turned to commerce, and many have become members of the Sky Merchants’ Guild. (A popular Oramian saying is, “If you want the best, buy dwarven.”) The life of an Oramian dwarf is very much tied up with the concept of honor. A dwarf must try to live as honorably as possible, and insults to a dwarf’s honor can have dire consequences to the offending party. If a dwarf somehow manages to dishonor himself, he becomes suicidal. Such dwarves often seek out their own deaths by hunting down and trying to slay powerful creatures. Their honor demands that they try to win such a fight, but in their hearts they are hoping to die. Such dwarves become Troll-Sayers. A dwarf who kills another dwarf without just cause is branded nithingr, a dwarven term implying shaming and disgrace, that is often associated with traitors. Such criminals can be slain on sight by any dwarf. A dwarf's chief love is toil. A dwarf is never happier than when there is a cause to work or fight for, something he can approach with stoic single-mindedness for weeks, months, years, or even decades. Once a dwarf's mind is committed to a certain task, he will only set it aside after a great deal of grumbling and coercion. The fulfillment he achieves upon completion of a lengthy, difficult task is what he strives for. The task to which a dwarf is presently committed is referred to as his focus. A dwarf's focus must be a feat requiring at least one week to complete. Shorter term goals cannot be considered a focus. While performing tasks that are directly related to his focus, a dwarf receives a +1 bonus to all his saving throws and a +2 bonus to all his proficiency rolls (or +10% to any percentile roll). Actually, a dwarf's commitment to his focus is based in his physiology - those who complete their lives before they complete their foci live out their afterlives as dwarven banshees, haunting their unfinished works! A dwarf takes notice of other beings based upon his focus. If the other being is also actively committed to the dwarf's focus, the dwarf will consider him a sensible and dependable companion. If, however, the other being is vehemently opposed to the dwarf's focus, the two will be irrevocably at odds until one or the other is dead. There is very little room for compromise in the mind of a dwarf. The tragic ‘secret’ of the dwarves is their low birthrate. The low dwarven birthrate is thought to be due to low fertility among dwarven women. To complicate matters even further, a devastating plague ran through the dwarven clans a few (years? decades? centuries?) ago. Unfortunately the disease proved fatal. Even worse, it only affected females. Today only 1/4 of all dwarves are female. Males are VERY protective of their females (perhaps overly so). All dwarven adventurers will be male except in VERY rare cases (DM’s approval). Rumor among non-dwarves has it that female dwarves have “harems” of husbands, in the belief that the more husbands a female has, the better her chances of getting pregnant, and bolstering the waning number of dwarves. (DM’S NOTE: This rumor is true. Should a female get pregnant, all the males in a female’s “harem” of husbands act as fathers to the newborn child. The birth of a female child is especially celebrated. Females are slender and ALWAYS wear veils. No non-dwarven male has ever seen a female dwarf unveiled. Rumor has it that dwarven females are bearded, but this has yet to be proven. And the males will neither deny nor confirm this rumor. (DM’S NOTE: This rumor is false. Female dwarves of Oramis have no beards despite persistent rumors to the contrary. It is common among other settings to have bearded female dwarves, but here such a thing is unheard of. Legends do tell of distant lands where the women have beards, but such a thought seems strange to the dwarves here.) Male dwarves consider it rude to discuss a female dwarf’s appearance, especially among non-dwarves. Dwarves of Oramis do not cut their beards. They find the mere thought of doing so to be repulsive. Tradition within the dwarven community states that the length of the beard is the measure of the dwarf. A dwarf with a short beard is either shunned or pitied. Fear of clan extinction sometimes drives dwarves to raid human settlements for mates, or even to deal with slavers. The dwarves are usually in search of human women. The offspring of a human and a dwarf is usually (95%) dwarven enough to pass for a true dwarf (although it may be a foot taller than other dwarves). Any offspring it may in turn have with a dwarven mate will be fully dwarven reverting to usual dwarven height. A small percentage of human-dwarf pairings (5%) will result in a Mul, a sterile half-dwarf which inherits some traits from both parents. (See Mul in the Player's Rulebook the DM has prepared.) The taking of human mates is the “secret salvation of the race” referred to by some dwarven elders. Dwarves will NOT ride on horses (ponies okay). Oramian dwarves do not have the detection abilities of the standard AD&D dwarf, nor do they have infravision. Oramian dwarves do, however, receive the following abilities: Axe and Hammer Bonus: They have no special bonus to attack certain monsters, but gain a general +1 to attacks with battle-axes and war-hammers, the favored weapons of their race. Dwarves are considered (with just cause) to be the world’s undisputed masters of these weapons. Dense Skin: They have no special skill at fighting giants, but the unusual density of the dwarven frame protects dwarves from some kinds of attacks; they suffer only half damage from crushing, bludgeoning, or constricting attacks. Determine Age: By examining a building or ruins, the dwarf stands an excellent chance of determining the approximate age of the structure. The chance of success is 1-5 on 1d6. Determine Stability: The dwarf is an expert at determining if the ground is stable. By concentrating for one round, the character can determine if there will be a dangerous tremor, collapse, rock-fall, or slide when the character enters an area. The chance of success is 1-5 on 1d6. Expert Haggler: The dwarf drives a hard bargain. Anything he purchases costs 10% less than the listed price. Infallible Trail Memory: Once a dwarf has been on a certain path, or followed a certain trail, he can never forget that particular trail or path. This is why dwarves had no problems finding their way around in their labyrinthine mines. This recall is as accurate as a map, perhaps even more so since a map can have errors, while a dwarf's recall is flawless. Internal Compass: Dwarves stand an excellent chance of knowing in what direction they are facing. The chance of success is 1-5 on 1d6. Resistance to Direction-Confusing Spells: Dwarves receive a 90% resistance to Maze, Lose the Path, and any other similar spell which would confuse one's sense of direction. This resistance, like an elf's resistance to Sleep and Charm spells, must be overcome before any saving throw becomes necessary. Saving Throw Bonuses: Dwarves retain the resistance to magic standard dwarves possess. However it must be noted that dwarves have their own variety of magic called runecasting. Please note that their saving throw bonuses DO NOT APPLY TOWARD RUNE MAGIC! The dwarven race has its own culture and crafts, and these may be quantified by NWPs. Below are listed the NWPs most highly recommended because they reflect the dwarven heritage. Note that these NWPs are merely recommended, for the sake of characterization. Players are not required to choose from these lists for their dwarven characters, nor do they receive any as bonus NWPs. If a proficiency is not recommended for the dwarf's kit or class, it costs another NWP slot, just as it would for any other character. (Please note that, because dwarves place a different emphasis on some things, some NWPs are placed in different groups. For instance, ALL dwarves need to know how to survive underground, so the Survival (Underground) NWP is a common one rather than a Warrior NWP.) General: Appraising, Armorer, Artistic Ability, Blacksmithing, Brewing, Dwarf Runes, Endurance, Engineering, Fire-building, Fungi Recognition, Gem Cutting, Local Dwarf History, Locksmithing, Mining, Pottery, Rope Use, Smelting, Slow Respiration, Sound Analysis, Stonemasonry, Survival (Underground), Underground Navigation, Weaponsmithing. Thief: Alertness, Ancient History, Blind-fighting, Pest Control, Set Snares. Priest: Ancient History, Chanting, Languages (Ancient), Soothsaying. Warrior: Alertness, Blind-fighting, Close-quarter Fighting, Gaming, Hunting, Intimidation, Mountaineering, Survival (Hills, Mountains). Other Notes: Sub-races Allowed: Oramian Dwarves, Wild Dwarves. Classes Allowed: Fighter, Thief, Cleric, Runecaster, Psionicist. New Kits: Troll Slayers (Any), Merchant (Rogue), Prospectors (Any). MUL (HALF-DWARVES): A mul (pronounced: mule) is the incredibly tough product of a mating between a human and a dwarf. Muls are built like small mountains, and possess strength and endurance to match. As a race, muls are unique in that they cannot reproduce; they are born infertile and cannot perpetuate their kind, and so have no family groups or communities that are purely mul. Still, however, they are definitely a distinct race from either parent. A mul gets what are, perhaps, the best attributes from each of its parents. He retains the height and agility as well as Intelligence and cunning of his human parent. From his dwarven parent the mul gets a well-muscled frame and an incredible constitution - mul laborers can perform heavy work for days at a time without stopping. A full-grown mul stands from 6 to 6 1/2 feet tall and weighs 240-300 pounds. He is fair skinned, though sometimes tending toward a coppery or steely gray coloration. His eyes are generally bright blue. A mul's eyebrow ridges are pronounced, and the ears are usually slightly pointed and swept toward the back of the head. Muls have stern facial features, otherwise they are unmistakably human in appearance. Muls, whether male or female, have no hair or beard. Tattoos of decoration are common. Muls are outcasts from both human and dwarven society, and are so few in number as to make it impossible for them to have a society of their own. Many muls die in infancy or childhood. Many of those who survive live independent lives all over Oramis. Of these, a large percentage have bartered their combat prowess, making their way as soldiers or guards. A few others, given to more cerebral pursuits, have turned to priestly devotions or the mental disciplines of psionics. Muls are given to gruff personalities and violent reactions. Understandably, many never seek friends or companionship, driven by hatred and spite. Many others turn to crime in their early years, living on the fringes of human or dwarven communities and making their living by plundering those communities. Muls sometimes find some semblance of normal life living among goblins, though the lure of a life of crime is still strong there. Most, however, learn who to trust and who not to, gaining favor and reputation among whatever group with whom they choose to ally themselves. When created, the player must decide if his mul character will be considered a demihuman or a human character. As a human, the mul character can have unlimited advancement in any class and become a dual-classed character later in his career. As a demihiuman, a mul can become a multi-classed character in accordance with the multi-classed combinations table in the next chapter. Once the decision is made, the mul character will forever be considered either a human or demihuman in all ways. Mul characters can be fighters (limit 15th level), clerics (to 10th level), druids (limit 12th level), wildmages (limit 9th level), thieves (limit 12th level), bards (up to 10th level), or psionicists (unlimited). They may be multi-classed fighter/thieves, fighter/clerics, fighter/wildmages, fighter/psionicists, cleric/thieves, cleric/psionicists, wildmage/thieves, psionict/thieves, fighter/thief/clerics, or fighter/thief/psionicits. Mul bards use the wildmage level variation table, with normal chances for a wild surge when casting spells. Appropriate kits for half-dwarven fighters include the pirate/outlaw, axe for hire, and outcast kits. Half-dwarven thieves may take any human thief kit. The ghetto fighter kit is very appropriate for half-dwarven fighter/thieves. A mul character adds two to his initial Strength score and one to his initial Constitution score. However, they are not especially bright, so mul characters subtract one from their initial Intelligence scores. The rigors of their upbringing makes them sullen, difficult to befriend, and very uncharismatic, thus mul characters subtract two from their initial Charisma scores. A mul's endurance is well documented. A mul can exert himself for long periods of hard labor that would exhaust most other races. A mul can perform heavy labor - including stone construction, quarry work, running, or similar activities - for 24 hours without stopping. He can perform medium labor - including lighter construction, mining, climbing, or jogging - for 36 hours. Light labor - which includes combat training, walking unencumbered, or similar activities - can be undertaken for 48 continuous hours without stopping. If a mul paces himself to normal activities no more difficult than walking, he can continue without rest for up to 15 days. Of course, such exertion is tiring and uncomfortable for the mul, so all muls prefer a standard eight hours of sleep per day unless there is an emergency that calls for long stretches of unbroken activity. Regardless of the preceding type of exertion, eight hours of sleep will let a mul become fully rested, ready to begin work again. Combat: A mul's enhanced physical abilities make him a capable fighter. A mul can attack once per round with his fist, causing 1-3 hp damage, or he may attack with a weapon. Any weapon attack receives a +1 bonus to damage because of the mul's strength. There is a 50% chance that any mul will have a psionic wild talent. The nature of the wild talent should be determined as de scribed in the Complete Psionics Handbook. Habitat/Society: The individual mul is a naturally great warrior, thus a mul will most often make his living as a warrior. He can always find ready employment as an elite mercenary, in the permanent guard of a noble family or a merchant house, or as a gladiator. His strength usually commands a good price as a laborer. Because muls are terrific warriors and laborers, they are in great demand despite their characteristic independence and gruff personalities. Muls are noted for retaining much of the stubbornness of their dwarven parent. A mul who sets his mind on something will generally succeed. Most people recognize their single-mindedness and seldom wish to fight it. Independent mul priests and psionicists are not unheard of. Ecology: Muls are born sterile. While they can and often do take mates and live in loving relationships, they can never have children of their own. The only way a mul can be born is to a mixed pair of dwarven and human parents. Even then, the risk to the mother is grave; large-boned mul babies are difficult to carry to term, and one in ten pregnancies results in the death of both mother and child. A mul can expect to live 85 years. Mul Racial Abilities: Dense Skin: If the mul is struck by a blunt weapon, the character suffers only half the damage the attack would normally inflict. Infravision: Muls have infravision to 60 feet. Languages: Being of mixed parentage, a mul is usually fluent in both Common and the dwarven language. Saving Throw Bonuses: Some muls share their dwarven parent’s resistance to poison and magic. This ability duplicates the dwarven ability. Racial Ability Adjustments: +2 Strength, +1 Constitution, -1 Intelligence, -2 Charisma Racial Ability Requirements: Strength: 10/20 Dexterity: 5/20 Constitution: 8/20 Intelligence: 5/20 Wisdom: 5/20 Charisma: 5/20 Height and Weight: Height in Inches: Base: 66/65 Mod: 2d6 Weight in Pounds: Base: 220/180 Mod: 5d20 Age: Starting Base Age: 15 Variable: 1d6 Maximum Age Range (Base + variable): 80+1d10 Aging Effects: Middle Age (-1 Str/Con): 40 Old Age (-2 Str/Dex; -1 Con; +1 Wis): 53 Venerable (-1 Str/Dex/Con; +1 Int/Wis): 80 Thieving Skill Racial Adjustments: Pick pockets: - Open locks: -5% Find/remove traps: - Move silently: +5% Hide in shadows: - Detect Noise: - Climb walls: +5% Read languages: -5% Mu1 Exertion Tab1e Type of Exertion: Time Before Rest: Heavy Labor (stone construction, quarry work, running) 24+Con hours Medium Labor (light construction, mining, jogging) 36+Con hours Light Labor (combat raining, walking encumbered) 48+Con hours Normal Activity (walking, conversation) Con days (From) THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Ostoria: Before the Shattering, Ostoria was the greatest of the underground dwarven kingdoms. When the Shattering occurred Ostoria was ripped apart. With their caverns and tunnels collapsing all around them, the dwarves were forced to retreat to the surface. (See also: Dwarves; Shattering, The.)
wizardofowls 06-19-07, 12:22 PM	Thanks for your interest in my world, Mic! Here is the info you requested. (From) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Children of the Light: A militant organization composed of extremist Lawful Good members who are fanatically driven to further their own alignment. They use inquisition-like tactics to find and convert those who are not Lawful Good to their own system of beliefs. It is rumored that the radical group called the Witch Hunters is in some way connected to this organization, since the Children condemn mages and all things magical in nature. Based on the shard called Caemlyn. (See The Lexicon of Shards: Caemlyn. See also: Shard; Witch Hunters.) (From) THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Caemlyn: Home shard of the Children of the Light.
wizardofowls 06-19-07, 01:42 PM	Here is some more info about Oramis, this time dealing with elves. Please note that I am only just returning to the game after a long absence, and much of what is written here was based on second edition rules. I have not yet gotten around to updating it. (From) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Elves: The elves of Oramis, like dwarves, are similar to, yet different from the elves of other worlds. Oramian elves have the abilities of communion, manifestation, resistance to heat and cold, and resistance to disease described in the Complete Book of Elves. They do not possess infravision, but they can see by starlight or moonlight as well as a human sees by day. Elves have no special knowledge of secret or concealed doors, but they retain their ability to surprise opponents when alone. Elves are always aware - no matter where they are - of the positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Elves of the Shattered World enjoy a couple of other benefits. Firstly, elves are not just long-lived, they are true immortals who never die unless slain by weapon or mischance. They also cannot be affected by aging attacks. In addition, they receive one other ability: the elven death rede. When an elf dies, any elf who has shared communion with him will receive a death rede. That is, when dying an elf can by some means project his or her final thoughts unto another elf. It is a traumatic blow unto the recipient, for elves are immortal, and for one to die means that a virtually unthinkable event has occurred to a loved one. A death rede is the final message of the dying elf, and it often contains visions as well as the elf's last words. Lastly, elves of one of the royal houses have one other ability: Asperii have forged special bond with those of royal lineage. If an elven royal whistles loudly with the intent to summon an asperii, one will arrive within 2 rounds. This is because asperii have one additional ability not common to those of other worlds: they somehow know weeks ahead of time when an elf will summon them, and will begin heading toward them as soon they become aware of this need. This foresight is so exact that the asperii will even know exactly how many asperii will be needed to outfit the royal's entire party and enough asperii will arrive to make sure that all elves in the party will have a mount. A new subrace of elves, the winged elves from the Complete Book of Elves, is allowed. Please note also that there are no drow in the Shattered World, only the fey - elves every bit as evil as the drow, but not restricted to darkness. The fey have powerful necromancers, and seek to conquer the world. Fey elves do not have the black skin and white hair common among the drow of other worlds. In fact, from a distance it is impossible to distinguish a fey from any other elf. The closer a fey gets, however, one begins to detect the perpetual sneer that twists the fey’s features and the “cold as ice” eyes which are the hallmark of the race. Despite the obvious fact that the fey are brothers of the elves, elves will not tolerate anyone of any race remarking on the fact. Elves become angry, even violent, if the relationship is mentioned, even in a casual way. The fey are not even discussed amongst the elves themselves. Also unlike the drow, the fey are not a separate race breeding only amongst themselves. They may come from any elven sub-race. All that is required for any elf to become fey is a change toward any evil alignment. Such a loss is mourned amongst the elves and is referred to only as “being lost to the darkness,” and the “lost” elf is mourned as though he had actually died. This means, however, that a fey may also repent of his evilness and become a normal elf. This rare event is referred to by the elves as being “brought over,” and is marked in elven society by great feasts. Oramian elves are a cross between the three normal subraces. While slightly haughty, they live in tree homes called “ekeles.” All elves have snow white hair, ice blue eyes, and pale skin. Tend to dress in leathers while on duty, but for formal occasions dress in brightly colored almost gaudy robes decorated with feathers from their bond birds. All elves begin play with a bond bird (treat as a Wizard familiar). The elf can see through the bird’s eyes, communicate telepathically with the bird, and knows health and location at all times. Bond birds are larger than normal birds of the same species. Fey: There are no drow in the Shattered World, only the fey - elves every bit as evil as the drow, but not restricted to darkness. The fey have powerful necromancers, and seek to conquer the world. Fey elves do not have the black skin and white hair common among the drow of other worlds. In fact, from a distance it is impossible to distinguish a fey from any other elf. The closer a fey gets, however, one begins to detect the perpetual sneer that twists the fey’s features and the “cold as ice” eyes which are the hallmark of the race. Despite the obvious fact that the fey are brothers of the elves, elves will not tolerate anyone of any race remarking on the fact. Elves become angry, even violent, if the relationship is mentioned, even in a casual way. The fey are not even discussed amongst the elves themselves. Also unlike the drow, the fey are not a separate race breeding only amongst themselves. They may come from any elven sub-race. All that is required for any elf to become fey is a change toward any evil alignment. Such a loss is mourned amongst the elves and is referred to only as “being lost to the darkness,” and the “lost” elf is mourned as though he had actually died. This means, however, that a fey may also repent of his evilness and become a normal elf. This rare event is referred to by the elves as being “brought over,” and is marked in elven society by great feasts. (From) THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Elvandar: Legendary home-shard of the elves. Its existence is denied by elves.
Light_Colonel 06-19-07, 02:08 PM	Gotta tell ya, I really like it. I have wanted to do a campaign like that for avery long time. I really groove on the whole concept of a shattered world with bits to fly between.
meaux1 06-20-07, 06:59 AM	This is all very cool stuff. I like especially how you have taken concepts from other fantasy worlds and "bent" them to fit your needs... very cool.
Alltat 06-20-07, 03:38 PM	Considering I've already commented on the setting in a PM, I figured I might as well post here too. I still haven't read it all yet, but I'll get to that.
DreamerInsane 06-20-07, 04:57 PM	The first post is made of win and awesome. The race-specifics are pretty ordinary, but contain some nice ideas (bond-birds are interesting) and some "meh" ones (Trollslayers? This ain't Warhammer, here, but something with the potential to be ten times better.)
legophreak 06-20-07, 06:14 PM	Thanks for your interest in my world, Mic! Here is the info you requested. (From) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Children of the Light: A militant organization composed of extremist Lawful Good members who are fanatically driven to further their own alignment. They use inquisition-like tactics to find and convert those who are not Lawful Good to their own system of beliefs. It is rumored that the radical group called the Witch Hunters is in some way connected to this organization, since the Children condemn mages and all things magical in nature. Based on the shard called Caemlyn. (See The Lexicon of Shards: Caemlyn. See also: Shard; Witch Hunters.) Wheel of Time fan i presume?
wizardofowls 06-20-07, 06:17 PM	:) Used to be. Got burnt out after the eighth or ninth book. Sheesh! Will that thing NEVER end?
legophreak 06-20-07, 06:18 PM	I certainly hope so. Rumor has it that Robert Jordan isn't doing well health-wise.
BigJroni 06-21-07, 12:10 AM	The world sounds very interesting and the shard idea allows for many possibilities. What I really like is the format, settings have been created using many different formats over the time of these boards. Yet still the idea of writing up this world from the perspective of the dictionary is new and intruiging. It allows for a wide variety in information and makes the details not in (DM's Notes) seem like an in charachter piece.
wizardofowls 06-22-07, 07:26 AM	Hello everyone! Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that I am gong to be afk for a couple of days... going camping... but I will answer questions when I get back. Please feel free to use this however you please. However I jsut have one small request... if you create any new rules for the setting or creatures/spells etc please post them here so that I can incorporate them into my world. Well have fun and see ya soon!
wizardofowls 06-26-07, 02:00 PM	THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Caemlyn: Home shard of the Children of the Light. Callendula: A wealthy shard. Many of the inhabitants are either supporters or members of the Mageslayers. Carbuncle: One of the four shards in the Kusaran Alliance. The city of Carbuncle fills the shard completely, from shard-edge to shard-edge, with buildings and streets filling nearly every available space. To anyone approaching Carbuncle by windrigger, it appears so full that the buildings close to the shard-edge look as if they are in danger of falling off into the Wind Ways. In fact, some buildings have actually been built so that they DO hang over the edge. Carbuncle is considered a holy city to almost every deity in the large Oramian pantheon. Thus, Carbuncle’s major economic income is derived from tourism and pilgrimage. Despite the fact that it is considered such a holy city, several deities (mostly those of evil alignment) are denied temples here, though it is rumored that priesthoods of several of these banned gods have underground congregations anyway. Dark Haven: A mysterious shard about which little is known. Because it is somehow linked to another shard, Dark Haven remains in a perpetual state of darkfall. Observers from windriggers have noted that almost all of the space on the shard is filled by a huge, gothic castle. The name of the creator of this castle - and whether or not he or she still lives there - is not known. The name of Dark Haven is often brought up when possible locations of the Cabal's hidden base are discussed. Dwarfmoot: Home of the dwarves. The dwarves call this shard Ostoria. Elvandar: Legendary home-shard of the elves. Its existence is denied by elves. Gao-Den: Base of operations for the sky-pirates who plague the ‘Ways. It is believed that one of the Guild wizards who first leaned how to create windriggers went rogue, and is now helping the sky-pirates to create an armada of pirate windriggers. Kusara: The governing shard of the four shards which comprise the Kusaran Alliance and home of the Kusaran King. Magus: (DM 'S NOTE: The very existence of this shard, much less its purpose, is NOT considered general knowledge and as such should not be made available to the players unless and until they discover it on their own.) One of the best kept secrets of Oramis, this shard is believed to be a “graveyard” for those magic items the Wizards’ Guild has branded too powerful for use. Its location is known only to the High Magus of RASAMA-TAS and his (or her) appointed successors. Magus is one of the most highly guarded and shielded locations in the world. Obviously its very existence is not known to the general public. It is rumored to be a desert shard and an area of “dead” magic. No known spell or magic item will work here. How it retains its gravity and atmosphere are not known, since obviously a shard-key won’t (or at least shouldn’t) work here. Ostoria: Dwarven name for the shard called Dwarfmoot. Sheranda: The only shard of the four which comprise the Kusaran Alliance which was not originally a part of the Kusaran Empire. An agricultural shard with few fighters and little protection, the Sherandans petitioned for entry into the alliance for this purpose. In addition, they now have a ready market for the agricultural products which they produce, which obviously was one of the deciding factors for the alliance in permitting them to join. Sheranda, besides being home to a large population of human farmers, is also home to the largest known concentration of Twyll (halflings). Tartassos: Home of RASAMA-TAS (The Royal Academy for the Study and Advancement of the Mystical Arts and Thaumaturgical Analysis School). Tartassos is an ancient site with a mystical and mysterious history. Home of the legendary Library at Tartassos, which was known to exist even before the coming of the Dragon Lords!
PuppyKhan 06-27-07, 06:31 AM	This based on the book with the werebear thief main character? I read it so long ago I don't remember much but enjoyed it and always thought it would be a great campaign setting. A great idea. BTW - the book was part of a series? Is worth digging up?
mearrin69 06-27-07, 07:50 AM	This is really nicely done. I would definitely play in your world! For some possible inspiration you might want to check out Larry Niven's Integral Trees/The Smoke Ring if you haven't read them. I've always wanted to do a campaign of some sort with these characteristics (sci-fi, fantasy, or otherwise). You might be able to adopt some of his ideas (free-floating jungle tribes, 'dark-diving', aerial flora and fauna, etc.) to your campaign. Keep posting, I want to read more! :) M
Bobfred21 06-28-07, 03:55 AM	I am completely in love with your setting. Would you mind if I took it and adapted it a little bit for my game?
wizardofowls 06-28-07, 09:44 AM	Bobfred21 wrote: I am completely in love with your setting. Would you mind if I took it and adapted it a little bit for my game? Hi Bobfred! I don't mind at all. I just have one small request... Post anything you change or create here so that I can adapt it to my world too! I don't have alot of time to be creative lately, so whatever you create will help me also! So if you create any new creatures, spells, feats, etc I'd love to see them!
Bobfred21 06-28-07, 01:29 PM	That's a deal. Currently I'm contemplating a magic system like the one I posted in this thread: http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=848186
Syliess 06-28-07, 04:14 PM	I gotta tell ya The Children of the Light group sounds alot like todays radical Christians lol The world itself sounds very cool. A shattered world held together by magic devices. Though I feel bad for the wizards of the past, cruel twist of fate is it not? They save the world by using their magic to keep things somewhat together, then they are shunned and hunted for doing so. I liked it because that sort of scenario throws in a realistic theme.
wizardofowls 06-29-07, 05:09 PM	The following are some half-formed ideas I am contemplating. I am only just reacquainting myself with 3E rules after a LONG absence, and don't have most of the books yet, so any recommendations/help you can give on fleshing these out would be greatly appreciated. MISC. NOTES Hazards of Sailing the Wind Ways: Air Elementals: Cloud Serpents: Dragons: Electrical Storms: Ghost Ships: Griffons: Manticores: Pirates: Rocs: Storm Children: Vortex: Wind Demons: Horned, winged apes Wind Wraiths: Wyverns: Possible Means of Moving Through the Shards Without the Use of a Windrigger: Potions/Wings of Flying/Spells of Flying Carpets/Brooms/Rings of Flying Pegasus/Hippogriff/Griffin/Asperii Giant Eagles/Rocs Winged Elves/Half-Dragons Teleportation Grids Waygates (NOT recommended) Gnomish Clockwork Ships Hot Air Balloons Hang gliders/Kites Windboards Possible New Skills and/or Spells: Find/Locate Shard Predict Shard Path Shard Lore Windboarding Pilot Windrigger/Windskiff Miscellaneous: Wild Navigational Ability Dragon-kin
wizardofowls 07-03-07, 10:15 AM	Right now, I am planning on using mostly standard races: Human Elf/Half-elf Dwarf/Mul Gnome Halfling with the additions of Half-dragon Avariel Possibly a psionic race of some sort a shapeshifting race and possibly one or two others. Half-orcs are not allowed, since in my world, humanoids (orcs, kobolds, etc.) are not true races... they are player races which have been horribly changed by the evil magis of the enemy. For instance, a kobold is actually a halfling that has been irrevocably altered. Orcs were once dwarves, and so on.
wizardofowls 07-09-07, 04:27 PM	Here is a point that I'm afraid that my basic premise did not make clear. The original world was basically earth-sized. The sky-sphere - the envelope which holds in the air - is much larger (how large I have not yet decided - maybe Jupiter sized?) Inside the sky-sphere the 1000 shards move about in no predetermined manner. They do not have set orbit - they were set to floating within it in random, ever-shifting patterns. However the shard-keys alos prevent any two shards from coming within one mile of each other. They simply move out of the way (think of the repulsion fields set up by two magnets.) The shard-keys provide each shard with gravity, atmosphere and preserve climate at its pre-Shattering state. Temperature in the Wind Ways (the air spaces between shards) does not vary much. It is typically a balmy 65-85 degrees farenheit, regardless of where you are in sky-sphere. Whether you were at a place closer to the sun or farther away, temperature varies very little - all effects of the sky-sphere. In appearance, the Wind Ways look like blue sky, no matter where you look. You may see large clouds/storms, other shards in the distance, flocks of grays, windriggers, etc.
Ungarth0 07-09-07, 10:54 PM	Thanks for your interest in my world, Mic! Here is the info you requested. (From) A DICTIONARY OF COMMON ORAMIAN TERMS AND PHRASES: Children of the Light: A militant organization composed of extremist Lawful Good members who are fanatically driven to further their own alignment. They use inquisition-like tactics to find and convert those who are not Lawful Good to their own system of beliefs. It is rumored that the radical group called the Witch Hunters is in some way connected to this organization, since the Children condemn mages and all things magical in nature. Based on the shard called Caemlyn. (See The Lexicon of Shards: Caemlyn. See also: Shard; Witch Hunters.) (From) THE LEXICON OF SHARDS: Caemlyn: Home shard of the Children of the Light. Wheel of Time is a pretty good series from the books I've read so far (only the first two)...Your world sounds pretty cool and I like how the Children of of the Light are merely misguided rather than just plain evil like they are in Wheel of Time.
turalisj 07-10-07, 03:18 AM	http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=854352 This is a thread that has some good questions to ask when creating a world....
Artifact 07-10-07, 11:12 AM	I like this wizardofowl. The dictionary fomat is a very nice touch, sorta reminds me of how things were revealed in the novel Dune. I've only had time to skim so far, but its a testament to your excellent work that I'm interested in-depth perusal. I'm already making preliminary plans to run a game in the Shattered World. I'll post my own ideas and suggestions for the setting soon.
Madacapa 07-10-07, 12:02 PM	I certainly hope so. Rumor has it that Robert Jordan isn't doing well health-wise. I saw a picture of him once, so the fact that he isn't healthy comes as no surprise to me. Maybe his poor health will finally force him to bring an end to the Wheel of Time... As far as the Shattered World goes, my advise to the creator is to type it all up and get it copyrighted. It may be something that you can get published. Maybe...
wizardofowls 07-13-07, 06:27 AM	I have not yet had a chance to write up the gnome and halfling in a nice format the way I did the elves and dwarves. So I am just going to post my thoughts on these races for your perusal. As always, let me know what you think! Gnomes: The gnomes of Oramis are very similar to those of the Dragonlance setting... loving mechanical things and such. They have created the strongest competition for windriggers - the Gnomish Clockwork Ship. A Gnomish Tinker class/prestige class will definitely be available for gnomes. One concept that I am considering... Gnomes are actually the result of crossbreeding attempts between dwarves and elves! As a dying race, the dwarves are desparately trying to find a way to produce more of there kind. They ahve already discovered that they can crossbreed with humans, so it was inevitable that they would try the same with elves. Well, it didn't work as well with elves. In fact it was the foundation of the race of gnomes. Halflings: I have always hated the name Halfling. The Halflings of Oramis consider it a derogatory and very insulting name. They prefer to be called by their own racial name for themselves.. the Twyll. They have a new ability: Twyll have a natural homing sense and know by instinct exactly where any shard that they know the know the name of is currently located, unless the shard has been magically hidden from divination. A new class/prestige class is available for Twyll - the Twyll Wayfinder.
wizardofowls 07-17-07, 06:29 PM	Got a few numbers questions for you.... In my original premise, I said that the Shattering occurred 1000 years ago. Is that too long? I've been thinking that maybe I should change that to 100 years... I've stated elsewhere that there are 1000 shards. I'm thinking that that is not enough. what about 10,000? Or should there be more? I've also stated that no two shards can come closer than 1/2 mile to each other. I'm thinking that that is too close. Would 1 mile be better? Finally, I posted elsewhere that all of the shards are contained within a sphere roughly the size of Jupiter. Is that too big? What would be more reasonable?
Artifact 07-18-07, 06:05 PM	Got a few numbers questions for you.... In my original premise, I said that the Shattering occurred 1000 years ago. Is that too long? I've been thinking that maybe I should change that to 100 years... I've stated elsewhere that there are 1000 shards. I'm thinking that that is not enough. what about 10,000? Or should there be more? I've also stated that no two shards can come closer than 1/2 mile to each other. I'm thinking that that is too close. Would 1 mile be better? Finally, I posted elsewhere that all of the shards are contained within a sphere roughly the size of Jupiter. Is that too big? What would be more reasonable? 1,000 years is ten centuries, so I believe that is a time enough for your world to have developed at a natural pace. On the other hand, 100 years would mean the developement would necessarily be much more "compressed". For example: It may have taken decades to develop and perfect the windriggers, and then another decade or so for the technology to proliferate throughout the many shards of the Shattered World. It could feasably happen in 100 years, but 1,000 years gives the setting some "breathing room" to develop, its just seems a more natural pace. As far as the number of shards, 1,000 is also a good number, at least for starters. There could in fact be more shards but these would be much smaller, less significant. Here's how I might approach this: Choose 10 shards (out of the practically limitless, virtually uncountable thousands) and develop them just as you would a major continet. Then, choose 10 more and develop these as the major cities and significant settlements of the setting. The Shattered World is still unimaginably vast, but now the focus is narrowed, and we know where to start our journey. 1,000 shards is a good, solid number; bumping it up to say, 10,000 wouldn't really change things, since the setting is focused "locally" anyway (at least in how I would approach it-- you may see things up on a more epic scale). Finally, you're setting is Fantastic. I mean this more than simply in praise. The Shattered World is imaginary, its all make-believe; so approach it this way. In other words, throw actual, real world science out the window. When I think of the Shattered World, here's what I imagine: The Shards are suspended in a sphere of unimaginable size and scope; they are many and sometimes they fly very close together, yet none have ever collided. Remind me to tell you the legend about the Lost Shards of Timmus and Remarus however . . . That paints a pretty compelling picture for me; on the other hand, a scientist might find the whole thing entirely unfathomable (pitty the poor scientist). I regret that I haven't had time yet to examine your setting in detail. I really love your work though, so I'll make time soon. I have all three (?) threads saved on my computer. I want to run a campaign in the Shattered World, so I'll drop by and let you know how things are going. I'll most likely have a few ideas of my own for the setting and I'll share those too. See you later, wizardofowls. :)
NorthWind 07-18-07, 07:43 PM	This setting is very good. I really enjoyed reading it, and I like the way you present the information, too. I agree with Artifact about the time - 1,000 years if just fine. 1,000 shards is also good. I don't think you should really set an exact number, anyway - aside from maybe navigators, depending on how you picture them, not many people are going to know exactly how many shards there are. It'd probably suffice to say that there are hundreds...how many? Only the DM knows. But setting the number at 1,000 essentially means you'll be able to play on or invent a new place to play whenever the story calls for it. The distance between the shards I would imagine is constantly shifting, no? Planetary size, as Artifact said, doesn't really matter. What you need to know is that the world is made up of the broken pieces of one great and magnificent planet, and that the pieces float about in an area of amazing size.
wizardofowls 07-18-07, 10:03 PM	Thanks guys! I'm really glad you like it! By the way, Artifact there are 6 threads. There are links to them in my sig. Also, as soon as I can get it tidied up enough, I will be making a post on the dragons of Oramis, collecting all of the information I have released so far in one place. I have not yet been able to get a copy of the Monster Manual (yes, the first one - I've been away from the game for a while and am having to rebuy the books), so there won't be much in the way of game stats until I can get the MM to compare notes.
wizardofowls 07-23-07, 02:42 PM	Just wanted everyone to know that I have created a new Wiki for the Shattered World! here is the addy (I hope its okay to post this here): http://oramis.wetpaint.com Please stop by and let me know what you think!
Artifact 07-23-07, 06:07 PM	I like the wiki :); I haven't had a chance to read much as I post this however. Here are my personal notes for our new, hopefully ongoing campaign. I’m still immersing myself in the setting, fleshing things out “on the fly”, so what’s presented here is very sketchy, basically a rough draft. Thanks to wizardofowls for introducing me to his Shattered World and allowing me to make it my own. I can’t possibly do justice to his wonderful work, but hopefully these ideas will add something useful to the thread The Tone of Oramis: Imagine if Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote Farscape. I see the Shattered World as a planetary romance setting—with an edge. Dune (the novel by Frank Herbert) also seems appropriate inspiration. Such a genre can be loosely emulated by including such features as: Most of the locales in the world are very old, their glory days long gone. A few still-thriving cities still exist, but most are nothing more than wastelands, given over to bandits, barbarians, and ruins. RASAMA-TAS and the priesthood of Selene are steadily working towards change however. Many races and cultures: The world is inhabited by a large number of races, mostly humanoid, albeit with some distinctive feature—red skin, four arms or wings for example. There is no shortage of classic “bug eyed monsters” (BEMs). Most societies are feudal in nature. Romance: ‘Nuff said! ;) Note: If a planetary romance setting sounds interesting, you might also want to check out Iron Lords of Jupiter, written by “Lizard”, and presented in Dungeon Magazine #101 as a d20 Modern minigame. Daughters of Selene: The Daughters of Selene are a neutral good organization and a cleric may be of lawful good, neutral good, or chaotic good alignment. A cleric may select her domains from among the following: Good, Healing, Protection, and Strength. The favored weapon of the church is the heavy mace. Only women may become Daughters of Selene, although there is also an order known as the Sisters (Brothers) of the Moon who serve in a different but equal capacity. Daughters of Selene may be of any race. A Random Idea: For now the reason for this remains unrevealed, but here’s a very, very rough idea for consideration: After the Shattering, the world was thrown into chaos and the races of Oramis came very close to extinction. Rather than let themselves die out entirely, a concerted effort was made to protect and educate women, who were far out-numbered by men. The goddess Selene, symbolized by the moon, had always been considered an ever-vigilant, ever-watchful protector; now however, her priorities . Since I like dichotomies, here’s a follow-up idea: On Oramis, the moon is perceived as decidedly feminine. On the other hand, the sun, known as Solaris, is male. Just as there is an all-female order of priests dedicated to Selene, there is also an Order of Solaris. Composed entirely of men, they are known as solars, and most are straight-up fighters, albeit with a somewhat “holy” bent. The solars serve as the military branch of the Daughters of Selene. Just throwing out some wild ideas here, don’t know if any of it will actually see use in my game or not. Sisterhood of the Moon: The moon has two faces, one bright, one dark. The Sisterhood of the Moon is the flip side of the coin to the Daughters of Selune. I sometimes see things in black and white, and here I see the Selenites divided into a dichotomy of good and evil. The Sisterhood is based on the shard known as Crescent, where it has remained hidden from the Daughters for centuries. Up until very recently, the Daughters of Selene thought the Sisterhood completely destroyed after the Crusades led by the Children of Light nearly two hundred years ago. It should be noted that while the Daughters did not endorse this genocidal holy war, neither did they discourage it. Note: The Sisterhood of the Moon (described here) should not be confused with the Sisters (Brothers) of the Moon, a branch of Selenites responsible for actually staffing and running the temples. Crescent: A shard the size of real world Australia, Crescent sits beyond the atmospheric envelope of Oramis. It is actually a shard of the moon Selene, which was itself blown apart during the Shattering, and which now follows much the same orbit. Up until very recently, no one was even aware of its existence, due to its isolated location outside the atmosphere. Crescent is the home base of the Sisterhood of Selene, who has remained here, in hiding far beyond the sight of the people of Oramis for centuries. Like the shards inside the atmosphere of Oramis, Crescent has its own Shard-Key. Unlike a typical Key however, this sentient artifact is truly malevolent and willingly bonds with an evil owner. Spindrift: Known to the Air Traffic Controllers Guild as AR-919, Spindrift is a humble shard located far off the main traffic routes, a frontier community inhabited mostly by rogue wizards, sky pirates, and other ‘fringe’ elements. [This is the “home base” for our heroes and will be fleshed out as the campaign progresses.] The Campaign: In addition to the core rules, the following is allowed: Expanded Psionics Handbook. I notice psionics were, at one point at least, a part of the setting, so let’s have some fun with it ;). Magic of Incarnum. If psionics are in, why not incarnum, eh? ;). We’ve never used it before now, but this might be a good opportunity. Perhaps psionic and incarnum users don’t face the same stigma as wizards in the setting, so they have been able to flourish. As is typical for our games, we begin the campaign at 3rd level, 28 point buy. We also use Action Points and Reserve Points (presented in Unearthed Arcana). Races: In an effort to emulate the feel of a planetary romance setting (full of many races and cultures), the following races are all available: Human: As PH. Dwarf: As PH. Elf: As PH. Half-Elf: As PH. Gnomes: As d20 Dragonlance setting. Mul: As presented in Dragon Magazine #320 (a Dark Sun update) Halfling (Twyll): As PH. Avariels: As presented in Races of Faerun. Kalashtar: As introduced in Eberron Campaign Setting (just ‘cause ;)). Raptorians: As introduced in Races of the Wild. Shifters: As introduced in Eberron Campaign Setting. In addition, monster class rules (introduced in Savage Species) are appropriate; just remember, starting ECL is 3. Classes: As per the PH. Stuff I still need to think about: I need to refresh my memory on the rules for sailing ships and ship to ship combat. Any reason I can’t treat flying ships just like sailing ships? Anybody have any suggestions here—maybe wizardofowls? ;) A Rough Adventure Synopsis: For the first time in over a century, Crescent will come close enough to the atmosphere of Oramis for actual windrigger travel between shards. As Crescent draws ever closer however, several smaller shards are thrown into Darkfall. Rather than a brief period of semi-darkness however, the massive size of Crescent results in a Darkfall that has (so far) lasted nearly a month. The adventure begins when the heroes travel to the mysterious shard in search of answers and possible loot. A few random encounters later, they draw nearer, and discover they cannot reach Topside. The massive shard bobs in the atmosphere like an iceberg in a vast ocean, with its top beyond the air envelope, and the heroes must instead enter at the Shard-Root (a risky proposition indeed). As they enter the Shard-Root, the heroes must attempt to mountain climb into a vast cavern, the entrance to which lies hundreds of feet below their very feet. Once inside, exploring the deep underground world of the shard, they come across another group who arrived just before they did, in search of answers and loot of their own. Eventually, the heroes must confront a Sister of the Moon and her entourage, the first indication that the evil priestesses were not wiped out centuries ago as once believed. Further adventures could follow of course. For example: The heroes continue their exploration of the immense shard, eventually emerging days or even weeks later from the underground onto the Topside. Right into the heart of “enemy territory”. Perhaps the Sisterhood solicits their help, under the guise of “reunification” with the Church of Selene. A few more random ideas (before I leave ;)): Could the Sisterhood have instigated the Wizard War? Maybe it was a combination of both arcane and divine might that ultimately led to the Shattering? Also, I need a more evocative name for the Sisterhood of the Moon and the massive shard Crescent. Both are merely "place-holder" for the time being. Any suggestions? Any specific ideas to flesh out the adventure? Its pretty bare bones at the moment, so any advice would be appreciated. Our game is on this weekend (and I’m still prepping like crazy as I write this), but I’ll drop by afterwards and let you know how things went.
wizardofowls 07-25-07, 08:19 PM	Hi Artifact! I hope you don't mind, but I have posted the details of your version of Oramis on my wiki. If that is not okay, let me know and I will remove it. Personally, I think it sounds good. I may even borrow a few of your details and make them official if that's okay! :) As I've said before, I'm only just coming back to the game after a long absence, so I don't know where the details on flying ships might be. If you find out, let me know please. There are a couple of unofficial books that might provide some good details for both of us. When I get the money, I'm gonna order copies for myself. They are: Aerial Adventure Guide by Goodman Games Skyships by Bastion Press In the meantime there are some details for ship to ship combat in Stormwrack, though they are for water encounters. By the way, I like the name of the shard Crescent. I may keep that one, though it won't be a moon shard in my version. Also it would probably properly be termed a fragment (given its size) rather than a shard. I'll probably also keep Spindrift and Solaris with some minor changes. I don't know what Incarnum is, so I don't know if I would incorporate it into my version, but if it works for you that's fine. Hope your game goes well! Sounds like fun! :)
wizardofowls 07-27-07, 08:05 PM	I need to find a class or prc for my game. I don't have enough books to see if an official one has already been made or money to buy one if I knew where one was. I would like to find one posted online on which to base my own class. What I need is a Demon Conjuror/Summoner or Demonist... someone who summons demons to serve them and/or provide them with magic ability, sort of like the sha'ir from the old Arabian Adventures setting. Anybody know where I could find something along these lines? I will also have a Diabolist too, similar to the domonsit but dealing with devils. Any help would be appreciated.
wizardofowls 07-27-07, 08:53 PM	Hmmm I must be blind... Just found a PRC in the DMG called the Thaumaturgist. I think it would work for my needs. Perhaps demonists and diabolists are specific types of thaumaturgists.
wizardofowls 08-04-07, 12:11 AM	What is the best way to deal with lycanthropes in a world without night? I am thinking that the alernate creature (wolf, rat, bear, whatever) wants out as much as the human does so there is a constant battle for control of the body. Perhaps whenever the lycnathrope is in a stressful situation, or experiences extreme emotion, he must make a will check. If he fails, the other creature comes out for a set amount of time. Each time he makes the save a cumulative -1 penalty is added to the check until the creature is released at last. Maybe in some cases, if the human form is evil, the lycanthorpe can willingly release control to the creature. Thoughts? Ideas?
Tomkin 08-04-07, 08:31 PM	I just ran across this thread, awesome stuff. Try Binder from Tome of Magic as a demonist/diabolist, though it might not be what you're looking for. I don't know that you could find it online though, and I don't have the book. Sorry. Lycanthropy looks good, but shouldn't it be a Control Shape check (as specified in the Monster Manual)? Keep it up, it looks great!