the world, the universe and everything [Archive] - Wizards Community

the world, the universe and everything [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Agent Graves
06-08-04, 01:34 AM well, just the world actually.

What if, the planet, on which this setting is... set... is actually hollow?

Think of a cocoanut. It has a thick(ish) shell,
and a somewhat hollow inside.

Then think of a planet. Everything is fine and dandy on the outside, then
if you have a look at the cross section, you see a few ten kilometres or so of crust and dirt and minerals etc, then suddenly you come out into the dark, and what would be down, is actually up...

If you think about it, we are always walking 'down' since we are on the outside of the earth. But what if you were on the inside. You'd be always walking 'up'

Beings in the underdark are walking and living on the inner side of the crust...

What if the underdark (i cant remember the name it has been given
on this board at the moment) is on the inside, of the earth?

i hop you guys understand my meaning.
mull it over and post your thoughts.
Brknlf
06-10-04, 10:02 AM This was bantered around a bit way back on the old boards. They idea seemed doomed by some naysayers who brought in astrophysics to the topic and said a world couldn't be sustained without the molten core or somesuch.

I think it is a great idea. I just wanted to point out what the opposition originally came up with regarding similar idea. That being said, I think its fairly evident the world is taken on a magical/fantastical feel to it. Ley lines and elements have been bantered about throughout the existence of this project. I don't think it would be too far stretched to assume the world is supported in some context by the ambient magic.

The only thing I'd suggest is to have some sort of light available. Maybe nothing as bright as the sun light itself, something softer perhaps. A few ideas come to my mind, and I'm not saying any of these should be used.

1) Molten core: Suspended in the middle of the empty hollow of this world (Alkorian is it?) is a motlen core. If gravity is geared towards the crust, this thing in the middle is actually being pulled in all directions. Mostly the surface is a hard shell but periodically the surface cracks to reveal the motlen lava inside and this gives off light in a 180 degree semisphere for the hollow portion of this world. The opening/cracking of the ball could even be coordinated to lunar activity of the surface world (the moon's gravity pulls strongly at the molten lava and brings it through crusty surface of the molten core/orb). This would give off more of a red tinge to the lighting of the underworld, which would be defused some by the inner-atmosphere of the hollow chamber inside this world.

2) Ancient Artifacts/Ruins/Devices: Spread throughout the inner surface of the inner world are ancient ruins topped with large crystals. They draw magic some how (coordinated to the sun of the surface world, the moon, or timed intervals) so that the large crystals shine brightly to simulate something akin to daylight (tinged/colored slightly off though). The sun towers (or whatever) follow the equator of the actual world itself, and a ring of about 60 latitudinal degrees either way. They light up in consecutive order following the ring of the crust that they form. This play more towards the artificers and artifacts used in M:tG (Urza, etc.).

3) Organic Light: Similar to ocean depths, organic life serves as its own light source. Perhaps fungi or other plant forms give off light periodically, but the inner world is rather dark. The life forms that dwell here also have light (like the fish in the real world oceans). I'm not suggesting new life forms, just subtypes of the main races that are decided upon.

Just some thoughts to go off of, I like the idea of using a hollow world.
Agent Graves
06-10-04, 06:40 PM i think, we could go with two of them; the organic light and the Ancient Artifacts/Ruins/Devices.

the ancient artfacts thing could tie in with the extinct tech advanced race,
maybe they have left a few of them lying around.

I did realise, when i posted this, that it would be, astrophysically, impossible... but this is fantasy... practically everything in wotc is impossible, but fun none-the-less.

its got a kind of, 'alice down the rabbit hole' thing happening.
i think though, that the crust would be a few kilometres thick at least... even up to a hundred or so (just guessing), but it could be dangerously thin in some sections.
Brknlf
06-17-04, 05:02 PM Sorry, I meant to reply earlier, I don't know why I waited so long.

I like the devices and organic light combinations as well. I think it makes for an area of the world were more unique/interesting ideas can be placed without making the surface world into some alien planet.

Just thought I'd post the opposition, that's the stuff that was heard when someone suggested a hollow world on the old boards. I like the idea of having a hollow world and this one should be a little more unque than others that have been suggested.

While the light travels, it could have a star like effect on inhabitants of the surface opposite of the current light even, just not the twinkling effect. Some could know what they are, some might have interesting stories, mythologies and such based on them.

I agree that the crust should be thin in certain areas, but perhaps overal average should be thicker, maybe 10-20 kilometers or so. This gives room for people who actually dwell below surface in like caverns (dwarves) without just putting them into the large open space of the inner world.

Some other interesting concepts to consider for this inner world are water sources and vegetation that survives in the less than ample light. How abundant or scarce would these be, or would it be dependent on location. Would there even by underground seas (not to play off the dual land so much, but from a more serious perspective). It could be interesting of the ground was inverted from the surface (that is, oceans on the surface are land masses on the inner world, and the land masses of the surface are the underground oceans).
Random bloke
06-26-04, 02:31 PM Hmm...

We're still pondering what the world will be like?

Edit - No, we're not, so my suggestion is GONE.
Jeweler
09-07-04, 09:32 PM 1 thing, srry i like to try (notice i say try) to explain my games in science (beening science freak doh), you referred to a cocunut as a reference to being hollow, well why not amke it like a cocunut, cocunuts are not hollow they have a liquid in them, why not make this the spinning force that spins the world, also this fits in with the bio light, being "deep" in the ocean, the races would develop bio lights. I dont no whether i spelled the word "coconuts" right. :D just an idea u dont have to take or like it for that matter i dont care its ur idea not mine.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Agent Graves 06-08-04, 01:34 AM	well, just the world actually. What if, the planet, on which this setting is... set... is actually hollow? Think of a cocoanut. It has a thick(ish) shell, and a somewhat hollow inside. Then think of a planet. Everything is fine and dandy on the outside, then if you have a look at the cross section, you see a few ten kilometres or so of crust and dirt and minerals etc, then suddenly you come out into the dark, and what would be down, is actually up... If you think about it, we are always walking 'down' since we are on the outside of the earth. But what if you were on the inside. You'd be always walking 'up' Beings in the underdark are walking and living on the inner side of the crust... What if the underdark (i cant remember the name it has been given on this board at the moment) is on the inside, of the earth? i hop you guys understand my meaning. mull it over and post your thoughts.
Brknlf 06-10-04, 10:02 AM	This was bantered around a bit way back on the old boards. They idea seemed doomed by some naysayers who brought in astrophysics to the topic and said a world couldn't be sustained without the molten core or somesuch. I think it is a great idea. I just wanted to point out what the opposition originally came up with regarding similar idea. That being said, I think its fairly evident the world is taken on a magical/fantastical feel to it. Ley lines and elements have been bantered about throughout the existence of this project. I don't think it would be too far stretched to assume the world is supported in some context by the ambient magic. The only thing I'd suggest is to have some sort of light available. Maybe nothing as bright as the sun light itself, something softer perhaps. A few ideas come to my mind, and I'm not saying any of these should be used. 1) Molten core: Suspended in the middle of the empty hollow of this world (Alkorian is it?) is a motlen core. If gravity is geared towards the crust, this thing in the middle is actually being pulled in all directions. Mostly the surface is a hard shell but periodically the surface cracks to reveal the motlen lava inside and this gives off light in a 180 degree semisphere for the hollow portion of this world. The opening/cracking of the ball could even be coordinated to lunar activity of the surface world (the moon's gravity pulls strongly at the molten lava and brings it through crusty surface of the molten core/orb). This would give off more of a red tinge to the lighting of the underworld, which would be defused some by the inner-atmosphere of the hollow chamber inside this world. 2) Ancient Artifacts/Ruins/Devices: Spread throughout the inner surface of the inner world are ancient ruins topped with large crystals. They draw magic some how (coordinated to the sun of the surface world, the moon, or timed intervals) so that the large crystals shine brightly to simulate something akin to daylight (tinged/colored slightly off though). The sun towers (or whatever) follow the equator of the actual world itself, and a ring of about 60 latitudinal degrees either way. They light up in consecutive order following the ring of the crust that they form. This play more towards the artificers and artifacts used in M:tG (Urza, etc.). 3) Organic Light: Similar to ocean depths, organic life serves as its own light source. Perhaps fungi or other plant forms give off light periodically, but the inner world is rather dark. The life forms that dwell here also have light (like the fish in the real world oceans). I'm not suggesting new life forms, just subtypes of the main races that are decided upon. Just some thoughts to go off of, I like the idea of using a hollow world.
Agent Graves 06-10-04, 06:40 PM	i think, we could go with two of them; the organic light and the Ancient Artifacts/Ruins/Devices. the ancient artfacts thing could tie in with the extinct tech advanced race, maybe they have left a few of them lying around. I did realise, when i posted this, that it would be, astrophysically, impossible... but this is fantasy... practically everything in wotc is impossible, but fun none-the-less. its got a kind of, 'alice down the rabbit hole' thing happening. i think though, that the crust would be a few kilometres thick at least... even up to a hundred or so (just guessing), but it could be dangerously thin in some sections.
Brknlf 06-17-04, 05:02 PM	Sorry, I meant to reply earlier, I don't know why I waited so long. I like the devices and organic light combinations as well. I think it makes for an area of the world were more unique/interesting ideas can be placed without making the surface world into some alien planet. Just thought I'd post the opposition, that's the stuff that was heard when someone suggested a hollow world on the old boards. I like the idea of having a hollow world and this one should be a little more unque than others that have been suggested. While the light travels, it could have a star like effect on inhabitants of the surface opposite of the current light even, just not the twinkling effect. Some could know what they are, some might have interesting stories, mythologies and such based on them. I agree that the crust should be thin in certain areas, but perhaps overal average should be thicker, maybe 10-20 kilometers or so. This gives room for people who actually dwell below surface in like caverns (dwarves) without just putting them into the large open space of the inner world. Some other interesting concepts to consider for this inner world are water sources and vegetation that survives in the less than ample light. How abundant or scarce would these be, or would it be dependent on location. Would there even by underground seas (not to play off the dual land so much, but from a more serious perspective). It could be interesting of the ground was inverted from the surface (that is, oceans on the surface are land masses on the inner world, and the land masses of the surface are the underground oceans).
Random bloke 06-26-04, 02:31 PM	Hmm... We're still pondering what the world will be like? Edit - No, we're not, so my suggestion is GONE.
Jeweler 09-07-04, 09:32 PM	1 thing, srry i like to try (notice i say try) to explain my games in science (beening science freak doh), you referred to a cocunut as a reference to being hollow, well why not amke it like a cocunut, cocunuts are not hollow they have a liquid in them, why not make this the spinning force that spins the world, also this fits in with the bio light, being "deep" in the ocean, the races would develop bio lights. I dont no whether i spelled the word "coconuts" right. :D just an idea u dont have to take or like it for that matter i dont care its ur idea not mine.