-Nate
Storyline
Implications
Once
these lists have been created, they can start to inform story
elements for adventures on each world.
Homeworld
As
mentioned above, all of the traditional monsters from Earth's fantasy
and folklore are assumed to inhabit this world. As such, “normal”
fantasy adventures are assumed to happen here, although the world
also has connections to other worlds via harbors that act as
spaceports for aetherships. The Holy City, home to the Temple of
Ptah, is one such location.
Sun-Blasted
Desert World
With
temperatures that rise as high as 800°
and can plummet to nearly -300°,
it should come as no surprise that few creatures can survive on this
world. Even so, certain creatures of the fire elemental subtype do
manage it. What is more, certain enterprising dwarves from the Mining
Guild even scour the planet's surface looking for valuable minerals
and gems, traveling aboard aetherships that hover just above the
ground. They stay always in the band of twilight between the world's
day and night sides, but even so cannot venture very far away from
their vessel. It is also rumored that certain creatures such as
efreeti, salamanders and others maintain hidden retreats on this
world, where some say they study rituals of powerful elemental magic.
Cold Red Desert
Planet
This
world is, of course, inspired by Mars—both the real version, and
how it is portrayed in popular science fiction. Aesthetically, it is
inhabited largely by cave-dwelling creatures that live underground,
and by insectoid monsters that haunt its desert wasteland. Most of
these are barely intelligent, possessing little more than bestial
cunning. There are the pech, however, humanoids who once served the
troglodytes that are believed to have once inhabited this world. It
is also said that bands of janni travel these deserts, although their
purpose in doing so is unknown.
Weird World
The
inspiration for this planet comes from a description of the kasatha,
who are said to have been exiled from “an arid world orbiting a red
star” (see Bestiary 4
for details). In this case, however, those beings still dwell here,
alongside the shobhad. The kasatha maintain small oasis caravanserai
communities, while the shobhad live a nomadic life. Continuing that
theme, this planet holds life of a variety that looks quite different
from any to be found on Homeworld. All kinds of strange-looking
monsters inhabit the place, many of which feature extra limbs or
other unusual traits. In addition to the native inhabitants, the
caravanserais are often a favorite stopping place for many of the
sentient creatures that travel the void.
Others
In
addition to the creatures that inhabit various planets and moons
throughout the Sol system and others close to it, there are monsters
and beings who travel between the stars. While they are included on
their own list, these creatures can often be found on or around
various worlds. For example, mercane and witch-wyrds travel from
planet to planet conducting business, while others such as the oma
and brethedans are comfortable in the depths of the void. Of course,
when some—such as akata or carnivorous blobs—appear, crisis is
the result.
Frozen Geyser
Moon
A
moon of Saturn, Enceladus, provides the inspiration for this moon.
Here, liquid water—and the life that it contains—can be found
beneath a crust of ice, where it is warmed by volcanism in the
planet's crust. In addition to all manner of aquatic monsters,
several types of intelligent creatures inhabit these seas. There are
the aboleths and their skum minions, along with the tojanida. The
adaro, cecaelia and iku-turso also have communities. For the most
part, these beings stick to their own territory, defending it against
the aforementioned sea monsters. Even so, sometimes they come into
conflict, with alliances shifting between various groups in
ocean-spanning wars. There are also creatures who inhabit the world's
ice shelves, ones that remain close to areas of exposed seawater.
Note, too, that the Elven Navy maintains a stronghold here known as
Starfort Station.
Sylvan Planet
This
is an example of a planet that is nearly untouched by outsiders. It
is one that possesses rich plant life—indeed, flora that has run
amok in its evolution—along with a few intelligent species that
have evolved alongside those plants. There is conflict between the
boggards and vodyanoi, which inhabit swampy areas, and the grippli
that inhabit the forests. Because these populations are small in
comparison to the amount of inhabitable land, however, these
conflicts have remained infrequent and of limited scope. While the
elves have visited this planet, they choose to protect knowledge of
its existence in order to prevent settlement and exploitation. There
are some members of the Royal Interplanetary Company who have learned
of it, however, and who wish to harvest the valuable materials that
the planet produces.
Deadworld
One
question inspires this world: What would happen if an entire planet
fell into riot and ruin? The creatures that inhabit this world are
ones that lurk in the dark places of the world or that relish in
causing death and destruction. These are beings of greater or lesser
intelligence that live among crumbling structures—and just what
secrets those decrepit buildings contain is left up to the GM's
imagination.
No comments:
Post a Comment