Skein of Worlds:Old Main Page

This is an attempt to better organize and expand on the setting I started on the D&D message boards a long time ago. (Yes, I'm ArchmageOmega on that board.) I also have an old website for this, but I intend this page to be more up-to-date and complete. BTW, if you have a better name for this than Skein of Worlds, let me know. This is a work in progress, so if you have something to contribute, please say something. --MagiMaster

Overview

This setting is designed for Dungeons and Dragons 3.5, but could easily be adapted to other systems since it doesn't specify too much in the way of rules. I will use terminology from D&D and The Manual of the Planes to describe things though, since that's what was originally used to design this. (It's also no coincidence that it's organized similarly to The Manual of the Planes.)

This is based on the standard cosmology, the Great Wheel. In the Great Wheel cosmology, it is assumed that the material plane is an infinite plane, full of spheres of material; however, only one or two of these spheres are ever used. The most immediate difference in the Skein of Worlds is that most of these spheres are inhabited and there are ways of travelling between them. Most of the other differences stem from trying to restrict methods of travel and from extrapolating the consequences of that.

Finally, the Skein of Worlds setting is designed to accommodate any level of play from level 1 to epic to deific.

The Material Plane

The material plane consists of an infinte number of spheres hanging in an infinite void. These spheres tend to group together in small clusters with large gaps (and little interaction) between clusters.

The Spheres

There are three different types of spheres: the elemental spheres or planets, the positive energy spheres or suns and the negative energy spheres or black holes.

The Elemental Spheres

The elemental spheres, or planets, (usually) exist as a balance of the four elements. Each planet has an overall balance, but few planets are uniform. Different areas of a planet can have slightly different balances of the elements. This can be more obvious in some places than others. One of the clearest examples is a hot, dry desert where there is too much fire and not enough water. In places of especially high concentrations of one element vortices into the Elemental Tempest can form. A planet that is heavily unbalanced towards one element might gain a minor elemental trait.

Earth

Earth provides the solid ground. It is the most stable element, and rarely fluctates much. Areas with too little earth are dusty or flowing. Quick sand or tar pits would be a localized example of this. Areas with too much earth would be very rocky and mountainous. Earth vortices tend to form in deep caves.

Air

Air provides, well... air. Air fluctuates a good deal as the winds come and go. Areas with too little air tend to make breathing difficult. This might manifest in any number of ways, from a simple lack of air, to stagnant air, to a lot of dust or water vapor suspended in what air there is. Areas with too much air tend to be very windy. Air vortices tend to form in large, high clouds.

Air exists even underground and underwater. Areas underwater with too little air can't support sealife very well. Areas underwater with too much air tend to manifest as underwater fountains of bubbles and the like.

Water

Water provides the oceans, lakes, rain and all other forms of moisture. Water doesn't fluctuate very rapidly, but its changes are sometimes pronounced, bringing dry days and rain, or drought and floods. Areas with too little water are simply dry. Areas with too much water tend to have a lot of lakes and heavy rains. Even areas underwater can lack water, even if that's hard to put into words. Such areas would be similar to areas that lack air aboveground, but are overall pretty rare. Water vortices tend to form in the deep ocean rifts.

Fire

Fire provides warmth. Areas with too little are cold, and areas with too much are hot, but fire is the most unstable element. It can fluctuate wildly even within a single day. Fire vortices mainly form in volcanoes.

The Transitive Planes

Work in progress

The Outer Planes

Work in progress

The Divine Realms

Work in progress

Other Places

Work in progress