Flexible 4th Edition Living EnWorld
From ENWiki
This is a suggestion for an alternative "start point" for the proposed living enworld setting. The setting would have a physical cosmology that is different from a traditional DnD world. Some examples are suggested below.
This is -not- a suggestion that a setting does not have a rich backstory. Games like Everway have shown that even with an unusual setting (in everyway's case a vast series of linked planes) can have a very rich and interesting history.
If you're not following the idea you may want to skip to the fluff section below.
Premise
Shared worlds can suffer a bit from the amount of coordination necessary to create a believable world.
Initially creators must struggle to create a framework that allows for space for later ideas. As time passes new contributors must may struggle to fit their ideas into a setting.
A setting that is "naturally flexible" may offer an easily solution to this problem by allowing individual creators to create without being as confined as they would be in a traditional setting.
The "world" would be split into zones; each one having its own character. Zones may be of a certain fixed size or vary in size. (It's just a simple unit to explain)
Fluff
There are an almost infinite number of possibilities
Zones are...
- ...planets in a solar system
- ...floating islands in an eternal unending sky
- ...planes (in the Manual of the planes sense) with varied topography
- ...countries in a cursed kingdom
- ...cities in an inhospitable planet linked by portals (Urbis, I think, is like this or the world of Judge Dread)
- ...islands on a magical sea
- ...time travel to different eras
- ...pcs are projections from another dimension (avoiding some problems related to character death)
The Imperium is a more concrete example of how you can build a flexible world that is still interesting.
Meta-construction
I believe you can consider the structure of the setting independently of the fluff
The "world" could be composed of zones (and sub zones) could be connected in a number of different ways.
The overarching system is...
- ...a central hub that connects to almost every zone (the "Sigil model" ala Planescape)
- ...Each zone is linked to each other in a fixed pattern but the physics of the boundaries are distorted (the "Ravenloft" model)
- ...Zone connections are varied and complex, often completely arbitrary (the "Everyway model")
Transportation between zones is accomplished by...
- ...vessels (spelljammers, astral ships, flying carpets)
- ...magical rituals (similar to the portal ritual)
- ...walking (you can pass through portals, traverse the cosmos on floating ribbons of light, beam yourself onto a new word)
- ...magical items (permanent and one-shot) that allow you to travel to a fixed destination -- the most coveted items allow you to travel to any destination you've been too. There are rumors of an artifact that allows you to travel anywhere.
Travel between zones is...
- ...regular (fixed streams in the flow, locked portals)
- ...irregular
- ...totally at the mercy of the DMs whims (think quantum leap)
Inter-zone travel is...
- ...extremely rare, only the PCs perform it (it's secret and/or few are allowed (or able to) to use it)
- ...rare, the common person has never been to another zone, rulers may have an ambassador or two from an allied zone
- ...common, trade between zones is a fact of life, with the right money and connections getting between zones is trivial
- ...every-day, people travel between zones more frequently than they do across their own zone (popping accross a zone to buy bread or see your sister is normal)
(obviously, some zones will have more or less contact)
Inter-zone travel is dominated by...
- ...one group
- ...a number of different groups, who collude to prevent further access
- ...anyone who has the right knowledge skills
- ...nobody (who can dominate the seas?)
