A world with no roads, no doors, and no boats

[Rel]

If you want some further reading that is related to this subject, there are a variety of stories and novels by Larry Niven that might be of interest. It is worth reading his books just because they are excellent works of hard science fiction but I’ll summarize a few ideas he puts forward.

He has an excellent essay called The Theory and Practice of Teleportation that describes some of the interesting physics effects one derives from teleporting. Most of them do not (in my opinion) belong in a fantasy world, but a few might be worth including just to keep things interesting. These primarily involve the conservation of energy (which is violated all the time in D&D, but regardless…).

One effect is that if you teleport from a higher elevation to a lower elevation, you lose a great deal of potential energy. You gain this energy back in the form of heat so if you teleport down off a high mountain, you might catch on fire at your destination. Conversely if you teleport up onto the mountain, you lose a similar amount of heat and might go into hypothermia, so wear a warm coat.

There are other similar effects from teleporting with or against the rotational velocity of the planet. What this means is that there might develop certain “way points” that you would teleport to in order to keep the buildup or loss of energy to a manageable level. It also means that there would be certain “sweet spots” that you could teleport to and from without difficulty (primarily locations of similar elevation along similar longitudes). All of this would just be a few of the ways that you could add some interesting complications to the placement of the “Teleportals”.

Sociologically, some other effects came into play. Namely what he calls “Flash Riots”. Basically, if something interesting happens at a location serviced by the teleportal network, word gets out about it (since communication is very fast across such a network). Assuming that teleportation is cheap or free, lots of other people start to teleport in to see the interesting thing. Soon, the large concentration of people itself is an interesting phenomenon and even more people show up. Then you’ve got a “Flash Riot”.

One other possible defense against enemies invading your city via the teleportal is to put it in the middle of a maze. Then you would have a “guide” take them through the maze to an entrance to the city proper (similar to the way that a Pilot would come aboard a ship and guide them through the reefs and shoals into a harbor). The caravan could be sealed in a “blackout wagon” with no windows to keep them from figuring out the maze. But with the availability of scrying magic, this method might be easily defeated.

Just a few thoughts.

 

[Irda Ranger]

Woot!! Most of my threads go "splat" and disappear within days. This level of response is cool! Lets go for second page!

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Anywho, ...


Sammael99 & Others - Yeah, if a city suddenly "dropped off the portal-web", so to speak, could you ever find it again? You could rule that since no one in the city had ever really travelled there or teleported themselves there (they always took the portal) it counted as a "described location" for teleports' accuracy purposes. At planetary distances, that a dicey proposition.

JERandall - Yes, I love MOO2. Great game. I think your analogy actually has a lot of potential. Of course, there's nothing to say that the campaign doesn't take place after the uber-brawl, and all the cities on the known web are ruled by one ultra-powerful cabal of Wizards.

On the flipside, look at my original post. All the Teleportals are are in this inward facing killing field with big ranges of fire. Anyone who came through unannounced would have to face a 360 degree ring of fireballs and arrows. Of course, if you could somehow get up an Antimagic barrier and Windwall in the first round, you could establish a "beach-head" for more and more troops to come through.

Say, imagine a Greek Phalanx, with Tower Shields. The Tower Shields are magical to create a Prismatic Barrier. When Shields are next to each other the Prismatic Barriers "link up" to form one big wall. Standing behind them is the rank of spellcasters with Wands of Destroy Everything in Sight (tm)

Another great game I have thought of integrating into D&D was master of magic, but that's a whole other thread.

Jasper - I imagine that all cities would have several portals to several other cities, but not all cities. Someone who has travlled a lot would have to be very good at "Six Degrees of 'You are Here'" to figure out the quickest route to any given city.

Have you ever read the Riftwar Books by Raymond E. Feist? In it there is "The Hall of Worlds", this endless Hall of Teleportals. At one point there was a question as to how to get to a particular place on a particular world. The answer was "Well, the closest direct portal puts you several thousand miles off course. Its actually much quicker to go through the Benlathy portal, then back out right where you need to be on Midkemia. Benlathy has a methane atmosphere though, so hold your breath. Its a 100 yard run."

Oh, and I imagine that the punishment for messing with a portal would be tantamount to death (don't mess with the flow of food, gold and goods). In Janny Wurt's "Curse of the Mistrwraith" fellons were banished through a one way teleportal. No one knew where it went. Naturally it was the first thing that happened to the two main characters. Quest hook anyone?

Usurper - As to the Magic: The Gathering scenerio, there are two possibilities.
1) Go for it. At low levels (oh, say, 1-20) the PCs work for variouos factions(you're the cards. Who want to be the Serra Angel?). This isn't that differnt than regular D&D really. Beyond 20th you become a "player".
2) Assume some type of Status quo, not "total war". Either there are a lot of independant Wizzies who keep the piece by MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) or some supra-governmental body that keeps the piece (Kinda' like Dragonlance's Towers of High Sorcery).

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On a flavor note, it would be very easy to flavor the game based on where the portals came from. One where the present powers-that-be create and maintain the nework would feel more "sci-fi" high fantasy I think, whereas it being "old magic" that no one really understands anymore would be much more mysterious. It would certainly be odd knowing that your entire society is completely dependant on stuff that no one can recreate if it ever breaks down.

I think that that "fallen from grace" feel though is done to death. Look at what WotC/TSR has given us.
Dragonlance - Fall from the Age of Might
Forgotten Realms - Fall from Netheril/Rauvin/Myth Drannor
Dark Sun - Fall from time before Dragon Kings
Mystara or Greyhawk anyone? I am now real familiar with them ...

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Irda Ranger

 

[apsuman]

You could have an ancient network of cirlce that were rendered inoperable by 12 foot wide "deadbolts"

Parties could find these circles in ruins, fallen cities, and the underground of current cities.


g!

 

[Celebrim]

*sigh*

One of these days I'm going to have to start charging $.30 per idea.

But yes, I totally agree with this thread. If you leave the TP circle in as written, this is what your world looks like, NOT like any of the published settings and not remotely like any real world culture. It was just to much to handle, but for those of you out there with more time than I've got, you do realize you can package a setting like this and sell it, don't you.

I hope someone submitted it to WotC actually.

I might actually buy it.

Be darn better than anything TSR ever published.

 

[Utrecht]

Actually, I can see a network of these types of portals to be socially and culturally stagnating.

Think about it. (Danger, using RL analogy) If Europe had a series of portals to the orient, the motivation to perform much of the exploration during the age of exploration is simply not there.

Would Christopher Columbus gotten backing for several large ships if all that Isabella and Ferdinand needed to do was set up a T-circle - unlikely. Leaving the New world to be undiscovered for who knows how long...

The only people who would have any motivation for change would be the disenfranchized - and ost likely they would simply leave the city for some where else (you could make the argument that this would be the source of exploration). The out-flux of people would then futher re-inforce the status quo - becomming a self-realizing prophecy where any type of innovation is discouraged.....

 

[Rel]

Actually, I can see a network of these types of portals to be socially and culturally stagnating.

Good point.

I'd also point out that if the teleportals had been around for any real length of time you'd see a homogenization of cultures with access to the portals. There would be few languages, mannerisms, clothing styles or foods that would be exclusive to a single area.

 

[CTD]

I hope someone submitted it to WotC actually.

I might actually buy it.

Be darn better than anything TSR ever published. [/B]

This is, pretty much, what I sent them for the contest. I didn't make the top 11 though

In a nutshell, the campaign setting would be a series of worlds in a galaxy. Linked by portals that would allow you to jump from one fixed location to another.

I wasn't thinking teleportation circle when I came up with it, but it is basically the same idea. The jump points would be far apart and usually hidden. Finding one, and knowing what it is, would be a powerful and valueable bit of information. Only the most educated and well researched scholars would know about their very existence.

I thought this was a good idea because it allowed me to link multiple worlds and have vast and different cultures and regions that could all potentially find each other. On some worlds there are no (insert race of your choice), but on other worlds/moons they would be dominant. Additionally the rules could be slightly different on each world.

I also thought it was a good idea because it would allow for DM's to insert their homebrew world into the galaxy with no issues. (you did have to fudge a bit of our scientific knowledge on the galaxy and how close to the sun a world needs to be to thrive, but it's fantasy).

I never realised how common this idea really was

 

[wolff96]

I agree with Utrecht.

As transportation technology improves -- magic or science -- locations blend toward the homogenous. Let's face it. If you're a world traveller, you've probably noted that one airport terminal looks a LOT like every other airport terminal. And there's a McDonald's restaurant in nearly every one of them.

The culture through a teleportation circle network would be really standardized. When fashions or music changed, it would shift everywhere, all at once. People LIKE being similar to others for the most part.

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Back to D&D specifics:

I think a network of cities -- the vast majority built up in very inaccessible locations -- could be a fascinating "nation".

Put one city someplace practical: On the fertile plains of a world where food and animals can be grown and harvested easily. The rest can be anywhere -- impregnable cities linked by a network of old magic.

The PCs could stumble across the accessible city. Chances are, the city dwellers would be rabidly xenophobic -- their technology is better. Worse yet, if their city is compromised, they know that the rest of the "empire" will be in danger.

Or, from the other side, perhaps the PCs are from the empire of high magic. A new destination has been found -- maybe even on another plane, a new world. Such an empire would constantly be in need of explorers and scouts to investigate any new findings.

$&^%, we need SHARK. He's got a much better tactical mind than I do, he'd be easier able to synthesize believable military policy for a network of cities seeded across the planes -- including within other political powers.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Has anyone else played the computer game "Master of Orion II"? It's a sci-fi game, not fantasy, but hear me out.

One of the later technologies you develop is the Stargate, which allows nearly instantaneous travel for your starships (one turn, the smallest unit of time in the game). Once your network of Stargates is up and running, the game gets... weird.

You can pop into an enemy system with scout ships, plunk down an outpost/Stargate (think of this as casting the Teleport Circle), then on the next turn drive in your massive fleet of star destroyers. However, at the same time, your enemy could be flying his ships through your outpost into your systems.

I know Master of Orion II (Currently, I am playing it once again), and I am familiar with the situation, though I noticed:
You will see, that your enemy moves way to fast to catch up any of his attacking fleets, especially if he wins Initiative (if you're on the defensive, this is usally the fact).
So, the only strategy that really works is: Destroy him, before he does you. Don't care for your colonies, destroy/conquer his, so he is unable to pay his fleets, gives up or signs a peace treaty (or is utterly destroyed, whatever you prefer )


Anyway, this idea of teleportation as main travel method is great.
As a campaign (setting):
Let the player's enjoy "the gay life of the teleporters" for a few levels, and than disengage the network.
Suddenly, the main connections between the cities fail, and everbody has to go back to the road. But the road isn`t safe - other creatures, orcs, goblinoids and even nastier things have gained controled there. Only some real heroes may attempt to clear some roads, and reestablish contact. (To really make the plot work, any Teleportation Magic has to fail...)


Mustrum Ridcully

 

[Vaxalon]

Would Christopher Columbus gotten backing for several large ships if all that Isabella and Ferdinand needed to do was set up a T-circle - unlikely. Leaving the New world to be undiscovered for who knows how long...

Check your history.

Mister C. got backing for three TINY ships and only enough payroll to last about half the voyage. It was a trivial amount of money, compared to the total Naval budget of that year, and virtually nothing had to be diverted for it.

The only thing the King was worried about was whether he'd get in trouble with the Pope for backing an idea that was contrary to their cosmology.