Fleshing Out a Campaign World

[Hunter]

Another idea:

Perhaps the Great Storm itself is the object of religous fervor on the one hand and life giving magical energy to all spell casters within the demi plane on the other?

The main religion could be based on the magical giving energy that the Storm grants to spell casters.

Their DNA is interlocked (somehow, like a silver cord-astral projection) to the Storm's magic energy.

Maybe a connection down to the molecular DNA level.

Say when the Great Storm was created it somehow (maybe through Wild Magic or whatever) merged/mingled/connected with the molecules/atoms/DNA of the denizens of the Deep as well as The Exiles.
So in order for the Exiles to replenish their spell power they must somehow 'Tap' into the Great Storm for energy. Possibly through a spell and/or a religous ritual-(That somehow connects the spell caster's to The Storm mentally opening them up to the regenative energies. So there properly processed and not just absorded as raw power. I dunno.).
Maybe this affects all spell casters within the Storm-(somehow)
So you can add Demons or extra planar creatures that can cast spells.

At the same time it is impossible to cross but at the very highest levels (via airships). However the intoxicating/euphoria experienced by spellcasters while passing even at high altitudes through the Storm renders them temporarily catatonic. This subsides eventually but the Outsiders could have devised of special docks or something that radiates a anti-magic aura for complete searches for stowaways.

Then the farther an Exile (or any spell caster that has been exposed to the Storm for a certain period of time like a proper incubation/exposure time for the Demi Plane Storm Magic to take affect/be absorbed.) moves away from the Great Storm on the outside the less power he/she is able to wield/cast. Say 1 mile/1 energy level or break it down closer to 100feet/1 energy level (or whatever magic system you might be using).
Eventually the farther they get they become so weak magically that soon they are neutralized-(magically).
This would give them an incentive to stay within the Storm and also to dominate it. For by ruling the Land Inside The Storm one becomes Lord of The Living Giving Energy of The Great Storm. It would also give them something to worship albiet more of a Druidical worship.

Cyrik also mentioned that he would like player Exiles to eventually escape. This gives them that opportunity, maybe with the help of others in hijacking building one's own airship.
Maybe the Great Storm is patroled constantly by Outsider Airships. So the possibility for escape is there only very difficult.

Finally maybe there is a way to circumvent the kryptonite power of moving away from the Storm for Exiles. Possibly a very, very rare spell that only maybe a handful of people know (maybe the spell is written and located only somewhere on the outside far from the Storm) that enables the Exile to 'tap' into the storm via an interdimensional portal, like a Dimension Pool or a tiny WormHole.
Giving the Exile (far away from the Storm) the ability to regenerate his lost levels. Kind of like Green Lantern recharging his power ring.

I'm not saying these ideas are infalliable, I'm just pitching back Brains Storms based on the thread ideas you all have posted.
Trying to incorporate the religion as well. Although I haven't gone near the Unobtanium/the science side of this world.

~Hunter

 

[Cyrik Skylark]

Another idea:

Perhaps the Great Storm itself is the object of religous fervor on the one hand and life giving magical energy to all spell casters within the demi plane on the other?

The main religion could be based on the magical giving energy that the Storm grants to spell casters.

Their DNA is interlocked (somehow, like a silver cord-astral projection) to the Storm's magic energy.

<snip details>

This could work, especially the part about them drawing power from the storm; it gives them reasons to build the temples, invest in their religion, that sort of thing. Also, the fact that they're, essentially, drawing on wild magic gives a plausible reason for Tainted lines to show up. There are close to a million of these exiles - eight city-states (though one is in a state of constant flux), each of about a hundred thousand (including all of the many outlying communities; the cities themselves would have between 10,000-25,000.

However, their abilities are inherent; drawing on the storm enhances their powers, but they aren't dependent on it for power - at least, not in a must-drink-water sort of way. Perhaps in a "Need drugs!" sort of way. So, rather than escaped Exiles losing their powers, they'd go through a withdrawal period, similiar to drug addicts denied their fix.

Maybe the Great Storm is patroled constantly by Outsider Airships. So the possibility for escape is there only very difficult.

Yeah, it would be patrolled. There's actually an island not far from the entrance to the demiplane, serves as a military base/supply depot for the trade with the Exiles.

And for the record, the Exiles needn't be -perfectly- confined. Escape just needs to be difficult enough that most people aren't crazy enough to try. Between all the ideas we've had on this thread, I think we've come pretty near to reaching that goal, if we haven't already.

I don't see a need to make the prison a demiplane too. The oceans are HUGE and if drained that would be more then enough land. I hope this is an inland sea by the way or else it will drain the rest of the planet.

Well, it wasn't an entire ocean, and the portion that was drained was an almost-enclosed bay, which was blocked off from the rest of the sea before being drained.

As far as the demiplane - that's there largely to prevent teleportation out of the Storm. Teleportation spells don't work inside the demiplane, it not being co-terminus with the Astral plane. In effect, it's sealed from the rest of existence - sort of like a cosmically large bag of holding. However, I'm not married to the idea of the demiplane - I think it works rather well, but if it turns out it doesn't, then *shrug* no skin off my nose. =b

The local equivilent of the Marianas Trench could be the last stronghold of the aquatic races!

Indeed, it could. =b I actually just drew up the first draft of the map today, with a big trench running through the middle, a thousand or so miles long. And considering that the land is about 1,500 miles, at the widest... =b That may actually be too much space for them... possibly change the scale. However, that trench is there, and is a very significant landmark - it basically divides the land in two. It isn't the -last- stronghold, however - there are a few other residual salt-water lakes. It -is- the largest of said strongholds.

What if the there were interplanar rips but they only occured at the edges of the storm? Anyone trying to climb the continental shelf would be assulted by demons and such! Lets say that that extraplanar creatures can't esablish a toehold here because this godless world is harmful to them. Without a spell keeping them here they will die.

I like this idea, for both facets - it makes simply climbing up through the caves a life-threatening task, at best. Near those extraplanar rips are the only places that outsiders (as in demons/devils, not the people keeping the Exiles in prison... mensch, I need to come up with some names) can survive. However, the very thing that kills them is what draws them to the place - the fact that it -is- godless is an immense temptation for them. It's a new, wild frontier, that they're itching to exploit. Something to file away for Epic levels, perhaps...

In order to minimize contact it might be best if the trading ships came to the lowlands all at once. A fleet of cargo ships and warships would decend on the richest city-state to trade rare spices, furs, and wood for utilitarian magic items. Stowing away on board an airship would be simple. Shapeshifting, teleportation, even plain old invisibility would work. Its passing through the Storm that is the trick. In addition to making spells go wonky and stop working it also incapacitates magic users. By this time the highlanders pet sorcerers are doped into unconsiousness anyway so they don't mind. But the crew searches the ship from stem to stern for lowlanders. Anyone they find gets thrown overboard. It would be difficult but not impossible to escape. Unless of course, someone wanted them to escape.

I think that the sight of highlander airships returning to port would be spectacular. They would seem to sail on a sea of roiling stormclouds. Kinda like the opening to Final Fantasy 9.

Well, teleportation wouldn't work (since it isn't co-terminus with Astral plane), but yeah, in general, it'd be quite easy to stow away. It'd be quite difficult to actually escape, though, for exactly the reasons you said. However, they wouldn't simply be thrown overboard - less chance of the body being found that way, and unless the Exiles see the body, they might think that the stowaway actually succeeded. Instead, I envision a seperate "delivery" to go along with their trades - they return the bodies of stowaways to the Exiles. They like to think of themselves as humanitarian, at least with regards to the Exiles - the Exiles are kept because they are a danger to the world, not because the highlanders really -hate- them (except in a dispassionate sort of way.) The stowaways are "put down" when found, then prepared to be returned to the Exiles. This way, the Exiles get physical evidence that, "Damn, Bob's crazy scheme didn't get him free..." The more stowaways they catch, the fewer stowaways there will be. (Feel free to critique)

And I completely agree on the imagery. =b

On a side note, I'll probably be starting a new thread soon, to discuss the specific city-states - this thread has been invaluable for giving me inspiration and ideas on the general state of things. Many thanks to all who've contributed thus far - keep them coming, they're a great help!