Flying Islands and Water Worlds
- Thread starter Chrysoula
- Start date
LostSoul
Adventurer
With island-worlds, you can have a whole lot of different cultures and isolated "danger zones" for adventure. PCs can travel from one island to the next and explore "Desert Land" or get bored of that and go to "Ice Land" or end up on "Forest Land" with a bunch of tiny teddy bears.
Buttercup
Princess of Florin
Chrysoula said:
In my case, nothing at all.
Seriously, I can't suspend my disbelief enough for the flying island/castle/city, and water worlds don't interest me that much. Now, vast stretches of land, traversed by migrating violent tribes, ancient, crumbling cities filled with intrigue and decadence, mysterious cults which operate in the shadows, exotic cultures and magics, those ring my bell.
Water, water everywhere...
Water World? I wasn't too fond of that movie.
I don't think either of those two ideas are that interesting on the surface. Both could be made interesting, but the appeal (at least to me) doesn't reside in the geography.
For what it's worth David Drake has a series that I just discovered (though it's been out for a bit) called "Lord of the Isles" that's based in an island kingdom. I enjoyed the first book, and I'm currently enjoying the second...your results may vary.
Water World? I wasn't too fond of that movie.
I don't think either of those two ideas are that interesting on the surface. Both could be made interesting, but the appeal (at least to me) doesn't reside in the geography.
For what it's worth David Drake has a series that I just discovered (though it's been out for a bit) called "Lord of the Isles" that's based in an island kingdom. I enjoyed the first book, and I'm currently enjoying the second...your results may vary.
Psion
Adventurer
Water Worlds? No real love, at least not in fantasy. In science fiction, they are a nice variant.
Flying Islands - Gotta love 'em! They are the essence of fantasy. They are so inherently fantastic. The are also inherently nerve-wracking. You just know that the magical doo-dad that makes it fly could fail at any moment. Nice for keeping players on their toes.
As a GM, it is easy to keep players away from yet everpresent, or to keep players isolated on (if they can't fly.)
Play FFVI sometime. That should clue you in.
Flying Islands - Gotta love 'em! They are the essence of fantasy. They are so inherently fantastic. The are also inherently nerve-wracking. You just know that the magical doo-dad that makes it fly could fail at any moment. Nice for keeping players on their toes.
As a GM, it is easy to keep players away from yet everpresent, or to keep players isolated on (if they can't fly.)
Play FFVI sometime. That should clue you in.
Hatchling Dragon
First Post
Well I'm one of those few madmen that acutally liked Waterworld, not totally sure why. And yes, I'm the sort that likes 'after the bomb' games/movies/whatnot. I miss GammaWorld...
I can understand the apeal of the Flying Islands though. It's pointed out in the Core Rule Books that the 'point' to Dungeons as the mainstay of Adventuring, at least in part, has to do with them being self-contained little worlds. You enter and you're in 'the dungeon', you leave and it's over till you go back in, very cut and dried. This appeals to many, myself included. Think of the "Flying Islands" as a really big dungeon, only over-land and not just underground (which can wear a bit thin I'll agree).
Maybe that's a part of why Water Worlds have appeal as well. Your ship or Island is the isolated 'dungeon' you're dealing with, yet you can take it with you around the world. *shrug*
Hatchling Dragon
I can understand the apeal of the Flying Islands though. It's pointed out in the Core Rule Books that the 'point' to Dungeons as the mainstay of Adventuring, at least in part, has to do with them being self-contained little worlds. You enter and you're in 'the dungeon', you leave and it's over till you go back in, very cut and dried. This appeals to many, myself included. Think of the "Flying Islands" as a really big dungeon, only over-land and not just underground (which can wear a bit thin I'll agree).
Maybe that's a part of why Water Worlds have appeal as well. Your ship or Island is the isolated 'dungeon' you're dealing with, yet you can take it with you around the world. *shrug*
Hatchling Dragon
Psychotic Dreamer
First Post
I love the idea of worlds with flying islands and such. One of my favorite CRPG's is Skies of Arcadia. I'd love to see D20 info on that setting.
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Well, I have been running my D&D games in an "island" world for about 13 years now.
What I like about the water world/island idea is that:
1) It is very easy to stick in some undiscovered or forgotten island, or islet or cove where an adventure could take place without changing things too much.
2) I have always liked ship to ship combat and the aspects of gaming that involve man against nature - and when at sea - the weather is your best friend and your worst enemy.
3) The monsters. It allows you to include a large variety of amphibious or aquatic monsters in your games - the kind that are seldom used -so a real delight even to old-time gamers.
4) While most of the action happens on the surface - it is the perfect launching pad for fully aquatic adventures at the higher levels -when the politics of the world is forced to include aquatic kingdoms and powerful tribes of lizardmen. . .
What I like about the water world/island idea is that:
1) It is very easy to stick in some undiscovered or forgotten island, or islet or cove where an adventure could take place without changing things too much.
2) I have always liked ship to ship combat and the aspects of gaming that involve man against nature - and when at sea - the weather is your best friend and your worst enemy.
3) The monsters. It allows you to include a large variety of amphibious or aquatic monsters in your games - the kind that are seldom used -so a real delight even to old-time gamers.
4) While most of the action happens on the surface - it is the perfect launching pad for fully aquatic adventures at the higher levels -when the politics of the world is forced to include aquatic kingdoms and powerful tribes of lizardmen. . .
Undead Pete
First Post
UGH!! Let's stop the flying islands idea NOW! Didn't anyone read The Deathgate Cycle?? Talk about unoriginal.
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