Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Let's Read Sword World 2.5!
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Iosue" data-source="post: 8788534" data-attributes="member: 6680772"><p>Let's talk about <strong>Alfleim</strong>, the Cursed and Blessed Land.</p><p></p><p>Alfleim is roughly the size of North America, with similar climate zones. The first records of it go back to the middle of the Magic Civilization. Based on the research of Magictec Civilization archaeologists, it was thought that Alfleim was spared much of the ravages of the God War, and so afterward, the peoples of Alfleim, centered on the Lycants, lived in relative peace and prosperity. It is also thought that Alfleim was the site of where Caldier burst itself, and so the continent was rich in mana and magic crystals. But in the middle of the Magic Civilization era, powerful Mage Kings crossed over from another continent, and began taking over. </p><p></p><p>The Mage Kings enslaved the Lycants, and began engaging in deep magical research. The results of these experiments was the creation of a giant gate to another dimension, from which poured countless demons. The giant Wall of the Abyss was built to seal this gate, but the opening of the Abyss led to the fall of the Magic Civilization.</p><p></p><p>This gave way to the Magitec Civilization, during which Alfleim flourished again. A great Magitec railroad connected every city and flying ships carried people across the sky. Guardian Swords kept the Barbaros at bay, and protection against the Abyss was strengthened. Then it all fell apart when the Barbaros attacked during the Diabolic Triumph. Coordination between the Adventurers Guilds and the Magicians Guilds barely kept civilization on Alfleim from being completely wiped out. Some of humankind gathered around the heroes of that time to create new kingdoms, while in other regions there are republics, keeping tradition from the time of the Magitec Civilization.</p><p></p><p>These nations, such as they are, are more like city-states. The lines of travel and communication between them are attenuated, and what trade and communications go on are generally facilitated by merchants and adventurers. Most common people die having never left their birthplace. Even those in armies and knightly orders are concerned mainly with protecting their own nations, and do not often venture out of them.</p><p></p><p>There are many ruins on Alfleim, containing lost magitec and stores of magic crystals. There are two distinct features: one are the Magitec Colossi. These were once powerful Magitec weapons, but are now non-functional, found lying inert in different areas of Alfleim. They stand 100 meters (roughly 300 feet) tall. These days people mine them for parts, devices, and material. Or, sometimes, the magic sword that once powered them has created a labyrinth within the Colossus. The other feature are floating stones. Among the large amount of magic crystal in Alfleim there is also a mineral called manatite. Manatite reacts against gravity, and thus floats. During the geologic upheavals of the Diabolic Triumph, large deposits of manatite were thrown into the air, where they've continued to float. Some of these floating manatite rocks are the size of small islands, becoming floating magic crystal mines.</p><p></p><p>But the defining feature of Alfleim, its major contribution to Raxia lore, has to be the Abyss, located in the sea off the extreme north coast of the continent. It is always written with the characters for "Naraku," that is Naraka, the Buddhist concept of hell. But above the characters, syllabary characters indicate it should be pronounced "abisu," IOW, Abyss. The gate to the Abyss was apparently torn open when a large-scale demon summoning ritual went terribly wrong. The Mage Kings of that time gave their lives to seal the Abyss, and erect the Wall of the Abyss. The Wall is 100 meters high, and thousands of kilometers long. The Wall is to protect Alfleim from stray demons who get through the seams and frays in the barrier seal. It is manned by the Wall Guardians, brave, badass warriors who are the shield for humankind, and could be said to be the origins of adventurers.</p><p></p><p>Though sealed and walled off, the Abyss nevertheless has an effect on the continent. Throughout the continent, bits of Abyss-space will appear. The name for this Abyss-space is written with the characters for "Magic Zone of the Abyss", but the pronunciation is indicated as "Shallow Abyss." When Shallow Abyss first appear, they are like void black balls about 1 meter (3 feet) across. These can be destroyed relatively easily. But if left on its own, the Shallow Abyss begins to expand, sometimes as large as hundreds of meters across. To destroy these larger Shallow Abysses, they must be entered. Inside is a kind of pocket dimension, the form of which is completely variable. Somewhere inside is the Abyss Core, a small sword-shaped crystal of pitch black. When this is destroyed, the Shallow Abyss dissipates, and an Abyss Shard is all that remains. The Abyss Shard can be turned into the guild for money. As a Shallow Abyss grows, it will summon a demon to protect its Core. Often the demon will then pervert whatever kind of environment (forest, mountain, sea, etc.) the Shallow Abyss has taken on. Those of weak wills who happen to enter a Shallow Abyss will be shown whatever they desire, and this will also work to shape the form of the Shallow Abyss.</p><p></p><p>Once entered, it may be impossible to leave the Shallow Abyss without destroying its Core. Once the Core is destroyed, an exit appears that can be used until the Shallow Abyss dissipates. Failure to leave before then could result being trapped in the pocket dimension forever! However, in addition to the exit that appears when the Core is destroyed, sometimes demons residing in the Shallow Abyss create exits so that they can pass in and out between the Shallow Abyss and the real world. If these are created, the characters can use them, too. </p><p></p><p>The game helpfully explains these in very clear terms. They are "wilderness dungeons," in contrast to the magic sword dungeons. Enclosed spaces with which GMs may do essentially whatever they like, without much concern for reality or pragmatism. The Shallow Abyss can swallow up objects and structures in the real world, or include various magical strongholds to explore. </p><p></p><p>As near as I can tell, SW 2.5 has no rules for traveling. Not even distance-traveled rates. This essentially fits the common gaming style in Japan of self-contained one-shots. No need to take too much time traveling to where the action is. So along with urban adventures taking place in the city-states, Shallow Abyss adventures offer an opportunity to explore a wilderness, within constraints, and offer an alternative to the traditional dungeon setting.</p><p></p><p>Reading this description of Alfleim, I got very strong Wheel of Time vibes (seal of evil in the north, post-apocalyptic city-states) mixed with a bit of Song of Ice and Fire (giant wall against evil to the north, Wall Guardians). Of course the Magitec Colossi are very Nausicaa-esque. And I continue to find it interesting how they marry setting lore with metagame mechanics. The Abyss is not just local color, nor even an adventure hook, it actually creates the conditions around which the GM can structure their scenario.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iosue, post: 8788534, member: 6680772"] Let's talk about [B]Alfleim[/B], the Cursed and Blessed Land. Alfleim is roughly the size of North America, with similar climate zones. The first records of it go back to the middle of the Magic Civilization. Based on the research of Magictec Civilization archaeologists, it was thought that Alfleim was spared much of the ravages of the God War, and so afterward, the peoples of Alfleim, centered on the Lycants, lived in relative peace and prosperity. It is also thought that Alfleim was the site of where Caldier burst itself, and so the continent was rich in mana and magic crystals. But in the middle of the Magic Civilization era, powerful Mage Kings crossed over from another continent, and began taking over. The Mage Kings enslaved the Lycants, and began engaging in deep magical research. The results of these experiments was the creation of a giant gate to another dimension, from which poured countless demons. The giant Wall of the Abyss was built to seal this gate, but the opening of the Abyss led to the fall of the Magic Civilization. This gave way to the Magitec Civilization, during which Alfleim flourished again. A great Magitec railroad connected every city and flying ships carried people across the sky. Guardian Swords kept the Barbaros at bay, and protection against the Abyss was strengthened. Then it all fell apart when the Barbaros attacked during the Diabolic Triumph. Coordination between the Adventurers Guilds and the Magicians Guilds barely kept civilization on Alfleim from being completely wiped out. Some of humankind gathered around the heroes of that time to create new kingdoms, while in other regions there are republics, keeping tradition from the time of the Magitec Civilization. These nations, such as they are, are more like city-states. The lines of travel and communication between them are attenuated, and what trade and communications go on are generally facilitated by merchants and adventurers. Most common people die having never left their birthplace. Even those in armies and knightly orders are concerned mainly with protecting their own nations, and do not often venture out of them. There are many ruins on Alfleim, containing lost magitec and stores of magic crystals. There are two distinct features: one are the Magitec Colossi. These were once powerful Magitec weapons, but are now non-functional, found lying inert in different areas of Alfleim. They stand 100 meters (roughly 300 feet) tall. These days people mine them for parts, devices, and material. Or, sometimes, the magic sword that once powered them has created a labyrinth within the Colossus. The other feature are floating stones. Among the large amount of magic crystal in Alfleim there is also a mineral called manatite. Manatite reacts against gravity, and thus floats. During the geologic upheavals of the Diabolic Triumph, large deposits of manatite were thrown into the air, where they've continued to float. Some of these floating manatite rocks are the size of small islands, becoming floating magic crystal mines. But the defining feature of Alfleim, its major contribution to Raxia lore, has to be the Abyss, located in the sea off the extreme north coast of the continent. It is always written with the characters for "Naraku," that is Naraka, the Buddhist concept of hell. But above the characters, syllabary characters indicate it should be pronounced "abisu," IOW, Abyss. The gate to the Abyss was apparently torn open when a large-scale demon summoning ritual went terribly wrong. The Mage Kings of that time gave their lives to seal the Abyss, and erect the Wall of the Abyss. The Wall is 100 meters high, and thousands of kilometers long. The Wall is to protect Alfleim from stray demons who get through the seams and frays in the barrier seal. It is manned by the Wall Guardians, brave, badass warriors who are the shield for humankind, and could be said to be the origins of adventurers. Though sealed and walled off, the Abyss nevertheless has an effect on the continent. Throughout the continent, bits of Abyss-space will appear. The name for this Abyss-space is written with the characters for "Magic Zone of the Abyss", but the pronunciation is indicated as "Shallow Abyss." When Shallow Abyss first appear, they are like void black balls about 1 meter (3 feet) across. These can be destroyed relatively easily. But if left on its own, the Shallow Abyss begins to expand, sometimes as large as hundreds of meters across. To destroy these larger Shallow Abysses, they must be entered. Inside is a kind of pocket dimension, the form of which is completely variable. Somewhere inside is the Abyss Core, a small sword-shaped crystal of pitch black. When this is destroyed, the Shallow Abyss dissipates, and an Abyss Shard is all that remains. The Abyss Shard can be turned into the guild for money. As a Shallow Abyss grows, it will summon a demon to protect its Core. Often the demon will then pervert whatever kind of environment (forest, mountain, sea, etc.) the Shallow Abyss has taken on. Those of weak wills who happen to enter a Shallow Abyss will be shown whatever they desire, and this will also work to shape the form of the Shallow Abyss. Once entered, it may be impossible to leave the Shallow Abyss without destroying its Core. Once the Core is destroyed, an exit appears that can be used until the Shallow Abyss dissipates. Failure to leave before then could result being trapped in the pocket dimension forever! However, in addition to the exit that appears when the Core is destroyed, sometimes demons residing in the Shallow Abyss create exits so that they can pass in and out between the Shallow Abyss and the real world. If these are created, the characters can use them, too. The game helpfully explains these in very clear terms. They are "wilderness dungeons," in contrast to the magic sword dungeons. Enclosed spaces with which GMs may do essentially whatever they like, without much concern for reality or pragmatism. The Shallow Abyss can swallow up objects and structures in the real world, or include various magical strongholds to explore. As near as I can tell, SW 2.5 has no rules for traveling. Not even distance-traveled rates. This essentially fits the common gaming style in Japan of self-contained one-shots. No need to take too much time traveling to where the action is. So along with urban adventures taking place in the city-states, Shallow Abyss adventures offer an opportunity to explore a wilderness, within constraints, and offer an alternative to the traditional dungeon setting. Reading this description of Alfleim, I got very strong Wheel of Time vibes (seal of evil in the north, post-apocalyptic city-states) mixed with a bit of Song of Ice and Fire (giant wall against evil to the north, Wall Guardians). Of course the Magitec Colossi are very Nausicaa-esque. And I continue to find it interesting how they marry setting lore with metagame mechanics. The Abyss is not just local color, nor even an adventure hook, it actually creates the conditions around which the GM can structure their scenario. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
General Tabletop Discussion
*TTRPGs General
Let's Read Sword World 2.5!
Top