My World -- Chalice

WanderingMonster

First Post
Hey guys! I'm in a bit of a writing slump with my world, and figure if I can get comments on my work so far I might be shaken out the doldrums. It's worth noting that I'm trying to make a world that will make my entire D&D collection relevant. It's not written in stone, per se, that i need to make sure each book is represented, but I want to include the cool stuff.

Here's the background, and the planar statblock.


Chalice is an prime material world that exists on the inside of a hemispherical plane. Legend tells that Chalice came to be after the gods created the rest of the cosmos. So pleased were they with their work, that they engaged in a thousand year revel. Once they had finally drunk all of the celestial wine from the Great Chalice, the revel ended, and all the gods fell into a blissful stupor. The goddess of birth and creation was the last to drink, and when she had finished the wine she dropped the Chalice and joined the other gods in their slumber.

Several drops of wine remained in the Chalice. Fueled by the touch of Creation and the dreams of the gods, the wine became the stuff of Life. As the drops dribbled down the side, they became great rivers, carving terrain out of the otherwise smooth surface of the Chalice. At the bottom of the Chalice, the rivers met and became a great sea which still spills out into the ether to this day. Eons passed, and plants sprouted on the inside of the Chalice. Soon there were great plains and marvelous forests. Where the rivers did not flow, deserts were made.

Countless more ages passed and soon intelligent beings built civilizations as the dreams of the gods came to life. These beings worshipped the gods and roused them from their stupor. When the gods saw what had happened, they marveled and declared Chalice as their finest work. They placed Chalice at the center of the cosmos and agreed never to interfere directly with Chalice or its inhabitants.

Chalice Traits
The Plane of Chalice has the following traits:

• Normal Gravity.
• Normal Time.
• Finite Size: Chalice exists inside of a giant celestial cup.
• Alterable Morphic.
• No Elemental or Energy Traits.
• Mildly Neutral-Aligned.
• Normal Magic.
 

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WanderingMonster said:
It's worth noting that I'm trying to make a world that will make my entire D&D collection relevant. It's not written in stone, per se, that i need to make sure each book is represented, but I want to include the cool stuff.

This is a very cool jumping-off point for world design, and there are lots of directions you can take it. I often find that having a single, simple statement I can refer back to when I'm designing something for a game is an excellent idea, and I think it will serve you well.

They placed Chalice at the center of the cosmos and agreed never to interfere directly with Chalice or its inhabitants.

Depending on how diverse your D&D collection is (my assumption: quite diverse), how are you planning on making Chalice inclusive? Given its position at the center of the cosmos, making it a planar nexus (like Sigil) or bazaar (Atlantis in Rifts, if memory serves) both seem like viable options. So does making it so large that anything can be made to fit in somewhere, although that seems a bit like taking the easy way out. ;)

It seems like your biggest challenge will be making it inclusive without turning it into a messy hodgepodge of unrelated ideas. What sort of stuff is in your collection?
 

Thanks for your interest. Here's The Plan.

  • Original Pantheon
  • Tweaked Cosmology
  • Psionics Prevalent
  • Anthropomorphic Beast Races
  • Epic Villains (and ultimately Heroes)
  • Lots of Vile Darkness

Of course I'll use some non-WOtC stuff, but I haven't decided which yet. R&R is a given, but the rest is up in the air.
Here's the short list of books:

  • Manual of the Planes
  • Deities and Demigods
  • MM2
  • Psionics Handbook
  • Epic Level Handbook
  • Savage Species
  • Book of Vile Darkness
  • The core 3
  • The Class books
  • Mythic Races
  • Traps & Treachery
  • Relics & Rituals

I'll post the pantheon next.
 

Anjílla Finewine
Little Sister, Mistress of Joy
Greater Deity
Symbol: The Overflowing Heart
Home Plane: Blessed Fields of Elysium (Amoria)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Abundance, Courage, Revelry
Worshippers: Revelers, unmarried women, children
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG, N
Domains: Community, Creation, Protection
Favored Weapon: Short Sword

Beranna the Shade
The Dark Knife
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A knife made of shadow, balancing on its point
Home Plane: The Plane of Shadow
Alignment: Chaotic Neatral
Portfolio: Daring, Darkness, Luck, Madness
Worshippers: Rogues, gamblers, assassins, madmen
Cleric Alignments: CG, CN, CE, N
Domains: Darkness, Luck, Madness
Favored Weapon: A wavy bladed dagger

Blutrok the Avalanche
The Fury, Lord of Disaster, Uncle Blutro
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A mountain split in two along a jagged rift.
Home Plane: Windswept Depths of Pandemonium (Pandesmos)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Brawling, Earthquakes, Rage, Vengeance
Worshippers: Barbarians, giants, wrestlers, vengeance seekers, those hoping to avert disaster
Cleric Alignments: CE, CN, CG, N
Domains: Chaos, Destruction, Strength
Favored Weapon: Great club

Teurnock
Dreamspeaker, The Sleeping Mage
Greater Deity
Symbol: A sleeping eye within a full moon
Home Plane: Concordant Domain of the Outlands
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Knowledge, Psionics, Moon, Prophecy, Sleep
Worshippers: Psions, psychic warriors, sages, prophets, petitioners for safe sleep
Cleric Alignments: NG, NE, N, CN, LN
Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Sleep
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

Fellgrimm
Tyrant of the Dead, Wraith-King, Most Grave Lord
Greater Deity
Symbol: A skeletal hand gripping a knife -- Home Plane: Tarterian Depths of Carceri (Orthrys)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Evil, Magic, Murder, Tyranny, Undead
Worshippers: Sorcerers, those seeking undeath, despots, assassins
Cleric Alignments: CE, LE, NE, N
Domains: Death, Evil, Magic
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Garög the Hammerer
The Bloodied Hammer, The War Master
Greater Deity
Symbol: A warhammer crushing a skull
Home Plane: Infernal Battlefield of Acheron (Avalas)
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Portfolio: Chaos, Destruction, Massacres, War
Worshippers: Barbarians, warriors
Cleric Alignments: CN, NE, CE
Domains: Destruction, Evil, War
Favored Weapon: Warhammer

Glamergild
The Merchant Lord
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: His profile on a silver coin
Home Plane: Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia (Abellio)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Commerce, Dueling, Nobility, Poetry, Wit
Worshippers: Bards, nobles, poets, merchants, suitors
Cleric Alignments: LG, LE, LN, N
Domains: Charm, Law, Nobility
Favored Weapon: Rapier

Golbyit
Skulker, Green Hermit, Old Golby
Greater Deity
Symbol: A bloody yellow eye with a green iris
Home Plane: Bleak eternity of Gehenna (Khalas)
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Portfolio: Envy, Greed, Malice
Worshippers: Thieves
Cleric Alignments: LE, NE, CE, N
Domains: Darkness, Evil, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Morningstar

Grinstagg
The King Buck
Greater Deity
Symbol: A leaping stag
Home Plane: The Wilderness of the Beastlands (Krigala)
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Birth, Death, Nature, Seasons, Sun
Worshippers: Druids, rangers, farmers
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NG, NE
Domains: Animal, Plant, Repose, Sun
Favored Weapon: Antlers

Joalla Evenblade
The Justicar, Mithril Maiden
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A two-bladed sword, one blade is black, the other is white
Home Plane: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia (Mertion)
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Portfolio: Judgment, Law, Truth, Wisdom
Worshippers: Judges, knights, parents, teachers
Cleric Alignments: LG, LN, LE, N
Domains: Law, Protection, Strength
Favored Weapon: Two-bladed sword

Krall
The Patient One, Mountain-Wise
Intermediate Deity
Symbol: A mountain supporting the sky, the sun, the moon, and the stars
Home Plane: Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Endurance, Mountains, Strength, Watchfulness
Worshippers: Monks, fighters, non-evil giants
Cleric Alignments: LN, CN, N, NG, NE
Domains: Earth, Protection, Strength
Favored Weapon: Fist

Meaddle Longyarne
Rednose, The Laughing Lord
Greater Deity
Symbol: A pair of wine goblets; one silver, one gold
Home Plane: Twin Paradises of Bytopia
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Gambling, Mirth, Stories, Wine
Worshippers: Bards, merrymakers, writers, rogues
Cleric Alignments: LG, NG, CG, N
Domains: Charm, Community, Luck
Favored Weapon: Light Pick

Nârngale the Golden
Longbeard, Stonefather
Greater Deity
Symbol: A block of granite with Nârngale's personal rune emblazoned in gold
Home Plane: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia (Solania)
Alignment: Lawful Good
Portfolio: Artisans, Wealth
Worshippers: Nobles, artisans, merchants
Cleric Alignments: LG, CG, LN
Domains: Artifice, Law, Rune
Favored Weapon: Waraxe

Phantasie
The Ephemeral Mistress
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A full length silver mirror
Home Plane: Ethereal Plane
Alignment: Neutral
Portfolio: Beauty, Illusions, Secrets
Worshippers: Illusionists, rogues, courtiers
Cleric Alignments: CN, LN, N, NG, NE
Domains: Charm, Magic, Trickery
Favored Weapon: Dagger

Sean'Dur
Windbrother, Oceanmother
Greater Deity
Symbol: A galleon with a full sail, riding a stylized wave
Home Plane: The Rivers Styx and Oceanus
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Portfolio: Oceans, Rivers & Lakes, Travel, Weather
Worshippers: Sailors, travelers, those looking for safe passage
Clerics Alignment: CN, CG, CE, N
Domains: Air, Travel, Water, Weather
Favored Weapon: Shortspear

Silbérríne
The Willow Goddess, Huntress
Greater Deity
Symbol: A willow tree
Home Plane: Olympian Glades of Arborea (Arvandor)
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Portfolio: Eagles, Freedom, Hunting, Trees, Wind
Worshippers: Eagles, hunters, rangers, sylvan creatures, avian creatures
Clerics Alignment: LG, CG, NG
Domains: Air, Chaos, Liberation
Favored Weapon: Longbow

Spyttle
Acidtongue, Scaled Tyrant, Dreadwyrm
Greater Deity
Symbol: A winged black serpent, with eight coils
Home Plane: Nine Hells of Baator (Minauros)
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Portfolio: Evil Dragons, Magic, Serpents, Reptilians
Worshippers: Dragons, lizardfolk, yuan-ti
Clerics Alignments: LE, CE, NE
Domains: Evil, Magic, Scalykind
Favored Weapon: Bite

The Beggar
The Tattered God
Lesser Deity
Symbol: A copper coin
Home Plane: Gray Waste of Hades (Pluton)
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Disease, Healing, Mercy, Suffering, Wisdom
Worshippers: Healers, midwives, peasants
Clerics Alignment: CG, LG, NG
Domains: Good, Healing, Knowledge
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff

The Phoenix
The Firehawk, Song of Life
Greater Deity
Symbol: A phoenix
Home Plane: Ever-changing Chaos of Limbo
Alignment: Neutral Good
Portfolio: Creation, Destruction, Fire, Rebirth
Worshippers: Paladins, zealots, good dragons
Clerics Alignments: LG, CG, NG
Domains: Creation, Destruction, Fire, Glory
Favored Weapon: Claw

Demigods of Chalice

The following deities have a single sphere of control in their portfolio, or very few mortal worshippers.

Bennor, god of adventure (CG)
Gloiise, goddess of the home (LG)
Kiulle, god of loyalty (LN)
Laroz, god of peace (N)
Nyrthë, goddess of fertility (NG)
Orema, goddess of love (NG)
Oyachianne, god of spiders and vermin (NE)
Redtooth, goddess of ferocity (CE)
Seccadyn, goddess of deserts (LE)
Scyathia, goddess of steel (LN)
Toreukk, god of conquest (LE)
Utram & Nisse, god and goddess of husbands and wives (LG)
Yunh, god of famine (NE)
 

Based on your short list of books -- almost all of which are general purpose titles -- it doesn't seem like you'll have much of a problem making it inclusive.

Your pantheon looks to be both evocative and useful, and I particularly like your list of minor gods.
 

Enchanted Trinkets Complete

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