Creative Cosmology

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:08 pm

One thing I've noticed over the years is that a lot of fantastic worlds adhere pretty closely to what we find in the real Universe. There are stars, which are suns, around which orbit planets, one of which is the home world for our fantasy campaigns.

Now, there's nothing wrong with this approach. Hell, I wrote a book for Alternity just to make star and planet generation more realistic, but that's SF, in which genre I'm very rigorous; hard SF all the way.

In fantasy, however, we're on a much looser rein. We can go a bit wild. So far my worlds have been flat discs surrounded by giant mountains of ice with a fixed, blinking sun overhead and crystalline stars the size of mountains in a solid sky. Another world was half of a perfect binary with its sun, each orbited by little moons and sunlets. Another was an infinite plane fought over by gods who shaped each region to their liking, some of which were inimical to life.

I have a thing for flat worlds; so much easier to map!

So, how wild have you gone?
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:28 am

I just try not to think about it! Mostly because cosmology is what I'm in graduate school for. I'm working on primordial object formation, dark matter etc. So when I play I try not to think about my work.

Of course I just finished a year of my MBA which is my "real life" degree. So my universe tends to be a mish mash of interacting branes with cosmic creatures that possess an acute business sense! haha...I'm dead serious. It's the only way my multi-dimensional banking system can work and the new life-insurance entities.
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Omote · Post by **Omote** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 12:35 am

Beyond the solar system in my campaign, I've never thought too hard on the subject. This was never a facet of the campaign that players would ever encounter so I never put much thought into it.

..............................................Omote

FPQ
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:53 am

I make them roll a d20 everytime they mess with space time... behind the screen i pick a number, if they roll it (5% chance) then something bad happens....

*cue evil CK laugh* ...... muahahaa
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 2:32 am

angelius wrote:
I make them roll a d20 everytime they mess with space time... behind the screen i pick a number, if they roll it (5% chance) then something bad happens....

*cue evil CK laugh* ...... muahahaa

You allow a roll? I always believed the CK works through the Gods... and the Gods in my campaign are a vindictive lot and they don't like to share!

LOL

Moriarty the Red
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angelius · Post by **angelius** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 3:08 am

I just try to make them think twice. All I had to do was unleash flesh eating demonic 6 legged mouths just once and now they always have a debate when they want to cast rope trick. haha...
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moriarty777 · Post by **moriarty777** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:34 am

angelius wrote:
I just try to make them think twice. All I had to do was unleash flesh eating demonic 6 legged mouths just once and now they always have a debate when they want to cast rope trick. haha...

That's part of the fun being a CK... you get to totally mess with the Player's minds!

Moriarty the Red
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babbage · Post by **babbage** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:33 am

Hrn, the campaign setting I am using, has a hell of a lot of detail about the solar system. A lot more than you would need. But it does provide a useful hook to put your zodiac on. 8)

Catweazle · Post by **Catweazle** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 6:52 pm

angelius wrote:
I just try to make them think twice. All I had to do was unleash flesh eating demonic 6 legged mouths just once and now they always have a debate when they want to cast rope trick. haha...

Genius!
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