CONTENTS | TEMPLATE | BACKGROUND | RACES | CHARACTERS | SETTING | POWERS | CAMPAIGNING | APPENDIX

© 1999, 2000 by Jefferson A. Wilson | View Sidebar | Go to main RPG page.

N'FERRA™ Setting

N'Ferran Culture

It seems somewhat ridiculous to discuss the "overall" culture of 13 races, 21 or more worlds, and hundreds of nations with a combined population of over 15 billion. Nevertheless, this section attempts to present the dominant viewpoints associated with N'Ferra sphere. Future volumes may be able to emphasize individual races, cultures and worlds, but this overview will attempt to cover the high points and give the general feel.

The Economy & Manufacturing

Agriculture is still the dominant activity in N'Ferra sphere, pursued by 35% of the population. However, as agriculture improves there is a continuing move from agriculture into other areas.

Manufacturing and Craftwork is pursued by some 27% of the population. Most of these are still the family shops of antiquity, but over the past two hundred years or so, factory methods and mass production have resulted in more and more people being employed in factories and other large enterprises. There are several factors keeping this move from becoming total, the most significant probably being that mass-produced goods are more difficult to imbue with the powers.

Other than technology, the powers themselves are not readily suited to mass production. There have been a few exceptions with enchantments and alchemy, but, in general, devices using the powers are produced by very small groups.

Trade is also a significant part of N'Ferra's economy. About 16% of the population is involved in trade from those who transport goods to the shopkeepers who finally sell them.

Education & Religion

While only 5% of the population is involved in activities like education and publishing, an extraordinary 11% are involved in basic research. These researchers include isolated hermits, college researchers and those supported by the churches and industry. In N'Ferra, research tends not to be as practically oriented in our world. Much research is completely impractical or theoretical.

Entertainment & Daily Life

To the vast majority, life continues as it has for hundreds of years. Freemen do the vast majority of simple labor, while those with special abilities act as Craftsmen and Tradesmen. Nobility, magically linked to specific plots of land, rule. Those with sufficient intelligence and drive may become scholars or researchers. In such "old" regions entertainment is a do-it-yourself affair, with occasional visits by individual traveling entertainers or rare troupes.

Nevertheless, there are significant markers of change. The average household wears clothes whose materials were formed in a factory. Although most of their food is produced locally, they occasionally eat items grown in other climates, or even from other planets. The household has a clock or similar items produced far away, and browsing through a mail-order catalog is a common pastime.

4% of the population is involved in entertainment including newspapers, theaters, mass dreams, and traveling shows. 2% of the population is primarily engaged in social and political activities including government and administration.

Society & Politics

Political Factions: Oligarchs, Populists, Progressives, Monotheists, Unionists.

Transportation & Housing

Bicycles & Trains

Medicine & Diet

Advanced medicine & agriculture.

The Military

The vast majority of the sphere still uses cartridge black powder weapons. However, more and more, governments are turning towards nitro-powder. Of course, flintlocks are being manufactured for use in areas beyond the sphere, and most governments maintain a group of musketeers "just in case."

In most areas, sea and space vehicles are still built from wood, but a few are building vessel of steel.

The Worlds of N'Ferra

Orbits

Above

Above is a spherical earthworld, home to the native Varn. Predominantly hot and mountainous, it has pools of elemental fire called firepools. Most firepools are small, but some are huge. Above's seasons are irregular, regulated by the firepools, which occasional fade or shrink for no apparent reason.

Above's orbit actually lies inside the hollow cylinder of Doenya in Orbit 1. Light is provided by the sun reflecting off or passing through Prism. Those on Above never see the sun directly.

Afra

Afra is a fireworld in Orbit 5 which forms a ring around Eda. In the night sky of Eda it is visible as a band running from horizon to horizon.

Akaba

Akaba is a dodecahedral air world which circles Vormar in Orbit 6.

Ashmin

Ashmin is a pleasant world with a generally mediterranean climate. Home to the avian Ch'vrr it lies in the second orbit from the sun orbiting Eris. Ashmis is home to many unusual organisms, but it's ecosystem relies on fast-growing trees and vines which burn to the ground about every three (standard) years. Different parts of the world burn at different times, causing a ring of flame to sweep around the world.

Bena

Bena is a toroidal water water which runs through Srah like links on a chain. Bena has no external atmosphere, and vessels which approach too closely will find their atmosphere absorbed into the planet if precautions aren't taken. The planet is rich in animal life, including many hostile forms, but has few ordinary solids or air pockets. Bena is linked with Srah on the opposite side from Gena and when Bena is at its closest (100 yards) every 12 standard years, Gena is at its farthest. The Dark orbits the three linked worlds.

Ch'kl

Ch'kl has the appearance of a giant butterfly net following the dragonfly of K'k'k around the sun. It's made of long strands joined together, but has a surface area similar to a small planet. Ch'kl is water-rich with an exotic climate, home to the plantlike Bine.

Chun

Chun is an octahedral waterworld which circles Vormar in Orbit 6.

Coln

Coln is a standard spherical earthworld in Orbit 4 orbited in turn by Selene, Yuna, and Mest. Coln has a radius of 6500 km with 75% Hydrographics and an average temperature of 300K (80F). The axial tilt is 23 degrees with earth-normal ecology and landforms.

Home to the imported Humans, the largest and most advanced Human nation is called Settin.

The Dark

The Dark is a small darkworld in Orbit 3 which orbits the planets of Bena, Gena, and Srah.

Doenya

Doenya is home to the native Slahses dinosaurs. It's a hollow cylinder, composed mostly of hot, steamy jungle, intermixed with ocean and swamp. There is little yearly variation in climate.

Doenya lies in Orbit 1. Eclipse orbits between Doenya and the sun keeping the planet relatively cool. Above is completely contained within Doenya's cylinder, orbiting at the same speed. Prism follows Doenya in orbit, reflecting light from the sun into the interior of the world.

Echuk

Echuk is a lifeworld orbiting Eda in Orbit 5. Shaped like a giant sunflower (just the flower, not the entire plant). Echuk opens and closes on a yearly basis. Echuk has an extremely diverse ecology.

Eclipse

Eclipse continually orbits between Doenya and the sun. It is the origin of the Nurha felines. It is an earth world in the form of a tapered cylinder, and has extreme seasons. Eclipse's side is warm, while the end facing the sun is fiery hot, and the end facing Doenya is extremely cold. The world is predominantly plains and rolling hills, with most of it's water bound up in glaciers on the cold end. Lying in Orbit 1, Prism is fully visible from the side of the planet, but Doenya is only visible from the cold end.

Eda

Lying in Orbit 5, Eda is a cool, moist world, home to the native Pladone centaurs. Eda is circled by Afra, Echuk, and Incar.

Erris

A giant spherical airworld lying in Orbit 2, Erris is orbited in turn by Ashmin Gaut and Voheesa. Erris's air is only mariginally breathable to the sentient races of the sphere, and large areas are completely poisonous. Solids and liquids are mostly limited to the rare living organisms of the world. Erris could supply large amounts of rare, exotic, and empowered gases, but the difficulties of mining this hostile world have proved to be too much for more than limited exploitation.

Gaut

Gaut is a toroidal darkworld orbiting Erris in Orbit 2. Nothing can liveon Gaut (at least no life has been reported), but the center of the world contains an automatic natural gate leading to Gnnn in Orbit 7. Passage through the gate must be made quickly if the vessels isn't to be drained of heat and life energy. There is a research project near Gaut which is attempting to reset the gate so that vessels may pass through to other areas of the sphere.

Gena

Gena is a toroidal water water which runs through Srah like links on a chain. Gena has no external atmosphere, and vessels which approach too closely will find their atmosphere absorbed into the planet if precautions aren't taken. The planet has few life forms, and many hostile currents and whirlpools. Gena is linked with Srah on the opposite side from Bena and when Gena is at its closest (100 yards) every 12 standard years, Bena is at its farthest. The Dark orbits the three linked worlds.

Gnnn

Gnnn looks like a giant candle flame. Preceding K'k'k around the sun, it looks like the dragonfly is chasing the flame. Gnnn is a fire world, shaped like a gigantic candle flame. At the base of the flame is an automatic gate which connects to Gaut around Voheesa.

Incar

Orbiting Eda in Orbit 5, Incar is shaped like a coin. Its very slow rotation means its days are very hot, and it's nights are very cold. It is a combined water and earth body. During the day it is primarily ocean, but at night it is mainly glacial ice.

K'k'k

The seventh planet (K'k'k) is an enormous dragonfly. The entire body is covered by habitable terrain, with the exception of it's transparent wings. K'k'k is home to the Nye insects. Predominantly arctic tundra, its seas tend to be very shallow.

Leeton

Leeton was once an icosohedral fire world, but something happened to it so that it is now a poisoned air world. Nothing can live on or in Leeton without a great deal of assistance. Leeton circles Vormar in Orbit 6.

Mest

Mest orbits Coln (very far out) in Orbit 4. Small areas of habitable earth, water, and air float near the surface of the world. This very small spherical fire body it is home to its own unique ecology.

Prism

Prism is a water-world shaped like a prism trailing behind Above, Doenya, and Eclipse in orbit 1. Prism casts light and heat in rainbow form into the interior of Doenya. Prism has an atmosphere, but its primary component is steam hot enough to melt lead. Though uninhabitable to the intelligent races of N'Ferra, Prism does contain its own peculiar life forms and ecology.

Selene

Selene is a spherical water body with an atmosphere orbiting closest to Coln in Orbit 4. Its surface is dotted with numerous small islands of earth and living matter. While nominally under Human control, Selene also contains small independent states dominated by Fibrien and Seenee.

Srah

In the third orbit lies Srah, a toroidal warm water world, home to the fishlike native Seenee. Bena and Gena are interlinked with Srah, with The Dark orbiting the three linked worlds. Air breathing creatures cannot survive on Srah because it has no atmosphere, the planet is completely liquid, with many earth islands. Srah does have a varied ecology.

Ssst't

K'k'k's third moon (Ssst't) is shaped like a giant magnifying glass, although it is not transparent. Ssst't is home to the shapeshifting Gennen. One of its faces is constantly towards K'k'k. Due to it's odd rotation and the interference of Gnnn, it's climate varies from hot desert to glacial ice.

Voheesa

Lying in Orbit 2 and circling Erris, Voheesa is home to the imported Fibrien amphibians. Voheesa is a spherical earthworld, predominantly hot saline desert with numerous small seas. It is rich in heavy metals, and has a very toxic environment to all sentient races except the Fibrien.

Vormar

Vormar lies in the sixth orbit circled by Chun, Akaba, and Leeton. Vormar is a cubical earthworld, cold and glacial, with the eight corners of the cube forming mountains. The planet rotates around the mountains at the north and south poles and has only a slight axial tilt. Glaciers run down the sides of all the mountains, feeding great rivers which in turn feed the seas which lie in the center of each side of the world. Vormar is home to many unusual fur-bearing species.

The largest city on Vormar is called Leeais. Leeais is a polyglot melting pot that still remembers is history as a frontier town. While not decadent, things can get pretty wild, and if it's available in N'Ferra, it's likely to be available somewhere in Leeton. The ruling noble family of Leeais is Human.

Yuna

Yuna is a spherical air body orbiting Coln between Selene and Mest in Orbit 4. Its surface is dotted with numerous small islands of earth and water.

Constellations

The bulk of the constellations lie between 1.3 and 2.3 billion miles from the sun. There are a grand total of 46 constellations, although the exact boundaries of the constellations are not known. They seem to overlap. Nevertheless, the bodies of each constellation seem to have a character of their own. The 12 equatorial or zodiac constellations lying on the ecliptic are the best traveled and mapped. Next to the equatorial constellations are the 20 seasonal constellations (10 north and 10 south). Then there are the 12 constant constellations (6 north, 6 south). Finally, there are the 2 polar or fixed constellations: the crown (north) and the harp (south). The stars are fixed. They do not orbit the central sun.

The Crown

The crown is the northern polar constellation.

The Harp

The Harp is the southern polar constellation.

The Bat

The constellation of the bat is the constellation of illusion, (and corresponds roughly to Cancer). It consists primarily of water and fire bodies, most of which have small earth grottos or islands. About half of the bodies are uninhabitable due to poisonous or caustic substances. The predominant lifeforms are types of corals, arthropods and jellyfish. Unfortunately, there are several factors which make the constellation difficult to explore or colonize. Many of the bodies are rampant with unrecorded diseases. Naturally-occurring illusions are often undistinguishable from reality until you're right on top of them. Natural gates and distorted space make travel problematical, especially since many of the effects are intermittent or one-way. However, riches of various sorts can be found, and many half-mad prospectors traverse the constellation regularly.

The Dryad

The Dryad is the constellation of passion (corresponding roughly to Virgo). Clouds of iron and magnetite often cause huge sheets and blasts of lightning in the area. Many of the smaller bodies travel at great speed, making travel dangerous and maps unreliable. Several colonies have been established, primarily composed of those who wish to separate themselves from the rest of N'Ferra because of their strong beliefs. The climate and terrain tends to be dry and rocky, but there is typically enough water for survival. The plants tend to be white instead of green, deriving energy from the frequent electrical storms rather than sunlight. Normal plants can grow, but seldom thrive. Animals tend to be small, resembling rodents for the most part. However, legendary animals (griffins, great serpents, etc.) have been seen.

Dice (Pisces)

Long strands of mud growing a large number of flowers. Temperate to cool. Flying fish, frogs, and other water leapers and flyers. Lots of swamps and open water. Planetary bodies are well-spread out. Lots of mazes and puzzles.

Scales (Libra)

Desert. Peaceful. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there. Moderate resources of various types. Trade routes and scattered settlements. Dogs.

Sage (Sagittarius)

Very jagged shards of stone and fire. Main growth is mirrorthorn. Small birds and bats are the main inhabitants. Flames, disorderly but pleasant. Difficult terrain requiring lots of learning and energy to cope with. Mountainous.

Eye (Gemini)

This constellation is the home of the Rachak. Water and dark bodies. Many shadows, organized signaling, things both concealed and seen. Forested. Deer.

Hawk (Aries)

Air bodies with lots of moisture. Monsters. Many things of value that are difficult to get to. Poor and variable climate. Hilly. Lots of plants, but little topsoil. Sheep and goats.

Trumpet (Taurus)

Earth and dark bodies. Very cold. Orderly. Slow-Moving. Lots of sound. Cattle.

Gate (Aquarius)

The Gate (roughly corresponding to Aquarius) is a generally cold and harsh constellation with large numbers of air bodies and dust clouds. For unknown reasons, the constellation is marginally habitable (think northern Scottish islands), although the weather cannot be predicted or relied on, as long as people cooperate and think. In spite of the harsh weather the number of mana nodes makes the constellation prime territory for magical research. Indeed, the project which created the first gate to the Dark Sphere was based out of The Gate from the city of Farpoint.

Those earth bodies in the constellation tend to be very wet and marshy. Many planetoids are affected by tides to the extent that areas cycle in degree of wetness, somewhat like earth estuaries. Most large native animals tend to be birdlike, usually resembling ducks or cranes. Amphibians (many with wings) are not uncommon.

The primary inhabitants of The Gate are humans, closely followed by Rachak, Varn, and Gennen.

Warrior (Leo)

Relatively smooth stone, sand, and lava worldlets. High mineral and metal content. Plants are mossy and lichenous. Animals are insect-like or similar to "primitive" birds. Generally hot, but areas in shadow can get very cold. Mineral. Orderly and Nice. Flat grasslands. Cats.

Vampire (Capricorn)

The constellation of The Vampire is composed mainly of semi-fluid bodies. These are mainly earth bodies that are mostly mud, and fire bodies that are predominantly magma. These bodies are continually colliding and breaking apart, changing the constellation and making navigation through the constellation a matter of luck.

The constantly changing nature of the "land" in the constellation makes most of the asteroids barren. However, if the land stays still for long enough, it can erupt with life. Many undead make their homes in the constellation, able to survive being buried until they are uncovered. The large animals in the area resemble mammals with small horns. Few are winged, but most can go dormant for long periods.

The Dark Lady's home is rumored to be somewhere in The Vampire.

Serpent (Scorpio)

Through most of this constellation, air and earth bodies float in a sea of air, although areas exist where fliers must use air "passages" to travel to different areas of the constellation. The constellation has a number of fire bodies, and is fairly hot in general, although there are areas that are extremely cold. Lack of water makes most of the constellation into desert. Most large animals resemble reptiles (most with wings) or spiders (many of whom can build "balloons").

This constellation is the home of the Lon. Some areas are organized into nations (some of the largest being The Heart, Hraeding, and Fleres), but much of the danger in the constellation comes from wandering bands and barbarian Lon. Even the most civilized of Lon can be very dangerous when angered. (And Lon get angry more easily than most races.)

One body of note is known as "The Dragon's Heart." One of the largest bodies in the constellation it is almost completely composed of magma. Roughly in the center of the constellation, it is the center of Lon culture. It was marked by the people of the inner system even before they traveled into space.

The Border

The Border is the name of an area that is 3.6 billion miles from the sun. This distance is as far as you can get from the sun in N'Ferra. No matter what direction you travel from here, you end up heading back towards the sun. The Border is particularly interesting in that it is the only location from which the people in N'Ferra can travel to the Dark Sphere, and from there to the rest of the universe. Several stations have been established to enable ships and people to travel inwards easily.

Nations and Organizations

Arcania

Arcania split off from Settin because they firmly believe that Psionics is evil. (This happened at least 300 years ago.)

Diversity Alliance

The Diversity Alliance is an organization whose purpose is to promote harmony and understanding between the various races. In recent years there have been those who have doubted the purity of the Alliance's motives.

Fleres

Fleres is a nation in the Lon constellation of The Serpent, bordering on The Vampire. Compared to to most Lon countries, it is extremely well organized, with all rights flowing from the King. It is only that organization that has enabled the civilized Lon of Fleres to beat off attacks from the surrounding barbarian Lon and undead.

Fleres's main exports are ice, food, and Magical and spiritual components. They import metals, spices, and luxury items.

Gips

Gips are a varied group who, among settled people, are sworn to wander. Never settling down, they are met with a combination of suspicion and respect. They are rumored to know many secrets and have very powerful artifacts among them.

The Kankut, Gennen Alliance

In general, Gennen have a freewheeling tribal orientation. Groups of tribes are, grouped into "clans" related by blood and territory, but a Gennen's first loyalty is to his "pack" or tribe. The Kankut was formed in the age of Chaos to deal with relations between the varied clans with groups of non-Gennen off-planet. They are an ineffective government on Ssst't, but are very effective within the N'Ferran Confederacy. Kuff is the capital of Kankut, and the largest city on Ssst't.

Monotheists

The monotheists are a group which believes in the existence of a single god. Highly factioned, most still pay respect to Ferris as a servant of the one. More disruptive are those who claim that all worship properly belongs to the one, and who refuse to worship Ferris. Recently, some of the latter preached armed insurrection against governments and organizations which put Ferris before their idea of the one.

Though Ferris has actively refused to let monotheists be persecuted, the governments of the sphere were permitted to act against this outbreak. The monotheist war was fought between -46 and -34, and is still remembered as a war which turned family against family and brother against brother. In the end monotheist doctrine recognized Ferris as the temporal ruler of the sphere, whatever his relationship to the one.

Recently, the monotheist heresy has re-arisen as the banner for certain terrorist organizations.

N'Ferra Confederacy

The N'Ferra Confederacy was founded in -15 as a direct result of the Realm Wars, a series of wars involving every race in the sphere. After over a century of wars resulting in great destruction and no particular benefit, the governments of N'Ferra met and hashed out a series of agreements in the hope of preventing further wars. The final agreement was the establishment of the trans-national N'Ferra Confederacy.

The Confederacy was originally pictured as more of a bargaining house than an actual government. There is a single parliament with representatives from every member nation, who receive votes on a nearly incomprehensible schedule. Additionally, there is a council of worlds where each stellar body (constellations counting as one body) is granted one representative and one vote.

The Confederacy Charter specifically prohibits the Confederation from interfering in the internal affairs of member nations. They are also prohibited from interfering with events concerning a single world except under highly unusual circumstances.

However, the people who created the charter did not reckon with the opening of the sphere. In recent years the sphere as a whole has come under attack. This has resulted in the creation of the office of Prime Minister, extension of the N'Ferra Guard, and the creation of the N'Ferra Scouts. Though change is glacially slow, the Confederacy is starting to get some true decision-making ability and is moving towards a true trans-national government.

N'Ferra Confederacy Intelligence Division (CID)

Though the Confederacy proper is not supposed to have an intelligence service, Division 12is often contracted to act as such. As soon as the Confederacy Council can arrange for the appropriate legislation without alienating the member worlds, Division 12 will become the CID, an elite intelligence group in the service of the Confederacy.

N'Ferra Guard

The N'Ferra Guard was founded at the same time as the Confederacy. Its original purpose was to act as guards for the council proper, and to police the directives of the council. They were given no enforcement powers, and were supposed to inform local authorities of any violations.

Like the Confederacy itself, the Guard has grown from this humble beginning. When the sphere was opened they were granted enforcement powers regarding travel between N'Ferra and other realms. When it was recognized that N'Ferra would be attacked from these other realms, their enforcement powers were expanded to a full military presence. Most recently, the upsurge in terrorism has resulted in their being given powers to investigate any ship in transit between planets.

N'Ferra Scouts

The Scouts are an organization that combines aspects of exploration and intelligence gathering. One of their divisions is the Gate Project which is responsible for opening, exploring, and guarding the dimensional gates opened from the Dark Sphere.

The Rock

The Rock is a large asteroid which is a major trade center in N'Ferra sphere. It is capable of slow movement, but currently orbits between orbits 4 and 5. It's major use is as a site for transhipping goods so that spelljammers do not have to deal with the deep planetary gravity fields.

Settin, the Source of Humanity

Settin is the oldest and largest kingdom on Coln. It's a constitutional monarchy, with two houses of parliament and the king acting as executive. There are independent countries on Coln, but none are as advanced or powerful, though several besides Settin are independent members of the N'Ferran Confederacy. The capital of Settin is Ladin, where, according to myth, Ferris placed the ancestors of all Humans in the sphere.

Society of Watchers

The Society of Watchers is a group dedicated to recording the significant events in N'Ferra Sphere. Each watcher takes an oath to act as an unbiased observer. The information in their libraries is supposed to be free to all. However, the Watchers protect their knowledge by insisting that all access be performed under the supervision of a sworn watcher. This enables them to indirectly assist those they approve of, while holding back those they do not.

The actual power of the Society of Watchers is unknown. They are known to have the blessing of Ferris, and seem to survive even the worst calamities. They seem to have knowledge in their libraries that they use only for their own defense.

Suseker

Suseker is the dominant kingdom on the Pladone world of Eda. They dominate the world through their ecological knowledge and through trade.

The Vampire Clans

The Planes of N'Ferra

The Dark Sphere

The Dark Sphere is N'Ferra's gateway to other worlds. More information can be found on its own page.

The Elemental Planes

The Elemental Planes of N'Ferra are realms devoted to specific concepts. In addition to the concepts of Solid (Earth), Liquid (Water), Gas (Air), and Energy (Fire), the scholars of N'Ferra have identified elemental planes of Combat, Family, Knowledge, Life, Time, Travel, Void, and Wealth.

N'Ferra Sphere

N'Ferra Sphere is the main campaign area. The plane contains a sun, seven planets orbiting the sun, and three moons orbiting each planet. There are also twelve asteroid clusters which wander freely through the system. Each cluster is composed of approximately 1,000 worldlets which travel in odd paths through the cluster. Throughout the plane are ruins of a major civilization that apparently died about thirty million years ago. No one knows the nature of the people who built and maintained those ruins.

The Spiritlands

This realm is the home of the god Ferris, and the resting place of worshipers after death.

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