N'FERRA™ Template
CONTENTS | TEMPLATE | BACKGROUND | RACES | CHARACTERS | SETTING | POWERS | CAMPAIGNING | APPENDIX
© 1999, 2000 by Jefferson A. Wilson | Go to main RPG page.
N'FERRA™ Template |
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| Project Name: | N'Ferra Sphere |
| Designer: | Jefferson A. Wilson |
| Member Cluster: | Spelljammer™, Others may be added |
| Worlds: | The base dimension includes 1 sun, 7 planets, 3 moons around each planet, and 12 clusters of worldlets, most of which are habitable. Closely linked to the base dimension are it's Elemental Planes, Spirit Lands, and Enveloping Plane (The Dark Sphere). |
| Genre: | Magitech/Supers |
| Baseline: | Home for a wide variety of unique adventures. Particularly those which explore the interactions between different systems of manipulating the environment. |
Connections to other worlds are achieved by Magic, Psionics, sanctity, Spiritualism, and super-powers. Since Technology doesn't work well in N'Ferra they do not generally use Technology, but will be fascinated by technological world-jumping when they discover it. Each form of world-jumping has its own advantages and disadvantages (to be covered in the main document). Further information on connections can be found under SPECIAL CONDITIONS.
| Proximity 0: | The Elemental Planes of Energy, Travel and Void are in everyday use in most places. They are not normally traveled to, but simply accessed for their special properties. |
| Proximity 1: | Travel between the different worlds, moons and clusters in the N'Ferra sphere is easily done. The Elemental Planes of Family, Knowledge, Life, and War can be accessed relatively easily. |
| Proximity 2: | The Dark Sphere can be accessed with some difficulty, as can the Elemental Planes of Gas, Liquid, and Solid. |
| Proximity 3: | Traveling directly to the Spiritlands requires a great deal of time and effort. |
| Proximity 4: | In general, the Elemental Planes of Time and Wealth are inaccessible. However, certain creatures may travel between these planes and N'Ferra. |
| Proximity 5: | No one else, not even a god, can travel to N'Ferra from a plane other than those listed. |
| Tech Level Range: | up to 5.8 |
| Maximum Tech Level: | 6.0 |
| Exceed Max Tech: | Fails to function, unless blessed by an appropriate god. |
| Special Notes: | The max. tech level
above is a little extreme. All electronic items will fail unless blessed
by an appropriate god. (This includes telegraphs, telephones, electric
lights, and even common batteries.) However, photonic devices will
function, as will chemicals. Any outside engineer or gadgeteer
attempting to build devices above the normal ability of native N'Ferrans
will find that the local physical laws are different enough that they
have no advantage over the natives.
Anything based on atomic energy (including antimatter) or superconductors will not work under any circumstances. If materials are brought into the dimension that do not exist there, the natives will be incapable of recognizing them as non-standard materials. |
| Magic systems: | Standard Spell-Based, Improvised, and Voodoo-style Magic are available. Shamanic magic is rare, but functions normally. Alchemy is much improved, with alchemic maneuvers and gadeteering available. Priestly magic is available. |
| Mana Level: | Varies a great deal. Generally Low in space, and normal on planets, with areas up to Very high, and mana pools. |
| Magic Restrictions: | Priests who enter the plane may find that their Power Investiture does not function. This is most likely to happen to priests of religion s that are evil, xenophobic, or oppose discovery. |
| Special Notes: | Magic is often combined with technology or Psionics. |
| Indigenous levels: | High |
| Max Level: | None |
| Psionic Restrictions: | In general, psychotronics do not function, but there are Magic spells which achieve the same effects. |
| Special Notes: | There are a number of psionic enhancements available, including Enhanced Psionic Range. |
Denizens: There are 13 intelligent races in the sphere, each of whom control their own world. Additionally there are 13 presentient races (High Animals) which can be played as character races.
Varieties allowed: Variations in the intelligent races should be cultural in nature. The presentient races may vary much more, but should still be recognizable as being of a specific type.
Special Notes: The cost for intelligent races ranges between 10 and +25 points. The cost for High Animals can range from -15 to +50 points.
This plane is controlled by a single god who is deeply interested in Dimensions and Discovery. Though the plane is his playground he seldom interferes with it's inhabitants, other than providing challenges to overcome, and rewards to receive. He uses N'Ferra as a testing ground for new ideas, and those who might enter his service. religion plays a large role on this plane, but doesn't dominate it.
Even though this template covers several different worlds, N'Ferra is not intended to be a cluster. Connections can be made to The Dark Sphere to allow it to become a member of any cluster. The denizens of N'Ferra have recently discovered world-jumping, and are in the process of exploring all the worlds they can reach.
Almost any adventure could be run on N'Ferra. Adventures based around Exploration and Travel are particularly appropriate. This realm is particularly suited to explore the relationships between different forms of life, and different cultural adaptations. Of major interest is the discovery of the Dark Sphere and the worlds connected to it. No one knows how this will affect N'Ferra, or what policies the factions of the sphere will make.
N'Ferra is very closely connected with a number of other planes. The Dark Sphere is a completely empty realm from where it is unusually easy to reach other places in the continuum. The Spiritlands is the realm of the dead, and the dwelling place of those spirits known to the inhabitants of N'Ferra. The Elemental Planes are realms of individual concepts. There are no Astral or Ethereal planes. The function of these planes is filled by the Elemental Plane of Travel.
Travel between the worlds of N'Ferra is primarily done through a techno-magical device similar to a Spelljammer™ helm. Additionally, psionic communication keeps the planets in close touch, and magical gates exist between the different planets. However, the sphere is not a single culture, government, or religion. Competing factions of all these types exist (sometimes even on the same world).