The Big Picture

The Big Picture

The Multi-Verse

The campaign world is one of a multiplicity of realities, each connected to one another but separated by a potential energy difference and a change in the fundamental harmonics of the universe. This energy gap must be overcome and the harmonics matched before an opening can be created. Provided this is done, dimensional travel is possible - if not easy or reliable. Each dimension has its own rules and physical laws, many of which break our own (e.g. a dimension in which the void between stars is composed of chocolate pudding). Dimensions that are known to exist are the five elements, void (used to create a Sphere of Annhilation), death and shadow. Many others are rumored.

There are two general levels of connecting to another dimension, or plane.

The first is a low-level connection to another dimension, allowing a being to access the properties of that dimension. Many undead creatures have this ability on a subconsious level, allowing their connection to the realm of death and shadow to cause deadly injury with but a touch. This connection can be a permanent property or a temporary ability granted by a spell.
The second connection allows for a being to cross the boundary. This is a temporary visit, as the harmonic instability between the being and the new universe will cause it to sicken and die in a matter of months. This category includes summoning demons, devils, elementals and several forms of undead (e.g. Shadows). It does not include servants of the gods, as they reside in this dimension, albeit "elsewhere".

The concept of "infinite Earths" does not exist - there are no known alternate worlds and jumping across a dimension to pick up a plasma rifle just won't be happening. Nor will there be evil clones of the characters from a parallel-but-twisted world. When those guys appear, it will be because your characters have pissed off a necromancer, who went and got hold of some part of your bodies (e.g. hair) and created simulacrums to impersonate and discredit you. Not that I've thought about it or anything.

As a note, spells that create elemental effects do not necessarily have a trans-dimensional effect - a fireball spell shapes the magic field in this dimension. Magic is very much an 'easiest path' effect.

Loma

Loma is a Type-G main sequence star in a spiral galaxy. Its orbit around the galactic core is significantly smaller than Earth's, though still well outside the galactic core. This, in combination with the lack of atmospheric pollution and artificial light, imbues the night sky with a rich and magestic array of heavenly sights without flooding the sky. Constellations, clusters, nebulas and multiple recorded novas make the study of the sky a popular and diverse art.

As Loma is situated in roughly the center of the galactic disk, there is a broad band of dense stars spanning the night sky (equivalent to our Milky Way), known as the Long Road. There are four major objects making up this band, each a separate band or rope of associated stars and nebula. These are:
Intrum Arm: A long sequence of blue & blue-white stars, with indigo and violet nebulas throughout.
Kolnar Guide: So named as it appears to connect the other three bands, it contains a number of significant red and yellow clusters. Though it passes behind the galactic core, it remains visible as there are elements above the ecliptic that are associated with the Guide.
Naliga Crescent: A short curve of stars with a large number of blue giant stars along its length.
Ter'Lagio Arc: This is a thin rope of multicolored clusters and gas clouds, containing small number of brilliant emerald nebula.

Lithgar is the third planet from the sun, inhabiting the center of the biozone with an orbital radius of .94 AU. Solar radiation intensity on the ground is only slightly higher than on Earth, as Loma is smaller in mass than our sun by about 3%. Due to the local stellar history and proximity of multiple nova clouds, the Lithgar has a higher concentration of heavy metals and proportionately higher background radiation. This energy, in concert with unique bioactive elements, produce an abnormally high magical background index. This is the source of magic.

There are eight planets and two asteroid belts in the Lomar system. The presense of dual asteroid belts, the outer one containing significant mass, provides no shortage of comets and a steady, though infrequent, influx of meteorites.
Mira El'rei: A hot rockball with no appreciable atmosphere. High concentration of heavy metals and a noonday temperature able to melt lead.
Alastra: An iron-cored planet with heavy cloudcover, and a hot, dense atmosphere - mostly carbon dioxide and nitrogen derivitives.
Lithgar: A blue-green, life-bearing planet, with about 2% less mass than Earth. One moon. 25 hour day and a 350.6 day year.
Beltho: Slightly smaller than Lithgar and on the outer edge of the biozone, Beltho has lost most of its atmosphere and is a cold, dry planet with a thin atmosphere. Three moons, one in a retrograde orbit.
Tongatha: A gas giant with a dense core of iron, silicon and carbon surrounded by hydrigen, methand and amonnia. Beltho has a spectacular multicolored cloud structure, and over a dozen moons.
Nai'al & Lothma: These are ice planets, made up of a core of iron, silicon and oxygen, surrounded by carbon compounds and metallic hydrogen. Each has multiple moons, and the offset in the orbit of Lothma is deliberate.

Lithgar

Plate Tectonics: Seven major and two minor crustal plates comprise the surface of Lithgar. Red arrows and shading indicate a dominant (on top) plate, while blue indicates a subduction region. Red circles are regions with increased volcanic activity, blue are transform plate boundaries with higher tectonic activity (earthquakes).

Currents, Winds and Mountains: Predominant oceanic currents are dark blue, prevailing winds are light blue and major mountain ranges are in red. This data, in conjunction with the wet-dry-very wet-dry-wet bands at 0, 30 and 60 degrees latitude, combine to create the climate zones below.

Climate Zones: Red is mountainous terrain, green is forest or grassland, yellow is scrubland or desert, and blue is taiga / tundra. Major rivers are also indicated.