Shadow World Portal?

[morgramen]

It's me again.

I have been working on converting my own campaign into BR stats for
awhile now. The world itself is already structured to allow for blood
lines (though the theory behind them is different, as is the entire
Pantheon & magic system.)

The problem is, I really want to connect my world with Cerilia somehow.
I came up with the idea that perhaps the Shadow World lies between the
two, and that from the power of the simultaneous destruction of the
Cerilian Gods and a similar event on my world, that maybe the two worlds
become 'fused' some how.

I thought of using the planes, but that entire concept is a mind boggle
for me, and I avoid it like the plague. Spelljammer.... never liked it
much.

I really liked the ideas used in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series,
and those of you who are familiar with that series will know what I am
talking about here, (while those who haven't read it, really should
IMO) :) but I thought that maybe I could alter the Shadow World to
represent something similar to the "World of Dreams" from the WOT
series, or maybe use it like "The Ways."

So what do you guys think? Could the Shadow World be a dimensional
"middle ground", or is this entire concept unthinkable?

Obviously if TSR releases ( I mean to say ... "when..when TSR
releases...") the Shadow World stuff, I could be in for trouble if opt
for this route, but like most things, I'll deal with that when I need
to.

Later,

Keith
- --
Save BR Man!!!
http://www.angelfire.com/ak/draftmine

[Niels K. Handest]

At 16:49 24-08-98 -0600, you wrote:

>So what do you guys think? Could the Shadow World be a dimensional
>"middle ground", or is this entire concept unthinkable?

According to A Guide to the Ethereal Plane the Shadow world is actually the
Ethereal plane modified by some local conditions (e.g. the death of an evil
god). The Ethereal is connected to all the worlds in the prime material plane.

>Obviously if TSR releases ( I mean to say ... "when..when TSR
>releases...") the Shadow World stuff, I could be in for trouble if opt
>for this route, but like most things, I'll deal with that when I need
>to.

The paragraphs in the Guide is rather scetchy and definitely allows for a
whole accessory on the subject.

- - Niels
========================
Niels Krogsgaard Handest
@Home - nkh@get2net.dk
@Work - nkh@dksin.dk
@Web - http://hjem.get2net.dk/nkh

[Ed Stark]

At 04:49 PM 8/24/98 -0600, you wrote:
>It's me again.
>
>I have been working on converting my own campaign into BR stats for
>awhile now. The world itself is already structured to allow for blood
>lines (though the theory behind them is different, as is the entire
>Pantheon & magic system.)
>
>The problem is, I really want to connect my world with Cerilia somehow.
>I came up with the idea that perhaps the Shadow World lies between the
>two, and that from the power of the simultaneous destruction of the
>Cerilian Gods and a similar event on my world, that maybe the two worlds
>become 'fused' some how.
>

One of the things I put into SHADOW MOON (and actually saw print in GUIDE
TO THE ETHEREAL) was that the Shadow World acts as something of a veil
between Aebrynnis (the world of BR) and the rest of the Ethereal Plane--and
beyond. That's why getting into and out of Aebrynnis is so (comparatively)
difficult. Having elements of the Shadow World manifest on another plane
would not be impossible at all--especially in your own campaign--and making
it a dimensional "middle ground" as you put it sounds like a terrific idea.



Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager
ALTERNITY Team
TSR Website: http://www.tsr.com

[Daniel McSorley]

From: Niels K. Handest

>>So what do you guys think? Could the Shadow World be a dimensional
>>"middle ground", or is this entire concept unthinkable?
>
>According to A Guide to the Ethereal Plane the Shadow world is actually the
>Ethereal plane modified by some local conditions (e.g. the death of an evil
>god). The Ethereal is connected to all the worlds in the prime material
plane.
>
>>Obviously if TSR releases ( I mean to say ... "when..when TSR
>>releases...") the Shadow World stuff, I could be in for trouble if opt
>>for this route, but like most things, I'll deal with that when I need
>>to.
>
>The paragraphs in the Guide is rather scetchy and definitely allows for a
>whole accessory on the subject.
>
He wasn't talking about the Demiplane of Shadow or whatever the name is
now, he was talking about BR's Shadow World, kind of a parallel world which
has been darkened and is now all haunted and evil. There were some plans to
make accessories detailing it, but those are on hold with the rest of the
good stuff.
Actually, as far as I know, the SW prevents direct access to Cerilia from
any other plane, ethereal, outer, whatever. They have to go through it
first, then find their way to Cerilia.
And yes, if you wanted to make the SW a middle ground between two worlds,
then that would be entirely workable.

Daniel McSorley- mcsorley.1@osu.edu

[Pieter A de Jong]

At 12:35 PM 8/25/98 -0400, Daniel McSorley wrote:
>From: Niels K. Handest
>
>>>So what do you guys think? Could the Shadow World be a dimensional
>>>"middle ground", or is this entire concept unthinkable?
>>
>>According to A Guide to the Ethereal Plane the Shadow world is actually the
>>Ethereal plane modified by some local conditions (e.g. the death of an evil
>>god). The Ethereal is connected to all the worlds in the prime material
>plane.
>>
>>>Obviously if TSR releases ( I mean to say ... "when..when TSR
>>>releases...") the Shadow World stuff, I could be in for trouble if opt
>>>for this route, but like most things, I'll deal with that when I need
>>>to.
>>
>>The paragraphs in the Guide is rather scetchy and definitely allows for a
>>whole accessory on the subject.
>>
> He wasn't talking about the Demiplane of Shadow or whatever the name is
>now, he was talking about BR's Shadow World, kind of a parallel world which
>has been darkened and is now all haunted and evil. There were some plans to
>make accessories detailing it, but those are on hold with the rest of the
>good stuff.
> Actually, as far as I know, the SW prevents direct access to Cerilia from
>any other plane, ethereal, outer, whatever. They have to go through it
>first, then find their way to Cerilia.
Is this rule "official" and if so can you site a source. Cause it makes some
high, and not so high level spells come apart in weird ways. For example,
the 3rd level wizard spell rope trick supposedly hides you in the border
ethereal plane. Leomund's Chest (5th level wizard spell) hides a chest in
the ethereal. And worst of all, a dimension door spell (4th level
wizard)that takes you into a solid object will dump you into the astral
plane. Never mind assorted dimensional travel spells and summoning spells
that shouldn't function if the SW prevents access between Aebrynnis and
other planes.

> And yes, if you wanted to make the SW a middle ground between two worlds,
>then that would be entirely workable.
>

Pieter A de Jong
Graduate Mechanical Engineering Student
University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

[Ed Stark]

At 10:58 AM 8/25/98 -0600, you wrote:
>> He wasn't talking about the Demiplane of Shadow or whatever the name is
>>now, he was talking about BR's Shadow World, kind of a parallel world which
>>has been darkened and is now all haunted and evil. There were some plans to
>>make accessories detailing it, but those are on hold with the rest of the
>>good stuff.

That was the plan and, yes, they are on hold.

>> Actually, as far as I know, the SW prevents direct access to Cerilia from
>>any other plane, ethereal, outer, whatever. They have to go through it
>>first, then find their way to Cerilia.

"Prevent" is a bad word choice--"Makes it more challenging" is more correct.

We had occasions when creatures and characters made it into and out of
Aebrynnis (there was a demon trapped in Giantdowns for awhile). We hadn't
detailed their journeys yet, but they must have been able to bypass or make
it through the SW.

>Is this rule "official" and if so can you site a source. Cause it makes some
>high, and not so high level spells come apart in weird ways. For example,
>the 3rd level wizard spell rope trick supposedly hides you in the border
>ethereal plane. Leomund's Chest (5th level wizard spell) hides a chest in
>the ethereal. And worst of all, a dimension door spell (4th level
>wizard)that takes you into a solid object will dump you into the astral
>plane. Never mind assorted dimensional travel spells and summoning spells
>that shouldn't function if the SW prevents access between Aebrynnis and
>other planes.

Rope trick still works; it puts you on the BORDER to the Ethereal Plane--in
Aebrynnis, that's the border of the Shadow World, which is the border
ethereal.

Leomund's Chest ... might be interesting if a SW creature found it ...

Dim Door (which is the same ability the halflings of Aebrynnis use) allows
you to skirt the SW and come out somewhere else in Aebrynnis. You could
probably use it to go into the SW.

As far as "official" goes, I can only tell you what I wrote of SHADOW MOON
that hasn't been published. It could change before it makes it out (it
hasn't been edited or really 100% completed).


Ed Stark
Game Designer, Wizards of the Coast/TSR Division
Asst. Brand Manager
ALTERNITY Team
TSR Website: http://www.tsr.com

[James Ray]

COOL. Incidentally, for those of us wondering about putting "Return to the
Tomb of Horrors" in BR, why not put the actual Tomb IN the Shadow World?

- ----------
> From: Ed Stark
>
> One of the things I put into SHADOW MOON (and actually saw print in GUIDE
TO THE ETHEREAL) was that the Shadow World acts as something of a veil
between Aebrynnis (the world of BR) and the rest of the Ethereal Plane--and
beyond. That's why getting into and out of Aebrynnis is so (comparatively)
difficult. Having elements of the Shadow World manifest on another plane
would not be impossible at all--especially in your own campaign--and making
it a dimensional "middle ground" as you put it sounds like a terrific
idea.>
>
> Ed Stark

[Niels K. Handest]

At 12:35 25-08-98 -0400, you wrote:
>From: Niels K. Handest
>
>>>So what do you guys think? Could the Shadow World be a dimensional
>>>"middle ground", or is this entire concept unthinkable?
>>
>>According to A Guide to the Ethereal Plane the Shadow world is actually the
>>Ethereal plane modified by some local conditions (e.g. the death of an evil
>>god). The Ethereal is connected to all the worlds in the prime material
>plane.

> He wasn't talking about the Demiplane of Shadow or whatever the name is
>now, he was talking about BR's Shadow World, kind of a parallel world which
>has been darkened and is now all haunted and evil. There were some plans to
>make accessories detailing it, but those are on hold with the rest of the
>good stuff.

Neither was I. According to A Guide to the Ethereal Plane (p.16) the Shadow
World of Cerilia is identical to the border ethereal. To quote (the whole
text is permeated with the rather foolish planescape slang - sorry):

Natives of the world of Cerilia calls its Border the Shadow World. The
remnants of an evil power's [god] dissolution resonate throughout Cerilia,
makings it's Border a Shadow World in truth. A body [person] sees the
adjoining plane in shades of gray and black, and a certain physical chill
exists throughout this Border area. What's more, the elusive effect known
as the Seeming permeates the Shadow World, and it often distorts a blood's
[adventure's] perception of what's real and what's not -- or maybe it's
really changing reality. It's hard to tell sometimes. The Seeming has a
varying chance to affect anyone attempting to move to and from Cerilia,
including those who use such point-to-point transportations methods as
teleport without error. Affected cutters [persons] find themselves drawn
into a Shadow World of altered perception.

Cerilia's natives believe the Shadow World houses creatures of darkness and
evil, and maybe they have the dark [truth, secret] of it. After all, the
Ethereal is the plane where the intangible spirits of those who've failed
to make the journey to the Outer Planes linger. Moreover, it seems that the
Shadow World does indeed contain more than it's fair share of haunts and
evil spirits, probably due to Asrai's dissolution (the dead power mentioned
above).

> Actually, as far as I know, the SW prevents direct access to Cerilia from
>any other plane, ethereal, outer, whatever. They have to go through it
>first, then find their way to Cerilia.
> And yes, if you wanted to make the SW a middle ground between two worlds,
>then that would be entirely workable.


========================
Niels Krogsgaard Handest
@Home - nkh@get2net.dk
@Work - nkh@dksin.dk
@Web - http://hjem.get2net.dk/nkh