DragonMech planar cosmology

Medieval fantasy mechs powered by steam, magic, or the labor of a thousand slaves.

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Oaksoul Elite
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DragonMech planar cosmology

Post by Oaksoul Elite »

Among all the sources I've read so far (everything except Rumors and Lies), I haven't been able to find much info on the planar cosmology in DragonMech. Just that the Astral or Ethereal (I forget which) sort of surrounds the Prime and connects it to the other planes. And that maybe these other planes might actually be just domains of the more general Spirit World. Or maybe it's just the default Great Wheel. It's kind of vague. But I like it, in a way. It's always stretched my credulity that every supposedly medieval fantasy setting has charted out the planar cosmology in full, when it's not even possible to observe how the various planes are connected. On the other hand, DragonMech isn't a medieval setting. More like Renaissance meets Victorian England/general steampunk era. So I'd more readily believe that they know what's going on. Anyone have any ideas on the planar cosmology? If not, I'm happy to leave it as poorly defined, even to its inhabitants.

But one thing in particular I have decided on. The moon straddles a position between the DragonMech prime and some other, lunar plane. It vacillates back and forth, so that at full moon it's entirely here, new moon it's entirely there, and in between it's partially on both planes. Why introduce this strangeness? Mainly because I'm not convinced that regular lunar cycles could actually affect the lunar rain. After all, new moon versus full moon is a matter of a bad angle for the moon to reflect sunlight from. Clearly the lunar gods have pooled their might to increase the full moon period and decrease the new moon period (or even blot it out - it only gets very close to new moon).
I am Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi ("Omni") of the WotC forums. I consider "Psionics in DragonMech" (see my website) my greatest contribution to anything d20 so far. At least, it's my most successful topic.
walrusjester
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Post by walrusjester »

We've deliberately left the planes alone within the official setting materials. For one thing, people's tastes differ, and we haven't seen any consensus form around one model or another of planar activity. No point annoying people by closing a door to their preferred campaign style.

Second, emphasizing the planes would minimize the lunar menace. If there are whole other realities you can escape to, the dangers facing Highpoint won't seem as important. Lots of settings have planar options, and with a few exceptions, they end up looking like each other. But a world where steam-powered mech fight lunar dragons while trying to rebuild a shattered society on a waterlogged world that's mostly home to nomads? You don't see that every day.

And if you do, find me at GenCon and introduce yourself. We should compare notes.
DragonMech line developer, freelance writer, tall guy named Matt.
Arek
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Post by Arek »

I disagree. I'd make the moon just be another rocking floating in the Prime, and subject to the same rules. It just has drastically different creatures living on it--evolution!

The Lunar Gods have something of the same distance that the Terrestrial Gods do, and they likewise live on other planes and handwave all properly-phrased prayers to keep their game of Populous going.

Actually, thank you for suggesting this. I just realized that maybe the Lunar clerics are having the same sort of difficulties that terrestrial clerics are. The Lunar Gods may be presenting a united front, but I bet they're not having everything their own way and likewise must divert attention from their followers and into the war they're waging.
Oaksoul Elite
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Post by Oaksoul Elite »

All right. Seems like there's consensus that we should just leave the planar cosmology fuzzy and unimportant. And especially leave the moon as just a regular hunk of rock. Which works pretty well, other than the question about why lunar creatures aren't made of the four elements, but close yet strange lunar analogues. Ah well. At least it's one other idea out there. I wonder . . . maybe other planes are innately inhospitable. Even those that seem accommodating to DragonMech natives, they're subtly lacking what makes the Prime home - leading to a gradual wasting away if you leave your home plane. The Spirit World cannot nourish physical bodies in the long run.

Glad I inspired something. Yeah, I'd expect the lunar deities have the same spell-granting problem.
I am Omnirahk, half-Rahkshi ("Omni") of the WotC forums. I consider "Psionics in DragonMech" (see my website) my greatest contribution to anything d20 so far. At least, it's my most successful topic.
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