Silus
2014-07-15, 07:02 AM
Ok so apparently I reached the character limit on my first thread so I'm gonna section THIS thread up into more manageable chunks.
PAIZO FORUMS SUGGESTION THREAD (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2r9eu?The-Barrier-World-Homebrew-setting-looking)
GitP SUGGESTION THREAD (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?362077-quot-The-Barrier-World-quot-Suggestion-Thread&p=17778509)
Reserved for general world info (History, noteworthy individual, the nature of the Barrier, magic, etc.)
The premise of the world
The world (current placeholder name is "The Barrier World") is broken up into two time periods, which will be discussed below.
Before the Apocalypse
Before the apocalypse, the Barrier World was a rising star in the interplanetary and interplanar community. Technology was on the rise and its integration with magic was already wide-spread enough that even common folk had at least one "magitech" device (A catch all term at the time to describe technology with magical assistance and vice-versa). Magic itself, while at an all time low in practitioners at the time, was still prominent enough for things like guilds and unions to be formed and where enrolling at an arcane college was akin to going to a real world college.
However, things were not all sunshine and rainbows. The gods of the world, and there were quite a few, were, well, jerks. Changing their edicts on a whim, starting holy wars because they were bored, that sort of thing. On any other world, the mortals likely would have eventually dropped religion altogether or formed "better" gods and goddesses. But that was not the case, seeing as the gods were active (very active) in the world to the point that most nations had some sort of theocracy built into their government. It is a little hard to ignore a deity when they carve their will into the floor with a flaming pen of divine power after all. There were however a handful of Gods and Goddesses that, near the end, decided to "opt out" of Godhood and force themselves semi-mortal, intent on trying to save the mortals they learned to care for from the capaciousness of the more uncaring gods and goddesses.
Near the end, the Barrier World was in the process of becoming a police state by various interplanetary and interplanar powers (more on these later) that saw the rampant deity shenanigans as potentially dangerous for the universal community. Planar travel was greatly curbed, as was religious worship, though this was mostly in the form of driving the extremist elements underground. This would have resulted in an all out war between the "peace keepers" and the people of the Barrier World had the Barrier Project not been enacted.
After the fall
1000 years after the Barrier Project was enacted, people have all but forgotten about the age before, save for a handful of ancient elves that have clung onto life, the odd Orc or Harpy tribe that kept the tales alive through oral tradition, or those that traveled the now ruined and overgrown roads and highways of the old world. The world is just getting back on its feet in a technological sense, pioneering steam power and clockwork. There is a larger rift between magic and technology now, with very little integration of the two. Countries are little more than vague borders now at best. This is, of course, a great improvement from a few hundred years after the Barrier went up. Upon losing contact with the non-semi-mortal Gods and Goddesses who, for the most part, went into seclusion (Be it out of a need to relax or as penance for the chaos they brought), the mortals sparked off war after war after war, be it civil, religious or straight up militaristic.
It began when the Barrier Project was enacted, shunting the world, the moon and an artificially created sun over a dimension and a half, cutting the world off from the "main" universe. The stars vanished, replaced by an inky black void. No Gods responded to prayers, no miracles (Benevolent or otherwise) occurred. The people soon realized that they were alone. Their gods had abandoned them, or had been killed, or had just simply gone missing. The extremists, once under watch by the now confused and cut off Coalition police force, began leveling blame at the other religions. "It's their fault!" they would cry, "Our god has abandoned us because of them!" Fights broke out. Civilians were brought into the crossfire. The more hardline theocratic nations responded with aid to their religion, and soon nations were supporting nations in a tangled mess of war that spanned the globe. Weapons of a chemical, nuclear and magical nature were used in the hope that if they could just kill those supposedly responsible that their gods would look down with favor upon them and return. No gods returned, smiling or otherwise. Cities were leveled, hundreds of thousands killed and much technology lost. Those that did not choose sides in the war, or at least those smart enough not to get involved, were left to pick up the pieces. It eventually hit people that the Gods were not coming back. They were now, for the first time in a very, very long time, alone. No gods or goddesses. No angels or demons or tentacled nightmares from the deepest pits of the abyss. Just the mortals on a small little ball of earth floating in the void. As you could imagine, suicides were rampant for a time as people just couldn't cope. In the end, only about 25% of the world's initial population survived the wars and the revelation of being alone. However, they clung to hope and the realization that, without the god's will to drive them, they were now free to forge their own path in life. As of now, the concept of actual Gods and Goddesses is little more than myth and legend buried deep in ancient tomes.
Magic is far more prominent now with even basic magical cantrips being taught in schools. Divine magic however (barring druidic) is at an all time low, though not unheard of (The topic of divine magic will be discussed below). In any given major city (Most of the cities on the map there would be considered "major" for these purposes) would have anywhere between 5-20 Divine magic users of all stripes, depending on the city. Due to the world being cut off from the rest of the universe and by extent the other planes of existence, Conjuration magic, particularly spells that summon monsters or animals, does not work at all. Magic and how the Barrier affects spells will be discussed a little later.
Depending on the area, ruins of the past age would either have been picked clean (The Queen's Lands), revered as holy sites (The Principality of the Moon), picked over or ignored in favor of more obvious paydays (The Gear Wastes), overgrown and forgotten (The Broken Isles and the Southern Jungles) or simply inaccessible or unsearched (The Poisoned Lands, the Geistwood, the Northern Wastes, and much of the ocean ruins). The types of ruins tend to vary from location to location. For example, the Broken Isles are notorious for their (thankfully) sealed research labs, whereas the Gear Wastes is home to dwarven industrial centers and miles of underground tunnels and chambers once used in factorization during the nation's prime. Generally though, the untouched ruins often hold things best left alone. It is thanks to several horror stories of adventurers opening a sealed ruin and being brutally murdered or transformed that tend to keep the locations safe from casual tomb raiders.
Current Map (Expect to change when I get Campaign Cartographer 3 running. Map key and individual location maps coming in the future)
http://i61.tinypic.com/24p9aw6.jpg
Individuals of note (Under construction)
As mentioned above in the first section, several Gods and Goddesses opted out of deity-hood and forced themselves semi-mortal. This occurred for various reasons, all around the time the Barrier was put up. Thus far, there are five known Gods and Goddesses that have survived into the current era.
Please note that short descriptions will be provided here with more in depth descriptions in the associated locations.
The Gods and Goddesses
The Queen: The "weakest" of the surviving five, The Queen holds court in a stretch of forest known as "The Fairywood", one of the few names that has endured from before the Barrier. Though people simple refer to her as "The Queen", she actively controls little land--The Fairywood and the city of Temaria that lies at the southern edge of the forest. However, she unofficially controls a massive expanse of land simply known as "The Queen's Land" (More on this later). Once a Goddess of the home and hearth, she was one of the first to opt out of Goddess-hood to pursue a method for preserving the mortals of the world and cutting off the influence of extraplaner creatures and "cruel" deities. Has taken the form of a young elf and has gone by the name Ju'Leah. (In game, lvl 20 Lawful Neutral Fey-Blooded Elf Sorcerer, Mythic 10)
The Librarian: A former Goddess of knowledge and literature, The Librarian turned quasi-mortal upon the sacking and burning of several of her temples by a rogue god. She, along with the others presented here, worked closely with The Queen to find a way to cut off the world from the other Gods. A recluse by nature, The Librarian secluded herself away in the last of her temples out in the desert and has not been seen for some time. Her likeness however adorns several murals and statues in and around large libraries and centers of learning in The Queen's Lands, so she is not entirely unknown. She has taken the form of a female Sphinx and, much to the amusement of the other Gods, prefers to go by Lily now that she is quasi-mortal. Often wears reading glasses and attire that would be considered "business casual". (In game, lvl 20 Neutral Good Mythic Sphinx Wizard, Mythic 10)
The Oracle: A God (or some say a conglomeration of Gods) generally associated with fortune telling and divinations. He, or rather It, was the third God to give up Godhood to help The Queen with her Barrier project. It in fact lent Its aid not because It believed it would work (it would) or because It agreed that it was the right course of action (It didn't much care), but rather because It foresaw that it would be needed later down the line when things went inevitably wrong. Has taken up residency in a high hollow in the planet's World Tree and has taken the form of a massive swarm of spiders. Of all the quasi-mortals, The Oracle is one of the more active ones barring The Queen and shares a rapport with the higher ranking druids. (In game, lvl 20 Neutral variant Worm-That-Walks Oracle, Mythic 10)
The Warlord: The last of the known five Gods and Goddesses to give up their Godhood. In recent years he's retired to a remote monastery in the northern mountains of The Queen's Land, but just after the Barrier went up, he was leading armies across the battlefield for blood and glory. It's said he was directly responsible for the death of the fellow war god, Thrag, though nothing has been proven and the Warlord refuses to comment. Now that things have settled down, he's taking a well deserved break. Polite, honorable and unusually generous, he's taken a dual form of a massive skeletal dragon and that of an older, yet handsome looking human male that seems more akin to a butler than a conquerer. Has been known to answer to "Randolph", though most simply refer to him as "Sir". (In game, lvl 20 Lawful Neutral Red Dragon Ravener Fighter, Mythic 10)
The Exile: The Exile was once a Goddess of Travel and Protection from before the Barrier. As such, she was worshiped by spacers and interplanar travelers. While siblings, the Queen and the Exile had a massive falling out over the Barrier Project. While the Queen wanted to remove the world from the influence of the other Gods, the Exile instead opted for a more violent solution. She proposed the creation of a God Slayer beast as an engine of deicide. The proposition, of course, was shot down on the fear that the beast would get out of control and cause wanton destruction. Upon discovering her sister's experimentations and the lengths she had already gone to, the Queen exiled her own sister moments before activating the Barrier Project. Unlike the other Gods however, the Exile did not starve and die when the world shifted dimension, as she had loyal worshippers in sufficient numbers, plying the spaceways and still paying her homage. The Exile now waits for her agents to locate her world, destroy the barrier and allow her access once more. Bitter, spiteful and changed by the forces in the dark reaches of space, she wants nothing less than the death of her sister and the subjugation of her world. (In game, lvl 20 Neutral Evil (Formerly Neutral Good) Shae Void-Blooded Sorcerer, Mythic 10)
Thrag, God of War: Went mortal(ish) in the form of a giant mechanical monstrosity, joining the "final war" that started after The Barrier went up. Unsurprisingly, he died violently but left behind fragments of his broken metal and magic body which find their way into weapons, constructs, and even people. Gears, blades, sprockets, and the like all show up and have unpredictable effects, but are as hard-to-destroy as minor artifacts and often mysteriously disappear. There are rumors of a radical group of machinists that seek to track down every nut, bolt and gear in an attempt to bring Thrag back to "life".
The Altveri Coalition: Simply referred to as "The Coalition", they act as interplanetary watchdogs who's primary goals are peacekeeping and infestation control. The infestation in question is that of Akata, a spaceborn species that reproduce by infecting humanoids with their young via bites. Infestations can grow so large and out of control that the only option is total chemical warfare, often killing civilians in the process. This, while distasteful, is often seen as necessary, as such action is only undertaken in cases of rampant and overwhelming infestation. When not clearing infestations, the Coalition provides services as private military contractors and general peacekeepers of the spaceways. Before the Barrier, they had a large outpost on the planet, now since destroyed.
The Forest Guardian: More a force of nature than an actual individual, the Guardian keeps guard over the mysteries of the deep sections of the Fairywood. Often manifests as a massive wolf (Gargantuan) composed of trees, bushes and other plant-like material. Rarely seen up close, the Guardian can often be spotted as a vague shape in the distance from the more well traveled paths of the Fairywood. It is important to note that the Guardian does not serve the Queen, though it does seem to respect her authority. (In game, Awakened Giant (x3) Advanced Plant Imbued Dire Wolf, lvl 10 Druid)
High Lord Alpha Hieronymus Teague: Hieronymus Teague is the current leader of the Principality of the Moon. A sorcerer of notable power and a king of considerable influence, he maintains his grip on the throne by sheer power and charisma. That is not to say that he is a tyrant, as in all honesty he's proven himself to be far more tolerant than his successors (Granted when your predecessors actively hunted humans for sport, there's not really anywhere to go but up). A pureblood werewolf and descended from the researchers from the Full Moon Lake research complex, he has fathered seven children with his wife Alexstraza, four sons (Typhus, Agamemnon, Noel and Carcer) and three daughters (Evelyn, Nadine and Ruth). (In game, Lawful Neutral Human Pureblood Werewolf lvl 5 Aristocrat, lvl 9 Imperious Blooded Sorcerer)
Her Majesty the Royal Priestess Alexstraza Varmina: Every bit her husband's equal, Alexstraza not only leads her nation as its queen, but also as its religious leader. A handsome, regal woman, Alexstraza tends to favor loose, baggy clothing that lets her easily shift into her Werebat form and does not restrict her wings. While a loving mother and dependable wife, Alextraza does tend to come off as zealous when it comes to religion, always pushing for the Principality to spread its religious influence. She has however calmed down considerably after the failed Geistwood colony of New Lunaris was lost. (In game, Lawful Neutral Human Pureblood Werebat lvl 3 Aristocrat, lvl 11 Evangelist Cleric, Moon Subdomain)
Sheriff Terminus Ironshod: A no-nonsense Centaur, Sheriff Ironshod has kept Steamport safe for almost a solid 9 years, improving security and trade and setting up the first Wyrm Hunter corps. Security and safety are his upmost concerns, and he's not opposed to throwing troublemakers out of his city. Despite the various city states of the Queen's Lands and the Principality pressuring the independant city of Steamport, Sheriff Ironshod has maintained a fiercely independent stance, willing to trade with both the nations but refusing to bend knee to either one. (In game, Lawful Good Centaur lvl 6 Gunslinger, lvl 3 Wyrm Hunter)
Empress Amira Delandia: Amira was not born on the Broken Isles, which may play a part in the little actual control she wields over the scattered tribes. Amira was originally a native of Harker's Bay who, though a series of adventures, ended up on the Broken Isles and married to the then-Emperor. She doesn't rule the Isles with an iron fist or a velvet glove, but manages a balance between the two, being firm when she has to be but generally is gentle and caring for her subjects. If rebellious tribes and the local carnivorous flora and fauna wasn't bad enough, Empress Amira also has to deal with her teenage daughter Sahira who is currently going through a rebellious phase. (In game, Neutral Good Human lvl 2 Aristocrat, lvl 6 Witch)
Commander Conrad Fargas: Conrad Fargas not only has the duty of commanding the fortress city known as the Bastion of the Dawn, but also has the duty of being the commander of the Order of the Radiant Dawn, one of the few active Paladin orders left on the Barrier World. And old campaigner, Conrad bounces between enjoying the relative quiet of commanding the Bastion and wishing for another event to allow him to prove his martial prowess once more. For the most part however, he keeps busy with ensuring that the Paladins under his command are disciplined and battle ready, keeping an eye on the local "sanctioned" necromancers and playing (and losing) chess match after chess match with his subordinate Abigail. (In game, Lawful Good Human lvl 10 Paladin)
Lt. Abigail Kirkpatrick: Abigail, "Abbie" to Commander Fargas, falls into the "Hypercompetant assistant" category. She's always on top of whatever duty needs doing at the time, be it inspecting the troops, managing supply shipments, coordinating trade-ship pick up times, or even simple combat. She (and Commander Fargas) know that without her, the Bastion of the Dawn would not be able to run nearly as effectively as it does. Also plays a mean game of chess and really, really tries to let Conrad win at least once (It's not happened yet). (In game, Lawful Good Half-Elf lvl 9 Paladin)
Nolan Carlsburg: Nolan Carlsburg, a middle aged man with a thousand yard stare and more than his share of scars, is the current mayor of New Providence. The position itself has a high rate of turnover, and the fact that Nolan has lasted as long as he has is testament to his willpower and personal grit. Like Sheriff Ironshod, Nolan puts the safety of his people first and is willing to use adventurers to help keep his city supplied with food and amnesties. Has a violent grudge with the sea creature known as Blackheart the Invincible who's been terrorizing New Providence for years, even before Nolan took the position of mayor. (In game, Neutral Human lvl 2 Expert, lvl 4 Ranger)
Jillian Carmichael: Jillian is not from the Barrier World, that much is certain. When the young lady, who appears no more than 19, is questioned about where exactly she is from, she simply smiles and replies with "Oh, here and there". Despite her mysterious nature, her odd look and way of talking (Like someone not quite able to wrap their tongue around the dialect), her large mechanical walker of unknown make, origin and design, and her greatsword that appears to be made of dark blue unmelting ice, despite all that, Jillian is viewed as a force of good in the world. Not in the "Slay monsters and save the town" way, though she is more than capable of doing so, but rather in her generous nature and always taking the time to help people. Having taken a job from one of the many museums in Whiterose, the young Paladin is currently traveling the world, recording as much as she can as a first-hand explorer. Perhaps, if you're very lucky, you'll meet her on your travels. (In game, Lawful Good Human lvl 12 Paladin)
(More to be added later)
The Nature of the Barrier (Under construction)
The Barrier Project, better known simply as The Barrier, was an effort by a small group of Gods to remove the influence of the more...chaotic Gods from the world. It went through many stages, first as a massive planar lock to cut planar travel but allow physical travel (Scrapped due to Gods being able to physically enter the world and go about their business), a massive shield preventing any and all divine, physical and planar access (Scrapped due to the shield being able to be broken) and, at one time, a god-slaying superweapon (Scrapped for obvious reasons).
The exact construction of the Barrier is unknown, though what is known is that the main research location was located in the Scarabian Peninsula research lab, involved the Barrier World's copy of the Codex of the Infinite Planes and involved weaving high level spells with raw divine power. Upon activation, the Barrier Project forcibly shunted the world (Along with the moon and an artificially created sun) a dimension and a half over while still maintaining its location in the real world (In the event that the world was forced back, it would occupy the same location it had previously). In addition, the makeup of the Barrier is one of constantly regenerating and cycling divine power that helps power spells reliant on planar energy and divine power (covered below).
Functionally, the barrier acts as an anchor, keeping the world secured in its pocket dimension in the space between dimensions in addition to a cloak, hiding its very existence from even the most powerful scrying spells and abilities. That is not to say however that things don't accidentally end up on the Barrier World from elsewhere in the main universe, but it's never by choice and often the result of a catastrophic magical accident, chaotic magical artifact or some similar situation. These breaches are always one-sided, making returning to the universe impossible.
Magic (Under construction)
Due to the nature of the Barrier, magic tends to function differently than on other worlds, either by not working (In the case of some Conjuration magic) or by simple workarounds.
As stated before, most Conjuration magic does not work. This is mostly relegated towards those spells that summon creatures, extraplanar or otherwise, into the world. As the world is effectively cut off from the rest of the universe, there is no way to pull creatures that do not exist. Essentially, anything that would pull something from another location not on the world does not work (Summon Monster, Nature's Ally, Planar Ally, Elemental Swarm, etc.)
Spells that create extraplanar spaces such as Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Secret Chest and magic items such as Bags of Holding and Portable Holes work normally. Most of the time. Older pre-Barrier spells and items, upon being cut off from the planes, have ceased to function. Newer made items and spells however latch themselves onto the Barrier, using the regenerating divine power as a sort of battery to make it work. The "how" is negligible and most people are just happy that such items and spells function normally.
Teleportation spells (Teleportation, Shadow Step, Dimension Door, etc.) and abilities still function normally but tend to go with a folding space method instead of going through the Astral/Shadow/Ethereal planes. They function as per normal for all intents and purposes. For obvious reasons, Interplanetary Teleport does not function beyond the moon (as there are no other planets to teleport to).
Heal/Harm spells, which normally pull their power from the Positive and Negative Energy Planes, instead pull their power from the Barrier. They, and any spells that similarly reply on power from the Positive/Negative Energy Plane function in this way. Cleric spells also function by pulling from the Barrier's font of Divine power. Cleric Domains, domain powers and spells also function in this way, taking the raw divine energy and shaping it into the form required (Allowing for Clerics to essentially mix and match domains and subdomains while pulling from the same source). For the intent of Divine casters, the Barrier "counts as" a Deity of all alignments and possessing all domains and subdomains listed in the Pathfinder Core, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Player's Guide, and Advanced Race Guide books.
PAIZO FORUMS SUGGESTION THREAD (http://paizo.com/threads/rzs2r9eu?The-Barrier-World-Homebrew-setting-looking)
GitP SUGGESTION THREAD (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?362077-quot-The-Barrier-World-quot-Suggestion-Thread&p=17778509)
Reserved for general world info (History, noteworthy individual, the nature of the Barrier, magic, etc.)
The premise of the world
The world (current placeholder name is "The Barrier World") is broken up into two time periods, which will be discussed below.
Before the Apocalypse
Before the apocalypse, the Barrier World was a rising star in the interplanetary and interplanar community. Technology was on the rise and its integration with magic was already wide-spread enough that even common folk had at least one "magitech" device (A catch all term at the time to describe technology with magical assistance and vice-versa). Magic itself, while at an all time low in practitioners at the time, was still prominent enough for things like guilds and unions to be formed and where enrolling at an arcane college was akin to going to a real world college.
However, things were not all sunshine and rainbows. The gods of the world, and there were quite a few, were, well, jerks. Changing their edicts on a whim, starting holy wars because they were bored, that sort of thing. On any other world, the mortals likely would have eventually dropped religion altogether or formed "better" gods and goddesses. But that was not the case, seeing as the gods were active (very active) in the world to the point that most nations had some sort of theocracy built into their government. It is a little hard to ignore a deity when they carve their will into the floor with a flaming pen of divine power after all. There were however a handful of Gods and Goddesses that, near the end, decided to "opt out" of Godhood and force themselves semi-mortal, intent on trying to save the mortals they learned to care for from the capaciousness of the more uncaring gods and goddesses.
Near the end, the Barrier World was in the process of becoming a police state by various interplanetary and interplanar powers (more on these later) that saw the rampant deity shenanigans as potentially dangerous for the universal community. Planar travel was greatly curbed, as was religious worship, though this was mostly in the form of driving the extremist elements underground. This would have resulted in an all out war between the "peace keepers" and the people of the Barrier World had the Barrier Project not been enacted.
After the fall
1000 years after the Barrier Project was enacted, people have all but forgotten about the age before, save for a handful of ancient elves that have clung onto life, the odd Orc or Harpy tribe that kept the tales alive through oral tradition, or those that traveled the now ruined and overgrown roads and highways of the old world. The world is just getting back on its feet in a technological sense, pioneering steam power and clockwork. There is a larger rift between magic and technology now, with very little integration of the two. Countries are little more than vague borders now at best. This is, of course, a great improvement from a few hundred years after the Barrier went up. Upon losing contact with the non-semi-mortal Gods and Goddesses who, for the most part, went into seclusion (Be it out of a need to relax or as penance for the chaos they brought), the mortals sparked off war after war after war, be it civil, religious or straight up militaristic.
It began when the Barrier Project was enacted, shunting the world, the moon and an artificially created sun over a dimension and a half, cutting the world off from the "main" universe. The stars vanished, replaced by an inky black void. No Gods responded to prayers, no miracles (Benevolent or otherwise) occurred. The people soon realized that they were alone. Their gods had abandoned them, or had been killed, or had just simply gone missing. The extremists, once under watch by the now confused and cut off Coalition police force, began leveling blame at the other religions. "It's their fault!" they would cry, "Our god has abandoned us because of them!" Fights broke out. Civilians were brought into the crossfire. The more hardline theocratic nations responded with aid to their religion, and soon nations were supporting nations in a tangled mess of war that spanned the globe. Weapons of a chemical, nuclear and magical nature were used in the hope that if they could just kill those supposedly responsible that their gods would look down with favor upon them and return. No gods returned, smiling or otherwise. Cities were leveled, hundreds of thousands killed and much technology lost. Those that did not choose sides in the war, or at least those smart enough not to get involved, were left to pick up the pieces. It eventually hit people that the Gods were not coming back. They were now, for the first time in a very, very long time, alone. No gods or goddesses. No angels or demons or tentacled nightmares from the deepest pits of the abyss. Just the mortals on a small little ball of earth floating in the void. As you could imagine, suicides were rampant for a time as people just couldn't cope. In the end, only about 25% of the world's initial population survived the wars and the revelation of being alone. However, they clung to hope and the realization that, without the god's will to drive them, they were now free to forge their own path in life. As of now, the concept of actual Gods and Goddesses is little more than myth and legend buried deep in ancient tomes.
Magic is far more prominent now with even basic magical cantrips being taught in schools. Divine magic however (barring druidic) is at an all time low, though not unheard of (The topic of divine magic will be discussed below). In any given major city (Most of the cities on the map there would be considered "major" for these purposes) would have anywhere between 5-20 Divine magic users of all stripes, depending on the city. Due to the world being cut off from the rest of the universe and by extent the other planes of existence, Conjuration magic, particularly spells that summon monsters or animals, does not work at all. Magic and how the Barrier affects spells will be discussed a little later.
Depending on the area, ruins of the past age would either have been picked clean (The Queen's Lands), revered as holy sites (The Principality of the Moon), picked over or ignored in favor of more obvious paydays (The Gear Wastes), overgrown and forgotten (The Broken Isles and the Southern Jungles) or simply inaccessible or unsearched (The Poisoned Lands, the Geistwood, the Northern Wastes, and much of the ocean ruins). The types of ruins tend to vary from location to location. For example, the Broken Isles are notorious for their (thankfully) sealed research labs, whereas the Gear Wastes is home to dwarven industrial centers and miles of underground tunnels and chambers once used in factorization during the nation's prime. Generally though, the untouched ruins often hold things best left alone. It is thanks to several horror stories of adventurers opening a sealed ruin and being brutally murdered or transformed that tend to keep the locations safe from casual tomb raiders.
Current Map (Expect to change when I get Campaign Cartographer 3 running. Map key and individual location maps coming in the future)
http://i61.tinypic.com/24p9aw6.jpg
Individuals of note (Under construction)
As mentioned above in the first section, several Gods and Goddesses opted out of deity-hood and forced themselves semi-mortal. This occurred for various reasons, all around the time the Barrier was put up. Thus far, there are five known Gods and Goddesses that have survived into the current era.
Please note that short descriptions will be provided here with more in depth descriptions in the associated locations.
The Gods and Goddesses
The Queen: The "weakest" of the surviving five, The Queen holds court in a stretch of forest known as "The Fairywood", one of the few names that has endured from before the Barrier. Though people simple refer to her as "The Queen", she actively controls little land--The Fairywood and the city of Temaria that lies at the southern edge of the forest. However, she unofficially controls a massive expanse of land simply known as "The Queen's Land" (More on this later). Once a Goddess of the home and hearth, she was one of the first to opt out of Goddess-hood to pursue a method for preserving the mortals of the world and cutting off the influence of extraplaner creatures and "cruel" deities. Has taken the form of a young elf and has gone by the name Ju'Leah. (In game, lvl 20 Lawful Neutral Fey-Blooded Elf Sorcerer, Mythic 10)
The Librarian: A former Goddess of knowledge and literature, The Librarian turned quasi-mortal upon the sacking and burning of several of her temples by a rogue god. She, along with the others presented here, worked closely with The Queen to find a way to cut off the world from the other Gods. A recluse by nature, The Librarian secluded herself away in the last of her temples out in the desert and has not been seen for some time. Her likeness however adorns several murals and statues in and around large libraries and centers of learning in The Queen's Lands, so she is not entirely unknown. She has taken the form of a female Sphinx and, much to the amusement of the other Gods, prefers to go by Lily now that she is quasi-mortal. Often wears reading glasses and attire that would be considered "business casual". (In game, lvl 20 Neutral Good Mythic Sphinx Wizard, Mythic 10)
The Oracle: A God (or some say a conglomeration of Gods) generally associated with fortune telling and divinations. He, or rather It, was the third God to give up Godhood to help The Queen with her Barrier project. It in fact lent Its aid not because It believed it would work (it would) or because It agreed that it was the right course of action (It didn't much care), but rather because It foresaw that it would be needed later down the line when things went inevitably wrong. Has taken up residency in a high hollow in the planet's World Tree and has taken the form of a massive swarm of spiders. Of all the quasi-mortals, The Oracle is one of the more active ones barring The Queen and shares a rapport with the higher ranking druids. (In game, lvl 20 Neutral variant Worm-That-Walks Oracle, Mythic 10)
The Warlord: The last of the known five Gods and Goddesses to give up their Godhood. In recent years he's retired to a remote monastery in the northern mountains of The Queen's Land, but just after the Barrier went up, he was leading armies across the battlefield for blood and glory. It's said he was directly responsible for the death of the fellow war god, Thrag, though nothing has been proven and the Warlord refuses to comment. Now that things have settled down, he's taking a well deserved break. Polite, honorable and unusually generous, he's taken a dual form of a massive skeletal dragon and that of an older, yet handsome looking human male that seems more akin to a butler than a conquerer. Has been known to answer to "Randolph", though most simply refer to him as "Sir". (In game, lvl 20 Lawful Neutral Red Dragon Ravener Fighter, Mythic 10)
The Exile: The Exile was once a Goddess of Travel and Protection from before the Barrier. As such, she was worshiped by spacers and interplanar travelers. While siblings, the Queen and the Exile had a massive falling out over the Barrier Project. While the Queen wanted to remove the world from the influence of the other Gods, the Exile instead opted for a more violent solution. She proposed the creation of a God Slayer beast as an engine of deicide. The proposition, of course, was shot down on the fear that the beast would get out of control and cause wanton destruction. Upon discovering her sister's experimentations and the lengths she had already gone to, the Queen exiled her own sister moments before activating the Barrier Project. Unlike the other Gods however, the Exile did not starve and die when the world shifted dimension, as she had loyal worshippers in sufficient numbers, plying the spaceways and still paying her homage. The Exile now waits for her agents to locate her world, destroy the barrier and allow her access once more. Bitter, spiteful and changed by the forces in the dark reaches of space, she wants nothing less than the death of her sister and the subjugation of her world. (In game, lvl 20 Neutral Evil (Formerly Neutral Good) Shae Void-Blooded Sorcerer, Mythic 10)
Thrag, God of War: Went mortal(ish) in the form of a giant mechanical monstrosity, joining the "final war" that started after The Barrier went up. Unsurprisingly, he died violently but left behind fragments of his broken metal and magic body which find their way into weapons, constructs, and even people. Gears, blades, sprockets, and the like all show up and have unpredictable effects, but are as hard-to-destroy as minor artifacts and often mysteriously disappear. There are rumors of a radical group of machinists that seek to track down every nut, bolt and gear in an attempt to bring Thrag back to "life".
The Altveri Coalition: Simply referred to as "The Coalition", they act as interplanetary watchdogs who's primary goals are peacekeeping and infestation control. The infestation in question is that of Akata, a spaceborn species that reproduce by infecting humanoids with their young via bites. Infestations can grow so large and out of control that the only option is total chemical warfare, often killing civilians in the process. This, while distasteful, is often seen as necessary, as such action is only undertaken in cases of rampant and overwhelming infestation. When not clearing infestations, the Coalition provides services as private military contractors and general peacekeepers of the spaceways. Before the Barrier, they had a large outpost on the planet, now since destroyed.
The Forest Guardian: More a force of nature than an actual individual, the Guardian keeps guard over the mysteries of the deep sections of the Fairywood. Often manifests as a massive wolf (Gargantuan) composed of trees, bushes and other plant-like material. Rarely seen up close, the Guardian can often be spotted as a vague shape in the distance from the more well traveled paths of the Fairywood. It is important to note that the Guardian does not serve the Queen, though it does seem to respect her authority. (In game, Awakened Giant (x3) Advanced Plant Imbued Dire Wolf, lvl 10 Druid)
High Lord Alpha Hieronymus Teague: Hieronymus Teague is the current leader of the Principality of the Moon. A sorcerer of notable power and a king of considerable influence, he maintains his grip on the throne by sheer power and charisma. That is not to say that he is a tyrant, as in all honesty he's proven himself to be far more tolerant than his successors (Granted when your predecessors actively hunted humans for sport, there's not really anywhere to go but up). A pureblood werewolf and descended from the researchers from the Full Moon Lake research complex, he has fathered seven children with his wife Alexstraza, four sons (Typhus, Agamemnon, Noel and Carcer) and three daughters (Evelyn, Nadine and Ruth). (In game, Lawful Neutral Human Pureblood Werewolf lvl 5 Aristocrat, lvl 9 Imperious Blooded Sorcerer)
Her Majesty the Royal Priestess Alexstraza Varmina: Every bit her husband's equal, Alexstraza not only leads her nation as its queen, but also as its religious leader. A handsome, regal woman, Alexstraza tends to favor loose, baggy clothing that lets her easily shift into her Werebat form and does not restrict her wings. While a loving mother and dependable wife, Alextraza does tend to come off as zealous when it comes to religion, always pushing for the Principality to spread its religious influence. She has however calmed down considerably after the failed Geistwood colony of New Lunaris was lost. (In game, Lawful Neutral Human Pureblood Werebat lvl 3 Aristocrat, lvl 11 Evangelist Cleric, Moon Subdomain)
Sheriff Terminus Ironshod: A no-nonsense Centaur, Sheriff Ironshod has kept Steamport safe for almost a solid 9 years, improving security and trade and setting up the first Wyrm Hunter corps. Security and safety are his upmost concerns, and he's not opposed to throwing troublemakers out of his city. Despite the various city states of the Queen's Lands and the Principality pressuring the independant city of Steamport, Sheriff Ironshod has maintained a fiercely independent stance, willing to trade with both the nations but refusing to bend knee to either one. (In game, Lawful Good Centaur lvl 6 Gunslinger, lvl 3 Wyrm Hunter)
Empress Amira Delandia: Amira was not born on the Broken Isles, which may play a part in the little actual control she wields over the scattered tribes. Amira was originally a native of Harker's Bay who, though a series of adventures, ended up on the Broken Isles and married to the then-Emperor. She doesn't rule the Isles with an iron fist or a velvet glove, but manages a balance between the two, being firm when she has to be but generally is gentle and caring for her subjects. If rebellious tribes and the local carnivorous flora and fauna wasn't bad enough, Empress Amira also has to deal with her teenage daughter Sahira who is currently going through a rebellious phase. (In game, Neutral Good Human lvl 2 Aristocrat, lvl 6 Witch)
Commander Conrad Fargas: Conrad Fargas not only has the duty of commanding the fortress city known as the Bastion of the Dawn, but also has the duty of being the commander of the Order of the Radiant Dawn, one of the few active Paladin orders left on the Barrier World. And old campaigner, Conrad bounces between enjoying the relative quiet of commanding the Bastion and wishing for another event to allow him to prove his martial prowess once more. For the most part however, he keeps busy with ensuring that the Paladins under his command are disciplined and battle ready, keeping an eye on the local "sanctioned" necromancers and playing (and losing) chess match after chess match with his subordinate Abigail. (In game, Lawful Good Human lvl 10 Paladin)
Lt. Abigail Kirkpatrick: Abigail, "Abbie" to Commander Fargas, falls into the "Hypercompetant assistant" category. She's always on top of whatever duty needs doing at the time, be it inspecting the troops, managing supply shipments, coordinating trade-ship pick up times, or even simple combat. She (and Commander Fargas) know that without her, the Bastion of the Dawn would not be able to run nearly as effectively as it does. Also plays a mean game of chess and really, really tries to let Conrad win at least once (It's not happened yet). (In game, Lawful Good Half-Elf lvl 9 Paladin)
Nolan Carlsburg: Nolan Carlsburg, a middle aged man with a thousand yard stare and more than his share of scars, is the current mayor of New Providence. The position itself has a high rate of turnover, and the fact that Nolan has lasted as long as he has is testament to his willpower and personal grit. Like Sheriff Ironshod, Nolan puts the safety of his people first and is willing to use adventurers to help keep his city supplied with food and amnesties. Has a violent grudge with the sea creature known as Blackheart the Invincible who's been terrorizing New Providence for years, even before Nolan took the position of mayor. (In game, Neutral Human lvl 2 Expert, lvl 4 Ranger)
Jillian Carmichael: Jillian is not from the Barrier World, that much is certain. When the young lady, who appears no more than 19, is questioned about where exactly she is from, she simply smiles and replies with "Oh, here and there". Despite her mysterious nature, her odd look and way of talking (Like someone not quite able to wrap their tongue around the dialect), her large mechanical walker of unknown make, origin and design, and her greatsword that appears to be made of dark blue unmelting ice, despite all that, Jillian is viewed as a force of good in the world. Not in the "Slay monsters and save the town" way, though she is more than capable of doing so, but rather in her generous nature and always taking the time to help people. Having taken a job from one of the many museums in Whiterose, the young Paladin is currently traveling the world, recording as much as she can as a first-hand explorer. Perhaps, if you're very lucky, you'll meet her on your travels. (In game, Lawful Good Human lvl 12 Paladin)
(More to be added later)
The Nature of the Barrier (Under construction)
The Barrier Project, better known simply as The Barrier, was an effort by a small group of Gods to remove the influence of the more...chaotic Gods from the world. It went through many stages, first as a massive planar lock to cut planar travel but allow physical travel (Scrapped due to Gods being able to physically enter the world and go about their business), a massive shield preventing any and all divine, physical and planar access (Scrapped due to the shield being able to be broken) and, at one time, a god-slaying superweapon (Scrapped for obvious reasons).
The exact construction of the Barrier is unknown, though what is known is that the main research location was located in the Scarabian Peninsula research lab, involved the Barrier World's copy of the Codex of the Infinite Planes and involved weaving high level spells with raw divine power. Upon activation, the Barrier Project forcibly shunted the world (Along with the moon and an artificially created sun) a dimension and a half over while still maintaining its location in the real world (In the event that the world was forced back, it would occupy the same location it had previously). In addition, the makeup of the Barrier is one of constantly regenerating and cycling divine power that helps power spells reliant on planar energy and divine power (covered below).
Functionally, the barrier acts as an anchor, keeping the world secured in its pocket dimension in the space between dimensions in addition to a cloak, hiding its very existence from even the most powerful scrying spells and abilities. That is not to say however that things don't accidentally end up on the Barrier World from elsewhere in the main universe, but it's never by choice and often the result of a catastrophic magical accident, chaotic magical artifact or some similar situation. These breaches are always one-sided, making returning to the universe impossible.
Magic (Under construction)
Due to the nature of the Barrier, magic tends to function differently than on other worlds, either by not working (In the case of some Conjuration magic) or by simple workarounds.
As stated before, most Conjuration magic does not work. This is mostly relegated towards those spells that summon creatures, extraplanar or otherwise, into the world. As the world is effectively cut off from the rest of the universe, there is no way to pull creatures that do not exist. Essentially, anything that would pull something from another location not on the world does not work (Summon Monster, Nature's Ally, Planar Ally, Elemental Swarm, etc.)
Spells that create extraplanar spaces such as Mage's Magnificent Mansion, Secret Chest and magic items such as Bags of Holding and Portable Holes work normally. Most of the time. Older pre-Barrier spells and items, upon being cut off from the planes, have ceased to function. Newer made items and spells however latch themselves onto the Barrier, using the regenerating divine power as a sort of battery to make it work. The "how" is negligible and most people are just happy that such items and spells function normally.
Teleportation spells (Teleportation, Shadow Step, Dimension Door, etc.) and abilities still function normally but tend to go with a folding space method instead of going through the Astral/Shadow/Ethereal planes. They function as per normal for all intents and purposes. For obvious reasons, Interplanetary Teleport does not function beyond the moon (as there are no other planets to teleport to).
Heal/Harm spells, which normally pull their power from the Positive and Negative Energy Planes, instead pull their power from the Barrier. They, and any spells that similarly reply on power from the Positive/Negative Energy Plane function in this way. Cleric spells also function by pulling from the Barrier's font of Divine power. Cleric Domains, domain powers and spells also function in this way, taking the raw divine energy and shaping it into the form required (Allowing for Clerics to essentially mix and match domains and subdomains while pulling from the same source). For the intent of Divine casters, the Barrier "counts as" a Deity of all alignments and possessing all domains and subdomains listed in the Pathfinder Core, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Advanced Player's Guide, and Advanced Race Guide books.