My D&D Multiverse

[Erik Woodhollow]

In this post, I'll discuss details about the Inner Ring world of Terra Neos, a planet forever separated into two distinct realms: a contemporary-era setting completely devoid of its own magic, and a land of fantasy where magic flows freely.

Terra Neos
Edition: d20 Modern (with D&D Essentials variant)
Themes: Contemporary era, dual dimensions
Aura colour: Metallic Cyan

Introduction to Terra Neos

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Taylor signs the form, then places the pen neatly onto the sales rep's desk. "Come with me," says the rep, leading the young man out of the office. Taylor follows the rep to just outside the dealership, where his shiny new motorcycle is waiting. "She's all yours," says the rep, "so here are the keys." Taylor snatches the jingling keys from the rep's hand. Taylor takes his new ride for a spin, racing through the city streets; now he can easily weave through traffic and avoid cars and trucks, whereas before he would often get stuck in traffic at this hour.

As dusk approaches, Taylor drives up to a secret clearing beside a stretch of road on the city limits. He dismounts his bike and removes his helmet, placing it on the handlebar. He walks into the middle of the clearing, his preferred spot for sightshifting into the fantastic realm. He stands still, closes his eyes and focuses. As he opens them, he shifts through the intangible barrier separating both realms. As he does so, his outfit changes from motorcycle leathers to garb appropriate for a realm of fantasy. Taylor's adventuring companions, a dwarf, an elf, an orcborn and a kaijuko, stand waiting. The kaijuko, Visarria, yells at him. "Where were you?! Those gobbos aren't gonna defeat themselves!" Taylor smiles, "Sorry, guys, I was...acquiring a new mount."

The world of Terra is actually two distinct realms, with one being much like our own world, and the other a fantasy realm of adventure. This split actually occurred centuries prior, when a mistake created an invisible barrier of pure magic. Oracles prophesied the arrival of the barrier and the disappearance of humanity, so steps were taken to prevent its creation. However, the very measures used to stop the barrier from being formed had the reverse effect, bringing it into being and duplicating the world, causing half the world's human population to become stranded on the copy. The Celestial Being Marilina managed to send a possible solution to the stranded humans, planting the seeds of what would eventually bring those people home.

After much time had passed, some humans of the mundane realm began to exhibit the ability to shift through the barrier and into their ancestral home in the fantastic realm. Such people are known as "sightshifters", and can freely transition between both worlds, an effect which the enchantment cast by Marilina was not intended to grant. It seems the centuries living in a world without magic have changed these people far more than Marilina could have anticipated.

Races of Terra Neos

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Terra Neos boasts its share of fantasy races. The mundane realm has just one race: the round-eared Territe humans. The fantastic realm, however, has a higher number of races of fantasy, including the pointed-eared syl humans, plus the usual assortment of dwarves, elves, halflings, gnomes and others, which are the source behind many of the mundane realm's legends and mythology.

COMMON RACES OF TERRA NEOS
Like most worlds, humans are generally the most populous, though each realm has a different ratio. The mundane realm is home to the Territes, humans with round ears who have no experience with real magic, though a few gain the ability to sightshift between realms. The syl, meanwhile, are the humans of the fantastic realm, and have developed ears with slight points. A few Territes also exist in the fantastic realm, descended from sightshifters who opted to remain there.

Dwarves hail from the Mountain Lands, the fantastic realm counterpart of the continent of South Solumia, and as such are adapted to life in a rugged environment. The most common variety there is the mountain dwarf, or "mondwarv", with a number of hill dwarves, or "hildwarv", having settled in the Neos Lands.

Elves are natives of the Forest Lands, the fantastic realm counterpart of the continent of North Solumia, and as such are adapted to life in a lush environment. The most common variety there is the wood elf, or "verdelv", with a number of high elves, or "altidelv", having settled in the Neos Lands.

Halflings hail from the Verdant Lands, the fantastic realm counterpart of the continent of Pura, and as such are adapted to life in a tranquil environment. The most common variety there is the stout, or "Broadkin", with a number of lightfoots, or "Greatkin", having settled in the Neos Lands.

Gnomes hail from the same places as dwarves and elves, with rock gnomes most commonly found in the Mountain Lands, and forest gnomes most often seen in the Forest Lands. Both varieties have also settled in the Neos Lands, and usually live in dwarven or elven territory.

Orcborn have human and orc ancestry, and as such are often found in the Arid Lands, the fantastic realm counterpart of the continent of Mundhart. Many orcborn can be found living in the Neos Lands, though very few pure orcs exist there, instead opting to live in their native homeland.

The wyrmborn are a race of humanoid dragons who can be found across the fantastic realm. They come in multiple colours, one for each kind of chromatic dragon variety, and each kind is most commonly found in a different part of the land.

RACES OF OTHER PLANES

●Celestial
●Elemental
●Kaijuko
●Luminelv - Often erroneously called "light elves" by other races.
●Oscurelv - Often erroneously called "dark elves" by other races.

Celestial Beings of Incognes

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Terra Neos has a pantheon of Celestial Beings, though none of them has any particular connection with the mundane realm. Naturia, the embodiment of nature, seems to be present in both realms, however, meaning there is still someone watching over the Territe-populated world.

CELESTIAL BEINGS
●Marilina - Once a homonid human paladin, and typically revered by humans.
●Norm - Once a syl human esper, and typically revered by humans.
●Kedakai - Once a wyrmborn monk, and typically revered by wyrmborn.
●Gorlark - Once an orcborn barbarian, and typically revered by orcborn.
●Alistair - Once a hill dwarf cleric, and typically revered by dwarves.
●Helga - Once a mountain dwarf fighter, and typically revered by dwarves.
●Emerria - Once a high elf wizard, and typically revered by elves.
●Verdann - Once a wood elf ranger, and typically revered by elves.
●Rhyanna - Once a lightfoot rogue, and typically revered by halflings.
●Sheamus - Once a stout druid, and typically revered by halflings.
●Sbenmor - Once a forest gnome bard, and typically revered by gnomes.
●Tinkertinn - Once a rock gnome sorcerer, and typically revered by gnomes.
●Shienna - Once a luminelv paladin, and generally revered by light elves.
●Nocturnus - Once an oscurelv monk, and generally revered by dark elves.

Stay tuned for more information!