#19: DF 7: The Underdark and the Overdark

[RPGnet Columns]

http://www.rpg.net/columns/brave/brave19.phtml

Summary:

Introducing the sky islands of the Overdark.

Go to the column (http://www.rpg.net/columns/brave/brave19.phtml) for more information.

[Nihtgenga]

G’day Charles,

Neat idea, but than again floating islands have always been a neat idea to me (it was the only part of the Deathgate Cycle that I liked).

Anyway, couple of comments/questions:

Portals connect island to island
I have to ask why? If all the islands are neatly connected, why bother with islands in the sky anyway. Just stick the suckers underground and be done with it. The fun thing about islands, any islands, is that they are islands. You need to go out of your way to get to them. You just can’t walk there; boats or the like are necessary. If I was doing it, you’d need flying mounts or airships or the like to get around (how about gates in the side of the islands that cast Windwalk on people who go through them?).
I decided on mostly small islands, probably none bigger than a city…. Lots of smaller dungeons each with a unique look and theme.
The other thing about islands it the size needed to establish a viable ecology. I’m not sure that one dungeon per island and limiting the size of the island is the best way to do it. Look at this way, one dragon could easily control an area the size of a city, thus on top of the island, you’ve only got room for one beastie. That dragon.

A bigger island could have room for villages on top (with locals ‘fishing’ for birds), and a bit of wilderness to keep them in the village. If you have rain on top of the island tunnelling down to the bottom, you could easily have a couple of small dungeons on the same island, with the inhabitants competing for control. But they have to go over the top or underneath to get to each other (this helps the villages keep their independence). I could see the underneath having ropy roots that allow the Tarzan types to swing from one entrance to the other. Coolness in a bucket.

Anyway, looking forward to developments.

Cheers

[Kravell]

Both of your points are well taken. I'm going to look at both while I'm working things up and see how they'd change things in my mind.

Charlie

[Iceberg3k]

I know this is kind of thread necromancy, but have you heard of/played the Dreamcast/Game Cube RPG Skies of Arcadia? It seems to me that it would have some good insights on how to run a "sky islands" campaign, given that the world is entirely based around islands floating in the sky...

[Kravell]

I have not played video/computer games in a long time. Family committments allow just enough time for D&D and the occasional boardgame! I'm sure the game would be great, especially to give me some visuals.

Charlie