User:ProphetPX/Xal'Anim (3.5e Campaign Setting)/About

Xal'Anim

"Life and death, energy and peace. If I stop today, it was still worth it. Even the terrible mistakes that I made and would have unmade if I could. The pains that have burned me and scarred my soul, it was worth it, for having been allowed to walk where I've walked, which was to hell on earth, heaven on earth, back again, into, under, far in between, through it, in it, and above." -- Gia Carangi (narrating from beyond the grave)

In A Nutshell...

The warped-reality of wild magic gone mad, the weird of the rift-ring which rotates the entire world. Elemental primordialism with a flipped food-chain, oddball-physics, truly dangerous weather, and strangely animated landscapes. An insane Mystic-Theurge Wizard once sought to become a god, but the world which he aspired to create, became only the eternal prison for his very soul. Deep in sorrow for eons, the suffering of the haunting deity provoked such profound energies to erupt within this new alien planet, that new alien life finally crept forth upon the face of the world, and started to conquer and master it.

Elaboration

The strange unique system of Xal'Anim is not so much your typical type of normative solar system (as is present in many galactic bodies), where a star or two may be routinely orbited by one or more satellite stars or planets (with or without moons of their own). No, it is far more than this! And yet, at the same time, far less...

UNIQUE CONCEPT

What we have here, is more of a unique, nebulous, mysteriously-created collection of statically-placed rings and "chains" (some might even call it a bizarre form of Moebius-strip like system of interdimensional honeycombs) of elemental energy, thrumming with godlike, portal-capacitant, extraplanar power.

Xal'Anim, the title or name more properly defined, comes from the otherworldly nature of the typical INVERSION of societal archetypes as is present in MANY of the worlds therein, and is the name for the entire encapsulated system. A musically rhythmic oscillation of elementally-formed structures which run, not so much in typical spherical or cubic fashion of "top to bottom" or "centerpoint via radius to surface", but more, rather "along a route" from source to destination. Somewhat in linear fashion at times, and at other times, spreading out geometrically in all directions, with various bearings of starting vectors and endpoints, all at once. This world does not have just 1 beginning, nor only 1 ending. It's FULL of possibilities. The only possible means of describing how to circumnavigate the various worlds within Xal'Anim via terms of 3D NAVIGATION, is only to throw out the entire preconception of anything "3D" altogether. Xal-Anim is NEVER merely a 5-D creature with only 4-D (height, width, length, time) realities, so much as it is a means of THOUGHT-EXISTENCE and the guaranteed interplay of many different dimensions, all completely in-play at any given time. Various outlines of dimensional structures of this system will follow in a later section or chapter.

The System

The SPACE SYSTEM of Xal'Anim is far more unique than what most deep space, star travelers might ordinarily encounter, in that it does NOT fit any standard typical model of your typical star system. Whereby the basically presumed and "normal" aspects of such systems might apply: circumferentially-timed orbits of planets around a central sun(s), cosmic background radiation from said solar furnaces, polar axial tilt of various planets, and whether or not they can support life based on degree or wavelength of sunlight, average seasonal warmth versus periodic distance from said life-giving nuclear furnace star(s), or other factors, etc... as would perfectly allow for life-fostering conditions on one more planets...

NONE OF THESE THINGS EXIST IN XAL'ANIM! NONE of these things are in-play, NOR are any similar dynamics in effect ANYWHERE within this space system!

System Order

Physically speaking, TO THE NAKED EYE, or rather, to the OUTSIDE OBSERVER, there is no set, "exact" system or APPARENT order as to which worlds are of which design, or of which pattern, or of which order in the (what can only be thought of BUT IS NOT as) "orbital order".

Planetoids in this system, whether spherical or non-, seem to somewhat float amidst naked space, or erstwhile in their own demesnes with no obvious risk of collision with other worlds, and do NOT follow any ordinary, "circuitous" path around any so-called "stars" (being as typical stars (as like in other systems) do NOT really exist in THIS system).

"The Veil"

If a galactic explorer, finally having arrived at the EDGE of the system, was to begin to peer inward, in order to get a glimpse of what the system "looked like", the ENTIRE SYSTEM of Xal Anim appears to be nothing more than a GIANT, IMPENETRABLE NEBULA. This is called "The VEIL": An extremely dense, gaseous, enclosure surface of nebulous "Oort"-type cloud surrounds the entire system, and does not allow-through technological penetration of sensory perception of any kind.

Outer Havens

Beyond The Veil, lies quite an amazing, almost miraculous sight! After parting through and moving past the gaseous Oort-like clouds, a dim, tenebrous, lattice-like, inter-chained webbing of interdimensional, elemental pathways, can be somewhat seen. All of which deeply THRUM (yes this sound can be heard -- sound does travel via solid surfaces like ship hulls, as well as inside nebulae gas pockets) with praeternatural power.

Very few worlds here often trafficked. But some are habitable - if you know how to survive on them.

Lateral Lattices

Various worlds which form the bulk of the system, found between the Outer Havens, and the Core Sphere. Many trafficked worlds here.

Core Sphere

Where most of the habitable and trafficked worlds can be found -- but yet, not all! Rulership over the entire system is mostly realized on at least two of the planets within clusters found here.

Intricated Worlds

Beyond this, a central collection of various, other structures, exist. Along with other, more normative, standard-shaped, pear/spherical, polar-axial planetary worlds are present, IN clusters (again, with NO stars at their center) with worlds of other polyhedron-like celestial bodies. Not all "planetoids" here are made alike. Some are spherical, and yet, others are not. Not a few of the non-spherical worlds here exist as perfect dodecahedrons, and others, as imperfect other-vertexed polyhedrons.

The (Initial) Known Worlds, who are governed subjects under reign of the Amoebic Apostasy (with pronunciation keys):

Ayshpraezhig

(aye-shh-pray-zhee-g) - Apprentice and Mercantile Tradecraft, Industry and Corporate Espionage The clockwork ticking of machinery, whir and blast of steam, and hissing pop of electric tubes, never ends here. Stocks and Markets find all their flourishing on this one massive, industrious planet.

Borz Kdzak Tzunn

(Boarr-zikk tZ-unn) - The Wildscape of the Damned. Prison Planet to some, Hedonist Hegemony Without Overlordship (HHWO) to others.

Chenndrovani

(Chenn-droh-vahn Seven) - Ulterior VoidScapes of The Nineteen Sisters of Xal'ysh. A cluster of nineteen planetoids, of which only ten are habitable within the cluster. The other nine do not support known life and are largely ignored.

Dizanthronum

(Dizz-ann-throe-numm) - Origin Elite World of Royalties, Patronomic Heritage and Bloodline Genealogy. One of the most guarded worlds in the entire system, this "edifice world" serves to populate the ruling class.

Hueeshyll Shammarod

(Hwee-sheell Sham-maer-rod) Metallic Paradise of Beasts. Skyscrapers and Intervoven highway vaults, the "sprawl" of deeply interwebbed population density

Mysthaerrys

(miss-thay-er-iss) - Mythological and Religious Center for various faiths

Ranneh Tsimmak

(Ronn-neh Tsimm-Akk) - "Prehistoric"-like Forestal Chaotica, Wildlife Epitomized. "Overgrowth" is not even the proper term, for this world.

Santhannierre

(sann-thann-i-err-ee) - Ancient Tombstone Planet, Sundry relics, Lore-"infested"

Schw'Ouellee

(Sch-wou-ell-ee) - Floating Oceanic mist world, "The Endless Sea". Pristine motes of land, amidst streams, pockets and interspersed floating seas of multiple cultures of various waters, liquid methane, symbiotic mercurial silt, etherealic pyrotechnic magma fluids,

Ecologies (New Monsters!)

Water: whale-like sleeper bloats, stream snakes, zither sweepers, undulating sea swine, pectinate floats, blur blots, charged swatches, bubbling crystalline structures, static flit wisps, shy storm curses, macro kites, ink thrushes, orpheus ghost, allopath, ambiotic allergens, aqueous synergist, passive haunt, stark fright, wisp presence, ice imager, mist imager, impotentor, deuterium dendrite, wave pusher, wave family, wave formation, wave shifter, wave golem, wave wall, tsunami barrier, tsunami tender, watery forestal,

Methane: stink sleeks, chase clouds, dimensional showers, dimensional distortions, atmospheric sheets, blob creepers, static storms, diminishing twister, stuttering splurge, arcing structure, gas synergist, concentrated blot, indigestive wisp, spirit triumvirate, illustrious triumph, inciting image, wisp imager, stench imager, gestation gist, tenebrous ghast,

Mercurial Bodies: mirror mages, mirror warps, mirror shines, mirror shimmers, undulating pulse storm, viscous ripple, sonic stapples, reflective apparition, door spirit, portal sheens, temper blob, toxic mist, quicksilver emanation, shining fist, bright eyes, dull grappler, quicksilver vortex, tempest harrower, soldier formation, bounce gumptions, pristine vein, metallic synergist, argentine wisp, trine tesseract, irridescent imager, faeric testifier, argentine imager, dark tincture,

Magma Centers: explosion shiners, dense mace octagons, dot swarms, void lines, void orbs, sinker faults, suction plops, spark fleas, tinder biters, faeric inciter, amber/auburn golem, ash mote, tinder sticker, fire orphan, angel flow, molten synergist, wisp monstrosity, amber wisp, mantle guardian, mantle morph, mutual mass, burning imager, smoking imager, macro molt, black vent, jugular pinch, plug exploder, volcanic pinch, penetrating popper,

Earthen Motes: anthropomorphic logarithm, log golem, spy leaf, sweet weeds, living mud pie, earthen synergist, rock growth, rock descension, ascending avatar, dust faerie, smoke wisp, sweeping dust formation, sand shifter, sand haunt, shifting satyr, pellet grifter, sand grafter, blast devil, volcanic pestilence, tiny terror, micro sunburst, sand static, grippling jackal, howling shaft, indomitable imager, cliffhanger, structural imager, depth shivers,

Valladiasciae

(Vall-add-ias-see-ayy) - Mysterious, Paradoxical Border Dimensions, between this life and the next. From whence come those who wish to live, out of those who've come to die.

Xallicham

(chall-eesh)- Capital World of Amoebic Reign. The one world that all of the intricated worlds within the Amoebic Apostasy and Collective are all subject to. Here reigns the Glorious Tyrant, Machalliax XVII.

Zaenshaelle

(zayy-enn-shai-ell) - Hanging Gardens in Constant Twilight. Rifts of sleeper algae, streams of aqueous lichen, bulbous pocks of chlorophyll, sacs of "swamp juice" grass saps, interconnected with chain-vines and fibrous arkanus tendrils

The Extricated Worlds

Worlds which were removed from the collective, and are not under Amoebic reign; which now form the equivalent of localized "wild space" within the Veil and Outer Havens. Known worlds, yes, but are on their own.

Baezangir

(Bae-zang-geer) - Desert and mountainous, scrub and wretched wasteland

Shozhivandis

(Show-zhee-vonn-dis) - Mysterious, unexplored, paradise-like planet, where no subject has yet set foot. Maybe entirely preserved since dawn of Creation?

Zendrakon

(Zenn-drakk-onn) - Darkness and cratered, refuge for only the bravest few of those who escape the law.

... TBA

Origins

Sister "planetoids", whether spherical (OR NOT), here, are entirely deduced from ancient divine plans, and are, what one might call, "artificially" contrived by "strange, foreign" gods ... of the Far Realm. Forged entirely by praeternatural dominions of WILD MAGIC, or better said: a not-quite "accident" of long-lost proportions, which those gods allowed to take place in order to form a system which was to exist ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS at the time. Neither this system, nor any world in it, is ever going to appear like any other world, anywhere else in the galaxy. Much less, the Universe.