Gem World

solarpunk for 5e

[sticksandsharks]

Ambassador Cinnebri Cinica of house Cascaro, Ordained Kalashtar Ascendant, Holy Justiciar and Lawmage of Libiros

lv 13 Cleric of Order for a new heroic campaign

[pemprika]

phos is so cute and ichikawa is always so good at her designs…. the new phos illustration was for a mobile game special apparently ;; look here !!

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SUNSHINE KINGDOM

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source:

Solar Tech in Gem World

The commonfolk’s growing mastery of solar tech has elevated Gem World cities and cultures to a standard of plentiful, equitable resources and innumerable daily conveniences, all while coexisting with, even healing, the natural world. Many praise the advances made by halfling technicians, dwarven engineers, and scientists of the Citadel, while others believe the sun itself — its origins unclear — is to thank for the immense waves of renewable energy; some even claim the bright, golden star is actually the core of Gem World, hanging boldly overhead.

Solar energy is harvested in a  variety of ways, from regional to personal. Common tools include solar panels on structures and trees, solar walking paths and sun roads, solar towers and sun dials, sun staffs and solar rings, and so on — the entire sky-line track is composed of solar harvesting cells.

Solar power harvesting and use is further optimized through hydro and wind energy. Next gen solar tech is so sensitive it can harvest energy from moonlight and starlight.

Categories of solar tech are too many to count. Virtually every aspect of life can be influenced by solar energy in one way or another. That said, important solar tech in Gem World includes:

Solar batteries, used to remotely power devices ranging from torches to mechs,

sun staffs, which store solar energy for later use or for a powerful radiant attack,

bottled radiance, large canisters used to transport sunlight and energy to places they usually would not reach,

floating bridges and moving paths, which allow for vertical, eco-friendly city designs,

and vehicles, notably solar orbs and airships, the latter typically combining many forms of energy and magic for optimal flight.

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One thing is certain: the search for this savior requires a pathfinder, someone who is capable of finding paths in the pathless wilderness and who will shrink from no danger or hardship. In other words: a hero.

THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael Ende

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source: source: source: source:

Magic in Gem World

In Gem World, magic is everywhere. Magic can be categorized as common magic, Energy, or crystal magic, though there is considerable overlap. 

COMMON MAGIC is not a magic type itself, but a catch-all for the tradition of magic users memorizing, preparing, and casting spells in an environment that supports the flow of magic through a physical plane. Off-world clerics, warlocks, and paladins use common magic even when they cannot directly contact their divinity or patron. “Common magic” is also used to describe the everyday magic seen in a city or on the side of the road; automatic mending, driverless carriages, city-wide sending stone networks, lights, and so on.

ENERGY, meanwhile, is one of the two primary magical resources in Gem World. Currents of Energy are remnants of the central flow of magic through the physical region prior to Gem intervention — in other words, the natural magic of the material plane before it was harnessed and reshaped by the Gems to create the Screen and bind their new world. Energy is comparable to the Weave and often directly overlaps with the concept of “common magic.” The most notable mechanical feature of Energy magic is that it is accessible anywhere in Gem World, even far from the Gem’s crystal caches.

Finally, CRYSTAL MAGIC, or Gem magic, is a limitless, self sustaining source of high magic powered by a variety of gemstone cores (engines) and crystal deposits. Examples of gemstone engines include the central core of each of the fifteen Gems, the core of Nuo itself (a mysterious engine known as the Gem dragon), and the rubies used at Star shrines. The crystal network is made up of a series of underground or otherwise remote chambers filled with organic colonies of large, multi-colored crystal. In some cases, small deposits of freestanding crystals grow in the open jungle; interacting with such crystals is deadly, typically illegal, and highly profitable (crystal dust can be used in place of any spell component, among other desirable properties).

For commonfolk, crystal magic optimizes the performance of common magic and enhances the flow of Energy; lightfoot engineers designed the sending stone network, but it could not carry signals from city to city if not for the crystal network. Many different types of casters and devices interact directly with crystal magic, such as the abilities and weapons of the way of the crystal monks.

An easy way of understanding the roles of different magic types is to examine a friendship domain daydream halfling. As a cleric, the halfling knows a series of common spells, from mage hand to color spray (such spells can be learned by any caster). Daydreams can also use thought speech. This is an extremely low level form of common magic that allows subconscious thought to ride waves of Energy to a nearby creature. However, lightfoots have discovered that these waves pass through to the crystal network — in short, the mundane act of a silent conversation produces a glut of magical activity across a wide spectrum; two halflings having a thirty minute conversation can provide a city block with clean light for the day.

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Bastian liked books that were exciting, or funny, or that made him dream. Books where made-up characters had marvelous adventures, books that made him imagine all sorts of things.

THE NEVERENDING STORY by Michael Ende

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Then something Tookish woke up inside him

and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking stick. He looked out of the window. The stars were out in a dark sky above the trees. He thought of the jewels of the dwarves shining in dark caverns.

--The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, p. 28

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source: Sara Webb source: source: My Neighbor Totoro (Ghibli) source: Wu Zin source: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (Ghibli)

Gem World Flora

In Gem World, roughly four fifths of the land lay covered in jungle — even the wastes, where sunlight goes to sleep, consists of cloud forests and the bizarre dark woodlands. The nature of the many forests comprising this sprawling jungle can vary widely, from the lush rainforests of the deepwood, at the heart of Great Forest, to the temperate woodlands of the High Forest.

The precise number of unique flora in Gem World could never be counted. Plant life can be as simple as bluegrass and as complex as northern hydra, the seeds of which can only be grown in a living brain — that is, until the hydra is ready to bloom.

A brief overview of flora in Gem World:

kapoks, followed by acacias, willows, and oaks, are the most common trees in the jungle ... they have great size and can support entire ecosystems and cultures ... most first trees, including the great tree and Dede Tree, are kapoks;

kudzu comprises most of the “lush,” the collective plant families making up the jungle’s undergrowth (vines, creepers, moss, lichen, shrubs of all kinds) ... kudzu can grow anywhere, with a maximum depth exceeding six feet and the density of difficult terrain;

ferns are everywhere, but fern walls are another entity altogether, innumerable strands joined together ... walls may reach the heights of trees and grow faster all the time, some extending for miles ... remote neighborhoods use ferns walls as security fences;

sentinels are plants that have been enchanted as sensors, most often reporting their findings to local peace officers;

similarly, tower trees are short, stout trees that have been shaped by magic and technology to serve as impromptu bases for peace officers and adventuring teams;

swamp moss, a cousin of kudzu, is heavy and sticky ... a vital building material for swamp-based cultures like the anura and lizardfolk;

starflower is a rare, nocturnal plant that can be used in place of various spell components and medicines ... intended for use by heroes on the road, poachers seek out starflower in vast quantities for illegal profit; 

reaching vines & grabbing trees are a common obstacle for adventurers and are often used to guard the boarders of nature reserves ... dryad seed magic fuels even more aggressive holding plants, found on the peninsula and throughout the walking blood gardens of New Forest;

even deadlier are hunting pods, carnivorous trap plants sometimes known as “sirens” for the many different lures they use to trap prey, from aromatic syrup to the voices of former loves. . . .;

but deadliest of all are the hunter plants, mobile carnivores that model themselves after the jungle’s most successful predators — wolves, bears, adders; 

silver trees grow only on Big Snowy Mountain, their hazy, cloud-like aura giving the mountain its false name ... the trees shed silver dust, which charges the air with wild magic, rendering even the humblest cantrip cast on the mountain a potential disaster;

plus: giant mushrooms, goodberries, spell gardens, flower nymphs, and more.

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The Screen, Seas, & Hidden Islands

“Nuo” is a nisse word translating to “a world apart.” Gem World is separated from the material plane by the Screen, a perfect circle of magic containing the jungle, desert, wastes, and oceans in a protective, enchanted sphere. The precise nature of the barrier is a mystery to most, beyond the fact that Gems are the only living things capable of crossing ... at least, when Gem magic is stable. Of late, portals to both the material plane and outside dimensions have opened in the Screen with increasing regularity.

From most coastal shores in Gem World, the seas extend between 150 and 200 miles to the Screen. The four seas comprise a wild environment ruled purely by nature — powerful storms, jagged reefs, rogue waves, and oceanic titans made of pulsing lightning and the stuff of nightmares; most sea craft stay within a few miles of land, leaving the open seas largely unexplored.

Most inhabitable islands of Gem World, like Argenta, hug the shoreline. The hundreds (possibly thousands) of hidden islands, on the other hand, are scattered in a chain linked by reefs, wicked tides, and dense fog cover many miles off the mainland. It is believed these islands contain but minor daemons and bad growing country but there are so many, and no good maps, so every word is a guess.

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source: source: source: source: LP Chan source: art_veider source: Ugo Chioloa source:

Familiar Classes (cont.)

(pt. 1, magic) (pt. 2, martial)

In Gem World, FIGHTERS comprise the ranks of peace officers and other security forces. On an adventuring team, fighters ensure the camp is well-fortified overnight and direct travel assignments (scout, rear guard, etc.). Adventuring fighters typically enhance their well-rounded combat capabilities with a special weapon or by training in specific disciplines, with a goal of gaining every advantage over the agents of darkness. Mid-beast and tenebris fighting are schools of combat unto themselves, rooted in the natural abilities of these species.

MONKS are a deeply respected martial class in Gem World. The fury and strength of the monk is anchored by an inner balance once reflected by the synergy between magic and nature; with both systems out of place, monks act as a guiding light on a starless path. Monks spend years training and studying at divine sites — temples, shrines, first trees. Several monks number among the freedom fighters of the Night Patrol, including the way of the many elements monks, who efficiently harness ki to call on the archaic forces of nature to aid them in combat via additional limbs and area of effect spells.

RANGERS are a popular adventurer/explorer class. Survivalists in any terrain, rangers hunt effectively and mercifully, track with great skill, and fight against corrupt monstrosities threatening the structure of a society rangers rarely engage in. Physical marvels, rangers typically survive the jungle alone, but can be inspired to take up the cause of an adventuring team. The Great Forest rangers trace their roots to a legendary valley near the summit of Nausika, where an ancient order of humans practiced the old ways of the ranger with such virtue the Gems allowed them to stay; modern Great Forest rangers know the adventurer’s trails, healing pool locations, and other related secrets of the jungle.

BARBARIANS are observed throughout more hostile, extreme environments, including the lowlands and badlands. They have an earthy aura, similar to druids and rangers, but lean into the predatory, territorial tenets of the jungle. Eschewing city life, barbarians typically hold strong bonds with a unique mount and hand-crafted weapon, or an arm acquired in some special way (taken from a fallen enemy, recovered from ancient ruins). Barbarian life is ideal for those who come alive in the heat of battle and find city culture boring. Scribes work hard with barbarians to fashion an oath they can abide, which can be a challenge: path of the komodo barbarians, for instance, have molded their tactics after the brutal hunting patterns of the venomous komodo.

PALADINS are ideal adventurers in Gem World. They live by their oaths and uphold the law of the jungle while aiding commonfolk against the onset of shadows, hunting darkness wherever it hides. The intentions of  different paladin oaths interact and overlap, embodied by the singular oath of the forest path: akin to oath of the ancients, these paladins are specifically attuned to the ways of the jungle — the sensitive balance between Energy and the crystal network, predator and prey, paradise and lawless savannas — and work towards upholding balance and light however they can.

ROGUES are champion explorers, ones almost always in search of loot as opposed to a rare artifact that could reverse the fortunes of the Crystal Forest. These cunning, versatile folk heroes are beloved for their ability to trick and overpower seemingly much greater foes. Adept at sidestepping danger, rogues of all species come and go about their business without being seen, if they’re any good. Some rogues follow the forest elf teachings, though the number of non-elves to learn these ways and not be hunted down by tenebris agents grows smaller by the day (or, night, rather).

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source: Fellipe Martins source: source: Claudya Schmidt source: demitasse-lover source: source: steve wood games source:

Familiar Classes in Gem World

(pt. 1, magic) (pt. 2, martial)

WIZARDS tend to lead the lives of scientists and professors, rarely taking to the road as adventurers. Powered by knowledge, many wizards are members of the Citadel, working to solve world issues. Noble as these pursuits are, Citadel projects can be too far removed from the people they are designed to protect. A major exception to scholarly wizards are focus mages, who spend their formative years studying specific books of magic, like the Book of Flowers, Book of Beasts, or Book of Water. Focus mages are less versatile than their professorial counterparts, but have an in depth understanding of their chosen field and are more inclined to take up a quest.

WARLOCKS control powers granted by beings “beyond the natural order.” Warlocks born in Gem World have access to a diversity of patrons, including the Gems themselves! Spell gardener warlocks, for example, have struck a pact with the flower dragon gem Callisto. This partnership extends far beyond Icon status, allowing warlocks to use seed magic while defending the jungle and commonfolk. Other patrons include: the foe (Nightmares), dream spirits, the Great Tree, smoke from the Shadow Realm, and several non-native forces watching from beyond the Screen. . . .

CLERICS are found among highly concentrated populations, desiring to help the ill and injured in the greatest numbers. Of course, healing is greatly valued on the road, as well. Harnessing the wishes of the Gems — who desire balance, the natural order, and quality of life among commonfolk — clerics, especially those of the poetic warrior domain, channel divine power directly from the crystal network, releasing magic in powerful charges that restore a fallen teammate to life or consume enemies with foul disease ... clerics from the material plane can still derive power from their deity, but cannot directly communicate.

DRUIDS are a common adventure/exploration class. In a world where even the most advanced cities are intimately entwined with nature, druids thrive, feeling the harmony and wisdom of the natural order at all times. Druids practice mystic ways not understood by those outside druid circles; several circles are unique to Gem World, notably the circle of mists — an occult family powered by the strange fog and sentient fungal bodies of the wastes — and circle of wildflowers, who bridge society and culture, flora and fauna, with the help of their familiars.

In Gem World, many creatures play instruments. Those referred to as “musicians,” however, are invariably BARDS. Capable of playing any instrument they touch, bards are loved by commonfolk and represent a versatile, charming addition to an adventuring team. Music of the Citadel bards are particularly skilled in the use of staffs and masks, popular magic items in Gem World.

SORCERERS, or hedge wizards, possess innate magic derived from unique origins. This raw magic inspires a derring-do attitude in many sorcerers who, unlike more knowledgeable wizards, enjoy traveling the world to use their magic — typically for good, but any time they can show off. Sorcerers of the Screen are somewhat feared, as some appear from beyond the Gem’s barrier without explanation, or disappear as suddenly ... like clerics and warlocks, non-Gem sorcerers can still access their powers, but may struggle to chat directly with an “offworld deity.”

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Items, Weapons, & Armor

(A brief list)

Foils, throwing hammers, slingshots, throwing stars & playing cards, hand bows, heavy bows, twin bows, witch’s bow, net guns, fire-throwers, junior ballistas. 

Stiletto/anlace, long axe, hunter’s axe, big mallet, fighter’s gloves, crystal gauntlet, set of chains, crystal swords and blades, battler’s umbrella, lariat, stun spear.

Campaign jackets, explorer’s vests, camouflage, forage helmets, dwarfin plate armour, adventurine armor, oak & onyx shields, silver shield, magnetic shield.

Exploration kits (four models), Adventurer Team pocket knife (two models).

MASKS. Mask of shifting, scout mask, skull mask, mask of majesty, unfeeling mask, mask of the sun, forgotten mask, mask of strength, mask of tree spirits, mask of underwater breathing, bio-mask, mask of dreaming, call of the wolf mask, red star mask, night vision mask, Medusa’s mask, mask of the high mage, blood moon mask, song of the pseudodragon mask, many more.

STAFFS. Staff of earth, wind, and water, crystal staff, summoner’s staff, balancing staff, staff of doors, soul staff, staff of the cobra, staff of storms, expert hiking staff, golden greatsword staff, starlight staff, Diamond House staff, cloud of smoke staff, staff of good health, many more.