The spelljamming universe is a single solar system with several small planets (much smaller than Earth) and numerous tiny planetoids, moons, moonlets and asteroids all in orbit around a single sun. The planets, planetoids, asteroids, etc. do not move in relation to each other. Or, to put it another way, they all orbit the sun in the same period of time (one year). The planets and planetoids rotate, giving them day and night cycles. All rotating worlds have identical rotations that last for 24 hours. Most of the worlds have earth normal gravity. All of the various floating bodies are on roughly the same plane of the elliptic.
Many of these bodies are inhabited by various peoples and monsters. However, the current inhabitants of the Worlds of Sol are but a pale reminder of the great civilization that once flourished here thousands of years ago. Indeed several civilizations have come and gone. So it is that many of the worlds, large and small, contain relics and ruins of the older civilizations that once flourished.
<Question to self: what about air? I'm leaning towards not making it an issue and just saying that a breathable atmosphere permeates the whole of space. Perhaps the air runs out as you reach the edge of the Worlds of Sol far from the sun (beyond what would be the orbit of Saturn if this was our solar system). The air starts just before what would be Venus if this was our solar system. This large area would be known as the phlogiston. The predominant temperature of the phlogiston is about 20 degrees F. However, a spelljamming ship emits some heat as it traverses astral space, creating an envelop of warmer air around it that is roughly equal to twice its size. The temperature on the exterior decks of a spelljammer is generally around 45 degrees F. Surplus energy from the helm generally keeps the interior areas of a spelljammer comparatively warmer at about 60 degrees.>
Campaign Start Options
Option One - Farming Stronghold
The campaign will start on a large asteroid 50 miles in diameter. It is a farming community consisting of a small city and numerous farms. The city is called Sagar while the asteroid is called Sagarone. Sagarone once held a large city of a previous civilization and the remnants of the civilization are everywhere. Most of the buildings of the city have been refurbished from the original buildings. The asteroid is part of a small Astral Kingdom that is roughly 25,000 miles in diameter, known as the Kingdom of Celestian. The capital city of Celestian is called Center Port and is in the center of the kingdom on a small, rotating planetoid. It is about 12,000 miles from Sagar.
The Rock of Bral, one of the largest cities in the Worlds of Sol, is about 100,000 miles from the kingdom.
The group will start with a small spelljammer called the Star Sprite, that is really not much more than a glorified rowboat though it does have a helm and can make short jumps through Otherspace.
Option Two - Spelljammer
The group starts on the legendary Spelljammer. This is the original spell jammer that seems to move randomly about the Philogiston. The ship contains a large city holding many thousands of highly diverse inhabitants. The group consists of orphans who have managed to survive to early adulthood. They are the remaining members of a gang that managed to survive. As an general rule, their education is very informal but can easily consist of mages, rogues and fighters and even a cleric.
The group makeup should consist of at least one or two thieves who might be multi-class (thief/mage and thief/fighter, perhaps). Someone wanting to play a scout or ranger will need to come up with a good backstory and will likely be deficient in the nature-based aspects of the professions to begin with.
The first adventure will be a short one that will lead the group into a deep and uninhabited part of the city where they will find a small spelljammer called the Star Sprite.
Option Three - Rock of Bral
This option is similar to option two in that the group consists of a gang of orphans who have managed to survive in the Worlds of Sol's most nefarious city. The group makeup should consist of at least one or two thieves who might be multi-class (thief/mage and thief/fighter, perhaps). Someone wanting to play a scout or ranger will need to come up with a good backstory and will likely be deficient in the nature-based aspects of the professions to begin with.
The first adventure will be a short one that will lead the group into a deep and uninhabited part of the city where they will find a small spelljammer called the Star Sprite. |