Fey Borderlands, Fey Realms, and Dreamlands, finally "statted out"

There was a lot of mention of "dreamland" and origin of the Fey in other threads so I decided to not only finally explain, in game terms, how new Fey originate (and continue to do so) but to provide game rules for defining the home plane of Fey as a whole.

When I began the original "Fey by Sig" project, this is the kind of planning that should have been prepared before writting setting draft ideas!.
Ah well, at least it's here now.

More will be explained on how the Fey keep random Dreamland creations from wandering into their Realms.
The borders will probably be lined with Talisman's "Sentinel Menhir" to blast all non-Fey that enter. heheh



FEYBOOK - FEY PLANAR TRAITS


FEY BORDERLANDS

[*] Normal Gravity: Most planes have gravity similar to that of the Material Plane. The usual rules for ability scores, carrying capacity, and encumbrance apply. Unless otherwise noted in a description, it is assumed every plane has the normal gravity trait.

[*] Finite Shape: A plane with this trait has defined edges or borders. These borders may adjoin other planes or hard, finite borders such as the edge of the world or a great wall. Demiplanes are often finite.
The Borderlands exist only where Fey Realms meet other realms, and wherever sentient beings perceive these edges.
Fey Borderlands are coterminous with many other planes, including both Fey Realms and Dreamlands.

[*] Alterable Morphic: On a plane with this trait, objects remain where they are (and what they are) unless affected by physical force or magic. You can change the immediate environment as a result of tangible effort.

[*] No Elemental or Energy Traits. Sections of the Fey Borderlands match the Elemental or Energy traits of planes it borders with, but only Mildly at most.

[*] Fey-Aligned: Fey-aligned plane does not apply a circumstance penalty to anyone, but Fey, animals, and plants receive a +1 circumstance bonus to all saves against anyone or anything not Fey-aligned.

[*] Normal Magic

[*] Normal Time: This trait describes the way time passes on the Material Plane. One hour on a plane with normal time equals one hour on the Material Plane. Unless otherwise noted in a description, every plane has the normal time trait.

Fey Borderlands can take any traveler to either the Ethereal Plane, any inhabitable world in the Material Plane, the Plane of Shadow, or the Fey Realms within 1d20 hours. Lighting conditions and environment change slightly depending on what the connecting areas contain. For each hour of travel, roll on the following table (1d4)
1 Day
2 Night
3 Twilight
4 Mix, or Other (such as a solid canopy for a sky)


FEY REALMS

[*] Light Gravity: The gravity on a plane with this trait is less intense than on the Material Plane. As a result, creatures find that they can lift more, but their movements tend to be ungainly. Characters on a plane with the light gravity trait take a –2 circumstance penalty on attack rolls and Balance, Ride, Swim, and Tumble checks. All items weigh half as much. Weapon ranges double, and characters gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Climb and Jump checks. Strength and Dexterity don’t change as a result of light gravity, but what you can do with such scores does change. These advantages apply to travelers from other planes as well as natives.

[*] Infinite Size: Planes with this trait go on forever, though they may have finite components within them. Or they may consist of ongoing expanses in two directions, like a map that stretches out infinitely.
Fey Realms are coterminous with Fey Borderlands and coexistant with Dreamlands.

[*] Divinely Morphic: Specific unique beings (such as Fey Lords, Kings, Queens) have the ability to alter objects, creatures, and the landscape on planes with this trait. Ordinary characters find these planes similar to alterable planes in that they may be affected by spells and physical effort. But the deities may cause these areas to change instantly and dramatically, creating great kingdoms for themselves.

[*] Fey-Aligned: Fey-aligned plane does not apply a circumstance penalty to anyone, but all Fey, animals, and plants receive a +1 circumstance bonus to all saves against anyone or anything not Fey-aligned.

[*] No Elemental or Energy Traits. Sections of the plane may have the minor positive-dominant or minor negative-dominant trait, but Fey Realms as a whole do not.

[*] Enhanced Magic: The Dreamlands are highly magical, and all spells cast there are maximized, empowered, and extended. Psionics and supernatural abilities count as spells cast for this purpose.

[*] Timeless: On planes with this trait, time still passes, but the effects of time are diminished. How the timeless trait can affect certain activities or conditions such as hunger, thirst, aging, the effects of poison, and healing varies from plane to plane.
Aging is slowed by a factor of 10. Once a living thing has reached maturity, aging stops.


DREAMLANDS


Sleeping beings with Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores may travel to Dreamlands as if by the spell “Astral Projection” as long as their original unconscious bodies have been asleep for more than 1d6x10 minutes.

These visitors are called Dreamers and they interact with the Dreamland using Dreamer bodies composed of mental energy.

• The Dreamer bodies are naked and identical to original being in every way by default, but appearance changes easily for some (see “Highly Morphic” section)
• The Dreamer body’s level for all level-dependant features and effects is the sum of all these mental ability scores +1, but no higher than their original character level +3.
• Intelligence replaces Dexterity, Wisdom replaces Constitution, and Charisma replaces Strength.
• The Will save replaces all other saving throws.
• The Dreamer bodies have a maximum base speed for any natural movement forms equal to their Intelligence + Charisma scores (not modifiers) rounded up to the nearest 5.

Beings with high physical ability scores aren’t without disadvantage here, though.
These abilities are of limited use during each dream but refresh the next time that being enters Dreamland after an hour rest:

• For each point of Strength bonus, the being may emulate the “Iron Body” spell for 1 minute with no penalties as the body’s memory forces the mind to surpass its own limit.
• For each point of Constitution bonus, the being may revive their own Dreamer body from destruction as if by “True Ressurection” as the intact original body reminds the mind of its shape and existence. The Dreamer must return near the location of their destruction, reappearing up to 100 feet from their original location, up to a minute later.
• For each point of Dexterity bonus, the being may emulate the “Freedom” spell as the body’s coordination informs the mind of the exact motions.

Dreamer bodies die and vanish if they ever enter the same plane as their original bodies or the Material Plane.
If the Dreamer bodies receive enough damage to become unconscious or otherwise die, the minds will return to their sleeping bodies unharmed but awake.

Beings that bring their true bodies into the Dreamlands risk real death.

[*] Subjective Directional Gravity: The strength of gravity on a plane with this trait is the same as on the Fey Realms (Light Gravity), but each individual chooses the direction of gravity’s pull. Such a plane has no gravity for unattended objects and nonsentient creatures. This sort of environment can be very disorienting to the newcomer, but is common on “weightless” planes.
Characters on a plane with subjective directional gravity can move normally along a solid surface by imagining “down” near their feet. If suspended in midair, a character “flies” by merely choosing a “down” direction and “falling” that way. Under such a procedure, an individual “falls” 150 feet in the first round and 300 feet in each succeeding round. Movement is straight-line only. In order to stop, one has to slow one’s movement by changing the designated “down” direction (again, moving 150 feet in the new direction in the first round and 300 feet per round thereafter).
It takes a DC 16 Wisdom check to set a new direction of gravity as a free action; this check can be made once per round. Any character who fails this Wisdom check in successive rounds receives a +6 bonus on subsequent checks until he or she succeeds.

[*] Infinite Size: Planes with this trait go on forever, though they may have finite components within them. Or they may consist of ongoing expanses in two directions, like a map that stretches out infinitely.
Dreamlands are coexistant with Fey Realms, the Astral, and the Ethereal Plane, and coterminous with other planes as desired by game setting. The Fey Realm/Dreamland border is heavily protected and stabilized by magical constructs to prevent the Fey Realms from slipping into disorder, as well as to prevent non-Fey Dreamland creations from entering.
If an individual setting allows, Dreamlands are also coexistant with the planes of Limbo and the Abyss.

[*] Highly Morphic: On a plane with this trait, features of the plane change so frequently that it’s difficult to keep a particular area stable. Such planes may react dramatically to specific spells, sentient thought, or the force of will. Others change for no reason.
Sentient beings gain the Dreamsculpt ability as long as they are within Dreamlands.

Dreamsculpt (Spell-like): All beings with Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores may emulate the following spells as Spell-like Abilities as a standard action with a caster level equal to the sum of their Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma modifiers +1 but no higher than their original character level +3:
[*] “Make Whole”
[*] “Heal”, or “Harm” if Undead or injured by Positive energy, either effect removing only one condition or 1 point of ability damage per caster level with each casting.
[*] “Prestidigitation”
[*] “Disintegrate” by touch, no save

Dreamsculpt also emulates spells from the following Domains as if the user were a Cleric of a level equal to the user’s mental ability modifier sum or regular caster level, whichever is higher, with no Domain granted powers:

• Knowledge
• Creation
• Travel (except “Astral Projection”)

This ability to manipulate Dreamlands only works inside the borders of Dreamlands and can only maintain the existence of as many spell effects as their Dreamer body caster level +3 or regular caster level, whichever is higher, at any given time.
Spells cast with a Dreamer’s own class levels don’t count towards this limit.

If left unattended or unsupervised for more than 1d4 days, summoned creatures, creations, enchanted objects, and intelligent items will spontaneously gain free will and/or animate themselves; treat as if affected by the spells “Awaken” or “Animate Objects” as appropriate.
They will revert to normal state with durations expiring as normal the moment they are claimed by any being (animated objects) or brought out of the Dreamlands.
Items created by Dreamsculpting vanish by default if they ever leave Dreamlands, unless a newly sentient creation chooses to exist (DM’s choice).

[*] Variable Elemental or Energy Traits Sections of the plane may have the minor positive-dominant or minor negative-dominant trait, and although Dreamlands as a whole do not, some small regions may be altered if willed so by sentient beings..
The Elemental or Energy trait is mild at most, spreads to a distance of 100 feet per level centered on the individual, and persists as long as the individual being chooses and is present.
Conflicting areas are contested with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks (to enforce) opposed by Will saves (to resist), and changes may be attempted once an hour. Resisting a change means that the area did not shift to a different trait from its current trait.

[*] Variable Neutral-Aligned: A mildly neutral-aligned plane does not apply a circumstance penalty to anyone, although some small regions may be the exception if willed so by sentient beings. The Alignment trait is mild at most, spreads to a distance of 100 feet per level centered on the individual, and persists as long as the individual being choses and is present.
Conflicting areas are contested with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma checks (to enforce) opposed by Will saves (to resist), and changes may be attempted once an hour. Resisting a change means that the area did not shift to a different trait from its current trait.

[*] Enhanced Magic: The Dreamlands are extremely magical, and all spells cast there are Maximized, Empowered, Expanded, and Extended. Psionic, supernatural, and spell-like abilities count as spells cast for this trait.
In addition, spells with durations gain a new duration of “Permanent” as long as they persist in the Dreamlands, but may be dismissed one at a time by any sentient being as a standard action touch.

Anything created or summoned within Dreamlands can not cross into other planes unless it is self-aware and willingly moves across planar borders of its own volition, and even then only if the DM choses to allow it to. Newly created beings from Dreamland retain at most 1 character level wherever appropriate when crossing into other planes for the first time.
Beings that entered from another plane revert to their original state, except that injuries and detrimental effects remain healed and seperated items that had been brought to Dreamlands do not reappear in possession automatically.

[*] Timeless: On planes with this trait, time still passes, but the effects of time are diminished. How the timeless trait can affect certain activities or conditions such as hunger, thirst, aging, the effects of poison, and healing varies from plane to plane.
The condition of beings remain the same as when they first enter Dreamlands, unless altered by magic or other effects, and even then upon exiting Dreamlands the condition(s) reverts back to a state matching when the being first entered (unless it was restorative or healing effects).
Everything in Dreamlands ages by choice, and nothing ages on its own. Anyone can become any age instantly, but all changes are reversed upon leaving Dreamlands.


Setting Usage for Dreamlands Rules
Entering the Dreamlands through dreams allows an otherwise mundane passageway into the Fey Realm. If a campaign would be hindered from the complexity, ignore all additional rules for Dreamers and Dreamland’s role as desired.
However, for every Fey setting the Dreamlands are an essential source of new Fey races. The plane is a spawning pool of new life and new beings shaped by sentient minds, wishes, nightmares, accident or luck may enter coexistant planes for good or ill.
The most ancient Fey hail from the Dreamlands in times before mortal dreams. Although new Fey from Dreamlands are much more rare now, they still form vaguely familiar yet natural shapes in the flux of desires and mirrors.
These fresh Fey are weak and innocent but retain their inclinations from the dreams or primal forces that created them, and they seek out others similar to themselves.

Non-Fey that manage to break through a border of Sentinel Menhirs are exceedingly rare and either extremely lucky or somehow immune to the attacks.
While this border prevents most malicious abominations from invading (or in some cases, innocent unluckies) some occasionally do find the Fey Realms a hospitable home, and wreak havoc on beings that they consider a frail and abundant food source.

This post has been edited by Sig on Jan 4 2008, 02:16 AM

The part on fey reproduction seems rather vague.

For reference, this was what we came up with on the other thread:

Thought you might be interested.

OK I'll tailor this stuff to those specifications tonight (when my parents cut the net off in like 15 minutes ... they're in a mood about my sporadic temp job lately)

You guys got the fluff, I got the crunch.

It came to me in a dream, ironically.

The answer to the dilemma of "How are new Fey created in the Dreamlands?" and "What can Dreamers do?" is simple.

• The 'medium' of moving through Dreamlands will be similar to using the Astral but crammed full of life both known and unknown rather than a silvery void.
• Any being with an Intelligence greater than 1 can use Wish as a Supernatural ability, at will, once per round.
• No creation or condition transfers from Dreamland back into any other reality due to the decree of the local deities. However, Fey rituals and/or spells will be able to call Dream creatures (using Talisman's template) once the caster(s) has journeyed to the Dreamlands and either met the creature or created it theirself (Craft skill on a hand-sculpted being brought to life, or Baleful Polymorphing some Dreamland native into a new form of harmless new animal, or something)