Questions about the world that the Avernum series takes place on/in.

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Author	Topic: Questions about the world that the Avernum series takes place on/in.
Captain Uglyhead Warrior Member # 126	written Monday, November 10 2003 05:17 Profile Homepage #0 How large is it? Has it already been thoroughly explored? Did The Empire rule the entirety of the surface world, or just a continent or two? Is there a possibility of discovering new lands and new peoples over the horizon? If you go deep enough down in Avernum, past the Vanhatai lands, will you eventually pop out on the opposite side of the world? Also: Can you create brand new abilities and stick them in objects other than your standard mind crystal, like an ancient scroll or pendant? (I'm aiming for super-psionic mind control, here.) -------------------- Fly beyond the ocean, over the mountains, past the moon and across the face of the sun, never to come home again. Posts: 161 \| Registered: Monday, October 8 2001 07:00
StD Infiltrator Member # 1877	written Monday, November 10 2003 07:26 Profile #1 The empire has colonized all known lands, so you will be able to make new lands i think. And its not been fully explored. ;) Edit: I dont know about the abilities, but i think (And hope) its possible. -Deus, whom think new lands sound interesting [ Monday, November 10, 2003 07:31: Message edited by: Sauron T Deciever ] -------------------- 33111-CRUSADER-4849 Posts: 662 \| Registered: Friday, September 13 2002 07:00
Custer Bob's Big Date Member # 3151	written Monday, November 10 2003 11:39 Profile Homepage #2 quote: Originally written by Captain Uglyhead: How large is it? Not explicated, assumed to be about 9.8m/s²ish. Has it already been thoroughly explored? If you listen to one of the intros, yes, yes it has. Did The Empire rule the entirety of the surface world, or just a continent or two? As of the Av/Ex series, the Empire rules the planet utterly, except for Exile. Is there a possibility of discovering new lands and new peoples over the horizon? Not realistically. If you go deep enough down in Avernum, past the Vanhatai lands, will you eventually pop out on the opposite side of the world? No. Avernum stops long short of the upper mantle. The physics on it are awful, BTW: the cooling effect of getting under the earth stabilizes at 60 feet, and it starts getting hotter not long after :P Also: Can you create brand new abilities and stick them in objects other than your standard mind crystal, like an ancient scroll or pendant? (I'm aiming for super-psionic mind control, here.) No. Jeff Vogel spent a long time balancing those abilities, and would consider it an insult if you thought you needed any more for a scenario. All data given here is canon; you can skip around it if you really want. -------------------- The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest. Posts: 2367 \| Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Monday, November 10 2003 13:34 Profile Homepage #3 You can create whatever new cities, continents, or worlds you'd like for your scenarios. They just won't be recognized as part of the "official" Avernum world. You can attach custom scripts to items, so if you can script super psionics, you can have them. —Alorael, who thinks that in many ways entirely new worlds for scenarios are best. They give you much more flexibility in terms of background story. Of course, the flipside is that you have to explain it in much more detail. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Jawaj Shock Trooper Member # 461	written Monday, November 10 2003 18:11 Profile #4 A lot of those questions we don't know the answer to - people will probably make scenarios that explore those plot areas though. -------------------- "If you held a weapon to Fwiffo's head, he would say anything you wanted him to. In fact, if you held a vegetable to Fwiffo's head, he'd say whatever you wanted him to." - Spathi high council, Star Control 2. Posts: 346 \| Registered: Sunday, December 30 2001 08:00
StD Infiltrator Member # 1877	written Monday, November 10 2003 21:37 Profile #5 It may happen that the empire has not found some island in the big(?) oceans...Take the hint? -Deus, who want an answer from Alorael. -------------------- 33111-CRUSADER-4849 Posts: 662 \| Registered: Friday, September 13 2002 07:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Tuesday, November 11 2003 02:50 Profile Homepage #6 quote: Originally written by Sauron T Deciever: It may happen that the empire has not found some island in the big(?) oceans...Take the hint? -Deus, who want an answer from Alorael. Small islands? Perhaps. Most people just use a few islands around Vantanas for island scenarios on Ermarian. And if you don't want the Empire involved, just make up your own world. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
WiKiSpidweb Infiltrator Member # 3441	written Wednesday, November 12 2003 15:35 Profile Homepage #7 Or you could always have an underwater scenario. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 \| Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Wednesday, November 12 2003 16:23 Profile Homepage #8 That's a bit hard... I suppose you could, with some effort, script 'underwater' terrain, and even include a 'diving suit' item or something. Since no one mentioned yet what continents there actually are on the surface of Ermarian: There's Pralgad (though some prefer Pralgrad), which is the main seat of the empire. It's a medium sized continent, which is in approximately the shape of an inverted triangle or a heart (I'm doing this from memory, folks, the exact shape eludes me currently). Edit: I found a map of it. I only started it, and it hasn't got more than the outline, but you should get the general picture: Clicky. Where it grows thin at the bottom, it is connected by a land bridge to the north part of Valorim, the most recently colonized continent. Valorim (the setting of Avernum/Exile 3) is shaped roughly like an L pointing towards the West, which the Isle of Bigail resting in between the two stems. Aizo (some spell it Aixo) was the continent where the empire was founded. I'm not sure about it's size or shape, but I remember it lies somewhere southeast of Pralgad. Then there's Vantanas, of which you can find an incomplete map here . It's to the south of Valorim, and has tropical climate. As far as I know, it's barely civilized, I guess the Empire's foothold is mostly for the resources. But who am I to know? :P Did I leave out any? Any official (Avernum series) ones I mean? Edit: Geocities sucks bad; links never seem to work. If you don't receive the image, just click on the address window to select the URL of the picture, and hit Enter again. That should do it. [ Wednesday, November 12, 2003 16:31: Message edited by: Arancaytar ] -------------------- Encyclopaedia • Archives • Members • RSS [Topic / Forum] • Blog • Polaris • NaNoWriMo Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. I have a love of woodwind instruments. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Thuryl ...b10010b... Member # 869	written Thursday, November 13 2003 01:29 Profile Homepage #9 Ooh. Those are some impressive-looking maps, Arancaytar, especially the Vantanas one. Thanks for the effort. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 \| Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Thursday, November 13 2003 02:52 Profile Homepage #10 They're spelled Pralgrad and Aizo. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Djur Revolutions Babelicious Member # 3149	written Thursday, November 13 2003 12:51 Profile Homepage #11 Pralgrad is never correct, to my knowledge; Aixo is only correct if you are referring to the post-Arvon's Cataclysm Ermarian. And pre-whatever-the-next-cataclysm-is Ermarian. :-p Veiratu-walatx! [ Thursday, November 13, 2003 12:52: Message edited by: Conspiracy Duck ] -------------------- I've got a pyg in a poke. Posts: 999 \| Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Thursday, November 13 2003 13:01 Profile Homepage #12 Pralgrad is always correct - it's in the book in E3/A3. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Djur Revolutions Babelicious Member # 3149	written Thursday, November 13 2003 14:05 Profile Homepage #13 To hell with that :-p -------------------- I've got a pyg in a poke. Posts: 999 \| Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Custer Bob's Big Date Member # 3151	written Thursday, November 13 2003 16:26 Profile Homepage #14 I'd post my sort-of map of Aixo, but it's actually changed quite a bit by the cataclysm -- for instance, a huge circle of it gets blown into the sea :P -------------------- The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest. Posts: 2367 \| Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
almondblight BANNED Member # 3688	written Friday, November 14 2003 15:05 Profile #15 What about a scenario taking place before the empire was created? Like during the time of that king who's tomb you find on the island in Avernum 3? That'd be pretty interesting. Posts: 23 \| Registered: Friday, November 14 2003 08:00
demonslay3r Guardian Member # 2238	written Friday, November 14 2003 15:42 Profile Homepage #16 A step ahead of you... -------------------- DEMON PLAY, DEMON OUT! Posts: 1582 \| Registered: Wednesday, November 13 2002 08:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Saturday, November 15 2003 04:08 Profile Homepage #17 Which tomb? Is that on the surface, or in Upper Exile? Also, thanks Thuryl. Actually, those maps are still pretty rough, I'm working on a new version of Vantanas with thinner coastlines and better mountains and stuff, after I got some advice from the guy who 'invented' the technique. :) [ Saturday, November 15, 2003 05:35: Message edited by: Arancaytar ] -------------------- Encyclopaedia • Archives • Members • RSS [Topic / Forum] • Blog • Polaris • NaNoWriMo Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. I have a love of woodwind instruments. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Dastal Warrior Member # 3610	written Saturday, November 15 2003 09:14 Profile #18 That would be the tomb labeled as the Spiral Crypt on Rache's maps. It's on Bigail to the east of the Friendly Roaches, to the north of the mountain containing the stone circle, and to the west on, I think, the town with a B, but I'm not sure of the name. Posts: 129 \| Registered: Tuesday, October 28 2003 08:00
Arancaytar Law Bringer Member # 2984	written Saturday, November 15 2003 12:18 Profile Homepage #19 Bavner. That would be the one that traps you, right? The one with the quickghast that asks you the fangs-riddle? Now what was the name of the guy who was buried there, again? -------------------- Encyclopaedia • Archives • Members • RSS [Topic / Forum] • Blog • Polaris • NaNoWriMo Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. I have a love of woodwind instruments. Posts: 8752 \| Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Captain Uglyhead Warrior Member # 126	written Saturday, November 15 2003 13:51 Profile Homepage #20 I have another question. A question about certain enemies' special abilities, like how haakai shoot acid, some spiders shoot webs, basilisks have a stony gaze, and mung rats/demons have special rays. Would it be possible to transplant these skills into a new sort of monster, with different graphics and attributes and everything? Ex: a medusa-esque critter, and some acid spitting bug monsters I've been thinking about, among other things. -------------------- Fly beyond the ocean, over the mountains, past the moon and across the face of the sun, never to come home again. Posts: 161 \| Registered: Monday, October 8 2001 07:00
Drakefyre Triad Mage Member # 7	written Saturday, November 15 2003 14:00 Profile Homepage #21 Yes. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 \| Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00
Custer Bob's Big Date Member # 3151	written Saturday, November 15 2003 17:05 Profile Homepage #22 And if not (e.g. he does something shifty like creating "archetypes" with preset ability ranges), on the behalf of the Arena community, Jeff Vogel is a dead man. :P -------------------- The biggest, the baddest, and the fattest. Posts: 2367 \| Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00
Or else o'erleap. Law Bringer Member # 335	written Sunday, November 16 2003 11:36 Profile Homepage #23 It probably won't be possible to change the graphics of the abilities themselves, though. Stoning will look like stoning whether it comes from a basilisk or the slooba-coated spears of the forgotten jungle's oblong defenders. —Alorael, who doesn't see what's wrong with archetypes. Everything you could possibly want in your scenarios has been included in the Avernum games. Posts: 14579 \| Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00
Captain Uglyhead Warrior Member # 126	written Monday, November 17 2003 10:26 Profile Homepage #24 Further questions: Would it be possible to create plateaus, with straight-up unclimbable sides? Plateaus that you could walk on top of if you found a passage onto them, or had a flight orb or magic carpet to fly onto them with? How about bridges? Could you make a bridge over a canyon that you could also walk under, if you bothered to get down into the canyon? Could one make more 'Natural' bridge graphics, like arched stone bridges, or sagging rope bridges, or is that the sort of thing you should talk about in pop-up descriptions of the area? Do you think it would be very hard to make an event that completely changes a town from a perfectly fine little burg/fortress into a smouldering ruin? Example: What happened to Fort Remote in A1. Another tiny thing: Could you adjust the names of certain attributes, abilities and spells, even if you can't change their effects? -------------------- Fly beyond the ocean, over the mountains, past the moon and across the face of the sun, never to come home again. Posts: 161 \| Registered: Monday, October 8 2001 07:00