Re: The DragonFlow Part 1B: The Geonomicon of LinkSpace Part 1

Dreamer said:

>I can't find anything much to criticise, except that you might
>want to add a few points of colour.

I could probably sit here for days and post thousands of lines, but I'd 
prefer to leave a little up to the individual imagination.  I'm sure IMC 
things are run a lot different then IYC.  If I give away too much 
information, there wouldn't be any room for someone else to improve upon 
it.  This is why I didn't give any stats for the NPCs.  That way if people 
wanted to use them, they could tailor fit them into their own campaign.  
Also, I could talk forever about a particular planet or planetoid, but 
this IS Spelljammer, and as such, I think it would drift away from 
the "Spelljammer Base Line", if you will.  Most of what you want to know 
has little to do with actually Spelljamming, and therefore it should be up 
to you to fill in the details, all to your taste.  I can assure you as 
well, that the belt of Nonous will have more detail.  A PC could be born 
on Nonous, live out their entire life there and never hear of Spelljamming 
or crystal spheres.  But it would require a Spelljammer to reach the Belt 
of Nonous. 

>For example, do the people have any unusual and notable feast
>days, ceremonies, or holidays?

Most of this is left over relics from their time on Decundus, which I 
haven't posted yet.  Remember that they haven't lived there that long.

>Are there any mineral resources that might be of interest?

Probably not.  Nonous used to be a void world, without much of intrest.  
Why would the Arcane change the mineral resources?  The Belt however, is 
another story.....

>What sort of legends might the people of Nonous have about their
past?

Their past was never a secret.  Most folk know they are colonists from 
Decundus.

> Are there any interesting historic figures?

IMC, Nonous is divided by those who saw the Arcane as Employers, and those 
who saw them as Oppressors.  The debate is whether or not they'd be better 
off if the Arcane were still around.  Obviously, those whose ancestors had 
the "lesser" jobs think they are better off now.  Some would revere one 
who died protecting the Arcane, while others would consider the rebellors 
to be on the side of rightousness.  In truth, the people of Nonous did 
very little to affect the demise of the Arcane. 

>I was thinking in terms of what I might tell players who's
>characters were poking around, looking for trade possibilities,
>or asking about local culture or history.

I think that the main goal of PCs here falls outside the realm of trade 
possibilities, as the people of Nonous, as simple colonists, don't really 
have anything of abundence to trade.  The Arcane only gave the settlers 
what they needed at the time, and since then the popluation has begun to 
explode past what planet is able to provide.  Not that there isn't enough 
land, but there just isn't enough GOOD land.  The bad lands have become 
the home of the orcs and goblins, and they are well aware that the land is 
nearly useless.  Depending on your GM style, you can portray the orcs as 
the villans, or as the victims.  (Think: Native American) Or, as IMC, 
perhaps a combination of both, depending upon the particular tribe of 
humanoid.

Their local culture is nearly identical to that of Decundus, save for the 
matriarchy.

>Also, do you recommend that the effects of the 'terraforming' of
>Nonous are wearing off, or the Arcane were economical/sloppy, or
>something else? If the first, this says things about the
>operation and limitations of the Septimus.

That's up to your individual taste, and definately soemthing I wouldn't 
let the PCs find out for a long while.  Either way, the point is, is that 
the people of Nonous are in trouble and they don't know it.

>You also talk about the Septimus controlling the locals - what
>sort of control did you have in mind? Do you count as a local if
>you live in the sphere for long enough, or do you have to be born
>there?

Again, that's up to you.  IMC, I say that you have to be native to the 
sphere.  I prefer to put the PCs in a position much like "Chicken Little" 
where no one else on the whole planet beleives them and/or thinks they are 
insane/possessed/charmed/etc.  This makes the PCs an enemy of sorts to the 
very people they're trying to save.  (The Paladin's Job is never done.)

Control is a relative term.  I think that the Septimus works on different 
levels.  Whosover contols the Septimus determines the level of control.  
The last being to use it simply caused subtle influence.  Again, the point 
here is to find it before the PC's enemies do.  I don't think it would 
behoove anyone if the Neogi found it first.

In an epic campaign, a powerful group would of course find it first and 
turn the entire sphere against the PCs AND close off any means of escape.  

But that would be purely evil.  






(Sounds like fun, doesn't it?)

--Blackmaer

PS: I repectfully thank you for your critique, and I hope to answer even 
more questions.  If anyone would like more on Nonous, I will provide it.  
I just didn't want to drift away from Spelljammer. (No pun intended.)

--Blackmaer (Whoa...DejaVu)