Fantasy - Anatomy of an Alien World

You can find a collection including all of my public charts here: https://chartopia.d12dev.com/collection/2569/

Citation

Anatomy of an Alien World - Jeff Gomez

Result

Topography: Roll on "Topography"
What is the general topography of this world? If the world is vast and varied, then what is the first landscape a visitor might encounter?

Average Temperature: Roll on "Temp"° F
Different climates may bring changing days and seasons. Yet the world still averages a particular temperature.

Life Level: Roll on "Life"
Some worlds are teeming with life, while others are as barren as a desert.

Dominant Species: Roll on "DomSpec"
This may be a rich and diverse world, but one species or class of species dominate the land.

Civilization Level: Roll on "TechLevel"
How advanced are the dominant species? How well can it exert its influence over others? What technological or arcane advancements has it achieved?

Dominant Element: Roll on "DominantElement"
Sometimes a single element or alignment infuses the world. The magic of that element operates at a higher caster level. This impedes any magic from an opposite element.

Bizarre Aspects: Roll on "Bizarre"
Some worlds have strange or bizarre aspects which set them apart from all others.

Other Details: Roll on "OthaDeets"
Often other details color a world more than the overarching factors.

Subcharts

Topography (d10)

d10	Result
1	Endless OceanResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
2	IslandsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
3	Shallow LakesResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
4	PlainsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
5	HillsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
6	MountainsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
7	Cliffs and ValleysResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
8	Floating Land Masses
9	Infinite Caves
10	Infinite Flooded Caves

Temp (d20)

d20	Result
1	0
2	20
3	30
4	35
5	40
6	45
7	50
8	55
9	60
10	65
11	70
12	75
13	80
14	85
15	90
16	95
17	100
18	110
19	120
20	140

Life (d4)

d4	Result
1	Desolate. Such as a desert, tundra, or open sea. Life is rare here, except in select oasis.
2	Small Population. Such as a plain, or high mountains. There is enough food and material if one has the skill to find it.
3	Large Population. Such as a forest, coastline, or coral reef. Life is easy, with fruit on every vine.
4	Teeming. Such as a jungle or swamp. Plenty of predators and competition makes acquiring the litany of resources challenging.

DomSpec (d20)

d20	Result
1	Aberration. Such as aboleth, deep walker, elder thing, ettercap, flumph, froghemoth, gibbering mouther, gug, intellect devourer, rust monster, or will-o'-wisp.
2	Animal. Such as bat, dinorsaur, dolphin, elephant, frog, hyena, porcupine, rabbit, shark, turtle, walrus, or weasel.
3	Construct. Such as animated object, clockwork soldier, colossus, golem, homunculus, taxidermies, or wyrwood.
4	Dragon. Such as dracolisk, dragon turtle, drake, jabberwock, pseudodragon, wyvern, or any number of true dragons.
5	Fey. Such as atomie, bogeyman, boggart, brownie, faun, gremline, kelpie, leprecahun, nymph, redcape, spring-heeled jack, sprite, tooth fairy, and witch-lights.
6	Humanoid (Dwarf). Proud (but short) humanoids under the mountain with a lust for gold and a penchant for honor.
7	Humanoid (Elf). Snobby or wild (but tall) humanoids who live in forests or advanced cities and study the arcane.
8	Humanoid (Gnome) Strange humanoids from another world with magical tendencies and unusual senses of humor.
9	Humanoid (Goblin or Kobold). Low creature full of mischief and malice with a preference for underground domains.
10	Humanoid (Halfling). Jolly little humanoids with a courageous spirit and a love of simple pleasures.
11	Humanoid (Human). Ambitious, versatile humanoids with the ability to adapt to all environments and situations.
12	Humanoid (Orc). Warlike, aggressive humanoids with a penchant for violence and tribal warfare.
13	Humanoid (Other). Such as bugbear, catfolk, changeling, dhampir, drow, duergar, giants, grippli, kitsune, lizardfolk, strix, svirfneblin, or wayang.
14	Magical Beast. Such as bandersnatch, basilisk, blink dog, cockatrice, firebird, giant eagle, gorgon, hydra, leng spider, manticore, owlbear, phase spider, or siren.
15	Monstrous Humanoid. Such as centaur, crabman, deep one, doppelganger, fen witch, gargoyle, hag, harpy, nightgaunt, scorpionfolk, or yeti.
16	Ooze. Such as carnivorous blob, color out of space, ectoplasm, gelatinous cube, hungry fog, brain ooze, carnivorous crystal ooze, black pudding, or shoggoth.
17	Outsider. Such as angels, axiomite, chaos beast, daemons, demodand, devils, divs, unfettered ediolon, genie, ifrit, nightmare, protean, psychopomp, undine, or valkyrie.
18	Plant. Such as assassin vine, bog creeper, corpse lotus, fungus man, gallows tree, green man, jack-o'-lantern, kelpie, russet mold, shambling mound, or vegepygmy.
19	Undead. Such as carrion storm, crawling hand, crypt thing, deathweb, demilich, draugr, ghost, ghoul, lich mummy, poltergeist, revenant, skeleton, vampire, or zombie.
20	Vermin. Such as ant, bee, beetle, centipede, cockroach, crab, dragonlfy, flea, jellyfish, lobster, locust, mosquito, slug, spider, tick or wasp.

TechLevel (d20)

d20	Result
1-3	No Civilization. This world is pre-civilization. The predominant species may group together in herds. They may speak to each other in a basic language.
4-6	No Civilization. This world is pre-civilization. The predominant species may group together in herds. They may speak to each other in a basic language. There was once a civilization here that has since collapsed: Re-roll (dice="1d14+6")
7	Stone Age. The predominant species uses rudimentary clubs and spears. They live in tribes and communicate in complex languages with robust myths.
8	Stone Age. The predominant species uses rudimentary clubs and spears. They live in tribes and communicate in complex languages with robust myths. This Stone Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d12+8")
9	Agriculture Age. People use soft metals as tools. Tribes have evolved into permanent towns around agricultural fields.
10	Agriculture Age. People use soft metals as tools. Tribes have evolved into permanent towns around agricultural fields. This Agriculture Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d10+10")
11	Writing Age. People write down information, stories, and contracts on papyrus and clay tablet. Powerful city-states form.
12	Writing Age. People write down information, stories, and contracts on papyrus and clay tablet. Powerful city-states form. This Writing Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d8+12")
13	Early Empire Age. Political, social, and religious structures are strong enough to accommodate large states. There are empires of hundreds of cities.
14	Early Empire Age. Political, social, and religious structures are strong enough to accommodate large states. There are empires of hundreds of cities. This Early Empire Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d6+14")
15	Medieval Age. Advanced metalworking and political structures are the norms, with large, well-equipped armies. Social stratification is extreme. Political and religious institutions drive both scientific and cultural advancement.
16	Medieval Age. Advanced metalworking and political structures are the norms, with large, well-equipped armies. Social stratification is extreme. Political and religious institutions drive both scientific and cultural advancement. This Medieval Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d4+16")
17	Industrial Age. People embrace advancement. Arcane or scientific discoveries make life easier on a daily basis. Machines produce items on a large scale and replace many occupations.
18	Industrial Age. People embrace advancement. Arcane or scientific discoveries make life easier on a daily basis. Machines produce items on a large scale and replace many occupations. This Industrial Age civilization was built on the ruins of of a more advanced civilization: Re-roll (dice="1d2+18")
19-20	Information Age. Electricity or a similar substance provides information transfer throughout the globe. Communication is instantaneous. Combat has morphed into something distant and strange.

DominantElement (d20)

d20	Result
1-10	No Dominant Element. This world has no dominant element.
11	Air. Air magic is dominant, which impedes earth magic. Many creatures can fly, and some take gaseous form.
12	Earth. Earth magic is dominant, which impedes air magic. Creatures are strong and bulky, and the ground contains many gemstones.
13	Fire. Fire magic is dominant, which impedes water magic. Flames burn without consuming fuel, and far too many creatures breathe fire.
14	Water. Water magic is dominant, which impedes fire magic. Most creatures can swim in the many lakes and rivers.
15	Negative. Negative energy floods this world. Living creatures take a small amount of damage each round unless they can find a refuge. The negative energy heals undead creatures.
16	Positive. Positive energy floods this world. Undead creatures take a small amount of damage each round unless they can find a refuge. This energy heals living creatures.
17	Law. This world is orderly and stable.
18	Chaos. This world is random and frenetic.
19	Good. The inhabitants of this world are civic-minded, fair, and eager to help.
20	Evil. The inhabitants of this world are cruel, self-centered, and enjoy harming others.

Bizarre (d20)

d20	Result
1-10	Nothing. This world has no special magic, gravity, or chronological aspects.
11	Dead Magic. Neither magical spells nor magical items function in any way.
12	Enhanced Magic. Magic is more powerful in some way (it may operate at a higher caster level).
13	Impeded Magic. It is challenging to cast most magic (it may demand Concentration checks). Magic which matches the elemental alignment of the world is exempt.
14	Wild Magic. Magical spells have extra, wild effects outside the caster's control.
15	Heavy Gravity. Everything is more challenging in a world where weight increases, particularly movement.
16	Light Gravity. Leaping and carrying heavy items is a breeze in a light gravity world.
17	No gravity. Worlds without gravity can be fatal to those accustomed to gravity's familiar tug.
18	Fast Time. A day in the world is a week (or longer) out of the world. Careful that time does not get away from you.
19	Slow Time. A week in the world is a day (or shorter) out of the world. It is the perfect place to pause and regroup.
20	Timeless. Time does not pass in this world. Creatures do not age, buildings do not fall to ruin, and sickness does not progress.

OthaDeets (d20)

d20	Result
1	A deep, permanent fog suffuses every inch of this world.
2	Multiple suns are visible in the sky of this world. Nighttime is either very short or nonexistent.
3	Everything is very large here. Visitors appear as Lilliputians.
4	Everything is very small here. Visitors appear as giants.
5	Incorporeal creatures float around the world, unperturbed by any goings-on.
6	Plants and animals grow and evolve at a rapid pace. Sometimes their entire lifespans last only a few days.
7	The acid rains and fog in this world make shelter an absolute necessity.
8	The air is thick here. Moving through it is like moving through water.
9	The bones of giant creatures dot the landscape.
10	The creatures of this world have evolved magical runes into the patterns on their flesh.
11	The sky changes colors throughout the day, from pink to green to orange and back again.
12	The stars at night give more heat than the sun.
13	The vast majority of this world, including the soil and creatures, are made up of metal or crystal.
14	The wind howls at all times.
15	The world itself is living but is far too large to care about individual specks on its back.
16	There is no sun and no daylight in this world. Plants and other creatures make due in other unique ways.
17	This world is a hub, and many creatures from various worlds pass through it.
18	Everything here is edible, including the rocks and soil.
19	Everything here is poisonous to outsiders, except for the air.
20	Water freezes at a much higher temperature or boils at a much lower temperature.

alien dnd fantasy planar planes realm sci-fi world worldbuilding

d10	Result
1	Endless OceanResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
2	IslandsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
3	Shallow LakesResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
4	PlainsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
5	HillsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
6	MountainsResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
7	Cliffs and ValleysResolve: { with an extensive underground.\|.}
8	Floating Land Masses
9	Infinite Caves
10	Infinite Flooded Caves

d20	Result
1	0
2	20
3	30
4	35
5	40
6	45
7	50
8	55
9	60
10	65
11	70
12	75
13	80
14	85
15	90
16	95
17	100
18	110
19	120
20	140

d20	Result
1	0
2	20
3	30
4	35
5	40
6	45
7	50
8	55
9	60
10	65
11	70
12	75
13	80
14	85
15	90
16	95
17	100
18	110
19	120
20	140

d20	Result
1	0
2	20
3	30
4	35
5	40
6	45
7	50
8	55
9	60
10	65
11	70
12	75
13	80
14	85
15	90
16	95
17	100
18	110
19	120
20	140