Belagin

Overall Data

Belagin is a somewhat typical air world, with numerous solid islands floating throughout it. These islands, which sometimes are the size of continents, hold a wide variety of human, demi-human, humanoid, and other creatures, usually living in a semi-nomadic, tribal lifestyle. The races possess a wide variety of cultures and levels of civilization. The various races usually keep to themselves, living in isolation and only occasionally meeting to trade.

Climate and Weather

The skies of Belagin have a wide variety of weather patterns. The skies over the continents have a typical mix of rain and wind, ranging from mild to severe. Hurricane-force winds are a rare threat, flattening villages and smashing any sky-sailing vessel.

Tornadoes are also a hazard. In addition to the standard cone-shaped tornadoes, Belagin tornadoes form in a variety of shapes when they form in the open air. The double-cone tornadoes form when the points of two tornadoes intersect; sometimes these weaken into a cylindrical tornado. Tornadoes form in other shapes too, such as a whirling disk.

Precipitation on Belagin usually originates in the clouds, as it does on most worlds. However, sometimes the rain water comes from a continent higher up, which has lost some of its mass or is breaking up. The more dangerous threat is when a continent collapses, and the rock falls back into the core. Small rocks and debris can seriously harm the unwary or damage buildings. Infrequently, the material in these rockfalls collapse in large chunks, and can damage or shatter lower continents.

Appearance from Space

From space, Belagin appears to be a mottled sphere, with clouds interspersed with continents. An astute observer will notice that many of the clouds are below the continents. Since Belagin is an air world, it has no obvious horizon. The continents do have a curvature, so each continent has its own apparent horizon.

Continents

The floating continents and islands of Belagin actually rise over time. The underside of each floating land mass is a peculiar super-heated mineral which produces lift. The rising land mass slowly spreads as it rises within Belagin, cooling as it does so. Eventually, the ascent slows, and the land mass begins to crumble. Chunks of rock begin falling back to Belagin's core, there to start the cycle over again.

Deep in the center of Belagin is a small hot core of material which is composed of dense earth. This material superheats from the pressure, eventually erupting like a volcano. The material from the eruptions accumulates into a new land mass, and as the material accumulates, it begins to rise. The underside of the lowest land masses is still quite hot, and the rock of Belagin retains heat for a long time.

Each land mass typically has a habitable life span of 2-12 standard years (or 6-36 Belagin years), depending on size and composition. Those land masses which include bodies of water, which are generally gained from Belagin's rain storms, cool faster. Usually, a land mass is relatively stable for years once it has formed. However, sometimes outside events can damage the floating land masses, and parts will crumble away.

The elves of Star Nest have been working on ideas to stabilize the continents, so they will not collapse. They have had some moderate successes by applying high magic to the underside of a continent. In particular, Jenithyria, a small avariel-dominated continent, has remained stable for 50 years.

While Jenithyria is well-defended by the elves and avariel, the stabilization of the continent has recently ignited tensions among the native tribes. Some natives believe a stable continent to be an abomination against the traditions of the planet. Other tribes, hoping to duplicate such success, have started to raid other continents to steal the heated material lifting the continents.

Life Forms

Belagin's flora is dominated by grasses of various types. Belagin natives use local varieties of bamboo and rattan to build their homes, furniture, and other goods. Grains form an important part of the food chain as well, and fast-growing bushes also are common. Some of the local flora live in the air itself, floating like large dandelion seeds or parachutes. The few trees which grow on Belagin's continents are fast-growing, tapping into the energy from the underside of the continent.

Belagin is home to a wide variety of flying creatures. Birds and flying or gliding animals are common.

Belagin is also home to several unique creatures. The ormvroin is a large creature which is used as a huge flying mount, beast of burden, or food source by various tribes. Wisps are a family of gaseous creatures which strike terror in natives.

Gargoyle packs are a persistent threat to Belagin natives and visitors. Gargoyles of various types are relatively common on Belagin, preying upon the weaker humanoid races. They may attack visiting spelljammers as well.

Guide to the Groundlings

The races of Belagin typically dwell as single-race communities, relying upon themselves to survive when a continent begins to break up. Some tribes try to conquer an existing village instead. The more violent tribes usually stay near the upper reaches of Belagin's atmosphere, rarely able to stay in any single village for more than a few years. The more peaceful tribes will travel far to find a more secure, stable land mass to rebuild. Generally, these tribes settle on lower land masses, abandoning them when their continent rises high enough and their village becomes a target.

The aerial groundlings of Belagin - the aarakocra, raptorians, and avariel - typically create villages on the floating continents. The buildings of a typical village are built quickly, using both plant life and stone or clay. Many of the buildings do not have entries at ground level, though buildings designed for visitors (such as inns) always do.

Each village maintains a small group of scouts who patrol the surrounding area. They keep watch for invaders from other continents, quickly sounding an alarm if they see a significant force. They also monitor the status of the continent itself, searching for signs that it is in danger of collapsing. Once the continental collapse is detected, the village quickly prepares to abandon the village.

Hadozee have created several communities on Belagin, and they live in a similar fashion to the aerial races. Hadozee communities almost always have port facilities for spelljammers. They also usually have more ground-level access to their buildings, though some simply add rope ladders to the entrances.

Urds generally dwell in the inner reaches of Belagin, where higher continents block more of the sunlight. These settlements are quite xenophobic, as the urds feel threatened by the larger humanoids. A few urd settlements on the higher continents raid other settlements for supplies. Some urds join skyship crews, and a few have even ventured into wildspace from Belagin. The elves of Star Nest actively patrol against this.

The non-aerial groundling races are the minority, making up about 25% of Belagin's population. These races are a typical mix of different races, and likely immigrated to Belagin in the distant past.

About two-thirds of the non-aerial groundling races dwell in small settlements similar to the aerial groundlings. Their settlements are typically smaller, with rarely more than a hundred inhabitants. When the settlement is threatened by raiders or continental collapse, the inhabitants usually flee in individual hang-gliders or parachute-like balloons if possible.

The remaining non-aerial groundlings live on flying vessels. Many of these flying crafts are unpowered, such as huge balloons, complex kites, or gliders. Other vessels use magical enchantments to lift and propel their ships. These skyships usually have a more integrated crew, with members of different races working together.

The skyships are usually merchants, carrying trade goods from one village to another. Merchants usually travel singly, though some gather in groups of 1-6 vessels of various sizes. Flying ships will also converge on a continent which is collapsing, and the crews will scavenge anything they can after inhabitants have fled. The flying ships will also ferry small refugees to a new continent. Of course, some flying vessels are pirates or raiders, so villagers are always guarded around approaching ships.

Visiting spelljamming ships are usually mistaken for one of the skyships. Belagin natives who learn about spelljamming may be interested in joining a crew. The natives may also be interested in obtaining spelljamming technology for themselves.

Resources and Trade

Belagin offers a variety of resources for spacefarers. Aside from the various light air vessels such as hang gliders, Belagin also offers plentiful natural materials. Grasses and grains are readily available. Belagin also offers metal goods and raw ores.

Some enterprising individuals have tried to extract the material which creates the continental lift. This mineral crumbles when removed from Belagin, and loses all of its lifting properties. Elven researchers speculate that the material's lift is produced by some other force in addition to the heat, or that the heat is a byproduct of this other force. Of course, any Belagin native vehemently opposes any attempt to remove the lifting mineral.

Ports of Call

The Elven Imperial Navy maintains a small base, known as Star Nest, near Belagin. Star Nest is open to friendly single ships, who may use the facilities while under the watchful eyes of the elves. The elves recruit promising Belagin natives, particularly Avariel, to work on the base and on elven ships.

The stable continent Jenithyria currently holds the largest village on Belagin, Jenithagal. Jenithagal is now the size of a small town, and is fortified against raiders. However, Jenithagal is an open port for spelljammers, and is routinely defended by several elven Man-o-Wars.

One of the nations of beholders, the Kerc'phay'nix, controls a small continent on Belagin. They arrived on Belagin some time ago, and dominated the first continent they encountered. Too xenophobic to expand their territory, the beholders seize a new continent whenever their current one breaks up. They have little interest in the rest of Belagin, only using their holdings as supply in their war against the other beholder nations.

Spelljammers can also find adequate repair facilities for their ships in some of the larger villages on other continents. Some of the merchant caravans can also offer to assist with ship repairs.

Adventure Hooks

The players have arrived at a local village, and are in the midst of resupplying, when the scouts detect signs of continental collapse. The players are then caught in the frenzy of evacuation, as the inhabitants start gathering personal items and gear, and prepare to leave. The players may be asked to ferry some of the villagers or larger items which cannot be carried.

The players' ship is caught in a rock fall from a collapsing continent above them. While the PCs are investigating the damage, a small group of adventure-seekers drop onto the players' ship using gliders. They are not hostile, but opportunistic. Players may believe they are responsible for the rock fall, or the adventure-seeking youths might have had their gliders damaged by the rock fall.

The PCs must placate a native druid who has agitated his followers about the elves' interference. They plan to sabotage Jenithrya, and may ask for the PCs help. Alternately, the druid could believe the PCs to be allied with the elves (particularly if they have elves in their crew), and try to seize the ship.