Campaign Construction: The Nine Worlds

In the following weeks, I will be constructing a new campaign world easy translation into a fantasy role playing game (tabletop that is). It will be constructed along the lines of Norse Mythology, being a sort of "Discworld," though rather different than Terry Pratchett design.

The setting itself will be called The Nine Worlds, representing not only the earthy dwelling of most of the settings humans, but attached otherworlds within the same cosmology.

The entire setting will be composed of three planar layers. The top "higher" layer known collectively as Gladsheim, will consist of Asgard (home of the Aesir), Alfheim (Home of the Light Elves) and attached regions.

The middle layer of Midgard (pictured below) consists not only of Manheim (Man-home), but the vast outer ring of Jotunheim, which includes Nifleheim (home of the Frost giants), Muspelheim (home of the fire giants), and Vanaheim (home of nature gods).

The third and lowest layer will be a grim underworld, consisting of Nidavellir (home of Dwarves) and Helheim (realm of the cursed dead). This is also the realm where Nifleheim and Muspelheim seep beneath the world of men. Their presence can sometimes be felt in Manheim in the form of volcanoes, hot springs and glaciers beneath the earth, not to mention their dread inhabitants. The realm os the Svart-Elves is to be found here as well, though it is not a proper realm in its own right, but a series of city-states.

Each of these "worlds" though reachable by mortal (though extraordinary) effort, are considered other "planes" in their own right, sometimes possessing dimensions far greater than might be physically apparent.

I will be presenting rules for this setting in both D&D (3-3.5) and Labyrinth Lord terms, but it should be easily translated to any fighting fantasy system.

More to come!